^ 41 Comments...

1. SamuraiDemonPuppy
   June 30th, 2009 at 1:05 am

   Methinks Zona might be partying just a wee too early…

2. Uhl
   June 30th, 2009 at 1:09 am

   and the kitties are definitely enjoying their dinner.

3. Ga'Tor
   June 30th, 2009 at 1:14 am

   LOL Talk about blood, and… is that guts I see? Gotta love the smoke coming off Mentl’s hands then ’shaking it off’ in panel 2. SHOTGUN!!

4. Sage
   June 30th, 2009 at 1:22 am

   And now … WE DANCE!

   …right? Yes? Please?

5. Ga'Tor
   June 30th, 2009 at 1:25 am

   @puppy Nah, the the kitties should be good early warning and Tula’s flying CAP. Heh, here’s a thought though. This kind of violence tends to get the old hormones in an uproar. If ever there was going to be a time when Mentl would be getting jumped by two hot blooded sisters, this would be it.

6. Jim Farris
   June 30th, 2009 at 2:47 am

   RE: Shaking Hands: Been there. Knees get all trembly, too.

   Excellent page.

7. Moox
   June 30th, 2009 at 3:04 am

   @ Ga’Tor: I doubt that we’d get a threesome at this point in the love story. Can’t help liking the thought though!

   AWESOME PAGE! That primal scream of victory is as thrilling as the first time we saw it. This is such a great story. Did I ever tell you I squinch up my eyes so the newest update isn’t spoiled for me if I’ve missed an update? It’s true.

   Mentl’s reaction feels so true to life. I can almost feel the adrenaline leaking away, and panic at the blood and gore, the flow of magic and its power, comes crashing in. Man, this comic is so great.

   Thanks!

8. Rocko
   June 30th, 2009 at 3:49 am

   Woo what a work out

9. Fatuncle
   June 30th, 2009 at 7:00 am

   Poor Mentl; the shakes do hit when the noise stops, don’t they? Been there, done that. And what a lovely affirmation from Zona.

10. Black Ethel
    June 30th, 2009 at 8:36 am

    NICE! Good job, JED!

11. JE Draft
    June 30th, 2009 at 8:43 am

    SamuraiDemonPuppy - Nope. The Author says it’s over. For now.

    Uhl - The gals don’t like them to eat Urtt meat because *they* consider it foul - but what are you gonna do? They’re still cats, after all.

    Ga’Tor - yup. That is guts from the ripped-open belly of the hunnden beasty. Nassssssty business fightin’ for your life against a couple dozen bloodthirsty baddies.

    Sage - There shall be dancing. But NOT. YET. But — there *shall* be dancing …

    Ga’Tor - Sorry. Not to give it away, but the odds of a menage’ a trois with them are right up there with getting a Royal Fizbin.

    Jim Farris - Yup. He’s never been in a pitched battle before. Thanks for the kudos!

    Moox - What’d you say? It’s hard to hear you over the sound of how awesome I am … LOL! Seriously, thanks. If you’re having a good time, that’s all that matters. And yeah, if I put myself in Mentl’s place, it’s hard to imagine being casual about the shit that just went down, y’know?

    Rocko - True that. Even for Zona, this wasn’t a walk in the park

    Fatuncle -
    Yeah, she’s actually feeling pretty good about her little guy right now. And though I wrote it in the original script, I debated over whether to include his thought bubble in the scene. In the end I let it stand as you see, but in the original script he’s thinking: ” Don’t. Throw. Up. Please …”

12. JE Draft
    June 30th, 2009 at 8:44 am

    Black Ethel - Mucho thanks!

13. Joe
    June 30th, 2009 at 9:10 am

    How that girl managed to keep her FM boots clean in all of this… is a marvel.

14. Burgeri
    June 30th, 2009 at 9:31 am

    I have to say that JED nailed this battle scene with Authority. Absolutely stunning work from start to finish. Are you sure you are not a pseudonym for a bunch of Pixar guys letting off steam between all the kiddie films?

15. Ami
    June 30th, 2009 at 9:37 am

    Mmmm. Guts. I know I would be fighting the vomit reflex at that point; when reality sets in and adrenaline wears off everything feels a bit different.

    What’s going on with Mentl’s pants in panel one? Maybe it’s just my screen, but his right leg looks a bit funny .

16. Hugh
    June 30th, 2009 at 10:37 am

    Joe, I am sure her boots are not clean, but JED probably didn’t want her to look like a post-blood-dump Carrie either.

    I agree with Ami, I would not be a bit surprised if Mentl were to turn a bit green once the adreniline starts to fade.

    Awesome page JED!

17. hans
    June 30th, 2009 at 10:48 am

    Good call!
    Both on the quick wind down of the battle, and leaving the thought out. Seeing the pride and admiration in her eyes should about blow his mind, and distract him nicely from his typical 21st century metrosexual hysterics.

18. Acipenser
    June 30th, 2009 at 11:23 am

    Good time to end this. Now I can’t wait to see what they’ll do next… or maybe what’ll happen in Kivalia next.

    I do see a comic interlude involving someone in armour coming in the future.. at least I hope so. Also, Valley of the Moon. Waiting so hard for that.

