TWWR Round up 02/23/2026– I’ve Failed You in Every Way Possible

I’m currently off from work for the night thanks to this region being walloped by yet another snowstorm. A month ago we got a lot of snow and bitterly cold temperatures that kept the snow around for three weeks. This time we got a blizzard, but warmer temperatures and the snow is already melting. Even so, I’m surprised that work actually closed today. Snow isn’t uncommon for this part of Pennsylvania, BUT it’s not usually a foot or more per storm.

Anyway, I do have some webcomic news this week for you all, including comics I’m following, but don’t write about on a weekly basis:

The newest chapter of I Hope So is now updating on ComicFury. RJ has also posted the first chapter of A Shadow of Herself, an AU where Quiet was accepted and taken in by Edge instead of being killed. It’s quite good!

Follow Your Heart is also updating again with chapter 23 starting.

Lapis Lupis Gaming did a comprehensive video breakdown and review of chapter 13 of Home. This video was actually posted in December, but somehow I completely missed it.

Africa | Page(s): 462 | Patreon

Looking at this page again, I’m feeling like Nuru was more keen to get the drop on Kauket versus actually helping Faida. Maybe if the former matriarch weren’t lying face down in the swamp and presumed dead, the new matriarch would have kinder final words for her. Or maybe not. I don’t know. Either way, Faida gave up her life for a clan that turned their back on her. Even so, she understood it was important for the greater group to live on. In my eyes, that makes her an excellent leader that was ultimately derailed by her need for revenge.

Badru’s situation is a bit tougher. He’s not being banished, but he’s being demoted to the bottom of the clan. He’s not Nuru’s partner, so his proximity to power is now gone. Despite him warning the clan, it feels unfair that this is his reward. At the same time, if I had to see it from Nuru’s point of view, letting him stay is a mercy even though his privileges are gone. Life is harsh as a hyena if you’re not at the top of your clan, at least in this universe. I wish I could teleport Badru to a kinder clan such as Siyanda’s in Tofauti Sawa.

Moving on, this marks the end of Faida for sure, and I’m curious to see if her replacement is up to the challenge of defending everyone from the wrath of Bes. Once he catches up and finds his mother, he’ll likely figure out the hyenas ended her. Best case scenario, maybe he’ll think Kauket and the old matriarch took each other out and won’t hold it against everyone else. Then again, considering how he mistook Africa for Chui, I’m thinking he’s not the forgive and forget type.

What Lurks Beneath | Pages(s): 981 – 983 | Patreon

These series of pages has cemented Hake as my favorite sibling in What Lurks Beneath. The way he sprung into action to keep Thresher from mauling a cat who had the misfortune of stepping on the beach was amazing. The contrast between how Trout reacted to Tresher attacking Petrel, and Hake’s reaction to this random Daisy is telling. The future queen cowers while the prince acts. Now, I will give his sister some grace here.

Unlike her, he’s been trained to fight and has been shown to be pretty good at it. Meanwhile, Trout never learned and Petrel was able to reverse the fight and nearly take down the king. If Hake had been in her situation, I think he would have either tried to directly intervene and separate the two cats OR he might have still called Snapper, fearing for his father’s life.

The Daisy splits the scene, and despite being yelled at the prince is still willing to stand up to Thresher, calling him out in a way that his only his privilege could allow. He’s just as concerned for his father’s reckless actions as he is for the cat who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But of course most Family Cats only see the forest cats as threats, and the king’s aggression as a good thing. Gull justifies his actions. Fortunately, Hake isn’t hearing any of it, isn’t backing down, and is showing how just he is.

In an alternative universe, I feel as if he and Sturgeon could have teamed up in great ways to use their power to help the Daisys. Their thoughts are well aligned, but maybe due to their different ages they never really connected in a way that could have better reversed some of the bigotry spread by Thresher and the Family. I’d say that’s a failing of Sturgeon as she was so desperate to protect her siblings from their father that she never considered including them in her plans while the king was still alive. To be fair to her, even if she did include them, there’s no guarantee that both kids would have fully understood where she was coming from considering how Thresher spoiled them.

Lost Scent | Page(s): 112 | Patreon

We have another one of Tulpi’s flashbacks for the start of this chapter. After her brother abandoned her, she was forced to wander alone. I’m not sure if this takes place before or after her trip on the train with the cult. Either way, she’s in a rough part of whatever town she’s ventured into, and the locals look unfriendly. I’m hoping these dogs are nicer than they appear, or that the Akita-mix is able to talk herself out of this situation.

