Sailor Moon can definitely defeat Goku, who is just excited to find someone so strong and wants to train and try fighting her again.
Meanwhile, in entirely unrelated circumstances, he develops a beef with normal teenager Usagi Tsukino when they both end up patronizing the same all you can eat restaurant at the same time.
she’s not wrong, her parent/s are, Carla would have businessed in such a way that Ruttech would never have been involved in the war, probably made pranks or something. ~<3
I still maintain that Clark Kenting has been shown to work irl (by virtue of how many celebrities do it successfully) and makes perfect sense. I dated a dude that was a 1:1 doppelgänger of Elijah Wood. I also never saw them in the same place. Never once would I have naturally assumed he was secretly Elijah Wood lol.
And if Elijah Wood had super powers and could theoretically live in any state in the country, if not any spot in the world, I doubly especially would never have assumed the random dude I knew was him lol.
I wonder how many people’s mental image of Elijah Wood is so informed by the Lord of the Rings movies that they just subconsciously expect him to be super short.
“That guy kinda looks like…nah, too tall.”
Nymph
I mean, he’s 5’6″ so on the short side for dudes.
Brendan of 6
At the risk of sounding short: 5’6″ is average height!
Nymph
Depends where you live actually. In the US (where Elijah Wood is from) the average height for men is 5’9″ so he’s on the short side. At least going by the info I found before I made this comment because I knew someone would disagree.
Well, in this analogy it would be like if you were living in Hollywood and dating someone who looked just like a famous actor. (Your point stands, though.)
The best example was during the filing of Superman itself, where Christopher Reeve walked through the cafeteria and had every woman in the place ogling him; then put on the glasses and made the other subtle changes that turned him into Clark and walked through the same cafeteria completely ignored
Henry Cavill also told a story where he walked through Times Square in glasses wearing a Superman t-shirt with Man of Steel ads all around and not a single person recognized him.
I do love that clip where he’s deciding whether to reveal his secret identity to Lois and you can see his posture and mannerisms changing back and forth
In one of the Christopher Reeve Superman movies you can watch it happen on screen as a simple shift in posture and the removal of his glasses make Clark Kent and Superman look like completely different people.
One bit of reasoning i thought of was the idea of Sonic the Hedgehog’s secret identity.
Sonic is a powerful creature that spends his days openly fighting oppressors and those who would harm the innocent. He has a group of friends that also have powers and abilities that are also used to protect the innocent, but he may occasionally get into fights with them. He has a genius nemesis who uses non-super powers to build devices and launch projects and plans for his own petty gains.
When talking to the public, be it those he saved or those he’s come to know, he is open and inspiring around them. The public find him easy to like and know to call to him for help.
No one even begins to consider the possibility that Sonic has a secret identity. No one even thinks that there may be a mild-mannered Harry Hedgehog, who never seems to be around when there’s danger,shooting off to don his magic shoes that turn his fur blue and enable him to run at super speeds to go fight evil.
No one, even real life fans, thinks for a moment that Sonic has a secret identity. Why would they? He doesn’t wear a mask. He speaks to his fans. He answers interview questions. He’s saved the world countless times.
When the Stones were on their last tour here in the us Mick Jagger went around in a baseball cap and hoodie and just walked around places like a tourist. No one recognized him until he posted the pictures afterward, and then there were people who were like “holy crap i met you we chatted about…”
One of my friends is a dead ringer for Emily Deschanel except younger. Like, if she told me that she was the result of a secret cloning project based on Emily Deschanel’s DNA, I would believe her.
I know that doesn’t really apply to the Clark Kent effect. It’s just neat.
I once did it to my old pathfinder group, we had been meeting twice a week for two years at that point, Tuesdays at the game store, and Fridays at the Taco Bell, so they were very familiar with me.
I normally dress in a VERY distinctive style, there’s a hat that I’ve worn nearly every day since high school.
