Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XLVI: A Tark of the Klones, Electric Boogaloo
Welcome to the 46th Giant In The Playground thread of Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, where we discuss Michael "Mookie" Terraciano's webcomic.
You know how when you're about to die, people say that everything slows down and your life flashes before your eyes? This comic is kind of like that experience over the course of more than a decade. As Dominic Deegan comes to an end some time this year, we could expect the comic to undergo the same process. But that would be a mistake. We have seen, in the time the last thread covered, how Dominic Deegan cannot settle on how the pacing of its demise should proceed. At times everything slows down. At other times everything seems to be happening too fast, as if someone forgot to give the reader logical links between ideas and scenes. At other times the comic is in stasis, awaiting a time when a competent author can snuff it out for good.
For those who think that the above is a bit mean, I direct you to the comic.
For those that think 46 50+ page threads dedicated to a single webcomic means the series is good... prepare to be disappointed. A lot of us think otherwise. Why then do we insist on discussing so extensively a webcomic most of us mock incessantly? Because there is much to learn from examining that which is bad, and we get so much schadenfreude out of it. Whether it's the ham-fisted insertions of Mookie's interests regardless of how such things don't make sense in the milieu it purports to be in, the complete lack of concern for the heroes due to either their blandness, jerkishness, Sueness, or blatant character shields, the fall of so many interesting villains into lame duck weaklings, the habitual retconning of lore despite things making more sense beforehand, or simply because the comic lends itself so much for entertaining remixes, we find ways to amuse ourselves.
For any poor, curious soul wondering what's this all about and deciding to see for yourself, starting with the first comic in the series, know that it never improves on any point. The art becomes cleaner but lazier and overall doesn't change; the writing flails around from comedic to dramatic without understanding how either genre works, and the whole work gives you a disturbingly unfiltered look at its creator's naked id. Of all these things, Mookie is blissfully unaware.
Snark Chronology (Snarkhronology)
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Thread I - Oct 31 2006 to Aug 9 2007 - 77 pages, the first half of which actually contained praise yet. Then Snowsong came about... Thread II - Aug 8 2007 to Jun 10 2008 - the epic one, 301 pages, OVER NINE THOUSAAAND posts. Here the foundations of Domiology - our snarky fanon - were created. Thread III - 10 Jun 2008 to Aug 12 2008 - 63 pages of snarky goodness, first one to contain the archives in the first post. Thread IV - Aug 12 2008 to Sept 20 2008 - 50 pages, the one that carried us through the first half of the horrid Vacation Arc and brought the first actual fans into our threads (of course, their resolve starts to falter by now ) Thread V - Sept 20 2008 to Oct 18 2008 - 50 pages, the Vacation Arc continues to our unimaginable horror. Thread VI - Oct 18 2008 to Nov 11 2008 - 50 pages, the final part of the vacation. So much to be learnt about walls and limbs; knowledge that Mookie, unfortunately, shall never possess. Thread VII - 10 Nov 2008 to Dec 1 2008 - 50 pages, finally the Plot Creature caught up - but what has Mookie done to Celesto and TIM? Thread VIII - Dec 1 2008 to Dec 23 2008 - 51 pages, wherein Dex rises from the dead and we are introduced to Sn'gl'euth'u, the cutest extradimensional Lovecraftian being since Hello Cthulhu. Thread IX - Dec 23 2008 to Feb 20 2009 - 50 pages, which taught us that orcs not only have despicable traditions, they are also completely insane. Thread X - Feb 20 2009 to Apr 5 2009 - 50 pages, which taught us that orcs are not only completely insane, they are actually crazy enough to make Cthulhu roll Sanity checks! Thread XI - Apr 5 2009 to May 1 2009 - 51 pages, in which the orcs are at their height of insanity (going one step beyond), Luna is the designated Messiah of Everything and that tusks make you speshul. Thread XII - May 1 2009 to Jun 6 2009 - 50 pages, where the orcs, after reaching the height of insanity previously, find ways to fly to entirely new planes of mind-crushing madness, sufficient to warp their plain to the size of a backyard and time to freeze, as nothing interesting happens at all. Thread XIII - Jun 6 2009 to July 9 2009 - 50 pages, where the orcs continue to plumb the bottomless depths of inanity. Oh, and insanity too. Meanwhile, Luna discovers a new Sue power: inflicting the worst monologues ever on hapless readers. Also, Jacob is evil. Thread XIV - July 9 2009 to Aug 6 2009 - 50 pages, where we are still occupied with Orcs. Orcs. Orcs, everywhere! Oh gods, is this arc not going to end ever?! I repent, Mookie! I repent! Just make it stop! Make it stooooop! Thread XV - Aug 6 2009 to Sept 7 2009 - 50 pages, with Orcs, who do Orc things and KILL THEM, KILL ALL THE ORCS, EXTERMINATE THEM, SO THIS HORROR CAN END! Thread XVI - Sept 7 2009 to Sept 26 2009 - 50 pages. Do I have to tell you what it was about at this point anymore? You have three guesses. And the first two don't count. Thread XVII - Sept 26 2009 to Oct 20 2009 - 51 pages. The Orcs are still insane, and in this thread, they managed to temporarily infect us. Among the results are a debate about relativism and many pictures of various cute, funny, and weird animals. There also was