Annotated 21-17
As I think I mentioned before, we had a story in mind that would show a more elaborate treatment of Gravedust’s “choice” than what we could ultimately fit into the text. But I think what we fit works fairly well. It’s fun to see him as a tow-headed, barely-pubescent boy here. Look how he holds his bloodstained sword, just like a full-grown, full-bearded dwarf! So cute.
I don’t know if the last couple of panels need much elaboration, except that it’s probably important they happen so soon after Bandit becomes field leader, her greatest level of acceptance by the group so far and arguably ever. If you’re a Bandit partisan, you’ll probably reflect that she does have a point: even now the charter members aren’t telling her everything (did they ever clarify their return from the dead to her? E-Merl found out, but he’s not one to stir the pot). If you’re more inclined toward Syr’Nj here, you might consider this outburst of Bandit’s to be a bit early, considering Bandit just got promoted hours ago. More than one way to look at it!
This page also introduced the Guilded Age Subreddit, which… a few of you enjoyed!
Yeah, it’s always bugged me that it was never clarified if/when/how Bandit found out about the others’ resurrections.
I’ve read the whole comic, but I don’t recall this “choice” Gravedust made (other than the obvious, which is to be a mystic).
I’ve found that the webcomics which have more active subreddits are those that don’t have a comment or forum section on the very website.
Bandit is right here though, in her complaint. Syr’nj did, in-fact, threaten her with truth serum, in the beginning. Things have changed, but she’s seeing a double standard.
To be fair, they hadn’t known her long enough to trust her at that point. Clearly, by now they trust both Gravedust and her, so it’s not something that would happen at this point.
Syr’Nj threatened Bandit with truth serum in order to find a missing ally. Gravey just doesn’t want to talk about why he chose his career. Apples & oranges.
To be fair, there is probably a double standard in play. But Bandit did overreact in this case.
I would’ve just assumed that he meant “I chose to abandon the path of the warrior.”
Maybe he began hearing voices, and instead of choosing to drown them out with cactus-fruit mead like everybody else, he went looking for answers?
Like a wee Savasi Mulder.
Those two panels don’t quite work for me: Gravy mentions “a choice” and Bandit sounds frustrated at the lack of answer before even asking the question. Then Syr’nj responds as if she knew the answer (does she? Am I as a reader supposed to know whether she does? I don’t think it’s come up at this point in the story). Why isn’t Gravy’s reply: “The choice to become a mystic” (“duh!”), because what else would he be referring to?
…am I missing something here?
This doesn’t of course invalidate Bandit’s nervousness about being left out of the picture on a few things — and do I ever know how that sort of thing can sting!