Whitechapel - FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T04:08:49-07:00

It's Friday, it's back to FREAKANGELS. And oh, look where we are...

G'morning, Whitechapel. I haven't slept, and UPS informs me that my package delivery scheduled for today will be delayed due to train derailment.

How's everyone this week?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T04:32:05-07:00

Quite frankly I'm having a shit day/week/month, but these pages have cheered me up. Beautifully ominous.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T04:36:49-07:00

The artwork's always good, but SWEET JESUS you raised the bar by a solid three or four pegs this week, Paul. REALLY made up for the week off, so you did. Arkady is unspeakably gorgeous in these panels.

Typo in Page 2 Panel 2, though...

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T04:49:25-07:00

Quite frankly I'm having a shit day/week/month, but these pages have cheered me up

You and me both, sir.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T04:53:27-07:00

I really like Arkady without her hair. Is that wrong?

Also, the pile of crates exploding was simply gorgeous. Great job, Paul!

Ariana, I hope your package gets put on another train.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T04:55:49-07:00

Ariana, I hope your package gets put on another train.

And that that train doesn't then explode.

Its been one of those weeks for us ALL.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T04:57:38-07:00

And that that train doesn't then explode.

I'm trying to be optimistic. This week has been hell in the academic sector.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T05:25:03-07:00

Page 3, Panel 4: Lightning (and lighting) effect = perfection. Worth the extra week's wait, and glad to see one of my favorite artists didn't succumb to the creeping crud circling the globe these days...

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T05:26:13-07:00

at least I'm not the only one having a rough week. I guess there's something to sharing misery across the net.

excellent episode, it just keeps getting better

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T05:30:40-07:00

Having the package? Heh.

That was a good read.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T05:33:10-07:00

Jack makes a good point there - winning fights is just beating the other person down till they can't get up again. Arkady looks stunning and the light in this ep is beautiful.

Week's not been bad. In holding pattern with three possible jobs. Which is still better than not having any, so I'll take it. Looking forward to beer o' clock tonight though. Thank fuck for the weekend.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T05:45:25-07:00

Best episode I think I've read so far, I like the slow burning pacing of Freakangels. Maybe it just feels slower because we get it in short six page installments?

My week has been busy, playing gigs, going to gigs and then getting up far too early for work. Anyone else see the Melvins on their UK jaunt this week? Stunning.

Oh yeah, I've been lurking on here a lot but not posting too much. Hi everyone!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T05:52:45-07:00

Nice. Let the furniture kicking commence?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T06:05:09-07:00

Ah, so now it comes to light ...

An excellent episode. I predict that when a time machine finally is developed, it will be for the sole purpose of getting from Friday to Friday.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T06:06:02-07:00

Oooh, I loves me some flashbacks! Arkady seems so... together. Not just the way she talks; she looks different, and it goes way beyond the hair. Her expressions, and her eyes in particular, are a world away from quirky, bald 'Kady.

Also, the introduction of Mark seems to be nigh. Very nigh.

Really can't wait for next week.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T06:11:42-07:00

loaded with the cold, should have keeled over by now. but totally in denial.
its got me this far!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T06:25:30-07:00

Jack is now solidly my favorite of the 'Angels.

I really appreciate the wisdom he displays, even this early. Fighting, regardless of winning or not, does not change the minds of your enemies. If anything, it only reinforces their positions and entrenches the very basic differences between the two sides. It doesn't, and can't, fix anything. Ever.

FreakAngels is, I think, the best writing you've done yet. While it's still clearly your voice, there's a new level and a different tone from all the other writing I've seen from you so far, much more humane and considered - much more about the characters as real and unique people than just a raw vehicle for big ideas, though it's obviously that too.

I think you've really proved your hand as a superior author now.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T06:35:01-07:00

It looks like Luke is not the only one who disagrees with the group, although Arkady is a bit more circumspect.

We finally got the ceiling plastered and bought a crib, so we're getting there. Going to shampoo the carpets this tomorrow.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T06:36:59-07:00

Oh yeah, it's all going to kick off soon isn't it?

*rubs hands*

'splode.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T06:41:36-07:00

Took me a couple pages to realize I was looking at a flashback, and not the "bat cave" scene. I'm still waiting to see who shows up tonight. Great art as usual. Great story, of course. Good job, Boys. I'm happy that Zombie Paul hasn't lost his artistic touch, after, you know, being dead.

