Grrl Power #298 – Catchup
And we return to the hilariously spartan comic shop. Actually, my local store, Zeus Comics in Dallas doesn’t have every inch of the walls plastered with posters, but usually when I think of a comic shop, I think of one like in The Big Bang Theory, where no wall is visible, the counters are lousy with toys and there are characters standees in all the remaining spaces.
I hate drawing crowd scenes. I blame the writer. :/ I’d prefer not to have to draw them but at the very least I need to establish the crowd, then I can get away with just drawing the fringe of it. Oh and if you could, ignore the fact that the tube is probably too small for all 7 orbs. They’re smaller than the diameter of the tube, so they can fit in there like o°o°o°o, whatever that’s called. Wavy I guess. Still it’s a stretch. Comic book physics am I right?
I haven’t drawn Joel in about 4 years, it’s a little jarring seeing the difference. I’m glad to get the chance to bring him up to date, though I guess since yesterday he’s taken some vitamins and cleared up his jaundice.
Here’s the link to the new comments highlighter for chrome, 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.
I think we’re missing the most important part of this comic. How IS Saga going? Cmon, someone answer Sydney’s question?
Here’s what happened Yesterday
All my troubles seemed so far away,
Now they look like they’re here to stay,
Love was such an easy game to play,
Now I need a place to hide away.
Blast you for unleashing that earworm!
Not my fault if someone peeks under the spoiler.
Well… there are worse things to have stuck in your head.
It may have taken a day or two, but…
https://iwastesomuchtime.com/on/?i=96689
It can be said that a song in your head, is nothing worse than a curse which we dread.
You can TRY getting a song out with another song…for me, there’s a fifty-fifty chance that the second song just starts playing alongside. Which can get downright WEIRD even for me – especially at stacks of 5-6 unrelated songs, playing simultaneously, with full accompaniment/orchestra/etc as appropriate. One of those times my imagination is a tad too vivid…
That said. Can not resist. “This is the song that never ends…yes it goes on and on my friends…some people staaarted singing it not knowing what it was, and they’ll continue singing it forever just because this is the song that never eennnds….
and
“Iiiit’s a small world aaaafter all…iiiit’s a small world aaaafter all….”
Have fun! *evil grin*
…I need more cotton swabs…
your brain sounds like a very interesting place,
hey i sing that song to my self at work when i get bored
You’re despickiable.
Buahahahahaha!
Such as actual earworms…
*nods wisely
Or a Ceti Eel
Pickaxe.
It makes combing the hair really difficult.
How about a Babel fish? If someone is going to have Gangnam Style or Macarena stuck in their head, he or she might as well understand what they’re singing.
WoW made it to number 3 in the posting! It’s a miracle! And you are drawing crowd scenes just fine. :) And Sydney is gonna enjoy the reveal…
I’ve only known one actual comic shop and it was like the one linked in Big Bang theory xD
No wall left uncovered, shelves full of more character standees and collectables than they should be able to hold…it was a good shop.
There are four in my city that I have shopped at – they were all like that.
The last time she was here she had a car. This question may have been answered, but what happened to her Honda Element? (It Took me longer than I’m proud of to figure out it was an Element)
Nobody mentioned spotting it in the car park, around the press vultures. So I am guessing Sydney either left it at the bank, where we last saw it. Or on the roof of her place, last night. That may have been easier than looking for an empty spot. She did look too bushed, coming in, to have wanted to mess around too much.
Hopefully she’ll get a call from the ruck towing her car, and learn a valuable lesson about using her tentical orb on rude overweight Greek dudes in overalls.
Yea, you are right. A rooftop is clearly not a legal parking spot. And it almost certainly violates health and safety regulations. I can well see Ruck, the super impounder, being called in, to tow it away. Unless you are referring to the lesser spotted winged ruck, being employed as an aerial truck? Although, that may well be the mount of choice for Ruck.
Although I do hear that Ruck carries a large supply of plates with him, and has a total disregard for politically correct Greek rules. So I am sure they will have a smashing time.
It’s a world of super everything so I just wanna see a cross between the mundane and the fantastic. Maybe aliens can use their ship to fly, but not break orbit since they crashed on earth. So now their flying saucer is now the best tractor beam based towing operation in town… and they have a monkey in a hat.
You know, the usual stuff.
I had asked something similar about her bank drop for this shop and Dave ( as well as others ) told me it happened during down time. so it is likely when she handled the deposit money at the bank she parked her car at arch or at home and has left it there.
Thank you, that is a very satisfying answer.
I still hope there is a comedic payoff to the car thing, but I love me a satisfying answer.
With a touch of relish, of course.
yes, but it must be with great relish.
you”ll get it, give it time.
It is still sitting in the bank parking lot, surrounded with Crime Scene tape, or a Biohazard tent, or maybe both. Actually, didn’t we see it sitting on the street below her apartment a couple of pages ago?
If you did, you failed to tell me. I am dreadful at identifying individual cars. Even ones that friends own and I may get the odd lift in. I simply view any car, in motion, as a deadly threat to be avoided. The fact that it may have people in it, who I may recognise, really is not as important.
Although some do prefer chasing after them and barking. But I do not suffer from that particular addiction.
That reminds me of the old saying:
“How do you stop a dog chasing cars? Let him catch one.”
Also, let me relate a true story. I was travelling home one dark evening a few years ago, when a dog (with its owner, but not on a lead) ran out from behind a parked car and went straight under my front wheel…
Which caused me to fall off my bicycle. And no, the dog wasn’t noticeably hurt.
They could have towed her car back to her place I would just to make sure it isn’t at the bank to be camped.
My local comic shop doesn’t have standees or toys cluttering the place, but it’s still pretty packed. Shelves of comics dominate one wall, the counter occupies the other, and the middle is mostly gaming stuff and boxes of assorted comics.
