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Comic Transcripts

RUTE 1

FLUKE

ETTER DET…VET JEG IKKE ENGANG HVA JEG SKAL SI…JESUS, GORDON.

RUTE 2

TSUNAMI

VI GJØR DET ENKELT. JEG STILLER DEG DITT SPØRSMÅL. DEN DU BEGYNTE MED. SÅ, HVEM VILLE DU HA PULT…HVA VAR DE ANDRE TINGENE?

FLUKE

GIFTE DEG MED OG KASTE UTFOR ET STUP.

RUTE 3

SPOOKY JONES

OG FOR AT DETTE SKAL FUNKE MÅ DET VÆRE SVAR DU IKKE VILLE HA DELT MED OSS.

RUTE 4

FLUKE

JA. JEG VET. SÅ VI GJØR DET MED FOLK SOM ER I ROMMET. FORDI DET VAR MITT DUMME SPØRSMÅL.

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PANEL 1

FLUKE

AFTER THAT… I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO SAY… JESUS, GORDON.

PANEL 2

TSUNAMI

WE’LL KEEP THIS SIMPLE. I’LL ASK YOUR QUESTION. THE ONE YOU STARTED US OFF WITH. SO, WHO WOULD YOU SHAG… WHAT WERE THE OTHER ONES?

FLUKE

MARRY AND THROW OFF A CLIFF.

PANEL 3

SPOOKY JONES

AND IF THIS IS GOING TO WORK, IT’S GOTTA BE ANSWERS YOU WOULDN’T WANT TO SHARE WITH US.

PANEL 4

FLUKE

YEAH. I KNOW. SO WE MAKE IT ABOUT PEOPLE IN THE ROOM. BECAUSE IT WAS MY STUPID QUESTION.

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The Young Protectors: Engaging The Enemy Truth or Dare—Page 22

June 30, 2015 Alex Woolfson 312 Comments

It seems like the question of marriage just keeps coming up this week!

I had a great time meeting so many of you at the American Library Association Con this weekend! I managed to get myself pretty sick, but it was so worth it to get a chance to hear how much y’all have been enjoying our work here. Totally puts a smile on my (weak, feverish) face just thinking about it. 🙂

Oh, and we have a couple of last chance things for June 30th:

For those of you who can be in Tampa on July 18th, today is the last day to sign up for that special RainbowCon dinner with me and Adam DeKraker. If that sounds like something fun for you, you can read more about that here.

And today’s also the last day you can get your $10+ pledge in over on my Patreon page to get a high-res version of the Full Monty view of this guy:

If you become a Patron now, you’ll be able to download the whole image as a digital wallpaper right away. And $10+ Patrons will be sent a high-res version with over double the resolution (along with a high-res version of Marccus’ Full Monty Tsunami painting), once payments are processed at the beginning of July!

There are lots of great benefits to being a Patron, and you’d really be helping me out if you became one too. If you’re enjoying our work here and would like to see it continue (and would like to get access to all kinds of special benefits!),

please take a moment to watch the video on my Patreon page and consider becoming a Patron.

So! Looks like it’s Fluke’s turn to answer a Truth or Dare question. What will he say? What do you want him to say?

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

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312 Comments

Oh Gordon, not doing well at keeping it light hearted, and I had such hopes.

Congratz. I finally make it here early and arrive to 1 comment. So close for the first time in weeks xD

XD oops, I just came over when I got the patreon update email.

Is this the first or have you snatched a page virginity before?

I think this is my first? It feels like Dave Fragments is almost always there before me 😛

You got the right ideas, just be faster. Goose your email to be fast. That’s one of the tricks.
Tonight I missed the update because my computer decided to download an update and took forever. Garageband updated. I-tunes updated, and then the monster with a ten minute reboot was the OS-10 update.

Hmm, I’m not sure I want a reputation or habit of taking the virginity of innocent young pages.

I have no desire to teach virgins.
(oops, that was TMI, wasn’t it. wink, wink)

Well, I don’t mind at all. I’ve just been late pretty much for this whole ToD comic. My hunter instinct seems to have gone on vacation :-p

Dat question!

Well now!! This should be interesting.

I’d throw Mitch off a cliff, because it wouldn’t bother him at all.

But, frankly, none of them are really my type. And I have no interest in getting married.

Nobody says you have to stay married. XD Just have a big party and divorce them right after.

No thanks, I’m not straight. 😛

I laugh at this but also think “ouch!”

I have to agree, the team are all great in limited doses, but a lifetime worth?

If one of them were quiet and bookish and a little bit lost in fantasy, that would be a different story.

Not to mention, I’m almost 3 times their age (over 3 times, for Mitch)

Eh, that doesn’t bother Hugh Hefner, Geoffrey Edelsten, or a certain subculture of religious nuts.

Seriously, Tsu, shouldn’t you be enjoying making Fluke uncomfortable?? It’s called fun!!

Let’s see… since Mitch is underage (but cuddly 😉 )

Marry Kyle, shag Spooky, and throw Gordon off the cliff. 😉

Sounds like a plan. Or Marry Mitch when he is of age, Shag Mitch when he is of age, and throw Gordon off a cliff.

Please note that I suggested what I thought Paul would answer.

