Whitechapel - FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Ariana — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 04:00:18 -0700

It's Friday, and FREAKANGELS is back.

(And here's a quicklink to Episode 142 if you want to ease back in.)

Good morning, Whitechapel. How's everyone doing? Did the folks who did SDCC get out alive? And how was everyone's week?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Purple Wyrm — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 04:07:36 -0700

Wow. That's pretty much how I figured the wind up would begin, but it's still a thing of beauty. And they left Alice a strawberry, dawww!

And it's nice to see that they got the Tower Bridge bascules working rather than just blasting a way through. I guess the Americans weren't willing to trash one of the city's major tourist draws :)

My week was spectacularly unspectacular. Absolutely nothing to report. Oh, there were some storms, but that's about it.

Later: Hey! Is that Karl's hat Alice is wearing?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

sellmeyoursoul — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 04:23:34 -0700

I also really enjoyed this episode. It's nice to see Alice come back through the looking glass not only unscathed, but also a much better person (human socks not withstanding).

My week was long. I have my daughter for the fourth weekend in a row, so it's the good kind of long and sort of what I should start getting used to if I'm going to have full custody (fingers crossed). It means I haven't made progress on anything creative, but I'll get back to work on Monday for at least an evening. With that, better go wake the little demon up. Cheers!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Kem — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 04:28:04 -0700

Still want to know who they are and where they came from!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Fauxhammer — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 04:37:17 -0700

Gorgeous. I will sorely miss FA when it's done, but it will have been done right. Early thank-yous to all involved for the long, weird trip.

I was productive as SHIT this past week. I broke the 5K mark for non-serial fiction, the longest wordcount I've ever had (I mainly work in shorter stories). The one I'm working on will be maybe 7K before edits. After that I'll have four more to finish, and then it's blasing off to Kindle HQ, and then it will be a thing people can buy.

The past three months on this project have been an object lesson in The Shitting Fear, and if I can make it through, I will have proven that I can do anything. It's very shamanic. This project will kill me, and after I'm dead, I will be able to write more, and better, and faster.

And I have Whitechapel to thank for it.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Purple Wyrm — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 05:11:27 -0700

Actually it looks like Alice is wearing Karl's hat, one of Sirkka's tops, and Kirk's glasses...

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

diello — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 05:23:31 -0700

I'm actually crying.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

misat0 — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 05:55:15 -0700

I can't believe it will be over next week.
Rather appropriately I was drinking in Whitechapel last night with Iceland Bob, Vertigo Jones, Denari, Jon Carpenter, Admiral Neck and Sneak 046. I think we're all probably a little worse for wear today.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

krel — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 06:06:47 -0700

What is this wet stuff coming out of my eyes?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

josta59 — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 06:12:34 -0700

Wondering if I'm the only one who feels a little disappointed. Like Kem above, I'm feeling like there are too many unanswered questions. After all this time, I still don't feel like I know any of the FAs at all, and I wanted to. Kudos to the creative team for keeping me coming back each week, but I feel let down by this ending. It all feels a bit empty and pointless. Maybe I just can't relate to these characters as much as I wanted to.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

rickiep00h — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 06:16:51 -0700

Page 4 is heartbreaking.

Page 6 is hilarious.

You guys are too good.

(As for my week, I spent it trawling through a directory of small publishers. I'm up to G right now. I'm amused by the number of literary journals with "Quarterly" in their title that are not, in fact, quarterly.)

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Alex Kingsland — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 06:29:44 -0700

Huh.

Awesome.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

draxxx — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 06:49:32 -0700

Good morning/afternoon,

Huh, as well. But quiet, please. It's almost over. Thanks everybody.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

doran — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 06:55:10 -0700

... https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Alice_and_Bob ...
Really Warren Ellis, REALLY? eh...

So looks like one more update, I'd guess

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Neila — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 07:10:48 -0700

Good morning, doing good, I wrote a short story and got it rejected, but that was really the only down point to the week. Just been super crazy busy, haven't had a lot of time to post. D: Looks like I'm missing a remodeled thread too. Anyone have any idea how to add more time to the day, without not sleeping at all?
I keep wondering how far in the future the Angels went, if they managed that at all.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

ZJVavrek — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 07:11:56 -0700

Determining early on that Alice was my favorite character is paying off quite well now.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

warrenellis — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 07:12:10 -0700

Really Warren Ellis, REALLY? eh...

