30/09/2011 [PF #185] Dorcan, Dorcan don't you lose their number...

[ChaosMageX]

...Cos you're not anywhere that they can find you.

You're in a secret base in The Arctic, remember?

And so apparently it was told among the people of Mundesburg, that their former mayor knew not what he did, for the cubi he struck down became more powerful than he could have possibly imagined.

Really, he never meant to do anything wrong, but it's gonna get worse if he waits too long to contact his parents.

For those who noticed the title, I'm quite serious about Julei's outfit.  Let's hope the fashion police don't catch her, though I wouldn't be surprised if someone calls them.

[justacritic]

the stupid hawk is doing overtime,
hey by the way did you know there's a Japanese variant called the stupid crow?

[Gabi]

Do not insult the Scarf Hawk. 

[Madmann135]

OK... that outfit does his mother justice... I mean for a blue canine succubus (or anyone with that figure).

[AmigaDragon]

Noticing that siblings are showing wings while parents aren't. Are one or both parents 'cubi?

[Tapewolf]

Noticing that siblings are showing wings while parents aren't. Are one or both parents 'cubi?

If you're thinking back to page 97, all of the family characters shown have headwings except for Dorcan, who was too young at the time.  If you're thinking of the current page or so, I suspect one or both of us is a little confused.

[joshofspam]

Do not insult the Scarf Hawk. 

Scarf hawk is awesome!!!

Though I like the shift in age and color from last page to this page. Notice how their colors are first something of a color you would expect from beings and then shift into the more outrageous colors that creatures have?

Though there is one thing that is interesting. Notice how Dorcan's dad keeps his clothes while everything besides his mom's cloak changes. Oddly enough, it works pretty well for her. It oddly gives her an adventurer look to her.

[ChaosMageX]

Do not insult the Scarf Hawk.  

Scarf hawk is awesome!!!

Seconded!  Scarf Hawk is Ren's invention and by insulting it you're insulting him as well.

Though I like the shift in age and color from last page to this page. Notice how their colors are first something of a color you would expect from beings and then shift into the more outrageous colors that creatures have?

I believe their colors were faded to give them an aged look.  Tapewolf told me that he had tried to give their aged forms grayed muzzles, but couldn't pull it off.
But then again, they could indeed have deliberately faded their colors to look more like beings.

OK... that outfit does his mother justice... I mean for a blue canine succubus (or anyone with that figure).

It'll look even better without that old woman shawl.

[justacritic]

I apologize, I  didn't know the name of the hawk and was only making a comparison to a certain phenomena that I have observed in Japanese media in which a black crow cries out what translates to "idiot" whenever a character does something completely stupid. I did not have the intention to insult Ren. And now for punishment I'll smash a cupcake into my hair (SPLORT) I now I have to wash my hair.

[joshofspam]

Eh, don't feel so bad.

I think it's better then the tear drop that anime uses a lot of the time. It's been done...To death.

Edit: Sometimes I feel like Scarf Hawk should have his place in the cast page.

[AmigaDragon]

Noticing that siblings are showing wings while parents aren't. Are one or both parents 'cubi?

If you're thinking back to page 97, all of the family characters shown have headwings except for Dorcan, who was too young at the time.  If you're thinking of the current page or so, I suspect one or both of us is a little confused.

I wasn't looking back that far, just to 184, no wings visible.

[Tapewolf]

I wasn't looking back that far, just to 184, no wings visible.

Ah.  Look more closely at panels 4 and 7 on that page.  EDIT: Might also want to re-read panel 4 on the current page too.

[AmigaDragon]

Except for Dorcan, I still see no wings on 184.

[joshofspam]

I just thought of something.

Are the android bodies made weaker then the panthers bodies?

Just how much punishment can a body built more for a consumer market take when you put a military model like the panthers?

Though I do find myself wondering if Farlane's body is about as tough as a modern jet fighter?

[Tapewolf]

Are the android bodies made weaker then the panthers bodies?

