Homecoming - Episode 18 + Bonus Pinup
Added 2023-11-12 07:56:31 +0000 UTCMonsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win. - Stephen King
Wow! Okay, at 35 pages (!!!), this is the longest episode of any comic I've created in 5+ years - plus a bonus pinup! 😊
But I was really inspired by those of you who voted and all the wonderful comments on the last episode. Thank you! 💖
And...that's all I'll say. Because this episode has a lot of stuff, and I can't wait to hear / read your thoughts!!!
Comments
Thanks, Nina! 💖 Cindy was lying - she'd been threatened by "the cunt" into doing so. Kris DID lie to Kayla about not having found Cindy once they were released, though! And we found out that "the cunt" is a cop...and works with Det. Benjamin H! 🫢
Emory Ahlberg
2023-12-02 18:51:18 +0000 UTCkinda wild, so has kris been playing the victim this whole time?? this is one plot twist i didn’t see coming 👏👏
Nina
2023-12-02 08:18:07 +0000 UTCAnd maybe the prey!
Emory Ahlberg
2023-11-21 17:27:49 +0000 UTCThe hunted becomes the hunter :-) x
stacy C
2023-11-21 09:40:02 +0000 UTCBen's got that raw edge of someone who's torn between his job and his heart. It's messy, it's real, and it might just be his downfall—or his redemption. He's definitely not your textbook detective; he lets things get personal, which can be both a strength and a weakness. I think he GENUINELY didn't believe Chris. I mean, it's a bizarre story and Chris was being purposefully vague about the details. So, from his point of view, Chirs disappeared years ago - breaking Kayla's heart - and then comes back and has the balls (😉) to lie about why? And now Ben has to pretend like he doesn't have feelings for the girl he's falling in love with? But now he's being faced with the possibility that the whole story was true... The Cunt has the upper hand but she also has her work cut out for her with Al. She’s got to play her cards right or risk blowing the whole operation wide open. Remember, we know she was seen by someone else working for Ben! Cindy... she’s caught in the crossfire big time. Let’s hope she can dodge bullets because Cunt / Camila doesn’t strike me as the forgiving type.
Emory Ahlberg
2023-11-14 06:23:59 +0000 UTCThanks, CK! You've got a knack for piecing together the clues, lol. The Cunt's skin tone does look a bit darker. But it's the same model / textures. Sometimes the lighting affects how the characters appear in weird ways. Good observations about Bella's treatment of Chris. There definitely seems to be a particular interest from Bella in Chris's defiance and strength, which set him apart from her other captives... And don't worry, there's more to be revealed about Chris's release from Bella's brothel. We'll return to some flashbacks soon. P.S.: Thanks for pointing out the inconsistency with Chris's voices! That was an oversight on my part, and I need to fix it.
Emory Ahlberg
2023-11-14 06:06:39 +0000 UTCHi Gemma! So... it's fascinating to hear about your shift in perspective on Ben. Characters often reveal different facets of themselves as the story unfolds. We saw one aspect with Ben - his brief interaction with Kayla - but that's not his whole story. Does that mean he's NOT an asshole? Not necessarily. But he's probably not one all the time. 😉 Cindy's portrayal has been a balance for me, but one I've really enjoyed. Her beauty and seductive looks contrast sharply with her lack of agency in how she got there. P.S. I love Murph!
Emory Ahlberg
2023-11-14 05:57:42 +0000 UTCThanks, Bella! It can be a challenge to capture a character's body language, especially in a medium like comics where every panel counts. And hey, who wouldn't be envious of a dress like that? I want one... although I wouldn't like even a tenth as lovely. 😉
Emory Ahlberg
2023-11-14 05:52:56 +0000 UTCBella's game is definitely next level.
Emory Ahlberg
2023-11-14 05:48:57 +0000 UTCMaybe that can be next year's costume suggestion. 😉
Emory Ahlberg
2023-11-14 05:48:24 +0000 UTCYeah, she's really pretty - I like her wig!
Emory Ahlberg
2023-11-14 05:48:09 +0000 UTCThanks, I enjoy writing it!
