My thoughts were that he had entirely too much time in the panel (we’ve seen more of him than Lilah). So SOMETHING is bound to happen to him… my money was on him being the troll. But knowing Tim’s subversion, who knows.
Tropes are not bad by themselves, it’s how they’re used that separates the good from the bad.
For example, on point #3: Ben is totally chill about the secret identities and all, but it is Lucas who’s shaking himself apart worrying about Ben (allegedly) recognizing Lucas. Allegedly, because Ben did NOT recognize Lucas…
Jedi
1 month ago
Oh well, thats a typical Ethan solution 🙂
GeorgeV
1 month ago
And so we add yet another disturbing application of the ‘Missing pieces’ title…
There’s a thought to make even Deathblood change their ways. ‘Your surgeon today is ETHAN!’
Bo F
1 month ago
Ooh, I don’t like this conversation at all.
It’s got “foreboding” written all over it
Scortch
1 month ago
Well he’s definitely catching up on his backlog. But what game is he playing? I remember there was a surgery game way back in the DOS days, but I doubt that’s what he’s playing.
The real question, though: does Ben give a damn? It’s not like Ethan and Lucas are villains, they may not operate entirely within the boundaries of the law, but they’re on the same side as it, and Ben might recognize that fact and either not care, or actually be supportive of it.
My thought was that cops and the government would have access to much better facial recognition databases than the average civilian.
But with them taking time away and Lucss being the one who bailed out the cops in ‘Demolition,’ Ben may just be sitting on it now. They seem like they’ve mostly been useful and helpful to the police, and pretty much color inside the lines (as much as unregistered vigilantes can do so, anyway), other than Ethan dropping the Troll.
I don’t recall if it has gone into the difference between registered hero and unregistered vigilante, but I suspect eventually that will be Ben’s solution. If he’s “legal” then there’s no problem, right?
I really do not understand this response. I see it over and over again. Why is it ‘going too well’? It is only going well on the forming of a romantic relationship. Lucas is currently wrestling with himself. He walks over his principles, looking away for now for his own happiness. He has denied Ethan the same chance earlier. There is plenty where he is still in (potential) conflict. Just because he gets a happy relationship doesn’t mean Ben has a hidden agenda. Why would Ben even tell he’s a cop in the first place then? For me the final… Read more »
Probably because in webcomic logic, a lot of ‘good things’ don’t last, especially when we know very little about Ben. He’s a cop, he makes breakfast, he knows some games, and… that’s it. We don’t know enough to be invested in him as a character. Right now, he’s serving as a plot device to further a Lucas arc, and not someone that we’re personally invested in, and as a representative of one side of the ‘cops vs vigilante problem’. So it’s less ‘boy I want Lucas and Ben to be happy together’ and more ‘I hope this Lucas relationship goes… Read more »
I agree on the webcomic logic, but I feel there is no real precedent for that at CAD. With webcomic logic, Zeke would’ve killed Ethan last strip. Simply ‘because Ethan can die, he should’. Together with his powers back. Because return to form is often the norm.
It’d be more believable if he was a GOOD guy who infiltrated the cops.
Arcatus
1 month ago
There is something subtle in Tim’s writing… I get the chills here – there is a tension building. Can anyone else feel it? I am mentally bracing for impact here.
Its only a matter of time until someone or something kills Ethan to reveal if he has his powers or not. Also things are going far too good currently in the story as if we are building to a peak to fall from.
Rob
1 month ago
Who knows what exposition lies in the hearts of men… The Foreshadow Knows! (Ben is going to figure out that Lucas is a Super)
Synvalen
1 month ago
Honestly surprised Ethan didn’t move from regular trucking to Star Trucking…
The Infraggable
1 month ago
I’m thinking that Ben (if that’s his real name) is actually a supervillain.
What if he was The Troll? We’ve not seen his recent face; anything could be possible. I’m waiting for Ben to meet Ethan and somehow the big reveal happens.
I doubt he’s the Troll. The Troll strikes me as someone who in reality couldn’t hold down a job, much less a government/police job. But it’s possible he could be either some unknown as-of-yet-unseen supervillain, or he’s actually a corrupt cop being an inside man.
Banjo
1 month ago
haha ha ha oh yes of course if he was going to recognize you he probably would… have… done… so… a while ago…
Um, guys? Anyone else think this is starting to feel like a certain plotline from the original timeline? One that ended in Zeke having to save both their lives?
I’m so nervous right now.
PhobosRising
1 month ago
Watch as it is some unrelated case using recognition software that accidentally catches lucas via body shape and facial structure. Though, if the department thinks it’s someone “leashed” by ben, easily see them look the other way as an investment into that community or just protecting a fellow officer’s interests.
24
Oooh, how i hope that Lucas’ last line isn’t some ominous foreshadowing….
My money’s on “Ben hasn’t recognized Lucas, but with how things are going he’ll be introduced to Ethan, and the duo will be recognizable”.
IF we are going by common tropes, there are 3 ways this can go:
Then again, Tim is certainly aware of all of those tropes, so I’m entirely clueless as to how it pans out.
My thoughts were that he had entirely too much time in the panel (we’ve seen more of him than Lilah). So SOMETHING is bound to happen to him… my money was on him being the troll. But knowing Tim’s subversion, who knows.
Tropes are not bad by themselves, it’s how they’re used that separates the good from the bad.
