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Comic Transcripts

RUTE 1

FLUKE

HAN ER DEN FARLIGSTE FORBRYTEREN I HELE VERDEN. ALLE VET DET.

KYLE

JEG VET. OG DA JEG FØRST SÅ HAM DA SLOSS JEG MOT HAM. MEN SÅ…HAN VIRKET BARE SÅ NORMAL.

RUTE 2

KYLE

EN DEL AV MEG VISSTE AT DET VAR GALSKAP, MEN DET HAN SA, MÅTEN HAN SNAKKET PÅ…JEG TRODDE KANSKJE DET VAR GREIT. KANSKJE SOM NOE MAN SER PÅ FILM.

RUTE 3

KYLE

OG JEG VET DET FÅR MEG TIL Å HØRES ENDA DUMMERE UT.

RUTE 4

KYLE

HØR, JEG VET AT DERE NETTOPP SA AT VI ER VENNER OG SÅNT. MEN JEG VET HVA JEG HAR GJORT…

RUTE 5

KYLE

JEG SIER BARE AT, DERE TRENGER IKKE Å…JEG MENER, JEG FORSTÅR…

RUTE 6

FLUKE

VI TRENGER IKKE Å HVA?

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Quadro 1

A)Paul: Ele é,tipo, o criminoso mais perigoso do mundo. Todo mundo sabe disso.

B)Kyle: Eu sei. E quando eu vi pela primeira vez, eu lutei com ele.

C)Kyle: Mas, então… Ele apenas parecia tão normal.

Quadro 2

D)Kyle: Uma parte de mim sabia que era loucura; mas, o que ele dizia, o jeito como conversava… Eu pensei que talvez ficasse tudo bem. Talvez como alguma coisa que você vê nos filmes.

Quadro 3

E)Kyle: O que, eu sei, apenas me faz parecer ainda mais idiota.

Quadro 4

F)Kyle: Olha,eu sei que você acabou de dizer que nós éramos amigos e essas coisas. Mas, eu sei o que eu fiz…

Quadro 5

G)Kyle: Eu apenas estou dizendo que vocês não tem que… quero dizer, eu vou entender…

Quadro 6

H)Paul: Nós não temos que o quê?!

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PANEL 1:

FLUKE

ER IST SO ZIEMLICH DER GEFÄHRLICHSTE VERBRECHER DER WELT. JEDER WEIß DAS.

KYLE

ICH WEIß. UND ALS ICH IHN DAS ERSTE MAL GESEHEN HABE, HABE ICH GEGEN IHN GEKÄMPFT.

(weiter)

ABER DANN… SCHIEN ER EINFACH SO NORMAL ZU SEIN.

PANEL 2:

KYLE

EIN TEIL VON MIR WUSSTE, DASS ES VERRÜCKT WAR, ABER WAS ER SAGTE, DIE ART, WIE ER SPRACH… ICH DACHTE, ES WÄRE VIELLEICHT OK. VIELLEICHT WIE ETWAS, DAS MAN IN EINEM FILM SIEHT.

PANEL 3:

KYLE

WAS, WIE ICH WEIß, MICH NOCH DÄMLICHER KLINGEN LÄSST.

PANEL 4:

KYLE

SCHAU, ICH WEIß, DU HAST GERADE GESAGT, DASS WIR FREUNDE SIND UND SO. ABER ICH WEIß, WAS ICH GETAN HABE…

PANEL 5:

KYLE

ICH MEINE NUR, IHR MÜSST NICHT… ICH MEINE, ICH WÜRDE ES VERSTEHEN…

PANEL 6:

FLUKE

WAS MÜSSEN WIR NICHT?

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PANEL 1

FLUKE

HE’S, LIKE, THE MOST DANGEROUS CRIMINAL IN THE WORLD. EVERYONE KNOWS THAT.

KYLE

I KNOW. AND WHEN I FIRST SAW HIM I DID FIGHT HIM.

BUT THEN… HE JUST SEEMED SO NORMAL.

PANEL 2

KYLE

SOME PART OF ME KNEW IT WAS CRAZY BUT WHAT HE SAID, THE WAY HE TALKED… I THOUGHT MAYBE IT’D BE OK. LIKE MAYBE SOMETHING YOU SEE IN THE MOVIES.

PANEL 3

KYLE

WHICH I KNOW JUST MAKES ME SOUND EVEN STUPIDER.

PANEL 4

KYLE

LOOK, I KNOW YOU JUST SAID WE WERE FRIENDS AND STUFF. BUT I KNOW WHAT I’VE DONE…

PANEL 5

KYLE

I’M JUST SAYING, YOU DON’T HAVE TO… I MEAN, I’LL UNDERSTAND…

PANEL 6

FLUKE

WE DON’T HAVE TO WHAT?

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The Young Protectors: Engaging The Enemy Chapter Three—Page 16

January 14, 2014 Alex Woolfson 485 Comments

Yep, that suit is definitely going on. All right-y. Let’s all then please take a moment to say “Happy trails!” to the happy trail!

We have new Fan Art by Sapfo—and it’s a crocheted version of the Giant Floating Eyeball! You must check this out. 🙂

Oh and…

***THIS IS A BONUS PAGE***

Our twenty-seventh bonus page in a row! And in addition to our regular Saturday updates, there will be a bonus page (page 18!) next Wednesday, a bonus page (page 20!) on Wednesday, January 29th, and a bonus page (page 22!) on Wednesday, February 5th! And look below! We’re already at $265 towards the bonus page after that! HOLY CATS! You are all AMAZING!

Special thanks go out to long-time supporters Allison C. (who makes their third generous donation to The Young Protectors!), Sarah P. (who makes their fifth generous donation to The Young Protectors!), & Sara F. (who makes their thirteenth generous donation to The Young Protectors!), and a warm welcome and grateful bow go out to new supporters Neal E., & Sonja I. for their generous donations over the last few days!

Big hugs go out to new friend of The Young Protectors Michael U. and also to long-time friends Matthew C., Marc B., & Stephanie C. for their super-generous $25 donations! And this makes Matthew’s second, Marc’s fourth, and Stephanie’s twentieth super-generous donations to this comic!

And ZOMG, very grateful hugs and very humbled bows go out to long-time mega-friend Christopher D. for their stunningly generous $100 donation and also to long-time mega-friend Nicolas F. for their jaw-droppingly generous $200 donation! And this makes Nicolas’s twelfth and Christopher’s thirty-fifth stunningly generous donations to this comic! You guys are TOTALLY, INCREDIBLY AWESOME! Thank you so, so much! 😀

Thank you all so much for your generous support!

So! Looks like Kyle is offering his pals some kind of way out. What do you think they’re going to say to that?

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

DING! DING! DING! DING! DING! DING! DING! Edit 1/15/14 5:16 PM: MORE POWERFUL THAN A LOCOMOTIVE! You’ve done it again! Thanks to your generous donations, you’ve yet again tipped over the donation bar! That means that in addition to our regular Saturday updates, a bonus page (page 18!) next Wednesday, a bonus page (page 20!) on Wednesday, January 29th, and a bonus page (page 22!) on Wednesday, February 5th, there will now also be a bonus page on (page 24!) on Wednesday, February 12! WOO HOO! Thank you all so, so much! Hope to see you there! 😀

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485 Comments

Friendship 101 .. remember.

JUST MISSED IT

I posted and then it said two messages. Had to check which came first 🙂

I was typing mine, saw yours come up, and was like, “Oooh, so close!” You’re like a ninja!

*shakes head* Do not go against the Wolf.

She’s a trained virgin hunter.

Once she smells a virgin in the air, she’s ferocious!

You don’t want to accidentally stumble into the path of those teeth, I gotcha. Haha!

I have to get those I can while I can 😉

In about 2-4 weeks I’m gonna have to start leaving camps early if the page is up much later than this. I’m starting a 13 weeks course and busses from here doesn’t have the best timing with meting time – had it just left 5mins earlier and I could take a bus half an hour later. Instead I get to sit and wait half an hour at the workplace before anyone shows up .. and leave camps early :-/

Friendship 101 is tweeting your friends when you notice they aren’t camping. *grumpy face*

Congrats on getting the virgin.

Oh My Spooky’s face. He knows just what Kyle means.

Grazzi għall-paġna mill-isbaħ ieħor!

Pjaċir tiegħi, Christopher. 🙂

Gratitude in multiple languages — always classy, Chris!

Google translate informs me this is Maltese… and I have to wonder why this specific language? *curious Sofia is curious*

I wish I had a fancy smart answer, but it just sounded exotic… yeah…

Ha! Fair enough. 🙂

Ooh, I feel a friendship rant from Paul coming on!

Paul: [angry] “We don’t have to what?”
Kyle: [small voice] “Try to defend me when Commander hauls my ass over the fire”

I love Spooky’s expressions on this page.

Is it a ooh-noo-skin-covered sadness?

My favorite thing about this page is Sapfo’s crocheted version of the Giant Floating Eyeball! Haha. I thought that was so funny! And Sapfo did a dang good job! 😀

Aaaah, it’s a cuddly George!

I saw the pics on twitter a couple days ago, and loved it.

Always on the virgin hunt?

Not.. always, but often 😉

Thank you. George was fun to make 😀

I am still waiting for my own George

Always staring…
https://twitter.com/admiraljane/status/419721051761672192/photo/1

So you want a Georgy eye you say. Well maybe if you are a good Android there will be one for you.
I am right now working on George 2. He is a little bigger then George the first.

Kyle seems to be back in self-flogging mode and Paul will take none of this shit.

And, maybe it’s my overactive imagination but, once again, Spooky’s expression tells me he knows too well what Kyle means…

I wonder if there will be some kind of tribunal process where the professional heroes, or whoever’s in charge of hero activities, decide how to deal with Kyle and what he was involved in. It makes me worry that Commander might have to consider cutting Kyle from the team or otherwise distancing the other Protectors from him to save public face…but then again if she did that she’d probably risk having Spooky, Fluke, and possibly Mitch walk out in support of Kyle.

(Speaking of Mitch, maybe now would be a good time for him to bust in like “NO WAY, BUDDY”)

The Young Protectors going rogue?
I hadn’t thought of that but… I like the idea!

Sounds like a recipe for badassery…

Indeed it does >:D

After watching that last page of Spooky’s Klye ass-pection… I think Kyle is only capable of good-assery. But, I’ll take it. Lots and lots of it. Yeahhhhhh.

I hadn’t thought about Kyle getting reprimanded… Poor kid. He needs a hug…:(

Definitely needs a hug, although having clothes on means we’re at least moving in the right direction!

Maybe they don’t have to fall from grace with him? Cause there will be some MAJOR repercussions.

FLUKE AIN’T PUTTIN’ UP WITH YOUR BULLSHIT, TOASTY!

LOL!

Oh geez, even the creator lol’d, and I didn’t even know my comment was that funny until I saw the number of replies I got via email in my inbox. o-oa

WELL shit.

It was the nickname that did it, Nova. It’s as hilarious as Commanda calling Spooky “Magic Boy!” 🙂

TOASTY. I love it!

