Grrl Power #703 – In space, no one can hear you canoodle
So… yeah. Sydney doesn’t have a furry thing per se. >cough< She’s just been through a lot recently and is maybe realizing that life might be short, so when the cute (?) starship doctor is giving you some pretty clear signals, maybe explore that instead of being too self conscious to try new things.
Sydney had to save vs. social insecurities to agree to hop into a bath with a guy she’s known for like 5 minutes. She didn’t get a critical success. If she had, she wouldn’t be blushing so hard she gets a rash, she just squeaked by on the roll.
Xuriel, in case anyone has forgotten, is Dabbler’s actual name. Just thought I’d mention it since I’m the last person who should expect everyone to remember every name and alias ever mentioned in every piece of media they consume. I guess I could have just added her to the Who’s Who, but that seemed weird since she’s not actually on the page.
Frix is assuming quite a bit about Sydney’s relationship with Dabbler. While it could be interpreted as Frix suggesting that anyone who hangs out with succubi becomes increasingly wanton over time, (might be true) he’s simply assuming that a person would need a certain temperament to associate with them for an extended period. Dabbler can certainly be exhausting at times. Of course, we don’t know what his own experiences are with succubi. We know Cora is good friends with Dabbler, and even if Frix has never met her, he’s at least heard tales of her exploits.
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The names thing is a funny one for me. I remember all these names from all these comics, anime, and movies.
But half the time forget the names of my own characters. I even keep scraps of paper around my work desk with small snippets like people’s names, relations to each other, and towns; (especially if I never did a character sheet for them, like secondary and tertiary characters); because if the mood shifts or I take a small hiatus because of work shifts or want to write some shorter story that came to me, and come back; I’d have to re-read everything because I generally forget one or two details for a story in progress.
Like right now, I need to get back to a prequel story, and while writing the next part after a week off writing a Lamia story (was suddenly in the mood thanks to Cora a few pages back), but while starting I was like…wait…there is Killia, Juro the priestess, and…crap what did I name the other guy in their group who has had all of three lines of dialogue so far.
(not as bad as the time I completely forgot a character was even supposed to be present for three chapters and had to write in an excuse for that…that felt forced because it was).
Yeah I’ve been thinking of copying an idea from one of the Reincarnation stories I’ve read (could either be originally Japanese or Romanian) where the chapter is only character sheets.
Name
Species
Skill/Magic List
Relation to Others
I have written what could amount to entire stories as a character or species sheet. Can get carried away on details sometimes. Especially for sheets about worlds.
As a project I have even written story idea outlines in the form of a video game concept sheet. During a writing class in college we had to do some, so I did several for ideas/snippets of world history, that would work as straight forward RPGs; also a nice way to keep them as reminders of specific important moments used as flash backs and history/world building without needing to write a whole story for that event.
for example, The Adventure of Gyro-Lee
https://www.deviantart.com/rhuen1/art/Game-Concept-05-Adventure-of-Gyro-Lee-501417573
If it was for a webtoon, it could be kinda fun to have a character have a different name on each page.
And then somewhere (either in the comics or as Dave sometimes has those little doodleytunes (I failed the roll to resist the temptation) “Why do we keep forgetting your name?” “I don’t know. I guess the author forgets them as well and is too lazy to check the previous page” “THEM? You have more names?” “Yup. Changin’ them like socks” or something like that (I don’t know if that expression is used in English as well, but… makes sense, I hope). Also, it could be one of the characters superpower (Nobody can remember his/her name for long), if such character appears here. Even better: If another of the powers would be ability to change his gender… or appearance (shapeshifters ftw. (although I admit that the character being a shapeshifter could be really confusing, so… Let’s stick to the gender-bender with two “fixed” forms (adjustable, as harems)))
Kinda reminds me of a character from an old “2000AD” story (The Ballad of Halo Jones) in which a secondary character had had so many gender-reconstruction surgeries not even they could remember who they originally were, and they just started to ‘blend into the background’ and people just forgot they were even there (Halo ‘found’ them when she moved into a new apartment: the landlord, and everyone else, including previous tenants, literally forgot they were living there as well)
The end was really sad :(
The final episode of Stroker and Hoop (an animated detective show parody), had the final villain of the series be a joke about how the show kept using the same voice actor to do background characters; making it out like all these clearly different people were actually the same person the whole time.
