Star Power V: The Final Yawntier

[Kato]

I also had trouble getting to the comic yesterday. Now it works and, I'll admit, I'm intrigued. Yeah, Mookie could possibly really screw this up or...
The Zel Gux were no in fact friendly towards the Starpower. Or not anymore? The statues didn't serve to protect Not-Mitch but to guard it. And when another Starpower shows up, they attack it, because it#s the enemy. And their problem with the "prayer" isn't a faulty translation or claim, but the fact that whoever said it was not a savior but a liar who brought (in the end?) destruction. So maybe they were part of whatever destroyed the Starpower or something...
Which I guess doesn't explain why the statues suddenly speak basic.

[Kornaki]

I also had trouble getting to the comic yesterday. Now it works and, I'll admit, I'm intrigued. Yeah, Mookie could possibly really screw this up or...
The Zel Gux were no in fact friendly towards the Starpower. Or not anymore? The statues didn't serve to protect Not-Mitch but to guard it. And when another Starpower shows up, they attack it, because it#s the enemy. And their problem with the "prayer" isn't a faulty translation or claim, but the fact that whoever said it was not a savior but a liar who brought (in the end?) destruction. So maybe they were part of whatever destroyed the Starpower or something...
Which I guess doesn't explain why the statues suddenly speak basic.

The prayer sounds a lot like something a Starpower would say. My guess is a Starpower named Karuliz showed up, promised salvation, but was really a tyrant that needed to be destroyed (or at least the Zel-Gux view it that way). The statues are accusing Karuliz of being a liar, not Beena.

[guttering flame]

Why would they keep the lies of a Starpower they hate engraved on their wall?

We might be figuring this all wrong and the statues are attacking Danica because she's undeserving of the honor of speaking to the exalted starry whatever. Once she proves her starpowerworthiness they'll bow down to her and gravelgrovel

[Kato]

The prayer sounds a lot like something a Starpower would say. My guess is a Starpower named Karuliz showed up, promised salvation, but was really a tyrant that needed to be destroyed (or at least the Zel-Gux view it that way). The statues are accusing Karuliz of being a liar, not Beena.

Which... is what I was saying? Or trying to say, anyway

Why would they keep the lies of a Starpower they hate engraved on their wall?

Beena just read one part, maybe the words around it were "And one came from the heavens and said: "...." But he brought death and destruction."
I mean, I'm sure reigious texts also contain things said by antagonists, don't say?

[Vinyadan]

News from Kickstarter: 28.000 $ out of 15.000 have been collected, and there are 9 days to go.

The stuff read by Beena sounds to me a lot like a king's speech, like Darius's speech from the Behistun inscription, although it effectively is a paraphrasing of the so-called "peace (or simple) prayer".

Given that this may be a sacred chapel or mausoleum, and that the monarch has a tendency to being a sacred figure, the overlap is probably not out of place. I wonder if Caroline really was a king or queen.

On a side note: are the stone giants man and woman?

[halfeye]

On a side note: are the stone giants man and woman?

Statue porn? there used to be so much of that before the priests got angry about it.

[Vinyadan]

Statue porn? there used to be so much of that before the priests got angry about it.

And if I think of what Mitch did to the other Mitch...

[halfeye]

And if I think of what Mitch did to the other Mitch...

What were the Venus de MIlo's arms doing? what would have happened to Michelangelo's David?

[Oracle_Hunter]

Posted for Posterity

I'm going to assume that the golems stopped because a SPS said The Oath not because they cared about the precise translation of a word into a language that was formed millennia after the race that created them had vanished

[Vinyadan]

Posted for Posterity

I'm going to assume that the golems stopped because a SPS said The Oath not because they cared about the precise translation of a word into a language that was formed millennia after the race that created them had vanished

That they do understand that language is quite sci-firrific. I suppose they are networked in the MitchNet? Which would make Mitch's ignorance even weirder.

Is it an impression, or is this the first time Danica solved her problems showing situational wit while under pressure?

Anyway, it is going well. The characters have different roles and Danica isn't just a tank led by someone else or mere target pointing.

[Wayson]

Anyway, it is going well. The characters have different roles and Danica isn't just a tank led by someone else or mere target pointing.

