Shortpacked! by David Willis
Toys are serious business.
Convention appearances:
Calgary Expo Calgary, AB: April 26-28
Phoenix Comicon Phoenix, AZ: May 23-26, 2013
BotCon San Diego, CA: June 28-30
San Diego Comic-Con San Diego, CA: July 18-21
SPX Bethesda, MD: September 14-15
Phoenix Comicon Phoenix, AZ: May 23-26, 2013
BotCon San Diego, CA: June 28-30
San Diego Comic-Con San Diego, CA: July 18-21
SPX Bethesda, MD: September 14-15
Multiplex
Sorcery 101
Templar, AZ
The Transformers Wiki
Hail to the Slash
80 page GIANT
Axe Cop
The Book of Biff
Butt-Taco
Comics Curmudgeon
College Roomies from Hell!!!
Diesel Sweeties
Dinosaur Comics
Dr. McNinja
Dresden Codak
Fans!
Fleen
Gastrophobia
Girl Genius
Girls with Slingshots
Goats
Hark, a vagrant
Hijinks Ensue
Intrepid Girlbot
Legend of Bill
Medium Large
Not Invented Here
Octopus Pie
Overcompensating
Penny Arcade
PhDcomics
Power Nap
Questionable Content
Real Life
Rob and Elliot
Bad Machinery
Schlock Mercenary
Sheldon
So Far Apart
Something Positive
Two Lumps
Wapsi Square
Wonderella
Wondermark
Frumph.NET
Sorcery 101
Templar, AZ
The Transformers Wiki
Hail to the Slash
80 page GIANT
Axe Cop
The Book of Biff
Butt-Taco
Comics Curmudgeon
College Roomies from Hell!!!
Diesel Sweeties
Dinosaur Comics
Dr. McNinja
Dresden Codak
Fans!
Fleen
Gastrophobia
Girl Genius
Girls with Slingshots
Goats
Hark, a vagrant
Hijinks Ensue
Intrepid Girlbot
Legend of Bill
Medium Large
Not Invented Here
Octopus Pie
Overcompensating
Penny Arcade
PhDcomics
Power Nap
Questionable Content
Real Life
Rob and Elliot
Bad Machinery
Schlock Mercenary
Sheldon
So Far Apart
Something Positive
Two Lumps
Wapsi Square
Wonderella
Wondermark
Frumph.NET
Tags
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faz
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©2005-2013 David Willis | Powered by WordPress with ComicPress | Subscribe: RSS | Back to Top ↑
Nice. “YOURS, no.”
I was going to say the same thing.
Same. Great minds thinking alike and such.
Does…does that mean, Amber’s mom been back for er…seconds? I knew she “dropped” by when he just recently relapsed (quite a while back).
Wait, what does one have to do with the other?
Do you mean sex addiction and hoarding? They both have to do with an inability to moderate yourself. Needing to have all, keep everything, always have sex, instead of only stop at a healthy amount.
I’m not wording it well, but hopefully you get what I mean.
To word it better-
They are both caused by a similar uncontrollable impulses that stop people from being able to indulge in certain desires and/or hobbies even when they should, need to, and/or want to.
This of course leaves them bitter and miserable resulting in and extra does of them needing MORE to fill the void escalating the problem.
Resulting in [repeat]
Thank you both, but what I meant was “What do Transformers have to do with stacks of pizza boxes?”
They’re actually the alt mode of Pepperjack, a minor 2nd gen decepticon.
Ethan, who loves Transformers, finds it ridiculous that Jacob apparently sees empty pizza boxes as more hoard-worthy than Transformers.
Empty pizza boxes ARE more hoard-worthy than Transformers.
Okay, see this, people? THIS is a hoarder. Or, at least, closer to a hoarder than Ethan is.
But don’t worry – with enough time, effort, and the lack of stable support Ethan to can live in an apartment with just him and his precious collection.
No pesky (yet attractive and caring) boyfriend to tell ‘em he can’t have all the toys in the world.
No pesky annoying buddies to distract him from his precious things.
Just Ethan – in a room – getting dirty – fat – and ugly…
!!!
Ethan please before it’s to late! Turn back from this path!
I mean look at Jacob…
You wanna look like that!
Um no offense to Jacob?
So, you’re saying that all collectors will become hoarders? Besides, you’re speaking as though what Ethan wants to do is alienate people until it’s him and his collection, which is not it at all – Ethan just wants to collect his toys.
