Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XLIV: Stunt Bro and Hella Jayden

[Traab]

Eh, she also threw Stunt-mum at the path of the knife as a diversion while she snicked out the window.

There's something missing from this story arc methinks. Where is the Stunt-dad? The one responsible for shaping Stunt's whole world view? Since no one stubbed him to death shouldn't Stunt go confront him?

That will be the follow up comic, after lizzie leaves the grave site, stunts dad will sneak in and piss on the grave, just to make certain we are aware that he is a bad bad man. Im imagining half drunk rambling like, "hah! Now that you are paying attention since yer whore demon lesbian lover is gone, I hope you enjoy a nice warm shower! yeah, drink it in you cheating harlot. And may piss flowers grow here forever!"

Anyways, thank god stunt is so stealthy. I mean, he did murder his own mother, accidentally or not. thats the kind of thing that would make you remembered in a small town, and not usually in a good way.

[T-O-E]

That will be the follow up comic, after lizzie leaves the grave site, stunts dad will sneak in and piss on the grave, just to make certain we are aware that he is a bad bad man. Im imagining half drunk rambling like, "hah! Now that you are paying attention since yer whore demon lesbian lover is gone, I hope you enjoy a nice warm shower! yeah, drink it in you cheating harlot. And may piss flowers grow here forever!"

And then Stunt eats his father's severed head, right?

[Traab]

And then Stunt eats his father's severed head, right?

Yep. It has to end with nonsexual head eating. There is no other choice. Or maybe it already has! Stunts dad was warlord mustache! He changed his looks so he could have some time away from the nobility and raised another evil child. If only stunt had stayed around after killing his mother, daddy would have been so proud, and taught him everything he knows about hating people. Since siggy got to hate the orcs, stunty would get to hate women. We could have had stunt reply to dom being all morally superior about how wrong it is to treat women that way and he could reply, "Dont be stupid, women arent people."

[Shogo]

That scry . . . *shakes fist*

You have no right to climb back into that home and be all shocked and upset when you were the one that threw her onto the knife in the first place, then tried to slink away while her son was freaking out.

Plus I don't think you deserve to mourn her. Even for reasons of guilt. You should just suffer quietly and never receive any form of absolution.

[random11]

That scry . . . *shakes fist*

You have no right to climb back into that home and be all shocked and upset when you were the one that threw her onto the knife in the first place, then tried to slink away while her son was freaking out.

Plus I don't think you deserve to mourn her. Even for reasons of guilt. You should just suffer quietly and never receive any form of absolution.

In DD, resolve issue = change the story to make the problem go away.

[Acanous]

I'm having some difficulty here in seeing what the situation being portrayed is.

Is stunt a bad person for killing his mom still, or did the blame fall on Lizzie for pushing her on the knife? When Stunt and llizzie confront each other, who is the bad guy? Who gets mad, who is apoligetic?

Before stunt's revelation in the desert, I'd have expected Lizzie to get mad at Stunt, then stunt to blame her for being a stupid woman. Stunt is the bad guy, Lizzie was a victim by collateral damage.

After the reveal, though, it looks like Stunt was a scared kid, trying to protect his family, and Lizzie threw her one-night, home-wrecking stand onto the knife to save her own butt.

In EITHER case, why is Lizzie visiting this graveyard?
If Stuntmom is dead, Lizzie's characterization shows she'd have moved on. She joined the Lunarian church afterward, in order to absolve herself of guilt. So... Why would you go back there? The Scapegoatians weren't lizzie's church to begin with, she was passing through. She has no reason to go there except to complete a journey of self-absolution, which would be ridiculously convenient if it coincided with Stunt's visit.

If Stuntmom is alive... Why would she ever want to see Lizzie again? Lizzie *Threw her onto a knife*, and is a direct cause of why she never got to see her son grow up. If this woman was in an abusive relationship where she was constantly blamed for things, *Actually* screwing up in such a way that cost you your only child would be *Mind-shattering*.

I just can't see them getting along happily after that.

Not to mention how this completely screws with the prior established character of the scapegoatian religeon.

