Macebook and not-Durkon

[danielxcutter]

I forget which strip it was, but in one strip during the Blood Runs in the Family arc, Malack gave Durkon a "Macebook", a magic item that's basically Facebook for clerics.

Not-Durkon probably still has it.

Who else thinks that's going come up later?

[Peelee]

I forget which strip it was, but in one strip during the Blood Runs in the Family arc, Malack gave Durkon a "Macebook", a magic item that's basically Facebook for clerics.

Not-Durkon probably still has it.

Who else thinks that's going come up later?

739 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0739.html).

And count me along those who think it won't.

[dtilque]

It's a last-panel joke. Virtually certain to never be mentioned again.

[danielxcutter]

739 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0739.html).

And count me along those who think it won't.

Why not? Perhaps that's how the giants knew to set up an ambush.


It's a last-panel joke. Virtually certain to never be mentioned again.

*Hel* first showed up in a last-panel joke if I remember correctly.

[martianmister]

*Hel* first showed up in a last-panel joke if I remember correctly.

That's the greatest comeback I ever see. :smalleek:

[dtilque]

*Hel* first showed up in a last-panel joke if I remember correctly.

I'm trying to remember where that was. Was it this one (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0737.html)? I have a vague memory that there was an earlier one, but can't remember which arc.

Anyway, if that was the one, that's not a last-panel joke, and not just because it didn't happen in the last panel.

Now that I think about it, there was one last-panel joke which showed up later, although not in a plot-significant way. Goblin Dan's All-you-can-eat Hydra Heads shows up as the caterer in Gobbotopia. That was a call back joke and I wouldn't expect anything more significant than that for MaceBook.

[Kish]

Count me in for "no, the fourth-wall-breaking last-panel punchline isn't going to show up in a more serious role."

[hroþila]

Could it come up again as a joke? Theoretically, yes.
Could it come up again as a serious plot element? Theoretically, yes.
Do I think it will come up again? Hell no.

[martianmister]

I'm trying to remember where that was. Was it this one (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0737.html)? I have a vague memory that there was an earlier one, but can't remember which arc.

He remembered this.

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0874.html

Nit technically "first", but still relevant to this discussion.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Why not? Perhaps that's how the giants knew to set up an ambush.



*Hel* first showed up in a last-panel joke if I remember correctly.

Hel showed up in a splash panel. Different beast entirely.

[nocoolnamejim]

I could see it coming up as a joke again, but not as a serious plot element.

The panel that had Hel arguing with Thor was also a joke, but it was a reminder as well of how souls get divvied up amongst dwarven deities after death.

Macebook isn't really an in-setting thing so it would never come up again in any serious capacity.

[Keltest]

Why not? Perhaps that's how the giants knew to set up an ambush.



*Hel* first showed up in a last-panel joke if I remember correctly.

I'm pretty sure they dedicated almost an entire page of exposition to Hel and her status in the Northern Pantheon.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

*Hel* first showed up in a last-panel joke if I remember correctly.

Maybe you are thinking of Freya (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0501.html)*? As linked above, Hel was first shown as a flashback (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0737.html) (with no actual joke) during an exposition-heavy scene in the very same arc that was completed with her reveal as an antagonist - therefore being best classified as foreshadowing. She was later used as part of a punchline (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0874.html), but only as the straight man to Thor's rule-bending goofiness - she was not the subject of the joke, unlike the macebook.

Grey Wolf

*Or whomever she is; there is a bunch of different goddesses she could be, although Hel is definitely out

[Onyavar]

My guess is that Durkon never confirmed Malack's request, or that he didn't have/keep the corresponding book.

In magical theory, Macebook seemed similar to an Erfworld Eyebook (?) to me, or similarly to the Protean Charm in Harry Potter.
Not sure if such an item is possible to craft in D&D, but if possible, it must have certain limitations.

[Jasdoif]

Count me in for "no, the fourth-wall-breaking last-panel punchline isn't going to show up in a more serious role."I can see a possible double-duty role, where it's a joke that appears to explain something serious. Specifically, a shot of security settings showing "Who can see your daily allotment of prepared spells?" set to "Everyone".

[Riftwolf]

Not sure if such an item is possible to craft in D&D, but if possible, it must have certain limitations.

