I've been planning on rereading some webcomics. I decided to start with Penny & Aggie and finished rereading Penny & Aggie yesterday. Though this forum isn't as active as it once was, I felt like sharing my thoughts here.
Firstly, for any new readers visiting the forums, spoilers ahead. If you don't want to be spoiled, please stop reading!
It's been years since I've read this comic and I love how my current point-of-view makes me see the plot and characters a little differently. I see early Aggie bordering on the Social Justice Warrior type. If she were unapologetic in The Race Card, she could easily find herself going that route. However, she realizes that accusing people of bad behavior without proof isn't good.
Of course, my POV is also colored by already knowing how the story ends. For instance, knowing where Stan is headed makes disliking him (for past instances) impossible for me. Even with the knowledge that he and Brandi end on a bad note, I couldn't dislike him. He makes mistakes being a people-pleaser. I also feel that in comparison to others, he's not bad.
I'm a little less forgiving of Karen, now. I still don't hate her, but aren't as interested in seeing her redeemed (though, I'd still read a story where she works on herself).
One detail that's funnier, in hindsight, is Penny's BSOD after Sara snaps at her to get with Aggie. The Penny/Duane/Aggie dream also felt more funny to me. It's that “knowing how the story ends” part; I view these scenes differently because Penny and Aggie date later.
I liked the P/A breakup better, too. As they were, they didn't look like they would last if they didn't take an extended breakup. Penny didn't turn into Bitch-Lit Queen and Aggie didn't turn into More-Conservative Aggie. They needed to grow on their own before establishing a more permanent relationship. After rereading, I couldn't see Teen P/A lasting after Aggie explained she needed a relationship that provided her a safe place to wind down.
Tharqa, Cyndi, and early-Charlotte remind me of an ex-roommate, minus Cyndi's murderous impulses. Speaking of Tharqa, she came off as less bitchy and more nervous during the class reunion. It seemed like she could've been the person who wants to apologize, but couldn't because of a combination of nervousness and guilt. Seemed being the keyword.