Girl Genius XXIII: Screaming, Ranting and Egregious Violence

[Rogar Demonblud]

I figure we'll get another promo filler on Friday, and then things will resume. I'll set up a link this weekend to a few updates before the hiatus, so folks can reread to refresh their memories of what's going on.

[Shining Wrath]

I strongly suspect Team Foglio is on vacation somewhere, possibly with the Experiments, and said vacation will last until May 1.

[geoduck]

I strongly suspect Team Foglio is on vacation somewhere, possibly with the Experiments, and said vacation will last until May 1.

As annoying as this interlude has been, no, I think Phil genuinely has been spending his time doing up these sketches for The Works. Remember we're only seeing a sample of everything going into the game; with 4 packs of 60 cards each, he's having to draw (presumably, roughly) 240 of these stupid things, plus whatever incidental art is being included in the instructions and packaging.

[wingnutx]

Violetta is looking very callipygian today.

[gooddragon1]

Baseless speculation and slander: What if... Van... is secretly... VAN RIJN.

Just for fun.

[SZbNAhL]

Baseless speculation and slander: What if... Van... is secretly... VAN RIJN.

Just for fun.

You really think he'd join a coalition against the Heterodynes? No, the true identity of van Rijn must be one with a strong hatred of the other, a reason to value secrecy and a keen sparky intellect. The only character who fulfils these criteria is

Spoiler

Show

twelve wasp eaters in a big coat.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Ah, a return to Classic Bang.

[keybounce]

I figure we'll get another promo filler on Friday, and then things will resume. I'll set up a link this weekend to a few updates before the hiatus, so folks can reread to refresh their memories of what's going on.

The last story was in March. I would not be surprised if the entire month of April is card drawings.

Also: is it my mistake, or is new artwork added to the day's postings after they first go up? In other words, if you go to the site early in the morning, and see some artwork, do you see new artwork if you go by later in the evening?

I just reviewed the entire month, and I am certain there is artwork there that I did not see before.

I especially love the last two (Agatha) on this one: http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20180417

[Scarlet Knight]

I may be wrong, but didn't the Professors hire some backup artists just for these occasions?

[SZbNAhL]

I may be wrong, but didn't the Professors hire some backup artists just for these occasions?

Did they? First I've heard of it.

[geoduck]

New plot, finally.

Spoiler

Show

With an upcoming reveal that, to use a mixed metaphor, is being telegraphed in big blinking neon letters.

[Rogar Demonblud]

For those who don't want to click 'previous strip' over a dozen times.

Also, "Sizeable Group of Constructs" has many implications, but I'm wondering if we're meant to think it's the bears.

[keybounce]

I'm curious if it is Punch and Judy.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Better not let Judy Lilith hear you calling her sizeable.

[Deliverance]

Krosp, Bears, Dr. Dim and whomever else is along for the ride would be the obvious guess.

[factotum]

I'm curious if it is Punch and Judy.

Two wouldn't comprise a "sizeable group", so even if it *is* them, there would have to be others as well.

[Fyraltari]

"Do not look at the death ray during the remaining life". Nice.

[eee]

Two wouldn't comprise a "sizeable group", so even if it *is* them, there would have to be others as well.

Given what we've seen of Punch and Judy's physical capacities, I think they'd be a sizeable group just by themselves.

But more likely it's the Bearz and Krosp. He knows how to fly a Wulfenbach airship. And of course he'd want to meet with Agatha first thing.

[SZbNAhL]

Wow, this week's character sketches are really detailed.

Regards the constructs, I doubt it was Punch and Judy, since they had no reason to attack Castle Wulfenbach. Krosp and the Bears rescuing Dr Dim seems most likely, but perhaps a little too obvious. Maybe it was Martellus's sparkhounds taking advantage of Gil being distracted in Paris? Or maybe Higgs asked the Jagers to provide a distraction while he smuggled Vole offboard, since last we saw him he was coming to meet Zeetha and she could presumably have told him where she was via the pendant.

[Stabbey]

Krosp does seem like a reasonable guess, it has been three real-life years and two books since he was last around. He was completely absent from the Paris arc.

[geoduck]

Wow, this week's character sketches are really detailed.

Regards the constructs, I doubt it was Punch and Judy, since they had no reason to attack Castle Wulfenbach. Krosp and the Bears rescuing Dr Dim seems most likely, but perhaps a little too obvious. Maybe it was Martellus's sparkhounds taking advantage of Gil being distracted in Paris? Or maybe Higgs asked the Jagers to provide a distraction while he smuggled Vole offboard, since last we saw him he was coming to meet Zeetha and she could presumably have told him where she was via the pendant.

Why would Sparkhounds rush off to meet Agatha in England?

Why would Higgs have to smuggle Vole off the airship? They could just leave together.

It is odd how the two of them disappeared, but unless they are with Krosp and Co. for some reason, they aren't the ones causing this problem.

[Shining Wrath]

There's no mention of the size of these constructs. Could it be that while Agatha was time-warping with Martellus, one of her spark-having constructs (maybe one lost clear back when she was with the circus) started building a construct army, which now wants to reunite with her; and not knowing where she is, began the search with Castle Wulfenbach, and having learned where Agatha is, stole the dreadnought and headed west?

I think it's at least possible that there are multiple instances of Dingbot Prime and / or multiple spark-having mini-constructs. So imagine Albia's shock and dismay when the airship lands and a horde of little construct sparks emerges. If you've read "The Mote in God's Eye", what we have here are Tinker Moties.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Those aren't constructs. They're clanks. Clanks are robots, constructs are biological.

Or Clockwork Horrors vs Aberrations, if you prefer D&D-esk terms.

[Shining Wrath]

Those aren't constructs. They're clanks. Clanks are robots, constructs are biological.

Or Clockwork Horrors vs Aberrations, if you prefer D&D-esk terms.

Point conceded. I take this as constructive criticism.

Krosp and lots of bears, then.

[Leewei]

Point conceded. I take this as constructive criticism.

Heh heh. As a connoisseur of dad jokes, I approve!

[Ellen]

That doesn't sound like Krosp. Might be Moloch (I've lost track of him. Where is he right now?), but I think he might be a bit more freaked out at knowing Wulfenbach is in England. Maybe one of Agatha's sparky friends from Castle Wulfenbach? Possibly her cousin?

[Fyraltari]

That doesn't sound like Krosp. Might be Moloch (I've lost track of him. Where is he right now?), but I think he might be a bit more freaked out at knowing Wulfenbach is in England. Maybe one of Agatha's sparky friends from Castle Wulfenbach? Possibly her cousin?

I think Moloch is trapped within the Time-freeze.

[SZbNAhL]

That doesn't sound like Krosp. Might be Moloch (I've lost track of him. Where is he right now?), but I think he might be a bit more freaked out at knowing Wulfenbach is in England. Maybe one of Agatha's sparky friends from Castle Wulfenbach? Possibly her cousin?

I think Moloch is trapped within the Time-freeze.

So are Theo and Sleipnir, unless I'm forgetting something (or they were freed offscreen, but that seems like bad storytelling to me).

[factotum]

Also: as far as we know, Moloch isn't a construct.

[eee]

I think Moloch is trapped within the Time-freeze.

There's a lot of speculation about that. We know he (and Gil, in a Geister dress) was with Agatha when she was using the Time Window to see what happened to his old war clank, and kept seeing Bang. Now, if that takes place after Mechanicsberg is freed, that's one thing. If it takes place before, it means he left the city before Klaus froze it and is currently wandering around in the world somewhere, probably hoping his and Agatha's paths do not cross again. We will have to wait and see.