Far Too Driven

Uh. Margo. Quick tip. Sullen reflection is not your forte. Leave the week-long mope-fests to Tommie. You're a woman of action! I can only hope that you finish that sentence, "Work is my passion... but—dancing is ALSO my passion!"

No Time to Dwell

Obviously Margo wasn't busy enough to not have a box of Greg playing cards made up and play solitaire with them.  Was he really unattainable?  He seemed pretty into Margo.  He brought her bags of takeout and gave her an emerald ring.  It sounds like Margo's the unattainable one.  And that's they way we like it.

As Margo Reflects...

I like to think that this is how Margo spends her evenings. Relaxing in her overstuffed green armchair (a glass of wine just off panel no doubt), musing to herself, occasionally blurting out some bitter, rancorous sentiment to no one in particular.

Actually, works better if you cut out those thought bubbles...

Forgotten

 

Every time I load one of the strips from this storyline, I think "Oh, Lu Ann and Margo are having a conversation in their apartment."  Because that's what this is. 

I don't think a publicist is just supposed to answer your questions.  I think they're supposed to tell you to update your look and get you booked on like Live with Kelly and Michael to talk about your upcoming projects.  Or at least get you a sponsorship deal with Hanes Her Way.

Sort of a Jumble

Aw yeah! Time to see the maestro at work. Time to see why Margo makes the big bucks. Time to see why M and M Agency pulls in all the Bond girls. Just sit back in your tiny yellow chair and watch the magic happen.

Margo reveal her first step to a successful client relationship: make the client tell you how you're going to help them.

Shut Up

I am so happy to have Margo back. Just look at her. Only Margo can say "No problem" and really mean "I will destroy you and everyone you love.

Impressed

Ha ha ha. Oh Skyler. Soon enough you'll learn that when it comes to Margo, no one is easy to work with.

Great Instincts

All blonde incidental characters will now be played by Lu Ann Powers: Through the Ages.  Also, I'm incredibly uncomfortable with the idea of Margo returning a compliment.  I expect nothing less than scathing criticism.

Evan Was Telling Me Lies

Wh—SKYLAR ROAN! I love it when they bring back characters that seemed totally disposable at the time! But I guess once the Winwood Talent Agency folded like a cheaply made Manhattan apartment after a homemade bomb went off, Skyler was out an agent. And obviously there are only two talent agencies to pick from in New York.

Ah, the simpler times. Remember that dude who dressed up like the Gorton's fisherman, I think his name was Evan Grah—NOPE, Margo has decreed we shall never speak of him again! Let us put all thoughts of him the vault with our feelings about Greg Cooper and What-'s-his-face Mills and that architect dude that was hanging around for a while. Vault it!

Top Priority

I like the empty space at the top of the word balloons in the second panel... as if there's room to write your own interpretation of what they're saying.

Margo: I'm a busy person, Dad. Da-AD! I'm busy, okay?? I don't have time to figure out why my mom suddenly stopped saying "Ay carumba" or whatever. See? Carla says I have a client. (Thanks Carla, you're a lifesaver!)
Martin: Trust me, Margo, this is a top priority. For you, not me. I'm really worried-ish about your mom, but I've got stuff going on too, you know! My friends at the Pro Shop miss me and those seasonal novelty whiskeys aren't going to drink themselves.

Put It Off

Thursday October 16, 2014

Friday October 17, 2014

Kind of seems like a big non sequitur to go from "Gabriella is erasing her ethnicity!" to "And now she wants to get all married??" Is the implication that she thinks Martin would marry her if she just didn't have that pesky accent? And stopped dying her hair? And looked just like Bobbie Merrill?

Some Crazy Reason

Whoa! Welcome to Meta 3-G! This strip (and probably anyone else who's ever read it for a considerable amount of time) has mourned the sudden transformation of Margo's mother Gabriella from over-the-top ethnic stereotype to WASPy grandmother. This transformation was marked by a conservative wardrobe (with a distinct lack of hoop earrings), a modest flip haircut (rather than her signature jet black bob), and a sad deficiency of random Spanish exclamations. I'm really surprised and pleased to see the strip addressing this! The people's voice has been heard!

Gabriella also used to believe in spirits and angels and assorted hokum, which everyone dumped on her about (okay, just Margo, but still), so I hope they bring that up too, especially in light of that fact that a white blandly handsome male recently described a spiritual encounter and everyone was totally blase about it.

