Grrl Power #152 – Harem, AKA Corporal Wakka Wakka
Dabbler, that’s just bad form, 1-upping Harem’s joke like that. Well, succubi are competitive like that. I really wanted to have the General say “you secure that shit!” but again, probably bad form on camera. The reason Arianna is just having a little chuckle is that beyond assuring the public that the super powered are on their side, she’s also there to sell the team on its personalities. She’ll be the one on the team complaining about all the crime fighting they do because it’s disruptive to their appearance schedule. “Well hurry up and save the world! You’re due on the set with Craig Ferguson in 9 minutes!”
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Umm, is there a way to not lose your spleen before you even get through the front gate?
Only if you figure out how to spend the night with Blade Bunny. The gold coins are a red herring.
Haven’t even managed to get past the first part yet :(
Dude! Stop messing with people like that. Your going to give someone an aneurysm. I swear you are the only person I know that can figure out how to weaponize a silly flash comic.
No worries: was expecting 1 of 2 answers: either a helpful one, or a ‘joke’/’gag’ one
Heh. Guesticus knows me all too well. I have a weakness in resisting a good joke. You did a great job with the game, by the way. A very good way of keeping interest going for Bunny, until the re-start.
Yes, great game, just would have been nice if it didn’t end in the loss of spleen without even getting through the gate :(
I lost the game. Damn you yorp. Damn you to hell.
Ok that was funny. Though think the team was just labeled And stereotyped Superfemales of that world for all time.
I’m curious as to what Sydney whispered to Dabbler in the little strip under the page. I imagined her saying what a gag reflex was at first but now I don’t know.
so am I
I see that the world is getting a new super heroine, Burka Avenger. Quite a daring attempt. Given that the Taliban shoot school girls in the head for objecting to being stopped from going to school.
Easy for her to keep a secret identity I’d wager. It’d be like if Spider-Man dressed up as the Invisible Man when he was Peter Parker.
One problem. Only the body of the Invisible Man was invisible, not his clothes. So technically the invisible man would be more accurately described as ‘creepy naked guy in the room’. So unless Petey was willing to do the Full Monty at school, it may be a challenge to remain undetected (as well as carry his Spidey costume around for when needed).
The Fantastic Four totally cheated in this area. Imagine the increase in sales if they had published the comics with Sue Storm in the buff.
No I meant he wears a full body costume as a hero, then goes to his day job dressed as a mummy in a trenchcoat.
The Burka Avenger only wears her burka to fight the forces of anti-literacy. As a mild mannered school teacher her face is quite visible.
I was thinking more of the writer than the character. The worst you might face is a disgruntled comment. The musician who created that hero might get dragged out of his bed at night and executed.
Can see where that Human Rights lady is coming from, about using the symbol of oppression, but can also see how by using the Burka you are reclaiming it and using it as a symbol of good things (or, you could just imagine it as a ninja outfit with a dress, or a nun’s habit with a ninja-mask)
Some symbols can’t be reclaimed. They carry too much hate behind them.
Besides, when I was a rugrat I would never have gotten behind such a cartoon. I’d be complaining too much about using a long flowing gown as a practical costume. It just doesn’t work. Too much to grab onto or get caught on something. She’d get sucked up into a jet turbine for sure.
No capes! No burkas!
How about ‘No spandex!’ and ‘No domino masks!’ (because spandex is no friend to anyone, and masks never really work, not to mention, can you truly trust someone who hides their identity like that?)
The spandex I can kind of buy. You want very little to grab onto and with spandex being close to the body, that can help in a grapple. It wouldn’t be my first choice, I’d go with a leather that isn’t skin tight. That way you get some practical protection to go with the body armor and it’s not so easy to grasp.
The mask is a unique situation. Domino masks are useless, they fool nobody. But there are people that wear masks all the time. Mexican Luchadores that don a mask can’t go out in public as long as they operate under the mask, and they live full and long satisfying lives. So while some people might not trust a masked man, there is a precedent of it working.
I meant a luchadore can’t go out in public without the mask.
And, supposedly (as in, don’t know the full truth), if they ever get unmasked they can never wear a mask again (looking at YOU Rey Mysterio not-so- Junior)
Yeah, I don’t get how Rey gets away with that. Then again, he’s got a fresh new adamantium kneecap from all his medical emergencies from his style and he still refuses to do a safer style. The guy lives in La La Land.
On the other hand, Mil Mascaras was buried in one of his masks. So that tells you how important the mask is to non-delusional people.
Not even sure if it’s the same Mysterio: he looks different, plus he’s dropped the ‘Jnr.’ from his name, really have to check some early WCW to be sure (or maybe find the time to watch his video :P)
Can you trust the goddamn Batman? Yep. Wearing a mask is unfortunately a sign of intelligence. Unless you like finding people you love killed and stuffed into fridges.
