Star Power III: Fail to the Void!

**Mewtarthio** · 2014-01-03, 10:58 AM (ISO 8601)

Welcome to the third thread discussing Star Power!

What is Star Power, you ask? Shut up! I'm the one asking the questions here!

Now, would you like me to tell you about Star Power? Star Power is a collaborative effort between Michael "Mookie" Terracciano and Garth "Delectable Eye-Organ Fruits" Graham. According to the website, it merges the majesty of hard sci-fi with the wonder of the Silver Age. If you have no idea how anyone could reconcile such disparate elements, don't worry: Neither do Garth and Mookie.

Features a rich, diverse cast of characters:

Spoiler: Characters

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Danica - Antisocial girl who gains superpowers. Sorry, super Star Powers. That is literally her entire character.

Mitch - A surprisingly perceptive voicemail recording stuck in Danica's supersuit.

Doctor Brightman - Danica's boss. She claims to be a scientist, but she's clearly lost sight of the joys of science with her obsessions with "protocol" and "data" and "repeatable results published in peer-reviewed journals."

Da Chief - Surly (but lovable!) security chief who's actually picked the right week to quit smoking. Namely, five weeks after the entropic heat-death of the universe.

The Countess - EVIL!

Void Archon - ALSO EVIL!

The Void Angels - An elite mercenary organization that is apparently so powerful entire governments flee before them. Famed for their ruthless tactics, unbreakable stealth tech, and high turnover rate because Void Archon keeps killing his own men. They've always got open positions!

Black Hole Bill - You know what? I'd rather not talk about this guy.

Larry, Curly, and Moe - A comedy trio whose bumbling attempts to kill Danica endeared them to us readers. Currently on the run from their boss, who wants to kill them.

Froggy McNotkrogan - A brave soul who nobly volunteered to risk his life disarming a bomb. It was a solemn moment; I remember it as if it were yesterday. I remembered all the good times we had together, like that time he volunteered to risk his life disarming a bomb, and that time when he was just about to volunteer to risk his life disarming a bomb (or would that be "her" life? Someone probably should have asked; guess we'll never know, now). Farewell, whatever your real name was! Your sacrifice will not be forgotten!

Previous threads!

Spoiler

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The second thread!
The first thread!

**TheEmerged** · 2014-01-03, 11:27 AM (ISO 8601)

Meh, this title works.

**Bobikus** · 2014-01-03, 11:46 AM (ISO 8601)

The countess's dialogue and the newsposts comments about her makes me think Mookie would probably start scribbling in stink lines around her if Garth would allow it.

**Mr. McGician** · 2014-01-03, 01:37 PM (ISO 8601)

My thoughts after catching up on something like seven months of comic:

-It's a good thing we were given some exposition telling us how competent the Chief is. Otherwise I'd think him to be a total blunderer, the way Danica is always able to make the right decision after second-guessing him.

-Sorry, Mookie. Giving the Countess a sympathetic backstory won't work when you introduced her sneering and spouting cliched evil dialogue.

-Ah, Void Archangel, the classic incompetent Mookie villain. Continually sends waves of second-rate minions to their inevitable doom. And I'm sure killing them when they fail or just when you're mildly irritated by something does wonders for their morale.

-And Blackhole Bill is our first strawjock. I knew Mookie wouldn't disappoint us.

-Why is Void Archangel hiring a bounty hunter to do this for him? Isn't this what the Countess hired HIM to do?

-Wow, the "science" in this is just as confusing and nonsensical as the magic in Dominic Deegan.

-This comic is actually pretty boring if you just read it through in one go like I just did. Incompetent villain sends out disposable scrubs, they get defeated, wash, rinse, repeat. At least this latest twist might go somewhere more interesting, although similar "twists" in Dominic Deegan never lasted long.

-On the plus side, I like "hail to the void" and how it's strict Void Angel protocol to say that every other sentence.

**Vinyadan** · 2014-01-03, 01:41 PM (ISO 8601)

And finally, the third issue has been slain!
Here it is, ready to be read: just follow the links!

Issue 3:

Spoiler

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The previous issues:

Issue 1:

Spoiler

Show

Issue 2:

Spoiler

Show

Personal commentary (read after the slay!)

