Syr’nj has goggles, and Frigg speaks in slang and meme, so anything’s possible. Glasses have actually been around quite a long time–though I concede those look distinctly Ray Ban-ish. (Wait, is it Roy Orbison?)
Hard to tell in silhouette, really. Could just be a plain coat. I dunno. I’ve almost stopped guessing. :-) Could be a “god”, as someone below suggested–the cultist said something about walking unshod before gods, and Gravedust said, in Leafport, that the magic blocking the dead felt old, “like a half-forgotten god.” Could be a Wizard of Oz-style scenario–dude blew in from Kansas, seems like a god or a wizard to these guys, and is now teaching the pirates how to make balloons…
THAT WOULD BE POPE JOHN PAUL II. HE WAS AWESOME AND TOTALLY NOT CREEPY LOOKING LIKE THE CURRENT POPE. THE CURRENT POPE REMINDS ME OF EMPEROR PALPATINE.
I DON’T KNOW. I CAN’T TYPE IN ANYTHING ELSE RIGHT NOW. I THINK I MAY HAVE A PROBLEM, GUYS. EITHER THAT OR I’VE BECOME TERRY PRATCHETT’S DEATH. CERTAINLY, THOUGH, I’D KNOW FOR CERTAIN IF THAT HAPPENED, BECAUSE I’D HAVE A CRAVING FOR CURRY.
“…Well, it was totally unwinnable. I mean, dammit, we weren’t even trying to blow up the GM’s plot or anything; everybody kept talking about ‘diplomacy,’ so we were trying that.”
“Actually, I found it to be very refreshing, in a meta-narrative sort of way: we were being punished in a traditional fashion for non-traditional gaming behaviors. Very subversive. Elegantly so, even. I can’t wait to get my Tuesday seminar’s remote analysis of the memetic inversions!”
I think there is a certain webcomic character out there, a certain “perfect warlord” who would scoff at the idea of the encounter being unwinnable. question is can this one be cheated?
Damn stupid cover. Now I have to wait another 2 days to find out what happens.
I’m really hoping it’s not just a game on a table. I always liked how they skirted the line (I got a 9 in lock picking!), but embracing their RPG status would kill this comic for me.
Time skip? “All just a game” – the newest product of All Just A Dream Enterprises Inc? High-tech humans invade the Guilded Age planet? A non-representative cover image to drive us all nuts with theories until Wednesday?
Commissioner Gordon? Quick, call Batman! Our heroes need help!
And please, oh please don’t let this be all that goes up for Monday; I can’t remember how the start of new chapters works. Still, even if it is, oh well, as long as this comic keeps updating.
Oh yes. I almost did a search, because my first thought was “Gary Oldman? what is he doing in my webcomic?” Then I couldn’t remember got the life of me where I’d seen him with a ‘stache and glasses.
Even though I like the covers for each chapter, since they do nicely foreshadow the events of the story still to come, I just find it a tad annoying when we’re on the crossover.
Though it is a good use of suspense to keep us reading. I guess its not really a complaint, but just wanting to see what happens next.
Heh. Reminds me of one staging of the Nibelungenlied i saw. There’s a break in the action and the next scene is set in Asgard where the gods discuss what’s been happening. And it’s the actual producers of the opera, in their business suits, playing the gods.
The characters are dead, and this is a fast-forward in time to later in the same world, where the diplomacy failed, the war happened, mankind won, and mankind has succeeded in creating flying machines.
How about this? It’s the GM and he’s watching his garage burn down– along with all the maps, sourcebooks, character sheets, sand tables, and miniatures that make up the Erfworld campaign.
He is the Devil himself. Watching as the party members fall and burn. (They all were murderers in a way.) Or he is a sorcerer, enjoying the fires of Gastonia. “And it is all my doing…”
at least it hasn’t cut to the characters drinking tea, and analysing what went wrong, before dropping us back into the start of the plot again, where events pan out differently to the running commentary of a ghostly form of Byron who’s meta-analysing the whole plot.
