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Redridge Express Page 13
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Redridge Express Page 13

on April 13, 2014
Chapter: Book 6: The Redridge Express
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Discussion ¬

    • Webcomic Wednesday: "Next Town Over" Review
      February 3, 2016, 6:49 pm | #
  1. Craythey
    Craythey
    April 13, 2014, 3:07 pm | # | Reply

    I want that sword. But without all the burn-y effects holding it would have. Also, considering all the things Vane has a knowledge of, I’m beginning to wonder if she was some sort of professor.

    • jsfury
      jsfury
      April 13, 2014, 7:56 pm | # | Reply

      So you basically want a light saber. As for Vane and her knowledge, well I know she was some kind of doctor/scientist. But she also has a good knowledge of mechanical things. She’s still very much a mystery. And a damn angry one too.

  2. Fragmaster
    Fragmaster
    April 13, 2014, 4:33 pm | # | Reply

    “was never your LONG suit.” Replace “long” with the word “strong”.

    Dear diary,

    Today I helped!

    • Nick V
      Nick V
      April 13, 2014, 6:07 pm | # | Reply

      Actually, according to this: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/long%20suit
      it is a 1800’s way to say strong suit.

    • Some Guy
      Some Guy
      April 13, 2014, 7:31 pm | # | Reply

      Dear diary,

      Today I was a smartass bout stuff I don’t know.

      Nick is right, though I’ve heard both in modern speech myself.

    • Ben
      Ben
      April 14, 2014, 6:58 pm | # | Reply

      Thanks all.

      And yeah, strong is the far more common variant, but if you’re familiar with the roots of these terms both make sense. I chose the old-timey, less familiar one to maintain some remove on the setting.

      … although honestly, in cards, your long suit isn’t necessarily also your strong suit. 🙂

      • Storel
        Storel
        May 4, 2016, 7:54 pm | # | Reply

        Depends a lot on which card game you’re playing, I suppose.

  3. Nick V
    Nick V
    April 13, 2014, 6:08 pm | # | Reply

    I am really really digging this chapter, exciting stuff, great art, good job 🙂

    • Ben
      Ben
      April 14, 2014, 6:59 pm | # | Reply

      Thanks so much, Nick!

  4. Tie Toter
    Tie Toter
    April 13, 2014, 6:37 pm | # | Reply

    Wow…
    Just when you think it can’t get much better…

    The story is great and the little details of artwork are wonderful. The glove burning away from the bullet wound in his hand really makes you wonder what he really is since it’s obvious he is not human…

    • Ryan
      Ryan
      April 13, 2014, 9:15 pm | # | Reply

      He is a wizard, the bullet went strait through is hand and he used fire magic to cauterize it, which had a negative effect on his glove. Still possible he is technically human.

    • Ben
      Ben
      April 14, 2014, 6:59 pm | # | Reply

      Thanks for the kind words, TT!

  5. jsfury
    jsfury
    April 13, 2014, 8:09 pm | # | Reply

    HEY JPRIME! SHE DIDN’T FREAKIN’ MISS THIS TIME DID SHE?!?!?! An she’s still only about three feet away. This is getting real interesting.

  6. Javier
    Javier
    April 13, 2014, 11:24 pm | # | Reply

    Hunter is one powerful and versatile mage. His pyromancy doesn’t just have offensive, destructive or transformative capabilities; he just used it to plug a hole in his hand. To be honest, I thought all the injuries and wounds he survived was because of some other trait or ability rather his fire magic.

    That said, does his pyromancy actually heal him or does it just cauterize his wounds? Gotta point out that while cauterization is effective is staunching the flow of blood, it also greatly raises the risk of infection. I’m guessing it also heals him, but it’s quite possible that he just cauterizes his wounds while beating infection (he’d still need to heal from the damage, though).

  7. Cowdog
    Cowdog
    April 14, 2014, 1:33 am | # | Reply

    She has the accuracy to shoot his hand, but not his head? Come on now…..

  8. Dchil
    Dchil
    April 14, 2014, 2:29 am | # | Reply

    SHOOT FOR CENTER MASS ALREADY!!

    • der matologe
      der matologe
      April 14, 2014, 4:54 am | # | Reply

      Hunter´s (too) quick anyway. The split-second he sees the triggerfinger moving, he´s evading already. You can only take him by surprise, i guess.

