Whitechapel - FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

Ariana — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:07:24 -0800

It's Friday, and we're back with more FREAKANGELS.

Good morning Whitechaplings. I've been running at full speed all week, and I still read everything (every. single. post. if you've ever wondered why I'm so mean when folks waste my time with breaking rule #1...) but I have been a bit rushed, so lemme know if I might have missed anything with you. Is everyone doing all right? Anything exciting coming up this weekend?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

Purple Wyrm — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:09:28 -0800

I am moderately well thanks Ariana, but very much looking forwards to the weekend. My exciting plans are to sleep right through.

As for the episode,
Page 3 - Wow, it is not going to go well for those cops...
Page 4 - Yep, thought so.
Page 5 - Well at least one of them survived (scrolls down) Oh. OK then.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

Doctor_Six — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:10:54 -0800

The End of the World is Nigh!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

mister hex — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:11:17 -0800

Just about to fire up the Satan-Cycle but waited for this. I'm alright. Going to get a haircut this weekend.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

Welland — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:16:31 -0800

All is good in my corner or the world.

Nothing new to report, still looking for a colorist if anyone out there wants to help us out?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

3millionyears — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:17:17 -0800

Page 5 - Wow, not unexpected, but suprising nevertheless!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

xutraa — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:18:43 -0800

That's some beautiful 'back...and to the left' action right there!

It's amazing how much I miss FA when I can't read it for a few weeks

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

twitch_ramirez — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:22:27 -0800

Oh this is so yum-yum. Good stuff and Mark! heehee, like Purple Wyrm said....

Page 5 - Well at least one of them survived (scrolls down) Oh. OK then.

I am reading and posting as I am following what the Weather Channel is calling the 'Atlantic Assault'. All you east coasters hang in and good luck. Nothing exciting in the Old Pueblo this weekend.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

Dan Kelly — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:33:21 -0800

Afternoon Ariana

Page 3 - Wow
Page 5 - Yuck!
Overall - This is going to get messy!

As for me. Some good news earlier in the week, hopefully. And Carter USM live tonight and tomorrow. I may be broken by Sunday.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

moali — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:41:28 -0800

nice headslode shot.

busy with the dayjob, and with story rejections + working on other art, or else I'd have thrown my hat in for the re-imagine threads.

weekend = bills, shopping and reading/writing/doodling.

ps. The shirts = genius

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

hmobius — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:42:13 -0800

Well its rained in Brum for the past couple of days, but all is well otherwise.
I started writing my own cut-down version of eBay on Monday, trialled Twitter as my RSS feedreader (doesn't fit the two-way paradigm of Twitter though, so that was nixxed), started the interview process for a job at the UK b0rg cube, paid the deposit for our new house and got Shivering Sands in the post. So it's been eventful. Liked the HappySad tee as well.

I wonder if FA will cover how they all got together as well as their personal Hiroshima. I'm guessing they didn't all get born in the same hospital. Mark's outfit says Scouser to me

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

curb — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:42:51 -0800

As others have said, I felt so sorry for those cops bursting in with their little car, because they never really stood a chance. Still, leaving them crushed and helpless was probably enough - I think it's pretty telling that Mark decided to follow through with some skull flaying, just for good measure.

My week has been ... weird. Last week I got to Friday quite pleased that the growing sense of inexplicable panic I was experiencing seemed to have abated. Well, that was before I had to spend most of the weekend asleep, followed by periods of mild twitchiness, followed by having to leave work early on Tuesday because I got so uptight I thought I was going to pass out. I've not been back since, and have slept a hell of a lot in the days since then. In a nutshell, I appear to have some form of brain wrong at the moment, which is somewhat disheartening considering I've been in good mental health for a number of years. Still, I'm off to the quack this afternoon, so hopefully he will be able to set me straight.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

Twist — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:04:15 -0800

Yay UPDATE! These totally make my weekend :D

I am well. The Queenslander in me has taken well to the change in weather, my bone carving lesson went well and I got paid 2 days early by work so I can go buy both food and tools tomorrow. The only thing that could improve this weekend is rocking up to work on Monday to find that my Manager and the IT manager had both been replaced on Friday with competent people.