Which reminds me, I need to make my players buy their own damned dice…
Players who are not members of Diceaholics anonymous? Your land is a strange one, beyond the shores of reason and the reefs insanity!
Speaking as a retired GM someone always forgets their dice bag. Or they have lured a couple friends in to try to get them interested in playing. I usually gave that player first pick of the donuts. And kept extra dice for just such cases.
Oh, they exist. It’s a feast/famine thing, though–I rarely encounter a gamer with just enough dice. They either have to mooch off someone else at the table, or they brought their back-up sack full of d20s to a Shadowrun game.
How about a GM with just enough? XD *raises hand* I have one of each type and a couple spare d6’s robbed from a board game. I find that sufficient in most cases, and keeping the numbers low reduces the temptation to blue bolt an aggravating player…Instead, I inflict them with a permanent stat-draining trap or potion.
how about a D2? I asked our GM once if i could use a coin, and he said, sure, but you have to get it to land on it’s edge for skill shots… so, I’d spin the beggar. it’d spin for at least 30 seconds, on it’s edge, and he’d look at me funny…
Much depends on which system(s) one is involved with.
I referee ‘7th Sea’ (lots of d10s), and currently play D&D4 (ALL of the dice), Pathfinder (ditto), Pulp HERO (lots and lots of d6s), Rogue Trader (d10s / d5s / percentile), and Star Wars (special dice provided by the Ref).
In all cases except Star Wars, I use my own dice, which are kept loose in a sturdy metal box (ww2 surplus, which originally housed the dial sights for a Vickers machine gun).
True. One of the most enjoyable role playing systems I have ever played did not even have dice! The creator did not believe in ‘roll-playing’. Which I had the pleasure of him telling me in person. If I saw he was games mastering a session, at Gen Con, I signed up without hesitation. The guy was a genius scenario designer, and researched massive amounts of details for his historically set sessions.
Ok, I am rambling off the point here, but you have to play with the guy to appreciate just how much effort he put in. If you said “ok, I will go to the phone directory and look up the address for a company which sells X” He will simply respond by passing you a period phone book. Had you said “almanac” he has that behind his screen too. Likewise “road map”, and as best I could tell, some kind of instantaneous printing device, which could produce anything else on demand!
And he could bring out the best in role playing from everyone at the table. Which, helps bring me back to the point. Part of that was to use cards, rather than dice. Each player was issued several, and you could play them to boost your characters actions.
His technique was to encourage players to find innovative ways to solve problems and roleplay putting them into action. Each suit had it’s own category of things that fell under it. For instance hearts covered social actions. Bluffing, seducing, fast talking, diplomacy and so on. The higher the numerical value, the better the bonus it would provide.
Dang, I am really missing not having been able to afford to attend Gen Con, or any alternative, for years. I used to live for that.
*sigh*
My FLGS is The Game Matrix in Tacoma, WA. it’s the actual store that the movie “The Gamers: Hands of Fate” had some of the opening scenes being filmed in. in one half there are plenty of game books and mini’s and board games, and the other half is pretty wide open with tables and chairs for tabletop games, etc… not TOO many posters and such on the walls, but enough to get the point across.
as for Dice, i definitely fall into the Diceoholics Anonymous category… I’ve got an old military issue watertight ammo container, originally used for shotgun shells, that i use for mine and it’s totally full with loose dice (yes, in the obligatory Crown Royal bag) and lots of box sets, and i have even more dice that i haven’t found a place for yet… though, those are mostly newer sets as part of various Kickstarter campaigns and such, i haven’t bought a set just for the purpose of getting a set in about ten years…
Nybbles and Bytes used to be where I got my gaming gear until they folded up shop. They were a honorable mention in Shadowrun as a local mage computer store. Yeah Game Matrix went in once looks like a nice place location is a bit out of the way but that is Tacoma for you.
Hey, the comic has been great from page one, and I’m sad the guy who sent me your way gave up on his by about page 10, but geez, your drawing ability has gone super power! It is what in the tube???
https://www.grrlpowercomic.com/archives/293 think this is the last time we’ve seen him
You are evil person Vexrapopple! Becouse of your link i readed whole comic from that episode! I didn’t finish my paper work for hot chick i work with :< Beware, I also have a blue notebook :<
You think that is evil? Take THIS! https://www.grrlpowercomic.com/archives/48
MWA HAH HAH HAH!!
You’re an asshole. Now I have to re-read the entire archive from that point…..
Thats Sheldon, that looks exactly like Sheldon compleate with Green Lantern shirt :)
I think that is what he was trying for since I thought that to when I saw it.
They obviously have a policy that staff must wear store-appropriate themed costumes, from the various outfits that both of them have worn. Although it seems that Joel is a keen cos-player too, and probably has an even bigger box than Sydney’s.
And no zooming in on his groin!
We leave that to you.
My local shop is the Firewheel Keith’s Comics… Within walking distance, for some values of “walking”, definitely bicycle distance if they just had a bike rack within a quarter mile.
I’ve known tons of comic shops, from Japan and the British isles to Germany and several in almost every state here in the U.S.A. Then again that’s what I get for growing up in a military family. Tons of travel and comic shops in every place I’ve ever been. I’d say about 65% of them are similar to the Comic Shop in the Big Bang Theory. 55% of them have actually visible walls though and of the 35% that aren’t like the Big Bang Theory Comic shop or have no similarities at all with that shop 10% of them are comics only and have nothing else in the way of things like models.
As for Joel, this is a long time coming, about time you got back to the poor guy after all this time.
What? Dave only left Joel yesterday…In comic-time, that is.
;)
AND, it’s only been three months since Sydney came back from vacation with them…
By the way, I noticed you changed Joel’s bald spot, now the hair sparse hair is vertical instead of horizontal.