I like the idea for the sole reason that the show will have a villain, who looks like a Taliban (hello to the NSA, nice of you to drop in) commander and will get his ass kicked by a woman in a burka. Seriously, what could be more humiliating? It’s like a guy in a pink tutu beating up fundamentalist Christians. :D
Or any Fundie getting slapped around by the guy in a pink tutu?
Yep, as long as it’s a fundie who has something against gays. ;-)
And now boys and girls it’s time for fun with math! (the school type not the character)
She says she has more experience than someone ‘Twice her age’. That would be 38. Just how old is Daphne in person years? If we take the standard Marvel guideline of powers kicking in at puberty (12?) and she is now 19, and if she has kept all 5 copies going continually, that gives us a maximum experience age of 19 + (7 yrs x 4 extras) = 47. So by building up her ‘age’ at a five-fold rate from this point she should be able to collect social security at a ripe old age of 23.
The math isn’t quite that easy unfortunately. She got her first dupe at 8, second at 9, third at 11, fourth at 14.
So I guess her years of experience totals 19 + (-1(8-19)) + (-1(9-19)) + (-1(11-19)) + (-1(14-19)) = 19+11+10+8+5 = 53
I’m sure there’s a more elegant way to write that, but it was the first thing that came to me. So actually she could retire next year. Good luck collecting 5 social security checks though, as she only has one SS Number.
wait a minute.
8+1=9
9+2=11
11+3=14
14+4=18? where is her last dupe?
She exists. First duplicate. Second Duplicate. Third Duplicate. Fourth Duplicate.
1 (Her) +1 (First) + 1 (Second) + 1 (Third) + 1 (Fourth) = 5 ‘Harems’. Otherwise, she doesn’t, in this math, exist until she’s eight. Standard written mistake understanding.
Technically no matter the duplicates it is just her with one Social Security number so no retirements at such an age. Just like the rest of us. The longer lives supers have a different deal.
Imagine the nightmare of having 5 separate bodies and only 1 social security check. would medicare put up with her having five trips to the doctor every month or so?
The time to worry about that is a LONG way away for her but remember the Dupes are voluntary. Just because she keeps five copies of herself out at all times doesn’t mean she has to.
But what Dave says about when she gets her Dupes is extremely interesting. It’s not quite a logarithmic scale. First dupe a 8 yo, next one year later, 2 years after that, then 3 and 4 making her 18 when she got the 5th body. At this rate she is due for another when she reaches 24 and, with no end in sight, she could have 10 bodies at age 58 and 11 at 69. Twice the number she currently has to live on one retirement income. It would even be conceivable for her to have one or two more before she dies of old age. This is all assuming some of her bodies aren’t killed before then. Talk about a population explosion.
Actually, she got her 5th body at 14 (or don’t you count her original body? O_o)
Saying she “should” (by the one year increasing pattern) have gotten a 5th clone at 18 so her+5 copies…
Not exactly that she does, but patterns indicate should/could? All depends on what happens every time a new her appears. Could be an interesting mini arc. Maybe at 8 she fell out of a tree and teleported by instinct to not get hurt but bam 2 of her. I bet there is a 6th harem hiding inside!
Believe it was stated that she can’t create any more copies
Actually, that could be read as “can’t (of her own will) create any more copies”. That does not obviate the possibility that her powers will expand as she grows older…
Hmm. I hadn’t considered the ramifications of 5 bodies in that respect. So, does she get 5 paychecks since she has 5 bodies on duty? Or just a pay bonus? If she ends up with 5 pensions, she won’t need to worry about social security…
Probably just a big bonus: she may be doing the work of 5 people (including possibly 1 or more ‘traitors’), but she is technically only 1 person
Am I the only one who read “gas reflex”…
Yes, yes you are.
Now that you mention it… that would be funnier :D
You’d think they’d know by now not to let Harem speak.
You aren’t getting Harem mixed up with Halo/Sydney, are you?
Harem is more never let her get bored.
Which kinda makes sense, she has been five people in the past so she’s probably addicted to new experiences and sensations. Boredom would be her arch-nemesis simply because she’s so used to doing things constantly. She’s probably inside the base doing pole dancing, even with everyone else out of the building at the press conference…..wait, where’s Math?
trying to keep miss deshanti entertained and quickly spending his paycheck on her two daphne show. why do you think she was this well behaved?
<3 the comic since the beginning, but this one really made me wonder! Are we going to see a lot of rogue hero types? There are ways for non-government aligned people to do superhero stuff without getting into trouble, and seeing as how it looks like one has to put up with a rank system (ala military), I could see a lot not wanting to join.
