Comic Page for Wednesday, October 2nd, 2013

[Neoscryer]

Alt Text: Support of Friends

Ugh .. is this going to be left ambiguous? Something tells me illusion-Laura is faking being an illusion. Or not. I don't know. I do like the NatanixKeith vibe this is giving off, but it's really quite sad.

[Myperson54]

Glad I got here in time! I swear, I checked this two minutes ago and there was nothing there.

I am glad as to how the situation turned out, and how "Laura" is pushing Keith past his sadness. It's as we predicted (dictated?), but satisfying to see, nonetheless.

Oh, but I see what you mean Neo. That look she exchanged at the end, with Natani. Hmmm. From lack of having anything new to say, I'm refrain from commenting on that situation, but it's curious.

[AndreRhineDavis]

eh, I've given up on trying to work out the whole illusion/ghost thing. Laura's *admitting* here that she's not real... but that could be taken a number of ways. <frustrated sigh>.

I really love those last 2 panels though... where Laura is looking at Natani... with tear-filled eyes... as if saying "I know you love him... I know you care for him... please please help him through this... please help him find happiness..." <3

There's still one thing which bothers me about this comic page: the language problem :/. It would be really nice and convenient to assume that Laura and Keith are talking in some language that everyone in the room can understand, but the problem is we have one person in the room (Trace) who only understands Human, and another person in the room (Natani) who only understands Keidran. Since no brackets are being used, I guess we're supposed to assume that they're talking in human, but that means Natani doesn't understand what Laura is saying, and implying about *him* (and the subtle messages that she's conveying to him that I mentioned in the above paragraph), which is really problematic. On the other hand, assuming they're talking in Keidran and that Trace can't understand is not as serious an issue, but I guess it would be nice if this was explicitly indicated. I guess Tom is generally fairly relaxed with bracket use, often leaving them out when the language spoken in a scene is naturally implied or not important enough to be distinguished. I just get the feeling that these interactions between Keith and Laura are intended to be understood by everyone present, but we have these language barriers in the way.......

[JMadoc]

I'm calling it. She lied on purpose.

[Hoppy]

Andre, that's a very good point about the language issue... and from what it looks like to me, they were both speaking Human. Natani seems, perhaps, slightly confused in panels 3 and 4 (or maybe that's just my perception)... but looks somewhat surprised in that last panel, after 'Laura' looks directly at her.

For what it's worth, I still think it IS Laura's ghost inhabiting the Hearts Desire illusion... and she understands now that she is dead and cannot stay. She just had some unfinished business. Now Keith can let her move on. Serious feels here, folks.... serious feels. I think Tom kinda stretched this all out a bit, but I am NOT complaining!! Good writing, Tom.

[Myperson54]

Up until this point, they were using Keidran, because the point about memories was brought up by Natani. I think they're still using it.....

Oh, no, but they wouldn't be. Trace asked Laura his question in human, so they're all talking in human again. Which makes me think: doesn't this Laura seem better at human than the original? As if it were referring to the experience of someone who spoke multiple languages?

[Zylver]

I really love Mike's expression on this page

And aaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwww!!! All the feels this page contains! D:
Still I wonder about the Natani-Laura look exchange... iif Laura is a desire illusion and reflects the things Keith desires, does that mean that secretly, deep down in his stubborn Basitin skin, he still has some feelings towards Natani, even after he have to let Laura go?

Oh the suspense is killing me! SUCH FUN!

[Schrodinger]

I really love Mike's expression on this page

[08:31] Schrodinger Nice touch having Mike crying there
[08:32] Tom Mike is a very emotional guy.
[08:33] Schrodinger That he is
[08:33] Schrodinger Someone get him some tissues!
[08:33] Tom Whether it's fear, panic, or sadness, he doesn't do anything halfway.

Also something of note, Natani's official height is 6'3".

[MuonNeutrino]

This page has aaallllllll the feels.

I really like how well Tom's dancing the line between Laura being real or an illusion. The whole time it's been possible to come up with explanations for her behavior from both points of view, and this is no exception. Either she's real and is trying to protect Keith from himself, or she's an illusion and is trying to protect him because a: deep down, that's what Keith knows she'd do, and/or b: deep down, Keith knows he has to move on but is afraid to. I personally lean a bit more towards the 'real' side, especially with the apparent subtext here between Laura and Nat, but it's most definitely still ambiguous.

