January 29th, 2013
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January 29th, 2013 at 11:26 pm
Wow,Mentl’s packing heat??? that doesn’t go well with what Zona knows of him, and I bet he’s got some real ’splainin to do!
also, FIRST!
January 29th, 2013 at 11:35 pm
I don’t think so. I would think that, if anything, she would realize that, in his world, he cares enough to provide for her safety and for his. In her world, she carries a sword for her safety and for his.
I think she will quickly understand the need, especially if some of our devilish friends are still lurking around. For the record: That is the reason I carry a gun almost every where I go; to keep myself and my lovely bride safe. I hope I never have to use it but I also hope I am never in a situation where I need it and don’t have it.
January 29th, 2013 at 11:58 pm
Huh, after all the swords and sorcery, it really never occurred to me that guns might show up.
I’m with sFCRetired, that look is more stating a fact than anything accusatory.
January 30th, 2013 at 12:19 am
Hi all…been awhile. While interesting, I think the revolver is not surprising given Michael’s fighting experiences while in Erogenia. However I think that the demon he banished back to the Otherwhen as well as knowledge of Vito’s demise while here on Earth may have helped him down the path of more fully exercising his 2nd amendment rights. (Can’t always make like a shotgun with his fists here in public after all). =) Nice concealed shoulder holster too.
Regarding Zona’s look/statement at the end - This is after all the same person who was VERY messed up have enchanting Ginksha and beat her senseless (and he thinks to the death). I just think that Zona may be startled/saddened by the transformation in her beloved.
January 30th, 2013 at 12:30 am
I love the look in Zona’s eyes in the last panel. She’s just come to the realization that Mentl has lost his blood innocence. Not because he’s killed (though he has, and that’s the way it gets lost), but because he now wears a weapon, as a warrior, with a warrior’s mindset. She looks respectful and sad at the same time. Love it.
…JED, panels 2, 5, and 7, (and slightly on panel 1), the hair along Mentl’s left cheek (the right side as we look at it) is passing through either the edge of his ear or the edge of his cheek. It’s most noticeable in panel 7 (next to last panel). Luckily for us… Don’t Panic! *in large friendly letters on the front cover, no less* A few minutes in Photoshop with a bit of black streaking/fill for the first two panels and for the last two, a flesh-tone blurring tool would fix that, I’d think.
…I can’t wait to see more of the story behind Mentl’s year in Sanberdoo Earth, the big house…the gun…and much, much more.
January 30th, 2013 at 12:42 am
Loved the way Zona’s angsting about first impressions. And Mentl’s packing heat to go downtown? Yeah… rough neighborhood, then? Scary. I’ve never held a gun in my life and never needed to.
January 30th, 2013 at 1:34 am
alurker, Burbank would be north of Downtown LA, on the far side of the Hollywood Hills. Not sure if Chuck was shot on location, but the apartment building in that series (if you’ve seen it) looked like it could be in Burbank. I’ve not seen any parts of Burbank that look really rough, though I haven’t seen it all ^_^
I’m thinking Mentl’s armed because of what he saw shortly after he returned, and maybe some things that happened in between. Perhaps JED will show us the highlights?
January 30th, 2013 at 1:37 am
Wow, I thought carrying a gun was illegal in California, except for law enforcement of course. Good to see I am mistaken - I’ve thought often of getting a concealed carry license myself, especially when I see and read news reports about the increasing street crime around my city. Nothing’s happened to me yet, but I’m not sure I want to wait until it does.
And for those in other countries who may be wondering about/criticizing the “gun-happy” perspective of many of those in the US, keep in mind that one of the reasons many of us who choose to carry guns do so is because of the truth of the old cliche that There’s Never a Cop Around When You Need One.
January 30th, 2013 at 1:47 am
Of course it’s also possible that Mentl’s carrying illegally; if he’s got an arrest record from his drug-using days (entirely possible, it’s been made clear he was no angel back then) he may not be able to get a carry license. And if he feels it necessary to have one due to a few too many encounters with Schuach’s goons, he may not be inclined to worry about petty legalities.
January 30th, 2013 at 2:08 am
I see more of a curiosity in Zona’s look.
January 30th, 2013 at 2:13 am
Carrying illegally seems most likely to me. Maybe he has a tune all ready for a “these aren’t the droids you’re looking for” moment.
January 30th, 2013 at 2:36 am
I trust Mentl. He knows what he’s carrying & why, and when to carry. there’s an entire year of history of him in L.A. that we know virtually nothing about … and, what we do know about was dead serious. He has a very grounded perspective in reality & survival by now.
I’m still surprised, though. Kinda showed up all unannounced so it did shock me briefly. But, I’m well-experienced with such … precautions … and probably didn’t half blink at it. More of an “of course” moment. More surprised that JED brought it into the storyline, which I take as an indicator that Mentl has evaluated his magic capabilities in this world and found them seriously lacking for his needs.
