Grrl Power V: Probably Not an Octopus

[Rogar Demonblud]

Except it doesn't do that. Instead, the radiation brainwashes everyone into becoming Fel. By the time anyone figures out what's happening a significant chunk of the populace is now working for the enemy. And by that time the Xevoarchy has loaded up a couple really big rocks to chuck through the planet.

[Ibrinar]

Speaking of super against ship combat, wonder how that would go with an super like maxima if they don't come down but actually attack the planet at range. (I am speculating from ship combat that happens at range instead of of the close range dogfighting common in media this setting probably would use too). I think (in space) one main decider would be whether she can match the speed of a space ship with personal flight speed. If she can she can just close up if she can't and they can dictate the range the question is whether she has a) super long range b) additional sensory enhancement super powers and c) additional targetting super powers. Because a normal human won't aim well enough to hit a ship engaging at a long range. Of course she is hard to hit too being small and probably able to change her direction quickly. But at long ranges I would give better chances to a scifi targeting computer to hit something small (and there is probably something like target seeking missile swarms), than a human to hit something really far away (tracking her with sensors might be tricky though with her size). On the other hand we don't really know her durability so she might just not care about hits. Well not that it would help her defend earth, if they can out speed her and have long range weapons she can't just tank all shoots unless she has flash like speed or they are targeting only a specific area.

[JeenLeen]

It would be neat if we wound up with Fel-contaminated Alari-possessed humans. (Is Alari what Sciona is? That's what I mean.)
I kinda doubt it, but it'd be a neat way to tie together two plot points.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Really Sydney? You get home from an extended vacation and it doesn't occur to you to check your messages? Not even the ones from your friends?

[Keltest]

Really Sydney? You get home from an extended vacation and it doesn't occur to you to check your messages? Not even the ones from your friends?

She has been rather busy lately.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Not that busy. And from the dialogue, it's been a few days. Surely she could've spared several minutes each meal break.

[HandofShadows]

Now that is a priceless expression.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Well, that's one way to leave Sydney a navigational beacon even she can't miss.

[Traab]

I cant wait for the fallout of this. I mean, I get the feeling it will be more that she objects to it being done without any agreement from her than a serious dislike of the idea. Plus she will likely feel more than a little uncomfortable with such a braggish setup. Heck I can almost feel it myself. Its one thing for arianna to be merchandising her in various ways, collectible orbs and action figures and whatever, but turning her business into a "look at me!" setup? Yeah, id be flinching at how arrogant this comes off as being.

[Kantaki]

Is that a church?
Yeah, can't see that going badly.

Especially with the „Church of Halo” design.

Though I wonder if this shop will last.
The one from the prologue kinda looks like it might be a different one.

[Mechalich]

Is that a church?
Yeah, can't see that going badly.

It's actually quite common in the US for church buildings to be renovated as office or commercial spaces. The gradual drop in church attendance over time, combined with the movement of many modern church goers into 'megachurches' that occupy massive auditorium-style spaces rather than traditional church structures means that vacant churches are commonplace throughout the US.

Especially with the „Church of Halo” design.

Though I wonder if this shop will last.
The one from the prologue kinda looks like it might be a different one.

Stained glass windows are actually quite expensive, so being able to do an installation of this nature suggests that there's excellent cash flow for now.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Assuming it's an actual stained glass window and not just an applique.

[Traab]

It's actually quite common in the US for church buildings to be renovated as office or commercial spaces. The gradual drop in church attendance over time, combined with the movement of many modern church goers into 'megachurches' that occupy massive auditorium-style spaces rather than traditional church structures means that vacant churches are commonplace throughout the US.



Stained glass windows are actually quite expensive, so being able to do an installation of this nature suggests that there's excellent cash flow for now.

Them running entirely out of inventory in a single day would suggest they do indeed exist in a cash flow heavy bubble. How long it will last is another matter as im sure it will die down quickly once people get used to the idea of her existing and the reality that she isnt going to be there often.

[JeenLeen]

Though I wonder if this shop will last.
The one from the prologue kinda looks like it might be a different one.

I just looked back at the first few comics, and I can see it being the same. Art-style updates and the artist's occasional comments about not being overly concerned if backgrounds change aside, the last panel before Halo leaves the shop shows stairs and a kinda-fancy desk. That could easily fit with this shop. And it doesn't show the outside at all.

[Lamech]

Arianna’s policy is that if those people can produce an actual photo of a saint or demigod with god rays coming out their head, then she’ll listen to concerns about sacrilege or whatever.

