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Post by rafk on Jul 27, 2015 8:18:28 GMT
It's a joke.
Anthony's ability to be human in front of Donny, even with an incredibly straight face, suggests a reason Surma was able to warm to him while also taking away an excuse for his treatment of Annie. Swings and roundabouts.
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jocobo
Junior Member
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Post by jocobo on Jul 27, 2015 8:24:55 GMT
OK. So, on the one hand, this actually makes his treatment of Annie seem worse. It's not that he's incapable, he just doesn't.
On the other, he seems less cartoonishly malevolent now.
But then this makes me wonder how exactly did Donnie or Surma ever get close to him in the first place? I mean, I've seen cold people but Anthony is positively arctic 99% of the time. What exactly made them devote the time and energy to getting past his walls in the first place when absolutely nothing kind or positive seems to escape when he decides to lock down the fort. Maybe what ever malfunction he has simply worsened as he grew older but it raises the question I think.
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Post by eightyfour on Jul 27, 2015 8:29:31 GMT
Agoraphobia is a condition where the sufferer becomes anxious in environments that are unfamiliar or where he or she perceives that they have little control. So Tony is closed off and defensive at the dinner with the Donlans but opens up when he's one-on-one with Donny. I can relate. Alone with his BFF will be the only time he'll be able to really let down his guard. I don't see anything here that makes things worse, I only see a reasonable explanation for why he is the way he is. Yes, I'm still defending Tony!  Note that an "explanation" is not an "excuse", though. He obviously still has some things to answer for. |
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Post by artezzatrigger on Jul 27, 2015 8:53:55 GMT
Its the eternal deadpan face that gets me.
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Post by sherni on Jul 27, 2015 9:50:21 GMT
What.
I actually refreshed the page a few times to see if it was a joke.
And he's actually making a funny joke.
I need to lie down.
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Post by TBeholder on Jul 27, 2015 11:05:02 GMT
The joke is that his house is so empty, and yet he's cracking wise about Feng Shui. The funny (and/or sad) thing is... I still have lingering doubts that it's only a joke. Anthony Carver trying to do Feng Shui (with a level, drawing ruler and notebook for logs, staring at the furniture sometimes for almost a hour before the next change) is something oddly plausible. Of course he does. He wrote an 8-pages essay on it back in school. By some strange coincidence, the teacher who read it never approached within 3 meter range of Tony ever since, and the work ended up in "paper talismans to be safely destroyed" box the next month. |
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Post by Jelly Jellybean on Jul 27, 2015 11:23:14 GMT
OK. So, on the one hand, this actually makes his treatment of Annie seem worse. It's not that he's incapable, he just doesn't. On the other, he seems less cartoonishly malevolent now. But then this makes me wonder how exactly did Donnie or Surma ever get close to him in the first place? I mean, I've seen cold people but Anthony is positively arctic 99% of the time. What exactly made them devote the time and energy to getting past his walls in the first place when absolutely nothing kind or positive seems to escape when he decides to lock down the fort. Maybe what ever malfunction he has simply worsened as he grew older but it raises the question I think. Annie was also pretty cold around other people except Kat who took the time to get to know Annie and who Annie started to trust after some time. Over even more time Annie developed almost normal social interactions with her other classmates. I think the more specific question is: why didn't Tony's friendship with Donald lead to almost normal social interactions with his classmates? Maybe the Fire Elemental also imparts a more social nature. And as far as Surma goes, I still think Tony was mostly "Mr Available". |
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Post by Per on Jul 27, 2015 12:07:18 GMT
It's not that he's incapable, he just doesn't. This page shows that he's capable of making a (pretty good) joke when he's alone with his best (?) friend. Little more. Anthony's a pretty cool guy. |
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Post by csj on Jul 27, 2015 12:18:38 GMT
He likes his humour dry
like his gin
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Post by Daedalus on Jul 27, 2015 12:50:38 GMT
Then he wold have said, "Get that in my mouth", and probably cried a little. The night would have ended with Tony buck-naked, sleeping in the chair, and holding Renard like a Teddy bear, with a empty bottle at his feet. No joke, I would pay to see this as a bonus comic. I would read it every day and snicker. |
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Post by nero on Jul 27, 2015 13:26:36 GMT
So by the end of this talk what will he do with Renard? I hope this treatment of Annie isn't part of some instructions left by Surma. Is it really okay with Donny how cold Anthony acts with everyone else?