My week's been okay. I finally settled on a night to hold my first annual The Price is Right Vincent Price marathon (the 18th- since it's our first official get-together at our new apartment, it's just going to be a few good friends, but next year, it'll be an all-out party :)

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T07:07:47-07:00

I almost wish I hadn't read this week's yet (I'm at work). Now I really, really want to go back and re-read the series from the start.
Guess that is what the weekend if for.

Another excellent job gentlemen.

Week's been mostly good, the only complaint was having to speak to some one at work who has become completely unaware of how poorly they are actually doing their job.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T07:08:43-07:00

@diello,
Nono, the living dead thing is working out well for me. I've torn off my left hand and animated it with undead essence... I'm now training it to colour while I draw.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T07:14:13-07:00

@Paul,
In that case, 12 pages a week (just kidding, you deserve to relax, plus, I imagine rigor mortis is slowing you down, so even if you do have the help of a reanimated left hand, it'd take you the same amount of time). You should also train your lower half to use the toilet without the rest of you (if that need even arises in a zombie anymore).

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T08:02:12-07:00

Loved waking up to this in the first day of my Thanksgiving long weekend. Sure, I have two papers to write and a midterm to study for, but who the hell cares about that, eh? I love me some tasteful flashbacks, although as @diello said (back on the first page), it took me a mo to figure it out. But once you do figure out that this cool, collected, and haired gal is Arkady you have to wonder what happened... Anticipation!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T08:03:11-07:00

Today's episode has thoroughly made my day. :-)

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T08:22:31-07:00

na na na na na na na na FREAK CAVE

Totally not what I was expecting. I guess? Is washed-out blue going to be "flashback color"? Or is it because it's cold and rainy?

I like Arkady with hair because it makes the rest of her features stand out more. Sure, she's fun when she's kooky and bald, but I think a "with-it" 'Kady is alright, too. No real preference, I guess.

This week... well, I have my 3D Modeling final presentation today, and after this week I have one class a day for the rest of the semester (excepting Wednesday, when I have my Intro to Multimedia (and boy do I mean INTRO) class.) So I should have time to "get stuff done." Like pack, since we're up and moving to Indiana. As I've mentioned.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T08:27:41-07:00

@Paul
Your disembodied left hand is coloring your work? Man, you gotta film that and put it on YouTube. I'm sure that would break the internet.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T08:32:02-07:00

Oh, it's a flashback. *facepalm*. Makes more sense now, hehe.

This doesn't appear to be my week when it comes to actually using my brain. I've taken this afternoon off work cause I spent the morning staring at some code and it may as well have been in Swahili for all the sense I could make out of it.

Post-project burnout merged with the stress of moving house in a couple of weeks.

I need a beer.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T08:55:13-07:00

Lovely.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T09:08:13-07:00

*blown away*

This episode was AMAZING. I now actually like luke, as i agree with him in this one- it also makes his current douchebaggery that much more interesting. I just generally like that hair better, kaz' and kady's- but i really have to prefer the with-it arkady. the brain-like-a-pretzel kady is cute, but this one... she seems very crazy-in-a-dangerous-way-cause-i-said-so. like she chooses to be. i couldnt figure out who it was until someone said her name.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T09:48:40-07:00

Hmmmm...foreshadowing a possible telekentic bomb that with combined efforts (especially Arkady, we all know she's gonna end up as the Neo of the whole shebang [although, as we all know also, our beloved Uncle Warren is quite capable of throwing a curveball]), could possibly be as powerful as a nuclear weapon. Which may lead us to believe that the Freakangels could be responsible (of, course) for the end of the world as we know it.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T09:55:47-07:00

I thought that the fact that they were responsible was the whole point?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T10:08:09-07:00

I have to agree with Michael Furious, Jack is now solidly my favorite as well. I had a feeling he would be, but this just confirmed it.

It's wonderful to have a glimpse into the past and to see how Arkady used to be. I liked the opening frames, transitioning from current Arkady to previous Arkady. Paul, the crate explosion, so lovely, thank you.

