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24

Downtime, p16

March 1, 2024 by Tim


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John
John
7 months ago

Sorry if this has already been mentioned, but how cool would it be to find out Ethan’s powers were not the ability to respawn but to take on powers from other videogames given the right circumstances?

Steve
Steve
7 months ago
Reply to  John

Mecha Thunder Warriors did have an “energy ham.” Maybe his powers are ham-based. 😆

Eldest Gruff
Eldest Gruff
7 months ago
Reply to  John

Could be good, could be bad, depending on the game.

Tetris: You now can slam criminals with giant Tetronimoes falling at terminal velocity.
Call of Duty: You’re a soldier. You’re not a superhero, but still a hero.
Professor Layton: You have the uncanny ability to expertly pack a trunk with differently-sized objects and determine where two trains will cross paths if one leaves New York going 115 mph and another leaves Cincinnati traveling at 48 MPH with a headwind.

James
James
7 months ago
Reply to  Eldest Gruff

Give the number of people the average CoD protagonist kills, you’re absolutely a super soldier.

Dagroth
Dagroth
7 months ago
Reply to  Eldest Gruff

For the last one: super-analysis (if it worked for everything and not just trains) could work as a superpower. In “Please don’t tell my parents I’m a supervillain” book and its sequels, the main character’s mother is a retired superhero called “The Audit”. She claims to have no powers, but was so good at Sherlock Holmes-level analysis on the fly, that she could use it in combat. And actual superpowered villains surrendered rather than fighting her. I guess with sufficiently pragmatic midnset and “fighting dirty” (so properly, if you are in a fair fight, you screwed up 😛 ), it… Read more »

R77
R77
7 months ago
Reply to  John

I thought initially, now that is a cool idea, then… I thought what the realm of video games has to offer… Pick any Marvel video game, and he’d be top tier hero in his realm. And Marvel is keeping it simple, there are games you play as a God. So… myeah, cool idea, but story wise it would mean you need to ‘park’ his powers for every challenge as things otherwise would be solved on the first encounter. There are plenty of examples where the author forgot to keep his hero’s powers in check, and hence needs to provide with… Read more »

7eggert
7eggert
7 months ago
Reply to  R77

The power would manifest as needed. Ethan is very likely to need extra life, but growing and shooting fireballs or punching coin bricks isn’t usually really required.

But if he is thrown into the sea with a weight on his leg, he can hold his breath for ten minutes and get IIRC the vase from the ground.

Irrevanent
Irrevanent
7 months ago

Mood

Bain
Bain
7 months ago

This is old school eithan and lucas. Lucas discusses feelings and the situation, eithan completely ignores him in pursuit of video gaming

Terry
Terry
7 months ago

I’m impressed that he managed to cut all those little strips of paper and not cut himself with the scissors, or respawn from a death from a thousand paper cuts.

7eggert
7eggert
7 months ago
Reply to  Terry

That’s how the Aztec die.

Richard II Weatherfield
Richard II Weatherfield
7 months ago

As much as I’m enjoying this, I hope Ethan gets his powers back soon. There’s an evil Weeaboo out there looking to destroy technology as we know it.

Scortch
Scortch
7 months ago

It’s OK. I’m sure he has his powers still. We will see him sacrifice himself to save someone. Was thinking Lucas, but possibly Sam.

GeorgeV
GeorgeV
7 months ago

Given the last page we saw of them, evil Weeaboo might have some other issues to address before bothering Ethan again.

Richard II Weatherfield
Richard II Weatherfield
7 months ago
Reply to  GeorgeV

Most certainly. But he’s not stupid, despite his otaku tendencies. I don’t think we’ve seen the last of the Weeb.

Axiomite
Axiomite
7 months ago

Iwonder how many of those names are recent impulse purchases that have been added to his backlog? I couldn’t possibly understand that problem – no, not I. I didn’t end up adding 6 more to my library two days ago….. Okay i did.

Scortch
Scortch
7 months ago

Only Ethan could literally own a video game store, and have a backlog that large.

Crestlinger
Crestlinger
7 months ago
Reply to  Scortch
The store IS his backlog, he just forgot about the ones sold.
deathy/BAS
deathy/BAS
7 months ago

That’s the joy of using randomness to help select – you either get a selection, or you realize that you had already selected without realizing it (in the case of a binary choice), or at the least you eliminate an option.

I use this method all the time.

rando
rando
7 months ago
Reply to  deathy/BAS

I do something similar. However, I have to “realize I had a selection” before looking at the result. If I’m hoping for a specific outcome, I just skip the randomization and go with that outcome. But if I look at the randomization result, then I adhere to the result.

deathy/BAS
deathy/BAS
7 months ago
Reply to  rando

I allow for thinking I had no choice, tossing the roll, and realizing I didn’t want the result I got. I let myself change the result if I don’t like it, as THAT is the indicator I’ve made a choice.

Dorander
Dorander
7 months ago
Reply to  deathy/BAS

Same. It’s a useful little trick, if I decide I really object to the outcome, I apparently do favor the other option(s). If I don’t experience the same objection to that thought, choice made.

Esc
Esc
7 months ago

I think I see what is going on here. Lucas’ date is opening his mind to the possibility that Ethan COULD see Lilah on a romantic basis. In fact with Ethan taking a pause on doing any hero work now is the perfect time to pursue something like that. But considering she shot him down in their last encounter, it probably won’t happen without something else changing.

Last edited 7 months ago by Esc
Joel
Joel
7 months ago

This is another one where I feel like that last panel is attacking me personally.

Gonfrask
Gonfrask
7 months ago

For a very very short amount of time, after reading the “then I choked” I thought that he was telling very detailedly how the date went…

PhobosRising
PhobosRising
7 months ago

Watch as his real power is to be around longer than his backlog.

Mael
Mael
7 months ago

Best way to make a decision between two things: Flip a coin.
If you are ok or even happy with the outcome, take it, if you are unhappy, you know, that you had – unconsciously – already decided beforehand, so take the other one.

Ben
Ben
7 months ago

this is me on my spotify playlist on random

Tyler
Tyler
7 months ago

TBF, picking randomly and then listening to your emotions is a good way to make a pick when you aren’t sure. It helps if there are only a few. Pick one at random and when your brain goes “Awww, I really wanted to play X” just go play