a decapitation. It was metal. Thread XVIII - Oct 20 2009 to Nov 19 2009 - 50 pages, in which the March Through Maltak continues against logic, reason, good taste and sanity. Also including attempts at a non-lethal battle and awesome plot twists(Dominic fixes everything!) Thread XIX - Nov 19 2009 to Dec 15 2009 - 50 pages. The Battle At the Bikta Sanctuary is trudging along, with consistency and logic being casualties. Thread XX - Dec 15 2009 to Jan 14 2010 - 50 pages, where many lessons are learned: Never trust a bard, rain solves everything, and a stunning revelation by a necromancer so important it's the next thread title. Thread XXI - Jan 14 2010 to Feb 25 2010 - 51 pages. Now that events have been set into motion that may affect the destiny of the entire world, we get to see Nimmel and his crazy college shenanigans! Thread XXII - Feb 25 2010 to Mar 31 2010 - 51 pages, where Nimmel fully ascends into the First Caste, donning the Mantle of Sue that he might make us all immune to boobs. Thread XXIII - March 31 2010 to May 9 2010 - 50 pages. After Talking to one tentacled creature about another, Mamma Deegan returns home, and Greg starts a band. Thread XXIV - May 9, 2010 to June 9, 2010 - 50 pages. Greg's band is so meh it's un-****ing believable. Thread XXV - June 9, 2010 to July 22, 2010 - 51 pages. The strange ecology of the Wild Edge Territory, and the stranger behavior of the Callanians living there. If there's a keyword, it's "random". Also, inappropriate names for creatures. Thread XXVI - July 22, 2010 to Sept. 6 2010 - 50 pages. Stunt's stunts in the Wild Edge show a stunting of character and such stunted emotional capacity that he probably suffers from stunt. Also, Celesto meditates naked. Thread XXVII - Sept. 6, 2010 to Oct. 6, 2010 - 50 pages. The comic goes to hell. Again. Siegfried returns and shouts a lot. Thread XXVIII - Oct. 6, 2010 to Oct. 27, 2010 - 50 pages. Curly has exploded at the end of the War in Hell just like a soul. Now, on to a trial. Thread XXVIIIS - Nov. 6, 2010 to Nov. 7, 2010 - 1 page. Wherein a true fan who has made it as far as Storm of Souls, makes a thread. Thread XXIX - Oct. 27 2010 to Dec. 2, 2010 - 50 pages. The "trial" is just a veiled excuse to have Bulgak grow wings on his head and look into goalposts that show him important events in his past. Thread XXX - Dec. 2, 2010 to January 1, 2011 - 51 pages. Bulgak goes boom. Filler. Then nothing happens except Curly's marathon readthrough of Maltak. Thread XXXI - Jan. 1, 2011 to January 21, 2011 - 50 pages. Dominic and Luna finally show up, and then we get an arc about plastic surgery. Thread XXXII - Jan. 22, 2011 to Feb. 18, 2011 - 50 Pages. Luna is great. So great. Also: Snuggly joins the Loony Toons. Thread XXXIII - Feb. 19, 2011 to Mar. 24, 2011 - 50 pages. Snuggly is allergic to shellfish. Facebath returns to sing songs about how Luna is so great. Thread XXXIV - Mar. 24, 2011 to April 19, 2011 - 50 pages. Snuggly kills an all-powerful archmage and no one is too concerned about it. Also, we met King DJ. Thread XXXV - April 19, 2011 to May 23, 2011 - 50 pages. Dominic must find Celesto for no reason in particular. The Battlecasters are spying on all Second Sight, everywhere. Thread XXXVI - May 24, 2011 to June 24, 2011 - 50 pages. Dominic visits his old friend Szark. Together, they uncover the dark secret of two teenagers who, brace yourself, are trapped in a vicious cycle of bullying. Holy moly! The world-destroying abomination is assumed to still be relevant, but not even Dominic knows why. Thread XXXVII - June 24, 2011 to August 7, 2011 - 50 pages. Dominic strips naked and drives a small child insane while Szark prevents anyone from helping the kid. Thread XXXVIII - August 7, 2011 to September 14, 2011 - 51 pages. Dominic pulls out some old tricks and some new ones, we're all totally confused, and then we're smacked with a one-two punch of Smug and Great. Thread XXXIX - September 15, 2011 to October 19, 2011 - 50 pages. Luna and Greg go to an art gallery, some stuff with battlecasters happens, somehow we manage to draw this out for fifty pages. Thread XL - October 19, 2011 to November 22, 2011 - 50 pages. The budding love between Gregory and some battlecaster whose name nobody cares about and the union between a toast and a lizard showed us that love conquers all. A guitar will do just as well, though. Thread XLI- 22nd November, 2011 to December 22nd, 2011 - 50 pages. Some guy grows a moustache in the finest example of character development so far. Luna blubbers away because she loves Dominic -who deigns to tolerate her display- so much, showing how far the author thinks she's come as a character. Mookie and Luna get married, the latter against her will and a tiny explosion signals the end times. Thread XLII - 22nd December 2011 to 6th February 2012 - 50 pages. The Infernomancer is back! The King's nefarious plan is going to fruition! This cannot stand, so the plot is thwarted by instead deciding to follow Jayden's quest of redemption for the sin of having cheated on her violent, emotion-crazed beastman of a boyfriend. Because it's totally what's important. Thread XLIII - 6th February 2012 to 20th March 2012 - 50 pages. Still on the adventures of Stunt in the desert. Uh, what? Jayden who? Who said anything about Jayden? Thread XLIV 20th March 2012 to 18th May 2012. You'd think archmages, who are recognized as the most powerful mortal movers and shakers of the known universe, would be such pathetic combatants? Thread XLV: 18th May 2012 to 24 July 2012. 'Splosions, 'splosions everywhere, and Nimmel's in the air. 'Splosions, 'splosions everywhere, and only dead Bumper (and not of explosion either!).
