Endtown by Aaron Neathery for April 11, 2013

Way to go Jacob!

Deafening silence speaks volumes.

This has a remarkable Fifties, McCarthy-hearing look to it, right down to the crowds watching a B&W TV in a store’s window display.

applause

In panel 3 Allgood has just realized how little he knew about the devil he allied himself with.

Here’s the key point. Allgood wants the council aligned with him, and he’s finally getting proof that it isn’t. The question is whether he connects the dots during the trial and/or he decides to continue with the prosecution anyway.

Allgod may decide to blame it all on is lovely lady assistant.( I am bad at remembering names… even my own, snork)He was in the path of slinking down when she jeered him into putting some lead in his pants. We wonder how deep she is in this mess. We only met her during the observation of the ladies. Does she have a bet of jealousy ?Blessed Be

From crowds in front of shopsWhere planted fears produced their cropsAnd apprehension fills each faceWhile trance-like frozen in its placeBut when they seek the hows and whysWhich side speaks truth? And which side lies? Who will answer? High in Council’s vaunted spaceA surly rabbit goads apaceA panda’s sudden wounded stareMore than his skull now needs repairBut when he asks what will befallThe three he’s summoned to this hallWho will answer? One side would ban the use of foodThat offers respite from the moodOf never-ending plates of beansBut Allgood would prohibit meansAnd Jacob wants just mutant’s ilkBut people fear for Trio MilkAnd who will answer? High upon each mutant’s mindWhat rules are coming for their kind? What laws might force the humans outOr cast some oddities in doubtOr ban some private use of egg? When bean-allergic ‘Towners begWho will answer? If the crowd’s unquietDue to fears they cannot nameAnd if they start a riotWill the rat pack feed the flame? Who will answer? Who will answer? Who will answer? In the dark and hidden cellThe trio waits a death-bell’s knellThe rats they’ve know too well to hopeThat they’d be spared the gun or ropeBut now they ask, while fearing fateCan both sides merely foster hate? Who will answer? What role does Van der Veezle play? Can Jacob really save the day? What schemes does the High Council hold?When their position starts to foldThey’ve violence at their commandBut when he asks what they have plannedWho will answer? Is our hope in Aaron’s artWhile time unfolding plays its partAnd patiently each watchs clocksFor 1:10 Eastern’s key unlocksThe new day’s wondrous episodeBut when we ask “What’s down the road?” Who will answer? If the crowd’s unquietDue to fears they cannot guessAnd if they start a riotWill the new strips calm the mess? Who will answer? Who will answer? Who will answer? =|====/ Level HeadVote for Endtown 2.0And for Doc Rat, tooVote for Endtown ClassicThe Endtown ForumThe Endtown AuctionThe Endtown Books

Wow, now that looks like a total set-up. Could this whole episode be a scheme by Jake and Co. to not only undo Allgood and Friends, but shake up the council process as well?

Ok, here’s a thought. No one knows how new HC members are selected, and once on the HC, each member remains anonymous. There’s nothing that says security rats aren’t part of the pool. Further, we don’t yet know how new members are notified of their selection. What we do know is that the Society “selected” Velda to be their liaison to Security and the HC.What if things worked out this way: At one of Allgood’s lectures (during happier times when there were more attending members), a particular person came up to Allgood, said that she loved his message and wanted to help in any way she can, and introduced herself as a member of Security. Seeing the opportunity, Allgood agrees to take on Velda as a conspirator. The plan is to have Velda watching who gets selected for the HC, and comparing each name to the Society’s member list. When they have a known majority, Velda alerts Allgood and he tries to find something that he can jump on to further the “Human Values” agenda. Linda and the Cake is then something of a godsend for him.Now, what Allgood doesn’t know is that Velda is looking at each name as it’s pulled, and then telling one of the rats to take the open spot on the HC, while burning the paper the name is on. She needs to be careful, because people will talk when they get out of council duty and it can’t look like no one new has been tapped for a while. So she lets a few names slip by, and people like Al get selected, but mostly the HC is now made up of long-standing rats. Velda may have owned the HC for a lot longer than Allgood thinks.But, why would the HC leave Allgood high and dry right now? Is it because Velda is secretly working for Jackrabbit? It’s not like Jacob is particularly good at making secret plans. But he wasn’t really surprised by the arrests, either. Maybe Velda approached him as well, with information that “Allgood has stacked the HC” and “it horrifies her what will happen”. I don’t think Velda’s working with Jacob. It’s more likely she’s playing both sides against each other and will pick up the pieces when the chaos subsides.