Yes, for the loyal cyber hound as well, that was ret-conned into a pyscho stalker with a crush… but her unknown sacrifice was tragic.
No, it wasn’t a ret-con, it was, POO, a natural progression in the story, and also ties in with cyber-entities going too far in regards to protecting someone
Ret-con May be the wrong word, but there was a printing of Halo Jones with commentary where the writers talked about the story lines they wrote. It was mentioned that the Cyber-hound being a stalker and killing his original owner was a later addition to the plot.
Like said: a natural progression in the story
Just like how sometimes a throw-away side character in a story becomes popular they get promoted to main cast, even though they were only supposed to be in one or two episodes (looking at you, Darryl from ‘Walking Dead’)
A great author isn’t afraid to change things from their original plot, a rubbish author does nothing butt change things to continue to ‘appeal’ to the wider audience (because they are only interested in the attention, and the money, looking at you Metallica :P )
Dang, realised we missed an oppertuniy to see if the final orb did a medical aid function when injured.
Just like it has been missed every single time Sydney has been injured in this comic. Being a tomboy she doubtless got lots of bumps and scratches, even before she signed up with Archon. In other words this is 99.999% likely to have been something she tested in the months that Sydney owned the orbs (and was testing loads of things), before she stumbled across Max at the staged bank robbery.
Like the bruise on her cheek from the restaurant fight or the other bruise on her shin when Math got her to hit herself in the leg with her orb.
Andket us not forget the spicy noodle in the eye Fusion restaurant incident.
she’d been injured before though, a nasty bruise on the side of her face.
My bet is that its translation.
Or the equivalent of a ship’s computer.scanner that hasn’t said anything yet because she was still “Cadet” level skill and it’s meant to be a guide for the more advanced functions, and it sees no reason to say anything yet.
How about Chilli noodle to theeye?
I was hoping the yellow comm-orb would cover that function in an upgrade. I don’t know what the last one does but I am happy it is kept in reserve for now. The appeal of mystery.
Oh jeez is this some kind of courtship ritual? WHY DIDN’T CORA WARN HER?
maybe to his race females offer to groom males that they’re interested in proposing to.
I suppose it’s possible, but the explanation that requires less assumptions is a simple communication breakdown, and that offering to groom Frix was as much an ‘obvious’ proposition to him as his offer to bathe Sydney is to her.
And there again it may be that it goes in the opposite direction. Pack animals often groom one another without that being part of a courtship ritual. My kitties endlessly lick their sisters, as an example. This may just be an instinctive way of forming a close working bond with teammates. Thus being nothing special, unless he factors in that other species may take it as being more intimate.
That’s an excellent explanation, but get off of my leg, Yorp.
I was considering much the same possibility, actually, but panel 4 keeps getting in the way of that interpretation. “I was surprised by how forward you were, but then I remembered you were an associate of Xuriel”. That he name-dropped the succubus as explaining an associate’s forwardness pretty strongly suggests that he assumed her intentions were not quite innocent.
0% surprised if its because he can smell certain things.
“An associate of Zuriel” is clearly considered to want more than to groom someone. He made an assumption that she really wanted more than was requested.
The heart rate and blushing may have made him realise. She did agree though so not sure what he will make of this.
“go gently into that good night”
And another gun is taken from the wall….
So what we have left is the actual bath, “ nap” epic space battle, and dinner, and the manditory space battle.
Wich means we have roughly another month our time, or just as the cookies finish Dablers time because comic relativity.
I love the expression on her face in the last three panels, and the complete lack of expression change. And I think her heart might have just exploded, if the machine is accurate. Surprised to see her agreeing to the bath thing, but am proud of her for going outside her comfort zone.
Just had a thought, since he is a space doctor, with access to futuristic space medicine technology, maybe he can give her a permanent cure for her medical condition?
That might be too advanced to be allowed on Earth, though would you really want to see a properly medicated Sydney all the time from now on?
No, not the problem she has medication to treat, the one discussed here. So that she no longer requires one of these in order to “fit in” at the ARCHON showers.
If Sydney’s ADHD was cured that would make her less unique. I would rather her ADHD was somehow harnessed instead of removed even if it isn’t under control all the time.
For an example look at page 278.
