It begins
June 18, 2012
12:00 am
I sat down and wrote out the rest of the arc over the weekend and did all the panel layouts, looks like it’ll be about ten more pages to wrap everything up.
Manly Guys Doing Manly Things
Updated Mondays or whenever I feel like it
Jesus christ how do you stop Mr. Fish’s lasers?
Also I approve of the not dragging the fight on through a million weeks work of comics. THANK you. :v
oooo wev all been there having a boss fichte annd it never ever ends i love a good bos dont get me wrong but wen the change form or change combat style more then 4 times withowt a break i usuwaly get angry
Well he can only use the Hyper Beam 4 more times…. His PP won’t allow more than that….
Although I assume Pokemon Game rules won’t apply to the comics…..so yea, they are screwed.
Maybe we can throw a pikachu in there to clog it. Or would it be like putting a potato in a tailpipe?
Don’t forget he has to spend an equal amount of time resting to regain his energy once he finally stops.
Though I find it immensely amusing that Jared’s treatment of Mr. Fish as a Magikarp not only created a googly-eyed Gyarados, but a Gyarados that, once it learns Hyper Beam, can not stop Hyper Beaming. There’s a special needs group that volunteers at the library I work at, and one of them spends the vast majority of his time humming this one tone. I imagine it’s a lot like that.
Unless Jared gave Mr. Fish a PP Up/PP Max, in which case there are eight more rounds of Hyper Beam to plow through.
Pokemon B/W has about 6 or so PP Ups. I foolishly wasted them on my main, I should have waited until Gyrados learned Hyper Beam.
I’d guess there are 16 more rounds.
Forgot to add:
If he transported Mr. Fish through several generations/traded him between several games, that’s several games worth of PP Ups he could have given him.
Hyper Beam 98/99
There is a limit on the amount of such items you can give a Pokemon. You can only ever increase an attack by 80% of its original value, hence the person saying he had 8 rounds left, because 9 is the maximum.
Er, unless this has changed in the last generation? I just wasn’t able to get into B/W, and I haven’t been able to play it long enough to get a single badge.
I know the limit used to be 160% of the original, but I’m not sure about newer generations; Hyper Beam had a max PP of 8 up to Gen 4.
My numbers might have been slightly off, 60% instead of 80%.
Never much bothered with PP-Ups enough to have it on my mind, and never kept Hyper Beam on a Pokemon. STAB, high damage attacks were better.
the limit counter resets when you do a gen transfer
No, it does not. There is an item called PP Max that maxes out one move. The maximum has always been 160%.
You can get more PP Ups/PP Maxes in the sports domes postgame from the elite trainers and veterans, or trade star pieces for them in Anville town on weekends (and you can get a star piece a day from the practice rock in pinwheel forest exterior), not to mention buying them in the battle subway. Black and White have among the most accessible PP increases.
Let’s see…If Mr. Fish can only use Hyperbeam 4 times, then wouldn’t it be better to have him keep using it? If he never shuts it off, then he’s only using it once, right?
I too am glad this comic isn’t getting Bleach syndrome.
I think it’s really more Dragon Ball Z Syndrome.
Spend entire episode preparing a Kamehameha? Not long long enough? Better make it two episodes long…
Fake, everyone knows you have to recharge after hyper beam.
Can easily be -still- the same first beam…
Please cheese tell me that not all of those ten pages will involve the Commander looking like a girl.
I… I just don’t know. I just think I love U. Yes. That must be it.
Oh, page, Y U SO OSOM.
Don’t you hate it when you don’t know how to turn off the lasers? That causes so much inconvenience.
Oh wait, no it doesn’t :D
And I know exactly what kind of fighting you mean. Those eleven-stage boss fights.
I was really surprised that Gackt didn’t just use the Vanish-Doom combo for the instant win. but then I remembered that he didn’t come along til FF7? (Vanish-Doom was a staple of FF6)
That only works when Vanish works, which is not always. But FF7 had even more exploitable combos! Link KotR to HP absorb and Mime to Counter.
Wonderful work! Those 9999-hits are such a neat touch.