  9. wingsofwrath
    wingsofwrath
    April 14, 2014, 8:07 am | # | Reply

    At this point, I am not convinced even a perfect centre mass shot would do anything. Theoretically, any hit to the Thoracic Triangle would result in instant death and even the shock wave from a near miss could be fatal, but with Hunter, I just don’t know if that’s enough to finish the job.
    My best guess is stake him through the heart with a silver-tipped wooden stake, then behead him and bury him at a crossroads with his mouth full of garlic…
    Either that or invite him to dinner, poison him, shoot him and then throw him in the icy Neva river. That old trick is guaranteed to work well and makes for a catchy song afterwards.

    Oh, and whatever you do, and I can’t stress this enough, DON’T TRY TO BURN THE BODY! XD

    Seriously though, I’m not even sure Vane knows what she wants at this point. I’m not sure why she shot Hunter in the hand (if that was indeed where she aimed) since she already established the fact he wouldn’t be able to unhook the car, whatever he does.

    Was the shot more like punctuation for her speech or something, to add a little more emphasis?

    Also, she does seem to go back and forth a lot between trying to kill him outright and just generally getting in his way and trying to stop him from doing whatever it is he’s trying to do.

    Aaargh, woman, make up your mind already!

    That being said, this is effective writing for the character, because we can obviously see she is conflicted about killing Hunter, as well she should, considering the kind of backstory they seem to share and we are only being hinted at…

    • My_Little_Annie
      My_Little_Annie
      April 14, 2014, 8:38 am | # | Reply

      Excellent analysis. I agree, she could have shot Hunter in the head in this scene, what with her TWO guns and no way for him to escape quickly enough.

      Maybe the reason she doesn’t want him dead is more practical than emotional though.

      Vane is one cold bitch.
      We’ve seen Hunter be nice to a kid and a dog, even when he didn’t have a real reason to do so. Vane might have flashbacks of her life with Hunter, but HE, not she, is the one gazing at a sentimental object left over from that relationship (his pocket watch). Hunter has also been horrified about what Vane has been doing to Diamonds. But Vane? Her version of “nice” was not killing the cowboy brothers when she stole all their stuff. Her version of “nice” is trying to offer money before shooting a blacksmith in the hand instead of the head.

      Vane wants something from Hunter, and she won’t kill him until she gets it.

      • mschief
        mschief
        April 14, 2014, 9:27 am | # | Reply

        Agree. She must want something else from him..?

        Can he un-zombie her?

        • jsfury
          jsfury
          April 14, 2014, 3:43 pm | # | Reply

          Hmmm, Maybe, maybe. Got to admit, that thoughts always been floating around. Good call if that’s it mschief.

      • Dchil
        Dchil
        April 14, 2014, 7:15 pm | # | Reply

        She’s not exactly looking down the sights on either pistol….

        Maybe she would do better if she pulled her Brass pistol that fores the explosive rounds.

        • Dchil
          Dchil
          April 14, 2014, 7:17 pm | # | Reply

          *Fires

          And if she used the sights.

        • StupendousMan88
          StupendousMan88
          April 14, 2014, 11:03 pm | # | Reply

          Those pistols and contemporary revolvers were designed to be pointable, meaning that it would be more like pointing a finger than a gun. Very simple to use on the ground or on a horse and accurate to short ranges. She can kill him but she wants something.

          • wingsofwrath
            wingsofwrath
            April 17, 2014, 5:54 am | #

            Agreed. Interestingly though, the “point vs aim” while snap-shooting debate is still raging on, even with modern sidearms with proper sights on them. Some people swear by it, but like everything else in shooting, I’d say go with what works best for you, specifically – for example, I much prefer the Chapman stance to Weaver or Isosceles and aiming to pointing, but that is mainly because I am cross-dominant and primarily trained with longarms.

  10. My_Little_Annie
    My_Little_Annie
    April 14, 2014, 8:43 am | # | Reply

    DRAMATIC COAT FLAIR!

    Oh what a terrible world it would be without long capes, cloaks and coats.