Turcano's Chart of Arc Hope Helanna's Chart of Thread Trends guttering_flame's Cycle of Life and Death (Spoiler: It All Leads to Maltak)
Snark Art (Snart)
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Dominic Deegan's art is garbage. However, some people may at times believe, possible after being exposed to it for way too long a time, that it's not that bad.
Well, here's something to guide the lost souls back to the light.
Domo's Beef:
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Domo's Reenvisioning (of the Melna vs Taran fight scene and Luna's entrance at the Bikta camp):
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Silverblood
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Pay close attention, you may notice a little surprise.
In an alternate universe, Dominic Deegan: Surly Jerk With a Fish on His Head is a well regarded webcomic.
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Crud, I think I drew his nose off center.
Jacob used to be somewhat cool. What happened? Curse you, Maltak.
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Glass Mouse:
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Averagejoe's One Panel (Sn)Arcs
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The adventures of Stunt Bro and Hella Jayden.
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In this arc we get to watch as TIM kills... Bumper. Then the last archmage and Snuggly went to make some explosions happen, which didn't seem to kill anyone of importance. So now Dominic is being held captive (we wish) by an emotion-crazed beast-person runt (we should not mock those with special needs) who demands her Nimmel back. Nimmel, for his part, is being incompetent in the Plane of Air, where there are so many Klone Tarks we can't even be sure if Klo Tark was the Tarkiest Klo that ever did Tark.
So... yeah. Not really much going on, as per usual.
Due to the sheer scale of this opening, I will be splitting the first posts into two, putting Curly's DD analyses in the next post.
If anything needs to be added to the first post, more Curly Analysis, more pictures that we want chronicled, new notable snark web pages, etc, PM me and I will edit accordingly.
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Originally Posted by The Giant
Fantasy literature is ONLY worthwhile for what it can tell us about the real world; everything else is petty escapism.
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Originally Posted by The Giant
No author should have to take the time to say, "This little girl ISN'T evil, folks!" in order for the reader to understand that. It should be assumed that no first graders are irredeemably Evil unless the text tells you they are.
Good evening ladies and gentlemen, help yourself to some popcorn, and welcome to the next episode of
Analysing Dominus Deegan
The Golden Age*
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A Frail Hope of Adequate Enjoyment 21/05/2002 - 17/07/2002 Arcs covered: Oracle for Hire, The Curse The First Signs of Serious Psychological Issues Appear 18/07/2002 - 4/12/2002 Arcs covered: The Curse, Luna, Into the Woods In Which Teh Great Dominus Indulges in Torture and Terrifies Me 5/12/2002 - 21/02/2003 Arcs covered: Into the Woods, Couch Forts and Crying Dominatrix Luna. Oh, and The Dominus is More Feared Than A Necromancer 22/01/2003 - 11/03/2003 Arcs covered: Makeover!, Mob Mentality Thing Are Looking Up 12/03/2003 - 30/04/2003 Arcs covered: Visions of Doom Parts One and Two Siggy Is Iesus. Make of That What You Will 01/05/2003 -23/06/2003 Arcs covered: Visions of Doom Parts Three and Four The Great Dominus Is Officially A Marty Stue an It's THRILLER! THRILLER NIGHT! 24/06/2003 - 19/08/2003 Arcs covered: Visions of Doom Parts Five and Six Character Development! And We Conclude an Arc 20/08/2003 - 10/09/2003 Arcs covered: Visions of Doom Parts Seven and Eight Short Arc Is Short 11/09/2003 - 21/10/2003 Arcs covered: The Party
The Tarnished Age
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Hell Is Meaningless Filler 23/10/2003 - 20/11/2003 Arcs covered: The Ecstasy and the Evil Part One Kink + Dominus Deegan = Eye and Brain Bleach 11/11/2003 - 16/12/2003 Arcs covered: The Ecstasy and the Evil Parts Two and Three Inflatable Boobs and Sex! Occasional Plotting Is Permitted 17/12/2003 - 30/01/2004 Arcs covered: The Ecstasy and the Evil Parts Four and Five Enter: Deus Ex Machina! And Boobs. 31/01/2005 - 19/04/2004 Arcs covered: The Ecstasy and the Evil Parts Six and Seven Mookie Reveals More of His Sexual Fantasies. And Noone Ever Suffers From Any Effects of A Near-Rape. Ever! 20/04/2004 -26/05/2004 Arcs covered: TEatE Parts Eight and Nine
