Chapter 2: Page 92
A lot of readers have no doubt been waiting for this moment between Kenosh and Dakkan — alas, circumstances prevent Kenosh from saying much more. This page also sees the return of the unnamed Canid soldier we previously saw on the rooftops, now leading a contingent of Canid reinforcements. (Though in this unfortunately colorless edition of the page, that may not be immediately obvious!) Reader response to her has been surprisingly high, considering her brief appearances. Perhaps we’ll see more of her in the future!
Last week we were at Boston Comic Con and had a spectacular show — we got a lot of new readers checking out the book, and ended up selling even more books than we did at the same show last year! Interest in the world of the Western Deep is growing!
Whenever Rachel does a show, she adds a section to the table containing cool little character cards, done with ink and watercolor. She has a set of pre-made characters for $10, but also does custom commissions for $15. Considering the popularity of our shark hunter print, she decided to do a card of a Lutren shark hunter coming home with his day’s catch:
I love these guys, personally, and really hope to include them in future stories. Fisherman cultures have a certain allure for me, and these guys in particular crank that sort of thing up to 11. Not only is it a fisherman-style culture, but it’s no doubt mixed with a series of heroic tales, a constant threat of death and dismemberment, lore and legend — it’s like storytelling catnip for me. Ah well, SOMEDAY!
Another great piece was a commission that Rachel took of Quinlan and Hardin:
Hardin’s just showing Quinlan the finer points of his knife. Nothing threatening!
Hardin: “Notice the sharpness of this blade. Expert Ermehn craftsmanship. Try not to think about how many people I’ve killed with it.”
Quinlan: “That’s pretty much all I’ve been thinking about this whole time.”
SOME NEW REVIEWS!
We also got a couple really nice reviews in the last couple weeks! First was a very positive review from “A Place to Hang Your Cape”, a comic and pop-culture website. You can read their review right here!
Beyond the Western Deep was also included in this top-5 list on CGMag of “Five Indie Comics to Add to Your Pull List”! That alone was awesome, but the fact we share the list with the exceptional Lumberjanes just blew me away. You can check out the full list at CGMag right here!
Oh Kenosh. ;_;
Sweet. Awesome as always.
Nooo, no, no, nonononononono…not Kenosh, c’mon!
Don’t worry, the next page shows a plot twist in which Dakkan punches Kenosh in the gut and tells him he is not going to loose his father to the Ermehn a second time.
Then, the page after that shows another plot twist in which Dakkan tells the Canid to arrest Kenosh and make sure he pays for killing their general.
Bleeech… thesillyzealot Please, save my imagination XD
I am currently unale to save it. Call Superman, he is the one who saves things.
aaargh. every panel just pulls my heartstrings
Dakkan has difficulty parsing what Kenosh is saying. Dad, being…proud of him? But what does it mean?
Awesome work Rachel and Alex, I’m glad that more readers are finding this gem of a webcomic!
Yes, “I’m proud of you” is not a sentence that Dakkan has ever heard his father direct at him before. Look at the mixture, of disbelief, shock, surprise, and sadness in his eyes. Most people would chalk that up to the fact that he just learned that his father is leaving forever, but we know better.
After that, this miced is masterfully drawn – for me the World Championship presented in this way, all these emotions on one face at the same time ;) :)
How about we just drop all our heroic plotlines here and just center the comic on Commander She-Wolf. She doesn’t even have to do anything terribly important.
I would be completely satisfied with a Lady Canid-centric comic.
(“Commander She-Wolf” is a good alternate nickname for her, by the way.)
Oh, and welcome to the salmon party; I don’t recall seeing you around here before.
Elsa, She-Wolf of Deltrada?
Prediction: next page will be silhouettes disappearing into the rain as Dak reaches out to them and screams, “Father!”
It will then pull back, and we’ll realize there are two shouting that, as Lady Canid cradles the broken body of her progenitor. Alas, no last words from him.
Ha!
Also, awwww….
Hmmm, that would be good and touching such scene of saying goodbye… And if they did, it resembles me a beautiful scene from the good movie “Katyn”, where the daughter of one of the officers arrested by the NKVD, with tears in her eyes is on the tracks and yells “Daddy!… Daddy…” by train to Russia … then the last time she saw him in her live (here you can see the trailer of this movie – it is one of the first scenes – and here I mean just about this touching scene of the last goodbyes rather than starting a historical discussion- just this touching scene ;) )
But it would be even more touching scene, when Dakkan with tears turns to Quinlan and he does not move, and getting it nudge, shake and scream “Quin?… Quin, wake up; don’t mess up!; Quin! … … please, Quin … Quin…. “
Ermehn attacker:
“GIVE ME A PIGGYBACK RIDE YOU LITERAL SON OF A B****!”
