Grrl Power

[Coidzor]

Which only furthers suggesting that she's not a Mary Sue after all.

I doubt she is anymore than Pinkie Pie is. Still, I wish she was more like Pinkie Pie's successful breaking of the 4th wall and less like... RWBY's attempts to be Internetty without really understanding it themselves.

The guy behind this is clearly capable of doing so, at least in isolated cases. See the "Dun Dun Dun," uttered by Vehemence. That worked.

I don't know that it's necessary to invent some nefarious motivation for Sydney's existence beyond the author finding her a fun character whom he likes who's also useful for introducing the audience to the team as she herself is introduced to them.

It's not exactly inventing when it's a reaction to her consistent portrayal. Nor is it exactly nefarious. Just far too over the top or heavy-handed.

And it's not even just her exuberance threatening to turn her into some form of Scrappy that's actually somewhat effective at times, if that's what you were thinking I meant, though that does contribute to why she irks me and I want her taken down several pegs.

I like Sydney, and Dabbler, but on the other hand having non-protagoinists as your favorite character is not anything new.

Seriously, how many people prefer Luke over Han? Or Ted over Barney? Personally I also prefer (though he is in no way boring) Marion over Indy. Etc.
In this comic my favorite characters, in order, are Max, Anvil, Dabbler, Harem, Sydney, Rest-of-the-girls, the PR woman (whatshername), the General... And then somewhere way over there are all the male cast members...

Dabbler's fine, quit trying to foist your Dabblerdetta off on me. It's Sydney who needs some comeuppance.

There are male cast members other than the guys they've been fighting?

I like Sydney. I love her humor and her antics are the #1 reason I'm reading this comic. The roadrunner imitation is gold. I would like to see her grow in the following chapters, but that's basically a given, he set it up from day one. I don't actually know what "pandering" means in this context though, and google translate isn't helping. Someone please?

Try deliberately doing something in order to get people interested or hooked rather than because it actually serves the story. Compare with Selling Out. See also: Something dumb which I know is intended to blatantly and unabashedly appeal to people without actually improving the story.

[The Mormegil]

Try deliberately doing something in order to get people interested or hooked rather than because it actually serves the story. Compare with Selling Out. See also: Something dumb which I know is intended to blatantly and unabashedly appeal to people without actually improving the story.

So, trying to be funny?

[Coidzor]

So, trying to be funny?

No, humor I'm fine with. It's this ham-fisted attempt at inorganic humor that's all "LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME, I AM TRYING TO BE FUNNY HERE>" that I take umbrage with.

It's like he's going along just fine, writing a pretty decent web comic and then he passes the writing off to Mookie whenever Sydney is involved. Mookie!

And if Mookie is actually involved, especially with the non-Sydney parts, then I'm actually impressed at the progress he's made, but I still don't like Sydney.

Admittedly, upon further introspection, some amount of inorganic, unfunny, look-at-me, look-at-me-ness is probably in keeping with the character, but that doesn't make me like her any more. It's still been just nauseatingly ubiquitous though.

[Dragonus45]

Or she lied to get the leg up on the GM.

[Hiro Protagonest]

I think the author was wrong. Sydney couldn't have been wrong, actually, since the game takes place after these events. She doesn't seem like she would lie about it, but that's really the only non-retcon explanation.

[lord_khaine]

yeah.. i must also admit Sydney is starting to grate a little on my nerves these last 2 comics, it were not nearly as bad previously.

[Calemyr]

yeah.. i must also admit Sydney is starting to grate a little on my nerves these last 2 comics, it were not nearly as bad previously.

Personally, I like the Anvil Drop trick. There wasn't anything special about it, just a combination of obvious factors: her lighthook, Anvil's abilities, and the timing of it all. Taking out Death Toll required significant intuition and near author-reading intelligence, this was just a clever stunt. This is by far the more tolerable of the two gambits to my mind.

For the most part, however, Sydney has played a largely minimal role in events. She hasn't done any actual fighting and only served a support role a few (rather critical) times. If she'd done nothing in the first major battle of Arc-SWAT, her inclusion in their ranks would have been questioned by everybody. Instead, she's managed to follow orders (other than maintaining radio silence) and still contribute where needed with just her lighthook, some intuition, and a pair of googly eyes.

She won't be earning MVP here, but I wouldn't vote against her getting rookie of the year.