It's not going to happen... but that's ok. 6 months and two weeks till I hand in my resignation. I'm not even going to pretend I'm not counting. ^_^

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

rickiep00h — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:10:04 -0800

Mark has head-explody.

Going relatively well here. Still in the midst of reading my pile o' comics that arrived on Monday and working on the whole house-buying thing. Soon to be writing the "not renewing our lease" letter, as well as the "fix the fucking mold and water damage in our closet" letter, which is part of the reason we're writing the first letter. Our management are nice people. Dumb as fucking posts, and slow, but nice.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

Lucifal — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:14:44 -0800

Loved the exploding head, Paul. Well done!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

halcyonday — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:25:39 -0800

That head exploding was particularly well done/gross, Paul.

I'm good, went drinking with workmates last night and have taken the day off work today. Off to see Jonathan Coulton tonight and then photos with friends in Highgate East tomorrow, if London isn't under a foot of water *eyes weather outside window*, photos in the Natural History Museum if London is.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

PyD — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:32:19 -0800

Their parents gave them up.

Oh lords I want this one to come back.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

Yashima — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:54:49 -0800

Nice episode, as always. I liked that "instantaneous Freakangels exit". No backdoor? Punch one through the wall.

Messed up week here. Just a couple days ago, I was caught in a blackout during the night (I was in night college when that happened). Nothing serious, just the biggest hydroelectrical powerplant in the world have shut down for a few hours, leaving two countries in the dark.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

viol8tor — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:12:27 -0800

That was an exciting episode! Is it me or did the go from a "Village of the Damned aftermath" feel to a Scanner 2 feel. Just Great!!!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

BOODOFFSTAGE — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:22:56 -0800

page 5 Wow, there are few that can make gory violence look artistic.

Personally, Just found out that my work load is going to double at a minimum, but pay stays the same. Recovering Economy my ass.

Still, better than being unemployed. I just read that the city where I live, El Centro California reached over 31% unemployment in September and is predicted to stay about 29% past the end of the year.

So, Silver lining.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

CorkOnTheFork — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:22:57 -0800

Fuck it, I tried to link that picture of JtHM rejoicing over having gained head explody but this site apparently hates imageshack. Oh well.

Life's going alright on this end, going slightly crazy over my first anniversary with my boyfriend coming up in about half a month. Crazy in a good way, of course~

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

rickiep00h — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:34:26 -0800

@CorkOnTheFork - I was actually surprised I was the first one to mention it, given the number of morally-reprehensible Jhonen fans around here.

The difference--to me anyway--is that JtHM was wacky good fun, whereas Mark was so lovable up until that point. He was cute and cuddly and a little imbalanced, but not so much. And then he blew up a dude's head for no reason. Good job, Mark. Jerk.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

PPJJ — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:55:33 -0800

Woo carnage!

Anyway, off to a 3 day gig in a couple of hours. Wondering how the 3rd Friday the 13th (and supposedly most potent) is going to go. There better be coffee when I get there.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

thud — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:01:14 -0800

Sorry you are not well.
That makes me appreciate Episode 0075 even more.

Thanks!

I had something last month that was completely disgusting and scary, with thrashing body pains, coughing massive phlegm and oozing snot. Not a cold. Most likely came from a sandwich I bought that was prepared then wrapped and refrigerated.
Oh no.... more stuff to worry about!

0075:
The hole in the concrete wall is but a small example but a telling one.
Since they're probably already surrounded, the discussion phase is done. Now comes the instinct for self-preservation...
The questions are -
(1) Why are the police involved at all?
This should be the army and tanks, not that it would help, but more force than a sedan breaking open the door.
SAS? Men In Black?
Armored troops painting their targets with ruby red from several hundred meters?
Not that any of that would help, unless they could have the element of surprise, even for a moment, to get off a shot.

