Grrl Power #87 – I can see why this might be cause for concern
We already knew that the orbs grant her powers, I mean, she’s the main character of a superhero comic. Whatever you thought was in the tube, it was obvious it let her hang with supers, but for all the Archon people knew, the tube just contained the holy Spork that Jesus used at the last supper, and it only grants the power to eat both soup and meatballs with the same utensil, or the dying flatus of Gogmagog or something.
And don’t worry, I’m not going to reveal an orb per page for the next 6 weeks. We’ll get through them faster than that.
Oh, and I meant to post this originally with the comic, but it was 1:30 am when I did and I forgot, but if you’re looking for some other amusing superhero webcomics to fill the week long gap between updates here, I’ve been enjoying Love and Capes. It’s got a nice toony art style and is cute and funny, sort of a super hero romantic comedy, lots of referenced to super hero tropes, definitely worth checking out. I have plenty more to recommend but I’ll stick to one a week for a while (when I remember) since some of them have decent sized archives.
Also, I realize after seeing the page fresh after spending all weekend nose down in it that Maxima’s waist and hips are way too small. That’s a bad art habit of mine, I need to keep an eye on that. It’s weird how some artists have blind spots for proportion when looking at their own art, I’m sure you can think of plenty of examples.
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It would seem that she has manipulated gravity in order to fly, probably a limited field around her. Thus she “cuts out” her own little area to make gravity point in another direction. I wonder how hard those orbs are. Since it would be frustrating to use all those orbs at the same time and potentially dangerous to have those things floating randomly about (uh-oh, looks like the lair is about to self-destruct! Better get ou— $#@! some of my orbs are stuck under the rubble :X ) I would have a few easily accessible, and have the rest put away (some situations could use some finesse instead of laser beams or whatever) and not in the can, that could easily be used to find her real identity. If they can’t be destroyed, they could maybe be like a snap-on to some armor, protect vital organs and stuff.
Awesome page!
I wander if one of the orbs is causing Syndey’s lanyard to become invisible? :D
Holy crap I totally forgot about it on this page. Fortunately you seem to have been the first person to notice. :P
Meh. I noticed. I just couldn’t remember if she was still wearing it when she sat down, and was too lazy to check.
And you can’t even say it fell off. It was gone before she moved. Embarrassing but not world ending unlike Niven’s missing the Ringworld’s instability.
Wait wait wait….
Does this mean you spontaneously decided that Maxima was a nerd and new about Ioun stones?
Or did you initially plan on having her a D&D nerd?
He probably decided Maxima used to be a nerd a long time ago. He’s been thinking about this world for at least five years before he even started the comic. When you do that you always try out little stories and back histories in your head. Over time the world becomes fairly complex.
Max being an ex-nerd is part of her back story. Mind you her definition of nerd is a little different than Sydney’s, but it shall be explained in time.
you need a adio chip put in the glasses that go don dah don! every hour (wich is usualy every time she does something shocking or crazy)
What I don’t understand is that Sydney is obviously aware that these orbs giver her super powers, yet when Maxima flew her to the base, she acted as if she’s never flown before.
electing to fly of your own accord is likely a different feeling entirely to being picked up & flown by another person whos motivations you may not trust.
And whose method of flying you probably don’t understand. Not that Sydney probably knows all the physics of how her Powers work, but at least she’s had them long enough to figure out the ‘user operating system’ level of how they work and what can or can’t be done.
That, and that in her version gravity and/or inertia seems to be negated. but in Max’s version there was still a very real feeling of acceleration and that gravity sure the heck was still there… from VERY HIGH UP the air!…
Also, Max appears to have hoiked her off her feet by main strength, power climbed to altitude, and promptly busted the sound barrier. An abrupt and unsettling series of maneuvers even for an experienced flyer. I’m sure a veteran jet fighter pilot trained for that sort of flying would find it a bit of a shock out in the wind without a plane, helmet, or parachute!
then they would throw out there arms and scream like a madman or sydney when they decide they enjoy it.
So wait. The General’s superpower is internet and pop-culture awareness?
He used the “Mother of God” thing here. Then in #85, he knew about Pokemon and My Little Pony. Then again he was pretty snarky in #82 (and he became my favorite character on the strip.)
Based on his day dreaming and comments it seems like the General has a secret anime habit.
Jack O’Neill, ’nuff said.
I point out again- The General has Grandkids, as established two comics ago.
That’s how he knows about Sailor Moon, Pokemon, MLP:FIM, and Dragonball (or DBZ). That’s all stuff that kids absolutely love, and I know that my Grandma and Grandpa spent quite a few hours watching Sailor Moon, Pokemon, and other anime/cartoon stuff with me when I was little.
