Grrl Power #875 – Poetic pozzing
I know everyone was expecting a “Viscera Cleanup Detail” level event here, but as little patience as Max has for dudes like this, she’s not going to atomize a guy for a first offence. Granted, trying to tug open her jacket to get a look at the goods is pretty fucking forward, and given Dabbler and Cora’s opinion of the guy, there’s a chance he’s a slow learner, so it’s possible things might escalate.
That is, depending on what that BLURZLZLRL field is.
Dun dun DUNNNN!
Just thought I’d stik this here cause it’s cute and too small in the comic.
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I clipped out their faces to share before reading beyond the second panel. Dave, you know me too well.
So, she’s literally never been this pissed off before, and is about to manifest some previously unknown power?
Either that, or the symbiot has a very different opinion of who’d be a good mate. This happened as she finally touched his actual skin.
My guess?
In the last panel, we are seeing the start of a teleporter: Someone is trying to kidnap Max.
I could see that; Max gets kidnapped, and the team has to rescue her. Another deep space story arc!
Or the team need to stop the crashing space ship from hitting a populated area, after Maxima smashes her way out. The engine was damage during her escape!
with her present mood, anyone trying to kidnap someone already known to have the power of a battle cruiser in the palm of her hand is probably underestimating the strength of their situation.
I meant overestimaiting.
I’m not entirely certain why people think Max is undefeatable.
I mean, the simple singular power to create a time stasis field would trap her as well as anyone else. I’ll grant you her speed means you’d basically HAVE to surprise her, but she’s not infallible.
I’d think any meta-human would be vulnerable to a sufficiently strong enough power dampener / power thief / deus ex machina power remover effect as well. Rogue from the X-men comes to mind, for the first half of her power.
The question is whether it’s an actual “stasis”, time just stops completely, or merely locally slows time down, in which case her super speed could largely negate it once she shifts the points accordingly. The fact that you can still see her indicates it’s just slowing her down, or maybe impeding movement.
But, yes, she’s not invincible. Shebang” at the diner party caused her some pain, and wasn’t even using her biggest blast out of concern for collateral damage. Kevin broke her nose.
That said, while Max isn’t invulnerable, she IS considered pretty much the top-tier powerhouse of the comic. she could have easily just vaporized Vehemence, but that woulda caused a lot of collateral damage. it’s less of a problem if someone’s stupid enough to try and Space-kidnap her, since she’d only be wrecking THEIR stuff.
if they are in orbit- Max has to breathe. she wears a mask for her altitude tests with Sydney.
Might be like Superman in the comics: He can hold his breath a long time, but that doesn’t do him any good if he opens his mouth to talk.
I did not say undefeatable, but she is a nuclear explosion in a tic tac candy size. Something that was a major surprise to everyone that saw it and that was not her playing with her power pool at the time, just something she wanted to try.
now let her get mad so she will have no patience and crank that plasma beam, see what happens.
I think you mean “Underestimating the strength of their opposition!”
Teleport or some kind of stasis field would be my guess.
nah, true teleportation has always been purple transparent, while this is blue blobby transparent and Dave tends to be pretty constant with that kind of visual effect
One example of a personal teleport power doesn’t mean all teleports are the same
Opal, Harem and Varia all have a purpely teleport power.
Sydney and Jiggawatt don’t but have to move something to were they’re teleporting making their direction predictable and even hamparable.
Opal opens a portal that anyone can pass through, not a ‘teleport power’
What porting power does Vahriah have?
Jiggs turns into lightning, so not the same thing, at all
Variahs Gestalt with Harem let’s port with harem. Not a valid example since it’s really just an extension of Harems.
Thank you
Yeah, Vahriah’s powah simple let’s her ‘ride along’ with Harem
It’s not “just an extension”.
– Varia is the only one who can do it, so apparently it’s a power.
– It’s transportation over great distances without actually crossing the inbetween space, hence teleport.
– We don’t know whether they’re the same or only comparable, since Varia has shown her power is only related to powers, not necessarily copying said powers.
Vahriah can only do that while in contact with Daphne
You need to look up the definition of a ‘portal’ and ‘teleport’
Opal’s power is sudden movement over a great distance without actually crossing that distance, how is that not teleportation. That she can teleport others too is just a convenient extra.
I agree Jiggawatt isn’t a true teleporter, I just tried to explain to people who might think otherwise, why I thought so.
Besides would that critisism make Opals powers even more representive
No, Opal’s power is opening a portal that anyone can step through, it is not a teleport power
That’s like saying someone who can create a door in a wall is the same as someone who can phase through the wall
I’ve found that I’m wrong.
Opals portals are golden when she helps Deus break into the Vault.
