Star Power V: The Final Yawntier

[Oracle_Hunter]

Welcome to the fifth thread discussing Star Power (http://www.starpowercomic.com/)!

Noted Snarker Mewtarthio describes Star Power as follows:
What is Star Power, you ask? Shut up! I'm the one asking the questions here!

Now, would you like me to tell you about Star Power? Star Power is a collaborative effort between Michael "Mookie" Terracciano and Garth "Delectable Eye-Organ Fruits" Graham. According to the website, it merges the majesty of hard sci-fi with the wonder of the Silver Age. If you have no idea how anyone could reconcile such disparate elements, don't worry: Neither do Garth and Mookie.
At our current juncture (http://www.starpowercomic.com/comic/2015-09-25/?nav=prev), our hero ("Space Luna" "Danica Maris") is partaking in a Raiders of the Lost Parody (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RaidersOfTheLostParody) in which an assortment of supporting characters ("The Scoobies") is providing color commentary. Sadly, we were not able to come up with a sufficiently catchy Indiana Jones-themed title for this thread, but we must go forth into that undiscovered country all the same :smallbiggrin:

Previous Threads
Star Power Thread 1: Snarking Preemptively (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15239130#post15239130)
Star Power II: The Ion, the Mitch and the Wormhole (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=298918)
Star Power III: Fail to the Void (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?323208-Star-Power-III-Fail-to-the-Void!)
Star Power IV: Boldly Bolding Where No Man Has Bolded Before! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?372096-Star-Power-IV-Boldly-Bolding-Where-No-Man-Has-Bolded-Before!)

[Traab]

Dang, and my new nickname for the evil starpower will remain buried forever. Mainly because its not as funny if I have to write it out again. /pout

[Lord Raziere]

By now, I don't think the genre they're doing is silver age comics + hard sci-fi.

its just normal space opera but with a silver lantern. they just think that mass effect is somehow hard sci-fi and that silver age somehow means just being morally upright.

when really, hard sci-fi is about really making sure your doing your homework, while silver age is all about deliberately not doing any homework at all and throwing yourself through a window, shattering the glass to go have fun on the playground in the most insane way you can imagine throwing away any pretense at plausibility to do whatever plot you want, logic and sense be damned.

its like trying to build a castle made of ice while using its fireplace to heat it so that you can live in it comfortably. you just going to end up with water.

[Zaq]

To be fair, did anyone ever really expect Mookie, the man who somehow built an entire fictional universe on Unfortunate Implications, to do "hard sci-fi"? He's not even capable of (or if he is, he's never shown a willingness to) thinking through his characters' motivations to their logical conclusions, let alone thinking through the consequences of hard sci-fi advances. He thinks genre conventions exist because they're inherently good and should be included just because, leading to many colorful examples of his infamous "Cargo Cult Writing." No, of course Star Power isn't "hard sci-fi," but anyone who ever expected it to be that probably never read Dominic Deegan.

As far as the update goes . . . it's just filler. Technically, it's sorta advancing the plot, but it's doing so in a way that surprises absolutely no one, and therefore it didn't need an entire page to itself. So it goes.

[Welf]

BTW, the funding campaign was successful. Now it's all about stretch goals :smalltongue:

Thanks for the reminder. I almost forgot about the kickstarter. Now I will get a hand made puppet.

[Hopeless]

So latest episode is out and looks like the stonemasons had a master to base their remarkable gem cavern on upstairs... hey is that Mitch Senior I see on that pedestal?

Figures anyone?

[Oracle_Hunter]

Posted for Posterity (http://www.starpowercomic.com/the-map-room/)

I really like the first panel -- it makes use of light & shadow in a way that is distinct from the usual "flat" illumination Garth uses.

I'm amused that nobody has flashlights, so the Scoobies are walking around with their guns drawn to light the way. This is problematic (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ArtisticLicenseGunSafety) :smalltongue:

[Hopeless]

"Are you sure thats a "It's you"?
It looks more like "Me" from my point of view" replied Mitch.

Newest episode is out duh duh DUHHH!
Sorry couldn't resist!:smallsmile:

[Traab]

Oh my god really? That had to be the worst pose ever in that last panel. Also, yeah, werent you coming here specifically to find another star power danica? Does it really surprise you so much to see another ai there?

[guttering flame]

Danica just looks like a moron.

[Traab]

So what is the general consensus on how this will turn out? Im thinking wolf in sheeps clothing. Its a corrupted or evil ai that will play nice till it can sink its hooks in someone. The writings on the wall may be warnings that will get disregarded, or not so much warnings like "OMG! Dont touch the glowy thing! Its evil!" As a story that sends up warning flags about its intent and what it caused to happen here or some such thing. Thats why mitch had his memory of the area erased, otherwise he would have figured out what happened and warned her against coming here.

[Oracle_Hunter]

Posted for Posterity (http://www.starpowercomic.com/seeing-double/)

Danica just looks like a moron.
It's pages like today that cause me to mourn the loss of the Slayers of yesteryear!

Imagine, if you will, Second Mitch being replaced with Stunt's Head? And perhaps we could work Science Titan (http://www.starpowercomic.com/hidden-excitement/) into some pages?

That these do not exist only go on to prove that we do not live in the best of all possible worlds :smallfrown:

[guttering flame]

Posted for Posterity (http://www.starpowercomic.com/seeing-double/)

It's pages like today that cause me to mourn the loss of the Slayers of yesteryear!

Imagine, if you will, Second Mitch being replaced with Stunt's Head? And perhaps we could work Science Titan (http://www.starpowercomic.com/hidden-excitement/) into some pages?

That these do not exist only go on to prove that we do not live in the best of all possible worlds :smallfrown:

How about:
a little nsfw?
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z280/corkyball/Dominic%20Deegan%20Slays/Star%20Power%20Slays/first%20slay_zps9qyenkmn.jpg

[Welf]

Danica just looks like a moron.

To be fair, she isn't very bright in her human form.

[Hopeless]

Nothing happened? (http://www.starpowercomic.com/nothing-happened) I think someone thinks otherwise!:smalleek:

Check out the statues or rather their lit eyes!

[Welf]

I don't like this new policy of hints in the art. I want people to spell everything out for me in several panels. Then I now what is going on and can complain it was spelled out. :smallannoyed:

(I really didn't see that until Hopeless mentioned it)

[Hopeless]

You're welcome!

Now are they the actual pair mentioned on the wall so that pictogram meant actually look like this?

Well one things for sure they aren't happy campers!:smalleek:

[Oracle_Hunter]

Posted for Posterity (http://www.starpowercomic.com/flash-ah-ah/)

I'm pleased by the transformation joke. It adds to continuity (http://www.starpowercomic.com/good-news-and-bad-news/) and hasn't been done to death.

[Kato]

I'm kind of afaid to say this but... I don't feel like complaining about the new update. I mean, yeah, there have been transformation jaokes before but as they go, this one is decent and otherwise... well, not much happens. But, it's an OK page.

[MReav]

Wait, wasn't she facing the chozo statues last comic?

And Mitch, are you dropping the pretense and are just straight up are trying to kill her, rather than just withholding crucial information by being needlessly cryptic?

[AMX]

Wait, wasn't she facing the chozo statues last comic?

Yes-ish, but she was kinda turning away in the last panel.

[Vinyadan]

This has likely been the best start for an issue/arc so far. Let's see how it rolls.

[halfeye]

There are sillier webncomics than this on the web.

http://www.spinnyverse.com/

Superheroes fighting invasive species? Yeah, they're having a laugh, but still.

There are webcomics that haven't updated in years.

http://quillianonline.com/

First time I saw it I thought that might be an interesting story, but it hasn't updated from that page in ?five? years.

[Vinyadan]

For reasons I can't remember, I hold Spinnerette for a webcomic uncapable of holding my attention and therefore unworthy of my time.

I'm taking a look at the other one.

[halfeye]

For reasons I can't remember, I hold Spinnerette for a webcomic uncapable of holding my attention and therefore unworthy of my time.

Yeah, it's definitely drifting in that direction for me.

[Neoriceisgood]

Am I understanding the quip underneath the comic right & are the golems calling her a liar because despite all her posturing, she got the translation wrong? Or is it cause she's not "Karuliz"?


If it's the first ... just no.

[Vinyadan]

Looks like Mookie is paraphrasing prayers.

Anyway, so far, so good. I am pretty sure the "liar" thing is about the name. She isn't Bill Kaulitz, after all.

Pity for the RSS feeds spoilering things. The title says too much.

[Zaq]

I can't even see today's strip, for some reason. The whole site just won't load on my phone, and on my computer, I can see the title header, the Kickstarter banner, and the Twitter bar, but no comic and no newspost. Judging from the sounds of it, this isn't a problem for anyone else? Bizarre.

[Traab]

I just got to see the comic, there is a link to it in the twitter feed that takes you there directly.

[halfeye]

I can't even see today's strip, for some reason. The whole site just won't load on my phone, and on my computer, I can see the title header, the Kickstarter banner, and the Twitter bar, but no comic and no newspost. Judging from the sounds of it, this isn't a problem for anyone else? Bizarre.

I got that, but then saw the comment with the link in it, read the comment, clicked the link, and that got me to the comic.

[Kato]

I also had trouble getting to the comic yesterday. Now it works and, I'll admit, I'm intrigued. Yeah, Mookie could possibly really screw this up or...
The Zel Gux were no in fact friendly towards the Starpower. Or not anymore? The statues didn't serve to protect Not-Mitch but to guard it. And when another Starpower shows up, they attack it, because it#s the enemy. And their problem with the "prayer" isn't a faulty translation or claim, but the fact that whoever said it was not a savior but a liar who brought (in the end?) destruction. So maybe they were part of whatever destroyed the Starpower or something...
Which I guess doesn't explain why the statues suddenly speak basic.

[Kornaki]

I also had trouble getting to the comic yesterday. Now it works and, I'll admit, I'm intrigued. Yeah, Mookie could possibly really screw this up or...
The Zel Gux were no in fact friendly towards the Starpower. Or not anymore? The statues didn't serve to protect Not-Mitch but to guard it. And when another Starpower shows up, they attack it, because it#s the enemy. And their problem with the "prayer" isn't a faulty translation or claim, but the fact that whoever said it was not a savior but a liar who brought (in the end?) destruction. So maybe they were part of whatever destroyed the Starpower or something...
Which I guess doesn't explain why the statues suddenly speak basic.

The prayer sounds a lot like something a Starpower would say. My guess is a Starpower named Karuliz showed up, promised salvation, but was really a tyrant that needed to be destroyed (or at least the Zel-Gux view it that way). The statues are accusing Karuliz of being a liar, not Beena.

[guttering flame]

Why would they keep the lies of a Starpower they hate engraved on their wall?

We might be figuring this all wrong and the statues are attacking Danica because she's undeserving of the honor of speaking to the exalted starry whatever. Once she proves her starpowerworthiness they'll bow down to her and gravelgrovel

[Kato]

The prayer sounds a lot like something a Starpower would say. My guess is a Starpower named Karuliz showed up, promised salvation, but was really a tyrant that needed to be destroyed (or at least the Zel-Gux view it that way). The statues are accusing Karuliz of being a liar, not Beena.
Which... is what I was saying? Or trying to say, anyway :smallredface:


Why would they keep the lies of a Starpower they hate engraved on their wall?


Beena just read one part, maybe the words around it were "And one came from the heavens and said: "...." But he brought death and destruction."
I mean, I'm sure reigious texts also contain things said by antagonists, don't say?

[Vinyadan]

News from Kickstarter: 28.000 $ out of 15.000 have been collected, and there are 9 days to go.

The stuff read by Beena sounds to me a lot like a king's speech, like Darius's speech (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behistun_Inscription) from the Behistun inscription, although it effectively is a paraphrasing of the so-called "peace (or simple) prayer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_of_Saint_Francis)".

