I reckoned we might see some of the Narbonic cast before the end, but I thought they’d show up after the denoument. I’m mighty curious to see where this goes
You do realise that the shadowy figures are almost certainly The Dave Society, right? They do run the world, and everything’s terrible in politics mostly because of how laid back their control is. In the Narbonic/Skin-Horse Universe, anyway.
I’m honestly surprised that this isn’t showing them knowing each other. Tip was an Army Psychologist, and Mell joined the Army after getting her Law Degree. I would have thought that the two of them would have some history, both given how stories work and the fact that Tip’s technically a Hero while Mel’s certainly a Villain.
Mell and Virginia and Tip are three sides of the same coin (and yes, in the Narboniverse, it’s actually possible for a coin to have three sides). They’re all evil – and they admit it – but they try to use it for good.
Honestly, I feel like Mell & Tip are opposites. Mell is Evil who occasionally produces Good results, while Tip is Good who occasionally produces Evil results. If you want to add Virginia into the mix, she’s True Neutral, ignoring both Good and Evil for Entertainment, the results of which usually considered Evil in the short-term, and Good in the long-term.
I’m a bit confused again. If A-sig is a for profit corporation, it’s not the same as the secret government (although it might run it) and the CEO would be picked by the board of directors (or in some cases, the shareholders), not rise to the position through some sort of bureaucratic Cursus Honorum.
Shadow government is, by definition, private individuals and/or companies who carry out actions on behalf of the actual government. So A-Sig is a shadow government, and they are employed by the actual government.
Notwithstanding, any company can select their CEO in whatever means suits them.
Quibble: the Shadow government by definition _is_ the “actual” government, in the sense that it’s the true power, not the elected officials.
And if there is any actual company that selects it’s top officials by their ascending a bureaucratic ladder, with board of directors/shareholders not having a final say, I’d be much surprised. It smacks of _merit_. 🙂
I think the implication is that Ari Green *was* the Anasigma CEO, but the Board has lost confidence in him and took notice of the meteoric rise of this “Chris Sanders” fellow to the pinnacle of shadow gov nobility… Which makes him not only competent but uniquely valuable (because there is no such thing as “conflict of interest” in the Shadow Gov).
It certainly is puzzling as to why there would be spaces _above_ the CEO position. But Ari calling it a “bureaucratic error” would seem to imply that Tip _did_ become CEO by ascending the bureaucratic ladder.
But I may once again be looking too hard for explanations in a cartoon where people make teleportation devices out of a bunch of coat hangers. (It’s just that Tip now being revealed as not only the top person in the secret government bureaucracy but also as a result CEO of Anasigma feels vaguely _unearned_ to me.)
I’m still waiting for it to be revealed that Dr. Chris Sanders is the top person. Isn’t it convenient that both he and Tip are tall with long-ish blond hair?
I’m an atheist who was raised a protestant. I still crossed myself. Be brave, Tip!
(I mean, of course it’s Mel. Anasigma apparently refuses to pay until the client is kidnapped. Any other lawyers willing to go that far got in Mel’s way a long time ago…)
The new CEO has arrived. Ira thought he was dead—no, alive. It’s kind of Machiavellian, ’cause he’s brought by Mel Kelly, and, who knows if her baggage survived?
More importantly, Ira doesn’t drink NEARLY enough box wine.
(…and Dr. Narbon would never have had the patience to hang out in Annex One pretending to be an elderly security guard with dementia for months on end…)
Holy SHIT
My thoughts exactly!
Oh hey, Mell!
Out of the Frying pan and Into the Flamethrower for Tip then…
She seems to be doing well.
Somehow, I don’t think Tip is in that bag. Officially, he was portraying Dr. Sanders.
Mel may just have a big ole bag of Chris and Marcie.
Ah, yes, this could be what happened to them.
(gasps in astonishment)
Brilliant!
That would explain why the mojo didn’t work.
Mel is also in a relationship. Not even Artie was able to change that.
Pretty sure.
But all the pictures they have during his ascent are of tip
Dang, I’d forgotten she actually graduated from law school!
