Girl Genius XVI: The Wrath of Klaus

[Grey_Wolf_c]

I think it really depends on what part of Europe one is talking about. It's a big place, after all. Mapping a single set of cultural values on it makes about as much sense as mapping a single set of cultural values on all of North America.

Indeed. The swiss, for example, complained loudly when some of the aforementioned naked hikers wandered across the border. But the level of indifference towards partial nudity in european beaches (mostly populated by germans, british, and the local country population) compared to the shocked reactions of US friends with me tells me that, on average, Winterwind is definitely on the money.

Of course, none of that has much to do with the social values of 18XX Spark-infested Europe when addressing a situation in which a powerful spark in a private train carriage is being interrupted while changing by an old friendly British spy. The British guy being more prudish than the Transylvanian gal is all in accordance with the ancient stereotypes, and by having the half-naked individual being the one not giving a damn, it makes it for a good humour scene, rather than generating feelings of violation.

Or in short: if Agatha had been offended, it couldn't have been used as a punchline.

Grey Wolf

[petersohn]

It's one thing that some people tend to get (half)naked in public. You usually get arrested and fined for it, except if you are on a beach. It's completely different if you enter someone's room while they are getting dressed. That's plain rude, and is usually followed by a "whoops, sorry". This freaking out is very much alien to me. Especially what happened with Roy's resurrection scene in OOTS (come on, did he have any chance of not being naked in that situation?). I can understand Agatha's and Wooster's "Eeeek" in this situation though. Neither of them expected the situation. Imagine yourself in place of Agatha, getting dressed, when suddenly someone enters your room with a gun in hand. Or Wooster, hunting a dangerous villain and finding a naked Agatha instead.

Of course, none of that has much to do with the social values of 18XX Spark-infested Europe when addressing a situation in which a powerful spark in a private train carriage is being interrupted while changing by an old friendly British spy. The British guy being more prudish than the Transylvanian gal is all in accordance with the ancient stereotypes, and by having the half-naked individual being the one not giving a damn, it makes it for a good humour scene, rather than generating feelings of violation.

Also that, of course. Also, now that Agatha covered herself with a towel, it's perfectly OK for her to say "Now you can enter, Mister Wooster."

[petersohn]

Anyway, new comic is up. Lampshade is hung.

[Emperordaniel]

Was Martellus' execution of the Jager the first time we've actually seen one die?

I think so - we've been shown a Jager who perhaps would have died if he hadn't been rescued first over here, and I know we've been told that they aren't actually unkillable (just really hard to kill), but I don't recall seeing any of them die before...

[Morty]

Pretty sure we can see a Jaeger die while the Baron and his troops fight the wasps aboard his airship.

Meanwhile: who is the new girl and why should we care?

[Eldan]

Indeed. The swiss, for example, complained loudly when some of the aforementioned naked hikers wandered across the border.

Actually, reactions were very different. There was just another case recently, and one of those free newspapers that are lying around at train stations had a two page-spread photo on the second page of six young men naked except for hiking boots (seen from behind, but there was a lot of naked buttock). That said, it's a newspaper that seems to be actively trying to lower any bar it finds.

Still. I've seen all kinds of reactions. The official reaction from the police and local officials seems to be "it's not illegal, but maybe don't do it on a playground". A lot of people are just vaguely amused by the entire idea of hiking naked in the snow (there's a lot of bad "frostbitten privates" jokes going around). Then you get a vocal minority shouting "WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN!"

It seems to be a local culture issue as well, funnily. Switzerland maybe tiny, but we are not a unified culture and different cantons seem to make very different amounts of fuss about this.

[factotum]

Meanwhile: who is the new girl and why should we care?

Unknown on both counts, but presumably she's somehow important to the plot or she wouldn't be there? (Pretty sure there were people asking the same thing about Zola when she first appeared, and we know how that turned out ).

