The Young Protectors: Engaging The Enemy Chapter 5—Page 34

February 14, 2017 Alex Woolfson 151 Comments

Tsunami!

So! Laampros has got a Spooky in the hand and a new plan—the destruction of all supers on the planet! Can he do it? And will Gordon be his first victim?

Tune in this Saturday to find out! Hope to see you there! 😀

AND HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY EVERYONE! LOVE FROM ME AND THE ENTIRE TYP TEAM!

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151 Comments

Oooh hell.

And despite this page, I also think this is the time for a BOOYAH!!

(Right, Doki?)

Spooky!!!!

How long before we have roasted Young Protectors served on a platter.

Not good, so not good. I vote for a way to bring Fluffy back, or just about any help there can come.

Fuzzy Wuzzy Not a Bear?

Yes, it has the size, and we already saw that Fluffy didn’t like to be burned. Made it quite pissed off.

But it shoots lasers from its fricking eyes (to borrow a phrase)

Lasers aimed at Laampy. I like that idea even more. Bring Fluffy back!

More laser bears is what we need!

I hope Spooky’s been hanging onto those souls so he can release them at an opportune moment…like now…

Maybe Laampy squeezing him can bring Spooky’s mind out of the funk it’s stuck in.

It has to be terrible and disorienting, with a bunch of pained/confused souls packed into him — hopefully this snaps him out of it!

Somehow I don’t think Fluffy is in Laampros’ league.

You’d think his aim would be off with just one working eye…

Nooo my baby

So I haven’t been keeping up with the discussion too well and I apologize if this has been talked over to death, but Laampros’ deal with Duncan — could that be something that distracts Laampros from his fiery rampage, if Duncan wakes up and starts demanding his end of the bargain? I assume it didn’t take effect automatically, and Laampros still has to work some demon magic. I’m curious if the restoration of Duncan’s powers falls under the umbrella of “perfect health,” or if that’s the kind of thing Laampros can interpret to Duncan’s disadvantage.

That might be an “up to interpretation” part of the deal. ^_^

somebody call the super-lawyers

It’s looking as though the story is reaching another crunch point. Up until now Laampros has been acting irritated but otherwise weathering the attacks by the team and generally monologing, giving time for someone (anyone) to try to come up with a plan that would do some good.

But with everyone seemingly defeated (although it was noted last page that Red Hot might be in the process of standing up) and Tsunami seemingly the first in line for incineration, I’m thinking that we’re soon going to be getting another out-of-left-field surprise to resolve the situation. I can only guess that it won’t be another Fluke related psuedo deus-ex machina.

If Duncan regains coherence, he might point out to Laampros that, according to their pact, he’s in Duncan’s territory and presumably can’t just go around incinerating people at his leisure. (Assuming they’re still in North or South America, or that Laampros gives a rat’s ass about honoring the bargain at this point.)

I forget, did he specify he had dominion over the people or just the land of the Americas? Depending on how he worded it there’s a lot of wiggle room for a demon to take advantage of technicalities.

Our expert on the subject is convinced that he can not break the contract. http://webcomics.yaoi911.com/typ/ete-ch3-page-48/

the deal was sealed on duncan’s arm….maybe duncan chops his arm off or has kyle burn it off with princely hell fire…& the contract is undone & lampy gets sucked back into hell & the gate closes. there has to b some damage, hurt, sacrifice involved

On the bright side Fluke might end up positively charged again If this keeps up.

He actually seems more pissed that they corrupted his son than that they attacked him. He was going to let them be Kyle’s pets until Kyle turned on him. Bad choice, Kyle. Should’ve gone with daddy. At least your friends would be okay.

Bad team. Taking away his his son, his perfect compliant pawn, by use of friendship and LOVING feelings. What an insult.

*looks at non-existent watch on arm* Anytime, Flukester… feel free to do something. Anything….

Fluke hit Laampros in the gonads… that’s something. At least that’s the most helpful he has been since Laampros showed up.

