Ah, yes, another one of those great one-shot gags. Made me laugh allover again…
Shelly would absolutely, completely, totally freak when she saw the abomination I am looking at, that is currently occupying the small ledge where my ceiling meets the wall… ONE.BIG.MOMMA.MEGA.HAIRY.SPIDER… 7cm across..wow… Probably the reason I have very little trouble with gnats and other critters.
Methinks Bud is saving her ire for Tina. Spazzy’s explaination has her trying to calm the situation and then being mind controlled to knock Nudge’s block off. If this is the only side of the story Bud has heard, she’s got reason to pick on Tina.
Best possible outcome would be for Bud to visit Mondolf, but I bet she goes to see Tina.
When comparing Shelly and Bud’s reactions, please recall that Shelly is very young, less than thirty. Bud has several centuries of experience, unless I have completely misunderstood how the time-flow went by her. I understand she spent a great deal of that time as a golem-in-stasis, but still – she isn’t as young as she looks.
I’m pretty sure Bud and Brandy don’t retain memories of past time-loops. Brandy had to leave herself notes in that book stored in an extratemporal locale.
Still, even without the time-loops, the GGs are, what, over a millennium old?
There is a question… Do they have the biochemical process that lets them learn? From a couple of events, the GGs don’t have the emotional maturity of someone with several centuries under their belt (Even for a few decades, humans change as they get hurt, when you are indestructible, can you learn like this?). It might be that being golems, they are ‘fixed’, and will never really grow as people.
I think Bud’s just remembering becoming the Chimera — it was her primal rage that was the Chimera’s primary driving force to obliterate all life over a fairly large piece of landscape.
Considering how my morning started, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to find myself drifting back into confusion corner today.
(For those who care, I went into the office this morning and tried to turn on my computer before remembering that I’d take my laptop home last night…and didn’t bring it back. Stupid docking station looking like a complete computer.)
Actually, I should have said the spin Peter Jackson put on it. Jackson prefers monsters with big mouths comin-ATCHA like a Caldwell cover. It’s why his Nazgûl are nowhere near as frightening as the ones on the page.
Tolkien himself plainly understood the terror of possession. It’s primarily what his novel is about.
Today’s comic, unfortunately, didn’t clear up anything. For me anyway. There’s always tomorrow, but the outlook for better clairity isn’t good. In fact, being cliff hanger day, I expect the waters to be further muddied.
Chibis really are best employed as symbols of recounting one character’s recounting of events, or another’s understanding of what they’ve heard. There’s always something cartoony about gossip, where the other people being described were all stupid, unlike the narrator who is here in the flesh, and obviously more real, complex, adult and correct.
But demons are difficult to reconcile with everyday life. In ancient literature they really only do two things: they tempt, and they possess.
Humans tempt each other all the time. This is a fine quality in a barista, one we even look forward to experiencing. Possession, on the other hand–well, humans do that to each other too. It’s a condition we fight every day, and to have one’s very will overwhelmed is rightly the greatest nightmare humanity can imagine.
Paul is allowed any mythology he wants to tell his story. But he seems to realize that demons are not D&D monsters that melee with fire and pitchforks and big muscular bodies with horns and bones poking out. That’s just centuries of people’s idle gossip and invention.
RE Bud’s guilt: We also don’t know what she did during her guardian days, before Tepoz made sure the GGG didn’t have to follow anyone’s orders anymore by setting it up so they would only have to obey a glyph reader who’d died, a condition he thought would never come about. And then Monica happened…
If Gandalf had possessed a chest as mighty as that, Lord of the Rings would have been very different indeed, if for no other reason than he would have had to be very careful not to topple over forwards on the bridge at Khazad Dum.
Also, Gandalf would have been completely unable to see any Hobbits who stood right in front of him.
“All was Peachy’??????? Shelly very conveniently left out the teensy detail of Monica having them poit the quarreling toddlers to 13000ft. to cool down hmm?.
Still trying to convince herself she had no choice..tsk, tsk, Shelly, Shelly. Some more growing up to do, I guess…
It looks like Bud isn’t completely buying it… Frame 1 is indicative of that. Made me lol though..
Bud is a lot smarter, and more wisened than she gives herself credit for.
