It is an excellent joke, and I hope we can keep it going. Seing as Dainix might have a few more pages to deal with Falst’s situation, I look forward to writing the phrase “red mother hen” more times.
Well, it’s not the orb they had before, but I’d say that rock is worth a ponder.
There’s a neat detail with the panel shapes going on here. Panels 1-4 have diagonal slants between them, not much of a slant, but enough to imply movement and emotion. Meanwhile panels 5-7 are straight rectangles, giving a sense of stillness and rigidity, both in the character’s movement and their conversation. Good touches to this scene.
Yeah, Falst knows how little such a line between people and monsters matters; he’s been accused of being a monster before and has met at least one person, Jolon, who was person on the outside and monster on the inside. Meanwhile Dainix has been raised in a tight knit community that looks out for each other against dangerous creatures of the desert; Zuurith may have been a complete culture shock for him. It’s only natural these two have very different definitions of people and monsters.
Hmm, from that colour I’d say it’s a life lacrima, a very faded and maybe primitive one though. I bet Falst is considering whether it can be used to treat their wounds, or whether it’s change it too lacking to do that, or its original use was not intended for healing.
Prediction for next week: Falst opens up, if only slightly, to his past experience with Cave Crawlers. I doubt he’ll spill all his backstory to Dainix, but certainly some of it, and we, the readers, may see a bit more than he hears.
I didn’t even notice the details about the panels, that’s so cool-
I personally love those minuscule details that fly over people’s heads, and panel structure is one of those things that most people’s brains don’t automatically pay much attention to, so adding subtle meaning behind panel design is one of those touches that really shows how much effort and love was put into this webcomic
I’m not the type to notice these kinds of details but I can definitely see what you mean. And after looking through it myself I think I’ve found a different neat detail:
In the bottom most panel there is a line separating them even though without it, it still would be an accurate distance judging by the upper panel. But the line doesn’t represent physical distance, but emotional as Dainix and Falst aren’t close as people. But Dainix’s question to him attempts to (and succeeds?) in trying to bridge that gap.
It feels cools to try and spot these kinds of things I’ve now found, as I get a glimpse at just how much thought and effort goes into these panels and maybe others if I keep this up.
I love Falst’s expression in the final panel (seven) it so foreshadows Falst’s relating a personal, intimate and melancholy story, A pity we have to wait three days before we even get even the first part of the story. So Hitchcockian (as in like something Alfred Hitchcock would do). Way to dial up the suspense subtlely Red!
Accept what, the idea that there’s no difference between people and monsters, or the idea that cave crawlers are already dead?
Personally I find it pretty easy to categorize people and monsters, as long as you use a venn diagram.
After zooming in on the little life lacrima, I can see that there aren’t any runes on it. Let’s see if Erin’s textbooks had anything about basic healing spells, and how much Falst remembers from them (or if he even considers the lacrima worth using).
i love how falst’s speech bubbles are partially transparent to show that he’s injured or something idk can someone who’s better at analysis tell me what that’s supposed to represent
To my understanding since Falst’s speech bubble is darker it implies a lower tone and the shaky boarder implies weariness or tiredness. But I am sure other interpretations would also apply.
Are you trying to reply from the comic’s home page? If you are, that’s probably the reason: as far as I’m aware, replies only work on the individual page permanent url’s.
I think Falst’s assertion that there is no line might come from the fact that a lot of people seem to consider him to be a Monster rather than a People. He might have reason to consider monster/person to be more of a spectrum than a binary, without something so helpful as an easy to define line.
Some people look like monsters, some act like monsters; and this is before considering dangerous powers. Many beasts that are said to be dangerous are so only under foolish circumstance.
I wonder what Insights we are about to get into cave crawlers? There seem to be alot at any particular location in the caves at all times, do they reproduce? Do they age? Or is there constantly people diving into the caves? I assume reproduction is on the table as Humans and elves once had to live there. The consciousness supposedly comes from the sun, so does going too far below ground effect that? Does the void dragon regain control of them there? Is that what humans are supposed to look like?
“What you got there buddy?” A level up i think. I think we’re going to find out that falst is extremely magically talented. He’s been in erins books from day one, and constructed a spell to safely make him human (in theory). What has he learned in a couple sefs?
Reread the comic this weekend, and holy crap its only been like a month.
