Jean AKA Jeannie AKA Jeanie is a film, book, and magazine reviewer for a national magazine. Most of Jean’s work is done through email, which means he doesn't have to go into the office.
On a trip to find a gift for his girlfriend, Jean found an empty Genie Bottle. Upon picking up this bottle, Jean became the bottle’s new genie-powered occupant. Not only was Jean turned into a genie, but the bottle turned him into what he believed a genie of the bottle should look like. Which, due to his fascination with a classic 60s TV show, turned him into a busty blonde woman.
I don’t think it will involves Jean doing it with others since ‘she’s’ still a straight guy on the inside and we already knows that ‘she’ can’t magically impulse someone against their will into it. There’s ‘her’ flirting with other guys into sex since Jean is seductive and manipulative enough to charm others for ‘her’ goals like with Neil.
No, it would not make sense for Jean to sleep around. The point she/he is trying to make is that guys sleep around. So Jean will have to somehow make that happen. Maybe by flirting or seduction. But that would not prove her/his point Because it would by his/her actions.
Merely pointing out “straight guy” isn’t entirely accurate in describing her any more. As for the the point here she may honesty believe all she needs to do is ask Rog. . . Jean to prove that yes he has slept around. I admit I personally work with guy’s who would prove her point. In a manner of speaking not all guy’s sleep around but there are one’s who do.
I don’t know if Rodge has ever sleep around and it really not important at this point. But, Jeanie knows that Rodge is a wannabe when it come to sleeping around with other girls, because, he has already tried to sleep with Jeanie and she turned him down. Jeanie is fully aware that Rodge is almost exactly like she was when she was a guy and how she use to treat other girls. So it a given that Rodge will chime right in and try act like he really a macho man like Jeanie use to think she was when she was a man. Jeanie only problem here is that Rodge may not have had the opportunity to do what Jeanie has done when she was a man, but, that another problem she will have to deal with or convene those other girls about.
What Jeanie is about to do with Rodge, she would not even consider doing with Neil, because, she knows that Neil is not that kind of person. It also probably the reason that Jeanie gravitates to Neil, because she knows that. Which reminds me, Rodge even tried to put the moves on Neil when he was Natalie too and he also know that it was Neil too that he was trying to get to bed too.
This, to me, is actually fascinating. There’s been talk in the past about Jean becoming more feminine. Yet the last few strips basically disprove (or at least present an argument against) this idea.
I think that’s actually realistic. People are often have completely contradictory drives. Yes, Jean is becoming more feminine, but she’s still very invested in her male identity. It’s not like she switches from being a man to then being a woman. Those two elements are going to ebb and flow within her.
Of course, one interesting way in which her feminine side has manifested is in the way she has begun trying to shape Neil into a more presentable mate, worrying about his physical fitness, for example. At the same time, she has been trying to keep her male identity alive by having both Neil and Roger pretend to be Jean.
It’s a strange combination of both her feminine and masculine drives. She is trying to keep her male identity alive, but doing it by trying to turn the guys in her life into a her ideal male (Jean). It’s resulting in the irrational behavior of her steadfastly defending her fiancee by approving of what a cheat he is.
I want to know what the deal is with Neil and Jean. How did these two become friends they are so different. Also what is Jean’s deal? Clearly being a woman is not a problem for him in fact the first thing he did was play dress up. So clearly he is not a manly man. But he still acts like a ladies man or want’s to be one. Was he just over compensating or is he trying to live up to someone else expectations. Also is he not close to his family and why does he not have any other friends? So back story would be great to under stand him as a character a little more.
I have seen long diatribes written by people in the comments about how Jean is a jerk and a crap person. Knowing him a little better might make him more easy to sympathize with. Neil also needs some back story both these characters are too 2 dimensional. I would be happy even if it was not a story arc but just added to the cast page.
