June 9th, 2009
Page 280
Comics for June 9, 2009 - Page 280
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June 10th, 2009 at 12:39 am
Hmm, Zona and Mentl almost look like they’re singing together in the last panel-are they? Either way, another superb installment, JE!
June 10th, 2009 at 12:40 am
After all fighting is over Mentl crosses hands on his chest and hums the tune one last time
June 10th, 2009 at 12:43 am
HAH! I wondered what “Twine Time” would be. I even posted about it when he first began singing.
June 10th, 2009 at 2:27 am
Psst, third panel “said,shotgun” needs a space. Other than that, awesomesauce!
June 10th, 2009 at 2:47 am
totally rockin mate! SO glad i stumbled my way onto this comic
June 10th, 2009 at 3:23 am
Welcome then Rocko, to the ADVENTURES OF MENTL!! I mean CHALLENGES OF ZONA! heh.
Those two are totally in balance. Mage and Blade… Material and Spiritual… Ying and Yang Male and Female.
*sniff* *plays what is love* *bobs head in time*
June 10th, 2009 at 4:38 am
MacNut, given how in tune those two are, she might well be singing along, if only the tune. I like the detail with the two cats in frame two, I hope we’ll see more of those two JE! I’d think that fighting back to back with Mentl is almost as good as an engagement party for Zona.
June 10th, 2009 at 5:47 am
Ok this comics keeps getting better and better. I love your take on the classic melee fight where eventually both defending parties start to gel together and put there backs against each other and begin to kick copiscious amount of ass.
June 10th, 2009 at 5:57 am
…WIN.
Pure win, man. Win in it’s purest form.
It’s fantastic to see Mentl cutting loose, for one, but the back-to-back pose…? Seriously.
Incredible.
In a way it must be a dream come true for Zona. We all know she doesn’t want a man interested in trying to “out-muscle” her, but I always thought it must suck for her to be looking out for Mentl in a fight. I think, for her to be able to go back-to-back with him and know that he can watch her back- yeah, that grin in the last panel makes sense to me…!
June 10th, 2009 at 6:01 am
Omg, a great page.
I don’t catch what that redish thing under Zona’s leg in the first panel is though…?
I like how Zona just catch an arrow to save her man. And then he shoot a guy behind Zona’s back. Heh. They really are becoming a battle couple.
Love the last panel.
June 10th, 2009 at 6:29 am
Aha! Well done effect here, action and some great character development. Congrats, I love it.
June 10th, 2009 at 7:02 am
Would it be possible to have a link for the song Mentl is singing? Would be great to listen to it while reading
June 10th, 2009 at 7:28 am
Very well done indeed. The only problem I can find in here is that the blood in the last panel doesn’t look too great - maybe it’s the change in lighting, since the first panel looks perfectly natural. Other than that, of course, there is absolutely nothing on this or the last few pages that could possibly be anything other than great.
June 10th, 2009 at 7:34 am
It’s nice to see him finally cut loose and accept a little, and actually focus instead of just react. And the fact that he is doing it with his lady love at his side… *sniffle* They are poetry in motion.
GREAT JOB!!
June 10th, 2009 at 9:21 am
Lora, the red thing is the Urrts Loin cloth. And good call on the arrow, I kept looking at that trying to figure it out. If the arrow head had been full profile, instead of sideways…
Tendrick, check the first comment on Page 276. That’s a link to the song.
JED, totally awestruck as before. Every time I think it couldn’t get any better, you blow my mind away. I like how the fight moves and finally gels with them back to back. I was wondering two pages ago if it would come to that. Oh, and the background on the last panel, nice twisting effect. I can see them turning in place.
I’m voting as many times as I can. Everyone else, look for the vote tab. You know this comic should be number one!
June 10th, 2009 at 9:24 am
And as I look at it again, the arrow came from Mentl’s right, and in the next panel, that’s where he shoots and Urrt. I’m guessing he shot the shooter.
June 10th, 2009 at 9:48 am
just loving it! You can tell Zona is somewhat askance at the words of the songs but gets it that they are helping him to battle along with her. I love it!
June 10th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Macnut - not, she’s not singing. She’s just kind of high. As some have noted, this is a big ol’ turn-on for her.
dan - Don’t think that’s quite how it’s gonna happen, but it is a neat image.
Jim Farris - And now you know. “twine” as in “entwined.” I thought it was fairly clever, ackshully.
Ted - Damn you, cut-and-paste!! Photoshop really needs a style-checker! Thanks for the boost!
Rocko - And we’re glad you did, too! Thanks!