It all depends on how you comb it… Sydney almost got a new hairdo so why not Joel..?
The Source: Comics and Games used to have busy walls, counters, and floors; but then they moved to a bigger store next to Eric’s Bike Store, and things have neatened up. I’m hoping it won’t last. I like my comic and game stores to look busy and nearly over-crowded with merchandise.
The only comic store in a hundred kilometres closed late last year because of a ban on legal highs (we are too small and too far away to have a hugely dedicated comic buyers, specially now with the interwebs), the ban seems to have ended but too late :(
They were in a small shop, but had stuff on most of the walls (including swords) but mostly the counter tops were cleared (three counters, two had smoking paraphernalia and non-comic stuff, like tiny daggers and lighters and wallet, the third was where they put the orders)
I can see how a model shop might be affected. Glue is an essential part of the operation, and interfering with the operation of a small business by imposing arbitrary rules, that put off customers, can tip the balance, in them staying open.
But a comic shop? I know that figuratively speaking geeks can ‘get their fix’ from comics, but how that could be translated into forcing the closure of a comic shop? I am having difficulty in joining those dots.
What were kinds doing? Sniffing the bindings and hoping they were glued, rather than stapled? And, if their range of ‘non-comic stuff’ included pharmaceuticals, surely they could have just stopped selling the ones that were banned? I can see how that would impact on the junkie segment of the market, but it is not exactly integral to the operation of a comic shop.
It sounds to me like the shop was also selling things like bongs ‘for tobacco use only’ and synthetic drugs that were not illegal to sell/use. Once the laws changed so they couldn’t sell those there wasn’t enough profit to stay open.
Yup, synthetic drugs
The problem was they hadn’t been ‘tested’ properly, or something, and it was a temporary ban until they could be properly tested, but it was to much hassle for the owner: her lease was about to run out and she didn’t want to be locked into another three year lease
Gotcha.
One other thing worth mentioning, is that I don’t think I had appreciated how isolated things can be in Middle Earth. I really should stop thinking of New Zealand as being a small island in the Great Barrier Reef. It might be fun for teasing Kiwis, but even a running gag can lead to sloppy thinking.
Mind you, I should have thought on how much hobbits like puffing smoke rings, and the like. It is clearly ingrained in the culture.
Just have to realise: Australia is the West Island of New Zealand, the Great Barrier Reef is there to keep them over there :P
:-D Duly noted.
Note to self. Resist the temptation of making similar comments about the English Channel, and other bodies of water, surrounding the mother country. There are pretty girls on the other sides of those, and they might be offended!
Ahh, possibly Arious‘s post above answers my question? Maybe reading the page from top to bottom, this time, would have avoided my problem. Talking about comic shops:
If yours was more of a model shop, than a comic shop, or that the proportion of turnover was significant enough, then I could see how a ban, which included glues, could impact their business.
OMG Joel! your back! Was waiting for this.
<— am a Joel
What about his back? Is there something on it? AH!! get it off! Get it off!
nah, it was a typo.. it should have been “OMG Joel!, YOU’RE back!”
DAVE! Do you have any meetups planned for readers in the local area? I know R. Milholand (sp?) occasionally does things at Zeus as well…or is the J. Jacques? Either way, meetups (and stuff)!
Wow, a time when “Everything!” isn’t a silly response.
If anything, it might actually, somehow, be an understatement.
I noticed that Sydney’s cheek healed over night. Improved healing or oversight?
Check the bathroom scene a few strips back. She broke out her cos-play kit to cover it up.
Sydney used *Makeup* power
It’s super effective!
(I think this was implied before she left the house)
And in the last frame, Sydney used “Confuse!”
We will see how effective it is on Monday… Unless we jump to a twitching Arianna: “My marketing sense is tingling.”
When doesn’t Sydney not use “confuse”? I think it’s her go to option.
Standard comics and animation rules. When you advance to the next scene all characters are reset to their default design. How do you think Wile E. Coyote has survived for over 50 years?
At least Dave lets them change outfits. Daphne from Scooby Doo has been complaining to the animators for years about having to wear the same purple dress every day. Naruto doesn’t care, he’s a slob and doesn’t mind that he has never changed his clothes in years (just don’t stand too close by)
Shaggy also doesn’t complain, but everyone else stuck in that confining van with him does. Scooby’s nose, in particular, is a lot more sensitive than theirs are…
;)
Bah, bald apes. You have no appreciation, with your digital noses. “Smells bad” or “smells nice”. You do not get to sniff out the scent map of a street. Or know the health and dietary history of someone you meet. Or tell if that nice bitch is in heat, with a sniff at her bum.
*shakes head*
Just how you can face life, in such a crippled state, I do not know? I pity you.
The same way you get by without the glorious colors of a sunset/sunrise, or the incredible variety of shades of green in a single tree or blues/greens/purples in water?
We can see colour, but I gather you do see it rather more richly than us.
*sniffs* Aha, a friend visited my house, whilst I was out on walkies. No scent of fear though, so it probably was not urgent. But I had better get in touch, anyhow.
Seems overrated to me.
I pity your inability to eat proper chocolate – as well as your much shorter lifespan…
Hah! That is what you think. You furless apes have exactly the same vulnerability that we do. Admittedly yours is a lower point cost version, but chocolate is poisonous to you too. I eat chocolate every day! As does my Jack Russell Terrier :-P
SERIOUS NOTE:
Despite my (true) banter, do not feed any chocolate to any dog, unless you know their precise body weight and have researched the safe limit (which is very low) of chocolate you can feed a dog of that size. Plus remember that the active ingredient varies in potency depending on what type of chocolate you use. The worst being the dark chocolates. Think of those as being like cyanide, for dogs.