Yeah..go right ahead, pick on the non-native speaker. Forgot that “wizened” had nothing to do with wisdom, and all the more with being like a shriveled prune.
Very well: “Bud is a lot smarter, and wiser than she gives herself credit for”.
A tip of the hat to your ability to write and read a foreign language as flawlessly as you do. Might I suggest:”Bud is a lot smarter, and more discerning than she gives herself credit for.” It has a little more punch than wiser, and I think that is what you were looking for.
My kudos to you as well. Does all your knowledge of English come from learning the language, as opposed to speaking/writing it for a some years somewhere?
Thnx guys for the praise for my language skills. Coming from a teensy-weensy little country by the sea (that, contrary to popular belief, has only a couple of windmills-old style, that only produce flour for tourists.) we have to be able to master several languages, otherwise we would be isolated from a large part of the world…
My Mom was an english teacher that had studies in the US in the 60′s. So, me and my sisters had a serious advantage. We read english children’s books together with our own language ones. That’s part of the reason that I, by times,might sound like a native speaker, but my somewhat heavy-handed of colloquialisms tells a good reader that my English is not learnt in English-speaking countries, but rather through reading and watching movies without subtitles..
Sorry, rambling here, but language is such an interesting subject to me..can’t help myself.
Language is, indeed, and interesting subject. Our native language embodies who we are, where we came from, and our culture. The new words and terms which get introduced into it are often indicitive of where we’re going. I guess, no matter what else may come, you’ll always be able to get work as a translator. Not to mention being the go-to person for company trips to English speaking countries.
I haven’t seen many foreign nationals, but it seems France does a bang-up job of teaching their young English. I believe it’s required. I say this because once a small tour group of French folks (some sort of benefactors and their familes) came through here. The older adults had thick accents but the kids spoke perfect, accent free English. I was amazed.
If languages interest you, check this out. I learned about it in my one Anthropology class. Whenever I hear about languages and communication, I think about it.
Meh! We all knew what you meant, and if native speakers can make excuses for accidentally pulling the wrong word of the hat, then you’ve got nothing to worry about.
I wouldn’t mind. A little exitement is the spice of life, and it cannot get more exiting than harbouring someone that, if provoked sufficiently, could possibly squash our planet, and let the fundamentalists have their “flat earth”
Plus she would be great for cramming juuuuust that bit of extra garbage in the grey container.
Bud has problems with that ‘intentionally looking sexy’ business, which tends to work against her. Also, she’s got high standards: the only man we’ve seen her focus on so far is Kevin, and that obviously didn’t go anywhere…
She focused on Kevin because he ‘noticed’ her. And, probably because she was around him a bit.
She also mentioned Darrin once, because he was ‘nice’ to her. I think it was the night Shelly made her cry.
to be honest, I’m right there with you on this one, Bud is quite sexy, and i’m normally a boobs guy. Plus with her charming personality, what guy wouldn’t want her?
Oooooh! Monica “Going Gandalf”! THAT would give ANY baddie (male, monster or both) pause for thought. Mind you, I’m not saying just what kind of thought……………..
Bud’s expressions, the thumbnail explanation, legs that go-all-the-way-up, what is there not to like about this one? *Sips coffee in the corner* wonders when Old Wolf and crew will show up.
I love the second panel. WHat a great way of breaking up a page of “talking heads,” so to speak. I bet Shelly has a whole slew of these at home.
BTW, I’ve always wanted to ask. Was Lakshmi origianlly supposed to be the “strong one” in the group? Obviously, Owen and she faded away to have their happily ever after. And Shelley was spunky, but never this stron until recent years. Just curious.
Shelly chunked an engine like it was nothing before her arms had this much bulk (character redesign perhaps, but maybe not)…and that not really what I’d call “in recent years.”
speaking of character re-design, i was looking through the archives to try and remember which GGG was each part of the Chimera, and I found this… it’s our first glimpse of our favorite barista: http://wapsisquare.com/comic/12012003/
http://wapsisquare.com/comic/04092004/
and there is the second time. I know the clothing style stays the same, but i feel like she goes from motherly shop owner to kid fresh out of college, plus her eyes turn silver and she gets her chompers….
