Webcomic Wonderland discussion

Hoo boy. The most recent page. How does everyone feel about the whole Kat and Paz thing?

Personally, I'm still on the fence about it. I mean, there was an awful lot of hinting that Kat had a crush on Annie, so I think some f/f couple was bound to happen. I guess I just never expected that couple to NOT be Annie and Kat. Now there's going to be all sorts of drama.

This page really gets the whole overdramatic preteen mindset down. It's so angsty. A bit too much for my tastes, but I guess we'll see where Tom's going with this tomorrow.

I think anyone who crushes on Annie is ultimately doomed to disappointment and if they're smart, they realize it real quick. That fire-elemental thing makes it hard on everyone. (upon thought, that's probably how her parents managed--her dad is so remote a personality, he probably isn't wired for a proper relationship and thus was able to cope. If that makes sense?)

And I got less of a Annie/Kat vibe than I have Kat/Paz. You're right, there was a flicker of something, but I don't know about it being romantic. More like admiring, like you might be with an older or cooler kid, who takes the dares you won't and either gets away with it or acts like the punishment doesn't matter if they are caught.

Wasn't there another female character that Kat seemed to be leaning towards for a little while, around the time they snuck out and meet up with some others in a coffee shop type place with all the other couples--or was that Paz? I can't remember and now I can't find it. I don't think Annie will care, though, so that would subtract some drama.

Dawn wrote: "And I got less of a Annie/Kat vibe than I have Kat/Paz. You're right, there was a flicker of something, but I don't know about it being romantic. More like admiring, like you might be with an older or cooler kid, who takes the dares you won't and either gets away with it or acts like the punishment doesn't matter if they are caught."

I guess it could be read that way, too. I just see all the blushy faces and instantly assume that a crush is going on. But perhaps I'm reading too much slash fiction: I see couples everywhere.

Dawn wrote: "Wasn't there another female character that Kat seemed to be leaning towards for a little while, around the time they snuck out and meet up with some others in a coffee shop type place with all the other couples--or was that Paz? I can't remember and now I can't find it. I don't think Annie will care, though, so that would subtract some drama."

That was Paz. I had to go through the wiki page to find it. It's in chapter 34. And when I said drama, I was thinking more along the lines of I-never-see-you-because-you-spend-so-much-time-with-Paz drama, not I-wish-I-was-your-girlfriend drama. I don't really see Annie as particularly romantic, either. I mean, there was that whole thing with Jack(that happened in the same chapter). If she ever has a romantic relationship, I think it will be with someone she is already good friends with and trusts a lot. Which is one of the reasons why I suspected an Annie/Kat relationship.

There is an extra story on their website, called "Annie in the Forest," detailing what happened that summer she spent living in the woods.

http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/extracomics/

Only Part 1 so far, but another promised (or you can buy it).

Finally catching back up on GC. There's a lot of great stuff going on. Just finished chapter 44, so have a bit more to go to get current. Paz just started flirting with Kat, so I'll have to see where it goes a bit. I did kind of think Kat was developing feeling for Annie and didn't know how to handle them for a while there, but it could have been just general growing up awkwardness.

The expressions in the final panels of this strip and this one are simultaneously amazing and disturbing.

Dawn wrote: "There is an extra story on their website, called "Annie in the Forest," detailing what happened that summer she spent living in the woods.

http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/extracomics/

Only Part 1 so f..."

!!! Nice! Was disappointed when the main comic skipped over that visit. Will definitely have to read this sometime.

Mike wrote: "Paz just started flirting with Kat, so I'll have to see where it goes a bit."

… and by "see where it goes" I apparently meant "read the next chapter." The reveal to Annie and resulting conversation was handled well.

I have a bad feeling about the epilogue with the robots though...

Caught up. Really loving this volume, particularly the chapters featuring Reynardine and Ysengrin. I like the changing dynamic of the court/forest relationship and the little details/hints we're getting. Mort's story came as a shock. Sad but well done, and filled in a lot about the afterlife. The last chapter (at the moment) was rather weird, but still worked and packed a ton of plot development in.

Today's (3/13/15)--my jaw dropped. Literally.