And bear in mind that the toxins remain in their system for 72 hours. You must keep track of every bit that the dog may eat over three days. It is cumulative. If you cannot be certain (if for instance they have been out of your sight, or more than one person feeds them), then give them nothing.
Get it wrong and YOU CAN KILL YOUR DOG. So please do not idly feed chocolate to dogs, due to my comment.
Oh, and one other precaution, if you do want to try that. Be sure to research the range of less than fatal conditions that the chocolate can induce in dogs. Plus their symptoms. Your dog may not have an ‘average’ metabolism, for their size, so you must be able to identify the warning signs, if your pet is experiencing signs of chocolate poisoning.
Additionally be certain to understand how to distinguish the severity of symptoms, should they be suffering from terminal poisoning. And have the guts to take the dog straight to the vet and tell them precisely what you have done. Just in case they are able to save it.
*gives Buffy a tummy rub, eyes misting up*
There there. I know you will not live forever. But, I have had a word with God, and told her that if there is a ‘No dogs in Heaven’ rule, then I shall look elsewhere for my afterlife accommodation. We shall carry on our walkies, no matter what!
Sorry. I forgot about your companion. I should have thought of some more cheerful “doggy disadvantages”.
*heats up some humble pie*
Eh, no worries, it is something that we all face. ‘Course I plan on putting it off a real long time. But, don’t we all…
Well, if there’s any truth to the saying that “Life is what happens to you while you’re making other plans,” then the same thing can be said of death too…
But then again, you can always cheer up from this particular downer by thinking about your friends & family holding a Wake in your honor.
I even know what music they will be playing. I plan for all contingencies. And, if I shuffle off the mortal coil, I want it to be to the voice of Katie Melua.
Can’t wait for the next issue, what time of day does Dave normally release?
Monday and if the author gets time Thursday also. Lately he has been doing good keeping up with a 2 page a week schedule but things can and inevitably will happen.
Actually it’s a guaranteed 2 a week these days, thanks to patreon. Baring some kind of emergency offcourse
Monday and Thursday, same time every time
The question was time, not day. I would also like to know.
4 AM Pacific Time Zone. GMT -8
Ok so that’s 8 am eat time then right? Maths r hard
https://bit.ly/yjgWIM
That’s actually more helpful than mine. I have to remember which way to count too.
Love the comic and can’t wait for the next issue. Interesting stuff though, ever heard of Overwatch? New game coming up and one of their newest character looks suspiciously like Peggy only much much bigger. She is from Russia with upstanding pink hair and a scar over her right eyebrow, there’s some similarities.
Love the shocked eye-bulging when he realizes she’s opening the tube–reminds me of all the pages WEB had to wait through to find out what was in it!
I may have just missed it but… do they get paid? Like actual salary for being a Superhero?
Also Action figures (just for the sake of “playing with myself” joke) Which brings unfortunate implication of golden skinned RealDoll… Yeah
They do get paid, but for being soldiers (conducting police duties), rather than for being super heroes. Whether they get standard pay grades or an increased rate, to reflect their additional capabilities and the increased risks that come with combating super villains, we have yet to find out.
From Arianna’s excitement at the merchandising prospects, we can take it that Archon will not be totally dependant on government funding. I imagine that the heroes will get standard pay scales, plus hazard bonus and maybe a slice of the royalties, on merchandising.
Sydney may have also negotiated some deal, perhaps as regards her shop, when stipulating her condition on signing up.
Yes they would be getting paid as members of the military police force especially since many of them were transferred(some by force) from the army, navy, air force, and marines. Odds are they will get a cut of the merchandising too.
Of course, they will also get Hazard Duty pay during those times they actually confront dangerous situations.
So I was actually looking for a durable poster tube for an artist friend of mine, and stumbled across this:
https://www.amazon.com/BLACK-KNIGHT-STORAGE-TUBE-4-25/dp/B005DSS8ZI/ref=pd_sim_op_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0RRY01KXAENR27QE46ZY
Perfect. Has screw on ends, *telescopes* (“hey the tube is shorter now…”), looks like the one Dave drew, and it’s the BLACK KNIGHT storage tube. How could Sydney resist?
Presumably, she was distracted by a shiny and ordered the orange tube by mistake.
I have a few like that for fishing poles. Their highly durable and are great for packing into the wilderness when your trying to go places that take a long walk.
“Oh, dammit, I have my AC-DC poster in this one. That one better not have Lead Zepplin in it, or I am going to be tickling for my dinner again!”
You honestly think Sid would use that 3 1/2 star piece of crap?
Err, no. The girl is into My Little Pony (citing both ringtone and posters). I am sure she will have a more rounded taste than just that mind, but those groups never passed my mind whilst thinking of her.
I have even less information to go on for Arious, mind, so just had to pick something at random. But I was just envisaging the hazards of the stated habit of carrying fishing rods in poster tubes. Sydney did not feature in that vision, as she would not fit in those tubes.
Just how does one store a Black Knight in one of those anyway? =OP
One starts by removing the limbs.
+3 Eew rating.*
Bad girl! Schoolboys, and those of us with a similar emotional age, are expected to**, lapse. But we expect better of a Lady!
* Unlike nerd rating, this is not to be sought after!
** Although not necessarily forgiven in lapsing.
Perhaps I’m still bitter about that time I had my black knight guarding a bridge and some guy claiming to be a king came and chopped him up.
Ahh. That can happen. Personally I would have defended, using either a castle or a bishop, depending on the orientation of the bridge. That way, the king would not have been able to approach, without getting into check.
Did you consider marrying him? As a queen you would have been much more manoeuvrable, and capable of entering the field of battle yourself.
8-)
Chess-related comedy – a genre that’s too often neglected.
