So Weak 2012-08-13

[Fairportfan]

I love the horns falling off and the jawbone in the upper left. Good art!

That's the same punch that put Bia through a stone wall.

I think the only more impressive punch i've seen in comics in a long time was when Bud poited into Jin's place and sucker-punched her.

[CraigR]

Oh, crap.

(I haven't read through all the other threads, so this may have already been addressed)

So Phix bore Shelly's dad and gave him up to be raised on Earth. Bia, unbeknown to Phix, took the form of a childhood companion, grew up with him, married him, and eventually bore him a daughter: Shelly.

Like the time forest, the library was outside the time loops. Does that mean Phix had to bear and give up a son FIFTY-SEVEN TIMES?? And then, to find out now that Bia got to see all of them.

No wonder she's pissed.

(And then there's Bia, who saw her daughter die and her lover cease to exist 56 times. Kinda explains the detachment)

[MerchManDan]

Phix wins!!
FATALITY

[shadowinthelight]

Phix wins!!
FATALITY

But Phix in her sphinx form, so shouldn't it be ANIMALITY?

[MerchManDan]

Hm, good point. Then again, she punched the dude's head apart, which is a human sort of thing to do (well, to want to do, that is). Her animal side would maul, rake, tear, gouge, and similar.

[Yamara]

Review of previous info.

1. That blossom of gore that was speaking was a ram-headed apo(trophaic sphinx); likely one of these: http://wapsisquare.com/comic/kept-me-safe/

2. A place where one sphinx 'cannot be harmed' does not not convey immunity to the apos: http://wapsisquare.com/comic/we-can-practice/

3. Head Librarians are not invincible against the apos in the Library: http://wapsisquare.com/comic/play-in-traffic/

The rules of the pecking order must allow for sphinxes to vie for pride of place. Thus, the immunity of the chief guardian does not extend to legitimate rivals. The Library was not seen as a very worthy place to guard, and so the "weakest" sphinx would suffice... kind of like being the kid no one picks for dodgeball.

Observations.

A. The apo speaking up at that moment may have been doing its job. Either guarding the Library against Phix's rage, and/or guarding Bia against the consequences of Phix's knowledge by distracting her.

B. Nudge revealed the truth to Phix, not Bia. Which means Nudge kept this from Phix until now. (So no wonder Nudge skipped outside the instant Bia went flying.)

Finally, Conscience has been notably absent from this entire sequence. It seems unlikely that Bia is unaware of her existence, what with apos panicking and the fame of the Sage's Companion being commonplace among paranormals. A revisiting of this scene from the sandbar is worth everyone's time: http://wapsisquare.com/comic/knowing/

From the looks of things, Bia may need some rescuing before this is over.

[Dave11]

Owie. I don't care what plane of existence you're from, that's GOTTA hurt.

Once I was sure it wasn't Nudge, I relaxed and started chuckling. Now I'm trying not to laugh out loud and alert the rest of the office. I think this is why I came over to the forums - I need the laugh that the discussion can bring.

[Knighttrap]

Man, what a way to wake up in the morning. Paul is better then a cup of coffie some times.

On a side note...... Ouch!!!!

[Bud_Fanboi]

I honestly can't tell if that's nudge or not. The background shift throws me. Panel one is the library, panel two you can see the Bia Motif in the background instead of the books. I... I dunno... hate waiting for tomorrow

[Dave]

Nah, just take a look at most Boxers and Weight-lifters, and guys like a young Governator as Conan, they ALL have huge Pecs...

In the comment discussion about the portrayal of Shelly in "Time in the Time Forest", Paul stated that sphinxes have very large pectoral muscles. Analogous to a bird's flight muscles, I presume. That may be what we are seeing here.

that goes to show that whomever that was, he's NOT a Titan, nor on par with Phix, since he didn't stay in one piece long enough to get punched thru the wall... when hit by tragedy, he just fell to pieces...

Since we don't know his name, we could borrow one Keith Laumer used for a huge, hulking none-too-bright alien in one of the Retief stories... "Smelch". It's the sound of an overripe melon being dropped several stories onto a concrete sidewalk.

I suppose this was the sort of sphinxly behavior that Euryale would call "high-spirited".

[The Old Wolf]

Even without the help of the comments, I was able to figure out that the unfortunate victim wasn't Nudge, whose horns do more than a 360. What a right Phix has. On the other hand, I'm not sure what's going on. Was it an illusion created by Nudge to help Phix blow off some steam, as was suggested above? Did one of the Apos sacrifice themselves, to the same end? On the gripping hand, I'm equally glad it's not the weekend, I need more information!