[TheEmerged]

Personally, I like the Anvil Drop trick. There wasn't anything special about it, just a combination of obvious factors: her lighthook, Anvil's abilities, and the timing of it all. Taking out Death Toll required significant intuition and near author-reading intelligence, this was just a clever stunt. This is by far the more tolerable of the two gambits to my mind.

For the most part, however, Sydney has played a largely minimal role in events. She hasn't done any actual fighting and only served a support role a few (rather critical) times. If she'd done nothing in the first major battle of Arc-SWAT, her inclusion in their ranks would have been questioned by everybody. Instead, she's managed to follow orders (other than maintaining radio silence) and still contribute where needed with just her lighthook, some intuition, and a pair of googly eyes.

She won't be earning MVP here, but I wouldn't vote against her getting rookie of the year.

Neither this nor this count as fighting? Or this, come to think of it?

[Coidzor]

Personally, I like the Anvil Drop trick. There wasn't anything special about it, just a combination of obvious factors: her lighthook, Anvil's abilities, and the timing of it all. Taking out Death Toll required significant intuition and near author-reading intelligence, this was just a clever stunt. This is by far the more tolerable of the two gambits to my mind.

It wasn't so much of a trick, I'd say. And I'm perfectly fine with that. My complaint is that she didn't stick the landing while Anvil did, she had to go and ruin it by going "whoa, look at how nutty I am, guys!" And the author stated in his little blurb beneath one of the more recent ones that he regretted not having her do that more often in this segment and that he was considering going back and adding in more of them.

[Avilan the Grey]

GO ANVIL!!!

Spoiler

Show

Love this page!

[lord_khaine]

Go Vehemence!

Dam i loved his comments about Anvil buzzing off to give the other members of the team a shot :P

[Coidzor]

A reltaively shallow cut on the forearm is not really a shanking, now is it, Dabbler... or possibly Sound Effects Guy?

...Nor does it really make sense to say "No you don't" after someone has already done something and one is doing exactly what they wanted done. Or maybe that was addressed at Anvil to not go away and let Dabbler have a turn?

[BannedInSchool]

So I'm wondering how much difficulty Vehemence will actually give Maxima and how much collateral damage there will be. I'm thinking some of each, to establish longer term jeopardy.

[Coidzor]

So I'm wondering how much difficulty Vehemence will actually give Maxima and how much collateral damage there will be. I'm thinking some of each, to establish longer term jeopardy.

If he's a complete pushover to her, I'd be quite disappointed, both dramatically and narratively.

[BannedInSchool]

If he's a complete pushover to her, I'd be quite disappointed, both dramatically and narratively.

That would (further?) establish how much over the rest of the team Maxima is, but then we'd have to wait for a bigger fish to challenge her. Although she could also be the one stomped now instead of later. It's hard to tell where we are in the story. We could be still in the "Maxima is really tough" part, or if the PR demonstration was supposed to be sufficient to establish that then into the "but not unmatched" part, or to establishing "not the toughest thing out there" for the rest of the story. *shrug*

[The Mormegil]

That would (further?) establish how much over the rest of the team Maxima is, but then we'd have to wait for a bigger fish to challenge her. Although she could also be the one stomped now instead of later. It's hard to tell where we are in the story. We could be still in the "Maxima is really tough" part, or if the PR demonstration was supposed to be sufficient to establish that then into the "but not unmatched" part, or to establishing "not the toughest thing out there" for the rest of the story. *shrug*

I think Maxima wins here, but not without being challenged. Then Vehemence goes away, either locked in prison or escaping somehow. I believe his motive was stated to be "justify ARCHON's existance", which I believe to a point. His real motive is to fight with Maxima though. Note that he was in that spoileriffic dialogue between Maxima and PR lady - and he said "challenge accepted".

[TheEmerged]

That would (further?) establish how much over the rest of the team Maxima is, but then we'd have to wait for a bigger fish to challenge her. Although she could also be the one stomped now instead of later. It's hard to tell where we are in the story. We could be still in the "Maxima is really tough" part, or if the PR demonstration was supposed to be sufficient to establish that then into the "but not unmatched" part, or to establishing "not the toughest thing out there" for the rest of the story. *shrug*

Emphasis mine. We're not even out of the introductory flashback yet. Depending on how literally that "splash response" page is to be taken, we are 1/7th* of the way through the planned villain list.

*corrected.

[BannedInSchool]

Emphasis mine. We're not even out of the introductory flashback yet. Depending on how literally that "splash response" page is to be taken, we are 1/7th* of the way through the planned villain list.