For me, it would be: Marry Spooks, shag Mitch (eventually, assuming you let me)… and throw Gordon off the cliff. 😀

Eh yeah, but Paul and Mitch are only two years separated and both are teenagers so will see age differently. They are BOTH underage Mitch 15 and Paul 17, Paul is just closer to being 18. Mitch isn’t completely out for the count. Paul might have some surprises for us in his choices.

This is going to be tough on Fluke. In fact, I would say that he got a bit of bad luck there since everyone else had such penetrating and revealing answers and questions.

So.. is Fluke internally cussing his ‘stupid question’ right now?

Panel 2 looks like the start of an ‘oh, damn’… or is his side glance unintentionally giving us the answer to either one or both of the additional questions?
Uuuh options, options 😉

This will be interesting.

I still think it makes the most sense to throw Mitch off a cliff, since he’d be fine.

But you get more satisfaction throwing Gordon…..and if it is a seaside cliff I am sure Gordon would manage.

That’s a fair point.

Unless it’s low tide?

But there would still be water close enough for him to manipulate

True, unless it’s one of those places that has really really low tide where you can go from one end of a place to another.

I wonder how close Gordon has to be to the water in order to manipulate it.

Oooh, that’s a very good question. I do wonder.

He looked like he could get the water from the river that was pretty close, but not close-close. I think the question is more like HOW fast can he do it from what ever distance?
If you get thrown off a cliff, the water is coming at ya pretty fast *lol*

Well, there is always a time to learn…..

This is making me think of physics problems now.

“Gordon is 534 feet away from the ocean. He can summon water at the rate of 50 liters per meter per second. If Gordon is plummeting from a 68-foot tall cliff, will he be able to summon water to himself in time before he hits the ground?” [Edit: I just noticed that I used both feet and meters in this, which makes it even more of a nightmare.]

Purple!! The answer is Purple!!

That’s a solid answer.

It was that or Unicorn.

I wish I had been smart enough to answer that when I was in school. Of course that might have gotten me detention, but I think totally worth it.

Show your work.

Carry apple, and subtract the pencil, divide by the sneeze and add the cliff and when Jane starts to cry the tears squared smear the all the numbers and the color on the ditto which equals Purple

Excellent, you get full marks.

Yay!! My studying paid off!

Teacher’s pet!

*gasp* How dare you, sir! I…I think I feel faint.

Show off!

Just because you didn’t study…

Long form?

The answer is *always* purple 😉

Ha! So it is. 🙂

*facepalm* Of course, now that you say it, it’s so very obvious.

Heee!

The answer is obviously no but only if it is per square meters.

An equally difficult question would be: how much water must he summon in order to support his weight and arrest his velocity before he hits the ground? Assuming a velocity of 9.8 metres per second per second, and Gordon’s mass is 150kg.

He’d have to summon a lot of water pretty quickly, especially as he will accelerate until impact, and therefore there is a plottable relationship between the amount of water required to support his weight (mass times acceleration), and the time it takes to summon it.

And that’s the outer limits of my maths/physics.

Plus once you reach a certain velocity, impact with water becomes comparable to impact with the ground (but I’m pretty sure this cliff is not high enough for Gordon to reach that speed).

a) It’s not that difficult. You don’t even need algebra.
b) you can see it in your supermarket.

That answer is Rutabaga.

Wrong, you forgot to carry the basket. The correct answer is turnip.

I’m pretty sure it’s rutabaga. You forgot to subtract the pineapple.

Wait, you’re right. I forgot that the basket I carried had breadsticks.

Gotta be careful of that cheese dip.

Hahahaha you guys are a crack up XD But dammit I want a picnic now :/

Yeah, I made myself hungry.

The evil devil goats always go straight to the cheese dip every time.

You’re thinking of the chipmunks.

I always blame the pineapple too.

It’s a common miscalculation.

Raw or cooked rutabaga?

That’s a different math problem.

Rutabaganometry?

You’re thinking about Guavanometry.

OMG, so YOU are that evil person who wrote those test questions that killed me. “If Gordon leaves the city at 2:00pm and heads toward the beach, traveling at 45 miles per hour and a large wave starts to head toward shore from 1/2 a kilometer out at sea at 3:15pm, then how many grains of sand does Gordon have to walk across before he can make the wave a good surfable tube?

You wrecked my entire GPA… dang. :/

My apologies! Actually, I struggled with physics in school, although I was pretty good at math.

I’ll bet you have one of those blackboards at home that’s covered with incomprehensible symbols that you use to describe your OTP in a formula… right?

Bet he picks Kyle for marry, since they’re apparently best buds.

Say you’ll marry a man, Tsusie. SAY IT.

Ohhh!!

Things are spicin up!

Marry:Kyle, cause they can now(yay America!), or Amanda, cause she’s the only other woman and Paul seems to be very hetero.

Throw off a cliff: probably Tsunami, eve. Though yes I have said at one point that he does deserve hugs but that’s after I kick his behind for being a sillybear worrywart.

Wed: Commander
Bed: Kyle
Throw Off A Cliff: Flyboy

Flyboy would land safely. Marry the Commander because of that Military Pension/Spousal Benefits. and bed Kyle because he’s like a space heater as Spooky demonstrated. XD

uh, no.
No one should rummage around in my thoughts.
I even scare me up there!

No? how so?

