2020/12/25 - Tidings Of Comfort And Joy

Post by **Obbl** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 1:02 am

[ Tidings Of Comfort And Joy ]

Title Text: ugh spoken like an author who's never had any problems at all! Christmas is NO TIME for this inspirational optimistic claptrap

This is deeply satisfying

Merry Christmas ya filthy animals

ChekeBello · Post by **ChekeBello** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 1:05 am

I place my bet on Mungo being autumn

Merry Xmas everyone!

CuriousCnidarian · Post by **CuriousCnidarian** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 1:08 am

So we got a Winter now, eh? I know someone out there has to have said there'd be a male Winter/Autumn as the foil/counterparts to the female Spring and Summer.
[Scratch that - Fox isn't Winter yet - he becomes Winter after he dies, I assume. Winter is the older (dead) Fox.]

And yeah, Autumn will probably be Mungo.

Merry Christmas! My second Christmas special here

dr_eirik · Post by **dr_eirik** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 1:11 am

I like how this capped off. Its always nice to see Fox happy.

As for the identity of Autumn, it seems like it would be Mungo, though it could be another dog to be named later.

IceKitsune · Post by **IceKitsune** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 1:18 am

Oh, this was very nice! A great message and it both closes out somethings while leaving just enough to speculate on. I'm also going with Autumn being Mungo, at least based on what we know right now.

Gbr23 · Post by **Gbr23** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 1:22 am

This was a very nice message. Happy holidays everyone!

edit:

Winter wrote:I know you're tired, resting is part of the journey too, but not giving up

That one hit deep down. Beautiful.

LunarFox · Post by **LunarFox** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 1:46 am

Fox, stop flirting with Mungo

. I see that look in your eyes...

Okay, but in all seriousness- this is both sweet and sad and wonderfully wholesome. Thanks Rick!
[And how long until one of those Foxes become someone's avatar?

]

--
Sometimes the future shows a peek before we meet it face-to-face,
Sometimes the future tells us to mind the present as a saving grace,

The journey ahead is long and hard,
And you'll need to go that extra yard-
Heaven is timeless, so is it's blessin',
And everyone gets a little lesson-

And a reminder that sometimes, life puts some bumps along the way
That let you see another day
And make you stronger in the end
So you don't break, just merely bend.

If Fox is Winter, then who's Fall?
Mungo, or another character yet to call?
And as our pair slip down a waterside,
Who knows? Just let them ride.

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 1:55 am

Sometimes you have to tell yourself
things aren't as bad as they seem;
that, just because you wake,
you still won't lose the dream.
A frazzled future Fox,
wearing the scars of battles done;
extolling the affairs of life.
Perhaps now he'll have some fun?
If the Bard is watching there,
he could remark upon this truth.
Winter is despairs dark point;
It then lightens for the good youth.

anhedral · Post by **anhedral** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 2:35 am

Whoa, Winter's really been through the wars! Even Uncle Deadeye isn't as badly beaten up as this. Makes you wonder just what trials lie ahead for Fox now, sufficient to lead him to change his name. Or is that just standard practice once you get to heaven?

I also like how Fox doesn't seem all that fazed when he realises he's likely to get all those injuries (or perhaps others, equally severe). Whatever his faults, he's a courageous husky.

Anyone else getting vibes of Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' with this strip? A reality-shaking shoutout from the future is surely no coincidence for a Christmas Day comic. Way to go, Rick!

bjchan95 · Post by **bjchan95** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 2:38 am

Wow, what a nice way to end things!
I guess though that Fox will have that eye scar for life, I was hoping it'd eventually heal.

Sir Chestnut · Post by **Sir Chestnut** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 2:52 am

Since there's a color theme going. If Mungo does end up being Autumn does that mean there's an Orange Mungo walking around Heaven somewhere?

RandomPerson6 · Post by **RandomPerson6** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 3:24 am

seeing as they explained how everyone already is in heaven It makes me wonder about about this page and wondering if they are already dead back on earth or if they just met up there by coincidence because time stuff

leinglo · Post by **leinglo** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 3:31 am

Well now this has got me wondering. We've established that in Heaven, you can look however you want, have whatever body you want.

So the question is, is that actually how Fox will end up? All scarred up from who knows how many fights and injuries? Or did he just decide that the eye scratch scar is really cool and decided to expand on the theme once he got to Heaven?

