Toxsick has probably been the least twisted and most relatable of the villains. I wonder if him getting hit second was supposed to diffuse some of the positive feelings towards Jeraukov’s gang.
Aw, crap. The Coven almost had my sympathy, misguided though they all might be. But now? Hell no, I hope Scap and the gang mess them up GOOD! Except for LMM – I think she just needs to wake up and realize there’s other ways to “get out of the house” …
The Coven were doing good deeds all around…until they started whupping on super-criminals. Well, that’s technically a crime as well (unless if you’re a cop or federal agent or something), so I guess we can just say that EVERYONE deserves some whupping.
Even Little Miss Miserable. She needs a good spanking, and then be sent to bed with no dessert.
Actually I’m pretty sure Roy’s the most dangerous of the lot of’em. Throgor’s disgusting and an attempted rapist, Hypnausea is a sex offender, Tigadactyl is… a bad driver? I guess? And Scap is mostly incompetent. Toxsick’s bombed a crowded concert and a lab just that we’ve seen. He (possibly) killed Alice Cooper!
Besides Babirus who eats people, Tox doesn’t really have any competition in terms of deadlist non-crime boss.
He may be the most likeable character in the comic by miles, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve a beating.
Great assessment, King of Zeroes! I think you’re absolutely right on about everything, except I don’t think Alice Cooper died that one time. Nothing can kill him!
Tigadactyl as a bad driver, though…I don’t know where I ever hinted at that, but now I may have to do a story about him being the gang’s “wheelman” and running right into a lamppost. D’ohhhh!
Toxsick is a better dad than a bunch of other bozos. He is at least paying alimony, which is amazing since he is a bad guy. A real bum would not do that. His son is a spoiled brat type. Assuming Roy can still talk after this, Scapula and the gang should be getting a clue of what is happening.
I never thought of that (and I’m the dope who wrote this damned story); perhaps Toxsick actually does care something for his children if he’s paying for them and having them over on weekends (even when he’s living under an alias).
He may not be too friendly, but considering how many millions of deadbeat dads out there abandon their children forever maybe it’s easy to be a tad sympathetic to Toxsick.
Oh good, another whiny, loud-mouthed balloon joins the crowd…
Why did it never occur to me before?! The epiphany of a lifetime! Scap and the boys should enlist the help of Elvira, Mistress of the Dark to take down Jeraukov and the booty brigade!
Hmm…would Elvira really join Scap and his creepy crew? Considering how many bodyguards she keeps around her during public appearances it seems doubtful she would want to be around more sickos.
That isn’t to say Scap wouldn’t try to persuade her. Hell, he’s probably written her ten thousand fan letters by now!
I’ve heard that Elvira, since she is finding it harder to personally fulfill every guest-appearance folks want from her due to age (she and her no-padding all-natural rack are past 50 now, holy crap) hires hand-picked “lookalikes” to stand in for her at non-close-up/non-talking appearances (parades, for example)… and a couple of the best stand-in are actually men in drag.
The funny thing is that that seems totally believable. Elvira constantly states that she’s retiring and that the next convention is the “last one”…then she shows up again and again. With all due respect, Miss Peterson, make up your giant wig-topped mind!
Jeraukov: And how exactly are you going to stop us, Elvira? Bore us to death?
Elvira: An’ if ya think I came here unprepared for two cups o’ trouble, you obviously haven’t seen this gal, Jeraukov. You cast a lotta smudge on some dang old horror movie rejects! An’ that’s MY job!
Jeraukov: Wha-!
Elvira: Taste the wrath of Elvira’s M.Ohhhh.D’s bodyguards!!! (Heavies fly in from out of nowhere and extinguish Coven)
I remember he appeared without his mask for the first time in the last panel of the Psycho Six (Memorizing prevents loosing time on re-reading, kids!), and man has he got older and fat since the last time, poor (yet evil) dude. 🙁
I didn’t know he was divorced, though.
Time seems to have that effect on a lot of folks (especially someone like Toxsick, the guru of unhealthy lifestyles). It’s probably the reason why he hides himself under that costume all the time.