As a commenter on that site said: "Curse Friday cliffhangers!"

Well, Kat revolts like the readers revolt. It had its interesting side, with the commenters going back and forth about how severe he was being and what a bad father vs. the obvious issue that she had been blatantly cheating.

but the revolt and complete rejection came when he demanded Reynardine.


And Kat has the sense to see the same.
http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1502

Hmm -- I hope she snatches him and runs off. She can't let him speak or anything but it has to be better than falling into Anthony's hands.

Hmmm. I wonder what exactly Reynardine's objection was. Perhaps that it was obvious that her father was using some kind of control on her? 'cause it is.

Personally, I can't wait to see what Coyote and Ysengrim (sp?) will do about the medium stuff. We know they can both come into the Court, they both like Annie (as far as they can, anyway), and I suspect Coyote at least doesn't like her father.

Well, that makes it blatantly clear that there is a problem.

http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1503

Just caught up. Creepy introduction for Annie's father, who's definitely up to something. Pretty sad to see such a disturbing attitude towards her after all her desire to be reunited.

Mary wrote: "Hmmm. I wonder what exactly Reynardine's objection was. Perhaps that it was obvious that her father was using some kind of control on her? 'cause it is."

Reynardine might also know something about her father that makes him frightened to give control of himself over. In retrospect there have been a lot of hints about him not exactly being a "hero" of the story.

The whole court is looking more and more suspicious as the comic goes on, although to be fair the robots and Coyote aren't much less ominous themselves.

Mike wrote: "Reynardine might also know something about her father that makes him frightened to give control of himself over. In retrospect there have been a lot of hints about him not exactly being a "hero" of the story. "

Well, I was thinking besides that. That Reynardine might not want to fall into his hands for that reason is pretty obvious -- if only because Tony knows that Reyardine was in love with Surma.

True, but I was also thinking beyond personal animosity or Surma. That Reyardine might have specific reasons / evidence to suspect Tony's motives being nefarious. Agree on how obvious the mind control through and that Reyardine probably picked up on it. Annie would never give him over to anyone willingly.

Interesting end to the chapter, with Kat setting up a small safety net for Annie, which I bet she'll wind up needing.

http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1507

Love this page. And in addition to being visually stunning, it makes me think of some sort of ritual. Maybe one connected to her father's apparent control over her?

At least it's not all going his way.

http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1515

No, and I am looking forward to his eventual slap-down. I still expect the forest to have a few things to say, especially since Ysenegrim REALLY doesn't like him (http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=278). (I did an archive crawl recently and refreshed my memory on certain things)

I'm kind of hoping now that we might get some more insight into the running of the Court. About the headmaster and so on. I wonder how the PTB feel about Anthony Carver and how he's doing things? The Donlans are iffy, I think, and Eglamore doesn't like him either. But what about everyone else? Jones?

Hmmm. I am starting to wonder if this is an imposter. If Antimony gave Reynardine to her father, he could certainly disobey an imposter.

Nice catch. Reynardine being able to disobey struck me as odd too. Would be interesting. Of course there's another possible explanation of Annie giving Reynardine to her father but him not obeying Tony...

Mary wrote: "Hmmm. I am starting to wonder if this is an imposter. If Antimony gave Reynardine to her father, he could certainly disobey an imposter."

ooooh, hadn't thought of that. I've been trying to decide if her stutter is because he's made her nervous or because she did something contrary to his wishes (or that she thinks he wouldn't like). I imagine we'll find out soon enough HOW Reynard is disobeying.

Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!

http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1519

Annie DID take steps to protect Reynard!

And Reynard was concerned about the strange things even while he was being handed over!

(I note my imposter theory is much less likely.)

But who changed the symbol on his forehead?

(I saw the comments about whose symbol that is, but she's not the only one to use it, I think?)

Perhaps it doesn't matter who else uses it.

hmm. . .

http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1520

I note my imposter theory is much more likely. or he's bewitched somehow.

Well, the man is notably strange. We've picked up some things about him in the past.

He's almost emotionless (and in a much less benign way than Jones). Or perhaps I should say he has rigid control over his emotions and has since adolescence, minimum.

