Guilded Age

The Saga of the Working Class Adventurer – New comics every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!
  • About
  • Cast
  • Crew
  • Downloads
  • Guilded Age Plus
  • Store
  • Contact
  • RSS

Annotations Every Day - Written by T Campbell & Flo Kahn - Illustrated by John & Jason Waltrip

You agree, don't you, Byron?

Chapter 11 – Page 8

on June 10, 2011
Chapter: Chapter 11
└ Tags: Best, Byron, Gravedust
Comments RSS

Discussion (103) ¬

  1. Geryon
    Geryon
    June 10, 2011, 12:02 am | # | Reply

    Hoooo damn. But then again there is fairly good for a barbarian intelectual argument.

  2. trollnystan
    trollnystan
    June 10, 2011, 12:06 am | # | Reply

    Creepy. I wonder who’s axe-ing? (I’m new to punning, be gentle)

    • Merus
      Merus
      June 10, 2011, 12:08 am | # | Reply

      I’m sure the sharp folks here can give you some pointers.

      • repartee
        repartee
        June 10, 2011, 12:25 am | # | Reply

        Well we could cut him a little slack.

        • trollnystan
          trollnystan
          June 10, 2011, 12:47 am | # | Reply

          As a female, that pricked a bit. But don’t worry, I’m not hacked off; an easy mistake to make, with my avatar being the Best of all things manly.

          • Lynxx
            Lynxx
            June 10, 2011, 3:15 am | # | Reply

            Best. avatar. Ever.

            • trollnystan
              trollnystan
              June 10, 2011, 5:45 am | # | Reply

              Isn’t it though? =D To think I didn’t like Best when he was first introduced…

          • nielspeterdejong
            nielspeterdejong
            June 10, 2011, 3:53 am | # | Reply

            You are aware that Best is a complete self absorbed douche who just uses women as tools and only is so popular because he’s an ass right?

            … Oh wait, female, attracted to bad boys, never mind ^^;

            • Ishmael
              Ishmael
              June 10, 2011, 11:53 am | # | Reply

              A) Kinda sexist there.

              B) Also inaccurate regarding Best.

              • nielspeterdejong
                nielspeterdejong
                June 10, 2011, 1:24 pm | # | Reply

                A) Hey, if it’s alright to constantly say “men follow their testicles” all the time, then how is saying “women mindlessly follow bad boys” not ok? :)

                B) Yet he is still a douche to others, is arrogant, and constantly sleeps around with groupies who just want a one night stand with a bad boy kind of guy. So… how would you accurately picture him then? :)

                • Hawk
                  Hawk
                  June 10, 2011, 7:25 pm | # | Reply

                  But his rep is not that of a bad boy, but rather the Conquering Epic Hero.

                  • centuriancode
                    centuriancode
                    June 11, 2011, 2:40 am | # | Reply

                    But the whole point of the one-way glass fourth wall is that we see Best for whom he truly is. Sometimes, Through the Looking Glass makes things clearer.

                  • nielspeterdejong
                    nielspeterdejong
                    June 11, 2011, 3:29 am | # | Reply

                    Not my point. I know that he might have some good qualities, which will probably be put to light later on, but what I”m surprised at is that so far he has proven to be a jerk to those that don’t agree with him being “awesome” or ” the best”, yet now he already has fans.

                    Sure, if you like him for his cocky attitude, then fine, but don’t say that I’m inaccurate with Best until we have seen at least some good sides of him.

                    • Jean-Luc
                      Jean-Luc
                      June 11, 2011, 11:11 am | #

                      Best is supremely immaculate and epicness incarnate. Every time I see him on a new page I have to fight the urge to become gay and develop a taste for shit-elf meat.

                    • trollnystan
                      trollnystan
                      June 12, 2011, 8:01 pm | #

                      I’m not attracted to him, I just find his character hilarious xD

            • SotiCoto
              SotiCoto
              June 26, 2013, 9:08 am | # | Reply

              Thank you so very much for breaking the pun-chain.

              (All subsequent references to tying, binding, shackling, links, etc are hereby nullified.)

          • The bawdy rifleman
            The bawdy rifleman
            June 10, 2011, 5:00 am | # | Reply

            I say, you’re pretty good at it, for someone who says she’s new to punning.