I don’t know if I ever made mention of the character being divorced; there might have been a reference to a girlfriend/mistress at one time. In any event he’s definitely not going to be in any happy relationships any time soon.
Don’t forget Toxsick carries around vats of toxic chemicals all day for his job. He has huge back problems and is probably more than a little poisoned. I wouldn’t be surprised it his pale skin and discolored hair are both symptoms.
I would guess they get it from their dad. Yes, I know, there’s a world of difference between the kids’ rich auburn locks and their father’s sickly greenish gray hair, but keep in mind that Toxsick is in pretty rotten health. His hair and even his skin seem tainted by all the chemicals he breathes daily (and the crap he smokes and eats).
Here’s hoping his kids don’t inherit his putrid lifestyle!
The fact that even with a pack of angry women behind her, he still opened the door for his ex tells me something about Toxsick’s character I never considered. This is a guy who doesn’t mind taking his dues. That having been said, they just attacked him right in front of his kids…… yeah, way to go Jeraukov. What was that about protecting your daughter from the violence of the city and all that? Oh, I see, only counts for HER kid.
On the upside, I guarantee he’ll never owe his ex a cent after this is all said and done. It’s impossible to claim alimony after you’ve gone to your ex’s house and committed a violent felony on them in front of the children. I know too many people who tried that crap. And with that said, Toxsick with a chip on his shoulder and sudden disposable income is not someone you want mad at you. Plus, she has no way to get that money if he’s in the hospital in the first place. Funny thing, I know Tox isn’t the greatest father but he’s actively paying alimony even under an alias? That’s at least some devotion that the kids likely don’t deserve.
Plus, they chose the wrong guy to ding first. Scap’s not a complete moron. When his strongest supporter (or least active detractor), sometimes coffee pal, and working class joe gets pummelled, he’s going to know there’s problems.
From the girls’ point of view, not a bad move. They did just take out the one guy who can, and will, kill all of them. For now.
Getting in the legal entanglements of divorce, criminals, criminal divorces, and supervillain exemptions is something that just makes my head spin, so I’ll just agree with your judgment. I’m willing to bet a lot of you out there have witnessed (or, sorry, experienced) messy situations like this, so lo be it for me to make assumptions about alimony and all that!
It almost seems like this is going to have to lead up to a big ‘revenge’ story, a la some of the gritty films of the 70’s…and that might be pretty badass. “Terrible Toxsick’s Fatasssssssss Song”?
Who would YOU cast in such a film? Let’s hear some suggestions, people!
I imagine a younger John Goodman would have made a pretty good Toxsick, actually. I’d also have to vote Tim Curry for Hypnausea. I’m not too ‘up’ on the actor scene, but I imagine you’d have to scout around a bit to find someone to play Knuckles Sam.
Oddly, I also keep thinking of Throgor being voiced by James Earl Jones.
At this stage in her character I imagine Mona Naware could be played by any shrieking hollywood parrot.
I can totally see John Goodman in the role of Toxsick. You would probably have to go waaaaay more anorexic for Hypnausea (plus Tim Curry is actually too good of an actor to be stuck with such a B.S. character like Hypnausea)!
As I’ve said before, the only person I can picture playing Throgor is Ron Perlman.
Mona Naware’s new look is sort of modeled after Pink, and her attitude isn’t that far off, either.
I just love Toxsick. I love that he’s an average working stiff, works a dead-end job, and is divorced with kids on the weekend and an alimony to pay. I love how he doesn’t care about what people say (I wish I could be the same way).
And he’s effing SCARY in costume. I’ve always been terrified of gas masks since I was little because of what they represent and how they make people look like monsters. I know if I had him coming at me with those emotionless red eyes and a gun full of sickening horror, I’d be polluting my pants. I’m MUCH more afraid of him than I am of any of the others.
I’ll be interested to see what he does about this when he can walk again.
Gas masks are awesome visuals for artists to use, which is why I often overlook the symbolism that may be attached to them. Yes, gas masks (especially the old school model that Toxsick uses) represent some really serious s__t in regards to a long history of war, death, suffering, and horror. If the character of Toxsick is aware of this, he would probably match your assumption: he just doesn’t care.