Commisioner Gordon from Gotham City and Batman fame at the start of a trailer unvieling Marvel vs. DC vs. Blizzard vs. Nintendo vs. Capcom
imho.
They’re testing the effect showing it to the audience of a cult webcomic before unleashing it upon the world, who just may not be ready for such high levels of win.
I think everyone is missing the point. If this is just a tabletop scenario, then its probably a dude playing Syr’nj and a dude playing Byron. This leads me to the conclusion that the DM is a homophobe and initiated TPK when he saw the early signs of a relationship forming between characters.
I say he’s a dead ringer for TIM in the Renegade ending of ME2: Red background, same suit, same haircut… Not sure about the moustache or glasses though.
Oh. This is the bit that seemed like a shark-jump at the time… but was planned from the start therefore technically wasn’t… and yet is still a bit jarring if one didn’t connect the dots.
And lets face it, there were few enough dots to connect. The minor anachronisms that have arisen here and there so far could all be written off in some form or other, or otherwise ignored without implying significance…
He has bad glasses. That can’t bode well.
He’s probably a devil and they’re all in adventurer hell. At least, that’s what I did for a campaign (escape from afterlife, only to have more bs)
Looks like a GM to me.
Then again, adventurer hell might have several of those. . .
My thoughts exactly.
Actually, all I could think of when I saw the glasses was Gordon Freeman
Eyeglasses, huh…a time-skip, then?
Syr’nj has goggles, and Frigg speaks in slang and meme, so anything’s possible. Glasses have actually been around quite a long time–though I concede those look distinctly Ray Ban-ish. (Wait, is it Roy Orbison?)
modern suit?
Hard to tell in silhouette, really. Could just be a plain coat. I dunno. I’ve almost stopped guessing. :-) Could be a “god”, as someone below suggested–the cultist said something about walking unshod before gods, and Gravedust said, in Leafport, that the magic blocking the dead felt old, “like a half-forgotten god.” Could be a Wizard of Oz-style scenario–dude blew in from Kansas, seems like a god or a wizard to these guys, and is now teaching the pirates how to make balloons…
Haha, my feverish refreshing has paid off.
So the real villain is that creep from Sin City?
It’s Walt from “Breaking Bad”.
wait, the villain is Hal from Malcolm in the Middle?
epic
Looking back at this, this was a really good prediction! HR is very similar to Walter White, except we didn’t see his origin.
It’s HRG from “Heroes”! Or…Are those Phil’s glasses?
HRG is my choice as well
My first reaction was actually Christopher Walken. Possibly from Fatboy Slim’s Weapon of Choice video this one
Walken is the best guess yet. I want to see that HAPPEN.
It’s Gordon Freeman.
Okay, I think this is where I concede I have no idea where this is going to go.
I’m sure as hell sticking around to see.
A video screen? Glasses? A suit? The anachronisms are piling up!
Um… why am I suddenly reminded of the Illusive man and the Lazarus Project?
because you’ve been playing too much mass effect 2…
Exactly my reaction too…
Me too..
Fourthed.
William H. Macy is the real villain?!
You know what? He just might be: http://www.cinemablend.com/images/news_img/20642/william_h_macy_20642.jpg
He has the glasses from Wild Hogs.
…not that I’ve watched that movie or anything. At least not while not taking heavy cold meds.
Am I the only person that comes from a part of the country where that movie isn’t mocked? I mean, what’s up with-
*looks up, sees big neon sign that says ‘Texas’*
Oh. Right.
Ha. I was just about to mention seeing a literal line out the door for Wild Hogs while I was living in Lubbock.
So… The real villain is Noah Bennet?
YES. And then the Guilded Age-verse converses with Heroes! Oh god, the horror!
Oh hello there, Gordon Freeman! What are you doing in Middle Earth?
Heh. I knew I should have read ALL the posts prior to posting more or less the exact same thing…but good to know I wasn’t alone in my thinking.
Seconded!
All in favor, say AYE!
(Those stupid portals are so hard to control)
“And the science gets done.
