Coming Out Of Their Shell

https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3377

Darnel D Cooper

Agreeing to disagree. Every squad has support staff, technicians, teachers, supply, and command. She would have AI she was with in training or acclamation. I'm sure that someone from her past would remember her - I just want that "person" to check in on her.

awgiedawgie

No one else from her "previous life", as you call it, is left alive for us to meet. Everyone else in her military squad was killed in an attack that also rendered Bubbles herself incapacitated. She suffered severe PTSD as a result.

Ah, nevermind, I misunderstood what they meant by "I keep using it" as in the particular and not in the general.

@mad marie "They" doesn't really misgender anyone though, we use it ALL the time as a filler-pronoun even before non-binary they was popularized. I.e. "Someone forgot their phone." Using "they" when you don't yet know someone's pronouns is never offensive, and those who choose to take it offensively are basically outing themselves as offended by trans people/non-binary people.

Todd Ellner

Nah. It's just a stupid convention. "My big poking thing is bigger than your poking thing." Currently teaching my niece how to use a sword while the blacksmithing teacher teaches her how to make one. Both of us have to overcome stupid anime tropes

JourneymanWizard

Unless they AREN'T! Depulso Physics! ---- Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality ----- Professor McGonagall turned into a cat. Harry [scrambled back] "You turned into a cat! A SMALL cat! You violated Conservation of Energy! That's not just an arbitrary rule, it's implied by the form of the quantum Hamiltonian! Rejecting it destroys unitarity and then you get FTL signalling! And cats are COMPLICATED! A human mind can't just visualise a whole cat's anatomy and, and all the cat biochemistry, and what about the neurology? How can you go on thinking using a cat-sized brain?" Professor McGonagall's lips were twitching harder now. "Magic."

Daniel Blom Paulsen

Bubbles's winking face in panel 3 is a thing of beauty. She's doing so well with Emmett. 💚

Darnel D Cooper

Ugh. Thank you very much for the nerd bump: 1. How Heavy is Bubbles? 2. Is she in the same strength range as Crush Bot? Or stronger because she's military grade? 3. Does she have a limiter? or does she have a running program to keep her from damaging herself. Will we EVER meet anyone from her previous life?

Melissa Smits

I wonder if the AIs in the QC-verse have each found a handful of human-typical characteristics that they've attached to as a way to establish an identity? May has morbid curiosity and hedonism, Bubbles has a sense of loyalty and pack-bonding, Roko has sensitivity to mind/body integration? Is this an early post-singularity phenom brought on by a need for acceptance/cooperation? Otherwise, AIs could just "be everything" to be accepted by anyone around them, having a few fixed traits may bring the AI-human connection more to common ground.

Todd Ellner

Of course Emet speaks truth. It's there in the name. Also, all those enormous anime swords? No matter how strong you are torque, gravity, and center of mass are real.

SilverbackRon

All said, the Hulk does have much larger feet than Bubbles.

SilverbackRon

Lots of human standard people with metal plates in their heads. Although I hear they use plastics more often these days.

Thank you. I have been preaching this since the Hulk first tossed an Abrams over the horizon by grabbing the barrel and twirling like an Olympic hammer throw. This does my soul so much good I may take MY hoodie off too.

Mad Marie

@Marc: There’s already a lot of political tension in the air. Please don’t feed the elephants.

KCkittysnores

Lots of human standard people live with head dents. It’s not a superpower, just surprising.

tim1724

All three of the jobs that we know Bubbles has had are ones that recently involve body parts being damaged/removed/replaced so I'm sure she's past that at this point.

Jason Zions

or someone using a winch on a wrecker or off-road vehicle...

Jason Zions

Heavy lifting is nothing to screw with; know the breaking strain of ropes/wires/chains and stay the hell out of whipping range if something breaks. Watch some "heavy equipment rescue" videos on YouTube; in the best ones, you'll see folks doing the math, and you'll definitely see people position themselves safely.

Marc Tabor

or, an opportunity...

Fart Captor

Marc, don't. Gendering people correctly should not be reserved for people you like any more than not calling them slurs should be

C-Cubed

It seems to really depend on the AI. Roko couldn't stand to look at her own foot being detached while May just saw her limbs falling off as more annoying than disconcerting.