The Silver Age
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The Corruption of Sister Pam. Iocks Are Misogynistic Idiots. 27/05/2004 - 27/08/2004 Arcs covered: Hello Nurse All Hands On Deck! Swirly Thing Alert! 06/09/2004 - 22/10/2004 Arcs covered: The Storm of Souls Parts One and Two Darlings, Can't You Hear My SoS? 25/010/2004 - 28/11/2004 Arcs covered: The Storm of Souls Parts Three and Four Attack of the Pointless Sub-Plots! 29/11/2004 - 06/01/2005 Arcs covered: The Storm of Souls Parts Five and Six Is It A Bird? Is It A Plane? No! It's SuperGreg! 07/01/2005 - 24/02/2005 Arcs covered: TSoS Parts Seven and Eight Analysing Dominus Deegan The Musical 25/02/2005 - 31/03/2005 Arcs covered: TSoS Parts Nine and Ten Venus Gets Angry, and the Dominus Doesn't Have A Leg To Stand On 01/04/2005 - 05/06/2005 Arcs covered: TSoS Parts Eleven, Twelve and Thirteen
The Bronze Age
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CURSE YOU RUNCIBLE SPOON!I Have Flashbacks to WoT 13/06/2005 - 09/07/2005 Arcs covered: My First Day and Interlude Versions One and Two Contrived Coincidences and Rape Have Broken Me 11/07/2005 - 25/10/2005 Arcs covered: The Battle For Barthis Part One A Hug Makes Me Furious 26/10/2005 - 09/01/2006 Arcs covered: The Battle For Barthis Parts Two and Three A Melna Special: The Explanation 01/01/2006 - 27/01/2006 Arcs covered: The War In Hell Part One This Episode Erupts With Kittens! Well, It Should 30/01/2006 - 06/03/2006 Arcs covered: The War In Hell Parts Two and Three I Dwell on the Paradox That Is Mookie 07/03/2006 - 20/03/2006 Arcs covered: The War In Hell Parts Four and Five Time To 'Save' Szark! 21/03/2006 - 28/05/2006 Arcs covered: The War In Hell Parts Six and Seven[ Assassination and Moustaches 30/05/2006 - 11/07/2006 Arcs covered: The War In Hell Parts Eight and Nine R.I.P. Siggy 12/07/2006 - 01/09/2006 Arcs covered: The War In Hell Parts Ten and Eleven and Interlude: The Best of Dominic Deegan
The Iron Age
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This Comic Is NOT Shakespeare 04/09/2006 - 16/09/2006 Arcs covered: Two Thief Or Not To Thief? Part One If I Want Mafia, I'll Watch Bugsy Malone 17/09/2009 - 14/10/2009 Arcs covered: Two Thief Or Not Two Thief? Parts Two and Three Time To Take the Offensive 15/10/2006 - 18/11/2006 Arcs covered: Two Thief Or Not Two Thief? Parts Four and Five The Break Up 19/11/2006 - 10/12/2006 Arcs covered Two Thief Or Not Two Thief? Parts Six and Seven
The Ice Age
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Boobs. Nothing More. BOOBS!! 11/12/2006 - 15/01/2007 Arcs covered: Wrapped Up and Returned, Class Action Part One Melna. Loves. Her. Rapist. 16/01/2007 - 18/03/2007 Arcs covered: Class Action Parts Two and Three Oh. Geography. 19/03/2007 - 23/05/2007 Arcs covered: Class Action Parts Four, Five, Six, Seven and Eight It's Worse Than I Imagined 24/05/2007 - 21/08/2007 Arcs covered: Snowsong I Drank Too Much 22/08/2007 - 06/12/2007 Arcs covered: Shadow of Siegfried Short, But Not Sweet 07/12/2007 - 23/122007 Arcs covered: Endings and Annoyances My Counters Explode. So do I.Part One and Part Two
01/01/2008 - 24/04/2008 Arcs covered: The Oracle Hunter
The Maltak Marathon 05/01/2009 - 05/02/2010 Arcs covered: THE ENTIRE BLOODY THING IN ONE NIGHT!
This link goes to the collected archive for this particular arc.
The Lost Age
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Boobs, Wonderful Boobs, Marvellous Boobs, Glorious Boobs! Yeah. 08/02/2010 - 29/03/2010 Arcs covered: The Beast, Part One and A Nimmel House Com On Feel The Noize Just Random Noize! 30/03/2010 - 11/06/2010 Arcs covered: The Beast, Part Two and B.Y.O.B. A Lack of Information 14/06/2010 - 21/06/2010 Arcs covered: The Beast, Part Three Crunch Crunch Stunt. 21/06/2010 - 27/08/2010 Arcs covered: Walk the Wild Edge Flowers And A Minor Meltdown 30/08/2010 - 06/09/2010 Arcs covered: THE BEAST! Part Four They Just Lit A Rocket. Rockets Explode! 09/06/2010 - 10/12/2010 Arcs covered: The Court of Karnak It Is A Tale . . . Full of Repetitive Exposition and Non-Jokes, Signifying Nothing 13/12/2010 - 27/12/2010 Arcs covered: THE BEAST! Part Five
The Death of the Age of Innocence The Aborted Recap 03/01/2011 - 04/02/2011 Arcs covered: Altered States
Let the experiment proceed!**
Curly's Beef Or, That's A Lot of Pictures
03/01/2011 - 11/01/2011 Arcs covered: Altered States ('part one'). Still.
