Erfworld 154 - tBfGK - 141

[kpenguin]

New Comic is Up

I hope Sizemore and Parson can patch things up.

[Gamebird]

Awesome fire effect! I usually don't comment on the drawing/graphics, but the fire was superb!!

[T-O-E]

Interesting.

It's gotten to the point where after a new erf comes out, I have to read it 4-5 times.

Also, I assume Wanda and Maggie are ok. Good.

[Tyrael]

Interesting. I wonder why Sizemore thinks Parson is WORSE than the other Warlords? I was under the impression he thought Parson was BETTER than them.

[T-O-E]

Interesting. I wonder why Sizemore thinks Parson is WORSE than the other Warlords? I was under the impression he thought Parson was BETTER than them.

Because the other warlords didn't really make him do anything?

[teratorn]

Also, I assume Wanda and Maggie are ok. Good.

Isn't that wanda in panel 8?

[RMS Oceanic]

Ooh, philosophy!

I like Janis' thinking: "When you break the rules, break them good and hard."

[Gamebird]

We know Wanda is still around, but Maggie remains MIA.

[Spot]

Interesting. I wonder why Sizemore thinks Parson is WORSE than the other Warlords? I was under the impression he thought Parson was BETTER than them.

Hey there... I just registered tonight, after being a lurker/reader for months, simply because I had to post how completely awesome Erfworld is becoming

As to Sizemore: He wants peace, and dislikes killing.

When Parson was using manuever to avoid direct combat, Sizemore liked that. When Parson began having volcanoes detonated to kill thousands, Sizemore hated that.

Janis just let on that "The Perfect Warlord" is probably the best route to lasting peace for Erfworld... by making the continuation of the traditional war so hideously horrible, that it's no longer seen as a desireable passtime by whomever survives whatever Parson does next.

I'm not sure if Sizemore really believes her, but he should. She has the right idea.

[Neuromancer]

Well, now.

Suddenly we have another dimension to things--Parson as the potential savior of Erfworld, breaking the world enough to get outside the "natural" laws of Erfworld and end the wars that would otherwise continue forever.

Which explains why the Grand Abbie described him as a Hippymancer.

It also puts Parson in the same position as Thomas Covenant, from The Illearth War series by Stephen Donaldson--savior of a world he may not ever be able to accept as truly real.

[Essex]

"Because if he breaks things enough, there may be peace in Erfworld after all."

Or, in the immortal words of Joshua from the WarGames novel, "The only winning move is not to play."

[Aquillion]

Hmm. I'm not sure whether this page really establishes if Parson is a Hippimancer or not, but it does certainly show, either way, why Janis would have defended him.

[Xuincherguixe]

Janis just let on that "The Perfect Warlord" is probably the best route to lasting peace for Erfworld... by making the continuation of the traditional war so hideously horrible, that it's no longer seen as a desireable passtime by whomever survives whatever Parson does next.

While a whole M.A.D. thing is one way that could bring "peace", I think it's more likely that the idea is that Janis is hoping Parson breaks things so hard, that it brings about change. Maybe even beyond just simple rules, but break the culture, the ideas of that world.


Parson really isn't one of the bad guys, it's just he's a good strategist. Maybe even the best the game world has ever seen. I mean, he did beat Charlie.


But, maybe most importantly... Parson unlike pretty much every other warlord could actually appreciate the idea of peace. It's probably an utterly alien idea to the world. "Peace, what's that? You mean that gap of time that we spend building up units?" Parson actually values life. And freedom. Values that aren't necessary for "the game".

[Alsadius]

And here I was thinking Erfworld was drawing to a close. Glad to see there's still some future in it, especially given how awesome it's been lately.

[Spot]

While a whole M.A.D. thing is one way that could bring "peace", I think it's more likely that the idea is that Janis is hoping Parson breaks things so hard, that it brings about change. Maybe even beyond just simple rules, but break the culture, the ideas of that world.


Parson really isn't one of the bad guys, it's just he's a good strategist. Maybe even the best the game world has ever seen. I mean, he did beat Charlie.


But, maybe most importantly... Parson unlike pretty much every other warlord could actually appreciate the idea of peace. It's probably an utterly alien idea to the world. "Peace, what's that? You mean that gap of time that we spend building up units?" Parson actually values life. And freedom. Values that aren't necessary for "the game".

I agree with you... Parson will most definately break the culture there. Just like machine-guns on Earth broke the whole culture of dashing cavalry charges, and inbred monarchs declaring war on their cousins over petty squabbles.

