September 11th, 2018
11 Sept 2018 · page 833 of 1306
Headbutt that book, show it who's boss!
Cast: George Knott, Vincent Knott
Comments (66)
Events
ThoughtBubble
14 Nov 2026 – 15 Nov 2026
Harrogate Convention Centre
Manchester Megacon
31 Jul 2027 – 1 Aug 2027
Manchester Central
Is it me, or are the posters more difficult to read today? Can't think why that would be.
Well, I can see "Re-elect Mayor" and wonder if they elect their mayor every year, given Fairbairn campaign at April 1833.
Either that or this is set a few years later, or they're in a part of town where posters don't get renewed very often!
That one didn't actually end in an election, what with the... everything that happened
Vote for security: re-elect mayor xxxxxx
Daily News
Do You Believe ?
We've seen the "Do You Believe?" In the previous arc if I remember right. Had to do with a fabled lost anchor.
Yeah, there: [https://www.widdershinscomi...](https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/november-4th-2014/ "https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/november-4th-2014/")
And there we can see the words "Fourth Anchor Society": [https://www.widdershinscomi...](https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/november-7th-2014/ "https://www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/november-7th-2014/")
>a fabled lost anchor
...which is almost certainly the one with the nearly-invisible door into the witch space!
"Vote for stability", it seems.
Agreed. And I think the sitting/ex Mayor (hence "re-elect") has a name starting with an H or an M. Maybe "Meritt"?
Given that the current mayor ran on a pro-magic platform, I suspect he may have a difficult time getting re-elected after the events of the last year.
Well his opponent vanished under mysterious circumstances and was apparently causing the previous malform epidemic, so...
The introduction of a dangerous new magical street lighting system corresponds with an upsurge in malforms. When a shadowy team from the council visit the premises of the main opponent to this madness, her factory is burned down and she disappears in unexplained circumstances. The elections are cancelled and the mayor stays in power after all. The evil wizard (who was also involved in the destruction of the Royal Theatre that disrupted the hustings) takes over the previously free, state-provided malform removal service as a profit-making business. Obviously all a bourgeois conspiracy to repress the proletariat and keep the means of production in the hands of the ruling elite!
That poster under that table with the guy holding cabbages?
It think it says "Obamacare."
:)) I do see "Cabbage" here, but I'm really intrigued by the poster above it where I see nothing at all.
I can't make out the words on the one above the table, but it looks to have a drawing of a hammer on it. Maybe it's something about rebuilding after the damage caused by the Sins.
Pretty sure the words say "Do your part!" Which would definitely work for cleaning up the city.
Where are O'Malley Cleaners when you need them.
Agreed, that is what I see also.("Do your part!")
why on earth would it say that
it's "cabbage" because he is going to sell some cabbage.
The first time you "do the work" alone? Hmm, odd phrasing, sounds like these guys are involved in something dodgy?
Given the apparent subject of the current volume (with a title like "hangman's knot"...), the fact that the tome the lad is reading apparently has to do with the law, and the speculation that the rally mentioned in last comic's wall poster that was going to take place in front of the "gibbet" had to do with the abolition of the death penalty, my bet is that...
...the "work" being mentioned is that of an executioner. The old guy is the old executioner, his son is his chosen successor to the trade, and tonight is going to be junior's first hanging (it was not uncommon for the job of executioner to run in families... the social ostracism and the stigma of the job made it not very likely for executioners to find willing apprentices among "outsiders").
In earlier days executioners tended to be "itinerant": They were sent to wherever an execution was going to take place, carrying along their "tools of the trade". Also, in Britain, before the mid-19th century, there were no fixed locations to carry out hangings (excepting a few places like Tyburn with its permanent "triple tree" for multiple executions). Before an execution the executioner himself (with the help of a few craftsmen) would erect a temporary gallows to carry out the sentence. The structure would be dismantled thereafter. Thus, an executioner would travel with a bunch of construction tools and some materials (excepting, perhaps, whatever the local authorities would be able to provide for the task).
Oh that's a good catch! I hadn't thought of that!