Give it a bit.

[Vinyadan]

Give it a bit.

I'm already bracing myself

BTW, the Kickstarter reached 30.000, which means new website.

[Kato]

Well, sadly it didn't go the "destructive starpower" road
I guess I'll let the sudden universal translation slide and see where this goes...

[Hopeless]

So we now know the Green Lantern Oath or the Starpowered Sentinel's version of the same.

Spoiler

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Heh gotta catch them all now!

[Vinyadan]

Sounds more like a password to me.

So karuliz means sentinel, and Beena didn't know how to translate it?

[Oracle_Hunter]

Sounds more like a password to me.

So karuliz means sentinel, and Beena didn't know how to translate it?

Basically Karuliz is the name of a star known to the Rokkosians that is also called The Guardian. It is similar to our human habit of referring to Polaris as "the North Star."

The most sensible reading of this scene is that some form of The Oath needed to be read by a powered SPS to disarm the security system. I say sensible because Danica called herself "a Sentinel" instead of "The Guardian" as the Science Titan said. Hopefully Mookie won't put any exposition in the upcoming comics to muddy the issue further

[Zaq]

Basically Karuliz is the name of a star known to the Rokkosians that is also called The Guardian. It is similar to our human habit of referring to Polaris as "the North Star."

The most sensible reading of this scene is that some form of The Oath needed to be read by a powered SPS to disarm the security system. I say sensible because Danica called herself "a Sentinel" instead of "The Guardian" as the Science Titan said. Hopefully Mookie won't put any exposition in the upcoming comics to muddy the issue further

Of course, the fact that it had to be translated, but that the translated oath was enough to disarm the golems, just draws more attention to the fact that everyone is speaking Handwavese.

Anyway, I guess the fact that NotMitch there is a "key" rather than being Space Celesto himself (/herself) is technically new information, so I guess the plot is crawling along. Only a couple pages left until the end of the issue, though. Anyone want to hazard a guess what the inevitable "shocking cliffhanger" at the end is going to be? Whatever it is, it's likely to come out of nowhere, since there isn't a whole lot of opportunity left to add a new twist in an elegant manner.

[Gez]

Let's suppose the statubots have had some way to learn new languages, maybe through some mechanism that extends to the rest of the palace. It doesn't really matter.

There's only two differences between what green lady and white lady said:
1. Green lady said "Karuliz?" while white lady said "a sentinel"
2. Green lady's speech was said by green lady, who is not a sentinel, while white lady is

If the statues reacted to point 2, it means they are programmed to kill anyone who'd read out loud what's written on the walls. If they reacted to point 1, it means they are programmed to kill those who fail to translate correctly, but it makes less sense given how they call green lady a liar.

[Vinyadan]

Let's suppose the statubots have had some way to learn new languages, maybe through some mechanism that extends to the rest of the palace. It doesn't really matter.

There's only two differences between what green lady and white lady said:
1. Green lady said "Karuliz?" while white lady said "a sentinel"
2. Green lady's speech was said by green lady, who is not a sentinel, while white lady is

If the statues reacted to point 2, it means they are programmed to kill anyone who'd read out loud what's written on the walls. If they reacted to point 1, it means they are programmed to kill those who fail to translate correctly, but it makes less sense given how they call green lady a liar.

That would be some brutal final exam.

I think that the key gives access to something pretty powerful, and that the Sentinels alone are allowed to use it. To access it, they need to say the phrase, which was written on the wall for their convenience. If it is said by a non-sentinel, the statues shout "liar!".

The statues were already attacking, so mistranslation (which technically didn't happen: it was a consciusly incomplete translation. Like if I wrote "It was an incomplete... 'traduzione'.") shouldn't be caused by it. Actually, the reason was Mitch acting weird. And the question is: why? Was he programmed for it? Is this a test? Had Danica blasted the statues away, would she have suffered any consequence? Are the statues needed to access the key?

[Onyavar]

And if this is a security system, it only makes sense if there are powers out there who
- look like SPS-guardians like Mitch right down to the communication frequence
- were not considered friendlies by the Zelgux

For example, rogue SPS-guardians that don't consider attaching themselves to their own SPS.
Anyone else who discovered the cavern wouldn't have been able to access the not-mitch, anyway. The statues might have attacked them for other reasons though...