Sailor Moon don’t forget her outfit.
… is it just me or did Dave have the cast guess a good deal of the stuff we guessed?
Yes, he reads the comments and sometimes puts it in the comic. He’s done it before. Reread the comic with the coments included and you will enjoy this comic more. I have, it works.
To be fair, you guys guessed a lot of stuff. I have no shortage of ideas, but I’m certainly not above incorporating stuff into the comic if it’s good or if it gives me an idea. For instance I didn’t know what Ioun stones where before last week.
*Hands Dave an updated “Nerd” card* There, now you know. ;)
don’t feel bad, neither did I; and I used to play Dungeons and Dragons.
lol, just realized she was about to tell where she found the orbs b4 the Ioun stones reference
I dunno i somebody pointed this out but:
Sidney’s bangs show they have powers of they’re own: to laugh in the face of gravity!
In fact, her whole hairdo seems to slap Sir Isaac Newton in the face…
Or she’s a poster-child for mousse-abuse, or other styling gel – type products.
what amases me the most on this page is Sydneys gravity defying hair xP
Hair, glasses, clothes, change in her pockets. EVERYTHING on Sydney is defying gravity right now. So instead of saying she’s “flying,” it would be more accurate to say she’s in some kind of inertia field where “normal” gravity is suspended.
Don’t think of it as defying gravity so much as a more powerful localized gravity field is countervening it. That orb is somehow generating its own gravity field that centers on Sydney an it can move freely in space. Very sophisticated really. An gravity is among the most powerful of forces. Just having gravity control could make you king of the earth! Can’t wait to see the others in action an inter-action. Go Grrls!!!!!!!!
I believe a proper way of saying it is it’s generating a Counter-gravitational field
but i like to say, “Screw physics, i have orbs!”
Wow, Pinkie Pie?
Isn’t gravity the weakest of the four fundamental forces, though? (For example, try charging a comb with static electricity by rubbing it on your shirt and using it to lift pieces of paper off the table. A comb’s worth of electricity can overcome a whole planet’s worth of gravity pulling on the paper.)
People keep saying something about her holding the ball to make the power work, but check this Jedi stuff out.
the orbs have shown an awarness of situations outside the tube in other pages too and have acted on them (sure its only been keeping the celestial joker close enough to entertain them but they are acting without being held). holding one is only required for halo power to manifest.
Well, now we know how she gets the name Halo.
I always thought it was meant to be kind of ironic, as in she swears like a trucker yet has an ‘angelic’ name.
GRAVITY DEFYING BANGS!!
Three words which raise the immediate mental image of an Orion drive rocket. I seriously hope Sydney’s powers are a bit more accommodating to the immediate environment, but given her proven chemical-warfare abilities I’m not sure.
Are you aware of “Project Orion” the original pulse atomic drive interplanetary ship from the 1950’s? Using a thrust plate an detonation of H-bombs on a tower behind it to push the ship through space. A variation of it was portrayed in the Draka series of alternate universe history.
Maxima, panel #5. I think these guys may be freaking out a bit too much…
Oh, they’re just freaking out about the way that she’s flying… I guess I would too, having super powers myself or no. Circling, with the gravity defying bangs and all is weird enough, but the GLaDOS Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee pushes it into Cthulu creepy territory. O.O
exactly why zeph is more concerned about the generals sudden glasses than the flight hes seen and delt with the one level enough for it to be pase’ while the other is just rational enough to seem odd.
I know this is a stupid question
where exactly does this comic take place
Probably the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Thats where DaveB is from after all.
I’ve been debating keeping it ambiguous but I’m sure I’ll eventually have to say. I know I wanted a “central-ish” city so they could get anywhere in the country in a minimal amount of time. DFW is a bit bar south if they need to get up to NY or Seattle, but then Indianapolis is a bit far north if the need to get to SoCal or Florida. It’ll probably just wind up being Dallas just cause I’m vaguely aware of the area. Plus there’s a lot of stuff around here like a big Lockheed Martin assembly factory and military bases, though I suppose there aren’t any major cities that don’t have stuff like that.
St. Louis is near the center though not the center of the country an to get there you wouldn’t have a major city. Chicago is another possible. But it means getting reference materials for buildings an streets etc, but it would aid in verisimilitude. Or you could just keep it ambiguous like in some other fiction or simply make up a city as has been done in all kinds of fiction. It just depends on you. An you may not need to till it is called for in the story like a map needed to orient us etc…
So it is creators prerogative after all Dave B. It will be fine with me however you go. The story is the thing an the characters an situations bring it to life. All else is window dressing to help the story an characters.