If we get further flashbacks any time soon, it will be interesting to see KK and the others who weren't in this scene. Also, curiosity about the hiding from the police.... ?

FreakAngels is my favorite Warren Ellis project.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T10:10:40-07:00

"could possibly be as powerful as a nuclear weapon."

Much more so, I'd say.

I am hallucinating or hasn't there been an implication that whatever they did has even affected time itself?

But, uh, yeah...we've always known the end of the world was their doing.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T10:16:04-07:00

Wonderful again. Really excited for next week!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T10:38:11-07:00

oh yeah! flashback time! now we're talking!

arkady uses her enhanced post-OD freak-package powers to peer "further... wider..." into the past. we all know she's hell bent on "fixing" things. I'm certain she feels the most responsible now that we've seen her relive the moment when she introduces the thought of combining their powers. hopefully, we'll have at least a few more weeks of flashback before the FreakCave scene, leaving us less to deduce from present-converstation and hopefully opening it up for more resolution.

I must say, I never expected a flashback, didn't see it coming, but now that it's here, I'll take as much as you guys'll give.

also, my week: included a pleasent Warren Ellis surprise. the same friend who pointed me toward Doktor Sleepless and grinding.be back in July (recently returned from an extended trip to South America) recommended transmetropolitan, which I'm now devouring. since tuesday, I've read the first 7 issues. Loving it. so, Doktor Sleepless, Freakangels, Astonishing X-Men, and now Transmetropolitan. this officially elevates the esteemed Mr. Ellis to the position of my currently self-overexposed writer. I've gone through similar cycles with Neil Gaiman, Grant Morrison, Kurt Vonnegut, Philip K. Dick, and Robert Anton Wilson, though this is by far the most currently prolific writer of the bunch. (dropped off of actively following Morrison after the Filth, though not for any deliberate reason) ... anyway.... the point is, my week was top-notch, thumbs-up, due in no small part to the influence of one Mr. Spider Jerusalem. (also, LIGHTBULB! "tattoo on thewaltonsare's back is NOT King Mob... glad I didn't insert foot in mouth earlier." <-- everything will be revealed, in time.)

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T11:26:46-07:00

so glad you guys are more with it than i am today. totally missed the flashback thing. i'd really like to say that it's because i was at work and reading quickly on a screen that doesn't show me as much as i want when i want, but that would be a lie. i was being lazy. and cranky. and offended. and freakangels made me happy for a few minutes.

seriously love 'kady's eyes. spend most of the morning wondering how to pronounce her name as my co-worker reads this and we talk, you know? found a book on the pronunciation of 10,000 proper names. didn't look her up. figured she might not be there. i really oughta look when i'm at the library next.

got the apartment i want. moving in 2 weeks. away from the bedroom of raining water and carpenter ants. got to hear a friend slam a poem about a clown killed by mimes and someone bought my drinks at the bar last night (don't know exactly who, though). it is the simple things that work to put the disrespect, government and passive-aggressive bullshit in some use-able perspective. or, at least, that distract me long enough to breathe properly.

good friday to you, whitechapel.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T12:16:27-07:00

OK, I'm a moron. I had to reread the episode three times to realize it was a flashback.

Now it has me wondering what else I've missed.

DAMN YOU WARREN ELLIS! (I have to blame somebody)

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T12:44:14-07:00

In full agreement that the lightning effect is not only beautiful, but it's a very good visual device. This page is telling us that the storm is almost here (i.e., Arkady is about to knock something loose in her head).

I'm kinda curious what's up with the military-style uniforms.

"Smoking doesn't make you older" is such a younger-brotherly thing to say, too.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T13:46:09-07:00

Every week I get more curious about their origins. And every week I think the answer is going to be very, very unpleasant. Beauifully drawn and the writing had that crackle (heh) to it. They're about to do something, really wonderful and really stupid.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T14:07:10-07:00

ooo, pretty. and now we get flashbacks? colour me interested.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T15:05:33-07:00

this is very, very interesting!

if i'm getting this episode right, it was arkady's idea to start whatever freakangels did to end the world?

i assume she's older than 15 here, so it means there was a period of her life after the overdose experience when she was all right, only to become all fuc*ed up after the apocalypse? maybe she's like that because of the guilt?

definitely one of the most interesting characters.

can't wait to meet other freakangels - i have a feeling warren might introduce one of them soon.

