This is another week where I’m eagerly waiting for plots in the comics I’m following to play out. Africa, To Catch a Star, The Order of the Black Dog, and Golden Shrike are particularly tense. I’m keeping my fingers crossed in the hopes that we see some payoff in terms of plot in the very near future.
Next week is going to be a bit rough because I’ll be celebrating Easter on Sunday and that’s going to throw off my schedule. That said, I don’t think there will be a need to take a break.
Africa | Page(s): 364 | Patreon
Africa continues to plead with Mondo. She knows he suffered because of her and wants to explain. She also knows that although the little serval is a predator, he’s also prey and will always be uncomfortable around larger predators. The leopard implores him not to be afraid of her and not to give in to his instinct. The words have an effect and the small cat goes to his much larger adopted mother. She continues to coax him over as Mosi watches from the bushes. Her conversation with Mondo is drowned out as the pained youngster gives in to his instincts to kill the smaller cat.
It looks like the happy reunion isn’t quite happening yet as Mosi’s jealousy morphs into the urge to kill. It just feels like Africa can’t catch a break, even as she’s finally caught up to her adopted son, and her biological son is so very close. Given how the final panel on this page fades to red, Mosi is very likely going to attack. Let’s just hope that when he does, Africa can intercept him in time to save Mondo. Moreover, let’s hope these two leopards don’t hurt each other, as they deserve a happy reunion and chance to actually talk their problems out.
To Catch a Star | Page(s): 467, 468, 469, 470 | Patreon
As Shadow mourns Backlash’s death, Takedown sneaks up on her and sinks his fangs into her muzzle before she has a chance to fight back. Seeing their friend in trouble, Lupi springs into action. They swat Takedown’s ruined eye, grab the star, and place paws on Shadow and Backlash to teleport them away. Except only Lupi and Shadow are teleported while Backlash’s lifeless body remains behind with his brother. Now in a new location below the clouds, Shadow realizes the young wolf isn’t with them and can only scream “No!” as it is clear he’s truly dead. (It also seems the dead can’t be teleported.) Lupi still doesn’t understand, and they insist the pair has to go get Backlash. Shadow refuses, confusing the sun wolf. As they insist, she finally snaps telling the sun their friend is dead.
If it wasn’t clear that Backlash died in the previous set of pages, it’s pretty clear he’s gone now. Again, Lupi’s teleport ability only works on living wolves. What worries me is having it confirmed that Takedown is easily able to get the drop on Shadow, so she might not win a potential match up, despite being larger. I’m still worried that she might easily be his next victim. Another worry of mine is what Lupi will do when it finally hits them that Backlash is dead. It seems like the obvious thing to do would be to collect the stars and use the wish to bring him back to life, but it seems so unfair to the greater good. After all, making a better world would benefit everyone, while reviving Backlash would make his friends happy as the world around them continues to crumble. I also don’t think Sleepy would go for such an obvious route in the story. (Or maybe I could be wrong!)
After everyone is done immediately grieving, I fully expect the pair to continue gathering the stars. Once they have them all, the sun can decide what they want to do. Which means the story might shift from Takedown being the immediate threat back to Scorch and his machinations.
I will admit I’m concerned that if To Catch a Star is coming to an end this year, there might not be enough time to wrap up loose plot threads. For example, Lupi’s dream with the celestial body of the sun and the moon wolf who’s being held captive by the Supernova. I hope Sleepy learned some lessons from White Tail and will wrap this story up comfortably.
The Order of the Black Dog | Page(s): Issue 27, page 37 | Patreon
Mel grips the key in her hand as tendrils of black smoke seep between the fingers of her closed fist. She stares at her fist, as if transfixed. Meanwhile, Julia continues to berate the smiling man. She states that the gods should have a divine intervention. The smiling man rebukes her, using the analogy that the gods are gardeners and if something threatened their fruit, they would stop it and the fruit would not even be aware. He alludes to the fact that something similar has happened in the past and that the gods allow things to happen for a reason. Julia tells him he’s just making excuses, and declares the food supply is being poisoned and rotting away the brains of the divine beings. Suddenly the smiling man stops grinning as the wall and pictures behind him begin to crack.
Upon my first viewing of this page, I was certain that Julia’s words got to the cat god. Upon re-reading the page, I’m sure he stopped smiling because something is on its way. Maybe Kenazil, maybe not. As he and Julia exchange words, Mel has been eerily silent and mostly off-screen aside from her appearance in a single panel. The room they’re in has filled with a black soot-like substance that wasn’t there before, the pictures have gone dark, and the cracks in the wall are obvious. Also, this is the first time this god hasn’t been smiling, so whatever is happening must be quite serious.
I’d also like to note that during the conversation as Julia called him and the gods out for being deadbeats, the pictures behind her (before they went dark) showed the god, Air’asha. The very same good that allowed Julia to free herself and Sedjet from being part of the Black Idol. The meaning is obvious– the gods allowed Julia to take back her personal sovereignty. The smiling man is alluding to the fact that it all happened for a reason. I’ll be curious to see the ultimate outcome of him giving Mel the key to Kenazil, even if the meaning might take a few issues to come to fruition. The Order of the Black Dog is fantastic at setting up plot that pays off well in the future.