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 4:05 am

One of those ear 'wounds' has a ring in it...

DDeer · Post by **DDeer** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 4:40 am

I love Foxs expressions in the two panels, kinda coy looking, a nice Christmas message also. Glad to see Fox happy, a strip to make you feel warm and fuzzy

.

The Blue Fox · Post by **The Blue Fox** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 5:09 am

Whoa. Well, I certainly wasn't expecting THAT.

I had no idea they could flaunt the rules of time and space like that. I mean, I know they work on subjective time an' all, but...just...whoa.

As to those theories I'm seeing of Mungo being Autumn...personally, I don't think Mungo would be a good fit for Autumn...I think I more support the idea it's someone else...most likely someone not yet revealed. Someone who will be very important to Fox later in life.

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 5:40 am

DDeer wrote: ↑Fri Dec 25, 2020 4:40 am I love Foxs expressions in the two panels, kinda coy looking, a nice Christmas message also. Glad to see Fox happy, a strip to make you feel warm and fuzzy .

Gives Ddeer some mistletoe to hang on his antlers.

Macsen · Post by **Macsen** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 5:44 am

No wonder they were so readily into him. From the very beginning.

From the moment he first arrived, they already knew him.

Were Jack · Post by **Were Jack** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 5:46 am

ChekeBello wrote: ↑Fri Dec 25, 2020 1:05 am I place my bet on Mungo being autumn
Merry Xmas everyone!

I have a premonition, that Mungo will not be Autumn. He is just here to make us think that. You know, persuading us to think. "If I am Winter, who is Autumn?", then shows Mungo. I can be wrong of course. Or maybe I take everything as a troll, because I've seen too much deception in games, movies etc. Deceptions that made us think something, just so they can make something else.

Tbh, I don't like Winter design. I mean. He looks super old. I think Fox could look bigger, but still look young. It's heaven. Spring and Summer don't look old at all. But maybe he just looks like that in that few panels. Sometimes it is that.

Still, very interesting plot. But I still want to see what happened with Craig and Draig. And what about other pets? Will Grape company just ignore that completely? Will Tarot do something? What about Keene? Because of Breel, he can know where they are. If Breel wants to tell him. And what about Marion? What's his reaction to that? Will he tell Lois that something off happened? And Jessica company? Are they still searching? They must be extremely worried. Also we have so many other pets. Sabrina for example. Who could suspect something too. And just "normal" ones, like Fido, Bino, Joey, Tiger etc. Some of which we didn't see often recently. I wonder what's happening to them too.

Aaaaand... we actually didn't even see any part of demi gods fighting demons. So it has yet to come.

So many things to happen. So many question to ask... So many teories to be revealed.

Titanium Dragon · Post by **Titanium Dragon** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 6:17 am

The nonlinearity of time in Heaven means that it is possible we haven't even seen living Spring and Summer yet. Fox still doesn't have a girlfriend on Earth, and given the sort of time progression that the names imply, it seems entirely possible that the next one we meet will not be Autumn, but Spring on Earth.

Post by **Obbl** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 6:18 am

Were Jack wrote: ↑Fri Dec 25, 2020 5:46 am Tbh, I don't like Winter design. I mean. He looks super old. I think Fox could look bigger, but still look young. It's heaven. Spring and Summer don't look old at all.

What, are you saying old people can't look smokin' hot? Cause I think Spring and Summer might have a few words for you

And yeah, I'm not ready to jump on the Mungo as Autumn bandwagon yet myself. We'll see (or not as the case may be

)

Post by **SeanWolf** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 7:08 am

Hmmm....I'm on two mindsets with this strip. First, I do enjoy how Fox/Winter was the one to get Fox out of his mood and get him to understand there's more to life (Fact: Strip got me depressed when it went up and I'm oddly still am). I'm curious to where he gets the extra scars (perhaps it's a clue to a major K9 arc down the road?).

However...on the other paw? The ending implies that Mungo is Autumn and I'll be honest: I never shipped those two or saw them as anything else then just friends. Plus, I dunno, the ending just seemed to come out of the blue. I kinda would've loved to seen one extra bit of dialouge between him and Mungo (Like an apology for his earlier actions) before jumping to the waterslides.