Of course, Stunt DID allude to "Serious changes", so it could be mookie hanging a lampshade that things in the scapegoatian church have changed radically within a 12 year span, possibly drawing an analogy to the Lutheran split from the Catholic Church?
Of course, that would have been an interesting thing to actually take place within the comic, and a philosophical schism of that nature within an orthodox, conservative religeon would have provoked violent conflict or at least highly heated argument anywhere that religeon was prevolent...

TLDR: When totally changing an established plot point, don't do it blind, hang some lampshades and load a checkov's gun or two first. Also, show the conflict.

[random11]

I'm having some difficulty here in seeing what the situation being portrayed is.

Is stunt a bad person for killing his mom still, or did the blame fall on Lizzie for pushing her on the knife? When Stunt and llizzie confront each other, who is the bad guy? Who gets mad, who is apoligetic?

Before stunt's revelation in the desert, I'd have expected Lizzie to get mad at Stunt, then stunt to blame her for being a stupid woman. Stunt is the bad guy, Lizzie was a victim by collateral damage.

After the reveal, though, it looks like Stunt was a scared kid, trying to protect his family, and Lizzie threw her one-night, home-wrecking stand onto the knife to save her own butt.

I suspect this entire purpose of the "knifed by accident" flashback, is to go to the direction that no one is really the bad one, both Stunt and Lizzie will blame themselves, both won't be angry at the other, and it will all end with a group hug which will be referred to as "character development".

In EITHER case, why is Lizzie visiting this graveyard?
If Stuntmom is dead, Lizzie's characterization shows she'd have moved on. She joined the Lunarian church afterward, in order to absolve herself of guilt. So... Why would you go back there? The Scapegoatians weren't lizzie's church to begin with, she was passing through. She has no reason to go there except to complete a journey of self-absolution, which would be ridiculously convenient if it coincided with Stunt's visit.

She goes back BECAUSE she blames herself, and from what I understand it's a frequent visit.
It is still a convenient coincidences, but assuming she visits there often (say, once a month), compared to all the others coincidences we had in the arc, this event is at least possible.

If Stuntmom is alive... Why would she ever want to see Lizzie again? Lizzie *Threw her onto a knife*, and is a direct cause of why she never got to see her son grow up. If this woman was in an abusive relationship where she was constantly blamed for things, *Actually* screwing up in such a way that cost you your only child would be *Mind-shattering*.

I just can't see them getting along happily after that.

Like I said, all is forgiven, group hug.
Abandon any hope for conflict in this part of the story.

Not to mention how this completely screws with the prior established character of the scapegoatian religeon.

Still hard to judge about that, since we hardly learned anything about the Scapegoatian religion, and what we DID learn was only from the people who are not part of that religion. (have you ever seen any religious person praise a different religion? This happens only rarely, and certainly not on any part that is different from that person's beliefs)

[M84]

The only person allowed to be wholly unsympathetic is the likely no longer present father.

[Welf]

It's interesting you say that because I've been trying to compile my notes on how scrying and visions work in DD. But based on what you said and what I've seen from Mookie it probably wouldn't work like that. It seems that visions can access whatever events will happen without any outside influence. Meaning if the beast is going to attack in 4 days and nobody does anything different in those 4 days the beast will still attack.

What if king DJ magically binds himself to stop the beast, but only if he success with whatever he wants? He lets the Beast loose, and only if the rest of the world behaves in a certain way (focusing on the Beast instead of him), he will prevent the apocalypse. The unaffected way of events would bring the destruction of the world, the affected his victory. It's a bit risky, but I guess as main villain he should be the guy who accepts a 10% risk of total annihilation if there's a 90% chance of getting everything he wants. And if he has a escape route into another dimension it's a win-not lose scenario.

[TheLaughingMan]

What if king DJ magically binds himself to stop the beast, but only if he success with whatever he wants? He lets the Beast loose, and only if the rest of the world behaves in a certain way (focusing on the Beast instead of him), he will prevent the apocalypse. The unaffected way of events would bring the destruction of the world, the affected his victory. It's a bit risky, but I guess as main villain he should be the guy who accepts a 10% risk of total annihilation if there's a 90% chance of getting everything he wants. And if he has a escape route into another dimension it's a win-not lose scenario.