Oddly enough, there’s quite a few strange folks out there who see some erotic appeal of gas masks. I don’t know who you are, I’m not judging, and I’m probably going to get a lot of weird spam for mentioning them, but let’s just say “to each their own” and move on. Toxsick wouldn’t care, either!
Let’s not forget here folks, for all their sinister implications, gas masks have saved millions of lives and are, at their core, a beneficial device. In the field of war, they were one of the few devices not invented to end life. Their sinister reputation almost enitrely rises from the ‘facelessness’ that comes from wearing one. As does their erotic appeal actually. The fact that it covers a face means you can imagine anyone underneath it.
Me Pa’s got an old friend, Ted Wilson, who wears an old gas mask everywhere because it’s less disturbing than his face after an accident involving his days in a steel mill. See? Practical uses for everyday, misunderstood things.
There you go! All very good points that I never considered, although I still can’t quite get the erotic appeal of it. Oh well, different strokes and all that.
And, you have to admit, soldiers running out into combat could have been wearing a lot let practical things than gas masks, like those paper face masks you wear when painting the walls.
I really hope you are going somewhere with this. I’ve been a pretty regular reader for awhile now and have read through the archives a few times now and there has always been a pretty standard re-occurring theme, folks like Scapula and his friends having terrible luck and getting their asses kicked.
I don’t think there was ever a comic that had me rooting for the villains, but here we are and that’s what I am doing. I am going to be terribly disappointed if this turns into a yet another, ‘they get fucked over’ story arc.
Hmph. Although at first, I liked where this arc was going, now I’m getting a worrying feeling that it might just turn into the two teams repeatedly beating the sh_t out of each other (with the occasional backstabbing or betrayal) and with less of those interesting and somewhat dark “monologue moments” like you had in previous strips, like when Throgor was talking to the Jemini clone. Don’t get me wrong, I would certainly enjoy an arc with a bunch of wierdos in costumes beating and betraying and backstabbing (that isn’t sarcasm, I mean it), but maybe it could use a really big twist. Like, for example, Jemini reveals herself to the coven and kicks out or kills that hypocritical doctor Jeraukov (I bet plenty of fans would enjoy that), as well as Mona and this new next-to-useless b_tch Alexia (not sure about Miserable, she might have some talents), then takes over with her clone army.
Just a thought, but let me know what you think.
Reader feedback is always appreciated, and even if I rarely pull a complete 180′ to alter the course of a story, I still do enjoy when people out there give their two cents. If it doesn’t always affect the current story it certainly does make me reconsider the next ones, so rest assured, your input is always important.
That said, we’re still pretty early into this storyline (you heard right, folks, this serial has only just begun!), so whether or not it matches the predictions listed in the comments section has yet to be seen. How will this all play out? Only one way to find out!
In my experience it’s often best to let the comic writer write unbothered. After all, he’s been doing quite well so far. To quote Switzerland: Let’s wait and see.
Awww, poor Toxsick! He’s my favorite! He may be a villain, but he’s not getting his ass kicked for that – he’s getting his ass kicked because his ex is a crotch. 🙁
I’d like to see him end up with some good coming out of all this.
Toxsick has probably been the least twisted and most relatable of the villains. I wonder if him getting hit second was supposed to diffuse some of the positive feelings towards Jeraukov’s gang.
Very true words, quix! Toxsick may not have been twisted before, but that angry mob might have left him twisted like a pretzel!
Noooooooooooo! Not Roy!
o.O
Aw, crap. The Coven almost had my sympathy, misguided though they all might be. But now? Hell no, I hope Scap and the gang mess them up GOOD! Except for LMM – I think she just needs to wake up and realize there’s other ways to “get out of the house” …
The Coven were doing good deeds all around…until they started whupping on super-criminals. Well, that’s technically a crime as well (unless if you’re a cop or federal agent or something), so I guess we can just say that EVERYONE deserves some whupping.
Even Little Miss Miserable. She needs a good spanking, and then be sent to bed with no dessert.
She needs a good spanking, all right – I’ll be happy to volunteer.