While the writing on the first panel might be a tad hard to read in the middle of the chaos of combat (- or was that intentional? That would kind of make sense), the punchline made it worth it.
I also like about the punchline that it isn’t much of a traditional one, but it is hilarious when knowing the characters.
I think I might need to change the thickness for the stroke on the letters or something, maybe fade out the action. I wasn’t totally happy with it, but I was getting tired and didn’t want to hold off posting for another day.
I don’t know if bold text straight on top of the picture is the way to go here. Maybe regular-sized text in narrator boxes? (Nobody likes excessive narrator boxes, but it’s not like you use them all the time.)
The point was to obscure the art, like it was background noise. Boxes would completely block it, which wasn’t what I was going for.
Maybe if you just whited out the panel slightly? Like 25% opacity?
Yeah, since you want to obscure the art without completely blocking it, that sounds like a good idea.
A fade (white or black) on the background art, and/or enlarging the black border on the text (I’d actually be tempted to do a black “glow” to 10px – keep it on a separate layer and mix it with multiply or overlay or whatever to taste).
Regardless, totally kickass, and I can’t wait to see how they turn off the lasers :)
Yeah, that’s what I was thinking.
Try thickening the outline of the letters to double what it is now. That should fix your problem, because the added contrast should fix that problem better than anything else.
I know what I need to do, I’ve just been too exhausted every day I’ve gotten home from work to do anything other than fall asleep on the couch as soon as I get home.
Thicker borders should do the
Wait what are you doing in here no please wait
aiiiiiieeeee
Thicker borders on the letters would help me.
The Commander’s power levels WOULD be over 9000!!!!
And you never wanted to pause it for the dinner hour because it still added to your overall completion time…oh Resident Evil 3, you win again.
“Collateral damage” is actually in my top five ways not to die. Just because it doesn’t make for a good story to tell at the pub.
Call me a douchebag but… omg I think I called “Mr. Fish appearing and still using Hyperbeam” in the previous comic’s comments!! :D
AND THIS IS AWESOME!
The punchline here, was machismo.
Man, oh man, I can’t wait to see how you’ll top this style of arc in the future.
Actually, the punchline here was laser fish. Which is arguably the only punchline that’s better than machismo.
Laser fish be lasernating yo peasants and yo thatched roof cottages
That’s always the problem when the Pink Floyd laser show machine becomes sentient too. It learns to love and then everything is fog and lasers. Then comes the death.
I do not really know what to think of that first panel. I was expecting something more elaborate and more badass then an all-in-one panel, yet it also kinda covers it.
Poor Mr. Fish! Well, the Commander and Gackt are looking a bit worse for the wear, too.
I dig the “9999” hits in the first panel. Guys got some serious hit points.
Also, first panel sums up my experience with every console rpg ever, as well as every Elite 4 play-through.
Oh yeah! Mr. Fish and Jared crashed the party! Hope they’ll be able to turn the Hyper Beam off eventually, though. o.o
MR. FISHHHHHHHH, burninating the peasants thatched roof…..castles?
Mr. Fish clearly smashed through the cold stone wall/roof of Gackt’s battle atrium. He apparently has the innate ability of ‘Rock Smash’. Shh…we don’t question these things. They simply ARE.
Mr.Fish didn’t use ‘Rock Smash’ the wall simply saw Mr.Fish coming and decided it would rather be somewhere else. :P
Neither of you got the TROGDOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOR reference!
Trogdos, fool.
Fewer and fewer people will get your pop culture references as you continue to get older. Learn to make actual jokes instead– you’ll be the life of the party!
I usually just make smart ass comments and yell.
This reference however has already appeared within the comic, in a guest strip I beleive, so shame on all of you for not getting it. XD
“The kind of fighting that makes you wish there was a save point somewhere…”
Perfect.
I still cant unsee bishie Commander as Yomiel from Ghost Trick XD
…damnit, now neither can I. XD He’s even got the ridiculously cool glasses thing going on!
I keep seeing them as the glasses from Gurren Lagann. Actually, come to think of it, that universe has also been Gacked. CURSE YOU COELASQUID FOR MAKING ME THINK THAT OF ONE OF MY FAVORITE SHOWS!