            • centuriancode
              centuriancode
              June 10, 2011, 5:28 am | # | Reply

              You’ve certainly cut to the chase, Ma’am.

            • trollnystan
              trollnystan
              June 10, 2011, 5:46 am | # | Reply

              It only took me 15 minutes of googling synonyms =P

              • centuriancode
                centuriancode
                June 10, 2011, 7:12 am | # | Reply

                After which it was a relatively syn-ple task?

          • centuriancode
            centuriancode
            June 11, 2011, 3:17 am | # | Reply

            Perhaps repartee should be pun-ished?

            • repartee
              repartee
              June 15, 2011, 1:21 am | # | Reply

              Why I don’t think I should, I’m just a pun-dit not a psychic.

    • SotiCoto
      SotiCoto
      June 26, 2013, 9:09 am | # | Reply

      You picked chose the second-worst starting point.

  3. Tatsu
    Tatsu
    June 10, 2011, 12:12 am | # | Reply

    Go Byron show those statues who’s boss

  4. Fairportfan
    Fairportfan
    June 10, 2011, 12:23 am | # | Reply

    “I got a bad feeling about this, Syr’nj.”

  5. Locke
    Locke
    June 10, 2011, 12:33 am | # | Reply

    THAT LOOKS LIKE LOTS AND LOTS OF PAIN, BYRON! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2_I0EGhcB4&feature=youtu.be

    Sorry, couldn’t help it, I find that vid hilarious. Also, nice use of his shoulder blades.

    • cjrayn
      cjrayn
      June 10, 2011, 3:04 am | # | Reply

      *Snerk*

    • Lynxx
      Lynxx
      June 10, 2011, 3:17 am | # | Reply

      umm? what a strange link to post here. someone needs to TRAIN you in proper linking.

    • Mujaki
      Mujaki
      June 10, 2011, 5:39 am | # | Reply

      “The Pain Train’s a-comin! Woo woo!”
      http://wiki.teamfortress.com/wiki/Pain_Train

      • alta lemur
        alta lemur
        June 10, 2011, 10:45 am | # | Reply

        I wish I could de-rail this thread before we completely go overboard.

      • Locke
        Locke
        June 11, 2011, 9:00 am | # | Reply

        Hey, it’s not like I can choo-choose where my mind likes to wander.

  6. Karishi
    Karishi
    June 10, 2011, 12:37 am | # | Reply

    Clever move visible in panel 1, on the part of both creators: It’s a clever move for the sky elves to make a trap that resets itself; you can see that pawn reaffixing his head.
    And it’s a clever move from the artist and writer, because it means all you ocd types can stop counting chess pieces.

    • Atomsk42
      Atomsk42
      June 10, 2011, 6:21 am | # | Reply

      Good point. However, after BYrons throughwith them, they probably can’t get back up (panel one: Byron smashes one to pieces.)

      Sidenote: I knew his shoulder blades were good for something :)

  7. Karishi
    Karishi
    June 10, 2011, 12:41 am | # | Reply

    Byron appears to be taking this “blind rage” idea literally. Traditionally, keeping one’s eyes closed during combat is considered a bad idea, but it seems to be working for him – that’s the white queen’s head in the last panel; Frigg will be so disappointed.

    • Aydr
      Aydr
      June 10, 2011, 1:11 am | # | Reply

      Not that Byron will be able to see why.

      • gangler
        gangler
        June 10, 2011, 1:30 am | # | Reply

        Frigg’s distress is never terribly visible anyway.

    • Jean-Luc
      Jean-Luc
      June 10, 2011, 3:42 am | # | Reply

      Looks like Frigg got boxblocked again and by the same guy no less.

      • alta lemur
        alta lemur
        June 10, 2011, 10:48 am | # | Reply

        Frigg can always switch sides to the black queen. Love, lust, and berzerkers are blind.

    • Abcus
      Abcus
      June 10, 2011, 6:30 am | # | Reply

      That’s just a pawn being traded in for the queen. Makes sense from a chess point of view. Frig will have PLENTY of chances at that poor queen . . .

