You know, at first the raven’s voice in my head was a booming male voice; now, she seems to make more sense in my head as a booming female voice. Don’t know why that is.
this is a pg that goes *DUM DUM DUUUUUUUM* in my head
love
and thus cant wait til next week, which is bound to have birds, bunnies, and other non-CC characters being silly ^_^
I actually heard it in my head as an imperious female voice, not loud so much as immensely forceful. Like someone shoving a brick into your brain through your ear.
sounds are in the spotlight tonight – how the raven speaks, the holler of the wind, the crack of the lightning. of the many intentions of your pen, there are many musical ‘colours’ that resonate from it.
beautiful.
Beautiful, beautiful, BEAUTIFUL comic as always!
I want Townsen back! But, as a bunch of people have already said, the title scares me…Eep! Can’t wait for next week!
It was back in “Here Comes The Sun” (Oct 8, 2008) when the bird stole Townsen away. And now this offer, after the statement that the wind speaks to the bird and tells it names. Charles is supposed to find out the kings name, right? Dilemma.
But then, as Argent pointed out, it’s “desire” and thus not really a choice…
Great work in every way – as always – Karl! Thanks.
Charles is a simple sort. His heart’s desire might be that NOBODY ever die, or ever be taken away again. The only way to fulfill that is the end of the tree.
Is it my imagination, or is there a subtle hint of a (human?) face bisected by the lightning in the last panel. And yes, I also noticed that the glow around the two halves of the split tree form an outspread wing shape.
Just my imagination, an intentional symbolism by Karl, or perhaps Karl’s subconscious influencing his composition?
I don’t think it will be Townsen. That would be too easy and as we all know Karl never gives us what we would expect. One of the reasons why the story is so amazing…
DMan, I saw that bird shape too. Hey Karl, is this a phoenix allusion?
BTW, this is my first post, although I’ve been lurking, reading, and absolutely enjoying your work since close to the beginning. Amazing doesn’t even begin to describe. I cannot wait for the print version. I will consider it to be one of the most loved books in my comic collection when I finally get it (right next to The Tick) :)
Clearly Charles has not played enough D&D to know that you need to consult a lawyer in these situations and make sure that everything is written out beforehand.
oh, jeez, what a place to stop! Over the past week I’ve read this comic from the first strip on, and- and of all the places to meet the end! The suspense is seriously killing me. Oooooh, I really want the fox to be alive. I loved that fox. Please let him be alive…
what if the lightning was not the bird’s doing, but a preemptive strike by some other force of nature, like, the lion? That bird tree looks to me like its been pretty well obliterated. I love Townsen too but . . . .
Gotta say, I just found your strip yesterday, and read up to the present. So now I’m finally in the same boat as everyone who’s been waiting week-to-week. Congrats on a great comic so far!
Today’s strip – ominous.
We all know that nothing good happens when you try to roll back death.
LOVE the story composition on this page, the way he looks at the skull then his expression changes, it’s little things like that that make all the difference in conveying a story.
Stunning. My first post here and I couldn’t hold it back any longer. Part of me wonders if it has anything to do with little Towsen. Maybe something to do with the lion? I’m also wondering when we will get another update on Vivol, I really love that bear…XD
Mandy – I see Frankenstein too!
Not to mention, it ties in with other themes; will Charles come to regret his creation, no matter how ardently he desired it? Perhaps he’s only thinking of the superficial aspect of creating life and not on its other aspects, such as its personality?
Actually, I hope not. :( I like Townsen. And Frankenstein had an “everybody dies” ending.
Amazing stuff. Love the way the tree splits to foreshadow the crow form in negative space. Really gives a subconscious weight to the power embodied in this creature/spirit.
I wonder… did he wish for the fox, or for the three things the Lion requested? Did he even remember those tasks? The panel of the skull on the ground makes me think Charles went for Option #1.
Gorgeous as always, but I’m a little confused about the bird. Is s/he supposed to be a raven? The beak’s too short and not heavy enough for that, it looks more like a hawk, but the carrion says raven/crow/corvid-of-your-choice, along with the symbolism…
I’d say it looks more like a Black Kestrel or Black Kite than anything else, although this is a Magical and Mystical World. She could be anything.
Also, It’s Worth noting that Female Ravens have shorter beak’s than males, but still, im not sure it should be that small, she is a 30 ft(?) Bird however, so it could just be proportioning.
