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!

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.

Plus, Mentl’s singing up a yummy victory garden for after-fight refreshment.

Still friends?

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.