I am also going by the current book cover's illustration, with a very nervous-looking VIncent Knott clutching a tome titled "Death Penalty Case Law".
This Vincent Knott reminds me a lot of the protagonist of an EXCELLENT Spanish movie from 1963, "El Verdugo" (literally "The Executioner", but in English it was titled "Not on your life"). I heartily recommend it.
The plot involves a young man who works as an undertaker and one day gets to work burying a prisoner who has been executed. In that occassion he meets the executioner, a very old man, actually quite nice and kind (although everybody finds him extremely creepy). They get to talk, and the young man complains that no woman wants to get near him because of his job as an undertaker, which they find repellent. The old man complains that he has only one daughter, and that no one will carry on with the tradition of his job when he dies. Also, the young woman is extremely upset because no man wants to get near her because of her dad's job.
So, the inevitable happens, and the young undertaker and the executioner's daughter get involved in a relationship. The old executioner agrees in principle, but will allow his daughter to marry the guy only on one condition: That the guy agrees to take up his job as executioner, so he can retire. The ex-undertaker accepts, with extreme reluctance, and consoles himself thinking that, well, people get sentenced to death, but nowadays everybody ends up getting their sentence commuted... Having to actually execute somebody? Eh, "not on your life!"...
Huh. I wouldn't have thought of that, but it does make sense. It would also explain why Vincent didn't want to admit to his dad that he was reading a book about trials - maybe he's starting to have doubts about the family business...
I suspect he aspires to be a defence lawyer.
Seems logical.
Ever read Gene Wolfe's "Book of the New Sun"? At one point the protagonist is an itinerant executioner and it is his job to both entertain the crowd as the Evil Executioner and carry out the sentences of the court in a professional manner. Part of the job is to visit the condemned in their cells the night before and talk them through what will happen to them - not out of malice, but so they know what to expect. But he always lies, so they're actually executed a few minutes before they expect it, on the grounds it makes things just a little easier for them. The key fact about his profession is that it his not his job to judge. The jury decides guilt; the judge decides the sentence. His job is to carry out the sentence.
In that case, I wonder if "Swifty" (no longer Swifty) is the accused... That would be awkward...
Probably not though...
If one can judge by the cover, I think the accused is the handcuffed guy, Will Sharpe.
I would think Eliza is the disapproving looking woman on the cover.
Billiant, JoseB. I think this (& the subsequent theory of him studying to be a defense lawyer) picked up the clues for far very well.
Also his last name is Knott, which would make sense if hanging is the family business.
I've just been assuming he was a lawyer, or what do they call them in olde england, solicitor?
Solicitors and Barristers are both lawyers. A Solicitor works directly with the client, advises, makes arrangements and may represent the client in business matters or minor court cases; a Barrister acts on Solicitor's instructions specifically to represent the client in court. A Barrister may also prosecute.
Barristers wear wigs in court, but they aren't as big as Judges' wigs.
Luckily, Vincent is studying to be a defense lawyer, so he cannot throw the book at his father. Thank you, I'll see myself out.
So sorry, but I didn't catch that.
I'll also show myself out.
Do I really need to explain the joke?
no he was also making a terrible pun in response
Either their pun was not well executed, or I'm not as much of a pundit as I think.
I swear, only half my puns are intentional.
I'll go with terrible and not well executed. (i.e. "I didn't catch your name". "That's okay, I didn't throw it.")
"She goes by Eliza now."
...am I overanalyzing or is Eliza going to be our first unambiguously trans character in Widdershins?
she is trans, yep! good job, that was fast!
I don't want to be a wet blanket, but, as the parent of two trans kids, a lot of trans people prefer "Her name is Eliza". E. doesn't "go by E.", she is E. She once went by C., but that was not her real name.
Still, cool for recognizing gender non-conformity!
Fair point! I picked that phrasing in particular because "Swifty" is a nickname derived from her surname which remains part of her name, she just prefers to not use the nickname anymore. I'll keep it in mind though!
For what it's worth, you now know why I was so emphatic about figuring out whether Ms. Superba was lesbian or trans back in Find the Lady. I was hoping against hope that the character was an AFAB transman.