Given that this may be a sacred chapel or mausoleum, and that the monarch has a tendency to being a sacred figure, the overlap is probably not out of place. I wonder if Caroline really was a king or queen.

On a side note: are the stone giants man and woman? :smalleek:

[halfeye]

On a side note: are the stone giants man and woman? :smalleek:
Statue porn? there used to be so much of that before the priests got angry about it.

[Vinyadan]

Statue porn? there used to be so much of that before the priests got angry about it.

And if I think of what Mitch did to the other Mitch...

[halfeye]

And if I think of what Mitch did to the other Mitch...
What were the Venus de MIlo's arms doing? what would have happened to Michelangelo's David?

[Oracle_Hunter]

Posted for Posterity (http://www.starpowercomic.com/i-am-sentinel/)

I'm going to assume that the golems stopped because a SPS said The Oath (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Lantern#Green_Lantern_Oath) not because they cared about the precise translation of a word into a language that was formed millennia after the race that created them had vanished :smallsigh:

[Vinyadan]

Posted for Posterity (http://www.starpowercomic.com/i-am-sentinel/)

I'm going to assume that the golems stopped because a SPS said The Oath (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Lantern#Green_Lantern_Oath) not because they cared about the precise translation of a word into a language that was formed millennia after the race that created them had vanished :smallsigh:

That they do understand that language is quite sci-firrific. I suppose they are networked in the MitchNet? Which would make Mitch's ignorance even weirder.

Is it an impression, or is this the first time Danica solved her problems showing situational wit while under pressure?

Anyway, it is going well. The characters have different roles and Danica isn't just a tank led by someone else or mere target pointing.

[Wayson]

Anyway, it is going well. The characters have different roles and Danica isn't just a tank led by someone else or mere target pointing.

Give it a bit.

[Vinyadan]

Give it a bit.

I'm already bracing myself :smallbiggrin:

BTW, the Kickstarter reached 30.000, which means new website.

[Kato]

Well, sadly it didn't go the "destructive starpower" road :smallsigh:
I guess I'll let the sudden universal translation slide and see where this goes...

[Hopeless]

So we now know the Green Lantern Oath or the Starpowered Sentinel's version of the same.

Heh gotta catch them all now!:smallsmile:

[Vinyadan]

Sounds more like a password to me.

So karuliz means sentinel, and Beena didn't know how to translate it?

[Oracle_Hunter]

Sounds more like a password to me.

So karuliz means sentinel, and Beena didn't know how to translate it?
Basically Karuliz is the name of a star known to the Rokkosians that is also called The Guardian (http://www.starpowercomic.com/i-am-sentinel/). It is similar to our human habit of referring to Polaris as "the North Star." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polaris)

The most sensible reading of this scene is that some form of The Oath needed to be read by a powered SPS to disarm the security system. I say sensible because Danica called herself "a Sentinel" instead of "The Guardian" as the Science Titan said. Hopefully Mookie won't put any exposition in the upcoming comics to muddy the issue further :smallsigh:

[Zaq]

Basically Karuliz is the name of a star known to the Rokkosians that is also called The Guardian (http://www.starpowercomic.com/i-am-sentinel/). It is similar to our human habit of referring to Polaris as "the North Star." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polaris)

The most sensible reading of this scene is that some form of The Oath needed to be read by a powered SPS to disarm the security system. I say sensible because Danica called herself "a Sentinel" instead of "The Guardian" as the Science Titan said. Hopefully Mookie won't put any exposition in the upcoming comics to muddy the issue further :smallsigh:

Of course, the fact that it had to be translated, but that the translated oath was enough to disarm the golems, just draws more attention to the fact that everyone is speaking Handwavese.

Anyway, I guess the fact that NotMitch there is a "key" rather than being Space Celesto himself (/herself) is technically new information, so I guess the plot is crawling along. Only a couple pages left until the end of the issue, though. Anyone want to hazard a guess what the inevitable "shocking cliffhanger" at the end is going to be? Whatever it is, it's likely to come out of nowhere, since there isn't a whole lot of opportunity left to add a new twist in an elegant manner.

[Gez]

Let's suppose the statubots have had some way to learn new languages, maybe through some mechanism that extends to the rest of the palace. It doesn't really matter.

There's only two differences between what green lady and white lady said:
1. Green lady said "Karuliz?" while white lady said "a sentinel"
2. Green lady's speech was said by green lady, who is not a sentinel, while white lady is

If the statues reacted to point 2, it means they are programmed to kill anyone who'd read out loud what's written on the walls. If they reacted to point 1, it means they are programmed to kill those who fail to translate correctly, but it makes less sense given how they call green lady a liar.

[Vinyadan]

Let's suppose the statubots have had some way to learn new languages, maybe through some mechanism that extends to the rest of the palace. It doesn't really matter.

There's only two differences between what green lady and white lady said:
1. Green lady said "Karuliz?" while white lady said "a sentinel"
2. Green lady's speech was said by green lady, who is not a sentinel, while white lady is

If the statues reacted to point 2, it means they are programmed to kill anyone who'd read out loud what's written on the walls. If they reacted to point 1, it means they are programmed to kill those who fail to translate correctly, but it makes less sense given how they call green lady a liar.

That would be some brutal final exam. :smallbiggrin:

I think that the key gives access to something pretty powerful, and that the Sentinels alone are allowed to use it. To access it, they need to say the phrase, which was written on the wall for their convenience. If it is said by a non-sentinel, the statues shout "liar!".

The statues were already attacking, so mistranslation (which technically didn't happen: it was a consciusly incomplete translation. Like if I wrote "It was an incomplete... 'traduzione'.") shouldn't be caused by it. Actually, the reason was Mitch acting weird. And the question is: why? Was he programmed for it? Is this a test? Had Danica blasted the statues away, would she have suffered any consequence? Are the statues needed to access the key?

[Onyavar]

And if this is a security system, it only makes sense if there are powers out there who
- look like SPS-guardians like Mitch right down to the communication frequence
- were not considered friendlies by the Zelgux

For example, rogue SPS-guardians that don't consider attaching themselves to their own SPS.
Anyone else who discovered the cavern wouldn't have been able to access the not-mitch, anyway. The statues might have attacked them for other reasons though...

Still, this all can hardly be considered a top-notch security system for not-mitch. The main security was the hidden location. Once that was broken, the statues would hardly be able to protect not-mitch against all odds.

What does it all mean? My guess, either we are going to see lots of Myst-style clue hunt for all the keys - i.e. Danica+team need to puzzle a lot. Probably boring, unless other security systems are REALLY armed to kill.
Or we are going to see lots of Indiana-Jones-style treasure hunt for all the keys - i.e. Danica+team need to blast their way against competing but pathetic forces, whoever these may be. Probably as predictable as previous encounters.

And another prediction: Slightly-annoying green nerds who are not part of Danica's core team will participate in the popular red shirt contest. But then, Mookie is too attached to most characters that had speaking roles before... keeps them around... hmmm... maybe he'll make her a permanently crippled core team member in this adventure.

[DoomHat]

Hey everybody, long time lurker, first time caller-
So Mookie and Garth were in Texas this weekend at Webcomic Rampage (http://dlair.net/austin/the-web-awakens-this-october/). I was also there, and I got the opportunity to ask Mookie some direct questions!

First of course I gave him some deserved flattery and insisted on buying a (free) flyer for a couple dollars, because the cheapest ticket item on the table was $20. I almost wished I'd recorded it, or at least transcribe it immediately after, but I suppose my second hand recollection two days later will have to suffice.

So here's a summery of some of the things I asked him, and his paraphrased answers.

Q: I more or less fell out of reading your work upon the introduction of Super Greg. The anachronism was... mind boggling.
A: Yeah, I regret how I handled the introduction of Super Greg. If I could go back and do it again, I'd do it differently. Maybe make some mention of Greg getting in a box order of Adventure Comics a few strips earlier?

Q: Well yes, the introduction was a bit of a blindside, but what I don't understand was that it existed at all. The setting over all is vaguely, "in the past"-ish. Sort of a mix of Victorian and Elizabethan. Silverage four-color superheros in that milieu... I just, why? On that note, how did you go about establishing your setting? There are a lot of criticisms that the geography of your world was vague and, perhaps, ill considered. The capital city of the primary country was named Capitol City.
A: Well, when I wrote Super Greg I as having a really hard time of it, I'd just been through a massive break up and various other woes, so I can't say I was my best in general. As for Capitol City, the idea was that it might have had a proper name long ago, but because it was such a major financial center, it picked up a punny nickname that stuck so long and hard no one thought to call it anything else. I guess it was my fault for never getting around to discussing that in the comic itself.

I thought about creating a map or something at one point, but really, I didn't want to feel constrained. It was way more comfortable to just go with the flow and use or come up with places as they became relevant. But now that I'm working with Garth I've had to really sit down and hash a few things out solidly.

Q: So what was your writing process? How far out would you plan ahead?
A: I would always have a strong idea of where I wanted a given plot to begin and where I wanted it to end. I'd spend a couples hours hanging out with a good cup of tea or some such in front of the blank page before drawing a comic, thinking about what had come before, and how I wanted this one to effect where I was trying to go.

I never felt like committing myself to a hard pre-written outline. Part of what made drawing the comic fun was getting to be surprised where it took me with each strip, and the excitement of finding out what happens next kept me invested in drawing the next one. I think that enthusiasm carried over to the reader, that desire to come back every day and find out what happens next.

That's just what I found comfortable anyway. Dominic Deegan started out as a way to keep me sane and creatively occupied while working as an underpaid busboy with an otherwise useless collage degree in writing.

I can't really do that with Star Power though of course. Garth needs and deserves a lot more forewarning with the scripts. It's his right to know what he's signed on for before he draws something, adding his own ideas and critiques.

Q: I've been curious for a while about what you did with Siegfried. He was one of my favorite characters, what made you decide to undo and retcon his character development?
A: I had a few morally grey elements in the comic, but I've always really enjoyed the fantasy of a stark divide between good people and bad guys, because the real world doesn't get to be that simple. I was never very comfortable with Siegfried, and I wanted to have a change of pace to include a few characters with bad or tragic endings. So I decided to make Siegfried's redemption disingenuous. I know a lot of people disliked it, but really didn't care for Siegfried as a good guy, and was really engaged and re-inspired with him as a monster.

Q: Why did you never improve on the art quality in Dominic Deegan? I know you were capable of more.
A: I did a lot of experimentation with different styles on the side, but they never felt "right". They just didn't feel like my characters anymore when I drew them in another style. If I go back to the world of Dominic Deegan, I can say that I won't go back to that style, I'll be doing something new, but while I was working on the original series, nothing else really felt comfortable.

Q: Is there anything you learned from your experience working on Dominic Deegan? Is there anything you'd do differently?
A: Well, I've been hard at work writing Star Power and caring for a baby, so I haven't thought or experimented much with what I'd do in a sequel series.

Q: I've been thinking of making a comic of my own inspired in large part by yours, just wanted to hear your thoughts and maybe get your blessing.
A: All I can say is that with any creative project, all that matters is that you're excited about it. Money, fame, whatever else won't sustain it. Just find the story you're really excited to tell and tell it in a way that keeps you excited. You never know what shape it'll take once you get it out of your head, and there's no telling if it will ever be successful, but that shouldn't matter.


{Once again, all paraphrased}

---
So there you have it. I might be missing some stuff, but I think that's the bulk of it.
One philosophical question I wound up walking away with; Is an artist in anyway obligated to do anything they find uncomfortable, even if that means stagnation, particularly if it's successful the way it is?

[Hopeless]

So anyone else read the latest episode and mentally heard "Quest Accepted" at the end?:smallwink:

And..
I was wondering if the Star powered Sentinels built their own prison that what we're seeing here will reveal not all of the sps turned on their creators at least not for good reasons!