Emory Ahlberg
2023-11-14 05:47:58 +0000 UTCYour instincts might be onto something. Bella's reach seems to extend further than we thought. Det. Harris is in dangerous waters. He doesn't look particularly femme right now - but maybe he's a diamond in the rough. 😉
Emory Ahlberg
2023-11-14 05:47:41 +0000 UTCThanks, Ella! I'm so happy you're enjoying it. 😊 The next couple of episodes are going to be wild, I promise! We get to see Kris unleashed.
Emory Ahlberg
2023-11-14 04:40:29 +0000 UTCA lot to digest in this one. First - Ben is not a good detective - he has an unknown witness who he just caught lying to him - and he told her everything he knew. That's not good for an investigation. Second, his rather vociferous defense of "his best friend Chris" seems counter to his aside comment a few chapters back of "not gonna happen, buddy" referring to Kayla and Chris getting back together. His defense of his friend seems to be a change in how he might be viewed. He's not a pure asshole now - maybe. His comment about watching Kayla die inside day by day also runs counter to his insistence that he was gonna block Chris getting back with Kayla. So - that story needs to be ironed out. Inside job - seems very plausible now (Emory - you know my thoughts on that one). That's one way to get around one nagging issue on the backup; any place with security system worth a crap will have redundant off-site storage. So it's highly implausible that both copies could be corrupted in the same way - unless it was an inside job (maybe, if the insider is damned good and the PD had limited resources). (Send the drives to the Puzzle Palace - they can find data that no-one else can!) However, at some point, Ben might start to get suspicious of his partner if there are too many coincidences in stymying his investigation. The question is now - how high up does the conspiracy go? It would seem unlikely that Sgt Cunt alone could manage to hide traces of all the 'disappearances' that have happened. Might Ben find a point where he's told in some way (subtle or not) to back off? How will the Cunt stop Al? Stall finding him, and use that time to get to Al - maybe threaten his kid if he talks? Let him know that if he doesn't cooperate, his kid could be next in line for the 'treatment'? What kind of story is she going to give to tell Ben, knowing what she had Cindy lie about didn't work? Kayla now also has a mystery - why did Chris/Kris leave? She knows of her difficulty accepting the changes, she knows she can't really relate to Kris (although she doesn't know there's a personality duality), she left Chris in bed - she doesn't necessarily know that he knows that she left? He's gone when she wakes, and now she might go back into panic mode. Alert Ben? Likely. Will that cause her to go to Ben's arms for comfort (again)? And what of poor Cindy? The Cunt knows that she wasn't believed; hopefully in her job, she'll get info that lets her know that Cindy didn't talk. If not, Cindy's life could be in danger.
Elrod W
2023-11-13 17:19:14 +0000 UTCSeeing the renders, without yet translating or reading anything, I was already convinced that the Sergeant was from Bella's gang, and now reading the comments I see that she is C-Cunt herself. I had to go watch the last episode of the first season, and besides the uniform, between the two seasons she must have spent a month at Butterfly Beach sunbathing....😉 My guess that Cindy and Chris were in contact has hit the mark! I'll put that down! hehehe. This is getting very interesting, and it keeps going around in my head, I don't quite know why, that Bella has a predilection for Chris and I think that's why the Cunt is so jealous of him. We still have to know how Chris got out of Bella's brothel and all the terms of the 'agreement', we already know something but I imagine that there are still things to tell... Ben is walking a very, very fine rope... and Kayla... this is on fire! PS: Emory, a doubt-curiosity, Chris has 3 voices? In this chapter you've gone back to blue Chris man, purple Chris girl and in other chapters as Kris has another color/voice?
ckarya
2023-11-13 11:24:33 +0000 UTCWonder if Cindy gave Kris/Chris that hideous buzzcut in that case….😝
Robertlouis
2023-11-13 05:14:01 +0000 UTCOn a lighter note... would hate to be Cindy's next client at the hair salon. After all those beers she had, I am afraid someone may get a nasty looking haircut!