  11. Mfundo
    Mfundo
    April 14, 2014, 2:41 pm | # | Reply

    woooa this is soo cool, how did you as an artist get to have knowledge of this engineering stuff and therefore Incorporate it into your story–how can one get hold of knowledge outside of thier field and make it an intergral part of the story

    can you advise me pleace

    • Cannoli Cheese
      Cannoli Cheese
      April 14, 2014, 5:05 pm | # | Reply

      It’s not unusual.

      I write books for a living. I painted and did photography in high school, but professionally I started out in civil engineering, then had to reinvent myself several times when this or that sector of the economy disappeared. For example, in 1993, infrastructure spending was cut ~80% and most engineering went with it. At that time I was working in materials and tested concrete, mortar, grout, asphalt, aggregates, etc. for dams, runways, roads, and other public works. When the jobs disappeared, I went back to school and got new degrees in geology and conservation. Worked in endangered species. Then, that went, with agencies like the Forest Service now a third of the people they had in 1995. And so on…

    • Nick Manly
      Nick Manly
      April 14, 2014, 6:12 pm | # | Reply

      The library is your best bet. All of this stuff is easily available and accessible if you’re willing to do the work to research. And best of all, it’s free! Nothing is impossible if you have the wherewithal to find out for yourself.

    • Ben
      Ben
      April 14, 2014, 7:05 pm | # | Reply

      Wow, thanks for the kind words, Mfundo. I don’t generally consider my engineering expertise to be even adequate, let alone noteworthy, so I appreciate the compliment!

      Cannoli & Nick are both right: you generally get a lot of varied life experience with age and you can bring that all to bear in anything you do, but research has never been easier. If you need to know how something works you not only have the books & the library but the entirety of the internet, Wikipedia, enthusiast forums, etc.. Make sure a lot of your media diet is documentaries, photography, etc., and not just fiction so you’re building your mental and visual libraries. Doing your research will always add depth (or the illusion of depth!) to your work. 😀

  12. StupendousMan88
    StupendousMan88
    April 14, 2014, 10:59 pm | # | Reply

    Hah. Long suit. He wears a long suit. Its funny.

  13. Clant
    Clant
    April 15, 2014, 7:12 pm | # | Reply

    Who needs applied mechanics when you have applied fire?

  14. arnly
    arnly
    April 16, 2014, 10:11 pm | # | Reply

    I particularly liked the way all the hand motions and events are faithfully captured in these stills. If you take the time to pay attention to bullet trace lines, the arc of blood, and the movements of the other hand and sword, it’s like watching a martial art. I also love the echo of the two weapon cells – about the same size, similar crops (though it’s Black’s eyes and Hunter’s mouth – that seems right somehow) and the flash of magical fire. They even have similar mouth expressions the moment before they strike. And this latest confrontation makes me realize that he never uses projectiles, that I recall (or at least not his own). That’s her thing. He usually stays connected to his weapons of choice unless he’s just projecting raw heat..

    I also like the way the moments of magic and anger (final row) are backed by the otherworldly painting like smoke and brimstone, or a distant nebula, and the lighting changes from daylight to firelight.

    I’ll say again that I think Vane doesn’t miss (at least not in recent chapters). I think many previous confrontations will only make sense to us when we get the missing ingredients – what they are both seeking. We thought we understood their motives – but as the story unfolds the results don’t add up with what we thought, and that makes me wonder what would explain it all… I’m looking forward to getting that one tantalizing piece at a time.

    Final detail – as usual as I’m getting ready to exit… It just hit me how accurate the hot, cut iron is colored. Watch a smith working with iron and it is not a simple gradation of intensity – it seems to be zones of different colors/temperatures. Erin captured that – another testament to her careful observation.

    And look at the folds on his waistcoat – the buttons tend to trigger their locations, just like in real life. When you create something from pixels or paint, all those details have to be understood and recreated. Impressive.

  15. G. Dupons
    G. Dupons
    April 21, 2014, 8:35 am | # | Reply

    About uncoupling on uphill grade: Does George Westinghouse lived in this realm?

  16. Socrets
    Socrets
    April 26, 2014, 10:19 pm | # | Reply

    Apparently, Mr. Hunter is secretly a Jedi…

    • AlpineBob
      AlpineBob
      January 23, 2019, 1:15 am | # | Reply

      Or a Sith…

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