Whitechapel - FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T04:05:24-07:00

Previously on FREAKANGELS: The 'Angels totally fucked up the world but then Mark went a little crazyevil mind-overlord so they ran him out of town and Kirk and Karl were all like "that shit's a little weak" so they killed him with a FreakSpike to the FreakBrain only it turns out he's not dead and he came back to town right around the time Luke was shooting up the place so Jack shot Luke in his FreakFace only it turns out, you know what, the 'Angels just can't fucking die so Luke and Mark are both alive (albeit unconscious because, hello, they both just talk too fucking much) and Arkady, well, we're not exactly sure how many times she's died but I don't know if she was ever really all there.

And now: It's Friday, it's FREAKANGELS.

Good morning, Whitechapel. We've probably got a few folks that've been scarce the past three weeks while the comic was on hold -- how's everyone doing?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T04:16:46-07:00

Whoa, did Connor just shoot himself? Or did Arkady explode a bird?

Bewildered and perturbed.

Awesome ep as always.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T04:23:09-07:00

That was connor taking extra credit courses at FA university!

So nice to have this story back! Yaay!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T04:27:36-07:00

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T04:29:21-07:00

Wow. What a cliffhanger! Got to feel when this trade comes out, it wont have the same impact. Glad to have Freakangels back.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T04:29:26-07:00

And Kaz was going on about being the clever one; seems Connor was the one who put two and two together. Sides are even now -- Connor and Arkady stick Mark and Luke.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T04:33:08-07:00

Good morning. Back with a vengeance! Great episode.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T04:34:05-07:00

Looks like Connor shot himself to me.
We're going to be moving into rented accommodation in the next couple of weeks so my wife can be nearer her work/mother for the last few months of pregnancy, while we sort out the flat and sell it, and buy somewhere with more than 1 bedroom. I can't say I'm looking forward to leaving West London for the Essex borders. I realised I've lived in this flat for longer than anywhere else.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T04:51:01-07:00

Connor shot himself? But who gave him a weapon? Jack?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T04:53:25-07:00

What the....WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MEEEEEEE?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T05:08:09-07:00

Nice recap! And what an episode

Things going nicely, We're 6 weeks out from our sprog appearing (at least we hope that we're 6 weeks out) and trying to get the spare room turned into a nursery and the rest of the house in a state where we won't need to tidy it for a while...

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T05:11:58-07:00

hee hee hee poor emma

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T05:14:00-07:00

Holy shit. Way to come back with a bang.

The last three weeks have been interesting. Working like a dog, I lost more hair from work stress, and I've been scripting like a sumbitch. My birthday is in two weeks, which gives thalidomide-baby idiot children free reign and carte Blanche to call me bald, fat, and old. Which is awesome.

Glad to see duffield back on his feet! We need you healthy, dude!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T05:18:51-07:00

Great episode! Now all you need to do, Paul, is never get ill ever again. I think that's doable!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T05:23:16-07:00

Loved the panel where Arkady is looking at Connor's insides - amazing execution as ever by Mr Duffield.

As for my week - I successfully navigated a day-long audit that, if failed, would have led to some serious questions being asked of me by some serious and important people - as it was passed tho' I'll be left to get on with things as normal for another year...

Outside of work, really the only thing worthy of note from this week was the creation (alongside @Seantaclaus, ably assisted by the organisational fortitude of @heilbrittanica) of international crack-team Team Whitechapel (#teamwhitechapel on twitter).

well it beats working, doesn't it....

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T05:27:40-07:00

hahaha I know it's only been 3 weeks since the last ep but I actually forgot how much happier I am on a friday after reading FA!!! Loved two panels in this one, Arkady seeing conners insides like that and just the simplistic image of arkady looking at a bird than in the next panel "what;s it like to be you". Oh and the blood splatter from the bullet coming out the window, something about that image screams "bullet time". Amazing how in one image duffield can convey time being slowed down!
love it :D

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T05:32:57-07:00

That's it Duffield, back to work you slacker.

Has Connor really shot himself, or is Ellis fucking with us again? He had me (and some others) totally convinced that Arkady killed him however many decades ago that episode was.