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Last time I did this I made it a whole three days into the arc before I ragequit. That was . . . a year ago. I figure that's about long enough to get over my fury.
Oh, and for extra Rage, I was recently diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) meaning that the chances of me becoming pregnant without medical aid is drastically reduced. Issues, let's see him deal with them.
Bring it on.
And now. Oh dear. Let us plunge, wearily, carefully, and mournfully into DOminus Deegan. The experiment continues.
Let us recap the last page I did. IN AN ARC OSTENSIBLY ABOUT LUNA'S MAGICALLY INDUCED INFERTILITY IT'S ALL ABOUT THE DAMNABLE DOMINUS!
One: hate.
Two: If only this Luna was this cool. No traditional Canterlot voice for me.
Oh Gods.
I haven't even properly looked at the dialogue or art yet and the fun has most certainly not been doubled. It's been quartered. Hung, drawn and quartered.
Okaaaaaay.
Luna is sadface because she is infertile. Which, quite frankly, is a very appropriate thing to feel. It's one thing to not want children, it's another thiing to not be able to have children.
And so she's feeling a little weak, needy and in need of comfort.
But because the oh so mighty and wonderful and Godlike MookieSue Twit Dominus is the main character he needs all of the attentions! I WANT ATTENTION AND I WANT IT NOW!
And he has the whole world. Seriously. Pay attention to the lyrics and realise just how much this fits the Dominus.
Oh.
And to tear even more justly (for once) deserved attention away from Luna the Dominus is infertile too!
Now don't get me wrong. Dudes being sterile is as bad as chicks being infertile. But hello! It was Luna's problem first and by making her dragon induced infertility (I still can't get over that) literally mean nothing because the Dominus was already infertile. Oh, and just because you're weak physically (no change there either Mr. Squishy Wizard) doesn't mean you're the 'weak one' in the relationship.
And by the way. A RELATIONSHIP IS MEANT TO BE EQUAL AND IF IT ISN'T SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG. Oh my God is there nothing right at all about this individual strip?! Um. No. Not really.
Then again, Luna's being very . . .tolerable over her fiancé's wangst. You know what. I bet he's lying. About everything.
Because he can't bare to be a secondary character in his own strip. Even though he'd been gone for a whole out-of-universe year. A year about Z-graders who died three years ago out-of-universe. And yet his fiancée isn't allowed to cope with an incredibly traumatic death and sudden infertility by magic dragon!
P.S. Physical handicaps do not a flawed character make. The Dominus is still the ultimate Mary Sue. If only these physical handicaps had any effect on the plot at all. Oh what I wouldn't give for a badass handicapped person around here.
Don't you even get me started on the {{Newspost}}. I don't want "[s]appy romance and sweet nothings". I WANT THIS ONGOING (FOR FOUR YEARS) ARC OVER THE DREAD SNUGGLYTHULU TO BE RESOLVED. I WANT SOMETHING TO HAPPEN. Just once! Oh, and if the Mookie=Dominus thing was strong enough as it is, Mookie is getting married at the same time as the Dominus.
How appalling. Isn't this place in Quiral? When they live in Barthis? Just a thought. And a few other thoughts.
But seriously Dominus, you're dying or close enough to it. Let go of your prejudices you sanctimonious little so and so! And please stop looking so oddly feminine, it's terribly distracting!
And why can't doctors act like doctors? As in: professionally. This guy all but did a spit take, and you just know he would have if he'd had any water around. But he does kind of get it together. Enough to actually make some relatively sound advice. White magic is the Universal Cure For Everything, well except sterility, but you know, at least that'll cure him.
And then even though I'm pretty sure Luna wants babies the DOminus refuses to even think about getting his Suddenly Sterility fixed. OR EVEN LOOKED AT.
SELFISH LITTLE MONSTER. But we all knew he was one anyway. Seriously. If nothing else he could let the specialist have a look at him.
What's wrong with that?!
NOTHING!
You have no religious or ethical problems with alterists that I know of! Certainly your brother doesn't. Although that alterist was a hairdresser so whut.
Point is, you've had this grudge for literally no reason and never even bothered to explain it. Or did you. No. NEVER! Next page and my initial impressions. Mainly that the art is really bad, almost every Luna face is Stoned Gassy Toddler'd, the Dominus has got no facial features whatsoever and his hand is deformed again.
I'm also a bit disturbed by the fact that Luna's acting almost like a reasonable adult, up to and including forcing the DOminus to get over himself and go to the doctor's to sort out their problem. And that last panel would totally happen in real life so I can't find too much to complain about.
And by the way.
WHAT KIND OF HERO SPOUTS HATE SPEECH LIKE THAT?! OBVIOUSLY ONE WITH FLAWS BUT WE ALL KNOW THE DOMINUS IS PERFECT IN EVERY WAY AND HAS ABSOLUTELY NO FLAWS WHATSOEVER SO THIS MEANS THAT HIS OPINION IS ABSOLUTE!
If it weren't for the fact that alterism seems to be a job, and thus a subset of magic I'd call him racist. Is it possible to be jobist? Well it is now! So not only does the Dominus endorses the complete violation of minds, excuses rape (no, I will never get over this, and neither should you), endorses violence, manipulation of others' fates, does nothing to stop the world destroying monstrosity, is insanely prejudiced in general, endorses, practises and profits from nepotism and all those other sins we have categorises over the course of this webcomic.
