Comic for June 7th, 2017: Paying The Price

[MuonNeutrino]

Alt-text: Paying The Price

Sketch version (not uploaded yet as of this post, put presumably soon enough)

Eric seems to be growing up a bit. I think we too easily forget that he's actually pretty young, as 'worldly' as he may be. This whole thing has probably been quite the learning experience for him...

[Lordadmiral Drake]

Yea, Eric really has changed. And I'd say for the better

Honestly though, this is the last thing I'd have expected for the next scene change to switch to

[BadFoMo]

[Joke]It was at that moment Mike gained his lust for money and power causing him to become an industrial tycoon (it also led to him building an underwater city, but that's another story entirely).[/Joke]

Eric seems to be growing up a bit. I think we too easily forget that he's actually pretty young, as 'worldly' as he may be. This whole thing has probably been quite the learning experience for him...

I'm sorry, but I must've missed something. How exactly was Eric, uh, not grown up?


Also, was the page updated before I got here?

[MuonNeutrino]

Eric seems to be growing up a bit. I think we too easily forget that he's actually pretty young, as 'worldly' as he may be. This whole thing has probably been quite the learning experience for him...

I'm sorry, but I must've missed something. How exactly was Eric, uh, not grown up?

I meant 'growing up' along the lines of having his viewpoints challenged, getting a wider perspective on the world, etc. One gets the impression that his life to this point had been... almost *too* orderly. Yes, he's a businessman and trader, well traveled, well educated, apparently more lenient with his slaves than many humans, etc, but it doesn't seem like any of that had been enough to really make him sit down and think about his life and the views on the world that he grew up with. To look up from his own concerns and actually think about what keeping slaves really means, to think about things from viewpoints other than his own, and to generally penetrate that secure, satisfied mindset and potentially shake up his sense of right and wrong. It hasn't been front and center, given the general focus on the main quartet and their interactions, but it's been a subtext of much of the screentime he's had since the island.

Like I said, for all his air of worldliness he's only 20 according to the cast page. (And it makes me feel old to realize that I referred to 20 as 'pretty young' in my first post without even thinking about it. ) 20 may be an adult, but still a young one, and it's not like we magically get all our maturing done before then. I know *I* was still a frigging idiot in a lot of ways when I was 20! (Not to say that I'm not *still* an idiot at times, just an older one. ) He's experienced events that have shaken up his worldview and make him think about his attitudes in ways that he hadn't before, and that's how growth (potentially) happens.

[Cosmacelf]

Now all we need is for Kat to hit Eric with a baseball bat to wake him up to what's right in front of his eyes, and he'll be all set.

Mike is going to have a big crisis though. Odds are he's going to want to continue to work for Eric, if that's possible.

[Cosmacelf]

Oh, and THANK YOU TOM, for posting two comics so quickly! It's a treat!

[GaySailors]

2 great comics in 2 days? You're spoiling us Tom. I have a hunch Mike will stay with Eric. I don't know about Evals.

Also, Eric is surprisingly attractive without his glasses on. I think this is the first time we've seen him as his age, before hes always looked older, but he really looks good with his glasses off and his hair down.

[Rafe]

Eric looks pretty depressed, as you might expect after losing a big chunk of his livelihood, and I assume also having some major regrets about his actions. Evals seems to be pretty balanced and forgiving about everything.

What has me wondering is what is going through Mike's head. He looks completely sad and unsure about what's going on. It could be that he never let himself even imagine what it would be like if he was released from bondage and has no idea what to do now. Maybe he will try to stay with Eric as Cosmacelf suggested. Maybe he has some other ideas. At the moment, though, poor Mike looks completely lost.

Also, can't help but notice the "T.L." monogrammed towel on Eric's shoulder.

[Hayate]

Wow, Eric does have a heart in there somewhere. I always pictured him being way more selfish than this. Its odd to see he even pays them. Then again, he does say this trip has opened his eyes and all that. I guess its changed him for the better. I still think Kat is way too good for him though...

[Dadrobit]

Said it in chat, I'll say it again here.

Awww, poor Mike looks so astounded at the prospect of owning money...

I think it's a safe bet that Mike will probably at least ask to remain in service to Eric, but the wildcard here is Evals. Endgame, my guess is that either he'll stay as well after considering his friendship with Mike, or Mike leaves begrudgingly after considering his friendship with Evals. I don't think Tom has it in him to break them up.

[Dadrobit]

This is gonna be one of the rare times I post around these parts, but I want to note that Eric got a HUGE revamp. His design is definitely way different than what it has been recently (recently?).

Okay, continue with your regularly scheduled conversations.

Not really imo. He let his hair down, and the lighting Tom managed here is fairly dark and a step up in quality as of late, but Eric's design is much the same bar a few hair positions and a panel without his glasses.

[Cosmacelf]

You guys should remember that Eric saved the entire group from a Templar prison after only meeting them for an evening. And he saved Kat from his older brother. Eric does indeed have a heart and compassion.

[graufuchs]

This is a really good scene. I'm also interested in what Mike will do. We already know Evals wants to go home to his tribe, but Mike likely wouldn't be welcome or safe there. (Foxes seem to be popular slaver-bait.) Mike has also said that he basically likes his life as it is. Being free would be cool and all, but he only knows life working in human cities.

[GaySailors]

So... what happens to Eric now? The plan was to get to the city and than go their separate ways. Eric doesn't have a ship at hand anymore, so he cant sail back like he was intending. He'll be trying to leave, and that means Kat will too.
As much as hes been there, he isn't a part of the group. Hes just the middleman for the trip, and happened to sell some slaves along the way. Hes leaving, unless he has a reason to stay with the group and head to Lynn'Knoll.

Enter Kat.

She loves Eric, and shes always wanted to experience the world. For her, Lynn'Knoll would be perfect, but the only way she'd be able to go is if Eric had a motivation.

Such as wanting to live with Kat after she told him she loves him, and he reciprocates the feeling.

[TinyVoices]

I dunno why, but this was a really wholesome page. I felt really nice after reading it. Maybe it was just how happy Mike is at making money. And of course also them being freed now, and Eric admitting some character development.