Now I'm wondering how the the sacrilege scale ranks these things:
1) The Halo stained glass window.
2) Fabricating a picture of an angel with godrays coming out of their halo.
3) Using mighty witchcraft to bind an angel to the mortal plane to take a picture.
4) Using foul necromancy to rip a saint's soul out of heaven to take a picture.
5) Using powerful magic to send an angel to smite the comic shop into ashes.
6) Using foul necromancy to rip a saint out of heaven, turn it into a horrible undead abomination and sending it to eat the souls of everyone at the comic shop.
7) Using mighty witchcraft to summon an angel to evangelize at the comic shop, but having the angel claim the orbs are holy artifacts given to Halo by God.
8) Using eldritch geometry to relocate the interior of the comic shop to heaven, while still letting the front door lead to the inside.

[Rogar Demonblud]

I don't know, but I think I've seen part of that anime.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Time for some shop talk where they talk about the shop. Although I'd have to give some thought as to how they pulled that off without Sydney being about to sign documents.

[Keltest]

Time for some shop talk where they talk about the shop. Although I'd have to give some thought as to how they pulled that off without Sydney being about to sign documents.

Given that they were working with Archon, its possible that she was legally declared MIA while they figured it out.

[Traab]

Given that they were working with Archon, its possible that she was legally declared MIA while they figured it out.

Its also possible he has authority to make these decisions as sydney is well aware of her tendency to go ready fire aim on decisions. I dont know if it was ever stated that they were equal partners after all. And now they have a LOT of partners, which could make things interesting.

[Rogar Demonblud]

I looked back to the beginning. She's simply described as being part-owner, with no mention of how that came about or how the company is structured. So I'm going to go on a limb and say they aren't using partner in the business/tax code sense and the whole schmear is likely some form of corporation.

[Rogar Demonblud]

That's a face we haven't seen for a while.

[JeenLeen]

That's a face we haven't seen for a while.

I'm really glad the author gave a link to that guy's first appearance. While the hair and tattoos are the same, his overall build looks a lot bulkier, and I just took him as a probably-super.

Oddly, during his first appearance, I didn't think he was necessarily a super. Maybe just someone very skilled. But his bulk now puts him in obvious "probably a super" territory.

[lord_khaine]

I dont think his bulk puts him into "must be a super" territory?
Yes he is big and muscly. But not that much more than the bad-ass normals in Archon.

If anything, the biggest argument for him being a super, is that Deus would likely bring a team entirely of supers.

[Traab]

I just love how sydney is SO FREAKING DANGEROUS. Or at least, she could be if her ability to focus wasnt "OOH! SHINY!" all the time. She pegged him as suspicious with his basic greeting. He even went into flop sweat territory realizing he might just have ruined his entire purpose for being there, but its like it didnt fully click in her brain before the next shiny object distracted her. If she was that clever/intuitive/observant all the time, without the easy distraction issue, she would be so much more valuable to archon and all its subsidiary branches.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Maybe. Remember her erratic thought process is something of an asset for ARC-SWAT at least.

[Lamech]

I dont think his bulk puts him into "must be a super" territory?
Yes he is big and muscly. But not that much more than the bad-ass normals in Archon.

If anything, the biggest argument for him being a super, is that Deus would likely bring a team entirely of supers.

The team definitely included non-supers though. Vale is clearly an eldritch abomonation, not a super. Cthilla is apparently unique and doesn't appear to have the super body type. You don't need to be super to be a super-villain!

[Radar]

That's a face we haven't seen for a while.

This might actually be a hint, who is one of the new investors. No proof of that, but I like this idea. Make of that what you want.

[lord_khaine]

The team definitely included non-supers though. Vale is clearly an eldritch abomonation, not a super. Cthilla is apparently unique and doesn't appear to have the super body type. You don't need to be super to be a super-villain!

Ahah.. and how do you know Vale -isnt- a super?
Being either a person whose power is to be an eldrich abomination, or an eldric abomination whose power is to look human.
Same applies to Cthilla.

[Traab]

Ahah.. and how do you know Vale -isnt- a super?
Being either a person whose power is to be an eldrich abomination, or an eldric abomination whose power is to look human.
Same applies to Cthilla.

And now we are back to the issues with The Veil and how it applies to supers and if they count as supernatural.

[Dragonus45]

And now we are back to the issues with The Veil and how it applies to supers and if they count as supernatural.

The Veil just seemed to be based around obscuring anything that was outside a human baseline more then specifically being aimed at supernatural things.