04/28/07 Abel's Story [84] Wow

[Cvstos]

Wow.  *This*is why DMFA is my favorite webcomic.  Stuff like this.  Just amazing... 

[Rafe]

Who is drip?

One of the character's in Dave Hopkin's rather disturbing comic strip 'Jack', I think.

He's the "Sin" in charge (?) of Lust. He's rather depraved, spends a lot of his time running Hell, and isn't much liked, for various very very obvious reasons (at least, once you read some of the strip)

Needless to say, the strip is Not Safe For Work. It's also likely to cause some people to be rather upset. Be warned.

Just to temper things a bit, David Hopkins' Jack can be extremely gut wrenching emotionally, but so is "Abel's story".  I wouldn't recommend either one to every DMFA reader.  They are both excellent stories, with very human, very believeable characters.  Plus, Jack may have characters like serial rapist/murderer Drip, but it also has other redeeming characters... like Miss Mab... and Rafe.

My gods Amber, you've really excelled yourself this time.  I've always been told it's the mark of a good writer if you can get people to become emotionally engaged in your story, and given that this single strip has added at least five new people to the forum, I would say you've done that in spades.

Someone is going to have to tell you what happened in January at the Jack forum, when Mr. Hopkins posted one extra 29 page story, and it added 3,000 new members to the forum. (Yes, really).

And back to the May/Aniz topic - There's been a lot of agonizing over Aniz apparently deceiving May for all this time.  I assume at some level, Aniz was attracted to May.  Deception does occur in these situations.  Women snicker among themselves as to how their men can be fooled by fake orgasms.  That's nothing.  As Aniz proves, women may fake orgasms, but men can fake entire relationships. 

[katzklaw]

well, after discussing with my hubby, he had two interesting things to point out...

1. fuel for the "May might be a demoness" theory (which would neatly explain Abel's dual-wing appearance):  how the HECK does a BEING know how good the schools are in a DEMON city?  I can understand the wife of an adventurer knowing of the presense of a nearby demon city, even knowing the NAME of such a city... but the schools?  its not like they're gonna send out flyers "visit our schools!  best magic lessons this side of Timbucktuu!"

2. why would a cubi' carry on a charade for 20+ years?  whats Abel's clan specialty again?  thats right... confusion.  think how much confusion would be generated by a child with WINGS being born in a nice normal quiet little being town.  and that confusion will last... and last... and LAST.  remember, rumors are a form of confusion too. 

[Kasarn]

My gods Amber, you've really excelled yourself this time.  I've always been told it's the mark of a good writer if you can get people to become emotionally engaged in your story, and given that this single strip has added at least five new people to the forum, I would say you've done that in spades.

Someone is going to have to tell you what happened in January at the Jack forum, when Mr. Hopkins posted one extra 29 page story, and it added 3,000 new members to the forum. (Yes, really).

This just in: YOU NEED TO REGISTER AT THE JACK FORUM TO SEE MOST OF THE BOARDS.

[Netami]

And you need to register at a friend's house if you use a proxy to connect cause their process is trying to keep you out!!1 

[Manawolf]

My gods Amber, you've really excelled yourself this time.  I've always been told it's the mark of a good writer if you can get people to become emotionally engaged in your story, and given that this single strip has added at least five new people to the forum, I would say you've done that in spades.

Someone is going to have to tell you what happened in January at the Jack forum, when Mr. Hopkins posted one extra 29 page story, and it added 3,000 new members to the forum. (Yes, really).

This just in: YOU NEED TO REGISTER AT THE JACK FORUM TO SEE MOST OF THE BOARDS.

Your point being?

[Aridas]

the point is that is the likely reason there were 3000 new members. Like, out of necessity?

[Damaris]

Yet, surprisingly, unrelated to Abel's story this week.  Back on the train boys.

[Manawolf]

You'd think as a mod you'd have already seen how unrelated these topics tend to get.  Are you surprised it took until page 8 to get this far off?

[Damaris]

Yes, but we don't allow the off-topicness turn into a discussion about the goings-on of another forum.  It's tacky and rude, and against rule 2C.

[jeffh4]

Despite Amber's occasional bad vibes about following her muse, story moments like this are the best reason to read this comic.  There are plenty of "funny" webcomics out there, but few that cause you to ask yourself: "Did I see this coming? Why not? What am I not perceiving in my everyday life that could lead me to a fate like May's?"   

Amber's writing turns on portions of my brain beyond the instant gratification, quick smile "Peanuts" variety.  That's what makes it significant.

[superluser]

If he was always a cubi, why did he have teh scar at all?

Simple.  Cid/Aniz goes on an adventure and his opponent slices his eye.  Blood, vitreous humour everywhere.  His party sees it.  He can't shift it back.  He has to pretend that his eye is permanently gone.

I don't agree.  I think this latest twist just broke the plot, sorry.

The twist is fine.  It's just Aniz's superficial behavior that doesn't make sense.

Also, some people are suggesting that Devin and Abel are half-brothers from Cid/Aniz.  To those people, I would like make a few points and ask a few questions.

1.) Abel and Devin were playmates in grade school.
2.) This likely means that Devin and Abel are within a few years (fewer than three, I'd wager) of each other.
3.) Devin's dad left on the day he was born.
4.) There were multiple ``others'' which Devin's mom killed.
5.) It's unclear if ``the others'' were Devin's dad's children, but it seems likely.
6.) It seems likely that ``the others'' were born and then killed, not aborted.

Given all of that, if Cid/Aniz were Devin's dad, he would have had to play husband to both Devin's mom and May at the same time for at least nine months, and possibly 27 months or more.