One time at the game store we were arguing about the Clark Kent thing, they didn’t believe me that it was plausible that not even Lois Lane, who knew the both of them personally, might be fooled. So I went to Taco Bell with a game plan, I showed up like normal with my normal style of dress, but under my usual outfit I had a muscle shirt (I would never wear one of those normally) and a different style of shorts than I normally wear (I think I had worn this pair exactly once previously and only owned them because they were a gift). In my jacket I had a cheap athletic bag from IU (definitely not my usual style) that had a pair of cheap flip flops I got at a gas station for this and a ball cap in it (again, neither of those items are things I’d normally wear).
At one point during our game I excused myself to the restroom, quickly stripped out of my outer layer to the not-me clothes I had on underneath, took out the flip flops and ball cap, stuffed my usual stuff into the bag along with my glasses, put the ball cap on in reverse (something they knew I’d never do because just a couple weeks prior I had mentioned finding that look obnoxious), stood up straighter, began walking with a different gait, and strode back out and approached my friends.
Now, it was pretty common for people to walk up and ask about our game at the Taco Bell, so I did exactly that, I spoke in a more nasal voice, with a higher pitch, and a slower cadence than normal. I introduced myself as John and chatted with them for a few minutes. After a bit one of them remarked that I was taking a long time in the restroom, so I immediately dropped back into my usual, slouching posture, and spoke in my normal voice saying “what do you mean? I’m right here”.
Suffice it to say, my friends changed their minds on how plausible it is that the likes of Lois Lane and Jimmy Olson, who canonically have relationships with both Clark and Superman, might not realize the two are the same person.
The fact that my two fav Webcomics would have “Heiress finds out her company is moral garbage” plot lines happening within a week of eachother is amazing. Lets hope that Carla actually does fully strike out against her dad’s company, finally actually being correct.
I feel bad for Anh though… her dad is total garbage, I hope she gets the help of our fav ex-cop and maybe even Yay, to completely ruin him.
Based on all the set-up, I’m actually assuming this is coming down on Hannelore? She’s the one who has first-hand experience rhetorically facing down abusive executives, and it also feeds into Anh’s arc of wonderment at how Hannelore could possibly be so much cooler and better a heiress then she is.
funnily enough this might actually be the one thing that gets anh to have a connection with hannelore, with both of them having toxic power-hungry corporate parents
I’m surprised actually that nobody had tried to confront Carla before the protest under the assumption that she both knows about and agrees with the company’s direction, I definitely know people who would act like that. I reckon nobody had the nerve, though, given Carla’s… Carla-ness.
At least she gets to find out while with Charlie
In fairness, Carla is incredibly boisterous and has on at least one occasion constructed a full Rube Goldberg machine to humiliate her enemies. She’s not someone a lot of people would dare to confront.
I believe that her family is also famous for taking large-scale legal action on behalf of their daughter. Which, if I recall correctly, was all justified, and not general rich people nonsense! But, my point stands that a lot of people are probably scared to mess with Carla directly.
Alongcameaspider
There’s also the fact Carla has nothing to do with Ruttech’s business ventures and going after her does nothing to help their cause and everything to hurt it
pope suburban
You’re not wrong, but also, have you met college kids? That kind of thing would be absolutely on brand for many of them, and I don’t say that from a place of judgment. They’re all still figuring a lot of shit out and that’s exactly the kind of mistake one makes during that process.
Who would, though? Most of the dorm is either too nice or doesn’t care for drama (see Sarah). Ruth seems to genuinely be nice to Carla so she wouldn’t. That leaves Rachel, Jennifer, Roz and Mary. The last one already got pied, Jennifer likely doesn’t care, Rachel and Roz… I dunno.
I find it deeply amusing that Clark’s identity-concealing glasses are considered implausible by people who live in a universe where Amazi-Girl and her identity-concealing bandana exist.
This storyline is making me really want Carla’s parents to show up in the comic at some point. In a comic filled with terrible parents, characters who are good parents but deeply morally compromised people could be an interesting change of pace.
I want to meet the Ruttens, have them be wonderful, loving parents who understand completely why Carla’s upset, and her objections, but gently tell her there’s really nothing they can do, sweetie (a lie, though it would be very difficult for them to do something that really divests Ruttech from miltech)
There is this clip with Christopher Reeve “Superman Disguise”, you can see in real time how he transforms his whole persona from Clark Kent to Superman, that’s some awesome acting.
