The Young Protectors: Engaging The Enemy Chapter 4—Page 56

July 26, 2016 Alex Woolfson 163 Comments

Uh, oh!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by my table at SDCC. It was amazing to get to meet so many of our readers in person! (And much fun to introduce new readers to our work!) You all rock!

Oh, and very Happy Birthday wishes for Doki and starrwinter! I hope your birthdays totally rocked! 😀

So! The Annihilator is powerless, maybe forever. That’s the good news. The bad news is whatever Tsunami has discovered. What could that be?

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

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163 Comments

Oh Fluke!

My thoughts exactly.

Fluke you should have stayed on the other side. I wonder if Tsu can’t stop the kill boxx.

I think the sacrifices are dead or that Sircea is back.

Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t think Tsunmai looks anywhere near stressed enough for it to be the return of the Priestess.

Just punch him a few more times to make sure that he’s lost his powers.

Maybe just a good knee to the groin.

I was going to say that but I’ve been so bad on the comment boards today that I was feeling a bit too evil …

When I was looking at a new computer chair yesterday, one of the chairs I really liked made me feel like an evil overlord when sitting in it. I thought it was for the best if I did not get the chair that made me feel like an evil overlord when sitting in it.

Who cares, if you sat really well in it. Then the overlord look is just an extra 😉

“Do it again, do it again. We like it, we like it.”

Of course there’s a problem 😉

And Fluke is full of ideas on how to handle Duncan.

Mitch.

Thanks Alex, my birthday wasn’t horrible but it wasn’t all that great either, but I have wine now so its all good. ^_^

*hugs Doki*

Don’t forget about your early/late birthday present that’ll be coming to you this fall! 😀

I am eagerly awaiting it. ^_^ *hugs*

Happy belated Dokiday!

Thank you Nate. ^_^

*sends more love*

aww… my bday resently was really unspectacular, too… the most meaningful thing about it was an exam I wrote >_>’
(and sadly failed with 2 mistakes too much T__T)
but yeah: in vino veritas xD

Thanks sweetie. ^_^

When was your birthday?

July 12th

Happy belated birthday sweetie!

thank you so much >/////<

Da Fluke hath spoken… Continue the pummelling!

(Never hath fisticuffs been so warranted)

Fluke made me laugh.

Gordon: Buzzkill in EVERY situation.

Now I’m picturing a TYP version of that scene of Hiccup and his dad in How to Train Your Dragon…

Spooky: Just try not to be so… [gestures broadly]
Gordon: You just gestured at all of me.

Of all the Tsunamis, Gordon’s the Tsunamiest.

Gordon buzzkills gay porn and punching old men.

Naah. He just upped the excitement again. The buzzkill was Kyle finding out that he couldn’t keep punching Duncan 😉

Just a nice big ol’ last punch and then continue on with saving everyone.

Paul, beating a defenseless man to death, or even unconsciousness, is not how to be the Good Guys. Not even if you think he deserves it.

He didn’t say to got that far, punches don’t have to be full strength every time.

Doesn’t really matter how hard you hit, it’s still beating up an essentially defenseless, old man. Either you are a good guy or you stoop down to petty revenge like that.

A ‘defenseless old man’ who just tried to murder a bunch of people in order to doom billions to undescribable torment and death at the hands of a legion of demons.

He IS defenseless now.

But I do not want to argue. Let’s agree to disagree on that, please.

What more is there to say anyway?

Alright. I’m ending it here. Wyrmidon wished to step away from the convo. Time to say Oki, and not try to engage any further by asking another question.

…that was me agreeing to end it.

Oki, it was just that you ended it with a queastion. But now it’s over and out 🙂

Theory question: Could Fluke be feeling so supercharged on bad luck, because *his* cells/body have gotten some saturation from the backlash of the blow? So he’s feeling extra peppy too?