I think this and the previous page are really interesting if you look at Dainix’s adherence to his principles through the lens of him being a demon. Basically, since demons seem to be a manifestation of uncontrolled emotion, I think that Dainix could’ve internalized that fear of turning into a demon and unconsciously applied it to other things. The emotions are the most clear one, being correlated with the demon and his philosophy of not repressing them but using them (a form of control), and I think that his adherence to this moral code is as well. It seems (based on last page) that part of why he was focusing so much on keeping that code intact was that it was something that he could actually control, even given the extenuating circumstances of the arena, so alongside the general put-off of killing others that most people feel, giving up the moral code is could be seen as a form of losing control. On top of that, as some people pointed out last page, the stabbing of the cave crawler seems to have been a largely instinctual response in response to being scratched pretty hard by it, and I wonder if the fact that it wasn’t a conscious decision might’ve furthered the impact of breaking his code, since it meant harming something once again by losing control of his impulses.
(Hope this makes any sense and sorry for the wall of text!)
For mobile readers.
Alt-text: do you have a tragic backstory you want to share with the class
Image source: line
Damn, these two are gonna have the most philosophical talk of the century for a webcomic
There ain’t monsters, and there ain’t men
“How is that?” asks the red mother hen
Credit where credit is due: This joke officially brought to you by @Called by Magic on page 1-21-7
I am honored that you thought it was funny enough to reuse. And honestly, I think you just improved on it.
It is an excellent joke, and I hope we can keep it going. Seing as Dainix might have a few more pages to deal with Falst’s situation, I look forward to writing the phrase “red mother hen” more times.
FALST. BUDDY
right on the face. of course.
I swear this guy is actively trying to hurt himself…
whatcha got there, buddy?
A LIFE… lacrima
ohmygod, why does he have a life lacrima
You starting to sound like Erin. And of COURSE Falst knows what he’s going to do with it
Now, now, it’s not as if Falst would go run around with scissors, willy-nilly, would he? (Pause, dot, dot dot)
With the sheer sharpness of his claws, he is kind of ALWAYS doing the equivalent of running with scissors~
LeT me sEe whAt yOU haVE
A KNIFE!
NO—
ohmygod, why does he have a knife
why does he have a KNIFE?????
Well, it’s not the orb they had before, but I’d say that rock is worth a ponder.
There’s a neat detail with the panel shapes going on here. Panels 1-4 have diagonal slants between them, not much of a slant, but enough to imply movement and emotion. Meanwhile panels 5-7 are straight rectangles, giving a sense of stillness and rigidity, both in the character’s movement and their conversation. Good touches to this scene.
Yeah, Falst knows how little such a line between people and monsters matters; he’s been accused of being a monster before and has met at least one person, Jolon, who was person on the outside and monster on the inside. Meanwhile Dainix has been raised in a tight knit community that looks out for each other against dangerous creatures of the desert; Zuurith may have been a complete culture shock for him. It’s only natural these two have very different definitions of people and monsters.
Hmm, from that colour I’d say it’s a life lacrima, a very faded and maybe primitive one though. I bet Falst is considering whether it can be used to treat their wounds, or whether it’s change it too lacking to do that, or its original use was not intended for healing.
Prediction for next week: Falst opens up, if only slightly, to his past experience with Cave Crawlers. I doubt he’ll spill all his backstory to Dainix, but certainly some of it, and we, the readers, may see a bit more than he hears.
I didn’t even notice the details about the panels, that’s so cool-
I personally love those minuscule details that fly over people’s heads, and panel structure is one of those things that most people’s brains don’t automatically pay much attention to, so adding subtle meaning behind panel design is one of those touches that really shows how much effort and love was put into this webcomic
I’m not the type to notice these kinds of details but I can definitely see what you mean. And after looking through it myself I think I’ve found a different neat detail:
In the bottom most panel there is a line separating them even though without it, it still would be an accurate distance judging by the upper panel. But the line doesn’t represent physical distance, but emotional as Dainix and Falst aren’t close as people. But Dainix’s question to him attempts to (and succeeds?) in trying to bridge that gap.
It feels cools to try and spot these kinds of things I’ve now found, as I get a glimpse at just how much thought and effort goes into these panels and maybe others if I keep this up.
