Grrl Power #277 – Aura you having chowdah at the cah pahk?
Sydney confirms her suspicious on this page as well as discovering a new power in a rather nonchalant manner. Presumably she’ll get excited about this later. Does this vision mode detect all magic or just auras? She’ll need to experiment with that at another time. I wanted to have her cycling through other visions modes as I had some other jokes lined up but at this point I’m cutting everything that doesn’t move the fight forward. Still, ideally I would have liked to have her fumble around a bit before she happened on exactly the thing she needed.
I would have liked to 3D map the aura onto the battlefield, make it contour to the ground, but that’s not really a tech I posses in my drawing programs. Also the aura itself took much longer to draw than I would have guessed. The fight in the middle panel has a few bits I especially like, I’ll probably post it in an enlarged format on the DA page later today. Edit: Here it is. Lots easier to see the detail in this version. Edit 2: I’ve also posted the raw aura here, which makes it way easier to see all the stuff I hid in it, if that’s a thing you like.
Thursday is Xmas, but I’ll be posting a page anyway. I expect people will be otherwise occupied for most of the day, and honestly a day or two off wouldn’t kill me either, but I don’t want to hold up the fight at all, so check in when you get a chance. Also, thanks to everyone who used the Amazon referral link to do your shopping, it definitely helps to defray my own Xmas shopping costs.
Speaking of moving the fight along, of the next 4 pages, three are doubles and the single has 14 panels on it, which is why I haven’t been able to update the vote incentive. I appreciate everyone who keeps clicking on it even though it’s well beyond stale by now.
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.
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"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.
Judging by the blank spaces behind Halo, I think Halo should use the force field orb to NEGATE the aggression aura and TRAP vehemence in the process. I mean, the force field is clearly strong enough to withstand blows of Vehemence strength and once he is trapped inside he will soon pass out due to the lack of oxygen and exhaustion.
Plus : Awesome artwork on the details on the Aggression aura.
Save she would have to be in the shield with him, and halo would not look good as chunky salsa.
Him and Max. He already has his hands full with her, and unlike him her powers won’t drain off without a continuous feed.
We’ve already seen him perform three or four actions simultaneously. Hold Max, Electrocute Max and push Vehemic aura/wizard unlock. Truly he is a multitasking marvel. I’m thinking he’ll work Sydney in.
RDM said it right. Especially since Vehemence has the ability to fire off almost any spell he wants thanks to the glut of vehemic energy he has.
Howbout Shield everyone EXECPT Vehemence? Trapping inside the outside of the shield?
Unless I’m mistaken, it isn’t simply that the shield must be around Sydney; the shield is centered on Sydney (probably centered on the orb, but Sydney has to hold the orb, so…). There’s no position she could stand in to shield everyone while excluding Vehemence.
I think that at least one shot for SK; another shot for esseresse’s “shielding only Vehemence but not calling it ‘shielding only Vehemence'”?
Under most circumstances, it makes sense for her to center the shield on herself, and that is what we’ve seen her do thus far, but I don’t recall anything implying that she can’t create a shield at range.
It’s not been said in the comic, but an author’s comment on a recent page said she cannot do that and will not be able to do that, because it’d be too “broken”.
Which it would. Think Inivisble Woman when she discovered she could do that and jumped straight from “why do we even bring her” to “why do I even bring them”.
Perhaps all this information Halo is discovering about layering in her orbs provides an answer. Maybe the question she should be asking is, “Can I set up a second shield within an existing shield WITHOUT dropping the first one?” If concentric shield are possible, she can put her shield around Vehemence and Max, and then shield herself inside a smaller shield within the larger one. That blocks V from the outward violence without endangering Halo.
Interesting idea but i doubt it’ll happen. you run into the same issue of brokenness as with the original idea of a non-Halo centered shield
Use the Lighthook to grab everyone up, take down the shield then quickly put it back up with everyone inside. Vehemence loses access to their vehemic energy. Maxima punches him into the next continent. Vehemence gets away but loses. Maxima gets to be badass. Halo is the hero of the hour.
In MMO terms, Sydney should simply “draw aggro” and “train” the combatants away from Vehemence.
