Star Power VI: Shooting Stars (VORP VORP VORP)

[Traab]

Nobody mentions the pet with tentacles and a goofy dog-like smile in the first panel? I always how functional is to move in a surface with those appendages.

I imagine somewhere between a snakes slither and a regular footstep. The surface area of the tentacle in contact with the ground would grant excellent traction for pushing off against it allowing for a stable balance and movement rate.

[Zaq]

Nobody mentions the pet with tentacles and a goofy dog-like smile in the first panel? I always how functional is to move in a surface with those appendages.

That’s what I meant by “the purple space-pooch in panel 1.”

[Zaq]

Huh. The plot’s potentially moving, and we’re only about 42% of the way through the issue? Weird.

[PraetorDragoon]

Plot that is moving along at a decent pace? What is this madness!?

[Kato]

I guess I'm the only one shocked at Smith's choice of ally. I mean, fine, he's a PI, so he has some means to get his number, I guess, but 'that pilot who once told on his superior, then became a criminal and now drives trucks' is a better choice than... Virtually anyone else? Go to the damn GalFed or someone who is remotely likely to be useful to you!

[Shogo]

Must be nice to be a truck "driver" when the truck mostly drives itself.

[Celestia]

Must be nice to be a truck "driver" when the truck mostly drives itself.

You'd still want a person in the truck to deal with unexpected complications that a computer doesn't know how to handle. Fully autonomous delivery is a good way to lose your stock.

[random11]

Would it kill him to avoid timing and coincidence issues?

All Mookie had to do was to use Chief's investigation from the last story to connect to the detective, then connect to Burke.
No more than a few panels of the Chief trying to reach the detective.
It could even connect perfectly when instead of the expected contact man there was the attack that already happened.

[ZeroiaSD]

I guess I'm the only one shocked at Smith's choice of ally. I mean, fine, he's a PI, so he has some means to get his number, I guess, but 'that pilot who once told on his superior, then became a criminal and now drives trucks' is a better choice than... Virtually anyone else? Go to the damn GalFed or someone who is remotely likely to be useful to you!

Someone willing to snitch (shows has lines) who criminal ties (shows know how to move around in those circles) currently on the up in up (shows not currently attached to any criminal)? Seems useful to me. He doesn't need official muscle, he needs someone for street-level stuff by the sound of it.

... that or he may be angling for Grex and/or Star Power. Officer from his planet and powerhouse. The trio combined covers all the bases, don't you think?

Would it kill him to avoid timing and coincidence issues?

Yes, for I have poisoned his drink, and he only gets regular doses of antidotes if coincidences keep occurring.

[Kato]

So, I guess Smith had some plan after all.
I guess I could wonder how open GalFed is about reports on recent heists of life traffickers or why he still hasn't gone to SS6 directly but maybe I'm a bit too snarky.

[ZeroiaSD]

So, I guess Smith had some plan after all.
I guess I could wonder how open GalFed is about reports on recent heists of life traffickers or why he still hasn't gone to SS6 directly but maybe I'm a bit too snarky.

I'd think there'd be law-enforcement sharing, so it might not be open to everyone but would be open to detectives.


And hey, Grex and Danica *are* the contacts our good detective is looking for.

[Vinyadan]

Who are those people behind Trucker's head?

[faustin]

Who are those people behind Trucker's head?

Memories of the hidden slaves he discovered back when he was member of Captain Joyce's crew.

[PraetorDragoon]

Being actually pretty decent so far. Am I right to carry some faint hope?

[Celestia]

So, I guess Smith had some plan after all.
I guess I could wonder how open GalFed is about reports on recent heists of life traffickers or why he still hasn't gone to SS6 directly but maybe I'm a bit too snarky.

No, that's exactly what I came here to complain about. If Smith didn't want Burke and just wanted to get in contact with someone on the Sanctuary, why the heck didn't he just go directly to the Sanctuary? This is a completely unnecessary extra step that serves only to shoehorn Burke into the story.

[ZeroiaSD]

No, that's exactly what I came here to complain about. If Smith didn't want Burke and just wanted to get in contact with someone on the Sanctuary, why the heck didn't he just go directly to the Sanctuary? This is a completely unnecessary extra step that serves only to shoehorn Burke into the story.

Because Burke has involvement in the case, they don't, and "Hey, let me get the friend who has a personal stake involved rather than cold-calling the busy hero who does not have a personal stake, or rather the station where she lives and hope they decide to make it a priority," makes sense.


Burke's still useful and he's also the logical contact point, more-so than calling Sanctuary. Nor, notably, is it actually more steps in any sense- call a person or call a location, it's the same number of calls.

I think you're being nitpicky, your suggestion makes less sense.

[PraetorDragoon]

I am willing to chalk that up to "minor storyline covencience". Not the best storytelling, but something I have seen enough of to not care about anymore.

[Onyavar]

Saw this a few times in your posts now:

GalFed

It GalDef and MillFed. Though I don't know if they were ever referenced like that in the comic. I definitely have never seen them as GD or MF, but I can only remember seing them always spelled out.

[Kato]

Burke's still useful and he's also the logical contact point, more-so than calling Sanctuary. Nor, notably, is it actually more steps in any sense- call a person or call a location, it's the same number of calls.

I think you're being nitpicky, your suggestion makes less sense.