Motherly is a bit strong of a description for her first appearance. Just because her hair was down instead of in pig-tails doesn’t mean she looks motherly…
IIRC, Lakshmi has always been a gym rat, and Owen decided that a strong woman was his type, but up until then had never really considered Shelly as a romantic partner. That part is still unresolved IMHO.
As far as her strength, that is an interesting point too. Only twice in the history of the comic has Shelly exhibited such brute strength…the first time was when she checked the engine, and the second time was when she crushed the steamer can. Both times she was emotionally charged and not really focused opn what she was doing…I have to believe that will be a further character development hook, but having only expoerienced it twice in 10 years, I wonder…
actually, Owen wasn’t going to date her again after the blind date, and after their performance in Iowa he went from floozy to floozy until Shelly tried to vaguely push him into asking her out. However Owen got the wrong idea and called Lakshmi.
I remeber that one. But he was already admitting to himself that strong women attracted him.. He once even stated to himself that Shelly had the best butt in the crowd.
With Lakshmi, he also noticed that he found Shelly wildly attractive when he was watching her play basketball with some guys. At first he didn’t know it was Shelly he was ogling though..
Maybe ,after the world-devouring threats subside for a bit, we will see some more of the whole Wapsi-gang, Owen and Lakshmi included.
While not necessarily an exhibition of “brute” strength, she once was on the phone with Monica while dangling a heavy weight from her toes…(no emotion involved to make it seem brutish, but pretty damn strong to me)
I’m still thinking that, with the wave of a magic knife, Nudge was turned into a pie. Haven’t seen the girl with the Thigh-Master legs since Tina hefted the blade, and next day: Pie! What kind of ice cream goes with assistant librarian?
Haha!! Love the doodle explanation. XD
That^^ Made me laugh out loud (made my collegues look at me like I went coockoo)
Her artwork has gotten better since last time…
http://wapsisquare.com/comic/harmless/
Ah, yes, another one of those great one-shot gags. Made me laugh allover again…
Shelly would absolutely, completely, totally freak when she saw the abomination I am looking at, that is currently occupying the small ledge where my ceiling meets the wall… ONE.BIG.MOMMA.MEGA.HAIRY.SPIDER… 7cm across..wow… Probably the reason I have very little trouble with gnats and other critters.
Nuke it from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure…
“We had to destroy the planet to save it from spiders.”
Not to mention the LOTR homage.
And they were suddenly going downward through the air, with Monica/Gandalf calling the others fools.
My reasons for loving this comic are increasing exponentially.
The coffee ring on the paper is a nice touch!
Hey, I didn’t even notice that.
Very nice. XD
You have to have respect for the power of “Monica the Stacked”.
Monica the Grey?
Looks more like Monica Dumbledore…
I think it’s hilarious that even as a wizardy stick figure, Monica still has boobs o’ doom.
Doom-dooms.
I always called mine Doomies(TM).
YOU…
SHALL NOT….
PANT!!
Couldn’t imagine a lovelier way to go .
Bud in the third panel…nice.
True that, but Bud and Shelly in first panel… wow
I LOVE Mondalf!
In panel 3, the angle of Bud’s shoes make it look like she has hoofs.
Comes from hanging out with Nudge too much…
Indeed — goes with those racehorse legs I guess. A fine view nevertheless.
Racehorse legs indeed! I mean…damn! *is jealous*
Your wit and insight is just as attractive as Bud’s legs, Julie…
I still want racehorse legs.
Hooves?
Croissant, the mascot/host/narrator of the webcomic Flaky Pastry.
Not sure just what it is about her feet…
Those are instep guards on the Croissant drawing, not funky feet/shoes.
GAH! Yet another sexy-librarian-type.. as if my rikki tickurr wasn’t shocked enough by Phix…
Looks like Bud has something on her mind; wonder what she sees in all this? It appears she’s got something that she’s not ready to run by Shelly yet.
Yeah, and I wonder if it involves the issue Shelley brought up, or if she’s more concerned about monica’s intervention…
Methinks Bud is saving her ire for Tina. Spazzy’s explaination has her trying to calm the situation and then being mind controlled to knock Nudge’s block off. If this is the only side of the story Bud has heard, she’s got reason to pick on Tina.
Best possible outcome would be for Bud to visit Mondolf, but I bet she goes to see Tina.