ADHD isn’t actually a thing that need “cured”. It is only seen as a problem in our sit-still-for-hours schools and our sit-still-for-hours offices. In active highly variable situations it is a great benefit to have a percentage of the group have a different kind of focus. For example, our ancient ancestors were prey to some animals, so having someone in the group that looks around every 30 seconds probably saved many lives.
Laser eye surgery is a thing. A more advanced cure wouldn’t cause anyone to get curious.
This here is exactly the stuff I signed in for. Whatever the next comic, it ain’t it. This one is.
Who says she isn’t using the orbs? Flight? Lighthook? Let your imagination run from there.
He meant morale. In some systems it doubles as willpower.
Dang it…why aren’t my replies nesting?
IMHO it’s usually a browser/plugin issue. Firefox used to give me all kinds of issues on this and other boards, so I eventually switched to Chrome.
Naa, I get the same problem with Chrome. Although have not had the time to post enough recently, so can’t say if my situation is up to date any more. However it was just failing to nest when replying on comment pages which had been superseded by a newer one (and then just usually, rather than always). The other time was on my first post of a new session, regardless of where I replied.
I’ve never had the reply delinking problem with Chrome. It pops up now and again when I’m using my 5 year old Kindle. Doesn’t seem to be a problem with my newer Kindle.
It is an interesting concept if he is like the Sydney of this group. So he is just as set back by the wanton sexual advances the rest of the group finds fairly normal. To which he is just as blushing as Sydney during this whole process but is just as intrigued as she is by the smooth skin cute girl that could even be the equivalent of a fur fetish on his home planet.
y’know, if Dave wanted to get a few more people on his patreon, he could offer an uncensored rendition of the ‘grooming scene’ to his patreons. The moment you touch porn, you’re bound to make money.
Um you do know about what Dabbler did befor signing up with ARC right, but that’s another story.
That story is called “Wereworld” (and it is still listed on the side) :D
Wasn’t she also in another webcomic?
Haven’t read of any other, Wereworld was her first appearance, with four bewbs and a cyber-tail
Things Sydney needs to do before Earth Landfall—
1- Stop at Moon Landing sites and take some selfies… let PR dept make some bucks off those.
2- Write SYDNEY WAS HERE in front of a sleeping MARS ROVER
3- Surf a Comet on video…
*paw print of approval*
Approving with such a terrified expression?
Also… I finally found you, so to speak. I just hope you’re not from some other source than I think, so to speak.
Nope, Yorp is from right here, unless you know of another ‘Yorp’…
No, I don’t know another one.
But it took me 3rd reread to realize it :D
:-D
I am in esteemed company. Even Vale has been taken aback by Sydney’s presence. She is a force of nature, who you have to experience first paw to really appreciate!
Guess she has always been. Even before coming out as a hero.
But I kinda wonder, what would your (so to speak) reaction to the orbs be like?
IRL is in the real life, so… in the story would be IS? Anyway, I hope you understand what do I mean.
Very hard to say, given that I have pretty deep knowledge of the orbs. So if it were a hypothetical version of myself, without that knowledge, my reactions, as a random member of the public, would be very different to those I would have if somehow pushed through the 4th wall, with my story knowledge intact.
With the latter, the orbs are actually a lesser point for me, as it is Sydney who gets my attention, with or without them. Should they return to their source tomorrow, I would be no less interested in Sydney. And I would be a lot more concerned about the other story elements we are privy to, such as Harem being a traitor and Deus being in possession of a bunch of apocalyptic devices.
So my concern, orbs wise, would be to support Halo, if able. to make sure Deus and other miscreants do not try to separate Sydney from the orbs. So even without powers, my plot knowledge would be of some assistance in that regard.
However if I were just a random member of the public, who happened to see her with the orbs, I would probably be an enthusiastic fan boy. Although I can guarantee I would not fall down to the level of the Comix! guy, who wanted to hit on Maxima.
I might tread on my tongue, if I tried to speak to Sydney, but I would go out of my way to make sure she felt at ease, rather than being harassed by a fan.
Dropping the role play for this, huh.
Aw.
What I had in mind originally was: “What if Sydney encountered the dog from “Marketing 101″ page now that she does not conceal her orbs?”
Buuut in-depth analysis on the situation where real you meets her is also satisfactory.
I apologize, I should have been… clearer(?).
don’t forget a selfie on pluto with a sign reading “Stand up for the Little Guy!”
In a hard light Sailor Pluto cosplay rig
Would it not make more sense for it to ready “The mighty Halo was here!”
