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'''''Questionable Content''''' (abbreviated '''''QC''''') is a [[slice of life|slice-of-life]] [[webcomic]] written and drawn by [[Jeph Jacques]]. It was launched on August 1, 2003. Jacques makes his living exclusively from QC merchandising and advertising, making him one of the few [[List of professional webcomic artists|professional webcomic artists]]. By 2004, Jacques was able to support himself and his then-fiancée based on income from merchandise and advertising sales.<ref name="latimes">{{cite web | url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-comic-strips22-2009may22,0,1154522.story | title=Comic strip artists feeling the squeeze | work=[[Los Angeles Times]] | date=May 22, 2009 | accessdate=May 22, 2009 | last=Villarreal | first=Yvonne}}</ref> On July 11, 2015, the comic reached its 3000th strip.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3000 |title=Post-Beyonce Comedown |publisher=''QuestionableContent'' |first=Jeph |last=Jacques |date=10 July 2015 |accessdate=10 July 2015}}</ref>
'''''Questionable Content''''' (abbreviated '''''QC''''') is a [[slice of life|slice-of-life]] [[webcomic]] written and drawn by [[Jeph Jacques]]. It was launched on August 1, 2003. Jacques makes his living exclusively from QC merchandising and advertising, making him one of the few [[List of professional webcomic artists|professional webcomic artists]]. By 2004, Jacques was able to support himself and his then-fiancée based on income from merchandise and advertising sales.<ref name="latimes">{{cite web | url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-comic-strips22-2009may22,0,1154522.story | title=Comic strip artists feeling the squeeze | work=[[Los Angeles Times]] | date=May 22, 2009 | accessdate=May 22, 2009 | last=Villarreal | first=Yvonne}}</ref> On July 11, 2015, the comic reached its 3000th strip.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3000 |title=Post-Beyonce Comedown |publisher=''QuestionableContent'' |first=Jeph |last=Jacques |date=10 July 2015 |accessdate=10 July 2015}}</ref>


The plot originally centered on Marten Reed, an [[indie rock]] [[Fan (person)|aficionado]]; his [[Anthropomorphism|anthromorphized]] personal computer Pintsize; his roommate, Faye Whitaker; their mutual friend, Dora Bianchi; and their neighbor Hannelore Ellicott-Chatham. However, over time a supporting cast of characters has grown to include employees of the local coffee shop, neighbors, and [[Android (robot)|androids]]. QC's storytelling style combines [[Romance (love)|romantic]] [[melodrama]], [[situational comedy]], and [[Off-color humor|sexual humor]], while considering questions of relationships, sexuality, dealing with emotional trauma, and, as of late, artificial intelligence and futurism. The artistic style has notably changed over the lifetime of the comic. Occasionally older strips were redrawn in a more recent drawing style.
The plot originally centered on Marten Reed, an [[indie rock]] [[Fan (person)|aficionado]]; his [[Anthropomorphism|anthromorphized]] personal computer Pintsize; his roommate, Faye Whitaker; their mutual friend, Dora Bianchi; and their neighbor Hannelore Ellicott-Chatham. However, over time a supporting cast of characters has grown to include employees of the local coffee shop, neighbors, and [[Android (robot)|androids]]. QC's storytelling style combines [[Romance (love)|romantic]] [[melodrama]], [[situational comedy]], and [[Off-color humor|sexual humor]], while considering questions of relationships, sexuality, dealing with emotional trauma, and, as of late, artificial intelligence and futurism.


==Background==
==Background==
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==Publication==
==Publication==
''Questionable Content'' was originally updated twice a week and later bumped to three strips a week.<ref name="qc16">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=16|title= You're Ruining The Moment (Newspost)|work=QuestionableContent.net|accessdate=August 29, 2008}}</ref> In September 2004, Jacques left his day job to begin updating Monday through Friday.<ref name="qc178">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=178|title= I Am Sorry, Arcade Fire Dude (Newspost)|work=QuestionableContent.net|accessdate=July 29, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques| title=Is it whining if I had a serious medical emergency? Probably |url=http://qcjeph.livejournal.com/62135.html |work=QuestionableContent.net|accessdate=August 29, 2008 |date=October 17, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques| title=Number 732: Bad Color Scheme|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=732 |work=QuestionableContent.net}}</ref> QC's thousandth strip appeared on October 26, 2007<ref name="qc1000">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1000|title= Gratuitous Nudity!|work=QuestionableContent.net|accessdate=September 8, 2008}}</ref> and on August 26, 2011, the comic reached its milestone 2000th strip.<ref>(ref name=qc2000{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2000|title= Yaoizone.cx|work=QuestionableContent.net|accessdate=February 18, 2012}}</ref> Unlike many other webcomic artists supported by their work, Jacques has not expanded his business outside of the comic and related merchandise.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jul/28/entertainment/et-webcomics28 |title=Big boys enter the Web-comic arena |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |first=Andrew |last=Hiltzig |page=E20 |date=July 28, 2007 |accessdate=July 31, 2008}}</ref>
''Questionable Content'' was originally updated twice a week and was later bumped to three strips a week.<ref name="qc16">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=16|title= You're Ruining The Moment (Newspost)|work=QuestionableContent.net|accessdate=August 29, 2008}}</ref> In September 2004, Jacques left his day job to begin updating Monday through Friday.<ref name="qc178">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=178|title= I Am Sorry, Arcade Fire Dude (Newspost)|work=QuestionableContent.net|accessdate=July 29, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques| title=Is it whining if I had a serious medical emergency? Probably |url=http://qcjeph.livejournal.com/62135.html |work=QuestionableContent.net|accessdate=August 29, 2008 |date=October 17, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques| title=Number 732: Bad Color Scheme|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=732 |work=QuestionableContent.net}}</ref> QC's thousandth strip appeared on October 26, 2007<ref name="qc1000">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1000|title= Gratuitous Nudity!|work=QuestionableContent.net|accessdate=September 8, 2008}}</ref> and on August 26, 2011, the comic reached its milestone 2000th strip.<ref>(ref name=qc2000{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2000|title= Yaoizone.cx|work=QuestionableContent.net|accessdate=February 18, 2012}}</ref> Unlike many other webcomic artists supported by their work, Jacques has not expanded his business outside of the comic and related merchandise.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jul/28/entertainment/et-webcomics28 |title=Big boys enter the Web-comic arena |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |first=Andrew |last=Hiltzig |page=E20 |date=July 28, 2007 |accessdate=July 31, 2008}}</ref>


