davebarrack
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Grrl Power #1340 - The Zambia Reversal
🕑 Added 2025-03-20 10:00:11 +0000 UTCThank you for the support! You guys are awesome!
Hah! Deus has a history with air quotes. I forgot about that but someone linked that page in the comments for the previous comic.
Deus has been working for at least a decade in preparation for his takeover bid. He's been quietly improving the GDP and quality of life in Galytn proper for a decade, but he knew his push through Mozambique would tumble their military and allow him to step in. The fact is that a lot of the nations in Africa just don't have the resources to handle a determined and funded enemy. Their best defense, it's sad to say, is that no one really wants what they have, at least not when they can strike wildly lopsided resource rights business deals. When I wrote the pages where Deus pushed into Mozambique, I looked up what their military was like, and their air force did only consist of roughly 15 aircraft, including a training helicopter and several jets which were thought to be out of commission due to maintenance issues. But the fact is that if your neighbor only has 5 soldiers, you can probably defend yourself with 4. There's always a chance they'll roll really good, (It's been about 25 years since I played a game of RISK, so I don't remember how it works, but you get my point.) but it's probably not worth the risk to them when their neighbor has 6 troops.
Taking Mozambique, Zambia and the DRC just barely cuts Africa in two, though these days, so much trade is handled by sea it probably won't put him in a decisive strategic position, but if I was Angola, Namibia and Botswana, I'd be getting nervous. South Africa is probably safe for a little while longer, as their GDP puts them in the top 50, and is the biggest in Africa. That surprised me. I would have guessed Egypt, but they are the second largest in Africa. Well, I would have guessed either Egypt or some country that you've definitely heard of before but couldn't point to on a map, like Sierra Leone, because it turns out they're the world supplier of some niche product like Nilla Wafers or something. Anyway, it seems like a big part of Deus's strategy is absorbing poor and corrupt nations that wealthy countries just don't care about. So South Africa is probably okay for now.
Unfortunately for Deus, we all know his plans are doomed to failure, because he didn't start his conquest with Madagascar. You guys remember that game?
Whenever I use google maps and zoom way out to go on a tour of, well, usually Africa as I plan Deus's strategy, I get distracted by little speck islands out in the middle of nowhere. And then I get frustrated because more often than not, there's no street view. I want to look around a place that has 20 houses and 4 boat docks and a strip of land that's technically an airfield and that's it. The fact that street view isn't available for massive swathes of Africa, the middle-east, and Russia doesn't bother me nearly as much for some reason.
BTW: Sciona should still be standing there just to Maxima's right, but I'm remembering this as I'm writing the post and I had insomnia last night and got 2 hours of sleep, so... I guess in that second to last panel where she should be seen standing there, I guess she's, uh, tying her shoe? Or re-strapping her strappy heels? Whatever. I'm very tired.
So the move back to Dallas takes place this Friday, and I'm very stressed and ready for this all to be over. Of course, once I get up to Dallas, I have to unload all this crap and find a place for it. Honestly a lot of my parent's stuff will probably remain in boxes for a while. You know how it is when you move. I've been packing their house on and off for two months, and I feel like I'm so close to being done. I went out and got ten more boxes the other day, not banker's boxes, but the Wal-mart "medium" sized box which is like 40% bigger, thinking that 10 boxes was overkill, and went to work on the master closet. Hah hah I'm stupid. Filled them all up and haven't even touched the hanging clothes. Hats, purses, king-sized sheets, towels, folded sweaters on shelves. This is after we donated all of my dad's clothes too. God, he had so many blazers. BTW, "blazer" is way too cool of a word (in an 80's kind of way) for a suit jacket.
All of this is to say that if the comic two pages from now is stick figures, this is why. The comic won't immediately jump back to the fully shaded version I prefer to do right after that. I might try for a bit more of a cell-shaded look, but eventually I won't be able to stop myself from adding in a soft edge here and there, then some bounce lighting, and then we're back to full renders, but this weekend is the turning point.
Comments
Marc Vun Kannon
And several others, like Superman
eddi_TBH
"It has all come together as I have foreseen." Darth Sidious but with a better sense of style.
eddi_TBH
You hit the right notes.🎶😎🎶
Torabi
Probably why Deus only intends to handle "administration", and leave the "ruling" to African figureheads. He's just the "Czar of economic and infrastructure development". The African people in these countries are still nominally in charge, all that changes is a few corrupt officials disappear and a bunch of infrastructure gets built to kickstart their economy. To a degree, I think Deus' role within the comic is to demonstrate the power of money over people and governments. “Give me control over a nation's currency, and I care not who makes its laws.” -- Mayer Amschel Rothschild
eddi_TBH
This why they warn you about mixing medicine and the fun stuff.
