#697: "It's a mystery."

[Kurosen]

I always derive extra pleasure when a comic's actions occur in between the panels.

[Bizzaro_Exdeath]

Uh oh, Wyt Mage is about to get teh nuklear bom droppt on her.


:eek:

Brian is killing another character. How sordid, yet expected.

[White Angel]

my vote goes that she instead whacks him with the hammer, or she notices it's BM when he flirts with her, BM won't kill WM.

*sinking in*
...
WM is back!!! I knew it! I was wondering what would be of her!

[FlyingCow371]

Has WM been seen since her role in creating the universe? or maybe I've forgotten something..or several things. Maybe BM will accidentally use his blue-magic abilities to vomit his internal organs again, only to be healed by WM at which point he instantly starts hitting on her.

[ElementMage]

I'm predicting an attempt at a Goblin Kick followed up by hammerage.

[DarthMauler64]

WM has returned!!!!! The hammer smacking can now commence!!!!!

[venuspriestess]

WM doesn't sound like herself...but then again she probably knows that is BM...

[Number 81]

I love you.

[talse]

Pump it up for dramatic foreshadowing! It's so thick you can taste it.

[PyrosNine]

Amazing how the last time I posted on the discussion thread, I mentioned that I thought the Dancer looked like white mage, and now here's a white mage.

Oh well. I'm guessing that it might not be white mage. Has she ever called anyone a Buffoon? And wouldn't she be smart enough to notice the blood stains and at least try and use her new revive powers for good, and stop who is clearly a murderer?

[Sam_Drugbringer]

I'm 80% sure that's WM, but there IS a naging in my mind saying WM would never talk like that. Hell, why would she even talk like that to BM?

[willyolio]

Amazing how the last time I posted on the discussion thread, I mentioned that I thought the Dancer looked like white mage, and now here's a white mage.
yeah, i find it amazing as well that people post in the forums, and stuff happens in the comic... yeah, just awesome.

i hope BM tries to kill WM, but onion boy happens to be walking down the street and his new parents get the full blast of whatever BM's planning. that would be just awesome... the real light warriors, white mage, onion boy all in a row... maybe the other warriors next. haha.

[The Wandering God]

One question:

If that IS White Mage, why doesn't BM recognize her voice?

Conclusion: possibly another White Mage. Remember, she is part of an order.

A multitude of possiblities have just opened up in my mind. And I like it.

The Wandering God

EDIT: Well, I took a closer look, and she does have red hair. That definitely puts a dent in my theory. Either way, it will be revealed in the next comic. (Unless we cut back to Thief and co.

EDIT EDIT: Okay took ANOTHER look, and actually... I can't tell. I blame my damned slightly colorblind eyes. Can someone check her hair please?

[ElfLad]

Wow, WM's being real passive-aggressive, hm?

Next comic, I bet she goes aggressive-aggressive.

[Vaij]

I am seriously wanting to know what WM's plan is here.

[POS Industries]

I'm pretty sure it's the same WM, given that she has mentioned her previous encounters with the LWs. However, bear in mind that she's gone through some pretty gruesome stuff since we last saw her. The whole "resurrecting BB only to have gallons of blood continually gush out of his head all over her" thing looked awfully traumatic. And she's had to deal with that all alone. Frankly, it would surprise me if she was quite a bit more jaded now.

[venuspriestess]

EDIT: Well, I took a closer look, and she does have red hair. That definitely puts a dent in my theory. Either way, it will be revealed in the next comic. (Unless we cut back to Thief and co.

EDIT EDIT: Okay took ANOTHER look, and actually... I can't tell. I blame my damned slightly colorblind eyes. Can someone check her hair please?

Well, I'm sure more than one WM has red hair. I like the possibility that its one of her order!

[Chrismith]

At first I couldn't figure out if WM was just screwing with BM or if she was even the one who was speaking in the last part, but then it hit me -- WM hasn't seen the class changes yet! Ten bucks says BM takes advantage of his anonymity to hit on her. And if she doesn't know it's BM, it might actually work.

[CHICAGO¤lollie]

Curse you, Brian! These cliffhangers of yours will be the end of my comic-reading lifestyle!

