What he does have are a very particular set of skills; skills he has acquired over a very long career.
August 31, 2015
2:15 am
Conflict management skills.
I’ve been trying to think of a way to sneak this dude’s story in for years
Manly Guys Doing Manly Things
Updated Mondays or whenever I feel like it
Is that a chainsaw codpiece that Tank’s rockin’ there, in panel two?
naw, he’s holding a chainsaw, unfortunate word bubble placement.
dang, i was really hoping you’d go hog wild with his “Alpha Male” complex.
Dude, now I want to see a chainsaw cod piece in the next Dead Rising!
Goddammit, now all I can think about is the first chapter of Thirty Hs.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/FanFic/ThirtyHs for those wondering.
I was gonna say. That’s some pretty amazing word-bubble placement.
I imagine it might be a little too over-the-top, but it’s also a gloriously violent mental image which in no way changes the theme of the strip. I may just keep right on envisioning the chainsaw codpiece.
Help, my brain won’t stop singing “I’m a lumberjack and I’m OK”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZa26_esLBE
Help via flooding.
Thaaaaaaanks.
Note for anyone reading comments after the color version went up – yeah, it’s been fixed, your mind isn’t just insufficiently dirty.
(not sure if disappointed or relieved)
(mental image not so easily fixed, alas)
Gotta say, I’m still kinda digging Tank’s Optimus Prime grille-abs.
Although it hasn’t happened in any of my games, I guarantee you that someone, somewhere, has built a Shadowrun character with chainsaw-crotch cyberware.
You know Coelasquid I really love how you make the Commander someone who you can learn from no matter what the situation is you do a really amazing job on making him and all your characters people who can teach people about any situation
Titanium Bull Moose….damn, now I have the mental imagine of some sort of giant transforming robot Teddy Roosevelt ala Power Rangers.
The Titanium Bull Moose sounds like a Punch Out boxer! xD
Or a band.
Titanium Bull Moose, if ever there was an argument for TR lacking an imagination it’s that he didn’t make the Bull Moose titanium.
Rofl, titanium bull moose. Love it.
Also, is it sad that I only just realised that putting all the characters in helmets is a brilliant way to avoid having to draw faces over and over again? Dammit, why didn’t *I* think of that! Genius!
How come no ear muffs and eye protection with that chainsaw? That really is a bit irresponsible.
Looks to me like they’re built into the mask.
You know, maybe you should ditch the schedule for comics. You’re rapidly becoming unable to even color the latest pages.
Hey pal, maybe don’t complain about free content
No, he’s just saying, if Coala ditched the set schedule, then she wouldn’t be rushed to put the pages up unfinished, which would mean less stress for the Squid
Honestly that person shows up every few months to leave comments like “Stop it, these jokes aren’t funny” and “finish your crappy exposition arc so we can get back to real comics” so y’know, I don’t think he cares all that much about how stressed out I am.
What a dick. Personally I love all of your comics; even other ones I only sorta get LOL
Colour or no colour, inked or sketched, they are all good.
I mean I totally get why people who come here for one kind of comic get bored when it starts turning into another kind of comic and I don’t begrudge them leaving for greener pastures, It’s just, y’know, no one’s forcing you to read it if you don’t like the direction it’s going or feel that personally wronged by occasional black and white updates. They’re usually in color within a couple days anyway, just wait until like, Wednesday to read the updates or something.
I personally like the black and white comics and don’t mind waiting for color. Though I will say don’t worry so much about a set schedule when you can’t make it. You’re often busy, and we all feel grateful for what we can get when they’re damn funny like they are consistently.
Better to get high quality than a bunch of low quality jokes and all.
Maybe consider ditching the color?
I think a lot of us read your stuff because it’s well written and funny. Color is nice but doesn’t change much with or without.
So if you are stressed please consider that over wearing yourself out.
^ This. I come here for the funny jokes and well-written/drawn comics. The comics being in color is an unnecessary (though appreciated) bonus, and IMO, not worth any stress to Coelasquid if it’s a problem.
Personally, I also like the black-and-white comics as much as I do the colored versions.
I enjoy the jokes color or no, but Im so used to colored I think it would be a little jarring of a switch. Still, Ill read it and love it anyways!