Then they will be branded Vigilantes, and have to deal with Sydney, Maxi and Dabbles hunting them down (or did you forget the page with Dabbles holding a gun to Cat-man’s head with a scary Sydney and Maxi behind him?)
It has already been stated: not all Supers have to join ARC, but if they attempt to use their powers deliberately they will be stopped (pretty sure that if they went about their lives as ‘normal’ as possible, but used their powers to prevent an accident or similar they won’t be executed, as long as it can be proved they weren’t the cause of it in the first place… You know, like pyro-firemen starting fires so they can help put it out)
I didn’t forget. Why I asked :) But there’s a difference between what Batman does (breaking and entering, interrogating, ect ect) which I got the impression Catman was basically supposed to be doing, and for example, walking around the city in tights and if something bad is happening, get involved (Good Samaritan laws…you see someone getting beat up, you can interfere) to help (which is generally a bit more in line with what Spider-Man does, but not always, because it wouldn’t be as good of a story, but none the less, a bit more of what he does).
there is a difference in finding trouble while living your life as normal and going looking for trouble. both spiderman and batman go patroling their citys looking for trouble – this puts them in vigilante territory. when trouble finds them, that is different.
I agree with Me. Which is good. Arguing with Me leads to straight jacket territory.
Of course it is one of those areas where, as mentioned by commentators in the past, that city officials might choose to “look the other way” if they do not feel it is doing any harm. Up until the point where somebody gets killed by the vigilantism, of course. Then big trial and a test of how enforceable the new laws are in a practical situation.
In theory much of the trial would be on intent. Showing that the areas the hero had been seen “hanging around in” were not on route between areas he had legitimate activities in should not be too difficult, unless he had been covert. If so, then studying a pattern of his crime fighting should resolve the issue. Assuming that he made a few ‘citizens arrests’ or actually did anything to prevent crime prior to killing people, then I am sure the criminals involved would be more than happy to testify.
It would probably only take one high-profile case. And then supers would realise that if they want to do such activities and avoid jail time themselves, then they had better get training, a badge and operate with official sanction. Hopefully the national media would be very anti a super who had recklessly killed someone. Although the debate would be bigger if the circumstances were less black and white. But the way these things often work is that the less clear-cut circumstances often do not make it to court, as it would be deemed unlikely to secure a prosecution.
secure a conviction, that is.
As the Laughing D.A. says:
Prosecution is easy; convictions are hard.
Just so. Missed the error in my proof-reading.
If you’re actively fighting crime you’re illegal. If you just wait for trouble to fall into your lap, you’re lazy. That simple. If you’re doing stuff that doesn’t involve fighting crime, like an EMT with healing powers, you’re fine. Same if you can project illusions and you work for hollywood as a special effects wizard.
That’s just it. Last I knew, actively walking the streets (let’s assume the terrible neighborhoods) even in tights, is not illegal.
Then there’s the whole, bounty hunter, private detective and probably other licenses, that would allow them to do the same thing.
I just can’t imagine there wouldn’t be supers who wouldn’t be “Look. I want to help people, but that doesn’t mean I want to join a branch of the military and take orders from someone.” (Note: There’s a difference between military higher ups and civvie higher ups…for one…you can tell the other were to stick it.) :p
That is where intent comes into it. For example, if you are a butcher and are on your way to work, it is reasonable to carry butcher’s knives on you. Your intent is to go to work, and you are carrying the tools of your trade with you. Whereas if you are on your way to a sports event and carry the same, your intent is clearly nefarious. One earns you a prison sentence, if proven, the other does not.
If sufficient evidence can be provided to the jury to convince them that your intent was not to take in fresh air, but to conduct vigilante activity, then the same applies. So having a police scanner, handcuffs and night vision binoculars on your person would all contribute to the argument that you intent in those rough neighbourhoods was to conduct an illegal activity. Namely vigilantism.
As regards bounty hunters and private eyes, we do not know what provisions there are for supers in those roles under the laws introduced. Perhaps it will come up at some point in the story. I understand that private investigators normally require a licence to operate? If so, then part of the act might deal with assessing the possible impact of super powers on the job.
If an individual possesses powers which are easily abused in the position, such as telepathy or the ability to remotely access electronic devices, then such a licence may be denied. Whereas powers such as being bullet proof are unlikely to infringe the civil rights of members of the public, so would probably not interfere with getting a licence.
I’ll have to look it over again, but I’m pretty sure walking a neighborhood, as long as you don’t actually start anything, wasn’t actually against the law.
Though, they did say earlier in the comic that having powers wasn’t going to be made illegal and all that. So if they keep to that, I wouldn’t imagine they could deny you any license on that grounds that one has powers. Though I would think one wouldn’t have to disclose it either. They get the license and then use the powers. Even more so with supers being so new that this is all new to people (though it sounds as if they were around more and some how keeping well hidden).
