Schlock Mercenary

[Dhavaer]

I know other people here read it, but there isn't any thread.

To start the conversation off, what's your favourite plot arc? Mine is the one where they're trying to get the eye-trees, because Petey gets to show off.

[Destro_Yersul]

I, personally, like the time-travel storyline. Partly because it focuses mostly on Kevyn, my favourite character, and partly because I love the concept of time travel.

[Green Bean]

I enjoyed the mini-arc where they're hired by the street gangs, probably for much the same reasons that Dhavaer likes the eye trees storyline. Petey is so very awesome.

[Manticorkscrew]

I've tried to start off reading Schlock Mercenary several times, but the sheer size of it always puts me off.

It looks good though, and I wish I had the time for a proper archive binge.

[Green Bean]

I've tried to start off reading Schlock Mercenary several times, but the sheer size of it always puts me off.

It looks good though, and I wish I had the time for a proper archive binge.

Well, you don't have to read the whole thing at once. Read individual storylines on their own, they'll fit into most schedules. Of course, starting the archive run may be tough, but stopping is even tougher. :smallamused:

[Setra]

I love Schlock Mercenary.

But I dunno if I have a favorite Arc.. maybe the Time Travel Arc..

[High-Chancellor]

Yeah, no favorite arc for me either. It's okay.


I like some of the older ones best though, when brad still got to buddy around and be smart-alek-y or however you spell it.

So probably the food court one, when they have to get their food machine repaired... and perhaps the one where they're exploring unexplored space...

[Oracle_Hunter]

I think Schlock just goes from strength-to-strength, personally. I mean, the Time Travel storyline was certainly Epic (with a capital E!) but Howard just keeps working with his characters, making the storytelling even better.

Petey has always concerned me though. It's hard having a walking Deus Ex Machina (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DeusExMachina) in a storyline and it not going all to hell (http://www.dominic-deegan.com/). Howard has taken the best route (keeping Petey relatively isolated from Our Heroes, and fighting distant Negative Space Wedgies (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NegativeSpaceWedgie)) but it's something that needs constant watching.

Oh, that and the Lensman Arms Race (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LensmanArmsRace), particularly with the biotech showing up in the later arcs.

But these are all potential problems. So far, it is one of my favorite strips - and by far my favorite Hard Sci-Fi webcomic. I just wish Howard would do more Editor's Notes!

[Dhavaer]

Oh, that and the Lensman Arms Race (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LensmanArmsRace), particularly with the biotech showing up in the later arcs.

I think he's handling this quite well, showing that it's strong enough to be useful but vulnerable enough not to be wanky with the Kevyn-Elf conversation about the boosts' power. There are plenty of things that could take out a soldier with these boosts that already exist in the Sclhlockverse (gravies for one. Kevyn with his equipment could likely kill Kevyn with the boosts, given how appallingly dangerous his epaullettes are. Elf or Tagon could do it too, given space to use their flight advantage and a weapon that could outrange Kevyn's skull-gun).

[Gez]

Is that whole "free cake lottery" thing just a lead in to have someone say "The cake is a lie"?

[Alex12]

I have no idea which one I like best. Schlock Mercenary was my first webcomic, and I still love it.

[Oracle_Hunter]

Is that whole "free cake lottery" thing just a lead in to have someone say "The cake is a lie"?

No, it's even better - it was the set up to an implied joke. In the business, we'd call that a very subtle Shout Out (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ShoutOut).

Or so I predict, though it very well could be tomorrow's outline. But I think not, 'cause Howard is slick like that :smallbiggrin:

[Inyssius Tor]

... and now the website is down. Oh noes.

[Gez]

Up for me. Kevyn and Tag are chatting today.

Edit: fixed silly spelling of Kevyn with a y.

[Midnight Lurker]

As the primary author of the Lensman Arms Race page, I approve of this thread. :)

It looks like we're potentially only minutes away from finding out one of the biggest and longest running secrets of the series... the point behind Laz'R'Us. I wonder: will Tayler give us the reveal, or prevent the Toughs from hearing it?

[Gez]

Looks like a Wrench Wench (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WrenchWench) is getting added to the cast.

[Mewtarthio]

Gyah! Those... pupils... they're like some sort of giant, gaping maw into an endless black void of utter oblivion! Don't look! You'll get sucked in!

[Gez]

Genesis of the Wrench Wench:
- Introduction as a sassy new character (http://www.schlockmercenary.com/d/20080327.html)
- Wrench Wench status revealed (http://www.schlockmercenary.com/d/20080328.html)
- And confirmed with (http://www.schlockmercenary.com/d/20080329.html) Technobabble (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TechnoBabble)
- Wrench Wench promoted to (http://www.schlockmercenary.com/d/20080330.html) Gadgeteer Genius (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GadgeteerGenius) status.

[Green Bean]

ZOMG!!!! Tayler missed a day!!! It's a sign of the apocalypse!!!



Seriously, though, Tayler's one of the few webcomic creators who can pull off a joke like that.