OMG, I can’t breathe!! LOL! That was fantastic!!

“Toasy” snigger – I would upvote this a thousand times if I could.

Yep!

Despite the serious situation I’m so focused on watching Kyle dress.

Watching someone dress the right way can be almost as erotic as watching someone do a good striptease, because you know what the clothes are hiding. Kyle is doing a good job of dressing himself xD

And well..Kyle is finally getting clothes on again! Who should have thought that would become a good thing >.>

Oh this page, Kyle hates himself, spooky sad, and Paul is going friendship rant. Also can anyone figure out how Kyle put his costume on?

I was wondering that myself… Is it a zipper?

Magnets?

How do they even work?

On second thought… Maybe a material that returns to it’s original form. Kinda like a temperpedic matress.

Memory spandex!

Exactly!!

‘Gay-dex’. It’s a special material where the clasps and zippers never block the view. Mmmmmm… the view. 🙂

Never block the view and never ruining the line of the fit.

I don’t think there was a zipper…..I think he just pulled it on….though it is still a bit confusing

He seems to be zipping it or something on panel 3. :0/

Something really-really-reeaally thin & along the flame then…

Like an onesie? (or a wetsuit?)

Looking at it, I’m pretty sure it’s a zipper up the front. I’ve speculated on this before: There was a similar scene in an early Wolfman/Perez issue of the Teen Titans where Changeling is dressing, and it was pretty obvious there was a zipper up the front that was otherwise totally invisible at all times.
Perhaps it would be best to think of it this way: The art for superhero costumes is almost always abstracted so that it looks like the skin tight costumes are actually painted on, rather than material. It’s only occasionally that you get artwork from the likes of Alex Ross where you actually get to see that it’s obviously material with wrinkles.

I can picture Edna in my head smiling mysteriously and saying, “Trade secrets, dahling, trade secrets…”

I think costume changes are an area where magical girls have the advantage. They just have to transform and their costumes will appear on them.

I feel like I say this almost every page, but the facial expressions are just heartbreakingly perfect. Especially Kyle in panel 3 and Spooky in panel 5. My feels! Augh!

Okay… Time for sleeps. Thanks you Alex and Adam and Veronica for working so hard for us. Goonight yalls.

Goodnight!

Night, Simba!

Night Simba!

It’s our pleasure, Simba. Sleep well. 🙂

The faces are just so amazing on this page, we almost don’t need Alex’s beautiful words! I just want to hug all of them and tell ’em it’ll be ok.

As for what is going through Paul’s mind right now is probably something along the lines of, “Oh I see, thank you so much for letting us wuss out and leave you to do this shit alone.” Which is where he Gibbs slaps him up side the head and says, “What the hell kind of “friends” do you take us for? We are gonna be in this with your sorry ass to the end Thelma and Louise style, amigo!” >:(

And they won’t even have to die when they drive their car over the cliff, since Mitch could catch them!

Now Jamie, I don’t mean to disagree, but if we’re going to go all THELMA & LOUISE let’s remember Brad Pitt’s abs in that film… I’m not sure they’d ever get to that final scene. With a little more gay-ness that film would have ended right there with Brad. Mmmmmmmm… Brad (those were the days).

Paul: “Shut it, Kyle, and let us just be your friends.”

And Spooky – these last few pages… OMG, I love him, he is awesome.

I appreciate how each of them has such a distinct personality that really comes through in the writing and art and how the dynamic among those personalities shows why they are such a good heroic team together.

ETA and Sapfo’s eyeball!!!! Put it on your bedside table so it can stare at you ALL the time!

I try to teach him to vacuum and cook. unfortunately, little success so far. He just stare at me and don’t say anything o.o

Fluke might be the one to question Kyle’s actions, but he’s sure also going to be the one who sets him straight if he tries to talk them out of helping… I hope.

No Kyle.. no going lonely cowboy here. This is going to be a team effort with friends. There’s no way aroud it, and I seriously doubt any of them would let him even try. Time to listen your friends.
Spooky sure doesn’t like it – be it Kyle’s ‘it’s MY responsibility to fix this’ or Paul going angry, no he doesnt like it. For some reason I don’t think Paul gets angry often, but Kyle finding it oki that they wouldn’t be up to help.. that does it.

Faces are seriously cool on this page, and Veronica’s coloring brings out the starting anger in Fluke’s eyes to perfection

I concur with all of the above! 😀

well, with most… setting him STRAIGHT? no way! 😉

*snort*

HA! Setting him “straight!” Wow, I’m totally confused now. So by my calculations, that would accrue Fluke an almost infinite amount of ‘bad luck’ which would mean he could do an unlimited number of good deeds??? Or that would mean that…

*chris wanders off muttering to himself in confusion*

Yup!

Oh yes! Well said Miss Wolf.

Adam and Veronica really lay it on well when they want to give us cranky Paul face. Those fierce looks make you want to take a step back. WHOA!

Definitely the kind of friend we all need. They will have your back without a doubt and forever. How-ever… definitely the type who goes in the “no-bullshit” category of friends. I’ve got a couple of those. If you talk without thinking it through carefully, prepare for an ass-kicking! LOL. 🙂

I know -I’m swooning over Kyle’s flaming trail!

I’ve been drooling over Kyle in that first panel! Mmmmm, lovely, just lovely! *blushes*

If I could experience – or could have experienced – someone like that at least once in my life, I could leave this world content.

Awww, don’t say that. You’ll make me sad. Don’t worry I’m sure there’s some hot and sexy, but sensitive guy out there just waiting for you. Though he probably won’t be a firestarter. Then again, considering what happens when Kyle gets that special, happy feeling, it’s probably for the best. 😛

Tybalt, beat me to it!
*hugs*

So not the only one…. 🙂

Pleasant birthday wishes, Sofia!

Thanks, Steven! 🙂

Happy birthday, Sofia. 🙂

Thanks, Jakk!

OMG! Happy Birthday and many more.

Awww, Spook’s face in that last panel is killing me. He looks like a kicked puppy dog! Not like I’ve ever actually seen a puppy that’s been kicked… but you know what I mean. I tend to take Spooky for granted because he’s always such a joker, but that look just endeared him to me. I shan’t overlook you again Spooky.

@Sapfo: George looks FABULOUS!

Yes, yes, he does!

Thank you <3

So.. the suit. Looks like it has some hidden zipper line going in front – under some of the red – and then some strings to pull things tighter.
How ever the tricks of the suit works.. it’s well made. Very well made *yum~*

Bye, bye treasure trail. It was nice while it lasted. We won’t forget you.
Maybe we’ll get to see you again under better circumstances.

OMG, I’ve been such a silly stinker all focused on who’s gay and who’s not and, of course, this page hits the nail on the head… none of THAT really matters. What matters is who your friends really ARE. Alex, as usual, you, Adam and Veronica have given us a page that puts what’s really important front and center. Thank you for giving us a heart-breakingly emotional page. This is wonderful drama, and made even more wonderful by all the effort you’ve put into it.

I love the way Kyle tries to put the impossible into words. He DID fight off Duncan… well he fought off the ‘Annihilator’, until he was fooled into believing he was dealing with ‘Duncan’. I can only echo what I said last time. Kyle does a better job at 18 of trying to explain the impossible, than I ever could have at his age.

The lead up to the date DOES sound like something from a movie… so reasonable. Hey I’m old and cynical and I went there right with Kyle. I wanted to believe. How could I ever blame a needy 18 year-old from desperately wanting love and giving in to the worlds biggest scam. I sure would have gone there. As a reader, I sure did. So to see him shoulder such blame now is emotionally so hard.

And now to have to explain it to your friends? OMG. How hard is that?

And now Kyle feels he must give them an ‘out’. Sofia has said it well, a number of times, he’s a true hero. So generous and so giving. He’s forgiving his friends in advance, because they’ll probably need to blame him. Once they really understand what he’s done to the destroy the world. Hell, even before it actually happens, even before they actually blame him. When Kyle says, “… which make me sound even stupider…” He’s forgiving them in advance. It’s heart-breaking.

Looking at Spooky’s face in panel#5 made me cry. He gets it instantly and it breaks his heart. Okay, “me not manning up” here. I cried over Spooky’s expression. Seriously. Mo-tears. Good job you guys. Yeah, Spooky is too cool for school, in the sense that I “wish” he were gay, he’s just that good a character, but that doesn’t really matter. Simply put, he’s just a really good character. So some of my silliness is simply that…. wishing an awesome character was gay. It doesn’t happen often enough in our world. That said, it doesn’t make Spooky one bit less awesome that he’s not, and my teasing should just be shelved for the silliness that it is.

I also really like the contrast between the Spooky and Paul. Of course I don’t KNOW Paul’s story, but from the emergency phone call to this moment, gay or not, you know he’s Kyle’s REAL friend and it’s clearly a best friend that will kick Kyle’s ass for assuming less of him… “We don’t have to what?”

Kyle is focused on the fact that he fucked up and the world’s end is his fault and that he’ll understand if his friends need to dump him. I suspect that Paul will kick his ass for even thinking such a thing. Paul looks pretty fucking furious that Kyle would even think that is an option between them. Honestly, I don’t know who to feel sorry for.

From the first panel and the best little red treasure trail EVER, to the last panel and Paul’s ass-kicking face… this page may be packed with more honest emotion than most pages I’ve ever seen in any Graphic Novel.

Yes, I cried. But it was worth it. Thank all three of you for the really great work. Honestly.

All best,
ChristopherD.

That was beautiful, Chris! You always sum it up so well! *hugs* I was teary eyed myself, especially when I first saw Spooky’s face.

Spooky’s face made me tear up too. Perfectly stated!

Your comment has made my night, Christopher. It’s so nice to have you as a reader. Thank you. 🙂

That’s an excellent analysis of the page, Chris.
Thank you for expressing what a lot of us feel, so eloquently.

Happy birthday Sofia!
If you where a hobbit you would be an adult in 3 years time 😉

THAT is why I still feel like I’m not a grown-up yet?!?

Now it all makes sense!!! Thanks, Sapfo! XD

Sounds like Kyle might have some friends who have his back.

I agree! Friends like that are rarer than superheroes.

YES! The virgin is mine!!! WHAT do you mean? I did not get it? I don’t understand what you are talking about. obvious the virgin is mine. O.O

Note to self: must build time machine.

*Hugs* You crocheted GEORGE FINNEGAN!! That is so awesome!!

I understand the secret of time travel is chips and strawberry yogurt. Blueberry to suppress the villain, strawberry to travel in time. 🙂

Thank you Mod AJ. What would I do without you! Strawberry check!

You are welcome! 😀

I thought it was vodka?

I think vodka is for making time dumb. But might be wrong about that 😉

Nah, that just slows it all down. Need to speed up for time travel.

For the first time since arriving, Spooky looks like he is taking this seriously. He knows, I think, what Kyle is going through. He looks so pained at that expression and it honestly makes me wonder if his interest in older women extends to Platinum Priestess.