I don't think Tom is actually going to tell us. And honestly, I don't think it really matters, because (as Av explained so masterfully last thread) this arc really isn't about her, it's about Keith. It ultimately doesn't *matter* whether she's real or not - either way she can't stay, and the whole point here is how it affects *Keith's* character.

As for the language, I think they're probably speaking Keidran, mostly because all of the 'hint hint' nudges from Laura don't make as much sense for her to be saying if she's speaking a language that Nat can't understand - and because Nat seems to be *reacting* to some of those nudges. Leaving Trace out of the conversation rather than Nat makes much more sense from Laura's point of view.

And speaking of those nudges, that last pair of panels is really, really nice. There've been several comments recently that Tom's faces have gotten really good these days, and this is another great example. The 'You take care of him, now!' unspoken message couldn't be clearer if Tom had written it in 72 point flashing text. And Natani seems almost a bit taken back - I wonder if she might be re-evaluating her own thoughts on whether Laura is real? Or is this simply because she's once more being pushed to confront her feelings about Keith? Or both?

Also, I've said it before, I'll probably say it again, but man wolves are tall. On an instinctive emotional level, it's probably no surprise that humans are so wary of them. Not only are they scary predators, they're also just *big*, and that can't help but be a bit intimidating.

[CrRAR]

I love this page, we just went from full on drama to getting this part of the story wrapped up in no time flat. I as well noticed Mike's expression and love Eval's "...duuuude...it's ok" expression.

The glance at Natani at the end is killer...even s/he might be questioning the reality of the situation. That tugs at the heart strings right there...It's almost like "I'm giving up the love of my life...for his benefit...cherish it." Real or fake...that's a powerful message right there.

[DariusL]

This is my favourite page in a while. The group shot and the last two panels really make it for me. Dem feels.

And holy [censored] Natani is tall!

[thisisntchris87]

See what this not lurking thing is like.

This is the best page of seen and read. It's magnificently done, Tom.

I agree with everyone about the final two panels. Both on Tom's work and the unspoken words. Laura is handing Keith off to Natani. As for Laura, it's either a ghost or an illusion that is acting totally like Laura, but that really doesn't matter since, like was said previously, it's about Keith.

After this arc we'll more than likely be jumping back to Red and Raine. I'm wondering what's next for the main group though? I've forgotten why they were sailing back or where they were sailing to in the first place. We'd be going back to the main plot right?

[Kyrit]

As for the language, I think they're probably speaking Keidran, mostly because all of the 'hint hint' nudges from Laura don't make as much sense for her to be saying if she's speaking a language that Nat can't understand - and because Nat seems to be *reacting* to some of those nudges. Leaving Trace out of the conversation rather than Nat makes much more sense from Laura's point of view.

Since they've been talking in human (replying to Trace) it makes more sense that they've continued the conversation in the language that they had been currently talking in. I guess maybe you could say that during all the yelling back and forth Laura slipped back in to Keidran since it's her native tongue and might flip to it when stressed, but there hasn't been an indication of the transition anywhere. Without the indication of a transition (such as if Tom goes back and adds one) I'd say they're still talking human. To further that, Natani honestly doesn't look like she understands what Laura is saying. I think she does, at least to some extent, understand the look that Laura gives her specifically though. She does still look a bit confused, but that might be due to reflecting on her feelings, asking herself, "Why are you looking at me?", or even questioning if maybe, just maybe she was wrong and Laura is real. I don't think she understands anything that's being said though.



On another note, the 'black' part of Laura's arms looks tinted red, which I'm assuming is from Keith's cloak being beneath them while she hugs them. Neat little show of her semi-transparency there.

[TheMouse]

Wow. Right in the feels.

I'm calling it. She lied on purpose.

I think you're correct. This doesn't seem like something that would come from Keith. Even subconsciously.

And of course, Maddie being a ninja, as usual.

[Schrodinger]

Alright just for summation....