The trouble with being wedded to a king is that should one get caught fooling around the consequences can be somewhat more unpleasant than when one fools around on, say, a carpenter.
True, very true. I guess the moral is to not get involved with infidelity. As not fooling around with a carpenter can result in giving birth to a messiah!
King Mother of Heaven, is the more impressive title, if you are looking for the ultimate in upward mobility.
Been awhile for us, but it has just been a day or so in comic time.
Actually, we’re still in the first day of the comic…Plus now being the second day of a flashback.
Just out of curiosity, is Sydney’s store located anywhere near the ‘Salty Crackers’ store from EGS?
https://elgoonishshive.wikia.com/wiki/Salty_Crackers_Comics
I would love Sydney to meet Grace.
Closest it could be is 12 miles away since they are the only comic shop in the area.
https://www.grrlpowercomic.com/archives/147
Sydney and Grace meeting would be in interesting event.
…O_o …o_O …O_O *boom* …x_x
My brain kersplodid.
*sniffle*
*gets out bucket, shovel and mop, and starts clean-up duties*
I wonder how much messier it would have been, if Agatha, Girl Genius, had been thrown in the bubble bath too?
Oh my. Geeky ADHD with over-the-top powers in the same room with a powerful spark….the world might end…
Hmm. Or not. My best friend’s husband is pretty sparky for RL and we wound up with a sibling-rivalry thing going on somehow. So who knows?
If the world comes to an end, try not to lose your hat. Anything that causes you to loose your hat is a bad thing.
Far more important is not losing your towel!
+2 geek points!
https://davebarrack.deviantart.com/art/Rex-Machina-254074351
look at the manufacturer’s name of Max’s gun.
80 lb trigger pull weight. Truly, this is a weapon worthy of an individual with super strength.
Yup. Not as good as having personal recognition locking, but such devices are only in their infancy now, so are not really a good solution yet. But that safety precaution does considerably narrow down the range of folks who can use it. And, if they can throw a pick-up truck through the wall, anyhow, then there is not too much added risk, even should it fall into the wrong hands.
Also serves to protect her. If she’s forgetful and isn’t statted to handle firing it, she probably can’t.
80 lb trigger pull isn’t impossible for a normal human, they are just REALLY going to have to work to pull the trigger. And unless they have it mounted to be stable, they aren’t going to be accurate at all.
But any slightly super strength person should have no issues with it. At Max’s weakest, she should have no problem pulling the trigger.
Sydney has a unique business opportunity here: (co-owner so it’s legit)
‘One news tidbit per store item bought!’
‘….And Go!’
I’m assuming she’s being paid to work for the government now, so this is going to be one of the most memorable times he’s ever been given two week’s notice.
She owns half the store.
I expect they will hire some help. Sydney is going to be busy for a few weeks training and then later taking her shifts on duty or on call.
Agreed. Sydney will effectively become a sleeping partner. Who can help out as and when her other duties allow. Essentially they have to sort out the staffing level under the assumption that she will not be available. Given that, even when she is free, she could be called out on a moment’s notice.
And the extra staff will be essential, I think. I cannot see the store being too empty, that often, from now on. Despite the lull we appeared to witness in the pre-flashback scene.
We don’t know if that was a lull, we only saw the front part with the door and the stairs with Joel on the front desk, all the geeks could be in the other part of the shop reading about the adventures of Omni-gal
True.
Silent Partner, not Sleeping Partner.
Mmm, to the best of my knowledge the two terms are synonymous. But, I am happy to be corrected, if I am in error, as I have never had the need to distinguish between them. So am only acting on general knowledge in saying that.
Although, thank you for mentioning it as, technically, if she retained a say in management decisions, then she is still a partner, rather than Silent or Sleeping Partner. Regardless of how little time she spends actually working in the shop.
Although they are synonymous, “sleeping partner” is “chiefly British”. Furthermore, it sounds someone with whom one is more likely to do funny business (as in a partner with whom one sleeps as well as engaging in other bed-centered activities) than serious business.
Have you never seen any classic British comedy, such as “Are You Being Served?” or “It Ain’t Half Hot Mum”? The reason why Brits prefer some terms is because they can be used as a double entendre. :-D
“…and why are you so much better drawn than… yesterday?”
Ever have one of those days that seem more like a year.
It looks like some new character pictures have been added to the rotation at the top of the screen.
Hmm, actually, they seem to have stopped rotating, they’re just fixed now.
Nope, still rotating.
Refresh the page a few times, you’ll see some new ones
For you maybe, but for me they’re fixed. Multiple refreshes made no difference, using a different browser made no difference. They’re the same images 100% of the time.
Strange.
Might be a script blocker thing. I know that NoScript plays havoc with the comments system here (I can’t reliably reply to a post without disabling it, not sure why).
Ok, so much for that theory. Just disabled NoScript and the images still don’t change.
The pictures do change. I commented on the new one of Sydney, the other day. Where she is looking at the skill tree. Particularly cute. However the rotation has changed today.
That said, the behaviour of the changing is different to how it previously worked. We used to be able to force an update, by hitting F5. That no longer happens. Nor does opening up a new instance, in another window.
It will not be any program or the browser app interfering with mine, as I disable add-blocker, and anything like it, for this entire domain.
Perhaps there is a ‘one update per day’ limit? Maybe varied per person, or the server might only show a particular group at one time, common for everyone?
Currently my Halo is her triumphantly checking something in the List. From the original rotation (being, if I recall correctly, the scene where Zephan envisages her burying those removed from the List).
The rest are all old rotation, barring Dabbler (for sure) and Anvil (wearing a pale green shirt, from the restaurant scene, if I am placing that right). Maxima is giving a badass look. Purple haired Harem is drinking from a straw. Jiggawatt is definitely old rotation, as she is shown with white hair. Probably in some indoors location.