Or - (2) What about communication? Pleading or Demanding- to come out and make it better by doing the right thing? The We Won't Hurt You, We Promise broadcast through bullhorns?

Since they're probably already surrounded, the escape out the back will find them facing a determined and trigger-happy lot, and in the next few moments someone in charge (if they are still capable of thought) will be thinking We Could Have Handled That Better.

"Can't we all just get along?" (-Rodney King)

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

lycaoncomplex — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:05:48 -0800

Maybe I've lost the plot, but I'm confused as to who the other purple-haired girl is. I thought it might be Arkady, but then in the first panel on page six where they're escaping, there's another black-haired girl hopping off the crates who is also unaccounted for, since it looks like Kait is in the foreground. If anyone has any light to shed on this, I'd super appreciate it, because it's confusing the hell out of me

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

CorkOnTheFork — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:13:30 -0800

@rickiep00h - That's the thing about sociopaths: they'll say what you want to hear, do what you want to see, then when your trust is no longer a convenience/necessity to them they fuck you over. I remember learning that it's pathological but it's funny how there's nothing that can be done to help them when they don't have a conscience to make them want help in the first place.

@lycaoncomplex - Think hard here, who's the ONLY other freakangel that has purple hair? She's averse to aggression and she's close to Jack in the previous comic, so there's a big clue there :P

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

Dee_Noir — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:17:27 -0800

Some observations:

I was very surprised to see the regular Old Bill. Like thud just mentioned, I was expecting to see a small army of serious heavy hitters - men with head-to-toe body armour, sub-machine guns and sniper rifles. Not two coppers in a Landrover, or whatever that was. Maybe the army will make an appearance in #76.

The fact that Mark took half the head off someone who was more or less incapacitated was a window into his character. That wasn't selp defense, he enjoyed doing that. It was a 'See, look what I can fucking do, RIP YOUR FACE OFF moment. It was unnecessary, but he did it anyway. So I guess he likes killing people.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

robinimmortal — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:17:48 -0800

@lycaoncomplex : the girl with short purple hair is Sirkka and the long purple hair girl is Arkady :)

And uhh why is Sirkka wearing what is either dark shorts or a skirt in Ep 75. But in Ep 74 she was wearing 3/4 length skintone leggings? :P

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

johnjones — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:20:59 -0800

I wonder if FA will cover how they all got together as well as their personal Hiroshima. I'm guessing they didn't all get born in the same hospital. Mark's outfit says Scouser to me

Actually, they probably were all born in the same hospital. Remember that they're all from the same "flat little village in southeast England".

Crategirl is probably Miki. Miki is stealthy like a ninja sometimes and can easily hide in crowds because she's little. And then will hit you in the head with a brick.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

hank — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:25:16 -0800

Hm.. Splodey.

Ariana: Doing well. Creating shit. Need to get it out there soon. I have co-opted my SigOther into helping. Then I sent her warren's cowgirl link and blew two hours of work when she closed her browser, killing the item she was working on. Needless to say I'm shitlisted on IM for a bit... ;) This weekend apparently is clean the house weekend as we have been halfassing the sorting of stuff our friends who took work in Belgium left us.

How about you?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

lycaoncomplex — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:26:07 -0800

Relax, Corkonthefork - there's no need to be obnoxious. Thanks, Robinimmortal, and johnjones. Crate girl totally threw me.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

Dee_Noir — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:33:11 -0800

I might be missing something but in p3 the copper on the right has long hair than comes half way down his face. However in p5 the same guy now has an entirely different haircut, almost cropped. I've look at it a few times to make sure I'm not just being an idiot, but, well... it appears like his haircut has magically changed mid-collision.

