[1488] No cosmetics allowed

[edzepp]

In short: This is not a good year to be Antimony Carver.

[rafk]

Side note: now that it is confirmed this is Anthony Carver AND that he's being all Captain Proper Forms of Address, it definitely seems odd that he wrote his name on the board as Mr Carver and not Dr Carver.

[Garbage]

Mar 16, 2015 8:06:36 GMT zimmyzims said:

Mar 16, 2015 7:49:38 GMT Garbage said:

Don't worry, I'm still on the defending-tony boat too! Personally while he's coming off as a jerkoff with the "sir" thing, as someone who did have parents for teachers at some points believe me it is a LOT less awkward than the alternative Annie was about to go for. That, with the hope he has a reason for getting her to the restroom other than the makeup remind him too much of surma, i still have some hope for the old bugger that is Tony.
Also, posting this from mobile, no idea if the qoute funtion will work or not, eheh

It works! And I still think, too, that it is part of his tragedy that he has to make himself appear as a douchebag. However, I hope there will at some point be a good father-daughter moment between them to save his memory, if even for Annie alone, everybody else might still take him just for a knob.

I bet they'll be a note in there or something for her!

[agasa]

Damn. Neglect your daughter until adolescence? Check. Screw her up royally the first time you meet her then? Check. He really went full Gendo.
This aside:
The makeup bit might be significant. Let's not forget that "surma" is basically ancient Egyptians' eyeliner.

[edzepp]

Garbage: Oh there better be.

[davidm]

A scene in James Bond movie... James bond is aiming gun at villian, villian's team has gun on girl. "What is it going to be James... the mission or the girl?" asks the villian. James Bond says "the girl means nothing to me."

James Bond saves girl's life (can only do one or the other), villian gets away (and thus puts many other people at risk).

[heranje]

Wait hang on which chapter is the evil space bones? I've read all of GC but I genuinely don't remember that, or the Zimmy face-punch people keep mentioning... did I miss something?

[pasko]

ah, I came here for the drama and, man, I wasn't disappointed.

I think that maybe this character is coming on a bit strong, but it's a very emotional storytelling none the less.

[davidm]

Mar 16, 2015 8:23:10 GMT heranje said:

Wait hang on which chapter is the evil space bones? I've read all of GC but I genuinely don't remember that, or the Zimmy face-punch people keep mentioning... did I miss something?

archive link on top chapter 38, Page 1044, chapter 37 is also important.

"Evil" is matter of guess, a doctor might see himself as "good" when he tries to rid his daughter of "cancer"/disease. Dad as doctor was obsessed before with saving mom, from his perspective mom was perhaps "dying of same disease".

(Matter of perspective on fire elemental inside, eg Spiderman viewed a symbiont who later became "venom" as a curse despite it giving him extra powers... it also altered his emotions in negative way)

Eg chemotherapy is one of most common ways of treating cancer and it is basically use radiation that is harmful to entire body but a little more harmful to the cancer under hope that cancer dies and person recovers after.

Chapter 37 has dad hide true feelings behind a mask when young, and dad going to extreme lengths to make it impossible for someone to locate and stop him which suggests he thinks someone will try. He may not think asking is daughter first is an option (because of who or what he is hiding from will then be able to stop him).

[Chancellor]

Mar 16, 2015 8:23:10 GMT heranje said:

Wait hang on which chapter is the evil space bones? I've read all of GC but I genuinely don't remember that, or the Zimmy face-punch people keep mentioning... did I miss something?

Divine.

[alexsl]

Now obviously this comic is not meant to be realistic, but I wonder: is it normal in the British school system that teachers can teach their own children? In the schools I visited back when I grew up in Germany that situation was scrupulously avoided - at the beginning of each year the teachers worked out a plan that would ensure that a teacher's child only ever had other people as teachers. Obviously to avoid both preferential treatment and the "fa... um... sir" embarrassment so well illustrated here.

So, is this a British thing or just a Gunnerkrigg Court thing?

[dard]

To me, it's not so much a problem that he said that to Antimony.
I put a lot of blame into the Court itself. What were they thinking, putting Annie into class with her father? I mean, we had plenty of parents and their children at our schools and I can't remember of a single time when they were put in the same class!