She should also stand up the flag that was knocked over on the first moon landing. That would give the people at NASA to think about.
She might try flying to the moon from earth with just the orbs, non-FTL . A stargate bookmark to Mars might be worth it. Also the ability to take people and people sized gear to Mars could make her inconceivably rich, by Earth standards.
Yeah, can see her making attempts to reach Luna sometime after she gets back, probably with Maxi along for at least part of the trip, and maybe later one or two Harem
Repeat to self: Thisisapinupcomicthisisnotaporncomicthisisapinupcomicthisisnotaporncomicthisisapinupcomicthisisnotaporncomicthisisapinupcomicthisisnotaporncomicthisisapinupcomicthisisnotaporncomicthisisapinupcomicthisisnotaporncomic
Its the internet, even if Dave does nothing the rule 34 should arrive presently.
Yo! Just in time for February – Valentine’s Day Sex Drive!
My thoughts exactly.
That thought had occurred to me as well.
Dave, Real Talk here, PLEASE dont do the predictable interrupted tryst shtick. PLEASE let Sydney get laid off screen.
I think most of the internet is seconding this movement. Besides which we’ve been in space long enough, a smash cut and implied sex would make more sense than spending time on details.
Hehehe… smash cut…
LET! SYDNEY! GET! THAT! (presumed) DICK!
Stealing/paraphrasing these lines from Nebezial when he wrote something about Lois Lane and Clark Kent’s honeymoon night.
Sydney: “W-what the hell is that?!?!?!
Frix: “ummmm… my… penis? Why?”
Sydney: “Why??? It has pincers!!! Why does it have pincers?!?!?!?!”
Frix: “To… grab on to you?
Nah, I’d stick to the offer. Let Sydney dip her toe in the water rather than throw her in the deep end. Maybe next time. Her imagination afterwards though…
Also second that… Forget about explicit. (except for a single picture for VDSD?)
My favorite next scene would be a “next morning”; three small panels over one big one.
Panel #1: Sydney on a pillow, eyes closed.
Frix: ” Sydney?”
Sydney: “Hmmph?”
Panel #2: Sydney, eyes half open.
Frix: “Wake up, we’re nearing Earth…”
Sydney: “Hmmm.. OK…”
Panel #3: Sydney eyes open, head half turned up.
Sydney: “Frix?”
Frix: “Yes?”
Sydney: “Before getting up, could you… hold me for a minute?”
Large Panel #4 underneath first three: A bed with a naked (but strategically covered) Sydney and Frix, Sydney with her eyes closed and her head on his chest. Both with a smile.
Frix: “Of course.”
The page after that could be a breakfast where Cora joins them and the Regular Schedule resumes with some (in)appropriate snarks.
DaveB, you don’t even know what you have done.
Sydney, made of the same stuff and hyperactivity I am, somewhat shy, the somewhat reserved and gentle mechanic aaaand medic who happens to be furry which isn’t Sydney’s /particular thing/ but still something she ‘s behind unlike the vast majority of the “gamer” pop…
If there isn’t a fanfic by next thorsday, there will be one on the next! (Being drunk, I cannae say thursday without mentioning that viking s invented the day of the week.)Be
This is perfect. Best grrlpower to date.
On the chapters on my wiki, I have three categories of characters for the who’s who (primary, secondary, and referenced). The primary doesn’t really make sense, but having “who’s on the page” and “who is referenced” with a little image break between the two would be really helpful in those situations.
Would you be so kind and throw in the link?
(Maybe you did somewhere else, but then again… browsing the whole comment sections under each page is… long time effort)
heh. Frix the Fixer
Panel 7 Sydney: her body is ready.
Remember when Europeans came to America and most of the Americans died because they didn’t have resistance to the endemic diseases of urban development?
Do you know what Travelers’ diarrhea is?
One of these two is gonna end up as a typhoid Mary to their home planet… probably both.
For this situation we will call upon the mantra,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ugebzq3juE
And I notice it kinda looks like Sidney’s been toning up a bit in her arms, too.
Well she’s been at ARCHON for a while now–not long enough to make a LOT of difference, but probably enough to make some VISIBLE difference.
Probably gonna be the odd one here, but… I kinda wanna see that xD
110% my same reaction.
I’m going out on a limb here – I think we are going to see Frix fall madly in love with Sydney’s combing skills.