Unless the two coppers have swapped places? This would make sense, but I don't see how this would have happened even in the crash? In p3 the 'guy' on the right looks a bit like a woman, while on p5 it's definitely a man. Consistency error or my own ignorance in missing something? N.B. I really don't mean to shit on anyones parade, just slightly confused.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

WaxPoetic — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:33:47 -0800

yee! Head go 'splode with brains! *happy dance of gore and blood*

This just stays better. Thanks, all!

Also, got FA pretties yesterday. Today learned that I have a job until the end of the year, which is a nice counterpoint to this time last year when I learned that I would not have a job by the end of the year and then lost it a week later. Um. Also the day is warm and weird and it is Friday the 13th.

I so love the glowy eyes bit.

Happy!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

TyphoonCutter — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:34:20 -0800

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

robinimmortal — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:36:26 -0800

@lycaoncomplex: No worries! ^___________^

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

redex — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:51:29 -0800

It was my birthday yesterday but I had an exam this morning so most of it was spent studying. This weekend will be for relaxation and catching up on personal things as the term winds down.

Love the headsplodsion too – ooh, look at those skull bits! Though I have to admit, I was hoping for a tank rather than just an armoured car. I love all these action scenes and short bits of dialogue.

@lycaoncomplex I've been staring at the wallpaper from last week for a while, so I think I've got them all figured out.
Short purple hair is Sirkka, long black hair and sweaterdress is KK, Caz is pretty obvious, long purple hair & bomber jacket has to be Arkady, short black hair is Kait, short black hair & converse is Miki.

@Dee_Noir I think I see your point, although I would say right hand guy is shortish but longer hair, left hand (driver) guy is the close-cropped hair. Both male. It doesn't look like he's climbing over his partner to get out, but it's possible. We'd have to hear from Mr Duffield.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

Paul Duffield — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:59:52 -0800

Redex has it right :)
The wallpaper from last week is a good way to identify them all. They're definitely all in consistent places. As for the police man, he was climbing over the police woman to squeeze out. I realised after I'd done this that it was a bit counter-intuitive so I'll swap them round in the original shot for the trade.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

senacherib — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:53:24 -0800

I just luuurve all the moral ambiguity; who is and who is not a goody or a baddy and to what extent. That and the longing to find out exactly who the Freakangels are, where they came from and how they got to be what they are .... starting a story in the middle is a good tale - telling.

halcyonday is right, London is very, very wet right now. Me and the missus are off to Yorkshire tomorrow, (Yorkshire is where rain comes from) to visit rellies.

senacherib

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jonni — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:53:58 -0800

Like a couple of other people I was a bit surprised to see just the police, no army or anything, but I actually really like it, there's something every British about the understatement.

Also seconding London being very wet, but I spend every day in a basement so it doesn't matter.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

Dotcommunist — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:21:33 -0800

I'm loving this look into the Freak Angels past. Mark really is what TV Tropes would call a 'Magnificent Bastard'

Some quality gore this week to. Thumbs up!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

diello — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:44:38 -0800

Magnificent Bastard sums up Mark perfectly. And Warren, come to think of it. And I think Mark is inching up to the top of my Favourite FreakAngels list. I can kinda see that Mark is a good guy, and he's right... They've got to change the rules to survive the game.

@Paul
Brilliant head explody!

@Ariana
Ariana is awesome!

@Warren
Can you use your super Internet Jesus powers to make it next week already? Please?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

Lissa77 — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:14:32 -0800

Soooo, I was way behind on the FreakAngels. Like, way behind. And I've been purposely reading them as slowly as I can force myself to in fear of that moment when I catch up to the latest episode and have to wait each week, like the rest of you. Sure, I was trying to make myself feel special for a bit by having a seemingly unending supply of FreakAngels at my fingertips. This morning, I reached the end. Foreboding, fear, excitement, and finally frustration that now I can do nothing but wait for more.