Dabbler’s “blink” is also essentially short distance teleporting and purple
That seems mildly suicidal on the part of the kidnappers.
I don’t think she’s touching his skin. She seems to be still holding the glove he pulled his hand out of.
Which is pretty impressive now that I think about it, Maxima seemed to have a pretty good grip on his wrist.
A slippery character indeed.
I also doubt its something from him as well. his own comment gives me the idea he has no idea whats going on. though it could also be a unexpected affect
It makes me wonder if Ray actually has a skeleton or skeleton analog.
Well, something went ‘POP’
Well invertabrate octopus/tentacle creature? Could also explain why Roy does seem to be harmed eithrler.
I was actually thinking she was hit with a security defense for assaulting the caption. Statis field maybe?
[quote]That is, depending on what that BLURZLZLRL field is.[/quote]
Since it appears to be AROUND Max (it’s sparkling in/around her hair), I’d guess… an emergency stasis field projector Ray uses to keep himself from getting killed whenever he goes ANYWHERE.
Obviously he’d need SOMETHING for that.
Pretty good chance that’ll leave him with his hand stuck and no way to get away sans amputation. Not the best idea.
Lower lifeforms have this habit of regenerating lost appendages.
+1 internet for you today, random sir.
That and given the incredible likelihood of a beating given his behavior, some precautions would be necessary. If it is, I’d bet good money that Max will break the thing to make a point.
Considering she stopped mid sentence, I do concur that it seems to be some kind of stasis effect, I don’ think Ray is the source (he seems surprised)
My guess?
In the last panel, we are seeing the start of a teleporter: Someone is trying to kidnap Max.
Thats my guess as well, but its a stasis beam of some sort. Trying to get human samples for experimentation, probably.
Why be so blatant about it? They have been doing it for centuries without arousing notice
Because she blew up a ship effortlessly. I would stasis her first before transport, also, being more advance tech-wise, aliens might be a little bit arrogant thinking they can get away fast enough before anyone can actually respond.
Or it could just be a racist super attacking them. oh no, aliens invading, stealing our women or whatever racists might think
more “Speciesist”
OR it’s the rest of the Space Cops FINALLY showing up… And the first thing they see is the entity that can vaporize a Fell Super-carrier single handed (literally!) getting ready to vaporize a galactic federation Citizen… So of course they put her in a force-field immediately, it’s better than having to yell “Stop in the name of the LAW!” and having her STILL have time to zap that “Poor, Innocent Citizen” before they can say it again (louder this time, but still)
the reason it took this LONG is because the two beat cops that reported it were laughed out of the precinct until they showed the body\dash-cam footage…. THEN it was the usual bureaucratic foot-shuffling and waking of the Mayor and getting their permission to mobilize heavy duty S.W.A.T. assets / call in the military, etc, etc. THEN they had travel time etc.
Considering he’s the one going “Uh…?” I don’t think it’s his thing
I am thinking that field was deployed by ship’s security. Cora, of course, points out that this is a bad idea.
Cora: A stasis field? Did you do that?
Ray: No. That would be her, my head of security.
Cora: [ Runs over to the ship ] Hey, that is the head of the local law-enforcement. You have to deactivate that stasis field!
Sydney: Uh, Max. You okay in there? Knock, knock. Damn that’s cold!
Lady in door of ship: She assaulted the captain of this ship, so I had to protect him.
Sydney: She only did that because he assaulted her first. You do not touch senior military officers without their permission and she definitely did not give her permission. She was probably in the middle of arresting him. So what you just did is called Interfering with a Federal Officer in the Performance of Her Duties, a felony. So when does thing wear off anyway?
Dabbler: Wow! You have been paying attention during your law classes. Arianna must be so proud of you.
Cora: She will have a deactivation device, which she will get before she gets into any more trouble.
Ship’s security: I’ll go get it. Wait, is she moving?!
After witch there is a wide field shot of the area showing the ship being “deactivated”.
My guess, the Xevoarchy has just shown up and is teleporting either to or beaming up Maxima
I’d doubt the Xevoarchy cares that much about alien tourists, especially given the planet in question (Earth, Terra, Tellus or what have you) has had clandestine alien tourism for some time.
More likely they’ve taken a severe interest in that report issued during the attempted invasion a while back, and given Max was the obvious leader during that very rapid “end the invasion” action, she’s about to meet their diplomat.
In other words, Max is about to have one of THOSE days that never seems to end.
They probably don’t care about alien tourists, but they might want to talk to the person who took down a Fel super battle carrier in one hit all by herself, and mushroom girl (fungirl?) did state she’d definitely call it in.
