ssss | SSSS Read-Along: Chapters 0-10 [Finished]

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SSSS Read-Along: Chapters 0-10 [Finished]

One of the best ways to survive a SSSS chapter break is to re-read the comic!

How it works: Every few days, a separate subthread will be posted to this entry for each chapter. Read the chapter, post your thoughts! Let's survive this chapter break together.

Read-along schedule:

April 09: Prologue - Thread
April 11: Chapter 01 - Thread
April 13: Chapter 02 - Thread
April 15: Chapter 03 - Thread
April 17: Chapter 04 - Thread
April 19: Chapter 05 - Thread
April 21: Chapter 06 - Thread
April 23: Chapter 07 - Thread
April 25: Chapter 08 - Thread
April 27: Chapter 09 - Thread
April 29: Chapter 10 - Thread

For discussion unrelated to the re-read, head over to the Discussion Post.
Flat view - 1st page: http://ssss.dreamwidth.org/3059.html?view=flat#comments
Flat view - Most recent page: http://ssss.dreamwidth.org/3059.html?view=flat&page=100#comments

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

So the beast dog can be in the dream space and be physically real at the same time. Kind of like the absorbent ghost we saw in chapter 10, huh. :|a

And do the Swedes and Danes even know what they're dealing with? Agneta in the train and Mikkel both seemed to be like, "oh well, the line is bad", but Lalli there looks quite startled. Either way they seem to be used to it, but if Mikkel doesn't believe in "ghosts", does he believe in spirits infesting the radio.

(I *should* probably think of ch. 6 as "Reynir chapter", but somehow it's filed under "pink and green hues and radiomage Lalli" in my head. The mix of magic and technology is something that I like a lot. :>)

The waterfall makes me think of Tuonela in Redtail's Dream.

Do you mean the one on this page? It does look Tuonela-like. Though I think it's actually supposed to be a Norse allusion (flat world etc).

And sleep/dreaming and death are pretty closely related in ARtD. Is that a theme in Finnish myth?

I thiiiink someone else might be able to answer this better, but - in short, yes. I think. For instance, if your soul escapes while you're dreaming, you're gone; that's why there is the soul-bird/sielulintu to protect it. Also, IIRC, trance/dream is one of the ways to enter Tuonela (though I'm not sure if there's a specific bit of literature where this comes from - none of the Tuonela-journeys in the Kalevala involve it, but it's a thing that I've seen come up a lot).

Yeah, I wonder. I mean, it's obviously something - there are actual words in those textbubbles. But maybe non-magic people can't hear the words? Which would explain their reaction to it. It's kind of weird, though.

"Radiomage" ffff what an excellent word for it, I love it. :D

That Emil says "I tried so hard" here is interesting because earlier in Chapter 1 (http://www.sssscomic.com/comic.php?page=107) he says something similar! What does it say about his character, and how does that jive with the rest of what we understand about him?

I went playing with the prompt generator and apparently the spirits of internet randomness had been listening :P

Lalli Hotakainen
Sigrun Eide

just mage stuff
belief and/or disbelief
radio
awkwardness

This is probably what happened before the radiomage page (the captain gets the non-believers out of the tank while the finns work on the radio)

Better to make an attempt and fail than to not do anything at all?
Which isn't a bad philosophy, really.

364-412

Thoughts?

- This was chapter where I started reading! Yay!

- With a gorgeous first page. Gorgeous color scheme. *A* Gorgeous foreshortening on the second.

- 369: Yes. This is why I love Sigrun. Also mage stuff. If all Lalli needs is the skull, the, er, full arrangement there seems a little excessive...

- 371: Lalli looks so charming here, it's great when we get to see him in his element.

- 372: Mikkel's posture screams "--FUCKING HELL." and it is amazing. Mikkel did not sign up for this gross mage shit.

- 373: I do hope we get to see more Tuuri and Lalli doing their thing.
- 374: Oh! Hey! I never noticed Sigrun was there on the bench behind them!

- 378: And there are exactly 6 exclamation points. Bravo!