Marc Kevin Hall

Am I the only person who feels it a little odd that Bubbles is so nonchalant about people playing with a robot body part? For some reason my brain decided to swamp out the robot/human roles and imagined some AIs standing around playing with the disembodied pelvis of a human and it was... disconcerting. I guess it's another example of the way that a lot of AIs have less of a personal emotional investment in their bodies than humans do.

Bagge

Bonding!

Ruth Merriam

Emmett is definitely going to be a regular in the shop. They've found their new happy place.

Danielle Church

omg this is so precious

J. Michael

If Dented-Head-Joe isn't a robot, that implies the existent of super powered person in QC. I would personally like that.

William Cole

Or a concrete saw, though that could damage the Emmett if done incorrectly.

KCkittysnores

A QC fan riot would be something to behold.

Marc Tabor

I like using gender-neutral. I use it maliciously with conservatives. I keep saying they, they say "I am he/she" and I say, Oh, neutral is just easier for me, and keep going. It's fun because it uses their own argument against them.

Jaysyn

I went to school with a guy who died from a similar accident, except it was a tow hook & not the bumper.

Comics Ladybird

Which goes to show that even if you *are* the lifting apparatus, safety remains paramount.

Stephen Wells

The kind of AI innuendo which she knows is going straight over Emmett's head. Also over mine at first reading, to be honest :)

Joseph Bonnar

But isn't that being offensive to rocks, Alianfranta?

allanfranta

we take rocks to them?

09Klr650

Yep. Gender-neutral and safe. Well, except for certain people who could even take offense to a rock. But we don't care about them.

Stephen Wells

AI tank in the maintenance bay yelling "Oh yeah, grab me by that flange, baby".

Stephen Wells

Read back over last week and the very gradual progression as their face emerges over the course of multiple strips is beautifully handled, props to the artist, this is good comic.

Andrew

And at least one ear!

Sarah Peper

When in doubt I tend to use "they/them" for everyone

Chris Crowther

It's reading London for me.

Joseph Bonnar

Good point, William.

William Karr

Sam has used “they” exclusively, so I’m gonna say they/them. If not, we’ll be gently corrected in the future.

Joseph Bonnar

One thing I'd like to discover would be how Emmett identifies themselves. That way I could use appropriate pronouns.

Gordon Johnson

Is Emmett Irish? "M'dad" instantly read with a brogue for me

Absentia

i love Emmett's hair! it looks so good on them!

Absentia

please. if Dented Head Joe ahd any relation to Bembo, the only thing that would have dented would have been the bumper

LH

didn't even need a pry bar this time!

Onedavewreckingcrew

You win this round.

Tudza

It hadn't been for Dented Head Joe, I'd be conscious a long time ago.

Ashley Thomas

now im wondering if dented head joe is a robot or just a really dumb dude with a dented skull.

James Anthony

There's where it came from, where did it go? Where'n heck's my bumper Dented Head Joe?

Fart Captor

After that adorable wink I'd feel less nervous too

Mad Marie

When you try to pull an Emmett out of their shell, you have to use the proper handholds.

I love that bubbles is the one that emmet feels comfortable putting their hood down around

William Cole

(1) Bubbles's wink in panel 3 + (2) Dented Head Joe + (3) Sam's reaction to the whole conversation = me, dead

William Cole

Gonna ship him with Barry…

BobC

I was so-so on Emmett until this strip. I was bullied as a kid, and I carefully avoided saying anything at all, in fear of giving my antagonizers yet more ammunition to use against me. But even a word of tech/geek/science/nerd stuff and I'd leap out of hiding into full engagement mode. You've totally triggered me. Go Emmett, go!

OldGoat

Emmett is almost literally coming out of his/their shell.

Josh Moberly

That wink from bubs in panel three tho...that renewed my soul for at least the rest of the day.

VoxOrbisBrad

Wow! Bubbles got Emmett to take their hood down! She must have made a good impression.

Nutjob

... So heavy vehicles usually have hoisting and towing flanges welded onto strongpoints on the hull or frame. I'm just envisioning a tank with comfort grips dangling off the front.

Hugh Eckert

Dented Head Joe is a distant descendant of Bembo. Also, I love everything about this strip. Emmett's slow emergence, Sam's expressions, Bubbles being Bubbles...

