Tower of God: an Infinite Canvas comic from Korea [Archive]

tomaO2

2012-04-09, 02:14 AM

And now for something completely different.

Korean webcomics, "WEBTOONS" for short, are illustrated in full color and read in one long strip per chapter, webtoons are the distinctive style of webcomics from Korea. They appear to be funded by the Korean main internet search engine, Naver. They are released weekly with a TON of content. I'm not sure of all the details but it looks like South Korea has done something really exciting with the webcomic genre. To give an example of the work they typically do, I submit my favorite pick that I have found so far.

Tower of God. (http://comic.naver.com/webtoon/detail.nhn?titleId=183559&no=2&weekday=mon)

It's a comic takes place in an underground world that is divided into various "levels" and the only way to get from one level to the other is through the "Tower" of God. However, only a selected few are allowed to climb it and...

Oh, what was that? You can't read Korean? Fine then. Here is an English translation.

Tower of God: English Edition. (http://www.batoto.net/read/_/7/tower-of-god_v1_ch1_by_the-company?supress_webtoon=f)

As I was saying, only a few are allowed to climb it and at the top is... Well... Allow me to steal the official PREVIEW (http://www.batoto.net/read/_/6/tower-of-god_v1_by_the-company) and say it like this

"What is your desire?
Money?
Glory?
Power?
Revenge?
or something that surpasses all other?
Whatever you desire, THAT is here"
At the top of the Tower of God.

Dun, dun, dun.

Basic story is a boy who's only friend has decided to leave him and climb the tower in search of an open sky to see the stars. Of course, he decides to follow her and so the journey to the top begins...

I hope some people give this a look. Even if you don't like the story. The use of the endless pages is a really interesting style and something you don't see in western webcomics.

Also, if you like the 1 page format then feel free to take a look at some other webtoons I have looked through

Toma's Webtoon List (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=243225)

averagejoe

2012-04-09, 06:59 PM

At a glance it kind of reminds me of Estancia (http://www.webcomicsnation.com/hammock/estancia/series.php?view=archive&chapter=6545) which IIRC is also from South Korea, so I guess that makes sense? I'll have to give it a read over. If nothing else I love it when electronic comics actually take advantage of being electronic.

Edit: I've just been informed that one needs to be a subscriber to finish Estancia. It's news to me, but that makes the recommendation somewhat more cautionary.

Euodiachloris

2012-04-11, 09:10 PM

I'll have to give it a read over. If nothing else I love it when electronic comics actually take advantage of being electronic.

Do. :smallsmile: Occasionally, SIU's art goes a little wonky, but the plot rarely ever does. :smallsmile:

I have to admit, I'm hooked. Mainly by the plot, but the art itself has sometimes blown me away.

Warning: you may often have to go back and do an archive binge when something from way back crops up as having been a bit more important than expected with this one. And, that thing will often have been tiny, but rendered in very good detail. So, you know, upon reflection, you shouldn't have skipped past it the first time. :smalltongue:

I think I went on my 4th binge with the reveal of the ring meeting... well, somebody rather vital. (Tries very hard to be a good girl and not to spoil.) :smallsigh:

Oh, I hated every second. Yep. :smallwink: Sure. :smallwink: I hate being strong-armed into rereading stuff I didn't like the first time. :smallbiggrin:

tomaO2

2012-04-11, 11:01 PM

I finished reading Estancia and I'll agree that they are fairly similar. Both have rag tag groups traveling to an unknown destination. I liked the use of the train. I think if you liked one story you'd like the other.

My vote is still for ToD though. I think the storyline has much more depth to it (the ToD beginning chapter was incredibly memorable to me as well. I've read the Floor 1 test arc a number of times now). Of course, ToD is also longer and ongoing, whereas Estancia is a completed work. Also, I think the panel layout of ToD is much more interesting. I don't see anything too dynamic being done with the pannel layout on Estancia. Finally, as averagejoe has stated, the ending of Estancia is gone. Last readable update is 57-1. If you could re-read it a bit and try and remember what the big revelations were, that would be great. :smallsmile:

And HEY! Someone read ToD. :)

I also had to reread it Echu... Erm. I mean. E-U-ooddddd.... Eudia? No, wait... I mean... Ummmm....

How the HECK do you even begin to pronounce that name? you know what? I'll call you Eudia from now on (that stupid "o" has no reason to be in there). I think I can pronounce that word correctly. :smalltongue:

Anyway, I also re-read it after the plot twist was revealed, Eudia. Rarely have I been so totally blindsided as I was this time around. I had to process it for a day or two.

My favorite character was Black March, who was totally under-utilized in this story. Boy gets a weapon that not only is really powerful and famous but also is ALIVE? Not only alive but very picky on who it will use it's power for? I would have loved for there to be more bonding there and for the two of them to become a real team but it didn't work out that way. :smallsigh:

What did you think of the start? Did it intrigue you like it did me? I just loved how they began the whole thing. The friend disappearing and his decision to reunite with her no matter what (I really liked how he says he doesn't care about riches or power as long as he can be with her again). The Rabbit guardian. The whole "the answer is always at the top" theme that sets the theme for the storyline. The charge against the Steel Eel. I liked how Baam never asked a useless question. Like when he gets the the device his first question it to confirm the reason that he has already deduces as to why he can suddenly understand them.

Also, how does a person draw/write that much? There is a lot of fighting in it for sure but it doesn't go to absurd extremes like a lot of mangas do in order to use fighting as filler. He does more a week then weekly mangas manage and the whole thing is in color! seems to update like clockwork too. Every Sunday a new update is posted (as far as I know anyway. It also takes a bit longer for the translation to be done though). It just boggles me. South Korean webtoonists are workhorses!

Euodiachloris

2012-04-12, 05:14 AM

How the HECK do you even begin to pronounce that name? you know what? I'll call you Eudia from now on (that stupid "o" has no reason to be in there). I think I can pronounce that word correctly. :smalltongue:

Wrongo: that 'o' belongs there, as Euodia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euodia_and_Syntyche) was a perfectly wonderful historical character who Saint Paul took time off to yell at via his Epistal to the Philippians.:smallbiggrin: I stole her name and bolted it to a dryad's. :smallsmile: Oh, and it's also the name for a genus of plant in the citrus-side of the rose family. For some reason. :smallwink:

You-oh-dee-ah. Or just Euo.

My favorite character was Black March, who was totally under-utilized in this story. Boy gets a weapon that not only is really powerful and famous but also is ALIVE? Not only alive but very picky on who it will use it's power for? I would have loved for there to be more bonding there and for the two of them to become a real team but it didn't work out that way. :smallsigh:

One of my crazy theories as to who Baam actually is is... well very crazy.

What if he's actually the Colourless December, eh? Just on two legs, rather than in cutting form. It would kind of explain why he was sealed up as far away as possible from anything else. And, why shinsoo attacks are pretty pointless on him, unless you go for the subtle approach.

I very much doubt we've seen the last of the March. Or the April, either. Although... I really wouldn't want to meet the personification of the April on a dark night. :smallwink:

What did you think of the start? Did it intrigue you like it did me?

One thing I really did like about the start was the lack of info-dump. Seriously: you land right into the mystery with many questions asked, few answered. And, some are answered way before you suspected they were even asked. :smallamused:

It just boggles me. South Korean webtoonists are workhorses!

Ditto. I've no idea how he does it. It is, however, why the art sometimes looks a bit rougher. That week, he almost didn't make it on time.

Sometimes, I wish I could speak Korean just to hit his blog and tell him it wouldn't kill us for him to be a bit late. :smallsigh:

FearlessGnome

2012-04-13, 11:25 AM

Well, I'm hooked. I quite like it. Gah! I want moooooore pages!

Slayn82

2012-04-13, 09:51 PM

Euodiachloris

2012-04-14, 09:05 PM

Funny a topic about this comic apearing right now. I've found it while searching TVtropes. So far, loving the concept of the history, and specially waiting for more Rak.

What really bothers me is: why do people keep the mentality of dumping others, when you actually have diferent kinds of jobs who should not compete with each other?

Woot! Another troper! :smallbiggrin:

And, yeah: it's something I'd like to know, as well. :smallconfused: The whole dog-eat-dog thing seems... suspicious when it's obvious that your chances of going up floors would be increased the more people you could rely on. :smallsigh:

I keep hoping some explanation for that in the Tower's culture will be forthcoming. Well, beyond "Zahard is a jerk". :smallamused:

tomaO2

2012-04-14, 10:03 PM

Euo (I still like Eudia better :smallannoyed:, stupid "o"), your idea thatBaam is the colorless December is just crazy! CRAZY I say! Everyone knows that all the weapons from the series have female personalities :smallbiggrin:

Slayn, about yous question about the dumping others mentality, I would point out that while there are... 5 positions I think? (wave controller, light bearer, scout, fisherman and spear-barer) There are a lot of people taking tests so each position has it's own elemination rounds. That is why there is the mentality of dumping others, I think? Unless you meant something beyond that.

Hmm, I went over to TV Tropes. I'm actually a bit surprised Tower of God is in there. I've done some reading of the site. A fair amount actually but that place has too much info. I'm not sure even a month of reading would be enough to finish everything. A person can't let themselves get sucked in because there is just no light at the end of the tunnel for getting caught up. >_>

tomaO2

2012-04-15, 01:00 PM

Update is up. Time for the Raws discussion.

As I mentioned before the official webcomic is in Korean and tha update seems to go up around Sunday afternoon, EST time. The English translation takes an extra 2-4 days or so on the Batoto site.

If you just wanna have one website to click on then go to Batoto, however. The main reason I would recommend reading at the Korean site is that this is where the actual author posts it. Considering that clicking on his website is about the only way to support this comic that I know of. If you really like it, you should have a link to both places.

It's a short update comparatively speaking. The author warned of that. First part is talking about the game. Fortunately, I have full ranks in Language: Korean. I mean Bluff.) So here is the totally correct summery of what happened.