That link is nerdobscure enough to be the equivalent of saying "hey you wrote two characters called alice and bob *I* know two people called alice and bob ARE YOU WRITING ABOUT THEM HUH HUH HUH"

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marya — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 07:23:40 -0700

Am I the only one not crying?
Can you call it deus ex machina, if the whole machine was created in the first place merely to justify some gods.

I'm pretty sure Warren Ellis is not an idiot
but the story sure was full of sound and fury. . .

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Fauxhammer — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 07:27:36 -0700

@josta59 I'm actually very satisfied. If I read it right, one big theme of the thing is about growing up, and taking responsibility for your immature mistakes. They broke the world, and they fixed it (assuming the last panel isn't the extinction-level meteor hitting Buckingham Palace or something). They owned up and made good.

Trememdously satisfying.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

ZeroDrop — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 07:28:33 -0700

This episode is too much heartbreaking. By the episode itself, and because endings are always sad. Loved the FA going away united and without looking back.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

longtimelurker — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 07:29:23 -0700

Words are failing me. For once.

Just... thanks. And... damn.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

warrenellis — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 07:37:47 -0700

Can you call it deus ex machina, if the whole machine was created in the first place merely to justify some gods.

Yeah, I've seen your comments before. I would suggest that the story may not have been about what you thought it was about. Also, deus ex machina only applies if there has been no groundwork laid for the "solution" to the story. But at least you didn't have to pay up front for your disapppointment! Sorry it's not working for you.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

laurahulett — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 07:52:21 -0700

I'm a sucker for stories that come full circle.

Liking Alice, for me, has always been overshadowed by how much I liked the freakangels but that last bit really justified why she had to stay behind and handle shit. Go Alice!
Also, very haunting page 4. I love it. Go Paul!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Dextra — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 08:16:53 -0700

I'm not sad about the story ending. It's had a good run, and it (as far as I can tell, you never know, Warren might throw in a last second mindfuck for all we know) is coming to a good end. And I've enjoyed it a lot. I've been buying the hardcovers since I got the first volume as a birthday gift from my dear Deathboy, and I'll finish getting the rest as well. So thanks for giving me something to look forward to on Fridays, Warren and Paul, I'll miss this. But it's still my payday, so I think I'll be ok. ;)

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Foamhead — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 08:43:36 -0700

No tears here because THERE IS NO CRYING IN WHITECHAPEL (unless circumstances have cause a suspension of this Rule, although I doubt it), but my finger did hesitate before clicking on the link; as if not reading this week's ep might keep it going for longer somehow.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

fionchadd — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 09:03:55 -0700

Wonderful. Once it's all finished I'm going to read it right through from start to finish in one sitting. I've skipped back a fair few times but I haven't read any large chunks of it since I first found it (partway through the second book, I think? So I had a fair bit to read all in one go)

Then I'm going to buy all 6 episodes and the slip-cover

It's been a fantastic journey. I'm sad that it's (nearly)over but I definitely feel a sense of completeness in the story.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

curb — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 09:26:53 -0700

Bravo, sirs, bravo.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Karyl — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 09:32:47 -0700

I have no quarrel with the story, only salutations and thanks! I have loved every frame of it, first to last. I am grateful to have had this joy!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

mollytherealdeal — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 09:36:28 -0700

Originally, I believed there would be a lot more violence in the end, that the climax would be an epic battle with the American military. Instead, the Freakangels decided the mature thing to do was to clean up the mess they made, then leave. Their gave Alice a strawberry as a good bye present, and when Alice ate it probably tasted perfect. Not what I anticipated, but satisfying in a quiet way.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Professor Imagine — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 10:14:46 -0700

don't shoot the messenger.... but, how is Alice's shotgun being held on to her back on page 6?

allow me to balance that nit-pick with an overwhelming sense of pride at having taken this ride with all of you every Friday for the past few years. Warren, Paul, Ariana and everyone at Avatar deserves the utmost respect and appreciation for providing us with such consistently high-quality entertainment (for free, or otherwise). Thank you!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

motorfirebox — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 10:52:03 -0700

Before it all ends, I just wanted to say thanks. I've laughed, I've cried, I've pondered. Can't ask for much more from a story than that.

