Incidentally, in answer to Krogaladin’s question (and does anyone else find Krog’s name ironic in this context?), I suspect the original Mortal Kombat game has something to do with it. After all, people still remember that nobody beats Sub-Zero, so other references almost certainly slipped into pop culture. Then, as with Shakespeare’s gradual metamorphosis into The Simpsons, the pathways of appropriation became so convoluted that no-one could remember where it started. Rather like that sentence.
As I see it, it’s because English mimics Romance languages in using C for the /ˈk/ sound, unlike other Germanic languages that primarly use K. Well, I can’t really speak for all of the Germanic languages, but I know this for sure for a certain one, you might guess it, German.
And because old prejudices and stereotypes die hard (admittedly, there was a period that didn’t really help in proving them wrong) German is deemed a harsh and hard language by English-speakers. So, the different use of C and K becomes a symbol for harsh and menacing speech.
While in German, it’s just another consonant. When you take it’s letter name and double it, “Kaka”, you get the baby speak for “shit”.
So, to a German, it’s just something that reminds you of shit, but to Brits and ‘mericans, it’s menacing, harsh and “cool”. Kinda like Rammstein.
Welsh doesn’t even have “k” in the alphabet.
The C is always hard. Hafta head for the “S” if you want soft.
You want to see the opposite of the MK phenomenon, check all the modern words Welsh has borrowed from English (hint : they’re just English words with different spelling and amusing pronounciation).
well, he’s at least a level 9 cleric if he’s able to cast raise dead, but with the weather control, maybe he’s a druid that used reincarnation and was lucky enough to roll human with lazarus? who knows man.
Unless he runs something like a Geomancer but multiclassing into a little bit of sorceror, providing an illusion of weather control with an actuality of raising dead. It also helps explain why he was able to wander around with severe wounds that were still bleeding (see: Doubting Thomas) and can provide an alternate explanation for the persistence of the Crown of Thorns. The Geomancer’s Drift ability can provide boar’s resilience (or something like that) which enables you to keep going regardless of severe wounds or incapacitation as long as you don’t actually hit -10. Another body modification that Drift offers replaces all (or part) of your hair with sticks, twigs, and vines, which would look like a crown made of thorns.
But, to be honest, there are lots of ways you can stat out Jesus. If you really want to, you can make him a rogues with a really good Use Magic Item check.
It’s refreshing how Gravedust is straightup about busting an arrowhead in one’s face if they be Evil-doin’. It’s curious that the archetype of the mystic seer generates the opposite expectation.
Also the magnitude of destruction this machine has already accomplished is astounding.
All I can think of is the Technodrome fight from the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game for the NES.
I hated that boss.
Also I can’t tell where the driver is situated unless he’s in the orange orb which I think is a furnace for this steampunk battlemech. If it’s not a furnace, then either the bottom is a furnace in which case I applaud the gnome for making it both able to TRAMPLE and BURN anything that it runs into, or it’s powered by magic in which case I’m disappointed in the gnomes for taking the easy way out.
And…building the battlemech in the first place. Can’t forget those pesky morals.
I’d really like to see one of these guys go up against the dino-houses. Though I guess the intent is for the to be fighting alongside the dinos, which is pretty terrifying.
Lol! Do they still need evidence after the tank finishes running over a half dozen gnome houses? “We’d like to enter as exhibit A, the huge steam tank sitting on top of what was once a bakery…”
Ah, but how do you prove that the kid wasn’t just acting alone? He has past form as a criminal mastermind (see the flying pirate ship). A good lawyer could make a superb defence by arguing that it is purely a coincidence that the gnomes were at the same university as the giant tank. After all, the mech/tank/thing broke down their tower, and the gnomes had to argue long and hard (like the tower itself) to get permission to first build, and then extend, the tower. They would never want to break it down, nor involve themselves with anything that could harm the tower. The entire case against them is highly circumstansial, especially now that the horn is gone, and relies on the word of a known felon (Bandit), and her murderous accomplices (they slaughtered their way through the Sisterhood of the Bloodshot Eye, remember). These are hardly reliable witness. Their credibility can be further thrown into doubt by accusations of bias. The marched straight to the university and attempted to arrest the gnomes without any evidence, even before the mecha was discovered. These self-proclaimed ‘heroes’ may allege that they had a demonstrably gnomish horn that had been used as a weapon against the city, but this argument relies on the existence of mysteriously vanished horn. Time and again we see baseless accusation levelled against the hard-working gnomes who are striving to make the city great. Remember, it is the gnomish flying ships that keep the city safe from the savage races. The gnomes are attempting to save the city, not destroy it. Ultimately, the case is no more than a matter of racism by a group of vertically discriminatory felons, and should be dismissed at once.