AdamZero - Hey, one of the major themes of their relationship is finding a balance. Odd balance, non-traditional balance - but balance. And I don’t think you’re referring to it, but when I hear “What is love?” I think of a song from Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night: ”
What is love? ‘T is not hereafter;
Present mirth hath present laughter;
What’s to come is still unsure.
In delay there lies no plenty;
Then come and kiss me, sweet and twenty,
Youth’s a stuff will not endure.
If anyone ever just siezed the day, it’s my Zona. Mentl’s also learning a bit of that, I think.
Um - sorry about the Classical Geek moment, there. Moving on …
Steve - Yeah, at the moment, Zona’s loving life. Dealing death, (which is ironic) but then that’s what you get when you attack the Erogenian champion.
bluesdifuse This is a payoff for a lot of stuff that they’ve been going through for the last fifty pages. Glad ya likes it!
Jason - Hey, you’re reading me like a book! Or … well, actually, more like a webcomic, I suppose … Yeah, all that is what we’ve been seeing, and now it’s seriously on. Thanks for the kind assessment!
Lora - Thanks! As Lebbrin points out, that is the loin-fur of the urtt that’s getting Zona’s boot to the head. I like it, too!
Kamatu - Domo, Kamatu-san!
Tendrick - It is in the comments on page 276, but here it is again:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH6dpX4J36g
LN - Thanks, very glad you’re liking it. And I see precisely what you mean about Zona’s “red dress” in the last panel. But I think I can fix that. Check back tomorrow, and see it isn’t improved.
Sanbern - Yeah, they’re so romantic as they blast, burn, chop and eviscerate together.
Good grief, what’ll they do on their honeymoon? Thanks so much for the comment. Are you, by any chance, a San Bernardino native? Just askin’.
Lebbrin - Thanks a lot! All your comments appreciated and pretty much right on. Yeah, this page fought me like a bitch every step of the way. Poser 7 is an improvement over 6, but sure as hell ain’t perfect when it comes to memory management. And brother, I need a new computer!
Karyl - Y’know, that expression isn’t nearly as good in lower resolution as it was when I was rendering it. It should show her just a little startled at the over-shoulder “poom,” but not really questioning the lyrics so much. On the other hand, once the thing is out, who am I to disagree with how the audience interprets it? Glad you’re liking it!
June 10th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Screw romantic comedies; that’s true love.
June 10th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
*delurks* I gotta say, JE, this is fantastic. Well worth any wait.
They’re so cute together! Even when they’re kicking Urtt butt. *returns to lurking*
June 10th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
What’s the frag count so far?
June 10th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
At this point I’d put the Urtt body count at “lots”. Nice to see the kitties, I’d forgotten about them
June 10th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Ahh true love…or in this case…the couple that slays together..stays together… . Yeah…I am thinking that the Mr. big G-Urtt is gonna be doin’ some hard re-thinking of his strategy once this encounter is over…Mentl is really a wild card here…(consider Gorshash’s careful planning with Maldik) Am very extraordially excited about how this turns out =D
June 10th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Okay, I get the loin cloth now… I guess my brain just didn’t register it as a ‘fabric’ of any kind, when I saw it. ;P (It might be mental damage from having looked at to many things from the costumers POV. lol).
And no problem; glad I could help with the arrow.
June 10th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
What’s in front of Zona’s hand in panel four?
June 10th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
An arrow. About to hit Mentl. It’s not in front. She just caught it. (Thank you Lora.)
June 10th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
Awesome, once again you show us truly great work. love it!!!!!
June 10th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Love it!
Just read through the archives again… for about the 5th time…
This combat is just spectacular!
I don’t know what the body count is but “G” better start his disappearing act now, cause it won’t be long before he’s got the undivided attention of all three of his enemies!
June 10th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
He’s too preoccupied with trying to kill Tula. I’d also bet he’s so convinced of his superiority over three “animals” that he thinks he can take them all on.
Which will of course, be a fatal error.
June 11th, 2009 at 12:02 am
Yah, pretty soon Mentyl could start up with the variation on “Bang Bang” I posted on the last page…heh
June 11th, 2009 at 12:07 am
I wonder, since when he plays the lute it sounds like an electric guitar, do we get the Hammond B3 playing with his singing? Is there a nice thumpy Motown drummer? I’d love to hope the Urts get a taste of some good soul groove. And more importantly, does the music continue when he’s not singing? Does the music stop if his concentration breaks? Panel 4 looks like he’s not into the song so much there. Yeh, I definitely accept artistic license, just curious, since we have to supply our own soundtrack to the movie.
Good stuff Maynard! (Hey, just noticed Mentl’s similarity to Maynard G. Krebs.)