You speak as if that’s what Jacob wants to do.
Okay you realise there has to be a starting point right?
By Drew’s accounts he put a lot of toys away in storage and replaced them rather quickly. At the very least it merits Ethan having a look at it and maybe giving it some thought. Pretty sure no ones asking him to give up his hobby, just moderate it.
Like it has been stated, all hoarders are collectors, but not all collectors are hoarders. Ethan’s very organized in his stuff – it’s not just sitting about willy-nilly, piling up and being clutter, like Jacob’s stuff.
Also, my whole issue with Drew is that, yes, he does have a concern about Ethan’s well-being in regards to his collecting habits, but the implication that he’s collecting to fill a hole in his life, regardless of it being true or not, is presumptuous and kind of rude. Also, his way of trying to mandate what Ethan does with his space when, really, he has no say. If they were living together in a shared space, it’d be a whole ‘nother ball game, but the fact that Ethan has boxed up most of his collection just because it creeps Drew out is a pretty large acquiescence that he (and a lot of readers) don’t seem to understand – he does this because he wants to, not out of any obligation. He has nothing forcing him to put things into storage, so Drew coming on like he can tell him what to do in his space is really off-putting.
Moderation is fine, and as he stated, he’s moderated quite a bit, given Ethan’s old collecting habits. But remember, even moderation must be moderated.
You sound awfully defensive.
It’s not intentional.
You do seem to be taking it personally regardless of if you know it or not, you should give that some consideration as it could be a sign of something – I don’t know what – just something. But that’s a personal thing…
~~~
You take peoples comments out of context. No one is saying Ethan is a hoarder, will become a hoarder, or that collectors are hoarders; they are saying that Ethan is showing signs that suggest he might be becoming one and that worries Drew.
Yes Drew has some issues with the collection himself, but he’s admitted to that before. They make him feel claustrophobic if you will, he’s not being deceptive about that or anything. He’s merely voicing his opinion on the subject and his concern for Ethan’s health. He doesn’t seem to have a problem with Ethan being a collector in general.
The issue seems to be solely about Ethan not moderating his buying of stuff to the point where it seems to be less about the collecting itself and more about having the stuff (does that make sense? It sounds a bit confusing).
Also as pointed out, not all hoarders are slobs or messy.
Ethan isn’t showing signs of moderation; he’s replacing the collection he put away with a new one at an alarming rate well arguing he could stop at any time even though he himself is basically admitting he can’t.
Will Ethan be happy when collecting is literally ALL he has?
When collection stops being a fun hobby and starts being an uncontrollable compulsion it’s a problem. Ethan is showing signs that it’s shifting from “likes collecting” into “must have more stuff”.
Also; once again, he promised to try to tone down his collecting – he hasn’t.
Compulsive Hoarders will acquire stuff, some out of fear that they will run out of it (like food), or salvage junk out of the feeling they can be useful later on, or they enjoy collecting, etc. The assumption they’re all collectors isn’t necessarily true.
A Compulsive Hoarder -can- be organized. Compulsive hoarding -can- be coupled with obsessive-compulsive disorder (among other things) or it can be a standalone. Or the hoarder could simply be just organized, it just allows him to squeeze in *more* stuff than other less organized hoarders.
What causes hoarding is unknown, it can be genetic, it can be triggered by outside influences like anxiety, “need to feel the hole”, “need to have it all (completionist?), “just in case”, etc. Science doesn’t know it yet, which makes treatment for compulsive hoarders difficult.
Simple thing to remember is that hoarders: (1) CAN NOT STOP acquiring things, (2) They CAN NOT get rid of things. I know its an over-simplification, but you can at least see why they’re called “compulsive hoarders” and why it’s a problem.
Part of Ethan’s character (to my interpretation), is his collection. He’s had to begin with a huge collection that keeps on growing (as it’s used as the butt of some jokes). He’s commented on more than one occasion of his problems with storage, and gets even bribed by Les, offering Amber’s room for not feeling bad about kicking out Amber (still in the park whether Ethan took that or not).
I wish Mr. Willis can clarify exactly just how much stuff Ethan really has, at least to give us a bit of perspective just how big Ethan’s collection really is.
But as far as I’ve read, Ethan hasn’t shown any moderation of curbing his spending habits or making any effort to control the size of his collection (and no, putting them in a box to make bf happy is -not- moderation–not when those toys are replaced by new ones and all you do is buy more boxes for said toys. Wash. Rinse. Repeat).