Still, this all can hardly be considered a top-notch security system for not-mitch. The main security was the hidden location. Once that was broken, the statues would hardly be able to protect not-mitch against all odds.

What does it all mean? My guess, either we are going to see lots of Myst-style clue hunt for all the keys - i.e. Danica+team need to puzzle a lot. Probably boring, unless other security systems are REALLY armed to kill.
Or we are going to see lots of Indiana-Jones-style treasure hunt for all the keys - i.e. Danica+team need to blast their way against competing but pathetic forces, whoever these may be. Probably as predictable as previous encounters.

And another prediction: Slightly-annoying green nerds who are not part of Danica's core team will participate in the popular red shirt contest. But then, Mookie is too attached to most characters that had speaking roles before... keeps them around... hmmm... maybe he'll make her a permanently crippled core team member in this adventure.

[DoomHat]

Hey everybody, long time lurker, first time caller-
So Mookie and Garth were in Texas this weekend at Webcomic Rampage. I was also there, and I got the opportunity to ask Mookie some direct questions!

First of course I gave him some deserved flattery and insisted on buying a (free) flyer for a couple dollars, because the cheapest ticket item on the table was $20. I almost wished I'd recorded it, or at least transcribe it immediately after, but I suppose my second hand recollection two days later will have to suffice.

So here's a summery of some of the things I asked him, and his paraphrased answers.

Q: I more or less fell out of reading your work upon the introduction of Super Greg. The anachronism was... mind boggling.
A: Yeah, I regret how I handled the introduction of Super Greg. If I could go back and do it again, I'd do it differently. Maybe make some mention of Greg getting in a box order of Adventure Comics a few strips earlier?

Q: Well yes, the introduction was a bit of a blindside, but what I don't understand was that it existed at all. The setting over all is vaguely, "in the past"-ish. Sort of a mix of Victorian and Elizabethan. Silverage four-color superheros in that milieu... I just, why? On that note, how did you go about establishing your setting? There are a lot of criticisms that the geography of your world was vague and, perhaps, ill considered. The capital city of the primary country was named Capitol City.
A: Well, when I wrote Super Greg I as having a really hard time of it, I'd just been through a massive break up and various other woes, so I can't say I was my best in general. As for Capitol City, the idea was that it might have had a proper name long ago, but because it was such a major financial center, it picked up a punny nickname that stuck so long and hard no one thought to call it anything else. I guess it was my fault for never getting around to discussing that in the comic itself.

I thought about creating a map or something at one point, but really, I didn't want to feel constrained. It was way more comfortable to just go with the flow and use or come up with places as they became relevant. But now that I'm working with Garth I've had to really sit down and hash a few things out solidly.

Q: So what was your writing process? How far out would you plan ahead?
A: I would always have a strong idea of where I wanted a given plot to begin and where I wanted it to end. I'd spend a couples hours hanging out with a good cup of tea or some such in front of the blank page before drawing a comic, thinking about what had come before, and how I wanted this one to effect where I was trying to go.

I never felt like committing myself to a hard pre-written outline. Part of what made drawing the comic fun was getting to be surprised where it took me with each strip, and the excitement of finding out what happens next kept me invested in drawing the next one. I think that enthusiasm carried over to the reader, that desire to come back every day and find out what happens next.

That's just what I found comfortable anyway. Dominic Deegan started out as a way to keep me sane and creatively occupied while working as an underpaid busboy with an otherwise useless collage degree in writing.

I can't really do that with Star Power though of course. Garth needs and deserves a lot more forewarning with the scripts. It's his right to know what he's signed on for before he draws something, adding his own ideas and critiques.

Q: I've been curious for a while about what you did with Siegfried. He was one of my favorite characters, what made you decide to undo and retcon his character development?
A: I had a few morally grey elements in the comic, but I've always really enjoyed the fantasy of a stark divide between good people and bad guys, because the real world doesn't get to be that simple. I was never very comfortable with Siegfried, and I wanted to have a change of pace to include a few characters with bad or tragic endings. So I decided to make Siegfried's redemption disingenuous. I know a lot of people disliked it, but really didn't care for Siegfried as a good guy, and was really engaged and re-inspired with him as a monster.