For example, on point #3: Ben is totally chill about the secret identities and all, but it is Lucas who’s shaking himself apart worrying about Ben (allegedly) recognizing Lucas. Allegedly, because Ben did NOT recognize Lucas…
Oh well, thats a typical Ethan solution 🙂
And so we add yet another disturbing application of the ‘Missing pieces’ title…
😳
There’s a thought to make even Deathblood change their ways. ‘Your surgeon today is ETHAN!’
Ooh, I don’t like this conversation at all.
It’s got “foreboding” written all over it
Well he’s definitely catching up on his backlog. But what game is he playing? I remember there was a surgery game way back in the DOS days, but I doubt that’s what he’s playing.
I would imagine Surgeon Simulator, which has a rather liberal attitude to medical procedures.
Sooner that than Theme Hospital!
I remember that DOS one. I used to use the numpad to move the cursor when cutting so that I got perfectly diagonal lines.
Also I remember the copy protection phone call being really annoying.
Yeah see, this is what I’ve been worried about – I think Ben has recognised him. It’s all just going too well.
I think that’s pretty much a given, honestly.
The real question, though: does Ben give a damn? It’s not like Ethan and Lucas are villains, they may not operate entirely within the boundaries of the law, but they’re on the same side as it, and Ben might recognize that fact and either not care, or actually be supportive of it.
My thought was that cops and the government would have access to much better facial recognition databases than the average civilian.
But with them taking time away and Lucss being the one who bailed out the cops in ‘Demolition,’ Ben may just be sitting on it now. They seem like they’ve mostly been useful and helpful to the police, and pretty much color inside the lines (as much as unregistered vigilantes can do so, anyway), other than Ethan dropping the Troll.
I don’t recall if it has gone into the difference between registered hero and unregistered vigilante, but I suspect eventually that will be Ben’s solution. If he’s “legal” then there’s no problem, right?
I really do not understand this response. I see it over and over again. Why is it ‘going too well’? It is only going well on the forming of a romantic relationship. Lucas is currently wrestling with himself. He walks over his principles, looking away for now for his own happiness. He has denied Ethan the same chance earlier. There is plenty where he is still in (potential) conflict. Just because he gets a happy relationship doesn’t mean Ben has a hidden agenda. Why would Ben even tell he’s a cop in the first place then? For me the final… Read more »
Probably because in webcomic logic, a lot of ‘good things’ don’t last, especially when we know very little about Ben. He’s a cop, he makes breakfast, he knows some games, and… that’s it. We don’t know enough to be invested in him as a character. Right now, he’s serving as a plot device to further a Lucas arc, and not someone that we’re personally invested in, and as a representative of one side of the ‘cops vs vigilante problem’. So it’s less ‘boy I want Lucas and Ben to be happy together’ and more ‘I hope this Lucas relationship goes… Read more »
I agree on the webcomic logic, but I feel there is no real precedent for that at CAD. With webcomic logic, Zeke would’ve killed Ethan last strip. Simply ‘because Ethan can die, he should’. Together with his powers back. Because return to form is often the norm.
Ethan has plot armor. He can’t die (or not stay dead).
Anyone gone spelunking thru the archives to see if Ben has been in contact with Luke while in disguise?
Anyone gone spelunking thru the archives to see if Ben has been in contact with Lucas while in disguise?
Cover your checks Lucas (the face one, you all dirty minds), maybe you are showing too much face for a correct recognition
Oh, *cheeks*. I was wondering what was dirty minded about covering payments.
Thank cellphone self complete…
Face recognition works on the T shape that eyes and nose make. Well, the T also has a bit of a foot for the mouth area, but it’s not as important.
Now what if Ben knows and is actually a bad guy who infiltrated the cops?
It’d be more believable if he was a GOOD guy who infiltrated the cops.
There is something subtle in Tim’s writing… I get the chills here – there is a tension building. Can anyone else feel it? I am mentally bracing for impact here.
Yep. I just hope that “lobotomy” is not part of the foreshadowing here…
Its only a matter of time until someone or something kills Ethan to reveal if he has his powers or not. Also things are going far too good currently in the story as if we are building to a peak to fall from.
Who knows what exposition lies in the hearts of men… The Foreshadow Knows! (Ben is going to figure out that Lucas is a Super)
Honestly surprised Ethan didn’t move from regular trucking to Star Trucking…
I’m thinking that Ben (if that’s his real name) is actually a supervillain.
What if he was The Troll? We’ve not seen his recent face; anything could be possible. I’m waiting for Ben to meet Ethan and somehow the big reveal happens.
That could maybe make for a good April Fool’s page, but other than that it’s genuinely hard to come up with a less nonsensical scenario.
I’m confused, did I forget about some pages? We saw him during the hostage situation?
I doubt he’s the Troll. The Troll strikes me as someone who in reality couldn’t hold down a job, much less a government/police job. But it’s possible he could be either some unknown as-of-yet-unseen supervillain, or he’s actually a corrupt cop being an inside man.
haha ha ha oh yes of course if he was going to recognize you he probably would… have… done… so… a while ago…
Um, guys? Anyone else think this is starting to feel like a certain plotline from the original timeline? One that ended in Zeke having to save both their lives?
I’m so nervous right now.
Watch as it is some unrelated case using recognition software that accidentally catches lucas via body shape and facial structure. Though, if the department thinks it’s someone “leashed” by ben, easily see them look the other way as an investment into that community or just protecting a fellow officer’s interests.