Jeanie Bottle 440
Jul18
on July 18, 2017
at 12:00 am
and modified on January 24, 2018. at 11:08 pm
Chapter: Story 11: I Dream of an Escape
Say whaaaaaaaat????
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Say whaaaaaaaat????
in the last panel, there are 2 Jeanies. is this the one that took the Jeanie we know.. to Haji’s castle a few pages back?
Not unless C.D. goofed. Look at the other genie’s pants. The genie in Part 436 has the same deep-vee, navel-exposing top as Jeanie’s always has had. The other genie has higher-waist pants with no belly button in sight. (Interestingly, every other genie, including #1 wifey, is showing her navel.)
BTW, the vents on the sides of Jeanie’s pants are like the one on the Barbara Eden costume–but by network fiat, her navel didn’t show.
At least CD gave them an aesthetic difference so we can tell them apart. If the other Jeannie in the room is also a fiery and egotistical tomboy, we’ll need it.
I don’t see it that way. The Jeanie next to Araceli is shown twice,once with a navel and once without. The Jeanie next to green top is shown once with no navel.
I think it is probably not significant.
We know that the Jeanie sitting next to Araceli is our Jean, since she’s conversing with Araceli as Jean would. The one next to the green-topped blonde is new. 🙂
I do not know if the bellybutton thing is significant, though.
If my theory of the “other Jeannie” being a totem conversion is correct, she may have been converted much closer to 1965 than recently. Her memory of the belly button hiding costume from the show would be more accurate. This also means she’s been a genie for almost 50 years, should have more experience by now than Jean.
Maybe a nod to Barbara Edens Jeanie? But Jean/Jeanie’s look alike doesn’t look pleased that there is another genie that looks like her.
I’m assuming the Jeanie that we saw in 436 is the stand-in Jeanie that took over when Jean tried to force someone to be Melvin’s date to the dance (Parts 123-125).
I wonder if Haji himself will be the one that makes the final choice about which genie will be the one that joins his harem?
I don’t know about present day practices, but in the Middle Ages, Islamic wedding agreements often gave the first wife a say — sometimes even a veto — over future wives. Wife #1 here seems to have such a say, if she’s the one who decided to give Haji the gift of a new wife.
Whoa. Was I right about there being a second Jeanie? I wonder if she also used to be a he.
The actual Jeanie, I imagine.
Rouyah was the actual Jeanie.
When I saw that comment of yours on the last page, I immediately told CD about it. It’s so cool when commenters predict the twists!
Please don’t read into this comment and more than what I said, though. I know nothing more than you guys do at this point.
You mean there could possibly be another totem-finder who had a thing for 1960s Barbara Eden?
Actually, the second “Jeanie” looks angry. Is she angry at our Jeanie? Angry at the prospect of becoming the 29th wife? Angry at seeing another woman in almost the same outfit?
Or here’s a wild idea: Angry to see a strange woman wearing almost the same things her mother wore?
That’s my guess also.
To me she looks more shocked or surprised than anything. Not angry.
Wonder if the second Jeanie is actually the Blue Djinn disguised as Jeanie since he believes she would be the type Haji would pick so he could get close to him. Could possibly explain that weird scene with the sleeping Neil.
Is Jeanie ever interested, and does her interest count?
Well…this is going to take some explaining. XD
God damn it, why must we be forced to wait!
I see a real problem here for Jeanie 1 or our Jeanie and Jeanie 2 another Jeanie. Then we have the possibility that either Jeanie 1 or Jeanie 2 could end up being Haji Harem Girl Number 29. We already know that Jeanie 1 isn’t going to want to be one of Haji Harem Girls, so she will do anything to get out of that situation and would be glade to see one of the other girls become the 29 Harem Girl for Haji, why Jeanie would even like Araceli to become that girl even. Jeanie 1 would even off load the business to Araceli assuming that she hasn’t been one of Haji Harem Girls and also assuming that she would want to be one of Haji Harem Girls. That the way that I see this going down. So what are the possibilities here?
1. Jeanie 2 could be the original Jeanie or Barbra Eden. Some people have already mentioned that you can’t see her belly button, which is a 1960 censor rule of not showing her belly button.
2. Jeanie 2 is either a daughter or somebody else that had the same idea that Jean had before he became Jeanie 1. But, then there would be no reason to hide the belly button. So I discount this Idea.
