Star Power III: Fail to the Void!

[Vinyadan]

Comic in which BHB is so unlikeable that nobody bothered to rescue him.

Again with the absurdly convenient Stealth In Space. I think this is going to be this comic's Second Sight: it works perfectly except when the plot says it doesn't

I see it more like ambushing people in Maltak: open plain, yet unsightable.

[Mewtarthio]

This is the point where I would give Bill two options: call the ship off, or decide which body part he wants to get shot in. This game gets played until Bill runs out of body parts or the ship gets called off. If his ship blasts/tractors the shuttle or someone attempts to board, he gets two rounds in the back of the head.

Actually, I'm pretty sure he can't call the ship off, on account of the jammer. Stealth's not a problem, either, since there's a planet right there. I really don't have any complaints about this episode (though I'm still not sure how Bill intends to leverage this ambush into a breakout).

[Nerd-o-rama]

As for why Mookie has fans, I would say that it shows the value of being a likeable, friendly person. I would bet that while there might be some people that are in it just for the story, whether because they really buy in to the whole "jocks are evil" sort of thing or just are too lazy to look for better-written comics, there are far more who simply like Mookie as a person, and are willing to overlook a lot of the boring or even downright bad in the comic essentially out of loyalty.

These are also, of course, the types of people most likely to contribute money towards the comic to keep it going and for stuff like this, so it's really no surprise that the kickstarter is doing well. I mean, if nobody actually liked the comic, it would have stopped existing ages ago.

As someone who's met him in person a few times, I have to agree with this. Even in his panels, he runs entirely off of personal energy, charisma, and showmanship rather than any actual interesting content. And it works for him, mostly because he's a genuinely friendy and enthusiastic person.

Just ask Nikola Tesla - given the choice between a brilliant misanthrope who hates everyone and a mediocre jolly old man, the jolly old man will win every time.

...except maybe in comic books. Everyone loves Alan Moore.

[Hopeless]

Well I have two ideas here;

1) The ship's AI has a maternal personality in that it will rescue BHB but when ordered to kill the guards and the fighter escort will simply disable them and leave them an apology for leaving them exposed to BHB for so long as it considers itself the adult in this relationship and BHB is the escaping kindergartener that it tries to keep occupied whenever possible.

2) For BHB to escape this I hope that ship has the capability to teleport people off other ships and during the phase whilst its busy doing that Grex and co can seal their armoured spacesuits so when it blows up the fighter escort their ship is badly damaged but they survive... hopefully...

There I go again being all optimistic!

[Zaq]

Yeah, I'm of two minds about this "twist," using the term loosely. Basically for reasons that have already been stated.

On the one hand, this IS a glimmer of competence from BHB. He actually has something that can be cajoled into resembling an escape plan. So that's good.

On the other hand, I don't see any non-stupid way for him to get out of his handcuffs, away from the guards, and onto his ship. At all. It's going to be an asspull at best and a glaring plot hole at worst. He really isn't in any position to take advantage of his ship showing up.

So yeah. Dumb overall, made dumber by the fact that it contains a tiny bit of competence that exists only to contrast how stupid this really is.

[Kornaki]

Bill's ship blows up every SSS ship, tractors him into the hull, then they turn around and go blow up SSS. Mitch can only activate when Danica's bedroom is blowing up, so she gets her Star Power back and is saved from death in the last page.

[MReav]

I seriously hope one of the security people tries to put a bullet in BHB's head.

[Traab]

See, this is how BHB's plans work, a great start, terrible finish. Its like the underpants gnomes in space

1) Steal all the underwear
2) ???
3) Profit!

In Black Hole Bill's case its

1) Infiltrate S6 in a box by threatening a guy while im locked in a box
2)???
3) Target is dead!

And now its

1) Block the transport ship from communicating or leaving
2) ???
3) Im free!

Seriously, is he going to threaten to blow up the ship he is currently on if they dont let him go? Will there be some sort of super special magical teleportation tech that we didnt know about till now? Is his ship so awesome that even without a pilot it can act like that scene in the matrix where neo fires a billion minigun rounds all around morpheus and never once hits him? Does he have a secret copilot that we didnt know about till now? Is it jetpack jill?

[Mr. McGician]

I just realized that in one way, this just makes Bill look even more incompetent: His ship is smarter than he is! Bill's ship is now my second-favorite character in the comic.

[Kato]

Is it jetpack jill?

Yes, please! No, seriously, a copilot would have been the best answer but I guess it is indeed, super AI.

Otherwise I'll have to agree, though I do see Bill going the "set me free or you die with me" route. Not sure if he'd go through with it but he would definitely try.

I am a bit suspicious about the ship apparently being immune to this super convenient stunner, but maybe it's just safely out of range... We'll see if we get an explanation.

[Kwatsu]

"Get down!"
"... but we're on a starship... "
"Then duck and cover!"

[MReav]

Star Power IV: Boldly Bolding Where No Man Has Bolded Before!

This gets my vote, and we need to get a new thread soon.

So... they have these weapons that can incapacitate the crews on ships.

Why aren't these standard issue?

[Mr. McGician]

Wait, so in addition to all the guards they stuffed the ship with, there are also a bunch of tinier ships flying next to it?

...I wasn't even aware of this until now.

[Hopeless]

Wouldnt that knock out bhb too?

I still say it locking onto him and teleporting him off that ship would make more sense as both the fighter escort and transport are disabled but there i go being hopeful again!

Is this so they dont have to reveal it has teleport capabilities or bhb has a sister named Jessie who he owes money to?

Or maybe she does cares about him so she befriends Danica since that way she can stop doing him something that stupid the next time he tries!

[Kornaki]

Who, exactly, is supposed to "Get down", and how is that supposed to help them? Or are they just trying to avoid traumatic brain injury as they collapse to the floor?

[Nerd-o-rama]

Who, exactly, is supposed to "Get down", and how is that supposed to help them? Or are they just trying to avoid traumatic brain injury as they collapse to the floor?

Either that, or it's a guard (rather than an experienced starship crewman) shouting, and he's using firefight terms when he should be using dogfight terms - he actually means "take evasive action".

Actually for simplicity's sake, your idea makes a lot more sense.

I am starting to think we're veering into too much nitpicking again. The last few pages actually haven't been that bad. I mean, I don't care about what's happening in them except to make sense of the thread, but honestly, the last like five pages are some of Mookie's better work.

[EvilRoeSlade]

Are we really about to watch one unmanned ship take down an entire squad of manned ones?

Also how would Bill even have been able to send commands and information to it from prison? I'll ignore the fact that he'd have to also send it complex navigational instructions that he wouldn't even necessarily know, since space operas such as this sometimes ignore the difficulty of navigating in space.

[Oracle_Hunter]

Are we really about to watch one unmanned ship take down an entire squad of manned ones?

Also how would Bill even have been able to send commands and information to it from prison? I'll ignore the fact that he'd have to also send it complex navigational instructions that he wouldn't even necessarily know, since space operas such as this sometimes ignore the difficulty of navigating in space.

Obviously his ship has a powerful AI which, for reasons, a useless outlaw has while elite military forces do not.

Also: New Thread