This -doesn’t- mean that Ethan -is- a Compulsive Hoarder or is going there definitely. His problem could -possibly- be as simple as being a little too compulsive coupled by poor spending habits–even then it’s still a problem (especially in this economy). We’ll find out more, as soon as Mr. Willis updates more comics.
I think the strip so far has done a good job of showing that, while Ethan definitely has a problem, Drew doesn’t understand where the limits of “problem” lie, and has a hard time not overreacting.
I don’t know if Drew’s overreacting at all. You’re perhaps not seeing the issue because Ethan collects something that you’re sympathetic to.
Ignore the exact nature of Ethan’s collection and imagine that Drew is looking at a relationship with someone who collects little dolls and takes up all the space in the house with tacky curios, leaving him living in irritating clutter with no room to express himself. Ever know anyone who’s married to someone like that?
Just because they’re Transformers instead of Precious Moments figurines doesn’t mean that it’s not suffocating for Drew, especially if he’s just not into them.
Singularikitty?
Leslie’s pink, hairless, squashy cat.
Why the hell she’s HERE (above the “thousands of comic books” bubble) is a bizarre and not-likely-to-be-answered occurrance.
probably to do a 40-days-in-the-desert kind of thing. If the singularikitty can resist assimilating ALL THIS STUFF, she’s qualified to die for the sins of blobcatkind.
Must be why she looks kind of sad or afraid.
I can’t tell whether that’s supposed to be the actual Singularikitty or a plush version of the Singularikitty. If Jacob pulls out an Ethan statue, I’m gonna be really freaked out.
Why? They’re sold IRL. Wouldn’t shock me at all if Wilis broke the fourth wall like that.
I’d be shocked!
What? Your characters don’t have lives of their own?
I would think their ability to shock him would be evidence in favor of their having lives of their own, rather than opposed.
It would be a relic from the story that must not be named.
Since Singularikitty’s father never respected the boundaries of human property rights, I don’t see a problem here. It’s just the blood being true.
All I can think about with Hoarders and Pizza boxes is this.
http://www.larrysfunnybone.com/2010/07/07/excessive-hoarding/
But hey, how did Jacob get the pink kitty thing in the upper right hand corner of panel 1?
What is the singularikitty doing in there?
Amber must’ve borrowed her in a previous attempt to gain access to the apartment. xD
BLASPHEMY!
Also, where is Singularikitty?
On top of the shelf.
Looks like Singularikitty is even too scared to eat all those figs.
I’m still wondering how it escaped from Robin’s belly.
I’m wondering how Jacob survives with Singularikitty seeing that it eats everything.
There are thing that even Singularikitty was not meant to absorb!
Maybe it didn’t…
Well~
I can think of a few ways, but they ain’t pretty…
I have a law degree. Being a hoarder probably isn’t so bad.
You win the discussion thread!
In this economy? At least Jacob’s probably got less student loan debt.
*sob*
Now there’s a feeling I’m well acquainted with. Knowing exactly what’s wrong, standing there staring at it, but being entirely unable to muster up the will to do anything about it.
And now Ethan is going to try to convince Jacob to take his spare toys, calling it now.
Damn it Ethan -_-
damn i was thinking that xD
How can a lot of it be Marvel Universe figures? The line hasn’t gone on long enough to build up towards a collection that would even make Ethan blink. Also, the figures are small. I own almost every single 6-inch Marvel figure Toybiz and Hasbro made, and it all fits on one bookcase.
Granted, he’s going to have something like 5-40 longboxes, which is a ridiculous number, and the pizzaboxes are just stacks of cardboard taking up space, but any serious TF or Star Wars collection is going to dwarf pretty much any other toyline.
Maybe he has like twelve of everything.
A quick count over at Marvelous news put the Universe line at 117 or so but when most people talk MU that includes all the movie lines so then you have Wolverine, Iron Man, Thor, Spiderman plus variants. Yeah, it’s still not much compared to Tfs or Joes but if he’s a MIP collector and it’s a small apartment…
has ethens mom ever shown up? i know he talked to her on the phone but have we ever seen her?
We’ve seen the back of her head in a flashback to Ethan’s childhood.
Ethan, just because he’s passionate about tasty pizza doesn’t mean he’s gotta be passionate about Transformers!
Does he have a collection of nickels to buy sex with mothers?
Sorry about that. They mentioned Mike so I had to get that in
And WHY was my name RandomName there?