214 thoughts on “Implausible”
sisterofdarkoneko
Missed it by a week
Yumi
I like the sitcom misunderstandings in the style of “One Dialogue, Two Conversations.”
Mr. Random
Always my favorite trope.
Especially if it flows so well that neither actually figures it out. And you only get the context on a re-watch.
Taffy
Usagi can defeat Goku though, so she doesn’t need glasses
AMagicalDuck
But so can Superman
Needfuldoer
And Bugs Bunny.
Dara
And Squirrel Girl
(as long as it’s off-camera)
Opus the Poet
+1 for remembering the existence of Squirrel Girl.
Taffy
She’s not especially obscure, anymore.
Jerach
Everybody wants to have sex with her now that they’ve seen her Marvel Rivals design.
Roborat
I loved the Ryan North series of Squirrel Girl comics.
achallenger
yeah thats the only reason i know about her
James
Sailor Moon can definitely defeat Goku, who is just excited to find someone so strong and wants to train and try fighting her again.
Meanwhile, in entirely unrelated circumstances, he develops a beef with normal teenager Usagi Tsukino when they both end up patronizing the same all you can eat restaurant at the same time.
IntangibleMatter
Well Carla, you’re in the right comic for that.
Or you are sometimes, it’s a coinflip between that and high-stakes emotional drama.
Thag Simmons
Carla’s mostly landed on the wacky hijinks side of that coin though.
S. Harriet
So has Charlie’s, but here we are x.x;
Owlmirror
Mostly.
https://www.dumbingofage.com/funny/
butts
“in which Carla experiences being wrong for the first time”
DJTsurugi
she’s not wrong, her parent/s are, Carla would have businessed in such a way that Ruttech would never have been involved in the war, probably made pranks or something. ~<3
Bittersweet
I still maintain that Clark Kenting has been shown to work irl (by virtue of how many celebrities do it successfully) and makes perfect sense. I dated a dude that was a 1:1 doppelgänger of Elijah Wood. I also never saw them in the same place. Never once would I have naturally assumed he was secretly Elijah Wood lol.
Bittersweet
And if Elijah Wood had super powers and could theoretically live in any state in the country, if not any spot in the world, I doubly especially would never have assumed the random dude I knew was him lol.
Doctor_Who
I wonder how many people’s mental image of Elijah Wood is so informed by the Lord of the Rings movies that they just subconsciously expect him to be super short.
“That guy kinda looks like…nah, too tall.”
Nymph
I mean, he’s 5’6″ so on the short side for dudes.
Brendan of 6
At the risk of sounding short: 5’6″ is average height!
Nymph
Depends where you live actually. In the US (where Elijah Wood is from) the average height for men is 5’9″ so he’s on the short side. At least going by the info I found before I made this comment because I knew someone would disagree.
John Campbell
5’9″ is kind of short.
Nymph
Again, I was using info I found. Not sure why everyone is nitpicking this lmao.
NGPZ
yeah that tracks for a lot of the world
it’s just that US folk tend to be freakishly tall XD
Opus the Poet
No, the Dutch are freakishly tall with the average for men being 6 feet and women being 5’6.5″.
Yumi
Global average height for men is about 5’7.5″, so globally he’d still be on the shorter side. Some places, though, he’d be above average.
Radiance
Well, in this analogy it would be like if you were living in Hollywood and dating someone who looked just like a famous actor. (Your point stands, though.)
Slartibeast Button, BIA
When I lived in Georgia, my friends claimed I was secretly George R.R. Martin, which was why I was always away on so many trips.
(Yes, I am also a fat old guy with beard, but I *never* wear caps.)
Azrael
So what you’re saying is that you are really SANTA CLAUS!
Embe13
ahhh so it was santa that they went to the crossroads, it as a typo all along
Slartibeast Button, BIA
You got me. Any good ideas on what to do with all these souls of dyslexic diabolists?
Yumi
You dated Daniel Radcliffe?
