2018/08/17 - Misty Watercolor Memories

[D-Rock]

[2018/08/17 - Misty Watercolor Memories]
Title Text: it's not sepia tone because it's the past, it's because it's from a canine-eye perspective

We were friends, so you said to me,
but now you treat me like an enemy.
Tell me, what have I done to you?
To make you want to treat me so cruel?

[fenrirblack]

Backstory and Saucy History! I think I feel faint... *collaspes*

[Gbr23]

Well well well, would you look at that. I like this strip

[Saturn381]

Aww, Poncho's really cute when he blushes.

[fenrirblack]

*wakes up*
But we still don’t know anything! How did Poncho get the scar? How did Gale get her scar? How did Jack lose his arm? How did Uncle Deadeye lose his sight? Gasp! Is Uncle Deadeye Jacks and Poncho’s father?!
I think I feel faint again...
*collapses*

[Welsh Halfwit]

She didn’t wound him then
but she patched the wound up;
saving his little life
when he was just a Wolf pup.
A former friend, it seems,
that has now turned on them.
He scar followed later
when she became a fatale Femme.
A rosy palate past
is hard to forget
especially when, in the present,
you’re hanging in a net.

[Sheogorath]

Now I'm really curious what caused that wound. It looks like it's pretty deep, plus it's pretty close to bisecting him.

Also, possibly the most graphic scene in all of Housepets! ?

[Champion Wallace]

See, this twist I approve of because while no one would likely have guessed it, there wasn’t anything previously that would’ve made it impossible. This is more of a curveball and Rick Griffin is an infamies pitcher. In fact, this might've been what was foreshadowed when King was romanticizing about wild animals, gashing yourself on a sharp rock, and rushing to get stitches.... You can tell it's still PG because Rick didn't drench Poncho or Gale in any sort of fluid. Now we know Poncho got his scar before Gale got her scar and Jack lost his arm. However this strip does still raise its own questions like why is Deadeye wearing a blindfold and why did Poncho blush when he first saw Gale but she was ready for a fight when she first saw the wolf pack. This strip is so heartwarming I won't even bring up the question of as a wild animal, how was Gale stocked with a first-aid kit and has enough medical knowledge to preform stitches. Aw carp.

[D-Rock]

Now I'm really curious what caused that wound. It looks like it's pretty deep, plus it's pretty close to bisecting him.

Also, possibly the most graphic scene in all of Housepets! ?

Perhaps his Adulthood Ritual went horribly? Or he got too bold and went after dangerous prey on his own?

[IceKitsune]

Oh boy Poncho has a crush! This is really cute

[Champion Wallace]

Oh boy Poncho has a crush! This is really cute

Given that Gale was an adult when Poncho was a pup I'd say he probably doesn't have any romantic interest in Gale and it's more likely he's embarrassed to have plotted against someone who was nice to him as a child. Ya know, its very convenient that there was a plot driven reason for Poncho to be without the poncho that covers up most of his scar right before we see a flashback to how he got his scar...

[fenrirblack]

I can’t believe he did it. Rick actually pulled The Transference trope. I would have bet anything that all that speculation about Poncho in a relationship with Gale was pipe dream of epic proportions. Now she’s either going to break his heart or they will end up in heartbreaking situation. I don’t see this ending well.

[anhedral]

I must agree with Champion Wallace. This is an awesome strip, for all the reasons stated.

How can Uncle Deadeye be guiding Poncho, when he can't even see where he's going himself?

I think Jake lost his arm trying to unblock a sink, and then he accidentally turned the macerator on. Or did I dream that?

[fenrirblack]

Given that Gale was an adult when Poncho was a pup I'd say he probably doesn't have any romantic interest in Gale and it's more likely he's embarrassed to have plotted against someone who was nice to him as a child. Ya know, its very convenient that there was a plot driven reason for Poncho to be without the poncho that covers up most of his scar right before we see a flashback to how he got his scar...

*cough* I pointed that out the other day *cough*
It’s not unusual for young boys to develop romantic feeling towards “older” women. Whether or not those feeling are “real” or remnants of a time once forgotten now that he is older we shall see.

Excuse me while I faint again from the soul crushing defeat of being wrong about so many things. *collapses*

[D-Rock]

How can Uncle Deadeye be guiding Poncho, when he can't even see where he's going himself?

He has a stick that he could be using like blind people use, and as a wolf he has better senses. He's probably fine after a bit of getting used to blindness if he wasn't from birth.