3. Jeanie 2 is another Jeanie for what ever reason.
A. She mad at Jeanie 1, because she looks almost like herself and like women who see other women wearing the same close, they don’t like then for that reason alone.
B. Jeanie 2 is either jealous of or is afraid that Jeanie 1 going to end up with Haji.
C. Jeanie 2 is even more stuck up than Jeanie 1 and even make Jeanie 1 look like a good girl even.
I think I got most of the possibilities here. It your choice which one it is. Then we will find out which one it really is.
My theory is time travel.
I love reading these theories, guys! Keep ’em coming!
Have you seen my post below? If so what do you think of it?
Here’s a thought, Haji sees Jeanie and this other girl and thinks they are twins. So he decides that since he doesn’t have twins for wives, together they will become wives #29 and #30. After all, a lot of guys supposedly have fantasies involving twins. 😉
Well, it WAS a popular show.
so we’re doing the (evil) look alike story then.
I am pretty sure Jean are the evil one.
Remember “evil cartman”?
Are there another Jinn that looks just like Jean?
I don’t know about anyone else but I am hoping this arc gives Jeannie some MUCH needed character development. Unlike some people I never thought that Jeannie was amoral or intentionally malicious, so much as he/she lacks an understanding of consequences combined with impulsiveness and forgetfulness. A bit selfish perhaps but not overly so.
It’s just that, as I said Jeannie doesn’t think about the long-term consequences of his/her actions, is very impulsive, and tends to quickly forget about what he/she has done. Back when he was a human, (and a film reviewer) pretty much the only person he could hurt with these actions was himself. HOWEVER, now that he is a genie, he/she wields phenomenal cosmic power and can VERY EASILY endanger and otherwise screw up the lives of others. What was acceptable behavior before, is no longer acceptable. But Jeannie has yet to make that realization. And, to be fair, he/she is not used to having his actions have such a huge impact on others. I honestly don’t think he/she will get it unless someone flat out tells him/her, which, so far, no one has. And given what we’ve seen of their characters they are unlikely to.
HOWEVER, what if a consequence happens in this arc that Jeannie, can not ignore. Something like becoming the 29th wife of Haji?
While Jeannie will no doubt try to get out of it at first by telling Haji that she used to be a man I don’t he will care.
I expect Jeannie to outright refuse and/or try to claim loyalty to her current master. I expect this to have mixed results. On refusing I don’t think Haji will outright force the issue as part of what he likes about her/him will be her/his stubborn personality, on the other hand I do NOT see this guy just simply giving up either, Haji will continue to woo Jeannie and she/he will not be able to get rid of him. As for the fact that she currently has a master. Haji would point out the fact that they will both be alive a LOT longer than he will be and that he can afford to be patient. So yeah I don’t see that doing too much good either. In short, Jeannie will have to deal with some consequences by the end of this arc.
However, I want to point out that just because Jeannie learns responsibility and/or restraint doesn’t mean her personality will change or that all of the fun will be gone from the comic as a result. Just that Jeannie might handle things slight differently in the future. Say she runs into an annoying guy making inappropriate remarks. This time, instead of turning them into a girl, or poofing them who knows where, she simply removes the offending mouth removing their ability to make said remarks. Jeanie then proceeds to ask them if they have learned their lesson, if they nod yes she/he restores their mouth. Plenty of fun, but with more thoughts for the consequences.
Anyways, these are my thoughts. Let me know what you think of them.
Point of order, Ben. By at least our (human) definition, concubine is NOT a wife. It is a woman whom for whatever reason you cannot marry, but can sleep with. Usually either a slave, a captured prisoner (so a slave), or a woman of much lower social standing.
While I agree that Jeanie needs to “grow up”, I think being forced into being Haji’s concubine would be more a “Break the Cutie” moment, than anything else.
Like I said I can’t see Haji forcing Jannie to do it because I can see her/his willful personality being part of why he falls in love with her in the first place. On the other hand I don’t see Haji giving up his attempts to change Jeanie’s mind on the issue either. Especially given that he has eternity to do it. “Ok maybe not eternity but you know what I mean.
Well, we know Jeannie doesn’t really want to be in Haji’s harem, but will she be able to resist a competition, even if she doesn’t want the “prize?”
I assume the look-a-like is just another totem conversion Genie, like Jean, who picked up an empty totem and became a genie looking like what he/she most thought a genie should look like. Not a big blue guy, but the Barbara Eden style. I still want to see a Lenny Henry type of genie . . . 😉
@ranck I can see Jeannie winning without even trying to compete
That oughta be one test she will fail for sure. Even if she has to cheat.