Dude, I totally called this, too, a page or two ago!
Risky business, though, because she’d be locking herself in with him.
Unless she has something very specific in mind, Sydney should not allow Vehemence into her shield. Not only is she vulnerable to his physical attacks while he’s inside; she’d be subject to his aura and unable to apply her tactical thinking.
hmm, she would have to ‘enlarge’ her shield to include vehemence (dangerous) – unless a split second aggro aura blocking is all it takes to make the people snap out of it (basically, encompass him, then retreat in her shield before he has time to react)
else, approach Vehemence to create a much bigger shadow zone, and circle around him so people are not in his aura anymore.
*embiggen
Is there any evidence of the shield being embiggened in a non-hemispheric shape? Could it be bubbled wide so a quarter of the aura circle gets blocked?
Or, perhaps, the aura is already printed on the ground, and Sydney moving means she walks into the aura. That would end the chapter fast.
And I like the idea of dragging Dabbler into the “shadow” so they can work together against the aura.
Even without the mapping, the aura looks great!
I’ve said it before, and again before that, and I’ll probably say it a few times more before the story’s over …but goddam I do love this strip.
Keep ’em coming Dave.
“Three moves ahead. Master that, and you will have started to learn.”
Cameo flashback!
Hmmm one of those symbols looks a little like that show Stargate… Hmmm
Look like? Dude first ring is Stargate, second icons from videogames (metroid, pacman,…) and third are Skyrim.
Yup those are definitely Stargate glyphs. The ring outside of them. . .Pokemon? Some of those are pokeballish. . .??? (Don’t play the game, just tangentially familiar. . .)
That outer ring looks like various icons or logos, xbox, a circular Winamp one, instagram, Microsoft outlook (maybe), one that looks like a metroid? Don’t know, i might be wrong of course.
One of the rings symbols are the various upgrades acquired by Samus throughout a Metroid game, along with a few enemy symbols.
Sooo many hours spent running Super Metroid over and over and over.
Yep, it’s confirmed. Videogames cause violence.
Especially Metroid and Pac Man.
Maybe Sydney is just seeing symbols she can comprehend/is used to. She is kinda geeky after all (in case you hadn’t noticed).
Actually, if that’s the case, those symbols might actually be meaningful rather than random fancy-looking sigils. Stargate symbols = power from an outside source. Pac-man = Power boost layer 1. Dothraki runes = power focus layer. Metroid powerups = Power boost layer 2,
One thing that I would love to have at the end of the fight would be to have someone in the distance who was uploading the whole fight onto the internet. Get someone who would be the rival of Arianna, get a non superpowered rivalry for some funny side shenanigans.
I was also wondering if it has ever been discussed if halo can give someone else her superpowers by letting them hold onto the same orb at the same time. Give truesight to dabbler to give her a power boost.
They should see if they could warp the aura to get everyone to attack V himself, overload his regen capabilities while getting him off Maxima.
My favorite little background clip is the one of the non-Duke Nukem trying to shoot the speedster.
Has the invisible guy been in the fight at all, or is he so good that the comic can’t even catch him?
I’m guessing no, but I don’t think it’s ever been tried.
My favorite background thing is that Death Toll is still out cold, which indicates to me that his Nemesis ability continues to work at some level even while he isn’t awake. His body resists any outside influence, even if it would have been beneficial to him. This means that Sydney could potentially toss him on top of Vehemence to see if he does the same energy drain effect that he used on Anvil. At worst, Vehemence would just toss him off and be distracted enough that Max might get to do something. At best, the fight would end right then and there. Which might, of course be the better plan that was forming. We’ll need to wait and see.
Also, I think that the Aggro Aura actually only affects those that were unconscious when it hit them. The ones that were already active merely got dragged into fights, as Dabbler was last page, and had no choice but to defend themselves. Which makes sense, because Vehemence wouldn’t want to give Max the recklessness that might get him blown up completely. She could always have her boot explode in his face, and then use her now bare foot to pump as much boom-boom energy into his torso as she can spare, which would result in an explosion that even he can’t regenerate from.