According to Jacques, at one point he would have sought newspaper syndication for ''Questionable Content'', but the thought no longer appeals to him because he does not want to surrender editorial freedom.<ref name="bostonglobe-2008_08-2">{{cite news|first=Joel|last=Brown|date=August 29, 2008|url=http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2008/08/29/no_question_hes_a_success/?page=2|title=No question, he's a success; Easthampton artist's comic strip is a surprise hit on the Web (pg. 2)|work=[[The Boston Globe]]|accessdate=August 29, 2008}}</ref> Instead, Jacques decided to create a ''Questionable Content'' book.<ref name="bostonglobe-2008_08-2"/> The first volume was released October 25, 2010,<ref name="questionable-content-1781">{{cite news|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|date=October 25, 2010|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1781|title=It Does a Body Good (Newspost)|work=Questionable Content|accessdate=October 25, 2010}}</ref> containing the first 299 strips of the webcomic, the second on September 9, 2011,<ref name="QC-2010">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|date=September 9, 2011|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2010|title=PokeMasters (Newspost)|work=Questionable Content|accessdate=September 9, 2011}}</ref> containing the second set of strips numbered 300 to 599 and the third in October 2012, containing strips 600 to 899.
According to Jacques, at one point he would have sought newspaper syndication for ''Questionable Content'', but the thought no longer appeals to him because he does not want to surrender editorial freedom.<ref name="bostonglobe-2008_08-2">{{cite news|first=Joel|last=Brown|date=August 29, 2008|url=http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2008/08/29/no_question_hes_a_success/?page=2|title=No question, he's a success; Easthampton artist's comic strip is a surprise hit on the Web (pg. 2)|work=[[The Boston Globe]]|accessdate=August 29, 2008}}</ref> Instead, Jacques decided to create a ''Questionable Content'' book.<ref name="bostonglobe-2008_08-2"/> The first volume was released October 25, 2010,<ref name="questionable-content-1781">{{cite news|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|date=October 25, 2010|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1781|title=It Does a Body Good (Newspost)|work=Questionable Content|accessdate=October 25, 2010}}</ref> containing the first 299 strips of the webcomic, the second on September 9, 2011,<ref name="QC-2010">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|date=September 9, 2011|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2010|title=PokeMasters (Newspost)|work=Questionable Content|accessdate=September 9, 2011}}</ref> containing the second set of strips numbered 300 to 599 and the third in October 2012, containing strips 600 to 899.
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===Setting===
===Setting===
''Questionable Content'' takes place in [[Northampton, Massachusetts]]. Frequent settings include an apartment shared by Marten, Faye and Pintsize; Coffee of Doom, Dora's [[coffeehouse|coffee shop]], where Hannelore, Penelope, Cosette, Emily and Dale work; and [[Smith College|Smif College]]'s Williston Library<ref name="qc691">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=691|title=That One Never Gets Old|work=QuestionableContent.net|accessdate=}}</ref> where Marten is employed along with Tai and Claire. (The real Williston Library is at [[Mount Holyoke College]]; the public library in Easthampton, Jacques's former residence, is also called the Williston Library. The main library at Smith—our universe's analogue to Smif—is Neilson.) The comic is mostly realistic (with occasional bouts of absurdity), and action primarily focuses on banter between the characters, with slowly progressing plot developments. Due to the emphasis on inter-character dialogue, Jacques rarely uses [[Speech balloon#Thought bubbles|thought bubbles]] in the comic.
''Questionable Content'' takes place in [[Northampton, Massachusetts]]. Frequent settings include an apartment shared by Marten, Faye and Pintsize; Coffee of Doom, Dora's [[coffeehouse|coffee shop]], where Hannelore, Penelope, Cosette, Emily, and Dale work; and [[Smith College|Smif College]]'s Williston Library<ref name="qc691">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=691|title=That One Never Gets Old|work=QuestionableContent.net|accessdate=}}</ref> where Marten is employed along with Tai and Claire. (The real Williston Library is at [[Mount Holyoke College]]; the public library in Easthampton, Jacques's former residence, is also called the Williston Library. The main library at Smith—our universe's analogue to Smif—is Neilson.) The comic is mostly realistic (with occasional bouts of absurdity), and action primarily focuses on banter between the characters, with slowly progressing plot developments. Due to the emphasis on inter-character dialogue, Jacques rarely uses [[Speech balloon#Thought bubbles|thought bubbles]] in the comic.


The comic appears to be set in modern times, though the presence of anthropomorphic robots with individual personalities (called "AnthroPCs" within the comic)<ref name="qc428">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=428|title=Accostation|work=QuestionableContent.net|accessdate=}}</ref> implies some sort of futuristic technology. However, all music and band references in the comic are current at the time of each individual strip's publishing. The AnthroPCs are the only consistent signs of advanced technology in the series. When other technological advances are referenced, they rarely get developed beyond one or two strips. Some of the memorable technological creations in QC are the Deathbot 9000;<ref name="qc642">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=642|title=A Very Literal Flame-War|work=QuestionableContent.net|accessdate=February 14, 2009}}</ref> a [[Vespa]] scooter that transforms into a battle droid;<ref name="qc745">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=745|title=Custom Package|work=QuestionableContent.net|accessdate=February 14, 2009}}</ref> humans living permanently in space, and orbital defense satellites capable of conversation.<ref name="qc665">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=665|title=Made from Cows?|work=QuestionableContent.net|accessdate=February 14, 2009}}</ref> Jacques remarked of the setting:
The comic appears to be set in a reality similar to our own, but with a futuristic twist. For instance, music and band references are current at the times that they appear. However, the comic also regularly features highly intelligent anthropomorphic robots with individual personalities (referred to as "AnthroPCs")<ref name="qc428">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=428|title=Accostation|work=QuestionableContent.net|accessdate=}}</ref>, which frequently interact with human characters. Jacques remarked of the setting:
{{quote|Something people do not often realize is that the world in which QC takes place is considerably stranger than our own. You'd think that with all the ''little talking robots running around everywhere'' that this would be obvious, but I am consistently surprised at how often people take it for granted.|sign=Jeph Jacques|source=''Questionable Content''<ref name="qc399">Jacques, Jeph. "[http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=399 Her Arch-Nemesis.]"</ref>}}
{{quote|Something people do not often realize is that the world in which QC takes place is considerably stranger than our own. You'd think that with all the ''little talking robots running around everywhere'' that this would be obvious, but I am consistently surprised at how often people take it for granted.|sign=Jeph Jacques|source=''Questionable Content''<ref name="qc399">Jacques, Jeph. "[http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=399 Her Arch-Nemesis.]"</ref>}}

AnthroPCs are the only consistent signs of advanced technology in the series; when other technological advances are referenced, they rarely get developed beyond one or two strips. Some of the memorable technological creations in QC are the Deathbot 9000;<ref name="qc642">{{cite web|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=642|title=A Very Literal Flame-War|last=Jacques|first=Jeph|work=QuestionableContent.net|accessdate=February 14, 2009}}</ref> a [[Vespa]] scooter that transforms into a battle droid;<ref name="qc745">{{cite web|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=745|title=Custom Package|last=Jacques|first=Jeph|work=QuestionableContent.net|accessdate=February 14, 2009}}</ref> humans living permanently in space, and orbital defense satellites capable of conversation.<ref name="qc665">{{cite web|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=665|title=Made from Cows?|last=Jacques|first=Jeph|work=QuestionableContent.net|accessdate=February 14, 2009}}</ref>