As for valueing life and freedom... I don't think Parson does yet, because (a) this is still a game to him, and (b) because he swore to his friends back on Earth that he would give up his entire life and everything he knew... just for the chance to be a real-life Warlord leading battles.

Sizemore is the one who values life and freedom: If given a choice, he'd gladly give up being a caster in Erfworld, in order to work at a Kinko's photocpy place on Earth.

[Wakky]

I think we're almost to the end of Part One here.

It should take three more panels to tie up loose ends. One where Parson wakes up and talks to Janis about the future, one where Jillian and the TV crowd arrive at Faq and some sort of drama ensues, and finally one of Stanley arriving back at GK and expressing his furious, befuddled anger.

[Lamech]

So Sizemore is more powerful and it is implied their are other ways to level. Cooool... and Wanda live's! There was much rejoicing. And I wonder if Parson is a hippie.

[Fjolnir]

I do like this particular strip because it shows that sizemore understands that he's committed atrocities, not only killed (which is something he has avoided due to stanley's poor management, though I assume his golems broke a good number of faces) and that the hippymancer is as correct as she can be since without destroying the idea of conventional warfare on Erf, peace cannot be attained.

But she's tasked Sizemore with a very difficult task, to make sure parson not only WINS, but maintains his "outsideness" the feeling that war is unnessacary and that free will and life are things to be valued, while maintaining his status as a valuable asset in his arsenal.

and apparently the link didn't gain them any XP, since sizemore only leveled twice in battle (the same amount as bogroll did when he took down ansom) so either he's a VERY high level unit, or the deaths caused by the volcano aren't notches on his bedpost.

Oh and who is it in the circle with spock, I think I see Hendrix, John Lennon, and Manson (charlie, not marilyn) though I could be mistaken on one or all of them

[Lunaya]

Interesting. I wonder why Sizemore thinks Parson is WORSE than the other Warlords? I was under the impression he thought Parson was BETTER than them.

Parson is way more effective than the other Warlords were, which makes him a bigger monster in Sizemore's eyes. Better Warlord = Greater Evil

In other news, I love the last panel. 'Tis the season for hugs, it seems.

[Faulty]

Something about the look on Sizemore's face when he says "Chief Butcher" is really moving. Well done.

[CaptC]

Funny how plot lines converge. Both Parson and V are going to spend a fair amount of time atoning for the bad things they have done recently.

[kreszantas]

I really like Sizemore's character development here, to me it shows he is 'young' in erfworld terms. Janis being a Grand Abbey, Wanda a Master-Class Croakamancer, Jack the Master-Class Foolmancer. He is the only one they do not give a direct title or higher regard. Maggie I am not so sure about I doubt she could obtain Master status since we have not 'seen her' actively leveling.

Naivity has its draw backs, and now they are being expounded upon by how one was directly involved in the events that CHANGE erf for better/worse. Janis saying that things need to be broken. Sounds something similar to what is going on around us today.

[Sean Clannery]

As good as this story has been lately and as good as this individual page is, there's something about that first panel that just exemplifies how excellent this story has been from start to finish... "But we are popped in a world where peace is impossible."

That they've managed to make something this good that adheres to its conventions this well is quite a feat.

[kreszantas]

Oh and who is it in the circle with spock, I think I see Hendrix, John Lennon, and Manson (charlie, not marilyn) though I could be mistaken on one or all of them

I think the Manson your refering to could also be Yanni... but since I am not sure which order you are going in I am just taking a stab in the dark.

[mortissimus]

I figured Janis meant that Parson can conquer the world, thus uniting everything into one faction.

Peace by winning the game.

[Jimorian]

I couldn't figure out the others, but the long-haired guy is most probably magician Doug Henning.

[Borris]

So, any chances the Battle for Gobwin Knob was the first skirmish of the War to End Them All?

[Silveranon]

The figures I can discern upon the mat in panel 4 are, from left to right: Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Frank Zappa, John Lennon. I have no idea who the figure on the far right is. Theme? Big hippies.

Edit:

Changing my mind - second from the left is Mama Cass.

[WarriorTribble]

I figured Janis meant that Parson can conquer the world, thus uniting everything into one faction.

Peace by winning the game.

Somewhat offtopic, but is there a story where this actually happened, and was considered a good thing? Y'know instead of either the unification failing miserably after much death, or the resulting world government becoming a force of pure evil?

[Narkis]

God-Emperor of Dune. Granted, the resulting galactic government was a force of pure evil from the get got, but it was a good force of pure evil. Humanity expanded and survived because it didn't want another tyrant like that one.