[S.T.O.R.Y. 3/21/02 - 3/31/02]

[Chaos Priest]

For an explanation as to the new format, please see here.
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http://www.egscomics.com/d/20020321.html

Curse you and your non-explanatory ways, Shive!

Well... I guess that wouldn't really be accurate given just how much exposition he gave just four comics ago, and he did eventually explain this one... but, uh, curse you anyway!

I wonder what kinda project they had though that would give Tedd cause to joke around with the TFG though. Maybe they had a biology report, or something involving wildlife. I hope the day Sarah couldn't say anything other than "meow" wasn't the day the project was due.

[Nightranger]

March 24:
In Sarah's defense, Elliot does look unexplainably perverted in panel 3.

And, Grace looks like a seriously evil squirrel in panel 7.

March 25:
The Coat of Solitude might have worked somewhat better if Elliot had used it in this strip.

March 26:
I'd just like to point out that the last panel here is hilarious.

March 28:
What does Dan mean by taking the wind effect farther? Panel 2 uncensored, perhaps?

March 29:
Tedd's line in panel 3 ranks among my all-time favorites.

March 31:
Is it just me, or does Grace look like she's deflating in the first panel?

[ChronosCat]

Er, Nightranger, I'm not sure, but I think we're supposed to save our commentaries on the later strips of the week until Chaos Priestess posts the first comment (or at least until the day she would do so).

...I'd wait myself, but I don't know how often I'll be able to get online the rest of the week (assuming I get online again before the weekend at all). Instead, I'm going to "spoiler" the later days' comments, so those who want to preserve the effect of daily comments can wait to read them until the proper day.

*Travels back in time to Spring 2006*

Chronos: Hello again. You know, it's kind of weird having you pop in every time I hit the "next" arrow...

Crystal: Actually, this time I'm going to get a week's worth of comments in one go.

Chronos: Sound more efficient. I'm glad you thought of it.

Crystal: Er... right. Anyway, what do you think of the comic for March 21, 2002?

Chronos: I agree with the title - "curses"! Although it's odd the narrator/title-person sympathizes with the readers in this case.

== cut to October 28, 2008 ==

*Crystal appears after having gotten the week's comments.*

Crystal: First off, regarding March 21st's strip, my current thought is: Well, that was a waste of three panels.

On the other hand, for some reason it struck me re-reading the strip how cute and cuddly squirrel-girl Grace looks. (Incidentally, it's easy for me to interpret all those points as "soft fur", seeing as how that's how I draw fur when I'm feeling lazy.)

...Well, that's my post for today... or yesterday... whatever.

*Crystal vanishes, then reappears.*

Now for my post for today! I suggest you don't read it until Chaos Preistess posts her March 22nd commentary, but it's up to you.

Comments for March 22 2002:

== Spring, 2006 ==
Chronos: So, Elliot is suspicious now? Funny, I was a little suspicious at first, but by this point I think she's trustworthy.

As for the rest of the week...

Comments for March 23 2002

== Spring, 2006 ==
Chronos: So Vlad isn't just like a vampire bat in appearance - he actually needs blood. And Grace seeks a way to halt their transformations? I hope it doesn't work or doesn't happen too soon - I like having furries in the comic!

== Oct 29, 2008 ==
Crystal: And so, we encounter our first big retconed story element - Vlad's bloodlust. If the story had more of a dark/horror feel, that would have been an important element and I would have been disappointed to see it go. As it is, I agree with Dan that it didn't belong - however since it had already been brought up, I think it should have either been dealt with or explicitly explained away instead of just ignored later on.

Comments for March 24 2002:

== Spring, 2006==

Chronos: Yes! At last a story that doesn't cheat by having clothing transform with the shape-shifter!

== Oct 30, 2008 ==

Crystal: Gee, that's not like the Elliot we know. ...Of course, this strip also brings up something that's been discussed here before - if Grace's weight didn't change between forms, that means there was a 160 pound squirrel running around...

Comments for March 25 2002:

== Spring, 2006 ==

Chronos: Oh, Sara learning martial arts! That could be cool.