That being said: What Anthony did was way out of line for any teacher adressing any pupil!
He establishes a new rule? Fine! Tell the class that from now on this or that is forbidden. Enforce it the next time.
Namecalling a pupil in front of the class for doing something that was all right until that moment is simply not right, regardless if it is his daughter or not!
Which does not mean, of course, that there aren't teachers in real life who do exactly that. Alas...

PS: On a more general note: I severely dislike makeup on people too, regardless of age or gender. Only exception being certain artists like Alice Cooper. But I don't go around talking to people to stop that habit.

[vakri]

Mar 16, 2015 7:57:20 GMT philman said:

Ok if he had just ignored Annie, that would have been fine, would hve played into the 'he's abit socially awkward' thing. But calling her out like this as their first interaction in over 2 years... Yeah now that's just a jerk, unless there is some ulterior motive.

Actually, I must disagree. Tony probably had no idea how to prepare his doughter for his coming... so he didn't even bother, just came into the class. But as he knew that such reunion after 3 years would be uncomfortable and shocking for Annie, he gave her a convinient opportunity to leave classroom and deal with it the way he always used himself- on her own.

So, in his own eyes, he did what was best.

And about this new syllabus- c'mn, this is biology! Maybe he will focus on forest animals- to make it easier for her?

Yes, I WILL be defending him with my last breath

[fish]

So Tony is going to be the teacher that everybody is to scared to talk back to, even if they hate him? Good luck, kids!

Back in 'Microsat 5' Donny had implied that past-Tony's personality was drastically different from current-Tony's. I had always wondered about that since we never got a real glimpse of current-Tony, and past-Tony was already socially awkward enough to explain his bad dad behaviour in the present. Now I begin to see what Donny meant, this man is ice cold, with no hint of awkwardness. I wonder what happened to him in the past. Was there more than his wife slowly dying in front of him?

For me, Anthony's story has always been the most intriguing plot line in the comic. I'm gonna love this chapter, no matter the douchebag levels!

[Lewis Ransom]

What a way to start a class.
Still, the other students seem concerned, and Winsbury looks furious. A few years ago, the class shunned Annie, and Winsbury actively bullied her. It's good to know Annie has people on her side now.
Especially Kat. Comeuppance in 3...2...

[centzontotochtin]

"Considerably more difficult, but ultimately more rewarding."

Welp, here's something to analyze. I wonder now if Anthony's just asserting his authority, or if there's good intentions here to help his drive to hell. How will the class fare, do you think?

[davidm]

Mar 16, 2015 8:39:23 GMT alexsl said:

Now obviously this comic is not meant to be realistic, but I wonder: is it normal in the British school system that teachers can teach their own children? In the schools I visited back when I grew up in Germany that situation was scrupulously avoided - at the beginning of each year the teachers worked out a plan that would ensure that a teacher's child only ever had other people as teachers. Obviously to avoid both preferential treatment and the "fa... um... sir" embarrassment so well illustrated here.

So, is this a British thing or just a Gunnerkrigg Court thing?

A small town with only one class of grade 7 may not be able to do that in any country... you work with what you have.

Gunnerkrigg court is a sort of specialty school, a "Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters - Marvel Comics" where the "gifts" and side show may be more important than the regular school classes. Dad and daughter "side show" may be more important than the teaching regular subject. Daughter is medium of forest. Dad is gifted in own ways eg normal person could not do chapter 38.

In real life if you had people of school age who were somehow gifted to point where "natural security" of entire country was affected, the normal rules of country would probably not apply... (higher priorities then making sure things are perfectly impartial, just as Jones let the crazy Jack experiment roll to see the results)

[alexsl]

Yes, that is what I meant with "obviously the comic is not meant to be realistic". So I assume that the answer is no, in Britain they also try to avoid such a situation?

[artezzatrigger]

"Maybe she wouldn't have started wearing a whole mask of makeup if you weren't such a neglectful bastard, Charlie Brown."

That fifth panel. If thats how everyone else is reacting, I'm filled with anticipation of Kats no doubt inevitable glorious outburst.

[mcbibble]

Logged on after long absence just to say: Wow, Tom. This has been so interestingly and skillfully done. I mean, Anthony Carver, man and father has been one of the most crucial low-key mysteries of this comic for the entirety of its run. The emotional damage he's done to Annie has been revealed to us slowly over the last god-knows-how-many years. I don't know how I would have imagined Tom introducing him to us, but it wouldn't have been that genius, casual back-of-the-head reveal that had me on tenterhooks over the weekend, that worked SO WELL because it reaffirmed his callousness and showed it's impact on annie in one fell swoop.

