5/22/12-...DAMN IT I WAS RIGHT!

[TheBlackPaladin]

NO WHITE MAGE! AND HE HAD A FRICKEN CLAW GO THROUGH HIS CHEST! BUMPER IS DEAD! MOOKIE HAS KILLED HIM! WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*Curls into fetal position*

[daveshan]

No. I'm not going to fall for it again. I've fallen for Mookie's 'look, I'm actually a good writer' bluff one too many times before this. Until I see the last part of the final comic and Bumper is still dead, I'm not going to buy it.

Once again Mookie shows us that he has no idea of what real pain feels like or what it's like to be in a real fight. If Bumper was a seasoned knight, I could see him keeping his cool with his hands sliced off. However, he should be in ten different kinds of shock, pain, and/or paralyzing fear to the point where him being able to cry out from said pain would be a stretch.

[Lumino]

No. I'm not going to fall for it again. I've fallen for Mookie's 'look, I'm actually a good writer' bluff one too many times before this

For a point of question, why is quality of writing measured in corpses? A good writer can get plenty across without death, and a bad writer can make even the most important death cheap and pointless.

Not saying anything about Mookie's writing ability, as that would be asking for trouble, but the reasoning you gave for it bothered me.

I do agree that Bumper running with his hands chopped off looked mind bogglingly silly though. It was intended to be a serious comic and I was giggling while watching him. Not really the best reaction there.

But it still entertains me, so I can live with it. Plus, people always seem to attack artists and writers for realism. Why? Reality is lame, why would you want fantasy to be closer to it then it actually has to be?

EDIT: Don't count Bumper dead yet people, as was stated in the comic, Archmages must be masters of every school (Which includes Necromancy AND White Magic). There is still time for the Deus ex Momina to show up and save the day.

[The Traveler]

Wounds inflicted by that gauntlet typically don't heal. Ever.

[Reaver225]

Oh, god. No. No!

TIM had fricking spikes through his eyes into his brain and he flinches at.. Blood?!

That's just ridiculous!

Oh, and gee, sucks for Bumper..

(is that you b_l? Because if not she is going to be heartbroken)

[TerminusEst13]

For a point of question, why is quality of writing measured in corpses? A good writer can get plenty across without death, and a bad writer can make even the most important death cheap and pointless.
Not saying anything about Mookie's writing ability, as that would be asking for trouble, but the reasoning you gave for it bothered me.

Mookie has said before that he hates killing off characters because the quality of someone's writing shouldn't be measured in death counts. So he tries to give poignant not-deaths, and whenever someone looks like they're about to die there's a sudden asspull reversing things.
Basically, Michael is a fucking coward when it comes to his characters getting hurt, and it's kind of interesting to see if he'll be getting a pair by getting one of his noble selfless heroes killed with no backsies. Wait, did I say "getting a pair"? Whoops, I meant "fucking up anyway because the first one's a black dude and he's an entirely extraneous character only defined as Stunt's BEST FRIEND WHOOPSIE".
That is, assuming that:
A: he keeps with the whole "wounds from the gauntlet can't be healed".
B: Bumper was hit in a vital area.
C: There isn't some sort of white mage around.
D: This wasn't actually an illusion this whole time.
E: Luna hasn't studied white magic.
F: Mommy doesn't show up.
G: Greg doesn't suddenly get his magic back.
H: Bumper isn't capable of shrugging off mortal wounds like Dex did--and, hey, he's already not in shock by having both of his goddamn hands lopped off and gushing like a fountain! He was even able to put off a one-liner! What's a minor heart wound?

But at least it gave us this:

[SLTE]

because the first one's a black dude

I ALWAYS forget he's black. Or very deeply tanned. Or whatever. ALWAYS.

[daveshan]

No. I'm not going to fall for it again. I've fallen for Mookie's 'look, I'm actually a good writer' bluff one too many times before this

For a point of question, why is quality of writing measured in corpses? A good writer can get plenty across without death, and a bad writer can make even the most important death cheap and pointless.

What Terminus said. If the way death was avoided was well built-up and foreshadowed, as well as rare since it's never an actual kill, I'd be ok with them. However, Mookie does a death-fake-out at least once every three arcs and they come back from the dead by sheer willpower or something like that.

Also, I wasn't referring to the death count in particular. I was referring to the fact that, over the years, I've given Mookie more chances than a gambling addict gives a slot machine. Every time he starts showing good work, I get his back and give him praises for it. Yet, every time, he shows me that everyone who said the good thing was going to fail was right.