I love how Fluke is just…so…PISSED. Kyle, you fucked up. I woulda probably fallen for Anni as well in Kyle’s shoes but that doesn’t change the fact that he triggered the end of the world. But I don’t think that is why Fluke is pissed. He is such a loyal friend that he dropped everything to bring Kyle clothing. He even looked for clothes other than his uniform to make Kyle more comfortable. He is pissed because Kyle is thinking less of their friendship.

Ahhhh the feels.

Omg… bf is sad that Kyle is putting his clothes back on. XD! Love him!

That is indeed awesome. 🙂

It’s the little things that I fell for. 😛

You can let him know that some of the upcoming Kickstarter reward prints will have full nudity. So, buck up, buckaroo! 😀

Ha! I didn’t tell him about the kickstarter before. XD I totally forgot. I’ll have to do that when he wakes up.

He can’t wait for those to be released. :3 Actually, I can’t wait. :D! Hey Aleeeeeeex?

Oh I fucking LOVE the look on his face in that panel!!

“We don’t have to what? To be your friends anymore? To trust you? To be your teammates? Are you serious? Are you even close to real right now? Did we not just fly all the way across the country in the middle of the damn night to rescue your naked ass?”

Fluke is pissed, but he also knows that now is not the time.

There’s just something about those three middle panels with Kyle..

I keep staring at them. I can’t say specifically what makes them so special for me. Oki, I know the emotions and dialog touches me. That goes for the whole page, but there’s something else.. something I can’t describe.

What I can say is that I really like panel 3 and I just love the angle in which panel 4 is drawn. Amazing detail of letting us readers be ‘placed’ between Paul and Spooky. It feels like Kyle is meaning ALL of us the way he looks our way. As we readers are a part of that group of friends.

It’s like he’s looking directly at us, and none of us would let him handle this alone either. Both Spooky and Paul’s faces show how we feel about what he’s saying.

Hmm.. maybe in a round-about way I just explained to myself what that special extra is…

What you said… and said so well.

Thank you 🙂

How does Kyle’s suit work?

Memory Spandex!! 🙂

a leg in each trouser leg….as a jumpsuit and a hidden zipper

Very beautifully, even if it is covering up all of that gorgeous skin

Strings to pull and hidden zippers xD

It works really good 😉

I feel like I’m going to be savoring that first panel for a long time…

Why do I read Fluke with the voice of Cyborg from Teen Titans?

Paul: nobody Messes with my friend. Not even my friend!

Exactly! This.. said with just a single sentense.

Dirty mind moment: it you look at the panels in reverse it looks like Kyle is stripping 😀

Woohoo! So it does.

*lol* I just said somewhere below that watching someone getting dressed (the right way) can be as sexy as watching someone undress, because you know what was just covered up. It really is like a striptease in reverse.

I love being in bed watching someone getting dressed. But it might be the lazy part of me, knowing I dont have to get up just yet 😉

Oh Kyle! As Fluke said, they’re your FRIENDS!….they’re not going to abandon you because you made a mistake….a big mistake, yes, but an honest mistake….
If anything, they’ll just have his back even more now.

The look on Spooky’s face says more than any words. He knows what Kyle means, and it makes him sad.

Beautiful piece of work, both script and art.

Thank you, Jules. 🙂

woah dude you need to calm down, I know its a big deal but that look on the last panel, there’s more to it than that, let Kyle talk. >.<

AH! I FORGOT WHAT DAY IT WAS! Okay i’m going to go back up and read the page.

Wow, Paul looks really pissed. I think he knows exactly what Kyle is about to say. And maybe I’m assuming wrong, but it really seems like Kyle is saying that the other two don’t have to be his friend anymore. Now if it’s because he may have doomed the planet that’s one thing, but if he’s suggesting his BEST FRIENDS are going to freak out because he’s gay, then I can definitely see Paul setting him straight in an angry fashion.

I think Spooks might be a little taken aback and assure Kyle that’s not the case, but i really feel like Paul would be legitimately pissed off if Kyle suggested he would stop being his friends due to his sexuality.

HOnestly I think only Tsunami is going to make a big deal. OR as I suggested when they were looking at the fanart, he’s cool with gay people but not people portraying HIM that way.

I think he might be more angry that Kyle thinks so lowly of him or thinks that they would understand how he can be so naive and not trust his own childhood friends.

I think Paul is about to put the smackdown on him, which is good because Kyle needs it, but at the same time the guys should understand that Kyle is in a dark place and is really hating himself right now.

I think it’s the whole “being in a way responsible for the Apocalypse” that Kyle thinks might be the deal breaker. And I get why he feels the way he does, but I don’t blame Paul for getting pissed. For one, facing the consequences of what you did is one thing, self-pity is another. Paul ain’t got no time for this shit. And second, it is kinda insulting what Kyle is insinuating here. His friends wouldn’t fly across the country to come to his aid if they thought what he’s done is inexcusable and unforgivable.

Excuse me, but all I see is that fiery treasure trail…

Yes, I’m a shallow woman, sue me.

No worries, there, Lilka. It’s as beautiful a sight as one of Veronica’s sunsets!

Panel 1: Hello Treasure Trail
Panel 2= Treasure Trail is hiding, but I see you!
Panel 3= Torso Shot.
Panel 4= WHERE DID YOU GO!?

OOO! I can’t wait to see what happens next. Paul looked mad there. Makes me think Paul likes him. That be amazing. but damn poor Kyle.

I think friends with paul and the other friend .he made a mistake and he want to know if they are still friends and on the team. everyone make a mistake but you learn about friendship and forgiving each other . or its something else

oh noes Spooky’s face, so sad :(((

“George Finnigan Edwards, aka The Floating Eyeball.

…George resting on a tiger. Because he can.”

Brilliance. Sheer brilliance!

Just what I needed to wake up to! Thank you!!

Aww Is it okay that I am totes in love with Spooky’s sympathetic and so adorable face?

no i think m in love *gazes off into the sunset with spooky*

in panel one it looks like he could be stripping just that the words out of the bubbles and put new ones in

ouch, that look of hurt on spooky’s face says it all… I do understand how when you mess up really bad, it can feel like you somehow aren’t worthy of your friends love, but i also understand how somebody acting like you would just abandon them would really really hurt…

I’m pretty sure that my reaction to what I believe Kyle was going to say, would have been the same as Paul’s. I almost can bet I would want to kick his ass, even more than Anni’s, after such a stupid thought
.
What the heck is that kid thinking?! For God’s sake! Such a nonsense!

Spooky’s face… Ouch! >-< Bad Kyle! Bad!

AND,the pants are on!

Well, at least he feels a little better, now, beind dressep up… Right?! O.o

Kyle feels like an idiot for trusting Duncan, and now he feels responsible for a possible demonic invasion.

Yeah, it’s probably not the best time for Paul to go all Mama Bear “What were you THINKING?” on him.

Exactly!

Ok. But none of those things justify his stupid thoughts.

How could he think his friends would turn their back at him?! What kind of friends he thinks they are?

Oh, I would be so furious at him, if I was on their shoes, right now!..

I do understand why he’s feeling unworthy. But it doesn’t make his friends as douchebags as Duncan…

Because that’s it exactly – he *is* feeling unworthy. He’s going through extreme feelings of self-disgust, self-loathing, and he doesn’t think he deserves to have anyone support him or be his friend anymore.

What he’s saying now isn’t a commentary on Spooky or Paul’s character – Kyle isn’t at all implying they are the type of douchebags that would abandon him or betray him. He’s thinking that he doesn’t deserve them, that he’s the douchebag here, and he wouldn’t blame them if they did decide not to stay friends with him.

All of this is why I am seriously pissed off at Paul for
berating Kyle like this and at this moment, when the trauma is still fresh!

I know that. But still… I can’t blame Paul for beeing pissed at him. Not just for thinking less of his friends, but also, for letting that old fox, make him think less of himself.
I know I’d probably want to hug him, too,(that’s why I wrote “I’m pretty sure…”), ’cause he is, definatelly, too hurt and too lost… let’s hope they can help him with it, too…

I think you are correct and definitely agree with all your sentiments here. Not what Kyle needs at the moment after what he’s just been through and his internalized negative feelings about it all.

He’s thinking this way because of EXPERIENCE. The last time he let his dick do the thinking he was twelve, and he lost his foster family because of it. He’s had six years of self-rationalizing that tells him having sex not only hurts people (his foster sister) it causes people to leave (his foster family). He had sex with Anni, and then hurt him. Anni abandoned him. And now Kyle expects his family to leave because he had sex.
Six years of self-propaganda. Pretty hard to overcome in 57 minutes of even more self-propaganda.
So Kyle is ready to say “Happy Trails” to his family because he has spent six years accepting the ‘fact’ that this is what happens when he lets his Happy Trail out to play.

Hi, there!
I don’t remember seeing here, before! ^v^ Hello!
Oh! That’s an amazing explanation! I hadn’t thought this way… Nice!!!
Oh, poor baby… Now I’m feeling bad for being mad at him! ><
You are SO right! It's everything the same way…
Well, at least, we know it won't end up like that, again…

Signed up for Disqus just to say this. See you around!

Thank you! We appreciate it! 🙂
Hope see you here, again!

Welcome. Great comments. Please don’t be a stranger! Best, ChristopherD

That is a very insightful comment.
However, while understandable (and maybe even justifiable), Kyle’s way of thinking is -and should be- unacceptable for his friends. Which is why I like that Paul is gearing up to tear him a new one, just for implying that he’s not worthy of their friendship.

Sometimes, only tough love will do the job.

Well said!

Thanks Chris.
I also really liked your comment above. (http://webcomics.yaoi911.com/archive/ete-ch3pt1-page-16#comment-1202901053 )

Very well said. 🙂

Sofia, did you change your avatar back to this one, or is this a new one you are using altogether?

It’s a new one. Until I settle on one, I change my avi once every two months or so.

I was just wondering, because I had no troubles, no being taken by surprise with the new avatar.

I wish I was half as pretty. *pretends to pout for 30 seconds then gives in and smiles and sticks out her tongue*

I just choose good photos 😛

Nah, I am an ugly duck, plain on a good day. ^_^

I saw the “you” avi you used a couple of weeks ago and you didn’t seem ugly to me.

I’ll have none of this talk. >:(

Well, you haven’t seen me with my sisters…hmmmm give me a sec…..

Try being me with sisters like this: http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac248/dokidokibaka/205837_2159147813292_385839_n_zps8a70a09b.jpg

The link doesn’t work for me.

However, I don’t need to see that photo to tell you that prettiness is a state of mind more than anything else. A confident woman is a beautiful woman. And that’s regardless of whether you have make-up on, just woken up with pillow creases on your face or you’re standing next to Claudia Schiffer.

So, repeat after me: I say I’m pretty, therefore I am. 🙂

did you try the first or second link? I tried out the first and it didn’t work so I edited it and put in a link that does.

*sigh* Doki, you’re missing the point and I’m going to go all Fluke on you.

And that is a very nice pic btw.

heh, you get enough negative reinforcement when you are young and it becomes really hard to fix as an adult.

