Grrl Power #265 – In summation…
One of the (few) drawbacks to having an especially active community here in the comments is that a page or two following a big reveal will generally be retread or just confirmation of what’s been discussed by you guys. It’s stuff that needs to be said in the comic anyway since not everyone reads the comments and also there’s the book version to think about. I’ll reiterate one thing I said in the comments for the previous page since it’s easy to miss, is that while Vehemence can draw power from any sort of violence, from a mugging to an earthquake, violence with intent is higher quality and better ‘tasting’. Presumably it comes with lots of Vitamin V. Also there’s a finite amount he’d be able to absorb from something as violent as an earthquake since the range at which he can absorb the energy from is limited. A 2000 mile long fault line’s no good to him if he can only absorb stuff from… well, I haven’t decided his range, but it’s well under a mile. Localized violence is better.
I really wanted this page to be a double page, as Vehemence’s speech took rather a lot of room, but I think I’ve kind of gotten into the habit of trying to make every page I can a double. I’ve done 7 of them in the last 10 pages, and it’s been a little stressful. Burnout is far too dramatic a word, but making this page and the next singles was almost like a vacation for me. By vacation, I mean I didn’t have to draw all day Sunday as well as the other 6 days and it was nice. I did some chores, went to the gym… then spent the rest of the day coloring the vote incentive anyway, but the point is that I wasn’t under the gun trying to get a page finished so I wouldn’t be behind on Monday which is when I write and start penciling new pages.
There were several suggestions in the comments that the team take a break and power up Dabbler to match V’s level, and Dabbler alludes to it here. It would be an epic bait and switch if I just suddenly changed the comic into a 20 page lesbian orgy right now, but… nah. :)
The question is, if Vehemence is so powerful, or at least so potentially powerful, how did Arc-LIGHT not know about him? Granted they haven’t done a great job tonight anyway, but in Vehemence’s case, he’s mostly just hung around in the background gathering power and never really needed to join in. What’s he going to do, get powered up during a race riot, then leap out and start attacking looters? He’d pulp anyone he hit, and while killing someone is usually a pretty violent thing, a dead rioter can’t continue rioting.
Even when he hung around underground super fight clubs, which given the low incidence of super powers are rare, but they still happened, he’s got nothing to prove. He’s just there for the meal. He’s revealing himself now mostly because as debuts go, this is a pretty good one, and also right now he’s so amped it’s like he’s been snorting Excedrin.
Here are some fun links for you. This one makes envious of the gals, cause whereas girls can wear basically anything without anyone batting an eye, guys are generally limited to 2-3 kinds of shirts and either pants or shorts, meaning there’s a whole range of geek wear I’m shut out of, like this Baroness tank dress. Though even if I was a girl, I’m not sure I would traipse around in something quite that sheer, though maybe it’s only partially see-through under studio lights. And probably direct sunlight, but then how often do proper geeks get exposed to that? Anyway if you’re within a decade of my age that site may have a few gems for you.
Here’s a quite funny webcomic I found, Deathbulge. As with a lot of webcomics, it takes a few strips to find it’s footing but is solid once it hits its stride. The RSS seems to be broken unfortunately, but it’s worth going through the archives IMO.
Here’s the link to the new comments highlighter for chrome which I can’t live without anymore, and the GitHub link which you can use to install on FireFox via Greasemonkey.
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.
…just give him Halo’s lunch. it’s potent enough to count as a war-crime. but it’s not violence since it’s typically self induced.
I think the act of handing it to him without warning him first would cause V’s violence sense to tingle. ;)
Because he won’t want to see what’s making him all tingly?
Self-induced violence? Sounds good. Cover Vehemence with itching powder.
At this stage, battery acid .
Congratulations, you’ve made the 666th post. I’ve come to collect your immortal soul. ;p
HA sucks to be you!
He sold it to me already for 3 doomcakes, 50 cents, and a half-used Bic lighter.
What can I say, it wasn’t worth a whole lot.
You are going to have to fight 4 “infernals, 2 liches, and a lawyer to claim it.
If it wasn’t for the lawyer I’d have a go at that fight…
I’ll take that fight anyways. :) I work for a bunch of good ol’ Jewish lawyers from the Motherland. And they like me. >:D I can take on THE WORLD! MUAAHAHAHAHAHAH!
Philips, Some seasoning, Ooh those are delicious.
Oh and the IRS something about back taxes.
Not to mention a past-due mortgage borrowed off of his humanity, which he lost…oh…
(waves a generally-broad gesture)
…back there somewhere.
Yeah that and some other things that I can’t remember right off hand.
Maybe a new archive-dive at LFG might refresh your memory?
Just the tip of the antarctic.
Just the tip?
That’s what SHE said…
Well the tip from me is equal to 10 times everything from you.
At least that’s what your SO said.
Oh my people are already on it, nevermind.
Just put a pacifist in front of vehemence and the non-violence radiating off of the pacifist will weaken him.
Or just alchahol, lots and lots of alchahol.
Or he gains vehemic energy by punching the pacifist to death.
And yeah, I can’t imagine he’s in a drinking mood. And even if he was, I imagine he’d be a pretty violent drunk.
Well generally ive met people with aggressive behavior who are the most passive drunks I e ever seen. Maybe it’s the same for vehemence?
acturly that would weken him due to the fact that each punch is worth the effort to punch him so a defencive poster is the best bet
If this were a comic with a Western-style background, I suppose this fight would already be the ubiquitous “barroom brawl” scene.
So how about turning him into a goldfish or an immobile statue?
I’m just imagining a very muscly fish with big body builder arms instead of fins. And he has this deep African American gangster accent and somehow has a working bong underwater. I would love to have a fish like that.
And this is the kind of comment that has me wondering what hole I’ve dropped into, and just where did that rabbit disappear to?