He was massively negatively charged after fighting Sircea and Duncan, to the point he was told to keep distance from the others just to be safe. That’s going to take a bit to work off, and even more to get charged to the point of being useful. Granted giant demon king spraying hellfire at all your friends and trying to take over the Earth is a good way to recharge but it will still take some time. And even when he’s good to go his control is questionable.

“Good” is not the word I would choose. Effective, probably, but not good.

Oo, ouch. That had to hurt.

Kyle’s no longer the only ‘flaming’ one on the team!

Nooo!! Tsunami! D: Spooky! Will you Please snap out of it already!!!!

I agree!

[pops champagne bottle] Congratulations Danish.

The next page is page 500 if you include the title pages and all the extra comics.

I got my 100, chased hard for, but damn. Next page would have been perfect now *lol*

If we decide to count it all, then change our minds to count extra comics but not title pages, then change our minds to count title pages but not extra comics, and finally change our mionds to count neither, we get to celebrate the 500 four times.

There’s nothing wrong with celebrating four times.
I could use several celebrations.

ooooh…
500 pages this coming Friday.
We’ll need food and refreshments.
Dancing boys and girls.
Cake and the other cake and chocolate (but not for me) …

It’s a really good thing the party has a healer. Otherwise half the group might need skin grafts. (Assuming they survive this and magical healing in this story works as efficiently as it usually does)

It is strange though, he’s hit several of the heroes so far but nobody actually looks burned. Maybe Hellfire works differently?

The night seems darkest just at the end…. How dark will this night become? o_o

A Spooky in the hand is worth 2 in the fire pit of hell on Earth I guess?

lamp is giving spooky a hand-job?

Oh, no, Tsunami! Quick, someone do something before he hurts a character we actually like!!!

I kid, I kid, I like everyone to a degree.

so, as i have asked before, where are all the adult super heroes?

Out in space, dealing with some kind of mega crisis.
http://webcomics.yaoi911.com/typ/ete-ch1-page-27/

about colliding realities I think?

Colliding trans world identities. I’ve always been under the vague and possibly silly impression that it’s about having an argument with your parallel universe counterpart.

Your Opposite Parallel universe counterpart?

well damn, the fate of all the souls of earth seems fairly important too…
if they don’t hurry up, there might not be a home to come back to…

I have a feeling that he will eat Spooky. If nothing else, let’s hope it ‘s the demon equivalent of eating a Snickers.

It will calm him down?

…That would be a story-telling decision I wouldn’t have predicted.

Sounds more like a Dragonball Z route, consume Spooky and all the souls in him a la Kid Buu and end up more morally balanced like Fat Buu or even develop a conscience and regret his actions.

Gordon has run out of water. That could be a problem.

… Laampros still wants his son. That’s impressive dedication to parenthood for a demon lord…

Not as much wanting Kyle as his son, but as his evil reprecentative and pawn on earth. Hmm, or maybe on the half that won’t be his already.

sorta like darth vader and luke skywalker

Does he want his son, or is he just pissed that they dared to ‘corrupt’ something he sees as his possession?

Ok, if this story finishes with Spooky managing to 1 – stay alive 2 – save the souls I will be extremely happy, but I don’t see how this can happen now. I’m ready to be suprised though, soooo ready.

Honestly, if Spooky doesn’t do anything the entire fight I’m gonna be sorta pissed at him.

He IS doing things: saving souls. As badass as throwing a rock in Lamproos’ testicules if you ask me!

They’re only saved in they win.

Good point. Let’s also consider the possibility that he can’t do anything. He is being shredded from the inside by these souls. He may be completely incapacited.

Well, this is looking increasingly bad for everyone. 🙁

What IS Duncan doing all this time?!

He’s dead, i’m pretty sure.

He’s also powerless after the earlier power dampener explosion.

There’s got to be some advantage to Laampy’s mark.

