Strip 1000 coming up!

[Oloapid]

Hard to believe it's coming up on 1000 strips! Not sure if this was posted earlier, but if not, what are you all expecting? I know a fan mail is always on the list of expected, I'd like to see a "Cooking with Belkar" strip, myself.

[Domino Quartz]

All we know about strip 1000 is that it will come "after strip 999, and shortly before strip 1001, hopefully" (seriously, that's an actual [if paraphrased] quote from The Giant himself).
By the way, this is in the wrong section.

[littlebum2002]

Ummm, Rich hasn't done a gag strip in like 8 years. I really doubt he's going to restart now.

[dtilque]

Ummm, Rich hasn't done a gag strip in like 8 years. I really doubt he's going to restart now.

But I want to find out what happens to Popcorn and Soda. Do they prevail over Pizza and Soy Latte? Or does Soy puncture Soda and spill him all over the floor? Blackwing isn't the only one who wants to see what's next...

[YossarianLives]

I suspect that either, nothing special at all will happen, OR we get a hilarious joke strip. One of the two.

[factotum]

Has the Giant ever actually done anything special for a particular strip number? #100 and #600 lampshade the idea (by having Haley and Roy, respectively, saying "Wow, thought something special would have happened in this strip), and #400 features Haley and Elan's first kiss, but other than that I don't think any of the x00 strips has been particularly "out there".

[Murk]

Has the Giant ever actually done anything special for a particular strip number? #100 and #600 lampshade the idea (by having Haley and Roy, respectively, saying "Wow, thought something special would have happened in this strip), and #400 features Haley and Elan's first kiss, but other than that I don't think any of the x00 strips has been particularly "out there".

I believe #100 was supposed to be the confrontation with Xykon, 200 is the fight with Miko, 300 is Xykons Zombie Dragon (and the end of a book), 400 is The Kiss indeed, 500, meh, 500 does start the actual DSTP-storyline, 600 indeed made a silly joke about being strip 600, and after that I think the Giant kind of stopped with the jubileum comics.

A lot of book commentary is dedicated to the fact that the Giant had special moments planned for those strips, but run long in other arcs and had to crop things up, or leave the jubileum comics altogether. It wouldn't surprise me if he dropped it, simply because it required a sacrifice to the plot that he didn't want to make. On the other hand, it wouldn't surprise me either if, say, #900 was originally supposed to be The Explosion, but turned out to be a little later.

[Edhelras]

Has the Giant ever actually done anything special for a particular strip number? #100 and #600 lampshade the idea (by having Haley and Roy, respectively, saying "Wow, thought something special would have happened in this strip), and #400 features Haley and Elan's first kiss, but other than that I don't think any of the x00 strips has been particularly "out there".

"Other than that...." Really, we are talking about, maybe, best comic strip, like, ever! I can whatever may come in strip 200, 300, 500 and so on - it cannot compete with "Your ship has come in". I really felt like it was MY ship that had come in when I read that strip. All my successful - and the far greater number of unsuccessful and could-have-been romances came together in that strip. The sweetness of fresh love...

Also, strip # 500 stood out as an important turning point, opening a new chapter. I really thought it was Haley and Elan who were about to get married, then. So I do think that at least some of those x00 strips have been kind of mile stones.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

The only thing I am expecting for strip #1000 is another excellent comic strip, hopefully released shortly after #999 (and with #1001 following shortly afterward).

[Jay R]

The only thing I am expecting for strip #1000 is another excellent comic strip, hopefully released shortly after #999 (and with #1001 following shortly afterward).

But as good as the Giant has generally been at being unpredictable and subverting expectations, it wouldn't surprise me if #1,000 turns out to be released shortly after #1,001 and before #999.

[FLHerne]

700 through 900 each have a character suddenly recognising something moderately important:

• Tsukiko realising she only has half a ritual.
• V realising that Z's build is specifically to counter her.
• The order (except V) seeing the inside of the rift.