Ten bucks says BM takes advantage of his anonymity to hit on her. And if she doesn't know it's BM, it might actually work.
She'd totally recognize the smell of his "Spell Components". Something like that just cannot be replaced.

[The Thrower of ICBMs]

Ooooo... Can't wait to see the next panel. ...Wait a minute.

Since BM is now... well, he's still "BM", isn't he. Since BM can now absorb the deadly attacks of his enemies - and live - does this mean that he will absorb and learn the uber-deadly hammering he's going to recieve from White Mage?

(I make the difference between regular deadly and uber-deadly, and I see it thusly:

Deadly is when a guy punches you in the solar plexus.

Uber-deadly is when a girl punches you in the solar plexus, after hammering your dangly bits. And since WM can conceivably heal BM, then repeat her uber-deadly "Hammer Attack of Holy Doom" on him, it will possibly hurt beyond the level of uber-deadly.)

[Sam_Drugbringer]

WM is not a fragment of Chaos, unless Brian descided to toss that whole Magnus lecture out the window and let BM duplicate everything that happens to him.

[The Thrower of ICBMs]

WM is not a fragment of Chaos, unless Brian descided to toss that whole Magnus lecture out the window and let BM duplicate everything that happens to him.

He's managed to duplicate a kick to the groin (eg: "Goblin Punch")... Even if it was of Chaos allignment, it's still a freakin' kick to the groin.

'Course, now that I think about it, it's likely that whatever he learns from WM, it's going to hurt him...

[The Truth Is In Here]

Use a spell on someone you must concetrait on them, BM is a fragment of chaos, then the small part of the spell based on the consentration goes threw, and drags the hole spell with it.
Then again BM is so evil chaos may be a fragment of him.
So BM attomaticly gets all spells he survives, which brings a question, if you use a shield can you still learn blocked spells.

[Solid Snake]

WM must not recognize the Light Warriors in their new duds. My guess is that her new form of dialogue around the locals just reveals the true extent of her recent LW-driven fall-from-grace. She's becoming increasingly bitter.

[Sam_Drugbringer]

Yeha... See, if he learned everything done to him, I don't see why Magnus would waste his breath exsplaining. Also, BM DID NOT LEARN ICE from being frozen, so no Ble magic learning from WM.

The Goblin Punch was delivered from a fragment of Chaos, that's why he learned it.

I don't like being such a streight man, but if everyone else is going to go bat**** insane every time somthing happens, somebody's got to point it out.

[Tilion]

I think it's Hammer time for BM (sorry), and that he'll learn White Magic when she heals him ^_^

At any rate, I'm pretty sure it's WM (it's exactly her sprite, just a bit shadowed) back from her travel through time and trying to go back to her mission: looking over/helping the LW.

The only problem it's what someone said, she knows nothing of of the class change.

What really bugs me it's the "retaliate without looking" part. Are we going for a dramatic scene with BM killing WM? I remember some bloody WM robes from 434 (Nooo, I mentioned the forbidden episode ;) )

[The Truth Is In Here]

Eather I am too ubsessed with ninjas or WM is readdy to fight with a karaty chop.

[The Thrower of ICBMs]

Yeha... See, if he learned everything done to him, I don't see why Magnus would waste his breath exsplaining. Also, BM DID NOT LEARN ICE from being frozen, so no Ble magic learning from WM.

The Goblin Punch was delivered from a fragment of Chaos, that's why he learned it.

I don't like being such a streight man, but if everyone else is going to go bat**** insane every time somthing happens, somebody's got to point it out.

As I see it, Ice is a Black Magic spell - as a (former) practitioner of the darkest of dark black formerly-monotone arts, there might not be a reason for him to learn it.

The uber-deadly "Hammer Attack of Holy Doom" is almost certainly a physical attack (like "Goblin Punch", which I still contend is a freakin' kick to the groin), and isn't subject to the same rules as magic.

On a side note, "bat**** insane" is probably the strangest combination of words (construed as an insult) I've ever heard, but it seems to fit the tone of 8-bit. And since we're all as such...