I love Falst’s expression in the final panel (seven) it so foreshadows Falst’s relating a personal, intimate and melancholy story, A pity we have to wait three days before we even get even the first part of the story. So Hitchcockian (as in like something Alfred Hitchcock would do). Way to dial up the suspense subtlely Red!
imagine we wait three days & just scene change, I think I’d spontaneously combust XD
“There is no line. Then you realize it is not the line that bends: it is only yourself.”
– Falst in The Matrix, probably
Now I see Alina in black pantsuit and dark glasses doing Matrix moves
Oh, here we finally go…
Since OngoingConversationCouplet is totally right that “mother hen” is extremely applicable to Dainix right now, here’s another limerick about him:
There once was a red mother hen
Whose kitten was injured again
And refuses to rest,
Despite his protest,
Preparing to tell of what’s been.
Ooo that’s a good one!
Accept what, the idea that there’s no difference between people and monsters, or the idea that cave crawlers are already dead?
Personally I find it pretty easy to categorize people and monsters, as long as you use a venn diagram.
Where would cave crawlers be on said venn diagram?
I know this page is very serious and all but that alt text had me wheezing like a winded squeaky chicken
“Do you really want the answer to that? It’s going to ruin your day.”
After zooming in on the little life lacrima, I can see that there aren’t any runes on it. Let’s see if Erin’s textbooks had anything about basic healing spells, and how much Falst remembers from them (or if he even considers the lacrima worth using).
*gasp* Do I sense a… tragic backstory incoming?
i love how falst’s speech bubbles are partially transparent to show that he’s injured or something idk can someone who’s better at analysis tell me what that’s supposed to represent
To my understanding since Falst’s speech bubble is darker it implies a lower tone and the shaky boarder implies weariness or tiredness. But I am sure other interpretations would also apply.
let them hug and cry already
@Pumkin_Pants (replies led me to an error page): yea!! My thought is a mix of pain & hesitancy making him speak softer?
Are you trying to reply from the comic’s home page? If you are, that’s probably the reason: as far as I’m aware, replies only work on the individual page permanent url’s.
I think Falst’s assertion that there is no line might come from the fact that a lot of people seem to consider him to be a Monster rather than a People. He might have reason to consider monster/person to be more of a spectrum than a binary, without something so helpful as an easy to define line.
One question: Why do you make your comics so sentimental? I cried from this one!
Dainix practically handing Falst a layup to tell his tragic backstory. Can’t wait to see how he avoids it and closes off again.
Some people look like monsters, some act like monsters; and this is before considering dangerous powers. Many beasts that are said to be dangerous are so only under foolish circumstance.
“There is no line.”
“How can you accept that?”
“How can you live without accepting it?”
I wonder what Insights we are about to get into cave crawlers? There seem to be alot at any particular location in the caves at all times, do they reproduce? Do they age? Or is there constantly people diving into the caves? I assume reproduction is on the table as Humans and elves once had to live there. The consciousness supposedly comes from the sun, so does going too far below ground effect that? Does the void dragon regain control of them there? Is that what humans are supposed to look like?
“What you got there buddy?” A level up i think. I think we’re going to find out that falst is extremely magically talented. He’s been in erins books from day one, and constructed a spell to safely make him human (in theory). What has he learned in a couple sefs?
Reread the comic this weekend, and holy crap its only been like a month.
“A smoothie.”
TL;DR: Moody morality
Probably the most succinct Aurora tl;dr yet. Well done.
I think this and the previous page are really interesting if you look at Dainix’s adherence to his principles through the lens of him being a demon. Basically, since demons seem to be a manifestation of uncontrolled emotion, I think that Dainix could’ve internalized that fear of turning into a demon and unconsciously applied it to other things. The emotions are the most clear one, being correlated with the demon and his philosophy of not repressing them but using them (a form of control), and I think that his adherence to this moral code is as well. It seems (based on last page) that part of why he was focusing so much on keeping that code intact was that it was something that he could actually control, even given the extenuating circumstances of the arena, so alongside the general put-off of killing others that most people feel, giving up the moral code is could be seen as a form of losing control. On top of that, as some people pointed out last page, the stabbing of the cave crawler seems to have been a largely instinctual response in response to being scratched pretty hard by it, and I wonder if the fact that it wasn’t a conscious decision might’ve furthered the impact of breaking his code, since it meant harming something once again by losing control of his impulses.
(Hope this makes any sense and sorry for the wall of text!)