The internal chronology of the strip is somewhat ambiguous; on January 13, 2006, Jeph Jacques stated on a [[LiveJournal]] fan community that he has "never sat down and exactly tabulated," but he suspects the total amount of elapsed QC time at that point was "no more than six months."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://community.livejournal.com/qc_comic/187089.html |title=Question |work=QC_Comic |publisher=LiveJournal |first=Jeph |last=Jacques |date=January 13, 2006 |accessdate=July 31, 2008}}</ref> In a Q&A [[Tumblr]] post on January 23, 2012, Jacques estimated that it had been "at least a couple years in comic-time since the strip started."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://jephjacques.com/post/16390593056/qa-dump-24 |title=QA Dump #24 |work=jephjacques.com |first=Jeph |last=Jacques |date=January 23, 2012 |accessdate=January 23, 2012}}</ref>
The internal chronology of the strip is somewhat ambiguous; on January 13, 2006, Jeph Jacques stated on a [[LiveJournal]] fan community that he has "never sat down and exactly tabulated," but he suspects the total amount of elapsed QC time at that point was "no more than six months."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://community.livejournal.com/qc_comic/187089.html |title=Question |work=QC_Comic |publisher=LiveJournal |first=Jeph |last=Jacques |date=January 13, 2006 |accessdate=July 31, 2008}}</ref> In a Q&A [[Tumblr]] post on January 23, 2012, Jacques estimated that it had been "at least a couple years in comic-time since the strip started."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://jephjacques.com/post/16390593056/qa-dump-24 |title=QA Dump #24 |work=jephjacques.com |first=Jeph |last=Jacques |date=January 23, 2012 |accessdate=January 23, 2012}}</ref>
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===Characters===
===Characters===
{{primary sources|section|date=December 2015}}
{{primary sources|section|date=December 2015}}
* '''Marten Reed''' is QC's main character and the first character to be introduced at very beginning of the comic. He is an [[indie rock]] fan and former self-described "office bitch" <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=523|title=Questionable Content|website=questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref> who now works as a library assistant.<ref name="wired-200808">{{cite web|url=http://blog.wired.com/geekdad/2008/08/10-geeky-webcom.html|title=10 Great Webcomics You Should Not Share With Your Kids|last=Ordonorff|first=Patrick|date=August 18, 2008|work=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|accessdate=September 3, 2008}}</ref> He has a generally optimistic and laid-back demeanor and has been shown, through various events and sequences in the comic, to be routinely [[Altruism|altruistic]]. He has no pets, but owns an AnthroPC named Pintsize.<ref name="wired-200808" /> Marten played in a band named Deathmøle with neighbors Amir, his girlfriend Natasha, and Hannelore,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=553|title=Questionable Content|website=questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref><ref name="qc910">{{cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=910|title=Bad News|last=Jacques|first=Jeph}}</ref> although in strip 1358 they split up.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1358|title=Questionable Content|website=www.questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref> Marten and Faye are roommates, and have been so since strip 22.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=22|title=Questionable Content|website=questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref> He was initially interested in her romantically, but in strip 500, the first serious moment in the comic, Faye rejected him due to past traumatic events in her life.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=500|title=Questionable Content|website=questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref> He and Dora subsequently started dating until strip 1799, when they broke it off.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1799|title=Questionable Content|website=questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref> As of strip 2807, he is dating library intern Claire.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2807|title=Questionable Content|website=questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref>
* '''Marten Reed''' is QC's main character and the first to be introduced at the start of the comic. An [[indie rock]] fan, he is a former self-described "office bitch"<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=523|title=Questionable Content|website=questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref> who now works as a library assistant.<ref name="wired-200808">{{cite web|url=http://blog.wired.com/geekdad/2008/08/10-geeky-webcom.html|title=10 Great Webcomics You Should Not Share With Your Kids|last=Ordonorff|first=Patrick|date=August 18, 2008|work=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|accessdate=September 3, 2008}}</ref> He is generally optimistic, laid-back, and [[Altruism|altruistic]] when it comes to relationships. He has no pets, but owns an AnthroPC named Pintsize.<ref name="wired-200808" /> Marten and Faye are roommates, and have been so since strip 22.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=22|title=Questionable Content|website=questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref> As of strip 2807, he is dating library intern Claire.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2807|title=Questionable Content|website=questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref>
* '''Faye Whitaker''' is Marten's best friend and has been a staple of the comic since strip 3.<ref name="qc3">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3|title=True Professionals}}</ref> She moved to Northampton from [[Savannah, Georgia]], two years after witnessing her father's suicide.<ref name="qc504">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url= http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=504|title=The Talk, Part 5}}</ref> Faye lives with Marten, who took her in, initially temporarily, after she burned down her apartment with a toaster.<ref name="qc22">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=22|title=The Most Dangerous Toast}}</ref> Faye is known for her quick wit, sharp tongue (usually used affectionately),<ref name="qc751">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=751|title=Poison Dart Insults}}</ref> and her physically abusive nature and casual sadism<ref name="qc143">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=143|title=Burns}}</ref> towards her friends.<ref name="qc13">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=13|title=Achtung Nipple}}</ref><ref name="qc69">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=69|title=Vision Test}}</ref><ref name="qc123">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=123|title=Microcosm}}</ref><ref name="qc172">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=172|title=Don't Say It}}</ref><ref name="qc186">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=186|title=Questions}}</ref><ref name="qc302">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=305|title=He Is So Smooth}}</ref><ref name="qc1818">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1818|title=No Fit State}}</ref> Faye was celibate for a long time, then impulsively slept with Dora's brother Sven.<ref name="qc1080">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1080|title=Miss Manners}}</ref> A short time later, the two of them had a falling out when Sven confessed to sleeping with fictional country music starlet Gina Riversmith.<ref name="qc1334">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1334|title=NSFW Content}}</ref> For most of the comic she worked alongside Dora at Coffee of Doom, where she enjoyed making fun of the customers. This gained her a few admirers, one of whom was Angus.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=783|title=Questionable Content|website=www.questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref> After a long period of mere friendship, an impulsive and surprising kiss from Angus led to their first date,<ref name="qc1724">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1724|title=SURPRISE}}</ref><ref name="qc1725">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1725|title=Lose 4 Turns}}</ref> and Faye acknowledged her and Angus being a couple in strip 1943.<ref name="qc1943">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1943|title=Her Blemfrem}}</ref> This relationship lasted until strip 2815, where they broke up after Angus got a new job as a talk host in New York City, and Faye was unwilling to go with him.<ref name="questionablecontent.net">{{Cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2815|title=Questionable Content|website=questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref> ''[[Washington Post]]'' blogger Alyssa Rosenberg compared Faye's problem drinking with that of ''[[Girls With Slingshots]]'' character Hazel in a January 22, 2015 article.<ref name="Rosenberg 2015-01-22">{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/act-four/wp/2015/01/22/how-webcomics-gave-us-a-fresh-take-on-women-and-alcohol/|title=How webcomics gave us a fresh take on women and alcohol|last=Rosenberg|first=Alyssa|date=January 22, 2015|publisher=Washington Post|accessdate=January 26, 2015}}</ref> For the majority of the comic, Faye worked alongside Dora at the Coffee of Doom, but Dora fired her over her being drunk at work.<ref name="qc2879">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2879|title=Homeward Bound}}</ref> Since then, Faye has begun working in an underground robot fighting ring, and has developed a friendship with one of the robots there, Bubbles.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}}
* '''Faye Whitaker''' is Marten's best friend. Having met him in strip 3,<ref name="qc3">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3|title=True Professionals}}</ref> she moved in with him after she accidentally burned down her apartment. Prior to moving to Northampton, she witnessed her father's suicide; in the first serious moment of the comic, Jacques devoted six strips to covering the subject, accompanied by a direct note to his audience.<ref name="qc504">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url= http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=504|title=The Talk, Part 5}}</ref> Faye is known for her quick wit,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1335|title=Questionable Content|website=questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-18}}</ref> sharp tongue,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2548|title=Questionable Content|website=questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-18}}</ref> and usually playful, but sometimes violent, physicality.<ref name="qc1818">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1818|title=No Fit State}}</ref> For the majority of the comic, Faye worked alongside Dora at the Coffee of Doom, but was fired after Dora caught her being drunk at work.<ref name="qc2879">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2879|title=Homeward Bound}}</ref> Since then, Faye has begun working in an underground robot fighting ring, and has developed a friendship with one of the robots there, Bubbles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3195|title=Questionable Content|website=questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-18}}</ref>