The most disturbing is Dabbler’s. Mostly because it is a very unusual expression for her, yet I cannot recall having seen it before! She is very pop-eyed, with clenched teeth. Probably from when sword fighting, but not certain.
Heh, would ya look at that? Halo is checking her skill tree, Maxi is looking straight ahead (with a slightly perplexed puzzled look and narrowed eyes, or maybe she is thinking ‘why me?’), Dabbles is looking sideways at Maxi (looks like from in the Ballroom scene), Anvil is looking sideways at Blondini, Blondini is looking slightly shocked at Anvil, and rounding it out is Heatwave yelling at someone
Did have one of Maxi upside down after Fedorka broke her nose and blue blood is dribbling down (up?) her face, also had one where Fedorka was lightning-ing her
And it just switched to the Maxi-getting-lightninged (looking really steamed :P), Dabbles yelling at Anvil, Anvil with her battle-damaged shirt (showing her bra cups), a promotional slash early drawing of Harem wearing a pink hoodie, and Peggy looking cute (looks to be from the restaurant)
Sydney… is in deep thought with very tiny pupils (scary image)
Oooo, snorking beauty has been added to the roster! :D
And an image of Maxi not sure if seen before: big round pupil-less eyes, mouth doing that anime-thing hanging open beyond the lower jaw with razor sharp piranha teeth (she is wearing her archon jacket)
Dabbler’s current picture: look at the last panel here – that’s her ‘shame face’ 8-)
Ooh, nicely spotted! That looks an identical expression. But…
… are you sure? I mean, the one you linked is really teeny. However, the one up there, at the top of the page, is massive!
See? Teeeny ———–> MASSIVE
…and while I’m at it, Anvil is copied from here, during the V fight. Panel 6, turned through 90 deg.
Off the cuff question here. Has it been stated what range (or limitations) Sydney has when uses the telepresence orb? Is it just clear line of sight or what? (Thinking of it as a backup “communications” device to contact ARC when out of the building).
No, it has not. But there are various things that we can deduce. This is a long post, but I feel folks, who are interested in the question, will appreciate a detailed analysis.
The most obvious being that the True Sight is clearly limited to what Halo can see. With the particular limitation which Peggy noted that even mundane things, like a paper disguise, block it. Likewise, when talking ranges, her True Sight must be used in person, and not via her telepresence.
None of the above, directly, affects your specific thought of using it for communications. But there is one thing which will. If you look, when Halo is using it, there is a small inner orb, which travels out to the projection point, before creating the image.
It is this which may, or may not, hinder the use you envisage. The biggest limitation being if it is a physical object, which cannot pass through solid things, like walls. This we cannot determine yet. However it seems fairly clear that it cannot just teleport to the destination (from what we have observed so far).
Whilst the most significant use of it, to date, missed the pre-projection stage, when Sydney was speaking with Vehemence, it does show the dissipation of the image. And the inner orb remained, after that. Then retreating to Halo.
Sadly we cannot tell if it passed through the force field, or was still approaching it, in that final frame. Whilst the implication is that it passed through (we never saw it bobbing around later, trying to get in), the action did move on. So we do not know if Sydney simply dropped the shield for a moment, when safe, to let it in.
Other than that there are two other concerns regarding the inner orb, which will affect contacting Archon. One is how fast the inner orb can travel. It may be slow, say a walking pace. In which case, bang goes the idea for any situation other than “help I am trapped and need rescuing” type scenarios.
I think we can eliminate near teleport speeds, from the fact that we see a leisurely trail behind it, when in flight. But that is not certain. My guestimate, until we get something better to go on, is that it will be similar to her flight speed. So 400 mph, and possibly upwards of that, as Sydney was not straining to go that fast.
The other consideration being the question, “if the inner-orb goes out of sight* does it need steering?” And, if the answer to that is yes, then the follow on question of “can Sydney do that without using the projected image?” If it can go to a set destination, on auto-pilot, and Sydney can tell when it arrives, then it makes an ideal communications tool. Halo sends it to Archon, and shortly (400 mph/ distance from Archon in miles) she can start chatting to them.
Note though that would only be ‘as the crow flies’ if the orb can phase through physical objects. If they are (let us say) somewhere in the storm drains, and the orb has to try and find a path out (possibly using trial-and-error routes), then the travel time would be significantly longer. And there is the risk of it getting lost or being trapped, to consider too.
There is the further problem that Sydney will not have access to the illusion during this time. Not at her own location, anyhow. If she has an urgent need for it, she will have to summon the inner orb back, and then wait until it finds her. She will still be able to use the True Sight though. One further thought, is that if it does autopilot, will it do so if she swaps the Truesight Orb, for another? If she can do that, will she know that the inner orb has reached it’s destination, without grasping the Truesight Orb again?
My assumption, however, is that Halo will need to actively guide the physical inner orb. Possibly she can see and hear through the orb, without projecting the image. Possibly not. That, I think we will just have to wait and see. In which case, it is handy as a backup communicator, but not much more convenient than Sydney flying back in person.
Except that the inner orb will probably auto-pilot to return to her, even without guidance. Meaning she would be free to act, and not have to do the round-trip herself. Plus she could pause the outbound guidance, if she needed to act on some situation where her own body is.
The biggest drawback being trying to have her attention in two places at once. She would be vulnerable to someone sneaking up on her body, whilst her attention was focussed on guiding the orbb or her virtual self.
* And if it can even go out of sight. This being why I mentioned the line-of-sight limitations on the other aspects of the orb. I find it unlikely that Sydney would need to keep the inner orb in sight, as that would require her to always be in sight herself, from the location that it is operating at. Making it a rather nerfed power.
