tecnicly its possible. there is a chess move called “en passent”, french for “in passing”. i forget the exact details but the pawn moves diaganly and takes the pice it was beside so…
i hate it when people don’t know that move. you take the peice and they’re all “what the hell. that’s not a real move.” then you have to go dig up the rulebook.
I said ‘implausible’, not ‘impossible’. It doesn’t make sense as a chess position; that’s not to say it couldn’t happen.
Also, none of you know what en passant is, apparently (except Schlock). None of the pawns in the current position could have taken en passant, because they would be on the sixth rank (or third for black’s pawns).
The black king is at e8, right? The black queen is at f8 for some reason. The white king could be offscreen, though I think it’s more likely that Frigg threw it at someone.
It looks like the K and Q are shifted one space to the left, the Queens Bishop has moved into a redoubt position where the Queen’s Rook should be. Or is that a Rook and the piece at F4 is the Queen’s Bishop?
I wish we could see White’s F-H spaces, and knew who’s turn it was.
dude, what? who cares, it works. i wish more authors had chess motifs in their stories, just because you need a pretty good story to use a decent chess image like this.
Ooooooooh, this is an exquisite example of blatant anti-subtle trolling! Observe: the permanent capitals, the sarcastic imitation of the author in order to enrage on a personal level, the passive aggressive attack on apparent perceived lack of originality. I particularly enjoy the lack of punctuation save for the apostrophes, often used to replace “G” in present participle verbs. Such craftsmanship, such elegance, such dipsomaniacal flair! It’s comparable to a fine, aged brandy that somebody spat in while you weren’t looking.
i dunno, the style lacks subtlety. sarcasm is at it’s best when calmly delivered in well crafted, punctual and seemingly complimentary paragraphs. the way our troll has capitalised his comment feels a little less like mockery and more like a personal cry for help… maybe because in the perceived misuse of a visual metaphor here, he sees his own lack of creative potential.
I love how the community here immediately jumped the troll and metaphorically beat him to death. This happens a lot on the forums I’ve seen, but I’ve never witnessed it done with such class.
Well played guildies!
Cheers,
Cote
PS I personally think this comment was more like a hot pepper found in a piece of chocolate cake: Irritating, but essentially forgettable, though it does leave an unpleasant taste behind.
I’ll bet the troll wouldn’t have even recognized the chess motif without others’ pointing it out.
He wolda been all “WHAT THE EFFS?! WHY DEY USE CHESS BORED FOR COVER? WERE R THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PALYING?!”
Motifs? Don’t we mean metaphors? I don’t think we’ve seen enough examples for it to qualify as a motif — and I’m not sure utilization as a chapter heading could ever be identified as motif, either. It’s got the wrong literary feel; motif is used to characterize and provide continuity, not to provide additional depth of meaning through comparison to something with specific similarities. (That would be metaphor, or analogy.)
i believe that using the cover of a swimsuit edition magazine for the one year anniversary implied we’d be flooded with pinups for the rest of the week.
Better idea: Go to LARP, find female GA fans, start a sexy GA cosplay trend. Actually, see if you can find some guys to cosplay as Byron and Payet too. It’s 2010 we should cater to both sexes (and in some cases the same sex I guess).
I’d suggest looking for a Gravedust, but unless you’re willing to go recruiting in a biker bar or at a ZZ Top concert, I think that’s a quest doomed to failure. Unless you find a homeless guy dressed like him by pure coincidence.
I have no knowledge of chess. Except for that song off of the Chess Album. Yes, I am more of a goofball than you guys.
But, I like the cover anyway. I get the metaphor – the party of adventurers as someone’s pawns (the White Queen perhaps?). I also like the apparent polarization of the party vs their opponents – which is actually very ironic considering all the debates about Frigg’s true alignment, etc etc. So from a literary, analytical standpoint, this cover is awesome.
I’m a bit surprised that everyone is assuming that our heroes are the WHITE pieces. My first impression was the opposite, since a set of pawns are way too similar to stand in for the party, in my mind. It also brings up an interesting idea, i.e. which chess piece would each character be? Frigg is clearly a rook (Runs in straight lines and bashes things), I’d peg Byron as a King type (runs the show, and has a perceived lack of utility according to the fan commentary) but I’m not so sure for the others, Gravedust as a Bishop? Syr’ng as a knight? Poor Bandit may be stuck with the pawn, though I suppose it fits with the size and the fact that she can sneak through your lines and wreak havoc from the rear . . .
