June 29th, 2018
29 Jun 2018 · page 807 of 1306
Insert theme song of your choice here.
Cast: Benjamin Thackerey, Heinrich Wolfe, Jack O'Malley, Mr Luxuria, Sidney Malik, Verity Cunningham
Comments (109)
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I like Vee's "mechanical" astral form...
Yes! That is so effin' awesome!
Here I was thinking blueprint, but mechanical works just as well
She's gadgeteer - nearly a spark - I doubt if she blueprints things before she builds them.
Theme song? I was thinking of the James Bond theme, although I'm not sure it's allowed to like pre-Craig Bond films anymore.
> Insert theme song of your choice here.
"When I have my friends with me". :)))
Wow. Just wow.
"With a little help from my friends" ^.^
Congratulations Jack. Makes sense that if a witch can rip someones soul, then they can make use that soul themselves. Just needed a pep talk.
* inserts theme here *
[https://www.youtube.com/wat...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDZ2W0GpP_E "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDZ2W0GpP_E")
Oh gosh this is beautiful. Luxuria you messed up.
Oddly suitable for the whole dang story arc is; Adele - Skyfall
[https://www.youtube.com/wat...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeumyOzKqgI "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeumyOzKqgI")
Or Conchita Wurst - Rise Like A Phoenix <3
I thought that Pompeii by Bastille's lyrics actually fit this comic pretty well
It's really interesting how the wizards have more of an aura rather than a distinct spirit form. I love how prickly Ben's is. Sid's is more of a spiritual bubble bath, which are words I never expected to put together.
Excellent descriptions -- this is indeed an awesome image.
I truly love the phrase "spiritual bubble bath".
Ben is too much of a prickly pear to be as bubbly as Sid
Super hero pose!!
"Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends..."
I like how the other three look awesome while poor syd is just falling out of his cage backwards and smiling
"Whee!"
I love that the two spirits who seem to have moved up to stand beside Mal are Wolfe and Ben.
Mal, master of dramatic entry: [https://www.widdershinscomi...](https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/september-14th-2012/ "https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/september-14th-2012/") :D
(also, wow, that's almost six years ago. Been reading since the late stages of Darken. Time flies, hehe)
Okay, that's a really neat and also sorta chilling comparison...
Also, Nora's spirit of courage during the final battle in Piece of Cake.
And I've been reading ever since Darken ended, too. At this point, Curtain Call has run almost 18 months just by itself...
You're right, hadn't thought of that one!
inserts song
[https://www.youtube.com/wat...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04854XqcfCY "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04854XqcfCY")
Definitely not Victorian era music...but works for me...
That's more for after the fight IMHO. :)
...Oooooh
Google searched “theme songs for badass pipe-smoking witch dudes.” Google was strangely unhelpful, so I’ma just go with Knights of Cydonia:
[https://youtu.be/z9D71pQaTnc](https://youtu.be/z9D71pQaTnc "https://youtu.be/z9D71pQaTnc")
LOL. All the readers heard music. Me too. Can't link to it because I don't know what it was.
I love the variety of the music suggested by this forum.
Bit of a 180, I guess he's more actor than he lets on. Just three strips back he was all angst and trembles and now he suddenly knows perfectly how to run the show... Yeah, you freed them, probably, and that will help, maybe, somehow...
Not saying it's bad, but just as mentioned, bit of a 180.
I expect some of it is acting, but some of it is Mal realizing that he really isn't alone, both here & back in Widdershins.
> Just three strips back he was all angst and trembles
And some strips before that he was all smugness, so one can say it is a 360. :))
About Mal being an actor... I think he used to hide his fear and doubts behind his mask of grumpiness and "I don't care" attitude.
More than that, I suspect that at least part of his smugness in the beginning was caused by Mal getting apprehensions about the situation, his inner struggle with them and his strong unwilling to show them before Lux.
I don't think it's acting. It's more that he was genuinely afraid -- but he's a lot tougher than he thinks. We've seen this before (like in No Rest for the Wicked): Mal thinks he's a coward and a loser, but he's not. When the chips are down -- if you're not playing poker with him, anyway -- Mal is entirely dependable. He just has to be reminded sometimes.
OK, that works.
[https://www.youtube.com/wat...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEMotNc6Xx8 "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEMotNc6Xx8")
Is it me, or do the cousins look particularly eager to kick Lux in the fork?
Ben has his fists already ready to fight! And angry as he could be, judging by his aura, now fiery reddish and spiked!
Between that and how they changed color I am convinced that they were somewhat aware of everything going on, and I'm also convinced that part of Ben's anger is knowing Lux made Mal cry (Wolfe I feel has set aside anger for joy at both being free and how happy/self assured Mal looks now).