He does seem to have some affection/concern/sense of responsibility for Annie (see the episode with the phone call and the supplies sent by rocket).

Dearly attached to Surma (with potential for jealousy or revenge since Reynard did what he did out of love for Surma).

Dithers about things out of his control or experience. (Brienne)

Anything else?

I will note in favor of the imposter theory (although I don't know if one could get past the Court--later discussion maybe) that in the strip for Wed the 3rd, the man doesn't look much like the way Anthony Carver has been depicted previously. The eyes are too small and not tilted, plus the chin doesn't really match, both of which I would think would not be affected by time or experience/trauma. Check the chapter Microsat 5 for comparisons. He's mostly shown as a teen but when Annie remembers the martial arts training, we can see the lower part of his face.

http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1546

I was not expecting that.

I'm thinking that might be why he wanted those medical supplies?

Wow. A lot has happened / been explained since I last read a couple months ago. Annie "quarantining" her more volatile emotions explains a lot (and is quite sad).

Dawn wrote: "I was not expecting that.

I'm thinking that might be why he wanted those medical supplies?"

Me either. Things with him keep getting more and more complicated.

Very likely.

http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1550

As harsh as he's been, Tony's certainly being cast in a new light with some of these revelations. And the court's getting more and more suspicious as we go...

Well, this is getting really creepy.

http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1553

Yes, and that was NOT why I thought he needed those supplies.

I'm trying to reconcile his actions and words towards Annie and this. He seemed so inhuman with her. Admittedly, getting drunk helps (and correct me if I'm wrong, but he does seem to be a bit of a lightweight, doesn't he?).

I think there are going to be grave consequences to the forces he's been meddling with...

Could be trying to protect her, or he may just not have much affection. And yeah, he completely loosened up way fast after that first drink. Total lightweight.

Motives. wonderful things, motives, almost make you look human, Tony.

http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1558

Wow. Not what I expected at all, except the Court being up to no good. Curiouser and curiouser.


http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1556

And is this Zimmy!? Awesome!

Augh! Stop it, Tony! I don't want to like you, or have sympathy for you, or anything like that!

http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1559

Mike wrote: "And is this Zimmy!? Awesome!"


Check out chapter 38, Divine, for the other side of that incident. Confused me then, now makes a bit more sense.

I knew Coyote wasn't going to like this one bit--in fact, he's completely gone to pieces!

(I'll see myself out now...)

http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1566

This will be interesting.

Especially since Coyote was surprised to learn that Tony was her father.

Interview with Tom Siddell: http://www.themarysue.com/interview-g...

Let's go bowling!

http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1635

I just did a abbreviated archive crawl and a few things stuck out to me.

1. Is anyone else worried/getting a bad vibe about the religion Robot is preaching? I can't quite put my finger on it.

2. What is the deal with the headmaster and why would it be so bad that his daughter be with Winsbury? (and why does she talk vaguely Elizabethan? Her father doesn't)

3. What program is it that Mr Carver wants Annie to remain in? Why is he so desperate?

4. New students, and not the émigrés from the Forest, are chosen how? It looks as though they generally stay with the Court, although obviously not mandatory (witness Anthony and Surma). It looks as though Eglamore and Mr Donlan both came from outside.

5. And speaking of students from the Forest, how creepy is it that the Court is growing new bodies? And the stuff about data that Snuffle's friend talks about in recent strips could have unsettling implications as well.

I have to admire Siddell's research. Antimony is an ingredient of Kohl, which is otherwise known as surma. And I quote from Wikipedia (article on kohl (cosmetics): "The antimony-based compound in kohl is stibnite (Sb2S3) - blue. Stibnite has antimony (stibium) in it." Surma's last name is Stibnite.

What does anyone else think?

O boy.

http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1904

Does anyone have any guess about the connection between Jones and Tony?

And given his problems, do you think Surma is the worst possible love interest for Tony?

Is anyone still reading this? If so, how is it?

It's really impressive that this is still going and I still have some lingering interest, but it's so long and dense my sporadic attempts to reread/refresh my memory and continue on have been aborted pretty quickly.