When comparing Shelly and Bud’s reactions, please recall that Shelly is very young, less than thirty. Bud has several centuries of experience, unless I have completely misunderstood how the time-flow went by her. I understand she spent a great deal of that time as a golem-in-stasis, but still – she isn’t as young as she looks.
I’m pretty sure Bud and Brandy don’t retain memories of past time-loops. Brandy had to leave herself notes in that book stored in an extratemporal locale.
Still, even without the time-loops, the GGs are, what, over a millennium old?
There is a question… Do they have the biochemical process that lets them learn? From a couple of events, the GGs don’t have the emotional maturity of someone with several centuries under their belt (Even for a few decades, humans change as they get hurt, when you are indestructible, can you learn like this?). It might be that being golems, they are ‘fixed’, and will never really grow as people.
No, we’ve seen Bud, specifically, learning and changing, becoming more “human”.
I think Bud’s just remembering becoming the Chimera — it was her primal rage that was the Chimera’s primary driving force to obliterate all life over a fairly large piece of landscape.
Time to pass out on the confusion corner…wake me in the morning, someone…
I set the alarm for 7.
Figures that I’d set my clock ahead three hours…
Considering how my morning started, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to find myself drifting back into confusion corner today.
(For those who care, I went into the office this morning and tried to turn on my computer before remembering that I’d take my laptop home last night…and didn’t bring it back. Stupid docking station looking like a complete computer.)
LOVE Panel Two!
Fair – Love the new gravatar. Yay, Edie!
The second frame is GREAT! Despite the sketchiness, I knew who was who.
Its great
I love it when artists draw basic figures which still look like the characters in 3d!
*dies giggling at the LotResque retelling* Awesomely bad.
So…shelly is the balrog?
Nah – Sam.
Nudge is Gollum…
Wait… if Nudge is Gollum, and Shelly is Sam, does that make Tina the Balrog?
Considering that the Balrog was a terrible foul demon of the underworld that scared even Gandalf, I’m not sure Tina quite fills that role.
But maybe Creepy does…
In this context, “You! Shall not! punch” == “You! Shall Not! Pass!” from the PJ movie version…since Shelly is about to punch, Shelly “is” the balrog.
Fly! you Fools!
Shelly is the Balrog, only without the post-medieval spin Tolkien put on it.
Monica stopped a demon. But demons don’t strut about with whips and swords. See my note to SoWhyMe below.
Actually, I should have said the spin Peter Jackson put on it. Jackson prefers monsters with big mouths comin-ATCHA like a Caldwell cover. It’s why his Nazgûl are nowhere near as frightening as the ones on the page.
Tolkien himself plainly understood the terror of possession. It’s primarily what his novel is about.
I also would like to know if they figure it out
The return of the chibis!
Today’s comic, unfortunately, didn’t clear up anything. For me anyway. There’s always tomorrow, but the outlook for better clairity isn’t good. In fact, being cliff hanger day, I expect the waters to be further muddied.
Chibis really are best employed as symbols of recounting one character’s recounting of events, or another’s understanding of what they’ve heard. There’s always something cartoony about gossip, where the other people being described were all stupid, unlike the narrator who is here in the flesh, and obviously more real, complex, adult and correct.
But demons are difficult to reconcile with everyday life. In ancient literature they really only do two things: they tempt, and they possess.
Humans tempt each other all the time. This is a fine quality in a barista, one we even look forward to experiencing. Possession, on the other hand–well, humans do that to each other too. It’s a condition we fight every day, and to have one’s very will overwhelmed is rightly the greatest nightmare humanity can imagine.
Paul is allowed any mythology he wants to tell his story. But he seems to realize that demons are not D&D monsters that melee with fire and pitchforks and big muscular bodies with horns and bones poking out. That’s just centuries of people’s idle gossip and invention.
Buds remembering her Chimera days.
She was acting on base instinct then not rational thought.
Okay so shelly doesn’t actually think she was controlled more like she was a spark which was then fanned into a raging flame?
