One suspects that most of the folks at St. Charlie, upon hearing the word “Trojan” would think first of asteroids, or stable orbits. (A few might think of condoms, though “protection” and “mad science” seldom are found in the same paragraph.) I wonder if any of them have any sort of classical education.
Remember that Helen said Professor Madblood was unusual in that he both went mad later in life than most, and was able to hold himself together after going mad long enough to earn a doctorate and achieve a tenured position. So while it’s likely that at least some mad scientists read the Aeneid before going mad, it’s also likely that a lot of them didn’t.
On the other hand, the story and concept of the Trojan Horse are so ingrained in Western pop culture that you don’t need to have read the book to know the story, so it’s more likely they are too excited about getting a cool thing to think about its implications. They also probably don’t have a good reason to be suspicious of Mr. Green here and so lack the insight of Laocoon.
Good point! There can be few places on the planet more prone to sudden and frequent but oddly survivable destruction than a facility occupied by a lot of mad scientists. This will likely not even be significant enough to note in the lab notebook of “important events this week”.
Ooh, yeah, some sort of cure-administering device? Good call, there, Voyager. We know Anasigma has the cure, because they administered it to Debbi at the Institute. It’d be pretty on-brand for them to try to use it to neutralize a large population of mad scientists at once, like by unleashing it in St. Charlie.
I’d say that was the way to bet, although that means the train will soon contain a number of deeply confused, reality-blind people and a vast number of deadly devices and constructs and zombies they can’t see. Really, blowing them to bits might be kinder.
That would be a best case scenario. They probably already have contingencies in place for berserk A.I.s, have their own berserk A.I.s to counter them, and the original plans for the berserk A.I.s somewhere in records. Mr. Green might be nonplussed by the casual criticism of his choices in hardware.
The second panel might be the best line I’ve read in six months. And that bar is pretty high. I’ve been enjoying some excellent storytelling elsewhere.
I cannot decide if this is a brilliantly dangerous gambit to keep the McGuffin out of the mad scientists’ hands, or to deliver it to the mad scientists’ hands.
Much as I hate him (in a good “intended reaction” way), I have to say I love Mr Green’s smile in the last panel. “Man, this is so easy,” he thinks, “Why are geniuses such idiots?”
Both sides find a meeting of pleasure. Institute and St. Charlie take measure. So the fools give a gift to heal up the rift, with a big whirring present of treasure.
I will never get tired of Shaenon’s determination to create a literal version of “Those fools at the institute all laughed at me! *LaUgHeD! Well, who’s laughing now?!” in her webcomics.
Yes, and this was rather clever of Mr. Green to phrase it that way; it really seems to push a button for most if not all mad scientists. Accepting tribute from the fools who laughed at them is probably too good to pass up or even question.
One suspects that most of the folks at St. Charlie, upon hearing the word “Trojan” would think first of asteroids, or stable orbits. (A few might think of condoms, though “protection” and “mad science” seldom are found in the same paragraph.) I wonder if any of them have any sort of classical education.
In which case their minds would immediately turn to Heinrich Schliemann! 🙂
Remember that Helen said Professor Madblood was unusual in that he both went mad later in life than most, and was able to hold himself together after going mad long enough to earn a doctorate and achieve a tenured position. So while it’s likely that at least some mad scientists read the Aeneid before going mad, it’s also likely that a lot of them didn’t.
On the other hand, the story and concept of the Trojan Horse are so ingrained in Western pop culture that you don’t need to have read the book to know the story, so it’s more likely they are too excited about getting a cool thing to think about its implications. They also probably don’t have a good reason to be suspicious of Mr. Green here and so lack the insight of Laocoon.
It will turn out to be full of bicycles when opened. Regardless of what was originally in there.
Even if it’s not, I have to assume that St. Charlie has been utterly destroyed hundreds of times before, possibly even earlier that day
Good point! There can be few places on the planet more prone to sudden and frequent but oddly survivable destruction than a facility occupied by a lot of mad scientists. This will likely not even be significant enough to note in the lab notebook of “important events this week”.
It could also simply be a mass-de-maddifying machine.
Ooh, yeah, some sort of cure-administering device? Good call, there, Voyager. We know Anasigma has the cure, because they administered it to Debbi at the Institute. It’d be pretty on-brand for them to try to use it to neutralize a large population of mad scientists at once, like by unleashing it in St. Charlie.
I’d say that was the way to bet, although that means the train will soon contain a number of deeply confused, reality-blind people and a vast number of deadly devices and constructs and zombies they can’t see. Really, blowing them to bits might be kinder.
If a gift ticks, it’s probably a bomb. If a gift wrrrs…
…it’s probably a Homicidal Buzzsaw Deathbot…
Just another in their huge collection of such things.
But if it’s there to destroy them, will it destroy them before they’re destroyed?
That would be a best case scenario. They probably already have contingencies in place for berserk A.I.s, have their own berserk A.I.s to counter them, and the original plans for the berserk A.I.s somewhere in records. Mr. Green might be nonplussed by the casual criticism of his choices in hardware.
If a gift whirs, whirry.
Yes, it’s very whirrysome.
That was whirrable.
It only goes wrrr when it stays still. It goes zip when it moves and bop when it stops.
Wonderful…
This was the version I learned:
http://www.guntheranderson.com/v/data/themurde.htm
I love nasty versions of old songs. Ever hear “Put On That Old Blue Ointment?”
A gift for you Robert https://youtu.be/TytGOeiW0aE
I’ll see your Tom Lehrer and raise you a Big Daddy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnI9s_NQaWg
Eventually, if becomes a Machine That Goes “Ping!”.
The second panel might be the best line I’ve read in six months. And that bar is pretty high. I’ve been enjoying some excellent storytelling elsewhere.
Panel two is incredible. I love panel three too. I think I just love this whole comic.
Ruby’s delight in panel 4 is palpable.
It’s actually a very nice gesture on Mr. Green’s part to offer a conciliatory gift. Perhaps it’s an automatic cake and ice cream maker?
Beware of Geeks bearing gifts.
How… thoughtful of them.
I cannot decide if this is a brilliantly dangerous gambit to keep the McGuffin out of the mad scientists’ hands, or to deliver it to the mad scientists’ hands.
Much as I hate him (in a good “intended reaction” way), I have to say I love Mr Green’s smile in the last panel. “Man, this is so easy,” he thinks, “Why are geniuses such idiots?”
How did Mell usually come out on top?
A greater appetite for destruction accompanied by access to heavier firepower.
We’d have to ask Caliban.
Seems to me that there’s a distinct touch of contempt in that statement.
I immediately had a flashback to every other arc in Narbonics. I just love the universe this comic resides in!
Both sides find a meeting of pleasure. Institute and St. Charlie take measure. So the fools give a gift to heal up the rift, with a big whirring present of treasure.
The future’s so bright ya gotta wear shades…And SPF 9000 sunblock
Oh no. I have a terrible fear that Moustachio is in the box, with his original destructive memory reels re-installed.
…wasn’t Moustachio (and Hitty) incorporated into Annex One, which is now a walking mecha?
But did the fools throw eggs at them? Eggs?
I will never get tired of Shaenon’s determination to create a literal version of “Those fools at the institute all laughed at me! *LaUgHeD! Well, who’s laughing now?!” in her webcomics.
Yes, and this was rather clever of Mr. Green to phrase it that way; it really seems to push a button for most if not all mad scientists. Accepting tribute from the fools who laughed at them is probably too good to pass up or even question.
Funny as hell, as so often.