Then this page, our waiting is over and you stick the effing boot in, really put the screws to our EMOTIONS. OH GOD I HATE HIM I HATE HIM I HATE HIM. OI have never hated a biology teacher more, and my teacher at school was a sectarian/racist nutcase who used to lock us in the cupboard.

[eightyfour]

Mar 16, 2015 7:26:05 GMT coolpilot said:

Okay, I was a major proponent of NOT seeing Anthony as a jerk, and looking at the reasons for why he is the way he is, but dude.

DUDE.

That's just being a jerk.

You know, I'm still not sold. Yes, he is being quite harsh there, but the only thing I really have an issue with is his use of the word "ridiculous". That's just not a nice thing to say even though if you look at it objectively, he's totally right. I mean seriously? Purple eyeshadow and green lipstick? I know it's a Antimony-trademark by now but I bet just about everyone here was thinking the same when they first saw it: That's some seriously weird makeup!

That said, there may be another reason behind this. With the makeup Annie may just look too much like her mother, which Anothony may just not be able to handle yet. That's purely speculative, of course, but I still mostly see him as a tortured soul that's desperately trying to come to terms with the death of his loved one.

[Lightice]

Wow, three pages of variations of "what an arsehole", already. I can't say that I think any differently, but just for the sake of variation, I'd like to speculate exactly why Tony is being such a douche.

I don't think at least for the moment that the "no make-up in class"-excuse has to do with any secret plan, evil or otherwise. I think that Anthony is basically suddenly seeing a teenaged version of his dead wife now sitting in his class and wants to erase that image from his mind, immediately. In fact, I currently suspect that he didn't know that Annie was going to be in this class any more than she did about him, and now in his mind the only options are "be a cold bastard" or "flip the hell out". Not that it excuses his behaviour in the slightest, but I get the feeling that he really doesn't want to be here, that he still can't handle interacting with Annie in any remotely normal manner, and what he's doing is a defensive mechanism on his part. A stupid, painful defence mechanism, mind you.

EDIT:

Mar 16, 2015 9:39:56 GMT eightyfour said:

That said, there may be another reason behind this. With the makeup Annie may just look too much like her mother, which Anothony may just not be able to handle yet. That's purely speculative, of course, but I still mostly see him as a tortured soul that's desperately trying to come to terms with the death of his loved one.

Whoops, looks like you brought up the same exact point while I was musing about what to write. Great minds.

[philman]

Mar 16, 2015 8:39:23 GMT alexsl said:

Now obviously this comic is not meant to be realistic, but I wonder: is it normal in the British school system that teachers can teach their own children? In the schools I visited back when I grew up in Germany that situation was scrupulously avoided - at the beginning of each year the teachers worked out a plan that would ensure that a teacher's child only ever had other people as teachers. Obviously to avoid both preferential treatment and the "fa... um... sir" embarrassment so well illustrated here.

So, is this a British thing or just a Gunnerkrigg Court thing?

As someone from Britain, it wasn't uncommon for children of teachers to be taught by their parents in large or small schools. The UK system generally didn't treat children of teachers different to any other children, parents teaching their children wasn't avoided or something they aimed for, it just happened sometimes. If they ended up in their parent's class then they usually received the opposite of preferential treatment, as the teacher knew exactly when they were messing about or being lazy and when they were actually struggling.

[arf]

Mar 16, 2015 8:06:38 GMT Chromeleon said:

Prediction: his "considerably more difficult" syllabus means Annie's about to get called on copying Kat's homework, as she struggles to keep up.

Actually, I've had the impression that Annie's smartened her act up since Jones had a word with her.

As for the current situation, which is clearly intended to have us livid, well...
It appears to be working.

[Morpheus]

[mcbibble]

Mar 16, 2015 9:49:08 GMT Lightice said:

Wow, three pages of variations of "what an arsehole", already. I can't say that I think any differently, but just for the sake of variation, I'd like to speculate exactly why Tony is being such a douche.