I have the strange story ideas like Cthulhu visitations and demons rising , and furry things happening to people.
Once in a while a goat sacrifice or the end of the world.
Stuff like that.

huh, neat.

I was going to say the same thing. except I’m not sure I’d wed Commander, because she’d undoubtedly be the boss of the household. I’d prefer someone more like Paul, personality-wise, so the power in the house is more equal.

Plus you can play jokes on him by blaming accidents on his power. “Paul! Didn’t you win that company raffle last week? Well, now the sugar is spilled all over the floor! I hope you’re happy!”

well I was thinking of it from his perspective what his options were. XD

True, but it’s fun to think about from my perspective as well.

For Paul, I think he’d pair best personality-wise with Kyle. They are quite similar in many ways, so I think they’d play on each others’ strengths really well. And like I said, the power in the relationship would be more equal than if it were Amanda or Gordon, both of whom are in positions of authority over him and are used to military-style obedience and/or getting their way, which could make things awkward.

Your points are well thought out. I do agree communication and being equal partners are vital in relationships. but that said, finances are important to me. XD

Personally, I’d rather live with the Cratchits than with Scrooge. Money is a great to a point, but once your lower needs (safety, shelter, food etc.) are met, it’s much more difficult to nurture your higher-hierarchical needs (sense of belonging, esteem, scope for self-improvement, etc.) when you’re alone or in a strained relationship.

hard to do that too when you’re stressing about living pay cheque to pay cheque. and yes, I will admit, I am a wanna-be gold digger at times. not saying these characters have to worry about it, but having a safety net is important.

True, not having enough money doesn’t help, but there comes a point where you have too much, as well. I wouldn’t know what to do with the net worth of, say, Trump, except to give most of it to charity.

Throw those mad cash stacks around like a mid-00’s rapper.

lol, so wasteful. I think I’d buy a small village (or apartment block at the least) and lease the houses out to homeless single parents and/or students for a compassionately affordable rate.

I believe Amanda is called Commander because she is leader of the Young Protectors, not because she is military. If she were military, she would be in clear violation of any of the branches laws. The YP are an entity of themselves and allowed to have rules of their own. They work WITH the military, but not with the military.

If she were with the military, her outfit would look very, very different. There is a very strict dress code for both men and women on how these uniforms are to look, how their hair is to be fashioned, their makeup, jewelry, nails, etc. There is even rules as to how you are to govern yourself in public and with your spouse (PDA is not allowed when in uniform! NOOOOOOOOO!!!!)

-“Retired” Army daughter

her mom’s for sure Military (it’s one of the flashback interludes that talks about her and spooky’s relaionship start.) and she has trained with the Navy Seals. this is why I say she’s military. and yeah they’re clearly a side-group and not part of the main branches of the armed forces. it hasn’t been established if super squads are treated as private contractors, vigilante forces, businesses, or freelancers.

Yea, if you’re a military child, unless you’re still a minor, you don’t get benefits unless your parent is deceased. Seals hold themselves to an even more rigid code. If she trained with Seals and didn’t become part of the group (which is SO RARE so she is very very lucky), she wouldn’t wear the uniform. The Navy Seals are a very rare and secretive breed. Depending on whom they are helping and the mission, they may or may not be in uniform or in civvies. My dad has a friend that is a retired Seals friend (but he’s an odd one who is classified as a “retain and train” meaning twice a year he is on active duty) so we know a little bit about the Seals.

It’s not that I’m not discounting that she may have military benefits because of the interlude. From what we know of her, so far, Amanda wouldn’t get those benefits until her mother died.

Is her mother still alive? and I actually learned a lot from you actually. thanks 🙂

I’m not sure if she’s still alive. I would have to double check the kids getting benefits thing actually because I know for sure spouses get benefits the minute they marry, but children only get certain benefits like access to a health coverage up until a certain age unless they are disabled (like all health insurance.) The military is kind of weird that way.

and also different countries run it differently. I know this is implied US, but it could be Canadaland possibly, or (almost) anywhere in the world. also since I think Commander is also First Nations that adds another layer to it.

In panel 3, does Spooky have fangs?

Nah, that’s just the angle of his mouth.

I think Fluke is now a bit sorry for having asked that question.

I don’t know if you guys knew this, but Mexico has also approved gay marriage a week before the US – even though they are trying to keep it under wraps as much as they can to avoid protests, apparently. I have just read it on the BBC website in Spanish: http://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias/2015/06/150623_mexico_matrimonio_homosexual_suprema_corte_silencio_jp

That’s fantastic news!!

It is! I’m disappointed that they decided to hide it, though.

Yeah, me too.

I saw that. I don’t know if you’ve seen Frozen (there might be someone who hasn’t), but there’s that moment in the movie where one say ‘I’m gonna tell him’ (about an illusion) and another say ‘don’t you dare!’
That was me after the news about marriage equality broke out in US and some people went ‘I’m moving to Canada’. When they were told about it being legal there for the past 10 years, some said ‘well, moving south to Mexico instead then’… aaand I so had that ‘I wanna tell them’ moment xD

Ahahaha, that’s so funny! I needed that laugh today, thanks. 🙂
I haven’t seen Frozen yet, but I have spoilered myself enough to know roughly what it’s about and what the author originally intented to do with the story but couldn’t.

