Strip 135 -- First Seen: 2009-03-20
Escape From Terra is updated with new pages every Monday through Friday.

What Comes Next

The war is over, but This Means War has a ways to go. Novo Paolo/Bubbleopolis is still in a nebula/stellar nursery, no one knows what happened to the planet Sharen (center of the Intergalactic Council), and the status of the now-surrendered Invaders is yet to be resolved. What will they do when they learn their homeworld is basically destroyed? Will Alyss and Li be re-united? How about Diana (the real one) and Otto?

These questions will be resolved in the next few weeks, before This Means War part 3 wraps in late May.

After that, I plan to go BACK in time about 400 years, to when Alyss and Li left their home in the Sol System to colonize a new world on the far side of the galaxy. As one might expect, hijinks ensue. New subtitle yet to be determined, start date sometime in around the start of July. Stay tuned!

A Little House Cleaning

I can't tell you how much I appreciate everyone who backed our Kickstarter project. One small matter remains: a couple of you have yet to provide your shipping address for your rewards. As soon as possible, please either fill out the Kickstarter survey request found on the Kickstarter site, or simply send us an email Orders address and we will ship your reward soon after. If you're wondering why you haven't received a notice about this via email, please check your spam folder.

The Transcript For This Page

Panel 1
Continuing in Reggie's office, Reggie is now standing next to the despondent Guy, still slumped forward in the chair, elbows propped on his knees. Reggie speaks to Guy calmly.

Reggie: I can't tell you what to do; no one can. My only advice is to do what you think is right.

Reggie (2): If you decide to spy for the Strike Force, we'll isolate you but we won't harm you.

Panel 2
Reggie lays a friendly hand on Guy's shoulder while grinning mischievously; Guy looks up at Reggie quizzically.

Reggie: If you decide to serve your … uh, king, you might just win yourself another World Ceres Pennant.

Panel 3
Reggie is standing up again, hands braced on hips. Guy is still slumped in his chair but is looking up at Reggie.

Reggie: Listen to your 'Inner cowboy.' What does he tell you to do?

Guy: To ride, shoot straight, and speak the truth.

Panel 4
Reggie looks a bit surprised. Guy is sitting up straighter, and rather out of character for him, grinning shyly.

Guy: My grandparents had that quote framed on their living room wall in Ajaccio, France.

Guy (2): When I read it, it made me feel like a real cowboy, like a real man.


Panel 5
Medium shot on Reggie, a quiet, contemplative smile.

Reggie: It's the title of a book by Jeff Cooper, seems to have been the code he lived by.

Reggie (2): Cooper's sort of a personal hero of mine, too.

Reggie (3): Anyway Guy, that's good enough for me. You're in the club.

Panel 6
Medium shot on Guy, looking a bit contrite.
Guy: When I came here before, I was a bit of an ass, wasn't I?

Panel 7
Reggie, now on his own side of the desk, leans across it towards Guy and braces himself with his knuckles on the desktop.

Reggie: Government schools – propaganda mills, really – confused and deluded you. They fed you an evil value system that made you think wrong was right.

Reggie (2): In that, you were not alone.

Panel 8
Now Reggie is standing at attention, and saluting Guy. Guy leans back in surprise, taking it in.
Reggie: But you're the one in-a-million who saw the truth. And you're going to become a good human being.

Reggie: I salute you.