And you make a neat gun
for the people who are …
still alive.”
IT’S KIM JONG IL. THE GANG IS GOING TO BE RESURRECTED IN THE REAL WORLD AND WILL FIGHT NORTH KOREA.
THEIR MENTORS SHALL BE JOSEPH STALIN, FIDEL CASTRO, THE GHOST OF THE PREVIOUS POPE, AND THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
THAT WOULD BE POPE JOHN PAUL II. HE WAS AWESOME AND TOTALLY NOT CREEPY LOOKING LIKE THE CURRENT POPE. THE CURRENT POPE REMINDS ME OF EMPEROR PALPATINE.
I LOVE LAMP!
JIM JONG IL, THE DEALMAKER! SAY IT WITH ME!
HE’S IL, HE’S IL, HE’S KIM JONG IL!
GLORIOUS FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY,
HE’S KIM JONG IL!
THEY WOULD DEFEAT HIM IN AN EPIC GAME OF MAJHONG.
IS TODAY ALL-CAPS DAY OR SOMETHING?
I DON’T KNOW. I CAN’T TYPE IN ANYTHING ELSE RIGHT NOW. I THINK I MAY HAVE A PROBLEM, GUYS. EITHER THAT OR I’VE BECOME TERRY PRATCHETT’S DEATH. CERTAINLY, THOUGH, I’D KNOW FOR CERTAIN IF THAT HAPPENED, BECAUSE I’D HAVE A CRAVING FOR CURRY.
Is this going to start getting meta on us?
It is Adam Savage of Mythbusters!!
Oh SHIT…. is this about to pan out Gamers Style to a room full of geeks with dice and character sheets?!?! >.>
“And that’s it. TPK. What the hell, dude? That encounter was totally unwinnable!”
“…Well, it was totally unwinnable. I mean, dammit, we weren’t even trying to blow up the GM’s plot or anything; everybody kept talking about ‘diplomacy,’ so we were trying that.”
“Actually, I found it to be very refreshing, in a meta-narrative sort of way: we were being punished in a traditional fashion for non-traditional gaming behaviors. Very subversive. Elegantly so, even. I can’t wait to get my Tuesday seminar’s remote analysis of the memetic inversions!”
“…Whatever, Frigg.”
I collapsed :DD
Ha! /salute Moe
+1
Well played.
Thank you all. No applause, just throw money at the site store.
^
Gold Star.
I continue today’s trend and join the row of people cheering. Well done, Moe. Very very well done.
I’m going to play the Salieri role here and sit in the corner looking jealous and unhappy.
“It was not Moe laughing at me. It was GOD.”
I, like many others, applaud you for this.
I think there is a certain webcomic character out there, a certain “perfect warlord” who would scoff at the idea of the encounter being unwinnable. question is can this one be cheated?
If by cheating, do you mean could Syr’nj conjure up a science type volcano to swallow up all the bad guys, then yeah, they could cheat.
Also, golf clap and hat’s doffed to Moe.
Erfworld Reference!
Nice!
Cheers,
Cote
I REALLY hope not.
funny how many of us were refreshing to see this…
Darn it. I told you! I told you all!!!!!!
Nobody mentioned GMan?¡ SHAME ON YOU¡¡
You kidding me? It’s Aizen! It’s Aizen! He’s about to take his glasses off and kill everyone!
ILLUSIVE MAN?
Damn stupid cover. Now I have to wait another 2 days to find out what happens.
I’m really hoping it’s not just a game on a table. I always liked how they skirted the line (I got a 9 in lock picking!), but embracing their RPG status would kill this comic for me.
So…the gang was all a video game? Or something.
zomg the villain is my dad?
I was thinking the same thing.
… Brother?
;_; /tearfulreunion
My theory:
The Smoking Man.
If this takes that many years (and two movies) to still not resolve anything at all…
…we’ll probably still be reading.
IT’S NEW ART GUY!!!!
Just look at his avatar! :D
You blew my comment… I was too late.
right! how did i miss that?
