Girl Genius XXII: Paris Needs Pants

[HandofShadows]

What happened to Radcliffe? Is that what happens if you wear a stovepipe hat too tight?

Only if your head kept on growing.

[Traab]

His welcome everywhere he goes makes great sense. These noir style detectives always seem to be disliked, usually for very good reason, by all their sources and given this guy is a JAEGER detective, I imagine he has caused even more problems for himself than the average gumshoe. So the pissed off barmaid with a history with our detective? Totally normal. Underground connections where they have an uneasy truce? Totally normal. Angry law enforcement that is constantly annoyed this non cop keeps stepping into their business? Yep.

[Kantaki]

„How do you spell traitorous minion?”
Ivo might dislike violence, but he still knows how to hit where it hurts.

[petersohn]

Clampooned son of a moonfather!

[factotum]

Interesting that even the "bad guys" in Mechanicsburg don't want to disappoint the Lady...guess everyone there *do* love the Heterodynes!

[PraetorDragoon]

Interesting that even the "bad guys" in Mechanicsburg don't want to disappoint the Lady...guess everyone there *do* love the Heterodynes!

Well, of course. Sparks like the Heterodynes might get creative with minions who dissapoint them.

[Kareasint]

Well, of course. Sparks like the Heterodynes might get creative with minions who dissapoint them.

The Heterodynes like to experiment and are constantly in need of "test subjects."

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Interesting that even the "bad guys" in Mechanicsburg don't want to disappoint the Lady...guess everyone there *do* love the Heterodynes!

Reminds me of Platime and his prostitutes in Eddings' Elenium. Sure, he runs a the criminal underbelly, but that doesn't mean he doesn't respect the crown. And the prostitutes always pay their taxes.

GW

[Traab]

Reminds me of Platime and his prostitutes in Eddings' Elenium. Sure, he runs a the criminal underbelly, but that doesn't mean he doesn't respect the crown. And the prostitutes always pay their taxes.

GW

Nice reference! Heh, and yeah it fits perfectly. Sure he is a criminal, but treason sure as hell isnt something he is interested in.

[keybounce]

The Heterodynes like to experiment and are constantly in need of "test subjects."

I wondered who made GlaDOS.

[eee]

Let's think this through. I doubt Greenclaw would have had anything directly to do with the Snail Theft, as a bit of thought would show that it would embarrass Agatha and be bad for business. But he knows something. Enough so that when Ivo said it had been stolen he went into immediate full on panic mode. And he did it again when Ivo brought Agatha's name sort of into the conversation. Now, what he knows is uncertain, and his comment is cryptic - of course Agatha has no idea about any of this, what did he think? - but it's pretty clear he's on the ropes and Ivo is going to find out some things unless Greenclaw has a sudden and immediate 'accident'.

Interesting that even the "bad guys" in Mechanicsburg don't want to disappoint the Lady...guess everyone there *do* love the Heterodynes!

Well, they have been minions to the House of Heterodyne for generations...

But also, don't forget, for a long time they didn't have a Heterodyne. Klaus ruled the city and kept it safe from external threats, but that wasn't the same and they were just a small part of his empire. Agatha... It's been made clear that this is HER city, there are HER people, and she will protect and rule them no matter what. After a long time without a master, I would imagine all of them are so desperate for this to work they'll literally break their backs to support her, so she can give them purpose.

[Drascin]

Well, they have been minions to the House of Heterodyne for generations...

But also, don't forget, for a long time they didn't have a Heterodyne. Klaus ruled the city and kept it safe from external threats, but that wasn't the same and they were just a small part of his empire. Agatha... It's been made clear that this is HER city, there are HER people, and she will protect and rule them no matter what. After a long time without a master, I would imagine all of them are so desperate for this to work they'll literally break their backs to support her, so she can give them purpose.

Also, when a spark like Agatha says this is HER town, you listen or die. So, a mix of "respect and love for the House of Heterodyne" and "healthy and reasonable terror at the displeasure of the House of Heterodyne".

[BRC]

I mean, it seems fairly straightforward to me.

All citizens of Mechanisburg are also, at least in part, Loyal Heterodyne Minions.

The criminal underclass like Greenclaw here might commit crimes against the laws of mechanisburg and their fellow citizens, but never against the Heterodyne. They do smuggling, black market operations, perhaps the occasional petty theft. Victimless crimes, as these things go.

Greenclaw was asked to facilitate some criminal operation by some outsiders. He wasn't told that their target was the Snail trophy, which would not only hurt the Lady Heterodyne.

Agatha, of course, Doesn't know about the criminal underworld of Mechanisburg or the role they play. But now his organization is involved in this theft, which is going to lead to public scrutiny and Ivo's Brudders kicking down his door.

Agatha is going to get this report and hear "Local criminal Greenclaw helped some people steal the Trophy", not "Greenclaw, respected community leader in the Court of Gears, in the course of perfectly normal business operations, unknowingly lent assistance to some individuals who, without informing Herr Greenclaw of their intentions, stole the trophy."

His two outbursts, first in response to learning that the Trophy was stolen, and then in response to learning that Agatha was Ivo's client.

[Kantaki]

New comic

Trying to lecture a Jäger on the history of Mechanicsburg...