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Post by philman on Jul 27, 2015 13:48:21 GMT
Interesting.
Tony's actions still speak of someone who has some sort of solamn purpose surrounding Annie, and the fact that he isn't always quite so guarded and severe with everyone just renforces it. I still think Tony is going to end up some misguided person with good intentions, but without the social skills to pull whatever the plan is off properly.
Also, I assumed he was just so severe and serious that he never smiled, but the fact his expression still hasn't changed despite cracking a couple of jokes suggests that maybe his facial injury is more serious than we thought. Maybe he would like to show expressions (we did see his expression changing when with Donny as a child in the flashbacks), but the muscles in his face are too damaged to work properly?
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Post by pxc on Jul 27, 2015 14:17:27 GMT
Can anyone name the whiskey/bourbon/scotch that might be? Was thinking 4 Roses with the red and gold but it doesn't really look like any of their bottles.
Is Annie seeing this? I thought the entire scene might been viewed through her POV.
Tony does have some facial expression. Quirked eyebrow in panel 2 ("Ooh, what have we here?"), mock seriousness in panel 3, feigned non-chalance or something in the final panel. If you put your finger over most of his face and just look at his eyes, it's a little more discernible. I agree, there's a facial injury here. But he can still emote some with his eyes and brows.
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Post by calpal on Jul 27, 2015 14:57:36 GMT
Only being able to parrot what everyone else has already said, it really speaks volumes to Tony as a person that he's actually made a funny joke just now.
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Post by fwip on Jul 27, 2015 15:05:00 GMT
I'm gonna hold out and see how this plays out. It seems pointless to speculate when answers are probably just a couple of comics away.
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Post by Chancellor on Jul 27, 2015 15:16:59 GMT
Can anyone name the whiskey/bourbon/scotch that might be? Was thinking 4 Roses with the red and gold but it doesn't really look like any of their bottles. Is Annie seeing this? I thought the entire scene might been viewed through her POV. Tony does have some facial expression. Quirked eyebrow in panel 2 ("Ooh, what have we here?"), mock seriousness in panel 3, feigned non-chalance or something in the final panel. If you put your finger over most of his face and just look at his eyes, it's a little more discernible. I agree, there's a facial injury here. But he can still emote some with his eyes and brows. Based on comments on the main comic page, it looks a bit like Licor 43. |
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Post by eyemyself on Jul 27, 2015 15:17:35 GMT
Tony Carver, professional comedian.
It will be interesting to see how this unfolds.
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Post by GK Sierra on Jul 27, 2015 15:19:21 GMT
Yo dude, get that alcoholic beverage in my house yo. Imma slam it. Bottle looks like some of that really rough, cheap whiskey. Perfect for getting right with ya old homie who ditched his daughter and did some work overseas. |
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Post by aline on Jul 27, 2015 15:34:38 GMT
But then this makes me wonder how exactly did Donnie or Surma ever get close to him in the first place? I mean, I've seen cold people but Anthony is positively arctic 99% of the time. What exactly made them devote the time and energy to getting past his walls in the first place when absolutely nothing kind or positive seems to escape when he decides to lock down the fort. Maybe what ever malfunction he has simply worsened as he grew older but it raises the question I think. Donald told Annie in Divine that he was a completely different person at the time. So I guess the walls weren't quite as high when he was younger. He might have started off like Annie, somewhat formal and guarded. But then, instead of opening himself up like his daughter did, it went downwards. I'm sure there's a story behind this. |
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Post by hypixion on Jul 27, 2015 16:00:39 GMT
Donny is the one whom he feels more comfortable with, we have seen this before when they were kids. Complete opposite of what he shows to others. No surprise here really.
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Post by Trillium on Jul 27, 2015 16:08:13 GMT
The death of a wife could cause a person to put up some very solid walls.
Yes, it looks like Anthony will relax with his friend Donald. Probably cannot do it in front of other people right now. Has Tony had anyone he could really talk to since his wife died? He also lost his right hand since then and for a surgeon that is a huge loss. So Annie isn’t the only one who wears a mask in the family.
There are two chairs available. The other one is with the desk. Hopefully they will bring them together and no end up sitting on the floor.
I hope we are in for some exposition and flash backs.
