Grrl Power #125 – Action packed document review
So we’ve got some due diligence dialog to get through. Some of this and the next page or two is stuff that I might have skipped, but then I’d still have to make sure that I made it clear that she actually, officially joined the team – so I figure I’ll just show it and sneak in a few jokes along the way.
Oh, also I somehow managed to get Sydney’s eye color wrong in her pinup, I’ve fixed it at the DA site so re-download that if you like.
Did you know you can read Grrl Power in Español? Well I can’t, because I can’t read Spanish! Hiyoooo! JoseB has been diligently translating the pages and posting them as Las Chicas son Guerreras, which more or less means “The Girls are Warriors” as apparently there isn’t quite a direct Spanish translation of “Grrl Power,” or at least something with a similar sentiment. Here’s a better explanation.
JoseB held a fanart contest with some cute results. I’ve posted them over at the DeviantArt page, along with translations of the word bubbles where appropriate. Check them out below.
SuperheroThey're super, thanks for asking!
Meatspace ComicSeriously these are awesome. Check 'em out!
Not UpdatingNo longer updating or only updates sporadically, but definitely worth reading.
SeriouslySeriously you guys. If you like Grrl Power the check these out.
"Mature"Mature subject matter and occasionally something explicit but usually safe. Can't guarantee the ads are safe though.
Dongs Ahoy!Full frontal and backal. Lots of skin, sex on some or all pages, explicit or otherwise.
While kind of funny, Arianna’s “I’m not going to encourage you to sign anything that would require me to sue myself once you sign it.” is completely ridiculous. Lawyers don’t sue themselves. That’s what other lawyers are for. Why would you use a lawyer who has proven incompetent or deceitful to do anything, including challenging a document they advised that you sign?
As others have pointed out, if a lawyer (or anyone) says “Trust me, you don’t need to read it, sign this contract,” you should distrust them and run away as fast as possible. Signing a contract for representation is even more problematic. What percentage is Arianna getting from Sydney for her celebrity agent services? “Just sign here and thanks for giving me fifty percent of your income. I’m sure I deserve it.”
A professional lawyer would say, “Yes you should get another lawyer to review this if you have any questions. Let me go over the contract with you and explain the confusing language. If you still want to have someone else review this once we’re done, I”ll be happy to give you a copy.”
After all, I’m sure Sydney and Joel co-own a store with no contract. They have signed a rental agreement or lease without reading it. They purchase stuff for the store with no return agreement (contract) with the distribution companies. Even unsuccessful business people have lots of contracts. Sydney is not stupid and her opinion, while humorous, may be very accurate and based on experience. Arianna’s response makes me believe that Sydney is on the right track.
Personally, it would have been more amusing to me, although probably longer for Arianna to explain the contract and Sydney to make snarky remarks. It would have given me more respect for Arianna, instead of the disgust I am currently feeling. I like O.B. Juan’s question about collateral damage. What would Arianna explain and how would Sydney respond?
Yeah, there’s a certain amount of “this is actually a much longer conversation going on here” on this page and the next. I want to have the important bits covered but I don’t want to draw 3 pages of them pouring over and contract, and very few people would want to read that. And the ones that did would be able to point out a lot of mistakes.
what?
next you’ll tell us you don’t intend to have us have a whole story arc about Sydney filling out her tax forms.
I would be disappointed if I did not at least see a few panels of her reading the contract or even having some one else look at it. Maybe not the whole page but a few panels. Then get into her signing it. I do not want her to just sign it willy nilly.
I agree, as doing so would be committing fraud, seeing how her name is Sydney not Willy.
:-D Nicely said.
As a point of interest, however, it is not necessarily fraud to sign a contract under a different name. Depending on which jurisdiction has effect, of course. By example I have three different names that are used in various contexts. The one I was born under, the one I have on my passport and the one that most people know me as nowadays. Excluding the weak aliases such as “Yorp” that the internet takes for granted.