O yeah! I hope so - I am quite sure so - sure that you are right! And - by the way - I also think this could mean Ben has heard Mal's words about his bravery! I'd like it very much!
I'm not sure spirits would have the physical anatomy to make that effective, but yeah he/it does need some force delicately applied to whatever weak spots are there
Hot SHIT this is the best panel ever
And looky looky loo -- the Liar's Heart just happened to fall out of Harry's messenger bag and onto the ground.
Guess Lust's about to go all Beelzebub inside a magic stone. </darkenreference>
Snap!
Beelzebub?
You mean Baalzebul. ;-)
So I do.
Oh, I love this! I thought Mal was going to hit Lux with that blue flame, but using it to break the spirits' cages is even better.
And I can't help noticing that when Lux was knocked down, the Liar's Heart fell out of Harry's bag. I think I know where Lux is going...
Also, I love how the aura's are different colors than we've seen before: Wolfe's is bright yellow with a touch of orange, Ben's is mostly orange with a touch of yellow, Vee's is dark blue, and Sid's is a mix of blue, yellow, and orange -- just as Harry and Mal described them emotionally.
And Sid's scarf doing the whole "Superhero cape in the Wind" thing...with no wind. And the classic up from below camera shot of the superhero arrival pose.
=== Sid's scarf ===
You mean Mal's :)
sigh Yes, I mean Mal's
Why am I hearing Original series "star trek" combat music in my head????
A. I am old.
B. It just seems to fit.
C. the level of awesome here calls for it.
D. all of the above.
Of all the multitudes of music I know that would fit this scene, I keep hearing Taylor Swift's "Look What You Made Me Do". Although the lyrics DO actually fit the scene pretty well, barring bits here and there.
I may need to look that up. Personally I instinctively went with Immortals.
here is the music
[https://www.youtube.com/wat...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5j-SFbEqZ18 "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5j-SFbEqZ18")
Cool thank you.
Somewhat less matching of personality but perhaps at least somewhat scene appropriate might be this little ditty here.
[https://www.youtube.com/wat...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlBnJ0egT_4 "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlBnJ0egT_4")
Not sure this is quite suitable for O’Malley but I think you just found us Jaegers our theme song.
NICE! Instead of the incredibles we have the incorrigibles. :) Also, note the difference in the two mage auras...Ben's is smaller, but well controlled, while Syd's is massive but diffuse. Nice details!
The difference in the auras fits with how they handle their magic - Sid has a lot of it, but it’s all over the place because he’s only semi-trained and not good at formal stuff; Ben doesn’t have nearly as much raw talent, but what he does have is precisely honed and controlled.
The way I see it, their auras match them because Sid is a very bubbly, outgoing person while Ben is very contained and precise.
Yeah, which could also affect how they handle their magic.
Oh definitely. All around another example of Kate's character building through little details
You have a true gift for visual metaphor. Bravo as always! <3
Per visual manipulation - I also love one effect you've used in this page and the last. If you look at Jack's face in panel one and cover either side - you see both determination and hope. Last time, with Lux in panel 2, you had 1/2 consternation and 1/2 fear. Well done!
I like how even in this form Wolfe manages to look happy playing his violin.
Insert "The Trumpet Shall Sound" from Messiah.
That really made me laugh XD
How about the opening of Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man”, without Emerson, Lake and Palmer?
Yay Mal!!! You're the best!
Oh, you're toast now, Lux. No more villaining for you. Twist, wriggle, dart about madly if you can, but there's no escape.
Ben looks like he's currently discovering that his spirit form can best be described as 'bruiser.' Now all he needs is something supernatural to hit...
I don't think I would describe Ben as a bruiser in any form, but he's certainly a fighter, however little he may look like it at first glance. You don't have to be big to come fiercely to the defense of the things you care about.
I could live with 'scrapper.'
I have long held the headcanon that Verity and/or whoever taught her to fight also taught Ben some basic self defense for use when he got (or Verity got him) into trouble or he was being bullied. Nothing fancy, mostly how to throw a proper punch and the like, and he rarely if ever uses it because fighting isn't Proper Behavior.
@disqus_g0SP04cfHD:disqus's fanfic about Ben at university includes a reference to his once having had to be pulled off a bully. It doesn't say what the other student did/said to set him off, but I'm kind of curious...
Probably insulted Verity.
In the author's humble opinion*, he destroyed Ben's book, pouring ink over it or something like that. (It had something to do with Ben's final test. :)) Insulting Verity would have caused the same (or greater) effect, surely, but I doubt other students even know about her existence.