* '''Dora Bianchi''' is Marten's ex-girlfriend, a [[bisexual]]<ref name="qc1047"/> former [[Goth subculture|goth]] who owns and operates the coffee shop Coffee of Doom. Her first appearance was in strip 75.<ref name="qc75">{{cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=75|title=Provocative|last=Jacques|first=Jeph}}</ref> She is a natural blonde who dyes her hair black. Unlike most of the main characters, she prefers metal to indie rock.<ref name="qc1047">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1047|title=Much Too Much Information}}</ref><ref name="qc116">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=116|title=Hipster Sweeties}}</ref> Dora does graphic and web design in her spare time and claims to have a long history of social anxiety that she tries to hide with her use of sass.<ref name="qc82">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=82|title=Manly Drinks}}</ref><ref name="qc293">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=293|title=Lost In Translation}}</ref> She has a black cat called Mieville and lived on her own until she moved in with Marten and Faye. While her relationship with Marten was happy and steady for a long time, Dora's anxiety and trust issues (both of which seem to have resulted from her past relationships<ref name="qc1746">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1746|title=Cheat Sheets}}</ref> as well as Marten's history with Faye) put a strain on their relationship, which Dora eventually ended.<ref name="qc1799">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1799|title=Tracking Sounds Alone}}</ref> After the break-up, Dora moved out on her own again to an apartment in Amherst. She is in a relationship with Tai.<ref>http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2246</ref>
* '''Dora Bianchi''', Tai's girlfriend, is a [[bisexual]]<ref name="qc1047">{{cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1047|title=Much Too Much Information|last=Jacques|first=Jeph}}</ref> former [[Goth subculture|goth]] who owns and operates the coffee shop Coffee of Doom. Her first appearance was in strip 75.<ref name="qc75">{{cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=75|title=Provocative|last=Jacques|first=Jeph}}</ref> In the past, she has struggled with a habit of hiding her personal problems, such as her self-claimed social anxiety<ref name="qc293">{{cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=293|title=Lost In Translation|last=Jacques|first=Jeph}}</ref> or trust issues caused by previous relationships.<ref name="qc1746">{{cite web|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1746|title=Cheat Sheets|last=Jacques|first=Jeph}}</ref> In fact, it was the latter issue which led to her and Marten's breakup.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1799|title=Questionable Content|website=www.questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-18}}</ref> She is now a relationship with Tai.<ref>http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2246</ref>
* '''Hannelore Ellicott-Chatham''' (nicknamed Hanners) is Marten's and Faye's eccentric upstairs neighbor. She has a rather severe case of [[obsessive–compulsive disorder]], is an [[insomnia]]c, and formerly counted things for a living.<ref name="qc523">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=523|title=I Would Be Terrible At That Job}}</ref> She now works for Coffee of Doom.<ref name="qc1708">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1708|title=7kHz at 120dB}}</ref> Despite her pathological fastidiousness, Hannelore has five piercings in each ear.<ref name="qc1549">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1549|title=Shame,shame}}</ref> Hannelore has a raw talent for playing drums (which she describes as "counting with your whole body");<ref name="qc864">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=864|title=Actually They Do It In Every Song}}</ref> after she was introduced to drumming by Marten, she joined Deathmøle. Her parents are both billionaires, but her mother paid little attention to her; she was raised by her father in a space-station. Hannelore first appeared in comic 515.<ref name="qc515">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=515|title=Smokin' In The Boys Room}}</ref>
* '''Hannelore Ellicott-Chatham''' (nicknamed Hanners) is Marten's and Faye's eccentric upstairs neighbor. She has a rather severe case of [[obsessive–compulsive disorder]] and is an [[insomnia]]c.<ref name="qc523">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=523|title=I Would Be Terrible At That Job}}</ref> She now works for Coffee of Doom.<ref name="qc1708">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1708|title=7kHz at 120dB}}</ref> Despite her pathological fastidiousness, Hannelore has five piercings in each ear.<ref name="qc1549">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1549|title=Shame,shame}}</ref> Her parents are both billionaires, but her mother paid little attention to her; she was raised by her father in a space-station. Hannelore first appeared in comic 515.<ref name="qc515">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=515|title=Smokin' In The Boys Room}}</ref>
* '''Pintsize''' is Marten's AnthroPC and was the second character introduced in the comic's inaugural strip. Mischievous, impulsive, and filthy-minded, he is often used for comic relief, throw-away gags, or punchlines. He especially enjoys harassing or pranking Faye, although his hijinks are usually brought to end by some form of punishment, such as dismemberment, replacement of body parts with other objects, or being stuffed with bird seed. Even so, he continues to be a companion to Marten, originally serving as a sounding board during Marten's more introspective moments, and even now he sometimes says surprisingly insightful things. He is friends with '''Winslow''', Hannelore's AnthroPC, who sometimes appears as a cautious foil to Pintsize's reckless nature.
* '''Pintsize''' is Marten's AnthroPC and was the second character introduced in the comic's inaugural strip. Mischievous, impulsive, and filthy-minded, he is often used for comic relief, throw-away gags, or punchlines. He especially enjoys harassing or pranking Faye, although his hijinks are usually brought to end by some form of punishment, such as dismemberment, replacement of body parts with other objects, or being stuffed with bird seed<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3080|title=Questionable Content|website=questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-18}}</ref>. Even so, he continues to be a companion to Marten, originally serving as a sounding board during Marten's more introspective moments.
* '''Angus McPhee''' was a regular customer of Coffee of Doom. He first appeared in strip 710<ref name="qc710">{{cite web|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=710|title=Regularity|last=Jacques|first=Jeph}}</ref> as Marigold's roommate, and continued to show up to the coffee shop mostly for Faye's rapier wit. For a while he was romantically interested in her, but it took a spontaneous kiss before they got together as a couple.<ref name="qc1725"/> Angus was an aspiring comedian who worked as a [[shill]] in political circles: calling himself a "professional [[strawman]]", he would lose debates intentionally to discredit the cause he was supposedly supporting.<ref name="qc1384">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1384|title=Stephen Colbert Incorporated}}</ref> After learning that he'd been offered his dream job in New York City as a talk show host, Faye decided to end their relationship, and he moved away without her.<ref name="questionablecontent.net"/>
* '''Marigold Farmer''' is Dale's girlfriend. An avid gamer, she is very introverted, despite having acknowledged her desire to be "less of a shut-in",<ref name="qc1534">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1534|title=Oh The Memories}}</ref> and at low points, she has shown a tendency to ignore personal hygiene. She is also obsessed with [[anime]] and [[manga]] and has a Japanese-style AnthroPC named Momo.<ref name="qc1411">{{cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1411|title=Just Because You're Paranoid|last=Jacques|first=Jeph}}</ref>
⚫
* '''Tai Hubbert''' studied English at Smif College and is now Marten's boss at the library. She is a lesbian with a very active and complicated love life and sports numerous [[tattoo]]s on her arms. As her preferred genre of music is [[minimal techno]], she also works as a DJ under the name Tai Fighter (an allusion to ''[[TIE fighter]]''). Tai first appeared in comic 691 and is dating Dora.<ref name="qc691" />
* '''Marigold Louise Farmer''' is Dale's girlfriend, having once shared an apartment with Angus. Marigold is a very messy [[otaku]] and an avid [[World of Warcraft]] player.<ref name="qc1668">{{cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1668|title=FOR THE HORDE|last=Jacques|first=Jeph}}</ref> (Her name is a reference to [[gold farming]], an MMORPG practice in which a player spends a large amount of time gathering in-game resources to trade for in-game benefits or real money trading.) She has a Japanese-style AnthroPC named Momo-[[Japanese honorifics#Baby talk variations|tan]],<ref name="qc1411">{{cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1411|title=Just Because You're Paranoid|last=Jacques|first=Jeph}}</ref> who started off in a tiny form factor but was upgraded to a larger body in the 2000th strip.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2000|title=Questionable Content|website=questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref> Marigold also makes a living maintaining her father's web site.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1618|title=Questionable Content|website=questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref> She first appeared in strip 1413 when Marten asked her to repair Pintsize in exchange for Hannelore's cleaning expertise.<ref name="qc1413">{{cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1413|title=YAOI ZONE|last=Jacques|first=Jeph}}</ref> She is very introverted despite having acknowledged her desire to be "less of a shut-in".<ref name="qc1534">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1534|title=Oh The Memories}}</ref> Despite the fact that she had never been on a date or had a boyfriend before,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1628|title=Questionable Content|website=questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1493|title=Questionable Content|website=www.questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref> she often took to using manga and video games as a secret outlet for her fantasies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1420|title=Questionable Content|website=questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref> While roommating with Angus, she developed a crush on him, and during a drunken evening she attempted to kiss him.<ref name="qc1628">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1628|title=Secret Crush}}</ref> However, he rejected her, and ultimately decided to go out with Faye instead. Over the next several hundred strips, Marigold continued to develop a close friendship with Hannelore, who shared her lack of experience with boys. At the same time, as a sort of running joke, she and Dale, a fellow gamer, would often run into each other, enforcing a competitive antagonism toward each other. At the nudging of Momo, their antagonism eventually turned into an attraction, and they started dating in strip 2608.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2608|title=Questionable Content|website=questionablecontent.net|access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref>