June 11th, 2009 at 12:29 am
Well J.E i was looking at sweet ’spell-songs’ that might work for mentl to get him into and outta situations- in keeping with his oldies theme of course.
Beatles- Chains-Binding someone?
Beatles- Devil in her heart-exocisim?
Iron Maiden- Flight of icarus- Flying… OBviously..
Iron Maiden- Lightening strikes twice– Lightning spell, storm summoning?
I mean you probably dont need my help at all, but i got bored and thought.. what other oldie songs could add to the Bowl of Win?
What i thought? Lyrical searches answered.
haha uuse them or dont… im just idly killing time in a completly superfluous way…
Btw- Its probably about time i mentioned something about the post.
All i can say is..
I fapped to that. I needed not one, not 2, but THREE towels!!!
NEedless to say im quite dehydrated, so i blamethe rant on that.
kudos. ANd keep it up. =D
June 11th, 2009 at 12:36 am
sorry to double post, but Zona has some EPIC repellant onj her clothes… All the skin UNDER her can get bloody and whatnot- but the bra stays immaculate. DAMN…. one hellofva dry cleaners…
June 11th, 2009 at 5:52 am
Nah… The top is black, so the blood just doesn’t really show on it is all.
I don’t know if it’s leather or not, but it won’t show at all if it is. Black cloth might, but not black leather.
June 11th, 2009 at 7:02 am
I have twelve on screen kills. There are probably another dozen off screen.
June 11th, 2009 at 9:20 am
JE: I’m from down the road, Ontario actually, but same county. Been out here on the East Coast for about 15 years now, though I do miss home and the high desert.
I think that the comments about “G” being a little single minded in beating these “animals” is on the mark. I do wonder how are they going to get information on the little princeling who them up? Is “G” gonna sell out the human he bargained with in order to try to buy his life?
June 11th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
I really doubt that “G” is so lost in his hate to Tula that he will be captured or killed. Regular Urts might fall for this, but this guy is supposed to be smart, and thus, far more dangerous.
He has an ace up his sleave…
June 11th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Yes, the bad guys are playin’ the blues. It’s not easy being green.
Make no mistake. I think this page kicks booty in several senses of the phrase, so if my backside becomes a football for daring to critique story, please know that I’m doing it with a positive smile.
By my count, Mentl the magicknieub is only in his third-ever intentional casting of a musick, yet they’ve essentially been three bulls-eyes. I know they’ve all been for fight-or-die situations, and I know that he takes seriously the mentoring of his phantom Dumbledore who coached him not to f-bomb around, but story integrity is telling me that Mentl really needs to experience a ready-aim-oops moment sometime soon…and not just during target practice.
Still friends? 
June 11th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Cpt Marsupial, you are right about panel 4, but look at panel 5 when he gets right back into it. Remember Mentl was a performer (albeit not a very good one) and the most important thing is to keep on rolling when there is a screwup. Example? I watched Jimmy Buffet doing a little solo performance here and in the middle of Margaritaville a string on his acoustic guitar broke. Oh noes! Do we stop and get a new guitar? Nope, it sounded a bit odd but he played around the broken string and for the last line he adlibbed: “…and I know, it’s the G string’s fault”
June 11th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Interesting. Each time Mentl has used a song, it’s been a different song. As Tula is repeatedly using the same trigger phrases, I would assume that Mentl can get multiple uses out of each song, though of course we all know what is said about those who assume ….
June 11th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
PoserNieub,
as you’ve said, each time Mentl has been forced to use his magic deliberately, it’s been life or death. Under those circumstances, any “oops” moment could, and most likely would, be the LAST moment of his LIFE. And perhaps not just his life.
Imagine what would have happened if his “shotgun” spell had misfired a few pages back. The most likely result would have been that ogre (that got “Poomed” first) violently relieving Mentl of his life, as well as the girls being ambushed from behind and probably killed.
The fact that we haven’t seen anything like this happen (yet?) is probably because of Mentl’s talent for magick in this world-with sufficient practice and experience he’ll most likely end up being more powerful than Tula, and be able to take like someone like Gorshash AND his goons.
On the other hand, for all his talent and power, Mentl is FAR from invulnerable-notice that both princesses have had to intervene to save his life during this fight; Tula had to block an attack against him from Gorshash two pages back, and on this very page Zona had to catch that arrow before it skewered Mentl’s neck.
For all the power and effectiveness of Mentl’s spells, those spells are very narrowly focused. It seems he can’t even attack and block attacks against him at the same time, like Tula and even Gorshash can. That is a SERIOUS weakness that could get him hurt or killed (in fact it nearly has already, TWICE!). He’s going to need much practice to overcome that deficiency, and it’s probably during that practice that we’ll see the ready-aim-oops moments.
