This was one of the first strips I wrote for this storyline. Originally it included complicated ELIZA jokes, but, as you can see from the still-cramped final strip, I ran out of room for dialogue. I do that a lot.

This is another strip I wrote really early on. In fact, a lot of this storyline is built around this week of strips. I did the confrontation between Helen and Lovelace and wrote backward from there.

Dramatic closeups of Lovelace are kind of weird.

Yes, lots of goofy computer jokes this week. Lovelace's last line still amuses me, even though when this strip first ran it generated many deeply inappropriate suggestions on the message board. No wonder Lovelace was afraid to speak up.

In other news, depending on your computer, you may be unable to get onto narbonic.com. I'm working on the issue. My domain registrar is not helpful.

This strip was inspired by people on the message board coming up with ideas for downloading Lovelace into some kind of android body so she could get it on with Dave. Out of all of Narbonic, "I think their pants are soldered on" is one of the lines I'm proudest of. This may be just because I think "soldered" is a funny word.

There is so much fanfiction you could write around this strip.

The two lovely lady scientists are based on my college friends Allison and Mee-Lise. The former already appeared on the Tinasky panel, where it was revealed that her name is Dr. Ellen Fowler.

I like the idea of social gatherings where everyone has to wear a lab coat. People should do that more often. Not just scientists. Everyone.

The last line of this strip still cracks me up. Also the women's expressions. I wish I could write 'em like this every day.

Titus's nigh-indestructibility was part of his character in the Narbonic roleplaying game. I brought it up here because it comes up as a minor plot point later in this storyline.