Personally, I rather enjoy seeing a comic before and after it’s colored, to get different perspectives on the art. This is Coela’s show; we’re just along for the ride.
Besides, you’re not being paid for this. In fact, you’re kind of busy doing stuff that you ARE being paid for, which is why this comic – which you’re not being paid for – hasn’t been colored yet.
Long-time reader, first time commenting. Coelasquid, I love your comic – it’s on my favorites list. Update it when you want to, color it when you want/can. You’re sharing your creations with your fans, and some random jackwagon (like me!) who has nothing to do with the process doesn’t have the right to tell you how to do it. You’re funny and your comic is good.
There have actually been a few webics that lured me in with one thing, but ended up staying because the story was worth it even when the ‘sexy’ slowed down or stopped altogether
I guess a solution could be going for the multiple shades of a single colour thing (I’m sure there’s a better term). Heck, switchin’ ‘tween primary colour usage for different story arcs only, sepia tones for flashbacks, etc. would still be spoiling us readers.
It worked real pretty before, ie. here: http://thepunchlineismachismo.com/archives/comic/big-shakeup-news
,or the last panel here: http://thepunchlineismachismo.com/archives/comic/accessorize-your-battle-raptors
I did not tell her to end her exposition arc. I told her TPP would be dated.
And honestly, I’m asking her to make comics at her own pace. Is that so wrong? I can’t focus on reading when her art keeps being inconsistent in quality. How is this trolling?
Oh, didn’t know that, have problems remembering names so tend to judge on the content of the post (and that post seemed harmless and had a point: the last thing me personally would like to see is the Great Coala Squid burn out and stop publishing at all, a few days late is nothing compared to some comics that have gone months between updates, but continue to check them out, one started up again after hearing nothing for a year)
Doesn’t she get payed for the ad placement?
Yep, and ad revenue comes from people visiting the site. So if I can’t keep on top of updates or do comics that make readers wander off, literally the only person who takes a hit is me since you guys get all the content for free anyway. The comic’s getting made either way, and I completely understand that if people are unhappy with it they’ll stop giving me hits/ad revenue. I just do what I can to balance a full time day job with an internet part-time job.
Although people could also try donating a bit more to your Patreon ( https://www.patreon.com/coelasquid?ty=h ) – which I swear – I’ll do – just as soon as I can actually afford to pay all my bills as well as feed my son again.
Honestly I’ve fallen really behind on Patreon stuff with the nightmare run I’ve had for the past few months, so don’t worry your needs are more important than kicking into my patreon. Mostly it’s a way to get early Platinum Black Pages, but I haven’t finished inking any for a bit, I’ve been trying to brainstorm something cool to make amends.
Wait, does that mean checking the comic almost every hour gets you more money?
Woohoo! I no longer feel as illy for my pointless revisits.
I would also love perhaps getting the comics a little later, but in color. I just hope you get to color them at some point.
That said, I’m amazed at how you’ve kept that schedule with everything else probably going on in your life. One gotta admire the dedication! I’ve been reading this comic since not long after I got together with my girlfriend, that’s more than 2 years now. I’m always looking forward to the next segment, it’s a Monday treat.
I’m loving all this backstory. Commander and crew are my favourite parts of the comic.
The punchlines are pretty good too.
“Also, goading unstable people into fights can get you seriously messed up, and that hurts, a lot!!”
Rock is so socially adjusted and comfortable with himself. Is that what it truly means to be a Man?
That’s what it means to be an adult overall.
So, yes, that truly is what it means to be a man. That’s why I love this comic. Kelly gets it about guys better than most people and I appreciate that.
Manliness to me is not about the car you drive, how many women you’ve bedded, how many drinks you can down in one sitting. It isn’t about being the alpha male or whatever is in your wallet.
Can you hold yourself with dignity, being a strong, secure person emotionally? You are at peace with your place in the world and can be truly happy with yourself and those closest to you. This is what manliness is to me. Having true friends and family and the stories to entertain them.
With the word balloon in the way, I can’t tell if he’s holding a chainsaw, had his hand replaced with a chainsaw, or had his d*** replaced with a chainsaw.