I bet Sydney looses the glasses for LASIX. Frix gives Sydney a … “Makeover” (but Keep the hair Longer) . Plus Sydney will get her own ‘Skin-Tight’ Uniform. Besides when Sydney gets back, ALL the Ladies will take one look and They will know whats what.
NO!
WE DO NOT WANT HER ON LASIX
https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-3776-8043/lasix-oral/furosemide-oral/details
If you mean LASIK she may actualy not be a candidate for that
Wasn’t there a discussion about Sydney not being a good candidate for LASIK? I don’t feel like looking for it now, particularly as I’m doing an archive crawl on El Goonish Shive for a comic about clothes and fur to respond to a comment on the first page.
Its either her ADD and her meds, not sure what is more important but at the time they did not do it with anyone prescribed Adderal because of Irregular spastic eye movement, and that was WITH them having a more modern tracking laser.
Hmm Trying again
https://egscomics.com/comic/2012-10-29
https://egscomics.com/comic/2012-10-29
Is the link you are looking for I think
Also
https://egscomics.com/comic/2012-10-29
Is not the Demonic Duck your looking for
sigh I tried to post and I kept getting error messages sorry
Am i the only one who WANTS to see the bath scene?
I am picturing an Onsen, with the buckets, little stools, and everything.
and now Im seeing statigically covering steam clouds…..
“TMI” recently did a series of scenes in a communal onsen on board a spaceship :D (recently, as in couple months back :P)
Definitely not the only one, DonkeyOpera…
No I am definitely right there with you >_>
I will assume that most of us have a good enough imagination to create that scene without Dave’s help.
Thanks for saving us the trouble of tracking page #342 down.
I think Frix is an interesting inversion here. He’s passively sexy, in a non-threatening manner, a role usually reserved (especially in comics) for women. He’s not agressively pursuing Sydney, which past history suggests would turn her off, but is polite, and communicating in a clear and straightforward manner.
Sydney pretty clearly likes it too.
I noticed that he didn’t get the sexual “sub introduction” in the last comic. In before he’s not interested in any kind of sexual interaction with Halo.
I just had a new peek at Halo’s Unofficial Interactive Skilltree, specifically at the Still Unknown Orb. There are three skill points occupied, two in one branch, one in another.
Being at least 30% perverted, it occurred to me that this might be some sort of physiology orb, or libido orb, or some other type of orb that Sydney is about to get some experience in. Am I alone in this?
This is nice. Works well with my engineering brain. Thank you.
My current thought is that the Center._ _ orbs are the number of orbs that can function at a time.
“Perverted” is such a negative term. I would rather call myself a person with a good imagination.
Spontaneous Sydney Combustion Powers GO!
…if she blushes any harder she’ll melt a hole in the space/time continuum…
DaveB, HE_E_E_E_ELPPPPPP!!! Please can you undo my moment of gross insanity, and kill (by any gruesome means possible) the email check box. I can’t do it myself as the UnSub is broken, by its own admission. I’ve tried it twice.
Thinking this definitely qualifies as an “Ohhhhhhhhhh, boy…” situation.
Oh boy is more of a quantum leap reaction.
This is more a George Takei “Ohhhhh my” thing.
Point well taken.
One of my alltime favourite BBT scenes – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZTyfRD5–8
As others have noted, that last panel got me good. I keep rereading that sequence and finding myself giggling more every time. :D
Great work, Dave!
Get it, Sydney! Do it for the rest of us who can’t.
This page might mean significant change in Sydney’s behaviour. My own experience with social insecurity is that they make the first time is incredibly difficult – whether it is asking for a piece of bread in a shop or getting serious with a woman. After that first time… the anxiety subsides, and you are able to start thinking about it rationally and find out never was a big deal – it was all in your head. Few such situations and you build much better confidence in general.
I suppose it could go the other way too if the experience really proves to be traumatizing, but the usual sources of insecurity rarely are as bad as the anxiety makes them, and Frix doesn’t look like the type to mess this specific case.
Kinda glad to see Sydney might finally be able to be willing to do Anything intimate. Was starting to worry that she had ‘you should really talk to a professional about this’ issues concerning sex.
Did she turned all red?
No but she probably will soon.
Getting there. I am expecting her to start venting steam out of her ears any second now.
Well, her arm is starting to go red, so getting close :D
Good for you Syd!