The Observer

I am rereading from the beginning. It is enjoyable to watch your art mature. Also, Angus, oh Angus. First Sven, now the doom machine himself arrives. Sorry, Angus, I clearly remember the arc. Not necessarily as you wrote it, but clear enough to read the tea leaves of doom

It's like that Harry Sally movie. (Even though Hannelore's true love is Anh.)

Oh boy xD I can't wait for Ayo to advance this thesis to Dora (...when she gets back from her honeymoon), who might make some coffee just so that she can choke on it in amused disbelief

This ship Is a FRIEND ship This ship (sung to This Train by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, of course).

Yes Ayo, they are A thing, just not THAT thing!

I genuinely ship these too. Because I wanna see Hanners get out of her shell more and I think Sven is a very out of shell move. And I think a relationship with Hanners would let Sven explore a romance not based on sex. Also I think they’re super cute together and I want it.

Let's be fair: by Ayo standards this isn't that bad an idea.

To further torpedo the ship, while Hanners is polite as always, I usually interpret her saying things with eyes closed as being slightly uncomfortable: talking about her childhood, the idea of holding a stick of burning magnesium that spews tiny fireballs onto your hand... Sven's joke does resolve the tension, though.

OK, so now I have a selection of songs by The Flaming Lips stuck in my head and I am not particularly mad about that.

They migrate to Britain in the autumn to die in the wet

Can't make out that note too well. That an ACAB at the bottom?

I mean, Hannalore is Sven's closest platonic female friend who's not a relative. They do kind of have those vibes, so its an easy mistake to make.

I didn't think Sven's banter would be quite so Marten-y.

Ayo. Ayo no. Whatever you're thinking, stop it. Nothing good can come from playing matchmaker here.

It took my longer than I'd like to admit to understand the last panel, because I kept assuming she was reading the note on the door and I couldn't figure out which of the items she was referring to. Or how it connected to the rest of the comic. :P

And then May walks in, they catch up, and Ayo’s response: “wait! You two….are totally platonic friends.”

They ARE a thing! A platonic thing!

ayo no u

I ship them as becoming besties. Like Faye and Martin but without the "will they/won't they".

A bonus callback to Ayo saying she has a lot more ass than her sister. (BookBeard will probably cite the exact strip.)

We have all had that thought at least once over the years. Honestly Sven & Hanners make one of the most interesting friendships in QC. It is so fun to see someone new get the wrong idea. This can only go well.

It's easy to misunderstand, but Sven isn't a fireman who also happens to be hypoallergenic and fully encased in a safety cover when not in use. Hanners also does not appear to be peace and quiet or a medium amount of fully anonymous career success, which seem to be Sven's main wants at the moment.

Ashes to ashes, fun to funky... Yeah, Major Tom probably would have lit off sparklers in his capsule.

Grab yourself some popcorn and gather round the table! Ayo's gonna set things on fire! She's a good human truly But with ideas she's unruly, And that's my rhyme as far as I am able!

We were all thinking it. Or, well, not that they were a thing, but that they COULD BECOME a thing. Like, OK, years ago, it'd have seemed impossible, but with Sven improving as a person, and Hannelore making as much progress as she's made with her own problems, I dunno, it doesn't feel quite as out of the realm of possibility as it once did. If I'm wrong, and they won't become a thing, I'd like to think I'd be fine with that, since they still work well as just friends. All I'm saying is, I can see the vision here.

Is there a story of the ACAB on the sign specific to the shop or just in general. Either way agree

The one thing Ayo really should never do is get an idea.

This comic is now merely an excuse for Jeph to draw Ayo's butt

Oh, oh no, no. No dear, no.

Ayo has the right idea IMO. It's just also impossible in multiple realms.

I like the sign

Ay-no...

ACAB 🤘

These kinds of wrong ideas are the best ideas Not to be shared with anyone, or forced into reality. Absolutely not. But the best idea to let rattle around the head

Ayo's got a butt on her

That dirty fuckboy Sven better stay the hell away from my sweet, sweet, Hannelore! (Guys, you realize I'm kidding, right?)

I like this friendship. Sounds like ne and my wife. I'm ace too, before you try to tell me twuuu wuv means it's not. 😅

Excellent list on the door. Good advice.

Do they serve ICE or HSI? I hope not.

Hehe

Isn't there a song Sven's supposed to be writing? What's with this dilly-dallying?

Nevermind I hate Ayo now. ... Okay fine I don't really, but also a big-ass nope to the Sven/Hanners ship. It's the actual worst idea and I will not be convinced otherwise. It's okay to just let friends be friends. Not every human connection needs to be romantic, in fact sometimes it can be more meaningful when it isn't. In my personal, subjective, and entirely correct opinion, this is one of those times.

I mean, I get it, Ayo, I remember Sven and Hanners' date (and honestly it went fucking perfectly) but don't get your hopes too high, kiddo. 😂

ACAB should be on every reminder sheet.

I mean I don’t *not* ship it

I'm might be in the minority but I think Sven/Hanners could be a good thing for both of them, maybe even now. Sven seems like he's trying to not be a piece of shit and Hanners is in the mindset to try something new. Either way I'm shipping them

Ah yeah getting back to it. Awkwardness, space station Lore, making up random Shit, Writing in the background of the coffee shop, Romantic misunderstanding, and ending on a butt! This is what QC is all about! instant classic, Lol!

why yes Ayo, 2+2 does indeed equal 5

Now we see the result of the Ayo preview that Jeph gave us a couple weeks ago.

Haha, aww, even before I got to Ayo's panel I was thinking about how much I love Sven and Hannelore's friendship. They have Such a great dynamic, ever since they went on that fake date. 😊

If by "a thing" Ayo means "actually friends, which is a rarity for Sven where women are concerned", then yes. (Yes, I know that's not what she means.)

-wash ur hands -no biting -always defer to Hanners -ACAB Very important truths. *nods

“Always defer to Hanners” …so, at what point do we admit that Hanners is actually running CoD?

Me reading the last panel: My ship is canon! 🚢 Me reading the alt text thingy: My ship is sunk again 😔 I still think Svennelore is a good match for each other!

Then she got an idea. An *awful* idea. The Ayo got a wonderful *AWFUL* idea. 😈

"No biting"? Every sign exists for a reason. What's this one for?

Ancient ship sighted. All hands brace for impact...

Rut roh

::Romcom intensifies::

For what it's worth, I greatly enjoy the "thing" that Sven and Hannelore actually have. It's good for both of them for their own individual reasons. Also, Ayo's butt looks really good in the last panel. lol butts lol

hahaha oh, wow. I very much want to see how this plays out.

Ayo not realizing she’s stepping into years of drama:

Why am I suddenly shipping those two? Damn you, Ayo.

Love that last little reminder ♥️

I like it, but I don't love it.

Haha I think steph just sees hanner as like a lil sister who socially awkward

Nooo, Ayo. This is not a shiipp.

Oh god. Don't get me wrong, I think Sven and Hanners would make a lovely couple (romantic couples don't have to have a physical relationship). But, at the same time, oh god.

many have tried, including Hanners

oh, this can only go well >:3

Just because they vibe doesn't mean it's romantic

Or maybe a right one!

Always Check: Adequate Beans?

Stupid Cupid is my thing

Oh this can't end badly at all

Uh oh, Ayo