Grrl Power #955 – World’s greatest gilded glamazon
I’m usually pretty bad about drawing Maxima being actually shiny. I’ve done it a few times in the past, but it takes an extra rendering pass, and usually by the times I get the backgrounds done and Sydney’s glasses and the orbs and the glowy bits on the orbs, it’s late Saturday evening or the middle of Sunday and I’m just not up for trying to environment map Maxima’s face. Honestly, backgrounds are my least favorite thing to draw, and spending a portion of every week trying to wrap one around a human face is just not why I got into drawing comics.
Arguably I shouldn’t have made one of my characters shiny and gold, but it’s too late for takebacks.
I don’t want to spoil anything, but the fact that she’s shiny will be relevant soon, so I thought it was important to remind everyone that she’s gilded and highly specular.
Now for the question you’ve all been wondering about, what the heck kind of cake is that? The cake itself is kind of pale purple, so I think I’m going to say it’s taro flavor. Taro, if you’ve never had it is basically a kind of potato. It’s actually a little closer to a sweet potato, and if you can ever find taro ice cream, I highly recommend it, because it tastes like waffle cone. So it’s waffle flavored cake, and although the icing is yellow, I’m going to say it’s maple flavored. That sounds pretty damned good to me – assuming the maple flavor isn’t overdone. It’d have to be a light touch.
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Box set CD or Blu Ray?
Ohhhhhhhh! Tactical accessories! WHAT”S IN THE BOX????
Ohh I’m going to say, a kickass set of jewelry such as earrings that also houses a mic or earphone (or both) that can be used both on a date for a certain or in the field.
Tactical accessories… Small box… Not likely to be earrings… I’m thinking a multitool… possibly a micro-carrier with prepacked replacement clothing?
Wait… Maybe it’s a holo-sight? While the laser light is nifty it doesn’t say “sneaky” for when the situation needs it… silencer included?
A necklace of fireballs, for when you really need to set stuff on fire.
Considering the expression on Kenya’s face I’m guessing Lingerie
An advance preview from the bag, perhaps?
I’m hoping that DaveB was just lying to us to throw us off track, and it actually is Gwyneth Paltrow’s head.
Well, Archon does have plenty of people able to crush her head to the point it would fit in that box, but it would be rather messy.
So… what’s in the case?
Ronin
We’ll never know what was in the case.
See? She can be reason with! Not sure how powerful you have to be to reason with her but she can be reasoned with.
Kenya. I think its just Kenya
Everyone Listens to Reason(tm)…
But just how much of a badass do you have to be for a nuclear-powered rail gun with a ridiculous rate of fire to be underwhelming?
I don’t know. Do you own an aircraft carrier? Have brain hacked minions?
No…Not yet………
It’s on my ‘To Do’ list.
Between ‘Get hedge trimmed’ and ‘Make the UN pay me One Billion Dollars’
…..
UNITED STATES dollars this time, not Zimbabweian dollars…..
fool me once, shame on you, fool me twenty seven or more consecutive time, shame on me…..
fun twist- the one billion dollars are rejects from the North Korean mint.
{Takes out paintbrush, adds “Reason” in fancy lettering as nose-art on the railgun}
Me too. What do you get the girl who can do anything? She might be able to squeeze her own diamonds.
The one thing I can think of, because DaveB mentioned Max’s shinyness, is a holocloak that projects her pre-gilding skin/hair color.
That defiantly make it easier for Max to be more normal in public. She might even get the rare delicacy of Anonymity for a while.
And of course, she will be easier to draw.
Panel 2 ……… the classical anime gleaming eyes of doom! We want cake! Curse you HR!
I can’t tell who that is supposed to be in panel 2. It is a great look but… not enough clues for me to figure out who it is.
I am going to assume it is Anvil, as she was the one speaking previously and that could be Hiro nearby.
Definitely Anvil.
Several pointers for this:
– She’s the tallest on the team and that silhouette is towering over all around her.
– As you pointed out, Hiro is standing by her left shoulder.
– The cake fork (with cake) that is clearly seen in Panel 1 is the pale object centre-mass in Panel 2.
– The pale hairline facing Anvil just below Hiro’s chin in Panel 2 belongs to Maxima (who is facing Anvil in Panel 1).
– The hairline of the silhouette in panel 2 matches the hairline of Anvil in panel 5.
We’re going to be speculating until at least Thursday about “What’s in the box?”. I doubt any of us are going to get it right, and when it’s revealed, it’s going to make SO much sense.
A personal holographic cloak that makes her look non-shiny? An alien scrunchy made of unobtainium, that will stay on through ANYTHING? A custom set of Osmium knuckles?