As I was saying about Kyle’s personal reinforcement for the last six years.

I’m a middle-child and my eldest sister looks like Jasmine from Aladdin. I know all about being the ugly-duck in the family. When I was in my teens I was too thin and looked like a boy (short haircut, boys’ clothes and all). I was awkward and gaggly and with my nose always buried in a book while my sister was graceful and feminine and the heart of every party. Back then I cared what people thought, now not so much.

Oh, and while I’ve been home visiting in the last few weeks I had some people tell me I need to gain weight and someone saying I need to lose weight. Others like that my hair is now so long and others think shorter hair suits me best. Which only proves there is no pleasing everyone -and the only thing that matters is that you’re happy with yourself.

It has ceased to be something that affects me either way, it just became one of those things that just is. You know one of those things that you no longer notice yourself until someone else points it out?

And personally speaking, I think there was much worse psychological damage done to my young self then my looks. ^_^ mmmm that probably is why my sense of humor is often a bit off/weird

*hugs* I’m sorry you’ve had to go through so much shit, and I’m happy to have to chance to get to know you (a least a little tiny bit) here.

Eh, its life. Most of my more messed up things stay inside my head, so I can at least pretend to not be as messed up as I really am. ^_^

Heh, I always said if a psychologist ever got inside my head they would either have a field day or go insane. ^_^ It is something I have learned to deal with. ^_^

Totally jumping into your conversation to support Sofia’s line:

“A confident woman is a beautiful woman.”

True for all men/women everywhere. Spooky is the ultimate example. Personal taste aside, how much of his attractiveness (and it’s a lot) is because he’s so damn confident and cool. He can stand next to a naked Kyle and you KNOW he’s not worried about how he looks in comparison.

So no matter who we are, we all have our Claudia Schiffers in life. Genes are genes and unchangeable, but self-confidence is changeable and always worth working on. There is no doubt that confident people are attractive. FACT. So, maybe it’s not easy, but definitely a thing worth working on.

Sorry for butting in… I’m out. 🙂

Best,
ChristopherD

Thank you Sofia.

Oddly I was spring-boarding off the same thoughts as you were sharing above and below. I can’t blame any of the three characters. They all seem very human in their different reactions to me.

Kyle: Has to say this. It is part of who he is. I don’t think for a minute he doubts Spooky and Paul’s loyalty, but in Kyle’s world a true friend (him in this case) doesn’t drag his friends down into his self-created messes. He gives them a “man’s” out.

Then, when they come join him in the fixing, as of course they will, it’s their choice. In his own mind Kyle is doing what a true man/friend does when messing up big. He takes full responsibility and doesn’t expect anyone else to suffer for his screw-up.

Spooky: Gets it all instantly. Not going to change a thing, and his heart breaks a little that Kyle has to go through this painful (and inevitable) step of making the offer. However, he gets who Kyle is and why he has to say it. Not mad, just sad that Kyle has to work his way out of this pit of self-loathing that comes with making such a huge mistake with Duncan. (And we also don’t know what, if anything, Spooky knows about Kyle that none of the rest of us/them do???)

Paul: He’s the youngest (17!) and simply doesn’t understand yet why they can’t skip this step because, of course, it’s ridiculous. It will take Paul a minute or two to realize that the statement is all about Kyle, not about him or a reflection on his true friendship. He’s just ready to move on and kick some ass. And they will. 🙂

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I said it pages ago, when I was so mad at Duncan, if you go back and re-read Duncan’s lead in to getting Kyle’s trust and then his monologuing throughout at the paralyzed Kyle (before hell and after). Duncan doesn’t ever say one thing EVER to make Kyle not think this is all his fault.

Maybe Duncan honestly doesn’t know how, and it never occurs to him (sucky life with no friends like Spooky and Paul?). Maybe he’s just a douchecanoe and doesn’t care? Maybe it never occurs to him the pain he’s leaving Kyle in, behind him. Maybe Duncan just doesn’t have the generosity of spirit?

I have no real idea what Duncan was ever thinking. I sure know a lot of guys who never got one positive word from their fathers while growing up. Not in their whole lives. So, I have no idea what has made Duncan the man we saw?

So, it’s understandable to me that Kyle has to work all this out of his system. It was a cruel journey. I suspect the next date Kyle goes on won’t be an easy one. What Kyle went through would have been a punishing road for any of us, let alone an 18 year-old on a first date — with a MAN.

Some of you will just have to trust me on that. It’s tough. There are (usually) no life-examples for a young gay guy to follow for that first dating step. No manuals and often no older gay friends as examples to talk it through with.

How could Kyle not carry serious weight for this?

After my third lame date, I realized that bad-dates are just part of the journey and it wasn’t my fault. However, it took me a few really sucky dates to realize there was no way to skip straight to the good ones, thus NOT MY FAULT. That’s called life experience, and Kyle just hasn’t had ANY. Thus why he was the perfect mark for Duncan… and of course Kyle knows none of this yet. It took me a long time to get a grip on dating. I think if we took a vote most here would agree that dating (on the whole) SUCKS!

Thus all of Kyle’s self-condemnation.

I agree with Sofia. Both friend’s very different reactions are pretty much essential for Kyle’s growth.

Live and learn. Painful and good, all mixed together.

You’re on a roll on this page, Chris! 😀

Nicely stated!

Exactly. He doesn’t need this now, especially when the trauma is still so fresh. Paul should know Kyle is going to get enough of a beatdown for all this from Commander anyway.

ahhh I knew Kyle would say something like that! I can understand why he might have a hard time trusting people right now. D’:

Friends are friends for a reason, Kyle.

You want me gone?
No way mate, you are staying on this team! We are going to need you more that ever

They’d never stop supporting Kyle and that is great. So, he plans to hunt Anni by himself but I’m sure they’ll follow him.

Ehh, goodbye, butt, till the next time! 😀

Lol, I love the fanart!

Yeah, you tell him, Paul!

I have to say, waking up and reading all the comments is almost as fun as camping. Almost. 🙂

Ah, first day of classes and I get a Young Protectors page! I look forward to this ever Saturday afternoon! ;D
That fifth panel is perfect, btw.

This doesn’t really have much to do with this page, but I’m a bit concerned about what will happen during the demon invasion. Of course, the Young Protectors will have to fight, but what I’m mainly worried about is whether or not Kyle’s pyrokinesis will work on his foes, seeing as how they come from a dimension that is filled with the same fire. Wouldn’t they be heat resistant?

Then again, to condradict my previous statement, seeing as how Kyle was able to hurt Duncan in the hell dimension, maybe the reverse will be possible and the demons will be vulnerable in our dimension. Maybe, just maybe. I hope my rant makes sense, lol. 😀

In other news, the sadness I feel at Kyle’s adorable trail of fire being concealed is almost more than I can bear!!!! (;o;)/

If fire can’t fight fire,they will have to bring in ice, which melts creating water to douse the flame….just my thoughts there.

Let’s hope Tsunami can create ice 😀

It’s kind of almost unbearable when it is being shown, cuz it gets me so hot and bothered I can hardly stand it. If I could only find a lad of my own with one of those to snuggle up to, it wouldn’t be as frustrating.

If that comes out “Don’t have to stand by me”…..that is what sets Fluke off because they are a team.

“If you think we’ll stop being your friends because of something as unimportant as your sexual identity, choice of a lover, or unintentionally ending the world as we know it, I’m going to Gibbs-smack™ you on the back of your thick fiery head”

But I wanna see more of Kyle’s butt. D:

Welcome to the club! XDD

Even I need a rest from naked Kyle. But I think those beautiful cheeks may make another appearance at some point…

Happy trail O.O
In my country it´s call a pick-up trail XD

“what that we can leave that are friendship is over if you think it can be over that fast you are just as crazy as the old guy is. We are your friends before anything else then after that we are Heros and as such we are going to save the day”

I like the way they are watching Kyle get dressed XD Awesome pervy! XD

Why do I get the feeling that these guys shared changing room before? Spooky and Paul has a half-averted gaze (look more at eachother then on Kyle) when Kyle gets his suit on. But as soon as the important bits are covered so they have no problem looking at him again.
Changing Room Ethics 101 😉

And you just reminded me that Our Boy Kyle is commando under there. You win everything today. 😉

aaaaaaaaaaaaaand the alternative would be?

I have to admit I’ve been a little ambivalent toward Spooky lately, but that expression of his in the 2nd-to-last panel of worry/concern is just adorable and priceless – like that of Flyboy’s several pages back.

Isn’t he? So freaking adorable! <3
I miss Flyboy, btw… Poor kid! He certainly is anxious outside…

I sure would like to see him give some comforting to Kyle.

Anyone who could do that now, would certainly be very much loved by all of us… 😉

You know, for all of Fluke’s worrying about Spooky stressing Kyle out, it sort of seems like Fluke is being a lot shorter with him.

There are a few things I would like to address.

1) For those that think Spooky’s face is showing hurt in panel 5. Most likely not. My face has made that exact same expression more than once. It is usually followed by, “Aw, honey….*hugs*” (or at least those sentiments, because I often get that when reading. It is when my heart breaks for what the character is doing, completely understanding the reasons behind it. How much it hurts them to say it, but they have to say it). It isn’t hurt about your friend doubting you or anything like that, it is understanding about what isn’t said and hurting for your friend. I think Spooky is hurting for Kyle in that panel.

I completely agree with @chrisdangerfield:disqus’s reaction to that face of Spooky’s. Seeing an expression I often get over a character ON a character….it is quite a bit emotional.

2) Fluke…..why is it I always have troubles trying to explain my reaction to him….hmmmm….while Spooky automatically gets what Kyle is saying, I really don’t think Fluke does. Fluke, I think along with most of the readers, seems to be thinking that Kyle is questioning their friendship. That isn’t the case. At least I don’t believe it to be so. They are focusing on the small things, and while Kyle was initially worried about his friends reactions, I think he is addressing the bigger issue here.

3) This is maybe going to get a bit long. Kyle: I am really getting a bit annoyed with the people that are lambasting Kyle for what he has said on this page. Why is it people are so quick to assume the worst about Kyle’s statement? Considering how much he has already surpassed our expectations in handling things? He has proven to be much stronger than we have expected him to be, so why are you lambasting him now? Are you guys conveniently forgetting what Kyle said right before that statement?

Kyle: Look, I know you just said we were friends and stuff, but I know what I’ve done…

I’m just saying, you don’t have to…I mean, I’ll understand

This is Kyle taking responsibility for what he has done. This is Kyle telling them that he knows he is in deep hot water. That he is going to have to face a lot of negative repercussions for his role in how things went down. He is saying he is ready and prepared to take the full force of what is going to be coming his way once this gets out. They had nothing to do with this, they don’t have to be pulled down with him. He is not questioning their friendship as such, he is giving them a way out so that they aren’t pulled down with him. He is saying what he is out of caring for his friends. Bringing him clothes and helping him leave the warehouse is completely different then asking them to stand by him and get thrown under the bus with him. I know if I had (I really hate to use this phrase but I cannot think of a better one) “screwed up” as badly, I would not want to pull my friends down with me. He is proving just how much of a hero he truly is with this. He is saying he will not blame them if they leave him to face the consequences alone. He isn’t doubting their friendship, he is looking at the big picture and the implications for their future if they stick by him. He is saying that he won’t blame them for looking out for themselves. This is a very big thing Kyle is doing here. I know I wouldn’t blame any of his friends if they decide to let him face the music alone. I would be disappointed in them, but I would not blame them. There are difficult choices to be made, very difficult with major implications. He is giving them the choice to either stick by him now or get out while they can. It is not about him questioning their friendship.