His spell resistance seemed pretty high when he told Dabbler off for trying to Sleep him. So I bet that would stop him being Sheeped.
Not that watching the team get their ass kicked by a god like Gold Fish with enough strength to SWIM THROUGH THE EARTH ITSELF wouldn’t make me laugh for days on end!!! XD XD XD Run! Its Koizilla! lol
Seriously though I hate games where I can become the most powerful spell caster possible in the levels available and they can’t figure out a way to make the bad guy defend himself from me so they just raise his overall spell resistance to the point where I can’t make a dent! Really? Thank goodness I was also a half dragon and breath weapons ain’t magical…. I guess that doesn’t really apply here since all we have is a partially trained mage and a mid level “Dabbler”
“XD XD XD Run! Its Koizilla! lol ”
My, that’s being awfully koi of you. Or are you just making pun of us?
:P
I hate to reveal my ignorance but since by this point you folks have already seen my ignorance on a few occasions: Huh?? Was there a pun in what I said somewhere???
“god like Gold Fish…Koizilla”
“being awfully koi of you?” As in, “being koi” corresponding in pronunciation with “being coy?”
Ahhh – where are hippies when you need them ? :)
Too busy being in the 70’s
I can see two things happening now… either Dabbler opens a portal and summons a vehemic vampire, or Halo finds a way to overload his vehemic powers by kicking a puppy… an orphaned puppy… with 3 legs.. and blind in one eye… with only days to live… due to canine aids…
what i see is some how using the fact that Halo almost suffacated herself (mabe she trys to make it go around only him and suck out the air?) or if he get more muscles as he goes then overdoing it till he cannot move (then halo can poke him)(not with the tentacle)
And we have another trophy winner. Anything that happens in the forcefield happens to Sidney too. It’s been said eleventy million times already!
That and Sidney sharing forcefield with fedorka, aka Vehemence is NOT A GOOD IDEA, ever.
Well what if Sydney could make multiple shields? There were symbols on all the orbs and Sydney had to find the right one to press so the shield could expand at the press conference. So why wouldn’t there be a symbol for a “bubble effect” to activate on her shields? Honestly Dave B. Probably thought of this already and is secretly smiling that someone guessed it right.
Drink
I think Sydney should step up and just kiss V on the cheek. zEVERYONE would be in such shock, that no one could lift a finger to do ANYTHING violent. And hence, power draaaaaiiiiin. >:D
Good point that one of Halo’s Unknown orbs might be a power drain.
…Another mention of an unconfirmed possibility that one of Sydney’s orbs might be a “power drain?” Should we add this one to the Drinking Game, Pete?
I’mma go ahead and still drill this point home: this is all Maxima’s fault. Providing a demonstration as she had been ordered to is one thing, but openly provoking men like Vehemence is another. She can’t beat Vehemence now, and without some creativity, neither can the rest of the team.
1) That’s easy to say with 20/20 hindsight.
2) Furthermore, it seems like Vehemence was planning something like this whenever a group of heroes (who he hears solve all their problems with their fists) was gathered.
Arianna already discussed this with Max earlier. Strategically speaking, Max made the right choice, as such a public demonstration drew out the villains so they can be dealt with…Even though Ari *forced* the public reveal on ARCSwat & left them no choice, Max at least tried to entice super-types away from the general public.
As you can see, it worked…Instead of these villains continuing to prey on people wherever they *were*, Vehemence got them all gathered together so that the area being affected now is containable. Look at how many of the villains are already NOW apprehended, compared to leaving them spread out (perhaps all over the world), continuing their criminal activities. I also have little doubt that some other criminals who also saw the broadcast have given up a life of crime, rather than letting ARCSwat eventually track them down later.
Well said, MD.
….. A-N-D, to AGP, try to bear in mind that this is all Sydney’s flashback on ‘How I Became A Superhero’. Six months or so later, she and her ARCHON teammates are still around – AND obviously held in high esteem by the community.
The obvious conclusion is that Sydney manages some more “Outside The Box” thinking to neutralize Vehemence. Probably with an ease that is almost embarassing, once she figures it out. Big question is, what?
No, Midnight, you’re wrong. There may be some criminals that were apprehended, but I suspect some of them were being manipulated. I find it highly suspect that a hair stylist decided to suddenly attack innocent people.
Besides, with your logic, our modern police departments should also make open challenges to criminals, yeah? Maybe we can even threaten the populace WITH DEATH if they step out of line, yeah?
Seriously, Maxima is fucked up.
I’m A Gray Phantom, and I have opinions on the internet.
1) Just because they were manipulated to attack ARCHON now doesn’t mean they wouldn’t have turned to crime anyway.
2) If Maxima threatened anyone, it was people who used their power for criminal purposes, not the general populace.
3) Furthermore, I would say she was just stating facts about what will happen to people who run into the wrong side of a military organization. She never said that she wanted or intended to kill people, just that would be the result and that she’s willing to do so if she can’t end a threat any other way.
4) As for her “Not as many as they used to.” comment during the press conference, I think that’s more of her public persona than an actual representation of her real views. If she presents herself as someone bothered by killing others, then enemies might take that as a weakness and that she’ll be hesitant to do so.
Additional background for 1)
That hairstylist seems to be one of the few exceptions that were manipulated, like V manipulated Vekter into thinking it was his own idea. The fact that the hairstylist IS here & DID participate in the attack means that a court & jury should still decide whether or not to let him off due to “extenuating circumstances due to deception,” or something like that. The fact is he STILL committed a crime by participating in the attack & must still be held accountable under the Due Process of Law. The additional fact that he decided to peacefully surrender will also weigh heavily in his favor.
The Barberarian will probably get of with supervised probation, and a nice beauty shop in the ARCmall.
Maxima was just making threats, she was fear mongering. If the US government dropped a nuke in the desert, and followed it up with statement, “We will nuke anyone who dares oppose us! We dare you to start shit with us!.” THAT would cause people to be rightly upset.