Of course, the question of “is it wise to teleport someone who can frag a Fel super battle carrier without asking first” is much easier. The answer is no. Just no.
I didn’t mean to imply the tourists were why, just that the Xevoarchy is finalling showing up and Maxima is the person of interest to them. After all we had the foreshadowing with the space cops, and Dabbler seems to have implied a few pages back it might be common knowledge by now *some weeks or months, hard to tell with the training montage* have passed.
So stands to reason this universe’s galaxy police have decided to show up.
Although it could be someone/something else, but the portal looks centered directly behind Maxima.
He appears to not be intelligent enough to realize the peril he is currently in because, well, he is a mentally myopic moron.
Or he is willing to suffer for his art. :)
I have to be honest, I like him, It kind of remind me of a more lecherous Sam Starfall.
More like a less moral, far more sleazy version of Space Dandy
Maybe Ray Cosmos (Is that really his name?) has a healing factor like Wolverine. Looks like he could use something like that.
“Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of orion”
Love the reference and all I know Maxima was thinking “Time to Die”
It’s a riff on the original long version, before Rutger Hauer cut down the excessive poetry (feeling it was inappropriate to the character and unnecessary).
But, yes. Very much “time to die.” Or at least get smacked down.
I liked the original version. It established that he wasn’t just a killing machine, he had an inner life, depth. It underscored that the replicants really were people.
Rutger didn’t cut it down, he made the whole thing up on the fly
Like that mirror scene in “Taxi Driver”
It also pointed out that replicants had memories, have seen things, that will be lost forever when they ‘die’, and it was the remembering, and the feeling of sadness at the thought of the loss, that made them ‘people’
Remember: true immortality is from being remembered, and if there is no one left who remembers, did you (or the event) ever exist (happen) in the first place?
I think, therefore I am; I exist so long as I continue to think. Dead people don’t do much thinking. All the dead have is a facsimile of what they once were and how they were perceived by others. Nothing more. They’re obviously not immortal.
If you want immortality, then you are going to require people to remember you, whether that is in memories, or statues, or plaques or an image somewhere. How you are remembered is not nearly as important, because it barely matters while they are alive
Like said: if they are forgotten, did they even exist in the first place? What impact did they make? Obviously nothing if no one remembers
Just look at that movie “Coco”, that deals with both parts of it: one guy was going to cease to even exist as a dead man because the last person to remember him was about to die, and another was virtually worshiped because those who remembered him, had been lied to
Yeah but that’s a movie. In reality memories are just a poor facsimile of who the person originally was.
If in your mind that’s immortality, then the person who’s immortal isn’t you, it’s a caricature of who you were. People are only going to know a few facts about your life at the most.
What is immortalized are your deeds, not you.
Again, how is that different from now?
And, if your deeds are forgotten… then so are you
The movie was just an example: of how you can made greater than you were, and how you can cease to have ever existed, both by how others remember you (or don’t)
You can’t recreate a person from just memories. There’s also somatic markers, genetic traits, acquired physiological changes, epigenetics… If a baby dies they’re always remembered as a baby. Living people learn and grow. That’s why the immortality you’re talking about ain’t the real thing.
So is Ray a Replicant, or was he just REALLY impressed with the first “Bladerunner”? I’m guessing the latter…
And I don’t think it’s a teleport OR a stasis field. I think Maxima’s SO MAD the air around her is beginning to incandesce (he DID ask what was beyond incandescence, after all).
… If this is how the guy acts normally and especially with women that could reduce him to dust, I have to ask. How the hell is this guy still alive?
Me too; https://www.grrlpowercomic.com/archives/comic/grrl-power-873-phyrric-matchmaking/comment-page-1/#comment-855839
He doesn’t meet many woman who can reduce him to dust.
How he can afford his current endeavor if he’s so aggravating is beyond me.
He met Cora and Dabbler previously.
He still breath and -apparently- in one piece. He must have some good point, even if just extra-fast regeneration or Achille-level invulnerability
Or he’s not worth the time for murder.
Concidering it looks like Max dislocates his shoulder with that twist and his reaction is ‘pain well worth it’, i’m thinking regeneration.
Which would make for a more amusing character as they can beat him to a pulp and he will be right back after these short messages. :)
So he would be like Deadpool. As annoying as he is unkillable.
But Deadpool isn’t oleaginous.
Not deadpool
\
Think more like that skeevy alien fence guy in MIB –
“Do you know how much that stings?” after getting his head ‘sploded.
“He can regrow his head?”
Amusement value, apparently. Cora and Dabbler seem to get a big kick out his schtick.