So, on casual glance, I’d say at least a .357. He’s clearly also cut & fit from numerous recent panels we’ve seen, so I would also suspect he’s at least dabbled in some martial arts by now, if he’s been serious enough to actually carry a gun. In which case, I rather hope he’s researched well enough to carry a .41 mag, given he went with a wheel gun rather than a semi-auto. His fitness would allow him to handle a .41 at least as capably as a .357 while gaining significant precision and a nice bump in brute force.
Personally, I’d go with a 10 mm auto for self-defense and concealment needs, but I’d feel substantially at an advantage in most situations with a .41 … that longish barrel adds significant range, if needed.
January 30th, 2013 at 2:50 am
This is NOT meant to get us into a gun ownership debate, but rather to answer a specific point…
The MacNut, allow me to introduce you to a lovely webcomic which has just recently covered that debate, about the myth of “If you did drugs, you can never ever own/carry a gun, ever again, evaaar!” The webcomic is Failure To Fire (http://ftf-comics.com/) and it’s done by J. Grant (the artist half) of TwoLumps.net fame. If you go back a dozen pages or so and read the artist’s notes, he covers the technicalities of the matter. Admittedly it covers Texas gun law in specific, not Californian, but I can reassure you that, because of the 2nd Amendment, it is NOT illegal to own a gun in California. You do have to have permits, but it’s not illegal to own and carry one, once the permits have been taken care of. (Quite frankly, there is too much gang activity in L.A. to disallow them–remember, if (X) is outlawed, only outlaws will have (X)…and Hollywood would have been shut down long, long, long ago if guns were illegal or excruciatingly expensive to own. They may fire blanks, but blanks are still being fired from guns.)
Where I live, Washington State, you have to have permits. You also cannot have a gun on you in a bar. Which is reasonable, because you cannot have any weapon on you in a bar…which for some reason includes a walking staff that is larger than a standard walking cane. (Sword-canes require a concealed carry permit, btw, and would fall most soundly under the “weapon in a bar” rule…but that’s another story.)
But if you really want to get into weird laws…in the City of Seattle, it is ILLEGAL to carry a “concealed weapon that is over 6 feet long.”
Over six feet long. Concealed weapon…over six feet long.
…Lolwhut?
January 30th, 2013 at 2:59 am
And you really think elsewhere, cops are always available? That cliche does eactly nothing to explain why you “need” those guns.
I think I’d be more inclined to respect those kinds of arguments if people like the NRA didn’t spend so much energy trying to prevent stuff like research into gun safety. Or if so many pro-gun arguments (especially those about resisting government) weren’t so obviously stupid one has to conclude that the people using those arguents treat guns as part of their religion.
I don’t think guns are the origin of the problem. But I also don’t think they do anything to improve the situation. (Compare the Newtown massacre with the similar incident on the same day (Min Yingjun, in Guangshan county). One used guns, one used a knife. You all know the results of the first; do you know how many dead from the other?)
You know what I think would help (not resolve all problems, but significantly improve matters)? Stuff like universal health care, better social security, better union and worker protection legislation - all that stuff usually fought by the same people who fight for their unrestricted gun rights.
(Oh, did you know that some time ago, the NRA was actually for gun rights? That was when they were afraid for gun-carrying non-white folks.
January 30th, 2013 at 3:05 am
Argh. “… afraid of …” of course.
January 30th, 2013 at 4:07 am
Right, first of, like the expression of Zona when she realizes Mentl has changed in the time apart in ways she didn’t expect, I’m curious how she will respond later on, because if JED is showing the gun now, I fear it’s original owner was a certain mister Chekhov.
The second thing I wonder is how bad Burbank is, if Mentl is going out there packing heat.
January 30th, 2013 at 4:10 am
Also:
“Fear me, I am Gorshach, chosen of Shuach!”
“Feeling lucky? Do you? Urrt!”
January 30th, 2013 at 4:19 am
5th panel : Heh. Lieutenant Michael Levy, LAPD. He totally looks like a cop, minus the badge and specific ID, that is. But still, it suits him quite well.
Since he’s taking Zona and a loaded handgun, possibly with reserve ammo, I think the description Tula gave him made him locate her in a district akin to Harlem or the Bronx.
No the safest places out there.
“I know what you’re thinking. Did he fire six spells or just five ? Well, to be honest, in all this excitement, I’ve kind of lost track myself.
But this being the most powerful wizard in the world, he would banish your head clean off. So you just gotta ask yourself one question : Do I feel lucky ? Well do you, Urrt ?”
January 30th, 2013 at 4:39 am
@3Xp4t :
Well, a .45 ACP (The good old Colt 1911, or a modified version with a 8 or 10 bullets mag) or a 9 mm Parabellum (Luger P08, P38, MAC 1950 or SIG SP2022) seem fine. Not the most recent, but maybe most common amongst collectors. So ne problems finding spare parts, I guess.
January 30th, 2013 at 5:47 am
time to readjust someones thinking
January 30th, 2013 at 6:09 am
@3Xp4t Actually(and this is comming from a European guy who has no love or particular interrest in guns) Mentl may have chosen the revolver/magnum style pistol because everyone recognizes one of those as a gun that is deals massive damage but also needs skill to use because of the kick it caries(all this i know from watching tv, so correct me if I’m wrong). So he may have chosen it for the psychological aspect.