;________________;
I hope Tsunami will be fine… I hope he even survives >///////<
and if then burns are still one of the most awful injuries… and what the hell does Laampros want to do with Spooky T___T
(and calling him an abomination again… reminds me on Dragon Age again x'D this is so bad… just so bad…y_____y)

Hehe…. let’s hope he don’t become an abomination like in dragon age because they were ugly xD

Why does Laampros consider Spooky an abomination? Is it because he can wield magic without being affected by the curse? Does Laampros have something to do with that curse? Or is there something else special about Spooky that Laampros does not like? Is Spooky not entirely human?

Well one has to consider what would be an abomination from the perspective of demon particularly a demon lord. So for example a demon that behaves in a unquenchingly good fashion against the expected nature of a demon would likely be seen as an abomination. A demon/angel hybrid would also be an abomination since it mixes two opposing natures. Considering Spooky was if memory serves left somehow broken in Hell and has lost memories he could possibly actually be an undead of some sort, one so well animated that he doesn’t even detect as undead save to someone with the level of perception of someone like Laampros. Same could hold if he died and resurrected somehow violating the natural order.

I think that it’s because Spooky is trying to thwart Death

No, no, NO, Lampy! That Spooky action figure is still in mint condition! Now put it back where you found it and go back to your room.

Tsunami slowly burning in pain
Alex wishing us a HAPPY VALENTINE DAY…
not a good mix XD *seriously, I think they’re due for a miracle*

Hah! You better have BURN HEAL!

Man, doesn’t it just suck when your dad hates your friends?

Looks to me like he’s invited them all to a cookout.

I may not like Tsunami much, but I certainly don’t want him dead.

I suppose now is a bad time to mention that one of my biggest fears is burning alive?

WOW! Too soon.

It’s unfortunate that people don’t seem too concerned about Tsunami, but that’s what he gets for being such a wet blanket.

Tsunami is not all wet, unfortunately.

I’m very worried about Tsu-Tsu.

Well punned.

I’m just mad that I didn’t think of it first.

Huh. I was in a bit of a rush yesterday, and didn’t read the author’s notes. Alex may have let something slip. Or thrown us a bone.

Laampros has been making various angry statements about ‘parasites’ and ‘abominations’ – with the distinct impression that he had precise meanings in mind but which we readers didn’t know. Laampros’ statement on this page that he will “incinerate all of the parasites on this world” combines with the line in the notes about destroying all the supers on the planet. So that’s one piece of solid information.

The parasites aren’t humans in general, infesting the Earth after the walls between worlds were raised to separate this dimension off from Laampros’ hell, as I and a few others have speculated. Instead, the parasites are the superhumans, apparently leeching power from Laampros, Laampros realm, and/or Laampros’ fellow demon lords.

This raises all sorts of interesting possibilities, such as: Does this imply that all superhuman powers derive from reality warping demonic power? And how similar is reality warping demonic power similar to magic? After all, if the true magic users were driven mad by the Grey Working, then this implies that as the walls between worlds break down, then the superhumans will be infused wit more and more power until they cross a critical threshold and go mad as well.

Or it could be that some mysterious parasite is the source of all super-human powerrs, leeching something off the supers in exchange for the powers they provide (after all it’s in the best interest of a parasite to not be harmful to their host). So since the parasites are making these annoyingly super-powered humans he wants to simply eliminate them all rather than leave any to continue reproducing and creating nuisances he has to deal with.

Just a clarification: a mutual relationship like you describe would be a symbiotic relationship. For quite a lot of parasites the well being of the host is actively fought against because that’s how they propagate.

Most but not all, at least some parasites while they are detrimental they don’t end up being that harmful to their hosts and being a super is certainly not the best thing to be (depending on the setting, some are far more to supers than others).

Poor Tsunami! : <

Laampros be like https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ClcHGYgUkAAMk8K.jpg

I had a nasty thought, prompting me to ask a nasty question. I want you all to look deep into your hearts and examine your schadenfreude, and then answer me this: How many of you even care that Tsunami is in danger, and if so to what level?