Love explains the game. You have to get out of the room to win, anyone that stays in the room loses. There is arguing. The glasses woman and the annoying brat easily get outside cause their roomates are wussies and Firegirl tells Viole that she's not letting him out for any reason and he's gonna die now for not being interested in her body (bastard). Viole tells her that her powers are as uninteresting as her body which hurts her feelings so bad that she stops attacking him and lets him through. :smallsmile:

I liked the Voile confrontation the best. The look on the girls face was pretty priceless! Bwahahaha. Also, the flames she made were pretty.

PS. I hope the Giant upgrades the servers soon, posting can be a nightmare sometimes. Spent half an hour trying to get this up

Anteros

2012-04-15, 03:32 PM

Euodiachloris

2012-04-15, 04:55 PM

I have to say...this comic is suprisingly good. Of course, given the pacing and the update speed I can't ever see it actually finishing...but it's still quite interesting. Definitely worked its way into my reading list.

Preaching to the choir, here. :smallwink:

I think I liked the idealistic Baam a lot better than the cold hearted "Viole" though. Although I suppose the transformation makes a lot of sense.

I'm still living in hope that he'll modify back somewhat. Some time with people who genuinely need him (and maybe see him as more than a handy means to get from A to B) might help. That, or a bratling lass with little sense giving him something to vent on. Whichever.

Yup: living in hope, but no actual expectations, considering SIU's handle. <cries>

tomaO2

2012-04-17, 07:51 PM

I'm not quite sure what Anteros meant by judging by the pacing and updates that he can't see it finishing. The 80 chapters that made up Book 1 did a great job of telling a full story by itself and that is a lot of story for less then 2 years of work.

Anyway, the translation is up now, only two days after the original update. It has some brief conversations with 4 groups. I really like Viole, I think Firegirl is wrong to state he's planning on killing everyone. I haven't seen him definitively kill anyone so far. I am pretty sure he's just learned the lession that young princess was trying to teach him during book one, that you can't get to the top without making other people lose. Plus, any real faith in the goodness in others was destroyed awhile ago. I wouldn't be surprised if he was lying about being in FUG just so that people wouldn't want to team up with him.

Anteros

2012-04-17, 10:17 PM

Zea mays

2012-04-17, 10:19 PM

Ooh I just got hooked on this Webcomic. I love the scope and grandness of the story.

Euodiachloris, I'll keep hoping with you that some part of the old Baam will re-emerge. And that some flash backs from the missing time will expound on his character transformation.

Anteros

2012-04-17, 10:34 PM

I'd say there will almost certainly be some type of transformation back into kind hearted Baam. How we reconcile that with the guy who apparently killed 20 floors of worth of people and joined a criminal organization is what I'm interested to see.

The writing so far has been good, but it's a difficult thing to pull off. You can't just go back to him being kindhearted without at least addressing the horrible things he's done.

Euodiachloris

2012-04-18, 01:47 PM

Question: is that the most confusing, convoluted and downright weird game ever concocted by a guy who just wants somebody dead, or what?

Love has screws loose. A clock full gears and screws.

tomaO2

2012-04-22, 09:07 PM

I'm not sure there is anything especially wrong with Viole at this point. I personally don't think his theory is wrong. If you can't trust a team that you will be in then, sure, make sure the rest can't go on. It's not like he's killed anyone so far, just disabled them from continuing.

Also, Euo, I'm pretty sure complicated tests to kill people are the norm in this series. lol. Even if it's not the planof the game masters, people will still die by taking advantage of the odd challenges they are forced to face. I get the feeling that anyone but our protagonist can be on the chopping block in this series.

As always, the Naver website has updated today. Will take another two days for the translation but if you want a summery of what happens, you can read it below. :smallsmile:

Summery: Provided by FudgeNouget

-Yeon is telling herself that everything's over if Baam gets out, wishing someone would come and stop him.
-Prince comes in, gets in the room, and closes the door with the remote. He yells "If you want to go out, do it after defeating me!"
-Baam just nonchantly opens the door and walks out (which you can infer he used his "freezing" skill again)

-Meanwhile, Miseng is playing on her phone(?), when someone knocks on her door.
-It's the woman who was talking to her before (the one with the fat lip), asking her to open the door since she will be her "friend".
-When Miseng is confused, she pretends that some is after her, yelling to please let her in (which again, can be inferred that Miseng did let her in)

-The Teddy tells Arkraptor to go to Miseng since he thinks Arkraptor is worried.
-Arkraptor first refuses, but after some back-and-forth talking between them, Arkraptor decides to go.

-Arkraptor knocks on Miseng's door, where there is no reply.

Anteros

2012-04-23, 08:34 PM

We don't know if he's actually killed people, but honestly he's at the very least beaten several people to the point where we as the audience don't know if they're dead or alive. That combined with his continual penchant for threatening to kill people makes it pretty likely that he's actually killing people now.

Madara

2012-04-23, 10:11 PM

Well, thanks to this thread I've discovered how awesome this webcomic is. Thank you :smallsmile:

I'm really excited to see where this goes, but I don't like how it strayed away from our Baam. I feel like this side plot will make me lose some of the excitement for the main plot. Still, its interesting to get to jump around.

tomaO2

2012-04-24, 12:28 PM

The update has been translated. A fast read, sadly. Author's note at the end is saying more short updates to come too. :smallfrown:

Once again Viole refrains from killing. I just can't bring myself to believe that guy is a murderer unless I see him kill someone.

The little girl seems to be in some trouble though. She's pretty naive considering that she's on the 2th floor by now. How on earth did she make it this far?

Euodiachloris

2012-04-24, 03:28 PM

Well, thanks to this thread I've discovered how awesome this webcomic is. Thank you :smallsmile:

We'll charge you a finders' fee. Bwhahahaha! :smallwink:

Author's note at the end is saying more short updates to come too. :smallfrown:

I don't mind: if it means he avoids burn-out, I'm all for it. :smallsmile:

The little girl seems to be in some trouble though. She's pretty naive considering that she's on the 2th floor by now. How on earth did she make it this far?

Nah, there'll be more to her than it looks. The problem is, Ring-Lady and her are on the same level, in theory. That worries me.

Was I the only one to laugh very loudly at the jump-in, mouth off, get pwnd sequence? Man, Prince, read the atmosphere, first! :smallbiggrin: Yoen standing there, rooted to the spot, should have given him some pause, surely? :smallamused:

Zea mays

2012-04-25, 09:19 PM

I wonder if there's any significance to the fact that since the time-skip induced hair growth we can't see Viole's eyes at all. I get that it's symbolic of his reserved persona, I just wonder if we'll eventually get an emotional moment where his eyes are visible and his true self shows through.

Madara

2012-04-25, 09:33 PM

I think the hair growth is one of two things:

Power makes (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PowerMakesYourHairGrow) your hair grow (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BadassLonghair) or to make him look cool

Or its to show how he doesn't care about anything but his goal anymore. My question is, why does he want to slay Zahard? I don't see him having any anger directed at Zahard. Others? Yes. But not someone who he's never met.

tomaO2

2012-04-26, 02:33 AM

Since I'm of the opinion that Viole isn't a murderer, In general, at least. I think he's claiming to be a member of FUG in order to dissuade people from wanting to team up with him or perhaps even as a long term plot to take down the organization. I really have no idea why Viole would be working for FUG otherwise. I mean, it's not like FUG has the connections to get the level guardians to help them screw Baam over like they did. There must be a bigger conspiracy at play that we don't know about.

I also suspect that the hair growth has less to do with "power" so much as it has to do with his past. Before he met that evil shrew Rachel, his hair was long. I believe long hair is a symbol of isolation, which I am sure he is currently experiencing.

Madara

2012-04-26, 09:42 PM

tomaO2

2012-05-02, 12:44 AM

New update has been translated. Miseng and the scary man have a heart to heart talk. I'd be happy that she didn't open up the door but it annoys me that the reason she didn't is because she was too scared. Again, I wonder how the heck did this girl get as far as she did?

I'm excited to see who is visiting the room at the end of the chapter. Likely Viole. Makes sense of him to visit if he truly is interested in measuring the arm of god before he takes off to floor 21 by himself.

Anteros

2012-05-02, 09:34 PM

That makes sense. Have we seen him kill? He seems to be taking it easy, and showing surprising levels of mercy for someone who Now understands that he must kill to reach the top?

Either way, I hope we get more cold badass before he warms up to his old self. I like this change as good character development.

http://www.batoto.net/read/_/83828/tower-of-god_v2_ch1_by_the-company

http://www.batoto.net/read/_/85728/tower-of-god_v2_ch3_by_the-company

I don't know if he's murdering or not...but he's definitely not a pacifist. It certainly looks like he killed at least the last guy, and possibly the first 3 as well.

Aquillion

2012-05-03, 03:43 AM

My favorite character was Black March, who was totally under-utilized in this story. Boy gets a weapon that not only is really powerful and famous but also is ALIVE? Not only alive but very picky on who it will use it's power for? I would have loved for there to be more bonding there and for the two of them to become a real team but it didn't work out that way. :smallsigh:I suspect that we'll see Black March again eventually, given that (among other things) she's the image on the top of the author's blog. It also seems like it would be somewhat pointless to make such a detailed character design for her only to have her appear all of once.

(And, I mean, so far Baam is the only person she's ever ignited for.)

tomaO2

2012-05-04, 02:44 AM

I don't deny that Viole is quite capable of violence, Anteros, but I'm of the opinion that everyone he's defeated got teleported to the Tower medical area to be treated. He's shown a fair amount of restraint as well when he didn't have to as well. However, I'd be willing to reassess my opinion if he does something that looks lethal, like, say, stabbing someone with a sword. :smalltongue:

So, Aquillion, tell me more about this blog with the Black March illustration. I never read it before. I checked around on the webcomic page but I didn't see any blog.

