Margo's Looking for Trouble

Margo is a very dedicated publicist. She has spent the last few days constantly scouring the gossip sites for any small mention of Scott, and despite finding absolutely nothing, since absolutely no one cares to read about Scott, she persists. And she thinks it as an important and time-sensitive job, to the point where she can't even get up to get her own coffee. Oh, wait, that's just how she always treats Tommie.

Margo Said

Scott you silly fool. You really think this--or any time--is a good time to bring up you are pretty much bound hand-and-foot to Margo. "Margo says I can't see Nina yet!" "Margo said I couldn't have any phsycial contact with Nina until she said so!" "Margo said I can't eat ice cream anymore because the fat goes straight to my love handles!"

Memorial Day Weekend Recap

Hope you all had relaxing long weekends!  Here's a quick recap of what we've missed in the A3G-verse:

Friday, May 25th

The medical field has advanced hugely!  Women's fashion, not so much.

Saturday, May 26th

I'm surprised that Scott took Margo's terrible advice.  Did anyone tell Fred about the whole Scott kissing Margo situation? 

Monday, May 28th

It's like Scott and Fred switched shirts!  Wait, you're trying not to see Nina so you're moving into her father's house where she's staying to get away from you?  Maybe you should consult your publicist about this.  You wouldn't want the gossip mill to start up.

Tuesday, May 29th

Gee Fred, I'd really love to offer support and comfort to my wife whilst she's terrified that giving birth to my baby will kill her, but I kind of made this agreement with this woman who Nina saw me giving an innocent kiss to/my apparent publicist.  Where's that annoying midwife, get her to talk to her.

Margo Publicity Is Bad Publicity

So the solution to Scott's problem, which is that his wife found him ostensibly cheating with another woman, is to hire that woman - Margo "Shirtless" Magee - to protect his reputation. I really hope that Margo is actively trying to break up this marriage, because otherwise I'm not really sure where she's going with this, and she just may be the worst publicist ever.

By the way, why is Scott notable enough to have a publicist, and if he is, why doesn't he already have one? It seems with all the broken engagements, he would've been tabloid fodder in the past, if anyone actually cared about him. The rumor mill is such a fickle beast.

Sooner or Later

Boop! Margo's shirt's back. It was fun/disturbing while it lasted. Now, Scott, you just act totally aloof to Nina. She's terrified, believe me, so eventually she'll come crawling back to you, even if she resents you all the while. I mean, she resents you about having a baby in the first place, right? So it's pretty much no harm done!

Plain White T's

I was trying to figure out what to write about this strip, when I realized "HOLY CRAP, MARGO ISN'T WEARING A SHIRT UNDERNEATH HER BLAZER!"  Here's how it happened.  It's a masterpiece of A3G logical thinking.

1) Added the strip to the post
2) Noticed that Margo had a neck! 
3) Become confused by the exposed decolletage.
4) That much skin must mean there was a drawing error.  There hasn't been any skin on any of the ladies since the "makeover."
5) Wasn't Margo wearing a turtleneck?  Or am I just in awe of Scott pulling off that fall ensemble in May?
3) Revisited the past few strips and confirm that indeed Margo was wearing a crewneck white shirt, which has disappeared.  Like when magicians pull a tablecloth out from underneath a full set of dishes without moving anything!

I disagree with Margo's advice.  Scott Gaines should rent a billboard that says "Nina, I'm sorry for getting boozy and putting my hands on another woman.  Also, I cannot explain what happened to that other woman's shirt when I forced her to have coffee with me at the cafe.  Please come home.  Love, Scott"

Hey Jealousy

So what's the backstory here, you might ask? It's a little before my time as a blogger, I went back in the archives at the Comics Curmudgeon... it turns out before he met his true love Nina, Scott used to get engaged to anything that moved. Including Lu Ann! Yup, they got engaged, something that Nina's never brought up (I guess because Lu Ann has been banished to South Dakota again). Also for a while he was pretending to be a janitor for some reason. And Lu Ann was a teacher? Sooo I guess that ended. Anyway, the point is: Tommie's the only one who hasn't gotten with Scott. Classic A3G!

