2006-12-02: News flash - Devin is a smartarse!

[Tapewolf]

I still say Xander is a 'cubi himself.  His comment about the tattoos is interesting, but that could just be him testing Abel to see what he knows.

Now do you mean that Xander is one of the `cubi, or that one has impersonated Xander?  Both are interesting.

As for that, I can't say, but I do know there's a Dalmatian 'cubi in SAIA with the same eyes, hair colour and spot pattern as Xander (Vol #555).  The ears are the only difference I can see, apart from the wings and the hairstyle (NOT colour).

His comments do make it sound like a ham-handed way of telegraphing his findings to Devin...

Devin wouldn't necessarily know if Xander really is a Creature.  I'm not sure I'd go 'round blabbing my 'cubi heritage to any old Being adventurer.  As the giant cockroach told Wiliam Lee in one of his trips, "Homosexuality is the best all-round cover an agent ever had".  If Xander admits to Devin that he's gay, Devin is going to think that's his only secret, right?

[Dard]

I still say Xander is a 'cubi himself.  His comment about the tattoos is interesting, but that could just be him testing Abel to see what he knows.

Now do you mean that Xander is one of the `cubi, or that one has impersonated Xander?  Both are interesting.

As for that, I can't say, but I do know there's a Dalmatian 'cubi in SAIA with the same eyes, hair colour and spot pattern as Xander (Vol #555).  The ears are the only difference I can see, apart from the wings and the hairstyle (NOT colour).

Ohhhh....
You've got me!
Of course this may be a coincidence or Amber's subconsciosness, but good eyes!

What I thought when reading this week's Abel's Story is a quote from the "X-Statix presents Deadgirl" TPB, when Dr. Strange commented "Why do I say 'suffice'? Who still says 'suffice' these days?". (quoted from memory) And later in the book: "The mystical orb of <whatever> will suffice. I mean do, it will do!"

[Aridas]

There seems to be what looks like glasses too, and the one smaller spot is "missing". I thought Amber already said it was just a coincidence, though.. I'd have to look back.

[superluser]

Devin wouldn't necessarily know if Xander really is a Creature.  I'm not sure I'd go 'round blabbing my 'cubi heritage to any old Being adventurer.

I don't think I ever said that Xander told Devin that he's one of the `cubi.  Just that Devin knows about `cubi clan markings.  I mean, there are entire books about animal tracks, so wouldn't it be natural to expect there to be compendia about markings and other defining features of various varmints?

[Tapewolf]

I thought Amber already said it was just a coincidence, though.. I'd have to look back.

Not in the thread where I first pointed it out, she didn't.  Other people said it was a coincidence.

Whichever way you dice it there are problems - even if we say it's not Xander.  That there should be someone who looks so just like him but isn't is frankly, far-fetched unless we break canon and say he's something Amber drew as a prototype.  I'm not ruling that out either, but that being the case, I would have at least changed the hair colour

There seems to be what looks like glasses too, and the one smaller spot is "missing".

I think the smaller spot is protruding from the glasses.  Without access to the original sketches it's impossible to tell.  As for the question of why is he wearing glasses at all, who knows?  If it is Xander, he might be long-sighted which would give him good distance vision for archery but problems reading (which he would need to do more in SAIA than outside).  I wouldn't have thought 'Cubi would need glasses at all, though..

Most of this has been covered in the original thread:
http://clockworkmansion.com/forum/index.php?topic=973.0

I don't think I ever said that Xander told Devin that he's one of the `cubi.  Just that Devin knows about `cubi clan markings.

Ah.

I mean, there are entire books about animal tracks, so wouldn't it be natural to expect there to be compendia about markings and other defining features of various varmints?

Abel's own parents didn't seem to know what he was.. they seem to have been worried that he was an angel, even though his wings have demon attributes as well as feathers.
Then we have a troupe of four seasoned adventurers crashing into Lost Lake, only suspecting Dan of being a 'cubi because he's been spell-transformed and totally missing Abel who has used his regular 'cubi powers to shapeshift.  If adventurers can't get that right now, when 'cubi are relatively free to live among Beings, are they really going to be able to do a better job 400 years ago?  

[superluser]

Abel's own parents didn't seem to know what he was.. they seem to have been worried that he was an angel, even though his wings have demon attributes as well as feathers.
Then we have a troupe of four seasoned adventurers crashing into Lost Lake, only suspecting Dan of being a 'cubi because he's been spell-transformed and totally missing Abel who has used his regular 'cubi powers to shapeshift.  If adventurers can't get that right now, when 'cubi are relatively free to live among Beings, are they really going to be able to do a better job 400 years ago? 

The people at Lost Lake were using detect magic.  Seeing an actual clan marking would be a bit of a giveaway.  We know that Abel's non-adventurer mom has seen it, but I don't think his adventurer father has seen it.  And since Dan promised to have nothing to do with `cubi, he probably didn't read up on them.

