2019/07/08 - Another Badger Pun

[Frank]

The sad part is, even if they took away all the lighters, gasoline and matches, I'm sure Kari would still find a way to burn down the forest by accident.

I think you're underestimating human...I mean vulpine ingenuity

[NHWestoN]

Kari: "I didn't do it!! What was it?"

[dr_eirik]

No one, not even Keene, would expect some grand sweeping law that affects every single animal pet, feral, etc so that suddenly they can't be eaten or kept as pets because society would not be able to function.

I pretty much agree with everything you wrote, and Keene is realistic enough to not expect such a massive change. I do think that's what Keene was trying to do with the mana pool. Given an almost infinite level of magic he wanted to equalize everyone all at once and dang the consequences.

But you're right, the ECP seems to have been set up for voluntary use. And you won't see a lot of animals take advantage because they lack the ability to long-term plan. Jessica knows what her future is: She'll end up dead in the forest someday. So she plans for, at most, the coming winter. The idea of going to work and saving money for retirement is a completely foreign concept to her.

[Gameb18oy]

No one, not even Keene, would expect some grand sweeping law that affects every single animal pet, feral, etc so that suddenly they can't be eaten or kept as pets because society would not be able to function.

I pretty much agree with everything you wrote, and Keene is realistic enough to not expect such a massive change. I do think that's what Keene was trying to do with the mana pool. Given an almost infinite level of magic he wanted to equalize everyone all at once and dang the consequences.

But you're right, the ECP seems to have been set up for voluntary use. And you won't see a lot of animals take advantage because they lack the ability to long-term plan. Jessica knows what her future is: She'll end up dead in the forest someday. So she plans for, at most, the coming winter. The idea of going to work and saving money for retirement is a completely foreign concept to her.

Personally, while that does sound like Jessica’s mindset, what about Zac? She’d probably enjoy seeing him more, and entering into society would be one of the only ways to let her do that more regularly. And being honest, it’s been shown multiple times that it’s not an inability of the animals, they just don’t tend to learn long term planning due to their surroundings. The wolves (mostly Miles when I say this) and Gale are the easy examples of it being possible for them to pick up on it, but considering how initially before he became friends with King Fox was fine living the life he was already living as an ordinary pet dog, if humans kinda force them truly to take on life themselves, they tend to pick up the skill pretty quickly

[fenrirblack]

Karishad: "I have an alibi! I was with a friend. You don't know him. His name is Rick."

[dr_eirik]

Karishad: "I have an alibi! I was with a friend. You don't know him. His name is Rick."

That feels so... meta.

[Amazee Dayzee]

I would laugh so much if that is what they ended up putting in Kari's speech for the next strip.

[zeusdemigod131]

I pretty much agree with everything you wrote, and Keene is realistic enough to not expect such a massive change. I do think that's what Keene was trying to do with the mana pool. Given an almost infinite level of magic he wanted to equalize everyone all at once and dang the consequences.

But you're right, the ECP seems to have been set up for voluntary use. And you won't see a lot of animals take advantage because they lack the ability to long-term plan. Jessica knows what her future is: She'll end up dead in the forest someday. So she plans for, at most, the coming winter. The idea of going to work and saving money for retirement is a completely foreign concept to her.

Uh yeah, on that. Do we know how much Rick has changed lifespans? Cause Opposum only live for like... a year, in the wild. And only up to 4 even in captivity.

[Welsh Halfwit]

No one, not even Keene, would expect some grand sweeping law that affects every single animal pet, feral, etc so that suddenly they can't be eaten or kept as pets because society would not be able to function.

I pretty much agree with everything you wrote, and Keene is realistic enough to not expect such a massive change. I do think that's what Keene was trying to do with the mana pool. Given an almost infinite level of magic he wanted to equalize everyone all at once and dang the consequences.

But you're right, the ECP seems to have been set up for voluntary use. And you won't see a lot of animals take advantage because they lack the ability to long-term plan. Jessica knows what her future is: She'll end up dead in the forest someday. So she plans for, at most, the coming winter. The idea of going to work and saving money for retirement is a completely foreign concept to her.

Of course, one of the big things that's happened with the ECP is the big predators have all left the forest for an easier life.

Which means the lives of everyone else IN the Forest has become massively easier too as a lot fewer are trying to end those lives prematurely. Gale was not eating Spinach.

This is their Eden and all the 'snakes' have moved out. Why would they ever seek to leave now?

[Zesortinge]

I pretty much agree with everything you wrote, and Keene is realistic enough to not expect such a massive change. I do think that's what Keene was trying to do with the mana pool. Given an almost infinite level of magic he wanted to equalize everyone all at once and dang the consequences.

