Endtown by Aaron Neathery for May 17, 2012

Wow, that works for me!I am finally off the edge of my seat (til next Fri!)Thanks, Aaron—-great job today!

KUTGW,

Noreen

I hope Holly saw this It could be cat-thartic For Wally’s stunt’s cool Like a cat from the Arctic And Aaron Marx here Is not “above the law” It might help him be clear This jolt to the jaw This could have been bad Wally owes him real grief A better grip had A risk of de-brief =|====/ Level Head Vote for Endtown 2.0 And for Doc Rat, too The Endtown Forum

Jenner was correct punning Holly was catatonic, her little tail is wrapped around her ankles. Wally is punching above his weight, and his height. But he had to get A Marx to bend over to hit his face.

A nice pleasant Thursday to play us like yo-yos.

Please remember to head over to topwebcomics.com and vote for Endtown2.0(ca #47) and Doc Rat(ca #50).

DANG! He hit him so hard he knocked his pants right back up!

At first glance Endtown looks like a Funny Animal strip. At second glance the cast look like anthropomorphic animals with human traits. We know the strip’s premise, that the vast majority of people have taken on animal physiognomy, but in a certain way we only seem to know it intellectually. It’s as if there’s a kind of mental block. On one side we know the reality the mutants exist under. On the other, it’s hard not to see them as “Funny Animals” [even when they’re not being particularly funny]. There’s a resistance to letting these two sides merge.And that’s possibly a defense mechanism, for otherwise the full horror of the situation might strike us. A story that’s too real can also be too disturbing.This dichotomy [if it exists] isn’t Aaron’s fault. As I’ve said before, the man has a cultivated gift for bringing across a reality. Artistically, he can give a two dimensional drawing, a three-dimensional sense [in some cases, a real feeling of vertigo]. His words can also have an equivalent effect.Panel three is particularly disturbing. Yet, though it’s a drawing, and the effect I’m getting is visual, I think it’s the result of Aaron’s writing here, which his art brings to life.Because when I look at the expression on Wally’s face, I’m not really seeing the face of a cat anymore. I’m seeing the face of a man [with cat-like characteristics], but a man, nonetheless. And that’s what’s disturbing. A cat face, even when angry with us, isn’t going to affect us viscerally and emotionally, because we really can’t read an animal’s face, we’d have to be animals to fully do that.But to see a man’s face, full of righteous anger, that can get to you, [especially if you’re being an A-hole like Aaron Marx] because, being human, you know all the subtleties of human expression. There’s no filtering, like there would be with an animal.No matter how human Wally is depicted, the mind tends to see him as, in some ways, an animal. Not this time. The look on his face is really unsettling, because it bridges those two sides, the Mutant and the Funny Animal and makes them both fully real. And that is the handiwork of a True Master!

Marx never got excited regarding the incorrect door or the group flying out into space, because he knew they were never in danger. He could bring them back unharmed at his own leisure. It’s Wally’s fault for going unnecessarily into a panic. We can extend this logic to Wally’s insistence on finding Flask. The fact that Marx doesn’t actually know where the control room is, is beside the point.

I’d say something more profound or thoughtful, but right now the only thing in my mind is “Awesome!”

For Those Who May Be Interested In Such Things (FTWMBIIST), the new limited edition Endtown shirt design is available. Hint: drunken Holly..http://www.cafepress.com/endtownALSO: I’m down to the bottom of the box of the $2.50 mini-comics I had printed for Comicpalooza, and once they’re gone, they’re gone, so be sure to order yours if you haven’t already done so.AND FINALLY: I’m still offering original artwork for sale.. Contact me at aaronneathery@gmail.com for details.

Hell Cat…Ha!

Oh, aii, poor Holly.

As you know, I’m opposed to mindless violence.But intelligent violence, now THAT I like!

Well… Wally has certainly learned to deal with his new diminutive stature! De-pants the guy, and he has to reach down to grab ’em; then let ’im have it!I love it. Best laugh I’ve had in a long time!!

cleaver way to get his chin in reach! Good on ya, Wally

Poor Holy I think she is in shock. But Wally? YEAH BOY LET HIM HAVE IT!!!!LOL

Ha, pantsed him!

(cont. from yesterday’s comment) AM may very well have known of a reason they were not in danger, but his complete indifference to anything outside of his own person makes it impossible develop any appreciable level of trust. It is obvious that he has valuable resources at his command that have the potential to eliminate the need to be concerned for one’s immediate personal safety, but his capricious attitude makes it impossible to believe he can be 100% relied upon to use them. His total self absorption gives Wally no reason to entrust him (AM) with his own or Holly’s well being . Wally in particular has spent the last 6+ years surviving in a world where every moment of his existance is replete with a plethora of forces (some active and some passive) that have the potential to terminate that existance at the drop of a hat. Wally has, of necessity, become his own last line of defense and the perimeter of his concern has now extended to include Holly. Wally’s reaction here operates on several levels; the most obvious being the basic human need to give back some small measure of what we have received ( ;-) ) but perhaps of more lasting value is the attempt to (both physically and psychologically) jolt AM into an awareness of the condition of those around him. Only time (and AN) will tell how successful this therapy is.