19. Kamatu
    June 30th, 2009 at 12:21 pm

    Nice ending, Mentl does need this reinforced.

    BTW hans, people who naturally kill, hurt and maim are mentally deficient, we are wired/designed that way. This is why there are rituals associated with hunting and training soldiers. The biggest problem with the 21st century Western world is that much of it has been designed by those with a “metrosexual” mindset. Read the old fairy tales, they not only teach that there are monsters out there, it teaches you that you can kill them.

20. The Macnut
    June 30th, 2009 at 12:55 pm

    Ah but these days you’re supposed to deal with the monsters by calling 911 and hoping the cops show up in time. If they don’t, and you have to kill to defend yourself, you better be able to PROVE it was self-defense….

21. aPrincess
    June 30th, 2009 at 12:59 pm

    “Jewel! Don’t eat that! You don’t know where it’s been!” yeah, I can see the cats sneaking a ‘tidbit’ if they think they can.

    um, JED has established that Mentl is ah, appropriately ’sized’ for Zona. is that, well, um, does he hang to the right and is THAT what why his right pants leg looks….odd? (yes, I AM a perv). Inquiring minds want to indulge in fantasy.

22. JE Draft
    June 30th, 2009 at 2:21 pm

    Joe - Fancy footwork, okay?

    Burgeri - Oh, I’m VERY sure I don’t work for Pixar, and so are they. But I relish the compliment. Thanks!

    Ami - re: Mentl’s pants. I was going to say that it was for Mentl’s big brass balls, but actually this is definite proof that I don’t work for Pixar. They’d never let such an obvious rendering artifact get past them. Now I have to fix it in Photoshop - which I think I can do more or less convincingly.

    Hugh - Pretty much. Still, I suppose it’s unrealistic not to have a wee splatter of gore on the booties, eh? *sigh* More post-work tonight.

    hans - Yeah. I tried putting it in, but it just visually killed the moment. Nonetheless, you all can be certain that he’s still not “Mr. Macho.”

    Kamatu - Thanks, yeah, this was a rather lengthy brawl, but we’ve been a bit action-starved for what seems like pages, so I thought I’d pay it off. As to his metrosexuality, that’s an interesting topic in and of itself. Ancient humankind literally lived in a world of nonhuman monsters and were as often prey as predator. Our world is extremely different, and the most likely violence we’ll ever see is from each other.

    So - are we all monsters?

    Macnut - Ah, see, that’s why in my fantasy world - as in so many - it is much easier to tell who the monsters are. In today’s world, who is a monster? Some kid who breaks into your house to take your TV, and would shit his pants if confronted by grandma with a baseball bat? How deserving in real terms is he of a shotgun blast in the kisser? I’ll grant there most assuredly are monsters, but can you trust your instincts alone to know which one it is? Are all people who dress a certain way, speak with a certain accent, listen to a certain music the monsters? All people in a certain country or a certain religion are monsters? If they are, then I am, too, I guess.

    The frustration with the complexities and moral ambiguity of life is one of the things that makes me write a piece where it’s clearer, where conflicts are really about evil versus good, that reflect those ancient myths and tales of faerie that Kamatu references. They were the stories that go back to our earliest memories as a species, that were told around flickering campfires to the beat of drums or the sound of close harmonies, or atonal chanting. They taught us how to act, what to value and how to treat each other: How to be human beings. And they were filled with ogres, demons, spirits, magic, lust, violence and triumph. I like them. I think that, as a people, our species actually lives in myth and fiction day to day more than we are conscious of. We rely on fictions for our code of ethics, our social norms, our goals in life and in love.

    aPrincess - Hey, if you’ve ever had a cat, you know that they’re just looking to get away with anything and chew on something that they’re not supposed to. As to Mentl’s, ah - “Gentls,” that’s one of my favorite running gags. And though you know I have no problem tastefully showing male junk, you may rest assured that Mentl’s must forever remain in your imagination. Why would I ruin a good running gag?

23. The Macnut
    June 30th, 2009 at 2:47 pm

    Yeah, you know the instant you show it, people are gonna be saying things like “Hey, it doesn’t look THAT big….”

24. Elfguy
    June 30th, 2009 at 2:50 pm

    Time for some “Styx?”

    “I’m OK! I finally found the person I’ve been searching for! I’m alright, Feelin good about myself and that’s for sure!

    But I believe that when they say I must do things their way. Try to cast me in their mold, but I just have to say…I’m ok. I’m ok this way, yes I’m ok.”

25. AdamZero
    June 30th, 2009 at 7:15 pm

    I SEE BAD-GUY ENTRAILS!!!

    ^.^ that’s usually a good sign…

    I think Gorash wasn’t counting on Mentl’s casting, and when the ‘meat target’ in the planning stages turns into a ‘magick nuker’ in reality, it often renders plans less than effective.

    That’s why the villain rule “Never assume the mascot is the weakest link in the chain, assume it is the strongest (Hidden power, secret weapon, Deus Ex Machina), and plan accordingly.)