*corrected.

Doesn't quite answer whether Vehemence's going to be used to make Max look godlike or mortal. Although I'm assuming Max will be shown to be mortal-ish at some point in the story.

Speaking of limitations, I read that first panel of this Monday's page as Big V (not be be confused with other Vs) moving the molestorb itself by exceeding the maximum force it can apply through the tentacle. So Sydney can't move immovable objects or reality itself with that.

[lord_khaine]

And further justifying Maxima having to deal with the issue herself

Else, i found Sydney's antics much more bearable, and the tumbleweed were actually rather funny.

[Rakaydos]

Doesn't quite answer whether Vehemence's going to be used to make Max look godlike or mortal. Although I'm assuming Max will be shown to be mortal-ish at some point in the story.

Speaking of limitations, I read that first panel of this Monday's page as Big V (not be be confused with other Vs) moving the molestorb itself by exceeding the maximum force it can apply through the tentacle. So Sydney can't move immovable objects or reality itself with that.

...yet. Needs a few more upgrades first.

[Avilan the Grey]

So, golden girls bleed blue, huh?
Seems they, at the moment, are actually impressed by each other. Seems V looks a bit more hesitant now though...

[The Mormegil]

I like the apathetic "ha ha WTF".

[Metahuman1]

So, we've established she can be hurt if you can hit her hard enough and actually connect (Super speed + enough combat training to know that often the best block is not to be there.), but that at the same time this guy can only hit hard enough to be a threat if she let's him hit her to show off repeatedly, and makes no effort to do anything else.

I like it.

[Calemyr]

So, we've established she can be hurt if you can hit her hard enough and actually connect (Super speed + enough combat training to know that often the best block is not to be there.), but that at the same time this guy can only hit hard enough to be a threat if she let's him hit her to show off repeatedly, and makes no effort to do anything else.

I like it.

We're also being shown (twice now) that Max tends to rhino-hide, pretending to shrug off damage that actually hurt her in an attempt to demoralize her opponent. She's not invincible, but she does her best to act like she is. Good way to do it: she's vulnerable enough to be dramatic while still portraying the appearance of invulnerability in-setting. Also means we're likely to have instances where we think she shrugged off an attack when she didn't later on.

Questions rise, though. What happens if her nose isn't set properly? Is it difficult for anyone but her to set her nose? Does she heal quickly enough that this could be a problem at some point?

[BannedInSchool]

She also took the hit to the face with apparently her point pool being allocated entirely to defense. If she needs to reallocate points to take down Vehemence then she'll be more vulnerable while doing that.

[Calemyr]

She also took the hit to the face with apparently her point pool being allocated entirely to defense. If she needs to reallocate points to take down Vehemence then she'll be more vulnerable while doing that.

Was that the suggestion of an allocatable power pool or just a symbolic question of whether to tank it or dodge? I read it as the latter. Is there any evidence other than this? Otherwise, Halo's fluid powerset isn't quite as unique anymore, since it's basically what Max already does... Though Max's style is more of a D&D style while Halo's is more of a video game style...

[BannedInSchool]

Was that the suggestion of an allocatable power pool or just a symbolic question of whether to tank it or dodge?

The author has talked about the point pool. A few lines from this page's commentary:

You can see her visualizing her power distribution there on the page, but she wasn’t quite able to max out her armor like she’d planned.
[...]
In Marvel superhero terms she’s like straight Amazings (which is 50 on a 100 point scale, 6 being a regular human and 100 being Thor/Hulk/Silver Surfer level.) Her power pool dump puts her at the 100 point level (in only one stat) and if she draws against her other abilities she can exceed that.

[PsyBomb]

If you've played with Incarnum or Akasha, it seems to work a lot like that.

Anyway, seeing Maxima's thought processes this comic were comedy GOLD. I made the mistake of reading it at work, and almost bit my tongue choking down the laughs.

[Coidzor]

That is one derpy North American Dudebro in the last panel. What'd he do with Vehemence?

[BannedInSchool]

Trying to judge relative power in comics can be tricky and contentious, but it occurs to me that in real-world terms someone getting their nose broken and taking a step back when getting hit square in the face isn't too far from mundane boxing. Sure, Max's head didn't get properly accelerated, but boxers don't really make each other fly through the air with their punches either. By that metric she's not that much tougher than Vehemence is strong with many of her points in defense.