It’s December already. My goodness this year has flown by, and it’ll be over before we know it. I planned for a regular length roundup this time around, but my weekend was way too busy. Combine a busy Saturday filled with errands to run and an eight-hour Twitch livestream on Sunday, and that left me with less time for writing than I wanted. So it was either go with no roundup, a late roundup, or roll with the 1300 words I’d managed to write on Saturday. I went with the third option. Fingers crossed that I’ll be back to a normal roundup next Monday, especially since I’m on a month-long break from Twitch streaming.
Africa | Page(s): 348 | Patreon
During their argument, Africa finally comes clean about how she killed Sabra. In the distance Mondo looks on, shocked at the revelation. Confused, Faida asks about the mistake the leopard said she made. Africa explains they were surrounded by the lions, the serval attacked Safari– she had to think fast. The hyena matriarch finds it unacceptable that a nursing mother was killed. She then halts her conversation as Mondo looks on stunned.
Africa has finally admitted the truth about Sabra– least how she met her end. Some people figured that Faida knew the entire time but was hiding it. I don’t agree with this line of thinking because Faida seems to genuinely believe Sabra was killed by the lions. Plus her shocked and slightly horrified expression isn’t something that’s easily faked. That said, it does bother me how the hyena doesn’t seem to be surprised about Safari being attacked, nor does she press Africa any further on if anything else drove her to do a small cat murder. To be fair, this very well could happen on the next page. At some point I do hope Africa clarifies the thing that kicked off this chain of events was Sabra selling out Binti and Mosi’s location to Baba Bes and his pride.
Repeat | Page(s): 241, 242, 243| Patreon
Overwhelmed with newfound emotion after being joined with Dawn, Lun mourns the death of The Dusk. Tilter informs the Moon god that what they’re feeling is sadness and that it’s not a nice feeling. The young wolf then ponders if the sadness Lun feels is because they loved The Dusk or if they’re just Sol’s feelings. Confused, Tilter admits they don’t really get it, but tells them it’s wrong to hurt people for nothing and when they do to apologize. The Moon can only make guttural sounds and seems to realize something. The small wolf laments their task of trying to help Lun understand their new emotions.
The next morning Tilter finds Honey in the forest paying their respects to Bor’s newly growing body. The bear asks if the young wolf is alone and wonders about Sol. Tilter relays that the Sun will be gone for a while. The kindly bear offers to let Tilter stay with them. Then Lun appears. The blue wolf tries to explain the Moon god is no longer dangerous, but the bear quickly excuses themselves and books it out of the forest. Later that night Lun approaches Tilter continuing to make guttural noises until they finally utter a broken “I’m sorry.” Taken aback, then conflicted, the wolf pup admits this action is a start.
One of my biggest complaints with Repeat is how we never get to see more of the story from Lun’s perspective. In hindsight (and some mild reader admonishment), I probably should have been a little more patient. This insight into Lun’s psyche is just about everything I wanted. (I also somehow missed pages 221 and 222 explaining how Lun hasn’t been reincarnated for a number of cycles– which does explain why they never had a chance to develop empathy like Sol did.) With The Dusk dead and unable to be revived, their servant can no longer influence them. At the same time, Lun is being heavily influenced by the Sun’s servant, as well as the Sun themselves.
The results are clear. The mad, grinning god is gone. They have been replaced by a wolf who is overwhelmed with a variety of emotions and is completely unsure of what to do. They follow Tilter around like a giant, lost, Borzoi puppy. Ears pinned back, tail down, shoulders down, and a look of anxiety. I can’t imagine feeling so many emotions at once. Being devoid of emotions only to have that spaced filled must be quite the rush– but not in a fun way.
It seems like it’s going to take Lun a while to process everything they’re feeling, but at the very least they are feeling shame and possibly guilt as evidenced by their realization and apology. This wolf really is an immortal god that spent no time around others and was deeply dedicated to the cycle. Now feeling everything at once, I can only wonder if Lun can move past the guilt, shame, and sudden empathy in order to find their own purpose. Sol’s was to spend time with Babble. I wonder what the Moon god’s will be? Perhaps taking on the Sun’s responsibility to protect the small blue puppy? Given that Lun is the moon and has Dawn, they’re pretty much the sun and the moon at the moment. Fingers crossed that bit of sunlight within them can burn away the fog they’ve been living in for decades, if not centuries.
On a technical note, I have to say I loved the shafts of sunlight shining on Lun after they merged with Dawn. It was a nice visual reminder that the Moon god has quite literally seen the light.
The Order of the Black Dog | Page(s): Issue 27, page 21| Patreon
Julia and Tazim talk over cups of tea. Julia wants to know when they’ll see Rhoda again. The real Rhoda. Tazim simply replies that she’ll be back after she’s done with her work of growing mentally. The European wolf changes the subject and asks who the god is. Tazim admits answering those questions won’t do Julia or Mel any good, as Rhoda had also been on the path to seeking answers. When she found those answers… Tazim pauses and removes the visor Rhoda had been wearing. Julia and Mel can only gasp in shock as the god reveals at some point Rhoda gouged out her own eyeballs– the answers she discovered didn’t do her much good.
There was no update of The Order of the Black Dog last Friday, likely due to the holiday. I was drawing a blank on why I couldn’t remember the Black Friday page at all. As for this page, a few people suspected that Rhoda might be missing her eyes, and they weren’t wrong. What shocked me the most is not only seeing Tazim in her body, but the fact that she’d gone slightly mad at the reveal of the Black Idol. I was confused as to why she’d willingly blind herself, but then I reread the last pages of Issue 20, her last appearance so to speak. During that time Rhoda was clearly able to see in the Black Idol in the shadows of people, and the sight disgusted her. After that she walks away with Tazim lurking in her shadow. I can only wonder if Rhoda gouged out her own eyes so she wouldn’t have to see The Black Idol among unsuspecting people.
Furthermore, I wonder if she relinquished her body to Tazim in order to find a way to stop seeing the Black Idol everywhere or to find away to free people from its influence. From the last shot of her in Issue 20, page 48 she definitely had a look of determination on her face. She had a plan that she wanted to execute and whatever it was, Tazim was fully onboard. Why this led her to a remote desert village is beyond me. Perhaps finishing her work requires aid from Julia and Mel. Who knows?
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