Which is why it would not be feasible to prosecute somebody for walking around. But going around tooled up as a vigilante, seeking out criminal activity, repeatedly making citizens arrests and then killing people would erode that line of defence. In my opinion.
Of course the tradition of the gunfighter provoking a fight and then killing the other guy, being viewed as perfectly legal, might well win out in a US court. *shrugs shoulders* Juries will be made up of folks who grew up on westerns and who may give that more weight than the intent of the law.
Well killing people would be a totally different story O.O Doubtful on any jury being raised on westerns though, unless it’s an old jury :p
Though you say tooled up vigilante. I’m thinking just powers and dressing the part, though in this universe that may not be the case (the spandex) and they go around in jumpsuits/normal clothes. Not having any real equipment like Bats or even Spidey’s (limited) level of tools.
Deaths are likely. Ignore comic portrayals and think instead of what would happen if people really got super strength, the ability to shoot fire out of their eyes and so on. Combine that with a self-teaching approach, with no proper training or objective assessment of capabilities and dangers. Then getting into harms way with villains shooting at them. Somehow the comics seem to think that having extraordinary powers also grants immunity from making stupid mistakes in a panic. Something that the army and police go to great lengths in training to minimise the risk.
An average man off the street (mentally if not in terms of physical capability) would be more than likely to misjudge the strength of a blow and rip the opponents head off in the heat of the moment. It would just be a matter of time until a suitable incident arose where an example could be made.
Areas which failed to enforce that law, however, would get more and more serious incidents, until something catastrophic happened. Such as a full scale battle on the streets between a vigilante group and villains tooled out with anti-super weaponry and/or super villains. Whatever civil authorities survived the battle might then realise that turning a blind eye to the vigilante activities of untrained supers with powers capable of destroying whole neighbourhoods may have been a bad idea.
Agreed. It was just my lazy way of saying that my opinions would not properly take into account the cultural biases unique to the US, as epitomised by western movies. Aside from the fact that it has permeated Hollywood and TV portrayals since (think Dirty Harry and the like) there is a lot of the national culture which might serve to oppose the enforcement of the law in the way I proposed.
I have very serious doubts about denying PI or bounty hunter licenses to supers whose powers “could” be misused in that position.
To my mind, that policy would open the door on at least two kinds of mess:
1) Supers simply concealing their abilities (something that ARC is actively trying to discourage). Unless/until simple, accurate and foolproof means of detecting *ALL* super powers are widely available, it should be easy for many supers to stay incognito if they choose..
2) Every perp and his/her dog claiming civil rights violations, if they have nothing to lose and think they can get away with it – “Civil rights violation! That PI must have found the evidence by mindreading.“.
I suspect that the most expedient way is to treat certain superpowers (such as telepathy) in a similar manner to lie detectors, electronic surveillance and so forth. To count as legal evidence, they can only be used in a very specific manner – probably including the use of warrants and multiple forms of verification. Somethimg else for a bunch of lawyers to get very very rich arguing about.
Many PIs and Bounty Hunters are in fact deputized agents of the law. It helps give them certain protections that operating as civilians would not provide.
On to the actual lethality of super powers. You got that right. There was a recent situation here where a soccer ref got into a kerfluffle with a guy. One thing leads to another and he gets decked and hits the ground. Now that dude is waiting a trial for manslaughter because when the ref hit the ground, he hit just right and died from blunt force trauma. This is from just one punch strong enough to floor him. Add in super strength. The body, while tough can die from all sorts of stuff you’re not expecting.
In short, even if someone wants to do it on their own, they shouldn’t. They should get training rather than go on their own and self train. Self training can and will get them and everyone around them killed. Trial and Error doesn’t work when you can throw balls of fiery death out of your hands.
Sydney did mention corporate supers in the comic shop, so non military uses are known, in-world.
I admire Halo because she stands up for herself.
And Harem can stand behind herself, literally :P
How did you determine which characters you made officers and which are enlisted? ARC must have a heck of a sales pitch to get someone with super powers to work for E4 pay.
Don’t forget the Arianna factor. There is obviously a deal between her and Arc/the government. My guess is that the supers will be entitled to a share of any marketing deals. As such, even lowly privates would have their earnings supplemented by football-star level of bonus payments.
Assuming that they did not break any rules and/or embarrass their superior officers at national TV press conferences or the like, and have their shares suspended for a time as punishment. Quite a big incentive for good behaviour. And you often see reports of football stars and other big-earning celebrity figures getting severe fines for inappropriate conduct. Appropriately so given their status as national role-models. Especially so for such, as in these circumstances, who are public sector employees.
