Comic Page for Sunday, April 28th, 2013

[Zylver]

Forced to Confide

Nowhere to hide now, Natani!

[DariusL]

I don't know why, but I just love how Kat looks in the last panel.

[Serizawa]

No laura again,It seems that natani will have a cup of tea with kat while sharing her story.

I'm eager to see keith again,he will be eventually killed if natani keep dragging to find help.
Kat is cute when wearing the half fallen apron(?).
Quote:There is no bastilin black magic... is a result of a black magic.<---wordplay

Comment on last panel,
Keith even if you survive the life-sucking illusion spell,you will shortly share the fate at the voting incentive.

[SGT.Happy]

well Nat told the truth that it was black magic wounder if she's going to twist it in some way
and maybe an hour alone for Keith and ghost Laura well help Keith let go of Laura

[AndreRhineDavis]

I was about to post it

Note, from last week's comic thread:

Perhaps not a *lie*, exactly, but a misleading truth. I could definitely see something along the lines of "Ok, yes, there's no such thing. It really was black magic, but it happened years ago, and Keith didn't do it, he's just been covering for me since he accidentally found out." 100% literal truth, but without any further explanation given highly likely to be misinterpreted in exactly the way Natani would like it to be.

Compare it with "There's no Basitin magic, Keith was just covering for me. But the... way I am is the result of black magic! It was just years ago..." in the actual comic.

Man, that just seems wayyyyy too similar to be coincidence... either νμ can read Tom's mind, or Tom scouts these forums for inspiration

And yeah, I'm loving Kat more and more... she is really becoming so much less one-dimensional and getting more depth in her character... the drawing is really well done, she really does look tired and irritable in that first panel... and yeah, just in general, she's showing herself to be really emotional and empathetic and smart and open-minded, and much more than just Eric's sex-happy loyal slave. And having said that, I totally agree with the following sentiment from last week's thread:

That said, Kat is definitely the only other major cast member who would be likely to be immediately receptive to the actual truth. I mean, I don't think that Trace or Flora wouldn't be understanding, but it'd still completely flip them out at first. Kat, meanwhile, already understands that *something* is going on, and she's already shown that she's open to the idea. If Natani does decide to tell her the actual truth, I think she might be surprised at how accepting Kat might be.

EDIT: Zylver, can you include the mouseover text in your initial post?

[DariusL]

Man, that just seems wayyyyy too similar to be coincidence... either νμ can read Tom's mind, or Tom scouts these forums for inspiration

Tom does read the forums. I've caught him being online a few times.

[anonfox123]

And then after all this fuss they find that Laura, illusion or spirit, has done the impossible and talked some sense into Keith.

[Rafe]

I was about to post it

Man, that just seems wayyyyy too similar to be coincidence... either νμ can read Tom's mind, or Tom scouts these forums for inspiration

We do a bunch of wild speculating here. It's not hard to imagine that we'd occasionally hit on the next story point fairly closely, but saying that Tom is using this or that guess from the forum to shape his story is going too far in my opinion. Imagine spending all the time and effort constructing an intricate story line, and then having some one claim, "hah!, I called it!", or worse, claiming that that it was their idea, and the author must have seen it posted and used it.

I know some comic author/artists fairly closely, and this kind of thing really bugs them - not the speculation and guessing itself, but the idea that some people hit on the same idea you came up with and somehow want to take credit for it.

Having a fan forum and getting all this feedback more or less instantly does have some advantages for comic creators, at least the ones who use the constructive criticism to learn what works. It's like a stand-up comedian in front of a live audience - the reaction they give you lets you know what works and what doesn't. So I guess it works both ways - we might be trying to get into Tom's head to guess what happens next (for no particularly good reason), and Tom might be watching forum reactions and actually honing his skills as an entertaining writer.

[Hoppy]

Poor Kat really is looking bedraggled, frazzled and tired. Especially in the first and last panels. Makes me just wanna hug her until she falls asleep, curled up on my lap in a rocking chair. (My cat does that.)

Btw, anyone else getting a sneaky suspicion that Kat is amassing a portfolio of information on everyone that she could potentially use against them at a later date?? Maybe it's just the conspiracy theorist in me....

[TinyVoices]

Tom does read the forums. I've caught him being online a few times.

I always figure he's one of the hidden users. He must have been too busy to check the hide box.

And then after all this fuss they find that Laura, illusion or spirit, has done the impossible and talked some sense into Keith.

Y'know, that really depends on whether it is the real Laura, or else how Keith wants to perceive her. If she's real, she's gonna tell Keith to let her go. I don't see her allowing him kill himself so that he can spend more time with her. Even if she has to go back to limbo in the event that he lets her go.

If she's an illusion, then it works the same. Just depends on how Keith perceives her. Would she want him to let her go? Well, would he be able to convince himself this? Especially since he believes that there is a sliver of a chance she is real, and that she will fall into darkness if he lets her go.


Now, as for today's comic- I'd like to ask how Natani apparently spreads her arms out in panel 2, and yet her blanket stays tightly closed around her, as if she's holding it closed... Kat later opens it up no problem, meaning no pin or anything holding it. The parts she doesn't touch also stay closed, meaning it's not tied around Natani much like a towel is. Awkward way to say that, but I'm not sure how you'd say it otherwise...

[Alvin-Earthworm]

Ugh! Natani! Just stop beating around the bush and tell everyone! Seriously, this annoying subplot really needs to die. It's just wasting time and is currently adding nothing to the story. Would the fact that she's female really tarnish her credibility as an assassin? (Not that she needs her gender to help with that).
The only downside I see is that horny furvert Eric trying to ask her to pose for paintings. But honestly, what's stopping her from breaking that four eyed lech's arms if he did?

[ConkerBirdy]

I love Kathrin's expression in the first and third last panel. I love the first since its a slightly different face than what Tom usually draws.

[johny]

Nat just needs two give up! Every will still love her just the same if she comes out and tells everyone... Probably love her more Plus how could she worry more about robes than Keith!

Also I agree with Serizawa on Kat. Since she gained her freedom she has dramatically developed as a character. Its like she has found her strength and is now realizing what it means to be equal. She is growing evermore in my heart and I think with the way I can now relate to her personality I may finally be able to get over Laura dieing. Before, I use to think of Kat as just a tease but now she. Is real to me. She's not just that "services" girl.

[Blaqlite]

A whole hour!?
But Keith needs saving NOW!
Forget about your robes, Natani!
I am disappoint.

[EvilNinjadude]

Man, that just seems wayyyyy too similar to be coincidence... either νμ can read Tom's mind, or Tom scouts these forums for inspiration

Tom does read the forums. I've caught him being online a few times.

Besides which, the last time I was hanging out on stream and Tom answered a question, and the question was asked on the forums, I quoted Tom, and he wasn't too happy about it. I swore I wouldn't do it again.

Yeah, Rafe, I understand that having a story planned out necessitates that the pieces fit together in a logical way, and if they do, there's always gonna be people who "call" things. The only way they couldn't was if the story was too convoluted and confusing to fit together, which is rarely ever the case, at all.

Tom however reads the forums, and I assume it's for something similar to "bug testing" in video games: Not only is the art and the conversations discussed, but everyone also brings up as many loose ends as they can find.