So I figure whoever helped Danica needs a living star powered sentinel to free them or access whatever they need her for.

Me I'd go for revealing there's a hidden and massive prison facility or treasure facility and the former sentinel needs someone with an operational Mitch to either free themselves or access that treasure vault.

Now throw in those Void Angels and we have a means for them to rebuild their organisation as well as make them more of a threat to Danica!

No now I'm hoping for too much aren't I?!:smallfrown:

[Neoriceisgood]

Q: I've been curious for a while about what you did with Siegfried. He was one of my favorite characters, what made you decide to undo and retcon his character development?
A: I had a few morally grey elements in the comic, but I've always really enjoyed the fantasy of a stark divide between good people and bad guys, because the real world doesn't get to be that simple. I was never very comfortable with Siegfried, and I wanted to have a change of pace to include a few characters with bad or tragic endings. So I decided to make Siegfried's redemption disingenuous. I know a lot of people disliked it, but really didn't care for Siegfried as a good guy, and was really engaged and re-inspired with him as a monster.


It's weird how in a number of points by Mookie ... I totally see my own way of thinking (Leaving things open enough to surprise yourself sometimes, avoiding tying yourself down too much with stuff like elaborate maps)

On the flipside there's a few points where I'm like .... nooooopeeeee. The Siegfried point especially just makes me scratch my head.

On one hand I actually ... agree, Siegfried doesn't make for a great "good guy". Even when he changes/thinks he's good he's still ... Siegfried. Heck I'd argue one of his most interesting character traits was the fact that despite his development/changes and occasional "big good guy"-moments he was still a fairly dubious & self-righteous prick.

Turning him into an absolute monster in a series that ... already had a number of perfectly fine monster characters to begin with just felt like sucking every single trait that made him a fun pseudo-antagonist out of him in exchange for a much flatter/more unpleasant version of the character.


I guess that's one major reason DD's writing in general always bothered me though, when the author's core philsosophy is "moral grey isn't fun, let's go black and white" ... that just doesn't lead to a story that I'd enjoy.

[Oracle_Hunter]

I guess that's one major reason DD's writing in general always bothered me though, when the author's core philsosophy is "moral grey isn't fun, let's go black and white" ... that just doesn't lead to a story that I'd enjoy.
You don't enjoy the works of Tolkien (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien)? :smallconfused:

Anyhoo... posted for posterity (http://www.starpowercomic.com/please-proceed/).

Once again, Mookie is treating his world like a video game :smallsigh:

[random11]

Other than "I'm sorry, but the princess is in another castle", what's the point of the multiple vaults, keys and security measures?

I understand the logic of the path only Danica can see, that makes sense to allow only star powered people to see the path.
But then when Mitch tries to communicate with the device, which is the first action I'd expect from a sentinel, the statues attacked, and the thing that stopped them was not recognizing that there is a sentinel in front of her eyes, it was SAYING that she was one.
That makes no sense.

And now a key to a different planet.
Why? What's the purpose?

[Traab]

Ok, first off green girl needs a slapping. Im not entirely sure anymore what her deal is, though im still thinking jealousy. Especially since now little ms expert screwed up a bit and danica saved the day and found the treasure room or whatever. But geez lady, dial it down a bit. Unless this is all setting up greeny being stupid and grabbing a star power of her own when they reach the end, not knowing or caring that its defective, evil, or corrupted. I can actually see it happening too. "She isnt so special, i bet I could do WAY better as a star powered!" /yoinks spare mitch set at finish line. Then you get a number of issues of her (hopefully) slow descent into bad guy turf. It starts off fine, she is loving playing around with her new powers, then it becomes competitive with danica, then combative, then ENEMY. And the clues start piling up about the star power source she is using is corrupt.

Secondly, the talk with mookie, wow. I actually agreed with a lot of the stuff he said, or at least understood the reasoning. Yeah im not too pleased with his sigfried explanation, but for the most part I could understand what he was going at. As for his no maps thing, ugh. Thats just him being lazy and putting it off till it was too late. He could have easily built a real map early on and stuck to it, but by the time people noticed the distances were wonky it was too late for him to fix, so he decided leaving everything vague was easier. Honestly, what I would have asked him was, did he ever spend much time on these boards? And how did that effect him knowing there was a large community that on the one hand, read his comics religiously, but on the other hand, mocked them relentlessly? I mean, he strikes me as the kind of guy who could go either way in his reaction. "Well they are reading it daily, and it seems like they read each comic several times, so yay for clicks, and they are obviously enjoying themselves a lot poking fun at it, so win win for me." Straight to "Oh happy dagger! Wait for me tub girl, I will join you soon!"

[DoomHat]

Honestly, what I would have asked him was, did he ever spend much time on these boards? And how did that effect him knowing there was a large community that on the one hand, read his comics religiously, but on the other hand, mocked them relentlessly? I mean, he strikes me as the kind of guy who could go either way in his reaction.

Actually, it did come up. His initial response boiled down to, ":smallfrown: :smallsigh: Oh, yeah, the old forums..." And that's more or less an exact quote. I don't think I've ever seen someone's posture and tone of voice communicate a sad face emoji so vividly.

He doesn't handle anonymous text based criticism very well. It just reads as so much incomprehensible hate to him. I did try to assure him that most snarkers, on some level, snark out of love, and a geniune wish to him him improve. He seemed somewhat reassured by that, but still staunch in conviction that unless someone brings it to him in person, it just feels like abuse to him.

And yes, most of his answers to most of my questions could arguably be boiled down to, "I had more fun being lazy, and I don't really see why I should change that".

[Traab]

What I honestly enjoyed the most was the varied reactions in readers. I mean. Any time a new reader showed up and did a full archive binge of the comic, they came to the board having enjoyed it greatly. Even post maltak. It was only when they had to read each update one day at a time, sit there and consider the unintended consequences, or pay attention to the holes and gaps in the story and artwork that it slowly changed from fan to snark. The entire series was an exercise in fridge logic. If you just read it end to end, it was a perfectly cromulant comic. But once you stopped and thought about it, it was 5 thousand different editions of "Hey wait a minute!!"

[halfeye]

perfectly cromulant comic. But once you stopped and thought about it, it was 5 thousand different editions of "Hey wait a minute!!"
For a minute, I read that as "perfectly cromulant logic" but it wasn't to be. :smallconfused: :smallsmile:

[Kato]

You don't enjoy the works of Tolkien (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien)? :smallconfused:


Middleearth may be pretty black and white but there are still enough grey characters (even if you don't buy into the "Melkor the rebel" theories. Compared to Starpower Tolkien's works are pretty complex morally.

Anyway... yeah, I can't really see the logic behind this. I guess sending them someplace else now could have... some logic? But the secret vault that's near impossible to find attacks star powers unless they can... also read ancient language? Even thought the statues are fine speaking Basic? Whatever they protect it better be worth this weird security system...

[Traab]

Middleearth may be pretty black and white but there are still enough grey characters (even if you don't buy into the "Melkor the rebel" theories. Compared to Starpower Tolkien's works are pretty complex morally.

Anyway... yeah, I can't really see the logic behind this. I guess sending them someplace else now could have... some logic? But the secret vault that's near impossible to find attacks star powers unless they can... also read ancient language? Even thought the statues are fine speaking Basic? Whatever they protect it better be worth this weird security system...

Remember the star powered have been wiped out for a long time now. Its entirely possible under normal circumstances they would have updated the information over time. Keeping it current with normal speech patterns or other translations, etc etc etc. We dont know for sure what the original plan was before they got basically genocided.

[Neoriceisgood]

You don't enjoy the works of Tolkien (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien)? :smallconfused:


Compare Boromir's character arc to Siegfried's. Last I checked Tolkien didn't make every single morally ambiguous character basically go full sauron.


I have no objections to black & white being present, but the way Mookie described his issue with Siegfried came across like him objecting to having any character venture too far outside of the black/white dichotemy.

[random11]

Them again?! (http://www.starpowercomic.com/loose-ends/)

You can't attempt to write a story and pretend there is a serious threat when the villain is the equivalent of "team rocket".

On the positive side, there is the tracker that makes a lot more sense than accidentally bumping into Danica again.
Also the joke about how seriously dude #3 takes it is somewhere between tragic and funny, so I guess that's fine too.

[Kato]

Them again?! (http://www.starpowercomic.com/loose-ends/)

You can't attempt to write a story and pretend there is a serious threat when the villain is the equivalent of "team rocket".

On the positive side, there is the tracker that makes a lot more sense than accidentally bumping into Danica again.
Also the joke about how seriously dude #3 takes it is somewhere between tragic and funny, so I guess that's fine too.

Eh, I want to be angry about the convenience and the recycling of old enemies (also, countess) but really, it's kind of hilarious how Mookie attempts to keep people a threat who clearly aren't. Next time: BHB breaks out of jail, kills whoever helped him do that, allies with the next Facist alien mafia group and accidentally stumbles into the Kioleth system.

[Brance_a_Lot]

Told you guys BHB was going to come back as a super cyborg :smallwink:

[Traab]

Eh, these peons werent really treated as a serious threat after the vorp angels arc anyways. The last battle they were just kind of... present I guess. What im more surprised by is the other two being willing to put up with this crap from mr obsession over here. "Ooops, I accidentally dropped a giant rock on the tracker. Guess we cant follow her anymore. TIME TO FIND A FREAKING JOB NOW!"

And yeah, gotta bring back the countess. /sigh At least when robo bill shows up she will have one minion to work with.

[Traab]

Really? Freaking REALLY?! What the hell happened to the countess, she looks like clayface. I was hoping for at least SOME delay between the anvil sized "hint" that the countess would make a return.

[Kornaki]

The whole towel thing is the best scene in the comic so far.

[random11]

Really? Freaking REALLY?! What the hell happened to the countess, she looks like clayface. I was hoping for at least SOME delay between the anvil sized "hint" that the countess would make a return.

link (http://www.starpowercomic.com/return-of-the-empire/)

Not to mention that her first words after recovery had to mention her revenge.
Just in case you didn't remember she was EVIL.

[Traab]

So she is a prisoner of the galactic empire or whatever its called, she is on life support, and she just wakes up and busts out. Any takers on if we will ever see how the hell she managed to get away? A severely wounded unarmed naked lady in a rabid fit is just going to storm right out of the place like she was forgotten about by everyone till a week later when a nurse pops in to make sure the machinery is functioning. And somehow she will still be a threat, even without her army, equipment, or vast array of powerful ships.

[guttering flame]

Even with her vast robot army she wasn't much of a threat to galactic army. Do we rwally have to worry abou this deranged has-been?

[Spojaz]

Even with her vast robot army she wasn't much of a threat to galactic army. Do we really have to worry about this deranged has-been?

No, no, no! Worry is a negative emotion. We at Mookie Inc. have learned our lesson, and thus strive to keep negative emotions out of our comics entirely, which is why you will never see an antagonist that is not thoroughly neutered.

If you don't like the super-powered emperor (sans powers and empire), why not try the very popular Black Hole Bill, who's self destructive villainous tendencies make him throw away everything that could possibly help him!

[Kornaki]

No, no, no! Worry is a negative emotion. We at Mookie Inc. have learned our lesson, and thus strive to keep negative emotions out of our comics entirely, which is why you will never see an antagonist that is not thoroughly neutered.

If you don't like the super-powered emperor (sans powers and empire), why not try the very popular Black Hole Bill, who's self destructive villainous tendencies make him throw away everything that could possibly help him!

This gets two thumbs up from me :smallbiggrin:

[Vinyadan]

Item the twelfth - if thou hast no mooks, thou shalt bekome thyne own mook.

OMG I just had the weirdest revelation. If people in England wrote y instead of th (ye olde = the olde), would they have noticed a change when they stopped saying thou and began to only say you? I mean, would they have just begun reading older texts as if all the thou (written you) in there were actually you?