Hard to cheat when one does not know the rules.
What happened to Araceli? One moment she is kneeling next to Jean, the next she is replaced by a blond Jeannie. Is this significant?
The “Jeannie” next to blonde is not our Jeanie.
We now have:
Jeanie – Our “protagonist”, and I use the term very loosely. Used to be a jackass called Jean that found a genie totem/bottle a few days after watching an “I Dream of Jeannie” marathon. Bears a close, but not exact, resemblance to Barbara Eden on the show.
“Jeannie”(name pending) – Unknown person never seen before. Looks nearly identical to Jeanie save for some minor stlye differences to the outfit. We can assume they found a bottle somewhere between 1965 and 1992, when the pop culture image of genies was Barbara Eden in a harem outfit. (It was replaced by a blue ‘Robin Williams with a goatee” motiff after that). No other data known. May be the Blue Djinn in disguise. May also be the owner of Eva’s former bottle. Only time and CD will tell.
A Djinni, is female, A Djinn is male.
Amber: Magic. Kazom once told Jeanie that she’d be able to take the form of a man in time, but it would never be her true self. If the Blue Djinn is as powerful as people fear and wanted to infiltrate the Haji’s palace, disguising himself as a female genie might be way to go.
Jeannie is definitely our protagonist. No whether or not she/he is our hero, THAT is up for debate.
Ben: Probably, but in “I Dream of Jeannie”, it was actually Captain/Major Nelson that was the protagonist. If we applied that to “Bottle”, that’d make our protagonist Neil. Which I’d go for.
Camera angle shifted to show what Jeanie 1 is looking at in panel 4, so basically it’s from the back of Jeanie 1, looking over her shoulder at Jeanie 2. you can also tell because the walls changed as well.
Oh good. So Haji can have Jeannie for his 29th and it won’t be Jean. Lol
It took me entirely too long for my brain to work out what was going on here, damn stupid brain. I’m gonna punish it by not letting it have any alcohol tonight. That’ll teach that brain of mine!
Probably a good idea. Oh! And if you, yourself, see multiple pink or blue genies tonight, you can probably rack that up to the DTs. 😛
Turned out I just couldn’t do it to it. My brain needs, nay, deserves alcohol. Best I could do was step it down to a couple of glasses of whisky instead of a shaker of horses neck.
Only if Random, stops drinking.
Amber, have you seen the state of the world right now? Why would anyone want to stop drinking?
I am joking far less than I’d like there.
And this is where the fight started…..
from what i can guess it seems that Jeans form was of a real Jeannie so in essence Jean is a duplicate of another female Jeannie…..WOW
So now we have two choices as to what going on and either one or both could be true at the same time.
1. We have TV world where Barbra Eden plays 2000 thousand year old Genie that goes by the name of Jeanie.
2. We have the real Genie that 2000 thousand year old that goes by the name Jeanie.
Then we have the Johnny come lately guy that named Jean and that is now being called Jeanie that a Genie in reference to the TV Show. The other Genie that probably going by the name Jeanie, probably didn’t like the TV Genie that look like her and now she get to deal with real Jeanie that a Genie and she may be upset about it too.
Here’s yet another idea, perhaps not quite so wild: Jean’s doppelganger is the burglar who stole Rouyah’s bottle.
If he got changed into a genie then Jean would not have gotten the bottle…
Tom, also bear in mind that there’s at least one more bottle running around that’s unaccounted-for: the bottle of Rouyaa’s sister, Eva. Which would have been untenanted as soon as Haji took Eva’s powers away.
It’ll be interesting to see if the Jeannie-look-alike speaks German.
I’m beginning to think we’re not going to hear much about the Blue Djinn from here on. I think what was planned here was some co-ordination between Bachman and C.D., but with Melvin on a perhaps permanent hiatus, that’s not gonna happen any time soon, maybe never.
The theme of this arc is now trending toward Jean escaping from Haji’s harem.
Actually, what I’m hoping for now is Araceli getting picked, Jean realizing that Araceli is really in love with Neil, and Jean helping or trying to help Araceli get out of becoming yet another extra wife of Haji’s. Bonus points if in the process Jean realizes that she’s in love with Neil.