Oh wow, I thought it was only me but seems I am not alone thinking that Comm resembles Yomiel at some extend x) Awesome.
*whistles* Between Gackt and the Commander, they’ve beaten eachother out of a collective total of 139,986 hit points so far, and are STILL standing on their feet. Daaaaaaaaaaaayum, boys!
They borrowed these guys from Disgaea and stuck them in a game with a much lower damage cap. (my quick estimate says you can get 20million+hp from items).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teDRE2_sGxU the guys in the video are built for tankiness but the damage is still stupidly high.
I think there’s already a solution for fights like these…it’s called a pause button. That, or Mr. Fish lazors. :P
Gackt must have some serious HP look at all those 9999, Don’t worry Jared just wait until he runs out of PP
Someone (not Coelasquid, because she’s already done so much awesome that she’s good to go) needs to create a slo-mo movie wherein the Commander gives Gackt a royal beat-down to the tune of “I feel pretty” as it was sung by Adam Sandler in Anger Management. Just the thought of that makes me giggle incessantly. Questions, comments or concerns?
NO
NOT THE FACE
HIS BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL FACE
yes! so much yes
I can relate to the fight being too long. Worse is where you finish the fight, but you don’t have time to watch the ending. So you did the work, but don’t get to see the results of your efforts. Also you might miss out on post-ending content or new game plus.
Don’t forget the no-pause boss-fights on Handhelds, and whenever you beat them, right afterwards, BEFORE you save, the Battery Dies. THAT’S what truly sucks.
I’m guessing the way it will stop is when Mr. Fish runs out of PP. XD
Yeah…Well, Mr. Fish turned it on *before* Commander & Jonsey climbed the cliff & invaded the castle, & CSquid just told us that the fight with Gakt has already been going for some number of hours. I wonder how much longer it’ll be before Mr. Fish’s PP runs out?
hahaha…this is awesome. Also, the goggles stayed on; it’s the small details that delight me. The zipper-effect of how the wall is crumbling. Jared’s eyes screwed shut. And the tiny Commander and Gackt standing back behind the other snapshots of the fighting, proving they are using all of the combat room and isn’t it a good thing there is one?
I’m surprised the Commander’s fists don’t break the damage cap. Isn’t that a pretty standard property for ultimate weapons?
I apologize for my ignorance, but what do you mean by “wrote out the rest of the arc”?
It was in my head but now it is typed up and laid out in panels.
So in the event you get amnesia your still good story wise?
Well, moreso I know what’s happening when and I don’t lose track of how long I’m spending on things or forget jokes I wanted to include. straight-ahead isn’t ideal story-writing technique.
I found DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics useful. (So would the writers for DC right now) Obviously nothing helps you learn better then experiencing it but it could have some tips you aren’t aware of.
In the meantime stay away from falling objects and frying pans. If you see a man in a suit with a shiny pen put on sunglasses. Also have a name tag so you don’t think your someone else should you get amnesia.
I won’t claim to speak for anyone else, but I have a hard time trusting a writing guide made by a company whose general writing ideology for the past couple of years is “Well, we wrote ourselves into a corner here. I know! Let’s start over /continue like nothing happened/write some excuse out that makes everything we just did moot! …also, needs more TnA.”
Ah, well it was written by a guy who was not in charge of dc and didn’t write for any of the books that started going south. Plus a opening by Stan Lee!
Ah ok. Thanks for the reply! Keep up the awesome work!
I love everything about this page. xD Especially the “family calling you to dinner.” Oh man, how true…
Mom: “Child, come down for dinner this instant!”
Child: “But, mooooooom!”
Mom: “But WHAT.”
Child: “But I’m engaged in intensive mental stimulus, that any disruptions and hindrance will erode it’s aesthetic value and deem it an exercise in futility!”
Mom: :O
Jared? Have you considered having Mr. Fish close his mouth to stop the lasers? I know having a Garydos close it’s mouth is a foreign concept but you’re usually pretty good at thinking outside the box.