[AMX]

If people in England wrote y instead of th (ye olde = the olde), would they have noticed a change when they stopped saying thou and began to only say you? I mean, would they have just begun reading older texts as if all the thou (written you) in there were actually you?

But they didn't - they wrote Thorn (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorn_(letter)).

[Lord Raziere]

No, no, no! Worry is a negative emotion. We at Mookie Inc. have learned our lesson, and thus strive to keep negative emotions out of our comics entirely, which is why you will never see an antagonist that is not thoroughly neutered.

If you don't like the super-powered emperor (sans powers and empire), why not try the very popular Black Hole Bill, who's self destructive villainous tendencies make him throw away everything that could possibly help him!

just wait until we show you our rampaging hulk expy who doesn't feel a lot of strong emotions, our corrupt corporate exec mastermind who wastes all his money, the mad scientist whose inventions only half-work, and a sociopathic serial murderer who kills people.....with a Knife. (thats how you know we're being edgy and realistic)

[Gez]

Item the twelfth - if thou hast no mooks, thou shalt bekome thyne own mook.

OMG I just had the weirdest revelation. If people in England wrote y instead of th (ye olde = the olde), would they have noticed a change when they stopped saying thou and began to only say you? I mean, would they have just begun reading older texts as if all the thou (written you) in there were actually you?

That 'Y' was not actually a y, but a thorn, as AMX said; and further the "ou" in "thou" in not pronounced the same as the "ou" in "you" so there would be no confusion in speech.

It's kind of the same thing as the ſ that is actually an s, not an f. It can confuse people not used to modern calligraphy but it's not the letter it looks like it is.

[Shogo]

I'll give the green girl some credit. If she hadn't translated that text, Danica wouldn't have known what to say to make those statues calm the **** down.

As for the Countess . . . I still can't figure out why she keeps doing that with her tongue. Star Power? More like Thtar Thower.

[random11]

update (http://www.starpowercomic.com/the-revelation-and-the-division/)

Choose a mother hugging scene, and STICK WITH IT!

(BTW, still calling on the planet being the orcs from Maltak, and still hoping I'm wrong)

[Kornaki]

I'm pretty sure this is going to be linked to the Zel Gux Rokkosian Galactic Empire in some way.

[Kato]

I'm pretty sure this is going to be linked to the Zel Gux Rokkosian Galactic Empire in some way.

What? No, this is totally unrelated to what is going on. Mookie is so bad he just throws in random stuff when he's not drawing the main story... :smallconfused: Okay, well, he did that. But he's most likely not doing it now.

Weeeee, countess is back. I sure hope without her army she will pose a bigger threat. Oh, wait...

Eh, I'm actually kind of curious about where this history lesson is going.

[Traab]

What? No, this is totally unrelated to what is going on. Mookie is so bad he just throws in random stuff when he's not drawing the main story... :smallconfused: Okay, well, he did that. But he's most likely not doing it now.

Weeeee, countess is back. I sure hope without her army she will pose a bigger threat. Oh, wait...

Eh, I'm actually kind of curious about where this history lesson is going.

Im betting it will end with a star powered uniting the people in some way. Then we have the next issue which has green gal madame expert getting her hands on an alternate mitch. The issue ends with some foreboding foreshadowing of some sort, then the next filler bit covers the revelation that this star power is bad, or went bad. It may even be a bit of a power corrupts thing. The star powered was the savior, was practically worshiped, and eventually it got arrogant and cruel etc etc etc.

[Shogo]

Just out of curiosity . . . Am I the only one who thinks it's weird that the "Wise Ones" are still called that, even after the story reaches the point where they were all killed or exiled into the desert to die for going insane and demanding everyone commit suicide?

[random11]

Just out of curiosity . . . Am I the only one who thinks it's weird that the "Wise Ones" are still called that, even after the story reaches the point where they were all killed or exiled into the desert to die for going insane and demanding everyone commit suicide?

There are examples in many languages of words that had an original meaning that was changed over time.
In here, it's just more likely that the same words were used so the readers won't get confused.


Also, update (http://www.starpowercomic.com/the-light-from-the-sky/).

I'm still not sure why this is in the middle of the chapter instead of filler pages.
It's not information the characters are currently reading, so not only that it feels forced, when the characters DO learn about it we'll need to see the story AGAIN or timeskip and pretend someone just gave them this information.
So why now?

[Wayson]

There are examples in many languages of words that had an original meaning that was changed over time.
In here, it's just more likely that the same words were used so the readers won't get confused.


Also, update (http://www.starpowercomic.com/the-light-from-the-sky/).

I'm still not sure why this is in the middle of the chapter instead of filler pages.
It's not information the characters are currently reading, so not only that it feels forced, when the characters DO learn about it we'll need to see the story AGAIN or timeskip and pretend someone just gave them this information.
So why now?

Because that last page of non-filler on the 23rd was the end of the 'issue'. The current chapter is over, and the next bit of story won't be for a few weeks. So this is straight-up filler. I guess we're supposed to be sitting here in nail-biting suspense, wondering what will happen when the Countess escapes and somehow magically transitions from naked hobo to galactic threat.

Personally I'm still waiting for Robo-Bill to come onto the scene. Bonus points if he's working for 'the good guys'. Extra bonus points if he has a malfunction and reverts back to his old incompetent evil personality.

[Kato]

There are examples in many languages of words that had an original meaning that was changed over time.
In here, it's just more likely that the same words were used so the readers won't get confused.
Yeah, people sometimes just stick with words, even though they might not apply anymore. Also, "the Insane Ones" just sounds stupid. And "the Wise Turned Insane" Ones is too much of a mouthful.



I'm still not sure why this is in the middle of the chapter instead of filler pages.
It's not information the characters are currently reading, so not only that it feels forced, when the characters DO learn about it we'll need to see the story AGAIN or timeskip and pretend someone just gave them this information.
So why now?
As Wayson said, because we're between chapters. They need something easy to draw to fill the gap (or people will entirely forget the site exists). Not sure how it will become important later, but i actually don't mind it as filler, even though it's not too hard to guess what will happen.


Because that last page of non-filler on the 23rd was the end of the 'issue'. The current chapter is over, and the next bit of story won't be for a few weeks. So this is straight-up filler. I guess we're supposed to be sitting here in nail-biting suspense, wondering what will happen when the Countess escapes and somehow magically transitions from naked hobo to galactic threat.

Personally I'm still waiting for Robo-Bill to come onto the scene. Bonus points if he's working for 'the good guys'. Extra bonus points if he has a malfunction and reverts back to his old incompetent evil personality.

Well, maybe Countess and Robo Bill will meet, fall in love, have a child who due to some temporal whatever becomes the new big threat to the galaxy! With parents like these, it's guaranteed to be evil and super competent, after all.

[Vinyadan]

As Wayson said, because we're between chapters. They need something easy to draw to fill the gap (or people will entirely forget the site exists). Not sure how it will become important later, but i actually don't mind it as filler, even though it's not too hard to guess what will happen.

I do, I want my Planets of Hats back. :smallannoyed:

[Traab]

Is anyone getting a Marius vibe from diablo 2 here?

[Oracle_Hunter]

Oh no.... I think I see where this (http://www.starpowercomic.com/issue-12/) is going (http://www.dominic-deegan.com/view.php?date=2008-05-26) :smallfrown:

I guess we can still hope that Mookie will keep the overall plot moving more than 1-2 pages per issue for the next four issues (http://www.starpowercomic.com/sanctuary-six/) but I'm not betting on it :smallsigh:

[Vinyadan]

I favour a change of scenery. But I fear what's to come.

[Kato]

Well... everyone who has ever seen a clichee hentai knows where this is going :smalleek: I will admit I like the night sky bikini design, though. So... from the desert to the sea. Yay?

[Vinyadan]

Wow, they got smarter. But it's funny how all sapient beings around a member of the Chief Race start doing stupidities until the Chief tells them otherwise.

[guttering flame]

Maybe rookie just wanted to shoot things up. Thanks to bearded Chief-race the psychopath will be alive to fight another 7 issues. Joy.

[Traab]

Heh, now im getting this mental image of finding out the countess has woken up about a dozen times and broken her restraints only to get gassed again. They just cant seem to manage to find a way to contain her while staying within galactic empire prisoner standards. Or at least to keep her asleep till she actually heals.

[Hopeless]

This gave me Titan AE flashbacks!:smallamused:

Oh intelligent guards never expected that!:smallsmile:

Of course she's probably immune to the gas and will promptly get up and break out whilst they're waiting for the Psi-Cops or they're actually Void Angels come to rescue her...

Yes its got to the stage where I'm wondering what they're going to pull next!:smalleek:

[Kato]

Heh, now im getting this mental image of finding out the countess has woken up about a dozen times and broken her restraints only to get gassed again.

Hah, that would be pretty damn funny. It's my head canon now, anyway.


Well, so there exist competent people in this universe. Now if the writer also was competent... :smalltongue:
Maybe the sudden burst of intelligence lasts and Countess' escape will be somewhat believable?

[Zaq]

I'm torn about this page. On the one hand, it's a little bit refreshing to see someone with a glimmer of competence in this universe. On the other hand, it's so incredibly like Mookie to throw in this "twisty cliffhanger" on the last page of the last issue, and then to have him torpedo it on the very first page of the new issue. I won't say I'm disappointed that we won't necessarily see the Countess again (she wasn't a very interesting villain, and that's doubly true when she doesn't have her massive robot army), at least in the context that the last issue kind of hinted, but it really throws Mookie's cheap dramatic tricks into a harsh light, revealing them for the cheap tricks they are.

Which I guess is nothing new. But it's what we've got.

[Traab]

I'm torn about this page. On the one hand, it's a little bit refreshing to see someone with a glimmer of competence in this universe. On the other hand, it's so incredibly like Mookie to throw in this "twisty cliffhanger" on the last page of the last issue, and then to have him torpedo it on the very first page of the new issue. I won't say I'm disappointed that we won't necessarily see the Countess again (she wasn't a very interesting villain, and that's doubly true when she doesn't have her massive robot army), at least in the context that the last issue kind of hinted, but it really throws Mookie's cheap dramatic tricks into a harsh light, revealing them for the cheap tricks they are.

Which I guess is nothing new. But it's what we've got.

Plus he comes off as just so proud of the twist. Or is that, proud of the guards who did exactly what he wanted them to do and so wrote their dialogue that way. That being said, its actually pretty uniform across the board for him. The galactic defense people have been pretty on the ball when it comes to their jobs. Yeah Bill broke free, but lets face it, it took a secret ai ship to pull it off that bill had managed to keep secret for all this time until just NOW he decided to indulge his EEEEEVUUULZZ and waste time beating guards to death and comas instead of escaping. But in general, the galactic crews are good at their jobs. Its the bad guys who tend to suck. Even the supernova dragon lords ambush wasnt so much a galactic fail as it was a freaking overwhelming attack with massive number and gear superiority that was totally unexpected.

[random11]

Good writer: The guards are smart and the safety protocols are good, but the villain somehow outsmarts them, forcing the heroes to chase and capture him again.

Lazy writer: The guards are stupid and the villain escapes easily, forcing the heroes to capture him again.

Writer with no idea what he is doing: The guards are smart and manage to prevent escape, leaving the hero to do something completely different, and making the entire scene pointless.


Also, update (http://www.starpowercomic.com/terror-of-the-twin-titans/).

[AMX]

Good writer: The guards are smart and the safety protocols are good, but the villain somehow outsmarts them, forcing the heroes to chase and capture him again.

Lazy writer: The guards are stupid and the villain escapes easily, forcing the heroes to capture him again.

Writer with no idea what he is doing: The guards are smart and manage to prevent escape, leaving the hero to do something completely different, and making the entire scene pointless.

I'm guessing that sequence was meant as foreshadowing - there's something weird going on (getting the key caused her to wake up, despite being in an entirely different star system), and the guards just notified the Shadowy Government OrganizationTM.