Spoiler

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Issue 3 took a very long time. It is the only issue we have yet seen, which I hold for completely unredeemable. There are so many mistakes in dialogues and organization of the scenes, I don't even know what to think. Anyway, the slaying went rather well, but I think there is much less humor than before, together with a more reasonable storyline. Next issue will probably be "back to crazy and beyond"

The little Voidpedia boxes weren't meant to be a "in universe" addition, but just to explain concepts I don't know how to express in English (and the butter one, litterally "to have the ass immersed in butter" for "being born lucky and wealthy", only exists in local dialects.) Nevertheless, I think they look nice without being cumbersome.

**Oracle_Hunter** · 2014-01-03, 04:05 PM (ISO 8601)

I think Void Archangel might be the stupidest Mookie Villain yet. Even DJ Callan had a goal which was theoretically achievable. How he expects to use a Remote Exploding Spaceship to keep his Invincible Enemy under control for more than a day -- let alone the long term -- is beyond me

**Kornaki** · 2014-01-03, 04:34 PM (ISO 8601)

From the last thread

Originally Posted by T-O-E

So stars are 'winter sky friends'? That's gotta be a Garthism.

He's probably referring to winter constellations specifically, so it's not that bad.

But yeah this plan sucks on everyone's part. Doesn't Danica realize that if she works for the Void Angels the first thing she's going to be told to do is hurt people?

**Morty** · 2014-01-03, 04:39 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Mr. McGician

-Sorry, Mookie. Giving the Countess a sympathetic backstory won't work when you introduced her sneering and spouting cliched evil dialogue.

I don't think it's supposed to be a sympathetic backstory. It seems to be there to make her even more evil, since the Sentinels were so merciful to her and she still kept on attacking. That's the sort of sledgehammer-shaped character establishing I would expect from Mookie.

**MReav** · 2014-01-03, 04:43 PM (ISO 8601)

I'm guessing Danika didn't have a high enough Paragon/Renegade score at this point. Otherwise she could have either convinced or intimidated Vorp Archangle into backing down.

**Trazoi** · 2014-01-03, 05:20 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Morty

I don't think it's supposed to be a sympathetic backstory. It seems to be there to make her even more evil, since the Sentinels were so merciful to her and she still kept on attacking. That's the sort of sledgehammer-shaped character establishing I would expect from Mookie.

I'm expecting the next piece of the story is, after she knifes her mother, to order the entire fleet to fire at the Sentinels rather than the attackers even though that makes no sense. Either way she's going to blow up all her species and blame the Sentinels for it (but everyone saw that coming months ago).

**Mewtarthio** · 2014-01-03, 05:23 PM (ISO 8601)

I think Vinyadan deserves a big hand for managing to turn the comic into something readable, no?

Originally Posted by Oracle_Hunter

I think Void Archangel might be the stupidest Mookie Villain yet. Even DJ Callan had a goal ~~which was theoretically achievable~~.

Fixed that for you.

**Oracle_Hunter** · 2014-01-03, 06:09 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Mewtarthio

I think Vinyadan deserves a big hand for managing to turn the comic into something readable, no?

I dunno, personally I think the execution is all thumbs

**Hopeless** · 2014-01-03, 06:53 PM (ISO 8601)

What if the revelation is that due to her actions she's the last remaining member of her race and her actions now are focused against the last surviving member of the group she holds responsible for her own actions?

Well how much worse can this get?

**Humbug** · 2014-01-03, 08:42 PM (ISO 8601)

Vinyadan's jokes actually made me laugh which Mookie has yet to accomplish (serious scenes which are unintentionally funny don't count), so the rewrite is way ahead in my book.

**MReav** · 2014-01-04, 12:24 AM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Trazoi

I'm expecting the next piece of the story is, after she knifes her mother, to order the entire fleet to fire at the Sentinels rather than the attackers even though that makes no sense. Either way she's going to blow up all her species and blame the Sentinels for it (but everyone saw that coming months ago).

It makes a certain amount of sense. They'd have to blow through the Sentinel shield first, so taking them out simultaneously kills the Sentinels and lowers the shield for them to fire on the dreadnoughts. The ones that were kicking their asses moments before.