Actually I’m pretty sure Roy’s the most dangerous of the lot of’em. Throgor’s disgusting and an attempted rapist, Hypnausea is a sex offender, Tigadactyl is… a bad driver? I guess? And Scap is mostly incompetent. Toxsick’s bombed a crowded concert and a lab just that we’ve seen. He (possibly) killed Alice Cooper!
Besides Babirus who eats people, Tox doesn’t really have any competition in terms of deadlist non-crime boss.
He may be the most likeable character in the comic by miles, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve a beating.
The Coven’s still obnoxious though.
Great assessment, King of Zeroes! I think you’re absolutely right on about everything, except I don’t think Alice Cooper died that one time. Nothing can kill him!
Tigadactyl as a bad driver, though…I don’t know where I ever hinted at that, but now I may have to do a story about him being the gang’s “wheelman” and running right into a lamppost. D’ohhhh!
NOOOOO! Not Toxsick!
Go on, SOMEONE make a reference to Darth Vader.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Toxsick is a better dad than a bunch of other bozos. He is at least paying alimony, which is amazing since he is a bad guy. A real bum would not do that. His son is a spoiled brat type. Assuming Roy can still talk after this, Scapula and the gang should be getting a clue of what is happening.
I never thought of that (and I’m the dope who wrote this damned story); perhaps Toxsick actually does care something for his children if he’s paying for them and having them over on weekends (even when he’s living under an alias).
He may not be too friendly, but considering how many millions of deadbeat dads out there abandon their children forever maybe it’s easy to be a tad sympathetic to Toxsick.
Oh good, another whiny, loud-mouthed balloon joins the crowd…
Why did it never occur to me before?! The epiphany of a lifetime! Scap and the boys should enlist the help of Elvira, Mistress of the Dark to take down Jeraukov and the booty brigade!
Hmm…would Elvira really join Scap and his creepy crew? Considering how many bodyguards she keeps around her during public appearances it seems doubtful she would want to be around more sickos.
That isn’t to say Scap wouldn’t try to persuade her. Hell, he’s probably written her ten thousand fan letters by now!
I’ve heard that Elvira, since she is finding it harder to personally fulfill every guest-appearance folks want from her due to age (she and her no-padding all-natural rack are past 50 now, holy crap) hires hand-picked “lookalikes” to stand in for her at non-close-up/non-talking appearances (parades, for example)… and a couple of the best stand-in are actually men in drag.
The funny thing is that that seems totally believable. Elvira constantly states that she’s retiring and that the next convention is the “last one”…then she shows up again and again. With all due respect, Miss Peterson, make up your giant wig-topped mind!
She probably does mean it every time, yet she’s probably too soft-hearted to say no when every other fan begs her to come back…
Probably. Most every account I’ve heard by my friends who met her is that she was a pretty nice person.
Jeraukov: And how exactly are you going to stop us, Elvira? Bore us to death?
Elvira: An’ if ya think I came here unprepared for two cups o’ trouble, you obviously haven’t seen this gal, Jeraukov. You cast a lotta smudge on some dang old horror movie rejects! An’ that’s MY job!
Jeraukov: Wha-!
Elvira: Taste the wrath of Elvira’s M.Ohhhh.D’s bodyguards!!! (Heavies fly in from out of nowhere and extinguish Coven)
I think that ending would be the best one ever. Even without the obvious catfight!
I remember he appeared without his mask for the first time in the last panel of the Psycho Six (Memorizing prevents loosing time on re-reading, kids!), and man has he got older and fat since the last time, poor (yet evil) dude. 🙁
I didn’t know he was divorced, though.
Time seems to have that effect on a lot of folks (especially someone like Toxsick, the guru of unhealthy lifestyles). It’s probably the reason why he hides himself under that costume all the time.
I don’t know if I ever made mention of the character being divorced; there might have been a reference to a girlfriend/mistress at one time. In any event he’s definitely not going to be in any happy relationships any time soon.
Your own link on today’s comic leads right to him nailing Jemini …
Ah! There ya go.
There will be vengeance. It’s gonna get ugly.
Damned right! Uglier than any of the Sinister Monster Doom Legion.
