Comments on: Mell Expelled: October 14-19, 2002

By: Adept Arcanist

Adept Arcanist — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 16:23:39 +0000

CONTINUING THE SPOILER DISCUSSION FROM SHAENON’S COMMENT ABOVE:

Clearly, Dave’s nuclear holocaust only lightly scorched the world; the rest of what we see is the aftermath of his and Dr. Narbon’s battle for the ages.

By: Alex O (alexo)

Alex O (alexo) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 20:11:30 +0000

> I wish I'd been better at drawing hot girls at this point.

You were doing absolutely fine! The only thing that bothers me a little is that Dave-as-a-woman looks to be the the blandest girl in the comic. I wish you had taken pity on him and made "her" cuter.

By: John Campbell (jcampbel)

John Campbell (jcampbel) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 20:11:29 +0000

Nah, any bodily fluids will work. Swapping spit is just "the least repulsive of several options".

(Am I really looking up citations for this conversation? Oy.)

By: Jason (hactar)

Jason (hactar) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 20:11:28 +0000

John, actually it could. It just requires a touch of creativity. As far as I know, it’s only saliva that reverse the process, not other bodily fluids.

By: John Campbell (jcampbel)

John Campbell (jcampbel) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 20:11:27 +0000

On further consideration, I’m pretty sure it couldn’t have involved the gender-swap formula. Remember what the counter to it is…

By: John Campbell (jcampbel)

John Campbell (jcampbel) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 20:11:26 +0000

Given developments a storyline or two down the road, that may not have involved the gender-swap formula, per se. Remember also, “I’m pretty sure that was Dave just now.”

By: Kevin (ofscience)

Kevin (ofscience) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 20:11:25 +0000

@John I don’t think that’s been established. There are those lip-prints to consider, but there’s solid evidence that Dave is still interested in women while he’s female. (Remember “I’ll never have lesbian sex again!”?). Of course, this may just be more support for Elaine’s theory.

By: Edwin Quantrall (reynard)

Edwin Quantrall (reynard) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 20:11:24 +0000

Considering how high the ITP Factor* is for Dave during the strip's run, I'm not going to judge him/her if he/she decides to avail himself/herself of some shower and rub-down action with a bunch of hot, nubile young co-eds once in a while.

*Indignities To Person

By: Elaine Corvidae (elaine_corvidae)

Elaine Corvidae (elaine_corvidae) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 20:11:23 +0000

@John: I always took this strip as evidence that Dave is later lying through his teeth to Artie when he refers to his “raging heterosexuality.” Er, not really, Dave, and we have canon evidence to prove it.

By: John Campbell (jcampbel)

John Campbell (jcampbel) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 20:11:22 +0000

I believe it's been established that subjects of the gender-swap formula maintain their relative orientations; that is, straight guys become straight girls. So Dave may not have any ulterior motives here... she may just really need a massage. (Given what her life is like, that's pretty understandable.) On the other hand, there were those fresh lip prints on the WWF poster...

As for Dave's jacket, that's easy to explain. She put it on so she wouldn't have to carry it while hiking to wherever she needs to hike to now that her car's been stolen, and then took it off again when her plan changed.

What I'm at a loss to explain is why she took off her jacket between the last panel of yesterday's strip and the first panel of today's. Maybe the interval was longer than it appears, and she's been in and out of buildings looking for Mell and/or her car?