I personally don’t think any of the three that came to help Kyle will leave his side. Though I could see a couple of different reactions from Mitch. A) Doesn’t really think about things and just leaps to Kyle’s side B) Takes some time to carefully think things over and agrees to stay by Kyles side C) Leaves Kyle’s side, but then starts feeling guilty about it and getting angry over people bad mouthing Kyle and then tries to get others to not be so harsh (ultimately still on Kyle’s side, just not BY his side)

Yes yes yes! That is the “Oh honey” face Spooky is wearing and explains exactly why I was having that very reaction towards Spooky. This face is usually then followed by a hug, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. Well, if Spooky was a woman, I have a feeling it would be, but he’s not and I don’t know how these things work between male friends.

So saying that. Thank you, Doki! You said a lot of what I was thinking and I just couldn’t seem to find the words to say. 🙂

I will say understand some where Paul is coming from (whether I care for it or not), it is insulting in a way that Kyle would think that they would stop being his friend just because he screwed up, but I believe you’re right, that Paul doesn’t completely understand where Kyle is coming from.

I don’t feel that Kyle is implying that he thinks they are going to stop being his friends because he screwed up. Just saying that he understands if they distance themselves a bit from him to avoid getting sucked in to all the negative things that are going to happen around him once everyone finds out. Like I said, he is giving them the choice to either back out now or stick with him. Sticking with him could also negatively impact them and their future, not just his own. THIS is what Kyle is thinking about with that statement. He is putting his friends above himself.

Of course. But at the same time, what Paul would find insulting, was that Kyle would even think that they (his friends) would back out of being his friend, that he would actually give voice to such a thing at all. That’s why I was saying Paul didn’t understand where Kyle was coming from. Paul’s seeing it one way, Kyle’s meaning it another.

I was mainly trying to address all the negative comments about Kyle that have appeared in this comment section than Paul specifically….because I can kind of understand his reaction while not agreeing with it. It is everyone that has been maligning Kyle that is bothering me the most. All the “How dare Kyle doubt his friends” comments.

Ahh! Well I was pretty much agreeing with you then. 🙂

I can’t speak for anyone else but my “how dare Kyle doubt his friends” comments, are the vocalization of what I believe Paul to be thinking, not my own thoughts on Kyle.

Again, I can’t speak for other readers, but that’s how I’ve read most other comments as well.

I really haven’t seen anyone maligning Kyle on this page.

I think you are all right, in different ways, saying similar things.

To me, it’s about what Kyle NEEDS to say.

Because that’s the kind of hero Kyle IS. He needs to know that he has given his friends the freedom to disassociate themselves from his herculean fuck up. I’m not sure he’s thought it through far enough that he believes they WILL or won’t abandon him. I just think (for his own conscience) he needs to feel that he’s given them that freedom (he’s 18 friends… 18. YOUNG).

The difference between Spooky’s reaction and Paul’s reaction is simply maturity and personality.

IMHO Spooky is all out-going. He KNOWS his friendship isn’t going to change and he KNOWS why Kyle has to say this and that this isn’t about him, or about Kyle thinking less of the strength of their friendship. He KNOWS this is all about KYLE and his need to make it clear to them that he’s done an unforgivable thing in his own mind.

OTOH… Paul is just younger and a less laid back and more aggressive personality, and possibly a closer friend(?). Paul takes the statement on personally. As if KYLE IS IMPLYING THAT OUR FRIENDSHIP IS SO FLIMSY THAT IT WON’T WITHSTAND ANY-WORLD-FUCKING-ENDING-THING! BULLSHIT!!! So Paul is ready to kick some TOASTY (love that) ass before he’ll allow Kyle to even believe such a horrible thing.

Either way Kyle NEEDS to hear it. His conscience needs to hear it. His heart needs to hear it. This is really just the tail end of his feelings of self-loathing that started in panel#1 of page-13, where he was sure that he was everything disgusting and evil until Spooky gave him an yank and said… NOPE!

Both Spooky and Paul feeling and thinking the same thing about Kyle in opposite ways. In the end there probably isn’t anything better in the world for Kyle in this moment. HOW DARE YOU THINK ENDING THE WORLD WOULD EFFECT OUR FRIENDSHIP! DORK!

The truth is you have two equally good friends. One just immediately understands that it’s all about Kyle’s innate generosity and need to make sure his friends are free (Spooky get’s it instantly) the other one is going to take a minute to put it all into perspective and realize that Kyle’s needs are not a statement on their friendship. I have a friend like Paul. He’ll give you the last shirt on his back and the last dollar in his pocket, but imply he doesn’t love you and you might have to remove one of his size 11’s from your anal tract.

Yeah… friends are complicated. 🙂

See….I knew I should have just said…”Chris, whether or not you agree with me, you know what I am trying to say, could you just put it much better than me?” at the bottom of my first comment.

HA!

Which is in a way kind of funny, because I seriously thought about putting that at the bottom of that first comment. “Chris, I am not sure if I explained myself well, but I know that you will understand what I am trying to say, so do you think you could rewrite my comment for me?”

……I am really wishing I had left that in there. 😛

I feel like our go-to comment in general should be “Chris, please explain what I’m trying to say”

LOL. Yes. Exactly!!

Yes, yes, I think we are pretty much saying the same exact thing, just differently. 🙂

That is an excellent comment but I’d like to add something to it.

I think the main reason for Paul’s anger isn’t Kyle insinuating that their friendship is not strong enough to survive the end of the world (although I’m sure that’s part of it). I think what really gets Paul is that Kyle feels he’s not worthy of them sticking by his side and weathering the shit-storm with him.

He doesn’t say “I know what I’m about to face and you guys shouldn’t have to face it with me”, he says “I know what I’ve done”. He’s self-flogging again. And Paul, like the good friend he is, will have none of that and is ready to slap some sense into him.

Btw, I love how Paul and Spooky have automatically taken on the good cop/bad cop roles in this. Kyle gets both the understanding and the tough love he needs right now!

I believe that what you did miss about our reactions over Kyle’s words was that we didn’t assume he was saying they weren’t his friends… (At least, not in my case. Although I’ve had a lot of trouble trying to explain myself clearly…)

What pissed me was that he really believed they would LEFT him…

I know… I do! He’s so hurt, so lost, etc. etc. etc. But, he did judge his friends in a negative way, without even talk to them before; based only on his previous sufferings… Even understanding his reasons and his situation, we can’t deny the fact that he isn’t being so fair with his friends…

AND NOPE! I’m not saying they should scold him or hit him or make a big splurge about it or anything like that. I’m just saying that Paul’s reactions are perfectly understandable and forgivable. That’s my pov.

Besides, what really matters, now, is that they are friends and will remain as they always have been: friends. Kyle needs attention and care and the outside world should already be in need of help.

Okay, answer me this: Who in Kyle’s life has NOT left him? Who in Kyle’s life has always been there for him?

Up until this point EVERYONE has left him. If the people who took him in to raise him and love him like a son couldn’t deal with him accidentally burning the house down and accidentally causing his sister to be burned, why should he expect his friends to stick by him when he has essentially brought about the apocalypse?

Like I said. I DO NOT THINK KYLE IS CALLING THEIR FRIENDSHIP INTO QUESTION. Because of what he has been a part of and the decisions he has made, he is saying he can understand if they want to distance themselves from him. He didn’t say anything about not being friends anymore, just not as close. They are his best friends, but even best friends have actions that will cause a rift in the relationship. There are some things that no matter how close you are to friend will cause you to put some distance between them. I am not saying that this situation is entirely like that, because Kyle is the victim of an evil plot, but there are lines even in friendships.

His words to my “ears” were more hopeful they wouldn’t but understanding if they did. They are aspiring Hero’s. Kyle has been a part of something, unwillingly but still a part, that is going to have a catastrophic effect on the world. There are a lot of people that would not be understanding about it just for the fact that Kyle is in fact still alive.

THIS IS MY INTERPRETATION OF WHAT KYLE SAID:

Look guys, there be violent stormy weather ahead. It is my fault and my responsibility to set things right. I know you guys said you were my friends, but if you want to back out now, this is your chance. Before the sh** hits the fan/all goes to hell/etc

Kyle isn’t the only one who has ever done this speech. Harry Potter has said the same thing, heck, he even tried to ditch his friends once or twice, before they knocked him over the head and called him an idiot. Those that feel solely responsible for some thing, usually don’t forcibly drag their friends along with them, but give them the choice of whether or not to go into the lion’s den with them.

Even Frodo kept giving Sam the option to back home when things were getting really rough.

I know that, hun! I just said I understood Paul’s frustration and his reactions… I never said I didn’t understand ANYTHING about what Kyle meant… Even less that I didn’ t feel sorry for that, too.
But, I know I would have been mad at him, even knowing what he’d been through. I know I would!

But no, he’s not judging them, not in a negative way at all! It’s not about them. It’s about him feeling he is so pathetic and blameworthy that *no one decent* would want to be friends with him. His friends are decent, so he thinks there’s every chance they wouldn’t want to stay around with someone like him. He’s judging himself, not them.

If Paul gets offended at all this, he needs to realize not everything is about him.

Again, I’m definitely having troubles to explain what I wanna mean, in English language… I don’t know how to do it… Sorry!

Let me try again:

I just think that Paul wouldn’t even have remembered all the facts that we’ve already quoted, about the past of our redhead, and everything else …

It was something quick, unexpected and absolutely without prior notice. Therefore, it’s natural that the reaction is sudden and painful. The time to think and ‘truly understand’ the situation is not much. That’s why I’ve said that I know I’d have the same kind of reaction. It’s instinctive!

It doesn’t mean that he or we weren’t thinking about that friend or were worried about ourselves … just means that, what he said would’ve hurt us, too. Even though with a little more time to see things more clearly, we’d have understood everything … Know what I mean?

I was really hoping to see Kyle get a little heated with Fluke here.

“Oh, you’re absolutely right, I meet dozens of fire-proof gay guys who are exactly my age on a day to day basis, what was I thinking picking this one?

THAT would have been AWSOME!!! Kyle deserves it!

I was thinking exactly that. At the very least he should be like FFS, I know I was stupid, can you stop beating me up about it?!

EXACTLY!

It’s probably way too soon to look for that kind of self-confidence from Kyle after what just went down. But, yeah, Fluke’s doing a lousy job of looking at the whole picture of Kyle’s situation. Very likely Kyle woulda found some nice teenage boy if he weren’t afraid of BURNING HIM TO DEATH and little stuff like that.