Regardless, it seems whatever way Greenclaw is involved in this, it's about the boys not appreciating the services the Families provided for the City.
I'm sure this will ensure a better relationship with their successor.
Maybe Agatha will show how much of the old Heterodynes she has in her.

[petersohn]

So in the old days, Mechanicsburg was run by privateers?

[PraetorDragoon]

So in the old days, Mechanicsburg was run by privateers?

I think you mean "upstanding loyal citizens that have perfectly legimate buisinesses."

And from what we have seen of the Old Heterodynes, privateers are not that bad in comparision.

[eee]

I hadn't considered how much the Boys must have screwed up the normal functioning of Mechanicsburg...

(Charlemagne Greenclaw. Sydney Greenstreet. I have no problem, seeing them as the same.)

I think you mean "upstanding loyal citizens that have perfectly legimate buisinesses."

And from what we have seen of the Old Heterodynes, privateers are not that bad in comparision.

"Amen" to both statements!

[BRC]

So what, the Snail wasn't always a race trophy? It was some sort of official acknowledgement of the Circle's role in running the city?

I mean, it's a Harvest festival. What does Mechanisburg Harvest anyway?


I'm tempted to think that the Circle of Blood's theft of the Snail has become it's own Harvest Festival Tradition, but if that were the case, you'd think Vannamode or Ivo would have known about it already. Unless the tradition is that the Circle steal and return the Snail before the race is complete.

[geoduck]

So what, the Snail wasn't always a race trophy? It was some sort of official acknowledgement of the Circle's role in running the city?

I mean, it's a Harvest festival. What does Mechanisburg Harvest anyway?


I'm tempted to think that the Circle of Blood's theft of the Snail has become it's own Harvest Festival Tradition, but if that were the case, you'd think Vannamode or Ivo would have known about it already. Unless the tradition is that the Circle steal and return the Snail before the race is complete.

Mechanicsburg probably harvests snails; it's made clearer in the print novels than in the strip, but eatable snails are a major money-maker for the town.

I do hope the Foglios make it clear what's going on with the trophy, since we seem to keep whipsawing back and forth between "it's just a race trophy" and "its loss would be catastrophic."

[Ellen]

The snail must have some kind of Sparky thing in it that lets it be used for whatever the Sparky thing is. Someone is willing to kill to get it.

I feel like I should know enough about noir films to have a guess where the plot is going after this. But, all I've got is chasing, shooting, maybe more shooting, a femme fatale, shooting, and a reasonably successful case at the end.

[Telonius]

I do hope the Foglios make it clear what's going on with the trophy, since we seem to keep whipsawing back and forth between "it's just a race trophy" and "its loss would be catastrophic."

My guess: it's de shtoff vot dreams iz made ov.

[PraetorDragoon]

So the Snail is some kind of sparky control system for the hidden ways?

so my guess on who is the criminal:

Spoiler

Show

The Snail itself. Being a sparky construct, it became sentinent and didn't want to share control of the underways with anyone else anymore. So the Snail "Kidnapped" itself and is now trying to tie up loose ends to hide and become the supreme mafia boss.

[factotum]

The snail must have some kind of Sparky thing in it that lets it be used for whatever the Sparky thing is. Someone is willing to kill to get it.

They presumably already have it, and are willing to kill to *keep* it--the deaths we've seen so far appear to be calculated in order to inhibit our PJ's investigation. If somebody else were trying to get the snail they'd be better off allowing him to finish his investigation, find the item, then off him before he can return it.

[Rodin]

So the Snail is some kind of sparky control system for the hidden ways?

so my guess on who is the criminal:

Spoiler

Show

The Snail itself. Being a sparky construct, it became sentinent and didn't want to share control of the underways with anyone else anymore. So the Snail "Kidnapped" itself and is now trying to tie up loose ends to hide and become the supreme mafia boss.

Spoiler: Guess

Show

But is it heavily templated?

[multilis]

Spoiler: Guess

Show

One option is Watch Chief Drozeki, as way to finish off organised crime.

[Wayson]

Spoiler: Guess

Show

One option is Watch Chief Drozeki, as way to finish off organised crime.

This is my theory too.

Spoiler

Show

It would explain how the murderer is getting into and out of areas; no one can see them. Steal the Snail, get the various criminal factions to collapse into open warfare in a struggle for supremacy or finger-pointing, and then be authorized by Lady Heterodyne to go in there and clean house with Extreme Prejudice™. Et voila, no more organized crime in Mechanicsburg.

[Kantaki]

New comic

Wow. Someone's in a foul mood.

[keybounce]

Why does he think that Charlemagne -- the now-dead drinking buddy from the last two pages -- is responsible for this killer?

[Lethologica]

Why does he think that Charlemagne -- the now-dead drinking buddy from the last two pages -- is responsible for this killer?

My thought as well. That seems a noirish sort of misconception to be refuted later.

[factotum]

Especially since it requires the assassin to have Greedo-like levels of inability to shoot--judging from the panel where Sharktooth turned to see the guy running out the door, he can't have been more than three or four yards away when he fired the fatal shot. I personally think Sharktooth is wrong in this--I think Charlemagne was always the target, and he was killed to prevent him revealing important information.