Or, at least, that’s the kind of argument you could make as a defence lawyer. It would work especially well if ‘jury of your peers’ meant other gnomes. With the kid, that argument is much harder because he’s a noble, and therefore his confession/plee-bargain is considered inherently more trustworthy than the word of mere gnomes. Also, you could then argue for at least half the jury to be human, and they would be much more likely to convict the gnomes, or at least provide a hung jury, which would leave it to judges at the next tier to decide. An djudges have a tendency not to listen to crap like the argument above.
Even though he’s pistoned off, he seems to be periscoping very well.
I see the others took it apun themselves to overlook you, tanks to vred13v treading all over your efforts.
i just hope Bandit’s plans dont come krashing down on her
what is it about Ks that make them more kombative and menacing than Cs?
Hmm. They’re physically spikier on the page, and there’s no “soft K.”
I knead to disagree.
Knot to Knight.
Kan it guyz.
Kould we move to something else?
Incidentally, in answer to Krogaladin’s question (and does anyone else find Krog’s name ironic in this context?), I suspect the original Mortal Kombat game has something to do with it. After all, people still remember that nobody beats Sub-Zero, so other references almost certainly slipped into pop culture. Then, as with Shakespeare’s gradual metamorphosis into The Simpsons, the pathways of appropriation became so convoluted that no-one could remember where it started. Rather like that sentence.
As I see it, it’s because English mimics Romance languages in using C for the /ˈk/ sound, unlike other Germanic languages that primarly use K. Well, I can’t really speak for all of the Germanic languages, but I know this for sure for a certain one, you might guess it, German.
And because old prejudices and stereotypes die hard (admittedly, there was a period that didn’t really help in proving them wrong) German is deemed a harsh and hard language by English-speakers. So, the different use of C and K becomes a symbol for harsh and menacing speech.
While in German, it’s just another consonant. When you take it’s letter name and double it, “Kaka”, you get the baby speak for “shit”.
So, to a German, it’s just something that reminds you of shit, but to Brits and ‘mericans, it’s menacing, harsh and “cool”. Kinda like Rammstein.
Thank you, you’ve been a great audience!
Welsh doesn’t even have “k” in the alphabet.
The C is always hard. Hafta head for the “S” if you want soft.
You want to see the opposite of the MK phenomenon, check all the modern words Welsh has borrowed from English (hint : they’re just English words with different spelling and amusing pronounciation).
if Jesus was a martyr, I wonder how many class levels he had?
He is the worlds most famous necromancer.
I thought he was a shaman? I mean, he could walk on water. Name one necromancer who could do that!
Also, healing & resurrection spells are from the conjuration school, not necromancy. :-)
well, he’s at least a level 9 cleric if he’s able to cast raise dead, but with the weather control, maybe he’s a druid that used reincarnation and was lucky enough to roll human with lazarus? who knows man.
Unless he runs something like a Geomancer but multiclassing into a little bit of sorceror, providing an illusion of weather control with an actuality of raising dead. It also helps explain why he was able to wander around with severe wounds that were still bleeding (see: Doubting Thomas) and can provide an alternate explanation for the persistence of the Crown of Thorns. The Geomancer’s Drift ability can provide boar’s resilience (or something like that) which enables you to keep going regardless of severe wounds or incapacitation as long as you don’t actually hit -10. Another body modification that Drift offers replaces all (or part) of your hair with sticks, twigs, and vines, which would look like a crown made of thorns.
But, to be honest, there are lots of ways you can stat out Jesus. If you really want to, you can make him a rogues with a really good Use Magic Item check.
Cleric with the Healing and Weather domains.
I agree. Cleric, straight up. But I’m kinda old-school :P
I support the Cleric theory simply based on the fact that he was pretty proselytic about one particular god.
Oh, that’s easy. He had four levels of cleric and two levels of bard. The man was a parable MACHINE and loved those slight of hand tricks.
Ohhhhhh no! There goes Gnome-key-O!
It’s refreshing how Gravedust is straightup about busting an arrowhead in one’s face if they be Evil-doin’. It’s curious that the archetype of the mystic seer generates the opposite expectation.
Also the magnitude of destruction this machine has already accomplished is astounding.
I always knew he had a good arrowhead on his shoulders.
This guy is evidently quite the large problem.
Someone ask the Gnomes to watch over mini-Hitler (just put a little mustache on the kid) and they honestly didn’t see this coming?
he can’t be much more than nein years old.
Young, certainly…but also, locked, loaded, and ready for achtung.
You mean Jung, surely. Or am I getting too Freudian?
Where the heil did this thread come from?