I find it interesting that (back in the junkyard) Holly strikes a blow against arrogant abuse of power, and here Wally does the same against benign indifference, both (though opposite ends of the spectrum) equally dangerous in their own way. (not to mention the fact that it keeps the physical stuff girl on girl /guy on guy).

Poor Holly looks fully traumatized!?!

As to today’s strip…..Great solution to a tough problem. Way to go Wally!!

Aaron Marx, a very angry cat with sharp teeth pulls your pants down and then punches you on the jaw. Count yourself lucky.

See, my answer is that I simply would have punched a lower target.

But that’s just me. :¬}

Thats one way to bring him down to Cat size

C’mon, guys. It’s now patently obvious that AM hasn’t a clue how this ship really works, BECAUSE IT’S NOT HIS! We don’t know how he got it, or who made it, but one thing is only too clear: He’s clueless. That’s the only reasonable explanation for all of his odd behavior and evasive tactics when pressed for answers: HE DOESN’T HAVE ANY!!The only thing he really has going for him is his “ditto wispering”.

That’s some weird underwear

Good on Wally! Great Thursday strip. I just hope on Friday AM doesn’t start changing colour and say something about not likeing him when he is angry… ;)

Wally is my new hero. Never make a cat mad. Especially one that is part human…..now that IS scary!

Wally rocks Aaron’s world…

He traumatizes people for fun, and belittles them for being traumatized. That’s not ok. That’s being a bully; there are too many of those.

And now Wally’s taught Marx a lesson.Marx is so used to having phenomenal powers and knowledge, he forgets others aren’t so endowed. He may know everything’s okay, but no one else does, and it’s not okay for them. Sometimes he needs a good whack and to say, “Thanks, I needed that.”

so has anyone actually read any of the other stories that AM shows up in?? Is he always this obtuse??? I’m struggling to get a handle on the guy…..

Remember the story of Gideon in The Book of Judges, Chapter 8? He answered the Ephraimites with kindness and diplomacy. [Verses 2 and 3]. But Zebah and Zalmunna [who had killed Gideon’s brothers], he slew [Verses 18-19 and 21]. “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.” [Ecclesiastes 3:1,3 and 8].I think Wally’s philosophy is echoed in Psalm 120:7 “I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.” And sometimes, there’s only one language that such people understand. Wally’s fed up with his loved one being endangered and he’s not going to put up with it any longer.On a completely unrelated topic, you might want to check out this website: htttp://www.av1611.org/niv.html

As my mama used to say, it’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt… I like the way Wally fixes his sleeve in panel 3 before laying out that punch! FINALLY! Maybe he has AM’s attention NOW….

Aaron, you are BRILLIANT!!!Oddly enough, today’s strip takes me back to my childhood…“WISH I’D THOUGHT OF THAT!!!”

Too bad Wally stood him up, coulda hit him with the other fist too. AM deserves it, just look at poor Holly. . .tail wrapped around her ankles, arms wrapped around her knees and that wild-eyed stare. I’ve liked AM as much as the next guy, but what he’s getting (and more) is bought and paid for.

It’s a law that cartoon characters have to wear polka dot boxer underwear. Glad Aaron’s obeying the law.

I wonder if Aaron realizes how much better he has it, than if Wally had hit the “low hanging fruit” of the Looms that were already at his level,……

I hope Holly just goes nuts on AM.

I also like the very Batman-esque “WHACK!” Not quite a “ZOK” or “THUNK”, but probably more appropriate.

Wally tries to hide it, but I can tell that he’s angry about something.

Holly is still in shock.

Poor Holly! DId she know what she was getting in for?THat was a clever action that Wally did, good way to get his face down to an easier level..Really AM had that coming for that he thinks no farther than the immediate when we all know it’s a long term that will end up whether the game was played well.

I AM BACK !!!! had to go through a whole lot of crap to get back on line and finally signed up with Fox Fire. Hope you are well. Looking forward to an drunk Holly,aaron.Blessed Be.

To Wally: To paraphrase the Clash: WRONG ’IM,BOYO!!!

glad your back DOL!

No, Boxers.

As we say in World of Warcraft, we’re going into this fight looking for pants to drop.

The ultimate in insincerity, lacking in empathy and generally disconnected with the reality that most things like this that have happened to Petey, Wally and Holly have ended in the deaths of people they knew. Yep, Wally’s gonna take that sitting down…

YOU go Wally, it’s about freaking time.

Maybe it’s because I’m a tailor, but my favorite thing here is that Aaron shows the suspender buttons that got yanked off….

Knowing what we know now… this move is even funnier.