2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

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2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by D-Rock »

[2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy]
Title Text: Could be worse, could be working at Amazon

Hell ain't all that it's cracked up to be, is it, Keene?
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Rikunda
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Rikunda »

Oh my... His first day of real work. Wait has it only been a day? Time runs differently there right? Like how Heaven was a lot slower than earth?
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Gbr23 »

Well... that's...

hang on Keene, hang on
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Saturn381 »

Don't worry Keene. The harder you work, the closer you'll find Breel.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Iceheart »

I just want Keene and Breel to make up, hug, and get out of here. Stop hurting the ferret.

Also, I love the title text. Very topical.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by IceKitsune »

At last, we start the final part of this arc (hopefully) I still don't really understand what in the world this arc is accomplishing story wise other than beating on Keen and his ideal which IMO doesn't really feel in any way deserved or warranted.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by HundKatzeMaus »

I'm just hoping Keene manages to find Breel and then get out of it :shock:
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Liam »

That's what you get if you don't unionize.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Naro Rivers »

D-Rock wrote:[2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy]
Title Text: Could be worse, could be working at Amazon
Shots fired!

I may disagree wholly with the sentiment of the alt-text (as someone who works at Amazon), but I take similar shots at FedEx for their package handling~
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by CHAOKOCartoons »

Oh my, I expected it to keep going with him still there but the imagination didn't compare to actually seeing it :shock: .

Poor Keene, hoping he at least gets out safe by the end. I figured this was the more chill side of hell, turns out it's just "marginally better than hell... debatably".
:(
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Welsh Halfwit »

Working hard
for no reward,
under the lash,
fearing the sword.
Keene gets down,
he scrubs floors
becoming one
who opens doors.
The other side
of wealth’s door.
You work hard
when you’re poor.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by biddyfox »

IceKitsune wrote:At last, we start the final part of this arc (hopefully) I still don't really understand what in the world this arc is accomplishing story wise other than beating on Keen and his ideal which IMO doesn't really feel in any way deserved or warranted.
This put my sentiments into words far better than I can
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Ryusuta »

I honestly can't tell if this is a time lapse or not. It's been established that time works differently in other dimensions. This could be like... the span of 3 years.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Douglas Collier »

The alt text made me laugh. The strip itself didn’t, though... it’s kind of depressing, actually. Hopefully the next few strips will have some humor (the non-dark/bitter sort), or this is going to be hard to read even in book form.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by leinglo »

Well, you know what they say, "Arbeit macht frei."

In particular, Keene needs to be working on an escape plan. Problem is, if there was any normal way to do that Hell wouldn't be very good at it's job, would it? Keene needs an edge, something that nobody else has, and the fact that he's here while technically still being alive probably doesn't count for anything (though what would happen if he died here?). Keene needs to get that hat back.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Arel_Grim »

This took a darker turn and im cool with that becuase that just how i am but keene getting whipped come on IK he was a jerk :| oh well at least im glad that rick isn't afraid to take darker turns :P Also the Amazon alt text was funny tho :lol: P.S what is that red stuff keene is scrubbing :?:
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Bandit1990 »

Arel_Grim wrote: P.S what is that red stuff keene is scrubbing :?:
I'm going to very hopefully assert that it's wine, and suggest we don't dwell on that too much *nervous glance*
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by ChekeBello »

Maybe Keene doesn't deserve it all, but I like the fact that hell is truly hell-ish; heaven is perfect afterlife not reason to hell be somehow kind imo
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by RandomGeekNamedBrent »

either Keene seems broken a lot faster than I'd expect, or this montage is longer than I think.
Either way that last panel is heart breaking.

I wonder the logistics of the cancelled bathroom breaks.
are bathrooms still needed in Hell or is it just a name for a short break?
if the former, do things happen as they would here with skipped bathroom breaks or is it just a growing discomfort and probably pain until you get off work?
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by CHAOKOCartoons »

Ryusuta wrote:I honestly can't tell if this is a time lapse or not. It's been established that time works differently in other dimensions. This could be like... the span of 3 years.
Time does indeed flow differently, unless that's just Heaven. It's not clear exactly HOW different it works, though. In Heaven time flowed really fast, being in there for seemingly a few days was actually months. Perhaps the opposite effects Hell, and time goes excruciatingly slow while only taking up a few seconds in the mortal realm. Keene had already explored the city and gotten tricked by the time the Forgotten had come back and Tarot gave everyone the warning to leave, and that scene wise probably only took a few seconds.

Also, starting to think Breel may not even be in Pandemonium at all. How would Keene get to where Breel was taken and not pass The Forgotten on his way back to the portal? How would Eudoant not remember or take note of an angel being brought into hell, even if he'd been there for days/weeks/months? This may be all for naught...
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Riverweasel »

This is... disturbing, to say the least. What is the point of where this arc is even going anymore? To beat the crud out of Keene for no real reason other than just because? To prove to us how bad housepets hell is? I'm not really sure right now.

I do know that this is easily the darkest panel I've ever seen in the seven years plus this comic has been running and I'm finding myself viscerally turned off by it. I might just stay away for a few weeks until I know that it's over with and I can just forget about seeing Keene getting whipped and abused.