And when I say manipulated, I mean that I suspect that their behavior may have been influenced with super powers. I have no real evidence to back this up, but it is a suspicion I have.
I still blame Maxima for all this, and I really hope she faces some repercussions for all this.
Also, “Just because they were manipulated to attack ARCHON now doesn’t mean they wouldn’t have turned to crime anyway,” is some of the worst logic I’ve ever heard ever. I’m not even sure where to start with that one. Is that to imply people with superpowers are more likely to turn to crime than those that don’t? Wouldn’t that imply that Maxima will turn to crime eventually?
It’s like saying, “Not all Blacks are criminals now, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t turn to crime anyway.”
…
And how do you put your words in italics? That’s cool.
AGP, police departments make open challenges to criminals ALL THE TIME.
Cite your source, 7thsealord.
Get off your high horse. AGP. With your nose stuck that high in the air, you are bound to fall over something.
How about every time law enforcement announces that they are specifically prepared to deal with, or are actively cracking down on gangs, or street racing, or rioting, or ……..
Maxima’s statements were very clear. She was not threatening the general public. She was warning a group embedded within the general public. That is no different from a member of an antiterrorism task force stating that they are on watch for suspicious behavior, and have information that indicates terrorist cells are in hiding within the continental united states.
Well, at 610 comments, I’m just chronologically unable to read them all. So, at the risk of repeating something someone else has said — Even though she has a knife in her foot, Brook needs to come back from the locker room, cuz this is a job for Heatwave! For two reasons.First, all the strength in the world isn’t of much use when you suddenly start running a fever of 212 degrees Fahrenheit. and Second, we get into a grey area regarding the precise definition of “violence”. Is V’s ability to power up from a given action dependent on intent? Because the very same action–projecting a focused heat beam at an object–may be considered violence when the object is your enemy, but if the object is a nicely seasoned roast, it seems to me that would be considered “cooking”.
Simply wrapping a nearby powerline around him also takes you into that gray area. There’s no violence there, just exposure to something he can’t tolerate.
Vehemence can also power up from the violence inherent in natural disasters, such as thunderstorms. Violent *intent* is not necessary. So, wrapping him with electrical cables *would* still count. Even though he can still *gain* power from electrical or heat damage, he’s still susceptible to the effects of that damage…but it’s also apparent that, as he gets stronger, he also gains some amount of increased damage resistance.
personally i think that Dave worked himself into a corner on the scope of V’s power set… i mean that no matter WHAT happens to anyone, anywhere, at any time. he get’s powered up, the only limitations he’s set, so far, for V’s power charging, is that distance IS a factor, but exactly what that distance IS, has not yet been determined… and while it doesn’t “taste good but he STILL charges up in an earthquake” means that when taking that to the extremes as we seem to be doing here, and in the absence of Dave negating it as “that’s NOT what he can do…” means that if somebody drops a rock on their foot. it charges him up… somebody spitting on the ground charges him up, somebody getting in a car wreck a block away… charges him up… no matter what we do, ultimately is “violence” in some form or another… it’s just the DEGREE that varies… Dave, i think you need to put limits on EXACTLY what does or does NOT charge him up… otherwise the ONLY way i see to defeat him is to OVERLOAD his absorption capability… and that would be MASSIVE collateral damage… though… by that same line of thought, that could be how she get’s the “Big Guns” nickname from Anvil, too…
Either way, i hope that you do, indeed, have SOME kind of limits for his power charging, even if they are not public knowledge to us readers yet, just like how you said you have every dot in Sydney’s skill tree planned out already… WE don’t know what they all do yet, but YOU DO, so that’s cool by me. i just hope you have given the same level of detail to V’s powers as well…
Intent and intensity are also factors. If all other factors are equal violence with intent will give him a better charge. If all other factors are equal more intense violence will give him a better charge. If all other factors are the closer incidence or violence will give him a better charge. It’s not limited to changing the flavor but the flavor is a desirable thing as well.
Also, distance is a factor…The closer he is to the violence, the more he can absorb from it. DaveB already said that the distance-factor is an algorithmic calculation with a steep drop-off value.
Something else to consider. Is Vehemence telling the truth regarding his powers or, at least, the whole truth?
There is abolutely nothing to say that he has to be 100% truthful in his Big Reveal. Nothing whatsoever. OK, let’s assume he is truthful (more or less) in saying that he derives his powers from Vehemic energy.
So, with the state the world is in, why isn’t he massively charged up from all the times he just stands near a riot, or a football game, or even just a “rough” area of a big city?
That’s exactly what I thought about. I think the time is limited. He gain power, but he won’t keep it forever. There was lot of violence out there, but is that more violent if I hit someone and break his nose, than when V broke M nose? It is just much more strenght used to do it. He doesn’t gain power form energy/power used to do damage, but from act of doing damage itself. I think he may get much more power from i.e. gang fight, when people kill each other with bare hands just because of hatred. So, if he was gaining power from violence all his life where is it now? They just have to wait. Mayby “just” is not the best word… ]:->
Also, he may spent some of that energy for hits/blocks etc… (it may be false- he said that he gains power when he hit).
I have been saying that it drains away because he is using it constantly to maintain high level of his powers. I don’t think his powers are reactive like Bell Tolls. Maybe he can back off on how much he consumes normally but then again maybe he can’t. If he can reduce his powers to prevent loosing as much of his charge over time he wouldn’t do it in situations like this or Maxima or Peggy would accidentally take his head off!
But I’m betting his body chooses how much it burns, he should learn some monk mystic stuff to stem the flow of unneeded energy, and that’s why he didn’t just bulk up before coming over to smack the team all by himself.
As far as the other stuff Peter Sadlon is pretty close. Some situations give better quality and or quantity then others and we’ve already had enough wog and in story hints on that for now.
