the current selling price Here “go for” means “sell for”.
Do you know how much it's going for these days? $110.Chasing Amy · 1997 — Chapter 20 of 20 · 2'20" · B2
A Fan Grills a Comic Artist, Explained: better off without
A reader keeps the artist talking at a signing, praising his solo work while needling him about his former partner. “And tell me you're not better off without Holden McNeil” sounds like comfort, but the flattery is doing most of the work.
What happens
At a comic signing, a reader picks up an old issue and turns the conversation from its resale value to an animated series that never happened. The talk drifts to a former partner, then to the reader's own comic-club breakup, before circling back to flattery about the artist's line work and solo success.
Listen for
a blast from the pastkickbackTell me about itstruck out on my own
00:00 / 02:20Space play · ← → lines · R repeat
Now
Phrase of the scene
better off without
in a better position without someone
The fan turns praise into a question that forces the admission that life is better without Holden McNeil.
You're better off without a boss who constantly undermines you.
Also in this scene
- a blast from the past
something that brings back the past
- kickback
an under-the-table cut
- Tell me about it
I know exactly what you mean
- struck out on my own
went solo after leaving a group
- kill off
write a character's death; end something
Everything marked in this scene
29 notes across 34 lines
Run “how much it's” together and put the beat on “much”.
Do you know how much it's going for these days? $110.raise a price or value
You sign it, it'll push that up even higher.conditional without if: The first clause sets a condition; the second gives the result, with “if” left out.
You sign it, it'll push that up even higher.an under-the-table cut — Informal and often shady; avoid it in clean business talk.
You sell it I want a kickback.object clause: The whole “there was going to be...” clause is what was heard, not a separate main point.
I don't know if it's true, but I heard once there was going to be an animated series?this right here is the answer Here it means the answer is the silence itself: no cartoon.
You're lookin' at it. No Chronic, no cartoon.Let “lookin' at it” run together, with “at” barely there.
You're lookin' at it. No Chronic, no cartoon.what went on between two people
So is that what happened with you and Holden McNeil?start arguing about something
You got into a flght over the rights or something?not as simple as it sounds
- It was more complicated than that. - Whatever happened to that guy?what became of someone
- It was more complicated than that. - Whatever happened to that guy?the business; the industry — Casual talk about an industry; avoid it in formal writing.
I don't know. Quit the biz, I guess.it happened to me before
Yeah. That happened to me once. Me and this guy started a comic club.break up a club
Anyway, I disbanded the club and struck out on my own, kinda like Nomad.sort of like
Anyway, I disbanded the club and struck out on my own, kinda like Nomad.the point I wanted to make is
I'm rambling on now. What I meant to say is...talking on and on — Self-deprecating and casual; not for formal speeches.
I'm rambling on now. What I meant to say is...modal perfect: It criticises a past action: you ought not to have killed off Chronic.
that you probably shouldn't have killed off Chronic.In fast speech “have” is just a soft breath after “shouldn't”.
that you probably shouldn't have killed off Chronic.without help from others
Oh, like the door to death in Baby Dave's Winter Special, which you did on your own.non-defining relative clause: The “which” clause adds a side comment about the special; the main sentence still stands without it.
Oh, like the door to death in Baby Dave's Winter Special, which you did on your own.produce very good work
See? You don't need that McNeil guy, anyway. You do great work on your own.the drawing of lines in comic art Comic-art jargon for how the lines are drawn.
Look at your line work. Look at all the detail in this douche bag on page 18.a contemptible person — Crude and insulting; do not use it in polite company.
Look at your line work. Look at all the detail in this douche bag on page 18.loyal, genuine fans
- You're so right. - Yeah, well, the true fans always are.Stress “true” and “always”; let “are” fade at the end.
- You're so right. - Yeah, well, the true fans always are.continue doing well
Well, keep up the good work, man. Love those dick jokes. Love 'em.dirty jokes about sex — Vulgar and informal; keep it out of formal settings.