But you're right, the ECP seems to have been set up for voluntary use. And you won't see a lot of animals take advantage because they lack the ability to long-term plan. Jessica knows what her future is: She'll end up dead in the forest someday. So she plans for, at most, the coming winter. The idea of going to work and saving money for retirement is a completely foreign concept to her.

Uh yeah, on that. Do we know how much Rick has changed lifespans? Cause Opposum only live for like... a year, in the wild. And only up to 4 even in captivity.

Well, I don't know Peanut's age at the start of the strip, but more than 11 years have passed for the early introductions. I don't know how long he extended animal lives.

[Obbl]

Dogs and cats have a maximum life span of about 40 years, but only about 15 years in the wild. This is based on the idea of about double the life span. There's been no word on opposum life spans, but I have a feeling it'll be more than the 2-8 years just doubling it would give.

[Argent]

Linky, h/t to the Internet Archive.

I may have neglected to mention beforehand: most animals in our world have significantly longer lifespans and smaller litter numbers than in your own. It’s still not the length of a human lifespan for most—elephants still only live about eighty years, and most ungulates still hover around forty and approach fifty, but dogs and cats also live up to forty years, though in the wild that number is often closer to fifteen. On average, anyway.

[Buster]

Uh yeah, on that. Do we know how much Rick has changed lifespans? Cause Opposum only live for like... a year, in the wild. And only up to 4 even in captivity.

there was a short story that explained it ages ago, but most mammals have a 30-40 year lifespan from what i understood.

[Ash Greytree]

So seems the ECP advocating isn’t that far off from what I suggested, Steward seems to believe that he’s gonna lose his hideout and/or life if the wild animals don’t do something about it. [...] Steward definitely has a selfish motive if I’m right, but if animals have rights by the time he starts going coin crazy... well he basically gets to go back to his old life without having to face up to his crimes, kinda a win win thing for both pets and himself if you think about how he’d view his actions.

Agreed. Given all that's been said about animals not caring about long-term planning, then if Steward is indeed behind Marion's transformation, I get the feeling that his plan is going to go something like "If animals don't care about the long term but humans do, then I'll just have to turn more humans into animals that put more pressure on Jessica and others to go through the ECP! That way when the bulldozers come through, we'll have money and bargaining power on our side!" Like, maybe Steward's optimal situation that he envisions is a Babylon Gardens that's expanded, and the treehouse is another house in the neighborhood (that comedically sticks out kind of like this) where Jess owns the plot of land and everyone of working age who lives there has a stable job and steady income, etc.

Alongside this, setting aside the question of whether Steward is transforming humans with the coin, this conversation that he and Jess are currently having is one that's going to leave an impression on Marion. Likely, it's going to make Marion view Steward as the "only sane man badger" and be willing to hear him out in the morning. I don't believe it was part of a plan made by Steward to get into this argument with Jess, though. He doesn't seem to be Evil Mastermind-ing or Xanatos Gambit-ing it up.

[Amazee Dayzee]

It probably was a happy accident and if Stewart does indeed get what he wants out of it, I can see him smugly and sarcastically thanking Jessica for the argument that made Marion om to him.

[fenrirblack]

So seems the ECP advocating isn’t that far off from what I suggested, Steward seems to believe that he’s gonna lose his hideout and/or life if the wild animals don’t do something about it. [...] Steward definitely has a selfish motive if I’m right, but if animals have rights by the time he starts going coin crazy... well he basically gets to go back to his old life without having to face up to his crimes, kinda a win win thing for both pets and himself if you think about how he’d view his actions.

Agreed. Given all that's been said about animals not caring about long-term planning, then if Steward is indeed behind Marion's transformation, I get the feeling that his plan is going to go something like "If animals don't care about the long term but humans do, then I'll just have to turn more humans into animals that put more pressure on Jessica and others to go through the ECP! That way when the bulldozers come through, we'll have money and bargaining power on our side!" Like, maybe Steward's optimal situation that he envisions is a Babylon Gardens that's expanded, and the treehouse is another house in the neighborhood (that comedically sticks out kind of like this) where Jess owns the plot of land and everyone of working age who lives there has a stable job and steady income, etc.