(my english is bad 'cause i'm not a native speaker)

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T15:09:46-07:00

Tired and wanting to sleep.

Great work on this page guys. I like Arkardy without the hair as well, I had to go back and forth before I realized it was Arkardy, not sure if that's my brain telling me it's melted or if I am just slow, but regardless, better bald.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T15:26:29-07:00

@dopamine--No worries, mate.

I admittedly didn't pick up that the story had now gone into a flashback. My brain had broken down despite the small visual hint that the weather was different.

As for my week, it was pretty much a mix of drama and mundane occurrences. The early part of the week was making sure a presidential debate watch party came off without spectacularly blowing up in my face. Time for a small writing project was pretty much either non-existent or like carving wood with just broken fingernails.

The big headache was discovering that the fuckwads trying to reinstate the banning of LGBTs from marrying had surged ahead in voter support. The newest ad did an effective job of scaring voters with the lie that accepting marriage equality meant teaching elementary school kids to become homosexuals. My mood wasn't helped by seeing the counter-ad, which merely said the other side was lying. Also hearing that the homophobes had a lot more money and an army of Mormon phonebankers ready to make the big push did little to better my mood. I wonder if Martin Luther King or Harvey Milk ever had to deal with this sort of shitstorm.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T15:59:08-07:00

Fucking hell guys, this was an awesome episode!

Apologies if I sound like I'm chaneling some teenage emo dork but I'm rightesously pissed at the moment. Anyway, great episode and I need more beer...

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T16:11:58-07:00

Also, I hope this flashback goes long enough for us to finally meet the fabled Mark, and maybe to see FAT CONNOR :D
I'll bet KK is all prim and proper, too ;)

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T16:20:56-07:00

oh cool

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T17:10:48-07:00

Artemis - "I'm kinda curious what's up with the military-style uniforms."

I thought that at first, but I don't think they're wearing uniforms, just that the flashback coloring makes it all look kind of olive drab. Arkady is wearing a biker style leather jacket, Caz looks to be wearing a peacoat. They're just wearing regular clothes, I think.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T18:44:53-07:00

I feel a little foolish for asking, but there's twelve of them, right? Has there ever been a proper headcount yet?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-10T23:42:05-07:00

This was a treat.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-11T01:52:00-07:00

A beautiful episode, yet again. That movie-like transition into Arkady's rememberance is awesome.
And I'll second diello's wish about this flashback.

@dopamine : Don't worry about our non-native english, friend. I'd be surprised if people here at whitechapel looked down on us particularly for that reason.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-11T05:05:52-07:00

Mark
Connor
Luke
Karl
Kirk
Jack

KK
Sirkka
Arkady
Kaz
Miki
?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-11T07:40:55-07:00

interesting that the boys seem to have traditional names and the ladies all seem to have more exotic ones or nicknames.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-11T08:15:24-07:00

And everyone but Connor has a K in their name, and even then his C is pronounced the same.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-11T09:11:06-07:00

@Warren
Woah. You misspelled Caz! But you wrote her!

@redex
Caz has a C in her name too, plus her full name is Carolyn.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-11T09:15:32-07:00

I'd just woken up

Caz, yes

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-11T12:04:14-07:00

id have to venture a guess that whatever they do, its more like an EMP than an actual nuclear blast. notice- the city looks broken, twisted, and dilapidated, but not destroyed. without circuitry, without electricity, a lot of things probably just stopped working. of course, that probably means that somewhere out in the countryside one is likely to find great big gaping holes in the terrain. also, you'd have to end everything, all at once, to get this kind of situation. only an emp could do that without irradiating the surface of the globe.

that's my guess, anyhow.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-11T12:24:13-07:00

didn't they raise the water levels or was that judt one small part ?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-11T15:31:51-07:00

This was a really good episode, I think one of the best so far - the tension is totally different in the flashback scene, and the change in lighting and colour pallette bring this out - grey and gritty (like London is now...) as opposed to the almost surreal, beautiful, soft light in the post-apocalypse time.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-11T16:26:43-07:00

I reckon they did something with the orbit of the earth.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-11T17:49:49-07:00

This was a solid episode, nice to see some of the Freakangels prior to flooding England. Amazing art as usual.