Simply, put, I'm very unhappy with where this arc has been taken. One, because of the violence, and two, because whatever the point of it was, it seems to have been lost for me.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Legotron123 »

This strip was actually really depressing, and I can’t tell if that’s a good thing or not. On one hand, this IS hell, so negative emotions like that are kinda to be expected. On the other hand, I’m not sure a creator should ever try to make their audience feel like that.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Soerix »

Legotron123 wrote:This strip was actually really depressing, and I can’t tell if that’s a good thing or not. On one hand, this IS hell, so negative emotions like that are kinda to be expected. On the other hand, I’m not sure a creator should ever try to make their audience feel like that.
It's just that the current tone contrasts so much with the atmosphere of Housepets. In my opinion, a bit too much.
I get that pushing boundaries is good sometimes, but for a comic like Housepets? I'm not so sure.

And how much time has Keene spent in this hellhole? oO And he still hasn't found Breel?
Maybe the time spent here is equivalent to a much shorter amount of time on Earth (like in Digimon Adventure). That way, Tarot won't have to hold the portal open for too long.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by BasedDook »

I think it's unfair to be judging the direction of the comic so quickly. The story arch isn't over yet. There is still a chance for Breel and Keene to escape.

The way I see it, this is growing Keene as a character. He was raised in a wealthy family and while his intentions are good, he doesn't see the effect of his actions on the rest of Babylon Gardens. Him having to work grueling labor might put things into perspective of how he treats characters like Sabrina and Tarot. He's learning first hand what it's like to be used by someone for selfish reasons.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Soerix »

No, I'm not judging it about the way it's going to end: I'm judging it about what we've seen so far in this part of the arc (the design of the Forgotten and what Keene goes through in this dimension). It's just my opinion.
And while I understand this will serve as character development of Keene (which is very good), one would think Keene suffered way enough when Karishad had locked him into a ferret pen for four months. Around Christmas!
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Discostew »

As someone who does work at Amazon, I kind of agree. Today was just terrible.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Dragon Furry »

So all dogs can go to heaven. But not all pets?

I am kinda confused why there is a hell in this universes that takes in animals. It kinda seemed that, in the arc with King, that all animals gets into heaven. But then now...@.@
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Argent »

Terry Pratchett had a happy Sysiphus, he really got into rolling that rock, trying out different holds, stuff like that...

So they put him on filing forms and attending morale-building workshops instead.

@DragonFurry - I imagine Duchess would manage to turn Heaven into Hell anyway.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by GameCobra »

Whoo boy. Now that's a way to start a finale. It's always scary to see such a drastic change in one panel like this, but given what is suppose to be a harsh reality to Keene, i'm sure it'll pay up in the end. Reminds me of the donkey scene in a sense in Pinocchio.

As for the zoo incident - that was treated more like a laugh than a serious punishment.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by NHWestoN »

Yeah, sorta like my job on the counter in McDonald's. If Keene is staying at Eudoant's apartment, the big blue demon-deer's got a nasty entertainment center...

Keene needs a good lawyer ... he's come to the right place, some might say...

And, CHAOKO, I'm also puzzled that Eudoant hasn't realized Keene is still in the flesh and shouldn't be there (yet, at least). Course, that assumes Pandemonium has such rules and that the "authorities" abide by them. Eudoant is, after all, a demon. And this is Keene's first day on the job on the hell clock.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Obbl »

I love exploring deeper emotions in this kind of visceral way, so though I may be in the minority on this, I am really glad Housepets! can delve this deep when the opportunity presents itself.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Soerix »

GameCobra wrote:As for the zoo incident - that was treated more like a laugh than a serious punishment.
Maybe, but it still was very far from pleasant for Keene.
I mean, if he had spent one or two days in there, I may have laughed at that, but four months?? I understand that it was supposed to mirror our 4 real-life months, but was it really necessary?
That, instead of making me laugh, made me feel bad for the little guy (and they gagged him, for goodness' sake!). Did he truly deserve it at that point in the story?
For this current strip, on the other hand, I agree: there's probably a good pay-off coming. :)
Iceheart wrote:I just want Keene and Breel to make up, hug, and get out of here.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by CanzetYote »

WOAH! This took an awfully dark turn. I know Keene's done some morally shady stuff but he certainly doesn't deserve this. Poor thing.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Caelo »

Rick you've broken my existentialist heart. Also Kinee's torture reflects purely on the torture he feels over betraying Breel he has to forgive himself for his actions which is very hard to do without Breel's forgiveness.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by NHWestoN »

Well, Rick's taken us into dark places before .... and whatever his shortcomings, Keene is one tough cookie. Interesting to see the Pandemonium cast coming forward.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Arel_Grim »

Bandit1990 wrote:
Arel_Grim wrote: P.S what is that red stuff keene is scrubbing :?:
I'm going to very hopefully assert that it's wine, and suggest we don't dwell on that too much *nervous glance*
fair enough
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Frank »

Xane wrote:"Since when do we get paid?"

"Well the original line was a 10% pay raise of $0.00 but we thought that was too evil."
Actually, paying them is the perfect evil: You worked for 9999 hours and you made an amazing... ten cents! Go, enjoy your money with all the things you can't buy! (any similarity to real situations, past or present, is purely intentional)
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Argent »

You get paid in hell scrip that you can only spend at the hell store and they're always out of everything.
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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Herseio »

If keene comes out alive from this, surely his fabrics will become the best place for working in all the world!

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Re: 2018/02/21 - Imagine Sisyphus Happy

Post by Neon Icy Wings »

Maybe I'm too use to darker tones but this wasn't such a shock to me. Though I assume this will be the furthest extent of Keene's torture we'll see, a splash page to show Keene's torture quickly and concisely instead of showing Keene page by page suffering. Unless there's a big emotional gut punch around the corner I predict this to be the darkest page to come. But at least the normal humor pages that ignored story make more sense now, emotional happy break!
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