Grrl Power #779 – Sydney, a portrait in light
They’ve been busy while Sydney was gone. I imagine most custom stained glass window installations usually take a few months to turn around, but it’s pretty amazing what you can get done when you have a government agency backing you… especially when they’re a small agency not bogged down by a lot of red tape.
I’m sure there might be some groups who would be offended by imagery like this. Calling her Halo, with all that implies, is one thing, but the actual halo emitting god rays might be a step too far. Arianna’s policy is that if those people can produce an actual photo of a saint or demigod with god rays coming out their head, then she’ll listen to concerns about sacrilege or whatever.
Oh, and I thought I should mention one more time, Michael-Scott Earle’s Tamer 6 Kickstarter has 3 days left. If you missed Tamer 1-5, you can get them at his personal website, and if you’re an audiobooks kind of person, he has had the first 4 audiobooks rerecorded by a dual narrator team, so a woman is voicing the female characters, which is infinity percent better than listen to some guy read in falsetto. They’re available here for free, which is a pretty amazing deal, though it’s a pay what you want thing. Considering the price of audiobooks on Audible, a few bucks in the pay what you like field might not be out of order, but I’ll leave that up to you. The audio for book 5 should be out this week, if not today, so check back if you don’t see it right away.
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Nobody has made a comment on Syd’s expression of dismayal in the last panel?
From the one scrunched down / one raised eyebrow, somewhat pinched facial expression, and slight blush I was getting more of a confused/nonplussed/mildly-embarassed kind of expression. Not as strong a blush as when Max gives her a compliment, for instance, but Sydney does tend curl in on herself and blush in the face of positive regard.
I’d call it “Boggled” not “Dismayed”
I think at the very least she looks very uncomfortable with the idea that she’d be taken as some sort of religious deity figure. Not just boggled, not ‘quite’ dismayed. But uncomfortable with it.
I think at the very least she looks very uncomfortable with the idea that she’d be taken as some sort of religious deity figure. Not just boggled, not ‘quite’ dismayed. But uncomfortable with it.
As someone who doesn’t give a flying F*** about religion I didn’t even think about the stained glass image in that way until people commented about it. As someone who has done basic stained glass work I paid more attention the the lack of lines on the image highlighting cut glass connecting points. That implies it is cast resin or waterjet cut lexan or even a vinyl wrap glass.
Well it’s just that the whole ‘heavenly lights’ coming from over Halo’s head in the stained glass is pretty clearly religious iconography… like a Jesus thing. Which DaveB also pointed out in his blurb.
Well it’s just that the whole ‘heavenly lights’ coming from over Halo’s head in the stained glass is pretty clearly religious iconography… like a Jesus thing. Which DaveB also pointed out in his blurb.
?She’s in Texas.
We have congregations out here who have Hunting season party’s and pot lucks and blessings of the hunt and congregation events at gun ranges, Movie nights with whatever the latest major release Cartoon or other movie is, including our upcoming fright night Murderfest next week, and all kinds of other weirdness. So she’s probably wondering which congregation leased or sold them the church.
I’d call it bemused or befuddled, although boggled is nice. Kind of “when did this all happen, and why like this?”
I’d call it more of a ‘WTF?????’ look than anything else.
Yeah, she has a lot to absorb here. When she left she was co-owner of Event Horizon Comics. Now she’s co-owner of the Church of Halo, apparently. And Joel made the name change by fiat in her absence, which is not kosher at all.
I get the feeling Joel responded to Arianna’s suggestion that they move the store was sarcastic. “Yeah, sure, why don’t you buy up that old church at the corner of x and x. We can name it Halo’s Emporium, and have a big ol’ stained glass image of Sydney and her orbs, too!”
Airianna: “YE$$$!”
Headcanon accepted.
Given what we know so far this makes *perfect* sense.
Don’t you mean ‘perfect cents’? We are talking about Arianna, after all…
Nice!
That fits perfectly.
+1
Actually, if Dave hadn’t have lead off with his commentary, I was assuming this was Joel’s idea anyway. I’d have thought Arianna would have been pushing for “more subtle”.
A fake bank robbery on the eve of the Archon revelation was “subtle?”
My question, exactly!