[Vinyadan]

Get yourselves some Mookie! I suggest you skip the first 20-30 minutes.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JETgn9K0X44&feature=youtu.be

[Kornaki]

That last panel is some serious foreshadowing

[Vinyadan]

"In the room the women come and go/talking about Michelangelo." "Do you know what it means?" "It means Eliot didn't know much about women".

Sorry that I don't remember where this quote comes from. Anyway, in the last strip we have a nice callback to Michelangelo's Creation of Man in the Sistine Chapel. Frescoes really are water-based paint; because of this, they must be made quickly. That's why we often have very complete preparatory boards. Leonardo liked to paint slowly and to make a lot of adjustments to what he was doing, so he tried using a oil-based paint for his Last Supper in Milan. The result looked awesome, but begun deteriorating very quickly and Leonardo himself had to make the first restoration. The Supper probably looked even more impressive because of the gleam given by oil-based paint.

Sorry for the little art history lesson. Not much to say about the last pages.

[Traab]

And so we get even more foreshadowing of what will happen to the 4 eyed history buff. She is clearly getting more and more desperate to be able to help (meaning solve the mystery) I really am starting to become convinced that she will take the corrupted star power, though it may not be visibly corrupted at first, in an attempt to help more, which elads us to the eventually evil star power through the slippery slope effect. Or, because its mookie, "/snap RAWR! I R EVIL SUDDENLY! What a tweest!"

[Kato]

But an evil Starpower would be a cool thing, if only because it would actually challenge Danica. It might not be very new, but I approve of the idea.

Also: So... every species has their version of "Creation of Man"? Sure, why not...

[Kato]

Huh, no opinion on the psy op? Again, I... kind of like it. I guess Mookie again somewhat simplifies y suggesting all species more or less think alike but, well, I'm willing to let it slide. This could be interesting.

[Vinyadan]

These are the moments in which you start wondering what machinations Mookie's plotting:smallbiggrin:. Whatever may happen later, we now again know we have no idea of what he'll pull out next. The thrill!

[random11]

Huh, no opinion on the psy op? Again, I... kind of like it. I guess Mookie again somewhat simplifies y suggesting all species more or less think alike but, well, I'm willing to let it slide. This could be interesting.

I kind of liked it, but I keep finding it odd that basically every character that has no direct connection to the main plot is more interesting.
It's like the star-power's real power is super blandness.

[Vinyadan]

It's like the star-power's real power is super blandness.

Super Tofu to the rescue!

[Traab]

I just wonder how long it took to modify a straight jacket to fit someone with such screwed up anatomy.

[Oracle_Hunter]

Posted for Posterity (http://www.starpowercomic.com/quincy-polgar-psy-cop/)


Huh, no opinion on the psy op? Again, I... kind of like it. I guess Mookie again somewhat simplifies y suggesting all species more or less think alike but, well, I'm willing to let it slide. This could be interesting.
A more competent webcomic might note that certain traits are oddly universal (http://www.airshipentertainment.com/buckcomic.php?date=20080529) -- a "first contact" specialist from an interstellar empire might very well see Superior Alien Race Syndrome all the time :smallbiggrin:

No, the reason I'm not chatty is because this looks like another Neverending Vacation Arc (http://www.dominic-deegan.com/view.php?date=2008-05-26) in which Mookie indulges in World Bungling that neither advances nor serves the plot. At first it might seem like all these threads are going to be tied together in some massive plot point but the actual result is less than compelling (http://www.dominic-deegan.com/view.php?date=2008-10-17) :smallsigh:

So I'm reserving judgment until I see something actually happening. I expect that to be in another 5 issues :smallannoyed:

[Cavelcade]

Yeah, broadly speaking Mookie is just not very good at doing world building in an interesting way. It's a hard thing to do and it's probably the weakest part of his writing. Oddly, I don't think he agrees with this assessment, which is why he never gets any better at it and is unlikely to in the future. He's such a weird artist in that regard, there are few I know at any level of fame who are ever happy with what they do in the same way he is.

[Vinyadan]

Today, the Deeganverse strikes back.

[Traab]

Ugh, why do I get the feeling that this is going to be a rant/exposition on her species and/or goals given out for no reason other than the flimsy justification of, "Oh, so humans are violent? Lets hear them understand THIS!"

[Kato]

This "humans are the worst" bit if getting ridiculous. Didn't we have other genocidal species? :smallsigh:
Honestly, come up with a new joke, Mookie.

In a better comic what comes might be interesting, here... oh well, I've not entirely given up hope yet.

[Traab]

This "humans are the worst" bit if getting ridiculous. Didn't we have other genocidal species? :smallsigh:
Honestly, come up with a new joke, Mookie.

In a better comic what comes might be interesting, here... oh well, I've not entirely given up hope yet.

Probably, but none of them were allowed to join the federation. Im pretty sure the implication is that while other races had their own wars and such, it was sufficiently ancient history that it wasnt a part of their culture long before the federation showed up to give them an invite. Meanwhile humans were still struggling to rise above that sort of behavior and unify when first contact happened.

[Kato]

Probably, but none of them were allowed to join the federation. Im pretty sure the implication is that while other races had their own wars and such, it was sufficiently ancient history that it wasnt a part of their culture long before the federation showed up to give them an invite. Meanwhile humans were still struggling to rise above that sort of behavior and unify when first contact happened.

That still seems stupidly unlikely. To me it's just Mookie to spread this "Humans are terrible" story over and over and over. Also, "humans are special". Well, unless it's just our "hat" in this universe. But violence doesn't seem such a predominant trait among our main humans.

So... also, tropical island, yay. I guess we will meet the tentacle monster?

[Durkoala]

But violence doesn't seem such a predominant trait among our main humans...

Well, given that she's an unathletic astronomy nerd with severe shyness, there aren't many other reasons for Danica's first resort in a bad situation being 'smash things'...

[Gez]

Well, given that she's an unathletic astronomy nerd with severe shyness, there aren't many other reasons for Danica's first resort in a bad situation being 'smash things'...

As Bruce Banner shows, "smash things" is the first resort of unathletic nerds when you suddenly give them superpowers.

[MReav]

As Bruce Banner shows, "smash things" is the first resort of unathletic nerds when you suddenly give them superpowers.

I would give this a like if I had that option.

[Vinyadan]

Well, she did smash through a warship hull with nothing but her head.

[Zaq]

We now have the main character and a prominent supporting character openly referring to each other as "Jock" and "Nerd."

Yyyup.

[MReav]

We now have the main character and a prominent supporting character openly referring to each other as "Jock" and "Nerd."

Yyyup.

Mookie, we comment about the Jocks vs Nerds dynamic as criticism, not something we want pandered to.

[Vinyadan]

Amphibious soldier? So the frog is actually a seal? (bad jocke)

[T-O-E]

Mookie, we comment about the Jocks vs Nerds dynamic as criticism, not something we want pandered to.

Mookie never changes.

[Vinyadan]

Mookie never changes.

Need a Fallout mod.

[random11]

I'm confused.

Is this a vacation around the galaxy story, something to do with the snake lady, or a standard story of tension being resolved after one page?

[T-O-E]

For old time's sake:
http://i.imgur.com/sVuWIfS.png

Maltak in 3 panels. Well, the entire comic really. Seems like Dominic Baked Beans has every strip in there as a resource now.

I do miss that dumb comic, I had a lot of fun here. Nothing is quite like it.

[Vinyadan]

I like that program! I got this little "evolution of subtlety" strip

http://s13.postimg.org/l8v2sgfnb/Screenshot_2015_12_01_17_34_16.png

[Traab]

We now have the main character and a prominent supporting character openly referring to each other as "Jock" and "Nerd."

Yyyup.

Yeah but the nerd did sports in high school! TROPE SUBVERTED!!! I bet later on we learn froggy man was a massive D&D nerd in high school.

[Zaq]

I do miss that dumb comic, I had a lot of fun here. Nothing is quite like it.

Hear, hear! I miss our strip slays, our massive discussions of Unintended Consequences, the fact that we put way more thought into the world than Mookie ever would, Dominiku Diigan: I Rent An Oracle, Curly's analyses, and the massive sense of camaraderie that this thread had to offer. (Remember the time we all made bingo cards trying to predict how the current arc would play out? You just can't get that kind of fun out of Star Power.)

Ah, memories. Those were the good old days, eh chums?

[Vinyadan]

We could make a little reread of the whole thing :smallbiggrin: one strip a day, and comment it, and pine over the good auld days. Sanity check, anyone?

[Doompuppy]

We could make a little reread of the whole thing :smallbiggrin: one strip a day, and comment it, and pine over the good auld days. Sanity check, anyone?

I checked, but that comment means you're fresh out. :smalltongue:

[Cavelcade]

At least this face isn't supposed to be human. Dear lord. (http://i.imgur.com/OeTANA3.png)

[Neoriceisgood]

Someone explain to me what I'm supposed to be looking at in the final panel?

[D.KnightSpider]

Someone explain to me what I'm supposed to be looking at in the final panel?

Danica accidentally went wee-wee in the wa-wa.

I, um, I apologize profusely...


I think the dark patches of water are supposed to be the hazy outline of tentacles trying to close in on our heroes, maybe?

[Neoriceisgood]

Danica accidentally went wee-wee in the wa-wa.

I, um, I apologize profusely...


I think the dark patches of water are supposed to be the hazy outline of tentacles trying to close in on our heroes, maybe?


I hope it's gonna be snuggly, everyone's favorite Dominic Deegan villain.

[Spojaz]

Someone explain to me what I'm supposed to be looking at in the final panel?

He left his bathing suit in the water. Ha Ha Ha!

Humor type 6 - accidental, sanitized or harmless taboo braking, in this case public nudity.

[Kornaki]

He left his bathing suit in the water. Ha Ha Ha!

Humor type 6 - accidental, sanitized or harmless taboo braking, in this case public nudity.

But you can clearly see he's still wearing it?

[Vinyadan]

But you can clearly see he's still wearing it?

Nah, that's how frogs look like: a bit like baboons.

[Traab]

So there is a star powered beacon in the ocean. Of COURSE it appears right where danica is swimming. I mean, where else would it be? The secret path in the big building for the first one made sense, but this is a bit much.

[Kornaki]

So there is a star powered beacon in the ocean. Of COURSE it appears right where danica is swimming. I mean, where else would it be? The secret path in the big building for the first one made sense, but this is a bit much.

What exactly is the beacon? All I see is the bouy they were racing for.

[Vinyadan]

OK guys, now I am relatively serious: am I the only one seeing an enormous star-shaped animal beneath them? I think that's what they are supposed to be scared about. It's rather hard to see, because the wave reflections are above it, and these waves don't mix well with the circular waves, which have a different colour, so that the blue waves look like a pattern on the sea bottom and the star looks like a stony relief. I assume it's moving because the lines to the right are shorter than the ones to the left.

[Kato]

OK guys, now I am relatively serious: am I the only one seeing an enormous star-shaped animal beneath them? I think that's what they are supposed to be scared about. It's rather hard to see, because the wave reflections are above it, and these waves don't mix well with the circular waves, which have a different colour, so that the blue waves look like a pattern on the sea bottom and the star looks like a stony relief. I assume it's moving because the lines to the right are shorter than the ones to the left.

Nah, don't worry, you're not the only one. It's pretty clear there is something, though at this point apart from it being big it's impossible to say what. Though, I guess it's reasonable for the two to be freaked out about it.

[Traab]

What exactly is the beacon? All I see is the bouy they were racing for.

There are two circles next to each other. The one on the right is the buoy, the one on the left is what I think is another star power beacon or something. Probably activated when danica powered up. I dont think its a creature because the lit up area vaguely starfish shaped has the same mottled pattern as the unlit ocean floor. I think thats just the star power light doing that

[SlyGuyMcFly]

Wait, so I'm the only one seeing menacing shadows moving in from the edges of the panel with a patch of unshadowed water in the middle?

