Wapsi Square Forum

Sidhekin wrote:Q: Whose was the German Shepherd?

(Q possibly inspired by the current troubles of the Demon Shepherd's dog ... answer not related though.)

It came to me while I was driving the bus...

The answer is: NO ONE (that we can be absolutely certain of...)

Let me explain.
[pause]
No, there is too much. Let me sum up.

We know that, apart from one notable incident where Justin was, shall we say, less than entirely truthful, he is said to be a person of integrity (enough for Connie to call him a boy-scout).
So when Justin said to Shelly that he used to have a German Shepherd, who would wake him up by licking his ears, I am convinced that he does, indeed, believe that to be so.

However, we do know that Justin once went by the name Epimetheus, and was an Italian police officer, whose "brains were blown out, it grew back, but lost his memory...", following which "MIB moved him to America and set him up with another police job."

Consequently, it is quite possible that his memory of the German Shepherd was one memory among many which MIB may have implanted in him, so that he doesn't suspect what actually took place before.

Therefore, while it may be believed that Justin once had a German Shepherd, it cannot be ascertained beyond the shadow of a doubt.


(Citations needed. Will not have time to complete said citations until 3 hours from now, approximately.)

Edit: all appropriate links added except, ironically, the one needed to satisfy Sidhekin's question...
Edit the second: found the missing link (no pun intended, but drops a pig's tooth into the pun jar)

lake_wrangler wrote:Therefore, while it may be believed that Justin once had a German Shepherd, it cannot be ascertained beyond the shadow of a doubt.

Nicely reasoned!

Of course, we might go a step further, consider that we're dealing with numerous paranormals and demigods who play around with mutable time and multiple dimensions, and conclude that we cannot be certain of anything that any of the characters has referred to, unless we have specifically seen the incident in question specifically depicted in the strip.

And perhaps not even then.

That's probably going a bit far, of course... but, like your conjecture about Justin, it cannot currently be disproved.

Neither (at the moment) can my alternative speculation, that the German Shepherd was the original mentor of the Italian Boatman (who moved down from his childhood home in the Italian Alps and changed professions after he developed a serious allergy to wool).

I was waiting to hear Sidhekin exclaim how clever I was ( ), before I would post the next question, but he seems to be missing in action...


So I'm just going to declare myself the winner, and post the next question... After all, whether I believe that Justin had a German Shepherd or not, Justin does, and the proper link was posted, so Sidhekin's question was answered.

This one may require a group effort...

Q: what are the various powers possessed and exhibited by the Golem Girls? Please post two linked example per power.


Some are less obvious than others, and I have certain ones I am looking for, as well, before I can call this question fully answered.

Once all the powers have been found, whoever has provided the most answers to this question can take the next question.

lake_wrangler wrote:This one may require a group effort...

Q: what are the various powers possessed and exhibited by the Golem Girls? Please post two linked example per power.

Bud: thanks to her hollow interior and her access panel she serves as a mobile storage compartment. Examples here (storing and carrying Kath and Atsali) and here (transporting or conveying bananas from the marketplace down south). Jin also has an access panel; Brandi may but I don't recall if that's ever been made explicit.

Bud's compartment (at least) seems to have certain paranormal powers, as it can fit two adult-sized people without crushing them to death.

Bud can exhale plasma... full weapons-grade blast here. She also plasma-evaporated one of Monica's ceramic coffee cups as a demonstration.

All three are capable of teleporting (poiting). Bud poits to Mayahuel's home here. Jin poits to Monica's home (and this occurred after Jin was mortalized, so it's one power she didn't lose).

They each have an animal "morph" form, associated with their (former?) ability to meld these three forms into the Chimera. Jin is a snake and Brandi has been known to be a bit catty in her behavior.

That's a good start, but there's more...

Let's see if I can at least list them:

BUD: She has the ability to poit things into other places; she has that "access panel" and "storage space"; Impervious to cold and pain; Diamond-compression grip; Plasma breath; "fist of death", transformation into a goat.

BRANDI: Exceptional tactician skills; transformation into a goat; evil look of terror; poiting (somewhat implied).

JIN: Advanced poiting skills; transformation to a snake; superhuman speed; "fist of death"; Brooding +3; storage compartment (implied); supercharged sex drive; faux time traveler.

All three have the "head lights" capability (as does Monica).

I'm sure this isn't comprehensive.

That's good, but there's more. And don't forget to link your examples.

jwhouk wrote:BRANDI: Exceptional tactician skills; transformation into a goat;

I think you mean transforming into a lioness...



Having said that...

I have to admit, I don't know just how many more powers the girls have, but I do know of at least two more. Admittedly, they are of a more subtle nature. And if you think about it long enough, it will probably make your head swirl...

Alternatively, Brandi the Panther?

Since we've come to a standstill with this thread, I have an "in the meantime" question to propose:

Who is the only other character in the strip (besides Tina) that we have seen miserably sick - though not with the flu?

We've seen Shelly get a cold, complete with snot bubbles as big as her head...

Winner, winner, Egg Drop Soup dinner!

Meanwhile, I will post my hint again for the remaining two powers of the GGs that I am looking for:

I do know of at least two more. Admittedly, they are of a more subtle nature. And if you think about it long enough, it will probably make your head swirl...

(Emphasis added, this time around...)

Alright, how about this:

One of the two powers looked for has been displayed by all three golem girls and by Monica.

The other one has been displayed by Bud (with Shelly present) and by Jin (with Monica present).

lake_wrangler wrote:The other one has been displayed by Bud (with Shelly present) and by Jin (with Monica present).

The spinning?

* http://wapsisquare.com/comic/what-happened-2/
* http://wapsisquare.com/comic/dealingwith/

... I'd forgotten about Bud spinning Shelly. I'm still not sure that's "power", rather than the mundane hands-on approach, though ...

Sidhekin wrote:

lake_wrangler wrote:The other one has been displayed by Bud (with Shelly present) and by Jin (with Monica present).

The spinning?

* http://wapsisquare.com/comic/what-happened-2/
* http://wapsisquare.com/comic/dealingwith/

... I'd forgotten about Bud spinning Shelly. I'm still not sure that's "power", rather than the mundane hands-on approach, though ...

Yes, that is one. Telekinesis, I'd say. And given that Jin definitely does it at a distance, chances are good that Bud did it too, without actually touching Shelly. I mean, it's possible she did grab Shelly, but I don't think she did.



Just think: only one more to go...

Alright, alright... I'll give you one more hint, but I'm giving away the store, here...

One of the times we see on display this power we are looking for, we also see Bud actually hit someone.

That would either be supersonic punch of stealth (2009-01-15) or Heart Removal SPLERCH Mode (2012-10-12)?

jwhouk wrote:That would either be supersonic punch of stealth (2009-01-15) or Heart Removal SPLERCH Mode (2012-10-12)?

It's not the punching itself. That would be covered under super-strong and super-resistant, as well as super-quick reflexes, all of which have been mentioned earlier (your very own "fist of death" answer, for one...) That is also incidental to the page in question. Also, in that second link, Bud didn't so much "hit", in the classical sense, as much as "perforate", "eviscerate", or some other such intrusive violence kind of verb.

Meanwhile, what OTHER power is being displayed on that first link?