Well considering Dabbler’s had a say in the choice, it could be a pair of super-strong furry handcuffs.
Yet the box seems a little too wide and too thin for that.
So maybe a headband able to survive Maxima wearing it in combat?
Space-age, industrial strength bra, with lace.
Don’t forget the matching… thong… yea… Dabbler.
Have you forgotten that her last gift thong came from Kenya? And that package could easily be holding another one. Or five. A tactical accessory indeed!
It did get fee out of a fight with Vale so that was tactical.:)
fee=her. I need to stop typing on my phone.
As modelled in Wapsi Square? [pages 1, 2, 3, 4] Maybe we now know who that mysterious unnamed agency was.
Possibly a variant of the skin-tight hard-light clothing Cora uses? We’ve seen it can alter her skin tone. The ability to not shine in direct sunlight alone would make that pretty useful.
Not too sure how effective a stealth-aid it would be given that Maxima would still be 6′ 1″ and built like, well Maxima, but a hell of a lot easier to hide/blend into a crowd when you’re not blinding people with reflections…
So long as that crowd is at WNBA training camp. Without it, she was probably a popular sniper target while she was stationed in the Middle East.
Spotter: [ In Arabic ] Oh, metal flash on Hill 27. [ Looks through scope ] It’s an American soldier!
Sniper: [ Also in Arabic ] I see him, er her. I can’t miss something that shiny. [ Pulls trigger ] What?! That was a head-shot!
Max: [ Bends down and picks up the .50 round that bounced off her forehead ] Sniper! Get down. Let’s see; where would he be?
Spotter: Try hitting her in the eye.
Sniper: [ Pulls trigger ]
Max: [ Show up hovering in front of the sniper’s position ] Did you guys drop this? [ Opens her hand to show the bullet she just caught out of mid-air. ]
It’s going to be make-up foundation that is able to stay in her super pollished skin…possibly a skin-coloured cover-on base that allows for additional make-up to be applied on top of it.
Hmm… Such a small box and for something “tactical” for Max? My my, what could it be? Maybe a set of sun glasses that Cora and Dabbler whipped up not unlike Sydney’s glasses? Maybe a watch with similar features?
A necklace which projects solid light ‘clothes’ as required? And Kenya kept the override switch for it?
But what’s with Sandy? Deja gelé?
Sandy is HR and the reason they cant have a second cake tomorrow for Glen’s party separately. Making supers have less cake is a dangerous game.
The SECOND most dangerous game…..
Is the first starting a land war in Asia?
Nope, it used to be this, but nowadays it’s this. Only slightly less well known.
Wow, that IS a dangerous game!
Starting a land war in Asia is the classic blunder, not the most dangerous game :)
“Never go up against Anvil when cake is on the line!”
Taro cake?
So…basically, you’re saying the cake tastes like poi
It’s literally a Maxima cake. Gilded frosting on purple inside.
Technically, wouldn’t that be an inside-out Maxima cake? The purple hair is supposed to be on the outside.
I think this may be referring to her blood colour, as revealed by Kevin at the Restaurant Rumble/Rubble.
Everyone wants a piece of that …cake.
Based on google, Taro isn’t a purple yam. The purple yam is Ube.
Taro is a much, much paler purple than ube–almost white, with little purple speckles. When manufacturers make taro powder for things like ice cream and other confections, they add more purple coloring to make it identifiable. Ube is naturally a vivid purple and sweeter than taro. (Also, it’s not poisonous raw like taro.)
Actually taro (or waffle), flavor does not sound that enticing. If you ever get up Gilroy, Calif (garlic capital of the world), try some garlic ice cream. I know it sounds unenticing but if you like garlic you will love garlic ice cream. The Gilroy Garlic Festival is attended by about 100,000 people and is held at the end of July each year.
The Perth (Ontario, Canada) Garlic Festival is the second weekend of August, except for last year and this year, for some reason. There are several similar Garlic showcases all around eastern Ontario.
There’s a restaurant called ‘The Stinking Rose’ in San Francisco with a massive menu, all of it garlicy. Strong recommended.
Those reflections(?) On her face look like it’s about to crack into fragments… or she is turning into spider max
It’s the skylight reflection
Okay I was wondering if I was going crazy.
I dont know. They are in the exact same spot even when she moved her head.
I noticed that. She turned her head 60 degrees and the reflection didn’t move.
You sure, because they actually look like scars in this page.