@FutuRe — Raven? That is not the head of a raven, but of a raptor. I never thought of it as being a raven. My suspicion is that it is one and the same with the Lion on the mountain. If so, then even if Townsen comes back there will be consequences.
I take that back. There are always consequences. If this is another aspect of the Lion, the consequences will be bad.
@Odo: I wouldn’t have thought raven until people brought it up upthread–as someone with a side interest in birdwatching, it just didn’t read as a corvid. Raptor is definitely more like it, to me. I absolutely agree about the Lion bit, too.
@ FutuRe: Proportionally, it is way to small even for a very small-beaked raven indeed; it’s too small even for a crow, and shaped wrong.
May 27th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
The title makes me wonder how this will work out…
May 27th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Yeah! I’m feeling a bit of hope for our dear departed friend. That Charlie is so sweet :)
May 27th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
and i don’t want any zombie foxes, i don’t want to turn into a fox myself….
May 27th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
I’m telling you… his hearts deepest desire is a box of beer and a large pizza!
May 27th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
You know, at first the raven’s voice in my head was a booming male voice; now, she seems to make more sense in my head as a booming female voice. Don’t know why that is.
May 27th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
this is a pg that goes *DUM DUM DUUUUUUUM* in my head
love
and thus cant wait til next week, which is bound to have birds, bunnies, and other non-CC characters being silly ^_^
May 27th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
Townsen! Townsen!
@eleo: that must be because she used the phrase “deepest desire”.
May 27th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
I actually heard it in my head as an imperious female voice, not loud so much as immensely forceful. Like someone shoving a brick into your brain through your ear.
May 27th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
CONTINUED NEXT WEEK?
Ow. Ow ow ow. Ow. Oh, Townsen. Oh… I can just imagine him showing up all zombiefied going “hey, what’s the matter? You don’t look so good.”
May 27th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
I can’t help but think that every time I read this… It just feels like a movie. The expressions, the scenes, the nuance.
Great start to the second of many hundreds of comics.
Oh, and… ZOMG Townsen!!
May 27th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Oh my God…this can go either in a good direction with a fully healed and living Townsen or a zombie skeletal Townsen. :O
May 27th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
This won’t end well…
May 27th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
frankenstein allusion with the tree!
also, i love the 5th panel.
great work!
May 27th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
Hope this isn’t like Pet Semetary!
May 27th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Two words:
Pet Cemetery.
May 27th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Aaaaaand Okkervil totally beat me to it.
May 27th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
I’m with Chris and Okkervil. Called it last week. This. Bodes. Ill.
May 27th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
It’s amazing how this page is so well done it doesn’t need sound effects. I can hear that lighting strike clear as day.
May 27th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
sounds are in the spotlight tonight – how the raven speaks, the holler of the wind, the crack of the lightning. of the many intentions of your pen, there are many musical ‘colours’ that resonate from it.
beautiful.
May 27th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
Epic
May 27th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
Monkey’s paw townsen nuuuu! wish for him never to have died instead!
May 27th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
Beautiful, beautiful, BEAUTIFUL comic as always!
I want Townsen back! But, as a bunch of people have already said, the title scares me…Eep! Can’t wait for next week!
May 27th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
Oh the last three panels on the top KILL ME.
May 28th, 2009 at 12:10 am
Nice one my friend!
May 28th, 2009 at 1:00 am
His deepest heart desire:
That he can speak and a boat to get out of there!
:)
May 28th, 2009 at 1:24 am
I think Charles has gained wisdom, hopefully enough that he makes a wise decision, like that Townsen can go to wherever will be the best for him.
But that beer and pizza and boat might be good too! ;)
May 28th, 2009 at 1:26 am
Gorgeous final panel. No soundFX needed.
May 28th, 2009 at 1:43 am
Absolutely superb. Your power, Karl, is in the way you can say so much without a single piece of dialogue. Another brilliant strip, mate.
May 28th, 2009 at 2:19 am
Didn’t say “wish” or “decision”, said “desire”. You don’t get to choose or ask for that, it’s just there.
May 28th, 2009 at 3:52 am
It was back in “Here Comes The Sun” (Oct 8, 2008) when the bird stole Townsen away. And now this offer, after the statement that the wind speaks to the bird and tells it names. Charles is supposed to find out the kings name, right? Dilemma.
But then, as Argent pointed out, it’s “desire” and thus not really a choice…
Great work in every way – as always – Karl! Thanks.
May 28th, 2009 at 4:32 am
Of course, if his desire is simply to be with Townsen again it could go either way…
May 28th, 2009 at 4:34 am
Ominous title though … unless the bird’s the buyer and CC is the seller.