Definitely not as clear as 100-600 though, and might just be a coincidence.

[kivzirrum]

I predict that Rich Burlew will subvert our expectations by filling strip #1000 with no fewer than six startling revelations... and then not publishing it, going right from #999 to #1001, leaving us all struggling to figure out what the heck is going on thereafter.

[littlebum2002]

Let's see:
(50): 50% longer!
100: Normal, but self deprecating, strip
200: Important strip
300: Important strip
400: REALLY important strip
500: Normal strip
600: Normal, but self deprecating, strip
700: Normal strip
800: Normal strip
900: Normal strip

Not including #50, its 6 normal strips and 3 important strips, and all the important strips are early on. So either
A) We're really due for a important centennial strip, or
B) Rich isn't doing that anymore.

I predict B.

[D.One]

Wild prediction (not likely, but fun-ish)

Roy, looking at this map, I've just noticed something really important.

I know I'll regret, but... what?

Do you remember the Dungeon of Dorukan, where all this gate thing begun for us? We are about 1000 miles away from there.

And that means...

1000 miles, Roy. 1000.

[hagnat]

I believe the Giant will summarize the entire story in the next 12 episodes and conclude the story in #999

why do you think he has been taking this long to update them ? he is making the most epic comics we will see in the entire Ootstory

[littlebum2002]

I revise my earlier statement. I think it will be mentioned as a joke, possibly in a way similar to that, but I don't think it will be a special strip. He's too far along to shoehorn a major plot detail into a certain strip, but 1000 is a notable enough number that someone will probably mention it

[AvatarVecna]

I believe the Giant will summarize the entire story in the next 12 episodes and conclude the story in #999

why do you think he has been taking this long to update them ? he is making the most epic comics we will see in the entire Ootstory

If strip #1000 is the end of the comic, and it's not a cliffhanger, we're either going to be dealing with 13 comics of "and then the good guys won at everything forever", or some version of "the bad guys plan is finished, and the good guys suck"; whether it's Xykon and Redcloak taking over the last Gate, the HPoH dominating the cleric moot and having the gods crush all his enemies or something, or event the last Gate not being enough on its own to hold the Snarl in, and it breaks out and kills everything.

[kivzirrum]

If strip #1000 is the end of the comic, and it's not a cliffhanger, we're either going to be dealing with 13 comics of "and then the good guys won at everything forever", or some version of "the bad guys plan is finished, and the good guys suck"; whether it's Xykon and Redcloak taking over the last Gate, the HPoH dominating the cleric moot and having the gods crush all his enemies or something, or event the last Gate not being enough on its own to hold the Snarl in, and it breaks out and kills everything.

Actually the story is going to continue apace for the next twelve strips. Then, in strip #1000, the Order is going to receive a message that Xykon and Redcloak have been killed and everything is fine. They'll all shrug and go their separate ways, except for Belkar, who will suffer a heart attack and die on the spot.

All other plot threads will go unresolved.

[Jay R]

... I don't think it will be a special strip.

I don't see why not. The first 987 are all special strips. Why would he stop now?

[D.One]

Another idea:

The strip #1000 starts with Elan and someone else discussing if that's really strip #1000, since we've had some print-exclusive strips, which means #1000 has already happened and no one noticed.

I even see Elan, at the end of the strip, adding

Do we take SSDT into account for this?

[Kantaki]

Actually the story is going to continue apace for the next twelve strips. Then, in strip #1000, the Order is going to receive a message that Xykon and Redcloak have been killed and everything is fine. They'll all shrug and go their separate ways, except for Belkar, who will suffer a heart attack and die on the spot.

All other plot threads will go unresolved.

Don’t even joke about this. If the Giant would do that the resulting rage would consume the entire multiverse. While that would be wonderful entertainment, it would be over so soon... I would prefer an regular OotS update for #1000 and the story to continue for a few years. Regular in the context of the Order of the Stick means absolutely awesome and entertaining of course.