You’re saying all this like he doesn’t know how the fight is gonna end. He’s already got it all planned and written out.
The main problem there is the well-used (and extremely true) adage that “No Battle Plan Survives Contact With The Enemy.”
PLUS, there is the Sydney Factor. I am confident that V’s plans will all suddenly go south at great speed, once Sydney uses her mojo.
I was talking about DaveB, the author.
Essentially pointing out that he hasn’t written himself into a corner because he planned this fight in advance.
Sure he has a pretty solid idea so far out and an even better idea close in for what’s gonna happen but from the wog comments he has to dole out now and then and the way he says them I think he is still being surprised by the things brought up in the comments. There are aspects to this he misses. (sometimes he notices it before we do and “fixes it” with a word of god) Its a fantasy universe, he’s a pretty flexible writer and he has a ton of people trying to come up solutions here in the comments so it usually goes well enough but a major snafu could still present itself. But between this being a fantasy universe where he can use hand wavium and Sydney’s unrevealed balls I doubt he has much cause to worry.
That said I have seen no problem with the way V works YET. I can still come up with plenty of ways to write him that would be challenging to the current team but not grossly overpowered (and therefore fun to write and read). But the future could prove me wrong and maybe the authors current idea of him isn’t as pat as we would hope. We’ll see.
A bit yes and no. Sure, Vehemence claims that no matter what happens he gets stronger, but stronger how, exactly? He’s not healing, that’s for sure, because he’s still showing injuries including an unknown amount of trauma to the eye. And whi9le he played it off as Maxima playing slapstick with him, his eye is still bleeding and it doesn’t appear to be open. He is also missing two teeth, and has a lot of other minor cuts and abrasions.
So “stronger” might mean that he is physically stronger, but that doesn’t keep him from dying the death of a thousand cuts, or from succumbing to a few significantly more potent attacks than he has faced up until now. Neither Maxima nor Sydney has unleashed their ranged attacks on him, for example. He has also shown worry at fighting Anvil, because he can presumably punch her all day long and it will just maker her stronger, sorta like his own power set does for him.
I think it’s become apparent that, while he increases strength, he also gains endurance as a balance that reinforces his physical body-structure to *contain* his strength…which also increases his ability to withstand more damage. He can still suffer from damage, sure, but the more he powers up his strength AND endurance, the more he’s been able to “shrug off” levels of damage that might have killed him BEFORE he absorbed some V-Energy. Vehemence DID hang back & absorb power BEFORE he started his own offensive.
For example, if Max had tried grinding that concrete pylon into him when the villain group first showed up, he probably didn’t have much (if any) energy already absorbed & the pylon might have been enough to turn him into a bloody smear early in the fight.
So, this is where Sydney puts her forcefield/flight combo into effect. Think about it. She can make it pretty big, we know it can stand up to a lot, and V can’t reach her to hurt her. Basically, either we find out the limits of the forb or V is stuck punching a wall–not very violent, really, compared to the stuff that’s been powering him up for the past ten pages or so–and runs out of energy, probably before they run out of air. After that it’s just a matter of picking him up and ditching him in a strong room.
And the DLF (bonus for anyone who gets that reference) also gets an orb upgrade point. Which is cool.
But I’m going to guess that we’ll find out what one of the boring orbs (maybe the green one?) does.
Why not flight + pew pew orb? While the violence directed at him might make him physically stronger, he still takes damage.
Sure but she’s a glass canon the second she tries it so she better go pretty high and at that point her aim may not be good enough. Also be really funny if she causes a volcano or something as she chases his dot around with her “Laser Pointer” on the “map”! I mean how deep does that thing cut if you leave it on and don’t move it around enough? Could be hilarious… DaveB should do it! It would not be funny if she friendly fired her friends as she is chasing him around so Maxima will probably not let her do it.
Now might be the time for Sydney to use the Pew Pew Orb to just blast the hell out of Vehemence. Sure, its a violent act and he’ll probably feed on it, but if the damage from the orb can out-perform his absorption, it will drain his violence stores and weaken him to survive the damage. Or, if he can absorb more than she can dish out, then we’ll have a nice wrap up to the story right there as Vehemence becomes our new (hopefully) benevolent overlord.
Whatever the solution is, I’m convinced it has to come from Sydney, and it won’t involve the light hook or flight orbs. Maybe the comm orb, and probably the force field simultaneously to keep her from being stomped into a fine, hot saucey paste (seriously, I imagine that liquified Sydney would be quite spicy due to the amount and quality of the spicy food she consumes).
Also, look at comic #186. Panel 1. This is PREDICTED fallout. But there are a full haystack more supervillains to go through before we find the ‘needle’, ie the supervillain who actually holds out and becomes the big threat.
But yes, V is right there. Next up: Yellow-eye guy! (BTW, a bit of prediction: From his words in Panel 2, he’s going to be either a huge racist (possible) or a demon-powered guy (probable). In the second case Dabbler will be the team’s biggest aid (until Max hits him on the head, in which case the fight is over).
I’ve read a bunch (albeit not all of the comments) and I thought I would toss in my two cents;
My current theory:
Big V does not store a lot vehemic energy himself he only converts it, the bigger the pool of violence, the more he can convert at once, but there is a lag between the violence and his output rate adapting. (eg the bigger his mana pool gets the more stacks of ‘convert to punches’ he gets, but it won’t stack faster than X stacks/sec)
Why;
1. He spent the first half of the fight, (I doubt much more than 15-20 minutes have passed real time) just sitting on the sidelines enjoying the show. If anything the violence was coming much faster at the start as the simpler (and not necessarily weaker) fodder was dealt with.
2. It may just have been a comedic side bit but he did not seem ready for Dabler’s sword to come so close, wheras now his reflexes are MUCH faster. Again possibly input lag.