D/FW is pretty central. Plus, it can be a regional headquarters. It dosn’t have to be the national headquarters, unless yoy want it to be that way.
Well, since I’m not from the US, I’ve no idea where Ambiguous is, so it doesn’t really matter if you keep it set there, or move it somewhere central.!
After reading this page I am now going to refer to the general as “General Meme” XD
well at least we now she has not LOST HER MARBLES
ha ha im so not funny
haha gravity defying hair or is that part of the spheres power? dun dun duuunnn
I find I need to say this. Maxima’s ‘bwuh’ expression in panel five makes me chuckle. It amuses me.
This is it folks, this is comment 460, will DaveB and Grrlpower reach the fabled 500th comment? Will it cause the heavens to align and usher in the apocalypse?! Or will it just show how bored and/or dedicated the readers are? Tune in, and if the Sun suddenly explodes, my bad! I was the 500th poster! Muahahahaha! :P
It’s only friday, odds are yes.
See, I’m 501
Okay… So I’ve already managed to re-read the whole comic 3 times over (what can I say, I have way to much spare time ^^; ), but I’m only getting around to saying something now…
Jaw-dropping art quality! And a totally awesome story to boot!
PS: If I’m the first Aussie to comment do I win something?
JD
You are not the first Autralian. There is the Ausie Bloke and at least one or two others.
But welcome to the group anyway.
Another Aussie here. Welcome aboard. :)
The consolation prize is a continent full of venomous spiders. And from what I hear a pretty favorable female to male ratio? But that may just be some sort of viral marketing from the tourism board.
*grumble* Tourism viral-marketing… Definitely… What is accurate is the average level of hotness of said females.
As for the other thing, I *like* spiders! So yay me! :P
JD
Hmm, Sydney seems to have the Starwalker attitude towards staying oriented the same as those you are talking to.
Now, I’m getting rather interested in these orbs. If anyone else remembers how combining abilities from the stones worked in jackie chan adventures, there were some pretty useful abilities that could be found, namely levitation + speed = flight.
(I will not be using sydneys known powers as I do not want to click and spoil them for myself)
Levitation by itself however isn’t too useful unless the ground is falling out from under you. Say sydney has for example telikinesis, this could also be combined with levitation. Lifting a small object under yourself achieves a usable type of flying. Lifting a larger object allows for multiple transportations.
Another combination would be freeze + force field. Freezing the outside of a shield provides a curved reflective surface, allowing it to be given to another team member as a temporary shield, deflecting certain attacks.
Without these additional powers being revealed, we won’t know possible additional combinations untill later.
I doesn’t necessarily make her fly. It let’s her float and maybe would let her airwalk, still a cool power but it would explain why high speed flight would freak her out.
Also I wonder if Max is an ex-gamer or maybe just a Jack Vance fan (His dying Earth stories are where ioun stones come from)
As an aside from the thoery crafting on what the orbs do exactly…What happened to Maximas hair, seems when Sydney took flight big and golds own bang went AWOL in fright ;)
She brushed it back in between pages?
Lies, it’s a conspiracy to hide the sentient nature of Maximas hair that will prove a pivotal role in a future comic against Shatners.
Kirk! From Death’s heart I stab at thee! :)
Erm did someone noticed that Maxima in bottom left corner pic have eyes like Derpy Hooves?
My geeky self.
I immediately compared the orbs abilities to George R.R. Martin’s multi-author alternate universe superhuman series Wildcards. There’s a character called Captain Trips. Each drug combination brings forth an alternate personality with abilities the other ones don’t have. Though strength tends to carry over. He himself before ingesting doesn’t have any abilities at all, and is clumsy. he’s also a flower child era character.
Flower power child I meant to say
Loved Capt.Tripps especially when the Big dude fell in love with Moonchild. :D
Sounds a bit like “Legion” from Marvel comics too (his power is all powers, but to access each one his *external* personality has to shift to a seperate persona (split personality like crazy with each one controlling a different power) Hence why he called himself “Legion”.
Mark Meadows is a intresting charactor. His “friends” are more intresting. Between them they took over two countries.
Question:
Dabbler, is Dabbler in your comic canon with Dabbler in “Wereworld”?
Yes, Although I think it happens before Wereworld.
I don’t see why not. I don’t think there’s anything in there that explicitly contradicts the rules of my universe, besides which, every world has slightly different rules when it comes to magic due to differing auraspheres.
I so can see Sydney doing this to both Maxima and Anvil…Dabbler would sense her anyway with some other sense…
https://coolpicsbro.com/post/1285
Ha! Ha! I’d love for somebody to do a picture of that.