Oookay, that was a new, looks like the touch of Ray has a nullifying effect on powers… could be why he has stayed alive for so long OR… could be that he, or his race, somehow is keyed to the geode that gave Maxima her powers?
Despite everything… background…1st panel… hilarious! XD
His reaction in the last panel looks to be surprise. So I doubt he is causing that.
Or at least not intentionally causing it.
He would still not be surprised by it happening
Those faces are the best.
that looks like an dangerous blue screen of death field
Of course, the operating system always decides on the WORST time to install updates.
What just went on in the last panel?
Tune in next time. Same golden place, same golden channel.
Maxima finally got angry enough to hulk out. Come back in three days for Max bursting out of her clothes and smashing Ray.
Ray’s final though “totally worth it”
Looks like a portal is opening up behind Max…
Her Skin is NORMAL… that Bllurrtz looks like her symbiote was extracted. Forcefully. I suspect DEUS. He has the other half of the geode. That or Brown Ball just went into effect.
Heh, most people suspect kidnapping by teleporter, but that’s a good theory too.
His theory is probably better. All cases of true teleporting we’ve witnessed were transparent purple and Dave has shown to be pretty consistent with the visual effects vs. action.
Examples of his consistency:
All confirmed cases of magic casting have non-filled circles with varying kinds of shapes in it in a consistent light blue color, all confirmed cases of force field have, transparant dome if not notably challenged, transparent bluish triangles if slightly challenged and red triangles if heavily challenged and all supers are “buff sexy” except Sydney and Krona who’re still “cute sexy” and have a very unique, improvable and widely spread power set, and start to get bigger boobs the longer they use her powers.
…Sidney and Krona have gotten bigger?
Sydney nor Kronachrome are Supers though (super cute though)
There has been one confirmed case of a force field (what ever Cora’s ship uses, it wasn’t a dome)
And the only teleporter we have met so far, has been Daphne
Untrue, but it shows me to be wrong as well:
Krona has even gotten a official recognition of Sydney when she screamed “She has different powers in panther form”.
Sydney’s “extra options” have at least once been described as powers by specialists(application interview)
You make a valid point on the second part, however you stress it too far. a. You’re right that being a dome isn’t shown requirement, since even Sydeney’s force field is sometimes a dome and sometimes a sphere, but you’re mistaken that, that would fully disprove the statement it would only proof it needed little modification.
b. There’s not one confirmed case of force field: one Cora confirmed case of force field in her “clothing” (Cora meets Sydney: clothing as hard light projection and a force field for comfort), one Sydney confirmed case of force field on the first Squidward(Sydney gloating to Squidward) thanks to and one Maxima confirmed case in Sydney’s shield(application interview)
Yet because of your sharp and well placed criticism I’ve looked to all cases of “force field” known to me (squidward, Fel ship, Fel minions, Cora’s ship, Cora’s “clothing”, Sydney’s shield, Dabbler’s Maxima shield) and discovered that a. Sydney’s shield and Cora’s ship are the only one with a triangle effects, b. Sydney’s shield is the only one with a visible and transparent effect when not under stress(this’s also canonical the case, because the press could see her force field when she showed it, yet Sydney could be surprised by Squidward having a force field), c. Cora calls her own and the Fell protection system shielding instead of force fields, yet calls her personal force field a force field and d. every “force field” user has their own visual effects to their “force fields” regardless of the number they employ.
So I’m indeed wrong about at least the force fields, but not for the reason you suspected.
That is Pixelicious, not Kronachrome
Sydney’s balls have the powers (or abilities), Sydney is just controlling them (sort of), they are not part of her (in the same way that the Iron Man suits are not par of Tony Stark, or anyone else wearing them)
The Squidward thing is just speculation on Sydney’s behalf, which was kinda disproven when she light-bee’d next to its foot and attempted to give it a laser-enema
For Krona
a. how do you call someone with a powerfull and unique ability, specific to their person with no explanation how they got it?
b. Sydney still asks: “why’re you not on our team”, which revers to a team specific made for super powered individuals
c. in comic 527 Maxima calls treats her like a loose super and even calls her an atypical individual.
For Sydney:
a. Sydney still is the only one who can use and manipulate her orbs, which could still be a technological effect
b. Varia’s touch wouldn’t have influenced their orbit if it was a technological effect since she is affected by living beings not technological tricks, so her power would have ignored it.
Squidward:
a. That actually makes it more realistic, since it evidently expresses force without doing many other things. Explanation: it redirects an attack relying on force(particle beam), which is one way a force can act on another force(the others being deforming and canceling out) and doesn’t stop attacks relying on something else than force(teleport) and it’s evidently a field because the thing doesn’t appear to have any relevant thickness(Sydney being able to fly around relatively freely and not having her attacks stopped while not firing in it’s direction when inside and outside).