And after you tell them:

Hater: Well, fine, I’ll move to England.
DanishWolf: That’s not going to do it either.
H: Brazil, then.
DW: Nope.
H: OK, New Zealand.
DW: Nuh-uh.
H: Iceland?
DW: Sorry.
H: South Fucking Africa!
DW: Legal there too.
H: Aargh! I give up on humanity! I’m moving to Mars!
Little green man in sparkly spandex: Well, actually….

http://satwcomic.com/red-white-and-rainbow-stripes

Speaking of. Mexico isn’t in EU, but it’s kinda on point xD

That comic strip is hilarious. xDD

So how much of that has to do with personality differences between the US and the EU, and how much to do with Europeans frequenting a lot of websites that are created in the US?

Google translate reads it perfectly. Just cut and paste.

Aw man, that’s cheating in my version of truth or dare! Everyone gets a different question!

Hm, if it were ME, I would say:
Wed: Spooky (I can’t say Kyle because he’s completely and utterly gay.)
Bed: Kyle (maybe there’s a shred of straightness in there. Not likely, but one can wish upon a star.)
Throw off a Cliff: Fluke. (Sometimes he can grate me.)

Extra:
Give 1,000,000 Hugs: Mitch!

I am going on vacation from July 2-July 6 which means I will likely have NO INTERNET (omg, no internet, how will I survive?) until I get back. This means…I can’t read Young Protectors. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! To make matters worse, I am going on vacation with a bad corneal abrasion which means I have to wear my glasses my entire vacation. Yuck. I hate wearing glasses; I’m such a contact lens person. BUT…VACATION!!!!!!!!

Enjoy your vacation.

Oh, trust me, I WILL. There will be NO NEPHEW. This means no screaming, no crying, no wailing, no ear-splitting screeches…only the loons. Oh, fine, he’s cute when he coos and giggles but he still mostly annoys me still when he’s over. Peace. Quiet. Tranquility. I can’t WAIT.

But, I will miss my dog.

Have a great trip. There’ll be an awesome page waiting on you when you get home 🙂

That’s always a good point. It doesn’t run away like my dog will try to do at least once!

Yay vacation!!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

“Into the woods,
It’s time to go,
I hate to leave,
I have to go.
Into the woods-
It’s time, and so
I must begin my journey.”

(Literally, I am going into the woods. LOL.)

Beware of big bad wolves and insincere princes!
wink, wink

Hmmmm, or maybe I should look out for Bigby Wolf when he was really bad. That would be even worse, eh?

But, insincere princes would be bad because no one likes a prince that says, “I was raised to be charming, not sincere.”

I hope you have a lot of fun. 🙂

Thanks!

Aw, I’m sorry about your eye! But I hope you have an awesome vacation.

Yea, it sucks but at least my eyes won’t get bitten by mosquitoes? I guess that’s the upside?

Alway look on the bright side of life.

It’s always nice to not have your eyes bitten by mosquitoes.

That is so very true.

Have a great vacation!

Thanks! I’ve been looking forward to it! 4 days in the woods with my family!

REMEMBER — don’t touch the poison ivy!

But if you do, be glad that it’s only poison ivy, and not gympie-gympie…

Nope, I not going to an area where the stinging tree exists. However, I am going to a place where poison ivy, poison oak and the occasional stinging nettle is known to be found. I fucking HATE stinging nettle plants. I’ve had a run in with them every fucking time I’ve had an actual vacation in nature. NOT. THIS. TIME. No stinging nettle run-ins!

I’m a little surprised you know what gympie-gympie is. Most people wouldn’t.

HA HA HA HA HA….I didn’t. I Googled it before replying. LOL.

Actually, I made a mistake: it was a spear thistle, not a nettle. I’m always getting the two confused.

Nonetheless, not going to the rainforest, don’t need to worry. I’m going to a deciduous/coniferous one!

In that case, watch out for bears, wolves, ents, and dwarves throwing flaming pine cones.

LOL.

HA HA HA, trust me, that’s the last thing I need. Oh and I’ll be staying in a cabin and they take out the poison ivy/oak. Plus, I know what the darn suckers look like so I avoid them like the PLAGUE. HATE poison ivy.

Some tips on how to survive without the internet:
http://dilbert.com/strip/2015-07-01

Enjoy your vacation.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! That’s great.

I’ve packed yarn, crochet needles, scissors (for my yarn when I finish), watercolor paint, acrylic paints, sketchbook that you can use paints on, a coloring book, crayons, paintbrushes (can’t forget those!), and I need to pack my camera and my tripod. I’m sure I’ll be plenty occupied with that! But, I do bore pretty easily so you never know!

*Looks at clock*
I have time to nap for an hour before I have to get up again to meet with a friend this morning. I’m gonna take that time and be back to join the fun here again later.
Night, morning and have a good day depending on where you are.

Same to you!

Have a nice nap.

ha! Now that’s interesting 😀
I’m not even gonna speculate here, I wanna know the real answers!!!
I actually think the worst is the “throw off a cliff” one >_<'

Paul’s cute half-smile in the last panel. He’s such a darling.

Hey, didn’t Amanda say no sex questions?

“Turnabout is fair play” trumps all other rules, excepting only “no takebacks”. it was Paul’s own question returned to him, therefore it’s valid.

I want him to say Mitch.

For which one?