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doran — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 11:17:24 -0700

Warren Ellis: Aw... I thought you were making a genuine (if slightly cheesy) reference there. Alice and Bob, (A&B) are commonly used as two ends of quantum mechanical communication. The idea being that when the Freakangel realigned the timey-wimeyness of Britain, they resynced everything (proly involving some quantum) and made them able to have a conversation. The reason I thought it might have been slighlty cheesy though awesome, that it was a brick joke on the initial name of Alice. It didn't seem that obscure to me, mainly because Xkcd did it.

Since you didn't name Alice for that, what was the reason for her name? And what do you think of TV tropes? Interesting way of finding related works that interest you? Creavity poison for writers?

Also penultimate congratulations for everyone on finishing the Freakangels comic!
Finally, is anyone going to the Manchester MCM expo tomorrow?

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warrenellis — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:09:07 -0700

don't shoot the messenger.... but, how is Alice's shotgun being held on to her back on page 6?

TIME MOAT

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eDave — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:10:46 -0700

anyone else getting a weird 'community being abandoned by the (mostly) benevolent gods that created the community and gave it leadership and protection' sort of vibe here? Does that make Goddamn Bat S Captain Bob?

I am experiencing a slight prickling at the corner of my eye, but I am not crying dammit.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

bairdduvessa — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:24:05 -0700

the look on Alice's face is so heart breaking.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Jamie Heron — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:54:07 -0700

This is awesome...and....sad, so...sawsome? Sadawesome? Something like that I suppose...

Week was alright, almost cleaned my room yesterday. But in the process I did find the tax details I needed for this year, so mission accomplished!

I'm gonna go sniffle now...

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chris g — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 13:12:40 -0700

Bye.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

MinaMouse — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 13:44:41 -0700

Deus ex machina definitely doesn't apply here. This ending definitely looks to be a culmination to all that has come before.

Thanks again Warren and Paul. I hate endings, but if they have to be, then this has been a good one.

You've been...fantastic.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Miranda's Eyes — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 14:51:15 -0700

FREAKANGELS has taken a few welcome turns that I absolutely did not expect. For example, I half-expected Alice to turn on the FAs after she realized their involvement in destroying London, or the possibility that Mark was going to waste Kait. That neither of these possibilities came to pass made me realize with guilt how conditioned I had been to expect this type of story to take melodramatic turns. Bravo to Warren and Paul for surprising me.

The strawberry was a wonderfully Zen-like moment...even with the fact that it had been lying in the street before Alice ate it.

Gads, now that the FAs are now energy beings, I guess this means there will no longer be a need for displays of Kait's Quincy lust or sights of a naked Sirkka.

Is it too early to wonder what would be the best drink to have to toast the end of FREAKANGELS?

Life-wise, I think I'm fully recovered from SDCC. Not being in the Dealer's Room much helped with a lack of burnout. However, I was happy I scored TWILIGHT OF THE ASSHOLES from the Fantagraphics booth. Also, hearing about plans to finance a statue of Harvey Pekar via Kickstarter was fun. But my most amused moment was hearing Greg Rucka do an impression of his two favorite answering machine messages from THE ROCKFORD FILES.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Paul Duffield — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:13:45 -0700

@Prof Imagine
Haha! I wondered when someone was going to pick up on that! It was a mistake I made a while back that went live before I picked up on it, and then ended up becoming a bit of a running joke between me and Kate (the colourist) each time Alice slung the shot-gun on her back. There'll be an improv-rope thing in the printed edition since there's time for edits, but if you look back at volume 6 you'll see that it hovers on her back magically for quite a while!

Thanks all for the kind words! It's been a pleasure :) Still 6 more pages left though!

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Beamish — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:19:58 -0700

I figured she was a GIJoe figure that had a gun with a peg on it the covered the screw in her back. Or Time Moat but never an oversight.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Andrew_H — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 16:02:00 -0700

It's moving toward an emotionally satisfying ending that probably won't explain everything, and I'd prefer that, I like a bit of enigma and wondering after a good story. Sometimes things can be tied up too neatly.

