This will be my last round up until August 17th or 18th. I’m on vacation, and I’ll be attending Otakon and Furrydelphia. I’m not going to cover the pages I missed while on vacation. If I have any bonus updates, say a review, or a quick article, I’ll try to post them. However, I won’t make any promises.
On the comic side of things, the author of The Realm of Kaerwyn is going through a rough period. Finances are tight, and Jakkal is considering cutting back how much she updates Kaerwyn. Any support given to her via Patreon or Ko-Fi would be helpful. If your own finances are tight, maybe consider giving the comic a try or share it with friends who might enjoy it. I used to cover Kaerwyn in the earlier days of this website and it’s a good read. That said, I only had so much room in my schedule for comics that updated multiple times a week.
Africa | Page(s): 479 | Patreon
It looks like only half the herd made the jump across the gorge before the ledge crumbled on both sides. Not good. This means a number of zebras in addition to Paa and Nia didn’t cross. Not only that, but there’s a possibility that if this was the narrowest point of the gorge, Africa and Bibi might not be able to jump across anymore. Of course, that’s the least of everyone’s concerns, as Chui is likely in the area and ready to pick off the next herd member. Not only that, but there’s a good chance he’d recognize Bibi and would antagonize her. Everyone on one side of the gorge is about to have a very bad day.
What Lurks Beneath | Pages(s): 1016 – 1017 | Patreon
Here’s the verbal confirmation that Wrasse does not care for whatever Gull has planned at all. Or at the very least, he disagrees with the way she’s going about things, especially when dealing with Sturgeon. Gull doesn’t respect the time the former enforcer spent as a lionheart, unless that furthers her own ideals. Ideals that come from The Tide in her own opinion.
I agree with Wrasse here. Whatever the old medicine cat is planning to do with her new position of power won’t end well given the way she’s going about things. She thinks her fellow advisor is spineless, but when everything is said and done, he’ll likely be the one still standing. You know who else called another cat a coward and met an unpleasant end? Krill.
With the way things are happening in the Family now, everything is a sinking ship and these cats are too blind and comfortable to realize their impending doom. I’m not sure what form that doom will take, but things are unsustainable in the long term.
The Order of the Black Dog | Issue 30 Page(s): 17 | Patreon
So I was wrong. The hooded figure isn’t a lizard or even a Kae-Kariin, it’s Rhoda. Either in the spirit world or somewhere on Earth, she’s found Zalef-Labev’s living room. I’ll be honest here, if it weren’t for the comic’s transcript I wouldn’t have known where she was. So there are two possibilities that come to mind for me.
Rhoda is in the physical word and has control of her body now that Tazim-Talash is off confronting Zalef. It’s possible that she was able to find a way into the spiritual world through the physical one. Maybe in this world there are areas that connect the two. The only thing that bothers me is that the body Rhoda was in doesn’t seem to be completely her own. The figure was definitely more lizard-like, including only having three fingers instead of four and much longer claws. Rhoda’s hand never looked like that, and she appears to be more like herself on the final panel.
I’m guessing her consciousness is in another body while her real body is back in the desert area. Perhaps she’s borrowing a lizard’s body because her own currently doesn’t have eyes. Being in the spiritual realm has revealed her true form, complete with missing or damaged eyes due to the deal she made with Tazim.
My second theory is that this is all happening in the spiritual world, and Rhoda can shapeshift at will, but again can’t hide her true form in Zalef’s realm.
Looks like I’ll have to wait to see how close or far off base I was in my theorizing.
Golden Shrike | Page(s): 369 | Patreon
Considering the last page, it’s good to know that the Stonekrovn are likely treated better in the North. Not as friends, but it sounds like there’s a passing respect. A live and let live attitude versus the systematic murder that some Grasslanders carry out. It makes sense. Life in the North is harsh based on what we’ve learned from Usma. I’d imagine the deer there don’t have time to worry about the affairs of others when staying alive can be a serious struggle.
That might also explain why there were very few Northerners at the Gathering. Dealing with Grasslanders and how they seem to fret over every little detail about life seems exhausting. Save for the Marshlanders, as they also keep to themselves. Speaking of Marshlanders, I wonder why Nero is making such a sour face on the final panel. Is he still weary of Usma, or is he worried that the group is not keeping their guard up? Or it could just be Nero being Nero, except more grumpy than arrogant.