It’s time for the traditional GrrlPower holiday story. Rather than repeat myself, I will just link to the original.
https://www.grrlpowercomic.com/archives/1145/comment-page-1#comment-51613
(FYI, yes it has some typos. Replace ‘Joel’ with ‘Leon’. Maybe I can plead temporary dyslexia.)
still good for a laugh. Thanks for re-sharing!
Still funny. :D
*looks up the word ‘chimbly’*
Now I know. I feel a tad smarter already. :-D
That’s an actual word?
Huh, that’s an actual word. The more ya know.
I missed that the first time.
VERY WELL DONE!
So Dabbler was affected after all! Only Sydney is spared. Love the aura, BTW.
This will need careful planning, ‘cos Sydney cannot drop the shield, even for a moment. Otherwise she’ll be getting stuck in as well – having the Pew-Pew Orb * would make that … messy.
And as an RP-accented Brit, I’m almost too offended to check back on Thursday. Almost. ^∀^
* No, not hip. Obviously.
Not per say. But she IS being attacked, and thus forced to defend herself
Sydney is the only one with a perfect passive defence, and thus doesn’t have to care about people attacking her
Not sure. She has run off to spank Gauntlette with Soul Reaver, straight after Sydney yelling out: “Oh my god stop fighting! You’re killing Maxima!”, and without so much as a word over the comms to the new girl. Someone who – Dabbler is doubtless aware – can still tie people up with the Lighthook.
Either she’s under V’s influence, or she’s an even worse team player than I thought.
Of course, given what has been hinted at regarding the “spells” visible under Heatwave and Dabbler, I reserve the right to take back everything I just said 8-)
Dave has confirmed Dabbler is affected, albeit less so. It just so happens that her violent craze placed V in her crosshairs first before Gauntlette jumped in.
Yes, just found the discussion. Somehow I missed it. Thanks.
A, that explains. Thank you
Don’t worry too much about the “needing to fumble” part. She doesn’t have enough options to fumble WITH yet. (The com-ball is probably the one she played with most after all, its safe for indoors)
Dude, whoever it was that called it before: poor Stalwart is really regretting “space shuttling” Hiro :-(
Guilty.
Yea, he’s out for awhile
While I’m impressed with how quickly everyone spotted Panel_5’s “ARUA”-misspelling, I’m puzzled by the lack of comment on what looks like (at least to me) a different “glitch”…
…I see a thick black line on Syd’s palm in Panels_2-&-3, at the base of her thumb. This seems too thick to be anything other than a strap of some sort, perhaps attached to her wrist-com. Thing is, though, there is no sign of this strap on the outside of her hand, as we can see in Panels_1-&-4. Or am I reading this wrong?
Wow lots of little art omissions on this page. :P
I am many levels of impressed with this page.
Sydney just needs to make a very wide shield because her shield blocks the mind-affecting Argo spell.
One area effect Dispel Magic needed.
Leaning much more towards the demon possession scenario.
Is it weird that I’m looking forward to the next page than I am to Christmas?
Actually, on Thursday, I am looking forward to the next Doctor Who episode.
i hope Better Plane involving Maxima beheading V
OH CRAP, HALO HAS A PLAN!
Not just any plan. She has a BETTER plan.
I hope it involves a conga line
Summon larger fish…
Hell to the Yes!
Suffocate him with her sh… Never mind…
“Throws a crate of signs at bleh”
Just because.
What? It’s the most logical pla –
*gets buried under crate of signs*
How many times do I have to say it? Whales are not fish! They are mammals. Oh, you are referring to whale sharks. Well yes, those are fish.
“Casts Summon Megladon” at David Nuttall.
backslash backslash!!!
Venomancer is a Gilgamesh fighter, Yup, Calling it, infact he’s an archaeologist who while doing an archaeological dig found an odd book to which he read out loud since he knew how to read old sumerian textiles, and was surprised to find a leather bound tome of papyrus parchment. at some point in his career after nothing special happened while reading the text out loud, while in afghanistan on another dig he got kidnapped by some baddies, and it’s when he first noticed his ability to absorb the violent energies of people around him, and is infact how he escaped.