**Neoriceisgood** · 2014-01-04, 05:48 PM (ISO 8601)

Man you guys have blown through three threads on this comic yet? The DD-effect continues.

**Grif** · 2014-01-05, 04:52 AM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Vinyadan

And finally, the third issue has been slain!
Here it is, ready to be read: just follow the links!

Issue 3:

Spoiler

Show

The previous issues:

Issue 1:

Spoiler

Show

Issue 2:

Spoiler

Show

Personal commentary (read after the slay!)

Spoiler

Show

Issue 3 took a very long time. It is the only issue we have yet seen, which I hold for completely unredeemable. There are so many mistakes in dialogues and organization of the scenes, I don't even know what to think. Anyway, the slaying went rather well, but I think there is much less humor than before, together with a more reasonable storyline. Next issue will probably be "back to crazy and beyond"

The little Voidpedia boxes weren't meant to be a "in universe" addition, but just to explain concepts I don't know how to express in English (and the butter one, litterally "to have the ass immersed in butter" for "being born lucky and wealthy", only exists in local dialects.) Nevertheless, I think they look nice without being cumbersome.

Spoiler

Show

I must say there were a few minor spelling errors.

But yes, I do like the slightly off-crazy tone the slay has. It made everything more sensible.

**random11** · 2014-01-06, 12:28 AM (ISO 8601)

New comic

Still don't understand the voider's plan.
He KNOWS that the threat is the only thing keeping Danica his "ally", does he expect the bomb to stay near the station forever?

**slayerx** · 2014-01-06, 12:44 AM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by random11

New comic

Still don't understand the voider's plan.
He KNOWS that the threat is the only thing keeping Danica his "ally", does he expect the bomb to stay near the station forever?

Here's another point... when he came up with this idea to meet with Danica, he had the full intention of blowing up the ship the moment she left... exactly how long was she gonna remain his "ally" after finding out he had already blown up the ship?

**Mewtarthio** · 2014-01-06, 02:23 AM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by slayerx

Here's another point... when he came up with this idea to meet with Danica, he had the full intention of blowing up the ship the moment she left... exactly how long was she gonna remain his "ally" after finding out he had already blown up the ship?

"I, Void Archangel, have no idea what you're talking about. I am quite certain your precious space station must be somewhere around here. Perhaps it is on the other side of that debris field?"

**Traab** · 2014-01-06, 09:39 AM (ISO 8601)

This is just so, so very dumb. I mean, the kind of dumb my three year old nephew would give me an odd look over if I tried to tell him this story. I mean, a real bad guy would have told her to meet him at a random distant location. Waited till she left, then blown up the station right away. Upon reaching the meeting point, danica would find it empty except for a piece of paper that says "SUCKER!!!" on it. See, they failed to kill her, and clearly they dont have enough power to do it themselves, but SHE has no idea where they are located, so there is nothing she can do about it when she returns to see the station blown up and everyone dead. Its a ^%$ move on the part of the bad guy, but its the best they can do. A sort of, "This is the price for opposing us!" scenario. Now she is alone with no support and has the deaths of everyone else on her head for being too stupid to see an obvious trap.

**Kwatsu** · 2014-01-06, 10:10 AM (ISO 8601)

What is Danica's plan* here, exactly? Is she hoping to infiltrate the Void Angels and learn stuff; or is she going to try to destroy them from within? Or is she just buying time for the station?

*Yeah, I know she can't plan her way out of a space paper bag, but I'm giving her the benefit of SOME doubt, dammit.

**Zaq** · 2014-01-06, 10:26 AM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Kwatsu

What is Danica's plan* here, exactly? Is she hoping to infiltrate the Void Angels and learn stuff; or is she going to try to destroy them from within? Or is she just buying time for the station?

*Yeah, I know she can't plan her way out of a space paper bag, but I'm giving her the benefit of SOME doubt, dammit.

Remember, inaction is the highest virtue. Just trust that everything will work out in the end. Danica knows this.

**Traab** · 2014-01-06, 11:16 AM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Kwatsu

What is Danica's plan* here, exactly? Is she hoping to infiltrate the Void Angels and learn stuff; or is she going to try to destroy them from within? Or is she just buying time for the station?