Are you perhaps insane? How is he supposed to dominate the entire world and all of its money and power when he's already so busy smugly muttering about vague plans for some evil scheme he probably hasn't thought of yet?!

One more crack like that and it's off to Aberthast with you, jockspawn!

EDIT: Oh, and Traab? Your avatar seems to be needing a fix there, comrade. Unless broken images are the new fashion trend, in which case I'm off to go crash TinyURL and get everyone else on this gravy train.

[T-O-E]

Stupid speculation: The necklace is powerful because it has the power to bring people back to life and that's why the Archray wants it. Luana used it to resurrect herself. It's been sort of implied through Jacob's actions in Maltak that the goal of necromancy is to perfectly resurrect someone with the soul intact, so Rillian is the one person who should know how to do this.

Stunt will use it to bring his mother back to life and further absolve himself of any wrong doing.

[random11]

Stupid speculation: The necklace is powerful because it has the power to bring people back to life and that's why the Archray wants it. Luana used it to resurrect herself. It's been sort of implied through Jacob's actions in Maltak that the goal of necromancy is to perfectly resurrect someone with the soul intact, so Rillian is the one person who should know how to do this.

Stunt will use it to bring his mother back to life and further absolve himself of any wrong doing.

My guess is that it's a strong generic item with no specific powers.
Something like "it's radiating magic", "it feels very powerful" or "I can harness the magic in here to...".
While it might be used in one of the arcs (against the harmless king maybe?), it will give a boost to existing magic powers or spawn some random power on the last minute without ever explaining what it was.

[Trazoi]

Is everyone ready to see the thrilling conclusion to Stunt's revelations in Alstone? Well too bad.

Sneaky Gate
Future Link

I forgot any comments I was going to make about this strip when I got to the last panel:

Spoiler

Show

[AgentofOdd]

Stupid speculation: The necklace is powerful because it has the power to bring people back to life and that's why the Archray wants it. Luana used it to resurrect herself. It's been sort of implied through Jacob's actions in Maltak that the goal of necromancy is to perfectly resurrect someone with the soul intact, so Rillian is the one person who should know how to do this.

Didn't Mama Deegan store some of her excess godlike powers into a bunch of artifacts? What are the odds one of the items went back in time and became the catalyst that created the most powerful religion in the Dominion?

Is everyone ready to see the thrilling conclusion to Stunt's revelations in Alstone? Well too bad.

Sneaky Gate
Future Link

If I was a sadist, that last panel of Tessa would make an excellent icon.

[random11]

Is everyone ready to see the thrilling conclusion to Stunt's revelations in Alstone? Well too bad.

Sneaky Gate
Future Link

I forgot any comments I was going to make about this strip when I got to the last panel:

Spoiler

Show

So wait, the original purpose of the pilgrimage was to simply forget or ignore your past mistakes, without any intention to learn from them? That's a crappy belief...

And yes, the joke at the end WAS bad, and not only because it had to be explained.
I kind of liked the silly puns in the beginning of the comic.
Back then, it was still stupid, but it could be attributed as some character quirk of Dominic which made it okay.
Later it became a Deegan thing, which can also be acceptable since they probably all got it from the family.
But when every freaking character makes the same kind of puns, they are no longer a fun character quality, they become the jokes of the comic itself, voiced by any character who is available, and that makes it BAD.

[colonelslime]

Mookie has the attetion span of a gold fish. I don't understand how he can be this bad. Even given his stupid "Don't plan ahead" way of writing, you'd think he'd be able to improvise something with a little sense.

Remember that writing exercise in High school, where you continued on from another person's writing? and then you passed it on, and got another page, etc?

This is like that, only it's one person, and it's even less coherent than when 10 people were writing.

[Toast1862]

I needed to get rid of her. Not quite as annoying as Greg, but ohh was I annoyed. Dunno why I wrote all that though.

Spoiler

Show

[colonelslime]

I needed to get rid of her. Not quite as annoying as Greg, but ohh was I annoyed. Dunno why I wrote all that though.

