I probably don’t say this enough, but I always love these comic strips.
Might not be playing Masks anymore but I love these kids a lot and getting to still see them means a lot.
I probably don’t say this enough, but I always love these comic strips.
Might not be playing Masks anymore but I love these kids a lot and getting to still see them means a lot.
I now imagine Alycia in that final panel in some wide-stance-finger-raised-to-heavens jagged-background anime shout that THIS DEFEAT WILL NOT STAND!
I think this is where she also realized she’s been watching more Leo/Summer type anime than she’d anticipated wanting to, and now has to pull back.
“We noticed you care about people, so we’re going to spy on them so you’re not flipped” feels like a very AEGIS reaction. But I like to think Parker is subtly congratulating Alycia for her progress too.
Alycia always struggled with the propriety, morality, or even likelihood of friendship, even while, from the earliest age, desperately wanting it. One of the great achievements in her story has been actually resolving that struggle (albeit with plenty of jagged edges still to file down).
And plenty that will, or ought to, remain sharp.
Hard-hitting reporting from Heroes Are Magic.
EDIT: I missed my chance to name one of those villains “SnapChad” instead. Ah well.
The number of parallel Earths that are charred cinders from Summer trying alternative tactics to be Alycia’s friend are legion. It’s like Groundhog Day, only with more hypergenius weapons systems.