Unsounded, quite possibly the (2nd) best webcomic I have seen.

[Killer Angel]

There's definitely something wrong with the khert.

[Jimorian]

Talking coffee would certainly wake ME up in the morning!

[Killer Angel]

So, there is a Lady Toma...

[Jukebox Hero]

Why is Duane so quiet? This is worrying....

[Jimorian]

Why is Duane so quiet? This is worrying....

We're only learning recently that he's basically out of the game at night as a side effect of his zombiefication, and this is the first time we actually see what happens to him. If they were threatened, she might be able to unleash him from the spell that allows her to control him at night, but I don't think anybody would be happy with the results.

[Elystan]

Just reading through the archives. This is great. Not just the art either. I think the writing has a lot of depth.

[Zen Master]

We're only learning recently that he's basically out of the game at night as a side effect of his zombiefication, and this is the first time we actually see what happens to him. If they were threatened, she might be able to unleash him from the spell that allows her to control him at night, but I don't think anybody would be happy with the results.

Uh no .... no, he has trouble controlling his feeding urge at night. This is entirely different. This is the necklace/amulet/thing Sette wears. Remember she said 'I think it's time for me to be in charge for a while'?

This is her, in charge. She has switched him off.

I'm sure it'll go over well, too - Duane will surely not be upset that Nary-a-Care gave Sette a remote for him.

[Killer Angel]

ohohoheheheh!

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I knew that Ephsephin would have died, sooner or later, but this was unexpected. +1 for the excellent Chekov's gun!

[teratorn]

Wait.

People don't like Sette?

Well, I do, it's the best thing in the whole comic.

[Gnome Alone]

ohohoheheheh!

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I knew that Ephsephin would have died, sooner or later, but this was unexpected. +1 for the excellent Chekov's gun!

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I know, right? I think Jivi tried to poison him with the rat-exploding pymaric way back in Chapter 2 I think. And then when I saw him furtively messing with Epsephin's bottle I figured he was gonna try it again. In the last update Jivi's incredibly nervous expression as the bastard was about to take a drink convinced me fully, and now... PING. Dead.

Jivi looks pretty freaked out anyway, seeing as how he's still just a kid and that's a pretty gruesome way to kill someone, but imagine if Ephsephin had taken him up on his suggestion to find the guard and turn over Starfish. Not bloody likely to happen, but I wonder if Jivi would've felt a little guilt about killing someone in the act of slightly redeeming himself. Of course, he shouldn't feel guilty, IMO everyone has a right and... duty? imperative?... to escape captivity by any means necessary (side note: I freaking loved it when Belkar was killing his way out of false imrpisonment in Azure City) but it would still be a pretty harrowing thing to see happen. Poor Jivi looks freaked out enough as is. Mixed with a healthy dose of "Holy [expletive] that actually worked."

I love this comic. I feel like the author does a really great job with moral ambiguity. Or, with morally complex characters? Sette is brash and appalingly opportunistic, but is clearly growing more compassionate and nuanced. And she's still a parentally mistreated 12 year old girl. The Red Berry Boys are pretty much uniformly scum, but they're believable scum.

Similarly, Duane could come off as a little too noble and Good with a capital alignment G, but it's believable because that is rare enough in the comic (and real life, maybe?) and it seems to naturally grow out of his experiences. And for me at least it is balanced a bit by his apparent support for physically abusing children (in the comic very early on he vents frustration at Sette by saying it would please him to put her over his knee, and in the Duane & Sette Formspring Q&A he both threatens to whip her with a belt and recommends that teachers "carry a stave" about with them to keep pupils in line.) Personally I regard this as very hard to sympathize with or forgive, but I get the impression it's kind of to suggest that Duane is a bit of an anachronism. Not that the overall society seems to be that progressive anyway. But even so I can't help but love Duane, he is by and large a truly heroic character.

On a similar note, the amibiguity and differences of opinion about the governments of Cresce and Alderode is similarly well-handled. Cresce, depending on who you ask, is either a peace-keeping progressive nation with remarkable gender equality, or an aggressively territorial and tyrannical empire. And Alderode is either the most civilized, cultured and refined nation on the continent or a deeply racist theocracy. And it seems, in another true-to-life way, that all these points of view are basically correct. *contented sigh* I love this comic.