[TheDOCTOR]

Hoool-lleeee Sh**! Oh man, Bactene will NOT get THAT hurt out!
Man, I am so glad Euryale stopped Monica from going after Phix. "Maintainence, Clean up in aisle 4" or vill de kestle..sorry LIBRARY just 'self-clean' by absorbing the blood,brain matter, bits of bone and cartilage into itself?
Oh, and Nudge wouldn't be that stupid to talk to Phix like that.

[Julie]

Why are we assuming a "he"? I mean, yes, we may be looking at pectorals instead of breasts, but we may not be. Don't get me wrong...I think it would be interesting to introduce more male characters to this story, but it's never good to assume in Wapsi. Just sayin'.

[as363]

Veni Vidi Departum (Bad Latin).

[Wdot]

Wow, Phix sure packs a blockbuster of a punch now doesn't she?! My thoughts on this are it wasn't a demon. It was that sphinx that was always giving her a hard time. Always picking a scab and getting away with it. Until one day. POW right in the kisser.

[Boxilar]

Why are we assuming a "he"? I mean, yes, we may be looking at pectorals instead of breasts, but we may not be. Don't get me wrong...I think it would be interesting to introduce more male characters to this story, but it's never good to assume in Wapsi. Just sayin'.

I assume male mainly because in various permutations, female Sphinxes were human headed and male Sphinxes were animal headed. That, and I refuse to believe a female would be as stupid as Senior 'Splody Head was in insulting a woman as obviously enraged as Phix is.

Along those lines, From this it becomes clear that Phix's low rank in the Sphinxes hierarchy is because of her insistence on trying to save demon infested humans and her kindness toward 'lesser races' most Sphinxes would ignore or dominate. Phix certainly has plenty of physical power. I can see where after centuries of her espousing her beliefs, the apos had come to be dismissive of her. As my father once told me "Son, NEVER, mistake kindness for weakness. Truly strong people can afford to be kind."

Also, Phix killed an Apo in one punch, and prefaced her launching Bia from the library with "I'm not a Titan, but you're on my turf now." The implication being that Titans are stronger and more durable than Sphinxes. Senior 'Splody Head would likely argree if most of his brains weren't all over Bia's mozaic. Which leaves Shelly. Either she's a Sphinx with Titanic power *clink*, or she's a Titan who has the additional ability to go Sphinxy. Since Phix implied Sphinx rules don't apply to her, I would guess the latter. Still, she could concievably lay claim to both branches of her heritage. So where DOES a Sphinx with the power of a Titan AND her own personal demonic conscience fall in the pecking order? I'm guessing it ain't near the bottom.

Which may have been Bia's aim all along. To create a being, an Hier, even more powerful than herself.

[Dave]

The implication being that Titans are stronger and more durable than Sphinxes. Senior 'Splody Head would likely agree if most of his brains weren't all over Bia's mozaic.

This might be why Phix has decided to "level up", so she could handle Bia herself.

She saw the opportunity to acquire one of the truly Great Weapons of history, and took it.

The jawbone of an ass, of course.

(On a side note... It looks as of Bia's mosaic includes a humanoid figure with a bird's head. Horus? Thoth? What might be the significance?)

Which may have been Bia's aim all along. To create a being, an Heir, even more powerful than herself.

The being she has created, could easily turn against her and perhaps even destroy her out of resentment. If I recall correctly, several Titans and Greek Gods met their downfalls through just that sort of bad heir day.

(*clink**clink*)

[Avenger_Reloaded]

Heads up!

S'okay. Someone just proved they were the bottom of the learning curve when it comes to not ticking off the angry sphinx. She just added some bleach to the gene pool.
Get a towel, you're outta the pool pal.

[PrettyPrincess]

Eeewie. I'll have to investigate today's strip more after my kids go to bed tonight - they all started crowding around my shoulder because they seem to think that all comics are for them!

I still have an urge to give Phix a hug, but only after investing in some really good armor.

[Atomic]

Veni Vidi Departum (Bad Latin).

Veni Vidi Vengence

There - I fixed that for you.

She saw the opportunity to acquire one of the truly Great Weapons of history, and took it.
The jawbone of an ass, of course.

Congratulations on an observation/pun/commentary of Epic Proportions! As soon as I can get my hands on a mint condition 1906 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, it's going in the pun vault for ya, buddy!