Euodiachloris

2012-05-08, 09:01 AM

Speaking of the slicey-dicey things that use shinsoo as part of what they are...

Am I the only one who got the distinct impression that those rings are shinswoo weapons? Each gem seems to mean a different area of manipulation, defence or attack. That woman maybe isn't actually using her own shinsoo (beyond initialising the attack) to do anything.

Related question: can you convert a person (or a person's shinsoo) into a weapon? If so... it really puts a disturbing light on exactly how she wishes to use people... <shudders>

Gilphon

2012-05-08, 03:18 PM

Aquillion

2012-05-08, 07:56 PM

So, Aquillion, tell me more about this blog with the Black March illustration. I never read it before. I checked around on the webcomic page but I didn't see any blog.Remember, it's in Korean. Assuming you can read Korean (or just want to see the pictures), it's here (http://blog.naver.com/PostList.nhn?blogId=inutero3334&categoryNo=0).

He posts a new post there with every page, giving some commentary. He's also given a lot of information about the tower's world.

Luckily, fans have translated it here (http://mangahelpers.com/forum/showthread.php/74406-Tower-of-God-s-Author-Blog-Entry-Translations). Another collection of translations is here (http://www.batoto.net/forums/topic/4774-master-author-blogtranslations-thread-2-updated-2012-03-12/).

Translations for the individual after-chapter translations can be found on Batoto's forums, eg. here (http://www.batoto.net/forums/topic/5944-spoiler-tower-of-god-season-2-chapter-13-author-after-words/) is the one for Season 2 Chapter 13. Though I think the people translating the comic itself now put those blogs after every chapter.

Items hold the advantage of not having to bother with making a contract, while ability has the advantage of being impossible to take away and is much more open-ended.Technically, IIRC, the contract for an item is made when the item is created, and the item will only work on floors that its contract covers. I'm pretty sure that's what they said during Baam's Shinsoo lessons, anyway.

Likewise, the Great Families still require contracts, but they have a sort of "group contract" that covers the entire family -- that's why Laure was able to use Shinsoo to attack in the Crown Game, before anyone had made any contracts.

Irregulars, of course, are different, and have an unknown ability to (sometimes) manipulate Shinsoo without a contract. But as far as we know, they're the only ones who can do so (aside from, I guess, the Guardians, who presumably don't have to make contracts with themselves.)

Euodiachloris

2012-05-08, 08:15 PM

There isn't really such a thing as 'a person's shinsoo'. Shinsoo is essentially magical air; all the characters do is manipulate the shinsoo around them, with either an object or their own ability.

Items hold the advantage of not having to bother with making a contract, while ability has the advantage of being impossible to take away and is much more open-ended.

Sorry: I was using short-hand. :smallredface:

Perhaps there's a way you can shift contracts from an individual to an artefact, and include the artefact's own brand at point of creation. Sort of like storing bio-idents in chips and stuff.

To add more contracts to the artefact, you would then need to 'steal' other people's... so... in a kind of 'round about way "steal their shinsoo". I was just not using that many words to say it. :smalltongue:

Whether this would mean actually taking their contract or just copying their floor identity... <shrugs> Or if it would boost your own oomph by tricking the 'air' into thinking you had more to you...?

I should have gone around the houses beating bushes for clarity. My bad. :smallredface:

tomaO2

2012-05-08, 08:16 PM

Honestly, I just wanted to see the photo of the Black March. Thanks for the link. Hmm, not a great illustration. Mostly covered by Baam, plus, is that a wing behind her? That's the only picture right?

Anyway, new update is up.

Well, Rapdevil is dead and he DIDN'T dissapear like the critically injured people do. So anyone that dissapears is likely alive then. Good to know. I don't see the Arm of God out. Viole would have made him use it for sure if they had fought. Might be a new character that did the deed... I'm kinda dissapointed that he's dead. I was hoping he'd be able to ditch that brat and join up with Viole but, alas, it was not to be.

I'm surprised that the old woman is alive still. I was sure she was about to be killed.

I'm excited for the next update, lets see how Viole stacks up against a Ranker!

Euodiachloris

2012-05-08, 08:28 PM

You've kind of got to feel sorry for the embryonic group. They're facing somebody, alright. Just... not who they thought.

And, as I got caught totally flat-footed by Ho last time, I'm not going to take bets who's doing the dastardly, underhanded deeds this time. :smallbiggrin:

Aquillion

2012-05-09, 12:44 AM

And, as I got caught totally flat-footed by Ho last time, I'm not going to take bets who's doing the dastardly, underhanded deeds this time. :smallbiggrin:
Well, let's see. Assuming it's not someone totally out of left field, there's not very many people it could be.

Viole is the most likely candidate. He had an opportunity (while passing that room on the way out, with the door open) and a motivation (it helps him win, and he might want to avenge Hatsu.) It's possible his talk about wanting to see the Devil Hand was just a roundabout way of saying he wanted to fight, and he ended up overwhelming the guy so fast it was just a beatdown. But yeah, it just doesn't feel like him.

It probably couldn't have been any character we know about from the first floor -- they're all accounted for, either trapped inside a room or moving directly between them. Or stuck playing a game outside one, or tied up, but it amounts to the same thing.

We know it wasn't Prince. It couldn't have been Yeon, either (the rules of the game seem to keep her stuck in her room, and even if they didn't, he looks like he was beaten to death, not burned to ash.)

One possibility is Lurker, but even if he' strong enough to do it, why would he? He was relying on that group to carry him up the tower. Possibly he's changed his mind and thinks that Prince won't be able to make it all the way? (He does seem to realize that Prince is kind of a fool, and we know he's a lot more intelligent than he acts around the guy.)

Who else is there?

Madara

2012-05-09, 04:33 PM

There's the big guy who we left behind in the beginning, the one who likes glasses girl (I don't know names well yet, it took time to learn the ones from the previous part of the series.)

Gilphon

2012-05-09, 04:56 PM

He's Akraptor's (silver hair, for those of you who are bad with names) roommate, and is probably stuck protecting their room. It's technically possible that he snuck out and killed Rapdevil, but it's unlikely due to how strategically braindead leaving one's room empty would be, especially when you haven't gathered any allies yet.

And… it's also possible that somebody we haven't met did it, but it seems pretty unlikely that any of them are strong enough to pull this off.

So… I guess I'll put my bet on Lurker, though I don't have any idea why he would do this. Maybe he's sabotaging his own team so he won't have to team up with Viole? It's not like simply taking the test again would be a problem for any of them.

Zea mays

2012-05-09, 08:53 PM

...
Once again Viole refrains from killing. I just can't bring myself to believe that guy is a murderer unless I see him kill someone.
...

Whilst reading the latest update, I couldn't help the side thought, "Oh Akraptor agrees with toma". :smallwink:

Skyrunner

2012-05-13, 12:39 AM

Just wanted to chip in about webtoons :3

Being a native Korean, I have slightly more insight (esp. since I actually can read the whole site o_O) about the... stuff.

Strangely, webtoons are the predominant way of web comics in Korea. Many talented artists do so on the portal sites, the main two who are Daum & Naver.
Other than TG, there are many many epic webtoons, ranging from the serious (a story about a crossdressing waterpolo player, 두근두근거려; or the many tales about love) to the outright hilarious (Have You Even Heard of the Raging Winds Advertisment Company? '들어는 보았나 질풍계획', or a webtoon littered with references 'The Bored Devillord' 심심한 마왕); from the most well drawn art to the simplest but effective scribbles.
It's rather rich in content, and I still wonder how it came about. I remember this beautiful webtoon where the scrolling property of the comics were exploited to make such a exquisite drawing of a road...

Anyways, i'll stop my rambling here >.>

tomaO2

2012-05-13, 02:18 PM

Hi Skyrunner! :smallsmile:

Tower of God certainly isn't the only Webtoon I've gotten into reading. I also like Orange Marmalade, Girls of the Wild, and Noblesse. They are all fantastic stories but there is no way I could keep all of the threads ongoing so picked my favorite of the ones for people to dip their toes into. I suppose I could put up some other links to these webtoons in the original post for people to try though...

In addition to these comics, I've also found others. I'm going down the list over at webtoonlive.com but most of those comics don't update get translated on a weekly basis and their content is far behind (Like Crepuscule, Student Transfer Storm Bringer and Song of the Cloud. There is also Magician, which is way behind but has suddenly undergone a burst of updates recently) the Korean versions.

They are all high quality though. I've been really impressed by how good the stories are for each one. I can't believe how much talent your country has managed to unearth. I find it really unfortunate how mangas take the bulk of the scanlation efforts. Webtoons are already online, which is really helpful when you want to scanlate.

Do you know how on earth these guys can put out so much content? Even "full time" webcomic authors out here in the West (Something Positive, Goblins, Erfworld, Shlock Mercanary, Girl Genius, etc) can't hold a candle to the volume of work that goes into a typical update of ANY of the webtoons. Mangas have a similar volume per week but don't have color, plus they have a number of assistants helping them. Do webtoonists have assistants as well?

Zea mays

2012-05-13, 03:56 PM

Aquillion

2012-05-13, 07:44 PM

While it hasn't been translated yet, in the most recent chapter,
Lurker's smile at the end is creepy. Now I'm starting to think he killed Rapdevil.

tomaO2

2012-05-14, 12:48 AM

Okay Geo, I posted the webtoons that I am currently reading in my original post. I may post more later. I'm not sure this is the best thread for it. Maybe it would be better to spin off all these into a separate thread?

What do you think?

Okay, I'll move the list over to a new thread. I'm not comfortable making a bunch of new threads though so I'll keep them grouped for now.

Aquillion

2012-05-14, 09:43 AM

Aaaack, take them out, take them out!

Make a different thread for any of them you want to talk about, don't try and cram every webtoon into one thread. Tower of God deserves its own thread. Putting all of those in the first post is going to make it impossible to stay on-topic.