3. When Sydney questions his presence he directs her attention to an opponent that causes the team to spend a lot of energy trying to brute force before wising up. Surely by this point there is enough violence going on he could have joined the fray?
4. If he stores all the violence himself, why prevent Opal from porting the rest out? Surely he could have just backhanded Vekter and updated Opal.
What would be important to know, and which Dabler can probably answer; If there are two users of Vehemic (or Tantric) near a source of violence (or Lust) how is the energy shared? Do they each only get half the total boost? Or do they both reach the full boost but for half the time?
If my theory holds; suddenly removing a large portion of the Vehemic reservoir AFTER his conversion rate has grown to match would cause him to expend significantly more energy than the remaining pool can sustain or which can be replenished by the actions of those remaining.
This may also explain why he seems to be trying not engage Anvil who can probably oppose him without generating significant amounts of violence herself. He may even be taking a moment to monologue to give himself more time to adapt to Maxima’s output (and also attempting to subtly dissuade them from removing the incapacitated fodder).
Maybe Vehemence is topped out on how much he can absorb and isn’t fighting right now because he’s gotten his fill and is prepared to walk away with the heroes either letting them because he expects they can’t stop him or trying and failing to stop him. With the amount of violence he’s absorbed right now, he could do virtually anything he wants once he gets clear of the heroes.
Maybe, that would be a hell of a downer for the team I think. The other piece of ‘meta’ information we have is knowledge that Dave wants to wrap this fight up. Whatever happens it will be probably not be many more pages worth.
A downer for the team to be sure, but it would give them time to think about how to deal with Vehemence next time, and also build story potential in that there’s a villain out there they can’t just beat into submission and the very public awareness of the team’s shortcoming for Ariana to try to spin.
V’s “not fighting me is not an option” would seem to indicate that he doesn’t intend to walk away, at least not quite yet.
Actually…I know how to beat this guy. Find something really, really, really dangerous, and point him at it. Like, say, an illusory nuclear-powered godzilla.
Well it’s definately time for Max to ramp up speed and durability and just fly this guy to outter space and leave him there. No violence to be had out beyond say lunar orbit, or perhaps an orbit between earth and venus to be certain he won’t come back via gravitational pull.
V is hurled into space by Maxima. V’s body, desperate from lack of oxygen, “learns” to feed off of his stored violence to live without oxygen. V goes into coma. Asteroid hits V at 28,000 mph or so then smashes into another rock. V awakens and starts planetoid and planet jumping towards earth where Sydney has just finished her first mission after training. This of course makes no sense unless you are reading a super hero comic. Which we are…
Well, she’d also better have a LOT of power shuffled into her Armor too…You don’t V would peacefully LET her have the time it would take to shuttle him into orbit, do you? Considering how much Max herself has “super-charged” V, the question remains: Does she have a large enough power-pool to have THAT much armor, while still keeping Flight & Speed for the trip? After all, V first broke Max’s nose when she had a LOT invested in armor (some in Flight & Strength to prevent a “knockback” or “knockdown”) & that was before SHE went on the offensive.
wow ok every one so far I think the non vloinet ideas are great but I have one I just thought of : pulls out a gillly puff has it start to sing and put him to sleep: yes that work oh crap now I want to go to sleppp ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
To all the people suggesting that the heroes overload his metaphorical gas tank with excessive energy, I highly doubt that V is going to fall for/be undone by a bunch of amateur-hour bullshit as “taking in too much power.”
And I have some doubts that DaveB would write up the first public ARCSwat fight with TWO villains that could defeated in the same way. Death Toll already went down from being overloaded & I think Vehemence is too smart to hang around long enough for them to overload him as well…At his level of power right now, the team would have a helluva time trying to STOP him from just leaving, even if he has to endanger the public to distract them from chasing him in order to rescue people. That IS a tried-and-true tactic that supervillains have used to eliminate pursuit.
Maybe the long haired blond guy we only saw that one time will show up and save the day.
The skinny one from the beefcake parade? I was kinda wondering what happened to him.
Well, he’s been in a few backgrounds as well. But he was specifically left out of both the first entrance of the space marines AND the super press conference displaying powers. (Only people with powers went out to the range so it would have been a tip off) Further in every related comment by DaveB that I remember seeing (I do miss stuff but I think I’m right on this) on the subject he avoided any hint as to his nature ‘cept to say he was awaiting introduction where as he has been fairly forthcoming with many other “background” personnel like the unpowered space marines.
Apparently whatever he is has a planned reveal that would be “ruined” by our getting some quick wog dirt on him like those others…. But if he shows up and saves the day without more foreshadowing than, “Mystery Background Teammate” it wouldn’t probably annoy a lot of people after all this build up. If he assists someone else who saves the day that might be more passable.
Might be X or one of the other Arc Dark folks.
That is a definite possibility but he was in the media room informal introduction of Sydney to the team. Only ARCSWAT or space marines (who I assume are mostly a part of their group) were there otherwise so I made the guess that he was of ARCSWAT.
Interestingly enough he was completely left out of the big group picture at the steak house but I think that is because DaveB forgot him (which he felt he was forgetting a few) rather than being of a different unit within ARC.
This looks like a job for Snoop Lion!
maybe one of unknown orb of halo will work like a energy absorbing orb.
we never know
I think we can be certain that if it does absorb, which is a reasonable thought, since they are apparently unactivated which implies either passive or triggered abilities, then DaveB will have a twist on the powers. He has left them as a big question mark and I think he has something unique in mind.
A fifty person orgy, in a public parking lot, with massive property destruction is prude to Dabbler!?
For some reason I want to just hear what she would not consider prude but never see it. I’m pretty sure a scene Dabbler doesn’t consider prude is unfit for the human mind.
I say we have Halo come up with a plan and/or sick her on him. I’m pretty sure the police report will say “Repent! REPENT!”
don’t you mean: “Oh the Humanity!!!” ? it was Sydney* that kept up the religious side of things with her “By GRABTHAR’S HAMMER!… Repent!”
