But that’s just it. When Sweetheart would arrive at Annex One, Ira would scream in shock, “Ahh! Talking dog!” I can only find the one occasion, and Ira did it twice in the same conversation (the second time was three strips later), but I think it’s safe to assume he did it on a regular basis, since he had to be reminded daily that Tip was a man.
So it is kind of odd that he does not act at all surprised here.
Or maybe Ira always seemed forgetful because he was experiencing a genuine reality much stranger than what everyone else was perceiving, and the reality filter just dragged him down closer to the frame of reference of the reader…(granted, not a very likely scenario, but the Sgt. Dietrich in me can’t help but like it.)
That theory has been presented before. Nearly 4 years ago, in fact. A few readers were discussing that possibility. It’s come up again a few times here and there in the years since then.
We’ve all seen little inconsistencies now and again, but this seems to be the first time that Sweetheart has noticed a chink in Ira’s facade.
Virginia gave him the plans for the weather machine. A-Sig may not even have had them. It may have been her own personal design. And she thought she was just doing something nice for a senile old man.
Even accounting for artistic inconsistancy, the character designs are still distinct. Ira has larger ears, larger eyebrows, a different jaw shape, less wrinkles…
Plus, we know Collodi wore a “cheap and fake” toupee, so he must have been bald, which Ira is not.
Who wouldn’t like a nice old fellow who can act so innocently befuddled while masterminding a… well… something. Probably global domination. Hmm… makes me wonder about Uncle Billy.
Now that I–well, look it up–Ira warned Chris about going into the basement, and what happened when he did? He told the silverfish to eat the files. (Silverfish that also remarked on “many colossi” coming to look for the files.)
I am like that. Also some things that give others nausea or heartburn are soothing to me, and antacids give me heartburn. I had an interesting childhood.
Yup, me too. I had an *interesting* experience in a hospital once when a couple of medications they gave me together had some kind of weird synergistic effect and caused me to have a really rare one-in-a-thousand kind of bad reaction. One of them was Benadryl, which they had given me to help me sleep, even though I had already explained to the nurse that it would not only not help me sleep, but not relax me in any way, shape or form.
Benadryl is of the devil. It (along with pretty much every -edrine antihistamine) makes me super jittery *and* exhausted. I can’t rest or work. I call it my zombie state: neither dead nor alive.
I’m still vaguely suspicious about all the people who claim it’s relaxing/sleep-inducing. Who are these *quiet* dead?
Well, whoever is marketing diphenhydramine (Benadryl’s active ingredient) is really selling the whole “sleep inducing” thing, since the same ingredient is in Tylenol PM, Advil PM, Motrin PM and Aleve PM, as well as drug store brand versions of the same things.
While one of the principle effects of diphenhydramine is sedation, some of its other effects can include increased heart rate, irritability, irregular breathing, excitability, and restlessness. So basically, it counteracts itself. They know this, and yet the medical community as a whole continues to not only allow it, but even encourage its use.
That’s the American pharmaceutical industry for you.
While I don’t have a bad reaction to diphenhydramine, it doesn’t make me drowsy either. I wonder if it’s from being on antihistamines since I was 9 or 10.
Hmmm…. I don’t know how old you are (for some bizarre reason, I just act like all other commenters are the same age as I am), but there is some discussion about diphenhydramine being linked to dementia in older people. Also, it is not recommended for anyone over 60 to take it at all, for some of its other effects on the body. I don’t know if there are similar concerns for any other antihistamines, but if you’ve been taking them since 9 or 10, it could become an issue for you.
Then again, maybe we’re all daft, and Ira simply isn’t shocked at a talking dog because of everyone — and everything — else that’s in the room. After all, a talking dog is certainly no more bizarre than a sentient automaton who acts like he’s still in the 1800s… attached to another sentient automaton whose principle skill is smashing things.
(No I really don’t believe that’s all there is to it. Ira’s up to something.)
The start of what, Ira?
If Ira went around being shocked every time he encountered something his memories didn’t prepare him for, he’d have no time to do anything else.
Yeah, like enjoy his balloon–wait, where’d it go??
But that’s just it. When Sweetheart would arrive at Annex One, Ira would scream in shock, “Ahh! Talking dog!” I can only find the one occasion, and Ira did it twice in the same conversation (the second time was three strips later), but I think it’s safe to assume he did it on a regular basis, since he had to be reminded daily that Tip was a man.
So it is kind of odd that he does not act at all surprised here.
Oh, sure, ruin my joke with your “facts” and “logic”.
I know, I know… those are so inconvenient at times. They spoil the best jokes and the worst plans.
Or maybe Ira always seemed forgetful because he was experiencing a genuine reality much stranger than what everyone else was perceiving, and the reality filter just dragged him down closer to the frame of reference of the reader…(granted, not a very likely scenario, but the Sgt. Dietrich in me can’t help but like it.)
Yeah, I am an extremely forgetful person…and nothing shocks me. I just expect things I do not know to occur/be seen.
I knew it! He was faking the entire time! He might even secretly be Mr. Green!
I don’t know about being Mr. Green, but I have suspicions.