You could argue that Sydney’s force field orb hinders teleporters(Harem tries it once when Sydney reflex bubbles as a reaction to nega-nuckles) and squidwards, but while this is true the comm-orb has confirmed her orbs can have more than one function when active.
ignore this, when Deus uses Opal to get into the Vault her portal is gold and glowy.
It’s also… a portal, not a teleport
It’s movement over large areas of space without passing actual through inbetween space. That’s tele(great distance) port(movement)
“Teleporting” generally seems to refer to acting upon a specific item to change its location, whereas a “portal” acts on a location in space and allows arbitrary items to pass through its interface, which connects non-adjacent spaces.
Thank you for explaining the difference
Yes, a ‘teleport’ focus’ on just a single item or individual (exceptions can be made, as in Vahriah and Daphne) allowing them to almost-instantly travel between the two points without moving, whereas a ‘portal’ opens a doorway between two points allowing multiple items or people to move through
The Stargate is a portal, Nightcrawler is a teleporter
Do you think Max will get Mad if she’s not released RIGHT NOW?
Idk, her hair also looks lighter – but just lighter, not brown. And her lips are still quite red, but lighter. I’d rather think that it’s an optical effect of the BLURZLZLRL field.
And I don’t think Ray did it. He expressed “UH…” right before it happened. Also Dabbler and Cora know him, they would have warned Max if he was really dangerous.
Also: Maxima isn’t Venom. Her symbiote isn’t just a suit she’s wearing, it’s heavily integrated, seeing as her blood is now blue. ‘removing’ her symbiote is likely fatal unless you’re replacing the bits you just carved out of her.
Doesn’t look normal to me.
Looks like a strange light is coming over her, making sparkles in her hair, possibly a stasis field given the mid speech stop.
also the symbiote was a slow integration it replaced parts of her body and changed them, including blue blood now. Changes are this is less *Guyver, Witchblade, Venom* symbiote and more (super mitochrondria cellular shifting) symbiote.
-less Venom more Parasite Eve (or eldritch goo) *just less zombie aesthetics*
Am I the only one who sees Cora in that first panel as a Ginny Di cameo?
Not going to lie. I had the same expression as Dabs waiting for the page to load (for a fraction of second, but still).
OMG they both look like 2 tricksters who are enjoying the chaos they just unleashed a little to much….but in this case the dude deserves it.
They are the very image of two trolls there. :)
Trolling Maxima is Dabblers favourite hobby.
I don’t recall if Opal’s portals made any noise. Or that kind of noise, at least.
I also don’t recall if Opal is in jail after the events of the Steak Restaurant Parking Lot Rumble™, as there seemed to be a distinct difference between the rabidly homicidal participants such as the guy who wanted to be first in to get some kills and ended up being first laid out on his back, or the nega-hands guy who was almost salivating at the chance to increase his reputation by killing Sydney, and the guys & gals who plead that they were influenced into participating and never really meant do do much harm such as the Barberian. Opal was unconscious at the end of the fight and so we never got a statement from her.
Opal’s portals are purpely and make “krnnn” like noise.
Opal is in jail: she’s the example of someone finding out that escaping a super cell can be deadly(by being told).
Opal is probably in jail, because there’s strong reason to suspect she organized the attack and she has tried to flee.
The reason to suspect this’s that she was discussing non-violent and Vehemence problematic ways to continue with her boyfriend and actually employing these ways instead of fighting.
IIRC Opal is under ‘House Arrest’ in Galytn (sic), Deus’s little African uplift experiment.
How do you know that?
All I know is this:
here is established some group Maxima calls “we” keeps her in a cell
I thought to remember there’s a moment Deus tries to get her free by trying to convince Maxima, but I don’t remember where.
In comic #566 surprise billionaire she helps Deus with her portals to break into the Vault.
It was mentioned somewhere that she was (or was to be) released into SmugD’s custody so his landlocked country can have access to the ports (and to break into secure facilities and steal things he has no right to even knowing about)
She helped D break into the Vault and that happened after the Big Fight, so she was released.
Like said, she was released into his custody, not released as a free woman
Meh, if she’s not in her hyperbaric chamber (or whatever the term is for her pressurized cell, since that’s not accurate…) she is essential free on her own recognizance since she can go anywhere she wants at any time. I suppose an explosive collar (with say a GPS controlling the potential detonation) like they used in Escape From New York could keep her from wandering off.
Or a sickness the controller has the suppression methods of.
Maxima will realize they have a combo power when they touch, or when she’s aggravated by him, and will save the universe with it within 100 pages…
You might be confusing Maxima with Varia, or however the variable-powers-based-on-body-contact spells her name.