You point one of those at a mugger, and he might wonder wether the guy is worth the trouble. After all the best guns are the ones you don’t need to fire to protect yourself in my opinion.
January 30th, 2013 at 7:24 am
This is just the gamer in me thinking, but a revolver IS the best gun for an enchanter. Mostly because you can flip open the cylinder and enchant the bullets on the fly if your dealing with certain special types of enemies.
Again that’s the GAMER in me.
When I saw the gun I wasn’t surprised in the sense that Mentl was carrying it. Because Mentl clearly didn’t have this gun when he went to the club. (otherwise it would have snagged the loving reunion flow) So I’m thinking this says something about how Mentl views Burbank.
Maybe.
But I love how everyones actually discussing this and not raising a fit over perceptive rants. Show JeD’s comics draw a higher class of commentator.
Or we just wanna get on with it.
January 30th, 2013 at 7:30 am
Ohhhh…here is a thought…the gun is an enchanted weapon as are the bullets! Gives him a ranged, touch attack…NICE!….Oops…my inner Gamer is showing…
January 30th, 2013 at 8:07 am
@KHMS, Just a moment of clarification if you don’t mind. The NRA has ALWAYS been about safety. Trust me on this I’ve been involved in it for over 20 years (the safety/training side). What they object too is the removal of rights guaranteed to the citizens of the United States. Part of the 2nd amendment has always been there to allow the people to overthrow a tyrannical government as well as protect yourself and your loved ones. Unlike a lot of countries, the first ten amendments to our constitution all support each other, ensuring these freedoms that set us apart from most countries are UN-deniable. You start taking them away, you will loose them all.
The problem has never been the presence of guns in the US. If one insists on blaming a tool for a persons actions, one is a fool. When people are told they need more laws regarding this, they often ignore the fact that there are more regulations pertaining to firearms ownership then any other legal commodity in the country, often the fact that those laws are not enforced (and in most cases so convoluted as to be unclear to anyone attempting to understand them) is one problem. You mention the Newton incident, you also then are aware the perpetrator of that crime was thwarted from obtaining firearms by the system in place, only for some reason, there was no follow up on the incident. I also wont go into the myriad times a firearm has been the reason loved ones remain safe and alive. Too many of those to count and most are never reported in the mass media.
Sorry if that sounds like a rant, it’s not supposed to be, just some information you may like to have.
On Mentl carrying a gun. In California, the majority of people with ‘carry permits’ in the state are people like Diane Feinstein, who not only have 24/7 body guards, but carry their own guns on them. They just don’t want anyone else to have them. California has a very restrictive system in place and precludes most law abiding citizens from having a carry permit.
The fact is, our favorite wizard is doing so illegally, but obviously there are good reasons for this. It doesn’t mean he’s anything but trying to protect himself and those he loves. Remember folks, his magic doesn’t really work in ‘our’ world.
@Just Me - As for the choice of a ‘wheel gun’, there are several very good reasons to carry one for defense, they are inherently more reliable then a semi-auto. They tend to be highly accurate. As you said, they have more then enough ’stopping power’ for the kind of threat he may feel he’s facing. Cost is a factor as well, most revolvers can be had less expensively then a semi-auto of equal grade. Finally, also on the cost side, if it is a .357 Magnum, he can practice with .38 spl. which is much cheaper to purchase. Just a few more thoughts on the topic..
January 30th, 2013 at 9:58 am
I’ve been kind of quiet on the comments for some time, partly because I feel (others have said as much) that sometimes I explain too much and don’t let the story tell itself. Besides, you guys seem to have a lot of fun speculating back and forth and who am I to put the turd of certainty into the punchbowl of anticipation?
But this I will say today: Yes, Mentl has a gun. Its meaning and his reasons for having it will be made crystal clear in future pages. I assure you he has excellent reasons for having it in the context of his fantasy story. It’s meant only to be a plot point in the webcomic, and it does not in any way reflect any position your friendly author may or may not have on the divisive issues of firearms in the real world, any more than including Urtt villains is a statement on the character and civil rights of any Reptilian-Americans and their desire to own crossbows or destructive millennia-old magickal artifacts under the Constitution. So far there have been a couple of intelligent and respectful posts which stray from the topic of the fantasy comic into the Real World. I’ll let them stand, but I would ask that we take it no further, please. I love you guys to pieces, but this kind of thing can descend into flames in a New York minute, and I dread it. I thank you all sincerely for being as classy as you are, and respecting my fear of flames.
One more page in Los Angeles, then we change our scene to revisit someone who’s becoming near and dear to my heart …
January 30th, 2013 at 10:25 am
I love that you can see, in the last panel, Zona is adjusting her perspective of Mentl and his place in this world. When he landed in her world, he was pretty helpless and ignorant; but now, in his native land, he can be someone on whom to depend, even in a possibly dangerous situation.