Euodiachloris

2012-05-16, 09:13 PM

ToG really does deserve it's own. I'm not sure about Noblesse and Magician, though (simply because I've seen threads die on other forums). A lumped thread? Spin off if a 'toon gets more posts?

And, yeah. That smile of Lurker's? Won't help me sleep much tonight. :smalltongue: Darn, I wish I could read Korean.

Gilphon

2012-05-16, 10:51 PM

Oh, look the translated version's out.

Heh, my bet from before just got a lot more likely.

But, these two guys- I'm wondering if they're roommates who unwisely abandoned their room, if they each have a roommates stuck back in their rooms. Because if it's the latter, then all but three regulars are accounted for now, and Prince really will have to ditch Lurker to form an alliance with them.

tomaO2

2012-05-17, 12:17 AM

Euo, I'm not sure if you noticed but if you look on the thread list, I did decide to make a lumped thread with a bunch of webtoons on it. It's a fact that most webcomic threads die out, so a webtoon list is likely the best bet and if one got some replies maybe a dedicated thread from that. In any case, Geomancer seems to like it even if no one else is interested, so it's all good.

---

Well, well, looks like someone announced the latest ToG translation before I did for the first time. That's... actually encouraging. Means that this thread might be self-sustaining, with or without my posts. It was my goal, after all, make this an ongoing thread. :smallsmile:

As for the story. When I first looked at that last panel of Viole. I had assumed that he had gotten the chip at the last second. However, after reading some other reader reactions over at Bototo, it seems I was mistaken and he's actively attacking Love now.

I was pretty surprised that what Viole is doing was an actual known Slayer initiation task. I still believe that Viole is doing this because he honestly wants to be alone but it's possible that this is indeed a requirement that FUG forced him to accept. Interesting.

I'm also a bit taken aback by that smile Lurker gave at the end of this chapter too. I mean, I'm sure he's tougher then he's been portrayed as being but why would he go after RapDevil in the first place? Also, we have the word of the author that all the clues needed to figure out who killed RapDevil are there to be found. So, um, we got Lurker's smile and... what?

Euodiachloris

2012-05-17, 08:47 AM

Maybe those two guys and Lurker did for Rapdevil between them. And, I'm just guessing, but I think they might have been the mooks under the big jackets and the funny shapes? Maybe?

And, well... I'd not want to be in Love's shoes. He really doesn't know what Viole is probably capable of doing to him: he can likely freeze him solid at any time, if he wants.

Gilphon

2012-05-17, 12:39 PM

The green clownish guy certainly isn't one of the mooks- in the group shot when everyone reacts to the fact that Viole'll be choosing who passes, you can see all three mooks and Mr. Clown. The little guy… well, it's harder to tell for sure, but there are two people in that shot who might be him.

In general, though, the mooks are Da'an, which is an established race, so there's not a huge possibility for them being disguises.

Madara

2012-05-18, 10:34 PM

I noticed its the first time we saw Baam's eyes this season...interesting.

Viole should be more awesome than this...just saying. Or he's taking this too lightly.

tomaO2

2012-05-21, 05:12 AM

This is interesting. Just translated

ToG vs Maplestory 1 (http://imageshack.us/f/193/120518maplestory01.png/)
Tog vs Maplestory 2 (http://imageshack.us/f/696/120518maplestory02.png/)
ToG vs Maplestory 3 (http://imageshack.us/f/688/120518maplestory03.png/)

It's a one-shot crown stealing game that was drawn by the ToG author, SIU. I know next to nothing about Maplestory but it's good to see some of the old book one characters from ToG back in action.

I should probably know this, but who is the gray/silver haired boy in the ToG group on the second panel of the first page? He doesn't look familiar.

Euodiachloris

2012-05-22, 09:53 AM

I should probably know this, but who is the gray/silver haired boy in the ToG group on the second panel of the first page? He doesn't look familiar.

That's easy: it's everybody's favourite Ranker and Guide (and worry-wort), Evan, of course! Mr Mushroom himself! :smallwink:

Although, what he's doing with the wrong Princess, I can't guess. :smallamused:

Aquillion

2012-05-22, 01:57 PM

That's easy: it's everybody's favourite Ranker and Guide (and worry-wort), Evan, of course! Mr Mushroom himself! :smallwink:

Although, what he's doing with the wrong Princess, I can't guess. :smallamused:His eyes are the wrong color. Evan's are gold.

Euodiachloris

2012-05-22, 04:19 PM

His eyes are the wrong color. Evan's are gold.

Um... since when? Take a peek at the wiki article (http://towerofgod.wikia.com/wiki/Evan_Edrok) here. Scroll down to the bottom pictures, as well. <shrugs>

Try actually finding a truly discernible iris. :smallsmile: I'll wait. :smallwink:

Uh... no... I have never found Evan even a little interesting. Why might you ask? :smallwink:

Gilphon

2012-05-23, 10:52 AM

It really isn't Evan, this guy said he was a Koon. Though it's slightly hard to tell, given that it's translated as 'Kun'.

So, Uh… he's a new character, apparently.

Euodiachloris

2012-05-25, 05:53 AM

^ I actually had read that as just a random weirdness. <shrugs>

Either way: real update (http://www.batoto.net/read/_/103705/tower-of-god_v2_ch16_by_the-company).

And, whatever those two guys are planning, it ain't gonna work. Don't know how it's not going to work. It just isn't. :smallbiggrin: Count the number of possible holes... I hit 6.

tomaO2

2012-05-25, 12:56 PM

I especially liked the little author's note at the bottom telling the readers to not be mad at him cause he was away at military training camp and when he got back, Love had already attacked Viole. Heh.

SIU also spent a lot of time explaining Love's fastball Shinsoo technique. I can only assume it's so that Viole can steal it for the next pitch. We all know that Viole can copy a power after only seeing it once, that's how he learned Freezing after all, this is a great opportunity to see him do it again.

I was a bit confused on the "while using two rooms" comment. I think that means that Viole can use 3 separate rooms of Shinso. Two to block and 1 to freeze. There is a good chance he's still holding back though.

Also, I would be greatly surprised if that can of liquid worked as advertised. If it's so great those two chuckleheads can drink it themselves.

I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I've decided that Viole is a more interesting character then Baam was. Of course, I also think the Baam time was critical for this though. If Viole had been a new character, then I don't think I would have been as interested but with the background, we have a solid understanding of him so we don't really need to read his thoughts like we do for the others so he can get away with rarely talking.

Euodiachloris

2012-05-26, 02:56 AM

SIU also spent a lot of time explaining Love's fastball Shinsoo technique. I can only assume it's so that Viole can steal it for the next pitch. We all know that Viole can copy a power after only seeing it once, that's how he learned Freezing after all, this is a great opportunity to see him do it again.

I thought that as well. It's also mainly why I didn't comment on it before, actually. (Here, at least: I did on another forum. Mainly to state that Love was in for a surprise, too. :smallamused:) In a weird way, Wangnan, in all his inefficient glory, has hit on the right way to take Viole out: chemical explosives. Lots of. Don't stop until he's a smoking hole in the ground. Not that anybody in the Tower will believe that. :smalltongue:

I was a bit confused on the "while using two rooms" comment. I think that means that Viole can use 3 separate rooms of Shinso. Two to block and 1 to freeze. There is a good chance he's still holding back though.

He had signs of multiple rooms, earlier, when he was playing with the balls of light in class and later during the maze-test. But, he couldn't do it reliably (probably down to time constraints - and, possibly, trying not to make Ho look bad), as far as I can remember. Nice to see that he has stabilised it.

About his holding back: yeah. He seems to do that without even realising it, sometimes. :smalltongue:

Also, I would be greatly surprised if that can of liquid worked as advertised.

It's so transparent a ploy, even Prince saw through it. And, that brat is so blinkered, he has the personal judgement of a rock. :smallamused:

I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I've decided that Viole is a more interesting character then Baam was.

Back-history always helps, but, yes, I can agree with that: it's the change that he's undergone that is as interesting as anything else. And, the extra questions. Like, why, exactly, did he agree to join FUG in the first place? And, who picked the name (doubt he picked it himself)? <twitches>

tomaO2

2012-05-27, 01:13 PM

I'd decided to not post when the RAWs go up, normally, but man, today's update was awesome, even if I don't understand what they are saying.

The soda can was indeed a trick but I never imagined it to allow that creepy green guy to take over Yeon, I loved that.

Even better is watching the third fight between Love and Viole. As expected, Viole is stealing the techniques Love used in round two but it also looks like he's about to win a fight with an actual Ranker. So awesome. Even though I know how powerful Viole is, beating a ranker should still be beyond anyone that has only been using Shinsoo for 2 years or so.

But then, the most shocking twist of all is saved for the end when that Devil Arm guy wakes up. Perhaps mind controlled like Yeon? Is he a zombie or was Prince being lied to when he was told the guy was dead? In any case Prince now has two really powerful people out for his blood. Bwahaha.

Wonderful update, can't wait to read the translation.

Euodiachloris

2012-05-31, 03:56 AM

Translations up (http://www.batoto.net/comic/_/comics/tower-of-god-r1)...

<repeats on a loop to self> Never trust SIU. He trolls. In a good way. Mostly. Never trust SIU... </loop> :smalltongue: :smallwink:

Why on earth did she drink the drink? Why? It was so transparent! Please tell me it was so transparent?

And, thanks for the rules lawyering, SIU: however, I thought Lurker well... lived up to his name and lurked in the room somehow, so dismissed it. And, also thought even a rock would have the common sense to check for a pulse, before taking another's word for it. Prince is an idiot.