To be fair, Fluke’s probably not thinking totally clearly after the shock of everything he’s just heard (from the potential end of the world to one of his good friends keeping secrets from him). And I can see how “why would you want to hook up with an evil old man who murders people?” might feel like a compelling question if you aren’t thinking clearly.

Or… (fangirl interpretation) maybe what Fluke really means is “why did you want to get with that creep instead of ME?” 😀

Oh, the question as you phrase it is perfectly reasonable. It was just the specific way that Fluke said it that bugged me.

“Out of all the people you could have done something like this with…”

Seriously? Tell me Paul, how many people could I have done something like this with?

Wow I’ve never seen Spooky so genuinely sad…hope they all make it through this together. Harsh themes going on, it’s no wonder you have such great fans Alex. You write such wonderful stories and Adam and Veronica just bring it all to life. Keep it up, always loving the new pages!

Thank you so much, Finzz! I’m glad you’re enjoying the ride. 🙂

I think Paul is gearing up for what I call a ‘cousin hobbits speech’.

“If you think we’re going to let you toddle off and handle this on your own, you’ve another thing coming! Thats NOT what friends DO”

Those are awesome terms to think of it in 😀

So the question becomes: out of Fluke and Spook, which one is Merry and which one is Pippin?

Spooky is definately Pippin, so Paul is Merry. Sorted 🙂

Ha ha! I think you nailed it!

I have a theory/question. Has anything been said at all on Kyle’s mother?

Big damn mystery!

Anything that’s been said has been pure speculation by we readers. 🙂

In other words, what Chris said.

Theorys how Kyles mother is:
1. Commander.
2. One of the “heros” from Hongkong
3. Time traveling flying baby from chapter 1.
4. George
5. Or Laampros is the mother, but how is the father? o.O

I like the George idea. It would explain why he kept watch.
Would that mean that Kyle can lead the lash army?

Don’t forget the Princess!

Yeah! Being a witch, she wouldn’t even need a dad for the kid… and she is, indeed beautiful! So… it’s possible.

If she is then she not the best magic user is she. I mean how gives up the half demon son, that now good magic planing.

Well… she can be a bitch-dumb-witch, maybe?! lol
(The bitch thing, just because… HELLOOO, she would’ve abandoned her son. — assumind that she really was his mother..) 😉

Abandoned her son, *and* would have been the one to have seduced him if he’d grown up straight? Ewww. I know she’s a villain, but that’s a pretty extreme level of horribleness even for one of the bad guys.

Agreed!

I don’t really believe that she was, actually, Kyle’s mother.

We’re just trying to figure out who would have been that person… so, we’re using every single possibility we can find; even the most bizarre ones. lol

Although, she could even have been his mother. Once she didn’t know that, she would try doing what they, (Anni and she),had thought… But, I really don’t buy it. Don’t know why. 🙂

Don’t you mean Platinum Priestess? (Sircea)

Oops! I must have Disney on the brain!

Hi Ho Hi Ho…

HA!

No worry! You and I can go and see Malificent 😀

– Picturing Tweedle-dumb and/or Tweedle-dumber as Kyle’s mom… LOL

Nope! He would’ve been the ugliest kid in the world! XDDD

– If George was the mother, Laampros could’ve been the father or/and if Laampros was his mother… maybe ‘Sauron’ is his father?! O.o (Ooohh! He wouldn’t be that cute if that was the case… XDD)
Keep thinking, guys! We need to find out this mistery! NO quitters! Keep thinking! lol)

If any of these were the case, from where, then, did Kyle get his amazingly handsome and adorable (and human) looks? (So, yeah – you are right about the “cute” part needing someone else involved.)

This comic is FULL of great mysteries!.. (No to mention the freaking amazing artwork). But, this one is definately a good one! Who the heck is his mother, anyway?!

I don’t know if we ever are gone to know, for sure. Maybe Alex has no intention to go that way…

Do you think Sircea would have a son with ‘George’?! (That thing is part of hell, too. So… maybe?!)

I believe the Commander is only in her early 20’s, so she can’t be Kyle mom.

Theory is this. If Duncan and the Priestess were looking for Kyle specifically then they had to have a hand in his conception.
1 they kidnapped a woman used her in a ritual with big red to get her pregnant and then released her. She either gave Kyle up or died in child birth.
2 they used a minion in the ritual and then put the Kyle into the system since they did not want to take the time to raise him themselves.
3 the Priestess herself is his mother and used herself in the ritual. She then put him in the system so as to keep him viable since he would not be on the hero radar.
Of course all of the these theory mean they have had this planned for over 18 years. What a set up.
Here is something we should have had put on the cards. Who is/was Kyle’s mother?

PP and Anni’s conversation inbetween sending Kyle to Hong Kong and Anni following him boils down to:
We need a demon fire person for this ritual. We’ve eliminated all other possible causes for Kyle’s powers. By process of elimination that leaves…
If they knew his name/description before he went into the ‘system’ they coulda-woulda followed the electronic trail he left when moving about. This suggests they may have known OF his origin but were not INVOLVED in it. It does not mean they didn’t know of it for the last 16-29 years; so the long term planning may still be on the table.
Also, who said they were looking for Kyle, and not just any demon-fire person. They found Kyle by whatever means and arranged things around him, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t others out there they might have use. (PP may be looking for a HETERO fireboy of her own to seduce in order to backstab Anni.)
Second thought: We have not in canon been told at what age Kyle entered the system. The answer to this would also contribute to the mystery of his parents.

Well then 1 and 2 may still apply just they were not the summoners. But they must know of another demon summoner that maybe bragged about it to someone otherwise there would be no rumor to follow.

Ahhh, the sound of bells ringing and whistles blowing fills my heart with such glee.

AHHHHH some days you just need a DING!

Ding ding, it’s the fan-train rolling 🙂

ding-a-ling
ding-a-ling
ding-a-ling
will someone answer the phone!

ah Fluke, Why you mad Brah? You’re about to make spooky cry

someone looks a wee bit angry boy-o!

For those that are Starfighter fans this video18+ was posted on youtube. I recommend watching it either alone or with your s/o. 😉 The second video flows right after it and is another comic that i read.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwM9gooVaP0&list=PLFGkiFReg8GwykE9suihEF16uZ7ygGztS&feature=share

Well done with SF, but clearly a video that hasn’t been caught by YT’s censorship and mature tagged yet xD I could watch it wihtout being logged on.

Wonder why they didn’t include the images of Abel topping Cain though….too hot?

*edit* *recalling those pages and slips off to a happy place*

Probably made before that page was up.

Could be. That would make sense.

Balls, my phone doesn’t have flash player… Grr.

;-;

Balls…

Yeah. That’s about it! Among other things… Yum.

Except for Cain’s Dr. Frankenfurter look… “Well, you got caught with a flat… Well how bout that?”

awesome! thanks for sharing 😀

You are welcome. ^_^

I love how two of the guys here have spandex-y super uniforms that are all snazzy, while our poor odd man out looks like he just walked, er, flew in off the street. Not that everyone wants a spandex uniform or should have one even if they do (first season STNG uniforms, anyone?).

I keep wondering if Spooky Jones deliberately dresses like that in a homage to DC Comics’ Trenchcoat Brigade (Ambrose Bierce: “You learn the basics, have a hideous experience in a graveyard, they give you a trenchcoat and steal your razor. Like an assembly line, really.”), or for a pop culture reference of more recent vintage, maybe Harry Dresden.

Spooky does give off a strong Dresden vibe. I’m not sure yet if he’s more Dresden-y or Constantine-y.

I am actually scared that Kyle going to be kick off the team for being gay but not because that what the team choose. The commander has military roots and connections to such, which bring me to believe that to let the YP function outside the norm she is made to follow military rules. One of those rules is don’t ask don’t tell, and Kyle is going to tell because he will give all information needed to save the day. The team can want him to stay all they want but if they want to continue without breaking the law Kyle will have to leave.

I am more worried about him getting kicked off the team for his part in the coming troubles than him getting kicked off for being gay.

I am too but if he proved himself and some dick with a stick up his ass really wanted him gone they could use that policy.

Or worse, Kyle getting vilified (sp) by the team for his part in it. 🙁

Don’t ask don’t tell was revoked years ago. Service members can be openly gay and there’s some talk of accepting legally married same sex partners on bases, so Kyle’s being gay is not going to be a problem from that regard.

When did that happen, I remember it being revoked but then put back into place a few days later. I hope you are right though that stupid rule.

^_^ *the photo makes me blush*
http://ht.ly/9lFXB?ref=nf

It’s definitely gone. I have a few gay friends in the military who were so happy when it happened. The battle’s not over yet though. There’s still a lot of discrimination in the armed forces, but they have sensitivity training in place now and hopefully it will get better.

It was repealed by Congress in 2010. It wasn’t ever reinstated, but it was ‘phased out’ over several months with the intention of giving the military time to do what it needed to do to make sure they didn’t have any significant problems.

You have reinforced my belief in the power of actualization, Alex! Here I was wishing for a chance to say goodbye to Kyle’s happy trail, and here it is, in all its gingery glory! 😀 It was nice of Kyle to offer his buddies a way out, be it out of being friends with him or helping him work out this situation, but he should know better than to think his friends would do any less than help him, and not just by bringing him some clothes either. Have faith in the tight knit of your group, Kyle–they will help you keep it together so you can keep everything from going to hell, figuratively and literally. 🙂

Veronica’s coloring of Kyle on the first panel makes him look almost 3D.

…No, I haven’t been staring much. What made you think that?

It’s hard not to stare, but you’re right it does. That’s some skill! 🙂

I think we’ve all been staring. We’re allowed. After all, it’s the last time we’re gonna get a chance to see Kyle show off his body for a while. Well, supposedly. Though, considering Kyle’s propensity for losing his clothes, I’m gonna give it like another half chapter before he’s naked again XD

Seriously though, I totally agree that the coloring in the first panel is AMAZING!

Bonus pages out to the 12th? Holy moly!

Oh and BTW, @disqus_P2huBPd9nS:disqus, the new avatar is awesome. Well done.

Thank you, kind Sir. 🙂
I’m trying different ones out, till I find The One.
I don’t think this will be it though.

…What did you think of the Clara Kent/Supergirl one?

I kind loved that one, and it’s attitude, and was sorry when it went. 🙂

Me too!

I think that was my favorite too.. I’ll leave this one on a few more days and then go back to that one -for good this time 😀

I liked that one. You make a good ms Kent 😉

I don’t know if I ever said it out loud but: did I mention I TOTALLY love the idea of a red-head superhero? And then right away being the main!
I always remember that one friend in my neighboring class who was bullied for being a red-head until 5th grade… yeah just for being a read-head… since it was so unusual at our small town where I lived back then… even though she had the MOST beautiful curls I’ve ever seen!
Well it ended in 5th grade when she punched that one dude a nice new eyecolour xD

ok back to topic: I love Kyle as he is but beeing a red-head adds a lot for me 🙂 big plus 😀

Your friend sounds awesome!

xD she was, before she mostly ignored it but that on time the dude actually took scissors and cut a curl off, holy sh1t she got angry! and the dud got not only a new eye but was also suspended for using that scissors, served him right

Good for her!