5 pawns on the board, hmmmmmm
WHOEVER COULD THEY BE?!
Like heroes are ever anything other than pawns in some game or another. I swear, having the boss turn out to be the bad guy is very nearly cliche.
Implausible chess position is implausible. =P
“Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.â€
also, checkmate in three moves. ^^
tecnicly its possible. there is a chess move called “en passent”, french for “in passing”. i forget the exact details but the pawn moves diaganly and takes the pice it was beside so…
i hate it when people don’t know that move. you take the peice and they’re all “what the hell. that’s not a real move.” then you have to go dig up the rulebook.
Bandit took the black bishop “en passant”.
The impression I got from wikipedia is that it only works against another pawn on it’s initial move
I said ‘implausible’, not ‘impossible’. It doesn’t make sense as a chess position; that’s not to say it couldn’t happen.
Also, none of you know what en passant is, apparently (except Schlock). None of the pawns in the current position could have taken en passant, because they would be on the sixth rank (or third for black’s pawns).
Correct me if I’m wrong, but the lack of a king means that it’s impossible for white to lose.
I see no black king, either. Just a black queen…
The black king is at e8, right? The black queen is at f8 for some reason. The white king could be offscreen, though I think it’s more likely that Frigg threw it at someone.
I mean, offscreen at h1 or so.
It looks like the K and Q are shifted one space to the left, the Queens Bishop has moved into a redoubt position where the Queen’s Rook should be. Or is that a Rook and the piece at F4 is the Queen’s Bishop?
I wish we could see White’s F-H spaces, and knew who’s turn it was.
For shame, creative team. You should have known the D&D crowd rolled with Tha Chess Club Playaz :-P
Geeks of a feather….
You’re wrong, if you don’t have a king then you’ve already lost. :)
Only in Blitz; in OTB it means you’ve won!
Actually, wouldn’t that mean they already lost?
DURR HURR I’M AN AUTHOR AND I’M USIN’ CHESS MOTIFS DURR HURR
THEY BETTER GIVE ME SOME FUCKIN’ PRIZES FOR THIS SHIT CAUSE THIS IS MOFN’ ORIGINAL GENIUS RIGHT HERE
I MEAN GODDAMN, NOBODY BUT NOBODY EVER THOUGHT OF USING CHESS MOTIFS BEFORE I DID CAUSE I’M SUCH A GODDAMN GENIUS
HUGO AWARD RIGHT HERE
dude, what? who cares, it works. i wish more authors had chess motifs in their stories, just because you need a pretty good story to use a decent chess image like this.
Obvious troll is obvious.
Ooooooooh, this is an exquisite example of blatant anti-subtle trolling! Observe: the permanent capitals, the sarcastic imitation of the author in order to enrage on a personal level, the
passiveaggressive attack on apparent perceived lack of originality. I particularly enjoy the lack of punctuation save for the apostrophes, often used to replace “G” in present participle verbs. Such craftsmanship, such elegance, such dipsomaniacal flair! It’s comparable to a fine, aged brandy that somebody spat in while you weren’t looking.i dunno, the style lacks subtlety. sarcasm is at it’s best when calmly delivered in well crafted, punctual and seemingly complimentary paragraphs. the way our troll has capitalised his comment feels a little less like mockery and more like a personal cry for help… maybe because in the perceived misuse of a visual metaphor here, he sees his own lack of creative potential.
More like a wine that someone pissed in in front of you.
Nobody knows if you spat in the brandy.
Not immediately…
I love how the community here immediately jumped the troll and metaphorically beat him to death. This happens a lot on the forums I’ve seen, but I’ve never witnessed it done with such class.
Well played guildies!
Cheers,
Cote
PS I personally think this comment was more like a hot pepper found in a piece of chocolate cake: Irritating, but essentially forgettable, though it does leave an unpleasant taste behind.
You would be surprised how well peppers go with chocolate.
I’ll bet the troll wouldn’t have even recognized the chess motif without others’ pointing it out.
He wolda been all “WHAT THE EFFS?! WHY DEY USE CHESS BORED FOR COVER? WERE R THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PALYING?!”
“THOSE ARE FUNNY LOOKIN CHECKAS.”
I’m sayin’!
Where the fuck is my Goddamned Eisner for this shit?
Yo’ Eisner been jacked by Miller, yo?
