Grrl Power #604 – Rooftop relationship roundup
If it isn’t totally clear what Max and Harem are referring to there in the last few panels, imagine that it might be cleared up in the next page or two and it might just happen!
I made up the term Silk Work because as far as I could suss out, there doesn’t seem to be an actual term for seduction spycraft. Wetwork being the term for anything involving the spilling of blood, usually used by spies (at least if Hollywood has taught me anything) so Silk Work seems like a logical continuation of that theme. Hopefully that didn’t completely throw everyone. It’s weird that a term like it doesn’t already exist. I know the term honey trap, but that seems like it’s more for a sting or a grift than an embedded operative.
Obviously, it’s something Maxima takes umbrage with. She’s not ignorant of how the world works, but it doesn’t mean she has to like it. Dabbler would, of course, be quick to point out that silk work and prostitution and strippers are all evidence of women’s power over men, but Maxima would rebut that in the real world it really doesn’t work out that way as men (hashtag NotAllMen) do everything they can to take that power back. There are far more male pimps and strip club owners than female ones, and those people take a huge chunk of someone else’s earnings while providing minimal support, if any at all. And the two of them argue long into the night and everyone regrets inviting them both to the same party.
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Wow, I read the term “silk work” and thought cool never knew the term for that.
It sure fits well.
Dave seems to have invented the term, but it makes sense, fits smoothly into the intended context, and is intuitively understandable. I like it!
Then, of course, there is the more sinister ‘wet silk work’.
Which could only be attributed to underwater spiders! *shudder*
So Vance may be involved in the wet silk work then?
Only if someone pushes him into the pool, again
Yorp, i’m working on a short story series about a company like that. Blue Metal and Black Lace. Its a world wide company that has many “escorts” on staff, male and female. Some of them also happen to be spys and assasins.
Cool!
:-)
And you want Yorpie to guest star? o_O
Well every good Corp Security needs a faithful guard doggy. :) *Tosses Yorp some corporate raider treats! Made with real Corporate Raider!*
Not positive but pretty sure the actual term for it is a ‘honey trap’, using sexual whiles to seduce and flip an asset for any purpose. It’s a subset of fieldcraft in general, which is not the same thing as wetwork. A honey trap is a technique (not always a single incident) that is part of the process of turning someone into an asset for information, hiding one’s true intents, and capturing intel for the purposes of political/military gain for whatever faction you represent. The same skills that go into the honey trap are used in a miriad of other parts of fieldcraft, and uncomfortable truth is that convincing somebody to sleep with you isn’t significantly different from convincing them to do other things that’ll result in them feeling more trusting and invested in you.
Wetwork however is an ENTIRELY different skillset than fieldcraft. Wetwork is figuring out how to kill people efficiently and without getting killed yourself, and preferably without leaving evidence of either yourself or the actual organization you work for. Planting evidence of another group would fall under fieldcraft.
Basically: Gathering Information/Distributing Misinformation (even if that misinformation is ‘I am not a spy why would you think I’m a spy?’).
Wetwork is the process of killing or inflicting physical harm on another person, and occasionally kidnapping I think.
The two can overlap, but a honeytrap’s techniques, I’m pretty sure, are just a reapplication of the same techniques used in other ways to flip an asset (An asset being any person who has access to information you want, they don’t even have to know they’re betraying their organization, they might just be telling you stuff they heard at the office over drinks, or as afterglow-laden pillow talk)
Not saying I don’t like the term and it rolls of the tongue better, it’s a différance (a word/term that has no meaning except that which is immediately apparent due to the context of the word) or a protologism (the invention of a new word/term that has yet to gain widespread acceptance that would make it a Neologism)
Whereas Harem has Quintorgasms.
Well then, ‘Silk Work’ can be a specific sub-set of the ‘Honeytrap’ (still prefer ‘Satin Work’ personally)
I think silk speaks more to spying. For instance there is the association with a silk garrote. So whilst that is an assassination tool it is something in the same ball-park. Even stronger there is the fact that in WWII, spies parachuting (for instance in to occupied countries) used silk parachutes.
Whereas satin is purely associated with softness, clothing, bedroom furniture and other non-spying things. So it covers the seduction side nicely, making me appreciate it from that side, but lacking in the instant recognition that there is something more to it. It could leave someone making an assumption that it is a euphemism for prostitution, for instance.
Except, Maxi is implying that ‘Silk Work’ is the seduction side of spying, so there is already that assumption
If you are coining a new term you do not rely on the context you first use it in. Rather you want one that can be intuitively understood. Which requires drawing upon past associations that the audience are familiar with. And trying to avoid any ambiguous alternative meanings.
Most people seemed to understand what DaveB was talking about
When coining a new phrase, you want people to not know intuitively what it means, so that they ask what it means, take ‘POO’ for example, spread it around enough and people actually stop to sniff out the meaning
so cotton/polyester blend work would be flipping assets by the skillful application of mundane things? or gathering info by accounting? Denim work, working on a spies car?