Oh indeed good for her! And I’m glad that he was suspended.

That makes two of us! 😉

yeah well we all saw it, no way he could lie his way out, who knows what could have happened if he continued with the scissors and she DID talk to him first!

I’m just trying to think what would have happened here. That’s why I was glad to know he got suspended, not her for punching him.

But then again, with the whole zero tolerance around schools these days they most likely both would have been suspended.

We have weird issues here. -_-

actually it was the only case ever I saw someone get suspended, maybe in Germany they’re not so strict about it? Of course I’m glad that HE got the penalty and not her, good thing the teachers heard us all out because of course they first saw him as the victim…

That’s what I figured would happen here. But then school in Germany, in Europe, is a lot different than it is here.

So good for her for standing up for herself! And for the class for sticking up for her! 🙂

I’ll NEVER be able to understand that kind of people! Redheads are SO fantastic! They are gorgeous! (I usually paint my hair that beautiful color, every twenty days, since I was 15! :D)
Kyle is, indeed, adorable! I also love him!

any discriminating is bull… even worse if it’s for your appearance which you simply can’t change :/
I guess there’s no need to understand those people, they probably just have issues xD and we have to add it was before 5th grade, so 10 year olds? Yeah I still think children can be the most horrible bullies!

Yeah! Children can be bad! ><

I love the fact that she knew how to deal with it for so long! ^^ Great girl!

possibly ^^ and yeah she just thought nothing of it xD sadly she moved away short after and since mobile phones were still in the beginning back then I never saw her ever again and then moved myself… sad though, but I always remember her curls 🙂

That’s life! Sometimes it suchs, sometime it’s great!
At least, you did learn some good stuff with her, uhn?! Including to love redheads and curls! 😀

I’m also especially fond of Kyle’s red hair. I had red hair when I was a child and I remember people mocking me because of my hair color. But luckily it didn’t happen very often and only in the first years of school. Sadly, as an adult my hair gradually changed from red to brown (with only a hint of red remaining). And now it changes again – to gray. Oh well, that’s life. 🙂

I would like to say, only in TYP can we watch a character put on his supersuit and still question whether or not there is a zipper and/or any other fastening device. ^_^

So true!! ^v^

I definitely agree. Originally I was kinda confused by this too, but actually I really like how it’s done here. I feel like the artist manages to maintain the superhero mystique. It’s like when you see the zipper in the the original Gojira, or see the strings on a UFO, it completely destroys the illusion. Here we’re shown that it’s just a suit and all, but there’s still some mystery to it.

Though, I also realized that you might be making a statement about our conversation habits, and yeah, that too! Haha.

LOL, a bit of both. Here we get to see Kyle put on his supersuit, even in steps in a way, and yet we can still discuss whether or not there are zippers, snaps, and/or ties.

they’re made of the same fabric as stretching tights: slip in and it fits xD

It’s Commander’s secret superpower: the power to tailor super-resistant, flexible team suits that magically glue themselves closed once they touch the bearer’s skin 😉 They’re also great for body shaping.

…or maybe it’s Flyboy’s super secret ability? Darwin’s law produced a hero with all the skills that go along with flying: resistance to insects, immunity to the influence of high speed and the ability to produce clothes that go along to flying around with super-speed.

Starfighter is updated…….O_O

http://starfightercomic.com/chapter_03_comments.php?page=Chapter_03_Page_89.jpg#commentwrapper

*cries* Hamlet said the next chapter is going to be the last *cries*

There seems to be a rush at the site. 😐

Yeah, it took FOREVER to load, I thought it was my browser at first, but then I had no troubles with other sites.

thanks for telling and yeah… it loads for 2 minutes already and I’m not even seeing the “enter” button yet o_Ö

Where did you read that the next chapter was going to be the last one?

Hamlet did a comment About it. And I think she said something on one of her forums ;_;

Hamlet Machine:

DUN DUN DUNNNN!

Starfighter Chapter 3 is officially finished! The comic will take a brief hiatus and return on Feb 14th! For no other reason than it’s Valentine’s day and I am a romantic, HAHA- but for real, Thisbe and I have to prep the book for print and do a whole bunch of other things that need to happen and take time, so we’ll have our hands full. I know I
said I was aiming for a Valentine release for the print, but the book Chp3 will actually be coming out later– I will be sure to make BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS when it’s available!

*THE COMIC ISN’T OVER, IT WILL RESUME ON FEB 14TH!*

*THE PRINT RELEASE OF CHP 3 IS NOT SET YET, I WILL MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT WHEN IT’S AVAILABLE*

Chapter 4 will be the next and last chapter of Starfighter, if I can do this properly!

As always, thank you all so much for your love and support! I am really happy to share this chapter with you, it’s been a lot of fun!

SEE YOU SOON!

Thank you. Good to know. 🙂

^_^ You are welcome. ^_^

I just fought a ‘minor’ blizzard to get home to read the page. I KNEW it was gonna update the one night in the week I’m not home xD
Sad it’s gonna be the last chapter, but I try to comfort myself with the thought that it’s probably gonna be at least a year until the last page.
I HATE when a good comic ends even though it can’t last forever.

Sequel?! ^_^

Can allways hope.

Yeah, I was just expecting 2-3 more chapters at the least, so chapter 4 being the last caught me a bit by surprise.

Man, and I’d *just* started following it! (thanks to you guys getting me interested)

I love how PISSED Fluke is about Kyle’s implied, “You don’t have to like me anymore.” I think it’s really fun to see someone reacting to, “I know I fucked up and you don’t have to be my friend over it” with “Excuse the FUCK out of you, you shit! How DARE you suggest I’m going to stop being your friend because you fucked up?!” rather than “Oh, poor baby, of COURSE we’re still friends.” Because if one of MY good friends was all you don’t have to stay my friend at me, I’d be demanding they explain what the hell kind of person they think I am that they’d think I’d abandon them. Certain things are unforgiveable, and everyone has their limits, but C’MON.

I had a disturbing though this morning while swimming at the back creek… (and, yes, before you ask, I do have the Dark And Paranoid Conspirarcy Theory Stick with me [waves the Stick], so, yes, I am aware that I’m probably just making up crap). Anyway, my mind wandered back to something that Annihilator said way back in the prolog: “Stop putting yourself last. You keep caring what the rest of the world thinks, there won’t be anything left of you to save anyone.” Now, granted, at the time that was probably just a line that Annihilator was using to butter Kyle up. But I find myself worrying about that bit of dialog as a thematic indicator.

I hope you’ll forgive me for beating the proverbial dead skrull, but as I’ve said several times before, one of the things I find so interesting about Kyle’s story whether he’ll react as a professional hero or as a testosterone addled teenager. The last few pages have been rich pickings in that regard, but overall the events of this entire chapter have been heartening: I have been joining with Sophia in going ‘Hell, yeah!’ every time Kyle has taken an action to sort the situation out rather than brood and procrastinate.

But here is the thing, there’s a qualitative difference between having a sense of responsibility and having the emotional calm to figure out what is required to best enact that responsibility. I’m worried that the self-recrimination Kyle is showing. Kyle’s headspace is Not A Happy Place at the moment. Thanks to Mr Jones it’s better than it was, but still, he’s had a series of very unpleasant betrayals and shocks during the previous few hours, story time. I strongly doubt if having an hour alone to worry about how the others would treat him has helped; I think he’ll need a while to bask in their unconditional friendship before that can happen.

So at this point I think it’s pretty clear that Kyle isn’t going to go into denail or even mopey teenager mode. Despite his fears about his secrets being exposed and how people will react, it seems clear that Kyle is going to Take Steps to deal with this demon invasion. What I’m worried about is that he’ll over correct into superhero mode. That effectively and on a subconscious level his reaction will be something like: He didn’t conspire with Annihilator to bring about the invasion, but his own naiveity and adolescent desires made him culpable, therefore he will do away with personal interests and wants. It’s not quite a matyr complex, in that he’s not wanting to be punished and isn’t taking masochistic pleasure out of pain. More an extreme wariness that his human weakness have caused disaster, so in order to avoid further disaster he should avoid human weakness – even though the rest of us could reasonably make the objection that this runs the risk of jetisoning humanity altogether. Or to get back to our thematic indicator: unti, he gets his head in order, Kyle is going to be tjhe best damn superhero he can be – and always put himself last.

[F*ck, I actually teared up as I typed that last sentance. That’s never happened to me before when I’ve been rambling on about TYP, Curse you Dark And Paranoid Conspirarcy Theory Stick!]

I think putting themselves last is the heroes’ modus operandi -by definition, being a hero means being ready to sacrifice yourself for the good of others. Kyle is just that type, which is why he’s gonna be a great hero.

That said, being ready to sacrifice yourself if need be and acting recklessly, are two different things. And that’s what I’m worried about.

As this page shows, Kyle is ready to face Duncan, The Priestess, Laampros and his whole demonic arm on his own, to rectify what he considers to be his mistake. If we were in the middle ages, Kyle would be wearing a brown itchy robe right about now, flogging himself with a leather rope and chanting “mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa”.

There’s no way the boyz will let him go after the baddies alone though. But still, I fear that they’re gonna try to hide what’s going on from the Commander to save Kyle’s ass. A way I can see this going is they try to fix this themselves, they fail, they’re either forced to reveal everything to the Commander or she discovers it herself (or worse, the other adult teams find out what happened) and then all hell breaks loose.

I’m sure in the end it will all turn out of the best but I fear our young hero’s trials are far from over yet and he’s not going to make it any easier for himself.

Yes, there will be drama. I’m not sure how the commander is going to fail to pick up on this. This is major and as of now involves three of the team members, so she should pick up something assuming that they decide not to tell her in the first place.

Agree on all counts. On further reflection I think I may have had a concern that Kyle putting himself last may become a close synonym for him doing something dangerously or even suicidally stupid. Which is on the hypothtical list of Things The Others Aren’t Going To Let Him Do. The only minor elaboration I can think of is: There’s a difference between being a hero who is self-sacrificing because, on the one hand, he loves humanity and thinks that the rest of us are worth it, and, on the other, who is guilt ridden and trying to make up for something. I think the former if preferable because he’d be psychologically more stable and – from a purely practical standpoint – better able to make the life and death desicions that the hero job desciption implies. (And from an emotive standpoint I think we can all agree that Kyle deserves a little bit of happiness.)

To make another comparison that just occurred to me: Remember back when Kyle and Annihilator were talking over wine, and Kyle admitted that before the Commander found him he was a mess, wanting to be a superhero for the wrong reasons? It occurs to me that with the state Kyle’s headspace is in, he may once again be motivated by – not quite the wrong reasons, since there have been lot’s of heroes motivated by guilt throught the history of superhero publishing – let us say not the best, nor the most effective, nor the most emtionally healthy of reasons.