      Cheers,

      Cote

    • JarrysKid
      JarrysKid
      June 10, 2011, 6:25 pm | # | Reply

      She could always skull-fuck it.

    • Thracecius
      Thracecius
      June 13, 2011, 12:26 pm | # | Reply

      One could always interpret his closed eyes as an attempt to shield them from dust/shrapnel when he actually makes contact with his opponents.

  8. Karishi
    Karishi
    June 10, 2011, 12:43 am | # | Reply

    No sign of either king, yet. They both seem to have vanished since Frigg stepped onto the board.
    Maybe they’ve been talking to some gnomes.

  9. Joe
    Joe
    June 10, 2011, 12:50 am | # | Reply

    …And then he accidentally sliced through Frigg again.

  10. Loyal
    Loyal
    June 10, 2011, 12:59 am | # | Reply

    Byron is never without a weapon. Disarm him, and he will cleave you with his shoulders.

    • Jean-Luc
      Jean-Luc
      June 10, 2011, 3:41 am | # | Reply

      If Byron were a woman his name would be Anne of Cleves.

      • centuriancode
        centuriancode
        June 10, 2011, 5:31 am | # | Reply

        Well, Byron’s beserkering seems to have been rather like Anne’s beauty. At least until recently.

    • Doma
      Doma
      June 11, 2011, 12:59 am | # | Reply

      What if you disarmed him at the shoulders?

      • centuriancode
        centuriancode
        June 11, 2011, 2:41 am | # | Reply

        Then the attack is blocked by the axe blades. You have to get past the guard to disarm.

  11. Quebrith
    Quebrith
    June 10, 2011, 1:23 am | # | Reply

    Byron, you rook mahvelous!

    • centuriancode
      centuriancode
      June 10, 2011, 5:32 am | # | Reply

      Shame on you! We shall not b(4)Rook such comments!

    • Darkening
      Darkening
      June 10, 2011, 9:43 am | # | Reply

      Agreed! We won’t toleR8 such things here!

      • Hawk
        Hawk
        June 10, 2011, 7:28 pm | # | Reply

        GAH

      • centuriancode
        centuriancode
        June 11, 2011, 2:43 am | # | Reply

        What kind of crazy chessboard R YOU playing on? G, I thought they were only supposed to be eight to a side…

  12. Valdrax
    Valdrax
    June 10, 2011, 1:38 am | # | Reply

    Blood on his teeth. Nice detail. Sometimes it’s the little things that make a scene work.

  13. Locke
    Locke
    June 10, 2011, 1:48 am | # | Reply

    So…
    Anyone else getting “Homestuck” vibes, here?

  14. Locke
    Locke
    June 10, 2011, 1:50 am | # | Reply

    Also, where’d that forum link go to? I was going to check in. :P

  15. Timelost
    Timelost
    June 10, 2011, 3:10 am | # | Reply

    It’s never a good sign when your inner monologue becomes an inner dialogue gollum.

    • centuriancode
      centuriancode
      June 10, 2011, 5:34 am | # | Reply

      Though it does become much easier to find a partner for bridge…

      • Locke
        Locke
        June 11, 2011, 9:01 am | # | Reply

        And hang-man!

        • Jean-Luc
          Jean-Luc
          June 11, 2011, 11:19 am | # | Reply

          Go away and never ‘zerk again.

          Wh…?

          Go away and never ‘zerk again!

          …

          Huh? He’s gone. I’m free, Byron is free!!!

          • Pikey
            Pikey
            June 11, 2011, 1:54 pm | # | Reply

            *huddles over, caressing a mug of beer*

            Yessss, my precious.

            • centuriancode
              centuriancode
              June 11, 2011, 10:48 pm | # | Reply

              But Syr’nj betrayed us!

              NO! No!

              We told you she was normal. We told you she was sane.

              *Weeps

              • Pikey
                Pikey
                June 12, 2011, 2:37 am | # | Reply

                Nasssty shit-elves! Hates them, we does!

          • Redo19
            Redo19
            June 12, 2011, 1:32 am | # | Reply

            “Kill.”

            DAMMIT

  16. Jean-Luc
    Jean-Luc
    June 10, 2011, 3:40 am | # | Reply

    Oh Byron…

    All this talk about gutting and killing to live is very moving albeit somewhat dampened by the fact they’re fighting automatons (that also appear to be reassembling themselves).