Now what would be really funny would be if he has shot himself, and is actually dead and not coming back.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T05:34:37-07:00

...and back on form for another great episode! Things I wonder...

1: Does Arkady (and the other upgraded Angels) have permanent x-ray vision now?
2: Did Connor shoot himself, or was someone (one of Mark's zombies?) waiting for him?
3: Does a three week long near-death experience upgrade comic artists as well? Page 3 frame 1 and page 4 frame 3 are fantastic Paul!

My three weeks? Nothing much to report. Did get around to reading Ocean, and had the weird experience of realising halfway through that it was the story I read a fairly critical review of on a blog years back. Didn't affect my enjoyment of a really rippin' yarn however.

Oh, also stumbled over the Warren reference hidden in Fallout 3. That's about as exciting as it gets around here.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T05:54:00-07:00

Welp, it starts. One day one of them is going to build a board with a nail in it so large that it destroys the world.

Glad you're back, Paul. X-Ray Arkady is fantastic.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T05:55:28-07:00

Ahh, I needed that. This week has been a royal ballache on the road to a long birthday weekend, so getting my FA fix was much appreciated.

Man, I hope for Connor's sake that deliberate, self inflicted injuries aren't the big nasty loophole in the immortality deal. Particularly if you consider the potential for FA's forcing each other to off themselves using brain trickery. That said, we know they will all end up together forever, whatever happens ... don't we?

On another note - SKELLINGTONS!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T06:06:59-07:00

Nice to see you fit again Paul.

Hmmm! I said a while back that you should *never* play Risk with a FreakAngel.
Now, I suspect there are going to be a number of increasingly open minds. (Are Kaz and Karl slowly coming to the same conclusion?)

And, of course, new girl Alice will be left to clean up th' fookin' mess! (If someone remembers to get off the watch tower!)

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T06:23:56-07:00

I knew one of them would do this once they figured out that death would open the package more, but I have to admit that I never expected it to be CONNOR. The only person I would have expected less would have been Sirkka.

I understand Connor's reasoning (if, indeed, he is responsible for the blood and bullet we just saw) behind it. He's afraid that Mark and/or Luke will be powerful enough when they wake to be a threat to all of them and wants to be the ultimate good guy to stand against him... but with his pacifistic tendencies, what does he really expect to accomplish?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T06:36:10-07:00

@AisforAmy - I think we'll have intellectual might in the form of Arkady and Conner vs brute strength in the form of Mark and Luke. Mark and Luke like to think they're clever, but it usually just involves displays of power/dominance over actual "winning".

Of course, this is assuming Mark and Luke would actually align themselves. I think they're both too "lone-wolf sociopath" to work together.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T06:40:48-07:00

Well I've had a shit week, but I won't vent here. Saturday Night Open Mic will do, if we have one this week.
Great come back after 3 weeks off. Glad Paul's better.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T06:56:36-07:00

woweee wowee wow.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T06:57:22-07:00

Oh, so good to have this back. Hope all is well Paul; you we missed and made Fridays less desirable to live through without your talents on display.
Now, on Fridays, Warren and you give up.....more and more pondering and beautiful displayed cliff-hangers. Ahhhh! the world is correct and upright yet again.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T06:57:53-07:00

They can't kill each other, but that doesn't mean that KK can't relish keeping Luke in eternal torment for the destruction of her bike. I can't wait to see her new one!

What I want to know is, does Arkady see everyone with x-ray-type vision, now, or was she just checking Connor over for something?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T07:09:13-07:00

Fuck me that was 12 kinds of awesome. Like the feeling I got with bullet-with-blood-shock-oh-holy-shit-someones-shot-Connor followed by aha-clever-little-shit-wants-to-expand-his-package (so to speak). Whether or not it was him or someone else he may well get the "mental upgrade" he was previously enquiring about.

Paul, thanks again for some amazing art, and I'm glad you're mended.

And Warren. OH GOD WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO MY BRAIN.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T07:10:10-07:00

Wow. Spo glad that Freakangels is back. All I can think to say is

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T07:18:38-07:00

Arkady-vision is awesome and creepy at the same time. Does she see that way all the time, or is it when she wants to? Spooky implications indeed if it is all the time.