*Yeah, I know she can't plan her way out of a space paper bag, but I'm giving her the benefit of SOME doubt, dammit.

Her plan is to do exactly what her new boss says until chief sends her a letter saying, "Uhhh, what the hell are you doing?" Then she will FINALLY understand that the problem was solved some time ago and she didnt have to agree to much of anything except to buy a little time. Seriously, the more I think on it the worse it gets. She KNOWS they have bomb techs on the station that could disarm the ship. She SHOULD know there is no way the station crew will just allow a disabled void angel ship to just sit there untouched for very long. She SHOULD know the threat of the vorp commander is so short term as to be meaningless beyond his demand for a meeting. But she doesnt. She is a 6 year old with phenomenal cosmic power.

**FrankLuke** · 2014-01-06, 11:42 AM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by slayerx

Here's another point... when he came up with this idea to meet with Danica, he had the full intention of blowing up the ship the moment she left... exactly how long was she gonna remain his "ally" after finding out he had already blown up the ship?

Forever. I'm sure that a person's word, even given under duress and coercion, is binding in this universe. Since Danica gave her word, she would continue to act as an agent for Void Archangel until the terms of the agreement had been met.

"Does a coerced oath count?" is an ethical dilemma I've seen in other works of fiction. Either "yes" or "no" can be written well and go beyond simple entertainment value.

"Yes, I gave my word and will keep it, even though it means doing things that are morally repugnant. I will act to lessen the effects of my actions, but I cannot betray the one I gave my word to." Then we watch while the actions wear the person down. He gradually becomes corrupted by the repugnance until he is doing the things he didn't want to do with nary a thought. There's a wake up call, and now he has to get out of the mess he put himself in.

"No. Oaths made under duress do not count." Now the hero has to get out of the oath without hurting those who were threatened to begin with as that is the only reason he even took the oath.

I will be surprised if this dilemma is given even a passing mention in SP.

Chief: You don't have to do this.
Danica: Yes, I do. I gave my word.
C: Oaths under duress do not count.
D: You're wrong. It still binds me.

Even this passing mention shows some depth of character for Danica. It shows something beyond reaction to the current events. Something more than stimulus-response.* Thus, it won't happen.

*It struck me while typing that. Danica is a Star Powered Amoeba! Her existence revolves around responding to stimuli without thinking. I know that lack of planning and inaction being a virtue are characteristics Mookie cannot get away from, but I've never thought of the characters as amoebas before.

**Bobikus** · 2014-01-06, 01:28 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by FrankLuke

"Yes, I gave my word and will keep it, even though it means doing things that are morally repugnant. I will act to lessen the effects of my actions, but I cannot betray the one I gave my word to." Then we watch while the actions wear the person down. He gradually becomes corrupted by the repugnance until he is doing the things he didn't want to do with nary a thought. There's a wake up call, and now he has to get out of the mess he put himself in.

It's the kind of horrible "honor" that exists in garbage fiction like the Xanth series but I can definitely see Mookie thinking along these lines.

**Kornaki** · 2014-01-06, 02:41 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Bobikus

It's the kind of horrible "honor" that exists in garbage fiction like the Xanth series but I can definitely see Mookie thinking along these lines.

It works under reasonably evil agreements, but the thing Danica is working under is just silly. I'm still holding out hope that she snaps the Void guy's neck on Wednesday.

**Trazoi** · 2014-01-06, 03:42 PM (ISO 8601)

It's highly likely the Void Archangel will attempt to detonate the ship in front of Danica anyway, neatly bypassing any need to worry about oaths and such.

**Traab** · 2014-01-06, 04:04 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Trazoi

It's highly likely the Void Archangel will attempt to detonate the ship in front of Danica anyway, neatly bypassing any need to worry about oaths and such.

Yeah, but equally dumb and almost as likely is vorplord telling her to do something later on, she balks, and he tries to threaten the station again and it will work, because she is playing a D&D game where the npcs cease to do anything when she isnt there in person, so the ship is obviously still waiting in front of the station to explode.

**Trazoi** · 2014-01-06, 04:21 PM (ISO 8601)

It kind of makes you wonder why anyone bothers being part of the Federation, given they are nowhere while all of this is happening.

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