== Oct 31, 2008 ==

Crystal: Of course, now we know what was really on Elliot's mind - time to come clean about Nanase.

Seeing as I expect to be online Friday evening, I'll leave the rest of the week's comments until then. However, there is one thing relating to March 31st's comic I'd like to mention now, as Nightranger brought it up.

March 31:
Is it just me, or does Grace look like she's deflating in the first panel?

Well, she is getting less furry, so it's similar.

[Chaos Priest]

...for some reason it struck me re-reading the strip how cute and cuddly squirrel-girl Grace looks. (Incidentally, it's easy for me to interpret all those points as "soft fur", seeing as how that's how I draw fur when I'm feeling lazy.)

See, for me it's almost the opposite. The pointy fur suggests to me that her fur is a bit matted and/or messy, and Grace needs to take the time to clean and groom herself. Not that I can blame her for not having fabulous fur at the moment given that she ran away for what passed as her home and we don't really know how long it was between the time she left the Nest and when she arrived at Tedd's house.

[Chaos Priest]

http://www.egscomics.com/d/20020322.html

Geez, Elliot is kinda a jerk in this comic towards Grace. I can understand him being a bit cautious around her and wanting to know just why it is that she came to Tedd's house in the first place is certainly reasonable, but considering that she just saved Sarah from being robbed and possibly worse you'd think he'd be a bit nicer about it. The look that he's giving her in this comic is one that I'd assume he normally saves for bullies he's about to beat within an inch of their lives.

Oh... I think I know what it is. Elliot seems to feel it necessary to point out her furriness in second panel. I'm betting Elliot does not like the furries. Which is kinda funny when you consider that he's now become one and his girlfriend seems to find that type of thing hot.

[Man on the Moon]

Oh... I think I know what it is. Elliot seems to feel it necessary to point out her furriness in second panel. I'm betting Elliot does not like the furries.

Or that he just found out she's been specifically designed as an assassin.

[Youwillneverknow]

3/21/02
I do wonder what kind of project would be done. if its not biology then perhaps they where just taking a break, Sarah found the gun, then there was a scuffle and the gun went off. Of course we still don't know exactly, only that she was a cat.

3/22/02
I never liked elliot in this strip, he seemed so different from his regular emotions, standoffish, rude and smug. frankly I'm shocked someone didn't deck him.

[Chaos Priest]

Oh... I think I know what it is. Elliot seems to feel it necessary to point out her furriness in second panel. I'm betting Elliot does not like the furries.

Or that he just found out she's been specifically designed as an assassin.

He also found out during that same explanation that while she was supposed to be an assassin she was "ineffective as a killer," "hated violence," and "could not be trained in any form of combat."

[Man on the Moon]

He also found out during that same explanation that while she was supposed to be an assassin she was "ineffective as a killer," "hated violence," and "could not be trained in any form of combat."

Still, assassin. Here, now, on the couch. And who he let just wander off with a friend earlier.

[Chaos Priest]

Who then saved said friend by scaring off a guy with a knife.

Wait, why are we even arguing? The "hates furries" reason was a joke.

[Man on the Moon]

Who then saved said friend by scaring off a guy with a knife.

Yes, gaining their trust so they'll trust you and you can stab them!

Wait, why are we even arguing? The "hates furries" reason was a joke.

Hard to tell with this crowd.

[Eques Concordia]

About the only in-character reason I can think of for Elliot suddenly growing suspicious is the possibility that he feels her greater power now that she is transformed, like Sensei Greg did later. Of course, he should have felt that earlier, when Sarah brought Grace back in. The assassin bit certainly didn't help, harmless or not, while her rescuing Sarah should count for something. Then again, the two definitely started off in a bad way.
As is, it seems more of a set-up for the first few panels of the comic for the 24th, though.