Looks like Gackt won’t be a pretty boy any longer.
In my case, not only did my sis and I get called to dinner during inopportune times, but when we moved too slowly for our mother’s tastes, she would hold down the power button to get us to move faster. No amount of explaining that it was a cutscene/boss fight with no save would work. Sometimes that meant speed-running certain sections, and other times it just meant redoing everything from our last save. :/
This is better then the Avengers Vs. X-men story arc.
…Shouldn’t Mr. Fish be out of PP by now? He’s been Hyper Beaming for, what, 5+ pages?
It could just be one continuous hyperbeam.
No, he’s STILL using his FIRST hyper beam since he hasn’t hit the recharge turn yet.
I’m curious Squid, what font do you use for the standard word balloons?
Looks like Mr. Fish is the Pokemon equivelent of Cyclops: awsome power, no control. Wonder if Jared should invest ina ruby lined muzzle.
I honestly thought Mr. Fish was going to take a nap after the lasers and get swarmed by Rain-bots. Though I suppose the napping could come later.
Assuming neither of them are those annoying bosses that bug up the rapid fire attack, dual wield + rapid fire = 4-8 times faster killing.
Even if it wasn’t heroic but rather an accident, CALLED IT! >:D (look back at the swarm of bots comic)
Sorry, I meant the laserfish comic. I forgot the hyper beam was in a different issue from the one when the swarm shows up.
Hey, Coelasquid, could you give us a spread of that fighting picture without the text? if so that’d be great.
otherwise, it’s fine. i thought I’d just ask.
Thanks.
I’m trying really hard to be courteous to those around me and not bust out laughing at the first panel.
I’m on the brink of failing.
So much better than showing the 12-stage boss fight in full detail.
Ironic that you are using the FF13 kind of battle here. The numbers are flying everywhere, just like in the battles in the game!
Are…are they having a scissors-paper-rock fight at the end there?
if they are gackt won
Whether or not that’s what’s intended, it’s how I’m choosing to see it.
Gackt could be jonesys sister
Hmmm… Considering Gackt wasn’t doing FF until FF7, IIRC, he misses out on the Infinite Combo from FF5: DualSummon Bahamut –> Mimic Spam. It’s More Dakka in Dragon Form!
I actually think that the first panel without the text (keep the numbers) would look even better and show the fight scene just fine for a once-a-week webcomic. Not that I mind the joke I just think it’d solve the problem. Either way it’s fine.
1. If the Commander was his usual self, I’m guessing he would have only needed the 1 punch to end this?
2. Part of me wants to see Gackt throw his own pokeball out and have god knows what emerge to fight Mr Fish.
3. This. is. my. favourite. webcomic. Good things come in 3’s.
I absolutely ADORE Jared and Mr. Fish in this. “We don’t know how to turn off the lasers!” is my favourite quote from anything forever.
Argh, damn, misplaced comment. Disregard this, I suck.
I think he’d have a froslass or other crappy sinnoh pokemon
Milotic’s really the only option.
Regardless of how someone feels about later generations, a pokemon that can only be achieved through maxing out a Beauty stat is exactly what a prettyboy would go for.
But but but… Why would you WANT to turn off the lasers?
You wouldn’t, Jared is just afraid for the moment. He will learn.
I think Mr. Fish has been building this up for a very long time.
I fully expected an Indiana Jones kinda thing. Gackt makes all these wild moves and he just get shot. Pew pew.
but we already did an Indiana Jones joke two weeks ago!
Well, f He needs to recharge after using the move, hemusthave a LOT of stored enegery building before he can release it in so volitile a fashion…… That, and mental stirkes to the head as Magikarp may hve broken the Off button
This is what happens when you feed you sea monster appropriate proteins instead of nothing but Poffins, berries, and lemonade.
True but you could still have them running from a boulder or have the whole thing turn out to be aliens.
…..
You know what I think you have done enough with Indiana Jones actually. You could use some stuff from Star Wa- …. the new James Bo- … Ang Lee’s Hul- … You know what your doing great just follow your heart.