Bowie897
2023-11-12 21:55:17 +0000 UTCThat's a good idea! I wish I could find a way to extract them from the PDFs. I don't have most of them as text files. 🤔
Emory Ahlberg
2023-11-12 20:34:15 +0000 UTCWow! My views of Ben undertook an unexpected 180% turn. Cindy looks amazing and certainly is a seductress. It is easy to forget that Cindy did not chose to be a girl. Still trying to get a handle on Kris/ Chris and the future he/she wishes to secure? Look forward to next chapter and also seeing more of Cindy. P.S. nice pep talk to Cindy from bartender around acceptance.
Gemma
2023-11-12 19:55:26 +0000 UTCWould you ever consider posting a PDF of just the script? Would be much easier to stay caught up on the plot, at least for me!
Fratspin
2023-11-12 19:18:54 +0000 UTCDefinitely Jealous of that final dress. Nice conveyance of Cindy making herself smaller; still jealous of that body. lol
Bella Lime
2023-11-12 14:39:07 +0000 UTCBella really know to play 5D chess with her capturers, especially playing Harris into her hands.
Tiki D
2023-11-12 13:06:05 +0000 UTCI really like Kris' dress at the end. She know how to embrace her natural feminine side.
Tiki D
2023-11-12 13:02:35 +0000 UTCCan you Chris/Kris as Carmen Maranda (The fruit hat lady) clothes?
Tiki D
2023-11-12 13:00:57 +0000 UTCKris really looks like Kim Kardashian beautifully. 😳
Tiki D
2023-11-12 12:59:14 +0000 UTCWe also learn why Chris/Kris left Kayla from the previous chapters, too.
Tiki D
2023-11-12 12:58:01 +0000 UTCChris/Kris duelity switching between his/her voice and mindset is always interesting.
Tiki D
2023-11-12 12:56:51 +0000 UTCBella has a lot agents like Camila being undercover in Police Force. Why do I have a feeling that Detective Harris is going to be mislead and get capture at some point. I wonder what Detective Harris would like as a female?
Tiki D
2023-11-12 12:54:24 +0000 UTCYes! What a great chapter! Big, dangerous revelations and an intense setup. This story is sooooo good! 😊
Ella Cherry
2023-11-12 12:20:49 +0000 UTCOMG - Thank you, Zoe!!! I admit I'm rather happy with this episode! 💖😊
Emory Ahlberg
2023-11-12 09:58:48 +0000 UTCLOL - Maybe it wasn't obvious enough, or maybe her uniform was a good disguise! Camila is "the Cunt" as we've come to know her. 😉
Emory Ahlberg
2023-11-12 09:56:18 +0000 UTCCamila is "the Cunt" as we've come to know her. 😉
Emory Ahlberg
2023-11-12 09:55:07 +0000 UTCCamila works for Bella, I'm sure of it. And Bikini Beach, a Freudian slip of the tongue, my muse?
Alex From the Tri-Cities
2023-11-12 09:52:24 +0000 UTCWow... what a chapter... Why I have extremely huge impression that Camila knows way much more already than poor Det. Harris? Was that cute and mischievous smirk on her lovely innocent face or am I imagining things? hehehe ACAB LOOOL ❣️❣️❣️Kris went hunting like girls from SoD kinda-ish
Maggie Heels
2023-11-12 09:49:58 +0000 UTCOh yeah, just what I needed to properly wake up on a Sunday morning. This rules. You rule, Emory.
Zoe Storm
2023-11-12 09:14:34 +0000 UTCAaaaaa! Alyson, I'm not ashamed to say I worked hard on this episode and I'm so glad it hit hard! 💖 I LOVE MURPH. He's got that rough charm! Just the kind of bartender to pour you a stiff one and serve up some unexpected wisdom on the side. Like... a boozy Gandalf? And Kris... well, let’s just say Kris is about to take us on a wild ride through Chicago’s underbelly where every shadow could be hiding another secret or sin waiting to be uncovered... 😊
Emory Ahlberg
2023-11-12 08:28:15 +0000 UTCHell yes, ACAB, go Cindy! …and she’s immediately proven right. LMAO my stomach when it cut to Camila. Murph wins all the prizes, though. And that ENDING. Yeah, this woke me up better than my morning coffee.
Alyson Greaves
2023-11-12 08:16:21 +0000 UTC