* '''Raven Pritchard''', a native of [[Houston]], is an ex-goth friend of Dora's and a former junior employee at Coffee of Doom. Although she is energetic and cheerful now, Dora claims that Raven was 20 pounds heavier in college and very depressed.<ref name="qc562">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=562|title=Post-Dinner Conversation}}</ref> Raven goes by her middle name as she dislikes her first name, Blodwyn ([[Welsh language|Welsh]] for 'White Flower').<ref name="qc376">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=376|title=Holy, Shining Flower}}</ref> While generally depicted as being somewhat 'air-headed' and oblivious, she has been known to display remarkable intellect and insight at times, and it has even been hinted that her mental 'slowness' might just be an act.<ref name="qc444">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=444|title=Quite Beyond Her}}</ref><ref name="qc488">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=488|title=Nice Jacket, Raven}}</ref> Comic 1509 revealed that Raven is pursuing a doctorate in physics.<ref name="qc1509">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1509|title=Stop Poking Me}}</ref> Raven's parents both occupy professions that require a lot of mental capability.<ref name="qc423">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=423|title=Mneep Mneep}}</ref> Raven has the Chinese character for "[[concubine]]" ([[wikt:姫|姫]] – which means "princess" in Japanese<ref>[http://jisho.org/kanji/details/%E5%A7%AB Japanese dictionary entry for 姫]</ref>) [[tattoo]]ed on her left arm.<ref name="qc1943"/> Raven was first shown as an unnamed character in comic 46,<ref name="qc46">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=46|title=Hot Topic is going to sue me}}</ref> and her first appearance as a regular character was in comic 102.<ref name="qc102">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=102|title=Curses}}</ref>
* '''Dale (surname unknown)''' is a video game enthusiast, playing a large amount of [[World of Warcraft]]. In order to support his mother and pay for his otherwise sedentary lifestyle, he worked "a bunch of jobs" including delivering pizzas, though he is now working at Coffee of Doom.<ref name="qc2496">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2496|title=A Budding Romance}}</ref><ref name="qc2530">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2530|title=Roamin' Candles}}</ref> He is often seen wearing an [[augmented reality]] device in the form of glasses, which enables him to see and converse with May, an AI.<ref name="qc2492">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2492|title=So Sweet And Demure}}</ref> He and Marigold are in a relationship.
* '''Steve''' is one of Marten's close friends. Steve is described "more adept at dating than Marten".<ref name="qc-cast">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|archivedate=February 9, 2008|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080209200653/http://questionablecontent.net/cast.php|url=http://questionablecontent.net/cast.php|title=QC Cast Page|work=QuestionableContent.net|accessdate=September 5, 2008}}</ref> He is, however, prone to frequently going out of control after a break-up, and was tapped by an unspecified US intelligence agency because "nobody would believe [him] if [he] tried to expose [them]" in his drunken stupor.<ref name="qc1350">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1350|title=Her Name Is Tortura And She Is Happy To Meet You}}</ref> Steve first appeared in comic 3.<ref name="qc3"/> He dates Cosette,<ref name="qc1543">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1543|title=Ask and Ye Shall Receive}}</ref> who later is hired at Coffee of Doom.<ref name="qc1718">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1718|title=Comrades At Arms}}</ref>
* '''Claire Augustus''' is an intern at the Smif College library and an aspiring [[librarian]], first appearing in comic 2203.<ref name="qc2203">{{cite web|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2203|title=Hubbert's Peak|last=Jacques|first=Jeph}}</ref> Her younger brother is Clinton; the siblings resemble each other closely enough to sometimes be mistaken for twins.<ref name="qc2277">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2277|title=Acid Meet Base}}</ref> Claire is a [[trans woman]],<ref name="qc2323">{{cite web|first=Jeph|last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2323|title=Willingly Ignorant}}</ref> a fact that makes her self-conscious and causes herself and Clinton to worry about her personal safety. Claire and Marten have been dating since strip 2891.<ref name="qc2891">{{cite web|first=Jeph|last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2891|title=You And Me}}</ref>
* '''Sven Bianchi''' is Dora's older brother, a successful writer of [[country music]] songs. Sven has a very active love and sex life, though he claims to have calmed down.<ref name="qc330">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=330|title=Achy Breaky}}</ref><ref name="qc797">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=797|title=Break Out The Polygraph}}</ref> Sven and Faye had a physical relationship,<ref name="qc1081">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1081|title=Check Your Local Listings}}</ref> although that physical relationship ended after Sven had a [[one-night stand]] with Gina Riversmith, a country singer. Sven first appeared in comic 328.<ref name="qc328">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=328|title=He's Quite Tall}}</ref> He has a white cat named Princess.<ref name="qc877">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=877|title=Humans Have Problems Too}}</ref>
* '''Momo''' is a custom [[kawaii]] model anthro-PC owned by Marigold, who is friends with Pintsize and Winslow. Unlike other antho-PCs, she is chibi-form, with hair, clothing, and fully functional hands. She also has an electric shock theft-deterrent/owner motivation system, and a social assistance routine. Momo eventually got an upgrade to a full human scale chassis, and is working with Marten at the Smif library to pay Marigold back for it (although in truth she tends to splurge away her earnings as soon as she gets them).
* '''Penelope Gaines''' (often called Penny or Pen-pen over her objections, or will have her name pronounced to rhyme with "[[Antelope]]" to similar objections) is an employee of Coffee of Doom.<ref name="qc725">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=725|title=For Some Reason A Witty Title Is Eluding Me}}</ref> She was suspected of having been the [[superhero]] Pizza Girl,<ref name="qc698">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=698|title=...OR IS SHE???}}</ref> formerly a recurring character,<ref name="qc374">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=374|title=Not Sure What Her Super-Power Actually Is}}</ref> but later they encountered each other when Pizza Girl delivered a pizza to Penelope (however Faye didn't believe her).<ref name="qc1932">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1932|title=Mo Chaucer Mo Problems}}</ref> She was courted by Sven's friend Wil, a poet, but they only had two awkward dates before he decided to find himself on the road. He kept correspondence with her while he was away, and upon returning, Penelope helped Wil find work while he stays with her.<ref name="qc1432">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1432|title=Or Born To Be Wild}}</ref> Penelope was promoted to assistant manager as a result of Faye getting fired.<ref>http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3106</ref> Penelope first appeared in comic 698.<ref name="qc698"/>
⚫
* '''Tai Hubbert''' studies English at Smif College, and is Marten's boss at the library. She is a lesbian with a very active and complicated love life, sports numerous [[tattoo]]s on her arms, and is a great fan of Jimbo's romance novels. She also works as a DJ under the name Tai Fighter (an allusion to ''[[TIE fighter]]''), her preferred genre of music being [[minimal techno]]. Tai first appeared in comic 691,<ref name="qc691"/> and her last name was revealed in comic 2203.<ref name="qc2203">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2203|title=Hubbert's Peak}}</ref> She had a crush on Dora for some time, and they had their first date in #2256–2264.
* '''Dale (surname unknown)''' is a video game enthusiast, playing a large amount of [[World of Warcraft]]. He works "a bunch of jobs" to help support his mom and pay for his otherwise sedentary lifestyle, and recently quit pizza delivery to start working at Coffee of Doom.<ref name="qc2496">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2496|title=A Budding Romance}}</ref><ref name="qc2530">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2530|title=Roamin' Candles}}</ref> He is frequently seen with glowing glasses which are an [[augmented reality]] device, which enabled him to see and converse with May, an AI beta testing a virtual companion service.<ref name="qc2492">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2492|title=So Sweet And Demure}}</ref> Dale was originally an antagonist to Marigold in World of Warcraft, but they have grown to be friends. After having their first date watching [[anime]],<ref name="qc2558">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2558|title=The Man Who Fell To Earth}}</ref> Dale and Marigold have been in a seemingly happy relationship. Dale first appeared in comic 1640.<ref name="qc1640">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1640|title=Everybody Likes Dale}}</ref>
* '''Claire Augustus''' is an intern at the Smif College library and an aspiring [[librarian]], first appearing in comic 2203.<ref name="qc2203" /> Her younger brother is Clinton; the siblings resemble each other closely enough to sometimes be mistaken for twins.<ref name="qc2277">{{cite web|first=Jeph |last=Jacques|url=http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2277|title=Acid Meet Base}}</ref> Claire is a [[trans woman]],<ref name="qc2323">{{cite web|first=Jeph|last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2323|title=Willingly Ignorant}}</ref> a fact that makes her self-conscious and causes herself and Clinton to worry about her personal safety. Claire began a relationship with Marten in comic 2807 <ref name="qc2807">{{cite web|first=Jeph|last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2807|title=Nose Grows Some}}</ref> before getting serious in 2891.<ref name="qc2891">{{cite web|first=Jeph|last=Jacques|url=http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2891|title=You And Me}}</ref>