[Vinyadan]

I'm starting to think this page is like a certain note left by Ted's dad in EGS: everyone will read it differently, and will actually read something about himself in it.

[random11]

Update (http://www.starpowercomic.com/leviathan-wakes/)

That's what you get for going to the secluded beach without a lifeguard.

And tension will be broken in 5... 4... 3...

[Traab]

Update (http://www.starpowercomic.com/leviathan-wakes/)

That's what you get for going to the secluded beach without a lifeguard.

And tension will be broken in 5... 4... 3...

Leviathan: "Omg HIIII!! You must be the Star Power I sensed on the planet. Im your biggest fan!"

Everyone: "........"

[Kwatsu]

Leviathan: "Omg HIIII!! You must be the Star Power I sensed on the planet. Im your biggest fan!"

Everyone: "........"

Wow. Not word-for-word (http://www.starpowercomic.com/formal-invitations/), but close enough!

Also: "magesty"? Again?

[random11]

BTW, does Danica still attempts to keep her identity secret?

[Traab]

BTW, does Danica still attempts to keep her identity secret?

I dont think so. I mean, the government knows who she is, and so does a decent number of regular folk.


Wow. Not word-for-word (http://www.starpowercomic.com/formal-invitations/), but close enough!

Also: "magesty"? Again?

Hmm, actually, I will give this a deferred pass. This is a messenger from some empires ruler. Thats better than being a kaiju sized squealing fangirl by far. Yes it killed the tension, but it did it in a way that set us up for an "important" meeting. The pass is deferred till we can see what this meeting ends up being.

[Kato]

I'm fine with the sea monster not being exactly a monster but I do hope for a decent reason why presumably its civilization has not yet made contact with the federation or upworld? Or are we to think it is part of the planet's people and nobody tells the tourists giant tentacle monster might hang around the swimming areas?

[Kareasint]

I'm fine with the sea monster not being exactly a monster but I do hope for a decent reason why presumably its civilization has not yet made contact with the federation or upworld? Or are we to think it is part of the planet's people and nobody tells the tourists giant tentacle monster might hang around the swimming areas?

It probably is a Grand Herald since Danica would be a personage of importance.

In response to your second inquiry, would you tell tourists that there is a potentially large monster in the water if you are looking to attract more tourists?

[halfeye]

would you tell tourists that there is a potentially large monster in the water if you are looking to attract more tourists?
Jurassic Park. :smallbiggrin:

[Cavelcade]

That was actually pretty cool.

[Vinyadan]

I just noticed a little homage to Mookie in panel 4 of this (http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090320#.Vm3G1uLLGUk) Girl Genius page.

Anyway, if someone wants to pay 3.500 $/month, we can have DD back :smalltongue: Power of Patreon.

[Domino Quartz]

I just noticed a little homage to Mookie in panel 4 of this (http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20090320#.Vm3G1uLLGUk) Girl Genius page.


I don't see it.

[Vinyadan]

Terracciano is Mookie's surname. The authors of Girl Genius sometimes insert little references to other webcomics (Accursed Dragon, for example) so I don't think it's a coincidence.

[Gez]

Terracciano is Mookie's surname. The authors of Girl Genius sometimes insert little references to other webcomics (Accursed Dragon, for example) so I don't think it's a coincidence.

Jason Yungbluth is another example, right from that same comic.

There's a lot of direct webcomic references here (http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070319) and there (http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20070321), including another Dominic Deegan and an Order of the Stick.

[Kato]

So, no new comments? Apparently giant sea monsters that can be heard for 20 km when talking can still manage to stay secret in this planet :smalltongue: Okay, I guess planets are big. I still call it weird.

Also: Infinite King. In the Endless palace. Probably also has an Unlimited Queen. Please make a (poor) joke about these stupid names yourself, Mookie...

[Vinyadan]

So, no new comments? Apparently giant sea monsters that can be heard for 20 km when talking can still manage to stay secret in this planet :smalltongue: Okay, I guess planets are big. I still call it weird.

Also: Infinite King. In the Endless palace. Probably also has an Unlimited Queen. Please make a (poor) joke about these stupid names yourself, Mookie...

What about the Flatrate Prince?

I wonder how many kilometers far away he can be heard belching. And it's 20 miles, so even further away.

I wonder which measuring system NASA uses. I am pretty sure all other relevant space agencies use the metrical one.

[random11]

So, no new comments? Apparently giant sea monsters that can be heard for 20 km when talking can still manage to stay secret in this planet :smalltongue: Okay, I guess planets are big. I still call it weird.

Also: Infinite King. In the Endless palace. Probably also has an Unlimited Queen. Please make a (poor) joke about these stupid names yourself, Mookie...

What is there to say?
It's the vacation arc all over again, but this time the hero is well aware she is the most important thing in the world.

[Oracle_Hunter]

What is there to say?
It's the vacation arc all over again, but this time the hero is well aware she is the most important thing in the world.
So... The Vacation Arc, then :smallamused:

[Kornaki]

So... The Vacation Arc, then :smallamused:

At least in the vacation arc Dominic didn't know that everything was carefully orchestrated to make him the hero of the story. Oblivious Mary Sue is way better than Mary Sue that knows she's a Mary Sue and thinks it's the best thing ever.

[random11]

Makeover! (http://www.starpowercomic.com/getting-fancy/)

So is this king known or not?

[Oracle_Hunter]

Makeover! (http://www.starpowercomic.com/getting-fancy/)

So is this king known or not?
Known (http://www.starpowercomic.com/dry-humor/)

Apparently the Infinite Kingdom is also pretty secretive, so I guess it makes sense that nobody checked the SpaceWiki about the locals before visiting their planet :smalltongue:

[halfeye]

Known (http://www.starpowercomic.com/dry-humor/)

Apparently the Infinite Kingdom is also pretty secretive, so I guess it makes sense that nobody checked the SpaceWiki about the locals before visiting their planet :smalltongue:

Most kingdoms are infinite, "the king is dead, hail the (new) king". I wonder what's strange about the infinity of this one?

[Kornaki]

Most kingdoms are infinite, "the king is dead, hail the (new) king". I wonder what's strange about the infinity of this one?

It's a translation error. He's really the "Infinite E-King", i.e. an AI who rules through terror and intimidation via a vast and all encompassing surveillance system.

[random11]

And now, an interruption by our sponsor interrogator (http://www.starpowercomic.com/word-association/).

I guess it would have bothered me more if the main plot was actually interesting.


Anyway, what I didn't get about the king, is not if he is known to outsiders, but to the people in his own planet.

Danica met the formal representative of the planet.
Did he know the giant fish will be sent to Danica? Doesn't look like it since he only cared about the dig site. And yet, he directed them to the place where the giant fish could find and reach them easily.

So is the infinite king not connected to the government of his own world?

[Kato]

And now, an interruption by our sponsor interrogator (http://www.starpowercomic.com/word-association/).
Eh, it's fine. As long as the countess doesn't succeed with her pathetic little attempt to "teach" Quincy how the universe works... THAT would be stupid.


So is the infinite king not connected to the government of his own world?

Not to defend Mookie's writing but having two different, or at least not totally linked/interwoven systems of government on one planet is not a strange thing. Whether it is surface vs underwater or different species or just people coming from different cultures, it's perfectly reasonable that they don't exactly know what the other is doing.

[MReav]

"We developed our tyrannical ways because it was necessary."

Was exterminating your entire race because they turned and ran instead of dying pointlessly in a battle they couldn't win "necessary"?

I seriously hope that when this guy leaves the room and starts confiding with the others, he writes her off as being batboop crazy.

[random11]

Not to defend Mookie's writing but having two different, or at least not totally linked/interwoven systems of government on one planet is not a strange thing. Whether it is surface vs underwater or different species or just people coming from different cultures, it's perfectly reasonable that they don't exactly know what the other is doing.

I don't have a problem with two forms of government, I'm just wondering if the government they met is even aware of the king on their own planet.

[Oracle_Hunter]

Anyway, what I didn't get about the king, is not if he is known to outsiders, but to the people in his own planet.

Danica met the formal representative of the planet.
Did he know the giant fish will be sent to Danica? Doesn't look like it since he only cared about the dig site. And yet, he directed them to the place where the giant fish could find and reach them easily.

So is the infinite king not connected to the government of his own world?
Seems like we have at least two governments on the planet: Drylanders and Deep Dwellers.

The Drylander Representative seemed pretty uncaring about anything aside from partying and, frankly, I'm not sure how many beaches on Waterworld which are inaccessible to giant fish.

It's just funny that Danica & Co. didn't bother to do any research on the Deep Dwellers who were the local Uplifted race.

[halfeye]

It's just funny that Danica & Co. didn't bother to do any research on the Deep Dwellers who were the local Uplifted race.
Uplifted? by whom? I don't remember that, there are a lot of things I don't remember though.

[Oracle_Hunter]

Uplifted? by whom? I don't remember that, there are a lot of things I don't remember though.
The Zel Grux (http://www.starpowercomic.com/the-abridged-version/)

They did it to the Rokkosians, the Hydrolaxians (http://www.starpowercomic.com/dry-humor/), and at least three other races (http://www.starpowercomic.com/sanctuary-six/).

I swear this head-for-canon I have is a curse :smallfrown:

[Vinyadan]

I am waiting for the VAngels to show up wearing shark fins strapped to their backs.:smallcool:

[Kato]

I am waiting for the VAngels to show up wearing shark fins strapped to their backs.:smallcool:

Hah, that might actually save this arc! Though, we can't forget Bill bringing a giant octopus he trained and will then kill, becuase he's evil.

[Gez]

They did it to the Rokkosians, the Hydrolaxians (http://www.starpowercomic.com/dry-humor/), and at least three other races (http://www.starpowercomic.com/sanctuary-six/).

So, rock people and water people so far, I bet the other three are air people, fire people, and wood people.

[Traab]

So, rock people and water people so far, I bet the other three are air people, fire people, and wood people.

And of course a human, for HEART!

[Kornaki]

I know the point is just to show how wrong she is, but it would be better if\
a.) They put any thought into pacing and how jarring it was to just jump back into that conversation
b.) It was foreshadowing of the Infinite King's true motives.

[random11]

Link (http://www.starpowercomic.com/necessary-cruelty/)

Also, it would have worked better if it was some gray area of morality.
But do we REALLY need a royal from another planet to show that "take everything by force" is a bad thing?

[Traab]

Personally, im expecting mister psychoanalyst to point out that different species are different, and while there may be some similarities, not all cultures have the same necromonger keep what you can kill attitude about everything. That was more of the message I got from it anyways.

[Kato]

I'm not sure what Mookie is going for with this... if Danica is walking into a trap nd this is his idea of foreshadowing.. wow. If he tries to emphasize how Duchess is wrong... geez, thanks for the subtlity. If he is just too lazy to write another panel of dialogue... hahahaha.
Or maybe I'm reading too much into this.

[Oracle_Hunter]

I'm not sure what Mookie is going for with this... if Danica is walking into a trap nd this is his idea of foreshadowing.. wow. If he tries to emphasize how Duchess is wrong... geez, thanks for the subtlity. If he is just too lazy to write another panel of dialogue... hahahaha.
Or maybe I'm reading too much into this.
This is where he's going with this (http://www.dominic-deegan.com/view.php?date=2008-06-04) :smallannoyed:

I'm not sure why we keep getting cuts back to Lady Snaketongue unless it's to further highlight how wrong she is (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Anvilicious). I doubt Mookie's planning on letting her corrupt Humanity, but I wouldn't put it past him, either :smallsigh:

[halfeye]

Personally, im expecting mister psychoanalyst to point out that different species are different, and while there may be some similarities, not all cultures have the same necromonger keep what you can kill attitude about everything.
Different species are different, but we all live in the same universe. That puts limits on how we can be, outside comics.