    Love the new page navigation buttons btw.

    • Hawk
      Hawk
      June 10, 2011, 7:33 pm | # | Reply

      Chapter-pults! Yay!

      • Jean-Luc
        Jean-Luc
        June 11, 2011, 11:13 am | # | Reply

        Actually the old ones seem to be back now. Someone’s being indecisive apparently. I wonder whooooooo….

        • Locke
          Locke
          June 12, 2011, 11:38 am | # | Reply

          The only way I’d want the navigation buttons changed would be if the catapults were changed to moose artillery.

          • Valdrax
            Valdrax
            June 12, 2011, 3:41 pm | # | Reply

            YES! MOOSE ARTILLERY! HE’S SAYING WHAT WE’RE ALL THINKING!

  17. Lynxx
    Lynxx
    June 10, 2011, 3:45 am | # | Reply

    i think ive figured the whole art change for the strip out. I like both styles equally, though the art itself isnt equal. John’s battle art is better than Erica’s was, but Erica drew peacetime better. IMO of course. Keep it up John, this is excellent. Erica’s art was the first thing to draw me to this comic, and you have stepped up LIKE A BOSS.

    • John Waltrip
      John Waltrip
      June 10, 2011, 11:16 am | # | Reply

      Thanks, Lynxx.

  18. Tecani
    Tecani
    June 10, 2011, 4:50 am | # | Reply

    Gravedust: BOOM! HEADSHOT!

    • centuriancode
      centuriancode
      June 10, 2011, 5:35 am | # | Reply

      And for those of you who appreciate Steinbeck’s novels: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phG7HJByvjc

      • Locke
        Locke
        June 11, 2011, 9:06 am | # | Reply

        Damn, that’s black comedy at it’s finest, yo.

  19. Dotcom
    Dotcom
    June 10, 2011, 5:07 am | # | Reply

    Oh crap. Is he about to go into Beserk mode again?

  20. Yarrr
    Yarrr
    June 10, 2011, 5:32 am | # | Reply

    if you’re going to kill/destroy/exorcise things for a living, you may as well enjoy it.

    • centuriancode
      centuriancode
      June 10, 2011, 5:37 am | # | Reply

      After all, we should enjoy our right to bear arms that we may be better bearzerkers.

      • Karishi
        Karishi
        June 10, 2011, 7:30 am | # | Reply

        Byron the Berserker: His arms start at the shoulders.

        • Bear
          Bear
          June 10, 2011, 2:34 pm | # | Reply

          *applauds*

  21. Lupo
    Lupo
    June 10, 2011, 8:27 am | # | Reply

    Well, given that he started to fight saying to himself “Don’t think” he had a lot of thoughts…

    P.S.
    The pawn trying to put back on his head in the first panel is hilarious!

  22. Dashiar
    Dashiar
    June 10, 2011, 10:29 am | # | Reply

    Byrons inner monologe boxes reminded me of deadpool, and now with all the killy kill in them…..just more so.

  23. The Guestimator
    The Guestimator
    June 10, 2011, 11:04 am | # | Reply

    That chessman there in the first panel? Hes clearly getting his head back in the game. In the immortal words of a man, ” there’s no police like Holmes. .” or was that.. “the game’s afoot..” or maybe even ahead.. or is that getting ahead of myself..

  24. Nathanyel
    Nathanyel
    June 10, 2011, 12:05 pm | # | Reply

    Live to kill | till you die | till the light dies in your eyes

    • centuriancode
      centuriancode
      June 11, 2011, 2:45 am | # | Reply

      Till shade is gone/Till water is gone?

      • minion
        minion
        June 12, 2011, 1:06 am | # | Reply

        And when force is gone…. theres always MOM… (hi mom!)

  25. Jose
    Jose
    June 10, 2011, 12:16 pm | # | Reply

    Byron used to be my favorite character and Best my least…Now its all flipped. Seriously, Byron? 30 Seconds to Mars called, they want their lyrics back. Also, nice headshot.

