^ 30 Comments...

1. Lebbrin
   April 17th, 2009 at 1:49 am

   Well… that’s a direction I didn’t see this going. Nicely done JE. And Maybe Zona has sidetracked Mentl enough. We’ll see…

2. The MacNut
   April 17th, 2009 at 2:09 am

   Heh, I know Mentl had no idea that when he stated he’d die beside Zona, he was, by Erogenian standards, practically proposing marriage. I predict a wedding ceremony when they get back to Erogenian territory-I call it first!

   And the giants keep right on going in the background…LOL!

3. Abeo
   April 17th, 2009 at 2:26 am

   Zona is an absolutely amazing woman, no, person, to be able to accept a persons feelings without having to dissect them. They feel. That is enough for her.

   I know I rarely manage to do that.

4. Moox
   April 17th, 2009 at 4:08 am

   I have nothing to say but manly giggles.

5. hans
   April 17th, 2009 at 5:36 am

   Awesome.

6. Kamatu
   April 17th, 2009 at 6:46 am

   Nicely done. Both characters are getting development.

7. Soulworker
   April 17th, 2009 at 7:26 am

   Echoing what Lebbrin said…(so both couples are getting a happy ending) albeit in different ways… =D

8. melon
   April 17th, 2009 at 8:34 am

   nicely done JE

9. firegoat
   April 17th, 2009 at 8:45 am

   Well, Mentl dodged a bullet there, eh? As someone else said before, it’s got to be going through his mind that maybe Zona is in love with him because of his magic. Stupid of him to think so, given what they’ve been through to prove otherwise, but then people can be stupid. Still, very touching scene indeed. Well done!

10. Nytsky
    April 17th, 2009 at 9:17 am

    LOL, how cute!

    Yepers, the sacred vow thing….(Verses the sacred cow.. of course_)

    Nyt

11. Uhl
    April 17th, 2009 at 9:28 am

    That was artistic and literary mastery! Well done! In this world, even marriage doesn’t measure up to that level of vow. Marriage vows are without exception “till death do you part.” This is “I will follow you even onto death.” Such a vow is usually reserved for religious worship and military campaigns and even then it’s very rare! You got kudos from me too, Mentl.

12. Shaolin
    April 17th, 2009 at 9:34 am

    So, I think this page ends the discussion about Zona-is-magically-in-love.
    Zona loves Mentl for his courage and stuff… not because he sing Beattles or Barry Manilow…
    This is true love, guys.

13. Possum
    April 17th, 2009 at 9:54 am

    At the risk of seeming callous and cruel, this whole sequence with the giants is boring me to tears.

    Much respects to the author and all, but for me personally, Keltan & jumbo-bimbo are both totally unappealing characters, the storyline leaves me cold, yawn Yawn YAWN.

    Yes, I understand that Webcomic Respectability involves a checklist, and there’s a tick-box on that list entitled “Dealing With Sensitive Social Issues”, but is this part going to be over soon, PLEASE?

14. JE Draft
    April 17th, 2009 at 10:28 am

    Lebbrin, Thank! Sidetracked? I don’t know. Seems he still has the same issue, right now.
    Macnut - weddings? Oh, I haven’t even told you the entire deal about Erogenian courtship, yet. There’s lots of interesting bits where … oh. I suppose it can wait.
    Abeo, funny thing, I sort of consider that it’s just one of the signs of real friendship to be able to accept the things you don’t understand.
    Moox, - And I respect the manliness of your giggling.
    hans, thanks!
    Kamatu, oh, we’re just building it up so we can … heh. You’ll see.
    Soulworker, “Happy ending?” Who said any of this is over?
    melon, thanks so much!
    firegoat, oh, people can and are stupid in so many ways, and daily. Is Mentl immune from Teh Stupid? Probaly not.
    Nytsky, Cows are not sacred in Erogenia, except in the Bull Tribe.
    Uhl, you flatter me, you do! Please - don’t. Stop.
    Shaolin, So it would seem.
    Possum - There’s a checklist? From who? Sorry, you seem to have mistaken me for someone interested in some phantom “Webcomic Respectability.” Got no checklist. I write the characters and stories
    (and bodacious anatomies) as I like `em, and that’s pretty much it. I like Keltan. Always did. I created him a looooooong time ago, and when I needed to give the heroes a place to rest up and heal, I thought I’d use him. I made him a girlfriend for the current storyline, and had some fun with it. If it doesn’t appeal to you. then all I can say is that, yes, we’ll be wrapping this beat up in the next couple pages and moving on.

    In all sincerity, may one suggest a comic I discovered awhile ago that is NEVER boring? “Spying With Lana.” http://www.harrington-artwerkes.com/Lana.htm Fans of Zona should get a kick out of it.

15. Steve
    April 17th, 2009 at 11:00 am

    Like the artwork on this page - fits beautifully with the dialogue, really good stuff. Nice way to show Zona’s sensitive side - she gets some of what Mentl is feeling even if she doesn’t understand where it comes from - and is good enough to tell him that - great!

