This week will be a relatively short round up because more than half the comics I follow are either off for the week or are on hiatus. If I have time, I might start working on that promised review of The Dragon Slayer. Fingers crossed I can get it up before week’s end.
Africa | Page(s): 445 | Patreon
We return to Faida’s clan and the situation seems to have spiraled out of control. Nuru is presiding over the chaos, while Faida is doing her best to calm everyone down. What surprises me the most is how much of the elephant has already been consumed and how much more is left. At this point everyone should be well-fed. There really isn’t a reason why the clan should be fighting, especially since there’s enough to go around. It makes me wonder if the hyenas going at it are really fighting about food or if there’s something else happening.
Given this situation, it’s safe to assume that Faida doesn’t have her clan under control, even after they all backed off a few pages ago. Seems like the wild dogs were right about a potential mutiny.
The Order of the Black Dog | Issue 29, Page: 30| Patreon
This page is simple, short, and sweet. The Black Idol is powerless against Kenazil and her onslaught. Everywhere she goes, she tears through the mass. Even its main body seems to be unable to stop her. I just love the last panel where the black dog is framed by the silver spears as she viciously pulls at the Black Idol. All it can do is silently scream in horror. The red light from her eyes illuminating everything really highlights the violence of this moment.
At this point, the mass on the moon is finished. The bigger question is, did it have a back-up plan, or is Kenazil arriving something it never saw coming? Better yet, what’s Julia’s plan for getting Melissa back and calming the black dog down? Will Kenazil be the final obstacle to overcome? If I had to guess, I’m thinking if Melissa and/or Julia can’t take control of the beast they’ve unleashed on the moon, the gods may have to step in. Perhaps Zalef-Labev comes to collect his “pet” after she does enough damage. And for kicks he gives them an “I told you so.”
I’ll say it again, I don’t think Rogio’s words or his sentiment regarding Naeva are wrong. In fact, he’s quite right. I just wish another dog was giving her this pep talk, as he’s a massive hypocrite. The nuzzling in the second panel and Naeva’s timid smile are cute. I do wish Home had more tender moments like these between characters instead of all the bedroom eyes and sex. I’m not sure if the talk got through to the young dog, as the transition to Ranach immediately compares her to her father.
That’s what annoys me the most about this page. Kique is trying so hard to make comparisons between Naeva and Ranach. And what for? Just because they share the same pelt colors? When she was old enough to talk, she was immediately shown being the empathetic pup among her sisters. She often stayed with Roamer when he was down and listened to his troubles. (Him dumping his problems on his niece is another issue entirely.) Naeva was also the only pup concerned about having to possibly attack and kill her own father. So what is the message the author is trying to convey here? That her empathy is bad and makes her more like Ranach? That she’ll eventually turn out like him despite being a kind soul? Or is she meant to be what he could have been had his own empathy not been beaten out of him by his father?
I’d like to think it’s the latter regarding her, but at the moment I get the feeling that she looks the most like her father, so the narrative has decided she will be like him in the long run. If that doesn’t happen, I’ll be happy.
On another note, if any pup looks the most like Ranach, it’s Sumersaga as her coat patterns match his the most, and she has pricked ears. From what little personality we got from the pups, she was also the most outgoing. There was a missed opportunity to go with her filling the role of having her father’s bad tendencies, just because she doesn’t share his colors. If that’s where the story is going regarding Naeva.
As for Ranach himself, it looks like the rebel meeting is finally happening. Why the sinister lip licking was needed in the fifth panel is beyond me. Is this supposed to be an indication of his intentions behind the rebellion being less than virtuous? Or is this a red herring? I honestly can’t tell anymore because Kique seems to be caught between wanting Ranach to be a bad guy, but also trying to redeem him in some way. Honestly, he should be allowed to be a piece of shit. He’s crossed way too many lines to be redeemed as even morally gray. Don’t forget he murdered his own father for personal gain via Rogio. He also had Zilas, Jonna, Fuss, and Ulfr killed just because he could, and killed Kargo directly. He also tried to force himself on Ulfr, a relative of his. Yeah, no. Ranach isn’t misunderstood and secretly a good guy. He’s rotten to his core.
As for those who showed up to the rebel meeting, we have a some tribe leaders and even Axi is there for some reason. Let’s see how persuasive Ranach is regarding the misdeeds of the Solar Stag Tribe.