I think every collector fears this for himself. I know I do, and I’m sure David does as well.
Even if our significant others actually encourage our toy collecting we (I) still feel like it would be really easy for me to get like that. It’s hard not to feel overwhelmed sometimes and feel claustrophobic in your own home.
And for me anyway, I’ve kept myself from buying things, even things I really need for a collection. I’ve had times where it was like mental torture making myself leave the toy aisle. I would leave, walk back, leave…it’s ridiculous sometimes. Thankfully that only happens once in a blue moon.
But yeah, I think that having someone helps curb the addiction some, even if they’re encouraging of your hobby, because you think of them and realize it’s their home too and it helps.
My significant other walks a fine line – she encourages my collecting (she even has a shelf devoted to her own Transformers as well), but also helps (well, helped; I’m not as careless as I once was) to keep the collecting from turning into just buying for the sake of buying.
As for the claustrophobia, we’re keeping most of the collection in storage until we move and can have some actual room to display it in full, but still keep a goodly number of choice figures on the shelves.
One of my largest fears is that I will not have a funeral. That by the time I die I will have become so consumed by the cartoons or videogames that there will be no one who knows who I am. Family dead or estranged. Closest thing to a friend is someone I haven’t spoken to in twenty years. My absence from the guild is so conspicuous that they hold one of those in-game funerals but my physical body isn’t found for until two months later when one of the landlord starts getting complaints about the smell.
Not much of a collector but I definitely get where you’re saying there. Feels like you’re always straddling the line.
Must be a videogame thing. I have Legos, anime, TFs, and other cartoons as simultaneous substantial-sized hobbies (plus maybe one or two other little ones here or there) and I still have gobs of time to spend with friends and family, making your concern a non-concern for me. (Running out of space or money, on the other hand…) I have heard of videogames consuming lives completely, though.
So, he said “Not YOURS”. Did he do the mom of someone we know?
Amber’s mom.
Gotta love how half of the comments are about Singularkitty, and most of the rest are about Amber’s Mom.
This strip really has me inspired to thin out some of my collection.
I’d thin out my collection, but I’m too lazy to ebay it and would feel guilty dumpstering toys that may do nothing for me, but somebody else might be craving.
For this they make totes.
I feel so bad for Jacob.
That, and my OCD makes me want to clean his apartment for him.
I hope Drew breaks up with Ethan soon. Drew is the least interesting character in this comic. :/
The verdict is in: when picking between old garbage and Rodimus, you take the garbage.
Hey, why is Leslie’s kitty in Jacob’s room?
A good dose of hatred, or at least dislike, of other toy lines can keep the hoarding in check.
Did Jacob steal Singularikitty?
I’m glad someone besides me noticed, for a moment there I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.
It’s sad to know that your obsession is apparently too weak for somebody who collects everything from Marvel to pizza boxes.
Pizza boxes didn’t get Prime killed
When the sex is that good, who needs clean?
You need clean if you want the middle and upper class chicks :3
I’m still musing on how Jacob affords this lifestyle.
I wounder if Jacob is on welfare to afford the apartment, pizza, and collectibles. He seems to have gotten all his collection out of (presumably) paid storage, which would save some money.
Or the Landlord is just getting screwed, and s/he might be trying to evict Jacob as things are unfolding in the comic. That could be quite the dark turn.
Or, perhaps, the landlord is getting screwed, and that’s how Jacob stays in the apartment?
That is a twisted possibility.
On what planet does welfare pay out to able-bodied dudes without children? Or, for that matter, does it pay out enough to live in an apartment alone, much less also have hobbies?
I think you are correct. Perhaps he’s still on unemployment, then?
At least my Yu-Gi-Oh! cards don’t take so much space, and in case they do, I can always ask Singy to clean a bit. I just hope she stays away of my Ultra Rares…
Yea…I would feel insulted too.
I never understood why people collected “useless” things. By that i mean they serve no other purpose then to exist. you don’t play with them, they perform any useful function and they eventually get replaced on the shelf with something else. What is the point?
And the abundance of this useless stuff is what ultimately defines a hoarder.
I see an amorphous blob kitty in there looking all sad.
I was about to point out the same thing, he really collected everything… or maybe Singularikitty was hoping for lots of free food then she was like “Whoa no even this is out of my capabilities.” (right singularikitty is a female?)
Joe probably has a bigger collection than either of them, but he also has a skyscraper, so it isn’t disfunctional….