I think Jake lost his arm trying to unblock a sink, and then he accidentally turned the macerator on. Or did I dream that?

No, you didn't dream that, but it was Elaine screwing around with how Jack was trying to make how he lost it epic. In her words, "telling stories."

[Obbl]

as a wild animal, how was Gale stocked with a first-aid kit and has enough medical knowledge to preform stitches.

Stitches are actually rather simple in concept. You're literally just sewing the wound closed as you would a tear in your clothes. I'd actually be more surprised if Gale didn't have some form of first aid materials and knowledge as a born and raised hunter-gatherer.

Given my initial assumption that Deadeye is not directly related to Jack and Poncho, I'm wondering if maybe Jack had mated into the pack by this point and brought along his kid brother.

[Douglas Collier]

CAT LOVER!!!

...

I’ll give him a pass because Florence Nightengale Syndrome. *is bricked*

Also, further proof that the alt text is non-canon: Canines see in blues and yellows, and are blind to red.

[John-056]

*wakes up*
But we still don’t know anything! How did Poncho get the scar? How did Gale get her scar? How did Jack lose his arm?

From what I can Tell, Gale's scar matches up to Jack's missing arm. If One were to align Gale's scar, which is on the left of her face, to Jack's arm, which is his right, it means Jack gave her the Scar, and Gale returned the favour by ripping his Arm off.

Disproportunate retribution at it's finest.

It's further proven in the previous pages of This arc that Gale called Jack 'Four-Finger Discount', which while commonly used to say Someone is a thief, elludes to the fact that Jack only has One arm, which Gale should know nothing of, if Jack had lost it to a Garbage disposal.

The added fact is that Gale kept using Jack's 'Blind Spot', which she only would use if she knew it was such. From how the page showed, Jack used his right arm a lot before he lost it, and the fact that Gale was able to take advantage of it, since she was the reason Jack was down an arm.

[Welsh Halfwit]

*wakes up*
But we still don’t know anything! How did Poncho get the scar? How did Gale get her scar? How did Jack lose his arm?

From what I can Tell, Gale's scar matches up to Jack's missing arm. If One were to align Gale's scar, which is on the left of her face, to Jack's arm, which is his right, it means Jack gave her the Scar, and Gale returned the favour by ripping his Arm off.

Disproportunate retribution at it's finest.

It's further proven in the previous pages of This arc that Gale called Jack 'Four-Finger Discount', which while commonly used to say Someone is a thief, elludes to the fact that Jack only has One arm, which Gale should know nothing of, if Jack had lost it to a Garbage disposal.

The added fact is that Gale kept using Jack's 'Blind Spot', which she only would use if she knew it was such. From how the page showed, Jack used his right arm a lot before he lost it, and the fact that Gale was able to take advantage of it, since she was the reason Jack was down an arm.

Ironically, given what we've seen this comic, she may be responsible for Jack losing an arm but she may also be responsible for Jack surviving losing an arm.

[John-056]

See, this twist I approve of because while no one would likely have guessed it, there wasn’t anything previously that would’ve made it impossible. This is more of a curveball and Rick Griffin is an infamies pitcher. In fact, this might've been what was foreshadowed when King was romanticizing about wild animals, gashing yourself on a sharp rock, and rushing to get stitches.... You can tell it's still PG because Rick didn't drench Poncho or Gale in any sort of fluid. Now we know Poncho got his scar before Gale got her scar and Jack lost his arm. However this strip does still raise its own questions like why is Deadeye wearing a blindfold and why did Poncho blush when he first saw Gale but she was ready for a fight when she first saw the wolf pack. This strip is so heartwarming I won't even bring up the question of as a wild animal, how was Gale stocked with a first-aid kit and has enough medical knowledge to preform stitches. Aw carp.

I kinda pointed it out twice. She does recognize them, but has no good feelings for them. She knew Jack by both name, nickname and his style of hunting, as well as his Blind Spot.

Add in the fact that Jack's lost arm matches the scar on left of her face, keeps telling me Gale may have crippled him in Anger at scarring her.

However, This brings up another Question. Gale only has One Cub, something she should have more of if she still had a mate. So where is he? Is he Dead? Or did he Leave her?

[CHAOKOCartoons]

It may seem kinda small but has anyone noticed gale seems to have a lot of human tools? She has a spade, she has a first aid kit, rope, assumedly a shovel considering the giant pit (or she's just a really really good spader which honestly I'd believe). It's probably from campers leaving stuff behind (hopefully), but it's an interesting character quirk. She also seems pretty handy with em, learning how to stitch a wound isn't the simplest thing to safely learn on your own.