I gave up on Mook when Stunt revealed that he never hurt a woman, but still had a problem that he didn't think was a problem, but knew the cause of it, but fought to ignore it, but... You get the idea.

[PantherScott]

More important than him being black, he's not one of the movers and shakers of the comic so he doesn't matter. I'll believe he's dead when they get to the funeral. Until then, Bumper is as hurt as Dominic's "Brittle Bone Disease."

Lumino is right of course, you can get poignant scenes without a death count. But there has to be an element of risk which this comic doesn't have, even if Bumper truly dies. Because so many times it looks like something bad is about to happen, but then Mookie fails to pull the trigger and then pats himself on the back for it. He's completely eroded the sense of drama and risk just because he wants to feel good about himself. Funny, you'd think as a Death Metal fan he'd be a lot cozier with themes of death and pain.

[IrishFino]

Stay dead, expendable black guy.

[TheBlackPaladin]

Anyone who expects Greg to get his White Magic back and Save Bumper needs to remember this: That Black Gauntlet TIM has on? THAT IS GREG'S WHITE MAGIC. And anyone that expects Luna to fix heal him? SHE IS AN OFFENSIVE CASTER! No White Magic from her Either. Miranda? SHE IS POSSIBLY CURRENTLY TRAPPED IN THE SANCTUM FOR THE ARCHMAGI BY THE KING! Oh I also bet you're thinking that since Pamela still has nurse training she can do something. I DOUBT EVEN 100 OF HER CAN FIX A HOLE THROUGH THE CHEST! The only Possible way for him to be saved is for Jayden and Milov to suddenly appear from a teleport scroll. But until that happens, someone I actually like in the comic is gonna die.

[daveshan]

Taking bets! Taking all bets!

Anyone who expects Greg to get his White Magic back and Save Bumper needs to remember this: That Black Gauntlet TIM has on? THAT IS GREG'S WHITE MAGIC.

3 to 1 odds on Greg's white magic returning! A bet of 10 gets you 30! Any takers? Any takers?

And anyone that expects Luna to fix heal him? SHE IS AN OFFENSIVE CASTER! No White Magic from her Either.

Luna knows white magic without any foreshadowing at all? 4 to 1! 4 to 1! A bet of 20 can get you 80!

Miranda? SHE IS POSSIBLY CURRENTLY TRAPPED IN THE SANCTUM FOR THE ARCHMAGI BY THE KING!

Miranda escapes and heals Bumper! 2 to 1 only.

Oh I also bet you're thinking that since Pamela still has nurse training she can do something. I DOUBT EVEN 100 OF HER CAN FIX A HOLE THROUGH THE CHEST!

5 to 1 odds! 30 can get you 150!

The only Possible way for him to be saved is for Jayden and Milov to suddenly appear from a teleport scroll. But until that happens, someone I actually like in the comic is gonna die.

This seems totally ridiculous and unlikely. After all, if Jayden knew a teleportation spell, why not teleport her and Stunt out of the desert and why didn't Rillain use one to get them out of there? It makes no sense.
EVEN MONEY!

[Destruction Preventer]

Isn't the Infernomancer blind? Failing that, wouldn't he at least still have whatever mystic fu allowed him to "see" when he had spikes in his eyes or his eyes were one giant mouth?

[TheBlackPaladin]

Wait, just about every character that has ever been important to the plot in some way has appeared again save Jacob and the Orcs... My money is on Jacob coming and and saving the day because who fucking cares about Orcs.

[Lumino]

Wait, just about every character that has ever been important to the plot in some way has appeared again save Jacob and the Orcs... My money is on Jacob coming and and saving the day because who fucking cares about Orcs.

It HAS been a while since we've seen him. And he could actually use his 'Good' Necromancy to at least keep Bumper alive until they get him to a real healer.

Interesting thought.

[detrius]

 

Guys, they have the Mookieverse equivalent of the Holy Grail on their hands.

 
The most important artifact of a religion that celebrates martyrdom and altruism, in a fantasy setting where magic actually works.


In fiction, you can't toss holy relics around like that without triggering something, that's why they're special - just watch any Indiana Jones movie. Not only is Bumper not going to die, he'll probably ascend to the next level.

[LordGolbez]

Wait, just about every character that has ever been important to the plot in some way has appeared again save Jacob and the Orcs... My money is on Jacob coming and and saving the day because who fucking cares about Orcs.

If Jacob saved the day it would be great, considering Mookie has systematically turned him into a contemptible joke (much to my chagrin) in every arc he's been in following his first appearance. To finally see him do something of note would make me happy. However, "who fucking cares about orcs" is sadly precisely why I would expect them first.