smoochus interruptus.
wrapping this one up next tuesday, y'all, which means it's soon time for Q&As! usual rules apply- you can post as a guest but remember to sign your name if you want it on there, there's no limit so you can ask as many as you like, any character is fine not just ones from this chapter, and if i don’t manage to use your question its not because its bad, its just because i couldn’t think of a good punchline for it :V have at it! you can also submit a question via tumblr here.
the kickstarter for the print version of this volume will be going up next tuesday too, hopefully launching it when the page goes up. hope you'll check it out!
Cast: Eliza Swift, Parsley, Vincent Knott, Will Sharpe
Comments (78)
ThoughtBubble
14 Nov 2026 – 15 Nov 2026
Harrogate Convention Centre
Manchester Megacon
31 Jul 2027 – 1 Aug 2027
Manchester Central
What is it with Widdershins police officers and interrupting romantic moments?
I believe that's part of the job description, with on-the-job training.
Couple: Making eyes at eachother.
The entire Widdershins police force: Not On My Watch.
Violation of section 3-point-2-point-4. Excessive public displays of affection between friend/family and irritating ally are not allowed to reach 120 mdb (mush decibels).
When I take over the world, Public Decency will be a Class-E felony.
That sounds the right amount of British to be true.
"No patty-fingers, if you please. The proprieties at all times."
Can't wait! I am so glad that I met you at the MCM London last year and so got drawn to your tales!
ELIZA NO
ELIZA YES
When you're simultaneously happy to see someone and angry they picked the worst possible time to show up.
That said, good for her on the job! Hopefully we may get to see her and Nicola working together in the future.
I think she'll be happy with a desk job putting the mysteries together
Does Nicola realise what she's unleashed?
She'll manage.
Is that question rhetorical, or for the Q&A?
Probable answer: yes.
:P
Yes?
Little does Ms Swift know that the police files are all half-truths and misinformation, planted by the Illuminati to confuse and misdirect, so she will never discover The Truth about their Evil Plans for World Domination.
Please, no one has that much free time on their hands. Ruling the world is impractical; it is too large to properly handle AND to micromanage like that. No group is THAT competent, ESPECIALLY if it is a bureaucratic one.
That’s what the lizards from the moon want you to think.
Moon lizards. Lizards on the moon. The giant rock in orbit that lacks oxygen, water, and any means of shielding against cosmic radiation? Are we talking about the same moon? I’m pretty sure that the only living thing that comes from the moon are astronauts making a return trip. Space-suits are much higher spec than diving suits, you know. They even have built-in catheters and filtration systems to preserve fluids. All those functions are kinda required to be able to survive in a near-vacuum.
Don’t you see! They’ve destroyed their own world and now they’ve come to Earth to do the same to us!!
...While 'moon lizards' does sound like a less depressing cause, the problems with the environment can be better explained by a combination of several ideas.
1) "Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups."
2) Hanlon's Razor
3) Tragedy of the Commons, an example of the 'Prisoner's Dilemma'
4) Carrying Capacity
This isn't a problem caused by a few hyper-intelligent lizards, this is a problem caused by lots and lots and lots of stupidity from fear of being out-stupided by others.
You’re working for THEM aren’t you?
Shit, you know about the T.H.E.M.?
I... uh... I have to make some calls.
No one could possibly pay me enough to get me to work in any field related to government. I refuse to work in such a field. Just IMAGINE the kind of paperwork involved for running the planet. There are not enough hours in the day to go over so many details.
"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups" My god, I've never seen a more perfect way to describe how humanity fucks up the planet.
Hey, wait a minute, I think "John Carter of Mars" proposed that plot...
You know this is a world where magic actually works, and a habitable lunar interior or even exterior is a staple of Gaslight science fiction, so it wouldn't be that surprising.
Magic isn't a free pass to explain away everything. Dumping space travel into a Victorian era without the element of steampunk to justify advances in knowledge doesn't immediately work. And no, before you say it, making Tesla a wizard won't work because he's already the archetype that Mad Scientist is based off of.
You say 'unleashed' as if you think that Eliza will immediately find Clues and The Truth upon yanking open the first file-drawer and file-folder, and a heartbeat later go yammering off to the nearest newspaper office. Personally, I think she's going to take one look at the filing systems and let her jaw drop ("What manner of half-literate street-urchin designed THIS mess?") before rolling up her sleeves and promising to "set this all PROPERLY to rights".
