2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
[2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign]
Title Text: the first thing they teach you in hobo school is how to make a bindle
What an entrepreneur.
Title Text: the first thing they teach you in hobo school is how to make a bindle
What an entrepreneur.
Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
Nobody can resist a cute kitten picture.
Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
"Once upon a time I had my two ears intact"
And yes, kitten Max is super adorable.
And yes, kitten Max is super adorable.
- Legotron123
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Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
.......That is such a Max thing to do, I’m surprised I didn’t consider him doing it before now.
Play The Hayseed Knight. This isn’t self promotion, I just really like the game.
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You ever realize that the two longest pieces of literature in existence are both fanfics? Weird right?
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You ever realize that the two longest pieces of literature in existence are both fanfics? Weird right?
- fenrirblack
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Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
BACKSTORY!
This is wrong on so many fundamental levels. I guess the “Oliver and Company” reference wasn’t too far off. Let’s see if he joins a pack of dogs and start singing “Why should I worry?”
This is wrong on so many fundamental levels. I guess the “Oliver and Company” reference wasn’t too far off. Let’s see if he joins a pack of dogs and start singing “Why should I worry?”
- IceKitsune
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Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
He's going to be an internet sensation!
Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
Wonder if that detail will ever be explained? Also, that’s an understatement. The first time we saw kitten Maxwell he was cute, this Maxwell is heart melting levels. I’m tempted to try and make the third panel my profile he’s so adorableGbr23 wrote:"Once upon a time I had my two ears intact"
And yes, kitten Max is super adorable.
RP Characters
http://www.housepetscomic.com/forums/vi ... 67#p844567
http://www.housepetscomic.com/forums/vi ... 67#p844567
- Champion Wallace
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Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
It must be a testament to Rick Griffin's writing that when I read this the voice inside my head was of a little kid instead of Max's normal voice. Does anyone else think Maxwell said "sir or madam" because he can't tell human genders apart at that age?
In case anyone's wondering:
My prediction is it's going to be another fake out like in Housepets Babies!.Gameb18oy wrote:Wonder if that detail will ever be explained?Gbr23 wrote:"Once upon a time I had my two ears intact"
In case anyone's wondering:
Commence heated debates about the social ramifications of 'kittens often being orphaned early on' in 3... 2...rickgriffin wrote:The title is a reference to comedian Bill Engvall.
The cape comes with the promotion.
- fenrirblack
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Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
"Once upon a time I was a kitten..."
Really!
Really!
Seriously this is wrong on so many ethical levels. I mean what do people do when they see random kittens wondering the streets. I mean besides call animal control and take them to the pound but still. It seems wrong for a a kitten to have to go door to door like that. I know it's a joke but for some rando to tell a kitten to get a job is like, "what is wrong with you? He's a cat and like four years old." You would think in a society where animals can talk there would be a better system for dealing with situations like this. This is a perfect example of anthropocentrism at work.Champion Wallace wrote:Commence heated debates about the social ramifications of 'kittens often being orphaned early on' in 3... 2...
- Welsh Halfwit
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Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
And so begins the Tale of one kitty,
lost and wandering in the big city;
hoping, above all, for hope to kindle
in the hearts that see his bindle.
A precious soul in love with cream,
willing to become an internet meme.
Cuteness abounds in all he does;
his sweet manner sets hearts abuzz.
What happened that make him so cynical?
Will we find out in a tale that’s quite clinical?
What happened to cause such a fuss?
And, of course, where is our Rufus?
lost and wandering in the big city;
hoping, above all, for hope to kindle
in the hearts that see his bindle.
A precious soul in love with cream,
willing to become an internet meme.
Cuteness abounds in all he does;
his sweet manner sets hearts abuzz.
What happened that make him so cynical?
Will we find out in a tale that’s quite clinical?
What happened to cause such a fuss?
And, of course, where is our Rufus?
Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
Well, he's too old to peddle greeting cards and being a cat might inhibit people from buying Girl Scout cookies from the poor lad. Cute internet pix, by the way, helped us get a lot of our shelter animals adopted when I worked there in North Carolina.
