November 15th, 2016
15 Nov 2016 · page 651 of 1306
Looks bad Mal
Cast: Harriet Barber, Jack O'Malley
Comments (61)
Events

ThoughtBubble
14 Nov 2026 – 15 Nov 2026
Harrogate Convention Centre
Manchester Megacon
31 Jul 2027 – 1 Aug 2027
Manchester Central






Well, you don't make an omelette without eggs.
Listening to them, you would think they'er siblings, or something. (Hint: They are probably siblings, or something.)
Kindred spirits, I'd say. Siblings in grumpiness.
Siblings in snarkiness, too.
Panel 2: I like how the Gluttony circle looks like a gaping maw with sharp teeth.
I hope Ben at least gets some juicy intel about the other side as a reward for making those awesome notes.
How long have those two been married?
That's it. I'm buying you a one-way ticket on the nope train.
Is that good or bad?
Yes
Nope. Obviously.
At least it is more round then the drawings in the notes
See, I was assuming in both instances that the circles looked oblong because of perspective.
The drawings on the page might be a perspective issue, or they might be slightly squashed left to right to fit them on the page. I can't tell for sure, but at least they don't have any straight edges the way O'Malley's "circle" does.
And Harry's comment clearly indicates that O'Malley's "circle" is oblong rather than round, in addition to having the visible straight edges. So it is kind of suggestive of the idea of a circle rather than actually being a circle. Although to be fair I am not sure I would do any better than O'Malley did if I when trying to free hand draw a circle, especially one that big.
Once I got to Harry's comment, I understood, of course. But I think if I freehanded that drawing myself it would look like spaghetti. I though Mal did fine. Maybe drawing was a more common class in the Widdershins grade schools.
Wizards probably have circle drawing as one of the major core classes of their curriculum. Although in this case I'd say it's more that between the legends and Grandma Barber's statements on the subject Harry was expecting an uber!wizard, and instead she got one who can't even draw a simple circle.
I feel like the Sloth circle should just be a single line, and it only works if you half-ass it and be sloppy so it's not even really circular.
That, or else it's the hardest one of the lot, requiring years of intense study and if you don't get every single detail exactly, perfectly right, Sloth will say "Meh" and not show up.
That would be funny. From the picture, though, it looks like an outer and inner circle connected by twelve lines. Still the simplest of the bunch.
Gluttony's looks a bit like a ring of teeth. O_O
"Well.. why don't YOU draw a circle, then I hold the gun!"
Mal + Gun = I shudder to think...
Can gun-nuttery be summoned or imbued?
"If you had that go during an earthquake." silently continued in thought ...while drunk in the freezing cold, with arthritis, and a blue monkey on your head pulling your hair.
Okay...a bit of an exaggeration...but the blue monkey does present a nice visual aspect to the thought.
Or a purple hippo egging you on and getting in the way?
I got to "blue monkey" and my brain supplied "humping your leg in a most aggressive fashion" i'm so sorry for my awful thought flows XD
This wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey circle will do, I think.
Mal sweetie, I've made far worse circles in my time, don't you worry 'bout a thing :)
Eeeeeee my order came! I love the family portrait! It's only a pity that Edmund was too young for that fabulous monstrosity of a beard. Harry looks so grumpy, this is the best!! Thank yoouuuuuu!
Hooray, glad it got there okay! Had a lot of fun with the portrait, haha. Thanks!
Right?!?!? That design looks HARD! There's all kinds of fiddly twice-divided triangles and stuff inside CONCENTRIC circles? Can't I just draw stick people?
But even my stick people are worse than other peoples' stick people! Have you seen xkcd's stick people?!? Also people doesn't look like a real word anymore!
xkcd's stick people are incredible! They have eyeless heads that nevertheless show direction of gaze and subtleties of expression! It's amazing/horrifying!
Oh, they're just the best of friends, aren't they?
Wait until he starts trying to cadge her tobacco.
If the pipe she has with her is the pipe imbued by Greed, she may be cadging tobacco off of him!
Ben drew this set of notes for Mal (he was seen with pencil to paper in an earlier strip), although I know she gave them some instructions which are incorporated into this.
I would bet that a younger Ben and Verity had this exact conversation word for word, although I would also bet all parties would not be pleased with the comparison.
I don't think Ben could ever draw a sloppy circle
Drawing perfectly round circles by hand is pretty hard, Harry. I would think the size of this circle will make it more difficult to draw it correctly and Mal has had exactly no practice at this.
For a wizard in the normal world this probably would be a problem. Hopeful for Mal in this place it will be good enough.
The curate's egg-circle! (Was that too obscure? Google "curate's egg")
Parts of it are extremely round indeed.
I've heard the expression before, but I couldn't have told you the meaning without Google.
I'm assuming that once actual Witch-power is pushed through the grid the whole thing will instantly snap into perfect place.
I like that idea. I also think the whole "requiring a circle" thing just makes it easier for Non-Witches to get into the mindset of "this will work!"
I'd say Sid better watch out ... but i think The O'Malley is destined for Nicola.
The comic has established that Nicola is interested in women, not men.
And Kate has stated in the comments (although she hasn't gotten it into the comic yet) that O'Malley is aromantic/asexual which makes the idea that he is destined for anyone somewhat unlikely.
Yes, that is definitely the most unlikely ship!
Awww. Spoil my smart-arse fun, why don't you?
I just want them to snark at leach other, for pages and pages :)
You're in luck, friend
But...why? What could possibly go wrong?
Somebody could ask that, for one thing!
It'll probably wind up summoning a flock of very angry chickens.
As long as things don't go pear-shaped...
@KateDrawsComics:disqus The icon for this item is a tiger, not a hippo, but I think you may have a(t least one) reader over at Blizzard Entertainment: [http://www.wowhead.com/item...](http://www.wowhead.com/item=139808/curio-of-abundant-happiness "http://www.wowhead.com/item=139808/curio-of-abundant-happiness") (edit: Drawing the link because of the purple cloud in the icon on top of the name, y'see. There's a madness to my method, honest!)
A Purpleish Tiger of Happiness is close enough! The Hippo would definitely call it a win :)
Reason no. 5000945678999 that I love Jack O'Malley
I am now imagining young magic users spending years learning how to draw perfect circles of any size.
Kinda makes sense that the circle for wrath is so complicated. I'd be angry too if I had to draw that.
Best dialogue. Not ever, but in dozens of pages, at least. :D
I love this comic so much.
I am reminded of FMA, where all the circles are magically perfect, haha. Good job dodging the "this character has no reason to be good at this but magically is" trap, Ms. Ashwin!