And that ending, presuming it was Connor shooting himself and not one of Mark's drones (or someone else targeting FAs), I knew that was coming. I knew it was coming and it still freaked me out! Well, I knew sooner or later one of them was going to deliberately kill themselves to test the theory. I thought it might be Karl that would do it, but I'm not entirely surprised that it's Connor. If that is what happened, and not something else.

Always worth the wait!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T07:25:53-07:00

Assuming Connor just tried to kill himself, being the friend of more than one person who committed suicide, and being a firm believer that those who do go that road are first degree asshole cowards to a T (including H.Thompson, yes) I hope Connor is dead, and no longer like him as a character.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T07:32:12-07:00

glad you're feeling better Paul - excellent artwork as always and yes I'd say it looks like Conner is trying to access more of the package.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T07:35:22-07:00

Assuming Connor just tried to kill himself

He may have shot himself, but I don't think his intention was to kill himself, in fact quite the opposite. That which does not kill us only makes us stronger, as some old German once said (although probably in German)

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T07:58:10-07:00

Well, heck that last frame sort of says it all, huh? Yes, a beautiful cliffhanger.

And it is also worth mentioning; Very glad you've recovered, Mr. Duffield. Now don't off and get sick before addressing this kind of cliffhanger, eh? ;)

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T08:06:04-07:00

Excellent return, Paul!

Suicide? Nah. That has a limited and predictable narrative path. Warren's just teasing us.

Mark knows Connor is onto him and has a plan for dealing with him, and he's scuttling that right now.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T08:17:49-07:00

oh Connor. When you got that look on your face whilst talking with Arkady my suspicions rose. And Arkady may well have got a flashforward - maybe that's why she saw the skeleton and hung around after you'd gone inside... You doofus.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T08:23:20-07:00

Welcome back, Paul.

This was the upturn the story needed. If it was going to be gone for a few weeks, THIS was the week for the comeback.

You click on page 6, expecting to see the hollow bones of a bird...and instead you get a giggle from our favorite space-case...and an act of heroic suicide.

Only Warren could make me put those two words together.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T08:25:36-07:00

Dear Paul: Glad you're back. Also, I have about a bucket of drool with your name on it for the GlowyInsidesConnor image. I will parcel it out in splashes and spurts.

Ariana, well I've moved in with my parents and we live in a town of notsomany people in NorthWestern Missouri, I still don't have a job and I may (or may not) be dating a Bachelor who lives somewhere entirely not the Midwest, or even the Great Plains. There are many visible stars that show themselves to me over the patio every night. The cats have adjusted well. Thanks for asking. How're things with you?

Thanks so much, all!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T08:42:14-07:00

First, awesome to have this back.

Second...what if you just cut off Mark's head while he's lying there?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T08:42:43-07:00

This was the upturn the story needed. If it was going to be gone for a few weeks, THIS was the week for the comeback.

You guys are lucky. Originally, this was going to be the episode before a one-week interlude. So you would've been hanging for two weeks after that last couple of panels...

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T08:44:40-07:00

Welcome back, Paul! We missed you <3

I knew knew KNEW Connor was thinking "let's totally knock each other (or ourselves) off and super-power the fuck up!" But I did not expect to hear a shot fired when he went upstairs, let alone see a bloody bullet shoot through his window!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T09:48:04-07:00

In a way it's kind of a twofer. You get to explore what it feels like to die, then come back as more of a badass.

What I'm really most curious about is what the crew will say to Connor when he's in death-limbo.

...unless, of course, the bullet found a different meatbag to traverse offscreen and there's more to this.

Anyway 'sbeen a weird few weeks. Wish these experiments would get themselves working so I would have more to do.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T09:50:42-07:00

Yep, I had that same feeling Diello, that Connor was going to do something completely fucking stupid like kill himself to open more of the package.

I did like the reveal about how Arkady see people, now that's some cool beans right there. Mad props to Mr. Paul Duffield and his two wonderful color assistants! I also loved that Arkady just visits other creatures' minds but doesn't take control, it's like a mental vacation from the stresses and bullshit that is the daily life of living in Whitechapel.

