[1903] Just don't

[Sky Schemer]

Surma, your fire elemental is showing.

[snipertom]

*1903

[Sky Schemer]

Oct 30, 2017 7:22:36 GMT snipertom said:

*1903

Fixed. I hate these new MacBook Pro keyboards.

[foresterr]

Top left corner would make for a good avatar, but it's too small, and zoom/enhance does not exist...

[ST13R]

Oh my I totally forgot about daylight savings time :3 Earlier comic yay!

Also: happy this isn't escalating O:

[Lightice]

Oct 30, 2017 7:53:16 GMT foresterr said:

Top left corner would make for a good avatar, but it's too small, and zoom/enhance does not exist...

I give you Waifu2x -- it's for all thoughts and purposes a low-level zoom/enhance button.

[maxptc]

Glad James didn't do anything stupid, looks like he is successfully working on his temper.

Oct 30, 2017 7:53:16 GMT foresterr said:

Top left corner would make for a good avatar, but it's too small, and zoom/enhance does not exist...

The first two bottom faces aren't bad either.

[csj]

Say what you will, but I know plenty of girls that will pick cuteboi over ladhulk. Jimmyjims was dating a literal fire and mad at being burned. Sucks, but she does not sound low maitenance.

Too bad Tony's still a bad father eh.

[maxptc]

Oct 30, 2017 8:08:57 GMT csj said:

Say what you will, but I know plenty of girls that will pick cuteboi over ladhulk. Jimmyjims was dating a literal fire and mad at being burned. Sucks, but she does not sound low maitenance.

Too bad Tony's still a bad father eh.

For real. Surma wanting a robot boyfriend makes sense, being attentive and detail oriented is the best way to handle fire. And for as high maintenance as Surma seems, I can only imagine what any Annie romances might entail, thanks in large part to that same robot. Tony kinda saved the pie and burned the kitchen on that one.

[philman]

Eh, everyone's reaction is perfectly understandable and normal. I don't see what all the people in the comments are getting so worked up about.

And Tony, just don't. And I mean, don't. Ever. Just don't.

[zaferion]

Oct 30, 2017 8:47:06 GMT maxptc said:

Oct 30, 2017 8:08:57 GMT csj said:

Say what you will, but I know plenty of girls that will pick cuteboi over ladhulk. Jimmyjims was dating a literal fire and mad at being burned. Sucks, but she does not sound low maitenance.

Too bad Tony's still a bad father eh.

For real. Surma wanting a robot boyfriend makes sense, being attentive and detail oriented is the best way to handle fire. And for as high maintenance as Surma seems, I can only imagine what any Annie romances might entail, thanks in large part to that same robot. Tony kinda saved the pie and burned the kitchen on that one.

An Annie romance would almost certainly have to be someone from Gillitie. She's only openly herself (or as much as Annie can be) in the forest/with forest creatures, and completely clams up around other humans when Kat's not there. For there to even be the possibility of a human romance involving Annie, her ice queen exterior would have to thaw out a little.

[rafk]

So far this storyline has proven that, for all Tony's character flaws, there was a legit reason for Surma to pick him ahead of Eglamore that didn't require anything of the "only emotionless Tony was willing to give her the baby they all knew would kill her" variety so often speculated. It's been good actually, and not at all out of keeping with what we've seen of the characters before.

Increasingly, while Tony's treatment of Annie remains inexcusable, his behaviour becomes more explicable as one realises that Surma was the one girl to get behind Tony's extreme social awkwardness, genuinely the love of his life. Anyone losing a spouse can be excused for going a bit nuts, but it must have been ten times as excruciating for a guy who may not have connected on such an intimate level (and I am not referring to sex, or not just sex) with a single other soul, and probably felt responsible for her death although we are yet to see how justified that guilt would be.

I still find myself suspecting the Court gave Tony a Surma-related mission on that trip, though, and maybe she never found out or didn't care.

[maxptc]

Oct 30, 2017 9:04:14 GMT zaferion said:

Oct 30, 2017 8:47:06 GMT maxptc said:

For real. Surma wanting a robot boyfriend makes sense, being attentive and detail oriented is the best way to handle fire. And for as high maintenance as Surma seems, I can only imagine what any Annie romances might entail, thanks in large part to that same robot. Tony kinda saved the pie and burned the kitchen on that one.