It's OK, though, now I get to see an AMAB transwoman in Widdershins. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to Eliza being just another person who happens to be trans.
ps. it sounds like your kids have a great parent right here!
We can scent media representation at 500 feet. ;)
Out of curiosity, how does the transition process work? Is it magical or something else?
Magic does sound better than surgery.
FWIW, since gender identity really has nothing to do with genitalia, per se, not all transpeople undergo any or all of the various gender correction surgeries. It's a very personal decision.
PROTIP: Never ask about anyone's corrective state unless you're in a situation where someone's genitals are about to matter very much. The rest of the time, it's like having a stranger come up and ask about your genitals, and it's very intrusive and offensive.
I find it worrying that you'd respond so vociferously to a statement that I did not make. I expressed no disapproval of gender reassignment; I merely noted (and here reiterate) that magical alteraions/corrections to one's body would likely be less painful and have a shorter rehabilitation period than conventional surgery.
I understand the desire to express one's most deeply held beliefs as much as possible, but please wait until somebody says something actually transphobic (in this instance). I'm honestly a little hurt by your reaction, since I have a number of friends who are all over the sex/gender/preference spectrum, and therefore am well aware of (and agree with) everything you said in your reply.
Or to put it more simply: calm down, hon. :)
Since Magic here works on Emotions, which do you think would be used to affect the transformation? We've only seen the 7 deadly sins, with Curiosity, and Impatience mentioned I think. Going off the limited mentioned, maybe Pride in your identity?
Ooo, good question...
My two cents: if the Seven Heavenly Virtues are available, I'd say the best bet would be the casting mage channeling their sense of Justice, in the sense of bringing the subject's sex and gender into alignment.
What about a sense of Identity? If I recall correctly, if you can feel it, it can be summoned.
I don't know if I'd call that an emotion, but I can't discount your logic vis-a-vis the wording. I think we'd need WOG to settle that one.
If it is valid, that would be better, yes.
We also saw a spirit of Courage summoned in the gluttony adventure!
Oh, nice catch! I just read it as dropping a childhood nickname (like maybe she didn’t like her name when she was younger).
swifty could have been a nickname for a girl, especially one of thous six year olds that decided girl stuff is boring or someone like Henry. Or is swifty a character we have seen before?
Yes, that was what I originally thought - that young Eliza was perhaps a tomboy who preferred to be called Swifty. It seems it’s quite the reverse, however! We haven’t met her before, but Kate says she’s appeared in the background of a few panels.
That was my thought as well! Cool to have it confirmed. Kate's comment below further interest me, though, as I had suspected that Eliza would be the woman on the cover -- and probably also the woman in that rally posted -- and Kate's comment is a strong indication that she's not just a one-off mention. I'm betting she's gotten involved as an anti-hanging activist sort and that will be the crux of the conflict here!
Oh, so... the character tags literally refer to her as Eliza Swift, then... well, that just confirms part of my theory early! ;p
Swifty turning into Eliza.....Eliza trans?
Also I love every facial expression Vincent made.
Task of WHAT exactly ??
I love Vincent going “DAaAad...!” in the last panel. That tone is universal!
Alas, I made a comment, and all was ok till I edited it, inserting a link to a Russin version of a song I need (as an example of the tune).
After I inserted it, my comment was "detected as spam".
So I have to double it without that link, sorry.
Hi everybody!
I was a bit buzy last few weeks, so couldn't participate duly in our discussions :)
And now I have to say:
1. The plot of the new story seems thrilling!!!
2. A bit belatedly and a bit off top - twimc - there is a new fic by Heylir - "Контракт" - in Russian yet, but nevertheless. About how Mal, Wolfe and Ben co-existed side by side during the last year :) - [https://archiveofourown.org](https://archiveofourown.org "https://archiveofourown.org")...
3. And a huge offtop! :) There is a classic song "Marmotte" (music by Ludwig van Beethoven, lyrics by Goethe). I have to find its lyrics in English - but I can't find them in the Web :( Could somebody be so kind to help me with it?