Are those Stargate chevrons and metroids I see?
Yup.
Has anyone else noticed the Dabbler centered circle of power in pink/orange? Hehe with a really hi-res version we could see what kind of symbols show in her spells,
And also, we now have proof that video games are violent in nature. Also Sci-Fi.
And I think that is a Batman logo next to Pac-Man Ghost
I didn’t even notice she has her own circle, but after looking again, you are right. Except that there are two people with their own auras. The other one is Heatwave. No idea what it means.
Given that the aura on Heatwave is around her injured foot, maybe it means Dabbler had a chance to slap a magical wound-(or pain)-be-gone spell on her?
Heatwave’s powers are magic based?
There is also that mysterious ability of hers to change height, so who knows. Dave is trolling us. :p
Sydney is Looking at Auras right now Heatwave has a Aura of Heat.
Right, it could be all purpose aura, rather than magical aura
Heatwave’s aura is also showing.
Did Vehemence just make up that spell using popculture references instead of actual runic glyphs?
Why must they be different?
I guess it doesn’t.
He uses magic signs from the his Creator’s higher plane of existence.
Even with lower power levels, Dabbler pushed her own “lust aura” on everyone in that conference room when Sydney had her initial interview. Would it really be out-of-context that Vehemence could, with his recent power-boost, push such a large “aggro aura?” After all, dabbler *did* say that with such a power boost, *she* could’ve taken on the whole team.
Wonder if the non functional greyed out symbol on the comm ball corresponds in some manner to the grey connecting line on the skill tree?
It would be kinda fun if Halo upgraded link between comm orb and some other and it allowed her to use powers through telepresence. Like you know, form shield centered around illusion, not herself.
It would be kinda fun if Halo upgraded link between comm orb and some other and it allowed her to use powers through telepresence. Like, you know, form shield centered around illusion, not herself.
And it appear’s Heatwaves powers are magic based looking at the small rune circle under her.
Yeah, I just noticed that too. I’m guessing it’s how she flies.
Here’s a question: I know that WE see Halo’s shield blocking the aura, but has SHE noticed that? She doesn’t comment on it, although her “better plan” does sound like it might hinge on such a realization.
She was also looking at the direction of FWtDt. She might just thrw him at Vehemence & his powers reverse Vehemence’s
That would only work if he nullified powers instead of just countering them, like Leech.
Of course, putting Death Toll within striking range of Vehemence MIGHT cause him to put out a “peace aura”, but he’s still unconscious so I don’t know if that’s going to work. Also, if his powers have an upper limit, I figure that would be below V’s “power level” at this point.
But we’ll see
Oof. Goose vs Match the Knife. That’s probably not going to go well.
Yeah, that thought definitely occurred to me. Probably a potential fatality.
You have been patronized.
I’m curious as to the size of this aggro aura, the results could be pretty amusing/catastrophic if it encompassed innocent bystanders.
He mentioned that he was thinking of hitting a soccer (aka futball) game. Potentially it could encompass an entire stadium? If that were the case he could therefore create quite a power-loop (assuming he expends less than absorbs).
That would only work if he nullified powers instead of just countering them, like Leech.
Of course, putting Death Toll within striking range of Vehemence MIGHT cause him to put out a “peace aura”, but he’s still unconscious so I don’t know if that’s going to work. Also, if his powers have an upper limit, I figure that would be below V’s “power level” at this point.
But we’ll see!
Sorry folks, this was meant to be a reply, but I done messed up!
Death Toll is in the ‘violence aura’ – but he’s unconscious still. Maybe Vehemence selectively made sure to not ‘wake’ him since his power could nullify V’s?
Out of curiosity what if she enclosed Maxima instead?
Would that forcibly repel V so with Sydney’s help since that shield will mean she doesn’t have to drop her strength?
What if she enclosed someone who could help say Opal?
If she encloses her to break the aura then maybe persuade her to teleport V somewhere he can’t hurt anyone since he did backstabbed them in the first place.
Opal doesn’t seem to need contact range her boyfriend was hospitalised in her defence and she’s already angry enough that a quiet word and shift of her attention might be enough to set her off at the right target!