Hugh Eckert

That's the two things I want to know...

obw

I keep squealing after every Emmett appearance, oml

Dented Head Joe appearance soon or we riot!!

Errol Lobo

HI EMMETT

Photon

Lol: "It depends on the tank." [wink wink] Sure, Bubbles has known a few AI tanks in her day. Hafta doubt she actually tried to pick up on one, tho.

Dakhran

I love how rapidly this community adopts another cinnamon roll. 😊

R L

I hate this reference. Have a like.

TV4Fun

Where did you come from, where did you go? Where did you come from Dented Head Joe?

Robin

Excuse you, we also have to kill God on our way out.

Jam Ussery

i've only had emmett for a week but if anything happens to them i'll kill everyone in this patreon and then myself

Fart Captor

Awww cute lil theyby comin' outta their shell 🥺

Todd Ellner

More than smart, socially awkward, shy. Oh, yeah. Last week you gave us the frame. Now you provide the picture

Bartley J Drood

Question: do we have to increase our subscription level to see the Dented Head Joe bonus strips or were you already planning to have him make some QC cameos from time to time?

Yelling Bird

Before anyone asks, the bull was a dick and he deserved it.

Lex

Omfg they're so bloody CUTE.

Yelling Bird

I never hit myself in the head with a bumper, but I did punch a bull in the face one time. It ended about as well as you'd imagine.

Molly Jean the Queen

I've only known Emmett for 6 comics but I would defend them with my life

Chauncey

Emmett has a striking resemblance to Willow

Rob McBobson

I like the way Emmet taking off the hood is used as visual shorthand for them coming out of their shell a bit. I didn't even think of it when I first read the strip.

MikeT

We know where they come from, but not where they go

Nicolas Demers

HOLY MOLY EMMETT HAS TWO EYES

After the bumper hit em, yes.

BeatButton

update: I love bubbles (still)

Miyaa

This “Dented Head Joe” feels like the sequel to “Cotton Eye Joe.”

Tamara Macadam

BUBBLES <3

VampireJuicePouch

I would die for Emmett

Jaron Mortimer

Well now we have to meet Dented Head Joe

Sean Kinlin

Bubbles says, "Heck, I'm wearing a tank right now!" :D

Technoir

This is absolutely one of the best story arcs of the last year. #Emmett4Ever

SpookyPenguin

Bubbles on the same level as Emmett, a meeting of minds.

Grace Kieser

It never stops, for me!

Martin Zarate

So is dented-head Joe an AI person or a meat person?

Drazi

I'm 💯 with Sam 🧐🥰

Elberik

This is the second instance of a introverted human opening up to an AI. And both in the bodyshop.

Pejo

She was literally in her shell for ages until she & Faye finally banged. Then she switched to athleisure, as an AI does.

Ting

Or maybe, just maybe, the turret of a tank

Absynthe

Bubbles understands shells, and how to get out of them.

Ian Alexander

oh dented head joe where do you come from where do you go

Cute_Fuzzy

I love the wink in panel 3! Especially because it's the same wink Faye makes in panel 2 of yesterday's comic--she's rubbing off on Bubbles

Pejo

In my mind Dented Head Joe is definitely not a robot

Edward Clayton Andrews

If it hadn't been for Dented Head Joe we'd be riding long time ago you can't lift that call for a tow You can't lift that Dented Head Joe.

Stephen B.

Cotton Eyed Joe is now playing in my head, thanks 😡 😂

Sparky

Adorable

Anthony Gaglianese

The hood is down! Step one of ensuring the comfort of your new Canadian.

dirtknight

Emmett ís precious and must be protected

totallySafeUsername

Thanks for this 😊

LH

if it hadn't been for Dented Head Joe i'd been unditched a long time ago

JD

I'm pretty sure Bubbles has admitted to accidentally pulling the bumper off of a Jeep once.

Michael Boettger

Bubbles pries open Emmet's shell ever so slightly. Good job, Bubbles.

Alan Wiggs

Bumper to bumper brilliance in this conversation

Alex Thompson

Where did he come from, where did he go...

Abreon or Abrea

Emmet' s all about the logistics.

Michael

Everyone has a "Joe" story

Spacey02111

Awwww!

Nicholas Lopez

I love Emmett so much

Ting

Bumper Head Joe, on the other hand, is a very different story

Agnes

poor Joe, hope he can get a replacement chassis