[Manawolf]

The only real connections are they're both dalmations and red heads.  But the ears are different.

You people really need to start shaving with Occam's Razor.

[Tapewolf]

The only real connections are they're both dalmations and red heads.  But the ears are different.

I disagree.  The ears are the only real disconnect.  What convinces me that this is the most plausible explanation is the spot pattern.  Dalmatians - even in Furrae - are not like cheetahs... they are not clones and the spot pattern is different with each individual.  Amber doesn't draw many of them but the others which we can find do not resemble Xander to such a degree.

You people really need to start shaving with Occam's Razor.

I'd go with that.  The problem is that for me, the simplest explanation is that they're the same person.  IMHO, if they're different people who happen to look almost near-identical even down to spots, you're left with a bigger problem.

The easiest thing to do is to forget you ever saw it and see what happens to Xander in the strip
If he's killed by the Creature, I'm wrong, obviously.  Otherwise, we won't know until Abel starts to go to SAIA himself.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

There's another possibility, you know.

one of the other Cubi has taken the image from Abel's memory and is taunting him with it.

Flesh the story out however you prefer. :-)

[Manawolf]

As I said, they don't have the same ears.  The one at SAIA were solid black.  In the end, it could have just been a simple cameo.

[Tapewolf]

There's another possibility, you know.
one of the other Cubi has taken the image from Abel's memory and is taunting him with it.

Yes, it's quite possible it might be someone else who's assumed Xander's identity, but I'm not sure it's for taunting reasons.

First, Abel is ignoring him.  Whoever the Dalmatian is, they've probably known each other for centuries.  Abel's certainly not reacting as if it was a taunt, so I'd imagine the other 'cubi would have got bored and changed back by now.
Second, you'd have to get into Abel's mind to do it.  Most 'cubi are mind-shielded, and given how furtive and self-reliant Abel seems to be, I'd be very, very surprised if he let anyone else into his head.

[Elader Arkon]

Oh yay, lets just tick off the paladin. Yeah, thats REALLY smart.

[Manawolf]

Paladins: Lawful Good and violent about it.

[Elader Arkon]

Yep

I'm anxious to see what happens next

[Nullcast]

Crazy thing is I think I vaguely remember something about Wildy's mom being a paladin....

[Drake Manaweilder]

Crazy thing is I think I vaguely remember something about Wildy's mom being a paladin....

Probem: Glory dosn't look like a ferret, i think she looks like a short Racoon, or perhaps a racoon/mouse/other hybrid.. 'least from my view.

Whoever the Dalmatian is, they've probably known each other for centuries.

I'm kinda' doubting that,  Acording to his profile, Abel's smugness drove off most 'Cubi, meaning that he likely had only a few (if any) friends. Of course i realise that Abel wasn't always so smug. (otherwise he would be the one with the smart-ass comment) He seems to think that he is a being, one who knows magic, but a being none the less. So, when he goes to SAIA, I would imagine he would be more than a little distant from the other 'Cubi. Not to mension his "goth" stage. Soo.. yeah I'm really doubting that he knows many 'Cubi.

...I had more to say but I can't remember it.

[Landon_Fox]

Paladins: Lawful Good and violent about it.

I'm saving that quote.

[Tapewolf]

Whoever the Dalmatian is, they've probably known each other for centuries.

I'm kinda' doubting that,  Acording to his profile, Abel's smugness drove off most 'Cubi, meaning that he likely had only a few (if any) friends.

Yeah, I was thinking more of "knowing who each other are" than implying they were firm friends.  Most of that aspect was covered in the previous thread anyway.

[Nino]

Bah. I have speculation!

The cubi in SAIA could be Xander's descendant, assuming Xander is indeed a being. Because offspring look more like their being parent that would explain the uncanny resemblance, and being a Cubi he could have been a direct child of Xander, even all those years later.

And the whole "Xander is gay" thing isn't enough to discount it. A lot of gay men do have children, whether because they are bi or through a serrogate mother. Or even if Xander did it with a Cubi then the Cubi could have been male but shapeshifted to get pregnant, if that were possible (as long as they made sure there was at least one X gene in the gametes then they wouldn't even have to change their genes). Assuming that Xander really is gay and it's not just Devin getting retaliation for that one comment.

Of course, saying he has a cousin who changed all her spots to rainbow seems like Xander might have a magical heritage after all. He did say a  "magical tatoo shop." hmm.

Or I still think it could be a coincidence. Having 2 (edit: 3) spots in common isn't enough to warrant saying they are the same, especially since they have different ears. Though the red eyes and hair still seem suspicious to me, and Amber has yet to comment and say that we're crazy, which means she's probably got an explanation for it more than just "coincidence." Or she may just enjoy the speculation.

[Zedd]

Who knows whats next people? Tune into next time on Ambers floofy brain nugget!