The strawberry was nive touch and had been set up as something that could happen some time ago, so if you want 'evidence' - what a funny thing to say - of meticulous planning, this would be more than enough.

I got to this quite late in the run (i've only been here for about three months) and it's been great. It's actually changed other small things, like my reading habits, so it's a great journey to have undertaken even if I did a lot of it at a clip (I was totally lost in it for two days when i stumbled by the pub, as it were).

One more chapter.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

scs — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 18:11:11 -0700

Very nicely done. Loved the strawberry, loved the goodbye, loved Alice channeling Kait.

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razrangel — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 23:37:32 -0700

Beautiful.

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patient_x — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 01:40:56 -0700

The comics Abu Ghraib is finally shutting up, er, I mean down?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

SoftSpot — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 03:15:05 -0700

The end? Is not exactly what I expected, but not entirely different too. Some of the "jokes" are beyond me due to lack of knowledge of English inside info, like that Alice and Bob thing... But luckily I get some clearifications through here. :-)

I just love how the emotions are readable from Alice's face in this sequence, they vary from despair to relief/acceptance and whatever one can possibly feel when confronted to an abrupt leaving.

True, it leaves a lot of questions open, but who stated that a story MUST give all answers? This invites us to get our own brains working and think for a reason/conclusion ourselves. And isn't that what writing also is about? Making the reader think for a change?

One thing I stick to: I'll miss this series when it is all over. I'll fooking miss it.

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government spy — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 05:46:26 -0700

Reminds me of when people were upset at the ending of Lost.

Were you watching because you wanted answers to questions?

Were you watching because you actually liked the characters, and the story?

Where they came from, and what the Freakangels were, I thought that was answered very early on. Warren stated something to the effect of "what happened if the Midwich Cuckoos grew up?" and that seemed to be enough for me.

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Ben Klumaster — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 06:10:40 -0700

@govspy: With Freakangels, the latter. With Lost, the former. Care about the characters? Fuck those guys.

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government spy — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 06:33:19 -0700

I'm not comparing Freakangels to Lost, at all. I'm comparing people's whining reactions to a great series.

Less of:

kemStill want to know who they are and where they came from!
josta59 Wondering if I'm the only one who feels a little disappointed. Like Kem above, I'm feeling like there are too many unanswered questions.
marya Am I the only one not crying?
Can you call it deus ex machina, if the whole machine was created in the first place merely to justify some gods.

And more of:

Softspot True, it leaves a lot of questions open, but who stated that a story MUST give all answers? This invites us to get our own brains working and think for a reason/conclusion ourselves. And isn't that what writing also is about? Making the reader think for a change?

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sveticus — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 07:42:55 -0700

@Miranda's Eyes

I guess this means there will no longer be a need for displays of Kait's Quincy lust

NOOOOOOOO

Is it too early to wonder what would be the best drink to have to toast the end of FREAKANGELS?

No it's not!! I need to know what to drown my sorrows in, I need to be READY T__T

@Paul Duffield and @Warren Ellis

Gentlemen, I've been a faithful reader of this every Friday and I writhed in withdrawal every time there wasn't an episode (but with understanding, though, 6 pages a week in full colour is a mammoth undertaking). There will be a hole in my life (AGAIN!! Thanks Warren... *shakes bony fist*) but another beautiful set of books on my shelf to have and to hold, so it's totally worth it. Thank you \;o;/

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Richard — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 12:28:55 -0700

I started reading FreakAngels last week, so I've read the story with almost no gaps. It has helped remind me that comics can be as good as any other media for telling a story, something in recent years I had been in danger of forgetting. Thanks guys.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

staticgirl — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 12:31:09 -0700

It seems to be coming to a graceful finish..... Lovely.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Jack the Rapper — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 15:27:37 -0700

Thanks, Warren, Paul and Ariana and all for a wonderful story!

This episode is very touching. Let's hope our freakangels friends reincarnate in a distant future!

Maybe the last episode will give us a surprise?

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D.J. — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 19:37:08 -0700

I just read through the whole series again.