I used to sometimes go shopping with a Londoner friend of mine, because he could show me all the best places to go locally. Go in one direction, compared to another, and you could have orders of magnitude difference in clothing prices, for example. Within walking distance of each other!
One day I was hunting
new jeans and he took me to a place that was really cheap to start with, but also doing a one-day sale, so there were incredible bargains. I knew he was looking for new trousers too, so asked him why he was not checking these out himself.
“My dad is from Jamaca. Jeans are what people working in the fields, on subsistence income wear. As such he considers them ‘poor man’s’ clothing. I would never hear the end of it, if he saw me wearing them!”
I love Harem’s outfit here… Did you make it up, or do you have a reference for it?
Just made it up. I modeled the umbrella off something I found online. I don’t remember what I searched for to find it though. “goth umbrella” or “lace parasol” maybe.
I honestly thought you were going for an Abby Sciuto from NCIS.
It looks really good.
Yea it is a great goth look.
Or at least an interesting Elvira costume
Yup: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/b7/fc/6b/b7fc6be0bab08da9b231974c1fa0ec0f–pauley-perrette-ncis-la.jpg
Oh nice one!
The funny thing to me is that it’s actually using the umbrella for its original purpose.
To visually distinguish one multi-body form from another, in a stylish way? I guess so, if an alien race with groups of hive minds were the original inventors of the parasol.
But, as for humans, you are spot on for the use of parasols in Ancient Greece.
To create umbra. Shadows.
“Silk work” is a great term so reps for that, although it doesn’t sound like Max to romanticize sex work that way. In fact, I’d imagine she’d just call it “sex work” specifically to be as unromantic as possible, arguing that it’s still literally sex work even if they have cool code words for when it done on the military’s dime and in the line of duty and whatnot and she’s going to continue calling it sex work and make it really weird you (Harem, Dabbler, probably) are talking about the United States military employing sex workers like that’s a normal thing and “comfort women” and Nanking and *out of breath sounds*
Since people don’t actually read the comments, and it’s a new page of comments, will leave this explanation here:
Thanks. That explains a lot.
*claps with one paw*
*tries to hear a tree falling in a forest beyond earshot*
OMG… I…. I… I think Harem is a Virgin! As in all of them!
You do realise she has five bodies right? And even if technically it would be considered masturbation, the fact she would have experience giving to and receiving pleasure from another body (even if it is her own) would count as ‘not being a virgin’
Mmm, not without another sentient being involved, I don’t think. Quite a fine line though, so your argument is reasonable. There are a bunch of things on one side of the dividing line (e.g. finger, washing machine, Sydney’s pillow) but you can get closer with others (however let us jump straight to sex robot).
I think the dividing line would be if the robot is sentient. Once that is achieved then the change in terminology is appropriate. Physically no different to a programmed robot or a sex toy, but mentally the experience is different if there is somebody else making decisions.
So we can move the line closer, in the other direction too. If a dumb robot is acting under orders or programming by the individual in question, it would be masturbation. Whereas if it was under the direction of someone else then it become sex. Likewise, at its most simple, with who is holding the sex toy.
Hence my conclusion about the Harem. Whilst they are being controlled by her mind it would be masturbation. Even to the extent that to her it makes no sensory difference between the hand attached to the body or to one of the other (Harem can tell which is which, but beyond that the sensations would be identical).
That’s why said it would still be technically masturbation, butt when you include one (or more) separate bodies
While the mind is still one and linked, the bodies do have semi-autonomy
Butt then again, to some people, same-sex intercourse (at least between females) doesn’t count
she has mentionned that there is only one “her“ the bodies dont have any more autonomy than your arm does
Again, technically masturbation, butt she still would have experience pleasuring another body (or four), unless you know how it’s like to lick your own… armpit
That’s why said semi-autonomy: they are able to do things completely independent of each other. Remember during the Maxi-wedgie scene? Berry was sitting eating popcorn on the couch, Bodie was watching the monitors in Leon’s ‘office’, Gothamer was having lunch with Jiggs and Abby was opening a cupboard (ended up closing it with her face), if she wasn’t able to even partially partition those bodies, things could get complicated
It wouldn’t be the first time a virgin covered it up by talking trash.
I think that there is a zero percent chance that Harem is a virgin. She has made to many references to both male and female intercourse. Plus Math himself even was impressed with her Bi status.
But all that aside, I think the number one reason she is sexually active is as a person of 19 years of age but with nearly 50+ years of life experience she would be looking for new things to do/try. It is nearly inconceivable to think that she would hold off on sexual intercourse. Hell I would be shocked if she hasn’t tried to time things so that 2 (or more) of her bodies have orgasms at the same time, creating what amounts to the ultimate multiple orgasm.