I have been with this comic forever now, and goddamnit does it make me proud that this is the kind of comic where a “Chainsaw codpiece” is a legitimate concern. NO WHERE ELSE IS BADASS ENOUGH FOR A CHAT BUBBLE TO BE MISTAKEN FOR A PELVIC CHAINSAW.
Man, I love this comic, but whenever Rock Lobster’s family starts turning up for an extended story line I really find myself wishing this comic had character tags so I could trawl the archive to remind myself who they were.
Given that you wanted to get Tank’s story out so badly, maybe you should make a Character Anthology, with basic summaries of each of the main and original secondary characters you’ve made so far. I understand that you have a significant workload, though, so this is more of just a brainstormed suggestion. Keep up the good work.
I always knew Commander Badass wasn’t just strong physically, but also mentally smart enough to know not to poke tigers in their cages.
Is that… a chainsaw mounted to his groin?
No, that chainsaw is his groin (they upgraded him so he can cut three trees down at once ;) )
I love the color but I am happy to get the B/W. <3 Also, part of me WANTS that guy to have a chainsaw codpiece, because it fits the stuff Commander is talking about PERFECTLY. It's like that Punisher crotch-gun blaster thing. http://www.retro-daze.org/images/postImages/Punisher%20Shape%20Shifter.png
Yeah that sounds painful. Kickback is a very legitimate concern when the gun in question is on your junk.
You know, this doesn’t just reveal background about the Commander – it highlights why he’s good at his job.
These are the kind of skills, and this is the kind of thinking that prepares one for a long, successful career being around guys like Kratos.
Hey, where’d Jonsey’s jacket go? the last panel we saw her armor-less arm she had a brown jacket sleeve, did the raptors come back for it??
Maybe she took it off at some point because it’s hot.
I prefer to think the raptors stole it, and now they’re getting tiny little motorcycle jackets.
Ok, if I could draw, that would totally become a picture I’d draw up for Coelasquid. A fat raptor with a motorcycle jacket and a mideavel stylized motorcycle helmet on a minibike.
Oh god, combined with them learning to ride minibikes that would be too awesome for words. In the spacefuture, that’d make Jet Supreme Overlord of Everything or whatever they use for titles in the spacefuture. Just, so adorably radical.
… a titanium bull moose.
Be honest, did anybody else just think of a cyborg Teddy Roosevelt? Henceforth and forever more to be known as the Teddynator.
I just realised that the guy in the spike mask is the Commander…
Also that the feather headed armour donned individual is Jonesy.
This storyline makes so much more sense.
The spike mask showed up some year or years ago not long after the US went through a government shutdown. He did it to keep the guys from getting in trouble. Made a Bartertown reference. It was great.
This looked great in color, because you see the guy with the chainsaw better. Love the details! Awesome job, as usual.
Yeah I would want to fight him 1 on 1 either
Nothing says 80s tech like rainbow ribbon cables!
Damn, Jonsey. It’s like you don’t get the point of this comic at all!
And g’dammit, but I love this comic so much. It’s got everything I love: Big buff guys, and being reasonable about stuff.
Titanium Bull Moose, huh? Why don’t you introduce Tank to your officemate from the Great White North, Commander?
“Intentionally goadin’ unstable people int’ violent confrontations don’t fix anything.”
I think I need to print this, circle it in red, and mail it to my mother.
I’m guessing that learning to deal with Tank is a large part of how he came to be in charge of his organization. Rock/Commander might be able to beat most of the guys in the agency by himself, but he’s probably learned from dealing with Tank that fighting guys like that isn’t going to solve the problem. ESPECIALLY if you can’t beat them.
Ahahahah Commander would get murdered by guys like Kratos and Lobo and all that, he just Chris Pratt velociraptors it and behaves as calm and confidently around them as possible to deescalate the situation.
So he acts like the boss (calm, collected and confident) and avoids escalating situations, and so the other guys treat him as the boss?
I feel like I’m missing a big part of the joke in this page cause I don’t know who these characters are. Did the knight set up an epic showdown in his original story? Or is that just a comment on game story lines in general?
It’s still a really funny page but if someone would be so kind as to explain the parts that are flying, screaming over my head that would be great.