Every one. They would make a good couple. Less than two years age difference. And Mitch is the obvious one to push off a cliff.

Kyle would also be good for the first two.

The throw off a cliff one is easy. You pick Mitch because he can fly. 🙂

Well since it has to be something he wouldn’t answer, it’s possible he might say Tsunami as to whom he would like to throw off the cliff. I mean he probably thinks it, and he really really would’t want to say it.

especially after tsunami dropped that bit of an emotional grenade on them!

Well since it has to be something he wouldn’t want to answer, it’s possible he might say Tsunami as to whom he would like to shag.

O.O

Don’t worry it’s one of those “good taste” vs. “tastes good” jokes… right? 😀

O.O

=ಠ¸ಠ=

-_-

I hope he has better taste than *that*.

lol….ouchie…..this game is really rough. I hope it really does work.

It has to, this is happening before the main storyline. And a superhero comic this long being an Incident At Owl Creek Bridge gives us the legal right to find Alex and punch him in the stomach. I swear, it’s in the United States Constitution *somewhere.*

rofl! XD it was more the part about them forgetting afterwards…it’s a little cruel that they have to reveal things in this way.

Ha ha! So cute! Let’s see, I think Fluke’s answers would be:
Bed: Amanda (who wouldn’t want to bed her?)
Wed: Kyle (he’s his best friend, and who said a marriage had to be sexual?)
Throw off a cliff: Mitch, because he can fly.

Those are my guesses. 🙂

Those were exactly my guesses. 🙂

Ok… Awesome, but I think it’s a dodge. A good dodge, and nobody would object otherwise, but the spell might. I’d say he’d have to throw someone off a cliff who wouldn’t walk (correction: fly) away unharmed, and bed someone not easily explained as the only viable option assuming he’s straight, unless he’d say Amanda even without the restriction to this group, in which case it’s a true and uncomfortable confession.

Surely he would bed Spooks.

While Spooky is indeed irresistible, I think Paul is decidedly straight, so his cuddly charms would unluckily lost on poor Fluke. Kyle it is for the bromantic comfort of friendship. ☺️

Orientation has no sway in Shag, Marry or Cliff. And he is only counting the people in the room and there is more blokes than shelias.

In an Alex comic, I presume everyone to be gay until proved otherwise 😉

two for two so far! But who will Paul want to throw off a cliff..?

That was just perfect. I appluade you good madame/sir.

There are no stupid questions. It may not apply in this situation, though.

Paul is so cute in the last panel. ^_^

Why do you make Gordon look so angry all the time?

Constipation probably.

Right too the edge then *BOOM* …….tune in next time ……..keep ’em coming back =)

Can that last panel get more awwww? I keep expecting him to bust out into a Saturday morning “the more you know” message. The wonderful pacing continues!

@alexwoolfson:disqus I have a question for you. Please forgive me if you have mentioned this somewhere. You have said that Chapter 3 was going to be the longest Chapter in Engaging the Enemy (and so for it is with 122 pages) and that it was going to be in 3 parts. The title page for chapter 3 says part 1. There have not been any other title pages for parts 2 and 3. Up until Chapt 3 Pg 31 the address is ch3pt1, starting at page 32 (after the bonus comic break) the pt1 is dropped. Was part 2 supposed to start there and part 3 on pg 83?

I’m not sure if I mentioned it before. I included the Part 1, I believe, because I wanted to let folks know Chapter 3 would continue after the Spooky/Commander Bonus Comic. But really, it’s all just one chapter — in the book there will be no “parts.”

KK. ^_^

Sorry for being so scarce friends. I just want to throw out a big thank you to Alex and Julie for this interlude. A mini-story that has given us so much intriguing character depth and information. A nice balance to the plot information that so often this genre gives total precedence to. Plot is essential, but boy is it better when the character acting it out fascinates us and, given that we left Sircea wondering who to kill, I think this has been a very valuable side road to travel.

(And NO that doesn’t mean you get to throw Gordon to Sircea and run… Tsu Tsu is having a bad few weeks.)

Just a note to say that due to some family health issues I’ve been sidetracked the last few weeks and thus my crappy lack of commenting. Even so, I’ve selfishly enjoyed every single page. So herewith a post-dated thank you for faithfully giving me a wonderful break each page day. It’s something I really look forward to and I can’t express how much of a mental and emotional break it provides. I know that’s something I share with many fans on this site. Lucky lucky us.

I’m actually on a jet right now and fortunately this one has wi-fi. So, I’m beaming this long late post down from Mitch-thousand-feet up. It’s clearly cold outside the window so I really get why our Flyboy goes for the cute bomber jacket. I’ll bet he also has built in thermals in his suit to keep all his cute boy bits from freezing off at high altitudes (you know… like his knees… those bits… hey… he’s 15. lol)

I’ve wanted to comment on something I felt was highlighted clearly throughout the last few pages. In fact, throughout the entire interlude. While Gordon has been our (reader’s) main focus, and because he’s a character who is determined to take a hard road, I think we’ve found it easy to concentrate on his story. However, what came clearer to me was that I think Alex gets major kudos for creating such a diverse and detailed cast OVERALL. He’s made them each consistent unto themselves. Each character has their own style, their own issues, a very distinct and unique personality. They are all working on their own challenges (some more effectively than others — ahem). It’s also been a real pleasure in the main story watching them support each other in their own unique ways.