Nymphie
Glad to see someone else also thought of that xD
Ray Radlein
The best example was during the filing of Superman itself, where Christopher Reeve walked through the cafeteria and had every woman in the place ogling him; then put on the glasses and made the other subtle changes that turned him into Clark and walked through the same cafeteria completely ignored
Pegs
Henry Cavill also told a story where he walked through Times Square in glasses wearing a Superman t-shirt with Man of Steel ads all around and not a single person recognized him.
jflb96
I do love that clip where he’s deciding whether to reveal his secret identity to Lois and you can see his posture and mannerisms changing back and forth
Proxiehunter
In one of the Christopher Reeve Superman movies you can watch it happen on screen as a simple shift in posture and the removal of his glasses make Clark Kent and Superman look like completely different people.
But you’ve got to add in the posture change.
Jon S.
In the prelude to the comic arc “Blackest Night”, two characters are discussing secret IDd.
“Clark slouches, wears clothes that are two sizes too big, and raises his voice an octave.”
StClair
Time to post this again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIaF0QKtY0c
Sharizard
One bit of reasoning i thought of was the idea of Sonic the Hedgehog’s secret identity.
Sonic is a powerful creature that spends his days openly fighting oppressors and those who would harm the innocent. He has a group of friends that also have powers and abilities that are also used to protect the innocent, but he may occasionally get into fights with them. He has a genius nemesis who uses non-super powers to build devices and launch projects and plans for his own petty gains.
When talking to the public, be it those he saved or those he’s come to know, he is open and inspiring around them. The public find him easy to like and know to call to him for help.
No one even begins to consider the possibility that Sonic has a secret identity. No one even thinks that there may be a mild-mannered Harry Hedgehog, who never seems to be around when there’s danger,shooting off to don his magic shoes that turn his fur blue and enable him to run at super speeds to go fight evil.
No one, even real life fans, thinks for a moment that Sonic has a secret identity. Why would they? He doesn’t wear a mask. He speaks to his fans. He answers interview questions. He’s saved the world countless times.
Why would it be any different for Superman?
nightshade
When the Stones were on their last tour here in the us Mick Jagger went around in a baseball cap and hoodie and just walked around places like a tourist. No one recognized him until he posted the pictures afterward, and then there were people who were like “holy crap i met you we chatted about…”
Rose by Any other Name
One of my friends is a dead ringer for Emily Deschanel except younger. Like, if she told me that she was the result of a secret cloning project based on Emily Deschanel’s DNA, I would believe her.
I know that doesn’t really apply to the Clark Kent effect. It’s just neat.
Psychie
I once did it to my old pathfinder group, we had been meeting twice a week for two years at that point, Tuesdays at the game store, and Fridays at the Taco Bell, so they were very familiar with me.
I normally dress in a VERY distinctive style, there’s a hat that I’ve worn nearly every day since high school.
One time at the game store we were arguing about the Clark Kent thing, they didn’t believe me that it was plausible that not even Lois Lane, who knew the both of them personally, might be fooled. So I went to Taco Bell with a game plan, I showed up like normal with my normal style of dress, but under my usual outfit I had a muscle shirt (I would never wear one of those normally) and a different style of shorts than I normally wear (I think I had worn this pair exactly once previously and only owned them because they were a gift). In my jacket I had a cheap athletic bag from IU (definitely not my usual style) that had a pair of cheap flip flops I got at a gas station for this and a ball cap in it (again, neither of those items are things I’d normally wear).
At one point during our game I excused myself to the restroom, quickly stripped out of my outer layer to the not-me clothes I had on underneath, took out the flip flops and ball cap, stuffed my usual stuff into the bag along with my glasses, put the ball cap on in reverse (something they knew I’d never do because just a couple weeks prior I had mentioned finding that look obnoxious), stood up straighter, began walking with a different gait, and strode back out and approached my friends.
Now, it was pretty common for people to walk up and ask about our game at the Taco Bell, so I did exactly that, I spoke in a more nasal voice, with a higher pitch, and a slower cadence than normal. I introduced myself as John and chatted with them for a few minutes. After a bit one of them remarked that I was taking a long time in the restroom, so I immediately dropped back into my usual, slouching posture, and spoke in my normal voice saying “what do you mean? I’m right here”.
Suffice it to say, my friends changed their minds on how plausible it is that the likes of Lois Lane and Jimmy Olson, who canonically have relationships with both Clark and Superman, might not realize the two are the same person.
