By Marc’s own admission, this was the most complicated and detailed SF strip he’s had to do yet. There are actually three layers of art there, and Marc drew them all separately to pull it off. Kudos, Marc.
Storywise, the winds of change are in the air. If you need a little help as to what might be going through Dr. Rocket’s mind at this point, might I refer you to this strip?
In other news… I’ve begun proper blogging on my new site, brockheasley.com. I’m not trying to deny you guys content over here, but a site under my own name does allow me a little more freedom in the types of content I can produce. For example, this newest entry goes a bit more into my faith than I ever would even attempt here at superfogeys.com. Just wouldn’t fit under a funny (albeit emotionally complex) comic about old superheroes.
Yeah, like she’s not gonna see that.
Unless she hasn’t learned anything in the past couple of decades. of course. The she’ll just clasp her hands and exclaim “My Hero!” and rush into his muscular arms.
If there’s any justice at all, If Vanessa has actually found her inner Hero, then Spy Gal should look down, see that Jerry has control of the robot,immediately connect the dots and then kick is mm-ff-ing ar$$.
Jerry should be revealed as the complete PHONY that he is, and it needs to be Spygal that does it.
CS is completely irrelevant at this point.
But, JE, how do you REALLY feel?
You should feel proud that you’ve made a story with characters that people care enough about to root for and against, Brock. Regardless of my personal reservations, I do keep checking in regularly. And I REALLLY want Spy Gal to kick Jerry’s butt from here to the moon.
Couldn’t agree more, JE. The worst thing would be if you guys just liked it and moved on. I love your comments.
I THOUGHT I noticed the robot repairing itself a strip or two ago!
Indeed you did!
Yeah, I thought it looked different and weird and less … gappy … but I wasn’t sure what was going on. Thanks to your observation, now I do! š
from the looks of things. It seems like this wasn’t part of dr. Rocket’s original design for the robot…did it perhaps develop some sort of sentient life?
See tmcelmurry’s comment below for one possible theory.
Wait a minute! It did just repair itself! Weird that it did it as Jerry was removing the crystal.
See quarktime’s comment below.
Well of course we know what Dr. Rocket’s thinking right now. “Wait a second…is that a Transformer powered by the cosmic cube? Holy cross-over!”
You have discovered my secret marketing plan!
I figured Dr Rocket thought it was interesting that Jerry knew about the pilatian power crystal (or he seen him use the door power). He now likely knows that Jerry is Dr Stein.
You’ll find out definitively what Dr. Rocket is thinking soon enough. I promise!
Ooooh, beat me to it. But if you notice in the last panel, there is a “magic door” circle on top of the robot. Dr. Rocket most definitely sees that not only does Jerry have intimate knowledge about the robot’s power source, he also has the same superpower ability as the Thirdman, AKA Dr. Klein. This is indeed most interesting.
The artwork is very detailed and I love the effects used, you two are a great team. A great story and a great artwork.
I bet Dr. Rocket has a few plans for Jerry/Kline/Third Man, can’t wait to see this unfold.
Thanks, Sam!
You pull out the power source and it repairs itself?
It was repairing itself all along. It had just finished repairing itself when Jerry yanked the crystal. It powered down when he yanked it out, and seems to be slumping over. My take is that either Dr. Rocket is commenting on Jerry suddenly being more heroic than usual — he’s usually a total waste of space, a sterling example of unpowered incompetence surpassed only by Mega Matt (where IS he?) — or, as others have noted, that Jerry knew where the power supply WAS in the robot, meaning that he was the Third Man, hence Klein. Or he could have been surprised that the crystal extended the ability for damaged machinery to repair itself, something he hadn’t built into the robot in the first place, but would have been really useful in some of his earlier attempts at world domination.
Or he has noticed Jerry’s attitude towards Spy Gal, and connected the dots to Klein, and to Cap’s engagement, and due to his Jorbon-enhanced intellect, now sees Jerry’s entire plan.
You won’t have to wait long to find out if you’re right about all of this, Gwen. But your logic sounds pretty good to me.
I’m guessing “all of the above.” Also, notice in the last panel that a “magic door” circle is on top of the robot where Jerry yanked the crystal from? Not only does Dr. Rocket now know that Jerry had prior intimate knowledge of the robot’s power source and location, he also knows that Jerry has the same superpower as the Thirdman, AKA Dr. Klein. I’m pretty sure you’ve hit the nail on all points.