Watching Amanda care for young-Spooky in the first Interlude was pretty wonderful and emotionally powerful. No pity, no intrusion just good chocolate and reminding a severely damaged puppy that he is no longer alone. That he has a true defender who will always have his back. I remember reading that bit and thinking of the times I could have used a big sister like Amanda… that part got really dusty and my eyes definitely got stuff in them and they watered up.

Also, watching how much Paul cared for Kyle. Sure he’s rough around the edges in a true blue 17 year-old boy fashion. Yet, it’s clear this is a buddy that will do anything for you. How mad was he that his BF was betrayed. It doesn’t matter that Duncan would kill Paul, he’s the type of friend who would still throw down do anything to protect his BF. How can you not love that.

I’ll be honest. At this moment Gordon has only given me one thing to like. Sure he’s damaged, BUTT he refuses help(?)! He also doesn’t seem aware of how much he dumps his angst on others. The classic crap rolling down hill. I can’t sympathize with that. HOWEVER, the one thing that I do think is true (however misguided in the execution) is that he really does look at Mitch like a little brother that he’s responsible for. Sure Alex has given us a situation that’s complicated and more than a bit messed up and sure to get more so when he discovers that Mitch is gay. He’s done nothing but made it harder for Kyle and Mitch (and for us to believe he’s not a homophobe of some sort). I’ll be interested to see if that Mitch’s truth gets through to Gordon… or just makes him a bigger mess. Clearly Alex is treating the se characters as PEOPLE. so there is no way of knowing. Even though we’ve only read his negative behaviors, I keep coming back to the fact that the group seems to care about him. Amanda thinks of him in a ‘friendly way’ … I can’t see why, but there MUST be a reason. So, clearly there is a heart there and more to come story-character wise.

For me, as seriously whack as I was after that hell-date, watching Spooky work his real magic on Kyle outside the warehouse. Spooky revealing his hardest memories to a guy who just discovered in the worst possible way that his father is a “King Of Hell”. That moment was a beautifully written tipping point. That hug was a truly special thing and even though Kyle clearly had/has miles to go. It set him on a road that I believed could be real. Not easy to do and keep them human. Spooky gave Kyle everything in an attempt to help heal a badly damaged boy. It really defined who Spooky is and who he is becominig.

Seeing Mitch consistently young and earnest, but then to have him forced to watch the border-line phobic arguement in the jet was touch. However, THEN us seeing him have the empathy and maturity to understand how much revealing himself to Kyle would do to support Kyle was brilliant. That is the kind of karma we readers can see will come back around to provide (Mitch) with a gay friendship and support from a true friend forever more. Sure he didn’t tell Kyle for that reason, but that IS the very definition of a generous spirit and good karma. Again letting us see some of the many ways these outcasts support each other.

So applause to Alex for taking the more challenging road with every character. I may not always like what happens in the moment. I’m aware of how different I’m going to feel reading at my own pace with that book in my hand. I’m very curious to see where EACH OF THEM goes. That is life. Only time will tell, but it’s also the kind of good story-telling that we don’t always get in super-hero comics. I care about where Amanda ends up, just as much as I care about where Paul ends up… and how they support each other as they get here is as important to me as any of it. They matter to me, so I’m fully rooting for each of them (yes, even Gordon, although he need a pie in the face just now).

So, this interlude may be a quieter moment. It may be about talking rather than action. It’s certainly complicated with the memory issues. However, I know it’s going to make the next chapters richer, maybe harder in some ways, but definitely richer. Thank you again Alex and Julie, for giving us some dessert right in the middle of our TYP meal.

Final shallow note: OH MY GOD how snogable does Paul look in that final panel. I want to kiss him and kiss him and kiss him… (ahem) on his 18 year-old lips! (I said it was shallow). Thank you and good night!

Good to see you Chris sweetie. *hugs*

Thank you, Chris, for the very kind words and very thoughtful reaction to this interlude we’re having here. Even though I’m quite sick, reading this has made my night.

I’m very sorry to hear that you’ve been experiencing some rough family stuff. I know how hard that can be. I’m sending out my warmest thoughts to you as you fly through that cold air. I hope for good things for whoever is sick and I hope things get easier for you soon. 🙂

Feel better soon Alex! Get plenty of rest and fluids.

Thank you, Doki. 🙂

So sorry to hear you’ve got the body-gruesomes. My body is stoopid sometimes and won’t do what it’s told… so I understand.

Feel better soon. I remember a cure-all from college that seemed to involve a large and frequent amounts of boozed (renamed hot toddies to sound more medicinal). It was supposed to kill off all the germs in your system… erm… for some reason that doesn’t sound as sensible as it did back then. So…

I’m going to recommend going with whatever your doctor suggests. Although I can say that Doki is right… hydrating is almost never wrong.

Feel better friend! 🙂

I have missed your thoughtful analysis. Good to see you again.

110 people have claimed 326 TYP Vs. (Yes I finally caught up, had to redo the whole thing though because I lost the document password to my original list)

I have a game we can play during the next camp. ^_^

Oh my. Now I hope I manage to camp tomorrow night 🙂

You’re amazing, Doki! Thank you so much for compiling that list – again!

The kind of list upon which sainthood is bestowed…

Kind of a cop out for choosing a question from Tsunami. I’m looking forward to Paul’s answers to those questions.