Canid Soldier:
“ONLY IF YOU BUY ME AN ICECREAM CONE LATER YOU CULTURELESS PROGENY OF UNMARRIED PARENTS!”
*************
Shark:
“Harkyn, hael and hauteyn seadogge and grant thys one a longe helde wishe. Prithee heve thys one to thyne sholders for a ryde like unto thee back of a pigge!”
Sturdy Lutren:
“Anything ya’ say matey! Up you go an’ hold on tight now ’cause we’re awaaaaay!”
Shark:
“Wheeeeeeeee!!!”
*************
Quinlan:
“P-piggy back ride……please…?”
Hardin:
“I will end you.”
Is that actual Old English?
Some words are Middle English but the rest is just me doing my best Geoffrey Chaucer impression. I may actually have overdone it with the number of ‘y’s.
Oh lol XD – That’s because I completely do not understand and translate it… XD Old English XD :D
See, this is why I have problems with these comments sections, I have to read through 40, 50, 60 comments and I often miss gem conversations like this one.
I had a kick seeing those little character images (oh Hardin you are such a card…). But Kenosh man NOW you had to bring that up? I’m pretty sure this wont be the last time we see him too.
Of course not. He has to encounter Dakkan again, only to be brutally murdered by Lady Canid while Dakkan watches as vengeance for her father’s death, forcing Dakkan to chase her on a quest to get vengeance of his own on his one-time shipping partner.
Meanwhile, Quinlan gets left behind as the whole scene plays out rather suddenly, leaving our Tamian friend still trying to process what he just saw as his best friend chases a cream-colored wolf lady off into the distance.
It’s been three long, slow, painful weeks since we last saw our Lutren father/son team, and yet somehow I think we all survived. Mostly. The walls next to my computer got gnawed a little I think, but eh.
Do I sense the end of Chapter 2 coming? Coming real soon? As painful as the last wait was, it will be even more painful to see Quin and Dak run off into the storm, pursued by angry Canid, and then not see them again for over a year while SOTES plays out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWaLxFIVX1s
But! I can ignore that for the moment, because LADY CANID IS BACK, EVERYBODY! WOOHOO!! For reasons that I can’t explain, she’s probably my favorite character of the entire comic, and it’s great to see her back on screen, with another line of dialogue, no less! :’)
Not much else to say right now (I’m sure to think of something later), other than I love how the first review describes the comic as “If Games of Thrones was reimagined as a Disney film, this would be the result.” It’s pretty true if you think about it.
So keep the awesome pages coming, and let’s see what happens next!
-FM
Today I got a small heart attack again :p – and so much emphasis on the fact that finaly I will find out if Quin is dead or not … But no… You again, another painful week wait… Also these 3 weeks were painful for me….
And get over these three great holes made with the nerves in my desk with a pencil…
I think that Yes, that inexorably approaching the end of 2 chapter… I suspect that there will be some pages – somehow this terrible night must be finish :p … Now me most interested in whether Quin alive or not … :p ;)
And if the Lady Canid is the daughter of Clovis, or not?; because I don’t know… :p
“If Game of Thrones got turned into a Disney mo..”
PHAHAHAHAHA!
You hit the nail, Master #4, you hit the nail!
Oh, okay, the battle’s still happening XD Guess they were just in a spot where a lull was happening.
But anyway this is sweet :) I hope Kenosh meant it, though.