It’s the galactic cops.
“‘Ello.. Wot’s all this then?
They’ll likely write a thinly veiled romance novel in crayons lamenting all the bystanders they had to gratuitously shoot…and brag in the intergalactic policemans bar.
Shortly after Maxima throttles Ray: “Faith and begora!”
I like the way he is just so slimey he slips out of the glove Maxima grabs him by.
Probably no mean feat that ;)
That image of Dabs and Cora laughing would make a great voting incentive.
What if the BLURZLZLRL field is the sign that Maxima’s alien biology found someone compatible?
Maybe the next episode will be Maxima going all Stepford Wife over Ray… o_O
Huh. I just assumed his translator just wouldn’t translate a woman refusing his advances.
I want a BLURRZLZLRL
I’m sorry, so so. Oh so very sorry for what I thought and am going to type. SO very Dabbler’s face is very much “yeah, I cut that one” and Cora is very, VERY “you just had to make that third trip through the tex mex korean BBQ buffet didn’t you” face. I’m sorry I can’t unsee that even with a warp bubble about to make Max even madder.
Delayed Blast Fart.
They most powerful kind.
I thought she’d take him straight up, drop him, go back and then let anvil stop him with her power like, one meter above the concrete.
I’d ask on what planet he thinks that could possibly be appropriate, but I’m pretty sure his answer would be “all of them.”
I think I have solved the mystery of the BLURZLZL: Maxima have been eating Grakz.
We don’t see any red dots or red glowing light.
Unless(gna gna):
she ate more or stronger Grakz, so her red dots and ass get more energetic light making it bluer
Perhaps the energy in Grakz depends on how powerfull the organism that are it is. Sydney is just a average human so her Grakz farts are relatively harmless. But when someone on Maxima’s power lever eats it we get a effect similar to the plasma gun from Doom.
In that case Vale, Vehemence and Max should never eat Grakz, because their dots would probably strong enough to destroy entire cities.
Another thought to put on the serving tray:
“Hmm, that officious golden lass assaulting our ride home? Think we need to do something about that…..”
From DaveB’s under-the-comic comments:
“I know everyone was expecting a “Viscera Cleanup Detail” level event here, but as little patience as Max has for dudes like this, she’s not going to atomize a guy for a first offence.”
IKR? Especially considering that this is happening out in full public view. Arianna should be proud that Max didn’t rip the guy’s arm off under these conditions.
I very much want Ray and Math to have some time together, with Ray regaling Math with tales of the… aggregate beauty of the universe.
Math’s probably too busy ogling the other tourists.
All that’s missing from that little clip of Dabbler and Cora after the comic, is Cora handing Dabbler some popcorn…
I can never tell if the author is really so full of hate for his own sex, or if he is just pandering. I know he has never served drinks in a bar though, cuz he seems to think women are somehow morally superior.
You will have do better than that of you want to troll here. We are too cool and friendly in this forum to be triggered that easily. 1/5
Given the decent behavior we’ve seen out of… oh, Hiro and Cora’s crew, to name just a few examples, it’s safe to say that Ray here is not representative of how DaveB views males in general. And given how Dabbler ALSO got tossed around after she likewise went for Max’s boobs without permission, I don’t see that there’s much of a distinction being drawn between the sexes at all. Where are you getting that idea? Because there doesn’t seem to be any basis for it.
The first part of this comment will be support for your argument the second part will be counterarguments:
1. Here Dave shows the men reacting in a supportive yet revealing manner on a made generalization about them, which is a good example of socially acceptable behavior and the general doesn’t get disapproving looks when he addresses that Dabbler reveals his fetish.
2. He does show non-justified morally unaware male skeeves(I’ve interperted this newly learned word as sexually suggestive in an aggrevating manner. Correct me if I’m wrong) quite often, while he shows the females to be either non-skeevy or justified including all “npc’s”.
I also just realized Dave writes all male skeeves to have their skeeviness as a weakness, while all female skeeves have their skeeviness as a power or at least as identification method(Cora’s meeting with Sydney), without major drawbacks.
Definitions:
With justified I mean that they get to big groups convincing reasons and complexity as a character to justify their skeevines.
Examples:
– Dabbler is an alien succubus in a galaxy with other sexual morals than the USA and a central character who joys and sorrows and safes the earth, which gets her bonus points.
– Cora is Dabblers friend and an alien from a galaxy with different sexual morals than the USA and a central character with joys and sorrows, since her introduction and safes people for her job, which gets her bonus points.