Come, join us, join the slightly deranged side. After all, "When in Rome..."

[Invisible Queen]

You can almost hear Red mage going DUN DUN DUNNN at the end there. :D

So, White mage returns, apparently quite a different person after giving birth to the universe and all that stuff. Sort of like Gandalf the White's entrance I think. She seems kinda distant, talking as much to herself as anyone else.

Now what would White mage become if she had a transformation like Gandalf? Ultraviolet mage? Superluminous mage? Full spectrum mage? Not that I think she has, but it would be fun. . .

[StephanePare]

Woot! White mage returns :D

For the longest time White mage was my only reason to come reading the strip, and when she simply stoped appearing, i felt kinda sad, but when i saqw the characters popularity thread, i figured that was why she got out of the strip.

Now that she's here, go white mage! Please don't kill her!

[Mikaga]

Possible Blue Magic and FF connection here: the ability "Magic Hammer".

[JONJONAUG]

You can almost hear Red mage going DUN DUN DUNNN at the end there. :D


...there should've been one more panel at the end, the words DUN DUN DUNNNNN connecting the two panels, with the last one saying...

Thief: "Why did you just do that."
RM: "I don't know, it just felt right."

[Ryong]

...there should've been one more panel at the end, the words DUN DUN DUNNNNN connecting the two panels, with the last one saying...

Thief: "Why did you just do that."
RM: "I don't know, it just felt right."

That would be awesome.Just plain awesome.You people forgot that WM has protect ( therefore BM won't be able to use stabbing frenzy or goblin punch so well ) and reflect ( hadoken kills BM ).

[greed]

Oh man BM's Hadoken getting reflected, if that happens I'm gonna bet OK or something/someone he love gets hit by it, pushing WM even closer to the edge with guilt, and then she takes it out on BM.

[Seran]

-Seran widens her eyes in response.-
Uh-oh.
Awesome! I never expected that to be White Mage! I expected someone important, but not White Mage...and it looks like she's aware that Black Mage has been killing innocent bystanders -- no, NPCs -- and might be casting Holy Fire again...or maybe something worse.

[Sky Warrior Bob]

For the conspiracy theorists...

1. This is White Mage, get over it.
2. As for not recognising her voice, she's had at least two different voice actors. And by this time she's likely to have gotten to her third. So what's BM's supposed to go on, her text font?

But that doesn't make any sense the movies have nothing to do with the comic, and...

Shut up.

3. White Mage talks like this when she's talking to Townsfolk. There isn't much example of it in the comic, but her first exchange (http://www.nuklearpower.com/daily.php?date=010503) w/ BM (before she gets to know him) sounds awfully like this.

4. There is no fourth reason. Go away.






5. If there wasn't a 4th reason, why would you think there's a fifth?

SWB

[Seran]

I can't really think of a conspiracy for White Mage, but thank you for acknowledging something I do in secret.

Those are reasons? I thought those were just thought-out facts to tell theorists...
Well, this is White Mage. She likes to talk in different ways. Besides, she just suffered a major experience, and that very much could have changed her voice just enough to keep Black Mage from knowing. That, or he's just too blind with rage to remain being able to hear correctly.

[greed]

3. White Mage talks like this when she's talking to Townsfolk. There isn't much example of it in the comic, but her first exchange (http://www.nuklearpower.com/daily.php?date=010503) w/ BM (before she gets to know him) sounds awfully like this.
SWB

Wow, that's a good find, thanks, it does explain how wierd she's talking, I was going to ask about that but you beat me to it.:)

[BlackMageFF1]

finally, BM kills WM!!! That b**** definitely had it coming to her. If you can't f*** 'em, kill 'em!

To comment on the news post, Brian, I've been an avid CoH/CoV player for about 4 months now, and I happen to know that Defenders are "Buff/Ranged" and Blasters are "Ranged/Support". Trick Arrow (for some strange reason) is a buff power-set and ergo does not belong i the support catagory. To prove this, you'll find that the only instance where do different archetypes can have the same power set is when they both have the same catagory (Melee, Defense, Buff, Ranged, Control, Support, Summon Henchmen, Assault)

[The Wandering God]

For the conspiracy theorists...