While DeNarr &Quarktime hit on Dr. Rocket figuring out Dr. Klein’s true identity, I thought he had figured that out/known awhile ago.
And I thought it was kind of interesting that the machine repaired itself just as the power source was pulled. But my main thought is the fact that all Dr. Rocket’s enemies are after the crystal, which JERRY IS HOLDING RIGHT NOW.
An important thing to keep in mind, for sure. Don’t worry. That’s a plot point that’s still very much in play.
True. I also considered it was “interesting” in a sarcastic way to Dr. Rocket. Now all of his enemies can hone in on his location and annihilate everybody around him in a 50 mile radius. Not that he cares. He’s dying anyway. Or it’s possible that he doesn’t even think he’s still being hunted. He certainly doesn’t know that a Jorbon or two survived, especially the very one who made him what he is today, the same one that created the Pilatian Power Crystal.
I’m putting my theory out there that the robot has become self aware and as we’ve seen it has been repairing itself. Unbeknownst to Jerry who is going through the motions of making a heroic final move. Dr. Rocket’s “That’s interesting” statement is because he notices that the robot is functioning independent of what he programmed. We’ll see how this plays out but I suspect that just as Jerry is holding his hands up in victory we’re gonna see the robot come back into action and Captain will make his grand appearance and once again Jerry will get stuck in the back seat.
I love all these theories. Keep ’em coming. Always amazes me how, though I write the story in on direction, many other possible directions make just as much sense.
I’d love to see Cap come back as the hero, but I admit I don’t see that as a possible direction that makes even a lick of sense. But, seriously, what’s going to happen to the Cap? Or what HAS happened in that geriatric melon of his? Loved that character until this chapter. He took a giant backseat in the writing. Can’t wait to see where the story takes Cap, although I admit I’m more interested and involved with the other characters at this point, especially Jerry and Spygal.
I don’t think it’s sentient. But that self repairing even while the power crystal is taken out is what’s intriguing. Maybe the crystal is not the true power source. Also I don’t know if someone mentioned it, but the good doctor IS seeing Jerry pull the crystal and only Klein knows about that. So it’s very likely he connected the dots and plus he does know Klein is the Third Man. And he does know Klein loves Spy Gal, so he knows everything except the endgame Jerry has planned. Big screw up Jerry. Always, always keep a lookout for anyone peeking.
Ah hah! See? Self repair! Called it!
And I don’t exactly think the robot is self-aware suddenly or anything. I DO however suspect that if Jerry hadn’t yanked the battery in the nick of time that Donut-tron was going to likely initiate and adapt new weapons and armaments and defenses to upgrade itself and attempt to more efficiently execute its programming and design. THAT would’ve been way more of a nussiance.
And I do also feel that Jerry has just been busted.
Awesome one today, guys!
I’d like to take a crack at the possible directions too. But all of mine proved false, lol. Still I had previously predicted: Soviet Sam saves the day, but at a high price as he dies a hero’s death, feeling that he has somehow atoned (which is not according to my religious belief, but for story purposes how he feels), and finally meets the Money Man in the afterlife, receiving forgiveness from his earlier life and transgression against said Money Man. Meanwhile back on earth Captain Spectacular’s slot machines are destroyed by the Donut Tron – as well as him finding Spygal in a crumpled heap – and he goes on a rampage of wanton destruction, taking the robot to town, causing the robot to self-destruct and cause a nuclear blast, wiping Sin City off of the map of good old wholesome America. Dr. Rocket then is healed of cancer by the Pilation Power Crystal’s radioactive nuclear fall out as Ewoks dance to glorious fireworks. Elsewhere Star Maiden wages war on the Empire as Luke Skywalker has succumbed to the dark side. No, kidding. I wasn’t really going anywhere with all this. I was trying to state the most way-offish stuff I could. š
Okay, I started out serious. I actually did put a lot of thought previously into Soviet Sam’s character and direction. Also, I totally stole the Dr. Rocket nuclear fall out thing from a Godzilla movie. Noted.
About the blog – aaaaw, but faith stuff is what I want to read the most, lol. Anyway, I read your blog entry first – I loved it! I’m glad I got to read that. It was a blessing, Brock.
On the other hand, if I were ripping through the circuitry of a rampaging donutron and saw a glowing blue crystal inside it, I’d probably pull it out too.
I dunno… Might cause a nuclear meltdown. Or make you unable to have kids. Better not risk it.
The way my love life’s going, having kids ain’t gonna happen anyway.