- 383: Now that is loaded as fuck.

- Flashback: Christ, this must not be that uncommon. Also interesting to know that all scouts are prone to the same quirks as Lalli. Working in isolation from a young age must do that. Impressed by Lalli's bread swiping skills, though. Love Onni, but this is not how one deals with a child, yikes. Granted, most children don't have to worry about getting four soldiers killed, but still...grandma, you hecked up real bad.

- 389: God I love how the last panel is done.

Pages 413-437
Thoughts?

374: I never noticed Sigrun there either. :o This means... it's a picture of Sigrun I've never seen before!

378: And there are exactly 6 exclamation points.

Sooo... which one of them (including the kitty) is not exclaiming? :)

Well, if kitty gets one, let's say....Lalli? (Who would probably want everyone to know that he was totally expecting that. All according to plan. Obviously.)

Yes, totally according to plan. :D He seemed pretty confident on how the laws of physics do not work there.

- 414: Ya little tourists. Then again, working electricity! Flushing toilets! Nab a candlestick, Reynir, do it for the family outhouse.

- 418: ...EMT, maybe? Maybe he's like an EMT?

- 420: I do love watching everybody serious the hell up. Especially Mikkel's switch to caretaker-role. That is the look of a man who has wiped a great many noses.

- 422: And that's why she's the queen. I do love her fight strategy of "grab it and start smashing". And good going Reynir, you fucking dropped the baby.

- 423: The first time I saw these pages, I could not get over how weird it was to see a bare arm. Everyone's been bundled up since chapter....what, 5? Arm freckles!

- 424: Fucking incredible. Good job, everyone.

- 425: The gasping ("hhhh", "hrrhh") noise infected creatures make is so sad, I think. It reads like they're rasping for breath.

- 426: "Sad. Time for food?" Fffffff--

- 428: And I hope she is scarred as shit. Only the best for the queen!

- 429: At least Reynir knows how in over his head he is. Also, Emil, rude.

- 430: EYYYYY. Now you're thinking with portals, farm boy!

Pages 438-509
Thoughts?

re 425, YEAH I feel the same. I mean the beasts/trolls are creepy but at other times I feel SO BAD for them. Good job on Minna's part, imo

IT'S SO BIG
(the chapter that is)

killed me with feelings and mood whiplash

YOU KNOW I find it funny how before I was like "Oh Onni/Reynir haha well that would be cute" but then

http://sssscomic.com/comic.php?page=478

this chapter is a fucking gift my god

Right? Right? I was shipping it like "oh, yeah, sure, it's really, really, really cute but lbr it's kind of a long shot that they'll interact again until probably a whole bunch of chapters from now". Un-fucking-real.

1. ONNI ONNI ONNI OI OI OI
2. I HOPE THEY HAVE TO FIX HIS HAIR AND HE GETS A SUPER-HOT, FRESH STYLIN' LOOK.
3. Onni-owl jokes will never stop being funny. It's amazing.
4. Minna's rendering of the owl is also amazing.
5. This whole chapter is amazing.

2. Cutting off that mullet would be a start :P
(I actually kind of like it but it's not exactly FRESH AND STYLIN'. Party in the back, he is not.)

I KNOW EH from "it would be sweet and also Onni needs some love" to... whatever that was. I MIGHT still be kind of overwhelmed from it. :'D

Oh, yah, the front and top is totally fine, but the necky bit is a disaster. Just. Eek, even just a little trim.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

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SSSS Read-Along: Chapters 0-10 [Finished]

ONE MORE THING

Re: Chapter 06

Re: this is 90% mages and i regret none of it

Re: Chapter 06

Re: Chapter 07

Re: Chapter 06

Re: Chapter 07

Chapter 08

Re: Chapter 08

Chapter 09

Re: Chapter 08

Re: Chapter 08

Re: Chapter 08

Re: Chapter 09

Chapter 10

Re: Chapter 09

Re: Chapter 10

Re: Chapter 10

Re: Chapter 10

Re: Chapter 10

Re: Chapter 10

Re: Chapter 10