1. This is White Mage, get over it.
2. As for not recognising her voice, she's had at least two different voice actors. And by this time she's likely to have gotten to her third. So what's BM's supposed to go on, her text font?

But that doesn't make any sense the movies have nothing to do with the comic, and...

Shut up.

3. White Mage talks like this when she's talking to Townsfolk. There isn't much example of it in the comic, but her first exchange (http://www.nuklearpower.com/daily.php?date=010503) w/ BM (before she gets to know him) sounds awfully like this.

4. There is no fourth reason. Go away.

5. If there wasn't a 4th reason, why would you think there's a fifth?

SWB
Actually I think I'm the only one who really thinks that.

1. I'm not saying if it is one way or the other.

2. I am saying that him not recognizing the voice of someone he obsesses over is a little weird. But until BM or the other LW get a good look at her, I'll still be in doubt.

3. I looked at that comic and frankly I just don't see the connection. If nothing else, WM has always been very... sweet I guess is the word I'm looking for. Even after BM annoyed the hell out of her, all she could say was that he had, "anger issues".

I merely was expressing the possiblity of it not being WM. I've often wondered where the rest of her "order" is, and what they are doing. She would probably have to make reports back to them. Based on that, that's how other white mages would know about them.

Or not. We'll know soon enough. (And by soon, I mean agonizing wait til the next comic.)

And again, can someone take a look at her hair please and tell me the color?

The Wandering God

[greed]

It's red mate.

[Art of Hilt]

I was reading it, and I was like: "=O"

[Dark Assassin]

Whoa! When the hell did White Mage get there? I didn't think she'd be able to get from Garland's backyard to...whatever that town is. I guess it went this way so she can save Black Mage and co.'s asses when they take on Kraken (That will be the first elemental boss fight that has occured since I started reading!).

However, one thing bugs me. Does White Mage realize that the so-called jester she's talking to is Black Mage? I mean, the bloody handprints on the wall is sufficent evidence, but she doesn't know they classed up and she may not recognize them. Also, I don't think she'd make fun of the Light Warriors (at least knowingly) if she knew that they were right there. So my big question is, does White Mage realize who she's talking to?

That and does BM realize its her? I'd think he'd know the girl he's a bit obsessive about...unless he's caught in homicidal rage (or rage of being called a clown over and over).

[Cukeman]

I always derive extra pleasure when a comic's actions occur in between the panels.
Hear hear.

[Kurosen]

To comment on the news post, Brian, I've been an avid CoH/CoV player for about 4 months now, and I happen to know that Defenders are "Buff/Ranged" and Blasters are "Ranged/Support". Trick Arrow (for some strange reason) is a buff power-set and ergo does not belong i the support catagory. To prove this, you'll find that the only instance where do different archetypes can have the same power set is when they both have the same catagory (Melee, Defense, Buff, Ranged, Control, Support, Summon Henchmen, Assault)

There isn't a single buff power in Trick Arrow. It's all debuffs and controls, like most of Devices for Blasters. Even so, let's assume some/all the Defender Trick Arrow powers don't "belong" in a Blaster set. It's a simple matter to replace the unwanted ones with different powers. The main reason Cryptic recycles so many powers is that their animations take such a long time to create (due to the varying body types and shapes). As any Trick Arrow power can be animated exactly like any other with the only difference being a slight change to the arrow's head, there's literally no excuse for there being no Arrow-based secondary for Blasters.

[Vidihawk]

2. I am saying that him not recognizing the voice of someone he obsesses over is a little weird. But until BM or the other LW get a good look at her, I'll still be in doubt.

It has been a little while... and he IS in murder/death/kill mode.

3. I looked at that comic and frankly I just don't see the connection. If nothing else, WM has always been very... sweet I guess is the word I'm looking for. Even after BM annoyed the hell out of her, all she could say was that he had, "anger issues".

Always sweet, eh? (http://www.nuklearpower.com/daily.php?date=040624)

[Tiako]

Just so everyone knows, WM wont die. Why do I say this? Read:
http://www.nuklearpower.com/daily.php?date=041218

Sarda says there "are only four of you", which would of course imply the Light Warriors. BUT he said four "of you" to WM, saying that she is one of the four.