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Post by ih8pkmn on Jul 27, 2015 16:09:53 GMT
What the hell is wrong with his face?
Tom, please never show a head-on view of Anthony Carver's face again. That's scarier than anything the likes of Split Lip could produce.
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Post by deuswyvern on Jul 27, 2015 16:28:54 GMT
I had to check to make sure this wasn't April 1st. But honestly this doesn't mean that he is socially competent, right now it just looks like he can only open up around trusted acquaintances which is pretty standard to the socially awkward. Also cracking stale jokes does not indicate that he has any more insight into other people's emotional state then it has appeared previously, in fact, he continues to be oblivious to Donald's feelings. Donald continues to be upset and concerned about Anthony's treatment of his daughter, but Anthony still doesn't get it, despite being confronted about it last chapter.
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Post by stef1987 on Jul 27, 2015 17:26:43 GMT
"Get that in my house."
what?
I don't now how to take that
it just sounds so weird.
Can someone explain it to me?
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Post by pxc on Jul 27, 2015 17:42:28 GMT
"Get that in my house." what? I don't now how to take that it just sounds so weird. Can someone explain it to me? It's a jovial, faux-overly-serious way of saying "I'm excited to drink this." I'm now wondering if this is even a real page or if Tom is just taking a quick one-page break before resuming the real plot on Wednesday. |
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Post by atteSmythe on Jul 27, 2015 19:58:43 GMT
Donny's tried before to get Annie to see her father as a real human being. This looks like another such attempt.
...it's a good plan. I know I need convincing, too!
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Post by TBeholder on Jul 27, 2015 20:12:52 GMT
why didn't Tony's friendship with Donald lead to almost normal social interactions with his classmates? He didn't see any need to? And as far as Surma goes, I still think Tony was mostly "Mr Available". I still think he was a challenge for her (initially, anyway).  Is it really okay with Donny how cold Anthony acts with everyone else? Why wouldn't it be? Tony's actions still speak of someone who has some sort of solamn purpose surrounding Annie, and the fact that he isn't always quite so guarded and severe with everyone just renforces it. I don't see what it has to do with Solamnia, but then he must have already had this "purpose" when talking with Brinnie. Maybe he would like to show expressions (we did see his expression changing when with Donny as a child in the flashbacks), but the muscles in his face are too damaged to work properly? Or were unused for decades and completely atrophied. |
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Post by Per on Jul 27, 2015 21:06:03 GMT
"Get that in my house." what? I don't now how to take that it just sounds so weird. Can someone explain it to me? It's an inversion of "get that (thing) out of my house". |
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Post by deuswyvern on Jul 27, 2015 21:45:06 GMT
OK. So, on the one hand, this actually makes his treatment of Annie seem worse. It's not that he's incapable, he just doesn't. On the other, he seems less cartoonishly malevolent now. But then this makes me wonder how exactly did Donnie or Surma ever get close to him in the first place? I mean, I've seen cold people but Anthony is positively arctic 99% of the time. What exactly made them devote the time and energy to getting past his walls in the first place when absolutely nothing kind or positive seems to escape when he decides to lock down the fort. Maybe what ever malfunction he has simply worsened as he grew older but it raises the question I think. Annie was also pretty cold around other people except Kat who took the time to get to know Annie and who Annie started to trust after some time. Over even more time Annie developed almost normal social interactions with her other classmates. I think the more specific question is: why didn't Tony's friendship with Donald lead to almost normal social interactions with his classmates? Maybe the Fire Elemental also imparts a more social nature. In Residential Annie started opening up because she realized that her social issues had the potential to isolate Kat as well. It seems logical to conclude that Anthony never had a similar epiphany, either through personal selfishness or just being clueless. But honestly, Donald was already part of a larger group than Annie and Kat, so he didn't need Anthony to open up in the same way that Kat did. Basically I think it's more a matter of them being different people in different situations, than Annie being part elemental. |
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Sadie
Full Member
I eat food and sleep in a horizontal position.
Posts: 146
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Post by Sadie on Jul 27, 2015 23:08:36 GMT
I like how we don't clearly see Donald's face on this page.
Whatever hard feelings we're suspecting Donny has based on that confrontation at dinner last chapter, Tony doesn't seem either aware of, bothered, or with intent to address them, and is perfectly happy to relax and make jokes with his old friend. I wonder what sort of perception bias that's coming from.
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