January 30th, 2013 at 12:19 pm
The last panel…
I don’t see disappointment in Zonas’ face that Mentil’s carrying a weapon - for me, it seems more ‘That’s a weapon from your world? It’s obviously not a blade, or axe, so what is it? How does it work? What does it do?
A warrior’s mindset, I guess.
January 30th, 2013 at 1:01 pm
‘I can threaten you with this gun, or I can threaten you with my girlfriend. One is a [i]lot[/i] more dangerous than the other. Which one would you like to pick?
January 30th, 2013 at 1:56 pm
DAYUM that’s big ole hog leg. Dunno what caliber JED intended but it looks to be at least a .44 mag. Could be a .357 which was my first weapon - S&W mod 19 combat. Taking a relook at panels 5 and 7 iI note a 6 round cylinder which pretty much rules out a .50 caliber, buuut… you don’t usually see anti-recoil vents on lesser calibers. For the life of me it looks a S&W 500 series or .460 revolver but there is that pesky 6 round cylinder.
Hey JED did you model that on any particular weapon?
D’accord with Black Hat on pretty much everything he posted. Not going to get sucked into a flamer.
Very interesting last panel with Zona’s expression and comment. My guess is that she’s considering the circumstances/reason resulting in Mentl’s decision to carry a weapon. We touched on that a few pages ago.
January 30th, 2013 at 2:10 pm
I suspect the gun is because of those pesky demons. Mentl has encountered them at least twice that we know of, one of those times didn’t end so well. I suspect he wants something a bit more dependable than his magic to fall back on if things get messy. If he was more experienced with his magic, he wouldn’t need such things, but he is still an amateur. a very powerful amateur, but an amateur all the same.
January 30th, 2013 at 2:41 pm
Interesting model on the revolver. It has Ruger heavy frame, and an S&W top strap and underlug.
January 30th, 2013 at 3:13 pm
http://www.soulgeek.com/comics/zona/2011/08/24/page-495/
If you remember this part talking about the Mentl she loves and the side of him that she probably loves the most, and most importantly the side that she KNOWS the most. It can be tough seeing a side of someone you care about and thought you knew all ofonly to find out there is a whole new side you didn’t know existed. I know, sometimes this turns out really good for your realtionship, and other times to a lesser degree. if ur lucky the akwardness doesn’t last long and ya get thru it. if I’m right hopefully she’ll get thru this new side and accepting in the next page. Course there is a difference here that no one has said yet:
In Zona’s world you have your swords and stuff you learn to use them and they become ur proffession, you use it daily and u go out into the world and use it to fight and kill in different battles. JED What is the average kill rate for an Erogenian warrior? including but not limited to Orgs, Urrts and what ever the other human country is called. Probaly 50 people die a year at an Erogenain blade. Zona might think that this gun is like the sword is in her world, a gun here is probably used like the knife or dagger is in her world ( her not knowing about permits) anyone can use them with our a life time of training and experince or even as a proffesion.
Also who is to say that he got this gun AFTER he came back? With his drugy past it is possible he had a gun of some sort beofer he got ported to Zona’s World, for all we know he might have needed one then *shrug*
Personnlly I wouldn’t worry to much I have seen that look on her face before right now no matter what feelings that look ever experesses those eyes always says that she is opening herself up, questioning and accepting the answer no matter what it is. they’ll be alright in the next page or two besides this story is about the two of them the story would come to a stand still if they broke up.
When you think about it it was always going to turn out him to be the stronger one here while Zona would be weaker and out of her depth here. So a new side was always coming and we all new it.
P.S.
For those of you who were talking about gun magic look up Kurohime it is a manga that is pretty damn awsome. the first 10 chapters is a little repetitve I’ll admit but it is there to lay down the ground work what happens there comes back to be important later on. There is plenty of seriousness and comedy in it. Goes on for like 90 chapters plus side stories, it has already ended so you don’t have to worry about that and like Zona it is at the heart a love story and personnlly I think that the love story in Kurohime and this story are equals, at more than one point it is because of the love and devotion between Kurohime and Zero that they even make it thru their battles. Gun Mages in the story are popular and an important part. Like Zona is the most beutiful and sexy and best Swordswoman in her world Kurohime is considered the most beutiful and sexy and most powerful and the best Gun Witch in the world. there are some simularites.
January 30th, 2013 at 3:23 pm
Nother thing I relize is why people are assumeing it is for demons? for all we know all they’ve done is watch him to make sure he stays in his world and stupid and weak, not much of a threat when on the wrong world to begin with isn’t he? We don’t know yet so believeing assumptions is a bad idea. when I grew up I was taught that if you assume things and believe them without checking first the only one you’ll get right is the assumption that you are wrong. My Best Gues is that after he got back some part of him wanted to go back and hoped he would, belived he would so (subconsiously for her) he trained his body, though assumeing he learned matial arts maybe or maybe not going a little too far we’ll have to see, to stray strong and learned weapons.
After this I wouldn’t be too surprized if he had a cache of supplies of miscellanous items in stock just in case though not a very big one.
January 30th, 2013 at 4:13 pm
Guess he figures if Tula’s calling for help, he’d better be prepared…
January 30th, 2013 at 4:18 pm
man that is one nice gun he has. It even has better porting then my 44 mag.