Q: Why did you never improve on the art quality in Dominic Deegan? I know you were capable of more.
A: I did a lot of experimentation with different styles on the side, but they never felt "right". They just didn't feel like my characters anymore when I drew them in another style. If I go back to the world of Dominic Deegan, I can say that I won't go back to that style, I'll be doing something new, but while I was working on the original series, nothing else really felt comfortable.

Q: Is there anything you learned from your experience working on Dominic Deegan? Is there anything you'd do differently?
A: Well, I've been hard at work writing Star Power and caring for a baby, so I haven't thought or experimented much with what I'd do in a sequel series.

Q: I've been thinking of making a comic of my own inspired in large part by yours, just wanted to hear your thoughts and maybe get your blessing.
A: All I can say is that with any creative project, all that matters is that you're excited about it. Money, fame, whatever else won't sustain it. Just find the story you're really excited to tell and tell it in a way that keeps you excited. You never know what shape it'll take once you get it out of your head, and there's no telling if it will ever be successful, but that shouldn't matter.

{Once again, all paraphrased}

---
So there you have it. I might be missing some stuff, but I think that's the bulk of it.
One philosophical question I wound up walking away with; Is an artist in anyway obligated to do anything they find uncomfortable, even if that means stagnation, particularly if it's successful the way it is?

[Hopeless]

So anyone else read the latest episode and mentally heard "Quest Accepted" at the end?

And..

Spoiler

Show

I was wondering if the Star powered Sentinels built their own prison that what we're seeing here will reveal not all of the sps turned on their creators at least not for good reasons!

So I figure whoever helped Danica needs a living star powered sentinel to free them or access whatever they need her for.

Me I'd go for revealing there's a hidden and massive prison facility or treasure facility and the former sentinel needs someone with an operational Mitch to either free themselves or access that treasure vault.

Now throw in those Void Angels and we have a means for them to rebuild their organisation as well as make them more of a threat to Danica!

No now I'm hoping for too much aren't I?!

[Neoriceisgood]

Q: I've been curious for a while about what you did with Siegfried. He was one of my favorite characters, what made you decide to undo and retcon his character development?
A: I had a few morally grey elements in the comic, but I've always really enjoyed the fantasy of a stark divide between good people and bad guys, because the real world doesn't get to be that simple. I was never very comfortable with Siegfried, and I wanted to have a change of pace to include a few characters with bad or tragic endings. So I decided to make Siegfried's redemption disingenuous. I know a lot of people disliked it, but really didn't care for Siegfried as a good guy, and was really engaged and re-inspired with him as a monster.

It's weird how in a number of points by Mookie ... I totally see my own way of thinking (Leaving things open enough to surprise yourself sometimes, avoiding tying yourself down too much with stuff like elaborate maps)

On the flipside there's a few points where I'm like .... nooooopeeeee. The Siegfried point especially just makes me scratch my head.

On one hand I actually ... agree, Siegfried doesn't make for a great "good guy". Even when he changes/thinks he's good he's still ... Siegfried. Heck I'd argue one of his most interesting character traits was the fact that despite his development/changes and occasional "big good guy"-moments he was still a fairly dubious & self-righteous prick.

Turning him into an absolute monster in a series that ... already had a number of perfectly fine monster characters to begin with just felt like sucking every single trait that made him a fun pseudo-antagonist out of him in exchange for a much flatter/more unpleasant version of the character.


I guess that's one major reason DD's writing in general always bothered me though, when the author's core philsosophy is "moral grey isn't fun, let's go black and white" ... that just doesn't lead to a story that I'd enjoy.

[Oracle_Hunter]

I guess that's one major reason DD's writing in general always bothered me though, when the author's core philsosophy is "moral grey isn't fun, let's go black and white" ... that just doesn't lead to a story that I'd enjoy.

You don't enjoy the works of Tolkien?

Anyhoo... posted for posterity.

Once again, Mookie is treating his world like a video game

[random11]

Other than "I'm sorry, but the princess is in another castle", what's the point of the multiple vaults, keys and security measures?