Also, clever censor there Rick

[Champion Wallace]

*wakes up*
But we still don’t know anything! How did Poncho get the scar? How did Gale get her scar? How did Jack lose his arm?

From what I can Tell, Gale's scar matches up to Jack's missing arm. If One were to align Gale's scar, which is on the left of her face, to Jack's arm, which is his right, it means Jack gave her the Scar, and Gale returned the favour by ripping his Arm off.

Disproportunate retribution at it's finest.

It's further proven in the previous pages of This arc that Gale called Jack 'Four-Finger Discount', which while commonly used to say Someone is a thief, elludes to the fact that Jack only has One arm, which Gale should know nothing of, if Jack had lost it to a Garbage disposal.

The added fact is that Gale kept using Jack's 'Blind Spot', which she only would use if she knew it was such. From how the page showed, Jack used his right arm a lot before he lost it, and the fact that Gale was able to take advantage of it, since she was the reason Jack was down an arm.

Ironically, given what we've seen this comic, she may be responsible for Jack losing an arm but she may also be responsible for Jack surviving losing an arm.

I don't think Gale is responsible for ripping Jack's arm off because I don't think his arm was ripped off (at least, not that violently). Way back when Jack was introduced people had questions they posted on the comic page about his missing arm including some Rick Griffin fielded himself. When asked about the shape of the scar he told us his scar is shaped how it is because it healed with surgical stitches. When asked how he doesn't have a stump because if the arm was ripped completely off Jack would bleed to death and if the arm was surgically removed there would be a stub Rick ignored the bleeding part and said "There’s several kinds of amputation, arms can be amputated all the way up to the shoulder" implying Jack's arm was amputated. Together this would mean Jack lost his arm because it got mangled beyond use or it got badly infected or something and not because it was removed by an attacker. If Jack's arm was indeed surgically amputated and Gale is who they normally go to for medical help and going to her for Poncho's stitches wasn't an exception and Jack lost his arm before moving in with the ECP then it would be very likely Gale is responsible for Jack surviving losing an arm.

It may seem kinda small but has anyone noticed gale seems to have a lot of human tools? She has a spade, she has a first aid kit, rope, assumedly a shovel considering the giant pit (or she's just a really really good spader which honestly I'd believe). It's probably from campers leaving stuff behind (hopefully), but it's an interesting character quirk. She also seems pretty handy with em, learning how to stitch a wound isn't the simplest thing to safely learn on your own.

Also, clever censor there Rick

Yea, I noticed. Here, here and here.

[CyberDragon]

Given that Gale was an adult when Poncho was a pup I'd say he probably doesn't have any romantic interest in Gale and it's more likely he's embarrassed to have plotted against someone who was nice to him as a child. Ya know, its very convenient that there was a plot driven reason for Poncho to be without the poncho that covers up most of his scar right before we see a flashback to how he got his scar...

I don't know. While Gale looks older than Poncho in that flashback, she still looks pretty young. Definitely not fully grown, at least. And considering animals reach maturity faster than humans, I don't imagine the age gap is that considerable.

Also, D'AWWWWWW!!!!! This is a cute and heartwarming page.

[Titanium Dragon]

Back at the start of the camping trip, Miles was making fun of Poncho, noting that he might meet a cute cat, something Poncho didn't think was very funny. Possibly related to his reaction to Gale here.

Not sure if he's actually got a crush on her or is just embarrassed that he trapped someone who helped him once.

This interaction does explain why Gale hasn't actually harmed the wolves she's nabbed so far, though - while she might feel animosity towards them at the moment, she might have compunctions about actually killing them due to past peaceful interactions.

Though given that Gale has a scar she didn't previously, combined with Poncho's scar, and the other disabilities of the wolves, it really drives home how much the wild sucks.

[Argent]

Whoa, twist!

Told you Rick would do something unexpected.

Title Text: it's not sepia tone because it's the past, it's because it's from a canine-eye perspective

So is this the first flashback we've had from an animal perspective? Joel's doesn't count because he's wasn't a dichromat at the time.

[NHWestoN]

Interesting to see three generations of the Pack - all much younger - in one frame. Nice plot turn, Rick.

As to Gale's handiness with human tools, well, she's pretty resourceful and people are trashy.

[GameCobra]

Rick, stahp with the smiley faces! D: (It's cool :3)

Really like the perspective here. Poncho probably developed a crush for her, but could actually just be a huge amount of respect. Maybe even both! Can't wait to see what they talk about.