Amber's writing turns on portions of my brain beyond the instant gratification, quick smile "Peanuts" variety.  That's what makes it significant.

Don't go there.

Peanuts kinda tapered off in the last couple of decades, but the 60's-70's version was witty, emotional, and sharp.  Do you remember the strip where Charlie Brown screamed at Lucy that he was going to ``TEAR ALL YOUR ARMS OFF!''?  I had to do a double take at that one.

[Moonfrost]

  Back on topic? Ok. Aniz is cute!

Yes, I will keep saying this. Why? Because I can, and because it's true!

[Manawolf]

And he's still an asshole.  Why?  Because it's also true.

[Ouai]

Back on topic? Ok. Aniz is cute!

Yes, I will keep saying this. Why? Because I can, and because it's true!

Ah, the simple things 

And he's still an asshole.  Why?  Because it's also true.

Err, and the not so 

[Cogidubnus]

And he's still an asshole.  Why?  Because it's also true.

I mean, just look at him! That goatee practically oozes evil!

[Manawolf]

Goatee, the signature hairstyle of villains and antiheroes.  Last I looked, the most we've seen him beat up is May, so which of the two would he fit under?

[Ouai]

Goatee, the signature hairstyle of villains and antiheroes.  Last I looked, the most we've seen him beat up is May, so which of the two would he fit under?

Villain at the time

[Cogidubnus]

Goatee, the signature hairstyle of villains and antiheroes.  Last I looked, the most we've seen him beat up is May, so which of the two would he fit under?

Well, it'd be one thing if he was dark and brooding, but he seems to enjoy the tormenting quite a bit. Id'n go with villain.

[Tsunari]

How do we know his name is Aniz?

[Kasarn]

How do we know his name is Aniz?

S3KRITS! j/k, here's the post earlier in this thread
http://clockworkmansion.com/forum/index.php?topic=2663.msg109803#msg109803

[tenlaius]

i would comment but everyone else covered my views on it..but ya..twisting element..more so then when SNAPE KILLED DUMBLEDORE!! >.>

good one none-the-less, relax amber...take a break if need be..us DMFA-ites could find other ways to entertain ourself during the break.

[Tapewolf]

Just to temper things a bit, David Hopkins' Jack can be extremely gut wrenching emotionally, but so is "Abel's story".  I wouldn't recommend either one to every DMFA reader.  They are both excellent stories, with very human, very believeable characters.  Plus, Jack may have characters like serial rapist/murderer Drip, but it also has other redeeming characters... like Miss Mab... and Rafe.

Abel's Story has some very dark moments, and in one or two places has come close to the edge of what I'm happy with (the slaughter scene when they reach the fort, for example) but is still nothing compared to what little I've seen of Jack.  The 'Cubi History as pondered by Amber would likely tip things too far for me personally.

I see that most of the readers applaud the new plot twist.
I don't agree.  I think this latest twist just broke the plot, sorry.

Amber's had years to iron out the bugs in this plot.  If she was writing this seat-of-the-pants I might be tempted to agree, but she's had this all planned out in advance.  If I were in that position and I still couldn't bridge any plot-holes I'd have junked the concept and replaced it.  The fact that we don't know what happened in Abel's childhood makes it all the easier for her to have written a 'pin compatible' replacement - we would be none the wiser unless it directly contradicted what we've seen in the mainline.
To my mind that she has done it this way can only mean it's a deliberate discontinuity which ultimately will make sense when we have all the pieces.

[Mwa]

Am I the only person who burst out laughing and applauded?
Keep it up Amber, I'm loving every frame of this. <3

[Netami]

I did only after I realized his name is pronounced Anus. And that he looks like Vegeta after being asked about a power level.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Someone is going to have to tell you what happened in January at the Jack forum, when Mr. Hopkins posted one extra 29 page story, and it added 3,000 new members to the forum. (Yes, really).

What's the base number of the forum, though?

Here, we picked up 19 out of 612 or so - where our usual daily pickup rate is ~1-2/day, for most of the month.

3000 seems like a -big- step, but is it >3% of the forum? Or >10% of the regular posters? Or ~10x your usual daily takeup?

Note that I'm asking purely because I'm interested, not because I'm playing dick-size wars. I mean, Jack's all well and good, but it doesn't tend to bring me to make comments about it, whereas DMFA does...

[Rafe]

The number of members on the Jack Forum (which has been around in some form since March 2001) was 3,025 on 1/9/07 when the story was posted on the forum.

By the end of the next day, 1/10, there were 3,365 members.

After a week, there were 4,088 members.

Now, there are 6,190, so that incident more than doubled the number of registered members -  so yeah, even given the relative size, it was a huge jump.

I have to mention that what happened was that Mr. Hopkins was feeling very grateful to all the people who had helped him and Katie over the past year, mainly by raising over $11,000 last summer when he was very much in need of an operation.  You may remember, Amber was one of those helped out and spread the word of his need.  He posted a non-canon, Not-Safe-For-Work comic involving some of his main characters as a thank-you.  Since is was for the fans, and it was NSFW, he thought it best to put it on a fan-art page that required forum registration.

[Jigsaw Forte]

I did only after I realized his name is pronounced Anus. And that he looks like Vegeta after being asked about a power level.

I'd think with a name like Aniz it's more like Ah-knees, or maybe Ahn-iss. (which sounds like 'honest', ironically...)

[ChessM]

I fear reading the next comic... 

[Rafe]

I fear reading the next comic... 

Somehow, I think Amber is VERY pleased with that reaction.