I don't think at least for the moment that the "no make-up in class"-excuse has to do with any secret plan, evil or otherwise. I think that Anthony is basically suddenly seeing a teenaged version of his dead wife now sitting in his class and wants to erase that image from his mind, immediately. In fact, I currently suspect that he didn't know that Annie was going to be in this class any more than she did about him, and now in his mind the only options are "be a cold bastard" or "flip the hell out". Not that it excuses his behaviour in the slightest, but I get the feeling that he really doesn't want to be here, that he still can't handle interacting with Annie in any remotely normal manner, and what he's doing is a defensive mechanism on his part. A stupid, painful defence mechanism, mind you.

EDIT:

Mar 16, 2015 9:39:56 GMT eightyfour said:

That said, there may be another reason behind this. With the makeup Annie may just look too much like her mother, which Anothony may just not be able to handle yet. That's purely speculative, of course, but I still mostly see him as a tortured soul that's desperately trying to come to terms with the death of his loved one.

Whoops, looks like you brought up the same exact point while I was musing about what to write. Great minds.

I don't know, there's a lot of speculating there. I for one am inclined to read it exactly as we're being shown. There's a tendancy when reading a mystery comic to be emotionally reserved in moments like this one because you're anticipating another boot dropping later. However, you rob yourself of the emotive joy of the comic when you do this, and in this case we've never been given any reason to think Anthony Carver might be decent, except that Annie seems to make excuses for him- like the children of abusive, withholding parents tend to do.

In short- don't hold back! Hate with abandon! BURN THE MONSTER, BURN HIIIIIM.

[Gaphol]

I wonder how long it will be before Jimmy Jims hears about this, and how impressed he is going to be.

[meltea]

After this page... I am calling a dream sequence.

[Rea]

On another note, I like how Winsbury used to bully Annie but by now he's basically on her side.

[hypixion]

Great wall of text:

Mar 16, 2015 7:10:17 GMT setrain said:

Am I the only person who feels like this is the darkest this comic has ever gotten? Like Mort was sad but natural and his first death was abstracted past. "She died and we did nothing" is dramatic fantasy betrayal backstory. But dads being emotionally cruel is mundane awful in a way that for me hits harder.

Maybe I'm just reacting to the moment and I'll have more perspective on this in the morning, but like wow.

No, not at all. 'She died and we did nothing' tale was much darker. It revealed a whole new side to the Court. As well as the recent chapter 'the torn sea' and the revelation of how far the robots would go to get Kat do what they think is what they should be doing. Kat is their eyes the creator but by what they are doing they are turning Kat into the perfect vision of their so called creator. These are just unresolved family matters, it is isn't really god or happy but not dark.

Mar 16, 2015 7:13:16 GMT mudmaniac said:

If you ever grew up with one of your parents as a teacher in your school you would feel this exact feeling.
Feels kinda like this. Kinda sucks.

You end up being put on the spot a whole lot more that other students.

Depends from person to person, some get extra attention and are of often expected to do better than the rest and so treated harsher while sometimes the child is really favorited by the parent teacher. If you get what I mean, the right words seem to escape me.

Mar 16, 2015 7:28:01 GMT setrain said:

Mar 16, 2015 7:19:54 GMT Chancellor said:

Let's also consider that he traipsed off into the wild blue yonder not long after her mother died to do Galactus only knows what, with nary a single syllable intended for Annie directed to her for however many years after dropping her off to sink or swim at this bonkers school. Oh, and there was the small matter of shooting etheric bone spires into Annie's body from space.

Nay, this is just another layer to the putrid onion of this man's noxious role in the story. I don't care if he's been out preventing the escape of the Ogdru Jahad, the man presents at every opportunity a face-scrawled upon every nano angstrom with the word "asshole" and that will make my opinion of him quite the challenge indeed; no slight against Tom.

Yeah, I guess this is just the first time I've been reminded of how awful he is in general. But in a lot of other stories, dads of protagonists are portrayed as forgivable or even justified for doing everything he has up to this point. I trust GC to be more honest then that, so I saw this coming, but I still think that this is basically the moral clarity where you see that he's basically emotionally abusive not just awkward or preoccupied. It makes me angry for all those other things all over again with greater moral clarity.