“Skill, zest, and ability”? If those are the ACTUAL criteria, I don’t think Jean has to worry about getting picked. 😛
I kind of think Haji will have the final choice, and if hotness is what matters to him, Jean’s got lots to worry about.
At this point, I am betting that Jeanie going to win whether she want to or not. That Haji going to think it cut how Jeanie rejects him, but, he going after anyway. That it going to take Jeanie best effort to keep from being Haji 29th Harem Girl, which Jeanie will do everything that she can to keep from becoming.
The question is: Will Jeanie be successful in her effort to becoming just another Harem Girl. Can Jeanie negotiate her way out of this deal? Or will she go down in flames into Hiji Harem and be number 29 Harem Girl to Hiji?
could they both be the same genie but from different timelines which is why Neil and Jeanie go back in time to fix everything.
No, we have already established that we have two Genie that look almost like twins. We just don’t know who that other Genie is. That what all the speculation is about.
Genie2: “Jeanie I’m you from the future! If you act stubborn and show no interest in being a harem girl You’re going to end up the favourite! So just act really lady like instead. I know it’s awkward but it’s our only hope to change the future!”
Genie3: Jean! I’m you from the future! It seems they have a thing for twins. We have to find another plan-”
Genie4: “No it turns out he likes triplets too! …..”
I can dream 🙂
Holy crap i just figured out that you can get a larger version of the strip if you click on view image..boy am i dumb………sigh
Nah, you’r enot dumb. I only added that feature a few months ago, and didn’t make a big deal about it, so most people dont even know about it.
I did it because I use Photoshop to finish up the comic images, and it’s down-sizing algorithm really sucks. So instead of resizing down to 900px to fit the page, I size it down to 1800 and let the browser fit it within the 900px wide comic area. Makes it look a lot less blurry.
“View Image” – where’s that, Robert? I see no such button or link. }:-[ (puzzled frown)
I think they mean by right clicking on the image, and then View image. That’s how I can do it.
@LeadFootRT: OK – except that there’s no “View Image” option there, either. Closest thing is “Open Image In New Tab”. Which is a standard thing that’s built into the OS, and not at all something that Robert could have added. So he must be talking about something else.
Must be the browser you are using – Firefox here, right click, first thing on the popup menu.
Firefox here too. First thing on the list on mine as well. I don’t see any other way to do it.
@Annonymouse, LeadFootRT: Again, Robert said he “added it”. You can’t add features to someone else’s browser. And the right-click menu is available on EVERY web page, not just jeaniebottle. The OP must be talking about something else.
Photoshop preferences allows you to select downsizing options, choose “best” , it is a little slower but gives better results.
In my original comment I meant, if i take my mouse pointer and put it on the strip or image and Right Click the mouse I get the option to View the image, it will bring up the strip in a larger format as Robert said. Thanks for the reply Robert, i really did feel kinda stupid not knowing i could do that, thanks for explaining what you did.
@Cheetaur: Maybe you don’t realize this, but that feature is not something that is peculiar to JB. You can do that with ANY image anywhere on the web. The “view” menu (on Safari, at least) also allows you to zoom in and out. It’s not something that Robert has any control over, it’s an inherent part of your browser and/or operating system.
To clear up the confusion:
All I did was change the release resolution of the comics from 900px wide to 1800px wide. Now, when you use the “View Image” or “Open Image in New Tab” or whatever function that’s build into your browser, you’ll see the image at double the size that it’s displayed on this page. the image you’re seeing on the page is already 1800px wide, it’s just being reduced to 900px by your browser so it fits inside the webpage layout.
Whoops a daisy
Hm. So, genies can live for thousands of years, and yet stay looking youthful. Now, looking at Haji’s consort; just how old does a genie have to be, to be going gray? Hoo, boy…
So, by co-incidence, a couple episodes of “I dream of Jeannie” were on ANT-TV today. I watched them to compare the Barbara Eden’s Harem outfit to the new “Jeannie”. It’s actually much closer than our Jeanie’s. The reason “Jeannie” doesn’t have a belly button is the same reason as Barbara Eden’s – the waist on that outfit is really high. Now, it was like that one the show because BS&P thought showing off the belly button would be “too scandalous” at the time. But the side design on the harem pants are definitely the same as Eden’s 4th Season outfit. The only thing that’s missing are the ruffles and tassels on the top, and the headscarf attached to the hat and going down under the neck.
is her name Jenaie? because the title say so… lol jk
Oh no! How did I manage to typo THAT?? I’ve typed that right on every page for like 5 years!