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Revision as of 06:39, 18 January 2017

Questionable Content
A recent Questionable Content strip.
A sample QC panel, featuring characters (L-R) Marten, Bubbles, Pintsize, and Faye.
Author(s)Jeph Jacques
Websitequestionablecontent.net
Current status/scheduleUpdates every weekday
Launch dateAugust 1, 2003
Genre(s)Humor/Slice of life


Questionable Content (abbreviated QC) is a slice-of-life webcomic written and drawn by Jeph Jacques. It was launched on August 1, 2003. Jacques makes his living exclusively from QC merchandising and advertising, making him one of the few professional webcomic artists. By 2004, Jacques was able to support himself and his then-fiancée based on income from merchandise and advertising sales.[1] On July 11, 2015, the comic reached its 3000th strip.[2]

The plot originally centered on Marten Reed, an indie rock aficionado; his anthromorphized personal computer Pintsize; his roommate, Faye Whitaker; their mutual friend, Dora Bianchi; and their neighbor Hannelore Ellicott-Chatham. However, over time a supporting cast of characters has grown to include employees of the local coffee shop, neighbors, and androids. QC's storytelling style combines romantic melodrama, situational comedy, and sexual humor, while considering questions of relationships, sexuality, dealing with emotional trauma, and, as of late, artificial intelligence and futurism.