I think this kind of behavior is unique towards Annie. His friends have defended him many times. People behave differently towards different people. It all has to do with Surma Dying. Surma said 'he still love her very much' but I don't think that is true at all. He doesn't love Annie at all but still kind of feels he is the parent so he at still acts the 'Boss' side of being a parent. I have a theory about this, will tell it after all the qoutes

Mar 16, 2015 7:39:43 GMT Daedalus said:

Mar 16, 2015 7:28:13 GMT davidm said:

My guess is more than meets the eye here... eg Dad has reason to put on an act and may be message for daughter in washroom.

We've had the lead up that Dad before will put on one face in public and yet in private his feelings are completely different. He was in hiding for some reason, had supplies shipped to him in untraceable way for some reason.

Early in gunnerkrigg court history is 1 person who strongly disagrees with court, in this generation that may be "dad" and he may have reason as to why. Eg he may think he puts his daughter in danger if he is seen as friendly to her.

Ehh. We'll find out eventually, I suppose. That being said, even if he planned to give her a message in the washroom or whatever, the curt correction to "sir" was unnecessary. And so, so invalidating.

He is still a teacher and has authority over the students. He cannot act to familiar or personal with the students.

Mar 16, 2015 7:40:38 GMT CGAdam said:

I don't know if I'm willing to cast Carver into 'irrevocable asshat' territory just yet, but he definitely did that wrong. First day of class, Annie's far from the only girl in there and probably not the only one wearing makeup, but he calls his own daughter out on it? Pegs the needle pretty hard into 'jerk' level with a measure of 'poor father'. Doubtless a smart man, but doesn't seem like a good leader and not a positive indicator of his teaching style.

True, but I think there is a reason.

Mar 16, 2015 7:41:11 GMT stci said:

Hm. Asshole indeed.

Yet Kat's parents seem friendly with the guy. And Surma presumably saw something in him.

Remember that Surma died because she had Annie. Presumably he had something to do with that (or not...?), so it wouldn't be unlikely that he's thinking something between "she reminds me of when I killed my wife" and "she killed my wife".

I don't know that that excuses anything. It might explain a few things, however.

I agree that it probly has something to do with this. People like to believe people can't be assholes like this but the sure can.

Mar 16, 2015 7:59:19 GMT ed1300 said:

Mar 16, 2015 7:41:11 GMT stci said:

Hm. Asshole indeed.

Yet Kat's parents seem friendly with the guy. And Surma presumably saw something in him.

Remember that Surma died because she had Annie. Presumably he had something to do with that (or not...?), so it wouldn't be unlikely that he's thinking something between "she reminds me of when I killed my wife" and "she killed my wife".

I don't know that that excuses anything. It might explain a few things, however.

He seemed pretty normal back in the day.

He was and I still think he is, he just thinks different. He also seems to have a "grudge" towards annie which makes him behave like that. I think he does blame Annie for Surma's death

Mar 16, 2015 8:04:51 GMT davidm said:

Mar 16, 2015 7:49:03 GMT Chancellor said:

Furthermore if he were entirely focused on protecting Annie and so much as the revelation of his status as her father endangered her, why is he teaching a class she's part of, much less at the court in the first place?

It is not the biological status of "father" but the "love" status of father/daughter that matters as far as leverage. Eg common plot for the main villian of a story to use the "daughter" of the scientist as hostage/leverage to build the super weapon.... that doesn't work if father doesn't care about his daughter.

Dad was completely obsessed with saving the life of mom. Dad may see reason mom died as a disease that should be stopped.

Dad already seems to have tried to cure daughter once by long distance after getting supplies in untracable way. The most obvious answer to why he is in court is because only way to save his daughter, but he can't let others know that.

Borderlands 2, Jack might have cared about his daughter but he didn't show it all. Most of the time it is deceit that is being used to use the child for own means.

Mar 16, 2015 8:05:15 GMT download said:

Unfortunately I don't think Annie will do anything to him. Despite how much of an ass he is it seems in her mind he can do no bad. I'm expect either Kat or Blondie (his name escapes me) to snap.

Also, I'm glad Zimmy left her mark on his nose.

I think Annie will return to the class angrily Yelling at the teacher and Anthony just putting them in their spot.

Mar 16, 2015 8:05:09 GMT Chancellor said:

In any case, I foresee poor Annie tears in the fairly near future. Probably after she attempts to speak with her father and is rebuffed for "bothering him with 'matters' irrelevant to his role as a teacher and her as a student."