I mean, probably the least dangerous lawyer Anasigma has on the payroll.
(Especially if she finds out he Knows Artie. Nudge nudge.)
Mell didn’t get high in the Shadow Government attorney pool by not being dangerous, and since she bagged der Führer, she must be near the top.
Wow wow wow
I reckoned we might see some of the Narbonic cast before the end, but I thought they’d show up after the denoument. I’m mighty curious to see where this goes
Aside from Artie, obviously; I mean the ones that hadn’t shown up
I’m hoping for a cameo from ANTONIO SMITH.
That would be excellent. I keep hoping for one by Foxy Cop myself.
… Although now that I think about it, it might be even more fun to watch Zeta meet Jonah and Nera.
We actually had a Foxy Cop cameo back in “Grillo Parlante”.
I, too, have been rooting for a Jonah+Nera/Zeta+Foot team-up pretty much since they were introduced.
You do realise that the shadowy figures are almost certainly The Dave Society, right? They do run the world, and everything’s terrible in politics mostly because of how laid back their control is. In the Narbonic/Skin-Horse Universe, anyway.
i did not consider that :O
Oh %&^$, that would totally fit. Taking a new harder line against mad science after one of their own tried to nuke the world?
Oh heck yeah
Oh heck, I just realized. Tip’s Mojo and Mell’s…being Mell.
[leans back, offers popcorn to everyone]
The possibilities, and consequences, boggles the mind.
I’m honestly surprised that this isn’t showing them knowing each other. Tip was an Army Psychologist, and Mell joined the Army after getting her Law Degree. I would have thought that the two of them would have some history, both given how stories work and the fact that Tip’s technically a Hero while Mel’s certainly a Villain.
I don’t know that I would class Mel as a villain. She’s mostly a mercenary. The fun starts when she meets Unity.
She was an Evil Intern at Narbonic Labs. She’s a villain by trade.
Mell and Virginia and Tip are three sides of the same coin (and yes, in the Narboniverse, it’s actually possible for a coin to have three sides). They’re all evil – and they admit it – but they try to use it for good.
Honestly, I feel like Mell & Tip are opposites. Mell is Evil who occasionally produces Good results, while Tip is Good who occasionally produces Evil results. If you want to add Virginia into the mix, she’s True Neutral, ignoring both Good and Evil for Entertainment, the results of which usually considered Evil in the short-term, and Good in the long-term.
I’m just saying, they’ve all admitted to being evil. You can explain it any way that keeps you sane.
Aw, look at her all grown up. I hope she catches up with Sergio and Artie.
Pretty sure that’s Chris and Marcie, which is fun because one of them now heads the private sector shadow gov.
I agree with both parts of your post.
Tho…I think A-sig is confused over which is Chris and who is Marcie.
If he doesn’t calm down, he’ll end up in Storage Room C.
Oh, dear.
If he runs into the sentient meme he’s got problems.
OH MYGOSH MEL!!!
HIYA MELL. Mother Goddess on stilettos, this is going to be SO MUCH FUN.
Well said!
I’m a bit confused again. If A-sig is a for profit corporation, it’s not the same as the secret government (although it might run it) and the CEO would be picked by the board of directors (or in some cases, the shareholders), not rise to the position through some sort of bureaucratic Cursus Honorum.
Well A-sig is employed by the shadow government tho, right?
Shadow government is, by definition, private individuals and/or companies who carry out actions on behalf of the actual government. So A-Sig is a shadow government, and they are employed by the actual government.
Notwithstanding, any company can select their CEO in whatever means suits them.
Quibble: the Shadow government by definition _is_ the “actual” government, in the sense that it’s the true power, not the elected officials.
And if there is any actual company that selects it’s top officials by their ascending a bureaucratic ladder, with board of directors/shareholders not having a final say, I’d be much surprised. It smacks of _merit_. 🙂
Seems to me that we’re looking at (but not really seeing) those shadowy figures who have that final say.