Another page of Home where so much is happening, but it’s not interesting to witness. Battle scenes have become joyless affairs for me. So I’ll start with what I like first.
The appearance is all too brief, but I’m glad that Kique is keeping his promise of having Johaan’s demon return, even if it wasn’t a full transformation. I would have loved to see his eyes turn completely red and for him to take on more Solar Stag dogs. I’ll take fangs over knives any day in this comic, and that crunch is so satisfying. It looks like Johaan only stopped because Vilda was there to keep the demon from fully taking over. Speaking of knives, how is the dog with a knife sticking out of his neck still standing???
On side note, I read comments about how Johaan shouldn’t have even been able to summon his demon because it’s bound to Anundr back on Earth. Except the spirit Månegarm is bound to the Earth, but he never said anything about the demon he used to replaced Johaan’s “sin” also being bound in Anundr. So I’m fine with it showing up here on Aedra, as Månegarm outright stated that the Southern Jaro would never be normal again. Basically, where ever Johaan goes, his demon has the potential to make itself known whenever he fights. And it’s his love for Ronja and Vilda keeping the malicious entity in check. Other than that, the entire explanation around the demon and the replacement of sin was far too rushed.
Unfortunately, the rest of this fight continues. While I do like the motion of Rhov kicking Faekas right in his face, it would have been nice to see how he got his back legs up so quickly given the position they were in on the previous page. I’m just going to assume the Solar Stag baron monologued long enough to let Rhov get into a prime kicking position. And as if picking up the sickle wasn’t enough, Rhov then punches Faekas with his front paw. I’m sorry, but using that paw to slam this raid leader’s face into the ground would have been more effective and believable.
This incredibly bad sequence of events just keeps going. For whatever reason, Rhov mentions getting revenge for Jahla as he’s about to run the tip of the sickle under Faekas’ lower jaw. (I will commend Kique because the panic and eye reflection look good.) Still, the SST dog mentioned Ronja and the Asmundr pack. Nothing has been done to Jahla yet. Feels like that line was there to remind readers that Rhov still cares about his ex. Anyway, this kid gets distracted by his mother getting stabbed, and instead of finishing his enemy off quickly and then aiding Raela, he stares allowing Faekas to get away. That was bad enough, but somehow this page still has room to get worse on the final panel.
Faekas has his hind legs crossed, and I’m not even sure how it’s possible for him to move without tripping over himself. I don’t understand why Kique went with such an awkward pose. It doesn’t bring anything to the moment, nor can you even apply “rule of cool” here. Then we have the sickle. On these things the inner edge is sharp because that’s where all the cutting action (for your wheat and grass) is. But for whatever reason, the outer edge is also sharp. So sharp in fact that, all the SST baron has to do is brush against the blade for it to cut deeply into his back. This scene would make a little more sense if this weapon was a chakram or a scimitar.
As for the sickle’s blade, Rhov’s focus is on Raela, and he’s not actively pressing down on it. Beyond that, the direction of the cut makes no sense as Faekas has a forward motion, not a side motion, so his back isn’t even running along the edge of the blade. Unless he’s making a weird side-step, or is recovering from a stumble which is why his leg is crossed.
Still, this movement is off, as he has tons of forward momentum, and isn’t really stepping to the side. At worst some of his fur should have been scrapped off, but he shouldn’t have been cut. Go ahead. Place a sharp knife facing perpendicular against your skin and drag it along the skin.* The blade edge will scrape you, but it won’t cut. That is more or less how a sharp blade works when you shave any part of your body. (*Don’t do this unless you’re actually shaving yourself and not trying to prove a point about a piece of fiction.)
Also forget whatever motion Faekas is making. That cut is deep enough to have sliced into his spine. Realistically he shouldn’t be going anywhere.
As for Raela, she’s taken a knife to the side and the leg. We’ll have to wait and see if she’s going to survive this ordeal.
Off for the week:
In The Lion’s Den: The Scarlet Uproar | Page(s): | Patreon
Lost Scent | Page(s): | Patreon
On hiatus:
