It’s nice to see Nick’s casual acceptance of his princess status.
In unrelated news, my Dwarf Fortress just produced an artifact marble crown named “Lovegrasps the Hale Lyric”, which strikes me as very Tigerlily name.
Wait. So *UNITY* is the one arguing for staying on task and getting things done?
Even on top of the previous character development she’s had, Collodi’s mind-mafipulating-magic..um….something-that-is-a-simile-for-“colouring”-but-starts-with-an-M…….machine…thing….seems to have had some interesting results.
I don’t think Collodi actually “manipulated” their minds. I think he just imparted some information that made the group realize something and their minds (even if subconscious) went “oh snap!”
As for UNITY, you’re surprised that she’s able to stay focused on saving something that she really likes?
I was wondering why Tip hasn’t fixed Sweetheart’s problem yet, since he’s used his “Super-Power” on all the other females (and at least one male) available.
I’d probably have a similar attitude in her place, actually. Why bother helping someone who won’t trust me afterwards? Of course, later I’d realize that it’s not about Collodi or his daughter, it’s about saving the people that are about to lose their home.
If so I imagine Sweetheart is gravely misinterpreting the situation, Considering Collodi’s Politics and the fact that it was a warning for his daughter.
tune: “Brave Sir Robin Ran Away,” Neil Innes, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, 1975
Bravely bold Captain’s Fan-
Cy Valentine Sweetheart
She was not afraid to die
Oh brave Ms. Sweetheart
She was not at all afraid
To be killed in nasty ways
Brave, brave, brave, brave Ms. Sweetheart
She was not in the least bit scared
To be mashed by wrecking balls
Or to face a fusion bomb
And be vaporized
To die from gamma rays
Her fur all burned away
And her paperwork all mangled
Brave Ms. Sweetheart
Her friends bulldozed
And her mission failed
And her authority
Totally ignored
And her whole field team
Turned to compact cubes
And her gonads . . .
(“That’s . . . that’s enough music for now Kay. There’s dirty work afoot!”)
Brave Ms. Sweetheart ran away (“No!”)
Bravely ran away away (“I didn’t!”)
When demolition loomed ahead
She grabbed a boat and fled instead (“No!”)
Yes, brave Ms. Sweetheart turned about (“I didn’t!”)
And said, “Let’s take the last boat out.”
Jumping in with all four feet (“I never did!”)
She told her team they must retreat (“All lies!”)
Bravest of the braaaave, Ms. Sweetheart! (“I never!”)
No, she ate her Minstrels in Canada. She didn’t have the patience to save them for the journey when she was young, and they’re not available in the U.S.
So Sweetheart wants to leave, Nick thinks there’s probably a clue to the real princess somewhere in the vault (not that he thinks there’s anywhere enough time to sort through it all), Unity’s aware they’re pressed for time, while Tip seems eager to explore.
I’d say they should at least retrieve Moustachio’s memory drum – thet would, for a start, given them a clue to the message on the film (not that he seems to have told the rest of WhimsyCorp given SH have historically turned up every year or two on a routine visit – auditing their accounts, IIRC).
Based on a previous scene with Moustachio switching out memory drums, I don’t think it will actually cause him to “revert” to an older self. The memory drums are not who is currently is… it’s just his long term memory storage.
If you don’t trust someone that has a right to inspect your premises once a year, you don’t keep him out. You spend a week hiding anything he might not like and then steer him away from the hiding places.
Flash of half asleep this morning – Perhaps the Princess has something to do with the upcoming human/machine group mind thingy that I cannot find the word this early in the morning.
A little late to the party, but… that’s some GOOD colour. Everything from the bright-but-not-eye-bleedy Whimsy palate to the almost invisible grey of Sweetheart’s fur.
At the very least they should retrieve M’s memory drum, it’s his and I’m quite sure he wants it back if only to have his complete set.
As for the overarching plot and the skinning of the horse. Well I have the sneaking suspicion we’re barreling toward a broken Aesop, but I’m not sure what the velveteen rabbit’s message was either.
I always thought the Velveteen Rabbit was saying that while satisfaction may come from material comfort, true happiness comes from fulfillment of purpose. It’ not a bad message for free beings, but dangerous for many of Skin Horse’s prospective clients that serve a master or otherwise don’t understand free will.
I don’t think Sweetheart is being practical; I think she’s honestly scared, and not of the wrecking balls.
Of the team, she is the most organized, the most controlled, the most desiring of sanity, and she finds Skin Horse to represent the law and order she desires. Now here is something telling her “don’t trust your superiors, don’t trust your allies, don’t trust those whom you have worked with for years to bring order to a chaotic world.” This information, if true, would shatter her world view in a way that the other three could live with.
She doesn’t WANT to hear this. She’d rather the whole place get crushed so she can forget what she heard and move on. And here is the opportunity to throw in the towel, none would blame her for “failure” at this point… except her own teammates persist.
It is perhaps not coincidental that, while Tip, Unity, and Nick gained color from their revelation, Sweetheart remains as monochrome (as “black and white”) as ever.
I’m kind of suspecting that this will end with one or more of the Skin Horse crew staging a sit-in protest in front of the bulldozers, while Unity randomly hurls 70’s anti-government lines about.
I kind of agree; Shaenon’s black-and-white work from the last couple years of Narbonic to the present is some of my very favorite this side of Bill Watterson, and a big part of the reason I’ve gotten away from digital art and back into ink-and-paper drawing myself.
But heck, I’m not going to turn up my nose at coloring this nice, especially not with a transition as clever as Saturday’s. Besides, we still have Monster of the Week.
I said it on Saturday but I feel like saying it again: I love how the newly added color gives us a stronger appreciation for the patchwork-quilt of skin tones that is Unity.
Revised game rules here:
http://palenoue02.businesscatalyst.com/untitled-13.html
Should we start a discussion in the forums for the game, or keep it here in the comments?
Would be easier to follow and keep all together in the forums, I would think.
THERE’S A FORUM?!
Apparently so – it’s the last tab up top. I haven’t visited it yet, so it’ll be interesting to see what goes on there…
It’s nice to see Nick’s casual acceptance of his princess status.
In unrelated news, my Dwarf Fortress just produced an artifact marble crown named “Lovegrasps the Hale Lyric”, which strikes me as very Tigerlily name.
It menaces with spikes of GROOVE.
Wait. So *UNITY* is the one arguing for staying on task and getting things done?
Even on top of the previous character development she’s had, Collodi’s mind-mafipulating-magic..um….something-that-is-a-simile-for-“colouring”-but-starts-with-an-M…….machine…thing….seems to have had some interesting results.
“multichromaticizing”?
I don’t think Collodi actually “manipulated” their minds. I think he just imparted some information that made the group realize something and their minds (even if subconscious) went “oh snap!”
As for UNITY, you’re surprised that she’s able to stay focused on saving something that she really likes?
It could be she’s just interested in the destruction and violence. This *is* Unity, after all….
Oh, Sweetheart. This is why you’ll always be my least favorite character.
That is being TOO practical Sweetheart, turn that frown upside down.
Sweetheart presents a realistic and practical solution. Naturally nobody listens to her.
Like most cynical, disillusioned middle managers, she probably just needs to get laid. Maybe if she switched to Pina Coladas…
mnem
Coconut palms are God’s way of marking the habitable regions of this planet.
I was wondering why Tip hasn’t fixed Sweetheart’s problem yet, since he’s used his “Super-Power” on all the other females (and at least one male) available.
Tip told us and her in the werewolf story that he was only interested in humans.
Also, his superpower didn’t work on Unity.
I don’t think she’s presenting a practical solution; I just think she’s pissed off that Collodi impugned Skin Horse.
I’d probably have a similar attitude in her place, actually. Why bother helping someone who won’t trust me afterwards? Of course, later I’d realize that it’s not about Collodi or his daughter, it’s about saving the people that are about to lose their home.
If so I imagine Sweetheart is gravely misinterpreting the situation, Considering Collodi’s Politics and the fact that it was a warning for his daughter.
tune: “Brave Sir Robin Ran Away,” Neil Innes, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, 1975
Bravely bold Captain’s Fan-
Cy Valentine Sweetheart
She was not afraid to die
Oh brave Ms. Sweetheart
She was not at all afraid
To be killed in nasty ways
Brave, brave, brave, brave Ms. Sweetheart
She was not in the least bit scared
To be mashed by wrecking balls
Or to face a fusion bomb
And be vaporized
To die from gamma rays
Her fur all burned away
And her paperwork all mangled
Brave Ms. Sweetheart
Her friends bulldozed
And her mission failed
And her authority
Totally ignored
And her whole field team
Turned to compact cubes
And her gonads . . .
(“That’s . . . that’s enough music for now Kay. There’s dirty work afoot!”)
Brave Ms. Sweetheart ran away (“No!”)
Bravely ran away away (“I didn’t!”)
When demolition loomed ahead
She grabbed a boat and fled instead (“No!”)
Yes, brave Ms. Sweetheart turned about (“I didn’t!”)
And said, “Let’s take the last boat out.”
Jumping in with all four feet (“I never did!”)
She told her team they must retreat (“All lies!”)
Bravest of the braaaave, Ms. Sweetheart! (“I never!”)
And here I thought they had to eat her minstrels in Alaska.
(… looking for that strip where Sweetheart wet herself ….)
No, she ate her Minstrels in Canada. She didn’t have the patience to save them for the journey when she was young, and they’re not available in the U.S.
So Sweetheart wants to leave, Nick thinks there’s probably a clue to the real princess somewhere in the vault (not that he thinks there’s anywhere enough time to sort through it all), Unity’s aware they’re pressed for time, while Tip seems eager to explore.
I’d say they should at least retrieve Moustachio’s memory drum – thet would, for a start, given them a clue to the message on the film (not that he seems to have told the rest of WhimsyCorp given SH have historically turned up every year or two on a routine visit – auditing their accounts, IIRC).
Yeah…but do you really want to deal with a second ramage from Moustachio?
Based on a previous scene with Moustachio switching out memory drums, I don’t think it will actually cause him to “revert” to an older self. The memory drums are not who is currently is… it’s just his long term memory storage.
If you don’t trust someone that has a right to inspect your premises once a year, you don’t keep him out. You spend a week hiding anything he might not like and then steer him away from the hiding places.
The Vault seems to be just such a hiding place.
Flash of half asleep this morning – Perhaps the Princess has something to do with the upcoming human/machine group mind thingy that I cannot find the word this early in the morning.
Singularity, perhaps?
That’s it – I recalled it myself around 1300.
Hazards of web surfing that early in the morning.
(TUNE: “Walk Away Renée”, The Left Banke)
Collodi warned the princess …
Who is she, who?
Tip, looking stern and grim, says,
“What should we do?”
[CHORUS:]
Let’s run away today!
Let’s jump in a boat and save our butts!
No time to sift through all
The cup that’s in the vault …
Run, oy gevalt!
The secret left behind gets
To fragments blown!
And speaking of behinds, let’s
Now save our own!
The wrecking balls are coming,
And very soon!
The Whimsy ‘bots are humming
A dismal tune …
[repeat CHORUS]
Arrgh repeat chorus after second verse why no edit
the boat back to Kansas?
Kansas would be too normal for them.
A little late to the party, but… that’s some GOOD colour. Everything from the bright-but-not-eye-bleedy Whimsy palate to the almost invisible grey of Sweetheart’s fur.
Wait, what? I thought she had white fur and what we’re seeing as coloration is actually shadowing?
At the very least they should retrieve M’s memory drum, it’s his and I’m quite sure he wants it back if only to have his complete set.
As for the overarching plot and the skinning of the horse. Well I have the sneaking suspicion we’re barreling toward a broken Aesop, but I’m not sure what the velveteen rabbit’s message was either.
I always thought the Velveteen Rabbit was saying that while satisfaction may come from material comfort, true happiness comes from fulfillment of purpose. It’ not a bad message for free beings, but dangerous for many of Skin Horse’s prospective clients that serve a master or otherwise don’t understand free will.
Here you go, straight from this comic’s prologue. http://skin-horse.com/2007/12302007/
Yeah but what does that actually mean?
I don’t think Sweetheart is being practical; I think she’s honestly scared, and not of the wrecking balls.
Of the team, she is the most organized, the most controlled, the most desiring of sanity, and she finds Skin Horse to represent the law and order she desires. Now here is something telling her “don’t trust your superiors, don’t trust your allies, don’t trust those whom you have worked with for years to bring order to a chaotic world.” This information, if true, would shatter her world view in a way that the other three could live with.
She doesn’t WANT to hear this. She’d rather the whole place get crushed so she can forget what she heard and move on. And here is the opportunity to throw in the towel, none would blame her for “failure” at this point… except her own teammates persist.
It is perhaps not coincidental that, while Tip, Unity, and Nick gained color from their revelation, Sweetheart remains as monochrome (as “black and white”) as ever.
Nah, it’s totally a coincidence.
Seconded. FlyingFish, kudos for your insightful analysis.
Yes, but consider the source of the warning; is there any reason she should think it’s true? Mad scientists are such reliable people, after all.
Tip wears the expression of a hardened veteran who knows now that there is no way to avoid a therapy-puppet conflict-resolution here.
I’m kind of suspecting that this will end with one or more of the Skin Horse crew staging a sit-in protest in front of the bulldozers, while Unity randomly hurls 70’s anti-government lines about.
WANT!
If UNITY hurls anything, it’ll not be “words”….
It’s lovely color, but I’ll really miss it being in black and white. I want MORE black and white comics, not fewer and fewer!
I kind of agree; Shaenon’s black-and-white work from the last couple years of Narbonic to the present is some of my very favorite this side of Bill Watterson, and a big part of the reason I’ve gotten away from digital art and back into ink-and-paper drawing myself.
But heck, I’m not going to turn up my nose at coloring this nice, especially not with a transition as clever as Saturday’s. Besides, we still have Monster of the Week.
Paddle, Sweetheart! Paddle to the sea!
I did not expect the gag of Sweetheart trying to escape the amusement park on a water ride to qualify as excessively subtle.
I said it on Saturday but I feel like saying it again: I love how the newly added color gives us a stronger appreciation for the patchwork-quilt of skin tones that is Unity.