[superluser]

First, Abel is ignoring him.  Whoever the Dalmatian is, they've probably known each other for centuries.

Not really.  Just because you're in the same room as someone doesn't mean that you have to talk to that person.

Also, the hair color in 555 is brown, only the wings are red (Yes, brown is a dark red--that's not my point), and the character looks like a female.

[Tapewolf]

Also, the hair color in 555 is brown, only the wings are red (Yes, brown is a dark red--that's not my point), and the character looks like a female.

We can't tell the character's gender for sure since only their head is clear enough to examine properly.

I just don't see how you can say the hair is brown.  Even pulling the image apart with GIMP is giving me various shades of red.  Was that a typo and you mean 'eyes'?  I'll admit the eyes are unclear but they've been JPEG compressed and they only total about 10-16 pixels anyway.

[Now it gets well off-topic...]
For the hair, I'm getting colours ranging from 700000 (44% pure red) through D42429 (80% red, 14% green, 16% blue) which as far as I'm concerned is 'red' by any sensible definition.  Xander's hair has the same approximate composition (640000 - D91C20).

If I sample the definitely-brown wings and fur of the pink/brown 'cubi immediately behind the Dalmatian, I get colours like 774A20 (47% red, 29% green, 13% blue) and 552F09 (32% red, 18% blue, 4% green).

Do you think it's worth resurrecting the original thread to save this one?

[superluser]

I just don't see how you can say the hair is brown.  Even pulling the image apart with GIMP is giving me various shades of red.  Was that a typo and you mean 'eyes'?  I'll admit the eyes are unclear but they've been JPEG compressed and they only total about 10-16 pixels anyway.

No, the eyes are pretty clearly red.  I think what I'm seeing as hair, others have called ears.  And I still say that's hair.  It might be black, not brown, but not red.  Whatever is red seems to be wings and maybe some sort of cap.

Do you think it's worth resurrecting the original thread to save this one?

Mmmaybe.  I think I'm pretty much done on speculating on 555 unless someone has something profound to add.

[Tapewolf]

I think what I'm seeing as hair, others have called ears.  And I still say that's hair.  It might be black, not brown, but not red.  Whatever is red seems to be wings and maybe some sort of cap.

Ahh.. that makes sense.  What I'm seeing is one dark brown/black ear on their left (our right).  The wings and headwings are bright red, what I'm seeing as the hair is a series of bangs on the top of the head, brushed back and one large bang in their right (our left).  I'm assuming it's hair because it's the same design and texture as Dan's hair, but it is made of the same colours as Xander's hair - noticably darker than the wings.

[MT Hazard]

I'm still not sure what the black backed panels represent (if anything) could it be Dev is slightly worried Glory might of figured out what Abel is? (Before lapsing back into sarcasm) is it just a single colour to save time? Am I over analysing?

[superluser]

I'm still not sure what the black backed panels represent (if anything) could it be Dev is slightly worried Glory might of figured out what Abel is? (Before lapsing back into sarcasm) is it just a single colour to save time? Am I over analysing?

It's probably called foreshortening.  I might have the wrong term of art for it, but basically it's when you compress or remove certain visual elements from a scene for dramatic effect.

Like in Vertigo where you see the stairwells, or when you see Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny switching from ``Wabbit season'' to ``Duck season,'' but you don't see every hammer stroke, or when you see the scene to silhouettes when someone is sliced in two in J. Random anime series.

I'd say that this proves that Amber is a really good artist, but it's more that she knows how to use really good techniques in appropriate situations, since crappy artists also use this technique.

[Pentawolf]

*hrmmms as he appears from the lurkerdom*  I doubt Dev knows that abel is a cubi.  It is more likely that he is just being sarcastic....  this IS devin afterall.

[Blast]

after Abel denies the cubi thing and he gets his headwingsat the end or on the next page would generally be a better twist

Hmmm, maybe you get your headwings after you deny you're one of the `cubi.

...Maybe `cubi heritage isn't even necessary.  Maybe you become one upon denying it.  That would be fun, especially at witch trials.

``I swear!  I'm not a succubus!'' (poink!) ``Well, how do we know that his honor isn't an incubus?''

``This is outrageous!  I'm no incubus!'' (poink!)

I don't think is how it works
We all know Dan is stubborn and is an adventurer and isn't exactly bright so he just thought he got the wings form his mom and nothing else

S was making a joke, sweetheart. ;p

You weren't supposed to take it seriously.

[superluser]

*hrmmms as he appears from the lurkerdom*  I doubt Dev knows that abel is a cubi.  It is more likely that he is just being sarcastic....  this IS devin afterall.

Doesn't have to be either-or.

I propose a compromise: Devin is sarcasic, knows he's an incubus, and cookies are delicious.

Howzat?

[Pentawolf]

eh... I could go for more cookies... Mmmm cookies and tea...