*, yes yes, i know… it was in Maxima’s mind’ eye view, but still…
Did he… regrow his teeth?
That’s unexpected. Reasonable, but still – unexpected.
No, if you look closely you can see a gap on his lower jaw where 1 of his missing teeth would be.
Or 2
There’s a perfectly aligned upper and lower gap. Maximum may be confused, however, by the glowing white teeth seen in the background through the gaps
Okay, it’s a bit late in the guessing game, but this is my WAG: Dabbler will teleport another critter in, one that feeds on vehemic energy. “Omnomnomnom… Peace, man…”
(NSFW version: … and transforms it into tantric energy.)
Anyone notice that he seems to get more muscular as he absorbs more violence?
I bet this is the key to beating him. Overload him with so much violence that he
A) Can’t move anymore
B) Short circuits him somehow
He’s not apparently actually getting bigger. At some point in here DaveB admitted he’s having some scaling trouble with Vehemence, I’m pretty sure. Also, overloading has too many unknown factors to be a good plan. We don’t even know if he CAN overload. Never assume a power has an inherent weakness.
Somehow I foresee Sydney, running as GM in one of her RPG games, introducing a new NPC villain that (more than superficially) resembles Vehemence…
Continuing a discussion from page 1
Sayth Bleh:
The Lighthook orb gives Sydney the power of Telekinesis. It manifests as a tentacle that she can move around by thought. She has tested it far enough to know it is strong enough to lift a car, and she has been shown to have pretty fine control. She’s been able to block small objects with it, smack a guy’s hand so that he hit himself, lift 3 people up and carry them off, and even trip Vehemence.
At one point she tries to restrain Vehemence and he is dragging her along behind him with it. Then he does a spin that unwraps it from around himself.
So what I suggest is that she form the tentacle into a kind of “C” shape. Reach the top part of the “C” down and snag his ankle when he’s not looking, and life straight up in the air. The result would be him hanging upside down from his ankle in mid air, with nothing inside his reach to grab hold of.
His strength becomes irrelevant if he’s got no leverage and nothing in range to grab. His toughness doesn’t matter because this isn’t an attempt to harm him.
It was suggested he could do something similar to a sit-up that would let him reach up and grab the tentacle. I honestly don’t know if that would work. I don’t think so, but I really am no expert on human physiology. I don’t think any normal human could do it, and it would be even less likely a bodybuilder type could, but maybe a circus acrobat type could?
If you can physically reach your ankle (people who have maintained a youthful flexibility should be able to), can move towards that position and have super strength then momentum should carry you the rest of the way to that position just as well as if you were right side up? Don’t know about his big muscles getting in the way though! Hah, that would be a great way to be defeated: By your own muscles! XD
Anyway assuming the muscle thing isn’t a problem then he just pulls it off or apart. He’s stronger now then the O’lay moment.
I asked around and my father said he managed to get both his ankles tied up in a rope from his hunting stand once. He managed to get high enough to grab and cut the line by grabbing and climbing his own pant legs. He indicated it was damn hard and well, he’s kind of famous for doing things that “can’t be done” when his life is on the line.
Still V has pants so if he can do decent power management maybe he can climb them for a second way to get it done. Of course on her next try Dabbler will tell Sydney to pants him first….
…I still want that orgy, dammit.
Don’t we all
As they say, “The more, the merrier.”
What I say is, “The more, the more likely ANYONE can find SOMEONE they’d like to f**k.”
Dirk from ST would like to join with you.
I’m very interested to see how Dave works this. It’s one thing to work up a credible threat…DeathToll fit that bill for this fight…and quite another to spring inject someone of V’s apparent power level. Granted, not much is truly known about his capabilities, but thus far I think it safe to say he blows the curve on the power ratings we’ve gotten comfortable with.
We, as readers, know he has to have a weakness that can be exploited. Making it one that’s sensible is far more difficult…especially as it’s been revealed that *any* form of violence powers him up. Any action taken against him…or by him, one assumes…provides a `charge’. In effect, anything that can lead to his defeat would power him up…meaning he can’t be defeated in opposition.
Honestly, I really don’t like characters…hero or villain…like this. They’re built up into an impossible foe whose power is without limit, and when `realistically’ they should be ripping their opponents into bite-sized pieces, their heretofore unknown vulnerability is stumbled upon and the heroes win the day.
V has a vulnerability; we all know it. Something that will allow ARCSWAT to triumph; odds are that Sydney is going to be the one to reveal it…big surprise. However *did* heroes manage without Sydney’s geek brain to solve all problems?!?
However, odds are V is well-aware of his vulnerability, too…and since he has obviously planned this, he should have covered that vulnerability, on the off-chance someone will miraculously puzzle it out.
Many comments suggest Maxima grabbing him and flying him/throwing him into the upper atmosphere. I doubt this would work for one main reason: V is stronger than Max. To get him into orbit, Max has to hold on to him…which she won’t be able to do once he’s broken her fingers, hand, wrist, arm, etc. She lets go, he falls to the ground and the violence of that gives him an even bigger charge.
I feel kinda sorry for Max, actually. In one fight, two guys top her in powers. Death Toll has a weird name but Max couldn’t have beat him. Now V…and both are guys. That’s gonna hit her in her feminist sensibilities, don’t you think?
Unless…my personal hope, however misplaced it might be…Max has just been toying with V, letting him feel he’s got a shot. I’d love for her to just smile, shake her head, then lay him out with one punch.
Apparently by pounding the opponent into submission, since that’s been the S.O.P. so far.
Yes. You know the old saying….If it aint broke….keep hitting it.
Or my favorite: “If it don’t fit, get a bigger hammer!”