This week I took my little sister to Best Buy to pick up her digital camera, while we were waiting at the Geek Squad counter I noticed a Teen Titans cartoon playing on a monitor set up there. I paid attention because I dig superheroes, figured one of the geeks had an anime station playing. Oh how that came back on me. It started off Normal enough, then I look away and when I come back this monster shoots a white goo on Raven's face and she falls from the sky. And I think "Wow, that is a little too much like a facial for a kids show."

Then Starfire gets tossed to the ground and monster's tentacles(you know where it's going) wrap around her thighs and pull them apart, showing her panties. And I'm like "This is a kids show?!" the giant monster with thousands of tentacles smiles. Then it rips her fucking panties off and rapes her, double penetration, with a legion of tentacles that have grown green penis-shaped tips.

I stood flabberghasted for a moment standing in line at Best Buy watching a teenage Starfire get arse eeled. Then I told the guy helping us "Uh, dude, you have porn playing." Turns out the monitor was hooked to a PC they were working on and someone had set Teen Titans anime porn as their screen saver. And the guy working on it forgot to change it, and then left it alone to go on break.

I just never expected to walk into Best Buy and see a monster rape the Teen Titans.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-11T18:33:37-07:00

@MaC
That's the best story ever. I've seen the Teen Titans rape videos. They're well done, but creepy as hell, as I do like the original show.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-11T22:20:40-07:00

I've been reading Freakangels since it came out, and enjoying it consistently, but I'm commenting now because the writing's now given us something I've never seen in a graphic novel before: a realistic look at the maturation process. It makes sense that that would be absent: even if comic books are no longer "for kids," they remain largely focused on archetypical themes, and archetypical personalities aren't supposed to mature realistically. But these six pages handle the change backwards amazingly well. I don't know how to describe the artwork, but the shift in the structure of Arkaday's face on page one was impressive and startling, like seeing the never-before-mentioned younger sibling of a friend. But the dialogue... wow. These are not the Freakangels I was learning about; these were very realistic 16(?)-year-olds under enormous pressure, but lacking the adult perspective of the "current" gang. Very, very cool.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-11T23:45:47-07:00

@Jonathan

spot on analysis. you nailed it.

@ MaC

HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAAAahahahaaha! holy shit. that's rich. and... dude... you could totally OWN that Best Buy. I know we're an overly litigious society as it is... but c'mon. you could've at least scored a bundle of free shit.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-12T08:43:37-07:00

@MaC

I think this, is probably what you saw it's American furasshu hentai hosted on Newgrounds.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-12T15:25:25-07:00

I had to show my boyfriend the videos when I busted out laughing at MaC's story. He was in awe.

@Johnathan
Spot on. They were definitely on a different level back then (probably because they were a dirty little secret back then, and now they are just a 'if you know, you know' kind of laid back secret).
I'm also wondering, since there's an equal number of male and female FreakAngels, if they had some sort of Villiage of the Damned pairing thing meant for them (and I wonder if KK and Mark were dating or something, since 'Kady mentioned them together). It would definitely not surprise me.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-13T00:30:49-07:00

@deillo

Yeah, it was VERY convincing. We were on line for a long time and whenever I looked up it was a not rape-filled scene. So after awhile I was like "alright lets settle in and watch this" and then poor Starfire got destroyed.

@Professor Imagine

I won't pretend to be a good person. But the reason I waited until after Starfire had tentacles rammed up both her orifices to say anything was because I was trying to think of a way to exploit this for my own benefit. Sadly I'm just a 22 year old guy and not a pregnant women, so yeah the most I could have gotten away with was some free shit but it probably would have been at the expense of someone's job for letting porn play on the showroom. Besides, I figured I owed Best Buy one on account of the times I've exploited their coupons to do things like get $150 worth of movies for a $50 gift card and a $500 subwoofer for $0.

@[n]JIN

Yep, that's the one.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0030

2008-10-13T20:29:19-07:00

What the bloody hell. We are talking to you on a Spanish language keyboard and we are fluent English speaker and writer. This tale is getting more and more complex. Not any less understood...I do mean this in a good way. I do enjoy it by and by more and more tiemp mas.