The flashback to pre-explody time rocks. I was lusting for some historical knowledge of the Angels, and seeing them back in the old days was pretty cool. Handsome bunch of freaks, they were. This entire story is unfolding in a beautiful way, and the level of suspense I feel at this point in it rivals 'what's in the hatch' memories. I mean, a unsolved, brutal murder, a cuckoo, violent Angel on the run, one Angel down, and now we get to see how the whole mess started? This is like chocolate covered sex with a cherry on top! :D

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

razrangel — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:34:40 -0800

"our parents gave us up" back-back story. Thanks

Still alive because time and my body mock me.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

stsparky — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:47:04 -0800

No reason to like Mark, no reason to like Luke. I care about the others.

If Mark can ninja himself behind Cait and make heads go pop - why would he need a sword? I'm confused.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

diello — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:16:51 -0800

@sparky
That's why my initial guess was that it was Kait's dad, or maybe it's someone else we've yet to meet in the flashback.

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Yskaya — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:45:06 -0800

oh my..

didn't expect arguments & reason from Mark, I was under the impression that he went cuckoo early on.

I speed read a lot of freak angels, it is very fine for my disorganized mind.

I get a lot of what now? need to read back moments to find out where I took a wrong turn of the page :)

Joy.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

mister hex — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:06:59 -0800

@diello - what a horribly interesting possibility. Where ARE the parents, while all this went on? And what connection do they all have?

This is why you're my favorite person I know named Diello.

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monstersandgods — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:39:26 -0800

I have just spent the last 24 hours reading all 75 episodes. Partly because I have the Nerd Flu, but mostly because of how AWESOME they were. I have to say that FA has easily become one of my top 5 comics and I will be coming back every Friday to read the next episode. I'll most likely pick up the trades this christmas sometime as well.

As for the comic itself, man, I LOVE IT. The characters have so much depth to them and yet there is plenty of action and badassery to go around. I don't know if I can even pick a favorite character, as they all, even Luke, have their moments where they shine. And the art, OH MY GOD, the art is so beautiful. I really love the fish eye views and the fight between Luke and Kirk in the rain, when Luke uses his ability and all of the water kind of stands back from Kirk, that was great.

Anyways, I'm not feeling so well so I'm gonna go chill for a bit, but I'll probably be a regular occurrence on the forum from now on.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

shadodragon — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:36:40 -0800

As always a great episode!! Love the cops's head exploding ... especially the 'WTF???' expression, nice.

It's nice to finally read a comic that has some actual thought in it.

I wish it was next week already.........

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

overand — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:49:31 -0800

stsparky said:

If Mark can ninja himself behind Cait and make heads go pop - why would he need a sword? I'm confused.

This is why I think it's just someone Mark has running on "Remote Control." At least, that's what I thought before we had a "Mark in the past" reveal.

My out-there theory? Mark did die, but he'd managed to 'upload' himself (see: infect) into various normal humans. Would they then have his powers? Hmm.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

iskander6891 — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:43:26 -0800

Anyone else's nerd radar catch the continuity error on page 5. When car first bursts in it's clearly a female police officer in the passenger seat (check the funny hat). But when Mark does his amazing exploding head trick it's a dude. But hey, an exploding head is an exploding head regardless of gender.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

rickiep00h — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:54:26 -0800

Anyone else's nerd radar catch the continuity error on page 5. When car first bursts in it's clearly a female police officer in the passenger seat (check the funny hat). But when Mark does his amazing exploding head trick it's a dude. But hey, an exploding head is an exploding head regardless of gender.

From page two of this very thread:

As for the police man, he was climbing over the police woman to squeeze out. I realised after I'd done this that it was a bit counter-intuitive so I'll swap them round in the original shot for the trade.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

Purple Wyrm — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:31:00 -0800

@overand - My out-there theory? Mark did die, but he'd managed to 'upload' himself (see: infect) into various normal humans. Would they then have his powers? Hmm.

Interesting theory, however the Mark that Alice ran into in Manchester looked like a FreakAngel (she says that Connor looks just like him) and definitely had the package (given what he was able to do to her head).

Of course maybe he was able to possess someone and the package changed them...