On other matters, that’s it for me for today. I will not be around for Camping because my summer vacation is over, and I have to get dressed and catch the train back to Sydney.

“There’s a difference between being a hero who is self-sacrificing because, on the one hand, he loves humanity and thinks that the rest of us are worth it, and, on the other, who is guilt ridden and trying to
make up for something.” That’s exactly it.

And yep, I remember that discussion. I wonder if his reasons back then were that he wanted to make up for inadvertently hurting his foster sister. Or maybe it went deeper than that and he wanted to “make up” for being gay? His other discussion with Duncan, when he was begging him not to reveal to the world he’s gay, made me think he didn’t like himself very much and he seemed ashamed of who/what he was… :0/

Great post and commentary.

The Young Protectors: Engaging the Enemy tells the story of how
Kyle—a closeted, young superhero dedicated to helping everyone but
himself—ascends to become one of the most powerful champions the world
has ever known.

Alex on the Kickstarter page.

a new page in a few hours

……is quiet in here…..

……is camping day yes?

I’m here! Want some hot chocolate?

Yes please, Would like like some DiGiorno 4 cheese?

Absolutely!

*hands stickfigurefairytales a slice*

*hands Doki a mug of hot chocolate in return*

Thank you. ^_^

I believe it’s Friday eve

When we stay up late waiting for Santa to bring us gay superhero comics!

We love gay Santa! He is my fav Santa.^_^

Either that or Mrs. Claus is a fangirl…I mean she has to pass the time somehow right? 😉

YES!!! It’s a special holiday once a week. 😀

Or twice! 😀

Twice a week when there’s a bonus page (and people are in a time zone and/or work situation that allows them to stay up late on a weeknight)!

Yes, but Tuesday eve is it’s own special holiday!!

My coffee just reached my brain. I´m here!
And you missed me (I saw the chatroom. So sweet) ^_^

The Abel and Cain webcam show? I thought it was hilarious. ^_^

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17KwU3AdRuQ

Just found this and it made me laught out lound (and blush)

http://mobaby.tumblr.com/post/20828457132

*snickers*

Haaahaha, I love that!

There is snow outside now and by the look of it, it´s here to stay….
America, I thought we had a deal. You have all the snow and cold this year and well, we don´t. What happened? >_<

Sorry we’re wimps. 🙂

I thought you liked us :,(

Don’t look at me, I am all for keeping cold weather. Give it back.

Doki, where are you?
Have not seen you so I wonder.

Taking a small break from commenting on TYP. Still commenting elsewhere, just not here for a bit. I might start up again on Wednesday, but I am unsure if I will return that soon. I just depends on how soon I have something to say. ^_^ Which I am certain will happen soon enough. ^_^

Don´t stay away to long. I will miss you to much if you do. ^_^
But I see you at TH right?

I will be on an off in the TH chat

Off?
As in sitting back an not comment?

in and out? There and not there?

You are welcome what ever you do.

currently sorta there all alone

talking to myself

Or join the other page. AJ and Chris are having fun.

We do! I’m sorry, it was the east coast. Blame them. :

I’m not admitting to wimping out after having to endure all the ice storms and power outages and 2 feet of snow and -35 windchills and all the other crappy weather I’ve already had to deal with here so far this miserable winter. 😉

I agree.. after a snow-free winter so far, the winter has hit. Starting out with a snow storm. I’m freezing in this drafty place of mine. I thought it was our turn to have a ‘warm’ winter where temps stayed above freezing *teeth chattering* I need a fireplace instead of my bad working heaters.

Good morgning Danish!
How are you?
It was a doubble blankett night for me.

Duvet was warm enough after bodyheat was shared but I need better heaters. They hardly cover my living room, and don’t reach my bathroom. It’s an experience where you don’t use too long to do your business, sitting on a cold seat 😉
Now I’ll go find more clotthes.

And maybe some tea. Tea will warm you up good.

Thick sweater and socks, check.
Two scones, a banana and a clementine, check.
A cup of hot cocoa, check.
A blanket, check.
I think I can continue my morning camping now.

But if you eat all that, how will we know when the new page is comming. Your hunger pains was are alarm!

Well be alarmed because my stomach now is growling 😉
This one might be blurred becases I went to bed without eating dinner. Wasn’t hungry by then.

Well how am I to keep a wolf from her food 😉

I can relate. My house is pretty drafty as well. I had a space heater near the area I was sitting by the computer and I ended up dozing off in front of it one evening – then woke up to the damn thing burning my upper legs. Too cold or too hot. Can’t win.

This is a completely random thing with basically no connection to Young Protectors, but does anybody here like the Miss Officer and Mr Truffles fanart/comics on tumblr?

Have not seen it. So of course I have an opinion. 😉
Can you show?

Here’s some of the original stuff: http://lemonteaflower.tumblr.com/post/73263702852/a-continuation-of-this-miss-officer-and-mr

Just asking because there’s an interview up with the actual RCMP lady here: http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Canada/NL/Here+and+Now/ID/2430707592/

I liked it that she liked it. Make it more fun.

Thats so cute.

Can’t wait for the next one! I want to hear the rant (that is hopefully coming up). -Btw this is my first time commenting on TYP and first time commenting on this site. So Hello Everyone. Kyle is sexy. ^^ that is all.

Hello, Amberwolf! Welcome to our little community. 🙂

Thanks Admiral. I’ve been here for a while enjoying all of your guys comments.

Heh, couldn’t resist us any longer I take it? 🙂

I have cookies 😉

Cookies! Yes I couldn’t resist those. Cookies are awesome and a great compliment to the comic.

Cookies make everything better!

If anime has taught me anything it that no rant is better then a friendship rant.

Welcome to the community, Amberwolf! 🙂

Welcome, Amberwolf! Glad to have you with us on this journey! 🙂

I’m glad to be on it on the journey. -sidenote ALEX WOOLFSON WELCOMED ME!- okay i’m better

I was thinking of Kyle last night before bed….. yeah…that sounded…. I think Adam might have some say about this later.

Well back to Kyle. He is young, he is a bit naive, he is cute and and he has low self-esteem (at least right now). But might this have been a problem before, if maybe a smaller problem(?) He is a gay kid how did not really know if his friends and family would/could accept him for who he was.
I don´t really know where I´m going with this. but Kyle was/is a young protector and as far as we know he will become a hero. But how do he view himself?

It´s a really good thing this comic is about him. For I want to know more about him.

Sadly, I’ve got to head off to bed now. Hope you guys have a fun evening/night/morning/whatever time of day it is for you!

Good night Sticky!

Nite! 🙂

Goodnight!

Night Stickfigure!

Night! ^^

I just read an article that had me in tears *blows nose*.. so now I hope the next page isn’t to emotional. *.. I’m ‘raw’ right now, so it won’t take much.
*Wipes eyes* Paul better say something really good on the next page *goes to find a pack of tissues* ..

Yikes, I hope it was at least a touching article and not a thoroughly depressing one!

Really beautiful but sad.. or sad but beautiful.
Note to self. Don’t go read something just after you woke up where comments already warn you with the words ‘crying’.

The last pages have been about Kyle understanding that Spooky is cool with him being how he is. I think the next one is going to be Kyle understanding that Paul is also okay with it. But not in the comedy way that Spooky did it.
Spooky do things his way and Paul do them in another way!
Kyle don´t worry. you might get a scolding or two, but they are still your friends.

Crying towel? Nice and fluffy. Right out of the dryer?

Yeees ;_;

I’ve made apple pie!!!! 😀

Oh, I love some of that. Damn it, Now I´m hungry

sounds yummy!

It was kinda juicy instead of apple-y and caramel-y, like apple cider in a pie crust. Too much brown sugar and not enough white sugar or flour. But, still delicious!!!!

So I have been wanting to watch Supernatural but it in nine seasons already. Is it worth the time or is there any thing I can skip? Also here is some candy.

I’ve been in and out since it’s been on, maybe seen only three or four seasons all together. It’s pretty easy to slip in and out of so starting to watch now, shouldn’t be too hard to figure out what’s going on. They always do a Then and Now at the beginning.

So all in all, I say it’s worth it.

It´s only worth the time if Felicia Day is in it.

I think Castiel is worth the time. 😀

Castiel is VERY worth the time!

That man… *sigh*

Oh grrl, IKR!! >///<

He the one that insulted Justin Bever on twitter right?

I don’t know, but if he did, I would love him forever more.

Lol, who HASN’T insulted him on twitter?

That was Jared Pada…something. The one who plays Sam?

Jared Pendelecki (or nearly so – too lazy to check at the moment)

Jared or Sam on the show was the one who insulted Justin, then again Castiel could of too.

Was that an intentional typo, cause is awesome!

Awwww the Wally and the Beev….

And yeah – Castiel is the best part of the series – he was introduced in the 5th season, so that’s one reason I started there, as I mentioned.

I really enjoyed all of it, yes there are some episodes that you can skip completely and understand the whole previous episode from the Then and Now like Admiral said. Then again sometimes there are episodes that are just worth watching so its a toss up between skipping one and maybe missing something important or just them killing something in an impressive way.

The meta episodes are awesome. The one with the fairies…hilarious.

Yay, candy 🙂

It’s worth it! I started with season 5 though – when things start to really get interesting as angels are introduced – and things go in other directions than just standard monster-hunter tales. Maybe do Season 1 then skip to 5, go from there and come back later for the rest?

I’m kinda late to the camping session! But I brought the s’mores and hot chocolate! 😀

Yum, everyone’s bringing such good stuff. Mog’s got candy, Bianca brought apple pie and i think someone’s serving tea too.

*rubs eyes to get rid of sleep* Are we there yet?

Good morning baby Mod! (sorry been watching to much criminal minds)

I didn’t get the reference but good morning to you too 🙂

Fingers crossed.

Still camping, Sofia. Have a sit down and some hot cocoa 🙂

I’m still in bed so I’m lying down!
I woke up about… 3 minutes ago. 😀

Good morning! (I think?)

7.05am.

You’re spot on!

Man, you wake up early!

I went to bed at 1am and this is my vacation.
But, you know, this is TYP.

I wake up at 5:30… >.>

woow o.o it’s like 03:06 AM here , Good morning! :3

Morning. sleep well I hope.

*Rolls around* These awkward moves to get the sleep away are working XD

New page Baby Dolls ^_^
(way to much ciminal minds)

http://webcomics.yaoi911.com/archive/ete-ch3pt1-page-17/

I love Penelope on that show.

Me to! <3

Ah! I forgot about camping! Did I miss anything??

Uh-oh

True but this is a different breed of teens. They aren’t your typical high school group worried about college applications and what job their going to do for the summer. Not saying their not prone to emotional outbursts and poor decisions. Just that they have a little more practice at necessity.

That fine coloring detail in the last panel gives Fluke some crazy beautiful eyes!

Sorry if i may correct the grammar, it supposed to be “more stupid”, not stupider, as i know…

Kyle is eighteen. And traumatized. Grammar’s fairly low on his priority list right now :p