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[TRENCHES] Thursday, May 17, 2012 - Reticence
Geth
LegionPerseus VeilRegistered User, Moderator, Penny Arcade Staff, Vanilla Staff vanilla
LegionPerseus VeilRegistered User, Moderator, Penny Arcade Staff, Vanilla Staff vanilla
Reticence
http://trenchescomic.com/comic/post/reticence
We can test… IN OUR MINDS.
AnonymousA building on our block burned down. The power was out for two days because of this, yet we were still expected to report for work. We sat in a powerless room, unable to test whatsoever, because “we have to show production we’re taking this seriously.”
When one supervisor finally showed some sanity and let us leave, production hit the roof and started screaming about how “QA does NOT get two days off a week.”
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Also, I hope he finds the mole.
Possibly mischevious.
kingworkscreative.com
kingworkscreative.blogspot.com
Issac has entered investigation mode. His darker color scheme is a result of his focus.
Or they altered the lighting to make it seem like this was a serious thing.
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Slow days are the worst days.
What happens in the QA dungeon, stays in the QA dungeon.
your = belonging to you
their = belonging to them
there = not here
they're = they are
Why think that QA and production were located at the same site? Perhaps production was somewhere that still had full power.
What grievous sin has he committed this time, exactly?
Anyway, at least now we know for sure there are still other people in QA besides the core cast.
Can't really put a finger on why. Probably something about the combination of semi-dickish behavior with not being exceptionally funny or sympathetic.
Seems like half the Trenches new comic threads have people acting like Isaac's hobby is drowning puppies.
So my assessment stands... for now.
Main characters who have flaws and sometimes do the wrong thing are interesting and relatable.
your = belonging to you
their = belonging to them
there = not here
they're = they are
Although I might have to make an exception for Jack Bauer, because he did everything for freedom.
On the black screen
I don't disagree, but I've yet to see any redeeming qualities whatsoever from him.
On topic, I do like the backgrounds in this one a lot.
Give me a break. He tried to stop Credenza from firing somebody to make room for him, and talked him out of firing Frank, who clearly desperately needed a job. He tried to find a way to save Marley from getting fired, even though he kinda deserved it for delegating his tasks to The Snuffler (of course, he didn't succeed, and it turned out not to make much of a difference anyway, but that isn't the point). He clearly has some compassion for the people around him, and that's growing as he comes to identify more with the team. He's no saint, but he's a decent human being, I'd say pretty close to average actually, though you may have a more optimistic view of humanity in general than I do.
Now what exactly has he done that makes him such a terrible person? Make a lame "Jewgle" pun? Exploit the Fuckworld glitch to get pimped-out gear because he didn't stop to think about the long-term effect on the game economy? Well, I'd say he has already at least attained the Caligula/Nero tier of historical monsters, and there may even be a case for promoting him to the Hitler/Stalin/Mao level!
In all seriousness, probably the biggest dick moment we've seen from him was this comic, which is definitely shitty behavior on his part and frustrated me at the time as it seemed like too big a backslide in character development, but does make some sense as a temporary relapse when you consider Isaac's narrative arc so far. He's a guy who's still fairly young who had a fun, glamorous (at least to him) job where he made a good amount of money. As a result, he's a little arrogant and self-absorbed, as many people with that lot in life would end up being. Suddenly everything fell apart (we still don't know the exact circumstances) and now he's having to get by in a much less cushy situation that he thinks is sortof beneath him. And as one would expect, he struggles and he doesn't always behave in an exemplary fashion, but he's adjusting and forming a better relationship with the people he's stuck with, and that's really what the comic is all about as much as anything else.
Even in the current "mole hunt" arc (which I concede, whatever else you may say about it, is not nearly as entertaining as the mole hunt they had at ISIS), it's true that he's trying to cover his own ass because he short-sightedly exploited the Fuckworld glitch and being fairly jerky and inept in the way he goes about it. But we also need to remember that the mole, whoever they are, is (probably) violating their NDA and is also screwing over everybody else in QA by making management freak out and forbid them from using their computers or doing any actual work. Isaac is not the villain here, even if we may roll our eyes (like Cora) at the way it took a personal threat to make Isaac care about what's going on.
Trenches is, in the end, a "workplace comedy." I'm going to bet that most of us who've reached the age I am guessing Isaac is in the comic (mid to late 20's) have had to work with multiple people who were inexpressibly bigger dicks than Isaac. I know I have. If you haven't, count yourself in the fortunate minority.
I dare say that there is a not insignificant chance that most of us have, at least at one point or another, been as big a dick as Isaac at one of our jobs.
aaaaaaaaaaaay more thought into this than I have. Sorry if my offhand comments about not liking a character offend. I think 90% of it comes down to him not be very funny to me. A character could be the absolute embodiment of "unrepentant asshole," and I don't think I would mind if he/she also was amusing enough.
It did not offend and it is not just you. As I said, it seems like almost every new comic thread there are people (unless its just been you every time, I haven't kept track :P) acting like Isaac assraped their mom even when his actions in the comic are completely innocuous, and I can't figure out where it comes from and that starts to irritate me after a while, which is why I questioned you on it.
It seems like most people who feel this way haven't put much thought into it (no offense), or in some cases aren't even paying attention to what's actually going on in the comic at all (like one guy early on last fall who somehow had the idea this is Isaac's first job
I personally like that he is somewhat dislikeable (but not completely unlikeable) because I think it makes him a more interesting character then someone who is completely altruistic at all times. Issac is kind of like Gregory House, only his handicap isn't a physical one, its something of a "bird with its wings clipped" scenario. He was flying before but now has to walk amongst those who existed beneath him for so long. Yeah he is going to be a bit pessimistic, the guy is down on his luck. But he isn't a terrible guy either, and the longer the comic goes on the more that becomes evident.
House is a lot like that because he often puts up a front to maintain how people view him. He wants everyone to think that he doesn't care about the patient, he likes to say "everybody lies" a lot and verbally abuse people for his own amusement. But, when push comes to shove, he has done a number of things over time that are highly illegal for the benefit of a patient in dire need of help that the hospital wouldn't have provided otherwise due to policies that they have in place to protect themselves. He also cares about Wilson a good deal, even if he doesn't act like it. Similarly, you can tell Issac cares about Cora, Rarley, and the rest of the cast. He is just a bit self centered at times because he is only human and he was at the top looking down just before.
The comic is much better in large chunks though, I'll give it that.
also he's frequently adorable
On the black screen
It's like PvP in that regard, and/or possibly Dilbert. It's very low-key, especially contrasted on alternating weekdays with PA. It's a slow burn. Well actually the word "burn" may imply too much intensity. Slow simmer? If it seems drab or mundane, that is because its subject matter and the environment it's depicting are fundamentally drab and mundane as well, occasional detours into the mildly surreal such as Mr. Toots notwithstanding. It rarely produces hilarious laugh out loud moments, and I don't think it usually tries to. It's designed to be checked in on two days a week, reacted to with a bemused smirk or small chuckle and then rarely thought about until the next installment, proceeding at its own pace, deliberately, methodically, tranquilly, and over time as you get to know the comic and its characters better you appreciate it for what it is more and more. And when you have the opportunity to absorb a large amount of it in one sitting, rather than in carefully measured regular doses, its impact increases exponentially.
I think its simply that he works a lot better when he is collaborating with other people, as he has someone else to bounce his wit and other ideas off of and gives his sense of humor a chance to really shine. (Sorry for the initial comment Scott, I still love you!)