My guess would be using the spells sending, lesser planar binding, minor image, maybe ghost sound for the notifications. At 25 words a pop though, it'd probably resemble twitter.

[JustIgnoreMe]

I forget which strip it was, but in one strip during the Blood Runs in the Family arc, Malack gave Durkon a "Macebook", a magic item that's basically Facebook for clerics.

Not-Durkon probably still has it.

Who else thinks that's going come up later?

There's no indication that Malack gave Durkon any item.

Malack said he had an item that might help them stay in touch. No suggestion at all that it was a set of multiple items, or that Durkon needed one to keep in touch with Malack, or that Malack gave his away.

Malack kept the item. It's probably on his desk still.

[Tyrrell]

It's a last-panel joke. Virtually certain to never be mentioned again.
Virtually certain, not completely certain.
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0009.html

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Virtually certain, not completely certain.
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0009.html

... That's not a last panel joke. It's foreshadowing.

GW

[dtilque]

... That's not a last panel joke. It's foreshadowing.

GW

Exactly. A last panel joke is, like its name implies, funny, which that was not. And they are very rarely brought up again in the strip. And when they are, it's just a call back, not anything significant to the plot. I can point you to lots of them if you want, although they aren't that hard to spot. Note that the first time Hel showed up was not one, despite what someone upthread said.

[Haluesen]

*Hel* first showed up in a last-panel joke if I remember correctly.

That is pretty clever because yeah, that is how she first appeared. :smallbiggrin: However...


Hel showed up in a splash panel. Different beast entirely.

Yeah that kinda overrides it I imagine. That said Macebook was a pretty big panel too iirc.


But I am also in the group that says it was probably just a joke and not at all gonna come up later. If it does end up being serious though, you have all right to yell "CALLED IT!" from the rooftops. :smalltongue:

[dtilque]

That is pretty clever because yeah, that is how she first appeared. :smallbiggrin: However...

No it is not. Her first appearance is in this strip (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0737.html), second last panel. It's not a last panel joke. In fact, it's not a joke at all; it's an expanatory panel, just like the one immediately above it.

I should note that not all last panels have last-panel jokes. First of all, there has to be a joke in it, and some don't have any. Secondly, even when there is a joke, it may not be what should be condsidered a last-panel joke. There's usually some kind of fourth-wall breaking in them, and not all jokes in last panels do that. Kish above gave a more explicit name for them: "fourth-wall-breaking last-panel punchline". Unfortunately, that's too much of a mouthful for everyday conversation.

Here's some examples of last-panel jokes:


918 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0918.html) anyone think Director Lee's inbox will to be an important plot element in the future?
206 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0206.html) and 389 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0389.html) think any of the stuff Elan and Thog have in those panels will ever show up again?
748 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0748.html) Belkar's been knocked back to Basic D&D, yet strangely enough, it doesn't seem to be permanent, or even ever mentioned again.

[Haluesen]

No it is not. Her first appearance is in this strip (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0737.html), second last panel. It's not a last panel joke. In fact, it's not a joke at all; it's an expanatory panel, just like the one immediately above it.

I should note that not all last panels have last-panel jokes. First of all, there has to be a joke in it, and some don't have any. Secondly, even when there is a joke, it may not be what should be condsidered a last-panel joke. There's usually some kind of fourth-wall breaking in them, and not all jokes in last panels do that. Kish above gave a more explicit name for them: "fourth-wall-breaking last-panel punchline". Unfortunately, that's too much of a mouthful for everyday conversation.

Here's some examples of last-panel jokes:


918 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0918.html) anyone think Director Lee's inbox will to be an important plot element in the future?
206 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0206.html) and 389 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0389.html) think any of the stuff Elan and Thog have in those panels will ever show up again?
748 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0748.html) Belkar's been knocked back to Basic D&D, yet strangely enough, it doesn't seem to be permanent, or even ever mentioned again.


Hmm interesting. Where I misunderstood actually was remembering that comic completely wrong. I thought that her argument with Thor about the dwarf who died from a splintery-disease was the first one she appeared in, and was in itself a joke. I forgot entirely about how her first comic in question went. So thank you. :smallsmile: The rest I understand clearly enough.