Dramatic Exit

Okay, that is just Epic!

Lars Gottlieb

The jump happened between panels 2 and 3 of The Confrontation, Liz is poised to spring in panel 2 there, and it is why Liz ended up held by Evan; Evan caught her. All the subsequent character interactions wouldn't make sense if Evan was the aggressor but do make sense if Liz launched herself boobwards.

Stephen Wells

Evan came storming in, assuming that Liz was causing problems and yelling at her. Where did you get the idea that Liz jumped at Evan? That seems to be a bit of a leap in reading it (heh), Liz called her "titties" and the next thing you know Evan is hanging her from her arms. Liz is a little goblin, but Evan started it.

Onyx

My uncle, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather on my mother's side of the family were all named Horatio C Wood, where the C did not stand for anything and was just the letter C. (There might be another great- in there too, I tend to lose count and have to try to count them on my fingers, what with all of them being named the same and all being doctors.)

Clifton Royston

Liz jumped at Evan and Evan caught her. Your own comment establishes that that "Evan grabbed Liz" reading doesn't make any sense in terms of the character interactions, so there's no reason to stick to it.

Stephen Wells

Q may seem to lack a moral compass, but they do have SOME principles...

David Howe

I don't understand this when Moray, Evan, and Liz are clearly their kids.

Michael Chui

Moving this to also a new comment - Claire is handling this situation wrong. Evan was the aggressor here who LITERALLY laid hands on Liz. Liz was wrong, but she also didn't start it and didn't touch Evan - if Claire was going to interfered she should have started when Evan was holding Liz in the air. I'd be SUPER pissed if I was Liz too.

Onyx

Exactly. Also, Evan was the aggressor here, and literally laid hands on Liz - she should have been addressed first.

Onyx

Marten-Claire-Evan-Liz-Moray-Violence-Regret septuple?

Jay MacKinnon

The Three Grownups. I like it

Todd Ellner

You misspelled "Evan-Liz-Moray throuple"

Fart Captor

Marten-Claire-Evan throuple FTW

Jay MacKinnon

Yes, Evan definitely needs to get chewed out for showing up in the first place on the preconceived notion that Liz was acting improperly and needed to be restrained. She's perfectly demonstrated the word "assume" - she's made an "ass" out of "u" (Liz) and "me" (herself). She also needs to do something about her sleep-undressing instead of denying it.

awgiedawgie

Liz is a perfect creature who has never done anything wrong except for the things she's done wrong 😤

Fart Captor

The Q is questionable.

Steve H

I'm not sure I'm feeling the Liz character. She has Problems, I get it, and I sympathize with her, but she's kind of a jerk, and to me, more annoying than interesting.

Julia Allen-Hesse

Yeah, Evan's a bit of an ass

Onyx

She did, but she fully chastised Liz first, which gave Even the ok to continue being an ass. So far she's only said Evan's name, she needs to chew her out as well as she was hugely inappropriate.

Onyx

Um, she just did.

awgiedawgie

Looks like the Librarian is going to be the Mom by default; wonder if the Dad is gonna be up to the task. :)

Joshua Brumley

Frankly I'm regretting defending Evan's actions in the beginning, now that she's coming across as such a heartless character. Which I suppose she is literally heartless but still.

Shawn Spencer

...a really good comptroller, two parents, and good gracious yes, a Librarian.

Ursus Ridens

Yup. Cubetown definitely needs two parents.

Joshua Brumley

Evanescent Fitzwilliam Malebranche Incinerator (the Third), Go To Your Room.

Stephen Wells

Even was not being ok at all either, so I hope Clair turns her librarian voice and look on her next.

Onyx

Claire's in full mom-mode right now. And I love it

Absentia

It wasn't the job she applied for, but it was the job in front of her

Todd Ellner

EVERYTHING about AIs in the QCverse is "a bit weird".

William Cole

As someone who worked security for many years, yeah, she actually is very out of line, not to mention far over-reaching her authority. This is the sort of thing you would be fired for anywhere else.

Shawn Spencer

You can't go wrong by making up Latin-sounding middle names

Nicolas Demers

That's... pretty much what she signed up for, yes

Nicolas Demers

I genuinely love this idea, and my past history in picking stuff raised millions. I’m a fan.

Gary Walker

Moray says a few strips back that it's abnormal and Evan has something wierd in her personal programming

I won't say you're wrong, but I will add on that Evan IS head of security. And dealing with Liz being a horrible goblin has probably been a not-insignificant part of her job. So when she bursts into the room, and the immediate response is sexual harassment? I don't think apprehending the offender is entirely out of line

Claire is everybody's mom now I guess XD

Trans4Life2021

The idea that robots can be sleepy is a bit weird to me, but maybe there's a reason later. I guess some of them might want to emulate humans...

Skeeter Zymbal

I treat it as the sign it's time to go to bed (average 2.20am in my timezone)

David Durant

I can reasonably state that (sleeping for) my work schedule kept me from getting to last night's update. Some of my webcomics go at 12a Eastern, and I don't always make it to QC if it's not by 10p.