That theory has been presented before. Nearly 4 years ago, in fact. A few readers were discussing that possibility. It’s come up again a few times here and there in the years since then.
We’ve all seen little inconsistencies now and again, but this seems to be the first time that Sweetheart has noticed a chink in Ira’s facade.
And the irony of it all…
Virginia gave him the plans for the weather machine. A-Sig may not even have had them. It may have been her own personal design. And she thought she was just doing something nice for a senile old man.
Oh fudgessicles I completely forgot that Lee did that
When was this, again?
End of “Yes, Virginia”.
http://skin-horse.com/comic/you-um/
The last panel there triggered many people’s “How out of it is Ira really?” senses.
Back then, I wondered if the weather machine was a Chekov’s Gun. Sometimes I hate being right. (This isn’t one of those times.)
I knew it was a Chekov’s gun, but I honestly thought (and still do, somewhat) that it would be Tigerlily that would fire it, rather than Ira himself.
Even knowing that now, I still think it was very sweet of her to do that for Ira.
Ira’s been brain-wiped so many times that the mad science cure just sort of slides off his brain.
“I should have taken him?” That doesn’t sound ominous _at all_.
Yes, this comment is very worrisome.
That line is the verbal equivalent of two gears beginning to mesh. Which is not a good sound in this context.
Are we sure Ira isn’t a slow-aging Dr. Collodi?
http://skin-horse.com/comic/boring-psych/
Even accounting for artistic inconsistancy, the character designs are still distinct. Ira has larger ears, larger eyebrows, a different jaw shape, less wrinkles…
Plus, we know Collodi wore a “cheap and fake” toupee, so he must have been bald, which Ira is not.
That said, Konstantin is still a dead ringer for Fox Mulder.
YANA
Dammit, Ira. I *liked* you.
It might still be a bit too early to withdraw that liking yet. ^_^
Who wouldn’t like a nice old fellow who can act so innocently befuddled while masterminding a… well… something. Probably global domination. Hmm… makes me wonder about Uncle Billy.
I just hope Ira isn’t Mr. Green.
Now that I–well, look it up–Ira warned Chris about going into the basement, and what happened when he did? He told the silverfish to eat the files. (Silverfish that also remarked on “many colossi” coming to look for the files.)
I’m reminded of people who have unusual body chemistry. Things that were supposed to calm them down made them anxious, and vice versa.
I wonder if the enforced reality blindness effect works in reverse on Ira?
I am like that. Also some things that give others nausea or heartburn are soothing to me, and antacids give me heartburn. I had an interesting childhood.
Yup, me too. I had an *interesting* experience in a hospital once when a couple of medications they gave me together had some kind of weird synergistic effect and caused me to have a really rare one-in-a-thousand kind of bad reaction. One of them was Benadryl, which they had given me to help me sleep, even though I had already explained to the nurse that it would not only not help me sleep, but not relax me in any way, shape or form.
Benadryl is of the devil. It (along with pretty much every -edrine antihistamine) makes me super jittery *and* exhausted. I can’t rest or work. I call it my zombie state: neither dead nor alive.
I’m still vaguely suspicious about all the people who claim it’s relaxing/sleep-inducing. Who are these *quiet* dead?
Well, whoever is marketing diphenhydramine (Benadryl’s active ingredient) is really selling the whole “sleep inducing” thing, since the same ingredient is in Tylenol PM, Advil PM, Motrin PM and Aleve PM, as well as drug store brand versions of the same things.
While one of the principle effects of diphenhydramine is sedation, some of its other effects can include increased heart rate, irritability, irregular breathing, excitability, and restlessness. So basically, it counteracts itself. They know this, and yet the medical community as a whole continues to not only allow it, but even encourage its use.
That’s the American pharmaceutical industry for you.
While I don’t have a bad reaction to diphenhydramine, it doesn’t make me drowsy either. I wonder if it’s from being on antihistamines since I was 9 or 10.
Hmmm…. I don’t know how old you are (for some bizarre reason, I just act like all other commenters are the same age as I am), but there is some discussion about diphenhydramine being linked to dementia in older people. Also, it is not recommended for anyone over 60 to take it at all, for some of its other effects on the body. I don’t know if there are similar concerns for any other antihistamines, but if you’ve been taking them since 9 or 10, it could become an issue for you.
I have a friend I’ve known since high school which caffine actually puts him to sleep.
“If you can’t sleep at night, it’s not the coffee, it’s the bunk.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_in_July_(film)
I remember his poor girlfriend being so baffled. “But coffee keeps you awake at night.”
Caffeine doesn’t put me to sleep, but it doesn’t keep me awake, either.
Ditto.
I have that with Novocaine (and related compounds). Instead of numbness, they cause intense pain.
Ah finally the mask slips a bit.
Then again, maybe we’re all daft, and Ira simply isn’t shocked at a talking dog because of everyone — and everything — else that’s in the room. After all, a talking dog is certainly no more bizarre than a sentient automaton who acts like he’s still in the 1800s… attached to another sentient automaton whose principle skill is smashing things.
(No I really don’t believe that’s all there is to it. Ira’s up to something.)
Is Ira Mr. Green?
You’re not the first person to have that thought. I think the first time I saw someone say that was back in 2014.