Not much to say in terms of an introduction this week. The massive “No Kings” protest nationwide turnout was pretty cool to see.
Africa | Page(s): 426| Patreon
Two big reveals are dropped on this page. First, there’s a cough going around in the African Wild Dog pack. It makes me ponder if this cough is related to drinking the contaminated water, or if a viral infection is making the rounds to the animals in the crater. Whatever the dogs have, Bibi has the first signs of it as well. I just hope the infection isn’t deadly.
The other big reveal is the AWD pack has made plans to intervene in Faida’s war against Bes’ pride. Even if the dogs aren’t certain that Faida can actually get her clan to attack for the sake of revenge. On the surface the plan to stop both groups seems sound. Enough dogs could get both lions and hyenas to reconsider. Or the dogs could risk being drawn into the war themselves. By that I mean the dogs could accidentally provoke or expand the potential war by miscalculating.
Either way, a big showdown is brewing if Faida is close to taking action. Africa and family picked a fantastic time to take a vacation outside the crater.
What Lurks Beneath | Pages(s): 899, 900 | Patreon
Not only is Petrel long gone, but so are their lavender plants. I wonder if the plants naturally died on their own or if they were being actively cared for.
On Patreon another reader compared the lingering smell of the lavender to Petrel’s actions, and I’m just going to run with that idea. In this instance the plants represent Petrel, and even long after they’re gone their actions (or stink) continues to influence the island’s politics. The symbolism on this page is a “blink, and you’ll miss it” moment, but I think it is meaningful. The actions Petrel took at Trout’s coronation has led to a nearly insurmountable rift between The Family and the Daisys, a queen who is deeply distrustful of the latter, and subjects willing to manipulate her to further their own discrimination. Like actual lavender, Petrel and their actions have ultimately been toxic for these cats.
As the group enters Egret’s spacious tree, Mollymawk and Hake begin to dry off. Kelp offers to do the same for Egret, but he’s as prickly as ever. Despite being cared for by Sturgeon, he’s pretty much lived his life as a loner. He interacts with her, but otherwise has very little do with other cats. Unlike the other Daisys, he’s well-fed and knows of decent hunting spots. It makes me wonder if Sturgeon is still feeding him on the side, supplemented with his own hunting. I also get the feeling he knows exactly who he is and is resentful at being a Daisy when he should have been a member of The Family.
I hope we learn about Egret’s backstory beyond just being saved and raised by Sturgeon. This cat has some interesting baggage.
The Order of the Black Dog | Issue 29, Page: 11 | Patreon
So we have an idea of how the device works that Melissa is using. Her thoughts are projected to The Black Idol, and she’s willing it to not notice them. I just hope device’s effects don’t immediately wear off if she loses concentration. Like she’s doing at the moment. That said the panels where the Lunar Base has been twisted, actually remind her of the frightening afterlife that awaits almost all mortals. You know, the red fleshly plane of existence with teeth, and the scary winged being with a vagina torso filled with even more teeth. So far in the story Melissa hasn’t visited this place, but Rhoda and Julia have. So I can only theorize that the tiger may have shared memories from the Black Idol from the time it took over her body without assimilating her.
It makes sense, as the Black Idol seems to be a part of the plane in the afterlife. In a way, it’s like a god, so I could see it being connected to the spiritual world. I still maintain that Shankar Radiation is the voice of the other gods yelling at the Black Idol to give the people of Earth forms that separate them from their origin as parts of the Idol. This page just further confirms it for me until it’s revealed to be something else within this comic.
Lost Scent | Page(s): 89 | Patreon
I really like the establishing shot in the first three panels of this page. The idea of moving rail cars via large draft horses is so clever. If the technology for electricity or even coal driven locomotives no longer exists or can’t be maintained by the dogs, massive horses are a good solution. They’re essentially pulling large stage coach cars along. These cars just happen to be way more luxurious than any stage coach could ever hope to be.
Meanwhile, this entire scene is Tulpi’s flashback. Judging by her collar bag, and her narrowly avoiding a breakdown, it has to be right after her brother and family left her. Seeing how she’s honest and upfront about her feelings and circumstances, I can see why she’s managed to hitch a ride. It also helps that Tulpi is quite good with her paws, so she can at least earn a bit of keep in lieu of monetary payment.
Our Akita mix’s new, temporary traveling companion is an interesting lady. She’s either part of a religion centered around a dog named Ocean, or she’s part of a cult. While I don’t think Tulpi’s in any danger, I’m slightly wary of this lady. Perhaps I’ve been watching too many documentaries about cults, and her language is just setting me off. She could just be part of a larger regional religion that has yet to be introduced within this story.