You rarely see sports stars doing anything but accepting their punishment*, once they have exhausted appropriate appeals. It hurts their wallets less to take the financial hit, act repentant and get back to earning their endorsement fees, if they still have any sponsors left after their infractions. Or, in this team, getting their cut back from Arianna.
* Well I rarely see it, anyhow, as I avoid sports news. Which saves me from the tedious appeals process and just get to see the big headlines about fines and apologies.
you forget bonus pay items or special schools / skills incentives. if a person has the right education or training they could make a significantly higher amount than common personnel of the same rank and with ucmj that bonus and skills pay may be cut for a period. the loss of liberties could also be used example food court level / fusion is off limits to halo for a month for striking harem or math. alternate would be putting slow drip medication dispenser, fanny pack sized, with something that makes her muzzy headed where she can’t teleport on harem for an undetermined period in response to her statement (restriction to barracks equivalent). extra duty would equate to wash all the windows at HQ by the end of a time period and if the mission is failed other events could be arranged. dabblers stunt in the ballroom could result in not being allowed to do a talk show she wants or being forced to be the DS for syd’s basic training again with further corrections if she fails to meet the standard set (unless it is proven deliberate or inherent problem on syd’s part). creative training is probably as much a part of it as any fiscal penalty and could if advertised correctly aid marketing, show the team as flawed human but capable of getting the mission done. harem having 12 on 12 off shifts at 5 hospitals at the same time in the pediatric / maternity ward for a month unless called for a mission.
Heh. Just read the small-print on your avatar. Nicely in keeping with the new voting incentive.
They’re not going to be going by regular pay. The government will pay them far more than a regular soldier of the same rank. People are moved by many things, patriotism, making their family proud, tradition, getting paid, doing something that actually makes a difference. All these things can move someone but we are all moved by money in some way or another. Even a person not fond of money wants to be comfortable and understands that money is the key to getting those comforts.
Now, when people are moved by pay, and they can do this stuff, they want to be paid handsomely. Or they can go to someone else that will pay them more. The government isn’t going to take chances here, and since someone like Maxima replaces 5 fighter jets, you pay more since even paying her extra will save you countless amounts of money. You pay all these people more before someone else can.
I’ve been wondering something similar myself. Namely, why make any of them enlisted?
Consider all USAF pilots are officers, and super-powered ARC specialists with “The Right Stuff” are rarer than pilots. I’d say, induct any super as an officer. Low rank officers to start, of course, but I can’t see many of these rare individuals wanting to be freaking privates, or even corporals. I wouldn’t.
The corollary is, one must complete OTS before going on active duty.
Just my two cents.
Err have you read this week’s comic? There is more to being an officer than just the pay scale. With it comes a level of responsibility. It may be the root of why Harem is cranky, if she feels the same way you do. But equally, she has demonstrated that she is lacking in the basic common sense that would be necessary in a competent officer. Whether it was Maxima or the Colonel who made the call on her rank, they got it right in her case. Likewise with Halo.
Harem’s comments will be hugely damaging to the aims of the press-conference. Many column-inches of analysis will now be taken up in questioning the whether General Faulk is the right person for the job. Which will then fuel the debate on whether Arc itself is a viable proposition. Women’s’ rights campaigners will be up in arms about a role model demeaning herself and women in general whilst speaking in an official capacity, in an interview that will be seen around the world. Politicians from countries which do not give women positions of responsibility will be using the incident to justify their stance. In short, a PR nightmare.
But, however bad the fallout is, it would be magnified if it came from the lips of an officer in that position, rather than an enlisted rank or NCO.
Darn it. Note to self: proof read before hitting the “submit comment” button.
“Colonel” should read “General”.
No argument about the repercussions of Harem’s “crap”, and the even worse problems if an officer acted like she just did. But part of OTS is learning how to act like an officer (and the reasons why, some of which you enumerate above), i.e. with a certain amount of public decorum. A bunch of officers would probably be a lot less entertaining to see in such a press conference. Even the stupidest can usually be trained not to embarrass their ranking officers in public, at least intentionally.
So it is just as well for us that Dave didn’t elect to go with a plan similar to mine – there would be a lot fewer amusing incidents to see…
As for the actual repercussions in the comic, Dave has said there will be some. Likely the public will be tossed a bone like, “She is only a corporal, and it was only a joke. However, she has been reprimanded and the incident has been filed. Since her conduct in the field is incomparable, further action is not deemed necessary at this time.” Something like that might keep the furor to a dull roar, and not an outraged howl.
I totally agree with your comments. A couple of points worth considering though. There is no reason why the training that we have yet to see will not include the kinds of decorum and public speaking training normally given to officers. In fact, given the probability of public appearances it is more than likely to be integral to super cop training. Daphne may have already gone through that course. And just be too arrogant for the lessons to sink in. As Saneatali points out below, Harem has only just today received an atomic wedgie for embarrassing a superior officer in public. She should have been on best behaviour.