I think Allgood may decide to rescind his prosecution now that he realizes that three lives are at stake, and the HC will refuse to release them. The HC may not expect him to give up the fight, and underestimates the people’s tolerance to intolerance.

I know it’s been a different pace from other Endtown stories about exploding rockets, desperate shoot-outs and secret missions, but starting from Linda’s adjustment difficulty to her self-disgust at being an animal, to the episode of kind improvisation with the chocolate cake, to the Keystone Cops rats, to Wally’s horrible beating from those not-so-funny rats, to the goofery of Walter the mayor getting stuck in an entry hole, to Al’s miserable frustration at being out-voted on a stacked council, to Allgood’s politico-sexual frustration over a monster of a campaign growing faster than he can harness it, to the beginning of this chilling, McCarthyesque trial… this is a BLOODY fantastic story. I am utterly hooked. I am captivated. I have converted fully to the side of Jacob Jackrabbit. Next week, I may have second thoughts. The week after, I may be sobbing hot tears for the panda. I don’t know whether Holly, Linda and Maude will live. In Endtown, it is quite possible for them to die. That’s what makes this comic strip a work of genius when compared to so many others. The exquisite pain, the exquisite hope and the exquisite wisdom, from the hand and mind of an exquisite story teller.Are we about to be Neatherized yet again?

Mr. Jenner I do believe so.I find Endtown reflects a lot of depths of the human nature as in life there are to sides to each story and many faces to each person.I think you pretty much took the words right out my mouth there.Much like the awe striking art worker the characters have many shades of grey beneath the surface as in life there is rarely absolute good or evil.By the way I really am very fond of Doc Rat I find it amongst the many reasons I check Go Comics.

Jacob maybe mutantist, but at least he’s got a decent sense of right and wrong

Have Jackrabbit be interviewed on the Alex Jones show.

Artwork note: I thought Neathery had drawn JJ once and then digitally copied and pasted (and in panel 4 skewed) the image onto the TV screens. But nope, he’s drawn him three times, in an identical presentation each time. Man’s a marvel.

Point of order, Mr. Chairman, it’s said that the McCarthy era consisted of people shouting from the rooftops that they were afraid to express their opinions. The artwork here has a real late-forties early-fifties feel, but the storyline ain’t McCarthyism.

In the words of an immortal sage… “Dis Gon B Gud!” Bring out the folding chairs!

To make it better, JJ should have opened with a question to the HC to verify they were there. That way when the panel three silence occured. Everyone would KNOW there was nothing wrong with the communications between the courtroom and the HC.Gotta go to work now. CUL, everybody.

The scary thing here is that there doesn’t seem to be any external check on the HC’s power. Unless I’m completely missing something here, the HC is both judge and jury in this trial. In theory, they could simply decide at any point that the Endtown 3 are guilty as charged and then sentence them to be executed no matter what arguements are presented to the contrary. The rats have all the guns and will do whatever the HC says. I sense this story will get quite a bit darker before the hint of dawn (if any) appears.

Seeing Algood’s expression in panel #3 brings to mind a verse from a classic Billy Joel song ‘Pressure’: You will come to a place, where the only thing you feel are loaded guns in your face…and you’ll have to deal with pressure. Judging from the look on the panda’s face, he just heard the sound of his delusions being completely shattered.

The council is not responding becase Jacob IS the high council? That would be interesting.

Friday is going to be such a cliffhanger!!!

Come to think of it, a while ago, weren’t we all worried that Jake Jackrabbit and his “Embracing Your Outer Mutant” campaign was going to be the McCarthyism of Endtown? Now where is it?