– Harem is what get closest to disproving my point, because she has very little backstory and has no other explanation for her actions than “has 16 times the libido in rest state, due to powers”, but a. she doesn’t get treated like a skeeve(stopping her or punishing her for it) by the rest of the cast and b. this explanation is still there.
Décolleté: is canonically less bad than Dabbler, has a more passive approach, is a succubus too and at least protects one small child.
– Ray: is an alien skeeve who apperantly breaks said galaxy morals, since two very sexually open alien protagonists find him to be a skeeve.
– Cooter is an advanced skeeve and easy to manipulate through his sheer stupidity and skeeviness.
– Math is a safer of lives, but is this canonically for another reason than saving lifes(challenge) and doesn’t have his own sorrows except in skeeviness as far as we know.
– the builders are shown to be skeeves and afraid. We don’t know anything else about them.
I pointed out Harem isn’t punished for her skeeviness, because while she gets punishment it’s for not listening to her CO and causing a public scandal about said CO.
A fine writeup.
I, myself, have found nothing particularly _objectionable_ in Dave’s portrayal of either sex/gender (which is more than can be said for some comics). HOWEVER! That is only because, to me, the instances of overblown, objectionable sexual shenanigans, or “Skeeves” as you say, have been either in service to the story, or rather clearly meant as parody and hyperbolic comedy- and while comedy might expose deeper underlying flaws in a society, I think that it does not behoove us to judge a comic representation of a negative stereotype as we would a more serious representation.
There’s been a lot of equal-opportunity-oggling going on, as well. Honestly, DaveB’s managed to show female characters as sexual beings in a rather tasteful and realistic way, all things considered.
Same build up. First I argue for your case than against it.
For your case:
– grrlpower passes both the reverse as the original Bechdel test(Twilight council)
– grrlpower is from Sydney’s female perspective, so it’s not shocking that the females get better quality and quantity of focus.
– Dabbler corrigates for all over flow men oggling
against your case:
– al(3 or 4(Deus)) these “parodic skeeves” just happen to be men.
– equal opportunity oggling except for: Harem’s shirt steal rampage, Sydney’s comments on Hiro’s lack of shirt, Dabbler destroying Hiro’s shirt and computer expert getting beaten up for agreeing with Sydney over polygamy(without Sydney getting the same punishment).
– Dabller chooses oggling herself all these examples are without their choice.
Maxie does seem to be losing her gold in that last panel. Her hair, having grown out with the odd alien stuff going on, would probably stay purple til it grows out if the Goldskin Juice was somehow extracted.
Agreed, whatever that effect in the last panel is it seems to be turning her NORMAL. Which may not bode well for the team versus whoever/whatever is controlling the effect.
No, it’s simply the light having an interesting effect on her, not something draining her powers
Note how her lips are still bright(ish) red, and she has said she doesn’t (can’t) wear makeup of any kind
I’m honestly surprised you’re the first person to be commenting on this. It certainly _could_ just be lighting, but that’s what I thought as well.
Instead of immediately seeing either a portal opening behind her (through which someone thought they could drag her), or a teleportation in progress, I saw a freeze ray being turned on Max. White snow on the topper outer edges, blue-white frost within, a sprinkle of frosty crystals already starting in her hair . . .
Apologies if some of this has been discussed.
Ray shows a genuine sense of poetry – even if some of his lines are derivative. (Interesting that the Blade Runner replicant was Roy…)
He is a male who loves females. Unfortunately, what Ray does about that is seriously wrong. We view him as sleazy as a result.
But what’s the underlying difference between him and Dabbler?
Thank You!
I’m sick to death of this double standard. On a woman , it’s amusing, sexy, even desirable to be a bit lecherous, especially an attractive woman.
If it’s a man, he’s a creep. Shun him forever and make sure everyone knows he’s not to be trusted and doesn’t deserve female companionship at all!
I’ll grant that there is a huge difference between behaving this way towards someone you know, who you suspect may be receptive, and acting this towards everyone you meet, but I contend that in the worst case scenario of acting lke this to everyone it’s still a double standard of our society.
Dabbles does know when to not cross the line, this ‘guy’ doesn’t even know there is a line not to cross
Dabbles pushes the envelope, this ‘guy’ reaches in with both hands
She has never attempted to undress someone she has just met
We have a double standard in this regard because humans come in two sexes, which tend to behave differently, and have different desires in regards to the other.
It’s even desirable in attractive women, because a lot of men genuinely wish women acted that way, and would be happy to be hit on. It’s creepy in a guy, because the women don’t want the men behaving that way.
Dabbler is sleazy. But, Dabbler also has valuable facets to her – skills in tech, magic, and combat; can put aside the sleaze and be a friend, socially resourceful, and morally upright (from a different cultural perspective, of course). So, she gets a little tolerance.