As such, my default assumption is that it can go out of sight. However, it is feasible that it may only be able to do that by means of Sydney manifesting her illusion and (virtually) walking or flying, if she wants to get it beyond her line of sight.
Nice (and detailed) response. Was doing an archive run and noticed this:
https://www.grrlpowercomic.com/archives/933
Which assumes that Sydney at least THINKS she can send the telepresence through a solid wall (for the purposes of watching the guys changing). Wether this means she can, or just assumes she can, or maybe even can BECAUSE she assumes she can is yet more grist for the mill.
Ageed, on all points.
Although some other possibilities happens if the orb is solid, but Halo can move it, without needing to manifest an illusion. In which case she could (if autopilot works) tell it to “go to the boys’ changing room.” It could then fly out of a window, or through doors, as they opened. All at some risk of being spotted. Unless she can also specify “keep out of sight.” Then it would matter how good it’s AI was.
And, when it got there, if she then had to manifest her telepresence, in order to see, she would be at even higher risk of being seen. Unless she took the precaution of refining the command to “go stealthily to an empty locker overlooking the boys’ changing room.” And then appearing inside that location.
Or, if she can see through the inner orb, and guide it, even without the image visible, then she could micro-manage a safe route. Keeping to the shadowy corners, up high, maybe going through an air vent, or the like. And, if she can do that, she need not even take the risk of making her telepresence appear! If this version is true, then I hereby dub the inner orb as “The Spy Orb”.
It is worth considering that, if there are any small, but silent, quad copter drones, in today’s market, that their capabilities are similar to (if more primitive than) the Spy Orb.
And, the ultimate spying tool, would be if Halo could use the Spy Orb, as described, in addition to it passing through solid objects.
Thank goodness Sydney has been warned off attempting this. And that the official policy is that we do not get to see any ‘naughty bits’, in case she weakens! (Sorry, for any of our readership who may find that disappointing.)
no, we’ll get to see the naughty bits just fine… IF Dave makes them available on his Deviantart site, like he did for Harem and Peggy…
Actually your slightly wrong here, in that comic you specify she imagines that through a series of quirky events that Leon, at least I think that’s his name, the computer nerd/geek gets trapped in a locker in the ladies changing room. Their was no actually mention of using her telepresence to sneak into the men’s room. Although if anyone mentions it she very well may try it out just to experiment and see if her power can do that…
although on closer examination she is holding the telepresence ball, but hasn’t actually turned it on nor has she mentioned turning it on. You can however assume, which is very dangerous, that she very much wants to use it to peek in on the guys. But were again, assuming that’s what she is thinking of doing. Not only that but earlier when they were in the ballroom she does mention she can go through solid objects while using the telepresence ball and demonstrates by putting her hand through Ariana, not sure on that name, the lawyer for the super group, anyway, puts her hand through the lawyer’s head using her telepresence self and notes she can see, and hear everything her telepresence self can see, and hear.so technically going by that she very well might be able to “sneak” into the men’s room by using her powers. now also technically is she sets it up right she could phase into a locker in the men’s room and watch everything through the locker, after all unlike Leon she is small enough to fit into one of those lockers, and she wouldn’t really even be in the locker, but would be able to see and hear everything from that position. Not that she would actually do so, though she may think about doing so.
What you say is true, that the image passes through solid objects. As demonstrated again when Sydney was chatting with Vehemence, in the car park battle. But what we do not see is whether the inner orb, which lies at the centre of that illusion, can do likewise.
If the projector is solid, and cannot pass through the wall, then the image around it has got a problem going any further too.
But, you do expose a work around though, in that Sydney could lean the image through the wall, even if the inner-orb has to stay on the girls’ side of the wall. So Sydney’s (virtual) head would be in the boys’ locker room, even if her torso and bum was still in the girls’ changing room.
oooh oooh shes showing Joel the shinys!!! and look at his eyes bug out! lol
ive always wondered what it would be like to live in a universe like this or have my own superpowers; feel so bummed right now…
Aww. Cheer up.
*gives a hug*
If it helps, at all, I think your gravatar image is super. And, there is one time when you can have super powers. For real! The next time you are lucid dreaming. That is, when you are on the brink of waking up, but still know that you are in a dream. Envisage now what super powers you would love to have. The ones which would be part of your self-identity, if you could use them.
If you can do that so vividly that you can imagine yourself using them, in day to day situations, then you are properly prepared.
Personally, I found it a good way to deal with a crowded London train or tube station, back when I was commuting. My wings could carry me aloft, over their heads, and onwards to my destination. In my mind’s eye. That was much more satisfying than the alternative. [Dark place warning. Step into the shadows, at your own risk!] Envisaging how easily I could clear my path with an Uzi.
Once you are used to doing that, it is easy to manipulate a lucid dream, the next time you happen to have one. Those powers will be yours to command, at your whim. Personally, I never found the desire to call upon the dark place. Who would want to do that, when you can fly!
And wings can be used for other things, than just flying. But those (albeit far more pleasant, and lighter) dark places will remain in my private happy place.
You don’t really need superpowers to fly, you know. There’s this strong updraft just outside this building that if you hit just right….
Heh, before I clicked on that, I thought “this reminds me of a joke, I can reply with that”. It turned out that, even though the rest of it is different, the final sentence is the same, as in your link.
By the way, if you ever try flying, whilst you are lucid dreaming, be sure to only ever to lift from the ground. Never try stepping off a bridge, building or cliff.
You may not be lucid dreaming, you may instead be sleep-walking!
i wonder if someone else could go flying with Sydney if say the they were to use the force field
(im to tired to make sence)
Only Sydney can use her balls, or did you mean as a passenger sitting in the bottom of the bubble?