Is it really ‘just’ the effect of having a lucky streak beyond what should be good luck, ending with him not hurt by standing next to an exploding device, or is there a little more to Fluke’s powers now?
Maybe just for a while or permanent.
It’s amazing that he suffered no injuries at all. Not even disorientation from a pressure/sound wave from something exploding right next to him. ALMOST as if he had a bit of invunerability flung his way.

It could just be Fluke, and how his powers work when they go all out, but …it’s plausible. And he hasn’t even had a chance to discover possible power changes (and let us know), because he’s staying back, not doing anything, to keep others out of Bad Luck’s way.

Love how Fluke went into Momfriend mode, like: “That guy hurt my baby boy Kyle, so keep punching him as long as you like. Maybe even a few more minutes, days, years. Who keeps track of time anyway?” Followed by that typical extremely over dramatic wink and a big smile all together.

*lol* Alex, Mother Nature is working against me these days. She’s having exceptional pretty sunrises just in the middle of you updating on page days. Biggest distration. It’s a race between watching for the new page/comment on it, and watching and taking pics of sunrise in between xD

Mother Nature’s competing for ratings.

Some have seen my photo of the sunrise during last page update on Twitter or FB. That morning I woke up to page had been uploaded up a couple minutes before I got to check, only for me to notice the dark orange glow coming through my curtains while I was reading it. Used 10-15mins watching the sunrise before going back to make my commenting.

Today I woke up, checked for page, none up yet, and was about to say goodmorning. Notices that the curtains is getting that glow again, and know what that means. Checks for update again, none. Then starts looking at sunrise, is distracted for about 5mins, comes back to check for update and it’s up with a couple comments, reads page, say short comment, goes back to watch sunrise a couple of minutes – and *then* starts to really process and comment on what I just read.

I’m a sucker for colorful sunrises/sunsets and otherwise funny, pretty and/or intersting clouds. Always has been. This time of year, it seems that glorious sunrise time (for when weather allows for it) is smack in the middle of high camp time. During the 30mins gap where Alex most often updates these days.
Not fair 😉

Uh oh…here it comes, whatever we’ve been expecting to ruin the moment of victory….and, is it wrong if I agree with Fluke? Just a little? 😛

I wonder what a regular person feels like compared to a super. Are they all squishy?

Probably much squishier! Like the difference between punching a regular person and one who is constantly flexing.

I hope Amanda is right. Duncan deserves to be permanently powerless. He’d even alliterate better with the other PP.

Hey guys, could you keep my grandmother in your thoughts? She fell again, but this time she got a gash on the back of the head and a long on on the lower half of her back on her left side. She is coherent, but she is refusing to go to the hospital.

I’m sorry to hear that. Does she at least let the family doctor have a look?

Well, the nurse was scheduled to come over tomorrow and it being so late she is just going to wait for them. -_- I would feel much more comfortable if she were in the hospital.

Well, maybe the nurse can get her to go. Sometimes people need to hear it from a medical professional. Hang in there, Doki.

One could hope, I am thinking I maybe should have had Granny talk to the nurse when she called.

In my thoughts & prayers, such as they are1

Of course. And for you.

*salutes* I shall send positive wishes your way.

Hey, best wishes to you both….

I am so sorry to hear this. My best to you and your family.

Sorry to hear it. I hope it turns out not to be too bad.

Yike. If possible have someone who can do so, override her refusal. She needs to get those checked, she could have a brain injury. (Friend of mine just bumped her head slightly once in a slip in a restaurant, and has had severe problems with bright light and visual focus since then. Traumatic brain injury is nasty and needs to be checked for immediately.)

Mother would be able to, but she isn’t. She is going to check on her when she gets off of work though in about 4 more hours, so she will be here in about 4.5 to check on her.

oh noes, and first thing I did was posting (also for your bday) and only now I read this >____<'

I hope she'll be well and that you can maybe still convince her to see a doctor at least (maybe outside of an hospital? If it's hospitals she dislikes, maybe a private practise?)

She is in my thoughts doki.