Warren, would you shoot me if I hugged you?

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scs — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:03:10 -0700

Is it too early to wonder what would be the best drink to have to toast the end of FREAKANGELS?

Tea wine.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

diello — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 06:57:24 -0700

I remember when we were discussing the looks of Alice throughout the series; how she was kinda ugly at the very beginning, then prettied up as she became an honorary. I think she looks gorgeous in this episode :)

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

MrMonk — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 07:51:37 -0700

A good night's rest, something to eat, a little less stress - it can work wonders.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Miranda's Eyes — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 09:53:51 -0700

@ scs For me, something other than tea wine, as I'm not as much of a masochist as the FAs. Can we all agree that it would be an arse eel level offense to drink to the end of FREAKANGELS with an appletini or some other froofy drink?

BTW, once FREAKANGELS ends, does this mean that Ariana goes on the unemployment line or will she now be hostess for El Bat Spurioso's webcomic?

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Kradlum — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 13:56:55 -0700

I've been so busy it's taken me until Monday to realise it was Friday.

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ashspring — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 17:18:14 -0700

It was fun, about 7/10 of the way. But all us editors and former editors get grumpy AKA homicidal when people who create stories 1) get bored with it 2) realized they don't have a good way to finish it up without going on for another year ... another volume ...another trilogy .... arrrgh. And so, they just bail out as quickly as they can manage. Me, I'm disappointed, and feel like I should apologize to the people I recommended Freakangels to.

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Ariana — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 18:03:22 -0700

@Miranda: If I'm lucky, I'll at least get to sleep in on Fridays...!

@ashspring: Bless. It was very kind of you to create an account just to speak for all of the editors in the world -- but, just speaking for myself, I have some hope that at least one or two of them (perhaps with more convincing grammar and punctuation?) also understand that sometimes stories don't end the way you want them to.

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Fauxhammer — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 04:13:51 -0700

Mental note: Don't give ashspring any of my work to edit

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SoftSpot — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 07:23:01 -0700

@ashspring, I am a reader, not an editor, but I did not get the impression that this series is finished rash-rash because the creators are getting bored with it. On the contrary, it is a well-thought-of ending which leaves questions open.
Second: I can't believe that "all" editors think like you do. So please stop pretending that you represent "all" editors and acknowledge the fact that you were merely expressing your own opinion and that it "may be" equal to the opinion of "some" of your collegue-editors..
btw.: can you provide us with some titles of your work? That saves me from starting to read them.

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warrenellis — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 09:19:03 -0700

"Me, I'm disappointed, and feel like I should apologize to the people I recommended Freakangels to."

Fair enough. I've known how and when this was ending from about halfway through Vol 2, but obviously that wasn't going to work for everyone. I hope you find work in the editing field again.

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Jack the Rapper — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 09:21:48 -0700

The end: i's just a little harder when brought about by friends (Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar)

Still, well, one should accept the fact that the Author is absolute Master of its creation. And, really, that flooded London situation needed resolution, and our friends FA needed to adjust what, not entirely through their fault, they had broken. Accepting diversity is a must in today's world: and those who rejected and hunted young FA were as responsible for what happened as them. I think FA will reincarnate, in the far future, maybe in a far world, and someone will tell their story. Meanwhile, humanity is showing its irresponsibility in overlooking global warming, encouraging economic piracy, cutting in indispensable education and medical care. FA are a clear methaphor of today's humanity, in my opinion. WE'RE the real "freakangels", bungling with a technological power we're ill equipped to harness adequately.

And let's not talk of the U.N.

Looking forward to the finish Freakangels will always remain in my heart, so like us!

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Jack the Rapper — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 09:27:11 -0700

Mr Warren Ellis said:
"Fair enough. I've known how and when this was ending from about halfway through Vol 2"

The signs are there when one knows where to look. But tell me: Among Shoreditch's refugees there's one bearded, long-haired individual that looks like Mark in disguise. It Is Mark? And was it Mark who flicked the mortar in Vol 2?

I think Freakangels' lives are far from finished, anyway.

