Life continues to be busy for me, and I went back and forth on if I should delay this blog another week. I decided against it because I don’t want to triple the amount of work I’d have to do this weekend, especially since I’ll be out of town on Saturday. If my Sunday is unexpectedly busy, I’d have to delay writing yet again. So I’ve cut What Lurks Beneath and Home from the round up to save a little time. For WLB, ArualMeow has drastically slowed down updates for October thanks to computer difficulty. As for Home, I’ll just have a lot of writing to do next week. I’ll make up the difference in time because a few comics won’t be updating next week. Lost Scent takes off on the last Sunday of each month, Golden Shrike is taking a month off since this chapter just finished, and In The Lion’s Den will be on hiatus for the remainder of October.
For me personally, I’m in the process of buying a new home. Depending on what I need to do to close the process, I will find myself with less time available to write. For a heads-up, I may take a hiatus for the entire month of December. We’ll see.
On a better note, my Africa Plushie arrived and it looks fantastic.
Africa | Page(s): 490 – 491 | Patreon
Not letting Kafil’s sacrifice go to waste, Hazina kicks off the side of the ravine and jumps. She ends up tumbling down the rest of the way in a small landslide that her momentum created. Fortunately, the earth beneath her cushions her fall, and the zebra is unharmed. Since the crocodiles are busy eating Kafil off-screen, she’s able to cross the small river to the other side. While she’s now safe, the same can’t be said for Bibi and Mondo. Chui pulls himself up over the ledge just in time to see the caracal urging the serval kit to climb the tree.
Why Bibi couldn’t do this from behind the tree and out of Chui’s line of sight is beyond me. I’m guessing she was in a hurry, or the spot she chose is the only place where Mondo can easily reach the horizontal branches. Though if it wasn’t for her nasty cough and sickness, she probably could have picked up him and tried to run away while Chui was dangling from the cliff. I suppose it doesn’t matter now, because she’s been spotted and Chui is definitely focused on her. I can only hope she climbs that tree right after Mondo. Not that I’m feeling great, even if she does. Tree climbing is no big deal for leopards, and there’s a possibility he could catch her before she could get up into the higher, thinner branches.
The Order of the Black Dog | Issue 30 Page(s): 28 – 29 | Patreon
Okpara has been set up with a new identity as Marigold Alvarez. She’s also been given a new glamor device that makes her appear as a mouse. Her friend, Dr. Njeri informs her that the government has set her up with a new job, but she can’t stray too far from their watch. It’s also clear that Okpara isn’t going back to Hedgeworth. In the meantime, the doctor hopes that the Kae-Kariin will teach them about the rest of her species, the aliens intermingled among Earthlings, and the Earthlings themselves. For the most part, Okpara comes to realize the knowledge she and others of her kind have has been purposely fragmented. No one is allowed to see the bigger picture.
Dr. Njeri then asks a question about the background radiation. The stuff that has been dubbed Shankar radiation, that keeps the people of Earth locked into their anthropomorphic animal shapes, as individuals. Honestly, this is the question I’ve been wanting to know about since the concept of Shankar Radiation was introduced in this comic. Okpara doesn’t reveal who’s responsible for the radiation, but she does note that the people of Earth used to be a servant race. They were fragments of the Black Idol used for labor, transportation, and even combat. The Kae-Kariin were able to mold the Black Idol fragments into any creature they wanted. That came to an end when the fragments took control and started a rebellion.
I still believe the Shankar Radiation belongs to certain gods in the spiritual realm that can exert influence over the physical realm. Now if these gods aided the Black Idol fragments in their rebellion and gave them their current shapes is uncertain. Or maybe the gods took control of this radiation meant to imprison the Black Idol, and used it to create a new race of people. But the gods didn’t have complete control over the entire mass of the idol, which is why people can be influenced and absorbed back into the whole.
Honestly, these are just theories and I hope the reveal that has been brought up is further expanded upon since there aren’t many pages left in this final issue.
Lost Scent | Page(s): 136 – 137 | Patreon
The inside of the meteorite is gorgeous. It has both a crystal-like and metallic appearance. No wonder Dr. Ferris is fascinated. While he’s daydreaming of all the discoveries he could make, Tulpi rightfully takes the space rock back and begins to leave. When Ferris tries to persuade her to stay (or at least leave the meteorite with him), the Northern Spitz has had enough. She points out that first the Red Terrier wanted to look at the rock, then wanted to examine it, then cut it in half, and that goes way beyond what she agreed to. She fully unloads all the anger she’s been holding back for this entire journey.
And you know what?
Tulpi is valid here.
She’s been told her entire life to put the happiness of others above her own. Everyone gets to have what they want, except for her. And she’s sick of it. This is highly relatable, and I’ve been there myself. Sometimes you just have to put your foot down, otherwise people will walk all over you. Doubly so if you’re quiet and relatively polite. You have to stand up for yourself, and if that means crashing out, so be it. I’m proud of Tulpi.
Does Dr. Ferris deserve the earful he’s about to get in regard to Motte? Probably not, but he wasn’t listening to her objections earlier. So he’s going to listen to her vent. And if he’s smart, he’ll let her finish, wish her well, and won’t bother her any longer about the meteorite she found.
Golden Shrike | Page(s): 380 – 381 | Patreon
The group banter continues as Runi notes that Nero and Boneslav aren’t that different in attitude, despite their very different personalities. Kasko and Runi joke that they can’t tell the two bucks apart. Amusingly, both Nero and Boneslav are mildly annoyed. However, Usma is enjoying the moment and everyone’s company. Her being with this group has been good for her. As she tears up, I’m positive she’s relieved to no longer be living with the horror of what her father has done and has become, while the corpse of her mother is piloted by a god. Not only that, but the Northerner doe needed some friends around her own age. I’m going to drink up all of these lighthearted moments, because the reunion with Antaras is probably going to be rough.
As everyone settles down for the night, Runi makes good on her promise to send her Halv back to her herd to let her parents know they’re okay. I’m just loving the scenery and colors on this page. It’s a moment of warmth and comfort. Possibly the last few moments of peace this group will have as they venture to the Farnorth in search of War.
Golden Shrike will be on break for four weeks.
Skipping this week:
Home | Page(s): 995 – 996 | Patreon
What Lurks Beneath | Pages(s): 1036 – 1037 | Patreon
Off for the week:
On hiatus:
In The Lion’s Den: The Scarlet Uproar | Page(s): 103 – 104 | Patreon