DDeer · Post by **DDeer** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 7:23 am

Welsh Halfwit wrote: ↑Fri Dec 25, 2020 5:40 am
DDeer wrote: ↑Fri Dec 25, 2020 4:40 am I love Foxs expressions in the two panels, kinda coy looking, a nice Christmas message also. Glad to see Fox happy, a strip to make you feel warm and fuzzy .
Gives Ddeer some mistletoe to hang on his antlers.

Now theres an idea

ties said plant on with more tinsel.

Ale Donkey · Post by **Ale Donkey** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 7:32 am

This really hit home. Thank you, Rick, and Merry Christmas!

AlKatze · Post by **AlKatze** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 7:36 am

Wow, I never expected it to end this way! I’m glad to see Fox is finally enjoying himself.

I am unsure if Mungo is Autumn. Even though it’s sorta implied in that panel, that may be done just to mess with us. I think there could be a future character we don’t know about yet.

IceKitsune · Post by **IceKitsune** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 8:23 am

Do we even know why they are named that way actually? This is the first time it was even implied that Spring and Summer weren't their names as far as I can tell and Breel didn't use some kind of code name thing as far as I know.

Leotamer · Post by **Leotamer** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 8:31 am

This panel didn't really feel like a finale, and I think I realised why. This is resolution to Fox wanting to remain in Heaven, something introduced in this arc. This is not a knock against it, it just still feels like we are in the middle of Fox's arc even if we shift focus against this. Considering this page makes explicit reference to underlying issues, I do have hope they all won't be sweeped under a rug.

And this did help me with Spring and Summer's characterisation, but looking back, I now have no idea why Kitsune got involved. This could still be a part of a scheme, but I almost wonder if Kitsune could have been switched out with another celestial and this was just economy casting.

Argent · Post by **Argent** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 9:34 am

anhedral wrote: ↑Fri Dec 25, 2020 2:35 am Whoa, Winter's really been through the wars! Even Uncle Deadeye isn't as badly beaten up as this. Makes you wonder just what trials lie ahead for Fox now, sufficient to lead him to change his name. Or is that just standard practice once you get to heaven?

Inorite.

If it were me I'd be bugging the heck out of Winter for how he got all those scars so I wouldn't have to go through whatever it was.

On the other hand, it seems like Heaven operates on the Novikov self-consistency principle so I'd simply never meet my future self.

On the gripping hand, there's no reason for Winter to keep the scars in Heaven so he's probably just putting scars on to troll his younger self, besides Winter already had that prank pulled on himself when he was younger so turnabout is fair play.

Were Jack wrote: ↑Fri Dec 25, 2020 5:46 amTbh, I don't like Winter design. I mean. He looks super old. I think Fox could look bigger, but still look young. It's heaven. Spring and Summer don't look old at all. But maybe he just looks like that in that few panels. Sometimes it is that.

Pretty sure it is just that.

Sir Chestnut · Post by **Sir Chestnut** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 9:36 am

Titanium Dragon wrote: ↑Fri Dec 25, 2020 6:17 am The nonlinearity of time in Heaven means that it is possible we haven't even seen living Spring and Summer yet. Fox still doesn't have a girlfriend on Earth, and given the sort of time progression that the names imply, it seems entirely possible that the next one we meet will not be Autumn, but Spring on Earth.

Maybe that's what they were implying when they said they were going to come visit him since this interaction is the other way around?

Otherwise it's possible that Fox going to visit Spring & Summer in Heaven might be something that appears to be happening out of sequence for us and Fox, but is technically happening in sequence for Spring & Summer? Although since Heaven is timeless, wouldn't there technically be no sequence for Spring and Summer?

Nathan Kerbonaut · Post by **Nathan Kerbonaut** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 10:50 am

Absolutely love today's strip. I really felt that bit about the journey. Wise words, Rick.

wolfbrothren · Post by **wolfbrothren** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 10:53 am

Argent wrote: ↑Fri Dec 25, 2020 9:34 am
anhedral wrote: ↑Fri Dec 25, 2020 2:35 am Whoa, Winter's really been through the wars! Even Uncle Deadeye isn't as badly beaten up as this. Makes you wonder just what trials lie ahead for Fox now, sufficient to lead him to change his name. Or is that just standard practice once you get to heaven?
Inorite.

If it were me I'd be bugging the heck out of Winter for how he got all those scars so I wouldn't have to go through whatever it was.

On the other hand, it seems like Heaven operates on the Novikov self-consistency principle so I'd simply never meet my future self.