* This expression means "The author has her opinion on this subject, but she refrained from imposing it on readers". :)
I can see that, definitely.
My (more general) headcanon is that Ben learned from Verity how to defend himself, physically and emotionally, learned to do what he thinks the right thing, not what others want from him, and to maintain his facade. And Verity hadn't to really teach Ben these things, for that.
As for theme music:
[https://www.youtube.com/wat...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8-sMJZTYf0 "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8-sMJZTYf0")
Perhaps cliche, but the theme music I immediately thought of: [https://www.youtube.com/wat...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0k1dxUv3dU "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0k1dxUv3dU") (particularly given the name of the track).
And the job/class system from other titles fits too: we have (l-r) Bard, Red Mage(/Summoner), Thief(/Ninja), Monk, and Engineer.
Well, I guess it does make sense to bring spirits to a spirit fight.
"Coopers World" by Squarepusher, as played by him and his band Shobaleader One live: [https://www.youtube.com/wat...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VypU8zojFsY "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VypU8zojFsY")
It's not a theme song for anything, but it would've made a hell of a theme song for an 80's cop romp... :)
Why did Lux fall down? This was gearing up to be the sort of fight where everyone is standing up.
I think it just lost some strength. A lot of strength, to be precise :)
Of my choice? OK sure! [https://www.youtube.com/wat...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKTNWI0eYJ4 "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKTNWI0eYJ4")
I mean, if we're going with evocative TV theme songs, it's really going to come down to a deathmatch between this and the A-Team theme.
A+ choice, would watch again.
Passion! Invention! Discipline! Goofiness!
This is kinda ridiculous, but you just made me regret a little that the brony craze is long over, because now I have a desire to see how these guys would be represented in pony form XD
I actually custom made a Harry pony out of a g2 (I think?) pony doll some time ago!
It's a g3, actually; g2 had sort of more slender ponies on the whole, released in the US in 1997-1998 and in Europe a few years longer, into the early 2000s. She's a fine custom, though!
Nicely done!
OH MY GOD
Also, Lux, I don't think that picking the gem up will help. Sid could just ask his magpie to help.
reminds me of the rules of the old evil overlords handbook:
"I will maintain a realistic assessment of my strengths and weaknesses. Even though this takes some of the fun out of the job, at least I will never utter the line "No, This Cannot Be!! I AM INVINCIBLE!!!" (After that, death is usually instantaneous.)"
at least he has another rule wrapped up: "I will dress in bright and cheery colors, and so throw my enemies into confusion."
I would like to know what actually knocked Mr Luxuria on his keister...
I am not sure if it has come in the comic, but in some settings breaking an active spells causes a backlash against the entity that is maintaining the spell. If that kind of a backlash is a thing here having Mal burst all 4 of the cages more or less simultaneously would definitely be enough to knock Lux down.
"I'm not alone, and you just got knocked onto your ass by the company you provided me with. How's your petard feeling?"
Heh. Sid's spirit looks like it's having a blast. ^_^
Sid's soul scares me
Being a child of the 80's, I would like to offer the theme to the classic cheesy TV show Otherworld. Here's the first episode, and of course it starts with its opening theme. This sort of awesome needs classic analog synthesizers!
[https://youtu.be/WqepZMzXWvE](https://youtu.be/WqepZMzXWvE "https://youtu.be/WqepZMzXWvE")
This is my choice for theme music, especially since it includes a violin part: [https://www.youtube.com/wat...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28sAKnSApTE "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28sAKnSApTE")
Of all the suggestions so far, this one gets my vote. (The 'I Am Doctor' theme comes in second, & Skyfall 3rd.)
Yes, my vote too! Thank you. Triumphal excitement, enough complexity to include all four of Mal's backup squad, works well in the Victorian setting... and as you say, the violin part!
Is it just me or does Verity's Spirit look like it had just thrown a hay maker at Lux and connected putting Luxuria on his butt ?
Not sure what knocked Lust on his ass, but my song of choice is “You Say Run.”
Everyone's aura is such a consistent and recognizable representation of their character- and then there's Ben, who's just Fukkin Pissed
I am personally imaging I am the Doctor for this scene
A little late, but what the hey: [https://www.youtube.com/wat...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjcNlYayamw "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjcNlYayamw")
This is the Witches' realm, after all, not the Spirits'. Not even for a Deadly Sin.
Love that Ben, Verity, and even Wolfe in his way are all power stanced but Sid is just excited to be out! Oh boy! isn'tthislittlemagicpocketuniverseexcitingandhedidn'teventhinkhe'dgettoseeitcanyouIMAGINE!