Girl Genius XXIV: Ask Vit a Bit More Terror

[eee]

I'm curious what Tarvek will come up with as an explanation for why Higgs isn't adequately normal for this purpose.

He'll have to be a bit careful about it, as Rakethorn is right there and Tarvek has probably already pegged him as a spy. It will have to be a lie or half truth so well crafted that it will satisfy Agatha, not make Rakethorn suspicious, and not give even a hint that Higgs isn't normal and innocuous.

For Tarvek, a minor effort, at best.

[Traab]

The other issue is, experimenting and modifying yourself seems to be a bit of a past time. Gil is very unique as im pretty sure he mentioned his father basically trying to make him very hard to kill. So he gets resistances to all sorts of diseases, probably heals faster than normal, lord knows what else, and considering his family and backstory tarvek is likely the same.

[SZbNAhL]

The other issue is, experimenting and modifying yourself seems to be a bit of a past time. Gil is very unique as im pretty sure he mentioned his father basically trying to make him very hard to kill. So he gets resistances to all sorts of diseases, probably heals faster than normal, lord knows what else, and considering his family and backstory tarvek is likely the same.

We know for a fact that Tarvek and Martellus were genetically altered in the womb by the Mongfishes and it's heavily implied that Klaus reverse-engineered some of the Jager formula and applied it to both himself and his son. Maybe the reason Agatha invents time travel is that the only baseline spinal fluid suitable is from pre-overlay Gil.

[Shining Wrath]

We know for a fact that Tarvek and Martellus were genetically altered in the womb by the Mongfishes and it's heavily implied that Klaus reverse-engineered some of the Jager formula and applied it to both himself and his son. Maybe the reason Agatha invents time travel is that the only baseline spinal fluid suitable is from pre-overlay Gil.

This reminds me of Isaac Newton inventing calculus because it made calculating the orbit of the moon easier.

[SZbNAhL]

This reminds me of Isaac Newton inventing calculus because it made calculating the orbit of the moon easier.

Or inventing the reflecting telescope because he couldn't make a lens that didn't suffer chromatic aberrations. Now that I come to think of it, Newton was probably the closest thing real-world history has to a spark.

[HandofShadows]

Or inventing the reflecting telescope because he couldn't make a lens that didn't suffer chromatic aberrations. Now that I come to think of it, Newton was probably the closest thing real-world history has to a spark.

I think Galileo Galilei has him beat. They guy was into everything.

[geoduck]

I think Galileo Galilei has him beat. They guy was into everything.

Leonardo Da Vinci and Nikola Tesla probably also qualify.

[Shining Wrath]

Leonardo was a Renaissance man, in fact they probably invented the term for him. That's not normally what I think of as Sparky; Sparks don't normally do painting and sculpture and the other fine arts.

While Galileo had impressive achievements in advancing the scientific method and experimentation as a way to discover truth.

ISAAC NEWTON INVENTED CALCULUS AND PHYSICS.

Galileo invented ways to learn truth; Newton picked up what was known and moved it forward a couple of generations.

[Fyraltari]

Newton also spend a lot of time doing magic.

What about Archimedes? Allegedly invented the first death beam, and was too preocupied by SCIENCE! to care that he was running naked in the street or that an invading soldier was going to kill him?

[The Glyphstone]

Id nominate the forgotten Chinese alchemist who worked out the formula for black powder.

"How much burnt wood and bat poop do i need to mix together to make it explode, and what happens if i stick it in a bamboo tube pointed at someone's face?"

"SCIENCE!"

[Rockphed]

Id nominate the forgotten Chinese alchemist who worked out the formula for black powder.

"How much burnt wood and bat poop do i need to mix together to make it explode, and what happens if i stick it in a bamboo tube pointed at someone's face?"

"SCIENCE!"

I suspect that black powder was developed in stages:

1. If I mix sulfur with powerdered charcoal, it burns a little different.
2. If I mix saltpeter with that, it burns really well.
3. If I try to burn it in a closed space, it doesn't just burn, it explodes.

1 and 2 might have been "I want the burning properties of sulfur to mix with the burning properties of charcoal. How do I do that?"

[Shining Wrath]

Newton also spend a lot of time doing magic.

What about Archimedes? Allegedly invented the first death beam, and was too preocupied by SCIENCE! to care that he was running naked in the street or that an invading soldier was going to kill him?

Well, I suppose we need to go back to Euclid; it's pretty hard to science without maths, and Euclid invented standard geometry.

I remind you that Newton also was head of the royal mint, head of the Royal science academy, and yes, spent a lot of time doing alchemy. He invented physics and calculus in his spare time.

[Rockphed]

Well, I suppose we need to go back to Euclid; it's pretty hard to science without maths, and Euclid invented standard geometry.

I remind you that Newton also was head of the royal mint, head of the Royal science academy, and yes, spent a lot of time doing alchemy. He invented physics and calculus in his spare time.

And put off publishing it because he thought it wouldn't stand up to peer review.

To be fair, his notation for calculus is obtuse and counterintuituve in the extreme.

[Rodin]

I suspect that black powder was developed in stages:

1. If I mix sulfur with powerdered charcoal, it burns a little different.
2. If I mix saltpeter with that, it burns really well.
3. If I try to burn it in a closed space, it doesn't just burn, it explodes.

1 and 2 might have been "I want the burning properties of sulfur to mix with the burning properties of charcoal. How do I do that?"