I think it would make a great story arc. We can start off in either Middle School or junior high or even High School where they first met. We would start with Neil first, who is kind of laid back and not very assertive or anything and the kind of kid that other boy like to push around and in steps Jean to put those boy in there play. Jean is still a self centered jerk, but, he has some thing to prove and the head bully, Jean particularly has a pick with and he wanted to humiliate him very badly. Neil get caught in the crossfire between the two and end up being Jean friend inadvertently as the outcome. The primarily the only reason that Jean want to stay around Neil is, he is the only one that will tolerate Jean self centered antics and so when Neil moved to Co Co Beach because of job with this company that does business with NASA, Jean couldn’t stand to be without his friend and so he moved to Co Co Beach too, to be with his only real friend that he has ever had.
I’m game for some back stories! Its that much more IDOJB! Not to mention getting to know the characters better. Which makes for more enjoyment of the series.
I’m thinking that Rodge as “Jean” just accepted the editor’s invitation to write a book–you don’t review mere articles. Now, what would be the absolute worst subject for a book that Jean can imagine? Maybe one of these?
*The Ecology of Anteaters
*The Tacos of Yesteryear
*Superstars of Curling
*The Hidden Menace of the Djinn
The last one is a genuine suggestion; it would be wonderful if the editor believes The Government is suppressing all sorts of paranormal evidence, and not out of place in the real world. And, of course, in Jeanie’s world, the Men in Black really are suppressing the truth; head on over the Melvin Chronicles to check it out.
They have their work cut out for them, as it seems every single character in the Melvin Chronicles eventually manifests some kind of supernatural connection.
I know Melvin Chronicles is a spin-off, but I can’t really accept it as the same setting. For example, witches in Jeannie Bottle are the witches from Bewitched. The ones in Melvin Chronicles are not.
We actually haven’t yet determined that the witches are in any way different. For all we know, Samantha is one of Melvin’s relatives, and will show up with Derrick in tow, at a Clark family gathering in the near future.
That would actually be a fun story. Bach-Mann, you listening?
I’d love for Samantha and Derrick to show up again! Either here or in Melvin’s realm. The more hot witches the better!
Hmmm… I wonder if Sabrina is around! And if Salem could get along with Kazom! I am not sure if they are hip to cameos and crossovers in that other realm, but it would be a hoot!
Oh, I say, Rodge, jolly good! You’ve secured a commission for Jean!
Tom, I think you’re right about it being a book. I expect it will be something to do with whatever Jean usually writes–movie reviews, yes? That suggests the book will have something to do with the industry–Jean and Jeanie can expect to do some traveling together.
I again express my hope that Rodge-as-Jean discovers a talent for writing, leaving Jeanie as the arm-candy she so richly deserves to be.
I would actually buy a book on the history of tacos, especially if it gave enough details about older styles of tacos that readers would be able to try cooking them themselves.
@ijuinkun: Oh, it’s not a not a history book. “The Tacos of Yesteryear” is a novel, a collaboration between James Joyce and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, while they were dropping acid together. I believe it won the Pullet Surprise.
You are really killing me with these tacos! I have a Ruby Tuesday’s burger in the fridge that I was too full to eat, and I have pork thawed to make Tonkatsu tomorrow. So I won’t be able to resolve this taco crisis for a couple days!
Dammit! An why did I have to google “The Tacos of Yesteryear”?!!!
My guess is that if she did that, she would actually poof a book someone else has written, and copyright attorneys would soon appear like poisonous mushrooms.
Actually, there is precedent for this in the original IDOJ: Jeannie once wrote a book about child care and then as a favor to Major Nelson, put Major Nelson’s name on it. Why would she actually sit in her little bottle with a typewriter in her lap (a manual typewriter; such horrors were still not extinct in the Sixties!) when she could just poof one up? If our Jeanie tries too poof up a book, I think she’ll either get a book that’s already been written, or another note in her bottle explaining that genie magic does not work that way.
Tom, the other possibility that I can think of is that she would poof the book into existence and hand it over without checking the insides – which are blank. At that point “Jean” would get a call saying that the joke wasn’t funny.
Hello Jean. I’m a guy, always have been. I do not “sleep around,” never have. Therefore I am proof that your logic is flawed, always has been. But, then, this should not be a surprise to anyone.