Add to that the fact that she is in casting mode (Note her arm positions) and the fact that she obviously knows that it is BM, and I think we can be fairly sure that WM won't get a scratch but BM will get a hammer.

[Seran]

Yes, when I looked at the colors of that White Mage, I suddenly had doubts it was really her. It was either something happened to her robes because of bleach, either it's just the shading, or that ain't her! Well, who knows, can't make any actual...er...conclusions until we're absolutely sure.

[bass_virus]

Wow White Mage was being a bit of a bitch, she has this coming for insulting who she thought was a complete stranger.

[SixnineDragon]

For the naysayers, it's obviously WM: Her colors are off because she's shaded, and she's the only member of the Order to have previous encounters with the light warriors. plus, she never saw BM bet that ungodly class change...

that said, we all know how thiss'll turn out

[Tiako]

They often disguise themselves as buffoons and clowns, thus explaining why I'd ever address one as ridiculous-looking as you
This line, the fact that she can clearly see the bloodstans, and her "casting stance" say to me that she knows it's BM.

[Dr. Casey]

Wow White Mage was being a bit of a bitch, she has this coming for insulting who she thought was a complete stranger.

White Mage's bitchiness is pretty hot, though.

I'm extremely excited to see some more Black Mage/White Mage interaction after all this time, though. Did they ever see each other during the 500s?

[Lord Kibble]

Note that WM isn't insinuating that the Light Warriors are fools, just that they dress like ones to deceive the minions of darkness. It appears as if her devotion to the Order is as strong as ever.

However, I am concerned with the imagery of White Mage emerging from the shadows. That lone panel makes me think that her words have some sort of double meaning. Does she really have faith in the Light Warriors? Has she finally turned to the Dark Side? Has she finally snapped, and tracked down the Light Warriors to finish them off once and for all for the good of mankind? Is White Mage the incarnation of Chaos?

Dun Dun Duuuun!

[Natheson]

Does anyone really think BM will be able to trump her?

Pfft.

[powermast56]

I'm betting that next comic, BM is going to get a migraine. Big-Time.;)

[Lord Kibble]

Does anyone really think BM will be able to trump her?

Pfft.

Raise your hand if you mistook "trump" for "hump" in the above statement. Note that either way it doesn't change the conclusion the slightest bit.

[PCD]

I am never going to stop grinning.

Ever.

Goddamn it, Brian, you brilliant comedic bastard. My cheeks hurt.

[CHICAGO¤lollie]

when I looked at the colors of that White Mage, I suddenly had doubts it was really her. It was either something happened to her robes because of bleach, either it's just the shading, or that ain't her!
That is White Mage. Take note that she is in a dark alleyway. It's only shadow. We've seen shadow in 8-Bit Theater before (http://www.nuklearpower.com/daily.php?date=050621). o_O

[Number 81]

We all know the retaliation will come in one of two forms
The Hadoken or Goblin Punch.
The only effect of Goblin Punch on a WM would be that she would get very angry and bring out her hammer.
The only effect of a Hadoken will be a miss.
Both theories follow Brian's 2 chief laws
1) He knows what his fans want to see (Hadoken or Hammertime)
2) Everything that happens happens to hurt Black Mage

[Green_Fantastic]

I am seeing a "HAAAADOOOOKKKKKHey, Is your father a baker, Cause you got some nice buns." I love that line.

[Sam_Drugbringer]

Why would she be idly chating with BM is she saw the Bloodmarks? It's possible he maimed insted of killed them, so she would be rushing to heal. At the very least she'd be VERY pissed at him and be bringing out the hammer already (even if you interpret that stance as casting a spell she's only shown one offensive spell and I doubt she'd be so ready to start casting when the last time she only did it beacuse she coulden't contain her anger)

BM can't learn any magic from her, unless there are some VERY intresting plot points coming up involveing WM and Chaos, which I doubt.

How on earth would WM recognise BM anyway? She's only seen his back, and all you can see there is a completely diffrent set of robes (you can't even see BM's hair color from the back) then the ones BM always used to wear.