ValdVin

Taking this job seems like it's going to be a huge pain in the ass

Tell me about it - why does he always post them around 3 in the morning? Oh yeah - timezones...

Leak

I kinda want to suggest a charity event where people can bid to pick middle names for characters. It might really bring in some bucks.

David

Also, I am officially old now because I am asleep before Jeph posts the comic about half of the time. I'm sorry. I don't make the rules.

Gary Walker

I kind of want Evanescent Incinerator's middle name to be "Wilda" after my grandma.

Gary Walker

It should be Marie. Just because it's *such* a common middle name, and because it doesn't match at all.

Megan Lane

Liz was the first offender with the sexual harassment, before the insults.

P

I contend that if Liz had jumped at Evan and been caught, she would have been facing the opposite direction while being held up. Evan took it upon herself to BURST into a friendly gathering, screaming Liz's name. Evan came into this situation aggressive, confrontational and rude. Liz is a goblin and needs her attitude adjusted, but a first time drinker with years of built up trauma isn't any more in control of herself than a sleepwalking robot. Everything Liz said was meant in good fun, if misguided. Evan's behavior was actively terrible towards Liz.

I have a friend who likes to make up middle names for people when she jokingly momscolds them... "Hugh Belisarius Eckert, get in the car!"

Hugh Eckert

Also, let's not forget that Liz greeted Evan by calling her "Titties"...

enchantedsleeper

TBF, Claire did tell Evan to put Liz down.

Sean Kinlin

It's not clear, but I don't think Evan physically assaulted Liz, it seems like Liz leapt at her and was caught. Liz then responded by saying that she wanted to ride her cleavage like a power loader. I think they were about even on that one, but then Liz took things too far by making fun of Evan for something that was out of her control. That's when Claire called her out

enchantedsleeper

Hmm, Ben is right. Then again, that sounds like real life pretty much, so no problem?

Hmmm.... Evan insults and physically assaults Liz. Liz takes it well, and instead of being angry, tries to engage in what she sees as playful banter. She missed the mark, sure, but as a socially inept person I can totally empathize with that. I dunno. Seems to me Evan should have been asked to apologize first, or at least at the same time. While Claire's point is correct and valid, Liz is going to see that when she makes a mistake, she's scolded and told she's wrong. Evan's poor behavior, on the other hand, was ignored.

That might SINK Cubetown.

William Cole

For when you absolutely, positively have to scold every last MFer in the room.

Stephen Wells

So Claire uses full names when she's about to reprimand someone. I almost wish Marten's mom would make a brief appearance so she and Claire would Mom-scold at the same time

Vinny

Surprisingly, it's possible for more than one person to be in the wrong at the same time

MiqoRems

I mean to be fair this is the first time the kid has tried alcohol so she's not exactly in her right mind either. I'm not really a fan of the little goblin but I wouldn't exactly say she's in the wrong here, Evan -did- effectively start off by insulting her.

Shawn Spencer

Not only has Claire found her chill, she's found her inner Mom Voice and has hit the loudspeaker setting on it. Truly, she's in the Right Place.

Ruth Merriam

Claire will leave the scolding of Ol’ Boaty to Marten though she will be glaring at the boat in the scolding.

Miyaa

If she had that size of a bust she’d have more than a gremlin orbiting her.

Miyaa

Can I just say that as someone who has been through the process of being open about their neurodivergence at work (and that fairly recently) that you are really good at representing our tribe, Jeph.

Gary Walker

As Yay already pointed out: this place is in the most desperate need of somebody with even a modicum of common sense.

Stephen Wells

The Q is her bra size?

The Bird

Claire's already scolded/criticized the Director, the Director's consigliere Moray, the Security Chief, and arguably one of the smartest residents of Cubetown. She's clearly (Clairely) working her way down from the top and eventually will learn the middle names of Jeremy, Armold, and Ol' Boaty in her quest for organization. And they will love her for it, although there will undoubtedly be more flouncing.

Douglas E. Smith

Eh, Idk, he shouldn’t quit his day job..

Yeah, I'm getting that same sneaking suspicion.

JCfromNC

Now that, students, is a FLOUNCE

SpookyPenguin

Jeph: I think you just might be kinda good at this writing comics thing.

Mad Marie

Sounds like she’s Wendy in Peter Pan.

Mad Marie

The ueue are the component parts of the Q-Continuum.

Mad Marie

Ah, the joys and challenges of proto-parenthood

enchantedsleeper

It's totally unfair. No one would have demanded an appology from Hannelore von Schwarzpunkt

Bagge

And here I thought the Q stood for "Nuclear"...

Leak

they're not silent, they're waiting patiently for their turn

LH

I love how there were exactly zero pretence that whatever Claire's job title might be, what they're looking for is a a mom for the whole town.

Bagge

Time for Marten to tell her he is not mad but he is disappointed

Bagge

Well, Liz specified a party with bad decisions.

Stephen Wells

Evanescent \0 Incinerator

Todd Ellner

It's short for Queue. The u, e, other u, and other e are silent.

Adam Abbott