In unrelated news (and, totally unspoilered, as, if you didn't see it coming, you were not watching the road): Yeon joins the cue of girls with a crush on Viole. How does he do it? :smallwink:

Which is a question we're probably all not very surprised that Love is also asking himself. For different reasons. :smallbiggrin:

Aquillion

2012-05-31, 06:07 PM

Why on earth did she drink the drink? Why? It was so transparent! Please tell me it was so transparent?She's innocent, sheltered, and privileged -- she's just not used to people trying to take advantage of her (and until now, I'd assume she was able to coast on the ridiculous power she inherited as the privileged child of one of the twelve families, so she never really had to think about it.)

Look at what she thinks about Baam -- even though he basically said he wants to murder the entire government, right in front of her (and she has no reason to think that this is might be justified, at least not with her background), she thinks that he might not be a bad person because he doesn't have a "bad guy's face" and because he oh-so-graciously didn't murder her when he had the chance. That is... stupid.

Although she didn't say it, I'll bet the reason she trusted Prince (despite the horrible way he's treated her in the past) comes down to the same thing. He's from a wealthy family. He's well-dressed. He's got a polite, reasonably cute non-monstrous face. To Yeon, these things make him trustworthy, even after everything she's seen about him, even though she has had more than enough chances to realize he's scum.

It's possible she's also grateful to him for bursting in and trying to stop Baam earlier, even though he wasn't doing it for her. And ultimately, while he's been a bit of a jerk to her, he hasn't done anything horrible to her until now -- she wouldn't really have any reason to think he's going to poison her. Not everyone in the test is ruthless the way Androssi was. A lot of them just interact with people the way we would in the real world.

The author said that she's supposed to be another foil to Androssi, I think, and you can see that here -- picture how Androssi, who actually had to work for her position, would have reacted to these things, and you rapidly get a sense of just how sheltered and idealistic Yeon is.

tomaO2

2012-05-31, 08:49 PM

Oh, I don't think she's that bad. If it was that easy to fool her, those two would have offered it themselves. Plus, it was an unopened can. That means that the liquid wasn't tampered with, at least.

Plus, Viole does give out an oddly non-violent vibe. He also didn't try and dominate her after he "won" her from Prince. Other characters have picked up on it too. Plus, it WOULD be easier to kill them all. The fact that he didn't kill Prince means that he would be going directly for the ranker (otherwise he would have to kill prince to win).

I had assumed that as a member of the Ten Families, she would be steeped in politics, like Koon was, seems most of the powerful members deal a lot with betrayal and such but I suppose she could be innocent, as you suggest. Certainly Androssi would have been more on guard.

I'm kinda let down about RapDevil being alive. I mean, I wanted him to not die quite yet until he had shown Viole his arm but it wasn't a big deal. I have no idea why all of Prince's servants are working to screw him over though.

I also don't get this whole can't leave the room thing as being a clue to RapDevil being alive because I haven't seen any sign of this rule being inforced. What, exactly prevents both people from being able to leave the room. What happens when someone dies in the room? Is the other person teleported back to the room? SIU implies that it's not just a rule but an enforced rule and I haven't seen how it's enforced.

And for Viole's reason for climbing the tower? Man up Baam, she needs to die.

Seriously! :smallmad:

PS. Hey Euo, how long have you been reading ToG for anyway? Let me tell you, I am so frikken relieved that I started AFTER the end of book 1 so that I could find out Rachel's reasoning to her betrayal right away. Man, that was such a brutal ending.

Gilphon

2012-05-31, 11:24 PM

When you think about it, it actually wouldn't be easier to kill them all, because half of them are hanging out in the rooms, out of his reach.

For my part, I started reading just before the end of book 1. So most of Rachel's motivations had been shown.

Euodiachloris

2012-06-01, 10:41 AM

PS. Hey Euo, how long have you been reading ToG for anyway? Let me tell you, I am so frikken relieved that I started AFTER the end of book 1 so that I could find out Rachel's reasoning to her betrayal right away. Man, that was such a brutal ending.

I first picked it up in the in the 30s. Can't remember exactly which strip I caught the publication up with, but it was certainly around the time Baam was healing after the Crown Game. Sorry. This is why I'm kinda used to the week-to-week wanting to both kiss and kick SIU (and, periodically, sighing and going through the archives, yet again, to see what I hadn't picked up on when it finally bites). But, he still darned well sucker punches me. Git. :smallbiggrin:

I might complain, but, to be honest, I consider him waaaaay better at it than, e.g. Tite Kubo is. When something does happen, there have usually been hints of it before. If you were looking. Sometimes, way before. :smallsigh:

About Yeon: I also thought that as a member of one of the Ten Families, she'd have a little more wariness when approached by smiling twerps bearing gifts. There's being sheltered as you grow up, and then there's being sheltered and not being taught anything you'll need to know to swim in political waters. What gives? Any of the Koons we've met would fall over laughing inside if faced by such a transparent ploy (although might have risked faking a swig in the hopes of gaining info). Or would have blown up.

About the take-over technique: I probably wasn't entirely wrong about the disguises, earlier, was I? Taking over others and using them would rather count as a "disguise". :smalltongue: And, I suspect that is what we saw with the goons Prince brought with him. Raises the question: how many people can be controlled at once, to what extent, and what are the effects if you push the technique too far? And, are we talking a relative of Ren's here... 'cos I doubt it's him. It can't be, right? Um.

Euodiachloris

2012-06-07, 08:16 AM

Wot, nobody else mentioned the update, yet? (http://www.batoto.net/read/_/106211/tower-of-god_v2_ch18_by_the-company)

And, if you saw that coming, I'm a sloth. Only one phrase cuts it: OMG.

Zea mays

2012-06-07, 09:47 AM

:smalleek:
Nope, didn't see it coming at all, but then when it comes to picking up on the subtle clues in this story I really am a sloth.

Aquillion

2012-06-07, 11:18 AM

I had a vague sense that something was off about him after his weird expression in the last chapter.

Gilphon

2012-06-07, 12:10 PM

I really do think that SIU was overestimating his fans by thinking they'd catch it. I mean, I didn't see it coming and I was hoping something like that would happen.

Figuring out how to properly balance subtlety and foreshadowing isn't easy, after all.

Still, the best twist is one that you could've seen coming a mile away, but didn't.

tomaO2

2012-06-07, 12:40 PM

A betrayal was expected at some point (is this ToG? Then someone will betray the lead. It's a rule) and he was the only other protagonist character besides Wangman to show up before entering the Tower. It was suspicious that he would just show up in the 20th level after meeting Wangman hours earlier, especially since he and Lurker were seen together when shown for the first time. SIU has a tendency to have people working for others in contests, so this is a natural paring.

I'm also impressed with Lurker here. I thought it was REALLY weird how he seemed like such a wuss ever since we came inside the tower. He was extremely scary when we first met him but inside the Tower, he's all nervous around Viole (not that he shouldn't be, but still), busy licking the Prince's boots and actually seeming like he wasn't such a bad guy after all.

All an act, I suspected it would be. This guy is really good at playing his cards right. He pretended to be that way until he got in a good position to take over and now he's back to being the evil leader I expect of someone that is constantly gathering up the 20th level failures and harvesting their organs.

Still, it was an upsetting update, I'm glad it's over. SIU really went to town to make the kid as sympathetic as possible before brutally killing him off. Why not just make the kid bad and kill him? Would have saved lots of panels for someone who's time in the comic is finished. :smalltongue:

I'm really excited about the author's comments in particular. Only 3 updates till the floor is over and then we get to see some big repercussions as a result AND the book 1 team. So much to read every week. Great job SIU!

Euodiachloris

2012-06-07, 04:40 PM

A betrayal was expected at some point (is this GoG? Then someone will betray the lead. It's a rule) and he was the only other protagonist character besides Wangman to show up before entering the Tower.

It wasn't so much the betrayal that came as a shock: those are happening right, left and centre. So, yeah: I'm expecting the floor-plan to do a betrayal, next. :smallwink: (Actually, that is doable.) :smalltongue:

It's what happened after that, that... came as a bit of a shock. Lurker is a worse boss to have than Prince is: and that is saying something.

And, I'd agree with your sentiments that SIU really pulled the stops out on this one. Edge of my seat? Yes. Want more? Hell, yes! Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! :smallbiggrin:

tomaO2

2012-06-07, 08:36 PM

Prince is an arrogant kid that has coasted a bit because of his father and Shinsoo skill, Lurker has been in this business for years and has worked his way up to becoming the head enforcer that goes around collecting failed tower people so he can cut them up for organ sales.

I never really questioned which one was worse. :smalltongue:

My main surprise is that that since we lost a member for Team Wagman (which I expected), suddenly Prince is looking like he's going to be the replacement. I was really hoping it would be RapDevil. Now, the best I can hope for is that Viole is the one that beats Rap down instead. It would be nice if he could do that for Hatsu.

I've also been wondering on the timing of Viole starting the 20th level test. I'm beginning to think that he's been waiting here for awhile and that he started now because Team Bitch that needs to die Rachel just recently passed the 20th level themselves. Perhaps that is why we are going to run into book 1 team soon after this test is done.

Madara

2012-06-08, 07:42 AM

I've also been wondering on the timing of Viole starting the 20th level test. I'm beginning to think that he's been waiting here for awhile and that he started now because Team Bitch that needs to die Rachel just recently passed the 20th level themselves. Perhaps that is why we are going to run into book 1 team soon after this test is done.

I like to think that Viole got ahead of them by accident and has to wait for them to catch up :smalltongue: :smallbiggrin:

Euodiachloris

2012-06-08, 04:09 PM

I like to think that Viole got ahead of them by accident and has to wait for them to catch up :smalltongue: :smallbiggrin:

I think Koon is on the case (and, doubting our dear Rachel): he split the team up, apparently, to go at different paces. It's mainly due to safety: too large a team of over-powerful (and infamous) people, and it'd be targeted by both rankers on Zahard's side (hoping to kill Anak and/or Androssi to put their own candidate forward in the newly opened space) and other teams of regulars (trying to get rid of dangerous competition). They'd face loss due to attrition, if nothing else.