I understand the logic of the path only Danica can see, that makes sense to allow only star powered people to see the path.
But then when Mitch tries to communicate with the device, which is the first action I'd expect from a sentinel, the statues attacked, and the thing that stopped them was not recognizing that there is a sentinel in front of her eyes, it was SAYING that she was one.
That makes no sense.

And now a key to a different planet.
Why? What's the purpose?

[Traab]

Ok, first off green girl needs a slapping. Im not entirely sure anymore what her deal is, though im still thinking jealousy. Especially since now little ms expert screwed up a bit and danica saved the day and found the treasure room or whatever. But geez lady, dial it down a bit. Unless this is all setting up greeny being stupid and grabbing a star power of her own when they reach the end, not knowing or caring that its defective, evil, or corrupted. I can actually see it happening too. "She isnt so special, i bet I could do WAY better as a star powered!" /yoinks spare mitch set at finish line. Then you get a number of issues of her (hopefully) slow descent into bad guy turf. It starts off fine, she is loving playing around with her new powers, then it becomes competitive with danica, then combative, then ENEMY. And the clues start piling up about the star power source she is using is corrupt.

Secondly, the talk with mookie, wow. I actually agreed with a lot of the stuff he said, or at least understood the reasoning. Yeah im not too pleased with his sigfried explanation, but for the most part I could understand what he was going at. As for his no maps thing, ugh. Thats just him being lazy and putting it off till it was too late. He could have easily built a real map early on and stuck to it, but by the time people noticed the distances were wonky it was too late for him to fix, so he decided leaving everything vague was easier. Honestly, what I would have asked him was, did he ever spend much time on these boards? And how did that effect him knowing there was a large community that on the one hand, read his comics religiously, but on the other hand, mocked them relentlessly? I mean, he strikes me as the kind of guy who could go either way in his reaction. "Well they are reading it daily, and it seems like they read each comic several times, so yay for clicks, and they are obviously enjoying themselves a lot poking fun at it, so win win for me." Straight to "Oh happy dagger! Wait for me tub girl, I will join you soon!"

[DoomHat]

Honestly, what I would have asked him was, did he ever spend much time on these boards? And how did that effect him knowing there was a large community that on the one hand, read his comics religiously, but on the other hand, mocked them relentlessly? I mean, he strikes me as the kind of guy who could go either way in his reaction.

Actually, it did come up. His initial response boiled down to, " Oh, yeah, the old forums..." And that's more or less an exact quote. I don't think I've ever seen someone's posture and tone of voice communicate a sad face emoji so vividly.

He doesn't handle anonymous text based criticism very well. It just reads as so much incomprehensible hate to him. I did try to assure him that most snarkers, on some level, snark out of love, and a geniune wish to him him improve. He seemed somewhat reassured by that, but still staunch in conviction that unless someone brings it to him in person, it just feels like abuse to him.

And yes, most of his answers to most of my questions could arguably be boiled down to, "I had more fun being lazy, and I don't really see why I should change that".

[Traab]

What I honestly enjoyed the most was the varied reactions in readers. I mean. Any time a new reader showed up and did a full archive binge of the comic, they came to the board having enjoyed it greatly. Even post maltak. It was only when they had to read each update one day at a time, sit there and consider the unintended consequences, or pay attention to the holes and gaps in the story and artwork that it slowly changed from fan to snark. The entire series was an exercise in fridge logic. If you just read it end to end, it was a perfectly cromulant comic. But once you stopped and thought about it, it was 5 thousand different editions of "Hey wait a minute!!"

[halfeye]

perfectly cromulant comic. But once you stopped and thought about it, it was 5 thousand different editions of "Hey wait a minute!!"

For a minute, I read that as "perfectly cromulant logic" but it wasn't to be.

[Kato]

You don't enjoy the works of Tolkien?

Middleearth may be pretty black and white but there are still enough grey characters (even if you don't buy into the "Melkor the rebel" theories. Compared to Starpower Tolkien's works are pretty complex morally.

Anyway... yeah, I can't really see the logic behind this. I guess sending them someplace else now could have... some logic? But the secret vault that's near impossible to find attacks star powers unless they can... also read ancient language? Even thought the statues are fine speaking Basic? Whatever they protect it better be worth this weird security system...