Yes, a lot weaker.  The panthers have a lot of armour, made from an alloy which is not known in our time.  A strong Demon or an exceptional 'Cubi might be able to damage it, but anything less than that won't leave a scratch.
On the downside, apart from a few weaker areas like the paw pads, mouth and nose, their bodies have poor tactile feedback.

Just how much punishment can a body built more for a consumer market take when you put a military model like the panthers?

It's relatively easy to cripple them.  Killing them is fairly hard, though - the brain is protected by the same kind of armour as the panthers, and a couple of safeguards to help keep the brain powered if the head comes off.

Though I do find myself wondering if Farlane's body is about as tough as a modern jet fighter?

Yes, rather more so.  He's more like a futuristic reissue of an F16 than something made in the 1980s.

Except for Dorcan, I still see no wings on 184.

Hopefully it should become clearer over the next page or so.

[ChaosMageX]

Just how much punishment can a body built more for a consumer market take when you put a military model like the panthers?

It's relatively easy to cripple them.  Killing them is fairly hard, though - the brain is protected by the same kind of armour as the panthers, and a couple of safeguards to help keep the brain powered if the head comes off.

That would explain why Keaton's tentacle easily put a large gash in Josh's stomach.

Those armored brain cases with self-contained life support sound a lot like the ones from Ghost in the Shell.

Also, I can't help but wonder how much independent power their heads have.  Would their sensory organs still function?  Would they still be able to move their facial muscles?

I know they wouldn't be able to speak because even though they don't have a conventional respiratory system, the air blowers that power their speech are still located in their chest cavity, correct?

[justacritic]

How well do those air blowers synthesize speech anyway? Is it creepy monotone or has it advanced enough that you can speak with reasonable enough ability to pass for being living with accents and such?

[Tapewolf]

How well do those air blowers synthesize speech anyway? Is it creepy monotone or has it advanced enough that you can speak with reasonable enough ability to pass for being living with accents and such?

The auxetophone was an amplification system that worked by modulating compressed air.  It was originally designed to allow playback of 78RPM records to large audiences before electronic amplification existed.  Essentially it consists of a grate with a comb stuck over it - the comb is made to vibrate in sympathy with the gramaphone needle (or in this case is actuated electrically like a loudspeaker) and so alters the flow of air.

With Dorcan and Joshua, the device is used to synthesize the fundamental tones in their throats, which is done electronically.  Everything after that, i.e. lips, tongue, resonance in the nasal cavity and so forth is done in the usual way - otherwise you'd end up with the mouth movements not quite matching the sound which would be creepy.

For the most part their voices are pretty natural-sounding, but they can become strange when emotionally affected, e.g. when deeply distressed.

[justacritic]

As for Joshua's hair not being able to feel anything, from what I understand so fair, nerves are connected to the hair follicles which is why when people pluck hairs it hurts. So what prevents this concept being used on Joshua's body, I don't know about the space the typical android nerve connection takes up but shouldn't the above theory be able to give Joshua feeling in his polymer hair/fur?

[Tapewolf]

As for Joshua's hair not being able to feel anything, from what I understand so fair, nerves are connected to the hair follicles which is why when people pluck hairs it hurts. So what prevents this concept being used on Joshua's body, I don't know about the space the typical android nerve connection takes up but shouldn't the above theory be able to give Joshua feeling in his polymer hair/fur?

It's something they'll fix in future revisions.

[Tapewolf]

Just as a heads-up, I'm visiting family this weekend.  As we haven't managed to get the comic done ahead of schedule, we probably won't be updating until Sunday or Monday.

[Tapewolf]

Change of plan, looks like it will be happening next weekend instead.  The comic may still be late mind you, but probably less so.

[Tapewolf]

Okay, Ren had problems, but I have the line art now.  Hopefully we'll update monday.

[Tapewolf]

Okay, after many trials and tribulations the comic has now updated.  I have also revised page 184 slightly since at least one person was confused in ways which weren't intended.

[Lurkie]

Meaning that there were ways in which it was to be confusing?  Hmm...