January 30th, 2013 at 4:21 pm
@Doccer The gun may not have come from Mentl’s past or have been aquired by Mentl.
Once more I point to the fact that I am rather ignorant of guns. But going by comments from Ga’tor and others, the gun may be an older model that came with the house.
I don’t know about laws on inherriting weapons or it just being part of Mum’s estate(as the rich inheritances tend to be called), but that would solve the legality of it being in Mentl’s possesion.
January 30th, 2013 at 8:14 pm
Weapons can pass around families fairly easily, especially older ones that aren’t licensed to a specific person. They’re communal property, in a way.
The Second Amendment relates more to the idea that we could get away without the expense of a professional army if we had militia–this despite the fact that militia were involved in a few private wars at the time. The idea pretty much died after the militia ran away at Bladensburg, allowing the British to take and burn the capital.
And did it not occur to anyone else that Tula may have given Mike a brief recap of how things ended with Skip?
January 30th, 2013 at 8:37 pm
I notice that he didn’t mention Tula’s predicament to Zona. He’s probably packing heat because he isn’t sure how things will play out. Attempted rape, assault, things could get out of control quickly.
January 30th, 2013 at 10:29 pm
If Michael isn’t legally entitled to carry that gun, with his powers of magic, it would seem that he hardly needs to take the risk. But it is true that songs take time to sing, and fiends from the Deeps may act quickly, so I am willing to accept that he has his reasons.
One of which may be he isn’t sure of how well his magic will work in his own world, although we know it has worked well twice. He knows of only one of those cases.
January 30th, 2013 at 10:36 pm
Hey JED I gotta apologize if you took my nitpicking on Mentl’s hogleg as criticizm. It’s just the analytical OCD part of my persona combined with my affinity for things that go BANG! First - I realize that as an artist you have a lot of leeway in what you portray. Second - the detail on that weapon is exquisite and it’s in no way your fault that I can’t ID it. Third - IMHO Mentl’s world is no doubt marginally different than our reality so that it is silly to think that weapons there have a one-to-one identicality with ours.
Fourth - as I said that is very nice detail on the gun so I assumed you modeled it on one or more weapons, I (and several others obviously) was just curious as to which…ones. Hey, it’s your ardent followers with inquiring minds here.
January 30th, 2013 at 10:39 pm
Plus - a gun, even if it isn’t loaded, can be used to warn people not to do something foolish without hurting them. A guitar, on the other hand, doesn’t frighten people, and so Michael would actually have to use it. (But Michael checked the cylinder, although that could be simply as a standard safety precaution to make sure it isn’t loaded if he didn’t intend to load it.)
January 31st, 2013 at 12:33 am
He checked the cylinder because anyone who knows firearms knows that they are *not* “magic wands” that people wave to make others do things. If you are not mentally prepared to kill when you pull a weapon, then you should just leave it at home and be defenseless.
As far as the other stuff, governments and “right thinking people of influence” have been trying to control and ban firearms since the wheellock.
January 31st, 2013 at 12:49 am
you know, someone mentioned Tula called, and I’m guessing he could hear at least a little discomfort in her voice, so a good friend would go prepared with what he had at hand. That being said, Jed, thank you for the comments about no flames and my opinions on guns, gun control and the politics and mess there in do not belong in your comments
January 31st, 2013 at 2:42 am
I do love the mixed feelings on Zona’s face in the last panel. Very subtly and skillfully done.
January 31st, 2013 at 3:06 am
Yes, Zona… A great BIG Weapon.
January 31st, 2013 at 9:28 am
@John Savard I’m not so sure Mentl knows of even one time his magic has worked in LA. Curing the woman’s Alzheimer’s had a delayed effect so he didn’t see the result, and when he banished the demon he was blind stinking drunk — possibly to the point that the whole experience was a blur, and he can’t be sure what really happened.
So yeah. He might not even realize that his magic works here at all (though if it were me, I’d have been experimenting…a lot).
January 31st, 2013 at 10:17 am
@KHMS, since you’re no fan of “cops are never available when you need one” perhaps you would be more aware of this quote from John Wayne (who was a REAL cowboy as well as an actor) “The fact that guns are available everywhere is a restraint to evil.” Also the police, by their very nature are REactive to crime, not PROactive. Police preventing crime is rare. Countries that have disarmed their people turned on them. Case in point, the Soviet Union. First, they disarmed their people, and then sent them by the millions to Siberia to have them “politically corrected” for the rest of their lives, and those were, not surprisingly, very short.
You also mentioned Newton, CT. Let’s see.
Is murdering your mother illegal? YES.
Are assault weapons banned there? YES.
Is breaking into school while it’s in session illegal? YES.
Is killing school teachers and students en masse illegal? YES.
Is having a gun on school grounds illegal? YES.
Slapping more laws on law abiding people won’t solve the problem. We need to go after law breakers, and enforce the laws already there. Perhaps we might also consider allowing schools to have security like BANKS, AIRPORTS/TRAIN STATIONS and GOVERNMENT OFFICES do?