Great payoff for three weeks of waiting, to all involved, my hat off to you all! Cheers!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T10:06:15-07:00

Second...what if you just cut off Mark's head while he's lying there?

It would look much creepier than Luke's head hole. And much messier.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T10:27:59-07:00

Ta, great surprises in this comic. Well done.

@johnjones:

although better here

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T10:46:44-07:00

Well, we're returned to being left hanging on the edge of our seats. Good to be back.

I liked Arkady putting herself into the bird's mind briefly. She always finds the most refreshing and charming ways to use the package.

As for Conner. I went all the way back to episode 95, when he was initially packing his stuff to go - and I couldn't see any sign that Conner had/has a gun of any kind. In fact, all the way to the very beginning, when Alice had him under a knife, his owning a gun is never hinted at. I don't think he has one, or if he did, it's been kept REAL secret. So I'm not too sure that Conner just 'offed' himself to up his package.

Mind you, of everyone in the group, he's the least surprising ( to me, at least ) to do just that sort of thing, as he's always struck me as having the smallest ego of the group. ( Others may argue Arkady is a more appropriate choice, but 1. she's been nearly dead, and didn't think much of it, and 2. I think her ego is gigantic, but too soft and fuzzy to be offensive. ) At any rate, his unusual 'detachment' from the rest of them emotionally may make him the most likely to do something 'sacrificial' for the betterment of the rest.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T11:07:43-07:00

Thank you, Paul and Der Ellismeister. That hit the spot. I lose myself in those street scenes. And two reveals/shocks in 6 pages is good going.

Fridays just got better.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T11:20:25-07:00

Paul gets ill for three weeks, then they come back with this beauty of an episode. Maybe he was stalling just to help build up the tension for a 7 day cliff hanger like Conner (maybe) shooting himself.

Curses to you and your mindtricks Messrs Duffield and Ellis.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T11:39:57-07:00

I'm very happy to have FreakAngels (and Paul) back.

I'm in a weird place, the limbo of post-grad and pre-first job, filling out applications and trying not to get too distracted.

So, I'm happy FreakAngels is back.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T12:03:08-07:00

now, we all know that if connor had really done it right
he would have advanced to the next level
and simultaneously repaired the broken window!
Maybe next time...

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T12:05:41-07:00

Well done episode.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T12:09:06-07:00

Some amazing panels - the skel overlay in particular and another cliffhanger
Busy week here: looking for new bathroom, schlepping son n heir to Leeds fest, frantically trying to pull together an edited collection before the looming deadline ...

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T12:19:07-07:00

Wonderful ep! I could definitely see the direction Connor's mind was heading in before he went upstairs - which makes me much more suspicious that it was actually a hit job! Some people have got some good questions about Connor's gun ownership, although I don't presume to know the contents of all the FA's dresser drawers yet.

Loved the skeleton pic, Paul! Thought the left humerus head should have been a bit wider in proportion to the shaft, but it was perhaps an odd angle to have to draw the arm. Also, that's very nit-picky ;).

Since we last had a regularly-scheduled Freakangels I've worked in Alabama and moved through several other states, as well as moving three separate times. Am now starting a PhD program, which happily suggests that I won't be moving anywhere new for awhile. Things are good, but are about to get a bit mad.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T13:06:03-07:00

... ...

I went from *omg-someone-got-attacked!* to *-OMG-Connor-shot-himself-you-clever-bastard* and then fell into a myriad of speculation after reading everyone's comments.

1) Why would Connor be so blatant about it? He doesn't strike me as the kind to go out with a bang, literally.

2) Also, assuming Connor did kill himself, I get a feeling that when he goes up one level of advanced conciousness, he might not be able to take it. Like Arkady said - its hard to tell the difference between spaced out and heightened awareness.

My god, I wouldn't be able to take it if I woke up with advanced conciousness one day and saw everyone around me as walking skeletons. I'll probably shot myself. And then I get to see something less disturbing like souls or electrical synapse firing or something. >_<

3) I wonder if there will be a mass orgy of suicide. That will be cool. =)

Hooray for Paul's resurrection into Warren's Drawing Slave!