May 28th, 2009 at 6:06 am
Charles is a simple sort. His heart’s desire might be that NOBODY ever die, or ever be taken away again. The only way to fulfill that is the end of the tree.
May 28th, 2009 at 6:11 am
Oh Karl, you make me so happy.
May 28th, 2009 at 7:14 am
I F*%&IN’ LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!
May 28th, 2009 at 7:30 am
Is it my imagination, or is there a subtle hint of a (human?) face bisected by the lightning in the last panel. And yes, I also noticed that the glow around the two halves of the split tree form an outspread wing shape.
Just my imagination, an intentional symbolism by Karl, or perhaps Karl’s subconscious influencing his composition?
May 28th, 2009 at 7:44 am
This will be a tough week – waiting for the reveal – no guess this time – I’ll just sufffer along with everyone else .
May 28th, 2009 at 7:53 am
GUH
Karl you win. And kudos for having me look up Caveat Emptor.
May 28th, 2009 at 8:11 am
Panels 3-5 are heartbreaking. Charles is like a little child in an adult’s body.
I wonder how the bear will fit into this, however.
May 28th, 2009 at 8:45 am
His wish is for a monster truck, right? Charlie’s always on the move and he’d look awesome behind the wheel.
May 28th, 2009 at 8:56 am
Right on!!! Can not wait for next week!
May 28th, 2009 at 9:00 am
I don’t think it will be Townsen. That would be too easy and as we all know Karl never gives us what we would expect. One of the reasons why the story is so amazing…
May 28th, 2009 at 9:01 am
DMan, I saw that bird shape too. Hey Karl, is this a phoenix allusion?
BTW, this is my first post, although I’ve been lurking, reading, and absolutely enjoying your work since close to the beginning. Amazing doesn’t even begin to describe. I cannot wait for the print version. I will consider it to be one of the most loved books in my comic collection when I finally get it (right next to The Tick) :)
May 28th, 2009 at 9:16 am
Clearly Charles has not played enough D&D to know that you need to consult a lawyer in these situations and make sure that everything is written out beforehand.
May 28th, 2009 at 10:03 am
TOWNSEN!! TOWNSEN!! TOWNSEN!!
But, I spell potential for a setup here…..
Dear God! That last panel was just absolutely breathe-taking!
May 28th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
These kinds of things never, ever, end well. Remember “Something Wicked This Way Comes”?
Poor Charles.
May 28th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Cannot end well. I want it to end well… but it won’t, because happy is boring.
May 28th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
oh, jeez, what a place to stop! Over the past week I’ve read this comic from the first strip on, and- and of all the places to meet the end! The suspense is seriously killing me. Oooooh, I really want the fox to be alive. I loved that fox. Please let him be alive…
May 28th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
I hope this isn’t a Monkey’s Paw type of deal.
May 28th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
I see I’m not the only one hoping it’s not a Monkey’s Paw. And I mean that as in ‘Oh noes!!’ not as in, ‘Oh puhleeze.’
Like a cheese-nibbling cat, I wait with baited breath…….
May 28th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
ok… just as i was reading this… there was thunder here…. me so scared!
May 28th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Behold.. Galva-Charles? Will he get a new body and new troops to command?
May 28th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
I’d agree with the whole monkey’s paw thing, but usually the moral of that comes down to the fact that greedy wishes don’t play out.
Charles doesn’t have a greedy bone in his body. So while it might not end well, I don’t think it’ll end too badly either!
Another amazing one Karl! Thank you!!!
May 28th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
man this week is gonna kill me.
May 28th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
or maybe even the next two weeks. argh. Karl please don’t let us suffer much longer! ;)
May 28th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
love love love love love love love this comic LOVE.
May 28th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
I imagine the raven’s voice as Hannibal Lecter, in a non threatening non cannibalistic way.
May 28th, 2009 at 10:05 pm
Townson will come back but he will be in a catatonic state from dying once. Charles will have to put him out of his misery and kill him a second time
May 28th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
AUGH CLIFFHANGER.
Just watch, next week will be an opera house update. :-)
May 29th, 2009 at 5:12 am
Woohoo!
May 29th, 2009 at 5:21 am
The value of the life of his best friend was…. just a mere black feather.
May 29th, 2009 at 9:39 am
what if the lightning was not the bird’s doing, but a preemptive strike by some other force of nature, like, the lion? That bird tree looks to me like its been pretty well obliterated. I love Townsen too but . . . .