That, and, if he has started to doubt Baam's death... he could be trying for a pincer manouver: have Hatsu and the dangerous girls go first with a few (to make a loud noise), and the others sneak up. If Baam moves after hearing about the loud group, he could be surprised by the quiet. :smallwink: Well, even if not deliberate, it could be what happens.

With two lightbringers on board, this kind of co-ordinated party split is doable. (That is, if you can bring yourself to trust either of them. Koon, for all his strengths, is still dodgy. And, then there's Rachel...) :smalltongue:

I wish I could show you the page, but it's been removed. Here's the Batoto forum thread (http://www.batoto.net/forums/topic/6614-author-blog-post-meanwhile-the-season-1-team-are/) that discusses it.

For a similar thread at Mangafox: here (http://forums.mangafox.me/threads/368522-Additional-information-about-TOG-from-the-author-Spoiler). Warning: here be a world of foil caps and weird translations. :smallwink:

Needless to say: beware SIU and his trolling trolly self. He could be yanking collective chains. :smallbiggrin: Oh -- and the Chinese whispers don't help, either. :smalltongue: Until it's fleshed out in the actual story, it's not cannon. :smallwink: Which is why I didn't bother spoilering anything: tin-hat guesses don't always deserve windows. :smallsmile:

tomaO2

2012-06-08, 10:24 PM

Euodiachloris

2012-06-09, 09:06 AM

*jaw drops*

Holy Jeez, Euo. If this is/becomes cannon, it's huge! I would have loved to have seen that conversation added into the story proper.

Thanks a lot for bringing it out.

Also, I remembered when I started reading this comic. It was beginning of April. You have no idea how many times I kept looking at the last update before I finally read the forums enough to get that I had been April Fooled by SIU with that Tower of Gold.

No problem: it was something that had to be shared. :smallsmile:

Even when he does troll us, SIU does it with a vague purpose behind it: the actual conversation might not come up in the main story at all. But, this way, people will be looking for clues to it. And, probably, missing others they should be looking out for. Misdirection just screams him, doesn't it? :smallbiggrin:

That, and possible beta-testing.

And, about the Tower of Gold: aww. You were such a poor, sweet, deluded fool back then. :smallwink: (I only picked up on it when I saw it, as I was just a little bit more used to SIU by then). :smallamused: There's a really good reason why he can write characters like Koon, Rachel and Lurker, you know...

tomaO2

2012-06-16, 12:34 PM

Translation is up. Took a bit longer then usual but it's up.

Wang fulfills his destiny and becomes the protagonist in truth with this little move, I think. Lurker follows the traditional super villain route and reveals his entire plan BEFORE it's completed. Normally, I would take this as a matter of course but SIU likes to troll... I can't help but wonder if Lurker has an ulterior motive here. We know that he did a lot of acting when he first showed up in the tower. Perhaps his fear of Viole was also an act or, at least, exaggerated? Maybe he wants Wangman to bring Viole for a confrontation?

Also, RapDevil is pwning Prince, as expected.

Euodiachloris

2012-06-16, 05:54 PM

<totally takes away the wrong message from the strip>

Do not underestimate the power of the humble chilli-pepper. That is all. :smallwink:

(To be fair, I think Viole skipped smartly to one side due to previous trauma, rather than the chilli-powder, but, hey... Love was caught flat-footed due to no experience of the same. :smallbiggrin:)

Euodiachloris

2012-06-20, 08:13 PM

Update is out! (http://www.batoto.net/read/_/108937/tower-of-god_v2_ch20_by_the-company)

And, I so totally miscalled the chilli-pepper. But, I don't mind one bit. Read and see why. It's just awesome. And, check out that artwork. (But, ignore a few... proportional issues. And, SIU's issues with left and right, again. :smalltongue:)

tomaO2

2012-06-21, 03:44 AM

I always knew the tower was hardcore but this really confirms it. As long as it's during a sanctioned game period, you can do whatever the hell you want to others. Kill them, torture them. It doesn't matter, the only thing that counts is you follow the rules of the game. Looking at it from that point of view; When they did that Fisherman test, did the ranker decide to help Rachel because someone was going to kill her or was it more because they were "perverting" the game, much like Love accused Viole of doing?

I was really disappointed that Lurker didn't have some sort of special plan in mind. He was just bragging after all. Guess he just assumed Viole wouldn't come back.

Yeon has screwed up priorities. She must have an "aren't you going to rape me?" complex. She is okay with Lurker feeling up her breasts but Viole saying how he wouldn't bother to do something like that himself because he has no interest in her body gets her upset? lol. I liked the author's afterward where SIU mentioned that Yeon is intended to always be the victim. Sucks to be her, I guess. ^_^

Yoryang had a great chapter. He looked really good in several panels, especially when he revealed that he was the true holder of the right arm of the devil and when he was being blasted by Yeon's fire.

I wonder what exactly the reason Viole used to decide to help Wangman? Looks like he is leaning on advice from that Guide as well? I still have no idea if he's gonna take the group with him or not. So far, other then the arm of the devil twist, no big surprises but SIU is promising a twist in the next update. I have no idea what it would be though. I mean beyond the plot points I can see already. I assume it's going to be something less obvious. n Wangman kills Lurker or doesn't. Viole goes on alone or doesn't. The reason this incident becomes famous is because Viole "won" I suppose it might count even if Viole doesn't decide to go up after all, even though Wangman helped. I can see all of those things happening, so what am I missing?

Really, I'm kind of let down that Wangman managed to get that connector to Viole in the first place. Probably the most epic fail moment of any Ranker we have seen to date.

Loking forward to the conclusion. :smallsmile:

random11

2012-06-21, 04:18 AM

I'm still not sure I understand what is the purpose of the games in the tower.

Is it to take only the strong ones?
Encourage (or discourage) cooperation?
Teach something?

Seems to me like every ranker and game has a completely different, and sometimes contradicting reasoning.

Euodiachloris

2012-06-21, 07:01 AM

Really, I'm kind of let down that Wangman managed to get that connector to Viole in the first place. Probably the most epic fail moment of any Ranker we have seen to date.

Loking forward to the conclusion. :smallsmile:

Love was warned not to mess too much with Viole: by focusing on him, he missed the possibility of a random Regular helping the demon FUG out by developing tunnel vision. :smallbiggrin: That's why Wangnan was able to so totally broadside him. Let alone the reasons Wangnan had for doing so. It must have hurt to the core to have the idea that "anti-hero FUG" was a possible way of looking at things, rather than just the "devil FUG". Wonder if it'll stick?

Seems to me like every ranker and game has a completely different, and sometimes contradicting reasoning.

As far as I can tell the general rules behind the tests/ games/ stages boil down to:-

1) Be seen to uphold the structure and rule of Zahard and the 10 Families.
2) Weed out those who don't (or, at least, look like you are).
3) Test for whatever it is you regard as strength.
4) Bonus points if you test for skills they'll need on the next few floors.
5) Lulz.

The Guardians have their own set of rules. I suspect each has their own rule book. If Headon is any guide, several volumes thereof. :smalltongue:

Madara

2012-06-21, 07:17 PM

Yep, I really liked that chapter. It makes me happy. Viole talked a bit more, and we saw a glimpse of his sponsor.

I wonder what she said? :smalleek:

Euodiachloris

2012-06-30, 07:08 PM

How to weaponise forgiveness in three easy steps... (http://www.batoto.net/read/_/111353/tower-of-god_v2_ch21_by_the-company)

And, is it me, or does somebody have crush? :smalltongue:

tomaO2

2012-07-01, 12:02 PM

People talk about SIU being a troll all the time but I suspect this is the first time we have been truly trolled by him. He build up the ending for some big surprise but it never panned out. I thought for a moment that the big surprise was the fact that Prince's father had bribed the administration to get his son to go up but after reviewing the afterward that went up today it doesn't look like it.

Seems like the "big event" that SIU kept mentioning and had us all wracking out brains to figure out was simply Viole "beat" Love. Which he only did technically and he needed help for anyway. Plus, the whole point of the battle was to get Viole to take on teammates, which he did. So... yea, we got trolled there. I can't think of another way to look at it.

I looked ahead to the next chapter in RAWs form that came out today to find out.

I don't know what kind of a favor Wangman thinks he is giving Lurker. There is no way this betrayal will go unnoticed by Prince's father, who will make Lurker, and likely Rapdevil, pay in extremely painful ways before being killed anyway. I also don't understand what the point of killing Niu was. Lurker may have started out as just some guy that got in over his head but he's become really sick and twisted. I just don't see the point in forgiving him.

The lobster Viole used to heal himself seems to be a bit stronger then we suspected if it makes Horyang uneasy. There are better reasons for him to worry, of course, but he doesn't know all that Viole can do.

Speaking of Horyang, SIU specifically mentioned that Yeon was a level above all the other non rankers on the floor. Does that include Horyang or did SIU mean she was on a level above everyone except when Horyang uses his Devil arm? Cause I have a hard time believing that she is way more powerful then that arm after seeing how it just crushed Rapdevil.

Euodiachloris

2012-07-01, 04:33 PM

People talk about SIU being a troll all the time but I suspect this is the first time we have been truly trolled by him. He build up the ending for some big surprise but it never panned out. I thought for a moment that the big surprise was the fact that Prince's father had bribed the administration to get his son to go up but after reviewing the afterward that went up today it doesn't look like it.

Give it time to develop: I think it will pan out to be as Tower-quaking as advertised. I smell a ripple that'll turn into a wave. The problem is, we might see it properly break only in another arch or two's time. So, yes: we have been trolled. But, probably not without purpose. If it is without purpose, then he really needs more than a week's break. :smallbiggrin:

I also don't understand what the point of killing Niu was. Lurker may have started out as just some guy that got in over his head but he's become really sick and twisted. I just don't see the point in forgiving him.