In real life I'm being depressed that onemanga.com closed down three weeks ago so I can't get my weekly fix of manga, and the last few weeks were hell as well because freakangels was on break too. =(

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T13:33:42-07:00

The 3rd panel on page four freaked me out. XD Wasn't expecting that. But I assume it's different for each of them. I doubt Luke would start seeing the same things Arkady is, let alone able to transfer her mind into an animal's.

I had a feeling Connor was interested in the 'theory' but I didn't expect him to do something like that so quickly. I'm a bit worried over his 'death' even though I know he'll come out alright. =(

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T13:38:18-07:00

welcome back. and damn those fucking bird assassins, damn them!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T14:24:10-07:00

Connor, you tosser.

Brilliant episode.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T14:52:50-07:00

So...what if Connor didn't just open his package more (or have it opened for him), but ends up with a seriously modified personality? Sure, Arkady's all nice and floaty and spaced out a lot of the time, but what if the opposite is true for Connor? He could theoretically end up worse than Luke and Mark combined.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T15:08:36-07:00

Yes. He could.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T15:55:47-07:00

Power corrupts, and absolute power...

Of course, I think it's a bit funny that we're all debating whether Conner killed himself when it's been made obvious that JUST ISN'T POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO DO.

Interesting, um, 'hint'. What does the 'weakling' of the group do when he's suddenly able to push everyone else around? And thus far, there's been no absolute for measuring just HOW much of the package is opened up when they 'die', and nothing that says that each will get an equivalent amount of the package opened up for them when they do. We've certainly seen that they don't all get the SAME jump from death. Arkady learned to teleport, Mark didn't.
And - what if INTENTIONALLY doing such a thing has a more profound effect than it happening unintentionally/accidentally?

Of course, we're still presuming that it was Conner getting shot/shooting himself. This time next week we'll probably all be gob-smacked again.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T15:59:33-07:00

Anyone remember way back in the day when Mark sent Alice to kill the others? Makes me wonder if Mark understood how dying affects the the package, having died once himself, and wanted to provide a demonstration. Or, if he was oblivious and would have ended up with a furious group of super-'angels as adversaries. If Mark really is the leader and strategist that he seems to be in flashbacks then his Alice-fueled homicide attempt could have been his way of trying to united the 'angels as transhumans. Murdering randomly so they could see what Kady saw, that they are all suck together ad infinitum.

And possibly I'm giving Mark too much credit; and i should really just say, "Wow Mr. Warren. Thank you. You make my brain hurt in a good way"

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T17:29:12-07:00

AAAAAHHHHHH....oh god that was great, but kind of like getting 2 seconds from orgasm and someone shoving half-naked pictures of Jack Nicholson in my face. Nice.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T19:08:10-07:00

I wonder if that's how Arkady sees everyone, all the time. There are too many "if's". My brain hurts so much, from thinking about this. I read it this morning, then left and had fun. Now I'm back and can't stop thinking about it again. I think I'll go back and read it all from the beginning, this weekend.

Everything else in life is grand. I'm happy, and wish everyone else was too.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T19:41:40-07:00

@ Dextra- I prefer forty pictures of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas naked and feeding each other asparagus to sharpen my concentration before I commence wanking my self into oblivion whilst I leer at the women in my Avatar Press comics [mostly Warren Ellis books].

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T19:51:26-07:00

...Have I just spotted a mistake?

"You and Karl..." says Caz. Who is she speaking to?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T20:00:03-07:00

Aghghhhg. Just leave it to the writer to kill himself.

I'm a little worried about Connor now. I mean, he's a peaceful, likeable fellow (see Connor vs. Alice), but he's also melancholy and doesn't have the best self-esteem. He's also the FA Historian, a role which I'm sure could have better described at times as FA Keeper of Toxic Waste. These negative factors could mutate...

Or maybe he just shot a cat for the lulz and he'll come out saying JUST KIDDING READERZZ! HA HA

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T20:14:21-07:00

AUGHHH. I totally should have put off reading until Sunday. Running around today hours behind my own schedule (nothing new there, really) and now I needed to be on the road an hour or two ago for a retreat in the desert with my theatre company. But NOOOO I have to get my FA fix first. And now I'm both thinking "FUcking NICE!!!!" And Augh! Goddammit now I have to stick around just a bit longer. No time to read what everyone has written so far - I'll get to it in a few days.