On a world building note, I adore the hairstyles of the two poodles here. All of this grooming is possible because the rats that help out, and I’m sure that works for the piercings, and haircuts as well. I’d love to see a few panels of this in action some day.

Golden Shrike | Page(s): 347 | Patreon

Speaking of flashbacks, this page marks the end of the current one.

I feel as if Usma begging Antaras not to go through with Eve’s deal was the last out for this stag. Unfortunately, he’s so desperate to have something left of Oudia, that he’ll break his daughter’s heart even further. The wicked smile on both of Eve’s heads confirms to me that she’s doing this because she wants to see the former God-caller suffer. PitchBlackExpresso, a mutual and reader of mine on Tumblr suggested that Eve might also want to carry a mortal fawn as a change of pace, and I can buy that. She’s probably bored like Karuna, so having a novel experience could be interesting to her.

That said, it’s rather cruel of her to go through with it even as she knows other deer will suffer. I do think she means for Antaras to take the blame, be hated, and perhaps ultimately hunted down by other deer after pushing all his loved ones away. I can’t think of a sadder ending than that. At this point, I’m even wondering if the god will keep her promise of birthing a live fawn. Part of me says yes, because it would be extra salt in the wounds of other deer as the one who stole the gods gets to see his child born, while they get nothing but stillbirths.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to what the rest of the group thinks of her story– especially Nero.

Home | Page(s): 958 | Patreon

Let’s start with the positives from this week’s page. I like the first three panels of Elvind and Sumersaga horsing around with the practice weapons. I even appreciate that Kargo actually looks concerned about Naeva when he asks her if she’s alright. He looked bored out of his mind on the previous page, so at least this shows he cares a little. I also like how Naeva is fundamentally a peaceful soul. She doesn’t want to kill, and in this world that’s a noble trait in my eyes. (Way too many dogs are assholes in Home.)

Now let’s get into what bothered me and a lot of others about this page. First Naeva insisting that she doesn’t want to kill, and getting upset about the thought of killing doesn’t make her like Ranach. That feels like an overreach from Kargo. Why he even brought up her father is beyond me. Worse yet, he’s doing a shit job of explaining why it is important to know how to fight and defend one’s self and others, but that doesn’t mean you have to kill. The pup having an attitude isn’t a reminder of her father, she just happens to share his coat colors, and that’s so unfortunate that this is the cause of said parallels being drawn. If anything, Sumersaga is the pup that’s most like Ranach in her need to bully and dominate others, yet she gets a pass where Naeva doesn’t. All because the kid doesn’t have a taste for murdering others.

Again, I wish to share some insight from PitchBlackExpresso in pointing out how every adult in Naeva’s life has failed her in some way. Ronja for not better explaining why Ranach is dangerous, Roamer for using her as a therapist, whatever that talk with Rogio was, and Kargo for not clarifying there’s a difference between killing and self-defense. Honestly, this girl deserves so much better than what the adults in her life have given her so far. At this point, I feel like she’d be better off at Whispervale Tribe or with the Asmundr pack.

What’s crazy to me is that in the Wiki, Elvind is listed as a Hunter, Sumersaga as a Warrior, and Naeva as an Artisan. Why not just give her some basic self-defense lessons that will either disable an attacker OR allow her to get away? Does the tribe’s artist really need to be a killing machine? If another dog needs to finish off a violent enemy, so be it. Sadly, Diarko insists that Kargo did nothing wrong and it is Naeva’s worldview that’s wrong.

You know what the real issue is? This author’s worldview. In his mind, enemies are people who need to be crushed and destroyed. If anyone threatens you, you gut them, and you don’t apologize even if your reaction was disproportional in scope. We had Kargo’s overwhelming taste for murder before he was in turn murdered, Roamer killing another dog in cold blood, and Fraujar agreeing with Roamer’s actions. There are never any consequences for these actions, except for when Kique fell out of love with Kargo, but before that he could do no wrong. The lesson here is that those who are ready, willing, and able to kill without mercy or remorse get everything they want, even if they’re supposed to be the heroes. Those who want to walk a peaceful path are chumps. Hell of a lesson to make front and center in your comic. It makes me wonder if Kique will kill off Naeva in the future to show her soft pacifism has no place in Aedra. God, I hope not.

 

Off for the week:

In The Lion’s Den: The Scarlet Uproar | Page(s): | Patreon

On hiatus:

The Order of the Black Dog | Issue Page: | Patreon