I’ve been reading this comic for awhile now and it is indeed awesome. But is it weird I only just noticed that Dabbler’s eyes are two separate colors.
Funnily enough, Ioun stones were my first thought too.
So, please dont get mad at me if this has already been asked since I’m too lazy to read through all the comments but does she have gravity defying bangs now?I suppose it could be explained that the rick manipulates the gravity around her thus making the bangs fall normal cuz down isnt down unless thats how she is facing…. god that sounded confusing even in my head. but yeah, is her bangs supposed to not move?
rock not rick
The orb lets her controle her local gravity. She can move at great speed or upside down and not feel any movement.
Think about it. When she flies, there is no inertia, so she can be moving at 5 times the speed of sound and if she wanted to move in any direction and not feel the G-forces.
A lot of that is speculation. Yes, she can control her local gravity. Yes walking upside down in mid air (or rightside up in mid air), Yes, walking up walls. But still no evidence she can fly in the same way Max can. In fact her freak out while flying argues against it. Not saying she can’t just saying there’s no reason to believe it. And no “But it would be sooo COOL!” is not a reason.
I was talking about her being in a feild that negates inirtal movement.
About her flying, look at the cast page. there are symbols that say she can fly.
If her flying depended on just control of the direction of gravity she would be pretty much limited to terminal velocity, which is around 160 mph, give or take a bit, depending on how much effort one puts into airbraking,
I however, think that is too limited an explanation. I think the flying stone lets her manipulate her speed and vector, and the stone just adjust local gravity to match as a matter of comfort, making sure no matter where her feet are pointed, is down to her, eliminating nausea due to variations in how gravity effects the body (negating the stuff that makes one go ‘Whee!’ in a rollercoaster)
Also negating the puke factor.
As was pointed out earlier, really you should read all the comments, the gravity field is local an it inherently gives her that capacity for flight. An logical extrapolation even without looking at the cheat sheet.
I shall wait to find out all the other powers than read them. I’d like to have a little pizzazz in my reading. I try to imagine being able to move through space three dimensionally an yet not feel the effects of gravity on me. It is hard. I wonder how her body is protected from wind, cold an friction when she flies?
This is an old comment, so forgive me, but kind of to answer your question: being able to move 3 dimensionally through space without feeling the effects of gravity would be just like sky-diving I imagine. I went a while back, and after the first 3 seconds, It didn’t feel like falling anymore. All I felt was the high friction wind against me, just like going really fast on a motorcycle.
I do wonder if Sydney would experience that air friction. Probably one of the reasons why she screamed an struggled when Maxima grabbed her an took off. Whatever it is we shall find out eventually. Keep reading.
Missed the obvious until right now.
The orbs’ flying and their orbiting of Sydney are an entirely separate power if Syd can control their flight. Assuming for the moment they are super-durable they could be made to either impact close targets at high speed or even to block incoming attacks by interposing themselves between Sydney and the attack. If this trick works, Syd effectively has *three* powers active at a maximum with the third being the location and speed of those orbs not in her hands.
Firstly, we know she cant, because of all the tube shenanigans, and even if she were able to do that, wouldn’t the attacker be able to just grab one of the orbs hurled at them and use it against her? the orbs probably just sensed her wanting to use one of them and moved accordingly, as in into her hand. you know, because they were probably designed to do that. or something.
i hate to admit it but i had look up what max said because i had no idea what she was taking about.
FYI by Max i mean Maxima
I love how out of place maxima looks when syd gets aggressive at her. Its been mentioned that max has respect and fondness for syd cause she doesn’t edit her behavior towards max unlike everyone else.
Interesting. I am guessing that the General has some powers himself. Possibly a shape shifter. Those glasses used to be a cigar (sans smoke). I’ve noticed that his uniform tends to modify as well. Notice the presence and then lack of commendations? And a purple class A uniform? I’m even betting his underwear turned to silk and lace when he mentioned the, “Dead sexy” thing. My Champions 1st Ed. character, “Freeform”, also used to subconciously modify his appearance. I had a GM that would giggle over all of the little “changes” that would happen when I dialoged. He never pointed this out to the players, who never really caught on. Yes. It makes sense that the General is truly “One of Us”.
Ho lee shit!!! MEME REFERNCES!!!! just love the comic
I’m sorry if anyone’s said this or posted it but: I think we need a rotating Syndey gif, pronto…
BWAHAHA love the mother of god thing. It was perfect :) and yes, you were a nerd, say it with pride XD
She knows what Ioun stones are!?
Whoa. Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa.
That’s not just flying.
Her hair is pointing toward the ceiling when she’s upside down.
She’s either got zero-range telekinesis or she’s redirecting local gravity. Both of which have *hella* practical applications yo.