All of which are perfectly legal. None of which was changed through any government body ratifying that my name had been changed. It required no more than a declaration of my intent to such parties as may have been interested.
For instance telling the passport authorities what name I was born under. Which is different to the name I was using (for all financial purposes, such as the name my employers and bank knew me under, tax purposes and so on). It was such a non-issue to them that it did not even receive any further question. They simply issued the passport in the name I requested, rather than my birth name.
Fraud is only possible if your intent is to deceive. If you make it clear to those involved in the contract “My name used to be Sydney, but henceforth I wish to be known as Willy Nilly” then there is no fraud involved.
Merriam Webster:
1: by compulsion : without choice : in a spontaneous manner
2: in a haphazard manner: Without order or plan
3: Having simultaneous, conflicting feelings toward a person or thing
Synonyms: arbitrary, careless, disorganized, erratic, reckless
Just as the Secret Service has code names for the people they watch over, I do believe we have found our official ARC Security code name for Sydney.
Apt indeed!
Sydney: ” *kshh* This is Willy-Nilly and Glamazon to Golden-Eagle, Fire-Cat and Multi-Cat have suspect on the run. *kshh* ”
Maxima: “Sydney, we are not using code names on this mission, and only some dumb old hag would come up with Golden-Eagle (elsewhere, Arianna’s ears are burning). Also, move to intercept and do NOT use the PPO! . . . and quite making static noises with your mouth, not neccesary.”
Sydney: Roger, will detain suspect with Pseudopod Orb . . .*kshh*”
Maxima: Wait, Pseudopod? Sydney, promise me no hentai.”
Sydney: Of course, who do you think I am, the Four-Armed-Four-Horned-Horny-Purple-People-Eater?”
*Cue epic Maxima face-palm*
O. M. G…. that’s just… bad… now I’ve got this song stuck in my brain… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx47qrH1GRs argh!…
You have just won the thread.
Congratulations!!!!
Hah!
strictly speaking, you don’t even need to tell them your actual name- provided your intent is to be bound by the contract, you can sign it under whatever name you like. Fraud is where you never intended to actually be bound by the contract.
Yup.
I recently renewed my status on the online UK voting register. One of the questions is whether you have changed your name. If you reply that you have, then it asks you what you changed it to. But, importantly, it tells you that advising this is OPTIONAL.
They warn that they may need to take additional measures to verify your identity, but all that matters is confirming that the entitled person is making the registration. Not what name they choose to go by.
These comments remind me of those Family Guy moments where it’s like one of the cast says “It’s like doing taxes(or something)” and then you get a filler scene where you’re watching someone just sit there and doing taxes with nothing else happening in the background…..
…and then a whale drops on them or something XD
As fun as the legal discussion is, it’s worth remembering that even if Arianna WAS inclined to try pulling a fast one via the contract, it’d still be an impossibly stupid move, whether she had her bases covered or not.
These are some of the most powerful people on the planet; trying to trap them legally is only going to give them an incentive to start disregarding the laws altogether.
while true, the point is that Arianna’s reassurance is actually a red flag for someone trying to screw you over. in RL, the immediately response should be to get another lawyer- completely independent of the person offering the contract- to look it over with a fine-toothed comb. (basically, you need to know exactly what the contract says- because you will be held to the letter of the contract unless it is obviously unfair.)
So. Arianna’s saying they’re on the same side now. I think. I’m wondering if we’ll get occasional flash-backs to nerd-lawyer questions Sydney comes up with in however many days it takes her to get through that document and sign it. Assuming she eventually signs it. Maybe leave that question deliberately dangling. It’s been a long day for Sydney, and for all of us watching. I know, “No rest for the wicked”, but a girl’s gotta sleep, sometime. Call it a day, Syd. If you start now, you might make it before morning. : )
You know this would be a perfect reason for the return of Dabbler’s Corner!
Maybe DaveB can do that as a bonus comic and introduce some other small time superheroes we’ve barely met. And I am sure Dabbler has a better grip on human law now (just to tweak Arianna of course, so to tweak her even more she’ll wear a cosplay-skimpy Judge’s outfit. (probably w/no back or very little of such.)