On the gripping hand, there's no reason for Winter to keep the scars in Heaven so he's probably just putting scars on to troll his younger self, besides Winter already had that prank pulled on himself when he was younger so turnabout is fair play.

Were Jack wrote: ↑Fri Dec 25, 2020 5:46 amTbh, I don't like Winter design. I mean. He looks super old. I think Fox could look bigger, but still look young. It's heaven. Spring and Summer don't look old at all. But maybe he just looks like that in that few panels. Sometimes it is that.
Pretty sure it is just that.

Winter said he is an "amalgamated convergence of the threads of [Fox's] soul" I think that is implying he is a combination of all possible outcomes of Fox. Like a living Shrodinger's cat. It is only once he actually reaches heaven is a path fully realized and, even then, he is allowed to change his appearance to however he likes once in heaven.

NHWestoN · Post by **NHWestoN** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 11:38 am

Two good sermons today, must be Christmas. Oh, yeah, right - Merry Christmas, a very happier New Year to Rick, to all the forum "characters" and families, and all the weary world.

MrBlueSky7 · Post by **MrBlueSky7** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 1:24 pm

Considering he's from the Future and all, I'm surprised that 'Winter' is okay with all those Scars on him. You think being in Heaven and all, he'd be rid of at least that scar the Badger gave him...

Sir Chestnut · Post by **Sir Chestnut** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 2:04 pm

Fox seems like the type who's proud of his battle scars. I could kind of see the Wolves being the same way honestly. Except Jack would probably want his arm back of course.

dr_eirik · Post by **dr_eirik** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 2:08 pm

Sir Chestnut wrote: ↑Fri Dec 25, 2020 2:04 pm Fox seems like the type who's proud of his battle scars. I could kind of see the Wolves being the same way honestly. Except Jack would probably want his arm back of course.

Given his reaction to finding out he no longer needs the eyepatch, I would say you're right.

Cesco · Post by **Cesco** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 2:09 pm

Oh, what just happened is really interesting...

It's cool to know the future Fox of the Heaven, Winter, and I must say that he got some bad scars, which don't sound good for Fox's future on earth...

Yeah, who is Autumn? I guess he could really be older Mungo in Heaven...

Young Fox still have a life to live, so he had to be different than the older him, Spring. That's a nice teaching, after all.

Live your life, Fox, and enjoy the moments with your friend Mungo.

kavviyenta · Post by **kavviyenta** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 2:33 pm

Cesco wrote: ↑Fri Dec 25, 2020 2:09 pm Oh, what just happened is really interesting... It's cool to know the future Fox of the Heaven, Winter, and I must say that he got some bad scars, which don't sound good for Fox's future on earth... Yeah, who is Autumn? I guess he could really be older Mungo in Heaven... Young Fox still have a life to live, so he had to be different than the older him, Spring. That's a nice teaching, after all. Live your life, Fox, and enjoy the moments with your friend Mungo.

It should be noted whether or not Autumn would be a husky like the other three. Or if not, this raises more questions on whether Spring and Summer were always huskies to begin with.

96N64player · Post by **96N64player** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 3:25 pm

This takes reasoning with yourself to a whole new level.

But jokes aside, I thought this was a sweet comic.

Were Jack · Post by **Were Jack** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 4:52 pm

Obbl wrote: ↑Fri Dec 25, 2020 6:18 am
Were Jack wrote: ↑Fri Dec 25, 2020 5:46 am Tbh, I don't like Winter design. I mean. He looks super old. I think Fox could look bigger, but still look young. It's heaven. Spring and Summer don't look old at all.
What, are you saying old people can't look smokin' hot? Cause I think Spring and Summer might have a few words for you
And yeah, I'm not ready to jump on the Mungo as Autumn bandwagon yet myself. We'll see (or not as the case may be )

I dunno, but as I said it could just be the panels. His being whiter doesn't help it

But his half closed eyes made that look a bit. But still, younger Fox is hotter to me

NHWestoN · Post by **NHWestoN** » Fri Dec 25, 2020 7:18 pm

dr_eirik wrote: ↑Fri Dec 25, 2020 1:11 am I like how this capped off. Its always nice to see Fox happy.

As for the identity of Autumn, it seems like it would be Mungo, though it could be another dog to be named later.

King? .............. Naw! Peanut!