And wile speaking about Harem, it occurred to me that I’m surprised she doesn’t keep one of her bodies a complete secret and learning/traveling around the world as a means of both increasing her own knowledge and skills and having that ultimate ace up her sleeve.
If I had Harem’s power, I certainly would do that. But I would also have one body in storage, to provide a way of creating young versions of myself, in my old age.
OK it would mean using less bodies in dangerous situations. However that does have the advantage of ensuring that at least two survive, should one of those occasions be catastrophically dangerous. Not to mention giving an escape option, to the secret body, so hopefully avoiding that happening in the first place.
Otherwise it would be all to easy for a well-informed enemy to station ambushers at each of the teleporter’s ‘familiar places’.
r if that body was to set up a home base she would get really really familiar with that location and posibly always be able to teleport to it even if she is away. What I’m unsure of is if she can always teleport to herself over extreme distances. I know there are limitations mostly with familiarity. Just seems smart to have that ultimate escape option. Then again maybe she is doing this and is really really god at hiding it. Heck for all we know she may still continue to form new ones as she ages.
Not sure if she would ever keep one in storage as it seems to really impact here senses when one is missing and she really seems to hate that.
Harem does get used to having a number of bodies out. But if she put one away shortly after creating it, then there would be no change in what she is used to. Plus if she actually has six bodies, there is not a huge difference between that and five. Unlike two and one, to take the other extreme.
The progression that we have seen for Harem certainly looks like it could continue to expand. Although it seems likely that a human mind would have an upper limit on how many bodies it could control. So there may be a cap and Daphne may already be at it. But, clearly her power does grant her capability beyond what a normal person could. So there is no obvious reason why it could not carry on doing that indefinitely.
The more familiar with a location that Harem is the further she can teleport to it. But she does have an upper limit. Which is where having a mobile escape route, who can close the distance, would be invaluable, in an emergency occurring beyond that maximum range.
Late to the conversation, but take a look at the book and movie /Jumper/.
Honeypot or honey traps is probably what you were looking for, using seduction to ensnare a target. Swallows are a Russian designation for women trained in seduction techniques for espionage, while men were referred as Ravens.
Though it would be hilarious to see Harem wearing a Winnie the Pooh dipping a hand in a honey pot for that not quite subtle reference next time she’s seen around Deus.
Similar to the Admiral Ackbar honey shirt that the false Dabbler wore with Coot.
“swallows”? REALLY?
That is the appropriate action to take with honey. But risky from a honey trap. You might not even get to do that though, if your paw becomes stuck in the pot!
But, in answer to your question, yes (as regards the female ones, I did not know about the male, so that is an interesting snippet).
Although Hollywood seems to think that it is “sparrows”. Perhaps they censored the other word as too graphic, in the context?
Hmm, that reminds me of a much older movie, very similar theme, believe it was set during the Second World War
Interesting how the American was claiming how she was just a ‘puppet’ for the Russians, while attempting to make her a ‘puppet’ for the Americans…
Remember, its Russian. ‘Lastochka’ has no relation to swallowing in russian.
I think you might mean ‘sparrows’ not ‘swallows’
‘Sparrow’ is the Hollywood version. The one the Russians used is ‘swallows’. Check out my links above.
I wonder how often Dave looks at these comments pages? Because it’s interesting how many people are pointing out that Maxima is actually treading perilously close to a harassment claim of her own. Yes, she is technically within her rights to monitor whether or not Harem is “dating” a known enemy agent or otherwise engaged in a personal relationship that could compromise national security… but on the other hand her motivations seem more personal than professional.
I do find it very interesting that Harem herself expressed a sentiment that many of her teammates share regarding Maxima’s feminism and her penchant for “long winded rants.” I.e. about the way they would a C.O. who was a former tank commander and won’t stop doing a bad George Patton impression. “Sir… if you’re going to lecture me about my dating life, could you put the riding crop away?”
And it’s interesting how many people don’t read the comments either and are reading more into what Maxi is saying slash asking than what is actually there
Archone comments are actually fair.
Yup, Harem was right, in panel 5, to object to the question. Which Maxima realised, hence her apology.
The slip-up just mentioned does indeed convey that impression, on its own. However taken with Maxima’s comment in the penultimate panel, of the previous page (“He’s more than twice your age!”), it is perfectly reasonable to make the inference stated. Plus do note the qualifier in the quote, namely “seem”.
Whilst it could be argued that Maxima is asking these questions purely from a unit effectiveness point of view, her choice of words in talking about the age discrepancy is not doing that. It is making a value judgement on Harem’s sex life, which is betraying a personal investment in the line of questioning. Be that simply prudish, or from being jealous, it is more of a personal nature.
Both in the context of intruding on Harem personally (and hence supporting a potential sexual harassment claim, as it is showing a pattern of behaviour) and because it is showing Maxima’s personal traits (her moral disapproval and the anger/irritation, apparent in her face, over that).