Time skip? “All just a game” – the newest product of All Just A Dream Enterprises Inc? High-tech humans invade the Guilded Age planet? A non-representative cover image to drive us all nuts with theories until Wednesday?
Guilded Age: We illustrate, you decide!
Real villian, eh? The GM?
Evil DM! He has to be evil..cause he glasses and all..yeah..
Commissioner Gordon? Quick, call Batman! Our heroes need help!
And please, oh please don’t let this be all that goes up for Monday; I can’t remember how the start of new chapters works. Still, even if it is, oh well, as long as this comic keeps updating.
Thunder: stolen. I, too, saw Commissioner James Gordon. From the newer Batman films, of course.
I as well, Locke.
Now… Joker is RPing Bandit, Batman is letting off some steam as Byron, and Robin is trying not to be in the backseat as Frigg.
Apparently Robin has some gender issues. (see: that dungeon with Best)
Oh yes. I almost did a search, because my first thought was “Gary Oldman? what is he doing in my webcomic?” Then I couldn’t remember got the life of me where I’d seen him with a ‘stache and glasses.
Wasn’t there a shadowy figure in the last Preview’O’Mystery? Is this the same guy or not?
that guy did not have glasses.
Yes he did. Same ‘stache, too.
Just noticed, look at the perspective. Is he watching behing a screen/glass/window?
OMG OMG OMG
*tears out what little remaining hair in frustration*
What did we do to deserve this suspense?
Appease! Appease!
Whay cant wednesday come faster?
Okay, now you’re just fucking with us.
Commissioner Gorden?
It didn’t have to be this way, you were a good guy once!
Gordon* I really, truly wish I could edit that.
Ain’t typos a bitch?
Gideon Graves with a fake ‘stache?
That’s Phil without his beard.
Everything I thought I understood about this comic has just gone out the window.
Even though I like the covers for each chapter, since they do nicely foreshadow the events of the story still to come, I just find it a tad annoying when we’re on the crossover.
Though it is a good use of suspense to keep us reading. I guess its not really a complaint, but just wanting to see what happens next.
Sorry, meant cliff hanger.
Sorry, to keep talking to myself, but the mouse over text for the cover is interesting.
More evidence that it is Sosuke Aizen.
what’s with you all: It’s clearly Inspector Gordon!
G-Man! NO! I can’t even kill you with noclip!
Assassin’s Creed? Animus?
I bet it’s Colonel Pornstache: 70s porn version
ogod i lold to this.
You fail to realise that this is Ned Flanders.
They just have been killed.. I’d say it’s God.
Looking through the window to an infinity of chaos, after all.
Wait a sec… I bet that guy is (a) God. Deus ex machina time!
…. Anyone else see Freeman? From Half-life? Just me? Anyways… Yes, new chapter time! With a villain!
Why did I think you meant Morgan Freeman? o.O
I do not know… Seriously though? Don’t you agree? From the back, all shadowy-like, it looks like Freeman, doesn’t it?
A couple of people said Freeman, I’m guessing this whole comic is really about what he was doing between Half-Life one and two.
This just goes to show us how many bamf guys there are that are just “the dude with the glasses” …so many guesses happened uniquely.
Sweet! How did you even manage to get Edward James Olmos into the cast?!
I think it’s meant to make us thing it is modern by the silhouette, but it might look entirely different when shown properly.
Heh. Reminds me of one staging of the Nibelungenlied i saw. There’s a break in the action and the next scene is set in Asgard where the gods discuss what’s been happening. And it’s the actual producers of the opera, in their business suits, playing the gods.
That…
Is actually kind of awesome. I would have liked to see that.
What is this and where can I find it? Norse mythology and opera combined with a twist like that– I must see it.
Looks like TIM from Mass Effect.
Dr. Freeman, it’s time to wake up
It’s Salavador Allende!
http://www.elciudadano.cl/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/20_salvador-allende.jpg
The whole comic has just been a really well-disguised anti-Marxist author tract until now.