That’s just from one use? Damnit, the game must be glitched! Hit restart…
10 more pages as in 10 more updates? Hope we see Canadian Guy in that time, even if he’s just in the background
wait did canadian guy get gackt’d too or did i miss it?
Do a limit break! Do a limit break! Do a limit break!
Thanks for not having this drag on and on, like a certain CAD arc I remember a while ago…
People still read CAD?
Yes, and some of us even enjoy it.
Forever Hyper Beam-ing…makes sense that Mr. Fish would get the coolest attack power and keep on going with it.
Ten pages? Does that mean 10 fucking weeks? I don’t think I can wait for the awesome.
I have one possible play out for the next comic, but I already know it’s the wrong one. I’ll tell it anyway.
Gackt looks on as the extreme hyper bean keeps firing away. Commander looks at Gackt darkly and says, “Better you than me.” He then tosses Gackt into the hyper beam and runs as far and as fast as possible.
Jarad strikes again. i have to admit i’ve grown to like that little paradox of a man boy
I called it!!! Although I was hoping it’ll also have some kickass song on the background
I’m picturing “Redemption” from FFVII: Dirge of Cerberus, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py8tpabV4Fw After all, he made the song.
My lols. You may have all of them.
That’s a looooooootta noodly appendages!
AIM THE LASERS, J, THEN TURN THEM OFF
Does anyone else find themselves humming Ultimate Showdown while reading the first panel?
And you win all the awesomes, again. I absolutely love this comic!
Even if you weren’t totally happy with that first panel, I must say, I laughed myself stupid over it. I think almost everyone has been there, and it was just amazingly funny.
Gact has an open hand in the 2nd panel, was he making those bruises by SLAPPING the commander? O_O
This is now part of my personal canon.
Obviously he only knows Double Slap, like some sort of rabid level 100 asian Jigglypuff, minus the marker… or perhaps he keeps a nail polisher.
OMG OMG OMG!! XDDDDDDDDDDD
The hell… This is just SO awesome!!
Can’t wait for the finalle! :D
I’d just like to point out if Commander B was his usual self, this fight would’ve been over with one punch :3
Jared hacked his limit breaker. Square Enix needs the hotfix that rightway. Or Nintendo.
sweet rampaging snakey laser-fish, he sure looks after his “people”!! commander picked his team well.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I read the whole web comic today just to have an EPIC(“sorry”puts dollar in epic jar) cliffhanger
Oh yeah, I had forgotten all about the jar, I guess it worked pretty darn well.
SO MUCH AWESOME! :D I was gonna pick out a best bit to enthuse about but the whole thing was made of best bits.
As attempts to capture an entire brawl in one panel go that one is pretty nice. Good stuff.
Just wanted to say that the Commander’s slightly-high-heeled boots crack me up,
I confess, I don’t really care for the text. I think the image alone would have sufficiently conveyed that this is a long and brutal fight.
Honestly, I thought ‘1’s were going to be flying everywhere instead of ‘9999’s.
All of these people saying “The Hyper Beams will stop when he runs out of PP” — what if Mr. Fish is actually a GIRL!?
(yes, I went there. Yes, I’m like a 10-year old boy trapped in a 40-year-old’s body..)
Playing the Chrono Cross boss fight theme while reading this takes awesome to the fourth power.
Can not believe I did not notice Jared’s absence in the last several comics! But the last panel is probably just the best thing ever! I lost my shit
Do you think you could post that first panel up without text? Looks like you did some pretty cool fighting poses there, and I’d like to get a better look at them ;)
So? Don’t turn them off, just toss bodies/idiots/trash into the beam’s path, then invest in some sturdy mirrors to whip up an awesome power source when there’s none left
Man, you never take on an end-boss before dinner, that’s a scrub-move. Chances are they’ll have at the least three different forms to battle through and take upwards of thirty minutes to an hour to whittle down. You always wait until late.
I think Mr. Fish can handle some of the “whittling down” now, while the Commander & Jonesy take a mammoth-steak dinner…
The kind of fighting that’s truly (dare I say it?) EPIC!
*throws a dollar in the Epic Jar*
That was worth every penny…