I'm not too skeptical on Gale learning to use the kit to stitch up wounds, but I wonder how the Raccoons could've handled that kit? considering they have a much better idea on how to put two and two together with human items in the Housepets world, she probably just needed alot of time to figure out how the sewing kit works. or maybe she used older, less effective tools than the kit and just learned how to use the kit better more naturally.

[AlyxVixen]

Did anyone else notice that Jack's ear notch (and possibly missing arm) jumped to his left side during the flashback memory, given it's normally on his right?

[Welsh Halfwit]

Did anyone else notice that Jack's ear notch (and possibly missing arm) jumped to his left side during the flashback memory, given it's normally on his right?

Ah, memory. the most potentially unreliable narrator of all.

[Frank]

I think I feel faint...
*collapses*

That's just the blood rushing to your head

This is more of a curveball and Rick Griffin is an infamies pitcher.

Curveball? This is more of a hammer throw. Round and round and round and suddenly, let go with the force of a thousand... Newtons? Ok, my metaphor broke down at the end there

[HundKatzeMaus]

However, This brings up another Question. Gale only has One Cub, something she should have more of if she still had a mate. So where is he? Is he Dead? Or did he Leave her?

Well....Gale DID also know that uncle Deadeye is really good at fighting, maybe it has something to do with the disappearance of her mate?

Aside from that, this is really a good strip and it gives the wolves much more depth

[Herseio]

mm Maybe Gale was in good relationships with the wolfs pack, but when they leave the forest and she felt abandoned + any reasons she got that scar on the face

[fenrirblack]

From what I can Tell, Gale's scar matches up to Jack's missing arm. If One were to align Gale's scar, which is on the left of her face, to Jack's arm, which is his right, it means Jack gave her the Scar, and Gale returned the favour by ripping his Arm off.

Disproportunate retribution at it's finest.

It's further proven in the previous pages of This arc that Gale called Jack 'Four-Finger Discount', which while commonly used to say Someone is a thief, elludes to the fact that Jack only has One arm, which Gale should know nothing of, if Jack had lost it to a Garbage disposal.

The added fact is that Gale kept using Jack's 'Blind Spot', which she only would use if she knew it was such. From how the page showed, Jack used his right arm a lot before he lost it, and the fact that Gale was able to take advantage of it, since she was the reason Jack was down an arm.

Ironically, given what we've seen this comic, she may be responsible for Jack losing an arm but she may also be responsible for Jack surviving losing an arm.

I don't think Gale is responsible for ripping Jack's arm off because I don't think his arm was ripped off (at least, not that violently). Way back when Jack was introduced people had questions they posted on the comic page about his missing arm including some Rick Griffin fielded himself. When asked about the shape of the scar he told us his scar is shaped how it is because it healed with surgical stitches. When asked how he doesn't have a stump because if the arm was ripped completely off Jack would bleed to death and if the arm was surgically removed there would be a stub Rick ignored the bleeding part and said "There’s several kinds of amputation, arms can be amputated all the way up to the shoulder" implying Jack's arm was amputated. Together this would mean Jack lost his arm because it got mangled beyond use or it got badly infected or something and not because it was removed by an attacker. If Jack's arm was indeed surgically amputated and Gale is who they normally go to for medical help and going to her for Poncho's stitches wasn't an exception and Jack lost his arm before moving in with the ECP then it would be very likely Gale is responsible for Jack surviving losing an arm.

Okay, let's examine this because it makes a lot of since in a strange way. Gale could be some kind of nurse figure for the wild. Considering the feral lifestyle it is entirely possible that they would establish some kind of remote civilization in an attempt to immediate human society. So that still leaves the question of how Jack loss his arm in the first place if Gale was not responsible. Annoyingly enough we can't even say that it happened the same time as Poncho's scar. That means that several events transpired at different times. I still believe that the wolves are responsible for Gale's scar considering Jack's reaction to seeing her. Remember how he was gesturing at his face in a obvious attempt to reference Gale's scar. Something clearly happened. We also know that Gale has history with Miles, Dead-eye, Jack, and Poncho. Miles is not the type to engage in a pointless fight and if Gale is a nurse for feral animals why would someone randomly attack her. It could be that once upon a time Gale and the Wolves were allies but ____ happened and Gale felt betrayed and stopped her nursing all together. The wolves left and Gale fell into a pit of dispair and savagery. I'm sure we're discover what really happened next week once Gale is cut down and we have a long over due talk.
I still believe that Poncho has "romanic" feelings towards her. Two reasons. One was the joke about meeting a cat. Almost everyone was on the good ship S.S. Galpon. Plus that expression does not strike me as embarrassed. We've seen embarrassed before. This seems like nervous teenager asking a girl to the prom. The body language is different.