I was going to say Gordon Freeman, like everyone else, but the guy definitely looks more like Allende.
Whoever it is, whatever twisted plot occurs…I’ll be here.
I might be taking very serious drugs, but I’ll be here.
He DOES look a lot like Commissioner Gordon, though.
Share and share alike compadre.
My first impression was Comm. Gordon, as played by Gary Oldman in Dark Knight.
But whadda I know?
Yep. That’s what I was thinking too.
Agreed.
Back left, three quarter view of Gordon looking pensively out across Gotham into the red sunset.
IT WAS THE DM ALL ALONG!
I’m rather hoping it’s some DM cameo as a peek into the game going on instead of a “Village”-style world within a world.
With all the interesting guesses in the comments, it’s a bit underwhelming that my first impression was Hank Hill.
It’s Charles Foster Offdenson!
Fools! it’s the Master and Overlord of Diplomacy…
…Henry Kissinger!
It turns out the whole comic was just the fever dream of a different webcomic’s cast.
Super double in-world meta.
Commissioner Gordon?
DUN DUN DUUUUNNN!
Clearly, he’s head of some sinister organization that’s poor at secrecy– hence, the jacket with the large “CHAPTER 9” printed on the back….
My Cthulu! It all makes sense!
The characters are dead, and this is a fast-forward in time to later in the same world, where the diplomacy failed, the war happened, mankind won, and mankind has succeeded in creating flying machines.
Are you guys kidding? It’s Hank from King of the Hill of course.
How about this? It’s the GM and he’s watching his garage burn down– along with all the maps, sourcebooks, character sheets, sand tables, and miniatures that make up the Erfworld campaign.
He is the Devil himself. Watching as the party members fall and burn. (They all were murderers in a way.) Or he is a sorcerer, enjoying the fires of Gastonia. “And it is all my doing…”
Hmmm. Does anyone else think that looks like a silhouette of Gordon Freeman?
“Is Theodore Roosevelt gonna have to choke a bitch?”
*crosses fingers for it to be Teddy Roosevelt*
Its Claremont of the “Gods of Arr – Kelaan”. The God of knowledge. (The master of their pantheon is Ronson, the god of drinking yourself to oblivion.)
Nah, of course not.
Didnt the last one said to see what happens on monday? Its monday and nothing has happened!
Oh mah gaaaaaaahd
Holodeck. this was a star-trek fan fiction comic all along.
I can’t believe that nobody else has realized that the villian is really Commissioner Gordon from Batman: The Dark Knight!
Hey… does anyone else see the barest smidgen of a silhouette of a moustache on this guy?
we know he has a moustache already.
Christopher…. Walken?
at least it hasn’t cut to the characters drinking tea, and analysing what went wrong, before dropping us back into the start of the plot again, where events pan out differently to the running commentary of a ghostly form of Byron who’s meta-analysing the whole plot.
I hate it when that happens.
Commisioner Gordon from Gotham City and Batman fame at the start of a trailer unvieling Marvel vs. DC vs. Blizzard vs. Nintendo vs. Capcom
imho.
They’re testing the effect showing it to the audience of a cult webcomic before unleashing it upon the world, who just may not be ready for such high levels of win.
I think everyone is missing the point. If this is just a tabletop scenario, then its probably a dude playing Syr’nj and a dude playing Byron. This leads me to the conclusion that the DM is a homophobe and initiated TPK when he saw the early signs of a relationship forming between characters.
Michael Douglas, is that you?
I say he’s a dead ringer for TIM in the Renegade ending of ME2: Red background, same suit, same haircut… Not sure about the moustache or glasses though.
It’s HRG!
G-Gordon Freeman? Is that you?
Oh. This is the bit that seemed like a shark-jump at the time… but was planned from the start therefore technically wasn’t… and yet is still a bit jarring if one didn’t connect the dots.
And lets face it, there were few enough dots to connect. The minor anachronisms that have arisen here and there so far could all be written off in some form or other, or otherwise ignored without implying significance…