Well let’s put it this way, Harem at the very least when she thought about it made it clear that the knew the fight was set up on either Ariana’s part, or maybe Maxes. Granted there’s this…
https://www.grrlpowercomic.com/archives/comic/grrl-power-201-prerequisite-monologue/
Compared to “The Church of Halo”? Yeah, subtle.. LOL
I guess you could call a 105mm artillery round “more subtle” than a 155mm howitzer, but somehow the distinction seems vague to me.
No, this really does seem like the type of marketing gimmick Arianna would think of. Joel does not think of Sydney as a deity figure – he’s known her far too long.
Even a demon can be worshiped :P
I don’t think Joel worships Sydney, whether she’s a deity or a demon. :)
I believe that the correct term is “ditz” albeit a lovable one.
Maybe that idea that someone posted earlier about Sydney cosplaying Sally Fields has more merit than I thought.
I can completely see THAT happening, actually.
I’m still expecting that they did as well as they did because Sydney wasn’t involved in it.
*joel stares over the counter*
“Joel, what the h**”
*stares some more* “… you have a lot of fans… who spent a lot of money… ”
*crickets chirp*
“And don’t ask about the crickets”
Don’t have to. Crickets get in. It’s next to impossible to keep them out. Any time the door is opened, they all make a mad rush for the open doorway.
At least during certain times in the year.
The result is, yes, you CAN be inside, and have to deal with that incessantly annoying chirp that only shuts up when you get close to the insects hiding place.
Also, they’re all over, so you’re never close to all of them. Some of them are always far away from anyone. No matter how disbursed you are throughout the building. No matter how many people you hang from the ceiling (if they love you, I know they won’t care.) Incessant chirping from indeterminate directions all the time.
At least they don’t chirp to the beat of the Angle Dance song.
Now that depends. If you let the inside temperature get down into the upper thirties in winter (using just enough heat to keep the pipes from freezing) for a day, then they won’t be a problem until spring.
It depends on how bad you want them gone.
In China, having a cricket in your house is good Fortune.
Crickets eat paper. IN comic store, having a cricket is NOT good Fortune.
That’s a critical point.
admittedly when typing I was thinking more of the ancient meme predating the internet about *crickets* during weird solemn moments in fiction stories
That is what Halo’s special finishing move “Surrepticious Tumbleweed” is for.
The cry of the Red Tailed Hawk has become the sound effect for ‘Abandoned Area, Outdoors’.
Crickets may be suitable for stage performances which are not received well.
Halos portrait is giving me a MUSE The Resistance cover artwork.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8a/Theresistance.jpg
I think MUSE was making the same sort of references. Perhaps for different reasons. Also, great album.
I just hope the people inside aren’t all wearing dark hoods.
I think that they have orange hoods.
https://youtu.be/4u-4EQP4kzk
No, definitely brown hoods. Possibly performing a tribute version of this classic performance, with the lyrics lampooning super heroes.
I’m thinking more
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnqPrDN77Xg
What about this? :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4q6eaLn2mY
I was thinking more like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWgYDETNgEM
I think we have a winner. Would Arianna be the high priestess and Olivia the sacrifice?
Just a little warning, elfguy’s link is NSFW :)
Swing and a miss.
https://www.grrlpowercomic.com/archives/comic/grrl-power-3/
I will be disappointed if Sydney isn’t greeted by a professional Halo cosplayer upon entering the store.
One who is both a head taller, and significantly bustier to boot.
And more scantily clad.
If they have Halo cosplayers hanging around the store, I can see someone mistaking Sydney for one of those cosplayers and criticizing her cosplay for inaccuracies.
*giggle* :)
You generally don’t see cosplayers around here at most comic book stores. At least around here.
I think Madness Comics and Games in Dallas does sell some cosplay stuff in their clothing section.
Not too many comic book stores are co-owned by a real-life hero (sort of)
I believe I would go there to worship.
Wait ’til she finds out that that’s a cover image for The Mighty Halo #1, The Adventures of Sydney Scoville”
Most comic book stores complain about Diamond, this one is IN Diamond.
Wait until she sees the fan-fic.
If it involves Leon she might write it.
More likely to involve Dabbler and/or Harem. At least until the images of Cora and her crew circulate a bit.