However, This brings up another Question. Gale only has One Cub, something she should have more of if she still had a mate. So where is he? Is he Dead? Or did he Leave her?

Well....Gale DID also know that uncle Deadeye is really good at fighting, maybe it has something to do with the disappearance of her mate?

Aside from that, this is really a good strip and it gives the wolves much more depth

Again, we have discussed this. Cougars do not mate as much as a male and female cougar will "get together" then the male will leave the female to raise the cub(s) alone. Despite the differences between HPU and Reality there are still certain natural laws that hold true.
Although at this point in the story I'm sure that I'm once again wrong and Gale's mate was killed by the wolves after HE was the one who took Jack's arm. Then the wolves retaliated and gave Gale the scar then they left and I don't know anything anymore. I don't do twists. I specialize in long complex plots that transpire over an extended period of time.

[TendoTwo]

Huh, was NOT expecting that considering she seemed to have a vendetta against the wolves.

.... wait, just how did she have a medkit?

[Welsh Halfwit]

Huh, was NOT expecting that considering she seemed to have a vendetta against the wolves.

.... wait, just how did she have a medkit?

She once had a Paramedic 'around' for dinner.

[Cesco]

Oh wow, Poncho knows her! Nice flashback, good that was right Gale who cured him, and at least, we see that Poncho was young when he got that very bad injury (but, how did he got it?). Poor him. No scar on Gale's face, too. Uncle Deadeye has a bandage, so probably, he lost his sight recently before that... Eheh, well, she could stay better than hanging upside down, actually. Come on, now free her, let her free all the wolves, and start a talking all together to peacefully solve your old grudges.

[NHWestoN]

"Soooooooo, while I'm just hangin' around makin' small talk, wolfie, I see you've still got your scar... Wanna ask me about mine??"

[Champion Wallace]

I can’t believe he did it. Rick actually pulled The Transference trope. I would have bet anything that all that speculation about Poncho in a relationship with Gale was pipe dream of epic proportions. Now she’s either going to break his heart or they will end up in heartbreaking situation. I don’t see this ending well.

Given that Gale was an adult when Poncho was a pup I'd say he probably doesn't have any romantic interest in Gale and it's more likely he's embarrassed to have plotted against someone who was nice to him as a child. Ya know, its very convenient that there was a plot driven reason for Poncho to be without the poncho that covers up most of his scar right before we see a flashback to how he got his scar...

*cough* I pointed that out the other day *cough*
It’s not unusual for young boys to develop romantic feeling towards “older” women. Whether or not those feeling are “real” or remnants of a time once forgotten now that he is older we shall see.

Excuse me while I faint again from the soul crushing defeat of being wrong about so many things. *collapses*

Sorry for stepping on your line. If you don't mind, could you provide a definition of The Transference trope. I tried googling it but was met with a lot of flak.

Interesting to see three generations of the Pack - all much younger - in one frame. Nice plot turn, Rick.

Poncho is Jack’s younger brother so there would be only be two generations shown. As he is here Jack looks more like a teenager then a parent or uncle.

Did anyone else notice that Jack's ear notch (and possibly missing arm) jumped to his left side during the flashback memory, given it's normally on his right?

Initially I took the third panel as a blatant way of showing Poncho got his scar before Jack lost his arm, but upon further inspection there are multiple interpretations. As you said the ear notch is on the wrong ear. You can still only see one arm on Jack because Poncho is in the way so one interpretation is Poncho's memory mixed up his brother's left and right side so we get no information on if Jack had lost his arm by that point. Something else to note is Jack's tail is normally scraggly but in the flashback its healthy and fluffy. Another interpretation is if whatever scrape Jack lost his arm to also injured his tail then that would lend credence to the theory he still had both arms when Poncho got his scar.

[Nobody]

Has Poncho always had that scar in this comic? I totally never noticed it until just now.

[Bill in OK]

I'm confused. Where is Jack in this strip?

I also wonder why Uncle Deadeye has a blindfold on.

Has Poncho always had that scar in this comic? I totally never noticed it until just now.

I don't think we've ever seen Poncho without his poncho.

Edit: I found it!