Strong Female Protagonist II

[Vinyadan]

So there is a follow up! What might the mystery content be?

[The Glyphstone]

Seriously, Allison? Tear up a 25 million dollar check out of spite/pique, instead of just using it? Especially since it's from Templar Industries, the company who's been suppressing your new friend's patents - take their money and use it for the philanthropic project said friend would likely donate to anyways, since she's helping with said project.

[Traab]

Seriously, Allison? Tear up a 25 million dollar check out of spite/pique, instead of just using it? Especially since it's from Templar Industries, the company who's been suppressing your new friend's patents - take their money and use it for the philanthropic project said friend would likely donate to anyways, since she's helping with said project.

Or at least let your buddy be the one to make that call as she is likely to be the one most offended or enraged by it. If she is willing to suck it up and use the needed funds, then you should too. I know their last meeting didnt go well (If its the one where she chucked a coffee cup at his head) but geez allison, this is about more than just you and your feelings!

[virgileso]

Or at least let your buddy be the one to make that call as she is likely to be the one most offended or enraged by it. If she is willing to suck it up and use the needed funds, then you should too. I know their last meeting didnt go well (If its the one where she chucked a coffee cup at his head) but geez allison, this is about more than just you and your feelings!

Technically Paladin doesn't know Allison has had any dealings with Templar, so that's a whole other cup of coffee.

[Vinyadan]

I am wondering what Max's profile contains.

[Traab]

Im assuming all the information he could track down about the illuminati group that he is sure has been manipulating things behind the scenes. At least, I think thats what he believed.

[Lethologica]

I agree that tearing up the check is a bad idea, albeit satisfying in the moment. I suspect this will come up at an inconvenient moment in the future, probably with Lisa in the room.

Im assuming all the information he could track down about the illuminati group that he is sure has been manipulating things behind the scenes. At least, I think thats what he believed.

If you look at the second-to-last panel, you can see that the file on the table is labeled 'Max Eliot Prescott'. So Max is a notable subject of Patrick's report. That is interesting, whether or not it implies Patrick was keeping tabs on their date. In fact, I think it's more interesting if Patrick's investigation of Max was entirely independent of Alison's short-lived crush.

[Vinyadan]

...so that' what prospective business associate meant.

[Lethologica]

I'm back on the nope train. I don't like either of these characters when they're around each other. I probably don't like Max regardless. And whatever the author's trying to get them to do together, it's just a matter of time before it breaks down and explodes. The sooner the better.

[Maryring]

Right. With this I think I too am gonna quit SFP. The comic really isn't delivering on the "strong" aspect I was promised.

[Morquard]

I don't know, this whole let's show how the character gets super secret info, but let's not show what it is, and then let the character do something completely weird, based on that info, still without revealing said info... it's probably meant to build suspense or something, I just find it irritating.

[Alcibiades]

I don't know, this whole let's show how the character gets super secret info, but let's not show what it is, and then let the character do something completely weird, based on that info, still without revealing said info... it's probably meant to build suspense or something, I just find it irritating.

I think that only works when
A) the reader is led to believe there's something at stake in the near future or feels a sense of urgency
B) something actually happens because of the hidden info, action, anything

If the next thing is more speech bubble pages, how does that invest me into allison's plan?
And if I don't know her plan or what the hell the reason is she went back to Max, why the hell should I even care about this page? I have literally 0 clue what's going on, him refusing Allison's proposal is meaningless to me.

All of that frustration is doubled in webcomic form because we're probably going to need to wait weeks for any pay-off, as opposed to just turn two or three pages.

Can anyone tell me what this chapter is about, anyway?

[Vinyadan]

Rereading some of the first pages, it seems to be about Ali finding money and human resources for her project.

[Gez]

I saw this somewhere and felt that finally SFP's existence was justified.

[Traab]

Aww man, at least it wasnt "the scene" from ctrl alt del.

[Morquard]

Rereading some of the first pages, it seems to be about Ali finding money and human resources for her project.