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ashspring — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 10:16:41 -0700

My my, pushed some buttons, didn't I? Good. Not as many as while being a moderator, though. We only learn through the people we don't agree with 100%. Also, my apologies for speaking/writing American instead of British... I do forget that they're different languages. And since my editing and publishing has been in the US, mostly boring technical material, no fear you'll bumble into it by accident. Wait! You may have already!

Anyhoo, thx for the <8/10, especially the I-has-chikens! bit.

@Ariana: Didn't. Third time I've created an account because they always dematerialize.

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Ariana — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 12:46:08 -0700

My my, pushed some buttons, didn't I? Good.

No: trollish. And while we're flashing credentials, I *am* a moderator in this forum, so let me politely and more clearly explain to you what you did wrong.

You *didn't* say "Damn, I don't like the way this ended." See that? That's an opinion, and we respect those here, because there's nothing in the world that everyone likes. That would have gotten you a "fair enough" and a "thank you for coming along, anyway" and a "better luck next time" and a "we hope you stick around and continue to contribute to our little corner of the web."

What you *did* was lead with your job (a common tactic to add weight to an opinion, in an attempt to elevate it to fact), proceed to pretend to speak for everyone in that profession (see previous parenthetical), and then insult what you perceive to be the writer's motivations (which you couldn't possibly know, as you're not an editor on *this* work), instead of the finished story.

I'm making an example of you, not because your offense was all that terrible, but because we're coming to the end of the series -- and more people may end up not liking the last six pages. And that's totally cool -- I don't like onions, for instance, so I don't eat them. All those opinions will be more than welcome. Any bullshit tantrums will be stomped.

(And, y'know, it's just less messy if I get that out here now, so people know they don't need to pile on the defense when that button pushing comes. Point made, we can move on.)

I am very glad you've rejoined, if this is the 3rd time, and we've got two new webcomics coming soon that might be more to your taste. ^_^

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Cat Vincent — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:20:41 -0700

..and that folks is why we love and fear Ariana. Thank you, Queen of the Chapel.

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ashspring — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:21:12 -0700

Always glad to be of service, M'am.

If one can't be a good example, at least be a horrible warning ... [ We don't make forum examples of listmembers where I'm one of the Hall Monitors because we want people to be able to be contrary and oppositional and what-if and why-not as long as they don't froth and spit and throw things. ]

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warrenellis — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:37:26 -0700

I, on the other hand, have been running web communities since 1998 and have always encouraged a Zero Tolerance policy for certain kinds of display.

Have resisted the temptation to change your forum handle to Horrible Warning just for the comedy. Maybe I'll do it to Si Spurrier's instead.

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Ariana — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:42:08 -0700

Maybe I'll do it to Si Spurrier's instead.

You've got to do it in Spurriese if you do, Warren. Something like "Orrible Wumpty-Gumpty Wot"* or the like.

* Note: I'm not actually fluent in Spurriese. Apologies if I've just accidentally insulted your mum.

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warrenellis — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 18:43:40 -0700

impissibibble horrorpottationses of jollywotsitism

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Ariana — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:06:33 -0700

Horrorpotamus Jellypants?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

ashspring — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:24:50 -0700

@Warren: resisting temptation is bad for your arteries or something.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Jack the Rapper — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 20:53:51 -0700

Ashpring: why you don't write your own story entirely to your liking?

Freakangels is a wonderful story, poignant and poetic, and, well, maybe some of us would have ended it differently, but that's it. Thanks again to Warren aand Paul and all of Freakangels team for having given it to us!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

ashspring — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 00:29:50 -0700

Jack: as do we all, except those who sing instead.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

SoftSpot — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 05:47:18 -0700

and we've got two new webcomics coming soon

Ha, that's what I call "good news". If you don't mind me giving an opinion... ;-)

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

josta59 — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 08:10:27 -0700

Good, so I'm not the only one. I'm just too different from most of you, I guess. I want a little more meat from a story, especially if I'm going to sit patiently with it for a couple of years, including many skip weeks. It wasn't worth it. That's not whining, any more than it would be if you felt that way about a different story. I just wanted more than Ellis wanted to provide this time.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

longtimelurker — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:59:54 -0700

I just wanted more than Ellis wanted to provide this time.