Shy tech guru Leon and his series of misadventures that result in accumulating a harem of super-waifus fanfic? Definitely going to exist in the Grrlverse.
Addendum: that is, assuming anyone outside Archon knows who he is. Having thought about it, I don’t recall the identities of any civilian staff other than Arianna being outed to the general public. Leon was at the restaurant, so he might be somewhat known outside of Archon, but quite likely not to the fanfic level . . . so if it did crop up, the list of authorial suspects would be pretty narrow.
Talk about giving someone a god complex
She’s going to land, walk in, and be mistaken for a cosplayer of herself.
I imagined that too…
“Greeter Hi! Welcome to Halo’s…wait they didn’t say they were hiring another cosplayer!”
TentaORB YOINK!
FLIGHT BALL FLIGHT OUTSIDE AND UP!
“LOOK AT THAT LOOK AT ME! NOW LOOK DOWN! ANY QUESTIONS?”
“Welcome back…boss?”
Right. Because in the last 60 days or so since Syndey became famous, they’ve made amazing progress at making tele-responsive orbiting orbs.
…
There are people who don’t realize that’s hard. OMG, she’s going to be mistaken for a cosplayer of herself.
She has gear to cosplay herself. She wore it in the “Wearing The Cape” crossover.
There is actually a picture of Halo losing in a Lookalike Contest on Dave’s Deviant Art page. I think the contestant won because of Sex Appeal (Big Boobs). Sydney was not happy.
Link?
Here you is: https://www.deviantart.com/davebarrack/art/Halo-Lookalike-Contest-431780929
Thanks, and somehow I am able to hear her say “OH COME ON!!!”
I had forgotten about the little metal “holder” she had for the orbs.
Charlie Chaplin saw a “Charlie Chaplin Look-a-like” contest contest and entered. He came in third.
I believe there are also similar anecdotes featuring Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe. Not sure which if any are based in reality.
Although to be honest, knowing of the anecdotes, if I were in the celebrity’s position and hadn’t yet been recognised as the real thing, I’d probably give it a go. And if I were on the judging panel, I may well play along with the story even if I did recognise the original.
Is this illegal? Probably not.
Is it likely to cause a shit-storm? Most definitely.
Are…are they in/near Red Bank, New Jersey?
I think DaveB has been specifically non-specific about where they are, but he’s based in the Dallas area and that’s been the common assumption.
No I think the working theory is with them them being outside the Greater Dallas texas metroplex, or someplace closer to Wilfred hall or More likely Brook because last time I checked they did have Medical officers from all branches serving or training at Brook while Wilfred Hall at that time was almost strictly staffed by the USAF.
I like Arianna’s policy. Is good policy. :3
So… Did nobody notice that the store is a gutted out chapel?
Yeah… Apparently the rays of light coming from her floaty balls actually wasn’t enough…
All Hail Halo! All Hail Halo!
Anyone sort of hoping they have the theme song from Halo from the Xbox playing on loop inside?
She should be ecstatic that her store is now the Hall of Justice.
https://youtu.be/ageZX9haD00
I see the resemblance.
Who knows, she may be just in time for the grand opening!
Picture a floating Halo “tethered” to a display by the molestorb.
Is that a three-story comic store……………………….. So many possibilities for floor plans.
First floor dedicated to retail of course, depending of exact square-footing, you could have a massive back-catalog and sell out-of-print online (put shipping and receiving near the back door obviously…………………………..
I JUST REALIZED THAT IT IS A REMODELED CHURCH! Excellent, we can take the Children’s playground and turn that into a LARPing space. Most (American) Churched have a good size play area, or are near to one.
Second floor, should have multiple rooms for private gaming sessions (DnD, non-tournament card game and miniatures), maybe a small rec room with a TV and vending machines (we could put a staffed bar area, but that puts you at risk of becoming a food service location, all sorts of nasty regulations with that).
Third floor, have it mostly open for tournaments and major events. Bit of storage to accommodate them (special tourney prizes and supplies, extra chairs, bleachers might be overkill….. maybe). Keep the main offices there (because top floor, obviously).
Of course, you also need to plan the location of the elevator and wiring (I assume the structure was originally one giant room, so the second and third floors would need to be added).
This is not the kind of crazy I expected from Joel. I mean, he seemed like the stable intelligent one in the partnership.
