Failed State

Reading through the back archive: What ever became of Marten's career shift to instrument repair?

I did not expect to be targeted like this.

Completely off-topic but...One of the charming things about QC is the ability to see the whole history of the strip. So when you could use an emotional lift in the form of truly awful puns, please consider QC nos. 3422 et seq.

I'm still holding out hope for Elliott-and-Aurelia.

Elliott is the best and I won't be having any naysayers

neighbour to lazytown I presume

Clinton, you need to go down on your large boyfriend.

Elliot no

I have an anxiety disorder, so I feel for Elliot. I think he would benefit from therapy and possibly meds. I also feel for Clinton... it's not easy dealing with someone with anxiety or depression, especially if you have issues of your own and/or are non-neurotypical (and I suspect that Clinton is at least the latter); looking at Clinton's expression in the last panel I can tell he's worried about Elliot... I don't think that anyone is in the wrong here.

Clinton, you're being an (entirely in character) asshole. Elliot made a self-critical statement ("I'm just being stupid"). He already knows he's being stupid - he doesn't need you pulling out your sarcasm stick and whacking him with it to make him feel shitty. It's not that hard to make the same statement without being a jerk. Elliot knows he needs to work on himself, so that leaves Clinton. Who shall slap the boy up-side the head and administer a clue? He won't take one from Claire just out of force of habit, even if she presents it ever so gently. Yay's a witness to the exchange. They just might.

I've never identified with one of your characters more than I have right now.

Eliot should start working on plans to open an AI-focused orgasmic bakery in Cubetown, and secure funding to do so. It's the perfect coping mechanism!

"Gotta make a move to a town that's right for me Town to keep me breadin', keep me groovin' with some whole grains Well, I talk about it, talk about it Talk about it, talk about it Talk about, talk about Talk about the mayor Gotta mayor Gotta mayor Gotta mayor Elliot's the mayor of Stupid Town!" When all else fails, Elliot will keep us breadin'.

Elliot, I've been there as well. Especially when hosting dignitaries from Anxiety Heights and Depression Valley (both at the same time is... ill-advised).

This comic about the mayor of stupidtown is an interesting pairing with SMBC’s patreon post dealing with the concept of authority.

Poor Elliot, I can empathize though, I've had a relationship dissolve under those circumstances and it hurts.

those boys need to have an Adult conversation not sure Elliot will survive, may die of anxiety

"Stupid is what stupid does" ~ Forrest Gump I'm pretty sure this line was only in the movie... the book was better, but a bit more dark and depressing. It's written entirely from Forrest's perspective, so it's all in capital letters and purposely misspelled. The movie does fairly decent job of following the book up until half way through when Forrest starts running back and forth across the country. Never happened in the book. Instead, we miss out on Forrest becoming an Astronaut with an Ape named Sue, a Grand Chessmaster, a Professional Wrestler and a Hollywood Actor. Jenny was also a far more sympathetic character in the book. If you haven't picked up, it's definitely worth reading.

I didn’t even realize who my mayor was!

Previous crush of his moved away. Makes sense he'd be worried about that happening again.

Just realised I didn’t even know Clinton had a job

Jeph quit raiding my brain!

Elliot honey <:( This boy needs therapy, and possibly anxiety meds 🫂

This one is entirely too relatable

Omfg I feel so hard for Elliot, my brain works this way too...

This makes me sad. I hope Elliot can realize his feelings are valid and not "stupid." (He also needs to learn how to express said feelings though!)

Poor guy, anxiety sucks

No one's saying you're stupid, however there ARE medications and/or cognitive therapies that can help lessen the severity of thoughts and panic attacks like these you could be availing for yourself.

I refer to my penis as "The Mayor of Nakedtown."

Elliot you are a great Mayor. I live at Stupid Town every once in a while. Yes panic attacks happen about hypothetical distant futures CLINTON. thank you for understanding

yeah but like the xtc song says he may be the mayor of simpleton but he knows one thing and that's he loves you he loves youuuuuuu

Clinton, dude. May I recommend you tell your boyfriend that if you have a chance to go for such a job, you'd hope he'd want to come with you. Addressing the concern does a lot to help, especially with the stupid fears.

Poor Elliot gets stupid. He shoots an arrow like Cupid. He makes up words that mean nothing, like "mupid."

More like "embezzman", amirite?

Population: eight fuggin’ billion

Elliot must be held... poor guy. But man, do I relate...

...well first of all, how dare you???

Of course he's having a panic attack about a hypothetical situation - I've had hypothetical arguments with dead people in imaginary situations. Of course, I'm never bored, but that's not the point.

You mean, there are *other* kinds of brains!?!?

Oh Elliot you sweet, anxiety riddled himbo

This is when I remind myself that there's an entire scene to be played out over several more nuggets of the story.

Wait does an ombudsman even have fiscal authority Did they go to jail for defrauding their travel account or something I smell a setup

Elliot's family has owned Stupid Town's patronage machine for generations

As a chief of Stupid Town Fire and Rescue I can assure you there may or may not be a cause for concern and we probably have the situation mostly under control. The press conference will continue after a brief nap.

...in which we find out they BOTH have zero chill...

Just let the boys be happy

No I'm the mayor of stupid town.

Welcome to Stupid Town Population: Everybody

I am all too familiar with that sort of brain.

HUG HIM

Awww, Elliot! It's OK!

I thought *I* was the mayor of Stupid Town. 😭

Elliot, it's your brain that's stupid not you. Everyone's brain is stupid

Hopefully, the UN peacekeepers will bring an APC loaded with anti depressants and anxiety meds.

Who ombuds the ombudsman?

Hug that big stupid boy Clinton 😥

I hate it when Clinton acts like an insensitive ass. I hope Elliot finds a way to stop beating himself up. Anxiety is awful. And it doesn't help when your partner is criticizing you for having it.

I’m in this comic and I don’t like it…

As a longtime citizen of Stupid Town I have to say I think our mayor's doing a great job

Meanwhile Hercules is telling Yay about the cats worship Schrödinger’s cat as a non-binary cat deity.

Poor Elliot, I understand the fear of being left by someone you love