Another genie who looks EXACTLY like Jean?!
Hmm, I wonder how this little turn of events is going to horribly complicate this forthcoming harem addition?
Jean doesn’t want anything to do with a harem unless maybe it’s Jean’s. But considering what Jean did in the last arc with Rodge and what she did in Green Eyes with Neil, she’s liable to get into the competition because Jean’s competitive. Or if Jean keeps her head and tries to lose, that will charm Haji, who’s probably bored with submissive and obedient wives after 28 of them.
Where does it say that all 28 are “submissive and obedient”? Maybe he stopped at 28 because he already has his hands full with a bunch of rebellious and ornery ones?
Aren’t muslims supposed to get 72 wives when they die? Some guys would consider that hell, rather than heaven. 😉
If Haji is put off by rebellious and ornery women, Jean has nothing to worry about, and we won’t have much of a story.
As for the 72 wives for muslim men who die, I think that’s probably for the ones that go to hell.
I think they’ve limited the number of women that modern middle-eastern men can wed in a polygamous marriage by 3 now. What guy would want to have more than that many women to be in charge of?
For geniedom royalty however, I doubt they’re getting pushed into setting that limit on themselves. Heck, his first wife acts like she doesn’t seem “sharing” her hubby with others.
Skill and Ability as a criteria? Well that kinda disqualifies Jean.
don’t count Jean out yet since ability may equate as raw power and that is something or little magic minx has quite a bit of.
Does this make them sisters? 🙂
If there is another version of the TV Jeannie she might be an idealized version from the imagination of the totem finder. Their version could have some of the attributes of that persons era. Someone Jeanniefied during the 1970’s may have some aspects of Farrah Fawcett, Suzann Somers, Cybill Shepherd and other popular blondes of that time. Jean, from the present may have some aspects of popular blondes of this era, Victoria Secret Angels, Charlize Theron, etc. All would closely resemble the original Barbra Eden, like a sister with slight differences in physique along with the harem costume variations.
Haji was into technology so he might know of, watched and liked the TV show, may have the TV series DVD set too, if he’s a fan then he might prefer the versions resembling Barbra Eden. If so Jean might get selected no matter what she does to lose.
I bet Jean’s stubbornness will get her in trouble, Haji might get ideas from the show, freezing Jean in a huge block of ice or turn her into a gold trophy as was in series episodes. Jean embedded in clear ice for a while… Jean turned into a gold trophy on a shelf for a while as punishment and think about what happens to troublemakers. Jean would make a lovely 8 inch high gold statuette…
“Haji has 29 wives?”
“Yes, each one more beautiful than the other.”
“Each one more beautiful than the other?!”
“Well…if you line them up that way…”
Like oldiest looking to youngest? I thought Genies don’t age physically, according to Kazom, so how is that the first consort is looking like an elderly lady in that sense?
Maybe #1 is near the end of her magic.
Yes, I wondered about this myself. Maybe #1 deliberately looks older as a sort of insignia of rank?
By tradition the “First” wife does not mean the first one that was married to the Haji, but is rather his favorite. Wives are not ordered by date married, but by preference. Being the First also means that wife pretty much runs the harem and has more power than the others. The Haji can choose a different wife to be his First, and there are tales of wives competing for that elevated title in various matches.
Like that story arc of American Dad where Stan and his family gets transferred to Saudi Arabia and Stan gets a second wife that fights with Francine for whose the better wife? I also saw an episode of a Chinese drama of an emperor or shogun’s harem, where some of the women argue over something.
Just found a video clip of it: YouTube
Oh…..!
Big Bad Blue is already here.
And disguised as Jeanie.
that seems possible.
Or maybe Big Bad Blue is disguised as Haji. Taking a new wife when you’re supposed to be at war with the most deadly threat known to Geniedom kinda has bad timing written all over it. And Old Gray Hair as the most respected of all genie women should know that.
Maybe Haji is just that entitled and self-indulgent.
Maybe it’s a deliberate gesture to make the other genies believe things aren’t that desperate in spite of the lockdown.
Maybe Haji’s first wife wants to distract her idiot husband so he doesn’t mess up the defences.
Or any number of other possibilities.
Maybe Old Gray Hair is finally fed up with Haji and is doing this to distract him while Big Bad Blue gathers his forces.
Also a good possibility!
Panel 3. Araceli seems to be realizing that she’s going to be explaining things all day, doesn’t she?