Enjoy the new project your avatar just dumped on you.
They are both screw up so probably both of them are screwed.
I see lord bat crap showing up if Jeanie has to pretend to be her own fiancee.
He might just show up to see why see is not with her master.
You don’t have to worry about Jeanie honoring Jean (Rodge) claim at face value to marry him. Right about this time or not to much pass this time, Jeanie going to think about strangling Rodge for saying that and getting her into this mess.
There one thing about a Self Centered Jerk, is they don’t like being around another Self Centered Jerk. They can’t stand each other, because there both fighting for the center of attention and the other person in there way, when it come to satisfying there vanity. Point is, both Rodge and Jean are two peas in a pod as far as being Self Centered Jerks and neither one want to be on the receiving end of the other Self Centered Jerk and neither can they stand to be on the end of ther other Self Centered Jerk either.
So this is going to blow up at some point and Rodge being the mortal is going to end up on the short end of this stick and you can be sure of that.
Stripper pole, yes, but this comic doesn’t show that much skin, except in a few treasured fanpics. I’m hoping for Rodge as a catgirl in the Moperville Mall.
This can’t be good!
JEAN: “What. Did. You. Do?
I don’t think it will involves Jean doing it with others since ‘she’s’ still a straight guy on the inside and we already knows that ‘she’ can’t magically impulse someone against their will into it. There’s ‘her’ flirting with other guys into sex since Jean is seductive and manipulative enough to charm others for ‘her’ goals like with Neil.
Any other ways you can think of people?
We also know that in her sleep deprived state she was doing everything she could to get Neil to sleep with her so she could compare his technique.
No, it would not make sense for Jean to sleep around. The point she/he is trying to make is that guys sleep around. So Jean will have to somehow make that happen. Maybe by flirting or seduction. But that would not prove her/his point Because it would by his/her actions.
So, maybe she uses magic to stir something up?
I can’t wait to see how this is done.
Merely pointing out “straight guy” isn’t entirely accurate in describing her any more. As for the the point here she may honesty believe all she needs to do is ask Rog. . . Jean to prove that yes he has slept around. I admit I personally work with guy’s who would prove her point. In a manner of speaking not all guy’s sleep around but there are one’s who do.
I don’t know if Rodge has ever sleep around and it really not important at this point. But, Jeanie knows that Rodge is a wannabe when it come to sleeping around with other girls, because, he has already tried to sleep with Jeanie and she turned him down. Jeanie is fully aware that Rodge is almost exactly like she was when she was a guy and how she use to treat other girls. So it a given that Rodge will chime right in and try act like he really a macho man like Jeanie use to think she was when she was a man. Jeanie only problem here is that Rodge may not have had the opportunity to do what Jeanie has done when she was a man, but, that another problem she will have to deal with or convene those other girls about.
What Jeanie is about to do with Rodge, she would not even consider doing with Neil, because, she knows that Neil is not that kind of person. It also probably the reason that Jeanie gravitates to Neil, because she knows that. Which reminds me, Rodge even tried to put the moves on Neil when he was Natalie too and he also know that it was Neil too that he was trying to get to bed too.
I’m less worried about what Jeannie has planned than what project Rodge has signed her up for in her absence.
Me too. It can’t be anything easy, there would be no fun in that.
Maybe he signed up for reading Ulysses.
Betting this will involve some time intensive project that Jean would never have accepted.
Probably time intensive, complicated and with a high chance of things going wrong plus perhaps regular interaction with her boss.
This, to me, is actually fascinating. There’s been talk in the past about Jean becoming more feminine. Yet the last few strips basically disprove (or at least present an argument against) this idea.
I think that’s actually realistic. People are often have completely contradictory drives. Yes, Jean is becoming more feminine, but she’s still very invested in her male identity. It’s not like she switches from being a man to then being a woman. Those two elements are going to ebb and flow within her.
Of course, one interesting way in which her feminine side has manifested is in the way she has begun trying to shape Neil into a more presentable mate, worrying about his physical fitness, for example. At the same time, she has been trying to keep her male identity alive by having both Neil and Roger pretend to be Jean.