26. Suraht
    June 30th, 2009 at 8:08 pm

    @AdamZero: Another version of that rule is from the Evil Overlord list: All bumbling conjurers, clumsy squires, no-talent bards, and cowardly thieves in the land will be preemptively put to death. My foes will surely give up and abandon their quest if they have no source of comic relief.

    And I could see Mentl singing Peace of Mind by Boston to try to calm down if he’s still freaked out.

27. bluesdifuse
    June 30th, 2009 at 8:22 pm

    Dude I had to skip back to beginning of the whole fight scene just to tke it all in again. This is definetly one of the best webcomics out there period

28. Lebbrin
    June 30th, 2009 at 10:00 pm

    @Suraht - LOL I have that same list. It WAS the 100 rules for being an Overlord but it’s expanded by quite a bit. If someone knows a good spot to place it, I can put it up for others…

    JE! Yet another OUTSTANDING page. Now, how about the incentives so we can help on the new computer, ehh?

29. Lebbrin
    June 30th, 2009 at 10:02 pm

    And I agree with the previous posters, the hand shaking to clear the smoke is a great touch! (sorry for the double)

30. AdamZero
    June 30th, 2009 at 11:07 pm

    Well Lebbrin you could sent it to JD and then he could make a set with Gorash for some of the ones that fit him.

31. Kaila
    July 1st, 2009 at 4:55 am

    Mentl - go you skinny little bugger!

32. Hephaestus42
    July 1st, 2009 at 1:59 pm

    WOOOOOOOOOOOO! I had to read back through the archives after seeing this update, just to appreciate once more the awesome job you’ve done. Keep it up!

33. FireFae
    July 1st, 2009 at 10:56 pm

    tiger direct has some awesome specials going on this week. a sweet package for under 300 but you would need a keyboard monitor and mouse.

34. Nytsky
    July 2nd, 2009 at 12:10 am

    Beautiful!
    Miller Time?

35. Steve
    July 2nd, 2009 at 8:05 am

    Suraht, Lebbrin, The list for Peter Anspach’s 100 things I’d if I became an Evil Overlord can be found here: http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html

    Steve

36. JE Draft
    July 2nd, 2009 at 12:35 pm

    Macnut - word. Much funnier to watch people’s reaction and let it be legendary …

    Elfguy - I listened to that for the first time in years recently. What a great band, back in the day, great musicianship, unique sound. And that is definitely where Mentl’s head is at, right now.

    AdamZero - Oh, yeah. Well, the problem with villains is - they’re villains! They’re flawed and destructive. The best are wicked smart and have amazing wills, like Dr Doom or The Kingpin. But even Doom gets hoist on his own ego.

    Suraht - Looked over that list again. It’s frigging LONG! And some of those rules are actually contradictory to others. Funny as hell.

    bluesdifuse - Many thanks. I think it hangs together well, though there’s still bits I’m not pleased with. Ah, well. I don’t want to keep tinkering with it endlessly. Just get better on the next page.

    Lebbrin - Thank you so much. And as to the help on the computer, it is up, as you know by now! ( BTW - He’s not specifically shaking his hands to get rid of the smoke. His hands are just shaking like leaves. )

    AdamZero - Why would I do that? That’s what Shuach is for.

    Kaila - And so he does!

    Hephaestus42 - I appreciate it, more than I can say. Thanks!

    FireFae - I looked at it, and it does seem like some good deals. I will be buying a new monitor, though. This one’s borrowed after the old one died indeed.

    Nytsky - Oh, yeah. For *some* of us, it’s Miller Time. For others it’s a trip to the Principal’s Office …

    Steve - Oh, thanks for posting the link! That always cracks me up.

37. Tricksterson
    July 2nd, 2009 at 1:51 pm

    Another variant would be “If i don’t know someone’s capacities i will assume he’s dangerous. Better overkill than underkill.”
    Wouldn’t be surprised if Mentl engages in a technicolor yawn after this. Doubt Tula and Zona will hold it against him since it’s a common enough reaction after a battler. Even combat vets have been known to do it. Besides he saved both their fine booties, they’re bound to cut him some slack.

38. aPrincess
    July 2nd, 2009 at 3:38 pm

    JED, I am indeed the indulgent servant of many a cat. In fact, my screen name is taken from my cat’s nickname as she is a petite, dainty little creature who loves nothing more than to stalk bedmice. I am very familiar with the look of a cat who’s caught doing something they know they shouldn’t be doing. (Why do they always look so *surprised* that you saw them doing something in plain sight?? Does my (other) cat think I’m blind?)

39. Ben
    July 3rd, 2009 at 4:39 pm

    as a player of DND, I can tell you that the wimpy looking unarmed guy in the party is usually the most dangerous, cause more often than not, he is the parties spellcaster

40. Lora
    July 5th, 2009 at 4:56 pm

    He he, I love this page. Nice to come back to after being gone for a few days.

41. Ligyron
    July 17th, 2009 at 9:42 am

    Chapeau, mon vieux.
    Oh man, I really like this fight the last couple of pages. I can hear the sound of the shotgun song and feel the tremor of battle when Z&M fight back to back. Outstanding work, that is!
    Though I hope that Zona gets a bath very soon - blood and gore is not really appetizing… Nuff said!

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