[Heliomance]

BM has hair?

And when did WM cast an offensive spell before? i don't remember it.

[dark butterfree]

why does everyone assume that this is her casting pose when we've seen it before (http://www.nuklearpower.com/daily.php?date=050526) on an occasion in which she was not casting anything!
she is obviously just being polite or something... i dunno...

[Quirriff`]

White mage shows a lot of simularities with Black Mage.

Such as seriously hurting comrades for being stupid.

[The Thrower of ICBMs]

Why would she be idly chating with BM is she saw the Bloodmarks? It's possible he maimed insted of killed them, so she would be rushing to heal. At the very least she'd be VERY pissed at him and be bringing out the hammer already (even if you interpret that stance as casting a spell she's only shown one offensive spell and I doubt she'd be so ready to start casting when the last time she only did it beacuse she coulden't contain her anger)

BM can't learn any magic from her, unless there are some VERY intresting plot points coming up involveing WM and Chaos, which I doubt.

How on earth would WM recognise BM anyway? She's only seen his back, and all you can see there is a completely diffrent set of robes (you can't even see BM's hair color from the back) then the ones BM always used to wear.

You gotta remember that WM essentially created the universe - it's possible that she can decide what is and isn't Chaos. And since she mentions why she'd address someone like BM, if she can see the bloodstains, it's possible she's already made the connection.

Or the effect of seeing all of BB's blood spurting from his head has numbed her. Add this to the possibility that she's been a witness to BM's violence here from the beginning... And she might just be insane.

[Seran]

White Mage's tactics are not immediate, and we should know that.

As for that pose, it's either a spell-casting pose, defensive pose, or she learned karate from watching Black Belt. Or she's just expecting the explosion.

[BetaRuler]

AH How so KAWAII a reunion that looks ^_^

I wonder how close BM's knife will get to her organs before he realizes it's WM,

[Sky Warrior Bob]

White Mage's tactics are not immediate, and we should know that.

As for that pose, it's either a spell-casting pose, defensive pose, or she learned karate from watching Black Belt. Or she's just expecting the explosion.

http://www.nuklearpower.com/daily.php?date=021002

I know we've seen this pose sans hood in the above comic, and I'm pretty sure this isn't the first time she's done it with the hood. I'm just too lazy to look for a comic.

SWB

[MetalPsycho]

I think it's her prayer pose. She's probably praying this wierdly dressed fellow will know where the light warriors are.

[The Thrower of ICBMs]

At the very least that's not a spell-casting pose... Looks like that pose Thief-ninja does, really.

But then, it's not quite a prayer pose. I'm at a loss.

[Sky Warrior Bob]

Who told you I stole that hand pose from FF3j's ninja! I want names, places & dates!!!

Ahem. Yes, its not only like the FF3j's pose, I actually copied & pasted the same pixels.

SWB

[Red Dragon 50]

Who told you I stole that hand pose from FF3j's ninja! I want names, places & dates!!!

Ahem. Yes, its not only like the FF3j's pose, I actually copied & pasted the same pixels.

SWB

You lazy bastard.

on topic. I love how Brian keeps useing the most simplistic form of irony.

[bass_virus]

It's weird that WM would insult BM if she knows it's him in this comic she does let on a bit that she has grown to like him a bit. http://www.nuklearpower.com/daily.php?date=041214

I suppose she grown accustomed to he evil.

[Invisible Queen]

It's funny because even though the laws of physics are all smashed out of whack WM still doesn't fall for BM. :3
(Get it? Fall. Hurr hurr. Me so clever.)

[MuMu]

Since WM never saw the "Evolved" Light Warriors, I doubt she knows it's BM.

[King_black_mage]

I bet you all that since see went back to to begaing of time that one of the 2 things are going to happen

1.) She doesn't remember anything that happen there fourth she is going about her old return of trying to get the lite warriors to save the world.

2.) She is back and is going to beat the living shit out of black mage just because he is black mage (but the trouble with that is that she doesn't know who he is so she is asking him if she seen them so she can go do that.

But in any other case great job Brian, Your comics are getting better and better.