My answers:
Wed: Mitch, he’s earnest, sweet, and a natural protector – together, we’d be unstoppable protectors. And if you’re only as old as the fella you feel… well, when he’s 18, that’d be great for me, because I’d feel half my age!
Bed: Paul, he’s cute, and reminds me of one of my exes in a good way.
Throw off a cliff: Tsunami. I hope he lands on his noggin too. I still can’t like this guy, and I’ve tried.

And I noticed something odd about how I’d written this post. The characters I like, I used their real names, while the character I don’t like only got his super name. It’s funny how language can highlight a person’s feelings in subtle ways.

Must express love for Spooky’s pudge. That is all.

Wed: Amanda BECAUSE I CAN NOW! *rainbow shoots out of ass*
Bed: Put on a flame-proof suit and give poor Kyle just a tiny bit of non-betrayal sugar, sheesh. Sorry I’m a girl, dude.
Throw off a cliff: Mitch because it wouldn’t harm him. If that fails, Tsunami since he could probably survive and it might do him good to be pissed at some jerk who is not himself.

Oh man, this should be interesting to see.

Also, I hope that you’re feeling better over there! Being sick is the worst. I hope it’s not some con crud since someone always seems to catch that sort of thing.

My choices would be:
Marry: Amanda.
Bed: Spooky can come and join us, I’m not jealous and I am more than willing to step besides so my OTP can get together time.
Throw: if I cheat, I’d say Mitch ’cause he’d fly it off. Not cheating… Paul. Because that’d be REALLY bad luck and probably would power him enough to survive the fall.

I am a bit worried. Or I would be if we did not already know that they all survive. Paul’s smile in the last panel indicates that he does not mind answering at all.

On the other hand, I trust that Spooky would know if the answers will satisfy the curse.

For the most part I haven’t had any new observations to make on this page, and to be honest I’m glad to see that the story is changing focus to another character, because dear-crap-on-a-stick I am finding Tsunami’s antics wearying. I mean, as I’ve said several times, it’s been interesting discovering that he has a large measure of self-awareness about his own flaws even as he pushes his attitudes onto the other YP members. But as I’ve also had occasion to point out: just because he has a reason doesn’t mean that it’s an excuse – and going by the reactions of other readers I think that’s a common reaction.

As I examine my feelings on that regard, I also feel wearied by the knowledge that this part of the story is set back in the past, and we know that by the time of the main narrative that Tsunami hasn’t gotten over himself. Worse, I feel wearied by the knowledge that Tsunami is a supporting character in Red Hot’s story and therefore it will be a looonng time before he has the opportunity to work his issues out, if at all. The only comfort I take is the abstract notion that I trust Alex not to be writing Tsunami as a soap opera villain whose only purpose is to be there to hate him.

All that out of the way, Chris Dangerfield’s comment about Tsunami being ‘determined to take the hard road’ got me thinking. Many years ago I read a fanfic for the In Nomine RPG, and there was a scene that may be relevant. Providing I’m remembering it correctly, it had the Archangel of Judgement making the observation that some of his agents falling into the trap of thinking that the hard way was the best way simply because it avoided compromising with evil and therefore avoided the risk of being tricked by the forces of hell, but with the obvious downside of ignoring cases of genuine moral complexity. To segue into another RPGing comparison, it’s not so much that they are innately obnoxious power-mad idiots, but rather that they’re making a conscious choice to be a ‘lawful stupid paladins’ because they’re less likely to screw up in the long run.

Now, this is wild speculation on my part and may or may not be relevant to Tsunami, but on the details we have so far that’s beginning to look like a possible fit for what’s going on his head. Which suggests that the pain Tsunami is bearing is not *just* the guilt of having something go wrong in the past and people being hurt as a consequence of his actions (or inactions). It also has to do with the self-knowledge that this is the path of harm minimisation he’s chosen, and that he’s going to be lonely as result because other people are going to find his stance obnoxious, and it’s *never going to get better*.

The game most go on Paul!
I hope the USA will have a good 4th July, also known as Captain America day.
Have a good camping^^

Have you seen that street-poll video where a shocking number of American laypersons don’t know why July 4th is a holiday? One of them though that the Declaration of Independence was signed by Abraham Lincoln in 1967.

No, we Americans are a smart bunch. For example, I know for a fact that July 4th is the date the Magna Carta was signed. (¬､¬)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyhCOPh48ew

Watch it and weep… weep for the future of your country.

I must hold on to the desperate hope that that guy was trolling…

She wasn’t, I think it’s a combination of not having been in school for a while (she was an adult after all, and adults don’t tend to do independent history research without a specific purpose) and being caught off-guard without a chance to mentally prepare herself for history questions. Combined with camera-shock and probably a small amount of panic, she just blurted out whatever she could to get the camera to go away.

Still, that’s why you should be prepared, at the slightest loud noise or bump to the shoulder, to shout “Thomas Jefferson in 1776!” at the top of your lungs and in a single breath. There’s NO way that plan could backfire.

Just watched the video where you posted it to Chris, looks like a lot of those people were pretty drunk too XD

That too. Of course the guy making the video would cut out all the people (hopefully more than a few) who answered correctly, because he’s trying to make a funny video about how Americans don’t know why they celebrate, not about “a certain number of drunks cannot answer questions while drunking drunkenly, meanwhile sober people can answer the questions correctly.”