While it may of been developed by regular scientists, the guy who invented the Hwacha definitely was a Spark. Or possibly an Ork.

[Scarlet Knight]

There are lots of normals. Just not that many named ones.

If the spinal fluid from dead persons is viable, there is the body of Mr. Smokes.

Like Sparks, you guys overthink everything.

"Wanted: Able bodied sailor for cushy job involving brain rather than brawn work. Spineless jellyfish need not apply. Good wages, payable in coin or rum. See Agatha Heterodyne, Lab 7, 30 fathoms below."

[Rockphed]

Like Sparks, you guys overthink everything.

"Wanted: Able bodied sailor for cushy job involving brain rather than brawn work. Spineless jellyfish need not apply. Good wages, payable in coin or rum. See Agatha Heterodyne, Lab 7, 30 fathoms below."

"Messy Death inevitable. No pay, but uniforms and death rays provided."

[Ellen]

I'm guessing Tarvek will say Higgs is his control group. We know how Agatha feels about that (and Christmas).

http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comi...6#.W8a4LHtKi1s

[Gildedragon]

Leonardo was a Renaissance man, in fact they probably invented the term for him. That's not normally what I think of as Sparky; Sparks don't normally do painting and sculpture and the other fine arts.

To be fair when Leo got asked to do kitchen stuff he invented death traps that burned the kitchens down in the name of Culinary Science
He experimented with paints and fresco technique. The only reason his paintings survive it's because they didn't have enough moving parts and werent attached to anything that could explode

[Rockphed]

To be fair when Leo got asked to do kitchen stuff he invented death traps that burned the kitchens down in the name of Culinary Science
He experimented with paints and fresco technique. The only reason his paintings survive it's because they didn't have enough moving parts and werent attached to anything that could explode

I think Mozart was a musical spark, right down to the self destruction at the end.

[PraetorDragoon]

I think Mozart was a musical spark, right down to the self destruction at the end.

There was also Tchaikovsky, who decided the instrument he needed for his Overture were a battery of cannons.

[factotum]

No new strip today? Unusual for the Foglios to be late...

[SZbNAhL]

No new strip today? Unusual for the Foglios to be late...

They've got a "new strip" announcement on the Facebook page, but it leads to an error message. Here are the first two panels, though:

Spoiler

Show

[Calemyr]

There was also Tchaikovsky, who decided the instrument he needed for his Overture were a battery of cannons.

Artillery being used for war? An atrocious misuse of resources! NO! I will show them how cannons are meant to be used! Some see them as instruments of destruction! I SEE THEM AS INSTRUMENTS OF MY SYMPHONY!!!

[Shining Wrath]

If you edit the URL to insert today's date, it leads to a blank page.

I do hope the Professors are healthy & happy; this is not customary.

As for the 1812 Overture, it wasn't really possible to "play" the cannons properly until quite a while after the piece was written. Fuses are just not predictable, so until cannon could be fired electronically Tchaikovsky's vision was not truly realized. It's an interesting piece also because normally the losing side doesn't lionize a battle that resulted in their capital being burned to the ground, but the Russians haven't had a lot of military successes to celebrate....

[Rogar Demonblud]

That's because you don't have the alpha numerics after the date to take you to the actual information, just the host frame. Yet another 'improvement' that actually makes the internet less usable.

[Grif]

Could today be the day where the Foglios finally missed an upload? After all a decade of consistently managing to upload a page of comics or anything related on a FWM schedule?

(It's really impressive, truth be told. Only Girl Genius holds this level of consistency from my knowledge.)

[tyckspoon]

Could today be the day where the Foglios finally missed an upload? After all a decade of consistently managing to upload a page of comics or anything related on a FWM schedule?

(It's really impressive, truth be told. Only Girl Genius holds this level of consistency from my knowledge.)

Schlock Mercenary, which at one point had a 100% updated on time record, and whose creator once stepped out of a 'who can go longest without a missed update' contest (had a modest cash value prize attached, IIRC) because it wasn't really fair to the lesser mortals. I think there may have been an additional missed update or site unavailable due to some hosting dickery later on, but one time the only known missed update was because the host's primary data center was literally on fire. (It was up and available from backups a day later.)

[geoduck]

Leonardo was a Renaissance man, in fact they probably invented the term for him. That's not normally what I think of as Sparky; Sparks don't normally do painting and sculpture and the other fine arts.

Van Rjnn did both Art and Science. And I believe the Foglioes have been quoted as saying that Art Sparks do exist in-comic, even though Agatha hasn't met one yet.

[tonberrian]

Schlock Mercenary, which at one point had a 100% updated on time record, and whose creator once stepped out of a 'who can go longest without a missed update' contest (had a modest cash value prize attached, IIRC) because it wasn't really fair to the lesser mortals. I think there may have been an additional missed update or site unavailable due to some hosting dickery later on, but one time the only known missed update was because the host's primary data center was literally on fire. (It was up and available from backups a day later.)

I'm pretty sure that update was merely LATER THAT DAY, not missed.

[Shining Wrath]

Van Rjnn did both Art and Science. And I believe the Foglioes have been quoted as saying that Art Sparks do exist in-comic, even though Agatha hasn't met one yet.

Grandma Sturmvoraus had a Spark whose specialty was spectaculars. I will accept the existence of non-techie Sparks.