It occurs to me that this is a potential problem on a writing level, because the type of story that Alex is producing needs both emotional investment in the characters as well as exciting action-adventure. If we don’t care about the character then putting him in danger is a waste of page space. (Unless you want to go with the theory that seriously hurting or killing Tsunami would act to confirm danger for the other YPs, showing that, for ex., Flyboy may have already been hurt and gotten better, but he may be in danger for realz next time.)

So anyway, do you react to Tsunami being put in the peril monkey seat the same way you would with Spooky or Flyboy? Do you hope in the abstract that he’s okay because he’s one of the good guys, but you don’t have a visceral reaction against him being in danger because he’s not your favourite character? Do you think that because he’s been a jerk to character you do like (Red Hot and Flyboy in particular) that he needs to suffer just a little. Or do you want him to not just die, but die slowly and painfully?

For my part I discovered that I am in option 2. Granted, I tend to be overly-analytic about this webcomic, and that adds an extra layer of emotional detachment. Tsunami has sometimes (but by no means always) made good points, but those I appreciate as abstracts. And killing him would probably upset the others. But I don’t have a liking or even strong feelz for him personally.

I care about Tsunami getting “cremated.” Tsunami is easy to joke about because he’s so serious. He’s also the oldest YP and I think he takes that seriously. But he’s not the only YP in imminent danger — Laampros has his fingers curled around Spooky. One good squeeze and Spooky turns into one of those foil ketchup things that squirts when you step on it.

I care deeply about Tsu. Is Spooky my fave? Absolutely, but the whole team is what makes me go ‘Oh hell’.. for both of them. As I did with the others.
The first peek I had of the page made me see Tsu first, as his presence on page is most noticable, and made me react first. Next I saw Spooky too and reacted more.

Yeah, I will probably flail some more if Spooky get seriously hurts vs. if Tsu does, to be honest, but I will sooo be sad if we lost Tsu.
He’s not the most approachable character, has been acting like such an ass a couple times, but it’s clear that he cares. You just have to look past the grumpy attitude, saying the wromg things, to realize how much 😉

(We won’t lose any of the team, right Alex? …right? *starts flailing*)

It’s nice to see Tsu getting some respect.
But I am still worried that there might be people who are aggressively-indifferent-tending-hostile, but who would stay silent as they are suddenly confronted by how they feel and are kinda-sorta shamed by it.

i wouldn’t mind seeing tsunami and/or commander being burned alive till only bone & ash r left…but i would b very bothered if kyle, mitch, spooky were killed…i’m about 60% concerned about fluke’s well being – mostly because of how something bad happening 2 fluke would bother kyle

I was worried about Tsu the first time he seemed in peril when Laampy first appears. Although for some reason I feel less concerned now. I think I’m mainly concerned about what affect loosing Tsu would have on the team members because I’m sure they would care. I am generally less concerned about Tsunami then the other members, not because of how he has treated others, but because I just feel like I don’t know very much about him compared to the others.

It’s a page update night —
How is everyone this Friday?

Caught a cold I’m afraid. And how are you doing?

I’m soliciting movies to rent over the weekend.

I hope your cold goes away quickly

Thank you! Found any good movies?

I found a bunch of duds — “Central Intelligence” is a silly and stupid comedy. “Get a Job” wasted my time. The “Transformers latest abomination with Marky Mark just insulted me.
I’m wondering if buying “Manchester by the Sea” is worth it

And I”m going to add Turner Classic Movies offered “High Society” free and that just finished. I love those old musicals and this has Sinatra, Cosby, and Louis Armstrong.

Considering my own fondness of well-made musicals, maybe I should add that one to my to-watch list.

Grace Kelley is the female lead and it’s lovely.

Good. The raging thunderstorms of yesterday afternoon seem to have cleared, and it’s nowhere near as how as last weekend.

cold with flurries but headed once again to 60 deg F

Though it now being saturday here, I’m doing well. Day of doing a little cleaning at home, and a lot of reading, and tomorrow is a grip to the movies and a little grocery shopping.