Thus we can get important questions like
Sydney, “What if we’re flying- say a chase of a bad guy or suspect fleeing the scene of a crime…and we happen to see a well muscled tanned male, muscles rippling with sweat —
(Harem or another intrudes- “Oh, maybe he’s wet from washing his car!” Others/ Ummm hmmm MMMM!)
— yeah muscles rippling shiny wet, languid brown eyes, wavy hair flowing in the wind…”
Dabbler- “OH! I had that problem several times before. We actually have a policy for that now. Just tap your comm 3 times and you can lock in the address and intel will get you some snaps from sat assets, but unfortunately all we can do is wink, smile wave and finish our mission. Then we can go back and watch…”
Harem- or if you’re me you can summon one of yourself to have some fun and watch -they giggle-.
Arianna tied and gagged is red faced and struggling with her bonds in a corner.
Jigawatt asks – “What if he’s gay?”
Dabbler- “Offer to introduce him to Artemis.”(or insert another ArcSwat hero name)
room gasps- “He’s gay?”
Dabbler, “noooo, but think of the fun that will cause.”
You really shouldn’t have sign it without reading it with another lawyer. I won’t sue myself just means that “I have a loophole to prevent it in there” and she can do far worse to you because of it. Oh and you can sue if the military decides to do something to you or takes over your contract. (Which can be used to null and void any previous agreements)
You mean can’t sue the military.
You can, but it is ridiculously difficult.
You pretty have to prove they violated the law. Even then, There is a clauses in our contracts…….
Simple and very ADHD way for Sydney to deal with this matter: Toss the contract into Maxima’s lap and ask her “Would you sign this? Yes/ No/ Why?”.
Alternate question: “What am I going to love/ hate about this deal if I sign it?”
Possible complication – Joel (remember him?) maybe has Sydney’s Power of Attorney for emergencies given Sydney’s history and habits. Contract might not be valid legally unless he co-signs it.
Ohh, I like it. We have not seen Joel in a while and he will need to be brought into the loop on everything as Syd’s partner, in business.
My question is: What is the penalty for inappropriate remarks? I’m sure they have to have put one in the contract.
I’m think a week of Bland foods like oatmeal and Life cereal would be the perfect penalty for Sydney.
I love that Sydney still has the red mark from rewiring her brain on her forehead.
Well, it has only been a few minutes (maybe 10?) since she caused Leon to enter himself in a wet t-shirt contest (as the only entrant)
That’s a win by default. Score one for Leon.
ah, but with only one contestant, it’s ALSO a LOSE by default (logic dictates that if you have a winner, then you must have a loser too…) therefore, score minus one for Leon, for a cumulative total of… zero… at least until he hacks the voting computers…
Heh heh, with electronic voting involved, Leon always wins. Just wait for the next election!
Just had a thought although it’s a bit late to be posting this. Sydney should ask Arianna to put in a personal clause regarding her business, the Comic shop. i.e. That if her duties with the team require her absence from the store, then Archon will be responsible for espenses regarding additional personnel including management and accounting etc. Also that Archon assume liability if her store suffers damages due to her association with the team. The whole superhero secret identity thing while working in a public place has always seemed a bit silly to me. If she is going to insist on running her shop then sooner or later some baddie is going to target her. hmm I don’t really think a costume and a mask is going to change her appearance that much. (Why do I keep thinking of “Bolty” from the movie “Super”?)
It’s only too late to make amendments to a legally binding contract once the contract has been signed, specially if you had no input into it’s initial write-up
Yeah but it doesn’t look lik Sydney has signed that contract yet. No problem in adding all kinds of stuff or at least negociating for them.
Sydney… feeling shame in the last panel?!?
THE END IS NIGH!
If you don’t mind, there seems to be a tad bit of a mixup in the cast page in reference to the symbols used to denote rank amongst the individuals.