[Chaos Priest]

http://www.egscomics.com/d/20020323.html

Ignoring the retconed accuracy of her statement, would transforming Vlad really have gotten rid of the blood lust? People in EGS might have slightly different mental states when transformed, but they are not completely different people. Even if Vlad was rid of a need for blood, I'm not too sure that would rid him of a desire for blood given the many years he would have been feeding upon it by this time. If that part were still true then Ellen's tranformation beam might have resulted in a second Countess Báthory

Though with the existence of magic in EGS I wonder what forms of undead exist, and if vampires are among them. And if so, would the preferred method of hunting vampires runs more along the lines of Hellsing-like tactics?

Vladia: By the way Mr. Verres, how did you like the joy of war? Did it set you aboil? Were you able to see the dark red flames blazing?
Mr. Verres: ...
Mr. Verres: I'm scheduling an appointment for you with our psychiatrist on Tuesday.

Possibly something more along the lines of Sarah the Vampire Slayer? Or would Hedge suddenly discover that he is meant to whip the undead into submission? (Hey, he was pretty good at using that chain, and we don't know where his human side comes from)

[Nightranger]

Though with the existence of magic in EGS I wonder what forms of undead exist, and if vampires are among them. And if so, would the preferred method of hunting vampires runs more along the lines of Hellsing-like tactics?

Which Hellsing would you be referring to? The anime/manga? Van Hellsing, the elderly vampire expert from Bram Stoker's work? Or perhaps VAAAAAAANNN HEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLSSSSSIIIINNNG!!!!!!, from the movie Van Hellsing.

[Chaos Priest]

As far as I know the anime/manga is the only one spelled with 2 L's. I also pretty much copied Vladia's rant there from one of Alucard's conversations with Integra to signify which one I was talking about.

[Nightranger]

Ah. I haven't seen/read Hellsing, so I wouldn't have recongnized it. Well, that and--even if I had recognized it--I still couldn't resist a chance to referrence Dracula's Khan.

[Chaos Priest]

http://www.egscomics.com/d/20020324.html

Those hammer heads sure do break easy, though it's impressive how quickly Elliot was able to recover. He must be used to that kind of thing.

I would love to know what kind of thought process went through Grace's mind for her to relate making goo come to life with expertise on transformations. Was she hoping that Tedd was a mad biologist of some kind?

[Chaos Priest]

http://www.egscomics.com/d/20020325.html

"Hidden Motives?" What hidden motives could somebody possibly have for trying to get a girl to join their martial arts class? Maybe Elliot is hoping he can "lend Sarah some help" with her gi, if you know what I mean

OK, perversion aside there still has to be a reason. One would assume that a girl mugged would be good enough, but apparently not. As there is a hidden motive that would imply that there is probably something in it for Elliot. Maybe he practices Anything Goes Martial Arts Pyramid Scheme Marketing and he's hoping to wrangle Sarah in as a recruit for the commission.

[ChronosCat]

Posts for the rest of the listed "week", since I don't know when I'll be back online:

Comments for March 26, 2002:

== Spring, 2006 ==

Chronos: The dialog in this strip (including the title) is quite strange.

Crystal: Which makes it funny and quote-worthy... fool.

*Chronos shakes his head.*

Comments for March 27, 2002:

== Spring, 2006 ==
Chronos: I still say the Coat of Solitude is a stupid idea. Neat that Tedd saved Christmas, though.

== Nov 2, 2008 ==

Crystal: Didn't the "How I saved Christmas" thing come up again at some point? Either way, it reminds me of when Mr. Verres tells Tedd that the moral of the battle of Trenton is "If you party too hearty, George Washington will kick your butt."

Comments for March 28, 2002:

== Spring, 2006 ==

Chronos: Actually, Sarah, he already knows - that's the problem.

Comments for March 29, 2002:

== Spring, 2006 ==

Chronos: Huh, a Calvin and Hobbes fan. Neat.

Comments for March 30, 2002:

== Spring, 2006 ==

Chronos: Staying furry because a nerdy boy has a furry fetish...? I've gotta meet a girl like that.

Cute how she curls her tail around him - though it's gotta be more flexible than a real squirrel tail to do that, I'd think.

Comments for March 31, 2002:

== Spring, 2006 ==

Chronos: Pretty colors.