Hmmm … That’s what made me the most I liked it, and remained in the memory of this very dynamic page, that is Dakkan face when he heard these words from his father – “I’m proud of you”… This beautiful surprise combined with disbelief and hope, brilliant just brilliant view :D :D :D – and for that I really like is a dynamic presentation of these events on this page, about the battle, shouting, rumor, there (if I remember correctly, and I think, and if I say the wrong, please correct me) Lady Canid finaly notes what was going on at the gate, and here already, on the other hand, Hardrin exclaims Kenosh – and here I do not like it much as it relates; Somehow Hardrin say to him on high, says like he commanded Kenosh :p … Ah, Hardrin, Hardrin… When you change?… I know you want well, but this way is rally bad…
After that This is very good job this page, and I really like this page; BUT… To be honest, I am little disappointed that I still need to wait to find out whether Quin alive or not :p XD – getting me this uncertainty badly affect my head XD (I will write more about it later ;) )
But also I wanted to commend especially for this fantastic show in the background of this (as we can see) the brutal battle (Place in my taste ;) XD ) – we can see that virtually all tricks allowed – butI am not surprised the fierceness from both parties – Canid hate Ermehn in racist background and want to kill all them, and Emrehn are fighting for freedom…
And so now I’m wondering: Yes, unfortunately, this uprising was rather needed; Unfortunately, very brutal and bloody uprising but it’s probably in this case, one way to freedom … Although I wondered whether or not you would be sorted out this duel representatives of both parties?… For example: Canid and Ermehn issue one the best warrior in the best training and armament; and at the appointed place, the witnesses are fighting according to their conditions, for example: If die Canid warrior, they give them freedom and their country; and if die Ermehn warrior It simply means the destruction/Death of the entire Ermehn Nation…
It is great illustrated in the scene of the battle of the ancient Slavs (it’s my culture, and I really like that weapons, armors, battle, martial art of early Medevial Slavs (Sometimes remind me BWD armors, weapons, etc.- now I draw it on my Anthro graphics) VS. Vikings in the film “Old Tale”; that is, instead of further bloody battles promise to duel of Slavic and Vikings best warriors – if win the Slav, It’s the Vikings to go away and leave them alone; and if win a Viking, It Means they go into slavery (or simply looting, rape and murder of the Slavs by the Vikings)…
https://youtu.be/uYgQKjOdG-E
And still I am looking forward to the continuation of the action on next page ^^ ;D , and if I have some new things, I will write it l;)
https://youtu.be/uYgQKjOdG-E
I doubt the canid respect the ermehn enough to risk everything on a duel of champions. That would be really cool though.
Yeah, taht will be cool… We can always have hope, but I wrote it as a thought that in this case, unfortunately, will never meet… From the point of view of Ermehn it would be the best solution to try to settle the matter in this way, but I doubt that Canid wanted something that… (let’s not forget that this is a racial hatred and they want them for anything just to destroy/kill all Ermehn and wipe out their entire culture – to them was not even a trace on the ground as well as in the history…
Wait so are the Ermehn retreating? If not, then where is Kenosh going and why is Hardin calling after him? If they are retreating, then what was the point of the attack?
I’m pretty sure the point was to kill Clovis and/or Tosch.
It looks Hardin and Co. plus Kenosh might be getting the hell out of dodge via the Aisling side gate and leaving the rest of the ermehn to distract the soldiers.
I could be wrong but I think we can see the forge that Quinlan and Co. passed on thier way into Deltrada in the background of the bottom left penel.
Suppost to be a reply to Fruitso.
I figured that, but I was wondering if that means their attack failed? Or was the point to assassinate the Canid general and hopefully get more Ermehn to join the rebellion? Because it seems to me all they’ve really done was to make the Canid angry. If word get out about the attack, the Canid will definitely send more reinforcements and then the Ermehn would be screwed.
Keep in mind that, for the last few comics, the area around our trio has been relatively peaceful. This is not the whole battle; it is ebbing and flowing all around Deltrada. The Ermehn may be retreating here but advancing somewhere else.
It is possible that the final goal of the attack was never to “win” the battle of Deltrada.
If Eira and Ashtor are indeed vital for Hardin’s master plan and the mysterious Lake Felnach is on the Aisling side of the border this whole attack may just be a huge costly distraction to get the two scribes across the border unintercepted.
If that is true then the ermehn don’t need to win.
That is all total speculation though. Time will tell.
Hmmm… Very interesting theories, really, now that more gives a sense of why just now, here is this attack on Canid garnison :) .
But now is such case: If Hardrin will do something that will leave some of his people to certain death in the outbreak to divert attention and withdraw from others, it will be for me a heck of a manure and bastard… not this way, way to freedom – blackmail, perversely, lightly and without hesitation use and sacrifice for the freedom his brothers, sisters and poor childrens… Shame on you Hardrin, shame on you…
And after that, it doesn’t seem to me, that Hardrin do such an attack only to safely go somewhere for Aschor and Eria (of course they have 5 guardians…) It seems to me that, as you mentioned here is an attack to show that Ermehn don’t afraid Canid and will fight with them to regain freedom – and to intimidate the enemy and to show another Ermehn tribes “joined to us” common fight “for our freedom and yours freedom”; and for prey – after all, the garrison is a fantastic place to defend, filled to the brim with food supplies, weapons, armor, to continue the uprising – but for a very great price… :(
And even I am afraid of the consequences of this attack, Canid hate Ermehn in racist terms, for Canid is great crime kill a Canid by Ermehn; that is, unfortunately, I suppose that will now be even harder and more brutally oppress the poor Ermehn – that is their “punish them” for an attack on their garrison, for example, may be this: for every one killedCanid soldier killed, we kill 10 Ermehn, whether men, women, children, old Ermehn … – it’s like during the war for every one German soldier killed by underground soldiers of the underground Polish Army (AK) were shot 10-50 poles (with political prisoner , caught on the street passers – by accidental) everybody, regardless of age and gender…
Hardin implied this earlier, that he was pretty much gunning through Deltrada and leaving the fodder behind to deal with Canid. For whatever reasons unknown.