Very nice speech there, Salty. Did your mother write it for you?
Babby’s first troll
Instead of philosophy, message contained bobcat, would not buy again.
Plus one internet to you for that reference.
I think perhaps I subtract one of my internets for not catching it.
Motifs? Don’t we mean metaphors? I don’t think we’ve seen enough examples for it to qualify as a motif — and I’m not sure utilization as a chapter heading could ever be identified as motif, either. It’s got the wrong literary feel; motif is used to characterize and provide continuity, not to provide additional depth of meaning through comparison to something with specific similarities. (That would be metaphor, or analogy.)
A fine piece of +troll artwork+, encircled with bands of masterfully crafted *sarcasm boners*, menacing with spikes of stupid.
Translation: I don’t understand/like what you mean/did. Therefore, you are
superior to mestupid.Wonder if this one will have any flashbacks or not.
I’m assuming not. In which case we get our super level upped party!
i think they are flash forwards, not backs.
Where is the promised hotness??
Obviously Frigg and Banfit are playing Strip Chess.
Looks like Frigg is winning…
Who promised hotness?
Hotness is implied by the lack of denial of impending hotness.
If Not Not A Then A.
i believe that using the cover of a swimsuit edition magazine for the one year anniversary implied we’d be flooded with pinups for the rest of the week.
Are you saying that the fans of this comic should be drawing more scantily clad fanart?
HELL YEAH!!
I’m not saying they shouldn’t do that.
hmm.
I’m away at a larp event this weekend, but give me the week after and I’ll see what I can rustle up.
Better idea: Go to LARP, find female GA fans, start a sexy GA cosplay trend. Actually, see if you can find some guys to cosplay as Byron and Payet too. It’s 2010 we should cater to both sexes (and in some cases the same sex I guess).
I’d suggest looking for a Gravedust, but unless you’re willing to go recruiting in a biker bar or at a ZZ Top concert, I think that’s a quest doomed to failure. Unless you find a homeless guy dressed like him by pure coincidence.
Second.
Hmm. I *do* have a female larper friend who acts a bit like Frigg,wears plate, and often has reddish hair – so one down.
Where’s Christopher Lambert when you need him?
He better be cutting other immortal’s heads, instead of mentoring martial artists in a fight tournament that could change the fate of the world.
I hear they’re remaking Highlander. Maybe he’s involved in that.
My attempt at a joke was actually a reference to CL’s “Knight Moves” movie. You know, because of chess.
Imdb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104627/
I have no knowledge of chess. Except for that song off of the Chess Album. Yes, I am more of a goofball than you guys.
But, I like the cover anyway. I get the metaphor – the party of adventurers as someone’s pawns (the White Queen perhaps?). I also like the apparent polarization of the party vs their opponents – which is actually very ironic considering all the debates about Frigg’s true alignment, etc etc. So from a literary, analytical standpoint, this cover is awesome.
From a doofus standpoint, it’s pretty :D
I don’t know much about chess, but how did that black pawn move backwards?
It didn’t move at all
It’s not a pawn at all, it’s either a Rook or a Bishop. Probably a Rook. ( Look at the height difference compared to the pawns….)
You can’t see the entire board so the two kings could be in ether corner.
Ether way, those pawns could do some damage.
I’m a bit surprised that everyone is assuming that our heroes are the WHITE pieces. My first impression was the opposite, since a set of pawns are way too similar to stand in for the party, in my mind. It also brings up an interesting idea, i.e. which chess piece would each character be? Frigg is clearly a rook (Runs in straight lines and bashes things), I’d peg Byron as a King type (runs the show, and has a perceived lack of utility according to the fan commentary) but I’m not so sure for the others, Gravedust as a Bishop? Syr’ng as a knight? Poor Bandit may be stuck with the pawn, though I suppose it fits with the size and the fact that she can sneak through your lines and wreak havoc from the rear . . .
Thoughts?
There’s five of ‘em.
Bandit as a pawn would make perfect sense.
If she survives long enough to reach the final file she Prestige Classes into a Queen and goes all “Hyper Sneak Attack” on the leadership.
I see Byron more as the Knight ( skilled fighter, can wreak havok if he ever Beserks) and Syr as the second Bishop.
Frigg is more like the starting Queen. Very strong, can strike from long distance at most an angle, and hard to trap unless you are very sneaky.
Frig can strike at long distances?