Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire

[Myrdhale]

*tries to wrap his head around what he is seeing, hear's a snapping sound, and promptly ceases*

I... don't even know how to criticize it. It's just that... randomly bad. And ugly. I"ve never seen someone's skin wrinkle like Jayden's leg is doing in the back there. Oh, wait, I guess I found something to criticize after all.

Mookie must have been high on turkey fumes when he made this one. At least though, he seems to have let go of the moralistic hammer in this arc. I mean, what's the moral here? Hatred is you best weapon against evil?

... Maybe he did resent his lady friend more than he let on.

[sihnfahl]

Nimmel isn't a ice mage? How he can use see the truth?

Yes, Nimmel is an elemental mage. He can use STT because Dom has been indoctrinating teaching him to be a loyal minion good seer as well.

And why the hell dominic didn't used it himself?

Because Nimmel's a self-insertion the only seer around after Mookie gave Dom's powers a momentary bobbitting for Plot Sake.

And, to no surprise to anyone (except the LiveJournal sycophants), we're going to see that Siggy was just as bad as Dear Old Dad.

I"ve never seen someone's skin wrinkle like Jayden's leg is doing in the back there. Oh, wait, I guess I found something to criticize after all.

Actually, that's not supposed to be her skin. It's supposed to be spandex.

Mookie must have been high on turkey fumes when he made this one. At least though, he seems to have let go of the moralistic hammer in this arc. I mean, what's the moral here? Hatred is you best weapon against evil?

I think the moral here is that piss-poor writing makes for a bad story?

Maybe he did resent his lady friend more than he let on.

Actually, read his journals. His lady friend came back to pick up the things she left behind, and he was REAL SAD. I think he's reflecting his experience in Milov. Milov made a decision and lost the love he had - and he doesn't see a way to get it back.

[Kurald Galain]

Yeah, yeah, we get it, they're wearing masks, see, because they're, you know, blind, because just like that inferno guy with no eyes early in the plot, you can only be evil if you're unable to See The Light. And now nimmie is going to break their masks with his Truth, yay.

Was that subtle metaphor or what?

[Green Bean]

Mookie must have been high on turkey fumes when he made this one. At least though, he seems to have let go of the moralistic hammer in this arc. I mean, what's the moral here? Hatred is you best weapon against evil?

Legitimate complaints about the strip aside, "high on turkey fumes" is a phrase I've got to start using more often.

[RationalGoblin]

Yeah, yeah, we get it, they're wearing masks, see, because they're, you know, blind, because just like that inferno guy with no eyes early in the plot, you can only be evil if you're unable to See The Light. And now nimmie is going to break their masks with his Truth, yay.

Was that subtle metaphor or what?

No, no, no. You've got part of that wrong. Nimmel isn't going to break the masks with HIS truth, no. He will break the masks with Lord Dominus's glorious truth!

All Hail Dominus, The Great Manipulator, Hallowed be his name!

[Gez]

Hmm, it looks as if Milov's leg is shouting; "SEE THE TRUTH!"

I would expect that from a leg surrounded by so much caninity (yes, it's a word now): "See the truth! I'm a leg, not a female dog! Do not hump me!"

[Oracle_Hunter]

In more Bad Art-related news - what happened to Milov's left arm? Did Mookie forget to finish drawing it? Is Milov discretely unhooking Dark Jayden's bra? Is it Hug Time?

[Gez]

In more Bad Art-related news - what happened to Milov's left arm?

Judging from the piece of gauntlet we can see right behind Jayden's neck, I'd say the arm disappeared and now the forearm is directly connected to the shoulder. Unhooking the bra seems like a valid hypothesis (and it would be useful, too, since after all the aim is to get them out of their evil costume, which is why the attacks are cracking the armor), but I'd hazard to say he's tickling her neck.

[Winterwind]

"I decided to keep things moving along around here."

Mookie's comedic genius is more often expressed in his blog than in his strip.

Heh, indeed.
Face it, Mookie, your regular strips are not moving the comic very much faster than the fillers; and taking a day - or a week - or a month - off, to think things through for a change, might actually be a good idea.

I'm more intrigued by this "mother" person. It would seem she tried to keep the main comic away from us, to delay the creation of badness.

Do we have an as yet unknown ally close to Mookie?

Nimmel isn't a ice mage? How he can use see the truth?

He never was an ice mage. He said he specializes in "seasonal spells" (which is why we have seen him use ice magic prominently so far, since it was winter every time), and he is one of the students from Dominic's Divination class, so obviously he has some training in seer abilities as well.

And why the hell dominic didn't used it himself?

It's Elmister sindrome affecting him?

No, because he is too weakened by the last fight against Siggy. No using seer spells for at least a week, according to Jayden.

In more Bad Art-related news - what happened to Milov's left arm? Did Mookie forget to finish drawing it? Is Milov discretely unhooking Dark Jayden's bra? Is it Hug Time?