[eee]

I like Agatha's look of pleasure at the idea that Gil might melt England on her behalf. Some girls like candy and flowers, Agatha likes acts of massive destruction. And death rays, can't forget the death rays. :)

Pretty sure we can see a Jaeger die while the Baron and his troops fight the wasps aboard his airship.

I don't know if Klaus' backhand blow killed the Jager who shouted out "Punch?!?" when Klaus' group ran into Punch and Judy as they were trying to get Agatha off Castle Wulfenbach, but I suspect that was the goal.

Meanwhile: who is the new girl and why should we care?

She wears a Sturmvoraus pendant, so she has some connection to Tarvek's family. But her hair isn't red, so she's not a blood relative. Wooster didn't shoot her on sight so she's not a known enemy. Her clothing and speech patterns suggest educated and upper class, and she's smart enough and knowledgeable enough to put 2 and 2 together and come up with 'Agatha Heterodyne'. Beyond that, and that somebody she fears is after her, we don't know.

Yet.

I would not be surprised if she advances the plot, and is the means by which Agatha manages to meet the Master of Paris.

[Morty]

Unknown on both counts, but presumably she's somehow important to the plot or she wouldn't be there? (Pretty sure there were people asking the same thing about Zola when she first appeared, and we know how that turned out ).

You might as well say most of what they did in the Castle had to be important to the plot.

I don't know if Klaus' backhand blow killed the Jager who shouted out "Punch?!?" when Klaus' group ran into Punch and Judy as they were trying to get Agatha off Castle Wulfenbach, but I suspect that was the goal.

I'm talking about this splash page, where we can see Jaegers overwhelmed by the slaver bugs.

[Calemyr]

Thank you, Mister Wooster, for not doing anything that would make Gilgamesh Wulfenbach melt England!

I think I'm just going to stand here smiling smugly.

[Lochar]

I'm talking about this splash page, where we can see Jaegers overwhelmed by the slaver bugs.

Especially since one of them has a bug talon through his head.

[eee]

Especially since one of them has a bug talon through his head.

For a Jager, just a flesh wound.

Although that seems to be a normal C.W. crewman. The Jager on the right side of the page, though, seems to have a talon through the chest...

That might smart.

[Landis963]

Did anyone catch the callback to the first chapter?

Building a steam-powered grab-and-subdue clank out of the stove would be too showy.

Our little Spark's grown up so fast. *tear*

[Emperordaniel]

Especially since one of them has a bug talon through his head.

If you're referring to the guy with the red-and-white striped shirt in the lower left side of the splash page, I'm pretty sure that's just a regular human getting head-stabbed.

[HandofShadows]

Originally Posted by Queen of England

Thank you, Mister Wooster, for not doing anything that would make Gilgamesh Wulfenbach melt England!
I think I'm just going to stand here smiling smugly.

I like the look on Agatha's face when she responds to that. I think Zeetha is staring to rub off on her. Also I don't think Wooster knows that The Baron is in Gil's head. I guess Bang will have to tell her.

[datalaughing]

So the nudity and screaming was all a show. That's twice since this book started that I have totally called it. Smugness? No, no, sirs and/or madams, none of that here.

[Calemyr]

So the nudity and screaming was all a show. That's twice since this book started that I have totally called it. Smugness? No, no, sirs and/or madams, none of that here.

Err... not exactly. It went like this:
1) Wooster opens the door
2) Agatha: EEEK!
3) Wooster EEEK!
4) Agatha: Oh, it's just you. Shut up and get in here.
5) Wooster: Argh! No!
6) Agatha: Some international man of mystery you are. Aren't you ashamed?
7) Wooster: Ashamed? I'm too terrified of Gil to be ashamed!

Agatha was only screaming because a stranger snuck into her room while she was changing. Once she knew who it was, she was not only okay with it, but took advantage of circumstances to tease him.

Wooster, on the other hand, was only screaming to drown out his mind screaming "Gil isn't going to stop at just killing me!"