What problem is Tsu-Tsu talking about? The time left of the clock? Has PP made the wires so Tsu can’t destroy without setting it off? What?

Three days until we know the problem *sigh*.. It’s said that patience is a virtue. Well, I’ve never been very virtuous there.

She might have guarded the entire thing so he can’t get in. Or he just plain doesn’t know how to disable it.

when you say Tsu-Tsu… I totally think “tsundere”… and when I think about Gordon… it might totally fit even xDD

Tsu-Tsu…?
…..I will never escape needing to address him as such from now on!
XD

I think you have more than just the one but we have to wait now to find out

Nothing big, just probably a bunch of innocent people exploding and a door to hell opening. But we had worse – right?

My first impulse is always to keep punching. Stop before death, but possibly not before unconsciousness. It has not failed me so far ଘ(੭*ˊᵕˋ)੭*:･ﾟ✧

But he might have information about how to turn off the box of hostages.

They need to both persuade him to tell and then to actually do it, all in less than five minutes.

Yup definitely.

A very good point!

I still say torch the arm with the pact on it. Better safe than sorry.

I had expected Paul go further away. Is the range of his power really that short?

LOLOLOLOL Fluke, I LOVE YOU!!!! 🙂

Elan Meets Rafa has updated! http://elanmeetsrafa.com/the-comic/ch29pg11/

Thx doki.

Oh, Fluke…

Kyle seems taken aback by the thought of *anyone* losing their powers permanently. If having superpowers is such a central part of your identity, it must be a fairly scary idea, even if you’re glad the super right in front of you isn’t super any more.

No, Fluke, it’s not cool to hit someone if they can’t hit back.

Does anyone have handcuffs tho? A criminal is a criminal.

Yeahhhh, I kinda expected that “we got a problem” there.

It takes about 800 degrees to ignite diamond. Kyle kan produce temperatures higher than that. So it should not a problem for him to cut open the box, if it is indeed diamond. The degree of control he has shown in the prologue should be enough to avoid roasting the prisoners. But is there time? And what magical protection does the box have?

OF COURSE there is a problem…and they didn’t even had to say that “fated cursed sentence” that generally attracts them.

“What could possibly go wrong?” :3

that’s ONE of them lol

I am not sure I can express how much I love the panel with Fluke. I mean yes it’s wrong……..but I love it.

Same, he really deserves another punch. But I guess Kyle being the hero he is will spare him.

xDDD
Paul represents a majority of us readers there ^^
Though yeah I like how Kyle really immediately stopped when he was sure about Duncan’s state. He’s really such a good person, even if personal feelings are involved he can manage them here, that’s grown up for his age! Respect!!

Gorden sadly has the bad news prepared >____<'
Let's see if it's "Only" being unabe t stop it or even sth worse (like the timer being at less than a minute or sth O___O'

and I noticed starrwinter's bday but I had no clue it was time for Doki's, too!! HAPPY HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!! 😀

Duncan, of all people, called him a truely good person. How fortunate for him that he was right.

I’m sure if Duncan was back to Kyle’s age and was put into that position of beating someone up who hurt him but they’re powerless he would’ve continued to beat them (like i’m sure he did with his bullies). That’s what makes them different, that’s why Duncan turned out the way he is.

maybe that would be the case, but I think the conclusion is wrong.
He didn’t turn out the way he is because he maybe would have beaten people further in his youth.
The question is rather what made him beat them in the first place and what gave him the mentality to just beat them and not try to solve conflicts in a different way. The answers to those questions will show why he turned out the way he is.
Beating up people in his youth is not a cause but already a symptom from the cause ^^

Yep, the lack of guidance in his life. Kyle had the commander and friends to help him after finding out his powers in such a traumatic way, I don’t think Duncan had any kind of support to calm his anger or experiences and I doubt the media really helped him with labeling him a super villain and such.

