Girl Genius XIII: "Gott's Leedle Feesh in Trousers!"

[factotum]

It seems that Mechanicsburg has bigger problem than the invaders now.

Two bug-monsters in a crashed airship don't really count as a big problem...bet Franz could stomp both of them without a second thought. If there are a lot more of them, then maybe there's an issue!

[datalaughing]

Wonder how many of these things are on the airship. If the giant weasel has a taste for bugs as well, between him and the jagers, they should be able to handle a small to moderate infestation. Poor little weasels. They never stood a chance.

[CJvR]

Two bug-monsters in a crashed airship don't really count as a big problem...

Famous last words? Things are already twice as bad as they are here:
http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20040428

[Giggling Ghast]

Recognizing that Girl Genius has never shied away from tragedy, that was a pretty bleak update. Poor weasels. Poor girl. Poor captain.

Two bug-monsters in a crashed airship don't really count as a big problem...bet Franz could stomp both of them without a second thought. If there are a lot more of them, then maybe there's an issue!

Even if there are only two of them, the implications are huge. If there was any doubt that the Other is now running the Empire, they've just been laid to rest.

[king_clumsy]

I was worried when Agatha was named the Heterodyne that it would become a bit stale but it hasn't given me reason to worry!

Todays page was quite shocking, although drama features heavily in the comic, the main panel today was a sudden stop moment in the middle of the regular flow of action thats been continuing for a while now, without disrupting the pace (I think/hope)

[Lost Demiurge]

Holy poop, I think I see what's going on here!

The weasels... Doctor Bren mutated a brood queen to make them! They're from slaver stock, but mutated... That's why they can detect them. That's why they're deadly enemies... They've got a lot of the same basic stuff.

Oh man, if the jaegers kill that furry queen, then it's game over, man. No more weasels.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Holy poop, I think I see what's going on here!

The weasels... Doctor Bren mutated a brood queen to make them! They're from slaver stock, but mutated... That's why they can detect them. That's why they're deadly enemies... They've got a lot of the same basic stuff.

Oh man, if the jaegers kill that furry queen, then it's game over, man. No more weasels.

While I agree all that is plausible, I disagree with your conclusion. Even if they are a blend of warrior wasp and weasel, Tarvek is quite clearly conviced they can be bred directly, and the Hunters have not pointed out otherwise. Unless they were kept completely in the dark about weasel reproduction, they consider the big one useless. Maybe it was the original mother, but they don't believe they need her further.

Grey Wolf

[Stabbey]

Poor little guys.

[CJvR]

Even if there are only two of them, the implications are huge. If there was any doubt that the Other is now running the Empire, they've just been laid to rest.

Quite, it seems to indicate that Lurezia now have at least one hive engine up and running around Mechanicsburg. Although one might hope that the bugs are just survivors from the original infestation that the Baron kept alive for examination.

[Bulldog Psion]

Hm, I just started reading this comic -- and I have to say, how did I miss something this excellent for so long?

[Zazu Yen]

Poor weasels...

Two bug-monsters in a crashed airship don't really count as a big problem...bet Franz could stomp both of them without a second thought. If there are a lot more of them, then maybe there's an issue!

Not a big problem? But those things come out of a hive engine, they're to protect the queen. This implies rather strongly that there is an active hive engine somewhere either on Castle Wulfenbach (did he repair the old one?) or under Mechanicsburg somewhere (the bugs could have come on the ship after it crashed). Either way, if there is a hive and it produces a swarm in Mechanicsburg its populous will turn on Agatha, and that would be bad.

It IS possible that these are a couple of leftover bugs from the attack on Castle Wulfenbach that were put on the escaping zeppelin to complicate things, but that would be fairly anti-climatic.

OR maybe they were captured bugs kept by the weasel handlers for experiments, or to help make the weasels in the first place. Then they escaped in the crash and they're coming to kill the remaining weasels. That makes some sense.

[Knight13]

Hm, I just started reading this comic -- and I have to say, how did I miss something this excellent for so long?

Welcome to the world of Girl Genius! I hope you like your plots convoluted, your SCIENCE! mad and your protagonists strawberry blonde.

[CJvR]

What is it with the sob-feast for the weasels? They are ferrets! One step removed from being verminous rodents!

[Landis963]

What is it with the sob-feast for the weasels? They are ferrets! One step removed from being verminous rodents!

1) They're wasp-eaters and wasp-detectors and thus the one weakness Lucrezia's plan has, which explains why Tarvek wants them and 2) It wouldn't surprise me if the minion in charge of them started to care for them as if they were her pets.