January 31st, 2013 at 10:48 am
Guys, I will only say this one more time: please don’t use this as a forum to debate hot issues in the real world. I will turn this comments section right around and we’ll go straight home!
January 31st, 2013 at 11:46 am
I wonder what Zona would be like, handling firearms. As a warrior born, would she automatically take to them, even if the mechanisms are foreign? The concept of projectile shooting, not so much. For that matter, if she were to inhabit our world as a warrior, would she pack heat like a lawman? or do more of a John Rambo, cover-herself-in-balistics motif?
January 31st, 2013 at 12:13 pm
@James - Interesting question. IMHO while she might find them a novelty and enjoy “plinking’ on a range, I don’t see her giving up her sword and close in weapons. She grew up and trained as a close up, melee fighter. All of her combat relfexes and instincts are based on this. Very possibly, given her abilities, if the situation ever arose that she would need a handgun, I’m thinking it would be so dire that it wouldn’t make any real difference. I’m sure JED can come up with a scenario where Zona COULD use a handgun, but much more difficult would be one where she HAD to use one.
On a side note: JED how would you feel about establishing an additional forum for flamers and off topic (Zona) issues? I can see the pros and cons of such and it’s meerly a suggestion. I ask because as fellow resident of Washington and a CCW holder I’d like to dialog with her over some of the gun restrictions she mentioned but don’t want to break your forum rules.
I.e. She said a CCW holder couldn’t carry into a bar. I’m familiar with state law but wondered if that was a local ordinance. etc. It’s not really a part of the current gun control debate, but…
January 31st, 2013 at 1:23 pm
@all, deep cleansing breaths, DEEP cleansing breaths. This is one of the most intelligent forums I participate in and I’d hate to have to pull anyone in for violations of Stirling’s Statement: “There is a technical term for someone who confuses the opinions of a character in a book with those of the author. That term is idiot.”
@JED, keep surprising us, we like it.
– Masochistically Yours, InCestusWeTrust.
Motto: What sound does the Pink Panther make in the Forest? Pedant, Pedant, PeDANT.
January 31st, 2013 at 2:05 pm
Hey Ga’tor Dan Wesson sells both 357 and 44’s with 6 round cylindors in stainless with 4 and 6 inch vented barrels that may be the pistol or a custom pistol of another make. anyway you look its cool. lol
January 31st, 2013 at 3:26 pm
Considering that he has had to deal with Shuach’s goons already and that there parts of the L.A. area where the *cops* will not go, I’m not surprised Mentl is carrying, legally or not.
Magic is all fine and good, but it would draw way too much attention if Mentl got into a mojo slinging contest in front of witnesses.
Also, a magic slinger from Zona’s world would be *really* surprised when Mentl puts bullet between his eyes.
January 31st, 2013 at 4:22 pm
If she’s surprised now, wait until he uses the damn thing. Guns are LOUD.
Just like cars, actually. Live in an area where you don’t hear a lot of them, and you start to realize just how loud they are. I mean really, surprisingly, loud.
Now transpose this to Zona’s lifetime of auditory experience in combat. As focused and experienced as she it, it wouldn’t shock me if she froze after Mentl fired it. Especially once she sees what a weapon that size (remember: big to us, but tiny to her) does.
January 31st, 2013 at 4:39 pm
California law on concealed weapons according to California State Dept. FAQ:
http://oag.ca.gov/firearms/pubfaqs#4
Basics: They can be obtained legally in California, however, I know that it is fairly uncommon.
Burbank is typically quite safe, FWIW (I spent my teenage years there). Hollywood is more an area where you might need to be careful depending on what part of Hollywood. I suspect Mentl has very specific reasons for carrying — not so much related to the neighborhoods he is going to.
January 31st, 2013 at 5:33 pm
I’ve been thinking about this a bit.
Tula is responsible. I’m sure she realizes that what just happened to her is very wrong and that she’s in a world where she doesn’t understand everything. Therefore, I think it’s very likely Mentl knows what happened.
Mentl probably didn’t have his gun on him last night otherwise Zona would have noticed during the whole “undressing” thing. So I’m guessing that Mentl only brings it out for “special occasions.”
Mentl didn’t tell Zona about Tula - most likely because he knows that she’d go crazy to protect her little sister - or be overly aggressive about the situation.
Overall, I think Mentl is being reasonable (provided that his gun is legal). He’s going to the house of a guy he’s never met to pick up the girl who that guy just tried to sexually assault. That’s a dangerous situation.
January 31st, 2013 at 8:14 pm
Well, the only thing I will add is that I doubt the gun came from his ‘druggie’ past - mostly because I think sis was making it a bigger thing than it was. The Mentl we saw when he first arrived in Erogenia did not seem like a man under the influence nor one having withdrawls. I think the family probably made a great deal out of VERY recreational use. IF he was a druggie we should have seen some hint of it at the beginning.