[https://imgur.com/0O8ZUPt](https://imgur.com/0O8ZUPt "https://imgur.com/0O8ZUPt")
She will have phenomenal informational power and an itty bitty working space :3
Just made me pull up the mental image of a tiny cubicle with a itty bitty desk and the rest of the space crammed with box and BOXES of files, all the while Eliza gleefully flipping through them.
I'm looking forward to the defence attorney Knott interrogating the policewoman Swift in the court. :)
I believe that might constitute a conflict of interest.
I'd certainly consider that conflict to be of interest
Bison in the china shop, she is.
Just remember a certain Barber owns that china.
Three of my favorite comics are finishing long chapters within two weeks of each other (the other two being Rain and Dumbing of Age). I wonder who will star in the next chapter?
Next chapter is the M-Files, Widdershins' version of the X-Files, featuring Eliza and a very exasperated Captain Barber.
"Swift, why are we here?"
Nice uniform, Eliza!
I like that it has a skirt instead of trousers like Nicola's; now that she's finally living a life where she can wear skirts, Eliza certainly isn't going to give them up.
Hasn't Nicola worn a uniform with a skirt at times? I think I remember seeing that.
her dresses are just extremely uniform-y.
Also her jacket is very dress shaped with it falling to her thighs.
"The uniform is always worn on the inside!"
Sort of. The dress she wore to Voss's party turned out to have her uniform trousers underneath: [https://widdershinscomic.co...](https://widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/november-7th-2014 "https://widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/november-7th-2014")
That must be what I was thinking of, then.
Oh dear.
Eliza is a little bit too ready if you ask me...
Looking good indeed, Eliza - but what are you tucking away there? It looked like a sheriff's badge on a pendant.
Detective's badge?
But is she hiding it to go undercover, or is it just not her taste in accessories?
I don't know how things were done in the Victorian Met., but detectives these days don't actually wear their badges most of the time. They just take them out when introducing themselves as Detective So-and-So
Thanks, I haven't talked to enough detectives to know - they pull it out like an ID Card, but it still looks like a badge? OK. So hers is on a chain like a necklace, do the men have theirs on a sort of watch fob?
I think there's, like, a bifold holder thing with the badge on one flap and the police ID card (whatever that's called) on the other, so you can easily show both at once, but I don't really know when that was invented or when it became standard.
Could be just an American thing for all I know, but it seems pretty handy, so I'd be kinda surprised if police departments all over the world weren't using something similar.
I love how they all have such good chemistry together
Two of them better than the other
Question for Harry: So, you've been missing for two months now, supposedly. How's island life been treating you? Do you miss Sydney?
Question for Gren: How do you feel about Syd talking care of you?
My imagination added dramatic under lighting and a "BWEHAhahahaha!" to the sound track.
Willcent: exists
Me: YEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! WHOOOOOOOOOOOOO! GO QUEEEEEN!
That first panel is so WARM!
Sometime later, Nicola Barber looks on with a neutral, unreadable expression on her face.
NICOLA (internally): HALP! I MADE A BAD LIFE CHOICE!
....I would 100% unhesitatingly wear Eliza's outfit as everday-wear. Long, swooshy skirts and blazers are lovely~ :D
Question for Blake and Bryony: Are you proud of your brother Ben?
Ooh, I like this one
My question is, how is Grandpa Henry Barber doing? Granddaughter missing. No city-wide shenanigans to keep him busy. Hey, the last time we say him he was wounded, riding in a carriage to get medical help. Henry Barber, how are you?
Thanks for asking about that! I was quite worried about him.
Question for Harry: How are you enjoying your free tropical vacation?
To Sid and Gren: How are you guys holding up without Harry?
Now is Nicola Skinner or Cigarette Smoking Man in this situation? And who will be her Scully?
>
I have a question for Parsley!
Who gives the best scritchies?
Who is the big spoon, Knott or Sharpe?
Two pages ago Emily@disqus_kJdStfuAaA compared Knotty's behavior upon entering the shop to the first time he do so at the beginning of the chapter. She pointed out how he was more confident, and his stutter had gone away. I just want to add to that observation by pointing out that his stutter comes right back as soon as Eliza interrupts him and Will being adorable. Whereas Will continues to be his smooth self. It's a good bit of contrast between their personalities.
A question for The Purple Hippo of Happiness: What is your favorite type of biscuit? And follow up question, may I bake a batch of your favorites for you?
will's finger gun during the breakaway really makes that panel 😂
H.G,Wells: First Men in the Moon
Hydrogen and Stupidity...