[BRC]

I got the impression that these were captive Warrior Wasps ( its the slaver wasps that are the real threat), possibly there to help train the weasels

[Turalisj]

Not the weasels

[Lix Lorn]

What is it with the sob-feast for the weasels? They are ferrets! One step removed from being verminous rodents!

They're /adorable/

[CJvR]

They're /adorable/

This is "adorable"?
http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120404

[The Glyphstone]

While I agree all that is plausible, I disagree with your conclusion. Even if they are a blend of warrior wasp and weasel, Tarvek is quite clearly conviced they can be bred directly, and the Hunters have not pointed out otherwise. Unless they were kept completely in the dark about weasel reproduction, they consider the big one useless. Maybe it was the original mother, but they don't believe they need her further.

Grey Wolf

I dunno, I think it's more plausible than you're giving it credit for. I don't see any indications the hunters consider the big one useless, only the short comment about it getting loose. On the other hand, the pose Big Weasel is drawn in is almost identical to the pose the Hive Queen was in, their body shapes are oddly similar, and they make very similar shrieking noises when being attacked. All circumstantial evidence, but the tinfoil in this particular hat is pretty sturdy.

[Lix Lorn]

This is "adorable"?
http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120404

It is in the second panel, and ferrets are in reality.

[CJvR]

On the other hand, the pose Big Weasel is drawn in is almost identical to the pose the Hive Queen was in, their body shapes are oddly similar, and they make very similar shrieking noises when being attacked. All circumstantial evidence, but the tinfoil in this particular hat is pretty sturdy.

Yeah, I too got some odd hive engine vibes from the mega-weasel the moment I saw it. Also the guy in charge of the project seemed to think it was important.

[Rockphed]

Welcome to the world of Girl Genius! I hope you like your plots convoluted, your SCIENCE! mad and your protagonists strawberry blonde.

Personally I prefer my protagonists brunette (*waves at his wife*), but the rest of this is completely me!

Yeah, I too got some odd hive engine vibes from the mega-weasel the moment I saw it. Also the guy in charge of the project seemed to think it was important.

"I don't know why Bren even kept it." While the hive engine vibes are evident (though I personally think they are just Phil's art limitation vibes), the hunters know of no reason to keep the giant weasel around. Maybe it can fly.

[Traab]

This is "adorable"?
http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120404

Does... Does that weasel have 8 legs?

[factotum]

Does... Does that weasel have 8 legs?

Yes. The wasp-sniffing weasels have had 8 legs since their first appearance...probably supposed to indicate they've been spliced with spider DNA or something.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

I dunno, I think it's more plausible than you're giving it credit for. I don't see any indications the hunters consider the big one useless, only the short comment about it getting loose. On the other hand, the pose Big Weasel is drawn in is almost identical to the pose the Hive Queen was in, their body shapes are oddly similar, and they make very similar shrieking noises when being attacked. All circumstantial evidence, but the tinfoil in this particular hat is pretty sturdy.

(my emphasis)

There is also the much more revelatory comment "I don't know why Bren even kept it..."

If they kept it around to breed more of the small weasels, I'm sure the captain would've known.

1) They're wasp-eaters and wasp-detectors and thus the one weakness Lucrezia's plan has, which explains why Tarvek wants them and 2) It wouldn't surprise me if the minion in charge of them started to care for them as if they were her pets.

I'm with Lin on this one. They are absolutely adorable. Even when hissing. Maybe it depends on you being a dog-person or cat-person.

Grey Wolf

[Squark]

This is "adorable"?
http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120404

They're rather cute when they're just being smug and content (1st panel)

[Euodiachloris]

They're rather cute when they're just being smug and content (1st panel)

Even smug and content, only a Jäger could find Weazilla cute. And, most would find that hulking great mound of hiss cute in rage-mode.

[Occasional Sage]

The fact he calls them masters certainly gives credence to the hypothesis that he is the secret general, too.

GW

On the other hand, it is canonical that the jaeger transformation gives you a random, unique, physical mutation (single horn, skin colour change, etc) as well as a few common-to-all-jaeger ones (pointy teeth, increased physical strength). Higgs would need to be a major exception to this. He might be a different experiment from the jaegers altogether (which should not stop him from being a general, since obviously Krosp was allowed to join).

Grey Wolf

Ever notice that when he speaks, he doesn't open his mouth? I can't recall a time we've seen his teeth....

[NEO|Phyte]

Ever notice that when he speaks, he doesn't open his mouth? I can't recall a time we've seen his teeth....

They show up a bunch during his fight with Zola, they look like normal teeth.

[GoryCat]

What is it with the sob-feast for the weasels? They are ferrets! One step removed from being verminous rodents!

You've never had any pet rats, I see. They are wonderful creatures.