It... it actually appears to have been absorbed by Jayden's shoulder!
Poor Milov! First, he loses his girlfriend, and now, his arm!

Today's strip: Geez, if I hear this lame catchphrase one more time, I'll bite the person who utters it! (So I wouldn't envy any Jehovah's Witness who makes the grave mistake of knocking at my door today! )

What is that thing reflected in the upper right corner of Siggy's chest plate? Jayden's gown and shoes ascending to heaven, leaving her former fallen mistress behind?
Outgooded by one's clothing. Now that's a new one...

[Gez]

What is that thing reflected in the upper right corner of Siggy's chest plate? Jayden's gown and shoes ascending to heaven, leaving her former fallen mistress behind?
Outgooded by one's clothing. Now that's a new one...

It would explain her wardrobe change, but I think that's a reference to this vision.

[Arakune]

He never was an ice mage. He said he specializes in "seasonal spells" (which is why we have seen him use ice magic prominently so far, since it was winter every time), and he is one of the students from Dominic's Divination class, so obviously he has some training in seer abilities as well.

No, because he is too weakened by the last fight against Siggy. No using seer spells for at least a week, according to Jayden.

Thanks. It was so long I already forgot.

[Winterwind]

It would explain her wardrobe change, but I think that's a reference to this vision.

Ah, yes, right you are. Thanks.

...I think my Ascension of the Celestial Dress explanation was funnier.

[Green Bean]

Why does Nimmel look exactly like a scarred Siggy in this strip, anyways?

[Winterwind]

Why does Nimmel look exactly like a scarred Siggy in this strip, anyways?

Because he has reached level 16 and now evolves from a Nimmy to a Siggy, obviously.

Oh, great, you've made me do a Pokémon joke. I sweared I wouldn't ever associate with that... thing even this much. I hope you are happy now.


Another explanation, in line with my "Everything is just a dream in a broken, dying Dominic's head", the old Siggy, before his fall, stood for strength, brute force and vitality. Now that Nimmel takes over this role, he obviously will be associated with that archetype and become more similar to him.


The most likely explanation: It's the effect of having characters distinguishable only by their hair, and Nimmel having (almost) the same hair as Siggy. Exactly the same, in fact, once he takes it out of his face.
I still wonder how, exactly, it is supposed to stay this way, without falling back to its original position instantly. It would make my life so much easier to know that secret...

[Green Bean]

Because he has reached level 16 and now evolves from a Nimmy to a Siggy, obviously.

Oh, great, you've made me do a Pokémon joke. I sweared I wouldn't ever associate with that... thing even this much. I hope you are happy now.

That's it...submit to the Dark Side.

Another explanation, in line with my "Everything is just a dream in a broken, dying Dominic's head", the old Siggy, before his fall, stood for strength, brute force and vitality. Now that Nimmel takes over this role, he obviously will be associated with that archetype and become more similar to him.

Interesting. Perhaps in the real world, Siggy was Dominic's "gang brotha," and were best friends until Siggy sold Dominic out to the police.

I still wonder how, exactly, it is supposed to stay this way, without falling back to its original position instantly. It would make my life so much easier to know that secret...

A lesser known sub-school of seasonal magic is Hairmancy.

[Occasional Sage]

The most likely explanation: It's the effect of having characters distinguishable only by their hair, and Nimmel having (almost) the same hair as Siggy. Exactly the same, in fact, once he takes it out of his face.
I still wonder how, exactly, it is supposed to stay this way, without falling back to its original position instantly. It would make my life so much easier to know that secret...

The easy, one-word answer: Shellac.

[Duke Malagigi]

On the stats for Dominic: euw. That's both disturbing and quite accurate. The scarf is an especially good call.

A couple of nits to pick, however:



I assume "Lightening Trade" is really intended to be Insider Trading? Also, by the wording Hostile Takeover and Pull the Strings can only be used on beings who entered the pre-existing area of effect of Insider Trading; they require a failed save vs, which you don't get if you're in its initial radius.

If my DM never sees a creature like this, I'll be very happy.

I forgot to tell you that Dispater is much worse.

[Winterwind]

That's it...submit to the Dark Side.

That's not the Dark Side. It's the Dumb Side, and I sure as heck am not going to submit to that!

Interesting. Perhaps in the real world, Siggy was Dominic's "gang brotha," and were best friends until Siggy sold Dominic out to the police.

Yeah, that could well be.

A lesser known sub-school of seasonal magic is Hairmancy.

I can't decide whether that qualifies as the most awesome or the most lame kind of magic I've heard of so far.

The easy, one-word answer: Shellac.

And he applies that every single time he reveals his scar? Must be one heck of a supply he is carrying around!

[Green Bean]

That's not the Dark Side. It's the Dumb Side, and I sure as heck am not going to submit to that!

Hey, the Pokemon games are surprisingly deep and complex. It takes a great deal of skill to maximize EVs and IVs.