For now... something about Connor's over-explaining to Arkady that he was going to put his things down and then take care of things made me think he wasn't being totally forthcoming. Interesting. 1. Kait would have never been taken in by that. But, of course Kait is suspicious as heck and 'Kady certainly isn't. Yet, I still wonder is the package specializations follow personality traits or if its vice versa. 2. After their conversation I'm really REALLY curious about what opened up the package in the first place. Did they all have a death-experience early in their childhood?

Oh, and I am assuming connor shot himself. Though I never would have assumed before this that he kept his own weapon. But it would have seemed wise of him to pick on up on his way out of town.

Right. Outa here. Week has been insane. Life will stay that way for a while. Trying not to freak out about my debt. That's also par for the course....

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T20:15:43-07:00

Damn, this story has more cliffhangers per page that anything else out there. Whoever said the folks who wait for the TPB are missing the suspense nailed it.

Can't wait for next week to see what actually happened upstairs.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T21:48:24-07:00

for, "brain-hole," many thanks.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T22:32:55-07:00

Connor doesn't fuck around when it comes to testing an idea, does he? "We get more power when we die? Well, time to ventilate my skull then."

Also, makes me think of this:

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T22:41:34-07:00

Wow, one heck of a way to come back, guys... welcome back!

Thinking about Arkady's "flash-forwarding" or whatever it is: It's probably just as well she's a little spacey, because if she was closer to normal before getting that ability, I think it would have sent her totally gaga...

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-27T23:40:15-07:00

Another thing I noticed just now:

In the panel where 'Kady is looking at Conner she's not JUST seeing his bones and aura. Look at the background - she's looking THROUGH the buildings, and seeing the furniture in them, and through the street to the sewer and water pipes.
In fact, it's clearly daytime while they're walking, yet in the background the SKY IS FULL OF STARS!

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-28T00:29:57-07:00

Heh. Reminds me a bit of when I got my first PC, a 486/66. There was a DOS shell I had no idea how to access, but I knew it popped up when I started my PC, so I'd type in autoexec.bat to make it kick into gear. After learning the system better I figured out what it was that accessed the bit I needed. I'm guessing a bullet to the skull might be a similar overkill, x one billion.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-28T00:44:26-07:00

How is anyone sure Connor killed himself?
The way the bullet leaves the window isn't possible for someone to shoot themselves that way. <---reminds me of a Sherlock Holmes case really.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-28T02:54:18-07:00

Berserker seems to have been the first to notice all the many things going on in the panel with Ark-o-vision besides that she can apparently see electromagnetic fields and stuff. Thanks for making that observation, cause I'd have missed it otherwise. From this we can infer that Arkady can see a great deal of things that aren't even physically there to see - stars are lights that are less bright than the day sky, it's like eating sugar and then more sugar and still be able to taste the first sugar through the second. I think she's experiencing the presence of those stars by some sense other than vision. Which would mean she can feel their gravity or heat or something from light years away.

And, with all that going on, I really doubt it's something she switches on just for the occasion.

As for Connor trying to kill himself, it makes sense intellectually. I can see him going over it in his head: If it works, it has several benefits, such as letting him get away like he wanted before he learned of Arkady's theory. Also it would prove that they can die, which at this stage would be essential knowledge. His death would conceivably save Arkady's life, at least, and she's strategically more important than him so that's alright. And if it doesn't work, it's all good.

Though I might be attributing Connor with uncharacteristic sound logic and strategic thinking. It takes a big damn hero to coldly evaluate the benefit for others of your own death. (See: Every protagonist ever written by Frank Miller.) But I'm assuming Connor wants to be that guy, on this occasion. And that he's shellshocked (or maybe enlightened) enough from Arkady's mindbombing to act on that impulse.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-28T03:40:44-07:00

FA, w00t!!
Connor did the emo thing, lol. :} great episode! love Arkady's new vision. ;P

p.s. are we in for another head hole display? i had just forgotten Luke... xD :}

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-28T03:55:28-07:00

Holy cow. The fearlessness of the willing experimenter, embodied wholly by Connor in one pull of the trigger.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-28T06:23:32-07:00

Anyone remember way back in the day when Mark sent Alice to kill the others? Makes me wonder if Mark understood how dying affects the the package, having died once himself, and wanted to provide a demonstration.