Background

In 2003, Jacques worked at a local Easthampton, Massachusetts, newspaper answering telephones. According to Jacques, the large amount of free time and access to the Internet led him to read webcomics "as something to do".[3] Jacques stated that of the webcomics he read, "I've always been really interested in music, and indie rock specifically, and I never saw any other comics that dealt with that aspect of our culture. I felt like there was a niche there that would work."[4]

Publication

Questionable Content was originally updated twice a week and was later bumped to three strips a week.[5] In September 2004, Jacques left his day job to begin updating Monday through Friday.[6][7][8] QC's thousandth strip appeared on October 26, 2007[9] and on August 26, 2011, the comic reached its milestone 2000th strip.[10] Unlike many other webcomic artists supported by their work, Jacques has not expanded his business outside of the comic and related merchandise.[11]

According to Jacques, at one point he would have sought newspaper syndication for Questionable Content, but the thought no longer appeals to him because he does not want to surrender editorial freedom.[12] Instead, Jacques decided to create a Questionable Content book.[12] The first volume was released October 25, 2010,[13] containing the first 299 strips of the webcomic, the second on September 9, 2011,[14] containing the second set of strips numbered 300 to 599 and the third in October 2012, containing strips 600 to 899.

Style

Both the methods of storytelling and the artistic style of the strip have changed considerably since its inception. Originally, Jacques intended the strip to be about "a depressed lonely guy and his robot", but the introduction of the female character Faye led to an increase in Jacques' ideas for the strip.[3] While QC is still seen as one of the main rock comic strips,[15] the story has come to focus more on the character development and humor of the strip.[16] Jacques informed interviewers that he makes sure every individual QC strip "has at least one thing in it that someone who does not know anything about obscure band x would find funny."[17]

Jacques spoke on the evolution of his art in an interview at ComixTalk in March 2006:

The art is constantly changing, as anybody who reads the comic for more than two weeks could probably tell you. I'm always trying different things with the artwork- it's been a goal from day one to continually improve my drawing ability, and I think it's finally beginning to get to the point where I'm halfway decent at it. It's basically survival of the fittest- changes that I think fit in with the overall look I'm going for stick around and get refined, and changes that do not fit in get phased out, sometimes in the course of three or four strips, sometimes over a much longer span of time. I'm trying to get better at using different "camera angles" in each panel and doing more involved backgrounds, both of which are really just a matter of being patient and taking my time with the artwork. There's still tons of room for improvement, and always will be, but I think I'm at least making progress.

— Jeph Jacques, ComixTalk[17]

Jacques uses a Wacom Cintiq graphics tablet[18] to draw his strips and Adobe Photoshop to color them. He cites Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes) and the webcomic Scary Go Round as his main influences.[16]

Synopsis

Setting

Questionable Content takes place in Northampton, Massachusetts. Frequent settings include an apartment shared by Marten, Faye and Pintsize; Coffee of Doom, Dora's coffee shop, where Hannelore, Penelope, Cosette, Emily, and Dale work; and Smif College's Williston Library[19] where Marten is employed along with Tai and Claire. (The real Williston Library is at Mount Holyoke College; the public library in Easthampton, Jacques's former residence, is also called the Williston Library. The main library at Smith—our universe's analogue to Smif—is Neilson.) The comic is mostly realistic (with occasional bouts of absurdity), and action primarily focuses on banter between the characters, with slowly progressing plot developments. Due to the emphasis on inter-character dialogue, Jacques rarely uses thought bubbles in the comic.

The comic appears to be set in a reality similar to our own, but with a futuristic twist. For instance, music and band references are current at the times that they appear. However, the comic also regularly features highly intelligent anthropomorphic robots with individual personalities (referred to as "AnthroPCs")[20], which frequently interact with human characters. Jacques remarked of the setting:

Something people do not often realize is that the world in which QC takes place is considerably stranger than our own. You'd think that with all the little talking robots running around everywhere that this would be obvious, but I am consistently surprised at how often people take it for granted.

— Jeph Jacques, Questionable Content[21]

AnthroPCs are the only consistent signs of advanced technology in the series; when other technological advances are referenced, they rarely get developed beyond one or two strips. Some of the memorable technological creations in QC are the Deathbot 9000;[22] a Vespa scooter that transforms into a battle droid;[23] humans living permanently in space, and orbital defense satellites capable of conversation.[24]

The internal chronology of the strip is somewhat ambiguous; on January 13, 2006, Jeph Jacques stated on a LiveJournal fan community that he has "never sat down and exactly tabulated," but he suspects the total amount of elapsed QC time at that point was "no more than six months."[25] In a Q&A Tumblr post on January 23, 2012, Jacques estimated that it had been "at least a couple years in comic-time since the strip started."[26]

Characters

  • Marten Reed is QC's main character and the first to be introduced at the start of the comic. An indie rock fan, he is a former self-described "office bitch"[27] who now works as a library assistant.[28] He is generally optimistic, laid-back, and altruistic when it comes to relationships. He has no pets, but owns an AnthroPC named Pintsize.[28] Marten and Faye are roommates, and have been so since strip 22.[29] As of strip 2807, he is dating library intern Claire.[30]
  • Faye Whitaker is Marten's best friend. Having met him in strip 3,[31] she moved in with him after she accidentally burned down her apartment. Prior to moving to Northampton, she witnessed her father's suicide; in the first serious moment of the comic, Jacques devoted six strips to covering the subject, accompanied by a direct note to his audience.[32] Faye is known for her quick wit,[33] sharp tongue,[34] and usually playful, but sometimes violent, physicality.[35] For the majority of the comic, Faye worked alongside Dora at the Coffee of Doom, but was fired after Dora caught her being drunk at work.[36] Since then, Faye has begun working in an underground robot fighting ring, and has developed a friendship with one of the robots there, Bubbles.[37]
  • Dora Bianchi, Tai's girlfriend, is a bisexual[38] former goth who owns and operates the coffee shop Coffee of Doom. Her first appearance was in strip 75.[39] In the past, she has struggled with a habit of hiding her personal problems, such as her self-claimed social anxiety[40] or trust issues caused by previous relationships.[41] In fact, it was the latter issue which led to her and Marten's breakup.[42] She is now a relationship with Tai.[43]
  • Hannelore Ellicott-Chatham (nicknamed Hanners) is Marten's and Faye's eccentric upstairs neighbor. She has a rather severe case of obsessive–compulsive disorder and is an insomniac.[44] She now works for Coffee of Doom.[45] Despite her pathological fastidiousness, Hannelore has five piercings in each ear.[46] Her parents are both billionaires, but her mother paid little attention to her; she was raised by her father in a space-station. Hannelore first appeared in comic 515.[47]
  • Pintsize is Marten's AnthroPC and was the second character introduced in the comic's inaugural strip. Mischievous, impulsive, and filthy-minded, he is often used for comic relief, throw-away gags, or punchlines. He especially enjoys harassing or pranking Faye, although his hijinks are usually brought to end by some form of punishment, such as dismemberment, replacement of body parts with other objects, or being stuffed with bird seed[48]. Even so, he continues to be a companion to Marten, originally serving as a sounding board during Marten's more introspective moments.
  • Marigold Farmer is Dale's girlfriend. An avid gamer, she is very introverted, despite having acknowledged her desire to be "less of a shut-in",[49] and at low points, she has shown a tendency to ignore personal hygiene. She is also obsessed with anime and manga and has a Japanese-style AnthroPC named Momo.[50]
  • Tai Hubbert studied English at Smif College and is now Marten's boss at the library. She is a lesbian with a very active and complicated love life and sports numerous tattoos on her arms. As her preferred genre of music is minimal techno, she also works as a DJ under the name Tai Fighter (an allusion to TIE fighter). Tai first appeared in comic 691 and is dating Dora.[19]
  • Dale (surname unknown) is a video game enthusiast, playing a large amount of World of Warcraft. In order to support his mother and pay for his otherwise sedentary lifestyle, he worked "a bunch of jobs" including delivering pizzas, though he is now working at Coffee of Doom.[51][52] He is often seen wearing an augmented reality device in the form of glasses, which enables him to see and converse with May, an AI.[53] He and Marigold are in a relationship.
  • Claire Augustus is an intern at the Smif College library and an aspiring librarian, first appearing in comic 2203.[54] Her younger brother is Clinton; the siblings resemble each other closely enough to sometimes be mistaken for twins.[55] Claire is a trans woman,[56] a fact that makes her self-conscious and causes herself and Clinton to worry about her personal safety. Claire and Marten have been dating since strip 2891.[57]