June 11th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
What Mentl needs is a good sheld spell.
I’m sure there are some useable songs out there for just that.
June 11th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Macnut,
Yes, you’re quite right, and I have imagined the alternatives. I’m just putting on my storytelling hat and foregnosticating.
What I’m saying is that if my story had a first-time bowler start out with three strikes in a row, I could probably get away with it as an unlikely but possible occasion. But if I let him become the star who never misses when the heat is on, I’d be spinning my yarn pretty thin. I’d owe it to the reader to expose my protagonist to moments when he really tries but still falters even when the stakes are high…the human thing. Based on the story so far, I’m confident JED is way ahead of me on this.
Plus, Mentl’s singing up a yummy victory garden for after-fight refreshment.
June 11th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Ami - Yes, it really is.
Janna - So glad you’re enjoying the ride, and feel free to de-lurk any time.
Matti, Tricksterson, crazy1 has it right, according to my count, but he’s also right that there’s bunches more Urrts where these came from! heh-heh-heh!
Soulworker - Thanks to the pressures of real-life, it will be some time yet before you see how it “turns out.” Not that I can’t meet my current schedule, but at 2 per week, this *will* go on for awhile.
Lebrin - Thanks for answering Anonymous.
Anonymous - Thanks for your interest. Hope you’re enjoying the show.
Nicholas - Aw, shucks! Any self-respecting genius could do the same. Thank you!
And now, I have Wile E Coyote in my head. “J. E. Draft … SUPER-GEE-NEE-US!” Isn’t that right before he gets hit by the train?
Balkin - Well, I’m certainly glad you’re enjoying my little contribution to the decline of Western Civilization! As for Gorshash, well … we’ll see.
MacNut - Funny how naughty dentists *always* make that *one* mistake …
Elfguy - Filks, now, is it?? Great. Now *everybody* will be doing it!
Personally, though, I think Mentl is a purist at this point.
God Aengus - These are excellent suggestions. I’ve ordered my secretary to put them all in the file for consideration. And … uh … thanks so much for sharing.
I’m very glad you like the page.
And yes, Balkin, that is an EXCELLENT rationalization for me missing a detail! Thank you.
Sanbern - Ah! I have to admit I’ve seldom been out to Ontario except to go to the airport. But it’s still got to be a better place than Berdoo.
JustMe - You sure? Seems to me he has that fatal flaw of hubris … but he IS supposed to be smart. Hmmmm.
Posernieub, Macnut, etc - As for the future, I will not comment. All I will say is that these are all EASY spells, so far. Don’t confuse power with ability. Mentl can blow things away with no problem. He can’t blow out a candle across the room without taking out the wall, and the only things he’s done so far that have not had unintended consequences or gone out of his control have been the ones that are pure adrenaline-fueled destruction. Like I said: Easy.
Kamatu - you’re right that Mentl was able to pick it up again after nearly getting his neck pierced, but somewhere along the way I think you may have gotten the impression that Mentl and his garage band were poor performers. No, not at all. They were actually pretty gifted high school kids, the lot of them, and were always well-received. They broke up for other reasons, some of which Mentl’s already alluded to, and that is a story to be told in full another time.
Fatuncle - he can, indeed, re-use any chant he wants to. Dear Goddess, I HOPE so, or I’m gonna run out of ideas faster than I had planned!
Lora - yup. We’ll find him one, in time.
June 11th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
oh dear im afraid im hooked. i love the art work and the storyline.
bright blessings
June 12th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
JED, sorry I was just rereading my comment and thought “I didn’t say that”, I didn’t mean he wasn’t “good” as in he couldn’t do the singing and playing thing well, but that in all the other things that would go along with being even a low level “star”, Mentl didn’t have what it takes, even if it was merely just “being lucky” at the right time. I was trying to point out that at least he was somewhat professional in his “show must go on” attitude that he just showed, despite not being such in our dimension.
June 16th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
HAHA np. id thought id get a little more of a response to that then not, and its good to see her dry-cleaner went bankrupt. Does the story proud.
July 29th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Very well-orchestrated page.
I have been holding back comments since I got to pages where others had already said all that needed saying. But here I have a couple cents to spare.
It seems to me that this page is drawn to make it seem as if Mentl is not only kicking ass in his own right, but is also directing the entire battle.
Accident? I think not. His spellsongs have a big effect on the crowd. And methings he will soon have to pay close attention to all the lyrics of whatever tune he selects.
Very nice work!