Now all of these would be fascinating if they were intended and acknowledged as flaws that the character must try to overcome. Or revels in unrepentantly (like Carcer from Night Watch or theMaster), or refuses accept his flaws even though it's so blatant that all others are repulsed by him/her (like a certain Judge Claude Frollo), but instead everyone sees the Dominus as a pure, speshul snowflake who can do no wrong~.
And worst of all: THE DOMINUS STOLE THE DOCTOR'S SCARF! Heresy!
{{Newspost:}} Yeah, if by "reconciled" you mean: 'had the founder and creator of the entire school of necromancy make sweet, sweet love to the DOminus' already overblown ego'. And by "alliterative slang" you mean 'hate speech'. And seriously? Only two pieces of "alliterative slang"? Not very imaginative is he?
Let me try.
Amoral alterers, deviant designers, cursed changers, cursed crafters, repellent reshapers, demonic designers, professors of putrefaction, malevolent modifiers, villainous variegation, immoral interpolators, immoral interlopers, malevolent modifiers, manipulative modifiers. I could go on. Want me to? Cookie for the best piece of "alliterative slang".
I just spent way too much time essentially inventing hate speech. I feel dirty.
I was just told to "[r]ock on" again by Mookie. This does not please me. Next strip, and my initial impressions.
It really says something when I didn't notice much 'wrong' with the customers until I looked closer. And really? Really Mookie. With unlimited access to plastic surgery/body modification with no consequences and of course women want ginormous boobies (back pain be damned!) and men want a package larger than that of my beloved Goblin King and his crotch (with its own shadow). Talk about magic pants. Hehehe.
But I have to ask: with this power why don't people have wings? Extra arms? Tails? Fangs (ohwait trolls lol)? Seriously though, why, with this kind of magic being fairly accessible are there not more people who deviate from the humanoid norm? Why not optimise your build to your job/desire? Go all D&D on this thing!
At least the dude in p.7 has some imagination.
I'm beginning to think the Dominus is repelled by any deviation from the norm. While thinking about actual surgical operations may be a little squicky, here it's magic and seems painless.
Now, I can see why alterism would be so scary. It's like the freakin' Genesis Project on a personal level! Imagine what would happen if Khan Noonien Singh got his hands on it! Eugenics Wars all over again. Personalised vengeance (well moreso)! You could deform someone to the point where they were barely able to breathe on their own! Literally flay the skin from their flesh, turn them inside out. Come on. Power perversion potential for this magic school is off the charts!
Alterism could be so creepy, but they use it for good and/or recreation. And the Dominus is scared of people looking different.
. . .
Ahem.
And the Dominus really just comes off as nothing more than a scaredy cat whiner. I'm ninety-five percent certain that the Dominus can teleport, and yet he has to walk up steps. Also: man it up! Yeah, it's hard, but it'll be over and done with in about ninety seconds!
{{Newspost}} "I personally don't have any problems with anyone who gets plastic surgery or body modification. I actually respect the people who have the bravery to decide to change their bodies forever." Which is why you're mocking and/or demonising people who choose to do so by insulting their choice and implying anyone who chooses to do so is 'freaky'.
Oh. And be tea dubs.
Sometimes people need body modifications/plastic surgery/things that could be considered them for genuine medical reasons. i.e. mastectomies. Breast enlargement/reductions. Skin grafts/bleachings etc. (perhaps). Nose jobs. Facial reconstructions and so on.
And me myself Mookie? I have six ear piercings. Three pairs per ear, one pair I did myself out of boredom. I'd get a fourth but I think I'm out of lobe and am dithering about getting cartilage pierced. My cousin worked in A&E and the horror stories she told me about botched piercings/infections and so on are kind of off-putting.
I think this means I'm more manly than Mookie and the DOminus. Not that that's hard to be honest. Good gravy it's the next strip. My impressions of it are here.
Look at the thinly veiled satire! Look at Jordan's boobies!Look at Jolie's trout lips! Modifying your body to increase your self-confidence and body image is wrong! You'll look like a freak! Especially if you're a blonde because all blondes want to body mod themselves to such a degree!
Look, can I come out and say that alterism seems to be a mix of plastic surgery, body modding and some sort of surgery? What an unusual mix.
Oh, and the Dominus is judging people based upon their appearances again. Sure, I do this. I do this in the full knowledge that I'm being hypocritical and as such I tend to do it with at least a touch of irony, but I don't think people are evil or wrong or bad because of them. I just tend to derive humour from their clothing/make up/hair or general appearance.
Yes. I am a horrible, horrible person.
And far too judgemental for my own good.
But I try not to be too harsh.
Okay, I lie. I don't intend to - okay. Look. I do it because it's funny and I'm with my friends.
I am truly mean.
I'm a mean girl or something.
But let's talk about the Big Thing: how did Interchangeable Travoria Sister X getting larger knockers traumatise Luna? Seriously. The only things I can think of are pervy. As in, talking about some of them on the forum would likely get me an infraction. Was Luna a late bloomer or something and so she was harshly bullied? That's the most PG thing I can think of, and even then that's stupid because then the implication is that Interchangeable Travoria Sister X got her boobies done specifically to spite Luna.
I would so do that if Luna was my sister.