Yes well... It just feels odd that she tears apart the check from one person she hates, to read a file this person she hates gave her about another person she hates, to then go to the second person she hates to ask him for money.

[Kantaki]

New comic

Alison, don't bother asking for his motivation.
It will only make it harder to suppress the urge to punch his face off*.

He is all about making his own choices and not doing what he is told to do. Which by his logic you are doing by asking him to help your cause.
Besides, its not his fault if someone chooses to live with a abusive partner or in poverty or whatever, so why should he get involved?

*Honestly I'm surprised she hasn't already. I'm not sure if I could show such an admirable amount of restraint.

[Vinyadan]

I'll be honest, I have no idea of what's going on and of what the last panel means. A call for glory?

[The_Snark]

It sounds like Max has some importance above and beyond just having a lot of money? I don't have any guesses as to what, though.

Unfortunately, he still appears to be a spoiled rich kid who's never experienced anything worse than people trying to tell him what to do. I'm kind of disappointed it turned out that way; I feel like it undermines this conversation some, and that was an interesting moment for making Alison doubt her beliefs.

[5a Violista]

Oooh! I get it!

I get what's the folder about. I get why Allison's getting so frustrated with him. I get what the arc's about. The folder didn't say "Hey, here's some secrets about your new boyfriend" but instead was along the lines of "This guy you're with is a biodynamic and I've been keeping tabs on him because I've been keeping tabs on all powerful biodynamics." Presumably, Max has some powerful biodynamic ability along the power-level of Allison or Pintsize or the Silent Killer. (That is conjecture, because it hasn't been stated in-comic yet but it lets Al's reaction make sense.) So she's implying "You've got some powerful ability that could have saved people's lives. Why haven't you used it? Why didn't you become a superhero?"

And then, the arc is about Allison learning that people have different motives for being or not being a hero. Starting with the black-and-white rocks, she learned that some people didn't do heroic sacrifices because they were lazy/didn't pay attention/didn't care/saw the sacrifice as a trap with no benefit for anybody/were unable to make the sacrifice because of the situation they're in. Lisa chose to become a hero (help out with Valkyrie) because she has the skills and it interests her and she feels like she owes a debt to the hero who saved her life before. Brad became a hero because he's part of a disenfranchised group. Many members of ADA in general aren't going to be heroes because they're struggling with their own problems, but Amanda will help out with Valkyrie because she missed doing heroic things. Finally, Max chose not to be heroic for <we don't know the reason yet, but it's probably either out of fear for not fitting in, or simply because he's entitled and feels like he doesn't owe anybody anything>.

So, that's my guess. It makes sense to me.

[Sapphire Guard]

I'm not going to judge until I hear the rest of his story. This comic veers a lot from easy caricatures to really well drawn, nuanced commentary, so we'll need to wait and see which this is.

Guess 1:If he really has some superpower that can drastically change the world, trying to use it will instantly put him in the crosshairs of that evil conspiracy, so she's asking quite a lot.

Guess 2: Max has been mind controlled or otherwise manipulated/dominated in his backstory.

[Traab]

Ok, im starting to see a sympathy angle forming for this ass. Im guessing he developed some sort of super powers. Possibly ones that were game changers. Its also likely that he felt like he was forced into using them. Maybe his parents made him do it, maybe the government, who knows. I would further guess that he hated every minute of it and eventually managed to break away from that crap. That would explain his red rage of hatred that burns with a thousand suns towards anything that makes it seem like he is being made to do something. And the worst part is, jerkish behavior aside, he is right. He doesnt owe her a single damn thing. He doesnt have to justify his decisions, he doesnt have to explain himself to her. If he doesnt want to be a part of it, thats it. That isnt an invitation to try and force a debate with him as she struggles to comprehend his thought processes. As the quote from Big Trouble in Little China goes, "Shut up, Mr. Burton! You are not brought upon this world to get it!"

[Dragonus45]

I find it a bit funny that Alison is having so much trouble understanding the concept of consent here.

[Vinyadan]

Did Max fake his own death? Is Ali asking him to donate organs? Will a wise butler appear, or will it be a killer butler?