16. Docsmith626
    April 17th, 2009 at 5:28 pm

    Having spent some time in the Poser face room, I continue to be amazed at your mastery of expression. I suspect you invest a lot more time in set up and post work than most web comic artists, and it shows in every panel. That makes once-a-week updates reasonable, even surprising.

17. Tricksterson
    April 17th, 2009 at 6:03 pm

    Remind me, how many metals are there in Erogenian courtship and whatstage are Mentl and Zona at?

18. hans
    April 17th, 2009 at 7:02 pm

    Check out Chapter 8 in the Archives Trick

19. Ed
    April 17th, 2009 at 11:09 pm

    Oh, no - not the almost-a-proposal remark…. I remember that from ERB’s Barsoom when I was a kid…

20. Pat
    April 17th, 2009 at 11:50 pm

    Moox
    April 17th, 2009 at 4:08 am
    I have nothing to say but manly giggles.

    Manly Giggles?!?!?!?

21. Pat
    April 17th, 2009 at 11:52 pm

    Tricksterson
    April 17th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
    Remind me, how many metals are there in Erogenian courtship and whatstage are Mentl and Zona at?

    They never said how meny but i would imagine about 5 to 10 total unless they do not use mixed metals and they are at copper.

22. MaryLynne
    April 18th, 2009 at 12:30 am

    OK - I’ll be back every page or so to tell you how great this is. I bet I’ve followed 100 different webcomics at different times. I’m down to eight or so now because of grad school and family, and this is still the best. I love the characters, I love the art, I love the story. Although I do wonder how Zona stands upright.

    I don’t know if you are interested in what demographics you draw, but I’m a 43 year old Mom and preschool teacher.

23. Ami
    April 18th, 2009 at 9:56 am

    I thought it was four metals. Copper, Bronze, I would think Silver, and then Gold.
    Copper - Friends with benefits
    Bronze - Committed with threeways acceptable
    Silver - Committed with exploits limited to each other
    Gold - Devoting your life in its entirety to the other person.

    Not sure where I picked up that idea, there’s always a chance my current caffeine deprivation caused it to be made up entirely…

    I love the facial expressions on this page, they’re absolutely perfect. Well done as always =D

24. SylkRhayne
    April 18th, 2009 at 12:01 pm

    I was still hoping that Mentl and Zona would be “competing” in a volume and endurance contest with the giants.

25. The Macnut
    April 18th, 2009 at 10:26 pm

    It sounds like the giants are done though, unless this was just round 1…

26. Midnightwolf
    April 19th, 2009 at 10:21 am

    Ummm…actually, I think that was the start of Round 2, or possibly 3…

27. Lebbrin
    April 20th, 2009 at 12:08 am

    Okay, I’ve re-read this one multiple times on Friday, Saturday and today. Am I the only one who can’t wait to see the looks on Keltan’s and Liri’s faces? Also, thanks JE for the metal update on the vote page. Everyone VOTE!

28. Jack Freeman
    April 20th, 2009 at 6:12 am

    Hehe… THOOM THOOM THOOM!! I’m going to call it that when next my girlfriend is over. THOOM THOOM THOOM THOOM!!!

29. Steve
    April 20th, 2009 at 8:41 am

    lebbrin - unless of course our esteemed author decides it is time to catch up on one of the other story threads!

30. JE Draft
    April 20th, 2009 at 12:08 pm

    Steve, thanks so much. I hope I’m more critical than you guys, and I can definitely see some things, especially in Mentl’s face, that I would like to have done better. Still, it came out okay, in general, I thought.
    DocSmith, thanks, as always! I confess that some of them are just stock expressions that I tweak a bit. Just bought Expression Magic for V3 and M2, and I was a bit disappointed - not really such a wide range of expressions as we were led to believe. Still, it helps sometimes to get things started when the imagination is running low along with the rum …
    Tricksterson, hans, hope we answered all your questions !
    Ed, That has always been one of my main kicks against Burroughs - he had to make his princess really *dense* in order to create conflict. Gods forbid she should just look at John Carter’s weird skin color, see he’s super-strong, has an otherworldly accent to his speech, many other obvious holes in his knowledge and come to the conclusion that maybe - JUST maybe - he’s from out of town and wouldn’t be hip to the local taboos. Zona has a little more common sense than that.
    Pat, If you voted, now you know! 4.
    Marylynne, thanks and thanks again. You’re very gracious. And Zona is able to stand upright for the same reason that Wonder Woman’s boobs never fall out of that skimpy top, (See Lucy Lawless at the Red Wings game a few years back) and James West always seems to have the exact right gizmo in his boot heel. And it is interesting that I seem to get relatively equal responses from male and female fans, as well as more grown-ups. I like that, actually.
    Ami, thanks! It was your post that actually inspired me to put up the current incentive.
    SylkRhayne, ehhh - not quite yet. Give the boy some time.
    Macnut, MidnightWolf, oh, the last panel isn’t the end. Hehehe …
    Jack Freeman, well, if you’re gonna do that, get it right: It’s “THOOM-*THOM*” not “THOOM-THOOM!” The emphasis is on the THOM, indicating the particular ground-shakin’ rhythm …
    Steve, you’ll see tomorrow.

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