See the difference in being a good public speaker. Jake is not reading from a prepared speech like Allgood did. Jake is speaking directly looking into the camera so folks can see his eyes and match it with his words. He may have at one time swung way to far but may have over time learned to more center his beliefs. Jake may be walking the middle road now. He may still feel the way he does to embrace mutant and forego the “old” human way but it was only in name remember. He wanted folks to use names more matching their Animal form. Jake may still believe in his views but he is not WILLING to kill folks over it. Allgood is afraid this is going too far. His initial path was to bring up the issue of mutant vs human values and make human values the LAW but it is out of his control. Allgood even realizes people’s lives are in jeopardy and he has no control. Someone else is pulling the strings of his puppet show.Don’t give up hope folks. Remember the Council can order all they want. Someone has to carry out that order. Do “THEY” follow it or do something about it. I still put my money on the Rats to do something. I hold out hope they will make a difference.If not it won’t be the first time I have be surprised.

On a side note I was reviewing Vol 2 when I came across the incident where Al and Gustine found out they were inadvertently leading Topsides to Endtown entry. They first accused Petey then discovered it was the Topsider Zero gun Al had kept. Go back and read the way that weapon talked. It sounds remarkably similar to the way the Council spoke to Al when he was a member. It makes me wonder about the Council members could it be disgruntled mutants in their midst upset with the Endtown is run and their own mutant condition. The rhetoric is similar and we know they used mutant parts in that.

maybe this is when Linda wakes up to save the day…or not……

Steve has a good point. Jacob sounds so good here, and is making such a grand case against this whole process (while Allgood has genuinely seemed like he just wanted to use this as a way to illegalize the consumption of mutant goods). This might be a set up not by Allgood’s people, but by Jacob’s.

Wabbit:Late to your post from yesterday. Silver is used against Werewolves. Have you looked at BBWolf’s avatar?Zombies require head shots or just complete disintegration. Depends on which Zombie movie you follow.

Wabbit,I do prepare for what ever is out there. Victory loves Preparation.

I don’t know if your inspiration was that April will be the 59th anniversary, but you are doing a great job. Bring in the Catholic church and Algood’s drinking was a nice touch.

Nobody’s said “Bring out the accused!” yet, either. Remember, Linda, Maude, and Holly don’t know what’s been happening outside their cell…

It has been established that the High Council does have the power to execute the defendants, but I am sure that it won’t come to that.

Great job today—-to both Aaron and Level_Head. The story line is edge of the seat exciting, and “Who will answer” is a favorite song.

KUTGW, both of you!

Noreen

Also herewithin lies another, perhaps deeper, question. At what point does the general population come to terms that they are not, and never will be, human; at least as they define human.While Jacob is definately abrasive and obnoxious, he does illustrate what even the Topsiders have not yet realized – that there is no Human Race left! Humanity must be defined as a quality as well as having the appearance of naked apes. The Topsiders have become just as sub-human (definition, not judgement) as the mutants they despise.What will be the new humanity to dominate and “own” the Earth? So long as the virus exists the Topsiders are no more than a statistical anamoly. Also, will true democracy triumph or will some minority among the mutants, like all the pigs, all the ducks, etc, decide they should rule…

He said he was leaving. I see him other places but he has dialed it back a bit. Sometimes he seems like a nice guy, and other times he just seems to be venting some personal, misdirected pain or frustration. I wish him well and hope he finds what he needs to stay on point and not vent toward us, who weren’t the ones who hurt him.Thanks for the good thoughts and all you have done to keep promoting voting.For All We have slipped a bit at topwebcomics. for our favorite artists. Please get out and vote for Endtown 2.0(this strip), DocRat, by Jenner another talented artist and frequent contributor here in spite of an already full schedule, and the Original Endtown. We can finish this month in very strong positions, with the hope all three are in the top ten, and have featured icons to draw attention to the strips, but to do so we must vote often, weekdays and weekends. Sincerely and Respectfully, JusSayin