I was thinking veins, or like a leaf vein pattern, which didn’t make sense in context – the second panel (panel 6) where we see that reflected makes it a little more obvious that it’s a light of some sort on/in the ceiling – I had settled on a fluorescent fixture, but skylight makes a lot of sense as well…
I’m sure if you work with Maxima a lot you get used to seeing things like that reflected, and I’m sure Kenya sees them quite often, as Maxima has to look up or else levitate to look her in the face, so it’s more likely she’ll see the ceiling or sky reflected in Max’s face than much of anything else
Hmm, is that the purple colored ice cream that I’ve only seen when I was in the Phillipines? Don’t recall the actual name, but it was a sweet potato ice cream. Didn’t stand out so not sure if it’s the same.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ube_ice_cream
You can get ube cake, too. Mostly in the form of puto, of course. It’s pretty good.
I was wondering about the lines on Max’s face, took me a little while to realise they were reflections of the ceiling lights. Doh!
I thought they were scars for some reason, it her shedding her old skin lol!
WHAT’S IN THE BOX!?!?!
*punches a person in a bear costume*
Can we BEAR waiting in suspense untill thursday?
NO, it’s unbearable.
aw, we can grin and bear it. We’ll make it, even if it’s just bearly. (yes, I spelled it wrong on porpoise)
Hey bear puns are awesome, bite me!
Just don’t expect any appawuse to just drop in here.
There ought to be a Claw against bad puns like these.
The men in bhalu can’t stop these puns. Those ursat fellows of ours at the bär association don’t even know what to do with it. It would be a dra b world if they did.
You’re all in fur it now, the mass-Listing will be grizzly.
Despite inherently liking you people, you are all determined to make me want to be your mortal enemy.
Just a little friendly ribbing for you Pander. I do clowning as a side-job, so I use these comment sections to test out some of my best(worst) jokes. I also steal jokes, like a lot.
Hehe.
I just wonder if no one else watches bad Nicholas Cage movies to know that I was referencing “The Wicker Man” in my initial post. :)
A Nichols Cage movie? Don’t you mean Christopher Lee? Cage was only 9 in 1973.
Try watching Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear on Hulu. Lots of bear puns.
I like how you “didn’t” tell a bear pun there…self listing could have been embarrassing I suppose.
It was a ‘The Wicker Man’ reference, not a pun.
All these other lovable yahoos are the ones who do puns. :)
Just bearly clothed?
Yes officer I will bear witness to the bear battery.
You’re a barbearian.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipDYXNdPdcw
I don’t blame people for not getting the reference. The Wicker Man is just an awful movie. :)
I myself have had the privilege of not watching that movie.
I really like panel five. Kenya actually looks like the big brown babe she is meant to be. I realize it is only looking at her through Max eyes to get the “do what I am telling you to do for your own good or I will be more upset than you want me to be, but I am sure you will trust me that I would not be feeding you a bad suggestion” type of vibe.
I forget where I was going with this.
I like panel five anyways.
It’s also a great example of a shit-eating grin from her.
At least we know that Kenya doesn’t have a whistler. As for listening to Kenya, isn’t she the closest thing Maxima has to a confidant?
Wonder if the present is actually the crotchless panties Anvil hid from her during the dress up for Deus montage.
Or if it’s a free pass for a session in the car grinder thingee down at the junkyard written of as a therapeutic massage!
Or perhaps a session with Hiro written of as therapeutic massage.
A session in the car crusher WITH Hiro…..
It’s therapeutic!
“Did the earth move for you?”
The crotchless panties occurred to me immediately. “Tactical accessory” sounds right, although more of an underwear than accessory.
And it would be a perfect example of Chekhov’s Gun. “If in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired. Otherwise don’t put it there.”
Hopefully not one of her “Smells Like My Vagina” candles either.
Anvils face in panel five though lol!!!
Who is Sidney talking to, in the background?
Looks like Joel from the comic shop.
GAH! looking up Anvil’s nose is a harrowing experience. She does NOT look good at that angle. ::shudder::
Hmm, think Dave slipped in a POV sex scene of what Kenya would look like getting banged.
Agreed. She looks fine in the first two shots of her, but that last one is horrendous.
okay, now you have me wanting to experiment with a Taro cake with Maple icing….probably using a cream base instead of the high sugar base for the icing…
you are horrible for my willpower trying to stay on Keto.
No, ube, not taro. Honestly, I find taro almost indistinguishable from waxy potatoes. Though my son prefers it for some reason. We’ve got both growing in the garden, you’d never mistake one for the other.
Peanut butter with taro flour in the batter, consistency wise it comes out more like a brownie. And ‘seven minute’ frosting, which is mostly egg whites.
Could it be a gag gift,like a small Jack-In-The-Box????
Framed Photo of Hiro coming out of the pool?
look at that face Anvil made, it’s clearly a gag gift. bet It’s a box of condoms for the “training”
Super strong supers like Max and Hiro would need condoms of adamantium.