Look, I'm not a nice person. What else do you want me to admit to?
However, despite the possible molestation/abuse Luna suffered she's still willing to face her fears/doubts unlike the supposed hero. My God. I am starting to unhate her. (Unhate: the process of losing one's hate for something)
I have found a new wonderful character: Miss Caledonia.
Why is it that most of my personal favourite characters have black hair? Siggy, Jacob, Miss Caledonia . . . There's a pattern here.
I think for Miss Caledonia it's the fact that she utterly trolled the DOminus. You just know she was lurking in her office, listening at the door trying to come up with a way to scare them.
And I really hate the way Mookie 'writes' shouting. It's just so messy.
{{Newspost}} Okay. I can't snark this because it's about preventing human trafficking which I believe is a worthwhile cause and that the idea mentioned was rather inventive.
Good Heavens. I ended on a rather positive note for once!
Final thoughts?
I'm only doing a week this time because the 'annotate strip, analyse and write about strip' method is fairly intensive and I've been at it for about three hours including breaks and food and so on.
Call this my special surprise for you guys, and after this the pics will be for something spectacularly stupid. Or just pointing out a few things.
Unless I totally renege on this.
Which I very well may do.
*Ages as defined by Trazoihere. Remember, all dates use the dd/mm/yyyy format!
**Avvie designed by ninja_penguin, many thanks for letting me use it.
Next up!
Best. Panel. Ever. After Punchy McStonefist.
__________________
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Giant
Fantasy literature is ONLY worthwhile for what it can tell us about the real world; everything else is petty escapism.
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Giant
No author should have to take the time to say, "This little girl ISN'T evil, folks!" in order for the reader to understand that. It should be assumed that no first graders are irredeemably Evil unless the text tells you they are.
Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XLVI: A Tark of the Klones, Electric Boogalo
Quote:
Originally Posted by MReav
Just so you know, you don't have to quote the first post of the last person verbatim.
I've done the thread before, so I know that. I thought in a lot of parts you put it just right and I didn't have anything to change. I merely added where I thought it might fit.
__________________
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Giant
Fantasy literature is ONLY worthwhile for what it can tell us about the real world; everything else is petty escapism.
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Giant
No author should have to take the time to say, "This little girl ISN'T evil, folks!" in order for the reader to understand that. It should be assumed that no first graders are irredeemably Evil unless the text tells you they are.
Gentlefolk, learn from Zaq's example, and his suffering. Remember, seven out of eleven players who use truenamer lose their ability to taste ice cream.
When you ask a question, and I respond with something about the Truenamer, it might be because I think it's the best answer. More likely, though, is that I'm saying it because no one else will.
Tell me that the last panel doesn't contain a teapot in the Tempest. Tell me Mookie didn't go there.
No wonder these creatures of the Dominion are idiots by out standards. Most of their brain power is devoted processing and creating a subtle range of tones that our brains would consider homonyms.
EDIT: Wait I thought the whole point of the Nimmel side plot was so that Dominic could get his hand on a link to old Eldariat. If Nimmel lost the one thing that could in some tiny way forge the link, what's the point of this again?
Eh, I guess this is where the Klone bad touching Nimmel's mind and learning what a noble creature he is will come into play.
Last edited by AgentofOdd : 07-24-2012 at 11:47 PM.
Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XLVI: A Tark of the Klones, Electric Boogalo
One last thing. If memory serves, Katya can't really control her transformations correct? Does this mean her newfound powers are directly tied into her emotions?
Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XLVI: A Tark of the Klones, Electric Boogalo
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trazoi
"Now I can feel like I can maybe relax a little" must be up there in the Top 100 clunkiest lines in Dominic Deegan.
Clunky and makes no logical sense. Yes, he might eventually be happy and less worried about Runt's "being alive" condition. But I don't know how many people worry about that while in the middle of a massive hurricane.
And for the love of Dominic Nimmel. Hold on to things that you believe are keeping you from immediate death! He never acts like a real person, because he knows the plot will save him, and it's so dumb.
Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XLVI: A Tark of the Klones, Electric Boogalo
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rhapsh
And for the love of Dominic Nimmel. Hold on to things that you believe are keeping you from immediate death! He never acts like a real person, because he knows the plot will save him, and it's so dumb.
He knows Mookie will save him because he is Mookie. I personally like Nimmel and yet I find myself thinking how nice it would be for him to crash into some debris right now.
Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XLVI: A Tark of the Klones, Electric Boogalo
Quote:
Originally Posted by Helanna
Jeez Nimmel, try being a little more incompetent. There are exactly two things keeping you alive right now and you lost both of them?!
Of course, if Nimmel was being competent, how would Dominic jump in to save the day?
Nimmel had two seconds of confidence, and then lost the cloak.
Then he felt relaxed for another second, and also lost the mask.
With a little luck, Dominic will try to help Nimmel, he'll feel safe again and lose a limb or something. Not that it really matters in DD, but still...
BTW, how is this mask supposed to be attached to the face anyway?
Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XLVI: A Tark of the Klones, Electric Boogalo
Quote:
Originally Posted by random11
Nimmel had two seconds of confidence, and then lost the cloak.
Then he felt relaxed for another second, and also lost the mask.
With a little luck, Dominic will try to help Nimmel, he'll feel safe again and lose a limb or something. Not that it really matters in DD, but still...