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AfriXan — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:58:30 -0800

@Purple Wyrm - Of course maybe he was able to possess someone and the package changed them...

Luke has hinted that most of the FA don't really know anything about the package, Mark is clearly very willing to use it in interesting ways (like running 50 ppl as drones). Maybe he learnt to shift his consciousness into other bodies.

He could be controlling someone remotely, like a puppet, and that is who is holding the sword. Alternatively he has the sword for an added edge against Kait, forcing her to deal with both a physical threat and a simultaneous psychic attack.

I hope his hair isn't too long, otherwise he'll look like a purple-haired Sephiroth.

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Paul Duffield — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:28:58 -0800

otherwise he'll look like a purple-haired Sephiroth.
Haha! XD That's an image I'll take to the grave.

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Dotcommunist — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:40:36 -0800

'Where ARE the parents, while all this went on? And what connection do they all have? '

Read John Wyndhams Midwitch Cuckoos. These are alien kids and the parents likely got the ticket to ride straight to the graveyard, which is seemingly the premise of the Freak Angels comics. What if they hadn't managed to blow the village up?

see also the excellent film adapt 'Village of The Damned' with Christopher Reeve (there is an older, crappier film adapt)

Then also see Day of The Triffids by the same author. The man had a good style for post apocalypse.

See also 'Chocky'. Not for post apocalypse but just because it is a really good bit of sci fi.

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Rootfireember — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:56:39 -0800

Inspiration doesn't mean that Warren's in any way bound to follow the novel to any precise degree. We just know he found some parts of the novel intriguing. We don't know what happened to their parents. Warren & Co. working on the novel could have whatever they want to happen. Maybe the parents are alive somewhere. Maybe they aren't. Maybe a meteor proclaimed the kids' births, maybe it was just a really crowded day in the delivery room...we don't know that much. In addition to the Midwitch Cuckoos, Warren's got a lifetime of memmories, things he's researched, seen and done, and the internet, to help him inform his work.

Also LOLing imagining a Freak-sephiroth.

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diello — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:10:29 -0800

@mister hex
D'awwww! I'll bet you say that to all the diellos ;)
Well, of all the hexes I've encountered, knowing you is not in any way a curse.

Question:
How long have the FAs been on their own (before the apocalypse, I mean)?

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mister hex — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:47:57 -0800

@ Diello - de rien, mademoiselle.

Their parents turned them in. There have been mentions of parental problems, specifically Jack and KK, waaaay back in Volume 1. (KK's mom was a hippie or something?)

The world's been destroyed for seven years now, at this point. Not sure how long they've been in Whitechapel but they didn't start out there.

@ dotcommunist - Yes, I've read Wyndham. Quite good. This is more than Wyndham and I'm not sure if all the parents are dead. (Reasonably sure. As sure as one can be.) We still don't know the origins of the package. (although I suspect in vitro genetic manipulation, rather than the more prosaic cosmic influence, like a meteor or something.) The guy behind Kait with the sword might very well be her dad.

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warrenellis — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:04:35 -0800

Read John Wyndhams Midwitch Cuckoos.

This isn't a sequel.

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NoCleverUserName — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:43:09 -0800

This isn't a sequel.

Hahahaha.

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Dotcommunist — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:38:49 -0800

Did I say that it was Warren?

I was pointing out that the escape and maturation to teenage years of the Freak Angels would have required SOME sort of drastic action given that the parents in Midwich Cuckoos conspired to kill them along with themselves.

I realise yours is a 'what if' re-imagining.

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warrenellis — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:53:09 -0800

Did I say that it was Warren?

You seem to think so:

Read John Wyndhams Midwitch Cuckoos. These are alien kids and the parents likely got the ticket to ride straight to the graveyard, which is seemingly the premise of the Freak Angels comics.

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Dotcommunist — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:01:23 -0800

It appears we have a failure of communication here. That comment was aimed at the idea that if the bomb had not gone off, the parents would have been 'dealt with' by the cuckoos.