Oddly enough, your comment fits quite well with your choice of avatar…
Actually, Max never fought Dork Tolls because he could (at that point) theoretically PERFECT COUNTER her, and that would not have been good for the neighborhood.
Vehemence, is a real “puzzle boss” type of opponent, and anyone like this is never an easy opponent to write in a story, nor easy to beat in a battle that’s both believable and satisfying.
Actually, we don’t know that Maxima wasn’t involved in the take-down of Dork Trolls. We jumped right from Sydney telling us “Ok ok, I know how to beat him” to him lying unconscious on the ground. There was a brief exposition about how he could only counter one thing at a time or something, but all in all it was left rather vague.
It might have been said, but if Sydney can create a force field around Vehemence, while staying outside of said force field, then he would be helpless. The heroes could wait until his power fades or until he passes out from lack of oxygen. This assumes that Sydney can create a forcefield without being in it.
Brilliant! Over to you, captain!
I’ve got some well trained pupils that’s taken over the task, so now I can actually get some sleep now and then. Besides there has been some ominous creaking heard from the tectonic plate so I’m a bit afraid of collecting any more trophies.
Word of God says she cannot.
It might have been said? No, it has been said, at least once in every thread even after it was explained that this is not a way Sydney can use her force field.
But hey, the only stupid question is the one that isn’t asked about 1,000 times redundantly. So lay on, Mcduff, and damned be him who first cries ‘Hold!
So my idea was so unoriginal that 1000 people have had the same idea and added it to the comments section that currently consists of 803 comments? Did you divide by zero as a child?
Hyperbole is apparently lost upon you.
Your idea is so unoriginal that just in the comments from -this- page there are at least two other people who have suggested the same thing. There’s one such post on the first page of comments.
So if people who troubled themselves to comment would just have the courtesy to read the comments the other people have already written, you would have known that it has already been suggested.
Those of us who read the comments on multiple pages have seen the idea set forth over, and over, and over, to the point where it seems that only the impossibly stupid could have missed the fact that this idea has been put forth many many times before.
Thus do you get sarcasm and scorn when you prove to be yet another member of the legion of people who comment without bothering to read anyone else’s comments first.
Also, it’s was mentioned at least once in every comments-page for the past two or three *comic updates*
Ok, I will admit that I was being a bit harsh. It’s just that the force field O2 deprivation thing is something that comes up multiple times in the comments after every new comic, even though the author has explained that Halo can only form her force field around herself.
But I saw your post where you explain that you’ve just joined the readership, and it’s unreasonable to expect you to both catch up on the archives and read all the comments, because that would be freaking insane. So I apologize. I was unfair to you, and that was wrong of me.
Apology accepted.
And here’s your sign.
The funny part is that with his neck, shoulders, and head being normal sized in comparison. It almost looks like he’s a man inside of a mechanical suit
Make that an Edgar suit…
Okay since sarcasm to Americans is banned by the Geneva convention, I am told, since it is an attack many are incapable of understanding, I propose a new competition. Every time someone suggests the forcefield thing, first person to reply with the proper answer (not a mocking one like me, I’m sorry) gets 3 points. If the person posting the suggestion indicates that someone may have thought of it before, deduct one point; if they put the caveat that Sydney might have to be inside, deduct one point. So in the above case Darth would only earn the lucky poster 1 point bonus. Competition to be tallied at end of the fight, or about 6 months in real world terms.
Since I just started reading this comic 2 days ago I haven’t had the chance to read all the comments related to this battle. If the idea is not on this page, currently page 5, then I haven’t seen it.
Another idea that I had after posting was to have Leon hack Vehemence’s cell, locate his mother and have her drag him off, but in the last panel it looks like Dabbler has an idea perhaps relating to those myoliner ribbon tangle shells that she used on Speedster on page 219 if she has any ammo left.
every comments page since vehemence appeared its been used. Wasn’t actually mocking you man, if you scan over all the comments. I noted that you did point out the 2 fallacies rather than just the usual one we have seen “oh syd can trap him”
I just read my own reply and it sounds rather snapish even to me and I wrote it. Your response was well written and did not mean any offence. The first paragraph was meant for other readers who will happily read 800 + comments and expect everyone else to before commenting. I took no offence to your comment and I appreciate your civil attitude. That said Oberon needs a boot to the head for his comment. just a thought.
Boot accepted, Mr. Gruberman.
https://youtu.be/gtlnVjU7LhU?t=4m50s
No, no, I think Gomer’s idea IS original. I don’t recall anyone else who’ve suggested that they get V’s mother to come by & drag him off by the ear.
That being so, it reminds me of an old Star Trek episode (The Squire of Gothos)…
“Awww, but I was winning. You saw…You saw. I was winning.”
I might have posted something like that, but my memory is slowly failing and now I’m not sure if it posted it or just thought of posting it…
Given my inability to recall if I actually posted this idea I think it’s fair to suggest that Darth Gomer is henceforth to be known as the originator of this idea. It is after all beyond doubt that he actually posted it here.
Now where did I put the envelopes… And stamps! I need stamps if I’m to post this…
{ What I could see }
Halo: I wouldn’t suggest that!
I would suggest teleporting you a hundred miles out to sea and let you swim back.
That aught to be the ultimate cold shower!
Vehemence: I like you kid, but you can be so annoying.
chorus: You have no idea!
As Halo pouts Vehemence walks over to retrieve his jacket, and starts to walk away.
Maxima: Where the hell are you going?!
Vehemence: We will continue this when there are no teleporters around, or when I know
some more about your teleporter.
chorus: That would work?!
And that’s why DaveB writes this.
Rather, DaveB and not his fans. That was… engh.
Good idea for a Drinking Game I came up with on another page. (Effective starting at the time of this post)
* 1 Shot every time someone suggests Sydney traps someone in her force field (at least until Dave decides to unlock said upgrade).
* 1 Shot every time someone suggests Peggy shoots someone with her freaking cannon.