When I made earlier comments, I was also thinking about a few people that I know. Most, if they got super powers would not think of going out and fighting crime as being the logical next step. Of those who might, some may be fairly well suited, mentally. But if the fickle finger of fate gave one of the others super powers they would be horrendously incapable of performing such a role. Some of whom are not even capable of running their own lives. Let alone being in a position of responsibility for others. I am sure you can think of a few you know personally who you would not want given a badge.
But, if that individual has gotten super powers and there is a serious risk of them getting gung-ho and wanting to go out and fight villains, because ‘that is what is expected of super heroes’, then you may need to lower the bar to let them in. Given that it would be safer for them to be under official control than operating with training and driving them into vigilantism.
Too incompetent though and they would have to be flunked out of Arc as being unsuited for police work*. Being a cop is a tough, responsible role in its own right and plenty of folks who try it are not up to the job. Getting super powers would not make them any more suited to it. However some individuals would be capable if supervised and not pushed into positions that are more responsible than they feel comfortable with.
Look at Sydney for an example. She enjoys pretending that sunshine burns her. Even in front of TV cameras! Behaviour like that could not be tolerated in an officer (be they military or law enforcement). It would stop her even being considered for the position. Should she be required to go through the training to become an officer, despite that, I am sure she is competent enough to succeed. But would she be happy? She would not be able to express her ‘inner child’ without being reprimanded for ‘conduct unbecoming of an officer’.
I think DaveB has made the right call here. ARC needs super heroes. But super powers are rare. Some of their members will necessarily be less than ideal candidates. So a certain flexibility and leniency will be required. But it would be unwise for both the organisation and the individual to promote them beyond their capabilities.
* Diplomatically though it should not be handled in those terms. The sensible way to deal with it is to promote them sideways, to a position where they cannot harm the public. Either keeping them in the public sector, if a suitable role can be found for them. Or helping to place them in a private sector position that can safely fulfil their needs.
Either way they should go through the full assessment process to ensure that their capabilities are known. Plus they should be trained in how to control their powers, for whatever job they eventually end up in. Kicking them out on the street, when they wanted to be a cop, will just fuel the possibility of them going vigilante.
Doesn’t sound like supers are as rare in the comic as you make it sound. Maxima has already mentioned killing a few.
However, if the idea is to go the real world route, then I’d say all those ranks in ARC would likely be matching military ranks in name only, as I can’t imagine many of those in ARC with super powers wanting to…
-take commands
-do it for such little pay (corporal rank for instance really isn’t that much, especially if you compare it to military work hours)
-live with military protocols (which admittedly we’ve already seen the comic break)
…some of the characters have civilian specialist as their rank. I’m actually surprised Halo doesn’t have that rank and some of the others as well.
Heatwave they got as a criminal (vigilante) who was offered no charges if they joined the military (not really allowed anymore for instance).
All this is basically long winded way of saying, I never saw the comic as going “real world” and more of “Dave B picks and chooses which part of real world aspects he wants to include and says this is the real world”
DaveB gave us the figures. If you compare them to city populations, it works out that, for example, Washington DC may not even have a native hero. To me that is pretty rare. Those that do work there will have been drawn from other cities. Nationally, many will not be interested in working for the government, nor in crime fighting. Others have weak powers so would not be of much more use than a normal cop/soldier. And big business will be competing away those who are more interested in a big salary than providing a public service.
Which is why I said above that I think Arianna will have a deal to generate marketing income and it may be shared with the supers. To give them a salary significantly more than their nominal rank would allow. And thus compete with the private sector, without compromising normal rank salaries. But that is just my guess, we do not have any confirmation of that, other than Arianna being involved in marketing.
If members are not willing to take commands you have neither a police force nor a military unit. You have an ill-disciplined mob that does whatever it feels like. Otherwise called a “lynch mob”, “vigilante group” or “death squad”.
I can see that Sydney, amongst others, will have a problem with that. But with unique powers come unique responses. Maxima is obviously experimenting with an unusual culture in the unit. Wedgies are not real world punishments officers would deal out. Some of which will stem from your point about those with super powers not wishing to conform and Max having to find a way of catering with the unparalleled problems of such a strange unit. The rest being that it creates an interesting setting that allows the rule of funny to have full play.
You will find that when national security is involved, governments do what is expedient. Laws get bent or broken, if they get in the way. Plenty enough examples of that over the last few years for the US (although it is not unique to just them).
Your summation is fair enough. Obviously there is a fair bit of artistic licence, given that it is a comedy comic at heart. But DaveB does give enough thought to how things would work, if this were to happen in the real world, that I feel it is not wasted to do likewise.