Last edited by NHWestoN on Fri Jan 18, 2019 9:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
Considering the real world parallels that Rick likes to draw, I wonder if strays are just so common that they're still considered pests by a lot of people. There seems to be a distinction that humans in the Housepets! universe make between humans and animals despite the much closer (if not equivalent) cognitive abilities.
Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
Some part of me suspects Maxwell is going to milk this story for all it's worth :3 Loving it, though. Kitten Maxwell <3
Also, that is actually a valid marketing strategy if pets could really do it in our lifetime x3
Lastly, we now know he's always been the charming type, even as a kitten :3
Also, that is actually a valid marketing strategy if pets could really do it in our lifetime x3
Lastly, we now know he's always been the charming type, even as a kitten :3
3 words - Liquid Metal Fur
Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
In Australia he'd be a swagman and have to watch out for billabongs. Also puddin'.
Last edited by Argent on Fri Jan 18, 2019 8:36 am, edited 2 times in total.
- Douglas Collier
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Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
Sadly, homeless humans are often treated in much the same way; as are millennials.
Douglas isn't my real name, but because of a name block put on me by a higher-order being known as Djinni, I can't say my real name.
Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
Yeah, but at least millenials are allowed to live with their parents. Usually.Douglas Collier wrote:Sadly, homeless humans are often treated in much the same way; as are millennials.
Anyway, I've seen that blanket-stick so many times, but this is the first time I've ever known that they had an actual name.
Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
$20? Wow, he sure lowered his expectations over the years
"[E]ven with simple tools, you too can make awesome."
―November 21, 2010
―November 21, 2010
Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
So, like, how old is Max? When is this flashback set?
- Bill in OK
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Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
OMIGOSH! Max is NEKKID!
King looks an awful lot like my own Corgi. That's one reason why he's my favorite, but I also like his attitude.
- Bandit1990
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Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
We don't have definitive ages for anyone, but based on my inferences for pet lifespans and development speed, I'd say early 2000's, maybe '02-'03.enoua5 wrote:So, like, how old is Max? When is this flashback set?
Edit: of course, on checking, the "I CAN HAS" meme started in 2007, but that's too close to the start of the comic, so who can say really.
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- Welsh Halfwit
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Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
I like "sir or madam". Like he can't tell the difference yet.
- fenrirblack
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Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
My money is 2003. Awww, 2003 what was the internet like back then?Bandit1990 wrote:We don't have definitive ages for anyone, but based on my inferences for pet lifespans and development speed, I'd say early 2000's, maybe '02-'03.enoua5 wrote:So, like, how old is Max? When is this flashback set?
Edit: of course, on checking, the "I CAN HAS" meme started in 2007, but that's too close to the start of the comic, so who can say really.
Apple launches the iTunes Music Store with 200,000 songs at 99¢ each. The store sells one million songs in its first week.
Skype, a voice-over-IP calling and instant messaging service, launches and quickly becomes a verb, as in “Skype me.”
Professional networking site LinkedIn launches.
MySpace.com is founded and quickly adopted by musicians seeking to share music and build their fan bases.
President George W. Bush signs the CAN-SPAM Act into law, establishing the first national standards for the sending of commercial email.
WordPress blog publishing system created.
On a different note “I CAN HAS” was a meme? I thought it was something Rick made up or Max was just too young to know proper spelling and grammar. This raises serious questions about the timeline.
Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
Saying "Sir or Madam" makes Max sound more rehearsed but also more childlike and innocent - he's already an operator, the cute li'l stinker. Makes wonder what his prospective customer does look like...…..
Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
"Get a job, ya bum!"
Narrating Maxwell: It's at this point I realized - I needed a gig.
Narrating Maxwell: It's at this point I realized - I needed a gig.
3 words - Liquid Metal Fur
Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
Aww, again kitten Max! He's so cute with the current style. Yeah, kittens have to go on their way very young, and I see that our Max thought pretty well about how do it. So, you really did that, Max? And, how come now you're not richer than Milton ferrets? Also, there are hobo schools in that world?
- Amazee Dayzee
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Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
Well this just confirms to me one thing that I had suspected: humans in the HP! world without pets are real ********!
Last edited by D-Rock on Fri Jan 18, 2019 11:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: If you're going to self-censor, censor the entire word.