Spoiler

Show

This is just glorious. Well done

[TheLaughingMan]

I needed to get rid of her. Not quite as annoying as Greg, but ohh was I annoyed. Dunno why I wrote all that though.

Spoiler

Show

Thanks for that. It's rather amazing how good dialogue gives Eggplant more expression than someone with a functional face.

[Toast1862]

This is just glorious. Well done

Thanks x2

[Lord Raziere]

I needed to get rid of her. Not quite as annoying as Greg, but ohh was I annoyed. Dunno why I wrote all that though.

Spoiler

Show

This is just hilarious. as funny as that time that someone replaced Smugreg with a banana that just said "banana banana banana"

[colonelslime]

This is just hilarious. as funny as that time that someone replaced Smugreg with a banana that just said "banana banana banana"

That was Toast too. Truly, she is a master of improving DD through produce.

[guttering flame]

That was Toast too. Truly, she is a master of improving DD through produce.

Maybe someone should do a Pickle Dominic strip

[Trazoi]

Veggie Deegan is great.

And yes, the joke at the end WAS bad, and not only because it had to be explained.

It really bugs me for two reasons.

First, no-one in Deeganland has been a religious minister. They're all priests and priestesses.

Second, it's not a pun, not even a weak one, so why would Jayden think it is. Yes Mookie, priests and ministers administer sacred rites. Also teachers teach, police police, and nurses nurse. Used like this they aren't puns. Not even weak ones. No, not even if you bold the verbs. It's called "language".

Why does this annoy me so much?

Edit: Maybe it's because I made this panel a year or so ago as an example of the sorts of comics out there that are worse than Dominic Deegan:

Spoiler

Show

And what I thought was the worst possible pun to put in there is better than than this minister one. Because it's actually a pun.

[colonelslime]

Veggie Deegan is great.


It really bugs me for two reasons.

First, no-one in Deeganland has been a religious minister. They're all priests and priestesses.

Second, it's not a pun, not even a weak one, so why would Jayden think it is. Yes Mookie, priests and ministers administer sacred rites. Also teachers teach, police police, and nurses nurse. Used like this they aren't puns. Not even weak ones. No, not even if you bold the verbs. It's called "language".

Why does this annoy me so much?

Because Mookie thinks he;'s being clever, when in reality he's showing his ignorance. Undeserved smugness is the worst.

Especially since "Minister" is a generic term that applies to any number of government positions as well.

[guttering flame]

I'm not really sure what the pun is supposed to be about. I thought maybe he was using minister in a dirty way: that Stunt ministered some sexual something or other? Didn't really fit but nothing else did either.

[Zaq]

I'm not really sure what the pun is supposed to be about. I thought maybe he was using minister in a dirty way: that Stunt ministered some sexual something or other?

When Mookie (attempts to) make a dirty joke, it's generally not subtle.

[Trazoi]

I'm not really sure what the pun is supposed to be about. I thought maybe he was using minister in a dirty way: that Stunt ministered some sexual something or other? Didn't really fit but nothing else did either.

You see, "ministers" are also members of the clergy, just like priests. Get it? Why aren't you laughing?

Oh hey newspost:

Jayden speaks the truth. That was a pretty weak joke, albeit unintentionally by Tessa. But the Luanians have never been known for their stellar sense of humor. Besides Pamela (who's ordained by the Luanian church) making the occasional dirty joke,

That's a Freudian slip. Not a joke on Pam's part.

we've only seen one or two priests let a profanity slip

Does Mookie know what a joke is?

or make equally bad puns.

Alright, that one does barely qualify as an amazingly weak pun. But only just.

There really are very few funny Luanians in this comic.

No kidding.

[T-O-E]

Not only does Mookie tell not show, he is now telling us about his telling. And then he tells us about his nonsense pun. What was the point of this comic? It has the subtlety and grace of a nuclear bomb.

[MReav]

Not only does Mookie tell not show, he is now telling us about his telling. And then he tells us about his nonsense pun. What was the point of this comic? It has the subtlety and grace of a nuclear bomb.

Please, nuclear bombs irradiate areas and can cause death by radioactive poisoning without people realizing it.