In case it is of interest, here is a link to my estimated number of heroes per city.
Oh that link did not work. Not sure if this will be clickable, but if it is not, you can copy and paste it into your browser page to view it. Hopefully.
https://www.grrlpowercomic.com/archives/955/comment-page-3#comment-39928
Maxima didn’t mention killing any supers, she said there were less than there used to be. She is no longer there so there is at least one (Max) fewer than when she was working there.
My initial thoughts with the comic is that Supers would all automatically be officers (once they complete the training) the way pilots are all officers in the Air Force, but then I started thinking of Sydney as a Major and that idea went out the window.
The compensation for Archon field personnel is different than most other branches, and it’s wildly different if you’re a super. I imagine someone who’s a Navy SEAL but also a Chief Petty Officer gets a few bucks more than a guy who is a Vanilla CPO on the deck of a Destroyer, but I could be wrong. The ranks are still relevant just to enforce a command structure. I’ll sort of get into the compensation in a later comic.
I was trying to suggest the powers be credited like a special school or skill for a bonus pay value based on type and strength.
All the ‘supers’ are getting the good lines. I just thought of what Math can do for his press demo. He will have to request a volunteer from the audience. Once the person is on stage Math can say:
You know what I think I’m gonna do then? Just for the hell of it?
I’m gonna take this right foot, and I’m gonna whop you on that side of your face…
…and you wanna know something? There’s not a damn thing you’re gonna be able to do about it.
They are promoting the organisation at this event. Not the individuals. So, unless he features in the demonstration, there would not be a particular reason to bring him out today. In fact, holding back some key figures for later events will be useful for keeping up media attention once the initial interest has waned and Arianna wants to drum up some more publicity.
Interesting point. They are introducing the individuals though. I thought perhaps they were just introducing the military types. I doubt they’ll be introducing X, anyway. ;)
I’m rather surprised they put Dabbler out there, since so much of her is classified, and she isn’t actually in the chain of command anyway. Math will be out in the field, and thus the public eye, so I was kind of surprised he isn’t on stage. But he isn’t a super, per se, so likely they are holding him back for some subsequent show. Along with Amorphus & Achilles…
I see what you did there, Billy Jack…
Oh, wow. I remember the theme song. There was a scene in there where the guy who plays Munch on some show now, he and another guy did a summer camp skit about cops that cracked me up.
Noticed a LOT of blue eyes. Artist preference or caused by being a super?
That would be largely Harem’s fault. She’s 5 copies of the same person. Lots of blue eyes when she’s around.
Am I the only one who’s confused by this page? I don’t get the gag reflex bit Harem said (though I’m pretty sure I know why she’s referencing it, I just don’t find it amusing.) And why is the general shouting to secure crap? And why is Dabbler asking what a gag reflex is, and why does Harem look so crabby when she asks? Maybe it’s just not my type of humor…
Well Dabbler is an alien so there will be a lot of subtleties that she might miss. Innuendo is hard to pick up in a foreign language, let alone how much more difficult it is for an alien species. Albeit that Harem’s comment is rather heavily ‘in your face’ for those used to the style of humour. Given how it lacks any credibly innocuous double entendre, it would only appeal to those who appreciate sexual humour, rather than to folks who enjoy subtle wordplay.
The general is obviously familiar with barrack room humour and is not amused at its use in a formal setting like this. As explained in the previous page of comments, he is telling her to stop that behaviour immediately. Those of us who grow up in military families often do not notice that some terms are missed the general population. Or a proportion anyhow, as some phrases do become widespread even if folks do not know the source.
I think Harem looking crabby is mostly because she has just been chewed out by the general. But realises that giving him attitude will only make things worse for her, so is avoiding doing that. Additionally though, she probably thinks Dabbler is playing dumb, to make matters worse for her, by asking that question. Hence the scowl pointed in her direction.
What did amuse me is that Sydney realised it would be best to whisper the explanation when in front of the world’s press. So I found the mini-comic to be quite cute.
Don’t forget that this is most likely a movie quote; most likely from “Aliens”.
Well, if you analyze the humor, it won’t be humorous. But point by point, I expect the intended humor in “born without a gag reflex” is the juxtaposition of alleging it’s a *disability* with when the realization of what she’s implying hits. The general is shouting at her to get her to stop making sexual innuendos in his press conference. Dabbler is asking what a gag reflex is as one-upmanship; she’s just focusing everybody’s attention on the innuendo, onaccounta she’s a sex-related demon. Harem looks crabby because she’s been one-upped. (I conclude Harem isn’t reacting to the general’s comment, because she pulls her arm away from Dabbler in annoyance (conclude, annoyance that she’s been one-upped)). Basically, Harem was playing to the audience, and Dabbler stole it away.