You don’t think this is german to the discussion?
All I can think of is the Technodrome fight from the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game for the NES.
I hated that boss.
Also I can’t tell where the driver is situated unless he’s in the orange orb which I think is a furnace for this steampunk battlemech. If it’s not a furnace, then either the bottom is a furnace in which case I applaud the gnome for making it both able to TRAMPLE and BURN anything that it runs into, or it’s powered by magic in which case I’m disappointed in the gnomes for taking the easy way out.
And…building the battlemech in the first place. Can’t forget those pesky morals.
He’s in the central orb, you can tell by where the periscope comes out in panels 2 & 4. I thought it was a furnace at first too.
It might be just atop the firebox. Also, I just noticed the detail of the padlocked furnace grate. That made me cackle with glee!
I thought the same thing too, but I wonder how he’d be able to sit atop a furnace without being horribly burned or at least suffocated from the heat.
Insulation? The gnomes seem pretty tech-savvy, and insulation really isn’t that hard to master.
I was just thinking…somewhere in that thing is bound to be a red button.
The only question is, is it like this, this, or this.
More like this.
this can’t end well for our heroes.
Is that Megas XLR?
Indeed, now if only that mech had fuzzy dice…
When driving a machine of mass destruction, it can be easy to forget that it’s meant to be used against one’s enemies.
I would have thought getting a grapple hook onto that thing would eb a lot easier than hitting the pilot, who’s encased in it.
The laws of dramatic probability would disagree with you. After all, ten-to-one is long odds, but a million-to-one is a sure bet.
I’d really like to see one of these guys go up against the dino-houses. Though I guess the intent is for the to be fighting alongside the dinos, which is pretty terrifying.
then they would combine and we’d have Dinobots.
SWEET
THey’re called zoids.
I hope you mean Zords.
No, I’m too old to really be into The Power Rangers. I grew up with the Rescue Rangers.
For some reason, I lol’d seeing the purple panicked gnomes running away in the first panel. Am I a terrible person?
Yes. That’s why you fit in so well.
How does Bandit know what a tank is if this is the first one?
She’s seen Frigg in action.
It’s her BUSINESS to know.
Lol! Do they still need evidence after the tank finishes running over a half dozen gnome houses? “We’d like to enter as exhibit A, the huge steam tank sitting on top of what was once a bakery…”
Ah, but how do you prove that the kid wasn’t just acting alone? He has past form as a criminal mastermind (see the flying pirate ship). A good lawyer could make a superb defence by arguing that it is purely a coincidence that the gnomes were at the same university as the giant tank. After all, the mech/tank/thing broke down their tower, and the gnomes had to argue long and hard (like the tower itself) to get permission to first build, and then extend, the tower. They would never want to break it down, nor involve themselves with anything that could harm the tower. The entire case against them is highly circumstansial, especially now that the horn is gone, and relies on the word of a known felon (Bandit), and her murderous accomplices (they slaughtered their way through the Sisterhood of the Bloodshot Eye, remember). These are hardly reliable witness. Their credibility can be further thrown into doubt by accusations of bias. The marched straight to the university and attempted to arrest the gnomes without any evidence, even before the mecha was discovered. These self-proclaimed ‘heroes’ may allege that they had a demonstrably gnomish horn that had been used as a weapon against the city, but this argument relies on the existence of mysteriously vanished horn. Time and again we see baseless accusation levelled against the hard-working gnomes who are striving to make the city great. Remember, it is the gnomish flying ships that keep the city safe from the savage races. The gnomes are attempting to save the city, not destroy it. Ultimately, the case is no more than a matter of racism by a group of vertically discriminatory felons, and should be dismissed at once.
Or, at least, that’s the kind of argument you could make as a defence lawyer. It would work especially well if ‘jury of your peers’ meant other gnomes. With the kid, that argument is much harder because he’s a noble, and therefore his confession/plee-bargain is considered inherently more trustworthy than the word of mere gnomes. Also, you could then argue for at least half the jury to be human, and they would be much more likely to convict the gnomes, or at least provide a hung jury, which would leave it to judges at the next tier to decide. An djudges have a tendency not to listen to crap like the argument above.
Phoenix Wright would be proud.
Lol! Fair enough. Maybe Frigg can use her famous chess tactics to prosecute the gnomes if they fail to get more evidence.
Sorry that my first (and last?!?) post here is of the nit-picky type, guys, but I don’t see that a comma is needed after “as” in panel 3.
That said, love the comic, and the others your talents produce. Please keep the good work.
Stop! Hammer time!
I have to say, I really love that “oh, bother.” It makes him sound like either a silent movie villain or a deranged Winnie the Pooh.