Sharien Radaik
i think this might be an effect of the superdrugs she got hit by sciona with XD
eddi_TBH
Somebody throw a net over Sydney. And ask when she last took her meds.
eddi_TBH
For those who don't know, John Williams riffed from Holtz's Planets "Mars bringer of Wars" for hie Darth Vader theme. The opening bars.
Eric Loken
I still say that it doesn't matter how good of an administrator you are, Africans are well and truly sick of white people getting up in their business. In Zimbabwe, a white person has to be VERY careful about using the word 'black', lest they get arrested and (if they are lucky) tossed from the country. I was told by an African that it didn't matter if Gaddifi was a tyrant, at least he was AFRICAN. And then aliens come in and actually start colonizing Africa? AGAIN? That would most definitely not go over well. There is a reason the word 'colonization' is considered a loaded word these days. Oh sure, Deus may be able to get corrupt officials to play ball with him. That is always happening, and is one of the reasons Africans don't trust the West (and is leading to a growing distrust of China who is just doing the same shit, but with less subtlety). But the people will be PISSED. Deus and his thugs will have to spend most of their time dealing with riots, rebellions, insurrections, terrorism, and strikes. There is no way this would be easy for him. I know what some would be thinking. "Yes, but if he increases their quality of living, they will accept him." No, they really won't. A certain major nation that shall remain nameless has a sizable portion of it's population who acts AGAINST their own self-interest ALL THE DAMN TIME, to the point that they are now on a path to national self-destruction. And it is all in the name of greed and prejudice. Plus, I was watching a video from a fellow in Tennessee. He was talking about how the voters there continually support utter scumbags. And they KNOW these guys are scum; corrupt, only working for the rich, that sort of thing. And what is their response? "At least he isn't a Democrat." Oh well, that makes perfect sense. How can you vote for someone who might actually try and do something good for you and yours if they are a Democrat? Better to vote for a Republican who will screw you in the name of the wealthy, because at least they aren't a Democrat. Well. Deus is white. And in Africa, that's all that matters.
Magraal
Legitmately if Dave needs to take a week or two off I think everyone would be pretty understanding. The fact that he's still posting regularly even at lower quality is a testament to his work ethic.
Mathew Aaberg
You look after yourself, honestly I like the lower res version, it gives it a more relaxed vibe. Shading is pretty but when its not there you only notice for a moment and the brain fills in the rest.
Phil_M
Blazers: the style of jacket worn by the crew manning the launch attached to HMS Blazer. The captain was big on style. Yes, really.
Magraal
"Someone in Brazil coughed." "CLOSE EVERYTHING"
Person
Awww... they're "holding hands".
SheepFace2000
Man I missed Deus
IvyReed
I yearn for the day he pulls a Lex Luthor, because unlike superman, in a fist fight (or battle-mech or however it goes), Max WILL break his hand. I don't care HOW smart you are, your bones are still mere bones.
Justaguy
So Deus is basically taking out any nation that the International Cricket Council isn't interested in their team? (South Africa has a decent team. :P )
Immortal_Knight
So I looked up holtz mars because I wanted to hear the Crescendo, and Im thinking deus chose that as his ringtone because it sounds suspiciously similar to DUN DUN DUUUUUUUN lol. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong
Town Crier
Firstly, make sure you are checking the pockets, purses, and wallets before donating. Secondly, it is now obvious that Deus knows that Max has an "issue" with "air quotes". Hopefully Max is getting top-notch counselling for her trigger issues, since she works with highly observant and highly manipulative people on a daily basis. ARC QACK probably has a double responsibility for keeping the heroes destressed as much as possible, as well as doing psyche work-ups on villains, or potential villains.
Martin Drkoš
That's a good idea.
Eleanor Asher
I'm wondering if the substance Sciona makes and used on Sydney, might have counteracted Sydney's meds?
Eleanor Asher
Sydney is running with a sharp object. Evacuate the area.
Jeremy Matt
Suspected that as well
Torabi
I'm guessing this page having the same number and title as the previous page is the consequence of only getting two hours of sleep as well? Glad you're almost through the mess. I've moved more times than I care to count, and at some point we basically just stopped unpacking everything, and carted around unopened boxes for decades. Would have been better to get rid of more stuff, but there was never a good time to review what we had. Hope you can achieve some peace and stability after all the stress and tragedy.
Madeleine
Sparkly Max is so sparkly. She might produce sunny specks all over the place like a disco ball.
Cley Faye
The sheer joy of Deus is worrying, sorta.
Martin Drkoš
Did Sidney forget to pack her meds?
Moe Lane
Botswana isn't getting nervous at all: Deus is gonna bend over backwards to get them on-board. In the mid-2010s particularly they're worth smooth treatment: the country's a functional and stable parliamentary democracy with a good economy and a reasonably non-corrupt government. Not perfect, but so what else is new?
Michael Obert
The bane of all superheroes; long term political shenanigans with no one to smack.
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