So at this point, having been analyzed, it isn’t *anyone*’s type of humor. But intellectually, you can see the arc of it; juxtapose, sucked in and overreacting, one-upmanship, annoyance.
Look at Dabbler’s expressions in the final panel and the mini-comic. She looks genuinely confused in the former and listening attentively in the latter. And, bear in mind that in the past she has positively gloated when she managed to get one up on Maxima.
You made all your points well, including the one about Dabbler being part Succubus. But that does not necessarily mean she automatically knows every nuance of human sexual behaviour. And she is 75% non-Succubus/human, so her mind-set is likely to be very unusual compared to a baseline human’s. Which is not to say that your take may not be spot-on. Just that there is also the possibility that she is being genuine.
As Thrythlind has pointed out,
I don’t think the mini-comics are generally canon, but I think this caption may be.
Anyway, there is no reason to suppose she isn’t naive, except that she hasn’t acted that way till now. More likely, I think, that she’s acting now, just to make her own joke.
Touché.
I wish this little story moved on. More Sydney, less talk!
But this is the story!
I guess, like Sydney, you are bored by a press conference, about super-heroes! And you only have to deal with the high-lights!
As for talk, I’m afraid you are out-voted. There are 236 comments so far on this page alone.
So the talkers outnumber the non-talkers 235 to 1…
How about putting Lima syndrome and Stockholm syndrome in Grrl Power.
I think Sydneyholme Syndrome is more likely. With terrified hostage takers turning themselves over to any police other than Halo, demanding protection. As best they can with their tongues half pulled out, anyhow.
Harem is really playing with fire, considering that this is the same day as the prank on Max and her subsequent atomic wedgie and chewing out.
Hmm wonder if the press is going to ask the obvious teleport question, what happens if there is an object already in the place you want to teleport to? well more solid than air I mean.
It’s too bad she introduced her powers this way, would’ve been funny to see her press bomb Arianna from the crowd, probably with the blonde body. She looks more reporter-ish.
well, this is the first time I’m dissapointed after reading a new page.
Why? Well, first while it is certainly in character, it makes me like Harem even less, second, Harem has already had a lot of screentime to show how insubordinate she is, third, I can’t see how this is relevant for the story, fourth I can’t see any Major General yell on a pressconference like that (don’t they have a drill segeant for that?), fifth, I don’t think the joke is all that funny. Well, and sixth, I would have really preferred some backstory/character development instead of this.
And yeah, I don’t have much of a sense of humor.
He is not a Major General, he is a full blown General.
Discipline, specially immediate discipline, has to be dished by the highest ranking officer on the scene, in this case: General Faulke (even Maxi would have had to defer to him)
Later comes the more ‘fun’ discipline by every officer down (in descending order of superiority), again, starting with General Faulke, followed by Maxi and possibly Hiro (and yes, each punishment is concurrent and stackable)
major is a level of general rank like brigadier or lieutenant in army ranks
Yes, know that, General’s tend to be higher than a Major General (pretty sure, but not certain, that an MG is below a General, like a Lt Colonel is below a Colonel)
Yup. Two ranks below. Major General has two stars, whereas a General has four.
In increasing order (US Army/Air Force) Brigadier General, Major General, Lieutenant General, General. Several other armies and air forces based on English system also these ranks.
Navy: Commodore, Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral, Admiral.
Be My Little General. That’s how we used to remember the order.
Be is for Brigadier General. My is for Major General. Little is for Lieutenant General, and General is for General (four star).
“He is the very model of a Modern Major General”
The only thing is that he is ‘acting out of fashion’, that is, his rank is too high to have an outburst like that in public. Ranks like that calmly invite the first responsible rank present to report to office. In this case, Maxi would be the proverbial victim and she would be advised to take disciplinary action.
Maxi in turn, would talk to the highest rank responsible below her (since Harem is corporal, Maxi won’t come down on her directly), which leads to the well-known snowballing of the disciplinary action possibly ending up with all five Harems cleaning the latrines with toothbrushes.
Point is that in this case, the entire chain of command present is held responsible merely because of Faulke’s presence.
Another thing why Faulke’s reaction is overblown is because Harem is just breaking military decorum. Faulke’s face should just be telegraphing dark times ahead. The worst possible scenario where Faulke would throw down rank is when he’s forced to call the pressmeet a day, which is a command-decision.
Still, 151 out of 152 ain’t bad. :) I know this page is a bit lacking, but I’m using it to set up a bit of a rivalry between Harem and Dabbler, so it will be a more important page later on.
Here is a guide on how to appear to be a super hero in real life!
WOW, Harem. Just… WOW.