Reason: If you're going to self-censor, censor the entire word.
- fenrirblack
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Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
I’m been thinking about this and have come up with two conclusions. One Rick did not think this all the way through about how it falls on the timeline OR he did and it’s brilliant in its own special way.Bandit1990 wrote: Edit: of course, on checking, the "I CAN HAS" meme started in 2007, but that's too close to the start of the comic, so who can say really.
If it’s the latter and this is taking place back in early 2007 then we have one year for several things to happen. Max is young but youth is in the eye of the beholder. Anyway, this the chain of events I theorized that occurred during this year. The first being whatever happens with Rufus leads Max to the pound. He is adopted by Jeff (maybe to put Bino in his place or because Jeff wanted to try a cat because Bino is like the worse pet). Because of the fact he’s still not used to pet life he doesn’t like to wear his collar which leads to him being kidnapped by the Stranger. His attitude about the collar changes and to help keep him out of further trouble Jeff gives him the bell. Over the course of the next few months he has a sorta growth spurt leading him to look like he does at the beginning of the comic which if you look at the original design is hard to tell exactly how old they are. We know from the wolf cubs that animals can mature practically overnight. If this is all accurate then Peanuts story about how he met Grape would have taken place five years prior which isn’t exactly proving anything but worth noting. Even though they all had grown slightly it is their behaviors from back in Year one that show that they act like little kids and have slowly matured these last ten years.
Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
The nailing down of even one of the pets ages roughly would be a pretty big thing that I think Rick actively avoids telling us, so I’m afraid I’m gonna have to assume the former until stated otherwise... also never thought we’d be focusing on an old meme more than what’s going on in the comic itselffenrirblack wrote:I’m been thinking about this and have come up with two conclusions. One Rick did not think this all the way through about how it falls on the timeline OR he did and it’s brilliant in its own special way.Bandit1990 wrote: Edit: of course, on checking, the "I CAN HAS" meme started in 2007, but that's too close to the start of the comic, so who can say really.
If it’s the latter and this is taking place back in early 2007 then we have one year for several things to happen. Max is young but youth is in the eye of the beholder. Anyway, this the chain of events I theorized that occurred during this year. The first being whatever happens with Rufus leads Max to the pound. He is adopted by Jeff (maybe to put Bino in his place or because Jeff wanted to try a cat because Bino is like the worse pet). Because of the fact he’s still not used to pet life he doesn’t like to wear his collar which leads to him being kidnapped by the Stranger. His attitude about the collar changes and to help keep him out of further trouble Jeff gives him the bell. Over the course of the next few months he has a sorta growth spurt leading him to look like he does at the beginning of the comic which if you look at the original design is hard to tell exactly how old they are. We know from the wolf cubs that animals can mature practically overnight. If this is all accurate then Peanuts story about how he met Grape would have taken place five years prior which isn’t exactly proving anything but worth noting. Even though they all had grown slightly it is their behaviors from back in Year one that show that they act like little kids and have slowly matured these last ten years.
RP Characters
http://www.housepetscomic.com/forums/vi ... 67#p844567
http://www.housepetscomic.com/forums/vi ... 67#p844567
- fenrirblack
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Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
How old they technically are is irrelevant and we still don’t know. All we can assume at the present is that this is taking place in 2007. We don’t don’t have a good grip on how they age or how fast. We can make assumptions from the comic but even then the only one who does know is Rick. If I were to guess I would still say Max is four or five in this strip.