I disagree. Going to some individual who happens to be somehow related to the crimes (in the past) is not more rational than contacting the authorities. Unless you aim to do something unlawful. Maybe they'd not go 'sure, here, we'll deploy our discount Ms Marvel' but in a normal universe they're likely to provide more help / ressources than any individual.
Though, if he's that good, why not find out Danica's phone number.

Saw this a few times in your posts now:
It GalDef and MillFed. Though I don't know if they were ever referenced like that in the comic. I definitely have never seen them as GD or MF, but I can only remember seing them always spelled out.

Well, I could bitch and moan about how neither organization has gotten decent time to be explored and how they could be named Universe Alliance and Space Police for all I care but in the end.. Yes, I just screwed up. Should have said MillDef

[Welf]

I disagree. Going to some individual who happens to be somehow related to the crimes (in the past) is not more rational than contacting the authorities. Unless you aim to do something unlawful. Maybe they'd not go 'sure, here, we'll deploy our discount Ms Marvel' but in a normal universe they're likely to provide more help / ressources than any individual.
Though, if he's that good, why not find out Danica's phone number.

I'll object to that. In quite a few countries people wouldn't go to police because they are not helpful, or might even make it worse. Then usually there is a corresponding culture of asking friends or friends of friends directly instead of trusting laws or rules. That gives the assurance that the other person has a personal connection and feels obligated to help. And Planet Mafia, or at least the Crime Cities, fit the description rather well. The PI may intellectually know that he could trust the SSS and GalDef guys, but from habit he likely wants to create a personal connection first before asking for help.

[Traab]

I'll object to that. In quite a few countries people wouldn't go to police because they are not helpful, or might even make it worse. Then usually there is a corresponding culture of asking friends or friends of friends directly instead of trusting laws or rules. That gives the assurance that the other person has a personal connection and feels obligated to help. And Planet Mafia, or at least the Crime Cities, fit the description rather well. The PI may intellectually know that he could trust the SSS and GalDef guys, but from habit he likely wants to create a personal connection first before asking for help.

Its also possible that as a pi he has dealt with plenty of resistance from "real" cops. Better to work through a third party that is better positioned to get access and help than just go "Hey, I know its a coin toss, but would you mind letting me have info on some of your bigger cases?"

[Kato]

I feel like if I continue to discuss what seems reasonable to me I'd touch on real world too much so I better shut up.

Not much to say about today.. I like the beat panel second to last, but the main joke is the one billionth repeat of the same joke as if Mookie knows only that one.

[faustin]

The main problem is, criminal organizations are like a fungus infection: for it to spread and flourish the host must be weakened enough to let it happens.
That means those crime controlled cities and the authorities which govern them (in theory) must be either corrupt or apathetic enough.
Is not enough to crack down the families; in order to clean the cities you have to root out the corruption in the system.
Which reminds me, is that Chief Abaxi trustworthy?

[random11]

We could also use it to explain why the detective called Burke.

Burke is an old and mostly useless contact, but he became relevant again after the last coincidence.
Not so much for what he knows, but more because the detective KNOWS he is not involved and has connections with people that he might trust.

Of course, everything I said here is part of my guess and not the story.
If it was in the story, he should have at least warn Burke in the call not to trust just anyone, or something like that.

[Celestia]

You know, Mookie, lampshading the flaws in your story doesn't actually fix those flaws.

[random11]

You know, Mookie, lampshading the flaws in your story doesn't actually fix those flaws.

Also, it's safe to assume any information Grex has on the crime family is not updated for several years, and therefore useless.

Given that the federation is presented as at least competent, I would also like to believe that when she joined the force any information she did have was already taken and used.

[Traab]

Also, it's safe to assume any information Grex has on the crime family is not updated for several years, and therefore useless.

Given that the federation is presented as at least competent, I would also like to believe that when she joined the force any information she did have was already taken and used.

I dunno, she wasnt drafted from her home planet, she joined the vorp raiders and from there went legit. So its doubtful they were like, "Soooo, on your home planet a decade or so ago, did you happen to get any names or info that might help with investigating the crime families there?" They were probably more interested in raider info.

[random11]

I dunno, she wasnt drafted from her home planet, she joined the vorp raiders and from there went legit. So its doubtful they were like, "Soooo, on your home planet a decade or so ago, did you happen to get any names or info that might help with investigating the crime families there?" They were probably more interested in raider info.

The information she has was either already taken or irrelevant since it's too old. Assuming it had any value in the first place since she escaped young and without any real rank there.

In both cases Grex has personal involvement and I can understand why she and Burke want to get involved, but both of them should not have any valuable information.

[Traab]

The information she has was either already taken or irrelevant since it's too old. Assuming it had any value in the first place since she escaped young and without any real rank there.

In both cases Grex has personal involvement and I can understand why she and Burke want to get involved, but both of them should not have any valuable information.

Yeah but in this case im guessing her valuable information comes from the PI who survived the murder attempt. After all, "All the families are going to meet in this location to have a major discussion and be vulnerable" is kinda important.

[random11]

Yeah but in this case im guessing her valuable information comes from the PI who survived the murder attempt. After all, "All the families are going to meet in this location to have a major discussion and be vulnerable" is kinda important.

No argument here, but the question is why does the PI needs Burke, or Grex for that matter.

First I thought it was just because he was SURE Burke is not part of the system, but he didn't know Grex, nor did he warn any of them about contacting the authorities directly (especially considering how Grex just barged in during the phone call).

I imagine Mookie is going for the "build an incorruptible team", the problem is that in the way the story is written (initial point is the PI and not the Chief), the choice only makes sense to us as the readers, not for the PI.