It’s a strange combination of both her feminine and masculine drives. She is trying to keep her male identity alive, but doing it by trying to turn the guys in her life into a her ideal male (Jean). It’s resulting in the irrational behavior of her steadfastly defending her fiancee by approving of what a cheat he is.
I hope we aren’t headed for a long backstory arc that explains Jean’s psyche.
I actually think that would be interesting
I want to know what the deal is with Neil and Jean. How did these two become friends they are so different. Also what is Jean’s deal? Clearly being a woman is not a problem for him in fact the first thing he did was play dress up. So clearly he is not a manly man. But he still acts like a ladies man or want’s to be one. Was he just over compensating or is he trying to live up to someone else expectations. Also is he not close to his family and why does he not have any other friends? So back story would be great to under stand him as a character a little more.
I have seen long diatribes written by people in the comments about how Jean is a jerk and a crap person. Knowing him a little better might make him more easy to sympathize with. Neil also needs some back story both these characters are too 2 dimensional. I would be happy even if it was not a story arc but just added to the cast page.
I have absolutely NO trouble seeing why Jean doesn’t have any friends.
Based on them moving to Cocoa Beach from Cincinnati together makes it seem like they are old buddies from college or high school.
I think it would make a great story arc. We can start off in either Middle School or junior high or even High School where they first met. We would start with Neil first, who is kind of laid back and not very assertive or anything and the kind of kid that other boy like to push around and in steps Jean to put those boy in there play. Jean is still a self centered jerk, but, he has some thing to prove and the head bully, Jean particularly has a pick with and he wanted to humiliate him very badly. Neil get caught in the crossfire between the two and end up being Jean friend inadvertently as the outcome. The primarily the only reason that Jean want to stay around Neil is, he is the only one that will tolerate Jean self centered antics and so when Neil moved to Co Co Beach because of job with this company that does business with NASA, Jean couldn’t stand to be without his friend and so he moved to Co Co Beach too, to be with his only real friend that he has ever had.
I think it would make a great story arc.
I’m game for some back stories! Its that much more IDOJB! Not to mention getting to know the characters better. Which makes for more enjoyment of the series.
You know I love Jeanie’s look in this dress and her expressions.
Me to it is just to bad about the stupid hat she is wearing.
Yeah, me too! Jeanie’s been very expressive in these pages. I love it. 🙂
I’m thinking that Rodge as “Jean” just accepted the editor’s invitation to write a book–you don’t review mere articles. Now, what would be the absolute worst subject for a book that Jean can imagine? Maybe one of these?
*The Ecology of Anteaters
*The Tacos of Yesteryear
*Superstars of Curling
*The Hidden Menace of the Djinn
The last one is a genuine suggestion; it would be wonderful if the editor believes The Government is suppressing all sorts of paranormal evidence, and not out of place in the real world. And, of course, in Jeanie’s world, the Men in Black really are suppressing the truth; head on over the Melvin Chronicles to check it out.
They have their work cut out for them, as it seems every single character in the Melvin Chronicles eventually manifests some kind of supernatural connection.
I know Melvin Chronicles is a spin-off, but I can’t really accept it as the same setting. For example, witches in Jeannie Bottle are the witches from Bewitched. The ones in Melvin Chronicles are not.
We actually haven’t yet determined that the witches are in any way different. For all we know, Samantha is one of Melvin’s relatives, and will show up with Derrick in tow, at a Clark family gathering in the near future.
That would actually be a fun story. Bach-Mann, you listening?
I’d love for Samantha and Derrick to show up again! Either here or in Melvin’s realm. The more hot witches the better!
Hmmm… I wonder if Sabrina is around! And if Salem could get along with Kazom! I am not sure if they are hip to cameos and crossovers in that other realm, but it would be a hoot!
Did you know there’s actually a life-size statue of Samantha, in Lappin Park, in Salem, Massachusetts? Here’s a picture: http://www.harpiesbizarre.com/lappin/lappinpark39.jpg
I don’t have permission to access that link on this server.