Changing the subject, I was just reading an article from National Geographic about Kangaroos in Australia and it got me thinking about Max. There is one quote that is really important to consider "If you want to conserve something you have to give it value. Animals that are considered pests don't have value." This brings me back to a point I once made about how there should be a better system for dealing with animals. For a civilization that has coincided for thousands of years why isn't there a better system for dealing with them? Value is determined by a give and take. How much you give determines how much you can take in society. Breel worked on the railroad back in the 1800's which tells me that even before the ECP animals did contribute to society so what happened. Miles is an example of this. If you want to live in a civilized society then you have to contribute something or prepare yourself for that eventual day (school). Long story short, why are animals treated so poorly when they have just as much potential to contribute to society as people? There are a few obvious answers (anthropocentrism and biological differences) but again in a society where this is not even new, one would think that society would have evolved to find a way to integrate animals much sooner and more naturally. Bringing this back to Max, a kitten abandoned by his parents should not be allowed to wander the streets like a hobo. And I'm not talking about being taken to the pound but instead taken to a foster care system (which I know has its own drawbacks) and should be raised accordingly to social standards. It's this weird idea that these intelligent creatures are "pets" and therefore their only value comes from being companions. That idea itself is not wrong but there is no alternative. Animals have two options either live as a pet or as a feral. Why is an animal like Max seen as a pest instead of anyone doing anything to give them value? It also goes back to that guy telling Max to get a job, which even though is a joke, he's still a kitten. It's an unreasonable expectation as is Max's only value coming from the idea of him being an internet star. That brings me back to something Satau asked Grape about what do animals do for a living and Grape told him basically the same. Their value comes from their ability to be adored and loved but it's only artificial. That brings me back to my earlier point about "pets" being a weird concept in this world. It's one thing to adopt an animal and raise it as your own, but for that same animal to live as long as it does but never contribute anything is lost on me. Companionship to me only goes so far. I feel like animals like humans should leave the nest so their value goes beyond being a companion. They should be given the option is what I'm really saying. If an owner is fine with their dog eating all their food (*cough Tiger) well that's their choice. It's not even just a job thing but everything else that a human adult is expected to accomplish and obtain during their lives. In other words pets should be held to the same social standards and expectations as humans because they are just as capable. This raises a lot of other questions that makes my head hurt so I'll leave it there. There was a point somewhere in there.
Changing the subject, I was just reading an article from National Geographic about Kangaroos in Australia and it got me thinking about Max. There is one quote that is really important to consider "If you want to conserve something you have to give it value. Animals that are considered pests don't have value." This brings me back to a point I once made about how there should be a better system for dealing with animals. For a civilization that has coincided for thousands of years why isn't there a better system for dealing with them? Value is determined by a give and take. How much you give determines how much you can take in society. Breel worked on the railroad back in the 1800's which tells me that even before the ECP animals did contribute to society so what happened. Miles is an example of this. If you want to live in a civilized society then you have to contribute something or prepare yourself for that eventual day (school). Long story short, why are animals treated so poorly when they have just as much potential to contribute to society as people? There are a few obvious answers (anthropocentrism and biological differences) but again in a society where this is not even new, one would think that society would have evolved to find a way to integrate animals much sooner and more naturally. Bringing this back to Max, a kitten abandoned by his parents should not be allowed to wander the streets like a hobo. And I'm not talking about being taken to the pound but instead taken to a foster care system (which I know has its own drawbacks) and should be raised accordingly to social standards. It's this weird idea that these intelligent creatures are "pets" and therefore their only value comes from being companions. That idea itself is not wrong but there is no alternative. Animals have two options either live as a pet or as a feral. Why is an animal like Max seen as a pest instead of anyone doing anything to give them value? It also goes back to that guy telling Max to get a job, which even though is a joke, he's still a kitten. It's an unreasonable expectation as is Max's only value coming from the idea of him being an internet star. That brings me back to something Satau asked Grape about what do animals do for a living and Grape told him basically the same. Their value comes from their ability to be adored and loved but it's only artificial. That brings me back to my earlier point about "pets" being a weird concept in this world. It's one thing to adopt an animal and raise it as your own, but for that same animal to live as long as it does but never contribute anything is lost on me. Companionship to me only goes so far. I feel like animals like humans should leave the nest so their value goes beyond being a companion. They should be given the option is what I'm really saying. If an owner is fine with their dog eating all their food (*cough Tiger) well that's their choice. It's not even just a job thing but everything else that a human adult is expected to accomplish and obtain during their lives. In other words pets should be held to the same social standards and expectations as humans because they are just as capable. This raises a lot of other questions that makes my head hurt so I'll leave it there. There was a point somewhere in there.
Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
Do we know that? We know that he was run over by a train and he was interested in whether the railroad was completed, but these do not add up to "he worked on the railroad".fenrirblack wrote:Breel worked on the railroad back in the 1800's
- fenrirblack
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Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
Yeah, I know but saying "assume" or "in theory" every other sentence gets old after a while.Argent wrote:Do we know that? We know that he was run over by a train and he was interested in whether the railroad was completed, but these do not add up to "he worked on the railroad".fenrirblack wrote:Breel worked on the railroad back in the 1800's
Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
I must admit, I can't imagine what a pine margin would do "working on the railroad" but Breel's such a genial little guy, they certainly would have enjoyed having him on a crew or in the office. Wonder if he knew Morse code?
Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
This is one of the fascinating points of the comic to me. The shift from our universe to Housepets! is so simple but radically alters how we view everything. But I have a few thoughts on your points in particular.fenrirblack wrote:Long story short, why are animals treated so poorly when they have just as much potential to contribute to society as people? There are a few obvious answers (anthropocentrism and biological differences) but again in a society where this is not even new, one would think that society would have evolved to find a way to integrate animals much sooner and more naturally.
...
It's this weird idea that these intelligent creatures are "pets" and therefore their only value comes from being companions. That idea itself is not wrong but there is no alternative. Animals have two options either live as a pet or as a feral. Why is an animal like Max seen as a pest instead of anyone doing anything to give them value?
...
That brings me back to my earlier point about "pets" being a weird concept in this world. It's one thing to adopt an animal and raise it as your own, but for that same animal to live as long as it does but never contribute anything is lost on me. Companionship to me only goes so far. I feel like animals like humans should leave the nest so their value goes beyond being a companion. They should be given the option is what I'm really saying.
A) You keep asking why society hasn't done the obvious rational thing here, but I do gotta ask, have you looked at our actual society? Snark aside, we don't live in a meritocracy or a society that maximizes the value of people, and there are and have been plenty of comparable situations in the real world, so it shouldn't be too surprising that Housepets! reflects the society we live in.
B) I think you may be undervaluing both being and having a pet. As Fox noted, life as a pet can be simple and give you lots of freedom to do the things you enjoy. On the other side of the equation, having a constant companion can be a positive addition to a person's life. While we are focusing on roughly teenage equivalent pets, in another 10 years they'll have matured and mellowed into something of a life companion.
However, you do make an excellent point that they should be given the option. That said, I think the reason why isn't so much related to how much they can contribute to society as it is how much it would mean to them as individuals. Like, for instance, knowing Rick, there are definitely sled dogs running mail and racing in Alaska and Northern Canada. During WWII, dogs certainly fought in the war and certainly aided in the war effort back home (though likely in volunteer ways). Horses have carried their masters into battle and died for them.
My theory is, essentially, society is willing to use the animals when they need them, but isn't willing to give them the choice. And I feel like that accurately reflects humanity.
- Amazee Dayzee
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Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
It still doesn't make it right though and even though I would look like a total IDIOT, I would be screaming at that person and telling him he's a kitten and can't work and the person is an idiot.
- fenrirblack
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Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
For whatever it's worth this strip and the idea of animal rights or lack there of has given me a great idea for a short story I plan on submitting. If It gets accepted I'll be sure to remember this.
- Amazee Dayzee
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Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
Hope that in your acceptance speech for the award that you win that you thank Rick for giving you the idea.
Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
I think "assume" or "in theory" are too strong, at most it's your headcanon.fenrirblack wrote:Yeah, I know but saying "assume" or "in theory" every other sentence gets old after a while.
I mean yeh he could have like run wires for blasting or something because that's something weasel types are good at, but given european/american attitudes towards animals he was more likely hanging around the railyard mooching stone soup from the hobos.
My headcanon is that he was a more competent Cory, a con artist who played the railroad guys for chumps because they thought an animal would be lousy at poker.
I mean, really, does this guy look like a player or what?
- Amazee Dayzee
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Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
He looks like more than just a player.
Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
That's about the minimum you'd need to get into high stakes bezique.
Re: 2019/01/18 - Here’s Your Sign
Being a poker sharp probably has additional risks when you're only two feet tall …. He does look like an executive or professional type (Diamond Jim Breel).