[8-14-11] SHOW A LITTLE SPINE!

[Aaron]

I think Ag will show some spine. By breaking Penny's.

RUN BLONDIE RUN!

Yeah, but Penny ain't scared in that last panel. She's ready to throw down if necessary, if it means bringing Aggie back to earth.

[weirdfish13]

Oh, Penny, no. No, no, no, no, no. If you are in love with someone, you do not put your hands on them in anger. This is where I jump ship. Aggie's face in the final panel makes me hopeful.

I wouldn't call that "anger". That was a "back to reality" shake, where you're trying to get someone out of a BSOD.

If her head is bobbling back and forth like *that*, it's gone beyond snap-out-of-it territory and into "OW". You don't have to get sent to the hospital for physical abuse to feel like total shit.

[Spudnuts]

Oh, Penny, no. No, no, no, no, no. If you are in love with someone, you do not put your hands on them in anger. This is where I jump ship. Aggie's face in the final panel makes me hopeful.

I wouldn't call that "anger". That was a "back to reality" shake, where you're trying to get someone out of a BSOD.

If her head is bobbling back and forth like *that*, it's gone beyond snap-out-of-it territory and into "OW". You don't have to get sent to the hospital for physical abuse to feel like total shit.

It's a comic strip. All motion has to be exaggerated just to get us to see it. It's just part of the art form.

[brasca]

Careful what you wish for Penny.

I don't think physically grabbing Aggie is all that bad since it seems to lead to the bedroom, but insinuating a lack of spine is not. Regardless of the many arguments that she does or doesn't she will feel compelled to prove that she does and that will lead to a standoff where no one goes away happy.

[retrophrenologist]

Oh, Penny, no. No, no, no, no, no. If you are in love with someone, you do not put your hands on them in anger. This is where I jump ship. Aggie's face in the final panel makes me hopeful.

I wouldn't call that "anger". That was a "back to reality" shake, where you're trying to get someone out of a BSOD.

Even so, it's crossing a line.

[Tamar]

Yeah, count me in amongst those who are seeing cartoonish exaggeration and slapstick, rather than abuse.

[Kamino Neko]

Ditto.

Also, Aggie is CUTE when she's angry. *prepares to be slapped by Aggie for that...*

[bunnyThor]

FALCONPUNCH!

[Glishara]

Oh, Penny, no. No, no, no, no, no. If you are in love with someone, you do not put your hands on them in anger. This is where I jump ship. Aggie's face in the final panel makes me hopeful.

This was my first response on reading this, too, and the more I look over the last few strips, the more it's bothering me.

There are some really creepy controlling vibes coming off of Penny through this whole discussion, from her verbal maneuvering to her body language. In the last two strips, the two of them have this posture where Penny has her hands on Aggie's waist, and Aggie is not reciprocating, even though it means her elbows are cocked a bit behind her, her hands hovering near or resting hesitantly on Penny's forearms. That posture tells me Aggie wants more distance than Penny is giving her, and it's echoed by the way Aggie spends so much of her time looking away from Penny.

Aggie is unbalanced and uncertain, and Penny is pressing the advantage, springing important decisions on Aggie in a charged emotional moment, and phrasing them in a way that comes off uncomfortably like "Don't you love me enough to plan your life around me?" Coming in the middle of an argument, that's classic manipulation, and not fair or nice.

Now in this panel, there's the closeup of Penny's fingers gripping Aggie's shirt, and Aggie's hands over Penny's wrists, as if not sure what to do with them. And then physical aggression from Penny, while shouting verbal attacks?

I've been kind of agnostic to the relationship up until now, but this is really creepy, and I hope Aggie puts her foot down and says, "Okay, we need some space, STAT," because this is scary-warning-sign territory, not romantic sweetness.

[Alice Macher]

Ditto.

Also, Aggie is CUTE when she's angry. *prepares to be slapped by Aggie for that...*

This is my favourite "angry Aggie" moment (second panel). For me, that takes it from cute to downright hawt. (It helps that in that strip it's righteous anger.)

[Fhqwhgads]

Oh, Penny, no. No, no, no, no, no. If you are in love with someone, you do not put your hands on them in anger. This is where I jump ship. Aggie's face in the final panel makes me hopeful.

This was my first response on reading this, too, and the more I look over the last few strips, the more it's bothering me.

There are some really creepy controlling vibes coming off of Penny through this whole discussion, from her verbal maneuvering to her body language. In the last two strips, the two of them have this posture where Penny has her hands on Aggie's waist, and Aggie is not reciprocating, even though it means her elbows are cocked a bit behind her, her hands hovering near or resting hesitantly on Penny's forearms. That posture tells me Aggie wants more distance than Penny is giving her, and it's echoed by the way Aggie spends so much of her time looking away from Penny.

Aggie is unbalanced and uncertain, and Penny is pressing the advantage, springing important decisions on Aggie in a charged emotional moment, and phrasing them in a way that comes off uncomfortably like "Don't you love me enough to plan your life around me?" Coming in the middle of an argument, that's classic manipulation, and not fair or nice.

Now in this panel, there's the closeup of Penny's fingers gripping Aggie's shirt, and Aggie's hands over Penny's wrists, as if not sure what to do with them. And then physical aggression from Penny, while shouting verbal attacks?

I've been kind of agnostic to the relationship up until now, but this is really creepy, and I hope Aggie puts her foot down and says, "Okay, we need some space, STAT," because this is scary-warning-sign territory, not romantic sweetness.

...aaand this is the side I aisle I fell on with this strip. I'm really hoping Aggie "shows a little spine" here by kicking Penny out, sending her home. Not (necessarily) forever, but certainly until Aggie can get her balance back.

[Sassy-fras]

Penny: Come on Aggie! Nut up! We are confronting some long-term problems here! And I dont want to just protect you from them!

....I give her credit for being honest, but her execution? Not as well as her encounter with comforting Sara. *whispers* Nut up? Girl boner? Swallowing Stan's bs? Is it just me or does Penny miss men?

[justvisiting]

There are some really creepy controlling vibes coming off of Penny through this whole discussion, from her verbal maneuvering to her body language.

Hmm. Now you've got me wondering if Penny's trying to overcompensate for her lack of control in their last encounter.

[Mec]

Penelope.

"Shaken, not stirred" is for your martini.

Not your girlfriend.

[Alice Macher]

Penelope.

"Shaken, not stirred" is for your martini.

Not your girlfriend.

Hmm... Penny as a secret agent...