Well it’s an idea…
With V keeping Max in a schoolyard choke-hold, how exactly would Halo move the shield between them, especially since it appears the shield has only one shape (for now). Besides, what would stop V from simply attacking everyone else, forcing Max to do “something”. Halo has not shown herself to be a direct threat to V.
The shield has some automatic defences to prevent it cutting people in half. So she can’t just wring the shield in between them, it’d enclose them both.
DaveB explained that that was why her shield formed with Shadow Boxer inside, rather than outside (https://www.grrlpowercomic.com/archives/1286)
Minor art error: Sydney’s glasses don’t have a bridge in the second-last panel.
Anyway, I’m loving this. We know the team survives, but figuring out HOW is half the fun! Also, don’t feel bad about Sydney not going through wacky hijinks and jokes to figure out all her powers. It shows character growth…
Though since this has all happened in only one day so far, it might be too much, too fast?
Oh yay, a callback to the pants joke. Hi-larious.
Am I the only one who feels little sad for the cut content? This fight has been dragging for a long time, but many of the complaints are just that the humour is gone. I wouldn’t mind few more pages if they were good. Maybe something to consider for “expanded content” when releasing the book?
Anyone else notice that Death Toll, unlike -everyone else- is still unconscious? I wonder why that is…
Well, he has been hit VERY HARD by multiple sources, including Maxima herself. Maybe he’s got some permanent damage
Or he could be too weak from blood loss to actually regain consciousness. He was stabbed in the anal vein…
that still sounds so wrong…
Thank you for that mental image.
Inferior Gluteal artery, according to Wikipedia. There was spurting.
Ugh! One shoud *never* combine references to the anus & spurting in the same sentence…
You could also say the artery was penetrated…
My mind just wandered into a very dangerous place…
Welcome to my room.
Oh cool. You have cookies.
Good to see this forum is still as dangerous to eating/drinking people as ever.
No cookies, but I do have BACON.
BACON! Your room really is dangerous…
Does it come with eggs?
Eggs, pancakes, waffles, hash browns, and other stuff
Please, no more talking about butt-blood spurting?
Please?
Pretty please?
Yes, but a lot of people were hit ‘very hard’ – I think it’s more likely that Vehemence specifically made sure to not target him since he could be used against the juju that V is doing.
Mm, Ivd have to go with the prevailing theory that Nemesis canceled it out.
That’s also possible. I just figured I’d have seen some ‘negative space’ around Death Toll if that had been what happened, like Sydney. Or some sort of visible effect.
Then again maybe there is one and Sydney might see it.
If I was a gambler (I’m not, but if I was…), I’d bet Death Toll’s nemesis power counteracted Vehemence’s aura, showing that he counteracts ALL powers, not just damage-dealing ones…
Looking at the bigger picture, it doesn’t look like Harem is fighting herself. Seems like all 4 copies are working tougether to attack that one guy. Probably her special form of combat
She’s using 1 copy to fling another copy at him I guess
neat. i was at least partly right when i guessed the truesight upgrade would come into play. now if only my theory about her telepresence self being able to use one or both of the unknown orbs is proven at a later date XD
Scientific progress goes boink, and superhero progress goes boop. :)
So I noticed something.
The people Jiggawatt just hit with her Telebolt are the exact same people she hit on her first telebolt entry.
https://www.grrlpowercomic.com/archives/1391
Only Gauntlett is lucky enough to be somewhere else now
I think its pretty obvious that Dave is a big Stargate fan since he’s already used Ancient on one of Dabbler’s swords, and how the Yellow orb has pretty much drawn the inner ring of the Tau’ri gate around Vehemence.
Awww, so in our urge to get past Vehemence we have lost Sydney antics while playing with her balls. That’s a throwing the baby out with the bath water event there.
I think Vehemence would have been a lot (like a crap ton) more tolerable if it had been interspersed with quality funny like that. Especially from Sydney. Darn you V and your many fan inflaming issues. You made me miss something awesome! TT
No real surprises here, but I think the mandala looks pretty nifty.
don’t underestimated someone with ADHD and too much free time!