Ray may have these or similar facets, but we can’t know that, and Cora & Dabbler’s reaction suggests he’s a sleaze in other ways as well. No one thinks he’s deserving of any tolerance.
Note also that women _generally_ haven’t had the social power to enforce their libidinous desires, where men have. So there’s a cultural assumption that a woman’s playful advances are harmless, but a man’s might be a harbinger of something dangerous. (Schrodinger’s rapist, as an example.) This is a cultural assumption, of course, and isn’t terribly often literally applicable. And in the case of Max vs Ray, very nearly the opposite (Social power, authority, and physical strength all being on Max’s side (probably)).
Sociological concepts that are worth looking up that help contextualize this sort of thing: socialization, normalization, social mores, comparative culture
The main difference is for Dabbles sex is Food, she requires proximity to sexual activity to exist. And she tries to be polite about it.
We don’t have that same excuse for Ray, that we know of here. And from what Dabbles has said about it he probably doesn’t have that excuse, unless he’s a separate species. Dabs has said all succubus are female. And produce succubus females exclusively when they get pregnant, so no half-succubus hybrids. Unless we get another look at Ray’s backstory, he’s irredeemably skeevy at this point.
he’s a male who OBJECTIFIES females.
If he actually loved them, he’d know to cut it out with the perv-ness.
That you love something doesn’t mean you’re able or aware how to treat it right.
Chocolate lovers probably confirm.
We’ve called him sleazy. Why do you feel “objectifies” adds to this? Surely that’s of the essence of sleaziness?
Dabbler objectifies people too. She sees them as food sources, and uses her glamour to satisfy herself. It’s obvious that drugging someone for sexual gratification is wrong, and what’s the difference? Either she’s sleazy or a rapist.
Or both.
The implied idea is any man who refuses a gorgeous woman hitting on him has some flaw in him and any woman who doesn’t reject such advances has some flaw in her. It’s the old idea that men have no reason to say no but women should stay pure.
He just sexually assaulted a law-enforcement officer who is capable of downing starships.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET MAXIMA KILL HIM! NO JURY WOULD CONVICT HER!
Seriously, it’s like that thanos knockoff hasn’t developed the concept of Cultural Mimicry (the process by which an outside to a culture attempts to mimic local behaviors and distances in order not to be lynched- often by staying WAY out of arms reach of anyone if at all possible, and slowly getting closer as the cultural standards for different levels of behavior are learned).
I don’t think that’s its actual name, but I always think of it like that.
I’m afraid you’re right.
She functions in the USA and many law enforcers there have gotten away with kill on impulse if it was a reaction on a possible attack and since she just experienced something she can interpert as a direct attack she will probably be able to plead self-defence or something like that.
Now why I’m afraid you’re right. She could do this too for the reasons you propose, while that would be a hard breach of the balance of power, since she would be judge and executioner and there’s a reason those things are constitutional separated. That reason is: if someone controls two of the three powers of the trias politica he/she is by that moment capable of doing whatever they want to anyone they want.
Don’t misunderstand me I think there’re situations law enforcement should be able to legally kill without a judge’s word, but that’s if it’s the only way they can come up with in the realistically expected available time to avoid more deaths, not to enact justice of any kind, because that’s the judges department.
also I think capital punishment for sexual harrasment is a little over the top.
But knockoff thanos doesn’t know any of that… Probably.
Plus, if there’s anyone who can get away with the ‘I just accidental’d someone defense, Maxima would be that sort of person.
In addition, he is also preforming illigal actions (bypassing customs, possibly a bioterrorism charge due to the aliens, and landing spacecraft between buildings {which I think would count as some form of Mass Reckless Endangerment charge?}), so they should be able to arrest him and impound the ship.
Maybe.
I am not a lawyer- I just am hoping to see knockoff thanos get his face turned concave in a webcomic.
That’s why I was afraid you’re right.
Maxima could do it unpunished, but it would be morally and constitutionally wrong, since she would be taking justice into her own unqualified hands.
He’s still alive.
I think Maxima must like him.
I cannot help but compare this to http://datachasers.thecomicseries.com/comics/1601 and following. Yeah, even if we assume no helpful biology, Ray got off _easy_.
Been meaning to check that webic out, will have to find the time to read all 1700+ pages
And the comments. The comic is amazing, but the collective humor of the commentariat there is just astounding. Also, some military types comment similar to the way we do here, but in a VERY different environment.
Yeah, was going to add “plus the comments” :)
DaveB, for some reason the pencil moustache is missing in the third panel.
Nope, it’s still there, just very thin (and panel one has it thicker than it should be)