Ahh… Hardrin, Hardrin… :(
I have no words like Ashtor to speak to him and ask him – as peas against the wall… :(
That is what Hardin seems to be counting on. Currently the Ermehn seem content in trying to eke out a living in the wastelands and avoid the Canid, while their culture slowly fades away. Hardin wants to provoke the Canid into a full scale war against his people, which would force the Ermehn to either fight under his banner or simply face death.
His plan might be efficient, but no-one said that it would be nice.
Guess I wasn’t expecting the “proud of you” moment for a good long while, but hey, there it is. Super curious to know what’s gonna happen now, if Kenosh is leaving the party. Are Dakkan and Quin gonna go on a solo adventure? :o
That Lutren shark hunter is supes adorable.
Serious speculation for next week:
What if Dakkan surrenders to the Canid?
Think about it. Dak’s already shown a dislike for the Ermehn and expressed the opinion that they got what they deserved. He can tell the truth–that his father killed General Clovis, and that he and Quinlan had no foreknowledge of this action–and go peacefully. And it isn’t like Quin is in a position to complain.
To be honest, now I’m in little shock – even flew me a thrill when I read this your speculation Fourth… But seriously, I’m in a shock…
Very bold speculation… Until quite scary and even more frightening because unfortunately very likely… Son VS. Father, facing each other on the battlefield… Good God, it’s hard and scary for me to imagine such situation, especially in this case…
I know Dakkan from childhood was taught and convinced that Ermehn are the bad guys, and Canid are good guys/”friends”, those who watch good order and fight with the wild bad Ermehn – But this is one great rapper, big historical lie and propaganda created by the Canid … Kenosh has already sight on the eyes and he knows what is the truth; and I hope that Dakkan and Quin (Unless survive – let us remember that we still do not know if he survive, of course, I have great hope that he would alive…), and especially Dakkan also believe in the historical truth… just hard for me to imagine the struggle of Dakkan nad Kenosh in any battle Ermehn VS. Canid; or worse, that he would testify against his father in the killing of General Clovis … No, I hope it does not say it… I hope.
I already feel it around this theme will be great excitement, I already feel it, Fourth … :) ;)
PS .: Despite the fact that I know that Hardrin doing wrong things, doing what unfortunately does; I still feel, and I’m all of my heart with Eremhn – and I was not a Pole and has not lived here in the real world, but in the world of BWD – I would have been Ermehn, because I feel like Ermehn and I understand them all of my heart… ;)
I don’t think Dak is going to have a choice. Heck, the Canid might even try to execute them as traitors depending on if they know that Kenosh betrayed them.
Not a good idea, the Canid might want to take Dakkan as a hostage to force Kenosh to surrender to their justice. He’s not an official envoy after all, just a hanger-on.
Maybe…
Hmmm … It seems to me more likely than that Dakkan will replace his father, despite their difficult relationship…
Kenosh might be long gone by then, and the Canid will want someone to pay.
… to pay for Clovis death by Kenosh head – “you have chose – your head; or chead of your son…”
Excuse me – * “You have a choise” ;)
*Choice.
Ah, I’m sorry XD – Thanks thesillyzealot ;)
Another great page. I love the pacing of the story. and even the uncolored pages are amazing. way to go you two.
Oh, man! I found this when sifting through some old posts on the Redwall Survivor forum (I’m participating in the current contest). Only took me about a day and a half to get caught up. Loving the story! Do I really have to join the rest of the world in waiting for one post a week? :-P Keep up the fantastic work!
Hello on Salmon Party :D ; And nice to meet you ^^ (And of course we invite you to join to our Salmon Party ;) ^^ – If the us is the more, here is merrier ^^ :D )
“I am so proud of you.”
*GROSS SOBBING IN THE CORNER*