Er, not that I play it or anything.

I can't decide whether that qualifies as the most awesome or the most lame kind of magic I've heard of so far.

Ask her.

[Winterwind]

Hey, the Pokemon games are surprisingly deep and complex. It takes a great deal of skill to maximize EVs and IVs.

Er, not that I play it or anything.

I don't mind the game, in fact, from what I've seen of it, it seems rather fine.
The so called "cartoon", on the other hand... I watched an episode once, when we had visitors with younger children, just out of curiosity what the entire buzz was about, and I came to the conclusion that it was about the dumbest thing I had ever seen to date. In fact, even DD can only hope to, some day, reach that level.
Ever since, I turn the TV on when it is on every one or two years, because I can't believe something could be this bad.
I unvariably find that it's worse.

Erm. Sorry. I'll stop now. Might well be that it just resonated the wrong way with me for some reason, or that I coincidentally got some really bad episode, or something.

Ask her.

Yeah, she looks like the right person to know about that.

[Green Bean]

I don't mind the game, in fact, from what I've seen of it, it seems rather fine.
The so called "cartoon", on the other hand... I watched an episode once, when we had visitors with younger children, just out of curiosity what the entire buzz was about, and I came to the conclusion that it was about the dumbest thing I had ever seen to date. In fact, even DD can only hope to, some day, reach that level.
Ever since, I turn the TV on when it is on every one or two years, because I can't believe something could be this bad.
I unvariably find that it's worse.

Erm. Sorry. I'll stop now. Might well be that it just resonated the wrong way with me for some reason, or that I coincidentally got some really bad episode, or something.

Yeah, the cartoon isn't very good. You know, back in the ancient days of 1999, I was the Pokemon King at my school. I was the only kid who caught all 150 of them, then I took it one step further and paid a friend of mine $5 to get his hacked Mew. And then my game glitched and erased itself. Good times.

[Turcano]

The most likely explanation: It's the effect of having characters distinguishable only by their hair, and Nimmel having (almost) the same hair as Siggy. Exactly the same, in fact, once he takes it out of his face.

As I've said before, if your readers can't tell the difference between characters except through context, your artistic skills suck the big one.

[Arakune]

I don't mind the game, in fact, from what I've seen of it, it seems rather fine.
The so called "cartoon", on the other hand... I watched an episode once, when we had visitors with younger children, just out of curiosity what the entire buzz was about, and I came to the conclusion that it was about the dumbest thing I had ever seen to date. In fact, even DD can only hope to, some day, reach that level.
Ever since, I turn the TV on when it is on every one or two years, because I can't believe something could be this bad.
I unvariably find that it's worse.

Erm. Sorry. I'll stop now. Might well be that it just resonated the wrong way with me for some reason, or that I coincidentally got some really bad episode, or something.

Yeah, she looks like the right person to know about that.

The weird thing is, when the show followed (more or less) the events of the normal game, it was good. But then came the fillers, an insane amount of fillers...

[ElfLad]

As I've said before, if your readers can't tell the difference between characters except through context, your artistic skills suck the big one.

What if your characters are all evil twins?

[Myrdhale]

It's when 4kids took it over. They kill fun stuff from Japan.

But Pokemon was always on the low edge of palatable. So I wasn't too surprised when it slipped into bad so easily. Funny side note: The episode that almost got pokemon canceled. It Features the pokemon Porygon in a digital world-thing, and after a fight with the main villains of the series, Team rocket (I'm ashamed I know that ), pikachu blows up a bunch of missiles they fired, setting off a sequence of red and blue flashes that sent 800 Japaneses children into epileptic seizures.

I love that story.

Actually, that's not supposed to be her skin. It's supposed to be spandex.

Not according to this one, unless it's skintone spandex. At which point, eww.

[Occasional Sage]

Not according to this one, unless it's skintone spandex. At which point, eww.

OMG. I'd assumed it was spandex too, but now...

Maybe Mookie forgot how he dressed her?
(I'm not sure that's any better, though)

[Kurald Galain]

pikachu blows up a bunch of missiles they fired, setting off a sequence of red and blue flashes that sent 800 Japaneses children into epileptic seizures.

Oooh! That is actually true? Wow.

I knew the Battling Seizure Robots from the simpsons, but wow.

Do you recall the name of the episode?

[Lord Fullbladder, Master of Goblins]

It is indeed true. Psypokes states that the title, translated from Japanese, would have been "Electric Soldier Porygon". It is one of the less humourous things that have been censored on that show. It also never made it past it's original Japanese viewing.

I only go to psypokes so I can steal pokemon sprites to horribly edit together in a mesh of mangled parts.

[Gez]

As I've said before, if your readers can't tell the difference between characters except through context, your artistic skills suck the big one.

Objection.

[Myrdhale]

Objection.

yeah, but the Smurfs were comunists, everyone knows that. =P Or course they all had to look the same! That way, they were all equal!