That’s not a Jo-El scheme there.
That’s Arianna level crazy.
Honestly, it might have been assumed she was dead by some people.
This could have been an attempt at a memorial.
Hmm. Sign needs work. That ampersand is awkwardly placed. It looks like “Comic Game & Emporium.”
That’s why Sydney looks so upset. :P
Misspelt sign’s with mispalced ampersands & apostrophes’ are la long retail tradition. At least it isn’t Comic Sans
Thanks for pointing out the poor typography, I can’t unsee it now.
Haha! Some decided to cash in while she was away. I can’t wait to hear the explanation for this.
Also always indie go go. Never kick starter.
Love the artwork!
The crickets hide in the smoke detectors
I don’t know, I think this storefront might be too subtle.
Perhaps Syd should use Light-B to recon the interior before she enters. Then she could ‘port in if it seems warranted, or fly back to Ari’s office for a quick RANT! if that seems a better option.
Yeah, let’s use the still-classified tool that has a visible element to scope out a non-threatening civilian establishment before entering.
Sounds like a good idea.
Nothing could go wrong.
Oops.
That is exactly what Halo would say after Maxima finishes describing all SeanR’s points.
Welcome to the Comic Game & Emporium!
Comic & Game Emporium.
Hooo-boy… This is going to be an interesting conversation.
I think someone could have slapped her with a live fish.. and she would have been less confused..
Of course, every proper geek knows what you’re supposed to do with a herring.
So… what’ve you been up to while I was away?
Oh, you got famous when you disappeared and cultists started showing up to worship you so I used the money from that and created a bigger store that looks like it should be named The Church of Halo to better cater to them… it was going great til you came back. <_<
Hey, people think Jesus is coming back and they still put plenty of stock in the Bible. I doubt a bunch of cultists will let a little thing like their (presumably) martyred messiah showing up stop them from worshiping.
… yeah that seems about right. The expression, the corprotization, the branding, it all looks about correct.
good work
Once she gets inside and finds Joel he tells her “While we were doing some rebranding we also looked into corporate naming rights. A certain building in Australia is now known as the Sydney Scoville Opera House.”
Wait til she finds out its an old church hall in Yarramundi where the local Am Dram society meets.
Just putting it out there, the real world origin of halos. Assuming you arn’t planning to credit them on ET:
https://www.atoptics.co.uk/droplets/gloim12.htm
Erm.. What?
Icons of Saints have halos (since the 6th century) because icons of Jesus had halos, and Saints are Holy like Jesus (living Saints have square halos, dead Saints have round halos). Icons of Jesus had halos (since the 4th century) because images of the Roman Emperors had halos, and Jesus is both God and King. Images of the Roman Emperors had halos because the god Helios had a halo, and they wanted to remind hoi poloi that they (the Emperors) were so much better than mere mortals.
Helios had a halo because he was god of the Sun
And every light has a Halo in fog.
Because Phogg is just that awesome.
So awesome in fact, can circumnavigate the globe in 87 days :P
As long as one has the right Passepartout visas.
Oh God! I can’t stop laughing!
This image just breaks me up every time I look at it.
How fortuitous that shes wearing the same outfit as the picture they used for the stained glass window. This seems like Ariana handywork creating one of those perfect clippable moments. If someone with a camera just happens to be there on an “unrelated” matter, we’ll know shes pulled off another genius stunt.
Are we ABSOLUTELY SURE that Arianna isn’t a villain?
She’s a lawyer, ’nuff said :P
so is “key” here mean:
1) “of course…” in a “i should have expected this, and I’m not sure who im more disappointed in.
2) a “well alright then” as in its suprising but she’s had an EXPERIENCE lately and cant even deal
or
3) a “nani the fuck?”
Yes
They must have gotten a hot deal on stained glass artistry after helping prevent the Notre Dame fire, what with the whole knowing what was gonna happen over 2 months thing.
Didn’t know the Notre Dame cathedral burnt down twice (this is still 2010 or 2011)
Whoa… Going just a leeeeettle overboard there on the use of personal image, Joel.
This wasn’t Joel’s idea. This is Arianna.
And it’s not Jo-El’s personal image anyway
Really have to wonder how Max will react when she sees THIS.
She would have seen it at least a month ago.