An Annie romance would almost certainly have to be someone from Gillitie. She's only openly herself (or as much as Annie can be) in the forest/with forest creatures, and completely clams up around other humans when Kat's not there. For there to even be the possibility of a human romance involving Annie, her ice queen exterior would have to thaw out a little.

Yeah, human romance seems a little beyond Annie right now. She also does well around court robots, so that's another potential but less likely option.

[Druplesnubb]

Holy shit, this chapter is 40 pages long and still going! That makes it the longest chapter sine Jeanne. And most of it has just been Tony and Surma screwing around in Brazil.

[faiiry]

Let us remind ourselves that Parley can punch a hole in a stone wall and crush a glass just by picking it up. And she probably hasn't even been training as long as Eglamore has. Without thinking, he could probably literally kill Tony.

[faiiry]

Oct 30, 2017 9:18:10 GMT maxptc said:

Oct 30, 2017 9:04:14 GMT zaferion said:

An Annie romance would almost certainly have to be someone from Gillitie. She's only openly herself (or as much as Annie can be) in the forest/with forest creatures, and completely clams up around other humans when Kat's not there. For there to even be the possibility of a human romance involving Annie, her ice queen exterior would have to thaw out a little.

Yeah, human romance seems a little beyond Annie right now. She also does well around court robots, so that's another potential but less likely option.

What? No. What?? No.
Annie is socially awkward and different like her father, but to a smaller degree. If TONY managed to get a human (mostly) girlfriend, Annie should have no trouble.

Also, from the way you're talking, it would sound like Annie is a total loner who is incapable of feeling. Around her close friends, she's completely capable of interaction, warmth and even humor. Things with her aren't nearly as bad as you're describing. The "ice queen exterior" (hello, Jack?) is long gone.

[youwiththeface]

Oct 30, 2017 9:18:04 GMT rafk said:

So far this storyline has proven that, for all Tony's character flaws, there was a legit reason for Surma to pick him ahead of Eglamore that didn't require anything of the "only emotionless Tony was willing to give her the baby they all knew would kill her" variety so often speculated. It's been good actually, and not at all out of keeping with what we've seen of the characters before.

Not....really? I mean the best you can say about Tony is he's around when Eggers isn't. That's....about it. And that'd be true for hundreds, if not thousands of other men that Surma could've picked. 

[faiiry]

Oct 30, 2017 11:09:47 GMT youwiththeface said:

Oct 30, 2017 9:18:04 GMT rafk said:

So far this storyline has proven that, for all Tony's character flaws, there was a legit reason for Surma to pick him ahead of Eglamore that didn't require anything of the "only emotionless Tony was willing to give her the baby they all knew would kill her" variety so often speculated. It's been good actually, and not at all out of keeping with what we've seen of the characters before.

Not....really? I mean the best you can say about Tony is he's around when Eggers isn't. That's....about it. And that'd be true for hundreds, if not thousands of other men that Surma could've picked. 

Hey, that's not true! Tony has a special quality that cannot be found in many men. He loves bugs.

[philman]

Oct 30, 2017 11:09:47 GMT youwiththeface said:

Oct 30, 2017 9:18:04 GMT rafk said:

So far this storyline has proven that, for all Tony's character flaws, there was a legit reason for Surma to pick him ahead of Eglamore that didn't require anything of the "only emotionless Tony was willing to give her the baby they all knew would kill her" variety so often speculated. It's been good actually, and not at all out of keeping with what we've seen of the characters before.

Not....really? I mean the best you can say about Tony is he's around when Eggers isn't. That's....about it. And that'd be true for hundreds, if not thousands of other men that Surma could've picked. 

I'm not really getting all this "Tony has no good points, so how could Surma fall for him" stuff. This whole chapter has been showing us Tony's good points around Surma

He takes an interest in in her powers, and isn't scared of them (I doubt eggers is, but we have seen a lot of other characters get scared of the fire), he manages to understand the limit of her ethervision powers and makes her laugh, he treats her like a human being, he is engaging and interesting when he is sharing his interest in bugs with her, he willingly helps Surma when she makes a fuss over that bug with all the mites on it, he compliments her looks and makeup, he makes her coffee in the morning before she wakes up.