  26. DoScienceToIt
    DoScienceToIt
    June 10, 2011, 12:41 pm | # | Reply

    Chess is such an elegant game.

  27. thatkid
    thatkid
    June 10, 2011, 12:48 pm | # | Reply

    My guess is that, because the pieces keep reassembling themselves, our plucky adventurers won’t be able to complete this encounter until slaying both side’s kings.
    Once a king dies, all the pieces of its color will, too.

    • Jean-Luc
      Jean-Luc
      June 10, 2011, 6:07 pm | # | Reply

      That pawn is simply trying to get ahead in life.

      • centuriancode
        centuriancode
        June 13, 2011, 12:10 am | # | Reply

        After all, a battle is no time to lose one’s head.

  28. flevine
    flevine
    June 10, 2011, 1:22 pm | # | Reply

    Hm…so does this imply one must receive a fatal wound to go berserk?

    And still the hair is full of awesomeness….

    • bobthe6th
      bobthe6th
      June 10, 2011, 8:51 pm | # | Reply

      its more that geting pissed of makes him bizerk, and geting hurt pisses him off in direct proportion to the pain of the injury, but he has good self control, so he needs a big pile of pain to nock over the edge. or I could be wrong and he needs to be droped to rage.

      • centuriancode
        centuriancode
        June 11, 2011, 2:47 am | # | Reply

        You’re right. Byron is actually a raging ball of fury, but his self-control is spectacular. However, a giant spear through the guts tends to overcome this self-control, which causes him to unleash the fury.

  29. flevine
    flevine
    June 10, 2011, 1:23 pm | # | Reply

    On another note, great fight page. I keep looking over all the detail.

  30. BT
    BT
    June 11, 2011, 12:30 am | # | Reply

    The guy who is “playing” Byron I think might be seriously f’d up in the head. Everybody else their personalities might be normalish. Outside the game Byron might belong in the nuthouse.

    • SteelRaven
      SteelRaven
      June 12, 2011, 12:55 am | # | Reply

      From what we have seen, the ‘players’ have become fully immersed in the universe (thus the child hood memories and no recollection of their out of game lives) Chances are ‘Byron’ was a normal guy before but now…

  31. Doma
    Doma
    June 11, 2011, 1:00 am | # | Reply

    Chess. A thinker’s game.

  32. Kom
    Kom
    June 11, 2011, 11:41 am | # | Reply

    Hold on, this is chess we’re talking about right? They’re fighting a chessboard’s worth of enemies? That can’t be that many, in fact I’m pretty sure they’re about done already.

    • Abeo
      Abeo
      June 11, 2011, 1:59 pm | # | Reply

      Thirty-two enemies, only five of them. That’s 6 each, with a couple left over. Not stellar odds.

      I only counted direct evidence of thirteen of the chess pieces being smashed, plus a few pawn spears being broken. It also looks like they may be regenerating.

      • centuriancode
        centuriancode
        June 11, 2011, 10:50 pm | # | Reply

        I believe, you look further up the list, that someone made a comment about this page defeating all OCD sufferers precisely because the chess pieces are regenerating. Now we can never keep count.

  33. Veggieburrito
    Veggieburrito
    June 14, 2011, 11:57 am | # | Reply

    Question: Why doesn’t Byron wear a helm? With his fighting style it would seem that he needs one. I understand the whole visual thing, but just makes sense, doesn’t it?

  34. Twigs
    Twigs
    June 21, 2011, 4:19 pm | # | Reply

    Isn’t that kind of a false syllogism that Byron’s come up with? =/

  35. Lizzel
    Lizzel
    August 30, 2011, 11:30 pm | # | Reply

    in battle you’re either killing or dying
    so don’t ever stop not dying

Reply to Geryon ¬ Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

NOTE - You can use these HTML tags and attributes:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>



Guilded Age is co-written by T Campbell & Flo Kahn, and illustrated by John Waltrip. Site design by Samantha Kyle. Fonts by Blambot.com.
Stay up to date with Facebook or Google+, or use our RSS Feed!
Privacy Policy
Guilded Age does not claim ownership of any of the corporate branding that appears in this comic, nor does it claim any affiliation, partnership, or endorsement of any kind.
They are used strictly as an artistic choice for the set dressing of the comic.