Off for the week:
Lost Scent | Page(s): | Patreon
In The Lion’s Den: The Scarlet Uproar | Page(s): | Patreon
On hiatus:
What Lurks Beneath | Pages(s): | Patreon
Golden Shrike | Page(s): | Patreon
im really not looking forward to the obvious redemption arc kiques trying to make ranach go through.
and looking forward to the dragon slayer review. :)/
His redemption arc makes no sense. He’s already crossed so many red lines.
Glad you’re looking forward to it! Reading it has not been fun. TDS has a lot of problems. XD
I wish the hyenas in Africa had more diverse designs. They all look the same exception of Faida. Even Nuru who’s somerwhat important shares the basic design. That doesn’t happen with other animals in the comic.
If you are unhappy with Naeva’s arc just wait for what’s coming. The poor girl gets compared to Ranach just because she has a temper and doesn’t want to right. It’s despicable.
I’m excited for TDS review 🙂
Yeah, the hyena designs are kinda meh in Africa. I guess Arven was going for them all being related, but compared to comics like Tofauti Sawa or I Hope So they’re not interesting to look at. I do like Faida’s design, but I guess because she’s a bit fluffier.
The comparisons to Ranach are just so unfair. It’s like the author is reaching for reasons to compare her to him. The fact that Naeva doesn’t want to fight should make her different enough.
I’m glad you’re excited for the TDS review. Reading this in large chunks makes me glad I stopped following week to week early in the story. XD
aw, i love Home. Its my favorite comic in general, not even just among webcomics. I know it has its flaws but they dont matter that much to me, if i even notice them. its such a joy to read and the art is beautiful. Though despite your criticism im assuming you still like it? otherwise why keep reading it
Hi Wolf! I’m not out to rain on anyone’s enjoyment of Home. It’s why I keep to my little slice of the internet with my very own .com address. I once enjoyed Home and Asmundr a lot. I’ve been following Kique’s work for about a decade now. But I’d say around chapter six is when this comic soured for me. Still, I wanted to at least see how it ended, and I find a lot of its flaws fascinating to pull apart. At this moment, I can just say that I’m incredibly bored with this comic. The only thing that’s keeping me reading is my promise to see it through to the end (it’s a concept called the sunk cost fallacy, except it’s my time instead of money https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/sunkcost.asp ). Plus I do have readers here that have found me in the past six years since I’ve started this blog who enjoy reading my thoughts or sharing my own. There are parts of the comic that I do like at times, those moments are just getting further and further away.
Of course, Home isn’t the only thing I stick with despite being tired or frustrated with it. The anime, Bleach falls under this category, as well as My Hero Academia. On the gaming side playing Final Fantasy IV: The After Years was pretty bad (on camera on Twitch for livestream no less). I suppose it is dogged determination and being just interesting enough to stick with, despite my lack of enjoyment.
Thanks for replying! I read a few of your other reviews and actually agree a lot, and it made me realize I don’t even really know whats going on in the story haha. I do wish the writing was better. I think I just get so much enjoyment from it being a story about ferals (based on my favorite animals and breeds) with the fantasy elements I love, and not being for kids. I suppose my bar is low! But I’m glad I found your website, I appreciate someone thinking critically and providing insight in this niche genre. I too found Asmundr a decade ago, but I was a preteen then and was blown away by it, I thought it was the best thing ever. I was mostly out of the loop with Kique’s drama and I learned from you that the whole breakup thing with the co-writer significantly effected how the story was written, if I’m understanding correctly?
You’re very welcome!
Aww, I appreciate that! I will say the story at the start made sense. Survive on this new strange planet. Then the story fractured and so many different plots are going at once, and they really need to be consolidated. I do get the appeal of Home and Asmundr. I saw a recommendation for Asmundr in the comments section of Off-White (if you remember that comic) about a decade ago. I really enjoyed it and the fact that Kique actually finished the story. I had been burned by so many webcomics that were just discontinued that it was a breath of fresh-air to see one actually finish. That got me into reading more webcomics and discovering that yes, there are authors out there who finish their stories. Asmundr/Home is nice in that it features feral dogs. At the moment, Lost Scent and No North are two comics currently updating that features feral dogs, except they don’t really have the sci-fi stuff.
But yeah, Kique’s break-up with not one, but two co-writers have affected the story. The first would be with Marduk/Kheller and how his entire story changed after. Basically from being helpful into a villain. (The first co-writer was his friend until that friendship ended.) The second would be the Bayou/Lowglade tribe. They were supposed to play a bigger role until Kique and broke up with his girlfriend who was also his co-writer at the time. That’s why the tribe suddenly disappeared from the story. Makes me wonder what Home could have been if he’d not relied so heavily on co-writers.