We have no idea what Eglamore and Surma's relationship was like, but Jimmy Jims hardly seems the most jovial person in the world, nor the kind to take much interest in her powers or the limit of them except that they are dangerous. We have seen how he deals with Annie and potential dangers such as the forest, not with interest or enquiry, but with over-protection and worrying (although to be fair, not entirely unjustified, and something he is trained for as Court Protector). Surma has a more enquiring mind, which she probably shares more with Tony than Eglamore.

I am probably missing more points as this is just from memory, I am not re-reading the comic just now but might do this evening, but I am just saying that there is far more there if you are willing to look for it and not go in with the preconceptions about Tony being horrible all the time.

[youwiththeface]

Oct 30, 2017 11:30:31 GMT philman said:

Oct 30, 2017 11:09:47 GMT youwiththeface said:

Not....really? I mean the best you can say about Tony is he's around when Eggers isn't. That's....about it. And that'd be true for hundreds, if not thousands of other men that Surma could've picked. 

I'm not really getting all this "Tony has no good points, so how could Surma fall for him" stuff. This whole chapter has been showing us Tony's good points around Surma

It isn't so much *no good points* as much as it is *no points*. There is achingly little to Tony's personality, even when he's comparatively loosened up. 

[pyradonis]

I never realized James was so into Tony. Straight ripped his shirt off! Get a room you two!

[zirka]

Oct 30, 2017 8:04:25 GMT Lightice said:

Oct 30, 2017 7:53:16 GMT foresterr said:

Top left corner would make for a good avatar, but it's too small, and zoom/enhance does not exist...

I give you Waifu2x -- it's for all thoughts and purposes a low-level zoom/enhance button.

Oh My God. That enhance website actually WORKS!!! I love you so much right now. This could help me a lot. I work with small images sometimes, and with people who whine about them being small. <3 All the internet cookies for you today!

[vankersabra17]

I'm glad James didn't punch the jerk's head clean off. I Said it before and say it again: Both Surma and Tony are not worth it. James should Just tell them Both to get lost. Be the better man, James. You are the better man.

[manabi]

Oct 30, 2017 8:04:25 GMT Lightice said:

Oct 30, 2017 7:53:16 GMT foresterr said:

Top left corner would make for a good avatar, but it's too small, and zoom/enhance does not exist...

I give you Waifu2x -- it's for all thoughts and purposes a low-level zoom/enhance button.

Heh, I had the same thought, but I actually ran the comic through it.  The result for anyone that wants to skip that step.  If that's not big enough, you can run it through again, but you might want to leave noise reduction off for the second pass.  Otherwise the smaller details start looking a little smeared.

[gunnerscrag]

tony, tony, tony...

just DO IT

[ctso74]

That went reasonable well. I'm betting Donnie was in a state.

[faiiry]

I am calling it: the next page is a full-page, gorgeously illustrated image in which we see Eglamore, Surma and Tony in such rich detail that every pore on their face is visible, and Eglamore tells the other two to "get lost." (Okay, maybe not the first part, but the get lost part, I am confident with.)

[jocobo]

Oct 30, 2017 11:30:31 GMT philman said:

Oct 30, 2017 11:09:47 GMT youwiththeface said:

Not....really? I mean the best you can say about Tony is he's around when Eggers isn't. That's....about it. And that'd be true for hundreds, if not thousands of other men that Surma could've picked. 

I'm not really getting all this "Tony has no good points, so how could Surma fall for him" stuff. This whole chapter has been showing us Tony's good points around Surma

He takes an interest in in her powers, and isn't scared of them (I doubt eggers is, but we have seen a lot of other characters get scared of the fire), he manages to understand the limit of her ethervision powers and makes her laugh, he treats her like a human being, he is engaging and interesting when he is sharing his interest in bugs with her, he willingly helps Surma when she makes a fuss over that bug with all the mites on it, he compliments her looks and makeup, he makes her coffee in the morning before she wakes up.