Well, keep up the good work, man. Love those dick jokes. Love 'em.A Fan Grills a Comic Artist, explained
What's really going on
The conversation keeps pretending to be about old comics, but its real subject is the missing partner. The visitor asks about the split, offers a comic-club story of their own, then slips in a criticism—“you probably shouldn't have killed off Chronic”—before switching to praise. The key move is “you were just carrying that guy like a brown-bag lunch”: it turns the former partnership into dead weight and recasts the artist's solo work as proof he never needed anyone. The flattery is very specific—line work, page detail, even the fart—so it sounds like fan admiration. When the reply is “You're so right”, the version of the breakup being sold has won.
Theme
FriendshipThe talk keeps circling a former partner, turning a creative breakup into proof of who was carrying whom.
IdentityPraise for the artist's solo line work is used to redefine him as better off alone.
Listen for
- how much it's — Run “how much it's” together and put the beat on “much”.
- lookin' at it — Let “lookin' at it” run together, with “at” barely there.
- shouldn't have — In fast speech “have” is just a soft breath after “shouldn't”.
- true fans always are — Stress “true” and “always”; let “are” fade at the end.
You're lookin' at it. No Chronic, no cartoon.The animated series never happened: once the character Chronic was gone, the cartoon died with him.
Guess not. Some doors just shouldn't be opened.A resigned reply: maybe killing off the character was a mistake, and some creative choices are better left unmade.
And tell me you're not better off without Holden McNeil.A leading question that pushes the artist to agree that life and work are better without the partner.
I mean, you were just carrying that guy like a brown-bag lunch, you know what I'm saying?An image for a partner treated as dead weight: the old collaboration is recast as something the artist had to drag around.
See? You don't need that McNeil guy, anyway. You do great work on your own.The flattery becomes explicit: the artist's solo work is offered as proof that the former partner was unnecessary.
Questions about this scene
Why does the visitor mention their own comic-club fight?
To make the artist's split with Holden McNeil feel familiar: the visitor says they also got into a fight and disbanded the club, then turns the talk back to the artist's own creative choices.
Why is the old partner compared to a brown-bag lunch?
Because the line calls him something the artist had to carry around. “I mean, you were just carrying that guy like a brown-bag lunch” turns the former partner into dead weight; it is not about an actual lunch.
Do the artist and Holden McNeil still talk?
The exchange has “No. Not really.” An earlier line has Holden quitting the business, so the scene presents them as out of touch.
Why does the animated series come up?
It connects the missing cartoon to the missing partner: “No Chronic, no cartoon” follows the claim that there was going to be a series, and the visitor uses it to bring up the breakup.
Why does the visitor list line work and page detail?
The praise becomes evidence for the argument that the artist does great work alone; the visitor points to line work, detail on page 18, and even the fart drawing to make the solo work sound stronger.
Chasing Amy · 20 chapters
All chapters →
Chapter 1station in lifeComic Signing Turns Into a Fight
Chapter 2chickens come home to roostComic Panel Erupts Over Star Wars
Chapter 3beyond the shadow of a doubtArguing About Archie at the Bar
Chapter 4hook someone upHooper Invites Him to Meow Mix
Chapter 5small worldStrangers Discover a Small World
Chapter 6baggageBanky Grills the Group About Sex
Chapter 7up close and personalThe Virginity Definition Debate
Chapter 8throw down the gauntletTwo Friends Fight Over Alyssa
Chapter 9queer our friendshipThe Confession That Risks Friendship
Chapter 10the other shoe's gonna dropFriends Argue Over Couch and Romance
Chapter 11on my own termsWhy Me, Why Now Monologue
Chapter 12pulling your chainFinger Cuffs Argument
Chapter 13barkin' up the wrong treeComic Signing Advice on Alyssa
Chapter 14badgering a witnessBasketball Game Turns Into Interrogation
Chapter 15lay a guilt trip on someoneHolden Faces a Public Confession
Chapter 16has a pastFriends Tease Him About Alyssa
Chapter 17drops the bomb on meBob's Chasing Amy Monologue
Chapter 18kill two birds with one stoneThe Threesome Proposal
Chapter 19hung up onShe Refuses a Threesome Proposal
Watching · Chapter 20better off withoutA Fan Grills a Comic ArtistThat's all 20 chapters of this film