[Vinyadan]

It's king Oarfish The Very Long! :D Regoice!

[halfeye]

It's king Oarfish The Very Long! :D Regoice!
Rejoice, Regulecus. :smallbiggrin:

[Cavelcade]

This is where he's going with this (http://www.dominic-deegan.com/view.php?date=2008-06-04) :smallannoyed:

I'm not sure why we keep getting cuts back to Lady Snaketongue unless it's to further highlight how wrong she is (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Anvilicious). I doubt Mookie's planning on letting her corrupt Humanity, but I wouldn't put it past him, either :smallsigh:

I'd actually love if he went full Watchmen-Rorschach on this, where the Queen totally destroys the human's sense of believe in his species and himself only to have him reach a level of understanding about how to achieve a simpler but important good (only to be blown up by the psychic-space-squid).

Of course, Mookie has basically said that he wants this to be the antithesis of Watchmen, since that was a deconstruction of the age of comics (and pretty much spelled its end, as far as I understand) that he is trying to revive/recapture with Star Power. So it would be a bit of a departure.

Edit: I wonder, does Mookie have strong feelings about how to pronounce gif (http://i.imgur.com/md5b0LJ.gifv)?

[Vinyadan]

Sorry, but [ʤif] is the only possible answer from a biased romancecentric perspective :smallbiggrin: I mean, how would the great Ciarenni say it?

So, is anyone impatiently waiting for the website redesign?

[random11]

It's so cute, he thinks we'll be excited by yet another fake cliffhanger (http://www.starpowercomic.com/a-feast-to-remember/).

Also, there is nothing in stake here.
Let's say her magesty refuses to give the key. So what?
We know the source of the signal came from this system, but the keys were discovered by mistake, so it is still not clear if and how it will lead them to their goal.
So what if they don't have the key? They can just do whatever it is they intended to do in the first place without knowing about the keys, or search for the other keys and hope it will be enough to know what's going on.

[Vinyadan]

"Didn't you just say I am welcome to anything and everything?"

[Onyavar]

I think we can all see it. The message is peace and love here. This test is about her likeliness to overcome obstacles through violence.

If she just stands up and leaves sadly, the wise king will know she is the right one (because he was told so by the wiiiiise Zel Gux) and hand it over. :smallannoyed:

[Vinyadan]

And there it is. And now I am wondering whether the halberd actually wasn't a microphone, and the king a quiz host.

[Traab]

That was so lame guys. Just... just SO LAME! I mean, maybe it would have been a decent test had he not explicitly stated that anything they have is hers to take just before he pretended to turn it into a confrontation.

"You can have anything you want!"
"Can I have that?"
"How do you plan to get it?"
"Ummm, didnt you just offer me anything?"
"Why so i did! You pass the test!"
"Oh god I hate this reality so much"

[Zaq]

If you zoom out far enough, this isn't a terrible bit of writing. I'm not inherently against the idea of the keeper of the MacGuffin implicitly threatening violence to see if The Chosen One immediately reacts violently or chooses a path of peace. (It's not super original, sure, but it also hasn't been done completely to death, and this is Mookie we're talking about.)

I think what makes it bad is just the timing. I'm fully aware of the irony of me saying it would be better for Mookie to spread things out a bit more, but in this case only, I think that might actually be the case. We're like what, two, three strips removed from the king saying that she can have anything she wants? Everything since she went underwater has been quickly jerked from one checkbox-like plot point to the next. There's no smooth progression to anything. It stands in stark contrast to the drawn-out "hey look we're on the beach" start to this issue, and you can tell that the fixed-volume format is kind of the worst of both worlds as far as timing goes. He still managed to make the beginning (where there's no real plot happening) slow and tedious, and now that he's got to cram a certain quantity of plot points (not to say "twists") into the remaining pages, everything's happening all at once with no chance of feeling smooth or natural.

I mean, consider if we had met His May-Gust-Tee an issue or two ago, and we had established that his people revere the Star Powered Sentinels because they were told to by the Xel'Naga or whatever, right? A good writer would have also had a separate plot point there as well (so it wouldn't just be worldbuilding filler), which we can throw in if we're feeling generous. Anyway, we then move away from Hydrolax and get on with whatever the plot was at the start of this arc, and an issue or two later, this search for the keys eventually loops us back around to Hydrolax, where Danica tells the Hydrolaxatives that she's looking for the key. At that point, His May-Gust-Tee points his spear at her, reveals that he is its guardian, and asks her how she plans to take it from him. A dialogue would ensue, ideally taking more than just one bloody strip (not ages, of course, but long enough to avoid the Mookie habit of shooting down tension no more than six panels after it appears), at which point Danica calls back to the king's earlier offer to share anything and everything with her. From then, things proceed like we've seen: this is The Right Answer that proves that she has The Heart Of A Sentinel, everyone's happy, yada yada. Same basic idea as what we saw in the past two strips, but it wouldn't feel so forced and artificial. Is it Shakespeare? No, but it's a damn sight better than what we've just seen, don't you think?

So yeah. The individual pieces of this "conflict" don't bother me. He just put them together in a really inelegant way.

[random11]

This is how I would have done it:
1) When they reach the planet they are told to wait for an official meeting with his magesty the king to ask for permission to enter the ruins
2) It doesn't need to be tension, but enough if 1-2 pages show uncomfortable mood while waiting for the meeting.
3) The king will be cold and say that he knows what and who Danica is, then he will say that he has the artifact that she needs and it is under his guard for generations
4) AFTER the stupid test when Danica will say that she will just ask politely, the king can start the feast and change the mood.

As a bonus, the countess talk about how all rulers are the same will actually make more sense here.

It's still the same crap, but less lame.

[Kornaki]

Maybe the king is just an idiot. He got all excited to see a real live Star Powered Sentinel, and then in the middle of dinner he's like 'crap, I'm supposed to test her personality first'.

[Wayson]

New update!

Aaaand... how sickeningly predictable.

[Vinyadan]

Well, at least it gives a good feeling. We now have 10 pages left for all the killings!

[random11]

Well, at least it gives a good feeling. We now have 10 pages left for all the killings!

More likely, ~3 pages for the celebration, ~3 for discussion about the next key, 1-2 for the three stooges, and the rest for the interrogation of snake lady

[Traab]

Ok, that was just adding more dumb to the idiot sundae. Sentinels dont have a sword like a freaking knight, they have hard light constructs they produce from their energy. Its a freaking green lantern power set. You might as well ask for their official star powered shovel or baseball bat. I get the symbolism, really I do, its just stupid. And the whole "gee, noone but me can use it" line? Also dumb. At worst she just has to continue projecting the energy for it, its not like they dont interact with physical matter since she uses them to cut apart battleships and such. So clearly he can hold it. But im sure this is being used as some sort of lead in to explain why his "magesty" is blessed by the xelnaga to be able to use star power or some such stupidity. Also, im assuming mitch is in the background doing something. Downloading the info they need? Pointing out the next stupid step in this idiotic plan to do something? Whatever.

[halfeye]

Ok, that was just adding more dumb to the idiot sundae. Sentinels dont have a sword like a freaking knight, they have hard light constructs they produce from their energy. Its a freaking green lantern power set. You might as well ask for their official star powered shovel or baseball bat. I get the symbolism, really I do, its just stupid. And the whole "gee, noone but me can use it" line? Also dumb. At worst she just has to continue projecting the energy for it, its not like they dont interact with physical matter since she uses them to cut apart battleships and such. So clearly he can hold it. But im sure this is being used as some sort of lead in to explain why his "magesty" is blessed by the xelnaga to be able to use star power or some such stupidity. Also, im assuming mitch is in the background doing something. Downloading the info they need? Pointing out the next stupid step in this idiotic plan to do something? Whatever.
She's being knighted. It's a ceremony. It still happens, though quite rarely.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Chichester


In July 1967, a few weeks after his solo circumnavigation, Chichester was knighted, being appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire for "individual achievement and sustained endeavour in the navigation and seamanship of small craft".[7] For the ceremony, the Queen used the sword used by her predecessor Queen Elizabeth I to knight the adventurer Sir Francis Drake, the first Englishman with his crew to complete a circumnavigation. Gipsy Moth IV was preserved alongside the Cutty Sark at Greenwich.

Yeah, it's a cheap thing in a comic, but it's not outrageously unbelievable.

[Zaq]

Is that a Mitch-analogue over His May-Gust-Tee's head (Panel 3 and Panel 4)? Between that little detail and the fact that he's holding an SPS-created lightsaber with no apparent ill effects, the impression I'm getting is that His May-Gust-Tee is an SPS himself.

I mean, that clearly contradicts everything we've heard up until now, but that's what I'm getting out of this strip. Anyone else reading it this way? It'll likely be explained away (possibly over-explained, knowing Mookie—but then, knowing Mookie, it might not be explained at all) with the next update, but still, that's the impression I'm getting right this minute. Not saying that it would make sense or be a good thing for His May-Gust-Tee to have the Star Power himself, but there you have it.

[Traab]

She's being knighted. It's a ceremony. It still happens, though quite rarely.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Chichester



Yeah, it's a cheap thing in a comic, but it's not outrageously unbelievable.

Like I said, I got the symbolism, but everything involved with it was just so, so dumb. Why does she even need to be "knighted"? Just give her the effing device, invite her to come back for a visit someday to tell all about her whacky adventure, then let her move on!

[Oracle_Hunter]

Is that a Mitch-analogue over His May-Gust-Tee's head (Panel 3 and Panel 4)? Between that little detail and the fact that he's holding an SPS-created lightsaber with no apparent ill effects, the impression I'm getting is that His May-Gust-Tee is an SPS himself.

I mean, that clearly contradicts everything we've heard up until now, but that's what I'm getting out of this strip. Anyone else reading it this way? It'll likely be explained away (possibly over-explained, knowing Mookie—but then, knowing Mookie, it might not be explained at all) with the next update, but still, that's the impression I'm getting right this minute. Not saying that it would make sense or be a good thing for His May-Gust-Tee to have the Star Power himself, but there you have it.
The keys look like Mitch (http://www.starpowercomic.com/seeing-double/), so that's what you're seeing there.

Also, Danica has no idea who can wield a SPS Sword ("SPS-S") since it has never come up. In any case, the King Fish is almost certainly better informed in this regard.

It's the Vacation Arc IN SPACE -- get used to this kind of nonsense. We've got another 3 books or so of it :smallsigh:

[random11]

BTW, when you think of a weapon you DON'T want to use to knight someone, a freaking lightsaber comes in mind up in the list, right next to an active chainsaw.

[Cavelcade]

Oh my God, Mookie, please, just let it end. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__jiz18l84U)

[Vinyadan]

BTW, when you think of a weapon you DON'T want to use to knight someone, a freaking lightsaber comes in mind up in the list, right next to an active chainsaw.

Poor Dooku :`(

[random11]

Poor four-eyes (http://www.starpowercomic.com/feeling-left-out/).

That's okay, you were not useless, like Danica said: The tests were so easy this time she didn't even know she was taking them.

[Kareasint]

Poor four-eyes (http://www.starpowercomic.com/feeling-left-out/).

That's okay, you were not useless, like Danica said: The tests were so easy this time she didn't even know she was taking them.

I hope Danica noticed Beena.

[Traab]

Seriously, this is so freaking foreshadowed they might as well give her a sign to hold in every panel. "Im totally going to become a corrupted star sentinel, guys!"

[random11]

Seriously, this is so freaking foreshadowed they might as well give her a sign to hold in every panel. "Im totally going to become a corrupted star sentinel, guys!"

I'm not sure which is worse, her becoming a villain basically because she feels left out in a mission that less than 10 people in the galaxy are even aware of, or a pep talk from Danica to encourage her and therefore preventing this scenario.