I think Annie and Kat are going to spend some time in their special place. Hence the title of the chapter.

Mar 16, 2015 8:06:26 GMT setrain said:

Mar 16, 2015 7:57:55 GMT rafk said:

Yes, it occurs that Anthony's asshat moment here is in fact aimed entirely at getting Annie's make-up off so he can do something.


As to the "Surma and Donnie saw something good in Anthony, maybe he's got secret reasons to do this" argument, the only thing I can say is that maybe Anthony was infected with something more subtle than the whitelegs, in his drive to cure Surma. Or he's mentally ill. One way or another it's hard to believe he has any affection for his daughter. While he was away it was arguable he was doing something important and couldn't call... Now he's back he's got no excuse for failing to even say hello to his daughter. This is beyond being socially awkward.

I find it far more likely that they are simply wrong about him. People often have a very hard time believing that their friend that treats them quite well is a bad person or did a bad thing. People make excuses for their friends all too often at the expense of their kids. In most stories they would be right and the parent would have a good reason or really actually care. But in real life with the information we have, most of the time the parent's friends would just be in denial. And GC has a pretty good track record of doing the socially realistic thing rather than the standard trope.

Honestly I really hope that they're not actually an excuse because I am way more than tired of fictional parents turning out to have good reasons for treating their kids terribly. That trope does real harm.

There is nor reason for a parent to treat their child bad. Anthony doesn't like Annie and it shows. He might just only act this harsh towards Annie. And maybe those who don't respect his authority as teacher in the following pages, when the class attacks him for his behavior.

Mar 16, 2015 8:15:41 GMT Garbage said:

Mar 16, 2015 8:06:36 GMT zimmyzims said:

It works! And I still think, too, that it is part of his tragedy that he has to make himself appear as a douchebag. However, I hope there will at some point be a good father-daughter moment between them to save his memory, if even for Annie alone, everybody else might still take him just for a knob.

I bet they'll be a note in there or something for her!

The Court is huge, there lots of ways to get a message to Annie without the court knowing. Especially for Anthony who is a master at hiding himself and his doings. The 'note in the bathroom' is the slightly less dangerous than telling the message right in the classroom after class has ended.

Mar 16, 2015 8:39:23 GMT alexsl said:

Now obviously this comic is not meant to be realistic, but I wonder: is it normal in the British school system that teachers can teach their own children? In the schools I visited back when I grew up in Germany that situation was scrupulously avoided - at the beginning of each year the teachers worked out a plan that would ensure that a teacher's child only ever had other people as teachers. Obviously to avoid both preferential treatment and the "fa... um... sir" embarrassment so well illustrated here.

So, is this a British thing or just a Gunnerkrigg Court thing?

I don't think this is a British thing only, I had parents teach their own kids in school many times and read on the internet many times of the same thing in different countries. Teacher are expected to not be to familiar with their students, as is expected of any person with authority over others. It depends on the school how strict they are with this. Some are very loose about it and don't care what the teacher does.

Mar 16, 2015 8:41:00 GMT dard said:

To me, it's not so much a problem that he said that to Antimony.
I put a lot of blame into the Court itself. What were they thinking, putting Annie into class with her father? I mean, we had plenty of parents and their children at our schools and I can't remember of a single time when they were put in the same class!

That being said: What Anthony did was way out of line for any teacher adressing any pupil!
He establishes a new rule? Fine! Tell the class that from now on this or that is forbidden. Enforce it the next time.
Namecalling a pupil in front of the class for doing something that was all right until that moment is simply not right, regardless if it is his daughter or not!
Which does not mean, of course, that there aren't teachers in real life who do exactly that. Alas...

PS: On a more general note: I severely dislike makeup on people too, regardless of age or gender. Only exception being certain artists like Alice Cooper. But I don't go around talking to people to stop that habit.

I don't think the court is interest in personal or family matters, they have bigger and more important stuff to do. They probably thought nothing of it.

He is acting out of line but unusual, I had teachers who were harsher than this. A good way to set a rule is to give an example, that is what he did. But I don't think that was his intention. The rule is an excuse i say because it is only aimed at her. The rule part should've been announced to the whole class. He isn't acting out his authority as a teacher but as parent I guess.