I can go with that one
I get the feeling the pizza place will be working double-shift tonight
The all was peachy – it WAS a peach pie after all
(and yea im just being daft. i know peachy = fine)
RE Bud’s guilt: We also don’t know what she did during her guardian days, before Tepoz made sure the GGG didn’t have to follow anyone’s orders anymore by setting it up so they would only have to obey a glyph reader who’d died, a condition he thought would never come about. And then Monica happened…
If Gandalf had possessed a chest as mighty as that, Lord of the Rings would have been very different indeed, if for no other reason than he would have had to be very careful not to topple over forwards on the bridge at Khazad Dum.
Also, Gandalf would have been completely unable to see any Hobbits who stood right in front of him.
Heh.
How to Defeat Power Girl
On the other hand, they could have taken shelter there from the snowstorm when they were trying to cross the Misty Mountains.
“All was Peachy’??????? Shelly very conveniently left out the teensy detail of Monica having them poit the quarreling toddlers to 13000ft. to cool down hmm?.
Still trying to convince herself she had no choice..tsk, tsk, Shelly, Shelly. Some more growing up to do, I guess…
It looks like Bud isn’t completely buying it… Frame 1 is indicative of that. Made me lol though..
Bud is a lot smarter, and more wisened than she gives herself credit for.
“Wisened”? All shriveled up?
They left her in the kiln too long…
Yeah..go right ahead, pick on the non-native speaker. Forgot that “wizened” had nothing to do with wisdom, and all the more with being like a shriveled prune.
Very well: “Bud is a lot smarter, and wiser than she gives herself credit for”.
A tip of the hat to your ability to write and read a foreign language as flawlessly as you do. Might I suggest:”Bud is a lot smarter, and more discerning than she gives herself credit for.” It has a little more punch than wiser, and I think that is what you were looking for.
My kudos to you as well. Does all your knowledge of English come from learning the language, as opposed to speaking/writing it for a some years somewhere?
‘discerning‘ Hmmm..yeah..that sounds about right.
Thnx guys for the praise for my language skills. Coming from a teensy-weensy little country by the sea (that, contrary to popular belief, has only a couple of windmills-old style, that only produce flour for tourists.) we have to be able to master several languages, otherwise we would be isolated from a large part of the world…
Again, thnx for the praise :red: :blush:
@SoWhyMe
My Mom was an english teacher that had studies in the US in the 60′s. So, me and my sisters had a serious advantage. We read english children’s books together with our own language ones. That’s part of the reason that I, by times,might sound like a native speaker, but my somewhat heavy-handed of colloquialisms tells a good reader that my English is not learnt in English-speaking countries, but rather through reading and watching movies without subtitles..
Sorry, rambling here, but language is such an interesting subject to me..can’t help myself.
*studied * etc etc.
Grrrr..typing faster than my brain processes… again..
Language is, indeed, and interesting subject. Our native language embodies who we are, where we came from, and our culture. The new words and terms which get introduced into it are often indicitive of where we’re going. I guess, no matter what else may come, you’ll always be able to get work as a translator. Not to mention being the go-to person for company trips to English speaking countries.
I haven’t seen many foreign nationals, but it seems France does a bang-up job of teaching their young English. I believe it’s required. I say this because once a small tour group of French folks (some sort of benefactors and their familes) came through here. The older adults had thick accents but the kids spoke perfect, accent free English. I was amazed.
If languages interest you, check this out. I learned about it in my one Anthropology class. Whenever I hear about languages and communication, I think about it.
Meh! We all knew what you meant, and if native speakers can make excuses for accidentally pulling the wrong word of the hat, then you’ve got nothing to worry about.
Whew! Having an annoyed golem Guardian at hand is a bit like having a live A-bomb in the basement. Be very, very careful.
You wouldn’t want Bud rooming in your basement?
I wouldn’t mind. A little exitement is the spice of life, and it cannot get more exiting than harbouring someone that, if provoked sufficiently, could possibly squash our planet, and let the fundamentalists have their “flat earth”
Plus she would be great for cramming juuuuust that bit of extra garbage in the grey container.
The diamond stash you’d eventually have in that grey container would certainly pay for her room and board.
oooh..that hadn’t crossed my mind yet.. “T would have been a mighty amount of Cafe Latte’s paid for….
Looking at panel 3, how does Bud not have a horde of men trying to be her man?
Yowza.