I think the implication is that Ari Green *was* the Anasigma CEO, but the Board has lost confidence in him and took notice of the meteoric rise of this “Chris Sanders” fellow to the pinnacle of shadow gov nobility… Which makes him not only competent but uniquely valuable (because there is no such thing as “conflict of interest” in the Shadow Gov).
It certainly is puzzling as to why there would be spaces _above_ the CEO position. But Ari calling it a “bureaucratic error” would seem to imply that Tip _did_ become CEO by ascending the bureaucratic ladder.
But I may once again be looking too hard for explanations in a cartoon where people make teleportation devices out of a bunch of coat hangers. (It’s just that Tip now being revealed as not only the top person in the secret government bureaucracy but also as a result CEO of Anasigma feels vaguely _unearned_ to me.)
I’m still waiting for it to be revealed that Dr. Chris Sanders is the top person. Isn’t it convenient that both he and Tip are tall with long-ish blond hair?
Honestly, the last Narbonic character I expected to see and the least expected way for one to show up.
AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MEL!
1) It’s Mel – Huzzah!
2) Another loose end gets tied up – literally.
MELL!
*insert appropriate screaming here. Make up your own mind whether it’s excitement or terror*
Think rollercoaster, it can be both.
Retainer? Her teeth need straightening?
Yes, Mel is a Vilain
Evil Intern > Graduated to Lawyer…
And Futureward Eventually Politician 😉
Nothing But Villain in that Progression 😀
I’m an atheist who was raised a protestant. I still crossed myself. Be brave, Tip!
(I mean, of course it’s Mel. Anasigma apparently refuses to pay until the client is kidnapped. Any other lawyers willing to go that far got in Mel’s way a long time ago…)
I love it! This just keeps getting better!
“wait it doesn’t make any sense for Virginia to be there wait the hair is wrong WAIT WAIT HELL YES”
I think you mean “MELL YES” }=D
You say that as if there’s a difference.
Of course there’s a difference; hell hasn’t been kicked out of Mell. 😉
Touché.
I went through the same progression. And now I have a profound need to completely re-read Narbonic…
This is a job for Captain Beyond!
Kirikirikirikirikiri….
omg
I’m not sure if TIp would be in more or less danger if he rolled seduction 😀
TIP: Why, hello- WTF?! Why am I dressed as Willie Nelson now?!
ROFL!
The new CEO has arrived. Ira thought he was dead—no, alive. It’s kind of Machiavellian, ’cause he’s brought by Mel Kelly, and, who knows if her baggage survived?
I love Mr. Green’s reaction in panel 3 upon hearing Tip somehow survived. 😉
Gonna love Mr. Green’s reaction upon meeting Mel. Assuming he hasn’t already met her….
MEL, WHEEEE!!!
And I’m not sure if telling Tip to chill is not a mis-reading of his muffled cries. He may just want company in there.
O no! Dave Barker’s back!
Yay, Mell!
Also, I was apparently completely wrong about A-Sig and the Shadow Government having seperate org charts yesterday. Ah, well
Actually, Daibhid, I think you were right.
A-Sig would naturally recruit the head of the Shadow Gov if possible, if only to preempt ties to competing contractors.
And by offering Mr. Sanders the newly-vacant CEO position, they kill two birds with one stone.
MMMMEEEELLLL!
That’s about it, really.
Wait!? Has anyone ever done a Mission:Impossible chin-peel on Ira to make sure he’s not Helen’s mom in disguise?
Nah… Ira’s way shorter than Dr. Narbon.
More importantly, Ira doesn’t drink NEARLY enough box wine.
(…and Dr. Narbon would never have had the patience to hang out in Annex One pretending to be an elderly security guard with dementia for months on end…)
She wouldn’t have made it half a day without getting bored and blowing something up.
*someone
Oh HELL yes.
(I see the obligatory “Mell yes” joke has already been made. ‘S what I get for not being able to read the strip until evening.)
Mel once represented Lovelace. If she’s now representing Anasigma, isn’t there a conflict of interest?
Not if they deposit the retainer….
Mell is always interested in a good conflict.