Among other things, Mell is rumored (not canon) to have provided genetic material used to create UNITY. Narbonic is a great read, but let’s just say that Mell is happiest when she has a lot of weapons around.
She’s the evil intern and assistant to mad scientist Helen Narbon Jr., as well as a student of law and a future president of the united states (in the more desolate timelines, at least).
Over her career, she has tangled with Antonio Smith, forensic linguist; orchestrated a takeover of mad scientist Lupin Madblood’s moon base and robot army, with which she threatened to enslave Earth; fought her way through the lowest planes of Hell; got herself cast out from Heaven…
“So how does its speech bubbles visibly demonstrate that it has access to the font of wisdom?” Because its speech bubbles are written in a different font.
‘Purple waves’ was a recurring phrase in The Westing Game, one of my favorite books in middle school. I should go back and reread it; I’ve forgotten most of the middle bits.
I recommend reading it if you haven’t- it’s a quick, fun read about seemingly random people gathered to solve the puzzle of a rather strange will and the man who left it.
So we have Mell, we have a small spring driven automaton, and we have relationship angst. Mell is the one innocent bystander you don’t have to worry about being killed if any danger occurs. And if Tigerlilly is around that could be a possibility. But I see so many ways this could go.
Which is itself clearly a reference to Athena’s mechanical (non-talking) owl Bubo from the Ray Harryhausen’s Clash of the Titans (which, if I’m not mistaken, was also referenced by this comic in the “One and Future” storyline)
What would a mad scientist specializing in clockwork of all things want with an irresponsible nuclear physicist? Potentially awesome, but their specialties are too different even for mad science.
…Ahh. “Ground Control.”
Proprietor: Thomas Bowie, Major (rtd.), USAF and NASA.
Wait a minute….is that Mel in the first panel!?
It is.
So is it a gratuitous cameo? Is Caliban the barista?
Is she still doing freelance coding?
Most importantly, do we get to see the adorable Jonah and Nera again?
I hope they put Mel on decaf…
I hope they slip tranquilizers into her decaf…
Looks like her; has that Timbertoes lock of hair sticking out of the front… Next question… is the coffee… evil?
Evil?
That coffee’s down right Satanic!
So one might say that it’s “Coffee of Doom”?
No, her shoulder is covered.
I’ll tell you why you didn’t go with her, Chris:
You wanted that hot Tanuki-Taur action. Admit it.
GAAAH! MEL!
Quickly, Chris! Flee to the opposite coast as quickly as you can!
You know full well that would only delay the inevitable.
Who is Mel and why is she so scary?
Read Narbonic
Among other things, Mell is rumored (not canon) to have provided genetic material used to create UNITY. Narbonic is a great read, but let’s just say that Mell is happiest when she has a lot of weapons around.
She’s the evil intern and assistant to mad scientist Helen Narbon Jr., as well as a student of law and a future president of the united states (in the more desolate timelines, at least).
Over her career, she has tangled with Antonio Smith, forensic linguist; orchestrated a takeover of mad scientist Lupin Madblood’s moon base and robot army, with which she threatened to enslave Earth; fought her way through the lowest planes of Hell; got herself cast out from Heaven…
What better than a spring driven contraption to tell you who you’re going to wind up with?
Especially since its speech bubbles visibly demonstrate that it has access to the font of wisdom.
Very nice.
I see what you did there…
I’ll bite…
“Spring driven” and “wind up.” 8-D
(sorry if you weren’t asking for an explanation – I’m a reflexive pedant)
So how does its speech bubbles visibly demonstrate that it has access to the font of wisdom?
“So how does its speech bubbles visibly demonstrate that it has access to the font of wisdom?” Because its speech bubbles are written in a different font.
Just having a different font proves this how?
It’s a pun, you nincompoop. The Font of Wisdom. Because of the font. Get it?
What happened to Chris’ nose? Did it break when he thudded into the table? Yikes!
The wise bird is pecking it, involuntarily.
It looked a bit funny last Thursday, too. It may be something to do with how his nose would look in a less cartoony style.
Where can I get one of those birds?
Springs. Who digs springs?
So… does anyone know what the chapter title is a reference to?
There’s a song by Christopher Franke called “Purple Waves”…I don’t know it…
‘Purple waves’ was a recurring phrase in The Westing Game, one of my favorite books in middle school. I should go back and reread it; I’ve forgotten most of the middle bits.
I recommend reading it if you haven’t- it’s a quick, fun read about seemingly random people gathered to solve the puzzle of a rather strange will and the man who left it.
Itself speculated to be a reference to “purple waves of grain,” from “America the Beautiful.”
Not to be confused with other potentially wet, purple things, like purple haze or purple rain.
Pretty sure the waves of grain are amber. It’s the mountains majesty that are purple.
Oh, bah, you’re right. That’ll teach me to post from work without doing research.
But yes, as I recall, The Westing Game is known to Shaenon and/or Jeff.
Well, Chris, you live in a weird universe. Chapter title — perhaps a madriff on America the Beautiful?
Not exactly.
So we have Mell, we have a small spring driven automaton, and we have relationship angst. Mell is the one innocent bystander you don’t have to worry about being killed if any danger occurs. And if Tigerlilly is around that could be a possibility. But I see so many ways this could go.
…hang on. Is that a Tigerlily redesign of CORVID?
Ha! I have a thing for talking birds, I guess?
Reminded me a bit of Minerva’s Owlphone from Wic+Div, which is presumably also capable of dispensing wisdom, although this is clearly not an owl. https://ladygeekgirl.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/minerva-wicdiv.jpeg
Which is itself clearly a reference to Athena’s mechanical (non-talking) owl Bubo from the Ray Harryhausen’s Clash of the Titans (which, if I’m not mistaken, was also referenced by this comic in the “One and Future” storyline)
What would a mad scientist specializing in clockwork of all things want with an irresponsible nuclear physicist? Potentially awesome, but their specialties are too different even for mad science.
Maybe she needs something irradiated?
Maybe Chris could come here and listen to us.
Noboru Wataya,
Where are you?
Did the wind-up bird
Forget to wind your spring?