(Well, I am a leg man…)
Bud has problems with that ‘intentionally looking sexy’ business, which tends to work against her. Also, she’s got high standards: the only man we’ve seen her focus on so far is Kevin, and that obviously didn’t go anywhere…
She focused on Kevin because he ‘noticed’ her. And, probably because she was around him a bit.
She also mentioned Darrin once, because he was ‘nice’ to her. I think it was the night Shelly made her cry.
to be honest, I’m right there with you on this one, Bud is quite sexy, and i’m normally a boobs guy. Plus with her charming personality, what guy wouldn’t want her?
All you allofyous off! She’s mine! Mine! *shows teeth*
Oooooh! Monica “Going Gandalf”! THAT would give ANY baddie (male, monster or both) pause for thought. Mind you, I’m not saying just what kind of thought……………..
Bud’s gams.
The go all the way up, don’t they…
And clean down to the floor.
Bud’s expressions, the thumbnail explanation, legs that go-all-the-way-up, what is there not to like about this one? *Sips coffee in the corner* wonders when Old Wolf and crew will show up.
About 6:55, if the post right above you is correct…
Crashed in the back room. Hi guys!
There is no back room. That was the dumpster.
I love the second panel. WHat a great way of breaking up a page of “talking heads,” so to speak. I bet Shelly has a whole slew of these at home.
BTW, I’ve always wanted to ask. Was Lakshmi origianlly supposed to be the “strong one” in the group? Obviously, Owen and she faded away to have their happily ever after. And Shelley was spunky, but never this stron until recent years. Just curious.
Shelly chunked an engine like it was nothing before her arms had this much bulk (character redesign perhaps, but maybe not)…and that not really what I’d call “in recent years.”
speaking of character re-design, i was looking through the archives to try and remember which GGG was each part of the Chimera, and I found this… it’s our first glimpse of our favorite barista:
http://wapsisquare.com/comic/12012003/
Hmmm. Different choker.
http://wapsisquare.com/comic/04092004/
and there is the second time. I know the clothing style stays the same, but i feel like she goes from motherly shop owner to kid fresh out of college, plus her eyes turn silver and she gets her chompers….
Motherly is a bit strong of a description for her first appearance. Just because her hair was down instead of in pig-tails doesn’t mean she looks motherly…
IIRC, Lakshmi has always been a gym rat, and Owen decided that a strong woman was his type, but up until then had never really considered Shelly as a romantic partner. That part is still unresolved IMHO.
As far as her strength, that is an interesting point too. Only twice in the history of the comic has Shelly exhibited such brute strength…the first time was when she checked the engine, and the second time was when she crushed the steamer can. Both times she was emotionally charged and not really focused opn what she was doing…I have to believe that will be a further character development hook, but having only expoerienced it twice in 10 years, I wonder…
me spell pretty one day…
You no spell korrect prittee do no make problum’ fu’ Jay..Me understan’ points puffektlee well…
Them’ good points!
As I recall it, Owen and Lakshmi met on a blind date. Owen seemed a little reluctant at first, but decided that he liked her after a bit.
actually, Owen wasn’t going to date her again after the blind date, and after their performance in Iowa he went from floozy to floozy until Shelly tried to vaguely push him into asking her out. However Owen got the wrong idea and called Lakshmi.
I remeber that one. But he was already admitting to himself that strong women attracted him.. He once even stated to himself that Shelly had the best butt in the crowd.
With Lakshmi, he also noticed that he found Shelly wildly attractive when he was watching her play basketball with some guys. At first he didn’t know it was Shelly he was ogling though..
Maybe ,after the world-devouring threats subside for a bit, we will see some more of the whole Wapsi-gang, Owen and Lakshmi included.
While not necessarily an exhibition of “brute” strength, she once was on the phone with Monica while dangling a heavy weight from her toes…(no emotion involved to make it seem brutish, but pretty damn strong to me)
Shelly totally took the back end off a car with a metal grinder in one swipe.
Monica the Grey!
I’m still thinking that, with the wave of a magic knife, Nudge was turned into a pie. Haven’t seen the girl with the Thigh-Master legs since Tina hefted the blade, and next day: Pie! What kind of ice cream goes with assistant librarian?
That doodle was the best! HA HA HA!! Im still all giddy LOL
Bud’s got some nice legs O_o
The doodle thing reminds me of Bleach (Rukia’s explanations) except without the bunnies.