May 29th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
I’m beginning to think that a zombie Townsen would be kind of cute.
“Wocha doing? Oh, sorry, I kinda dropped that. Here, let me help ya clean that up! Whoops!”
May 29th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Yay! They are gonna resurrect Towsen!
… I think. Well, it seems so. Zombie Towsen? Nah, you guys are creepy.
May 30th, 2009 at 1:45 am
Gotta say, I just found your strip yesterday, and read up to the present. So now I’m finally in the same boat as everyone who’s been waiting week-to-week. Congrats on a great comic so far!
Today’s strip – ominous.
We all know that nothing good happens when you try to roll back death.
May 30th, 2009 at 3:34 am
LOVE the story composition on this page, the way he looks at the skull then his expression changes, it’s little things like that that make all the difference in conveying a story.
May 30th, 2009 at 4:36 am
Stunning. My first post here and I couldn’t hold it back any longer. Part of me wonders if it has anything to do with little Towsen. Maybe something to do with the lion? I’m also wondering when we will get another update on Vivol, I really love that bear…XD
May 31st, 2009 at 6:16 am
I think Abominable is my favourite webcomic. It’s so weird and beautiful. Thank you Karl!
May 31st, 2009 at 8:46 am
Mandy – I see Frankenstein too!
Not to mention, it ties in with other themes; will Charles come to regret his creation, no matter how ardently he desired it? Perhaps he’s only thinking of the superficial aspect of creating life and not on its other aspects, such as its personality?
Actually, I hope not. :( I like Townsen. And Frankenstein had an “everybody dies” ending.
May 31st, 2009 at 11:31 am
Amazing stuff. Love the way the tree splits to foreshadow the crow form in negative space. Really gives a subconscious weight to the power embodied in this creature/spirit.
May 31st, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Anyone remember the cat from the 1978 Watership Down film? It’s her voice I keep hearing for the raven.
Amazing story so far, on the edge of my chair!
May 31st, 2009 at 1:32 pm
I wonder… did he wish for the fox, or for the three things the Lion requested? Did he even remember those tasks? The panel of the skull on the ground makes me think Charles went for Option #1.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Just found this strip and read from start to current all at once. This is great! I can’t believe the talent I stumble across online.
June 1st, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Maybe he will get his fox back… as a scarf!
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:33 am
Gorgeous as always, but I’m a little confused about the bird. Is s/he supposed to be a raven? The beak’s too short and not heavy enough for that, it looks more like a hawk, but the carrion says raven/crow/corvid-of-your-choice, along with the symbolism…
June 2nd, 2009 at 5:37 am
I hope Townsen is back tomorrow!!! It’s my birthday Thursday and that would be the best gift EVER!!! :)
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:07 am
@Dreaming of Everything
I’d say it looks more like a Black Kestrel or Black Kite than anything else, although this is a Magical and Mystical World. She could be anything.
Also, It’s Worth noting that Female Ravens have shorter beak’s than males, but still, im not sure it should be that small, she is a 30 ft(?) Bird however, so it could just be proportioning.
June 2nd, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Wow…. Karl, your art never fails to amaze me, and I am excited to see what a hearts desire looks like.
June 3rd, 2009 at 4:51 am
That bird got ZAPPED!
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:46 am
@FutuRe — Raven? That is not the head of a raven, but of a raptor. I never thought of it as being a raven. My suspicion is that it is one and the same with the Lion on the mountain. If so, then even if Townsen comes back there will be consequences.
I take that back. There are always consequences. If this is another aspect of the Lion, the consequences will be bad.
Love the artwork as always, Karl.
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:47 am
Nevermind, should have directed that last to Dreaming, not to FutuRe. oops.
June 3rd, 2009 at 5:11 pm
@Odo: I wouldn’t have thought raven until people brought it up upthread–as someone with a side interest in birdwatching, it just didn’t read as a corvid. Raptor is definitely more like it, to me. I absolutely agree about the Lion bit, too.
@ FutuRe: Proportionally, it is way to small even for a very small-beaked raven indeed; it’s too small even for a crow, and shaped wrong.
July 18th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
I have a very bad feeling – maybe because I’ve just read the previous strip (Deal with the Devil).
About the beak – looks more like a falcon’s beak to me, short, round and hooked.
July 27th, 2009 at 12:58 am
“Caveat Emptor”- let the buyer beware.
I forsee a bungling in the wish…