When Lurker did that, he assumed he had won. And, was going to also kill Prince. He knew that his former boss had sunk that much in the way of resources into getting Prince to climb, that he would probably be unlikely to come after him in any real shape. Particularly if it took him a while to work out what, exactly, had gone on. After all, Lurker had a FUG slayer-candidate for the blame to be initially pinned on.

Speaking of Horyang, SIU specifically mentioned that Yeon was a level above all the other non rankers on the floor. Does that include Horyang or did SIU mean she was on a level above everyone except when Horyang uses his Devil arm? Cause I have a hard time believing that she is way more powerful then that arm after seeing how it just crushed Rapdevil.

In terms of raw power, she might just have more watts than he does and greater growth-potential. Thing is, his techniques are way more versatile, even when he's not going all out. Plus, he's got more control of what he can do thanks to whatever that suit-thing of his is. Given time, she might well top him. As it is, right now? He's far more reliably strong.

<side thought>

I wonder: is it because of his suit he was able to draw conclusions about Viole's lobster-thing we can't, yet?

Jukebox Hero

2012-07-01, 11:53 PM

Wait, reading some of the earlier posts in this thread, it sounds like Baam is Viole, is this the case?! O_O

Euodiachloris

2012-07-02, 01:46 AM

If you're really early in the story (still in the early half of Season 1, for instance), do you really want the answer without reading?

There are quite a few twists spoiling it for yourself will just... you know... spoil.

Gilphon

2012-07-02, 07:15 AM

I'm not sure Baam and Viole being the same person counts as a twist, unless you only know of the latter through fanart and such. He had a flashback to Rachel before we knew the name 'Viole'.

Madara

2012-07-02, 02:20 PM

Wow, nice chapter. I enjoyed it, it was a nice ending to the test. Still, we're supposed to start seeing old characters pretty soon. :smallbiggrin:

I'm excited

Euodiachloris

2012-07-05, 10:24 AM

Epilogue's up (http://www.batoto.net/read/_/112274/tower-of-god_v2_ch22_by_the-company)... and, that's still about as clear as mud.

Meh... hit the forums if you want to see the grief SIU's not-so-clear wording (in the original) have caused the Koreans, let alone us with the translations. Poor guy... he really could do with a longer break.

Naver, give him 3 weeks!

tomaO2

2012-07-13, 05:01 AM

Thought about it for awhile and decided that I'm disappointed in how the chapter ended. I had assumed that there was no way that it could be a trick.

I still think Viole knew what Wagman was doing, especially since it looks like FUG wants Viole to take him up the tower. However, after reading some stuff on the details of the mission it's not a sure thing. Plus, I came across all sorts of details I never noticed before which showed that while SIU didn't seem to make any plot errors in this game, he did a REALLY lousy job of presenting it.

It's odd too how everyone said Viole beat Love when he didn't even win anything. I mean if the story spreads that Viole won a 1 on 1 match then surely it should also mention what he was fighting to win and he didn't get any of what he was after so it really didn't make any difference.

Zea mays

2012-07-18, 11:04 AM

Update ahoy! (http://www.batoto.net/read/_/116531/tower-of-god_v2_ch23_by_the-company)

Oh Koon how I missed you.
Still a total $%#^.

Madara

2012-07-18, 05:31 PM

Update ahoy! (http://www.batoto.net/read/_/116531/tower-of-god_v2_ch23_by_the-company)

Oh Koon how I missed you.
Still a total $%#^.

About time. This is quite wonderful :smallsmile:

tomaO2

2012-07-18, 07:57 PM

Koon and his super complicated plans are a joy to read. Especially since his plans get EXPLAINED afterwards. It's so unlike that mess that was the Trustworthy Room test. That plan of Wagman would have earned only pity, at best, from Koon.

Also, hey Rachel, I was hoping not to see you for a long, long time but hopefully this story arc will bring you one step closer to exiting this webtoon altogether.

You are not an interesting villain. You are just a sad, little, stupid, jealous girl that became a willing pawn for some powerful groups. The story can move on to the REAL villains once you are out of the way.

Madara

2012-07-19, 09:48 PM

tomaO2

2012-07-25, 12:47 PM

New update is up. Wow, not only an early show of Rachel but also we find that Koon has figured it out. Looks bad for her but Koon isn't the type to take direct action. He's probably going to devise some sort of elaborate plan. Although if he dumped her, then it would be much easier for Viole to catch up.

Still pretending to be paralyzed... I'm surprised at that. The plan can't of been to pretend to be crippled the entire way up, could it? I figured they would have "healed" her by now. Having to fake being paralyzed has all sorts of ways to trip you up. She is also milking the Baam thing for all it was worth. It seems any problems she had with killing him are long gone and I am glad to see it. I don't want any reasons to feel sympathy for her. :smallsmile:

I see in the author's comments that a year is much shorter in ToG then it is for us and that while he does have some info explaining it, he won't show it because it has a minor "spoiler" in it.

Right. (troll)

Hey Hatsu seems to still be in the game. I thought that fight took him out but apparently not. I'm pretty surprised that only Koon and Rachel are on this team and everyone else is new. I wonder how many teams the original group split into?

Madara

2012-07-26, 12:15 PM

Hey Hatsu seems to still be in the game. I thought that fight took him out but apparently not. I'm pretty surprised that only Koon and Rachel are on this team and everyone else is new. I wonder how many teams the original group split into?

I was wondering the same thing. But I think that while there may have been a few groups, Koon seems like the only one who would be good at gathering new members. So I think the old ones split into smaller groups without any new members and there might be a few climbing alone.

Still, I can't wait for rachel to get her comeupance. :smallbiggrin:

lord_khaine

2012-07-29, 05:37 PM

I agree 100%, and I think we're supposed to feel that way about her. The entire build up makes us question why Baam was working so hard for one person, and then she turns out to be a jerk. No wonder Baam went all badass.

I must admit i dislike Baam's sudden leap in power to the point where he is able to battle a ranker, since what i liked about him before were his determination despite being out of his depth.

Still, i do like the new protagonist that turned out in part 2, both the way he tricked Baam, and his speak about redemption/forgivenes at the end, were great.

Madara

2012-07-29, 08:40 PM

I must admit i dislike Baam's sudden leap in power to the point where he is able to battle a ranker, since what i liked about him before were his determination despite being out of his depth.

Still, i do like the new protagonist that turned out in part 2, both the way he tricked Baam, and his speak about redemption/forgivenes at the end, were great.

Well, you do have to realize quite a bit of time has passed.

He's a Irregular, which are said to have crazy amounts of power.

And he was being trained by one of the top factions in the tower, who obviously need him and would put a lot of effort into his training.

Mabn

2012-07-31, 10:56 PM

new update, the Author is heavily foreshadowing Rachel's comeuppance, I wonder what twist he will throw into it.

Slayn82

2012-08-01, 10:37 AM

Rachel's last pannel is so weird, a laughter that probably is both from remorse and excitation. Dammit, she already went nuts. Without her 2 former bodyguards, alone with Koon - who also operates lighthouses, and is better at it. I'm feeling pity for her.

Madara

2012-08-01, 03:11 PM

Bravo. That has to be one of my favorite moments. "Only the cruelest of us."

Looks like it won't just be revenge, it'll be cold-hearted and cruel. The kind only Koon could do. I doubt if even Viole would be as harsh if he had his chance. This is gonna be good. :smallamused:

Zea mays

2012-08-01, 03:28 PM

I just hope some misguided idealist doesn't try to "rescue" Rachel from Koon. Yeah I'm looking at you Wangman

tomaO2

2012-08-06, 02:48 AM

A theory I read suggests that the reason Rachel started laughing is because she was listening in on Koon tell the others that he intends for them to betray Rachel. The poster further guesses that Koon knows that Rachel knows this and is letting her listen in on his plans to betray her.

I really, REALLY hope that theory is wrong because thinking about it gives me a headache. I mean, just rethink that whole Koon/Rachel meeting earlier. How does that work? She pretends that she is sad about Baam and he pretends to comfort her but she knows he doesn't really sympathize so the only reason she is doing this is to... annoy him? He must know this but is pretending to sympathize anyway because he can't let her know that he knows that... um, where was I?

Lets try another angle. The whole pretending to be crippled thing. Okay, he knows she's not crippled and she knows that he knows that she isn't crippled... and... Ugh. Head hurting...

I can't do this anymore, I hope this theory isn't right.

lord_khaine

2012-08-06, 04:48 AM

I just hope some misguided idealist doesn't try to "rescue" Rachel from Koon. Yeah I'm looking at you Wangman

I certainly hope someone does.

To start with Rachel is just a minor piece in some grand game, so i dont carry the burning hate towards her that so many other does, but more importantly, Koon is far to used to have everything dance to his strings, so something screwing with his elaborate plans would be a welcome change.

Aquillion

2012-08-07, 08:07 AM

To start with Rachel is just a minor piece in some grand gameI'm not sure I agree. The author seems to have implied that the relationship between her and Baam is a lot more complex than we've been shown, and that it's what's really going to drive his story going forward. I think Baam's story is meant to be completely bound to his relationship with Rachel.

(Now, I agree that Baam's story isn't the only story in the comic, which is one of the things I like about it. But I think that people who expect him to get over her and become a generic shonen protagonist are missing the point. At worst, she's the Daisy to his Gatsby -- though I hope she ultimately turns out to be a more interesting character than that.)

Mabn

2012-08-10, 07:54 PM

new chapter, I smiled throughout it and then felt really sad...

tomaO2

2012-08-13, 01:30 AM

I prefer Yeon with her hair loose, instead of the ponytail. Also, I wsh Viole would pick a different outfit, it doesn't have to be the one he started book 2 with (although I did rather like it) but when I listened to him proclaim himself to be Viole to everyone, I just didn't feel intimidated.

I heard the term "noblesse oblige". I had never heard that term until I started reading mangas this year. A pity western comics don't seem to use it. I rather like the way that concept is worded.