Mar 16, 2015 8:44:41 GMT fish said:

So Tony is going to be the teacher that everybody is to scared to talk back to, even if they hate him? Good luck, kids!

Back in 'Microsat 5' Donny had implied that past-Tony's personality was drastically different from current-Tony's. I had always wondered about that since we never got a real glimpse of current-Tony, and past-Tony was already socially awkward enough to explain his bad dad behaviour in the present. Now I begin to see what Donny meant, this man is ice cold, with no hint of awkwardness. I wonder what happened to him in the past. Was there more than his wife slowly dying in front of him?

For me, Anthony's story has always been the most intriguing plot line in the comic. I'm gonna love this chapter, no matter the douchebag levels!

There is more behind him than we know right now, that is sure.

Mar 16, 2015 8:44:46 GMT Lewis Ransom said:

What a way to start a class.
Still, the other students seem concerned, and Winsbury looks furious. A few years ago, the class shunned Annie, and Winsbury actively bullied her. It's good to know Annie has people on her side now.
Especially Kat. Comeuppance in 3...2...

It has been the same class since she joined, I think it would be hard to not become friendly with eachother over the years. Add the fact that they live together.

Mar 16, 2015 9:49:08 GMT Lightice said:

Wow, three pages of variations of "what an arsehole", already. I can't say that I think any differently, but just for the sake of variation, I'd like to speculate exactly why Tony is being such a douche.

I don't think at least for the moment that the "no make-up in class"-excuse has to do with any secret plan, evil or otherwise. I think that Anthony is basically suddenly seeing a teenaged version of his dead wife now sitting in his class and wants to erase that image from his mind, immediately. In fact, I currently suspect that he didn't know that Annie was going to be in this class any more than she did about him, and now in his mind the only options are "be a cold bastard" or "flip the hell out". Not that it excuses his behaviour in the slightest, but I get the feeling that he really doesn't want to be here, that he still can't handle interacting with Annie in any remotely normal manner, and what he's doing is a defensive mechanism on his part. A stupid, painful defence mechanism, mind you.

EDIT:

Mar 16, 2015 9:39:56 GMT eightyfour said:

That said, there may be another reason behind this. With the makeup Annie may just look too much like her mother, which Anothony may just not be able to handle yet. That's purely speculative, of course, but I still mostly see him as a tortured soul that's desperately trying to come to terms with the death of his loved one.

Whoops, looks like you brought up the same exact point while I was musing about what to write. Great minds.

I agree it has something to do with Surma.

Now, for my own theory:

First of all, the reason why Annie wears make-up: Because of her mother, it is the same way Surma had it. Maybe she is trying to be more like her mother, replace her or it just remembrance of her mother. Anthony sees this and thinks that Annie looks to similar. He hates the idea that Annie is somehow there to replace Surma and the make-up thing really makes it obvious to him. I think he does genuinely hate Annie for what has happened to Surma.

However, this doesn't make him evil. He is a bad parent but he is not evil. I think Anthony might be the Snape of this story. He hates Annie because the woman he loved died because of her. However, because of Surma he is still going to protect her. And he was ordered to help Annie even tough he hates her so he does this in an harsh indirect way that really shouldn't be done. His ways of working put him in the bad side but in the end he had been serving the good side all along. The question only is, which side is the good side?

But I have another idea that fights this. In the chapter divine, I think Anthony might have being trying to suck the life out of Annie to give it back to Surma. Anthony is working against the court and the ethereal world to serve his own purpose. 

What I will think will happen in the next pages:
Annie leaves and might cry in the bathroom for a while, alone.
She returns to the students throwing towards Anthony.
Anthony puts the students in their place, everyone gets detention and class either continues or total hell breaks loose and the headmaster, Jones or even Annie intervenes.
Afterwards, Annie and Kat are going to talk I think Renard will say his say but I think this will happen later. Annie might try to hide this from Renard at first?
Anthony is going to act the 'telling their child what to do' part of being a parent but isn't going to act familiar with Annie. Because he thinks that what he at least should do because he is her father.

I think this Anthony thing isn't going to be solved in just one chapter but something important is going to happen. 

Now that I think about it, I checked and the tree on the cover is an apple tree but if I remember correctly the tree in Annie and Kat their special place is a cherry tree. 

You guys are now free to yell at me.