Change of Perspective

The years have not been kind to Martin...all of the blue has gone from his hair.  At least he's looking less WASPish than the last time we saw him, even while wearing the mustard yellow from the Mr. Rogers Fall Sweater line.

Gabriella's lost her mind?  This already sounds way better than Tommie's thing.  Maybe Bobbie Merrill will make a surprise guest appearance.

At Margo's Agency...

Did you hear the loud clanking of gears struggling to transition to the next storyline? Probably not, because there is no transition. That was a trick question.

And who is this lovely redhead, may I ask? Why it's Carla, Margo's assistant who does, surprisingly, exist, and whom I'm shocked Margaret and Frank remembered. Though they didn't remember her age. ...eh, blame the colorists.

One Day At A Time

One day of returning to your real life after the greatest trauma of your life?  Or one day of having to slave over and clean up after dinner for Margo?

It Got Easier

Later or earlier at 3G, what does it matter! We're still talking about Tommie's FEELINGS? I think I'd like it better if someone turned on that old timey TV and we just watched the static for a while.

Margo's Wrath

Oh no...

Oh, it's Greek food? Innocent enough... until Margo has an epic meltdown that IT IS TOMMIE'S TURN TO COOK DAMMIT AND YOU HAD BETTER THROW ALL THAT FOOD INTO THE TRASH RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT IS TOMMIE'S TURN AND SHE IS GOING TO COOK SOMETHING!!!

Knock Knock

Professor, you could've actually knocked instead of yelling KNOCK KNOCK and busting through the door... But uh, nice to have you in the strip while Margo slips into something more comfortable. I hope he's bringing news of the next story arc. Maybe Kat and Kitty have decided to do an I Dressed in the Dark: Where Are They Now? episode.

Routine

I'm not going to say that the past 6-9 (I can't remember and I refuse to go back and look it up) month long odyssey of criminal boredom in Happiness Falls was worth it because it resulted in today's strip, but it almost makes up for it.  Almost...Tommie is barely in the door when she is conscripted into cooking dinner for Margo, and she just rolls over in submission to the alpha dog.

I also imagine that Margo and Lu Ann have just been waiting by the front door subsisting on green and orange fruits because Margo refused to allow Lu Ann to cook when it was Tommie's turn.  Lu Ann does look thinner...

Home At Last!!

I have to admit, when I went to check the comics this morning, I was legitimately excited for the first time in months. Yet when I first glanced at the strip, I genuinely thought we were still back in Happiness Falls, the land where happiness fell. Carol-I-mean-Lu Ann's hair is dowdier than ever, and the interior decorating is identical!

Only Margo could convince me that we're back in Manhattan. I love that the first words out of her mouth are "What about me?" Indeed, Margo. Without you, the entire universe, of billions upon billions upon billions of stars, would go dark. That is your phenomenal cosmic power. Even though Tommie hasn't written or called in months, she's still a big fan, okay?

So I think we're in for a week of rehashing the extreme dullness of the past six months, but then, THEN, something should happen!

Promises to Not Keep

Don't get your hopes up Jack.  Once incidental characters run their course they're never heard from again.  Which is why it's so weird that we would waste a strip with Tommie promising Jack and Carol that she'll show up at their wedding (without a plus one)/come visit.  I mean the adventures of Margo Magee are waiting!  But we should probably stop questioning the weird things that happen in this strip.  Like the daily, unflattering metamorphosis of Tommie's hair.

No Buts, Tommie

Sure, yes, we'll keep her, whatever it takes to get this done! Meanwhile it's not like Jack's been here, it's not like he knows what a rebellious teen deer Lily's become in the absence of a strong father figure or really any supervision at all. (When's the last time anyone checked her homework?) It's not like he's caught her smoking Pall Malls behind the barn, or tasting her first whiskey at a stag-doe party. Yes, she's old enough to go to stag-doe parties, Jack! When are you going to realize Lily is growing up!

A Job Waits For Me

Are you sure there's a job waiting for you, Tommie? Like, sure sure? Meanwhile, Jack turns away to hide his tears of joy that Tommie is finally leaving.

You Said it Jack

I think Jack's comment in the second panel sums up how we all feel about this storyline...and about Tommie changing her turtleneck.  I'm so relieved that we are almost through with this interminable nonsense that I won't even mock that fact that Carol and Jack's engagement falls into the overflowing basket of "Supposedly Hugely Important A3G Moments That Occur Off-Panel."

The end is nigh.  Bring on the adventures of Margo Magee!