His recollection suggests otherwise. A new theory: Mark didn't get the same trip Luke and Arkady did. He talks big about all the things he's learned to do, but the sum of his demonstrated extended abilities is shielding himself so I'm thinking he's not unlocked anything from dying. He probably would remember communing with himself and the gang from the far future. Which leads us to believe he's actively denied enlightenment by his future self. I wonder if there's something he needs to learn involving being less powerful than anyone else. . .

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-28T06:54:03-07:00

My first thought was the the same as someone else here--if he did shoot himself, what if intentionally causing one's own death nullified the "rebirth" effect. That would be hilarious.

In a morbid sort of way.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-28T07:07:08-07:00

Yes. He could.

You're quite plainly evil, you know that?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-29T00:21:51-07:00

Hmmm! Just had another thought:

Not being permanently affected by bullets and wotnot makes the 'big pushback' that set the heavens spinning and the world turned upside down a bit of an over-reaction.

Also, Luke's current state suggests that his brain's just for keeping the sawdust out of his head: where's the real thought processing going on?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-29T05:34:30-07:00

Just because the FA can't be killed doesn't mean they couldn't have spent an eternity under agonizing torture by evil government scientists.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-29T06:48:50-07:00

Also, Luke's current state suggests that his brain's just for keeping the sawdust out of his head: where's the real thought processing going on?

You know, I was about to say "We were seeing it right up until KK hit him with a fucking chair," but then I actually thought about it for a bit. That's a mighty fine point there. Also, walking around with half your brain blown out makes it seem a bit unusual that one could lose consciousness from brain trauma at all (hence being hit with a fucking chair would probably hurt but...)

You know what? I'm willing to suspend my belief on this one. Not everything has to make sense all the time. >.<

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-29T10:24:53-07:00

You never expect it, but its always the quiet ones. Are we going to see a superfreakangels conflict; Connor and 'Kady Vs Luke and Mark?
If Connor suspected Luke and Mark would team up he may have wanted to even the odds. Could Arkady stop Luke and Mark alone? If Connor has shot himself (and thats if, this is being written by Warren Ellis remember, never take anything to be what it seems) I dont think he's doing it because he wants a fight, he's the compassionate one, he's doing it so Arkady doesnt have to do it alone.
Maybe he's just tired of being the person who steps back, watches and records.

However, going back to what I had written in brackets earlier, its also possible someone was up there waiting for Connor. Although the side effect could still be a more superpowered Connor.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-29T12:03:57-07:00

Well, I agree with Sherlock, but we really dson't know what happened, dp we? And since when Connor owns guns ready for use?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-29T12:11:36-07:00

Second bout of paranoid speculation:

1- Anyone remembers who has a gun in the Freakangels community?

2- A second random thought: Could Mark be possibly controlling people even though he is unconscious - which was hinted somewhere before...and could it be Alice (being mind controlled) shooting Connor?

Ahhh that theory is just waiting to be shot down. ^_^

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-29T14:53:00-07:00

He'll be back... Wonderfully bizarre.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-29T16:00:15-07:00

As arf and rickep00h were discussing " where's the real thought processing going on?", how about this. One possibility can be that the FAs are hyper-dimensional beings. The String and M-theories of theoretical physics require 11 dimensions, not just the three plus time that we experience.

One could think of the FAs as being a 3D+time shadow or projection of some hyper-dimensional person. In that instance, the actual life and thinking would be (at least mostly) in the other higher dimensions.

So shooting a shadow would cause little or no harm to the actual being.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-29T18:27:30-07:00

I've read beginning to current of FA in two days, and almost cried when I caught up today. I hate cliffhangers, but I love this story. Did it trip anyone else out what Arkady's view of Connor was?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-30T07:11:03-07:00

Arkady and Luke have gone through actual physical deaths, Mark was mentally spiked (allegedly) to death but did he actually physically die and get a power up?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-30T08:17:46-07:00

Also, Luke's current state suggests that his brain's just for keeping the sawdust out of his head: where's the real thought processing going on?