I mean, even most Australians can name at least one American Founding Father, because we were raised and nursed by Imported American Culture. We all know that famous rhyme, “In nineteen hundred and seventy two, / Columbo jailed Slow-Motion Hugh.”

It’s true… it’s definitely the beach crowd. However, I’m not surprised there have been horrifying videos for years about so many peope who completely failed to gain anything at all from the admittedly sad state of the American educational system. It’s scary stuff.

Hello all, sadly this week I won’t be able to camp again due to gradings at kung fu. We’re doing the level 3s today, should be a lot of fun but we’re likely to run late.

See you all on the verso side! (according to my calculations, assuming the title page is recto and there is no blank or copyright page between the title page and first comic page…)

Have a good time with the level 3s! See you soon.

Thanks, it should be a good day. One of them has the personality of Jack Black mixed with Flight of the Conchords, and the voice of an action movie trailer voiceover, which is a surprisingly fun combination. He does a brilliant Kool-Aid Man impression.

HA!

I wasn’t too surprised that he got 79% (this is a GREAT score in a school where a pass is 65%, and nobody has ever gotten more than 85) on his grading, though. As much of a character as he is, he takes his training pretty seriously.

Best of luck to you!

It’s the level 3s who need luck, I’ll be at the judging table with my “really, is that what you think it is?” eyebrows on. >:D

(Not really, we try to stay neutral while taking notes. I’ll probably be too busy scribing (writing while being dictated to) to actually look at the graders very much.)

Who wants a few camping games about TYP Vs? First Question! Out of 110 people who have claimed virgins, how many have only one?

50 people?

Nope ^_^

Ten!

between 80 and 90??

Nope ^_^

72 people?

You sweetie are so far the closest without going over. ^_^

Now I feel like I’m on The Price Is Right. ^_^

^_^

Hmm, how about 76?

DING DING DING DING

YAAAAAYY!! I WIN!!!!!!

65?

Nope ^_^

More people or less?

See my reply to stick!

Oh oh oh, do you know how many I tagged?

I know exactly how many you have, but we haven’t gotten to that game yet! ^_^

But but but…

After the shark eats Robert Shaw (Quint) I’ll be camping.

Where is everybody? I grilled meat hangover in preparation for the holiday? Gassed out with too many burritos and beers?

I wandered off to read a little fanfiction.

I should be reading and editing proof copy number 2 of an anthology I put together. My eyes don’t like me tonight.

Aww, poor Dave. I hope your eyes start cooperating!

I’m running really late today, just finally got to sit down.

Today was one of those days. I needed something repaired and the appointment was for 2pm. Then they confirmed it at 3:30pm and the repairman called me at 1pm and showed up ten minutes after the call. A strange and busy day – – nothing done but strange and busy.

Some days need to have a time out.

At least I didn’t see it rain. It tried but I missed it.

We had some rain on Wednesday. That was nice

We had rain for about two weeks straight. The last time my gras was mowed, the rain held off until the fellow was half done and then stormed on him. grumble, grumble. . .

Grumble indeed.

OK. stick got it right on her second guess. 76 out off 110 have claimed 1 TYP V!
There have been a total of 326 TYP Vs claimed!

Question two! What is the highest number of Vs held by a single person?

57?

Extremely close sweetie!

Hmm… 55?

other way

60 then?

lol, I said you where extremely close

Being off by 3 or less counts as extremely close to me. xDD
Then it’s either what stick wrote down or 59.

^_^ You were only off by one. ^_^

My second guesses seem to be very on target tonight. 😀

Sorry to steal it out from under you, Keneu!

No worries! I think doki facepalm must have been epic, though. xDD

58?

^_^ Yep! ^_^

18?

Nope, 18 is the third highest

35?

Nope Nope ^_^

I am giving partial credit to Keneu for the second one even though sticky got it right again. The current “champ” has 58 TYP Vs in their harem!

Question 3! How many V’s seperate first and second?

23 ?

almost….
over

28?

the other way?

I’m not an English native speaker, so I thought that over meant more, not less. At least I’ve learnt something new today. =)

Sorry -_- I will try to be clearer in the future!

over

26?

Yes. Frist and Second are separated by 26 Vs.

Woo! ^_^

Who are the users with most Vs?

Part of the game. ^_^

Nope

20 ?

Nope ^_^

Nope. ^_^

19? so the second should have 39 like this.

Nope ^_^

11?

Nope. ^_^

Too low!

I won’t make a second guess for this one so that other people can have a chance. ^_^

Whee! I made it!

Welcome!

Now what’s this about a harem?

Say what?

I just saw a comment below. About someone having Vs in there harem and I have no idea what’s happening right now.

lol, I finally updated the list I had of who had claimed TYP Vs. So I decided to make some camping games.

“virgin” meaning the first comment on a new page.
I guess that you could say some people have “harems” of them.

Harems? I barely have one!

Oooh. Now I feel silly.

lol, it can definitely be confusing!

Hello!

Hi! Sorry, I missed the last two updates.

You’re here now!

Welcome! Glad to have you here!

Glad to be here!

The great dragon of patreon is raising its head

Page up!

http://webcomics.yaoi911.com/typ/ete-tod-page-23/