== Nov 6, 2008 ==

Crystal: And now we do get to see her in school! I'm surprised Grace was able to figure out what Elliot was up to, though, considering her lack of social knowledge. (I'd say maybe she watched television, but if she had, I would have expected her to understand more about the world - unless that whole selective viewing that got her in trouble with the World Wars came into play...)

Edit: CP still didn't say if my "spoiler"ing my early posts was an acceptable compromise, but upon thinking about it further, I realized it wouldn't take too long to add the tags in using "copy & paste", so they're in there now.

[Chaos Priest]

Since Chaos Priestess didn't comment on Nightranger's commenting the entire week at once, I assume my "spoiler"-ing my early posting was unnescessary. As that takes a little extra time to type, I won't bother with it this time.

Actually I would prefer things are taken one day at a time. I just decided I didn't want a bunch of posts about how I was trying to do this followed by debates on the matter cluttering up the thread and throwing off the "average posts per day" count I'm going to do at the end.

Really though while I would have preferred otherwise I saw what Nightranger posted coming a mile away.

[Chaos Priest]

Given the amount of replies and discussion this topic has been getting thus far it's looking like it would be better to switch back to the individual thread format after this trial run is over.
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http://www.egscomics.com/d/20020326.html

Wow, second night together with Grace and Tedd has already slept with her. He is da MAN! (sometimes)

OK, joking aside I think this strip might possibly be the closest thing to evidence of Tedd and Grace having sex that we have right now. My main argument against it before was that Tedd hadn't yet shown any emotional high from having done the deed for the first time (though I don't actually know if this is actually common, I'm just going by hearsay), but while we can't see any loopy grin (no mouth) or glowing (figurative or otherwise) from him in this strip he does seem unusually chipper. He also uses a phrase here that somewhat equates to "One thing lead to another." It also would kinda funny if part of Tedd's disappointment and Grace's amusement in this strip resulted from them having done something dirty in the past.

On the other side though, there are some possible unfortunate implications regarding Grace's reasons for having sex with Tedd at this point. I'm not seeing that much in the way of lust or her part yet, and it's too early for love to have developed.

[Nightranger]

I don't think they've done anything "dirty" yet, personally. If they have, I'd have to say the most likely time would have to be somepoint after the strip at the beginning of PB that cuts away with Grace glomping Tedd.

[Darekun]

If they have, I'd have to say the most likely time would have to be somepoint after the strip at the beginning of PB that cuts away with Grace glomping Tedd.

IIRC, it is officially a rigidly defined area of doubt and uncertainty whether they had sex after that pounce :J Also, IIRC, at the time that was officially zero or one times they did so, so their sleeping together at the beginning of Relations was in the non-biblical sense.

The spacetime tag "monday, school: lunch" has always struck me as a bit odd... I guess I think of "lunch" more as a time than a place, and "school: monday, lunch" would make more sense.

[Tarvok]

The small number of replies may be a random fluctuation in forum participation. I know I haven't visited the forum for pretty much the entire week, except to briefly check the Strip Slaying thread..

[Dragonstar]

If they have, I'd have to say the most likely time would have to be somepoint after the strip at the beginning of PB that cuts away with Grace glomping Tedd.

IIRC, it is officially a rigidly defined area of doubt and uncertainty whether they had sex after that pounce :J Also, IIRC, at the time that was officially zero or one times they did so, so their sleeping together at the beginning of Relations was in the non-biblical sense.

The spacetime tag "monday, school: lunch" has always struck me as a bit odd... I guess I think of "lunch" more as a time than a place, and "school: monday, lunch" would make more sense.

Lunch is a mystical congruence of both time and space, a magical intersection where time seems to slow down and all is right with the world. Remember that it in the time/space crossing that Susan and Tedd became friends, and where Susan was allowed to use her hammers in defense of him. Also, the length of the recruiting scene for the Feminist Club shows how it slows time down. Truly, a wonderful convergence of time and space indeed!


EDIT: wonderful convergence, not a wonder convergence.