#656: "I've got gloatin' to do!"

[Cas]

I've been following this comic since its inception, but finally decided to join the forums after this last tour-de-force.

Some thoughts that undoubtedly have been referenced elsewhere:

That BM is a nexus was implied a number if times, and seems almost confirmed; however, why is it that only fighter seems to have the requisite combination of mental and physical prowess? Mental prowess has been proven any number of times, such as in episodes like 318, 449, and 488 to name a few.

Further, he is the only one, as I can recall, who exhibits near supernatural physical prowess as well; even if they are sometimes silly, such as: episode 14, episode 174, episode 384 -- note facial expression, episode 387, and, of course, the duel with Kaia, where he finally grasped the answer to episode 385.

Also, he truly is altruistic. One comic that keeps coming back is the Sarda sacrifice, sequence, "but I really LIKE gum." He does. That would be sacrifice.

His trial of sloth notwithstanding, he has shown deep personal insight into both his own self, as well as BM; he regularly performs feats of skill that should be impossible, and he hides an intellect of near genius magnitude.

I remain uncertain if his childish mentality is a sub-concioys put-on or an externally-imposed constraint (by the forces of Magnus or whatever).

If he is not the ley-line; I guess he is being set up to be the hero who can affect it.

OK, painfully obvious to y'all, but I felt the need to talk after the last few.

Brian, you have shown great talent (or extraordinary luck ) in tying disparate threads months and months apart into what is fast becoming an epic.

/bows

[Ircha]

and then we will find out black mage was dreaming and his class change will be 666 anyways : ^^

it's not over yet, it might be a dream - why else would black mage get as he wants with no lw's around + class change?
WHY!??!?! :/

[Kurosen]

The colors for 300 are still inconsistent with 656...one of them needs to be changed, now

Sometimes PNG compression makes colors very slightly different. Settle down.

[onoi]

I registered to say two things.

1. I have been a long time reader of this comic, and I even re-read the archives just because they are so funny. Brian, you have done some amazing work and brought myself and many others joy and laughter. Kudos to you.

2. I absolutely HATE what you have done to black mage. The new class change outfit that he has is the worst ever thing that you have ever drawn and it could even qualify for "the worst thing ever done to a character in a series by its author" ever. MC Hammer pants have got to go.

[Meister]

Heh, blame Squaresoft. That sprite is, as far as I can see, unaltered.

[the1jeffy]

if BM is getting set up for even more disappointment than just looking sightly silly and being laughed at by his "buddies" (gasp!). "Power without limit," seems to be worded purposely vague. Perhaps there is no such thing as power without limit, because to be defined in the physical universe, any power would have to have an upper limit, otherwise it would be unable to expressed discretely and be un-observable. (I'm guessing that limit would be roughly the amount of energy released in the Big Bang, but that's pure speculation) Anyway, BMs new "Power without limit," may not be able to have any real definition on the physical plane of existance, therefore screwing him out of his own dark plans, yet again.

Speaking more fantastically; if BMs new power is due to his awakening (or birth) as a nexus of ley lines (or cosmic strings as I like to call them) - wouldn't his power still have a limit? Ley lines have a discreet power associated with them - power far beyond human reasoning, for sure - but limted by the very "laws" of existance.

OK I think I've gone pretty far a field here, since the comic is primarily about "teh funny" and not meant to further greater existance theory. Unless in doing so makes BM miserable, so I think you get where I'm coming from in my previous paragraphs.

[Donomni]

I notice everyone is talking about the hammer pants... but why not the goofy little moon?

Much hilarity to be had in the next comic.

[Burning Ninja]

Originally Posted by Meister

Heh, blame Squaresoft. That sprite is, as far as I can see, unaltered.

well I'm not one to argue (I actually like his hammerpants, just for the hilarity factor) but just to play the devil's advocate, Brian chose to use the sprite, rather then find another. It's not so much that Squaresoft made it, it was about free will and blahblahblah.

[Telephalsion]

Originally Posted by Kurokun1293

Wait, wouldnt they get name changes? cept, like, BM cause....Black mage, blue mage= BM.

Red mage = Mr. Mime. And then the world imploded.

RM = Red Mime?

[Meister]

Originally Posted by Telephalsion

RM = Red Mime?

Fnight?