Being angry or irritated at a subordinate compromising herself in her professional role is fine (showing strong disapproval is a professionally fair tactic) but doing so when going straight for the morality issue does betray a personal priority over a professional one. In my opinion, and at that moment in time. Overall Maxiama’s professional concerns are valid (as Archone says).
Maxima should tread warily to avoid compromising her position further, if she wishes to maintain a proper relationship with her subordinate.
Read something a very long time ago about the abstraction of authority from parenting and the tribal social order. Mostly, with humans it doesn’t work and can’t ever be made to work because of how our brains are wired and how social order evolved. We can be taught to avoid overt behaviors that are labelled abusive or harassing, but our psychology prevents those inclinations from ever being totally erased.
What Yorp said, Guesticus. Also, I made my post AFTER reading the other comments that had been left up to that point.
And I wasn’t so much criticizing Maxima’s words as praising how her subordinates are being realistically portrayed as tolerating Maxima’s personality traits even though they might make fun of them. “Oh boy, here we go again… five bucks says she does the “like a fish needs a bicycle” quote again…”
Oh, DaveB, I can’t believe you slipped it by without comment: “silk work”… “embedded agent”. RODL
Looks like Dave has gone and answered that question I had from a few pages back about harem and maintaining a level of …decorum….while other things are going on at home.
I should mention, as would Dabbler I bet, that seduction isnt limited to female spies. Male spies have been known to do it too. Its just honeypots tend to be more salacious stories to tell and in a world without superpowered women the means of spying are likely to revolve more around sneakiness and seduction than wetworks, in which men would have historical and biological advantages.
Yea, I have heard about this guy, Double Ow Sleven, or something like that.
“Double Oh!” If you know what I mean.
“Double Oh Behave!” you mean :P
The Five Spies who Loved Me.
Octopussy.
Sorry quintopussy.
Dang! Have heard of double, but quint? How can they walk? Is there even enough flesh to allow for five openings? o_O
I think you miss the point of a double entendre. The gag is to keep it innocuous. Reducing it to a single entendre is only stylish if it goes in an unexpected direction, rather than into the gutter.
The pinacle would have been to aim for a quintuple entendre instead! If Harem was a nicer person,* I may have given it a shot myself.
* I still have not forgiven her for transgressing against Sydney. Nope. Bad girl!
Have actually heard of women having two, butt… not sure if it was a real world story or porn :(
What transgression? And remember, Sydney punched Daphne in the nose the very first time they met! And that was after Sydney asked her to demonstrate her power!!
I knew you would query which one. The fact that she has transgressed enough to require that question is why!
Hurting Sydney’s lovely hand with her nose, by surprising her, is just one. Betraying Halo’s confidence, about her embarrassing diet, is another. With Harem repeatedly sexually harassing Sydney, to the extent that she had a catastrophic breakdown and nose bleed being probably the most serious.
However I needed that qualifier, as Daphne has been betraying secrets, including about Halo’s classified true-sight orb. Which could actually cost Halo her life!
Yeah, just like how you get ‘protective’ towards Sydney, get ‘protective’ towards the resident traitress
That is fair enough. It is good that there is somebody to champion her. Especially if she is well-intentioned underneath it all.
*walks off in search of Yorpie Snax, being careful which path to choose*
The correct path has been carefully marked for doggies, so as long as you follow your doggie-senses, you will find your rewards :D
*wags tail contentedly*
We at the Grrlpower comments board are known for our intense subtlety.
If a female agent seducing is called a honey trap is a male agent called a bear trap?
Well Canadians must use the gender-neutral term “maple trap”.
Makes for a bit of a sticky situation, eh?
A bear trap? No. It’s usually ‘that fucking moron’.
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/53603882e4b0e6ed7cf69a0d/t/56549fb8e4b043ed9f631249/1448386501133/
bear trap.
Lol.
Actually honeypot is used for both men and women. The male honeypots are sometimes also referred to as ‘Romeo spies.’
A male honeypot is a honeydick.
Thought it was called a “Honey Pot”
I would say a Matahari but pretty sure that also implies assassination.
You might also call it doing a Lana impression, as in, “Spying With Lana”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSGU4ND_v_E
…Lana?
Wrong Lana the spy
I realize ARC is special and all…
…but since when is the US Military allowed to spy on American citizens in good standing with the law?
I suppose it makes sense in this case if Deus is suspected of being a super. I would almost think it more likely that she is keeping tabs on Vale, except that Vale hasn’t shown any super powers (on panel) until recently.
Well, Archon isn’t just military, that’s what makes them ‘special’
They always have done. But note that the comic is set prior to the press getting all fidgety about it. And they still do.
In this case Deus is their principle supplier of high technology equipment. So it is actually their job to check him out. If he turned out to be corrupt, a crook, or working for a foreign power (possibly x 3) and they had not even bothered investigating him, then their asses would be on the line. Not to mention their lives, if they were betrayed or sabotaged!
Under the principles that Archon operate on, they should not consider somebody more (or less) suspect just through being a super (or, in this case, guessing that he may be). The only thing being a super does is ensure that they have jurisdiction if there is a crime.
Investigating, sure. But isn’t there a line between investigating and spying?
Depends on which side of the investigation you are on
Also Dear Puppy, they shouldn’t not suspect someone simply because they believe them to not be a Super
Since the unPatriot Act, the federal government just has to wave hands and whisper “terrorism” and they can do about anything to a citizen they want. Sydney was not stupid in fearing getting whisked away to face the nerve weasels. Except for the part about nerve weasels.
“Tha – that’s painless, right?”
“… Oh my, no.”
I did stipulate:
Yes, and said ‘not a Super’, not that they shouldn’t not suspect them for being a Super
I also did not state that cupcakes fly on mars wearing a pink balaclava. But nothing in my statement implied that. Likewise my statement in no way implied that supers should be beyond suspicion just because they are supers.
To the contrary I said that they should be considered equally suspicious. By not specifying who that is in comparison to, it defaults to ‘everyone else’.
You seem to be missing the ‘not be a Super’ part
Nope. Everybody includes everybody.
Please note, that had used three “not’s” in the statement
It was a lame joke (even lamer having to explain it :()
Ugh…Its technically not “spying” if you show up and ask very nicely if you can hang out in their house. If they say yes than its fairgame…… unless you start suggesting illegal stuff…then its entrapment.
And Archon is an Internal military Police force….they have policing powers similar to the Fibbies I would assume.
Good point, had forgotten it’s not illegal spying if they willing give you permission to be there, snooping on the other hand, if they don’t know you are going through their ‘sock’ drawer
On first reading I agreed with you. But that is only to do with ‘is the officer trespassing?’ or ‘are they conducting an illegal search?”*
But it does not extend to an officer being paid to spend their time investigating a private citizen,** unless there is good cause. In Deus’s case there is a national security issue which gives a clear mandate. No matter how good his character, it is incumbent on the authorities to vet him thoroughly.
Methods such as random spot checks are commonly employed for individuals who are vital to national security. Anyone who gets into such a position will be aware that discreet checks will be conducted against them. And that counter-spies may check that they are conducting themselves appropriately.
* As Guesticus says that permission would only apply to things in plain sight, or in places a guest would normally be expected to look. Such as in the cupboards and draws within a guest bedroom. Or, with a plausible need, such as treating an injury or illness, in a bathroom cabinet or looking for a first aid kit.
** There was a scandal in the UK where undercover police had been assigned to infiltrate protester organisations, such as Greenpeace. For those which were known to conduct illegal actions, such as breaking into military bases, freeing animals from laboratories or assaulting people (say for going to an abortion clinic or working for the wrong company), there was a reasonable case for such investigations.
However they also infiltrated organisations which had no history of such behaviour,
nor any other credible evidence which would justify such spying. Even worse (and highly relevant to the current comic), a number of them started sexual relationships with the people they were spying on.
Not just in a casual way, but settling down with them. Giving them the impression that they were in a long term relationship. And, in at least one case, having a child with them!
This was deemed unacceptable by the general public and the courts. Various cops lost their jobs as a result. And there were a bunch of civil and criminal trials. Enough that I lost track of how they all turned out. But I got the impression that most were upheld in favour of those complaining about being spied on.
Yes. Very early on in the comic Maxima says that she is a federal agent. The same will apply to all of Arc-SWAT and any of their field operatives, in other branches. Basically anyone in the organisation who needs to have the power to arrest anyone, and carry a weapon, regardless of which US state they are in.
Yeah so the basic guideline here would be “basic expectation of privacy” in essence anything she’d have to crack, hack, spy on or access without permision is still requiring a warrant at least for use in a case. She might have a little leeway in certain circumstances but thats the size of it.(Not a lawyer). However since Deus invited her in with full knowledge of who she was and what her job is, anything she overhears is fair game. But he knows that she knows that he knows that Max knows that….oh look I’ve gone all crosseyed. Seriously though…he knows she’s a cop….invited her into his circle with his apparent knowledge that she is a cop and evinces no surprise that she is one (look at that last comic he doesn’t vince at all). yeah if he was actually stupid enough to discuss something he didn’t want ARCHON to know around her….she could testify to it.
Actually, owning a foreign power would, or rather, does, make Deus a fair target also. Not that they necessarily know about the owning a foreign power yet.
Well Deus did do a TV show talking about the sanitised version of that. If Archon are not aware of the major players in various countries politics (as in who calls the shots in each nation), then they really should ask a five year old girl from the nation in question.* She will be able to enlighten them about Deus.