Oh, I say, Rodge, jolly good! You’ve secured a commission for Jean!
Tom, I think you’re right about it being a book. I expect it will be something to do with whatever Jean usually writes–movie reviews, yes? That suggests the book will have something to do with the industry–Jean and Jeanie can expect to do some traveling together.
I again express my hope that Rodge-as-Jean discovers a talent for writing, leaving Jeanie as the arm-candy she so richly deserves to be.
> leaving Jeanie as the arm-candy she so richly deserves to be.
Hear, hear!
Oh, oh – please make it “The Tacos of Yesteryear”.
Or she could edit “The Complete Works of Frank Miller”.
I would actually buy a book on the history of tacos, especially if it gave enough details about older styles of tacos that readers would be able to try cooking them themselves.
Well great… Its 3AM and now I am hungry for tacos!!!
@ijuinkun: Oh, it’s not a not a history book. “The Tacos of Yesteryear” is a novel, a collaboration between James Joyce and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, while they were dropping acid together. I believe it won the Pullet Surprise.
You are really killing me with these tacos! I have a Ruby Tuesday’s burger in the fridge that I was too full to eat, and I have pork thawed to make Tonkatsu tomorrow. So I won’t be able to resolve this taco crisis for a couple days!
Dammit! An why did I have to google “The Tacos of Yesteryear”?!!!
Taco crisis!!!!!
Uh-oh! He just committed her to write something.
she can just poof it into existence so a book or something like that is not a big deal.
My guess is that if she did that, she would actually poof a book someone else has written, and copyright attorneys would soon appear like poisonous mushrooms.
Actually, there is precedent for this in the original IDOJ: Jeannie once wrote a book about child care and then as a favor to Major Nelson, put Major Nelson’s name on it. Why would she actually sit in her little bottle with a typewriter in her lap (a manual typewriter; such horrors were still not extinct in the Sixties!) when she could just poof one up? If our Jeanie tries too poof up a book, I think she’ll either get a book that’s already been written, or another note in her bottle explaining that genie magic does not work that way.
Tom, the other possibility that I can think of is that she would poof the book into existence and hand it over without checking the insides – which are blank. At that point “Jean” would get a call saying that the joke wasn’t funny.
Jean, a word of wisdom; when you are in a hole, stop digging
Hello Jean. I’m a guy, always have been. I do not “sleep around,” never have. Therefore I am proof that your logic is flawed, always has been. But, then, this should not be a surprise to anyone.
Enjoy the new project your avatar just dumped on you.
Remember: magical thinking doesn’t always work.
I approve of this impending calamity.
Hmm, either Rodge screwed Jean over, Jean’s gonna screw Rodge over (and also himself) or both.
I vote for “All of the above.”
They are both screw up so probably both of them are screwed.
I see lord bat crap showing up if Jeanie has to pretend to be her own fiancee.
He might just show up to see why see is not with her master.
Or he might take the claim at face value and insist that honor demands that she marry him . . .
You don’t have to worry about Jeanie honoring Jean (Rodge) claim at face value to marry him. Right about this time or not to much pass this time, Jeanie going to think about strangling Rodge for saying that and getting her into this mess.
There one thing about a Self Centered Jerk, is they don’t like being around another Self Centered Jerk. They can’t stand each other, because there both fighting for the center of attention and the other person in there way, when it come to satisfying there vanity. Point is, both Rodge and Jean are two peas in a pod as far as being Self Centered Jerks and neither one want to be on the receiving end of the other Self Centered Jerk and neither can they stand to be on the end of ther other Self Centered Jerk either.
So this is going to blow up at some point and Rodge being the mortal is going to end up on the short end of this stick and you can be sure of that.
@Larry: I strongly suspect that ‘Rodge’ is soon going to wind up next to a stripper pole in a Jersey nightclub, wearing pasties & a thong.
Stripper pole, yes, but this comic doesn’t show that much skin, except in a few treasured fanpics. I’m hoping for Rodge as a catgirl in the Moperville Mall.