Slartibeast Button, BIA
Maybe if she denounces her parents’ company, she’ll be appointed CEO, like Anh Dang just was over in Questionable Content.
Bittersweet
I legit had not checked QC until I saw your comment and now I have questions and concerns that don’t belong here lol.
I feel for Carla though. There really is no right answer for her.
Switchchris
The fact that my two fav Webcomics would have “Heiress finds out her company is moral garbage” plot lines happening within a week of eachother is amazing. Lets hope that Carla actually does fully strike out against her dad’s company, finally actually being correct.
I feel bad for Anh though… her dad is total garbage, I hope she gets the help of our fav ex-cop and maybe even Yay, to completely ruin him.
Throwatron
Based on all the set-up, I’m actually assuming this is coming down on Hannelore? She’s the one who has first-hand experience rhetorically facing down abusive executives, and it also feeds into Anh’s arc of wonderment at how Hannelore could possibly be so much cooler and better a heiress then she is.
hell yeah
funnily enough this might actually be the one thing that gets anh to have a connection with hannelore, with both of them having toxic power-hungry corporate parents
Tan
This is how I noticed that that QC RSS feed had not updated in almost 2 weeks.
Cholma
Jeph mentioned on Bluesky that he was unable to update the QC RSS while he was in France. You’ve missed out on some fun!
apricot
I’m surprised actually that nobody had tried to confront Carla before the protest under the assumption that she both knows about and agrees with the company’s direction, I definitely know people who would act like that. I reckon nobody had the nerve, though, given Carla’s… Carla-ness.
At least she gets to find out while with Charlie
Rebecca
In fairness, Carla is incredibly boisterous and has on at least one occasion constructed a full Rube Goldberg machine to humiliate her enemies. She’s not someone a lot of people would dare to confront.
Throwatron
I believe that her family is also famous for taking large-scale legal action on behalf of their daughter. Which, if I recall correctly, was all justified, and not general rich people nonsense! But, my point stands that a lot of people are probably scared to mess with Carla directly.
Alongcameaspider
There’s also the fact Carla has nothing to do with Ruttech’s business ventures and going after her does nothing to help their cause and everything to hurt it
pope suburban
You’re not wrong, but also, have you met college kids? That kind of thing would be absolutely on brand for many of them, and I don’t say that from a place of judgment. They’re all still figuring a lot of shit out and that’s exactly the kind of mistake one makes during that process.
Nono
Who would, though? Most of the dorm is either too nice or doesn’t care for drama (see Sarah). Ruth seems to genuinely be nice to Carla so she wouldn’t. That leaves Rachel, Jennifer, Roz and Mary. The last one already got pied, Jennifer likely doesn’t care, Rachel and Roz… I dunno.
starfightervicki
Booster warned you that your parents’ company would make things awkward, Carla.
Icalasari
Guess Carla about to have her Drama Arc
NGPZ
yay Sailor Moon reference ^^
these college freshmen make far too few anime references, really XD
Joe Moose
Usagi was found out by various people, either by proxy or by transforming in front of them. The most tragic scene, I feel, would be with Fish Eye
OnyxIdol
I really have to rewatch that show don’t I
RassilonTDavros
I find it deeply amusing that Clark’s identity-concealing glasses are considered implausible by people who live in a universe where Amazi-Girl and her identity-concealing bandana exist.
This storyline is making me really want Carla’s parents to show up in the comic at some point. In a comic filled with terrible parents, characters who are good parents but deeply morally compromised people could be an interesting change of pace.
Looney
oooh. i like this too.
Drew Hargrave
I’d love to see that.
Sajuuk-Khar
God, I’ve been so eager to see this, YES
I want to meet the Ruttens, have them be wonderful, loving parents who understand completely why Carla’s upset, and her objections, but gently tell her there’s really nothing they can do, sweetie (a lie, though it would be very difficult for them to do something that really divests Ruttech from miltech)
Da Boy
There is this clip with Christopher Reeve “Superman Disguise”, you can see in real time how he transforms his whole persona from Clark Kent to Superman, that’s some awesome acting.
Da Boy
On Youtube I mean
Alongcameaspider