* Other ages are allowed.
I want Max’s cap, looks very cool.
Yea, I originally assumed that Dave had just copied a normal military issue cap. But, if I remember correctly, he custom designed it, in that style.
Looks like a ‘blocked’ M1951 Field Cap
Yea, it is a squarish version of that, Googling examples. So Dave did capture the style well. I was more referring to the logo though.
DaveB never did mention what his day job used to be, before taking on the comic full-time. I wonder if it involved doing the conceptual art for clothing design, logos or the like? He certainly has designs that convincingly look like they were created by a top notch design studio.
I have found the secret behind Vale’s boots!
If you do not have the time to watch that, just fast forward to the end. But the whole program is really great, if you enjoy seeing things being made. And it is themed to the tastes of our community.
Plus it shows how advanced made-for-YouTube programs have become, at the top end. Not to mention the kind of budget that they can now command. Other episodes in the series often have them using Damascus steel, ancient forging techniques (costly given that they first spend time making the old tools to use, for example) and if they need a pound of silver for a sword hilt they just use it. No faffing around trying to get a silver look, or putting a thin layer on the surface.
Plus it is great that they always make use of the weapons at the end. Often with cosplay. Although this was not the best example, as the weapons are not as deadly as customary ones.
Hmm, is it a made-for-YouTube programme, or is it simply hosted on YouTube as well as on cable or one of the other networks (had a little look, and could also view “American Restoration” {both versions} and “American Pickers” on YouTube, and know for a fact they are not made-for-YouTube shows)
One thing: they didn’t actually show the boot-claw mechanism working, just in the extended position
Also, couldn’t quite make out what type of boot they were, butt New Rock makes some great boots, have two pairs of shoes and a knee-high boot, all seemingly unique as have never seen others like them, not even on their website
Wow! Honestly thought the second “American Restoration” just happened to have the same name butt focusing on cars (and they have to split it between two or three companies in different cities?), had no idea that it was the same show butt without the original ‘cast’ (way to go Rick, better to quit than fire any of your staff)
While Rick may not be on the show, Rick’s Restorations is still going, hoping to see him with another show one day
The term I’ve used most often is “Honeypot”
Oh, cool. More propaganda on sexual boundaries. That means that we should be seeing more tits and ass shower or bikini scenes, soon. Unless, this was a follow up to the most recent.
Propaganda implies that as the primary agenda. What is actually happening though is the author exploring areas that are normally taboo. Yet trying to do so in a realistic setting. So he needs to be mindful of when the characters step beyond what is proper. By their own standards.
Harem and Maxima are just being portrayed in character. Just like Dabbler is slutty, Maxima is prudish. If you do not consider Dabbler’s promiscuity to be propaganda, then there is no need to get your knickers in a twist about Maxima’s behaviour.
Whilst the comic is pro-feminist, it is exploring the boundaries of sex and sexuality in all directions, not just one. Amongst other things that is.
Exactly. It is the primary agenda.
All the more easy to spot, when someone refer to these “areas” as being “explored”, and, as (now, this is funny) “taboo”. That is the perfect vernacular for a social agenda. Can’t ask for much more of a giveaway, than that.
Yes, using situations for the purposes of couching a message is a typical format for disseminating propaganda. In way of handling sexuality, becoming defensive and labeling people as “prudes” is a very well established pattern.
“Feminist”. “Exploring the boundaries of sexuality”. That, pretty much, supports what I said. Thanks.
Heh. If you wish to take it that way. If you do not wish to be exposed to social matters around sex, perhaps you would be more comfortable just looking at porn?
Likewise. Of course, propaganda doesn’t confine itself.
…there are stories that *aren’t* propaganda?
Glad to know your opinion.
Do you object to the second part of that or just the first part? It’s hard to tell.
Others got the point.
That’s an honest question. I literally can’t tell if the first sentence is sarcastic with regards to the third sentence, or just the second one. Are you saying it doesn’t matter? Can anyone else tell the difference?
I could not actually. I tried to resolve the apparent contradiction, between the two comments, if both were intended to be negative. Hence why I wondered if the lack of any social interaction, other than ‘lets get in the sack’ or “I’ve been naughty, spank me!”, would be more appealing to shapeshedder.
Which seemed to be favourably received, if not acted upon. So I am guessing the sentence was ‘tits and ass, yay!’ rather than ‘tits and ass, boo!”.
But you are right that it is very hard to tell, when someone is being so anti.
Well, the second one of those “interactions” isn’t really to my taste…
Oops. My bad. I have a serious problem with names, I meant to say Socialism Inc., rather than your name!
Yeah, I figured that. ;)
So I finally caught up, started this comic about a month ago and just have been reading it in my spare time. I have read a lot of comics, but I have to say, this one is by far my favorite. Keep up the great work! (I relate to Sydney on a spiritual level)
Nice to have you as part of the community.