You got it all for free, so how can you say he didn't want to give enough?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

oogliemooglie — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 10:07:41 -0700

It wasn't worth it

It is a stunningly beautiful comic (thanks Paul!), written by one of the most-revered serial story-tellers on the planet (thanks Warren!), that you got to read FOR FREE (thanks Avatar!)...and since you don't love the ending, your horribly misplaced sense of entitlement gives cause to think "it wasn't worth it"!?

Well, my dear little Lord Fauntleroy, I guess you ARE a little different from me, at least. For one, you are apparently looking forward to an extraordinary amount of disappointment. Also, you would appear to have developed an original definition for the word "whining". Kudos.

*edited for to tone down the indignation

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

warrenellis — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 10:35:32 -0700

Back off. People are allowed to not like the story.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

josta59 — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 11:22:38 -0700

Thanks, Mr. Ellis, and I'm sorry for my negative comments. I absolutely do respect you as a storyteller, and I still think you're one of the best in comics today.

ooglie, my feelings have nothing to do with entitlement. It's just how I felt at the end of a very long story. Surely you've felt something similar about some story at some point in your life? How is this whining? Whether it was free to read or not...is that even relevant?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

D.J. — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 11:27:22 -0700

I think the ending should have more explosions. Is it too late to put an explosion in the last panel?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

ashspring — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 12:01:29 -0700

How about an epilogue with many explosions and RKD's smile? Can we all agree we'd like that?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

razrangel — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 12:03:58 -0700

I wanted to come in and say Hey! I am (well, more and more "was") an editor, don't speak for me. But fuck it. I'd rather take a moment to say just why I so love Freakangels. Yeah, it's beautiful, the characters are amazingly thorough and well defined, all brilliant stuff particularly when you consider how easy it is to fuck these up.

But I like messing with forms, with assumptions. I like inverting structure to see what comes out the other end. I LOVE stories that surprise me. And, as the unrepentant hippie Warren knows I am, I've been delighted that not only have the twists of the story meant that these superhuman kids instead turn from their brute powers to their intellects for a solution but that they're confronting their internal as well as group tendencies to stay mired in the mode of thinking that they indulged as teens. I love that they've decided that growing up meant letting go of material things - including people - to show who and what they've been. I love that to grow up they have even had to let go of parts of their identities, and embrace a perspective that doesn't come from "survival at all costs!" (Though granted that gets easier once you've realized there's a good chance you're immortal.)

I came in not knowing what to expect and trusted in Warren enough to figure at the very, very least it would be fun. I don't read many "normal" superhero comics. They didn't grab me when it was mostly about beating up the bad guys and then a sort of teen drama about who liked whom. When the 'Angels were attacked and they were subsequently slaughtered the invaders I allowed a moment to wonder if that was the direction this was going in, but given the many and huge mysteries around the Freakangels (and again trusting in Warren's ability to tell a damn good story) i figured waiting and seeing would be wise. I felt completely rewarded by the conversation Kait and Miki led for and against bringing in a group of starving, dying people related to the folks who had just tried to kill them. Compassion carried the day and I did a private little dance of yay!

Again, I'm sure I would have had fun had this story ended up being about kids building and fortifying their settlement against all comers. Saving their corner of civilization and trading with outsiders but protecting their stake and themselves with complete prejudice.... I'm sure it would have been a fun story, cathartic and tight. This is Warren "chair leg of truth" Ellis, after all.

I'm glad that the Freakangels didn't write themselves off as just superhuman heroes. Throw something heavy, and hopefully pointy at the enemy. Militarize their abilities and insist that what they had was peace through superior force. The 'Angels had to choose which way to go. I am glad - and frankly really surprised - that Warren had some characters of his "give peace a chance" and not by the smarmy, treacly methods everyone who's never worked for peace assumes it's done - they're not sitting on their asses hoping nothing else bad happens. They're not standing down, smoking out and weaving flowers into their hair - the 'Angels have gone out, doing what only they can do to try to grasp it with both hands, clearing away enough of the bullshit that might actually give the world a chance to settle and sort itself out.

