Fantastic imagery here! “H.T. the Great and Powerful” in panel 1, the “SHLORP” of amalgamation in panel 3, the understated WMD quietly fulfilling its function in panel 4…
And Anasigma left behind a small force just to sell it!
*jaw drops*
Dang, Shaenon, Jeff. You keep going one step beyond.
I’m reminded once again that, even though we already knew who the wizard is, we *also* already knew that the correspondences aren’t one-to-one. There *can* be TWO wizards.
Guessing, despite the colloquial wording used yesterday, that it wasn’t actually ‘dropped’ from an aircraft and rather was just set there by the small force of agents. So rather than detonating on impact, it has to be on a timer.
Using the word “device” for “bomb” in the context of nuclear weapons is old hat. One of the best sarcastic examples is from the opening monologue for Tom Lehrer’s song “Who’s Next?” on his album “That Was The Year That Was.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CggK5Jbia7w)
I believe that creature in the fourth panel is one of the Jersey Devils. They were basically tree organisms anyway, so I’m sort of embarrassed that I never foresaw the obvious possibility that they’d amalgamate with the swamp entity.
Skin Horse basically created the swamp entity. The Jersey Devils were a big part of it, along with Bitey and Alt!Bitey (and all their itty bitty Biteys), and what little was left of the Cypress. It was all a grand effort to save the Cypress from certain death. But as usual, Skin Horse didn’t think it through and consider the potential for disaster. Things went all higgledy-piggledy after H.T. joined, which is how we got the biomass as it is now.
The rhizomes reported the news. They’ve left, Anasigma did choose. But there might be attack stages: trouble comes in small packages. Does this thing come with a short fuse?
Okay, this is either going to be bad, . . . or really, really bad. Is it possible that there’s going to be a tiger-shaped plant kaiju coming to crunch Anasigma?
A nuke seems like a terrible choice of weapon for this. It’ll what… vaporise everything within a hundred yards or so and knock down any buildings within a couple of miles. Which is devastating against people, because having a building dropped on you is usually fatal for humans. I wouldn’t expect it to do much to the plants that make up this thing though.
Oh shit
Now they’ll have a radioactive plant monster.
Honestly, that’s my major objection to this plan.
Oh long time no see HT!
H.T.’s Mom did not litter stupid kittens!
Fantastic imagery here! “H.T. the Great and Powerful” in panel 1, the “SHLORP” of amalgamation in panel 3, the understated WMD quietly fulfilling its function in panel 4…
And Anasigma left behind a small force just to sell it!
….Oh my god its an Emerald City.
*jaw drops*
Dang, Shaenon, Jeff. You keep going one step beyond.
I’m reminded once again that, even though we already knew who the wizard is, we *also* already knew that the correspondences aren’t one-to-one. There *can* be TWO wizards.
Nah, this is Jeff material.
now it’s radioactive. that can’t be good.
They used to call those “the ten-second slum clearance plan.”
It’s mildly disconcerting that it’s not actually exploding. Is it just emitting radiation?
I believe it’s audibly ticking down to detonation. Probably because it was designed by a mad scientist.
Guessing, despite the colloquial wording used yesterday, that it wasn’t actually ‘dropped’ from an aircraft and rather was just set there by the small force of agents. So rather than detonating on impact, it has to be on a timer.
Well, yesterday, Ira said “drop a nuclear device.” He didn’t actually say “bomb.” (Hitty is a nuclear device.)
Using the word “device” for “bomb” in the context of nuclear weapons is old hat. One of the best sarcastic examples is from the opening monologue for Tom Lehrer’s song “Who’s Next?” on his album “That Was The Year That Was.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CggK5Jbia7w)
I was about to quote that exact example!
The one used for the Trinity test was known as “the Gadget”.
It’s just a nuclear oven, with a lovely nuclear pie baking inside….
With raisins?
An updated SADM in hard case?
This can only go AWESOMELY.
Whether explodey or radiation emitting, the swamp aoxolotls/chupacabras can handle it.
I believe that creature in the fourth panel is one of the Jersey Devils. They were basically tree organisms anyway, so I’m sort of embarrassed that I never foresaw the obvious possibility that they’d amalgamate with the swamp entity.
Skin Horse basically created the swamp entity. The Jersey Devils were a big part of it, along with Bitey and Alt!Bitey (and all their itty bitty Biteys), and what little was left of the Cypress. It was all a grand effort to save the Cypress from certain death. But as usual, Skin Horse didn’t think it through and consider the potential for disaster. Things went all higgledy-piggledy after H.T. joined, which is how we got the biomass as it is now.
The rhizomes reported the news. They’ve left, Anasigma did choose. But there might be attack stages: trouble comes in small packages. Does this thing come with a short fuse?
So many Safety Data Sheets needed after this…
Nah… only damage reports.
And only now have I just realized that we’re down to the Emerald City and Kansas… God, I’m getting slow in my old age!
Don’t feel too bad. It only just clicked for me when I read your comment.
(or you should still feel bad, and I should feel worse)
Okay, this is either going to be bad, . . . or really, really bad. Is it possible that there’s going to be a tiger-shaped plant kaiju coming to crunch Anasigma?
Well, Skin Horse already has a giant robot with which to fight it.
A nuke seems like a terrible choice of weapon for this. It’ll what… vaporise everything within a hundred yards or so and knock down any buildings within a couple of miles. Which is devastating against people, because having a building dropped on you is usually fatal for humans. I wouldn’t expect it to do much to the plants that make up this thing though.
Fire bombs would probably be better, though some plant life spreads through wildfires.
Acid would probably be best.