*tilts head sideways, and squints*
I know my eyes are not as colour sensitive as humans, but I would swear you looked more red (and black and white) than blue.
*shrugs*
Still you are welcome regardless.
Maybe their dragon’s are just very sad….
In any case….Welcome to the party pal!
Ahh, the yin and yang are out of balance. How inobservant of me!
Indeed, there is more white than black. I know how to fix that! Hold still please.
*gets out brush and black paint*
The cast page the cast button and the banner at the top go to is blank for me. Is it blank for anyone else?
You will just have experienced a download glitch. That happens sometimes with any website (typically when having a connection issue). Just force your browser to refresh its cache. For Google Chrome (and several other browsers) you use Control-F5 to do that.
The cast button does not link to anything, at the moment, by the way. It is broken, and on a to-do list to correct. If that is what you were intending to use next, the wiki has all the info that it did, and more:
https://grrl-power.wikia.com/wiki/Cast
and been that way for what fells like a good part of a year.
Ghost?
AAAAAAAaaaaaaaa!
*running away*
Don’t worry, they say!
That is always how it starts! Always with the near-miss. Then, just to show that things are getting serious, London gets taken out! Always London! Then some sort of apocalypse event, that gets averted.
But what about London?
*heads for bunker*
I say bring it closer. If we can get a few of those rocks to pass btwn Earth and synchronous orbit altitude, we can get a lotta space junk blasted right into interplanetary space. Delays having to deal with by a few centuries.
They could just scoop the junk up in sports cars, as they go past.
“Asteroids of this size do not often approach this close to our planet – maybe only once or twice a year.”
Yasee sh*t like this is why I decided to become an interdimensional soldier of fortune.
The shadows look cool but sunlight doesn’t work that way. Anything that thin wouldn’t leave a clear shadow after a few inches.
Only on planets with lazy sunlight.
Found something Sydney might like to try.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/38897008/scotland-aldwych-cafe-serves-up-spicy-ice-cream-for-valentines/
When does she find the time? There’s five of her; “they” could just switch off duty hours and take turns.
She already does. Whilst individual bodies have to sleep Harem can keep others awake. Hence why Maxima says about one of Harem always being on duty. Others will be out shopping, studying and … enjoying themselves.
But if she has five boyfriends, on top of her busy schedule as a super-soldier-cop, then her time becomes as problematic as with anyone else. Each boyfriend will only get to hang with the one individual body. Because Harem finds that people relate to her better if they (emotionally) view each body as being a separate person.
Her biggest problem though is not time. It is jealousy. Daphne needs to find guys who are willing to share her with others (even if it is always a different body). Which if Harem was disapproving of her relationship with Deus being ‘non-exclusive’,* would make that rather hypocritical!
Unless, to give her credit maybe her expression is just down to thinking about how her mum would take it all.
* I discounted her not being keen on the “chilling”, rather than “dating” because this page has Harem emphasising that the physical side of the relationship is important to her. Although if she does want more then she will have to deal with jealousy or, in Deus’s case, have to deal with him having other girlfriends too.
Noooooo! I’ve caught up!
Ooh, two new members to welcome to the community, in one day. This calls for a partaaaay!
*sets up trestle tables bowing down with all the primary food groups (pizza, burgers, ice cream, meat and Yorpie Snax™) and drinks*
Please enjoy yourselves, whilst we wait for the next titillating instalment.
(One of) The great thing(s) about having five bodies? Daphne could, if she wanted, leave one of her bodies virginal, for when she meets “the right guy”, and still have all the sex she wants.
+1
Making up terms for various bits of spy work has a good history: Most of the terms in current use were made up by John la Carré for his novels because he needed words for things that didn’t actually have one in the spy biz when he was part of it.
I find it interesting that Dave has found a ‘bad power’ aspect (well for anyone wishing to lead a monogamous life anyhow), due to studying these character’s powers and how they might affect their day-to-day life. In pretty subtle ways, at times.
I would’t have thought of ‘not being able to get enough sex from a single partner’ as being one that would stem from Harem’s power! Yet it clearly has contributed to shaping her lifestyle and, ultimately, will have a profound effect on her relationships. One way or another.
Ack too many comments to go through to make sure I’m not copying someone else’s comment.
At this point, if I were Maxima, I’d be starting courts-martial proceedings against Harem. The relationship is such an obvious conflict of interest that it falls under either criminal negligence or knowing misconduct. And seeing as how Harem did make a point of HIDING it, it definitely goes to intentional misconduct.
What relationship? If anything, the ‘banter’ of the last page could simply be to keep her cover (although everyone involved actually knows why she is really there)
Daphne was sent there to get close to Deus, and she is using that to explain when suddenly “Crap, the boss is here, better explain what I’m doing here!” happened
If you mean ‘point of HIDING it’ by the fact Abby leaves her choker behind in her room, that would be like an undercover cop taking their cop ID badge with them while investigating a gang
Your logic breaks down I am afraid. If Harem was pretending to be in a relationship with Deus, because she was acting under orders from Archon, Maxima would not be berating her for doing so now.