If the world is going to treat him like he’s bad, he might as well be! (I think I said this before, but referenced that movie Megamind in the comment lol)

Well but on the other hand the media will not randomly call people supervillain, he must have done things first for them to call him that. Maybe he was just in whatever kind of situation before he needed to rob his first bank. Similiar to Diego and Cory when they planned that robbery in the bonus comic. Ofc after that the media might have played a big role in it, too, though and just as you said it must be like he had absolutely noone to confide with. Or well… maybe he just had the wrong people to confide with… We don’t know when exactly he met Sircea, they just said they know each other forever >_>’

Fluke has a point; you can never be too sure with supervillains! Best to really punch the ever living shit out of them when given the chance.

Control, ladies and young gentlemen, control. Just because you CAN, doesn’t mean you SHOULD.

Hahahaha I love you, Fluke.

For the record, I agree with Paul. Dunc had no qualms about taking advantage when Kyle was vulnerable. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

Well, they also say eye for an eye leaves the world goes blind. And i guess toothless too lol

Just a few more…come on, he took advantage of an underage kid, got him naked, used him as a key to the DEMON WORLD and then left him naked and alone in some random warehouse…! I think a few more punches is okay, really.

Technically not underage, but the rest is true!

Ah, but if you remember the beginning of the story, he was already hunting Kyle BEFORE he turned eighteen!

Yes, Fluke, but punching him would be an asshole thing to do. Are you guys superheroes or just really powerful frat boys?

Pfft, are you kidding me?? This old man just put your boy naked in a bare warehouse after using him as a date and demon sacrifice – uhhh, ol’ gray-ass needs a few more punches, I think…!

Gotta agree with Sanbai, after what Duncan’s done a few more punches are totally warranted. I’m pretty sure Duncan’s actions would earn him a death sentence if he went to trial over it (murder of the sacrifices to finish the spell, billions of lives given to the demons, taking over a nation).

thank you Fluke, but also, shut up Fluke
had a feeling Kyle would stop, and did Anni pass out? wouldn’t be surprised if he just fainted afterwards, that was a good punch
aaand i have a bad feeling about the bad news…

The bad news are going to be bad.

“What is it?”

“I just remembered water can’t reasonably do much to disassemble a glass box without shattering glass all over the people inside!”

“Oh. Yeah, that would be a problem.”

“Also the timer just ran out.”

“FFF-“

*loud screams and explosion*

He is not to disassemble the box, but to disconect the wires inside.

If Duncan has really lost his powers I can’t help but see a dead man. He ain’t going to leave this comic alive. He’s old, powerless, not to mention he fucked over the demon king’s son, and then made a deal with said demon. There is no retirement home for beaten up, predatory, demon-dealing, “ex”-villains.

He made a deal with Laampros about getting his youth back, but powerless in a demon filled world is not going ro bring much fun to being young again.

I knoooow it’s bad but… I want to see laampros <.<

Now we see why the luck manipulator’s so saturated with bad luck right now, think how much good luck (for the heroes) it took for Duncan to absorb the entire blast rendering him incapable of being a threat to them and prevent any of them from being depowered at the same time.

Of course, given what may be coming next and that Duncan was trying to stop something he thought was even worse – Duncan not being the Annihilator any more may be much worse luck than they think.

The ‘problem’ is probably the hell portal having been opened anyway, somehow. Fluke’s luck turned real bad and somehow the blast and concentration of powers might have somehow been enough to open the portal. If so, YAY! I love Laampros.

At least duncan earning it for tricking kyle

Think I am getting immun to these cliffhangers… nope still feel them! What is it you are warning us for, Tsunami?
Is it a big pancake accident? Or maybe some other food related accident that needs to be eaten? I might be in need of some food right now 😉

Great new page team TYP! You are doing a wonderful job ^^

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NoodleIncident

OH FLUKE, I love you. Just for the record, I think Kyle should whoop on Duncan some more too.

Kyle your Dad’s here!