Recommend Larry Niven’s treatise “Man of Steel, Woman of Tissue”. What would unfortunately happen to Lois if Supes super powered ejaculate containing Kyrptonian super sperm blasted into her vag’.
For Max’s sex partners, it would be somewhat of the reverse. “Man of Steel, Woman of Gold, Bed of Kindling” may apply.
Max: [ Opens the box ] Lieutenant Colonel insignia? I already have these.
Anvil: They’re not for you. They’re for Hiro. You take over training; he takes over field ops.
Max: We’re not big enough yet for that kind of specialization.
Anvil: We’re not big enough to have an RSM, but here I am. Each of you would answer directly to General Faulk. Think of the implications. A couple of the people in the machine shop have said they will build you guys a bed that won’t fall apart on first use.
…she ripped my peepee of with her vag… her kegels are ripped…
And a female superstrong super would be like a hydralic press.
Woman of Kleenex, iirc.
no no no. vibe-ranium
Maybe it’s a new supposedly-unbreakable phone. Teasing Max about the number of phones she’s broken sounds like a thing the team would definitely do.
In Hawai’i the McDonald’s actually have both apple and taro pies on their menus, if you’re ever in the state and want a taro fix.
So, what’s up with the cracks/lines in Max’s facial skin in panels 4 & 6? Pretty unmistakable on her left side forehead and cheek. Is she going to molt or did I miss something on a previous page? Gift box…assorted CD’s containing music appropriate for battle? Like John Ringo’s “Posleen Invasion” series which if you haven’t read, I highly recommend. Actually all of Ringo’s works. Speaking of recommendations, thanks for tip on the “Lost Fleet” series which I’ve been binging on for the last few weeks.
I thing it’s suppose to be her forehead reflecting the skylight/glass ceiling.
Yeah. If you look at the patterning and angle regardless of her head positioning, it’s the skylight.
(The lines from the outer edge meet the center one at an angle, which suggests the traditional peaked framing of a skylight, where if they met at a 90 degree angle it would more likely be a ceiling fixture.)
More Cake is always a solution.
Smart HR department would say that with an organization that size… all birthdays within a given week are folded into one collective party. Yes, that would mean some would have a party of their own and some would be grouped, like… four in the same… but there would be enough of them. Have them toward the end of day on Friday, and it caps off the traditional work week.
It would strike a balance between efficiency (fewer disruptions) and frequency (not having it be a once-a-month thing).
It’s actually more fun when you hold it to once a month. More often than that and it starts to become a chore. That little bit of novelty is part of the pleasure.
Well it is a superhero comic. So, it wouldn’t be impossible for you to make the story go “She’s no longer gold and shiny!” :p
“What’s in the box?” will always be Gwyneth Paltrow’s head.
I may be a little late to the party in noticing g this, but is Maxima’s face cracking?
I’ve always been curious about what kind of filling does people use outside the River Plate basin, and how do they live without Dulce de Leche. Well, I say “live”, but I’m not sure it can be called “living”.
The box.
It’s bigger on the inside.
It unfolds into a belt of variable geometry and colour – an always appropriate fashion accessory, even when scuba diving in a bikini.
I think I massed enough archetypes yogether in that one.
See, this is what happens when you turn off autocorrect and don’t wear your glasses.
Mind, autocorrect, when active, creates some interesting word substitutions all on its own.
But it doesn’t say “Police Box” on it! Mind you it doesn’t say “Don’t Panic,” so it could be worse. “Stay Calm and Go Elsewhen!”
It is only that one Tardis that has a broken camouflage circuit and an out of calibration navigation system.
This would just be a little bit of space manipulation, just like with Batman’s Utility Belt.
Maybe some low tech hologram device Cora sourced for them, to allow her to have simple skin or adjustments for makeup that she normally can’t wear.
I’m guessing it’s going to be more of that uncomfortable underwear. The box looks to be about the right size.
Bomb proof T-Shirt?
Uhh is it just me or does the last panel with Kenya have her nose look like a pigs nose?
We’re looking up at her from below, and she’s biting her lip.
I have to agree it’s not one of Dave’s best works.
But hey, one or two mistakes over how long? Over a decade? That’s a pretty good track record!
Anvil’s pretty braids are gone… Those looked good on her.
The artwork is so different now. I liked the older ones better
Alright… But WHAT is Max’s face reflecting in the fourth and sixth panel? It looks like an artistic spider web.
Also Kenya’s face….. She does not do well with close ups it seems.
Its reflecting the lights and I think Skylight in the ceiling.
Alright, now I see it. It was pretty confusing at first.
Did time just go bye, or did he forget Anvils braids?
Probably time. She still had the wraps in when Cora and co showed up, but at least enough time has passed between then and now for her to be in a different outfit.