Whereas if Harem was maintaining her cover from the other side, namely supplying a reason to Maxima, for her being in the office with Deus (whilst wearing a t-shirt that implied a sexual relationship), then it does not matter whether the relationship is non-existent. Harem has said that it exists, to her commanding officer. As such Maxima is right to proceed on that basis.
And if she discovers that Harem was lying about that, both in front of Deus and now again in private, then that in itself would be grounds for disciplinary action.
That’s why said ‘the last page’, Maxi is not berating her on this page
Harem seems to agree with me that she is, in panel 3 above.
A rant about sexual inequality (or whatever she was going to go on about) is not berating
Panel 1 “You are supposed…”
Panel 2 “I won’t abide …”
Maxima is berating.
Butt not berating Daphne
You really need to apply logic to your arguments, rather than just making up your mind and ignoring what is actually shown. It ceases to be a meaningful debate and makes your stance look foolish.
There are only the two people present. Maxima obviously is not berating herself. Plus she starts it off with “You’r” and specifies “Daphne” by name!
Is there any sort of guess as to when there’s going to be a cast page again?
When DaveB makes enough money to start his production company and has the time, in the meanwhile, there is a wiki around here somewhere, Yorp posted it on one of these pages (must have been the first page, no one goes there anymore)
Yea, the guy is a workaholic and spends far too much of his waking day keeping the quality of the comic as high as it is. Not leaving much time for a one-man* operation to spare for other things.
Plus the cast page had corrections to make and a certain amount of extra functionality, over and above a simple text page. All of which has to be redone from scratch, as the old version is no longer compatible with the current WordPress program.
It is worth bookmarking the Wiki though, as that has everything that was on the cast page, and more:
https://grrl-power.wikia.com/wiki/Cast
* With occasional help from Keith, when Dave has the cash spare to hire him. He does do an excellent job though, I should add. As we can see from the page above.
In the case of Deus getting classified information about Sidney’s orb of reveal/clarity didn’t Max say early on Deus has access to some of Archon’s information becaus it is necessary for the development for Archon? Giving that info early Could have been deemed acceptable
Good catch
That is possible. And the dialogue above would still be consistent, if it was how things went, as Maxima would not have a reason to refer to that in this scene.
Any info you can give us on the afterlife by the way? Do they play space invaders, or did you just get into that recently?
Three pages,
all this talk of honey pots and honey traps, and not once has this reference been made. Nor a good opportunity/excuse to.
So as the next page of the comic is up in a few hours, I leave with this.
Trapped by the Honey pot
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/disney/images/8/8c/Winnie_the_Pooh_has_his_head_stuck_in_his_honey_pot.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20150805230343
I alluded to that here, but nobody picked up on it. I must have made it too obscure.
*ears drooping*
Dave, seduction spycraft does have a term. Women who use seduction to obtain intelligence are called “swallows” as in the bird, not as in what they probably do quite a bit of.
So Maxima might say “… a member of my team being a swallow.”
The website spymuseum.org has a glossary page of spy jargon titled “Language of Espionage” which you might peruse for more terms :)
Honestly, I did not even think twice when I read “Silk Work”. I immediately knew what it meant and, had I not read your blog comment, assumed it was just an uncommon phrase that I had not learned before.
We should send that phrase to a military historian and see if we can get that used as an official phrase to describe that type of spy craft.
(Not many people like to talk or think about it, and I find the work very disturbing really. However, truth be told, the information collected by those women who risk their health and lives did help us defeat the Axis in WW2. I will call those women hero’s and give them the same honors as any allied troop.)
+1
Sadly much of it is lot due to the secrecy that covered it all.
I think ‘chose’ should be ‘choose’. Loving this comic!
If one of Harem’s bodies is ‘on duty at all times’, does this mean that she never gets the mental benefits of sleep? Does one body sleeping manage all of the hard drive/storage maintenance that the brain does while sleeping? Obviously, each body needs the sleep period to repair damage, grow, &c., but part of sleeping is repairing/maintaining the mind (Harem has stated that she has five brains, but only one mind).
Max is getting obnoxiously righteous, assuming any sexual contact that isn’t under the terms she herself imposes (on herself, even) is exploitation of the woman and an offense to all womankind.
However, sleeping with the enemy, except as part of a mission plan, is one of those things that’ll get your security clearances yanked.
Deus is not classified as an enemy, just a person of extreme interest.
Goth Harem is by far my favorite. I LOVE the umbrella :)
Reading back through I have to think it’s really poor form out of Maxima to try and push her inappropriate question off as ‘channeling Sydney’ instead of owning up to her own bad behavior at that moment.