Recognition

Questionable Content was used along with Penny Arcade, Fetus-X and American Elf as an example of comics using the web to create "an explosion of diverse genres and styles" in Scott McCloud's 2006 book Making Comics.[58] The comic has been used in the Create a Comic Project, a New Haven, Connecticut youth literacy program sponsored in part by Yale University.[59]

Questionable Content has been recognized several times by the Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards:[60]

Year Wins Nominations
2004
  • Outstanding Newcomer
  • Outstanding Reality Comic
  • Outstanding Romantic Comic
2005
  • Outstanding Romantic Comic
  • Outstanding Character Writing
  • Outstanding Comic
  • Outstanding Reality Comic (honorable mention)
  • Outstanding Character Writing (honorable mention)
2006
  • Outstanding Romantic Comic
  • Outstanding Character Writing
2007
  • Outstanding Character Writing
  • Outstanding Dramatic Comic
  • Outstanding Slice-of-Life Comic
  • Outstanding Romantic Comic
2008
  • Outstanding Character Writing

References

  1. ^ Villarreal, Yvonne (May 22, 2009). "Comic strip artists feeling the squeeze". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 22, 2009.
  2. ^ Jacques, Jeph (July 10, 2015). "Post-Beyonce Comedown". QuestionableContent. Retrieved July 10, 2015. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  3. ^ a b Brown, Joel (August 29, 2008). "No question, he's a success; Easthampton artist's comic strip is a surprise hit on the Web (pg. 1)". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 29, 2008.
  4. ^ Farnsworth, Anna (October 21, 2007). "From doodles to Web star; Artist fulfills dream, finds success with online comic strip". The Boston Globe. p. R10.
  5. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "You're Ruining The Moment (Newspost)". QuestionableContent.net. Retrieved August 29, 2008.
  6. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "I Am Sorry, Arcade Fire Dude (Newspost)". QuestionableContent.net. Retrieved July 29, 2008.
  7. ^ Jacques, Jeph (October 17, 2006). "Is it whining if I had a serious medical emergency? Probably". QuestionableContent.net. Retrieved August 29, 2008.
  8. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "Number 732: Bad Color Scheme". QuestionableContent.net.
  9. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "Gratuitous Nudity!". QuestionableContent.net. Retrieved September 8, 2008.
  10. ^ (ref name=qc2000Jacques, Jeph. "Yaoizone.cx". QuestionableContent.net. Retrieved February 18, 2012.
  11. ^ Hiltzig, Andrew (July 28, 2007). "Big boys enter the Web-comic arena". Los Angeles Times. p. E20. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
  12. ^ a b Brown, Joel (August 29, 2008). "No question, he's a success; Easthampton artist's comic strip is a surprise hit on the Web (pg. 2)". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 29, 2008.
  13. ^ Jacques, Jeph (October 25, 2010). "It Does a Body Good (Newspost)". Questionable Content. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
  14. ^ Jacques, Jeph (September 9, 2011). "PokeMasters (Newspost)". Questionable Content. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
  15. ^ Moorman, Trent (March 6, 2007). "Toilet Humor". The Stranger. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
  16. ^ a b O'Rourke, Matt (March 16, 2007). "Pioneer Valley comic artist uses the web to reach readers". The Daily Collegian. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
  17. ^ a b Curtis, George (March 2006). "Questionable Creator: George Curtis Interviews Jeph Jacques". ComixTalk.com. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
  18. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "Over The Bodies Of The Fallen".
  19. ^ a b Jacques, Jeph. "That One Never Gets Old". QuestionableContent.net.
  20. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "Accostation". QuestionableContent.net.
  21. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "Her Arch-Nemesis."
  22. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "A Very Literal Flame-War". QuestionableContent.net. Retrieved February 14, 2009.
  23. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "Custom Package". QuestionableContent.net. Retrieved February 14, 2009.
  24. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "Made from Cows?". QuestionableContent.net. Retrieved February 14, 2009.
  25. ^ Jacques, Jeph (January 13, 2006). "Question". QC_Comic. LiveJournal. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
  26. ^ Jacques, Jeph (January 23, 2012). "QA Dump #24". jephjacques.com. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
  27. ^ "Questionable Content". questionablecontent.net. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
  28. ^ a b Ordonorff, Patrick (August 18, 2008). "10 Great Webcomics You Should Not Share With Your Kids". Wired. Retrieved September 3, 2008.
  29. ^ "Questionable Content". questionablecontent.net. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
  30. ^ "Questionable Content". questionablecontent.net. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
  31. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "True Professionals".
  32. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "The Talk, Part 5".
  33. ^ "Questionable Content". questionablecontent.net. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  34. ^ "Questionable Content". questionablecontent.net. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  35. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "No Fit State".
  36. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "Homeward Bound".
  37. ^ "Questionable Content". questionablecontent.net. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  38. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "Much Too Much Information".
  39. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "Provocative".
  40. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "Lost In Translation".
  41. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "Cheat Sheets".
  42. ^ "Questionable Content". www.questionablecontent.net. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  43. ^ http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2246
  44. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "I Would Be Terrible At That Job".
  45. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "7kHz at 120dB".
  46. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "Shame,shame".
  47. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "Smokin' In The Boys Room".
  48. ^ "Questionable Content". questionablecontent.net. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  49. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "Oh The Memories".
  50. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "Just Because You're Paranoid".
  51. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "A Budding Romance".
  52. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "Roamin' Candles".
  53. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "So Sweet And Demure".
  54. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "Hubbert's Peak".
  55. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "Acid Meet Base".
  56. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "Willingly Ignorant".
  57. ^ Jacques, Jeph. "You And Me".
  58. ^ McCloud, Scott (2006). Making Comics. New York City: Harper Collins. ISBN 0-06-078094-0.
  59. ^ McLoughlin, Pamela (March 19, 2007). "Cartoons propel creative process". New Haven Register. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
  60. ^ "WCCA Awards". Retrieved September 13, 2008.

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