It took me ’til now to realize it is wednesday…. and now it’s nearly thursday!
And yes… he sure can punch him a little bit more. Just a little and not too hard, since he is an old man…

uuuhhhhh the giant plant stuff reappears and the water attack is not very effective, since it helps him grow and grow and grow!

I’m with Fluke on that. Y’know, just to be sure. 🙂

Kyle is Aang and Duncan is the Fire Lord. Even though Kyle wields fire….but still! Situation-wise, my analogy works. 😛

I you don’t get why, think of these factors (WARNING-SPOILERS): Both Kyle and Aang are young heros trying to save the world. They both can use elements. They both struggle with trying to do what’s right, but also good. (Like sparing Duncan, and Aang sparing the Fire Lord) Both Duncan and the FL see themselves as righteous. Killing people in their way, and taking advantage. Both have lost their powers. And that was a fate that some consider worse than death. Which is why both heroes spared them.

WOW THIS WAS LONGER THAN I THOUGHT IT’D BE! Sorry about that. And yes, I know my comparison is dumb. But it’s just something that popped up in my mind. 😛

You do realize this puts Tsunami in the role of Katara, right? I’m not quite sure how he would feel about that.

XD lol
But no, Spooky has to be Katara for the ending to mirrored. :3

Never underestimate the value of Punchey Insurance. Also, don’t you just hate it when you hear “Captain, I REALLY think you should come down here!”

Alex don’t take Anni s powers away permanently! I’m glad kyle stopped. I guess I still like Anni.

WHAT NOW

Now they solve the problem.

Dude…..Starfighter updated. http://starfightercomic.com/chapter_04_comments.php?page=Chapter_04_Page_84.jpg

O.O

Thx doki.

“You know.. He does feel like a regular person, so I’ll just hit him one more time instead of 50”. I’m surprised he didn’t kill him, if he’s only human now/at the moment. ’cause aside from defusing the situation, he has got to have a lot of thinly veiled, pent up rage ready to take out on the annihilator.

Am I the only one who feels reallly bad for Duncan? I mean like… he can’t be a super villain anymore and I kinda liked him like that…

He can still be a villain, though. And maybe he will get better. Then he can be worse.

Story is far from over. He could get another villainy moment or two, super powers or not.

My grandmother finally agreed to go to the hospital. Everything is okay except for her UTI not clearing up as well as it should have. Her head is okay, her ribs are okay, just the bruising along with the scrapes. They did proscribe her a better pain med for a few days.

I’m glad she went.

Me too, now I don’t have to stress so much about possible complications. I can go back to regular stressing.

*gives u a bag of chocolate bars. Chocolate helps with stress.

Good to hear.

Adam as penciler is my favorite. Keep it going! 😀

I love how so many of you guys out there in forum-land think that Duncan (who is 58) is sooooo old and therefore totally decrepit. Age stated here: http://webcomics.yaoi911.com/typ/ete-ch1-page-23/

Really. He’s got white hair, but that’s not a big deal. I have friends who were white haired at 22.

He’s in his late 50s. Not his nineties.

Hi there.
Anyone camping?

Doki is around. ^_^ Hoping for more Mitch. ^_^

I’d like that, too.

Imma here. Hi Dave!

I thought you would be.

Somedays I wonder about myself. It was about 108 today. Luckily I’ve been doing the coffee roasting in the morning, I say lucky but it’s already 80 at 8am

It’s too humid out for me. I hide in the AC at home.

The a/c is a must for certain.

absolutely

Nothing much happened these past few days other than I got my car inspected.

Doki got her hair cut today. ^_^

It seems so short in your picture… (avatar)

http://static.zerochan.net/Yoite.full.1130933.jpg

Sharknado 4: OH HELL NO! will be on at the same time as the season finale of PREACHER.
choices, choices, choices

Page up!

http://webcomics.yaoi911.com/typ/ete-ch4-page-57/

This is sad…one of the best characters whining in defeat.