QC Rerun Time 2025 #9
This was part of a storyline where Marten was thinking about what he'd actually like to do with his life, rather than just cruise along working at the library and doing whatever. I was honestly intending to have him go this route in the long term, but then I had the idea for the whole Cubetown thing and it all went out the window, lol. I think the idea of him trying to run a coffee shop is much funnier anyway!
One thing I have learned in my 22+ years of doing this comic is that if I have an idea that makes me stop short and think "wait...is this too ridiculous?" I should absolutely do that idea. Whether it's always successful is largely subjective, but I've never looked back and thought "ah yeah, shouldn't have done that one" in all this time.
Comments (31)
Was it Tai who told Claire that Marten needed to be spurred* once in a while? I had once been on Content and didn't know I wasn't particularly happy until I came to its intersection with Happy. (*Make your own jokes about this bit.)
I already did make that joke lol. ~<3
Jeph: "Wait, is this idea too ridiculous?" QC Readers: "Hey, if we need to give you a little push to get into ridiculous, we will do it."
I particularly love your broken characters, like Liz, and Yay, and Iris.
MARTEN: "I like to go with the flow. Nothing wrong with that." PETER GABRIEL: "Here comes the flood..."
Go coffee shop! I love your crazy ideas, they have been fascinating. Keep it up!
Marten! DO IT!!! Go out and RUIN that Stradevarius!
The Cubetown coffee shop idea is the greatest!
I would have liked to see Marten open up a bakery or a Canadian alternative to Subway or Jersey Mike’s. Or maybe even a more French alternative to Montréal bagels.
Marten might be too chill to open a bakery. True bakers need passion! https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2696
The ridiculous parts are typically my favorite parts
I love the notion that found Marten becoming the seasoned voice of reason for so many Cubetown regulars.
I have a close friend who is a luthier...that exact kind of anxiety is very real. Fairly chill folks tend to be the best at handling the job long term.
My favorite part of the whole "Marten opens a coffee shop in Cubetown" plot is that it's named Mood Coffee, as in, the mirror universe equivalent of Coffee of Doom.
The Secret Bakery was originally the alternate universe CoD. In order to maintain the balance, Elliot must now move to Cubetown and open The Terces Pastry Shop. https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1845
I can't help but wonder if Marten ever jams out on his guitar in the coffee shop
I have ALSO not regretted any of Jeph's 'ridiculous" ideas!
Ah yes. When we almost ended up with Marten Luthier.
His actions caused a schism in the Stradivarius that couldn't be repaired.
So Cubetown saved Marten from a career filled with sax and violins?
At least until a pair of AI twins open a new music shop next to him called Violins and Regret.
Nothing is too strange for this comic.
That Claire close-up is one of my favorites
But are you sure he's content or is it... questionable?
PRODUCER GUY: "That's the name of the comic!"
It's kinda wild for me to revisit this storyline. In 2019 this was a WILDLY STRESSFUL topic for me. I was working a shitty job driving a cab where I was pulling in 12-16 hour days just to barely tread water, and there was no retirement plan or anything, just working the job until I burnt out or died or got too old to drive anymore. But I didn't have a car of my own and didn't live close to anything so I was kinda locked into this job, and thinking about the future in terms of job situations was mad anxiety inducing. Nigh on 7 years later? Car, new job, retirement plan, health insurance, I went on a two week vacation this year. Funny enough, the new job? Working at the library.
I was not prepared for the jumpscare that 2019 was seven years ago
The comic sure took some wild tangents (and dropped a few plots and characters) but really: that's just life isn't it. I'm glad you've been going with the flow for (oh my god so many years) , and I've been along for almost as many (the comic got recommended to me around the 500 mark by a friend)
I always did wonder why this arc for Marten never resurfaced, considering it was such a big deal at the time xD
Is there any market for a luthier in Cubetown?
There's bound to be someone there who just signed their gremlin daughter up for violin lessons. https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=5017