None of it was a show, but none of it was shame, either.

[Radar]

Agatha was only screaming because a stranger snuck into her room while she was changing. Once she knew who it was, she was not only okay with it, but took advantage of circumstances to tease him.

Wooster, on the other hand, was only screaming to drown out his mind screaming "Gil isn't going to stop at just killing me!"

None of it was a show, but none of it was shame, either.

As I understood it, she did it deliberatly to startle any possible intruder - she even said so in today's comics.

[datalaughing]

Yeah, I think today's page makes it pretty explicit that it was all a plan to stop people from coming in and finding the lady she's hiding.

[Calemyr]

Ah, as in a plan on her side, not a joint plan between them. Okay, I see what you mean. Sorry, my bad. I thought you meant the whole thing was staged, not just her part in it.

[The Glyphstone]

So this is Head-In-A-Jar Guy's (ex)wife? Not what I was expecting.

[Porthos]

So this is Head-In-A-Jar Guy's (ex)wife? Not what I was expecting.

I should have. But I didn't think to check The Works (the card game released prior to the comic's introduction) to see if they matched at all. Not that it would have mattered, necessarily, as she's under gone something of an Art Shift since way back then.

[stsasser]

I should have. But I didn't think to check The Works (the card game released prior to the comic's introduction) to see if they matched at all. Not that it would have mattered, necessarily, as she's under gone something of an Art Shift since way back then.

Selnikov! That's the guy that I thought was occupying Klaus in Mechanicsburg while he lurked around in Gil, maybe to earn a new body. Still, the consensus seems to be that Klaus is bi-located in both his old body and inside Gil.

Did Selnikov ever exhibit a fondness for tea?

[Porthos]

Selnikov! That's the guy that I thought was occupying Klaus in Mechanicsburg while he lurked around in Gil, maybe to earn a new body. Still, the consensus seems to be that Klaus is bi-located in both his old body and inside Gil.

Did Selnikov ever exhibit a fondness for tea?

He seems to be a wine/spirits kinda guy. And while he mentioned his wife, he never mentioned any fondness for tea in his ranting about his new... condition in that strip, or the ones immediately prior.

[eee]

So this is Head-In-A-Jar Guy's (ex)wife? Not what I was expecting.

I must agree, she looks much too good for him. And younger than I'd have expected. The old lech.

I wonder why Martellus is after her. Is it due to her husband - who may still be alive, and maybe even out of his jar by now - or has she been being naughty on her own?

If Agatha is going to do the dishevelment act for visitors with Wooster in the room, that changes the implications of what's going on. I hope the monks are broadminded.

[BannedInSchool]

And whom did Wooster think he was ambushing?

[HandofShadows]

I must agree, she looks much too good for him. And younger than I'd have expected. The old lech.

Actually, he seems VERY happy to be rid of her.

[The Glyphstone]

Actually, he seems VERY happy to be rid of her.

Which is why I was confused. Maybe she's a much more unpleasant person when her life isn't in danger?

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Which is why I was confused. Maybe she's a much more unpleasant person when her life isn't in danger?

Possibilities:

1. As an old lecher, a divorce just frees him up to marry the next pretty young lady that he has already had an eye on
2. As a matrimony of convenience, they do not get along, and he thinks her a shrew because she dares to not obey his every wish
3. As any matrimony, they have grown cold to each other for various reasons, and he has been looking for a way to end it for some time now.
4. As a sturmvoraus (sp?), he suspects her to be a spy

I'm thinking 1 right now, but it could be any of them, really. Or others I have yet to think of.

Grey Wolf

[Traab]

Which is why I was confused. Maybe she's a much more unpleasant person when her life isn't in danger?

"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."

Applies to women as well. Im not saying thats the case here, but some high ranking noblewoman might act differently while ruling her little social circle and henpecking her rich husband than she would as a desperate runaway trying to survive.