Hmm, I nearly feel bad for Toxsick. Especially after the kids’ reaction.
Question though, unless the mom is dying her hair, who do they take after?
Don’t forget Toxsick carries around vats of toxic chemicals all day for his job. He has huge back problems and is probably more than a little poisoned. I wouldn’t be surprised it his pale skin and discolored hair are both symptoms.
I would guess they get it from their dad. Yes, I know, there’s a world of difference between the kids’ rich auburn locks and their father’s sickly greenish gray hair, but keep in mind that Toxsick is in pretty rotten health. His hair and even his skin seem tainted by all the chemicals he breathes daily (and the crap he smokes and eats).
Here’s hoping his kids don’t inherit his putrid lifestyle!
The fact that even with a pack of angry women behind her, he still opened the door for his ex tells me something about Toxsick’s character I never considered. This is a guy who doesn’t mind taking his dues. That having been said, they just attacked him right in front of his kids…… yeah, way to go Jeraukov. What was that about protecting your daughter from the violence of the city and all that? Oh, I see, only counts for HER kid.
On the upside, I guarantee he’ll never owe his ex a cent after this is all said and done. It’s impossible to claim alimony after you’ve gone to your ex’s house and committed a violent felony on them in front of the children. I know too many people who tried that crap. And with that said, Toxsick with a chip on his shoulder and sudden disposable income is not someone you want mad at you. Plus, she has no way to get that money if he’s in the hospital in the first place. Funny thing, I know Tox isn’t the greatest father but he’s actively paying alimony even under an alias? That’s at least some devotion that the kids likely don’t deserve.
Plus, they chose the wrong guy to ding first. Scap’s not a complete moron. When his strongest supporter (or least active detractor), sometimes coffee pal, and working class joe gets pummelled, he’s going to know there’s problems.
From the girls’ point of view, not a bad move. They did just take out the one guy who can, and will, kill all of them. For now.
Getting in the legal entanglements of divorce, criminals, criminal divorces, and supervillain exemptions is something that just makes my head spin, so I’ll just agree with your judgment. I’m willing to bet a lot of you out there have witnessed (or, sorry, experienced) messy situations like this, so lo be it for me to make assumptions about alimony and all that!
It almost seems like this is going to have to lead up to a big ‘revenge’ story, a la some of the gritty films of the 70’s…and that might be pretty badass. “Terrible Toxsick’s Fatasssssssss Song”?
Who would YOU cast in such a film? Let’s hear some suggestions, people!
I imagine a younger John Goodman would have made a pretty good Toxsick, actually. I’d also have to vote Tim Curry for Hypnausea. I’m not too ‘up’ on the actor scene, but I imagine you’d have to scout around a bit to find someone to play Knuckles Sam.
Oddly, I also keep thinking of Throgor being voiced by James Earl Jones.
At this stage in her character I imagine Mona Naware could be played by any shrieking hollywood parrot.
I can totally see John Goodman in the role of Toxsick. You would probably have to go waaaaay more anorexic for Hypnausea (plus Tim Curry is actually too good of an actor to be stuck with such a B.S. character like Hypnausea)!
As I’ve said before, the only person I can picture playing Throgor is Ron Perlman.
Mona Naware’s new look is sort of modeled after Pink, and her attitude isn’t that far off, either.
I just love Toxsick. I love that he’s an average working stiff, works a dead-end job, and is divorced with kids on the weekend and an alimony to pay. I love how he doesn’t care about what people say (I wish I could be the same way).
And he’s effing SCARY in costume. I’ve always been terrified of gas masks since I was little because of what they represent and how they make people look like monsters. I know if I had him coming at me with those emotionless red eyes and a gun full of sickening horror, I’d be polluting my pants. I’m MUCH more afraid of him than I am of any of the others.
I’ll be interested to see what he does about this when he can walk again.
Gas masks are awesome visuals for artists to use, which is why I often overlook the symbolism that may be attached to them. Yes, gas masks (especially the old school model that Toxsick uses) represent some really serious s__t in regards to a long history of war, death, suffering, and horror. If the character of Toxsick is aware of this, he would probably match your assumption: he just doesn’t care.