* 1 Shot every time someone suggests ARCSWAT tried to murder someone
At Dave’s behest (He doesn’t want me killing you with Alcohol poisoning) an addendum.
You can use alcohol, water, tea, root beer or anything you want at the time. Respect your limits.
Except it wouldn’t be murder any more than a soldier killing an enemy soldier during a time of fighting generally speaking.
That’s never stopped them from suggesting it before.
And the shot has to be a Nautilus Slam.
You know, the green orb and V’s tats look like they’re about the same color at the moment. I wonder if they’re related at all.
Just because two different things are the same color, doesn’t mean they are related in any way *except* by color.
Or:
Roses are red,
As I’m sure you knew,
Violets are violet, not f**king blue”
Roses are red, so is pepperoni, tomatoes, Santa Claus
Oh my!
You’re correct! It’s all a conspiracy!
It’s going to be weird when, after tomorrow, Sydney puts on a different shirt. She’s been wearing a wonder-woman outfit for four years!
Then again, this one day has been going on for four years. It might be another four years until tomorrow.
Nah, once this night is over, Sydney going to snap back to the real-time present just a couple of months at the start of this story.
I would think that Vehemence is exaggerating a bit about getting something instead of expending energy if he fights himself. Maybe its time to put him to sleep. Poppies will put him to sleep….
I have an idea that I don’t think anyone has mentioned yet. He is basically an energy absorber, so we need to find something opposite to that. Bring in Jiggawat and have her fire a beam of antimatter at Vehemence. If it doesn’t directly drain him it will at least create a huge amount of (hopefully) lethal radiation in his immediate area. Just make sure to have the rest of the team at a safe distance.
If that is too hazardous for the location, just have her do a 1.21 gigawatt power dive through his chest in her lightning form. Maybe she can overload his nervous system.
Someone has surely said this but I haven’t read all the comments. How about (a) Dabbler seduces him: tantric vs vehemic — couldn’t she suck the energy he’s gathered out of him — if she can stay out of his reach… (b) Halo still has 2 orbs whose powers are unknown.
re Vehemence & Halo — when she first approached him, what was with him saying Good kid, I hope that she doesn’t get killed tonight??
>>> Vehemence: what is with him shifting instantaneously from that insane teeth baring glare to a perfectly normal, intelligent, conversational expression and back?
Actually, in order for Dabbler to suck the energy out of Vehemence, she has to be rather close. Well within easy reach from him to the back of her head.
Could she at least “distract” him by drawing his attention to her while staying out of reach–maybe from within Sydney’s shield?
She’d have to make physical contact to drain him? Could she at least “distract” him by drawing his attention to her from within Sydney’s shield? And perhaps get him to burn energy trying to get to her? Seductive power!
Someone go grab FWTDT’s unconscious body and club Big V with it. Job done!
How many times do I have to tell people his power by nature cannot be used offensively?
Somewhere in the 5 digit range.
Well okay club might be the wrong word. Max can use him for a shield, howabout? :)
So… Does restraint count as violence? If not then really they have same issue as Death Toll, simply restrain him. Although in this case he’s pretty strong, so it would have to be Lighthook or a spell from Dabbler.
And of course there are other options, if you don’t mind making it fatal. He’s super tough and strong, but he probably needs to breathe. If they have the strength, go for escape velocity, throw him into space. Alternately a low suborbital shot into an ocean. With that body mass he’d probably sink like a stone and drown.
There is also no evidence (so far) that he can fly, so even if he doesn’t drown he’ll burn off his strength swiming back to shore, monitor him while he does it, and then pick him up and restrain him.
Is it just me or do you hear Clancy Brown speaking whenever Vehemence opens his mouth?
Too many comments, but want to call it for the mental internet points… Vehemence Solution, displayed mathematically:
(Sydney+Periwinkle Butt Sniffer)^Shenanigans = Vehemence Owned.
I mean come on, the nemesis guys weakness is that he only ever has ONE perfect counter power… but at the moment, he’d only need ONE counter. Energy drain. Y’know, like he had when Anvil tried to deck him? Problem. Solved.
Dude is unconscious, not getting up any time soon, not trustworthy, hates the team, and still has googly eyes glued to his mask, and can’t use his power offensively. All V has to do is not hit him, even if Death Toll decided he WANTED to fight against Vehemence.
he states his intents at the beginning he is violent for the sake of violence like dabbler is sexy for the sake of sex its his nature to be violent he doesn’t want a job just wants to stomp a mud-hole in someones ass while helping validate ARCs existence he sees it as a win win they get validation he gets a grand melee and if I am not mistaken its his sustenance, food, reason for being.
Well now I’m thoroughly disappointed. It’s been roughly another 190 comments since I posted my last one, and although there was a nice discussion about my distractionary point regarding the intent of violence, nobody has said boo about my main point, which was–HEATWAVE! I mean, come on. I don’t care how beefed-up the big V has become, or how much stronger he gets from the attack, what’s he gonna do when Heatwave starts slow-roasting him? Flex his cellular structure so the molecules can’t get all excited? All the team has to do is keep him from getting to her and eventually he will cry uncle–probably when organ failure kicks in. Then Max can order Brook to stand down, or let her exact some frontier justice right there in the parking lot. So great. Brook gets to feel better about herself after being taken out by a stupid knife, and Max has a teachable moment about how important it is to have even erstwhile “wimps” like Brook on the team.
But, dangit, I have to add the distraction of the day… I don’t think the semantics of V’s super-ness have been settled yet either. Dabbler says that he absorbs “power”, and he keeps repeating “makes me stronger”. But what exactly is “power”? And strength is pretty clear cut–how much force can he exert using his skeleton as a lever powered by his muscles. That can be measured, but is “strength” really that simple.
But no matter what those two words actually mean, I still say… HEATWAVE, baby!