My lip-burn is finally near healed, after 12 days, but I’ll get a tiny scar/dent in my lip. Will barely be noticable, as it’s almost in the corner of my upper lip.
It means I can get popcorn in the cinema this time. Had to skip that salty treat the day last time I went, day after I got the 3.degree burn 🙂

I’m reading Neil Gaiman’s “Norse Mythology” and thoroughly enjoying it. Next book up with be Dava Sobel’s latest on Astronomy

Morning Danish!

Hello Doki and Danish!

Hello ^_^

Morning 🙂

Glad to hear your lip healed.

What was the movie?

Saw Hidden Figures a couple weeks ago. SO good, and I hope it wins the Oscar for best movie (I know the little controvercy a change in the movie caused, but didn’t take anything away from me for the brillance pf the three leading ladies).

Tomorrow is Moana. Wanted to see it earlier, but tomorrow is only day it’s shown in original English languaged and not dubbed.

I’m waiting for Hidden Figures to be available on my cable. I’ll buy it. I’ll watch Moana when it is free.
BTW – I’ve read “The Light Between Oceans” — take a box of tissues with you.

For your camping entertainment: hellsnake fanfic

Shane And The Hellsnakes – 13th Bite
(A Young Protectors occult sitcom fanfic. Inspired by the stories of AMW comics.)

1st //disq.us/p/19v8eu2 || 2nd //disq.us/p/1a2o442 || 3rd //disq.us/p/1alqq0b
4th //disq.us/p/1bj02c1 || 5th //disq.us/p/1cbqswr || 6th //disq.us/p/1clrnat
7th //disq.us/p/1doiwuu || 8th //disq.us/p/1egj1wy || 9th //disq.us/p/1emw5b5
10th //disq.us/p/1epytxa || 11th //disq.us/p/1f1wo70 || 12th //disq.us/p/1fnz03n

PAGE 1 – Helping Neighbours
(1.1) Medium shot of Shane, Dewey, and Alice’s boyfriend Matt, all standing outside one of the doors in Shane’s apartment complex. There is a refrigerator in the doorway, and some shopping bags on the floor.
Mrs Whittaker: “Thank you for helping me get those groceries upstairs, boys.”
Shane: “It’s no problem, Mrs Whittaker.”
(1.2) Medium shot of Shane, Dewey and Matt walking downstairs.
Matt: “You know, Alice never mentioned that one of her neighbours is a refrigerator.”
Shane: “Who, Mrs Whittaker? She only looks like a refrigerator.”
(1.3) Medium shot of Shane, Dewey and Matt, paused halfway down the stairwell. Matt looks slighty boggled.
Shane: “She’s actually one of those shape-changing robots from outer space. She just likes to keep to a more compact form.”
(1.4) Medium shot, same positions as before.
Shane: “Why? Is that a problem?”
Matt: “I’m a nerd, man. I should be over the moon knowing there’s an alien living upstairs from my girlfriend. Instead I’m feeling like the straight man in some sort of weird comic strip.”

PAGE 2 – What Is This Thing You Call Normal?
(2.1) Medium shot of Shane, Dewey and Matt continuing to walk down the stairwell.
Shane: “Yeah. I think I know the feeling.”
Dewey: “Hisss?”
(2.2) Medium shot of Shane, Dewey and Matt arriving on the entry foyer on the ground floor. Shane looks embarrassed, and rubs the back of his neck.
Shane: “Well, see… I’m the guy who’s in a polyamorous relationship with a bunch of hellsnakes. And sometimes I get the feeling that my sense of ‘normal’ might be kind of skewed.”
Dewey (sternly): “Hisss.”
(2.3) Medium shot of Shane, Dewey and Matt standing in the foyer. Shane protests to Dewey.
Shane: “I didn’t say it was wrong. I’m just saying that my weirdness censor might have totally flip-flopped so that everything seems normal.”
Matt: “What, you think you’ve gotten blase?”
(2.4) Medium shot of Shane, Dewey and Matt still standing in the entry foyer.
Shane (thoughtful): “It’s more like my sense of normal got kidnapped by little green men in a flying saucer.”
Dewey: “Hisss.”
Shane: “Well, yes. And who wanted to perform embarrassing medical examinations.”
Matt: “My problem is that after meeting Mrs Whittaker I’m not sure whether that’s a metaphor or not.”