[The_Snark]

Oooh! I get it!

I get what's the folder about. I get why Allison's getting so frustrated with him. I get what the arc's about. The folder didn't say "Hey, here's some secrets about your new boyfriend" but instead was along the lines of "This guy you're with is a biodynamic and I've been keeping tabs on him because I've been keeping tabs on all powerful biodynamics." Presumably, Max has some powerful biodynamic ability along the power-level of Allison or Pintsize or the Silent Killer. (That is conjecture, because it hasn't been stated in-comic yet but it lets Al's reaction make sense.) So she's implying "You've got some powerful ability that could have saved people's lives. Why haven't you used it? Why didn't you become a superhero?"

Interesting idea. It mostly makes sense to me, although depending on what his powers are and how exactly Allison thinks he should help...

Well. If he has powers suited to classic superhero-ing and crime-fighting, I don't think Allison would be here apologizing and making requests. She was pretty soured on superheroes at the start of the comic, and while she's recently warmed up to the idea after realizing that just because you can't save the world doesn't mean you can't make a difference, it seems out of character for her to expect everyone with useful powers to go out and risk their lives. She's idealistic, but not that much.

Which leaves the possibility that Max has powers which could help people in a non-combat context, possibly on a large scale. But that runs the risk of running afoul of Patrick's proposed conspiracy; Max doesn't know about this (probably?), but Allison is perfectly aware she'd be asking him to risk his life. Possibly without informing him of the risks (unless that was part of her off-screen proposal, I guess, but I'd expect her to be less puzzled about his refusal in that case).

I suppose it's possible that he has a power which could make a meaningful difference without completely upsetting the status quo, like healing powers: you could save a lot of lives that way, but it's not scaleable, you won't be ending disease or anything like that. Allison would want him to do that, but... I don't know, it feels like there's more at stake. She's back to talking about saving the world, and she knows one person tirelessly healing others would just be a drop in the bucket - they've gone over this territory already with Feral.

So I'm not sure. Will be interesting to find out what's up with him.

[Lethologica]

Max may well have a power of the sort Patrick theorized were being killed off, way back when.

Anyway...Gurwara, here's your cue. "Why did Max place a black stone?"

[Nettlekid]

I've got to say, with the last update, I was getting really sick of this comic and prepared to abandon it. This most recent update was probably the one unexpected twist that turned that all around. This could prove to be very interesting, and I'll be surprised and impressed to see Max turn into a dynamic character (pun not intended). I agree with the theory that he has a world-changing power that would have been kept under wraps or killed off, which probably explains why he's being so cagey. My bet is some kind of super healing power, destroying diseases or regenerating others' bodies. That's based on Allison's wording in the last panel, about people fighting and losing. We're meant to think it's about fighting crime, but I think it's about fighting sickness and losing battles to cancer (which means she has personal involvement with the issue, with her father being sick.) It would also cast a new light on his criticism of Feral, since his interference would have made her act of altruism redundant, and maybe give him a reason for wondering if she had an ulterior motive if he himself had one to heal people. That's my theory, anyway.

[Kantaki]

New comic

Okay, I'm kinda inclined to agree with him on his power.
On it's own it is spectacularly useless. And if I could choose a power this one would be pretty low on the list.

But I think it says a lot about him that he reacts like that.
I mean sure, it isn't a spotlight power*, but it would be invaluable for any team.
How much more collateral damage good could the Guardians have caused done if this guy had been on their team?
(Okay, that depends on how much of a boost he gives)

*That would actually be a plus in my book- the part where the power means I have to work with other people aside -, but I can see why that would be important for someone like him.

[Lethologica]

Oh, he didn't like not being special in exactly the right way? That's rather less interesting than, well, literally anything that would justify his position. Tougher to persuade, though, so I guess this is optimizing for giving Alison a hard time.

[Vinyadan]

Given that powers change and multiply over time (flight, holograms etc.) what can we expect Max to have grown able to do? Disabling? Stealing? Changing?