We have no idea what Eglamore and Surma's relationship was like, but Jimmy Jims hardly seems the most jovial person in the world, nor the kind to take much interest in her powers or the limit of them except that they are dangerous. We have seen how he deals with Annie and potential dangers such as the forest, not with interest or enquiry, but with over-protection and worrying (although to be fair, not entirely unjustified, and something he is trained for as Court Protector). Surma has a more enquiring mind, which she probably shares more with Tony than Eglamore.

I am probably missing more points as this is just from memory, I am not re-reading the comic just now but might do this evening, but I am just saying that there is far more there if you are willing to look for it and not go in with the preconceptions about Tony being horrible all the time.

So, in summation, he's a completely normal person? Making coffee for someone when you wake up first, discussing mutual interests (or in this case magical powers), helping others, treating her like a human being are things any friend would do for any friend. I can definitely see Tony and Surma becoming friends after this trip. But nothing they did up to the making out came off as romantic or passionate or really anything. 

That's my objection. I see how she could have warmed up to Tony but he hasn't shown anything I wouldn't expect 90% of decent human being to do while interacting with another person. I'm glad Tony has finally proven himself capable of normal human interaction but that's all he's done. Be normal. So either Surma is the easiest woman to charm in the world or just has really low minimum standards for datability. 

So it's not that I think Tony has no good points. It's just that Tony's good points only amount to "functioning human capable of friendship"

I guess I would have been more sold on their love if this was just the first trip after which they parted as friends. And then they did more and more together (Tony keeping her company while Eglamore went away perhaps and grew increasingly jealous over their growing closeness) and it grew naturally into an intense bond then yeah, I could get that.

Like if part of the objective of this chapter was to show romance isn't always special and can in fact be quite banal, then ok. 

Because let me remind you: Anja introduced this as the story of how Surma and Tony fell in love. Not the story of how they started dating, how they fell in love. I feel like I missed some pages or something because I'm only seeing camaraderie mixed with a dash of lust. 

Could also be my expectations were too high. The Surma+Tony relationship has been shrouded in this mystique. This is the woman he loved so intensely that he literally cannot function after her death, avoids his daughter because he can't stand the similarity of their looks etc. That's so passionately dramatic I was expecting a bit more passion to their courtship than "Well, Tony was cordial to me so I'm gonna snog him."

That said I would have loved to hear what Tony was going to say to James. I personally can't think of anything he could have added to make this better or easier on anyone but it would have been a nice humanizing moment for Tony to have expressed compassion to someone actively hostile to him. Especially since Surma's method of dumping James was anything but compassionate.

[philman]

Oct 30, 2017 14:57:56 GMT jocobo said:

That's my objection. I see how she could have warmed up to Tony but he hasn't shown anything I wouldn't expect 90% of decent human being to do while interacting with another person. I'm glad Tony has finally proven himself capable of normal human interaction but that's all he's done. Be normal. So either Surma is the easiest woman to charm in the world or just has really low minimum standards for datability. 

So it's not that I think Tony has no good points. It's just that Tony's good points only amount to "functioning human capable of friendship"

In the real world, that's often all it takes. There really isn't anything that much special about the majority of people in the world, most of us don't have fire powers or super intelligence or strength. We are just varying degrees of normal.

Like if part of the objective of this chapter was to show romance isn't always special and can in fact be quite banal, then ok. 

That's how I took it at least. Super Romance, is fine for books and films, real life is often more boring. A bit like Annie's ideas about Tony's brainwashing of Surma: real life is often more boring.

I guess I would have been more sold on their love if this was just the first trip after which they parted as friends. And then they did more and more together (Tony keeping her company while Eglamore went away perhaps and grew increasingly jealous over their growing closeness) and it grew naturally into an intense bond then yeah, I could get that.

True, I think that would have been a more traditional storyline, but Tom likes subverting things sometimes.

[faiiry]

Oct 30, 2017 14:57:56 GMT jocobo said:

Could also be my expectations were too high. The Surma+Tony relationship has been shrouded in this mystique. This is the woman he loved so intensely that he literally cannot function after her death, avoids his daughter because he can't stand the similarity of their looks etc. That's so passionately dramatic I was expecting a bit more passion to their courtship than "Well, Tony was cordial to me so I'm gonna snog him."

Honestly this is exactly how I feel. It's a little underwhelming. But we haven't seen the whole chapter yet, either.