Oki, question. Are you guys also experiencing that there’s ads showing up within the comments section now? Not just the usual ones above below. I’ve had that happen for a month or two now, though most times there’s just a ‘comments will continue below ad’ line, but no ad.
Some few times it comes with an actual ad-picture/link, as it happened for me on this page now after a refresh.

Since no one has said anything, I wonder if it’s something my tablet is putting in, after I probably managed to activate/accept some ad-app somewhere.

YES! That started showing up the same time Disqus stopped showing all new comments unless I refreshed the page!

yes, there are ads in the comments thread. They are a total pain

How are they a “total pain”, Dave?

It makes it hard to scroll on my computer. I’m laying on my side and I have limited movement for a two fingered scroll.

Tell me a little bit more about that. How does it make it difficult to scroll? Does it not work on the image? Is there no room on the side?

I have a Macbook Pro and a bad shoulder so when I have to scroll lying down it eventually hurts the shoulder.

But worse, the ads appear multiple times after about 4 or 5 comments and if there is a hundred or so posts, scrolling is doubled almost.

Hmm. The ads I’m seeing are about the length of a single comment, and on this page I’m seeing maybe 4 of them?

Are they much larger for you? Are you seeing more than 4?

Four across and then another bunch of comments and four more across down the complete comment thread

So are you seeing two sections of ads on the page or four, one after the other? I’m not sure what “four across” means. How much vertical space are they taking?

Basically, I’m trying to find out what’s happening that’s nearly doubling the vertical scrolling time for you. For me, it is adding four more comments worth of scrolling, which isn’t a whole lot. But it sounds like you’re having a different experience—one I should probably bring up to Disqus. :/

I’m seeing 7 ad segments on this page spaced into the comments.
I’ll screen shot them and email so you can pick out the places by matching the comments.

Interesting. You don’t need to screen shot, I trust that you’re having a different experience.

Let’s both reach out to Disqus about this. Seven ads in 130 comments is a bit nutty.

I see the same thing on Media-Ite were I post political comments.

OK, on the reach out to disqus

I’ll do the same. I just did a count. I don’t get the ads, maybe one will show here and there (and sometimes go away after a refresh), but if I got an ad every place the line is on this page, I would get 7 as well.

i have chrome browser and use AdBlock browser extension & don’t get any ads in comments

AdBlock stops them.

It varies for me how often the ad-line appear, and refreshing the page again now made the ad go away so I’m back to the line only.

The line most often show up every 5 threads/ main comments. It doesn’t show up in middle of a thread.

They show up in the middle of the thread for me.

Bleh, and sounds like you get more ads across than me too. That sucks. I’m now more fine with my one ad here and there xD

It varies between one rectangle and four squares

Yes, I noticed that too!

This is a new “feature” that Disqus added a couple months ago. Often, though, it doesn’t show new ads, just the “comments will continue below ad.”

Are other folks having the same issue Doki is having with the comments not refreshing on their own? I haven’t encountered that yet.

I’ve had a couple times where the comments didn’t auto-updated without a refresh, but not as a common thing. Just the typical Disqus-glitch that happens here and there.

That’s been my experience as well so far.

I’ve been seeing something like that for a while, but it’s varaible. The embedded ads tends appear on my work computer, whereas my laptop at home tends to just have words telling me that the comments continue after the ads.

Patreon rumbles

I’m guessing the line “pardon me there’s a booger in your nose” won’t work on Laampros.

New page is up:
http://webcomics.yaoi911.com/typ/ch5-page-35/

This is so hard to watch