BTW, how is this mask supposed to be attached to the face anyway?
It's a MagiMask. It stays attached to your mouth as long as you're worried. When you feel safe and relaxed in a breathable environment, it automatically comes off.
Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XLVI: A Tark of the Klones, Electric Boogalo
So they use breather masks who are not attached to anything and can be blown away by strong wind. On the plane of air. Hm. The Eld don't really produce quality technology these days.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny Blade
50% analysis, 40% jokes, 10% depression
In about half an hour I'll regret what I wrote above. But right now I think it's funny.
Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XLVI: A Tark of the Klones, Electric Boogalo
Is it just me, or does it look in panel 2 like Dominic is bull****ting as fast as he can, saying anything he can to calm Katya, and hoping desperately that Mookie will acquiesce? Look where his eyes are...
=Uncool-
Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XLVI: A Tark of the Klones, Electric Boogalo
You know, I was thinking about it. Did Dominic just get a new never seen power again? Because I sure don't remember him being able to use other seers abilities by touching them.
Not that this should come as any surprise at this point. He can do whatever, whenever he needs to.
Edit: Actually, it would be less objectionable if he was desperately saying anything to keep her from hurting him.
Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XLVI: A Tark of the Klones, Electric Boogalo
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rhapsh
You know, I was thinking about it. Did Dominic just get a new never seen power again? Because I sure don't remember him being able to use other seers abilities by touching them.
Dom has contacted so many people psychically through so many different methods that I suspect he could have found Nimmel whenever if he could have been bothered.
"I don't have much practice with clairaudience", says the guy who spent the last half of 2009 yelling orders to half of Maltak.
Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XLVI: A Tark of the Klones, Electric Boogalo
I like to think Dominic was just humoring Katya in panel 2.
Wait. He wasn't sure whether or not Katya was alive, but he was willing to anchor himself to her? To what, her corpse? Just cut out the middleman and anchor to Dominic, you know he can't be dead, and you sues have to stick together.
Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XLVI: A Tark of the Klones, Electric Boogalo
Nimmel has just been downgraded from useless to complete load. It seems that even when he tries to do something useful, he screws up and forces everyone to waste precious time rescuing him.
Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XLVI: A Tark of the Klones, Electric Boogalo
Going to throw another two cents in and say that, by itself, the first row is gold. Dominic very clearly has no idea what she's talking about and is trying to calm her down, but when it becomes clear that she's beyond reason, he just hits her with the ol' "tase" spell.
But no, Katya's violence and instability happen to be critical elements.
Discussion point: would it have been better/worse/the same if Katya's violence and instability did the whole amplifying thing, as seen here, but Dominic couldn't act on it because violence was happening to him? Would that introduce something like tension, where there's a goal (help Nimmel), a means (clairaudience), and an obstacle (Katya being completely unreasonable and violent, but also the link through which all this is happening)? Or would it just drag out this even more?
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Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XLVI: A Tark of the Klones, Electric Boogalo
Quote:
Originally Posted by random11
the visions is the uncontrolled thing, right?
So he doesn't have much practice in an uncontrolled method?
He found the King's connection to the Beast that way, although he really wanted to get vision. That said, how many of Dom's visions don't involve audio? And he is meant to be the expert here. This is the one field where it's appropriate for him to act like he's got the most experience.
Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XLVI: A Tark of the Klones, Electric Boogalo
The next two weeks will be Dominic guiding Nimmel towards the recovery of the magic gas mask and Ara's cloak, talking to him through Katya.
There will be all sorts of hilarious misunderstandings due to Nimmel being trapped in a sort of noisy cyclone and Katya being trapped in the unstable mind of a female (who is also a runt).
Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XLVI: A Tark of the Klones, Electric Boogalo
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny Blade
I have successfully avoided biking all summer long. (Not that that was particularly hard, what with the weather acting all manic-depressive.)
Well, since yesterday you don't have that excuse. I hope that weather holds till the weekend, I can' wait to spend Saturday in the park and the harbour after sweating the whole week in office. What could go wrong?
Quote:
Originally Posted by T-O-E
I like to think Dominic was just humoring Katya in panel 2.
Wait. He wasn't sure whether or not Katya was alive, but he was willing to anchor himself to her? To what, her corpse? Just cut out the middleman and anchor to Dominic, you know he can't be dead, and you sues have to stick together.
Dead corpse. Mookieinsert.
My brain is having mean thoughts.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny Blade
50% analysis, 40% jokes, 10% depression
In about half an hour I'll regret what I wrote above. But right now I think it's funny.
Re: Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XLVI: A Tark of the Klones, Electric Boogalo
I like to hope Katya being able to hear Dominic's pun is a side effect of her uncontrolled clairaudience, because Mookie is capable of being subtle about things like that once in a blue moon, but given how other characters have reacted to homophone puns for no reason before I kind of doubt it.
__________________
Spoiler
Character avatar of Rin is courtesy of Maestro.
Stealthy Snake avatar by Dawn Signum Zeichen Nachtgott by Tengu
SOS Banner by Gorbash Kazdar
I suppose I might also have a smug look on my face if I saved someone by reminding them to cast the spells they specialize in, while they're in a place where the magic is at it's strongest.
Last edited by AgentofOdd : 07-26-2012 at 01:18 AM.
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