The first one, is that Maxima is a full bird Colonel, while being listed as a Lieutenant Colonel. Peggy and Anvil are both listed as 1st. Lieutenants, but have different symbols. Harem, is only a corporal where as Achilles is a Sergeant. And if this is being based off of the U.S. Air Force, might I also suggest the following, especially since you’ve already shown a guard in Air Force dress blues when Maxima brings Sydney into the building, as well as the General wearing blues as well.
Enlisted rank: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_enlisted_rank_insignia
Officer rank: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_officer_rank_insignia
Yeah the Cast page is in dire need of updating. I have trouble finding time to do it though.
That’s something I have lots of. . . >.<
cough, uhm, I mean, I could help. . .
The occasional typo I could hand off to others to fix, but the rank badges are graphics I need to update.
Cor blimey. I just had the thought. What if Maxima is working under a field promotion to full Colonel, while only Lt. Col. on paper. That could be a back story there, heh.
So I see a Jiggawatt in the cast pictures but not in the cast o3o
Should we look forward to that new character soon?
She’s walked by in the background once or twice, she hasn’t had any dialog yet though.
This would be an opportune time to bring such a contract up as a “role-playing” situation with her Super RPG group. Sydney could easily pass it off as just “something she thought up”, and let the group pick it to pieces.
Actually, having Dabbler look over the contract might be even better…
Well, that’s hard to say. Who’s to say that Dabbler wouldn’t be working for Arianna (probably bribed with secret security video of the shower rooms)? Think about it, she wouldn’t even have to put a positive spin on it. I can almost promise that if she pulled the “shoulder boob’ thing Harem did to Leon, you wouldn’t hear a damn thing she was saying. All you’d hear is that little voice in your head saying “Dude, just sign the contract you fool!” Then again, that’s really not a bad way to be coerced.
BTW, I guarantee that Sydney will be very popular with the lads in camo once they get a load of her in full blown Tourette’s mode. Creative swearing is an art form to the common, and uncommon grunt.
Drill Sargent: Alright troop, listen up. This here is Sydney Scollvile, and it will be your job to teach her proper firearm saftey and marksmanship. Let it be known now that we do expect casualties. Miss Scollvile, please enter.
Sydney: Hi I *stubs toe and potty mouth goes into full swing*
Soldier: Um, should we be trying to calm her down?
Drill Sargent: Private, you should be taking notes!
Sydney? With firearms? Bad Idea.
Of course she has PPO. So we are doomed anyway.
Arianna: “And three, Clause D paragraph two clearly states I am not allowed to screw you like a roofied prom date unless there is actually a sanctioned prom.”
an entire page and NOTHING blew up? woah…
Oh noooooooo! I’ve now caught up and am going to have to wait with everybody else for the next one. (You do rock, David. You know that, right?)
Heh, love the Gravatar icon! And welcome to the community.
Hope you clicked on the “email me when new comments are added” option, because there are a couple of pages beyond this one. Although I am guessing you just went back a couple of pages to look something up, before you composed your comment.
Thanks! Glad you like it. I too know the pain of catching up to a webcomic I like only to have to wait for a weekly update schedule. (Like Flaky Pastry)
I’m starting to think Sydney needs to get new glasses… ones that actually go in front of her eyes instead of hanging entirely too low on her face.
Very cool:)))
It don’t matter how many sexy superheroes are on that team, or if you offered sports cars and Bioshock Infinite, I’d NEVER join another superhero team. It only ends poorly.
Bad Sydney. Rape is not a funny topic.
Re-Reading this page it occurs to me that it’s a bit absurd that Ariana’s reasoning on why she should be trusted is that she has asserted herself to be Sydney’s new lawyer. Like… That’s only more reason to be wary, not less. Choosing someone to legally represent you is a huge decision to make, and you can easily be screwed over by a bad contract with someone you’ve given the right of legal representation to.
Oh, wow. Blast from the past.
With the revelation of Syd’s mom, she has even less reason to not read the contract before signing.
Max’s facial expressions are, by far and away, the best part of this comic.