Lost Scent | Page(s): 44 | Patreon
My guess about Motte falling into a wicked fever dream was correct. As she rests in the snow, Tulpi’s last words to her morph into something darker, as does her vision. The kind Akita’s face is replaced by a distorted and wicked version along with the pig’s face. The words themselves transform from a thoughtful promise into something much more threatening. Tulpi’s face transforms into that of another dog and the words twist into “Find ya. Always.” I wonder if the dog she’s now dreaming of is the dog she’s trying to run away from? As it’s the only thing that makes sense to me. I also wonder why in her dream, Motte saw herself blindfolded. Was she kidnapped or held prisoner by this dog at some point? Or is the blindfold symbolic?
There’s not much else to say about this page. Though I did like the artist description:
What did you dream today?
I had a super weird dream about tattoos.
People and details changed all the time.
Dreams are weird… like any AI shit you can find everywhere at the moment.
Makes me wonder if this page was the result of such a strange dream, or part of its creepiness was inspired by the body horror that generative AI is known to create. I just love the meaningful usage of imagery on this page as Motte’s sickness and thoughts combine into something deeply unsettling.
Golden Shrike | Page(s): 257 | Patreon
After a month-long break, Golden Shrike is finally back! This chapter picks up right where the previous chapter left off, on the same scene as well. I’m glad we’re getting right back into this thriller rather than cutting away to Nero’s group.
Usma asks if Helevise is dead, and when Antaras confirms it, she asks how could someone do such a thing, and who would do such a thing in fewer words. The former caller examines the scene and notes the flowers, and how Helevise’s jaw was stabbed then pulled open. So the killer has antlers. Also, the field of flowers she’s surrounded by are called Fox Chasers and the smell is unbearable for predators. In short, after the old doe was murdered, her corpse was deliberately left so Antaras’ group could find her.
This page pretty much confirms what I suspected on page 256. (Though I was wrong about her throat being cut, her actual death was a lot more gruesome.) She was left out for the group to find, likely as a warning or message. I’m sticking with BreadBuster’s theory that Dousa (Iralee’s assistant buck) either had a hand in Helevise’s murder or worked with someone else who did the deed. The question of why the caller had to die still needs to be answered. Do they want Eve for themselves? Do they want Antaras to continue on the path he’s walking? Are they trying to get to the group before Nero and company find War? Right now, we just have more questions than answers. I’m certain that will change very soon.
I had the displeasure of discovering NSFW art exists of two character from Asmundr. A couple that was quite toxic. Now I pass this knowledge on to the curious. Don’t click if you value your sanity.
Also, Salty Malty wrote up an excellent rework of Fraujar and the Whispervale Tribe. Check it out!
Now, let’s get back to Home.
To no one’s surprise, the hooded dog turns out to be Fjordor. He brings greetings to Ronja, and he notices that Rogio is looking a lot better than when he last saw him. Fjordor then shares an embrace with Ferah before asking what’s happening with the tribe. Ronja informs the Midnightgarde Tribe jarl that they are moving up into the mountains with the help of some members of Whispervale Tribe. The dogs that forcibly wants them to be evicted from their lands haven’t gone home yet. Smiling, the old jarl reveals that he was carrying swords in the cart, and they were gifted to him by the Spirit of War, Serrandr after many years of prayer. He brought them all to Meteor Tribe as gifts.
It would have been deeply amusing if Fjordor had arrived at the old Meteor Tribe a day late only to find everyone gone. Home will never be that self-aware, though. Also, pour one out for all the theories that Fjordor was coming to burn the corpse of his former mate, so her spirit could rest in peace. Let’s not forget the confusing matter of the ghouls themselves were never laid to rest by Kique. According to Fjordor, he saw his mate rise from her grave, walk off, then eventually peel off her own skin. Given that, there’s probably no corpse to burn as it went off with the other ghouls. (It’s amazing that this comic is nearly 900 pages long and its unclear if ghouls are the malicious spirits of those who died or if they’re actual walking dead.) But anyway, why would Fjordor allow his wife to rest in peace when he could bring swords instead?
Speaking of swords, I’m pretty sure they’re going to be plot-relevant soon, Chekhov’s Gun and all that. It’s also amazing that no other tribe as used them before, as knives and spears were supposed to be good enough. Not cool enough for the author, I guess. So swords had to come up at some point. There are arguments to be made that they’re even less wieldy for dogs than knives as the balance or lack of would make it difficult for the dogs to hold them– much less use them. For me that’s less of a concern given how this comic has cats that use bow and arrows. I’m just waiting for a gun or a canon of some sort to appear next. I just find it odd that all of their weapons are supplied by gods and the characters just happen to be getting swords right as they’re about to be raided again. The writing feels so lazy and uninspired it hurts.
On a final note, you’d think Fjordor would give those swords to his daughters’ tribe or the rest of his allies. Going straight to the Meteor Tribe just feels like an oddly forced choice.