I'm still skeptical that Steward cares that much about Jess or the forest. The treehouse is a temporary base of operations for him so if it did disappear it would suck but Steward should be focusing more of his attention on escaping it not saving it. If Steward could transform a bunch of humans into animals to join the ECP then Jess and the rest of the ferals would be useless to him. Right now they are his only real option to pull off whatever his plan is and clearly it is not going well. This still begs the question of where Steward's morals lie. I mean we don't for sure how much he cares about animals or nature and even being an animal himself, I'm not holding my breath for a "Brother Bear" walk a mile in my shoes situation where he learned a valuable life lesson from living as an animal for the last year. That is not to say that he hadn't always cared about animals and nature in his own way back when he was human but we never saw anything that says that and all we know is that he did knowingly sabotage the ECP.

[Welsh Halfwit]

I'm still sceptical that Steward cares that much about Jess or the forest. The treehouse is a temporary base of operations for him so if it did disappear it would suck but Steward should be focusing more of his attention on escaping it not saving it.

From the way he's talking I think he DOES care about Jess and the others. We've had limited exposure to Steward in either form but he seems to be the type that sticks by friends he's made (whether he's aware of it consciously or not) and I think he'll stick up for them - if it doesn't put his plans out TOO far. He may even endanger himself for them at a pinch.

[Silly Zealot]

I get the impression that food animals are not as intelligent. I assume it's a trait that would be selectively bred out early on in agriculture.

I don't know if we can breed intelligence out of animals.

A lot of domestic animals are less sharp than wild ones.
We never gave reason (nor wanted to) to be smarter and so many feral animals display more cunning than, say, your regular lap dog.

Gale was not eating Spinach.

You sure she wasn't?
I mean, man! Look at those guns!

[Amazee Dayzee]

Maybe she just lifts very heavy weights and keeps up with a vigorous workout.

[Champion Wallace]

I pretty much agree with everything you wrote, and Keene is realistic enough to not expect such a massive change. I do think that's what Keene was trying to do with the mana pool. Given an almost infinite level of magic he wanted to equalize everyone all at once and dang the consequences.

But you're right, the ECP seems to have been set up for voluntary use. And you won't see a lot of animals take advantage because they lack the ability to long-term plan. Jessica knows what her future is: She'll end up dead in the forest someday. So she plans for, at most, the coming winter. The idea of going to work and saving money for retirement is a completely foreign concept to her.

Uh yeah, on that. Do we know how much Rick has changed lifespans? Cause Opposum only live for like... a year, in the wild. And only up to 4 even in captivity.

So yes they have ages but it basically stays about the same. Animals may have short lifespans, but characters won't grow old or die (unless Rick Griffin want's them to).

[Amazee Dayzee]

I think Rufus was the only one that did and that was to give Max a flashback arc about how he took care of him.

[fenrirblack]

I pretty much agree with everything you wrote, and Keene is realistic enough to not expect such a massive change. I do think that's what Keene was trying to do with the mana pool. Given an almost infinite level of magic he wanted to equalize everyone all at once and dang the consequences.

But you're right, the ECP seems to have been set up for voluntary use. And you won't see a lot of animals take advantage because they lack the ability to long-term plan. Jessica knows what her future is: She'll end up dead in the forest someday. So she plans for, at most, the coming winter. The idea of going to work and saving money for retirement is a completely foreign concept to her.

Uh yeah, on that. Do we know how much Rick has changed lifespans? Cause Opposum only live for like... a year, in the wild. And only up to 4 even in captivity.

So yes they have ages but it basically stays about the same. Animals may have short lifespans, but characters won't grow old or die (unless Rick Griffin want's them to).

Rick dug himself a nice little hole on that one. Especially now that we have Marion who DOES have an age and know what it is (17 or 18). What worse is the fact that we have characters who are aging and growing up like the cubs and the pups. Honestly comic book time isn't necessary because it could be argued that they do age but it is not noticeable. I mean if you really look at them you can tell how much they've grown and matured since year 1. When the Max's flashback story happened we did the the math and figured that by now he must be a teenager like sixteen I think it was. So you can say they are growing up and aging but have physically reached maturity if Sabrina is any indication. Since they will live long after the end of the series so death from old age is not a real issue. They're not humans so it's not like they're adults when they turn 18. SO it doesn't matter if they age or not because it doesn't affect the story.

[Obbl]

Except that based on the overall lifespan of a cat (40 years), if Max were 16 he'd be well into adulthood, which he seems very much not to be
Which is why I keep saying that characters age exactly when and how much Rick says they do, which is why the cubs can age without the rest of the pets aging (as much) =3

[Amazee Dayzee]

Or we could chalk it up to another phenomenon which I do tend to see a lot especially since I watch soap operas: Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome or SORAS. Basically a younger child is age several years up while everybody else remains the same age. =P