Was thinking maybe, depending on how much she can carry while using the Flight Orb, have someone hold on to her back, or maybe recreate that scene from Superman when he takes Lois for a joy-flight (if they go slow enough, Sydney won’t need to use her bubble as a windshield)
Yes, they certainly could. The force field is possible, but can be tricky (others have given good, detailed, comments on why, recently, which there is no point me duplicating). But Halo can easily pick people up with her tentacle. Even if it is not necessarily the most dignified, nor comfortable, way of travelling. And it would be limited to modest speeds*, as she could not have the force field up, at the same time.
* Modest, but not too bad. DaveB has indicated, in comments, that the Fly Ball does also provide some protection from wind buffeting and the minor inconveniences of flying (presumably including keeping bugs from splatting on the face, and maybe bird strikes too).
the undignified part made e think of that robot chicken justice league video where batman has issues with the bubble.
It’s still unknown what would happen if someone else were to grab Sydney’s balls (it hasn’t happened in-comic – maybe there was Word of God I missed?). So far, there has only been fleeting contact with another person (eg. Shadow Boxer O_0).
If someone else held on to an orb or two really tightly I guess they would indeed be lifted up, trailing behind Sydney.
Is it possible to describe a more painful way of flying than grabbing hold of the flyer’s balls, as they take off?
And, no, please don’t try. You have already made it hard enough to get to my happy place. The sympathetic pain is too much!
Even with an opposable thumb, holding your entire body weight up on palm-sized spheres would be excruciatingly painful, after only a few seconds. And that is not half as bad as the inevitable drop which will happen, in a minute or two. A fall at terminal velocity can really smart! (400 mph / 60, give or take, gives a potential altitude well above that necessary for terminal velocity).
400mph for 60s gives 6.67 miles. Higher than Everest, so breathing would become difficult. Looking on the bright side, the horizon would be 230 miles away, so you could probably see your house. 8-)
You know… when you say ‘please don’t try’ – it only sounds like a challenge to people like me.
Though it might be possible to make a sling with ends designed to hold the orbs Sidney isn’t using. Assuming she has enough control that the swing is stable and they aren’t orbs she is going to need.
Aha, the fairground solution. She should stock up on candy floss and popcorn too. That way her passengers will find it calms them, by making them associate the experience with childhood entertainment.
um… sorry to be a nitpicker, but Terminal Velocity for a human is 120 Mph / 200Kph or about 56m/s, and an excerpt from the Wikipedia article: “A typical skydiver in a spread-eagle position will reach terminal velocity after about 12 seconds, during which time he will have fallen around 450 m (approx. 1,500 ft).[1]” so even if that person fell from the 6+ miles, he’d STILL only be going at 120 Mph when he hit ground…
Um, I did not say, or even imply, that there would be any ‘going faster than terminal velocity’. Just that it could very easily be achieved with Halo’s capabilities.
Whilst I did state that the altitude would be well above that necessary to achieve terminal velocity, that is not to say that you can thereby exceed terminal velocity. The clue is in the name. Nice pun though it is.
Man, Joel is going to kick himself soooo hard when he realizes that she already told him what was in it, and that he didn’t believe her. Is anyone taking bets on how long it will be until the shop is sold out of EVERYTHING? On the bright side they might then have enough money to restock with the sort of increased volume they will be requiring on a regular basis, and maybe hire more people to handle some of the increased inventory. Maxima was worried about Halo/Sydney abusing her authority at conventions etc, but since the news broke I wonder how many conventions will be trying to get her as a speaker/VIP. Forget skipping line, drooling fans will probably fight to the death to get comics for her, or her autograph etc. How do we think she will react the first time a fan cos-plays her or impersonates her?
+1
That is extremely easy to say. She will react unpredictably. She is Sydney, after all!
However, we can also predict precisely where it will lead to eventually.
I just hope the orbs are safely locked away or that ribbon might get pew pewed.
What I still want to know is how did she get from knocking on a helicopter door to finding the store.
Last time Dave tried that, it took a year to complete the arc. :^)
Touche’
Every time I see Joel the more I think he looks like Sheldon Cooper from TBBT
Everybody keeps saying that, so you are not alone. I don’t get it though. Even as a Big Bang Theory fan. To me he just looks like a tall, skinny guy wearing a Sheldon Cooper type shirt. Although, I must concede that, when I googled images of him, he does have a similar shape to his nose.
But, contrast that with the striking similarities from General Faulk, versus the actor he is an homage to. Or the cameo of Jonathan Creek. Those were striking similarities. Joel though? Dunno, maybe it is just me, but I still don’t see it, even squinting.
Poor, doomed, man. But I love the the smirk on Sydney face in the last panel.
Poor, doomed, store. Not a single customer, because the f***ing media is taking up the entire store. (only benefit is that Sydney is going to get to post a great reaction video on YouTube).
Not quite the only benefit. Peek out the windows, and you will see that the fans and customers are packing the street outside. The hurricane is politely waiting outside, until the filming is over.
Later, there will be the eye of the hurricane, when they have packed off those customers who turned up after every last item was sold off the shelves. Giving them each a, hastily improvised, signed certificate
The rest of the hurricane will hit when all the customers who saw this current filming arrive. Hopefully the delivery trucks will have beaten them to the door. Or the certificate printing will be going non-stop.
I so want him to read out loud from the new HALO entry on Wikipedia. With Sydney right there and tons of cameras.
Ooh, the banner pictures have rotated. Looks to me like it changes once a day now. Shame no new ones in the mix. Well, for me, anyhow.
Banner changes whenever I refresh on my pc but not my tablet.
Mmm. Even CTRL-F5 isn’t doing anything for me.
Same here. Updates once a day, or thereabout. Refreshing does nothing, using a different browser does nothing.
Works fine for me
The one guy who it works for is the guy in the black hat. Mmm. I am narrowing down my list of suspects.