February 1st, 2013 at 12:12 am
Ok I just want to educate you guys on the California State gun Laws because they are pretty stupid. First California is an open carry state. That means you can openly carry a handgun/rifle/shotgun, but it must be unloaded. There are additional laws restricting or prohibiting this depending on county and city. So if you in LA or SF you will get arrested and your weapon confiscated for open carry. Security guard get license for open loaded carry.
California does not recognize any other states CCW license. In order to get a CCW license you have to have the county sheriff where you have a residence or own property issue you one that is good all over the state but you have to give a good reason, and know the sheriff really well. (I recommend working for his reelection). Also Body guards, and plains clothed Security can also get CCW license but it is a special Corp license and only in force when on the job. Off duty California Law enforcement are allowed CCW status automatically but must carry the badge with their fire arm. All retired Police Officers are allowed CCW status in all 50 states and territories by order of congress. In order to qualify you have to be retired and not just quit the force, and have your retirement papers with you.
Here is Arizona were all packing and have automatic CCW status., and we have less crime per capita then California.
February 1st, 2013 at 12:44 am
Ok I just bwant to say: Jed are you bringing guns to Zona’s world. Becuse if you do that would be awsome. “Hello Urtt’s meet my little friend.
February 1st, 2013 at 3:14 am
I’m wondering if the twist is that it isn’t actually loaded… he’s carrying it for intimidation value, counting on that, his fast talk skills and familiarity with the area, a bit of the ol’ black magic, and that he can run like blazes.
Of course, any would be carjacker now has to contend with Zona’s legendary reflexes if he wants Mentl’s ride!
February 1st, 2013 at 5:02 am
Look at the image of the gun, you can see lead protruding at the end of the chambers. It is loaded allright.
February 1st, 2013 at 5:05 am
King rat, you can see the lead tips in the cilinder. It’s loaded, alright, and at least softnose. Makes a nice, fat hole.
Carrying an unloaded gun is the worse thing you can do. You get all the problems associated, including people being able to justify escalating you to the morgue, and none of the defense.
Also - my dad taught me this a long while ago, and we’re not americans either - you pull a gun, you are ready to use it and you aim at the chest. Otherwise, just don’t.
February 1st, 2013 at 5:07 am
Damn, Oberoten, this was simultaneous. Even the wording!
February 1st, 2013 at 8:43 am
@James Well, her training doesn’t include firearms, so I’d have a hard time seeing her using one without a lot of retraining….except for a (modern) single shot of some sort built as an antique horse pistol since after the shot, it is just a big club and she should have some training with that.
February 1st, 2013 at 11:22 am
@ICWT - I thougt that was one of Heinleins quotes? No matter, it sounds like something Stirling would say or Ellison for that matter. Great mind do have a bit of commonality.
February 1st, 2013 at 2:06 pm
Next page may not be until tomorrow sometime. Got a huge personal project yesterday and today and tomorrow too!
February 1st, 2013 at 5:27 pm
For those who forget, Zona has seen the effects of such Earth Weapons, if not the weapons themselves: http://www.soulgeek.com/comics/zona/2009/05/26/page-276/
February 1st, 2013 at 7:07 pm
@Ga’Tor. Would Harlan be that polite? It’s also the kind of thing Robinson would say about Heinlein.
February 1st, 2013 at 10:01 pm
I agree that Zona’s face in the last panel is both understanding, questioning, sad and respectful. A wealth of emotions in one subtle expression. Excellent work JED.
I’ll keep my thoughts on guns and such to myself
I find myself wondering how much Tula will relate to them about her ex lover’s behavior?
February 1st, 2013 at 11:16 pm
It appears that instead of putting the cylinder back with his fingers, he flipped it back into the frame. With a revolver never, never, ever, ever do that!!!! You will cause one of the few failures that can befall a revolver. By doing that you will bend the cylinder pin which will cause the weapon to seize up during rotation, making inoperable.
As to caliber, you can get such loadings in that frame size of anything up to and including a .454. Casull (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.454_Casull) which can do a one shot stop on a wild boar hog. I will also say, it is a lovely piece of work. Firearms, like all things made by an artisan, can be artistic.
And judging by the small curve under the barrel on the piece that protects the cylinder pin, I would say this is one of the large frames from Taurus.
February 2nd, 2013 at 12:16 am
@Elfguy She might not remember about the shotgun part of the lyric and without a visual of the gun not just it’s effect how is she suppose to now wha the hell a gun does. nor the varity of guns. shotgun to her could have been just one more to the list of word she doesn’t know. also with out context there is no way to know how a word is a item to a real thing or just expression or otherwise.
Also why have people kept on with the beleif that minions have kept on showing up attacking Mentl out of the blue and he is fully up to date on his magic capabilites? there is nothing realted to that for all we know a few have shown up to keep watch but not attack in case that triggers him to know he is still a threat and worse trigger his magic abilites and inadvertly train him to use them in this low magic world. Also Remember Mentl (as far as I know) still believes that magic is useless here. Remember how he complained to Tula when she pointed out his magic to him? He asked why after all these years of playing he didn’t have legions of fans coming after him like he would have in Erogiana.