Golden Shrike | Page(s): 316 | Patreon
Wow, so I was correct in my guess that either Antaras or Oudia were weary about traveling with the March. Which is why Usma feels so incredibly guilty. It turns out the parent objecting was Antaras, and his reasoning is quite sound. However, his wife and daughter manage to persuade him to change his mind. While I completely understand Oudia’s sentiment about life being too short to be cautious about everything, I can say in this flashback things will not go well. If they did, Golden Shrike would be a very different story.
Some curious things to note on this page. Oudia now has a rope necklace. It wasn’t there in previous pages, and I wonder if there’s any significance or if Doe Prince just forgot about it until now. I also noticed that Oudia’s halv is a red cardinal, and Anataras’ halv already has a broken beak. We’ve seen the Northern buck’s halv, but there’s no sign of Oudia’s halv in the present day. I’m going to stick to my theory that she’s somehow killed or gravely injured during the March, and whatever magic or artifact that Antaras finds reanimates her corpse by having Eve occupy her body. I’m not sure how the pregnancy plays a role, unless Oudia learned she was expecting just before she died.
It’s about to go down on this newest page. Despite their attempts to suddenly sneak away without alerting Marduk, he’s awake and on to their plan. Or at least I guess he is given the paw slam in the forth panel. He’s either gearing up to make a dramatic entrance or he was trying to crush Piccolo underfoot. Despite the warning from the hare, everyone just panics about the obelisk instead of just running. The pack knows the thing is dangerous, but it has a range. I’m just shocked at the sloppiness of this escape plan. Did no one have any contingencies in mind just in case Marduk woke up mid-escape?
It takes Rhov to remind everyone to run, while he dashes back to confront the former Sky God/Green One. I suppose his intention is to buy everyone time, but then what? He possibly dies a pointless death or is maimed at best? (Of course we know that Kique is averse to killing off the main characters.) Again, the pack should have poisoned or drugged Marduk before attempting to escape, especially in such a half-assed manner.
Even now, this escalation feels so damned forced. Again at no time has the gray alien dog ever told the pack they couldn’t leave the Asmundr territory. Just that he wanted them to give him the same respect as they give Father, because he’s better than Father. Arrogant yes, but homicidal? Eh, that’s a stretch. A scene where they attempted to leave and were rebuked or threatened really needed to be shown. Hell, we’ve needed a reason for the pack to suspect Marduk for a long time, and Kique’s attempt to paint him as evil still falls flat even after the reveal that he’s the leader of the Green Ones.
Honestly, I feel as he required a villain and a reason why the Asmundr pack couldn’t just up and leave to join Jahla or Ronja’s tribes, so he just had a few pack members declare they couldn’t leave. I must keep stressing that Marduk has never outright stated the pack couldn’t leave the Asmundr territory. He just brooded about them leaving in the background. Yet Jahla and her pack were free to come and go as they pleased, despite the Sky God’s fascination with the Akiulfr.
If you’re writing a story, give people a villain with believable motivations and actions. Don’t just say they’re evil without ever showing why. This is how you end up with a bland, uncompelling bad guy like Marduk.
On a final note, it seems the sun is setting. That clears up my confusion at least.
On hiatus:
In The Lion’s Den: The Scarlet Uproar | Page(s): | Patreon
Tulpi was really abandoned by her siblings‚ that sucks. I don’t think saluki lady will be much trouble.
Something definitely happened to Oudia in the march. Maybe attacked by an animal or had an accident.
Laughing at the fact that Marduk is just evil because Kique had a falling out with his former co writer. That’s why he does not have a goal‚ Kique just want to spit on someone who “betrayed” him.
“Laughing at the fact that Marduk is just evil because Kique had a falling out with his former co writer. That’s why he does not have a goal‚ Kique just want to spit on someone who “betrayed” him.”
Exactly my thoughts. The reason Marduk is evil in the first place is because Kique did it to spite J-Harper, just like how he later removed the Bayou dogs because they were created by Staz/Zirvasity. He’s that petty.
It’s so pathetic. Imagine doing such changes to your story because you don’t get along with people that helped you. I wonder how Kique feels about J-Harper’s comic doing better than his
At this point I wonder why Kique even bothers with co-authors. He eventually has a falling out with them, then rewrites the story to spite their characters.
Yeah, I think based on that page and the newer page, Tulpi got a ride from a cultist and went on with her life.
I’m leaning toward Oudia had an accident, but in a way that didn’t immediately harm her fawn.
I guess Kique had to rub extra salt in the wound by making his co-author’s character a terrible villain.