Caveat Emptor

When you ask Margo for her opinion, do not be surprised when you end up with angry finger pointed in your face.  Also, she may throw a cup of hot coffee at you, if that finger was previously holding said cup in the first panel.  Danger, Scott Gaines, I hope you know a good burn doctor.  Also, I'm pretty sure Nina wasn't jealous of all of your past fiancées, she was probably just concerned that you were a man-whore/possibly a serial murderer, if they all died or whatever.  Mags, do you know what happened to Scott's former flames?

If Only

Scott, you're the last person I should be having coffee with, but I'm thirsty and you're here. So let's talk! Scootch over a little closer, we don't have to be sitting opposite each other like strangers. So how's Nina? Hey, come on, it's okay for us to hold hands, we're adults. God, you seem so tense! Do you want me to rub your shoulders? No point crying over spilled bordeaux, you know. Speaking of which...! I think I have a bottle of Bailey's stashed in my bag somewhere, why don't we make this Irish coffee?

Explanations

And it isn't that I regret it. In fact, I relish the sense of power I feel to have taken someone else's life in order to live mine. I just believe in karma.

Oh wait, this is Nina, not Margo. I should take it down a notch. Nina probably feels a little bad, but mostly she's still worried about herself.

Doors Unlimited

It took me about twenty minutes to figure out that in the third panel Nina prrrobably didn't apparate behind Tommie, just that Tommie's getting ready to go out an identically painted door and hallway door and Nina chased her down. Actually, looking at all these doors is starting to mess with my head. All the different slanty angles, and they're popping up everywhere... I'm freaking out, man!! They're looming over me!! The Doors of Perception, man!!

Anyway. I'm sorry you don't feel you can trust me, Nina. I'll be quitting on you now! Good luck with the new midwife or whatever, I'll let Margo know you still hate her guts. Seeeee yaaaa! Hmm, what now? You're scared? Ah.... oookay... well, I was going to go home and start Margo's laundry, but I guess I can... stick around for a while...

Grand Slam

Sorry for the posting delay, I spilled three drops of water on my trackpad last night and it freaked out and wouldn't let me click or control the cursor.

It looks like Nina made sure to pack a large supply of her go-to maternity blouse from her favorite German maternity design haus, Frümp Mütter, before checking in at Chez Blake.  I can't believe Tommie is quitting this easily.  What about the Midwife Creed, First, thou must be meddlesome?

Expert

Tommie has induced that Nina is upset. Gotta hand it to her, she sure can read a room. Now, does Nina think that this trivial observation makes Tommie an "expert" at feelings, or does she just think that midwives are super great at emotional intuition? Either way, Nina's done with the experts. After all, there's no way having a bunch of "professionals" around will help reduce her chances of dying in childbirth!

Groan

Apparently Margo has no control over what she says vs. what she thinks; speech and thought both inhabit the same region of her brain's disproportionately large limbic system. She's not really thinking, "I don't want people to know that Nina was my best/only contact." It's just her precious reptilian brain protecting her from using up all her oxygen on shouting in public!

Tommie Can't Hold Down a Job

Tommie, come on. By A3G standards, Nina is not only dressed, but in fact very well-dressed.

I find this strip delightful because it's like in the second panel, Nina finally realized how absolutely bananas Tommie is for following her around and acting like she's some kind of midwife Mary Poppins. And that she actually has some say in her own personal life. Now come on Nina, put on something that was made after the year 2005, do something with that hair, and go kick some Margo ass! I'm taking bets now.

Snoozefest

Aw, man! Margo's gone. Just when she was back to her old Margo-y ways. I don't even know what to say about these two. I'm so depressed I think I'll just sleep all day. Or pretend to.

Margo Magee, Armchair Psychotherapist

I love Margo's self-satisfaction with her armchair psychiatry in the first panel.  For the briefest of moments, it feels like Margo is actually going to empathize with Nina and understand the pain of another human being.  Predictably, she brings it back to herself.  I'm glad in these turbulent times there is something constant we can rely on.

Crazy, huh, Tommie?!