[littlebum2002]

If strip #1000 is the end of the comic, and it's not a cliffhanger, we're either going to be dealing with 13 comics of "and then the good guys won at everything forever", or some version of "the bad guys plan is finished, and the good guys suck"; whether it's Xykon and Redcloak taking over the last Gate, the HPoH dominating the cleric moot and having the gods crush all his enemies or something, or event the last Gate not being enough on its own to hold the Snarl in, and it breaks out and kills everything.

No, just strip #999 is REALLY long. Like Phonebook sized. All in one strip. Released 3 years from now.

[AvatarVecna]

No, just strip #999 is REALLY long. Like Phonebook sized. All in one strip. Released 3 years from now.

Oh yeah, it's gonna be epic. (HEAVY SPOILERS) Redcloak's half-orc niece is gonna True Resurrection Miko, who's going to undergo Atonement and become a Paladin again (this time, a much nicer Paladin). Sabine is going to renounce her evil ways and become Miko's supernatural life partner. Together, the three of them will infiltrate Team Evil, become Epic level in short order, and turn the MitD completely to the side of good (because Miko's a paladin just like his friend). Xykon will find out about it in short order, but when he tries to confront them, Redcloak will join their side to save his niece. As the epic battle continues, the HPoH will try to crash the cleric moot, get killed and raised almost immediately by the gathering of high-level clerics, and the OOTS crew will go on to the last Gate, where the battle is underway. They'll arrive just in time to turn the tide of battle, and Xykon will be overcome by the combined forces of Good and Evil trying to bring him down.

[AlignmentDebate]

Oh yeah, it's gonna be epic. (HEAVY SPOILERS) Redcloak's half-orc niece is gonna True Resurrection Miko, who's going to undergo Atonement and become a Paladin again (this time, a much nicer Paladin). Sabine is going to renounce her evil ways and become Miko's supernatural life partner. Together, the three of them will infiltrate Team Evil, become Epic level in short order, and turn the MitD completely to the side of good (because Miko's a paladin just like his friend). Xykon will find out about it in short order, but when he tries to confront them, Redcloak will join their side to save his niece. As the epic battle continues, the HPoH will try to crash the cleric moot, get killed and raised almost immediately by the gathering of high-level clerics, and the OOTS crew will go on to the last Gate, where the battle is underway. They'll arrive just in time to turn the tide of battle, and Xykon will be overcome by the combined forces of Good and Evil trying to bring him down.

But who was phone?

[AvatarVecna]

But who was phone?

Damnit, why'd you have to make me laugh so hard? My boss is giving me the evil eye...

[littlebum2002]

But who was phone?

I was going to ask what happened to Guy with a Halberd but this beat that.

[Duck999]

I was going to ask what happened to Guy with a Halberd but this beat that.

No no no.
The Order shows up, turning the tide, but the snarl somehow intervenes, and Team Evil gets the upper hand. Then, all of a sudden, the Guy with a Halberd shows up and wins it all.

[AvatarVecna]

No no no.
The Order shows up, turning the tide, but the snarl somehow intervenes, and Team Evil gets the upper hand. Then, all of a sudden, the Guy with a Halberd shows up and wins it all.

And it turns out the reason he's so powerful is that he took every polearm in that polearm emporium and combined them together to make a weapon so powerful even Mjolnir pales in comparison.

[DaOldeWolf]

My guess? TRIGAK´S EPIC RETURN!!!

[Darth Paul]

On a slightly serious note:

Some possibilities I see;

1) The aforementioned "nothing special."

2) The arrival at Godsmoot.

3) A confrontation between Durkula and the rest of the OOTS.

4) The re-introduction of Team Evil (in the new art style, which I am just itching to see, BTW).

5) A comedic lampshade hanging gag.

6) Nothing I can possibly imagine.

I rate #2 in the lead, followed by #6, then #1. It's probably far too early for #3 or 4, and #5 has been done twice now. The Giant would not repeat himself a third time.