That went on a hell of a lot longer than I meant. But it just seems that it's easy to find flaws. I wanted to articulate what I liked and why I would talk up Freakangels to other people.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

oogliemooglie — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 12:55:02 -0700

Back off. People are allowed to not like the story.

Fair enough--the story sucked, so I'm glad you've acknowledged that people are allowed to dislike it.

Still, the art was beautiful--and you teased us with promise of substance, keeping us entertained right up to the shitty pratfall of an ending. Surely that should count for something, even amongst the people who were forced to read it at gunpoint?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

warrenellis — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:51:30 -0700

hahahahaha

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

longtimelurker — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 14:27:14 -0700

Look, in all seriousness, Boss, you are a very generous creator. A movie producer can turn bad actors into movie stars overnight and is unjustly rewarded with multimillion-dollar mansions. YOU'VE been making stars out of genuinely talented artists for years and still have to scrounge for your whiskey and pudding.

They can criticize the story. But when people try to say that you don't care... grrrrrr.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Miranda's Eyes — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 15:32:13 -0700

No story ever written is going to please every reader. The best one can hope for is that more readers like the story than dislike it. FREAKANGELS, for me, fell into the strong Like category. Not only was Paul Duffield's art never less than superb, but the Boss gave me some female characters I grew to love over the course of the series. Don't ask me to choose among KK, Arkady, or Kait for a single favorite character.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

D.J. — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:44:56 -0700

I can't help but wonder what people who dislike the ending expected to happen. The whole series the Freakangels have been trying, both together and in their own individual ways, to fix things. It was an inevitable escalation for them to try and do it on a grand scale.

So, I guess everyone wanted them to fail miserably?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

dddrum — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 01:19:53 -0700

*sigh*

The story did not "suck." You did not like it. In your opinion, the ending (which, I might well point out, none of us has yet read) is "a shitty pratfall." Fair enough.

But the story did NOT "suck!" That's like saying a joke isn't funny because you didn't laugh. As long as there is one person laughing, it's a funny joke. And there is a sizable crowd of us readers who find this a marvelous, moving story, a post-apocalypse tale with a wonderfully, unexpectedly gentle conclusion. Confounding certain expectations? Definitely. Sucky sucking suckish? Absolutely NOT.

It is as razrangel portrays it. Megadittoes, razrangel!

It was worth my while. I would, and will, recommend it without hesitation. You may not have liked it. It may not have floated your boat at all, and I'm very sorry if that was the case.

But did the story "suck?" NUH UH!!!!!

(P.S.: Thank you, Warren and Paul!)

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

fod_xp — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:43:22 -0700

Installment #143 was heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. Massive props to Paul Duffield and his color assistants. This has been my favorite Warren Ellis penned comic, and I'd even go as far as to say this is my favorite comic hands down. I loved the fact you skipped over the cliche ending of having the Freakangels faffing about in meaningless combat, rather you had these 12 darlings take responsibility for their actions and own up to their mistakes, well, at least most of the way.

I'm quivering with excitement over tomorrow's installment, which will be the last. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing these characters. Now, please focus on getting the two last issues of Anna Mercury 2 out before I start flagellating myself with Arse Eels to stave off the persisting withdrawal symptoms.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Purple Wyrm — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 21:08:04 -0700

@fod_xp - please focus on getting the two last issues of Anna Mercury 2 out before I start flagellating myself with Arse Eels

Hang on, you're using that threat to try and get Warren to work faster? ;D

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

Paul Duffield — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 01:51:55 -0700

Interesting discussion! Obviously I agree with Warren, everyone's free to their opinions, good and bad, but the funny thing is that no-one's actually READ the ending yet! Will be far more patient with people talking about how much they love or dislike it in about 2 hours - once it's actually available.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0143

SoftSpot — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 03:24:24 -0700

one more hour waiting.... for a final state of (un)satisfaction... (sigh) if only I could manipulate time... I'd remove that time moat.

Paul, I'm pretty convinced I will be satisfied with the ending in this way that the story is finished and we are left either with answers or with questions, just as Warren ment it. And with the fact that you offered us some fantastic moments with your graphics, I hope WC leaves them online for a long, looooong time.

Unsatisfied, because the story has come to an end and fridays will be duller, never to be able to welcome a new issue from the FA's.