I just can't believe Yeon hasn't fallen in love with Viole yet. Perhaps he's losing his touch? Of course, maybe she wouldn't be so suspicious if he hadn't said how uninterested in her body he was.

Prince... Well, what can I say about Prince except how the mighty have fallen... It's kinda sad.

I was interested in that everyone is renting. For floors 1, 2 and 20, the regulars seemed to have all expenses paid. Free room, food and even massages but it seems everything changes from floor 21 up? They need jobs too? I guess it is lucky that Viole has the Fug credit card to take care of all that. Or perhaps they are not in the tower area right now? I'm interested in know more about how it works.

Another big revelation is that Viole can freeking cook! When the HELL did he learn how to do that? I doubt it was when he was alone in a dark cave. I don't think there was a kitchen lying around and since then he's been with FUG. Why the heck would FUG teach him how to cook? I'm really surprised by this development.

And, finally, that Guide girl has re-appeared. Long time no see. Why the HECK are you STILL wearing that eyepatch. Did Baam destroy that eye forever or something?

Skyrunner

2012-08-13, 08:06 AM

Heh, I just finished reading the whole thing straight from the first episode to the last on Naver. It's ... well, it's really a great webcomic >_< It reminds me of Liar Game, actually, if only because of all the behind-the-scenes backstabbing and intrigue.

About the theory that Rachel (which seems to be Rahael/Rahel in the original pronunciation ...) is laughing because she heard and Koon knows that too making the above poster's head hurt... well, that's kinda what is glorified in the Harry Potter fanfic Rational—pardon, I forgot the whole title >.>
One part of it went like "What if [he] knows that I know? That's two layers deep. But if I know that he knows that I know? Three layers. And if he knows that I know that he knows that I know ... this was the way to madness/some other disparaging comment."
xD Madness indeed. Personally I'm hoping for another Koon backstab, because he's such a magnificent character that way. Chessmaster, you'd say.

Slayn82

2012-08-13, 08:24 AM

Another new chapter is out.

And our spectations about FUG do a full 360º - Yeon seems to be right, and FUG seems to be the side that sponsored Rachel originally and manipulated the events so far.

Also, Wangnan has some suspicious knowledge? Now i'm shocked.

tomaO2

2012-08-13, 01:46 PM

Yea Slayn, this new update looks to have some big revelations for me to read when translated. I'm looking forward to it.

Hi SkyRunner. You... read the series from Naver directly? So, you speak South Korean fluently? Do you also read "The Magician"? Maybe you can tell me what the heck is going on with ElderMask in the latest chapters because I am so confused with why he's fighting everyone. I hope they stop fighting soon. :(

I'm also a huge fan of Liars Game, it was one of my top 5 weekly mangas before it went on hiatus. I also loved the authors other story, One Outs. Although it was annoying to be forced to watch the anime in order to see the full story up until the cut off point. Gamble Fish was another one that has the same gamemanship quality that Liars Game does, although that one is far less realistic. Dr. Frost is a really interesting one that delves into various problems people have. I love phycological style stories.

I'm also a fan of Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, I assume that was the story you were trying to recall? My favorite part was when he first got his time machine.

Skyrunner

2012-08-14, 10:50 AM

Yup, I'm a native, so I can read them directly with no prob :3
Sadly, I don't think I read Magician, so I can't answer your question ;_;
I also was reading Dr. Frost but sorta lost track of it xD

And yes, it's the Methods of Rationality.

tomaO2

2012-08-15, 12:57 AM

I was scrolling back and I realized that was your second post here, Skyrunner. Well, I said this already, but in case you missed it, I REALLY like how South Korea has handled webcomics. I think it's the superior model for the world. I wish more scanlations came out of them because I've enjoyed numerous stories that were translated and it's a lot easier to translate them since they are already online and you don't have to scan any paper backs.

Anyway, new update is up. I loved how SIU did those dark spash pages of all 3 FUG members when Yeon called them out. Also, I think that is the first time I've seen Viole have some actual emotion to his voice. It was a little weird. I think I would have prefered it if he had stayed calm, like usual. Either way though, he does seem to genuinely care about Yeon's well being.

The perm joke had me laughing for a good half minute. But what Yeon was thinking while raging like that I really do not know. Insulting a high ranker? I know she lacks self control but he didn't even say anything. He was the one being insulted, not her.

Then they go over to Viole's house to meet everyone. Hey Yeon, you got your wish! They aren't meeting behind anyone's backs anymore. :smallsmile: Jinsung even gets the chance to tell them that he may be from FUG but isn't a bad guy (and he'll kill anyone that disagrees >_>). Well, that's good enough for me!

I liked how he mentions the forced membership. Hey Wangman, you sure tricking Viole was such a good idea after all? Especially since FUG leadership is thinking of killing off all the other members. Which is a shock to me. I thought they wanted Wangman. So does that mean that the "prince" they were talking about was Viole after all and that they really did want him to win the challenges alone after all? Maybe the the condition they wanted Viole to manage was to beat a ranker in a 1 to 1 contest.

All that is quite a bit but the end is when the big revelations start hitting. Only someone that can use Shinsoo without a contract can kill Zahard. Viole DID, in fact, open the door himself. Man so much argument on that little point. And, finally, Viole IS Baam. We knew that last one already but it's still cool to hear someone actually use his real name.

Great update!

Skyrunner

2012-08-15, 02:09 AM

I suppose "The Magician" isn't "The City of the Dead Mages"? @_@ I've started reading it on a whim and it doesn't seem to be the type where people fight people; more of a crime, detective comic.

Personally, I'd love to translate a webcomic, but I'm sure ToG is in good hands. xD

tomaO2

2012-08-15, 02:26 PM

No, I'm familiar with the webtoon you listed and actually read it myself.

Alright, well since we are talking about it, I may as well go on and link the webcomic I am talking about.

Magician (http://comic.naver.com/webtoon/list.nhn?titleId=24965&no=255&weekday=thu)

It's over 250 chapters long at this point. Which seems to be a very long amount of time for a webtoon to go on for. Right now it's being translated by a demon of a man that is putting up new chapters every day or two.

Speaking of translating, if you really have an interest in that (thankless) volunteer job. It's pretty easy to apply. A webtoon like ToG is scanlated by a group and they never just work on one project. The group that works on ToG, for instance, also does Dr. Frost, Kubera, Green Boy and other works.

If you are looking for a group that concentrates solely on webtoons though, your best bet, in my opinion, is WebToon Live. they may not be the biggest outfit out there but they have their own reader website and they make sure to always operate under the law. Among other projects, they do Girls of the Wild, "The City of the Dead Mages" (whos official English translation is "City of Dead Sorcerer"), Song of the Cloud (finished but still being translated. I really like this one) and others.

Joining is easy, just head on down to their official websites
The Company (http://www.thcmpny.com/3944/the-company-recruiting/)
WebToon Live (http://webtoonlive.com/faq.php)

If you follow these two links, it should be easy enough to figure out how to join. Another note about translating. For some reason... the copyright owners don't like people doing it! Daum, for instance, recently got licenses for every language to make sure anyone trying to translate will be breaking the law.

Also, the Magician was licensed in English so that workhorse that is pumping out the pages is also breaking the law as well. It's probably not a big concern. There are, after all, a great many manga that are illegally translated and no one seems to have been jailed over it so far.

However, if you don't want to risk it, it's not an issue for Webtoon Live and I am pretty sure The Company also keeps it's nose clean. It can be sad for a toon you put work into being dropped though. Can happen at any time.

Skyrunner

2012-08-15, 08:05 PM

Well, I've applied, but their official site seems to say that there are no Korean translator spots left, so ...

The forum Recruitment thread did say two translators, though. I applied there yesterday, but it turns out I won't be needed, I think. Oh well xD

Copyrights for every language = stupid executive meddling. If no-one did translate, every Western would-be fan would be looking at the pretty pictures, wondering what they are saying, then moved on forgetting about it. :P And then asking some Korean-speaker they know on the forum for a quick and dirty translation just to see what happens, which would lead to them being translated anyways.

tomaO2

2012-08-15, 09:32 PM

Heh, well the two I listed are not the only ones around Skyrunner. Translators are highly sought after. I could list off a few others that like to do webtoons and other Korean mangas, if you like.

I'm not a big fan of Copyright myself, EXPECIALLY against foreign languages. Until this year I had never known much about Asian mangas except the most widespread and Americanized of the lot. Things like Pokemon and Yugioh.

My eyes are opened to a vast graphic novel universe that I consider to be far superior to what the West has managed with Marvel, DC, Image and their lot. If not for these scanlation sites I never would have learned that Yugioh wasn't always about card games. Reading "Yugioh: Season Zero" really opened my eyes to how much BETTER the series used to be.

I wouldn't know about any webtoons or this wide world of mangas that I have missed out on. Sure, I've seen those English Ed. Jump mags but you can't get into the story when most of them are over 50 chapters in. Occasionally, I'd find some manga collections that were interesting but I never got a steady supply.

Now I am a big fan of dozens of mangas. One Piece, Hayate, World God Only Knows, Liars Game, Great Teacher Onizuka just to name some of the bigger names. There are plenty of shorter, less known ones I also loved, like Bitter Virgin, which has got to be an engrossing, serious portrayal of a sexual assult victim and her journey to being able to find love.

What a waste, a total, total waste if copyright laws had stopped this. I would have known nothing about the world of Mangas. I'm so glad I was given the opportunity to become a fan (which is why I started this thread to begin with). I think everyone should have the same chance. All Daum is doing, in my opinion, is stopping new fans from being created. Naver has a ton of translations, while Daum has very few and there are plenty of English reading fans, including myself, that can't wait for the translations and read their favorite webtoon as soon as it comes out.

PS. Oh, here is something cute. It's a Korean music video that was animated awhile back. It's really cute and it spawned 4 music video sequels that tell a complete story. Really well done. It's called There She Is!!! (http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/161181)