"Crazy, huh, Tommie?!" The phrase just tugs at my heartstrings for some reason. She could be remarking on anything and I'd like it, but it's all the better because then Tommie has to gently remind her that it's not just weird, it's also very sad.

Margo: So I heard the whole story from Scott between glasses of wine. Crazy, huh, Tommie?! 

Tommie: (sigh) I think you mean tragic, sir.

Margo: Tragic? Is that like magic? Anyway, who dies in childbirth anymore? I mean, that is just dumb. Tommie, you're a nurse. Why didn't penicillin take care of all this??

Tommie: Well, occasionally there are complications during childbirth that go beyond--

Margo: Oh, my head is pounding!! I'm going to bed Tommie. Fetch me those aspirin, will you? And remember: I never even touched Scott. Good niiiiight!

Tommie: ..... (sigh)

Cinco de Bore-o

I'm bound by the strictures of midwife-grandfather of the baby confidentiality.  Margo's profile in the last panel makes her look like a swarthy Italian immigrant woman at the turn of the century.  Those makeovers really were a brief shining moment.  Just confirm that Nina's mother died tragically in childbirth already!

Aspirin

There's nothing I can do to make this conversation go away, is there? No Tommie, there isn't, so settle in with your own bottle of Chateau Margaux and get ready for another round of Margo Talk. Dan Diller can keep waiting for those songs!

Margo's Delusion

The lack of any transition word in the first panel really makes it sound like Nina holds a grudge against Margo for setting Scott and her up. Actually, come to think of it, she probably does. Nina probably thinks daily "If it weren't for Margo, I wouldn't be married to a wuss and knocked up and taking walks in the park with my lame midwife instead of working. I must destroy Margo."

As for Tommie, I'm not sure why she is feeding into Margo's delusion. Probably out of fear. But I'm very much enjoying hearing Margo's perspective on the world. I had no idea she even thought she was a good person.... I think that makes me love her even more. And root for her even more in the inevitable Margo/Nina smackdown, which will of course happen off-panel, since that's where anything interesting happens.

Like a Fool

Oh ho ho ho. Maggie here. Just nipped out to Cancun for a bit, but I'm back! Thanks to Megan and Casey for covering, even when I didn't give them any advanced notice. If you haven't read their comics synopses (and secret messages) for the last week, you should, right now; I particularly enjoyed Nina lurching down the stairs with the deepest, angriest frown I've ever seen in my life.

On to today's comic!

As usual, Margo is nice and sweet and awesome and somehow her kindness is misunderstood for pettiness, boredom, thoughtlessness, and eagerness to look around a super-rich guy's apartment! Any time you try to do something nice, it blows up in your face--usually after a few drinks and some light smooching--so WHY EVEN BOTHER? At least if you're sneaky and evil, you see these things coming. 

But Margo, why work so hard to justify yourself to Tommie? I mean, 1. "That wasn't a kiss" is a pretty outrageous claim when the panel literally screamed "KISS" right over your head, plus, you know, the handsiness. 2. "We weren't drunk" is maybe true, but I feel like you're a secret lightweight (which is both disappointing and awesome at the same time). 3. Tommie has to like you pretty much no matter what, so wasting your breath on excuses to her is kind of silly. Just have her fix you a hot toddy and let's go to bed!

May Day

Don't worry folks, Maggie should be back soon.  She took a little vacation and forgot to mention to her fellow bloggers that she was going to be away. 
 

Monday, April 30th

So I guess Fred realized that asking Tommie to tell him everything that she knew was a futile endeavor, so he just decided to have another off-panel revelation of the terrible secret tragedy of Margo's mother.  Just tell us already!  We know it's going to be way lamer than the build-up so just disappoint us already.

Tuesday, May 1st

You can't sneak up on Margo in the middle of the night.  She had a 5-Hour Energy and is wide awake.  Of course Margo feels like talking about it!  She's not you Tommie, she is going to get her side of the story out there, forcefully.  Margo, I saw it too and I easily misinterpreted that innocent kiss on the cheek.  It got a little handsy.  This would be a great time for Lu Ann to burst in and give Tommie her  souvenir t-shirt that says "My roommate went to South Dakota for four months and all I got was this lousy t-shirt."