That is not a sequel, it is a re-imagining. Which, by the way, is fucking ace and is my friday treat *I grind my teeth on skip weeks, but the shits free so musn't grumble).

So clear it up for me if you will be so kind, is this 'what would happen if the midwitch cuckoos had survived' or is it simply your own creation that riffs off of Wyndhams original creation of these children?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

mister hex — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:13:14 -0800

How long's the flashback going to last? A few more episodes at least, I hope and trust. And trust and hope.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

AndrewT — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:07:46 -0800

The Day of the Triffids and The Midwich Cuckoos were two of my favourite books from when I was a boy, admittedly a long time ago. I would like to know where FA turns away from The Midwich Cuckoos - obviously, before the bomb-in-a-bag and, it would appear, before the Children turned evil, say before they killed the car driver. The names of the Children have changed, of course, including ethnic origins - the original book was VERY English middle class. I'm looking forward to finding out if some of the other details of the original story will make an appearance in FA - the other colonies, for example.

As for films, somebody mentioned the 1960s film as being inferior to the 1995 version. I beg to differ - a lot. Moving Midwich to the US, incorporating graphic violence and rewriting whole chunks of it - including the ending - does not make it better. Anyway, I've a soft spot for early British sci-fi - anyone seen Quatermass and the Pit? Classic.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

Paul Duffield — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:15:41 -0800

I think intentionally or not, the guts of FA have more in common with the Chrysalids (and even then similarities aren't huge) than Wyndham's other work.

@Warren
I guess the comparisons are inevitable because of the way you talked about the project before release. I think the "what happened if the Midwich Cuckoos grew up" concept wormed its way into the way people who've been here from the beginning think about Freakangels, if only unconsciously. I've certainly played up to it with the visuals.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

senacherib — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:52:34 -0800

There is also the possibility that God has something to do with what created the powers of the FAs. Well, why not? There are twelve of them after all. And I don't mean any conventional kind of Jehovah, think of the God that dishes out a killer voice to the hero in "Preacher" and is some kind of celestial burn - out who can't control his own seraphim.

senacherib

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

iskander6891 — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:17:38 -0800

I'm a big Wyndham fan because the guy had such a brilliantly British perspective of sci-fi. I think this something Warren really taps into with this title.

As someone who lives in central London I also love the fact that the city plays such an integral part in the story and the aesthetic.

Out there theory: A bunch of former government scientist guys, and whats left of the British military, have Mark hooked up to some to some machine somewhere and are manipulating his abilities to attack the rest of the FAs. Mark is pretty much brain-dead at this point.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

mister hex — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:31:33 -0800

Out there theory? It was Dr Gargunza. Yes, Dr. Gargunza.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

johnjones — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:38:32 -0800

So clear it up for me if you will be so kind, is this 'what would happen if the midwitch cuckoos had survived' or is it simply your own creation that riffs off of Wyndhams original creation of these children?

It's pretty clear to me at least that it's the latter. And really, Freakangels travels much of the same territory as Rising Stars, as well. The starting points are essentially the same (a certain group of people born in the same place at the same time gain "superpowers" and the rest of the world reacts (mostly negatively) to this occurrence). That said, Warren is obviously exploring different territory than The Midwich Cuckoos and Rising Stars and in no way can his work be dismissed as a mere "What If" of those works, or any other.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

frexels — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:40:20 -0800

I love the character design over the last couple of chapters. I don't really know how to say it, but they look exactly like they act. The tracksuit is weird, considering everyone else's outfits are so awesome.

KK's hair is adorable.

Anyone else notice that Jack seems especially upset in the flashback? Everyone else seems uncomfortable or pissed at worst, but Jack looks like someone killed his puppy.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0075

NoCleverUserName — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:30:15 -0800

...but Jack looks like someone killed his puppy.

Maybe they did? Warren hasn't gotten into the backstory very deeply yet...