I guess this storyline is going to be about Cole's post traumatic stress disorder, which is triggered by squiggle-art and domestic life with Marty. "I can't have those beady little eyes watching my every move. I've put up with it for too long. I'm going back to Fallujah!"
2 comments:
I have PTSD and didn't recognize that little scene at all until you pointed it out. I think what Cole has is TPPoPTSD, or The Public's Perception of PTSD.
If he was flashing back to standing at attention, he wouldn't be leaning back against Marty's pushing hands. He'd be stiff and upright. If he was flashing back to being under fire or similar, he'd be on the deck or attacking her, shouting, running past her... all the things he did then to survive. I've known vets with PTSD who flash back to being wounded, but again, they'd be on the ground. I've also known vets to stiffen up (which is what I think Frank is trying to show here), but they're near-catatonic, not verbalizing.
If he's having a generalized anxiety attack, his body language wouldn't be so open.
And Marty would have learned to just get away a LONG time ago. Unless she's a masochist, you don't smile and push someone with PTSD. You just don't.
It's just all sorts of wrong. I'm actually getting a bit pissed off that Shulock would treat such an important condition so shoddily...
Wait. "Shoddy Shulock" and "Failure Frank" are portraying something badly. And I'm getting angry about it?
Never mind. I'll stop. Thanks for letting me vent.
Whoa, I just read this comment. I love it when people with actual insight open up about issues that are treated so cosmetically in this strip. I figured this depiction of Cole reflected more poor drawing rather than any specific body language, but now that I think about it, I can't imagine Marty's reaction is realistic at all. She's acting like her father has Alzheimer's, not PTSD. I (strangely) don't expect Frank and Margaret to be familiar with current events, but I mean, these guys lived through the Vietnam War, right?
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