[Zen Master]

The thing about Duane is that, while obviously good, he has clearly bought into his own governments propaganda whole sale, and does not further question it. This is even the basic premise of his fight with Quigley.

And to my eye, Alderode is not the good guys - that would be Cresce. Or, well, as likeable and obviously good as capt. Toma is, it stands to reason that he might be every bit as blindly dancing to the tune of his governments propagande as is Duane.

I also find it a little amusing how many insist on making moral judgements based on todays morals, rather than the morals of the time - or that portrayed in the comic.

The time period portrayed (even if spiced with fantasy) would have unflinchingly accepted - even expected - parents to beat their children, husbands to beat their wives, masters their apprentices, officers their recruits, basically ... just everyone exchanging a few good beatings now and again with very little justification - seen with the eyes of our enlightened age.

I see it as a tool. Duane is reluctant to do what is clearly accepted generally. Quigley less so. Ephsephin - by comparison - has very little restraint where it comes to physical solutions to inter-human relations. And so on.

So it's a way to differentiate the characters in terms of morals and restraint.

[Killer Angel]

Fight!

Mathis is tired and (speaking in D&D’s terms) he’s falling behind in terms of round-action economy. I believe that, actually (barring something unespected), his best chance is to escape with Matty…

[Jimorian]

Today's 2-page update shows why this is one of my favorite webcomics. Brilliant use of unusual visual cues and taking advantage of the fact that it is a webcomic. That and some really great details throughout the past few pages in both character and plot.

Which makes it a very appropriate update for Ashley to announce the Kickstarter for the printing of Volume 1 with the first 3 chapters in book form.

[Killer Angel]

That was decisely an impressive entry...

Brilliant use of unusual visual cues

Indeed.

[ran88dom99]

Why did Duane and Quigley fight instead of Duane offering Quigley something like the silver in the corpse ?bombs? or Quigley thinking that up or Duane going to the Cresce soldiers? Duane is crazy determined to get starfish but takes the time to have a punch up with a mage that may kill him. Same goes for Quigley because Quigley has the son he should think of first.

[Spuddles]

The dialogue is incredibly well written, the story engaging, and the art absolutely beautiful.

Thank you for introducing me to this comic.

[BRC]

Concerning Sette

She was very annoying in the opening chapters. Some of that obnoxiousness was justified later when we learned she was intentionally trying to make sure Duane didn't learn exactly how far west they had traveled, but that doesn't excuse attacking the elemental thing in the first chapter.

Somebody earlier complained about an overuse of the "Mysterious Past". Only Duane really falls into that category, just about every other character has either had their past well explained, or, even if we don't know the exact details, it isn't really that important (For example, I don't think we really need to know Starfish's Backstory).

[Murg]

The art of this comic is outstanding. Full color and tons of detail. You can tell a lot of work went into it.

The story...gets off to a really slow start. The initial plot needs some kind of event to grab the reader's attention, because the chapter 1 pacing is snail-like. I almost gave up on the story after the first chapter, glad I kept reading because it does get better!

Now this battle they are doing right now is pretty epic. They've pretty much smashed up the warehouse they are in and massive magical mayhem is still going on. Can't wait to see how it turns out!

[Killer Angel]

Duane's on the run again!
Sadly, we had to wait 'til november 21st for the next chapter...

[marooned]

This does look good, I'm going to give it a read.

It kind of reminds me of a friend's comic, By Moon Alone
http://bymoonalone.com/

I think BMA sets the bar higher artistically, but this one still looks good.

[Killer Angel]

The new chapter has already begun. Just saying.

[Teln]

I like the husband already.

[Killer Angel]

New updates, 3 pages in a row, and...

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err, Duane?

Yeah, definitely, you're not human.

[Jimorian]

Sette better leave a nice tip.

[123456789blaaa]

The "got him tied up" is another little reminder that Sette isn't nearly as horrible as she tries to be.

[Forrestfire]

I check back after missing a few updates and ohgodwhat.

[Alias]

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Sette fell into Duane's shadow...

This can't be good...

[123456789blaaa]

I was thinking Duane was infected but now I'm wat.

Wat.

[Forrestfire]

I just realized "The Happy Tentacle" was a service on the part of the hotel.

Wow... Just... wow...

[Alias]

Definitely not a place for Yuki (of Menage a 3).