Oddly enough, there’s quite a few strange folks out there who see some erotic appeal of gas masks. I don’t know who you are, I’m not judging, and I’m probably going to get a lot of weird spam for mentioning them, but let’s just say “to each their own” and move on. Toxsick wouldn’t care, either!
Let’s not forget here folks, for all their sinister implications, gas masks have saved millions of lives and are, at their core, a beneficial device. In the field of war, they were one of the few devices not invented to end life. Their sinister reputation almost enitrely rises from the ‘facelessness’ that comes from wearing one. As does their erotic appeal actually. The fact that it covers a face means you can imagine anyone underneath it.
Me Pa’s got an old friend, Ted Wilson, who wears an old gas mask everywhere because it’s less disturbing than his face after an accident involving his days in a steel mill. See? Practical uses for everyday, misunderstood things.
There you go! All very good points that I never considered, although I still can’t quite get the erotic appeal of it. Oh well, different strokes and all that.
And, you have to admit, soldiers running out into combat could have been wearing a lot let practical things than gas masks, like those paper face masks you wear when painting the walls.
I really hope you are going somewhere with this. I’ve been a pretty regular reader for awhile now and have read through the archives a few times now and there has always been a pretty standard re-occurring theme, folks like Scapula and his friends having terrible luck and getting their asses kicked.
I don’t think there was ever a comic that had me rooting for the villains, but here we are and that’s what I am doing. I am going to be terribly disappointed if this turns into a yet another, ‘they get fucked over’ story arc.
We’ll just have to wait and see, won’t we? That, or you fine readers can always write some fan fiction about Scapula getting revenge on everyone.
I expected more flies in his apartment…
That place is too rancid for even flies to infest!
Hmph. Although at first, I liked where this arc was going, now I’m getting a worrying feeling that it might just turn into the two teams repeatedly beating the sh_t out of each other (with the occasional backstabbing or betrayal) and with less of those interesting and somewhat dark “monologue moments” like you had in previous strips, like when Throgor was talking to the Jemini clone. Don’t get me wrong, I would certainly enjoy an arc with a bunch of wierdos in costumes beating and betraying and backstabbing (that isn’t sarcasm, I mean it), but maybe it could use a really big twist. Like, for example, Jemini reveals herself to the coven and kicks out or kills that hypocritical doctor Jeraukov (I bet plenty of fans would enjoy that), as well as Mona and this new next-to-useless b_tch Alexia (not sure about Miserable, she might have some talents), then takes over with her clone army.
Just a thought, but let me know what you think.
Reader feedback is always appreciated, and even if I rarely pull a complete 180′ to alter the course of a story, I still do enjoy when people out there give their two cents. If it doesn’t always affect the current story it certainly does make me reconsider the next ones, so rest assured, your input is always important.
That said, we’re still pretty early into this storyline (you heard right, folks, this serial has only just begun!), so whether or not it matches the predictions listed in the comments section has yet to be seen. How will this all play out? Only one way to find out!
In my experience it’s often best to let the comic writer write unbothered. After all, he’s been doing quite well so far. To quote Switzerland: Let’s wait and see.
Much obliged! Now to write the grand finale: dinosaur attacks!
Damnit, I gave him an inch again……. Hehehehehehehehe.
Awww, poor Toxsick! He’s my favorite! He may be a villain, but he’s not getting his ass kicked for that – he’s getting his ass kicked because his ex is a crotch. 🙁
I’d like to see him end up with some good coming out of all this.
Aww, sorry, Felis! Maybe he’ll get some ice cream at the end of this story (if he survives it)!
I think that’s the last solid food he’s going to eat for awhile!!
Bah! Solids are overrated. A fat, lazy schlub like Toxsick would probably be fine drinking all his meals and saving the hassle of chewing!
Aw, no! Toxsick was one of my faves! He’s the guy I drew in my historic Scapula guest comic. I hope they don’t beat him up too badly.
For those of you who don’t remember George’s guest spot, give it another gander. Good times!
Poor guy can’t even afford a belt after paying all the alimony
Sweat pants don’t require a belt, but who am I to critique on modern fashion?