I think that Luke explained fairly well that the Freakangel brains do indeed exist somewhat outside of themselves - but it seems pretty fair to say that they're still at least anchored to the meat. So while messing with the meat will disturb that 'brain field', it won't destroy it. It also seems that they greater the damage done to the meat - and therefore the more work that field has to do to repair it - the greater the improvement to the package. Almost like it's making the meat a better substrate for it to interact with - and if that's at all accurate, Luke just got a huge boost.

I guess a fairly shitty analogy would be computers and the internet. Your computer can die, but the internet will still be around. And then you get a newer, better computer and bang, better than ever internet surfing.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-30T16:02:39-07:00

1) I don't believe they HAVE to die to power up. Arkady has shown others how to do things, essentially reaching into their minds and powering them up.
2) Arkady didn't remember clearly the future them the first time, so no surprise if Mark didn't.
3) If you cut the head off would the body grow a new head or the head a new body? (Or both;)
4) We don't have to worry about anything of them becoming permanently dead, cause there are 12 in the future visions.
5) Conner is the most secretive bastard, sitting back and observing. We find out very little about him, so why couldn't he have a gun?
6) I think the drones are 50/50 likely to have killed him.
7) We saw before that Mark can give a mission to a drone and wouldn't have to be actively controlling them.
8) I love FA, I am in awe of its creator and artist and colorists et.al. Thanks, you frustrate the crap out of my and I like it. Must be a masochist.
9) I love all my fellow whitechapelists. I don't often meet people that like things I like in real world.
10) Find out Wednesday if I get to move forward in my mission to get a Google job. Send good wishes.
11) Heh, heh, heh, the new machine o'doom that KK is building is going to be awesome.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-30T18:41:35-07:00

I love it when things play out exactly how I would've written them. As soon as he brought up the "death experience," I immediately thought: "Does he have the balls to shoot himself, or would he go the female route and OD, or will he ask her to do it?"

Here's hoping he kills himself a couple of times to get even more powerful. :D

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-30T22:22:14-07:00

We saw before that Mark can give a mission to a drone and wouldn't have to be actively controlling them.

I remember Karl talking of a "subliminal order by Mark" to Alice. What if she finally shot poor Con?
I quite like Con, is a wounded, lonesome, loveless gentle chap, not a "secretive bastard". I hope he isn't dead for long

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-30T22:30:15-07:00

1) I don't believe they HAVE to die to power up. Arkady has shown others how to do things, essentially reaching into their minds and powering them up.

This much is true, but it's also pretty obvious that when the Death Level Up happens, it's generally a big bump with unexpected results. Sort of like finding out you can suddenly just play the guitar, versus spending months practicing scales.

5) Conner is the most secretive bastard, sitting back and observing. We find out very little about him, so why couldn't he have a gun?

Secretive, or simply not very talkative? Plenty of people will flat-out tell you what they're doing if you ask. Like Conner told 'Kady exactly what he was up to when someone finally bothered to check on him.

@Berserker - Really, the human body is probably its own best example. You lose and regenerate little bits of you all the time, and it's the old Theseus Paradox. What makes you, you?

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-08-31T12:10:20-07:00

Sort of like finding out you can suddenly just play the guitar, versus spending months practicing scales.

Or like suddenly being able to play the French Horn when you wanted to play guitar, and then you tend to go for long loud notes that, though impressive, might just annoy people because you've also gone a bit mad.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-09-01T17:40:43-07:00

So, I was brushing my teeth and thinking about whatever and it occurred to me: did maybe Jack, when he got conked on the head by the Mudlark, did he maybe get the thing that makes it easier to access more of the package deal? only maybe he doesn't know it, because as much as I heart Jack, he is kind of, well, focused.

yeah. tooth brushing thought. back to your programming.

FREAKANGELS Episode 0106

2010-09-02T00:28:53-07:00

I just spent a lovely evening catching up, hadn't had a FreakAngel fix since episode 45ish. Absolutely wonderful.

So I ended around CHIKINZ and now We have SKELETINZ. Awesome.

Who do I have to kill to buy a travel mug?