Probably the worst option is both.

[Gez]

I hope Danica noticed Beena.
Does Danica qualify as a sempai?

[Oracle_Hunter]

Apparently Void Angel Stealth isn't all that great after all (http://www.starpowercomic.com/on-a-mission/) :smallsigh:

My headcanon is that VA Stealth-Tech (http://www.starpowercomic.com/red-alert/) is actually just a contract with the Space Trucker Union that lets VA smuggle their ships inside freighters. Naturally, all Space Truckers are told to act intimidated in case anyone catches on.

Additionally, the Feddies put out the rumor of mysterious "stealth-tech" to explain their apparent inability to spot VA before an attack, despite every system having easy-to-secure chokepoints (http://www.starpowercomic.com/then-and-now/).

[Traab]

Apparently Void Angel Stealth isn't all that great after all (http://www.starpowercomic.com/on-a-mission/) :smallsigh:

My headcanon is that VA Stealth-Tech (http://www.starpowercomic.com/red-alert/) is actually just a contract with the Space Trucker Union that lets VA smuggle their ships inside freighters. Naturally, all Space Truckers are told to act intimidated in case anyone catches on.

Additionally, the Feddies put out the rumor of mysterious "stealth-tech" to explain their apparent inability to spot VA before an attack, despite every system having easy-to-secure chokepoints (http://www.starpowercomic.com/then-and-now/).

So a bit like Jimmy the Gent from Goodfellas?

[Vinyadan]

Remeber when I said that there were some 10 pages left? I was wrong: I had read the issue number instead of the page number. The issue's over!

There is Mookie within
And there is Mookie without
Trying to ferry some Angels with a Freighter class
There's a battle ahead
and they have already lost
But you'll never see the end of the road
If you're bearing with me

Hey now, hey now
The issue's over
Hey now, hey now
When the ships comes in
They come, they come
To get trounched before us
We know they won't win

[Kato]

Wow, I can't recall the last time foreshadowing was as obvious as with four-eyes...

Also, do the VA actually have a plan this time or they just like getting their asses kicked? Ah, I think I can guess which...

[Onyavar]

What clues do we have that the desert travelling mythical stuff is related in any way to the story?

Or is it just something that our dear writer inserts when...
- he feels like torturing the audience with bad memories?
- he needs to fill the book/increase the pagecount?
- the other artist had a free day and the update was due?

[Oracle_Hunter]

What clues do we have that the desert travelling mythical stuff is related in any way to the story?

Or is it just something that our dear writer inserts when...
- he feels like torturing the audience with bad memories?
- he needs to fill the book/increase the pagecount?
- the other artist had a free day and the update was due?
I'm pretty sure Mookie is drawing these pages himself. They look similar to his Dominic Deegan filler pages. (http://www.dominic-deegan.com/view.php?date=2015-05-27) Additionally, the whole the stars went to war (http://www.starpowercomic.com/when-the-stars-went-to-war/) thing seems like an obvious allusion to the Star Power. That said, we still don't know about Dominic's old friend Mosly (http://www.dominic-deegan.com/view.php?date=2002-08-27) so all of this may be totally irrelevant.

[Kornaki]

New comic (http://www.starpowercomic.com/beyond-belief/)

The last comic leaves us wondering how our intrepid adventurers are going to deal with the burning sun, the sand dragons, and the dathu ro. This comic inform us that those problems were dealt with. Bravo!

[Traab]

Meh, do you really WANT to deal with an extra weeks worth of text adventures?

[Kornaki]

Meh, do you really WANT to deal with an extra weeks worth of text adventures?

Fair enough, but we could have saved ourselves two updates if we skipped the whole Darth Ro thing and went straight to 'It was perilous, but we found the light from the sky', followed up by content.

[Oracle_Hunter]

Fair enough, but we could have saved ourselves two updates if we skipped the whole Darth Ro thing and went straight to 'It was perilous, but we found the light from the sky', followed up by content.
That's right -- even Mookie's Filler has Filler.

His perfection is as terrifying as it is horrible.

[Kato]

That's right -- even Mookie's Filler has Filler.

His perfection is as terrifying as it is horrible.

So he rivals the Naruto anime now? :smalltongue:

Eh, I don't mind the filler that much... I mean, yeah, it's not great, or really as entertaining as the terrible bits but it's better than nothing. I guess?

[Vinyadan]

That's right -- even Mookie's Filler has Filler.

http://s7.postimg.org/edir1oiqj/onepanelsnarkarcs2_zps9bd21fba_png_original.png

[Traab]

I love how unique of a method mookie is using to describe a primitive civilization stumbling across futuristic tech. I have never seen anything like it before.

[lord_khaine]

I love how unique of a method mookie is using to describe a primitive civilization stumbling across futuristic tech. I have never seen anything like it before.

yeah actually i do think its pretty nicely done. Sometimes i think this other artstyle/storytelling method is better than the main story.
It certainly leaves me more interested in whats going on.

[Doompuppy]

Traab used Sarcasm.
It's Super Effective!

[Kwatsu]

Wait, the Zel Gux are those chaps from Dresden Codak's Dark Science arc?

That...kinda makes sense.

[Oracle_Hunter]

Wait, the Zel Gux are those chaps from Dresden Codak's Dark Science arc?

That...kinda makes sense.
I checked (http://dresdencodak.com/2012/04/10/dark-science-18/) and they're not actually that close. (http://www.starpowercomic.com/the-zel-gux/)

[Kato]

So... is the new title page proof enough Grenngirl will become a Starpower or does Mookie need to shove it down our throats more? Discuss! :smalltongue:

[Kwatsu]

I checked (http://dresdencodak.com/2012/04/10/dark-science-18/) and they're not actually that close. (http://www.starpowercomic.com/the-zel-gux/)

Ah, okay. For some reason that "three eyes in a black silhouette" was very familiar.

[random11]

Much better now (http://www.starpowercomic.com/lost-in-thought/)

I'm not sure if it was done unintentionally, or if Danica saw the threat, flew to it and crashed the ship all in one panel.
Either way, it saves time on worthless "threats".

[Kornaki]

Much better now (http://www.starpowercomic.com/lost-in-thought/)

I'm not sure if it was done unintentionally, or if Danica saw the threat, flew to it and crashed the ship all in one panel.
Either way, it saves time on worthless "threats".

Sorry to burst your happy place but those first panels were a flashback.

I'm afraid the Void Angel plot will be fully operational for the remainder of the chapter.

[Oracle_Hunter]

Sorry to burst your happy place but those first panels were a flashback.

I'm afraid the Void Angel plot will be fully operational for the remainder of the chapter.
Specifically this page (http://www.starpowercomic.com/going-dark/).

And now you see why most artists stylize their "flashback panels" :smallamused:

[random11]

Sorry to burst your happy place but those first panels were a flashback.

I'm afraid the Void Angel plot will be fully operational for the remainder of the chapter.

DAMMIT!

Can you at least promise that they will be an actual threat this time?
(Lie if you have to)

[Traab]

DAMMIT!

Can you at least promise that they will be an actual threat this time?
(Lie if you have to)

Oh MY yes! Im absolutely certain that these single man fighter craft, of which she stomped multiple when she had no clue wtf was going on, will do far better than the full sized battleships she also stomped flat oh so long ago. Honestly, I suppose this is supposed to, I dunno, make us feel sympathy for the vorp angels? But honestly it doesnt.

"OH NO! You are getting flashbacks of your friends dying? Normally that would be terrible, but you and your buddies just bombed a civilian bedroom trying to murder the new star powered without warning. So good, im glad your friend is dead, and hope you join him soon, you terrorist mercenary scum."

[Kato]

So... you know, it can be an intersting thing to give your villains PTSD. And actually, you CAN develop someone like the VAs into decent characters who regret their actions and become decent people. Even after they (or, well, the one massive idiot among them) have done horrbible things.
The problem is... I'm not expecting Mookie to pull it off. So whatever he is going for will probably be terrible.

btw, why is Danica moving on her own now? Why is she in such a hurry to ditch her colleagues?

[Vinyadan]

btw, why is Danica moving on her own now? Why is she in such a hurry to ditch her colleagues?

She ate all the cookies.

[Cavelcade]

Argh, even when doing basic "interesting" cuts, Mookie can't do them correctly. The cut should be from "I was hoping we could talk about--" to "--the Star Powered Sentinels", not the way he did it. Why are you so frustrating Mookie?

[random11]

The comparisons continue (http://www.starpowercomic.com/soft-and-weak/)

Why do we need them?
It's not like we have any grey morality in this comic, so we don't need to countess to show that Danica is good, and we don't need Danica to show snake lady is EVIL.

[random11]

Remember the memory loss (http://www.starpowercomic.com/a-lack-of-answers/)

Finally, someone remembered Mitch lost his memory and that it means something. Only two planets later.

Better late than never?

Also, am I the only one who is still following this?

[Kato]

Remember the memory loss (http://www.starpowercomic.com/a-lack-of-answers/)

Finally, someone remembered Mitch lost his memory and that it means something. Only two planets later.

Better late than never?

Also, am I the only one who is still following this?

Nah, it's just too boring to even complain about it, for the most part. Or that's my reason for not saying much.

Also, I wonder what the big reveal will be. I mean, really, I've got no decent idea what Mookie will come up with to solve this "mystery".

[Hopeless]

So is the revelation at the end of this is that of a second starpower?

And the cover revealed who it will be?

[Traab]

Nah, it's just too boring to even complain about it, for the most part. Or that's my reason for not saying much.

Also, I wonder what the big reveal will be. I mean, really, I've got no decent idea what Mookie will come up with to solve this "mystery".

My theory is still along the lines of a heavily damaged mitch unit that has slowly gone insane over its many years of isolation from the rest of the sentinels. There was an episode of star trek voyager that comes to mind, they found a hologram as the lone survivor on a ship that everyone sympathized with and seemed harmless, turned out it was insane and was trying to kill everyone. Im thinking something similar will happen here and greenie will join with it.

[Traab]

So since noone else mentioned it, am I the only one who thinks mookie is piling on the potential for resentment here? "Oh MAN! Even these high muckity muck types are fawning all over her! My expertise is totally useless, never helps anything, and I keep getting shunted to the side!"

[random11]

So since noone else mentioned it, am I the only one who thinks mookie is piling on the potential for resentment here? "Oh MAN! Even these high muckity muck types are fawning all over her! My expertise is totally useless, never helps anything, and I keep getting shunted to the side!"

I really hope this is not the case.
If it will be, it will be the worst villain excuse I've heard for a long time.

She is among a group of six people in the galaxy that can see and document a once in a life time event, and it's not like the others in her group were more useful, all the keys were practically gift-wrapped for Danica.

[Traab]

I really hope this is not the case.
If it will be, it will be the worst villain excuse I've heard for a long time.

She is among a group of six people in the galaxy that can see and document a once in a life time event, and it's not like the others in her group were more useful, all the keys were practically gift-wrapped for Danica.

True, but the whole reason she is even coming along on this mission is because she is some sort of history buff on this subject. I could see being annoyed that it has literally no effect on the journey and nothing she does matters. It would still be a stupidly petty reason to go evil, but I know I would be annoyed by it myself.

[random11]

True, but the whole reason she is even coming along on this mission is because she is some sort of history buff on this subject. I could see being annoyed that it has literally no effect on the journey and nothing she does matters. It would still be a stupidly petty reason to go evil, but I know I would be annoyed by it myself.


Science lady didn't use her knowledge of astronomy, The sniper didn't shoot anything, there wasn't any bombs to disarm for lizard guard and squidy didn't need to be a meat shield for anything.


Anyway, update (http://www.starpowercomic.com/hard-to-find/).
And yes, the fact four-eyes isn't in the picture does make me fear that your prediction will be accurate.
(BTW, did you notice she is the only one in the current group that isn't in the character introduction part?)