February 2nd, 2013 at 8:58 am
Looks like the Taurus Model 44 .44 Magnum - a serious piece.
And yes, love that last panel - very evocative. My guess in Mentl wasn’t too drunk to remember banishing one piece of trash - he seemed to sober up rather quickly at the time actually. Given what he saw happen to Vito and being probably unsure about his magic still - well, it can’t hurt to carry around some serious stopping power. And if that is a .44 Magnum - yeah, that’s a stopper.
February 2nd, 2013 at 1:15 pm
“our favorite wizard is doing so illegally”
When did JED made it that Michael was carrying a revolver illegally ?
It could be perfectly legitimate AND legal.
February 2nd, 2013 at 1:18 pm
@ Mace : seeing your comment stating .44 Magnum made me feel like quoting Dirty Harry.
“I know what you’re thinking. Did he fire six shots or only five ?” etc.
February 2nd, 2013 at 4:41 pm
This just goes to show that, even in a fantasy world, you can never tell what a warrior is going to look like. When this started, Mentl was definitely not a warrior. By the time he went back to LA, he was well on his way to being a warrior. Think about it; who, besides a warrior, would take on a couple of Urtts with a skillet?
In real life, I’ve been privileged to know a number of men and women who, despite their rather mild appearance, were warriors. I think Zona’s mind is trying to wrap around the idea of Mentl as a warrior. I don’t think Tula will have as much of a problem.
February 2nd, 2013 at 5:07 pm
Looks like - I won’t state ‘it is’ - but that is where I’d have my money.
@sFC - I didn’t spend that long a period in the army, one hitch. Some of the people I met though - the SAS in this nation has some people who look badass and some you wouldn’t think could be that big a threat. Never judge a book by it’s cover though - most badass man I ever met was a very mild mannered, somewhat slender 5′9″ guy in glasses.
February 2nd, 2013 at 6:14 pm
Yes, this Yank does know about the SAS and has had the privilege and distinct honor of meeting a few of them. Great soldiers and great men.
February 2nd, 2013 at 6:38 pm
@Mountain trooper:
JED has not said anything about Michael’s status as far as authorization to own or carry a firearm is concerned. However, that does not seem to be a reason not to draw reasonable inferences as to probabilities from the fact that he is in California and not Texas.
February 2nd, 2013 at 6:55 pm
Couldn’t agree with you more. And they epitomise the point you were making about warriors and appearance. It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the fight in the dog.
February 3rd, 2013 at 1:06 am
Hi kids, So sorry. but thanks to personal stuff, I am completely exhausted. Making slow progress on the new page, but not enough time to put together at once to put it together at once. Will update as soon as my head stops spinning!
February 3rd, 2013 at 4:28 am
No sweat JED, good things come to those who wait.
Besides, I haven’t had this much fun reading a comic since a was a kid reading “Elf Quest”. Elf boobs and all that.
February 3rd, 2013 at 4:40 am
I dunno, Local Yokel, that’s kinda like trying to compare kiwis with watermelons, if ya ask me. They’re both sweet, juicy fruit, but they diverge widely from there…
February 3rd, 2013 at 9:07 am
It’s alright i can see how wpining ur head is just how you repeated ur sentence there.
February 3rd, 2013 at 10:47 am
@Jean, I think he was referring to quality of emotional experience instead of mechanics of triggering the emotion.
February 4th, 2013 at 4:54 am
Nice, very good. A wee detail that drives me nuts in comics, tv, wherever you see guns being used far to often. Finger NEVER on the trigger unless you are squeezing it. See far to many promo shots with someone’s finger on the trigger. Not even when unloaded do you do that, just to stay in the habit of not doing it. Just as you always check if it’s loaded, even if you ‘know’ it isn’t. Don’t want to be the next story of some idiot shooting himself cleaning his gun cause he couldn’t bother to check, now do you. ;]
February 4th, 2013 at 12:22 pm
Exactly, @Steel.
The basics of firearm safety are as follows - 1. It’s ALWAYS loaded, even when you know it isn’t.
2. Keep your finger off the trigger.
3. Don’t point it at anything you don’t intend to kill.
4. Don’t kill anything you don’t intend to eat.
Also @Ga’Tor, I think the Heinlien quote you’re looking for is “An armed society is a polite society.”
February 4th, 2013 at 12:26 pm
*blink* *blink*
Unless, of course, I let my mind wander and totally lost track of the conversation.
February 5th, 2013 at 5:21 am
@TheLastGarou : Regarding nr 4:
… Being in the Military / Police must be far worse than I ever imagined.
February 5th, 2013 at 12:04 pm
Yeah, not sure how #4 works in relation to the military or law enforcement…is cannibalism really ordained by gun safety rules?
I mean the mugger or home invasion robber attacking you may not be all that tasty…and you don’t know where he’s been. Be sure to cook thoroughly, I suppose.
Did J. Dahmer make a cookbook?
February 5th, 2013 at 12:37 pm
It is all about removing the evidence, I guess.
February 5th, 2013 at 8:59 pm
All kidding aside, #4 assumes that guns are for hunting only, and not for self-defense.