UPDATING OCCASIONALLY (FOR NOW)
10

10 thoughts on “540 – Trick Hello”

  1. Scarsdale

    Called it, she figured he’d do this, if by choice or by zombie voodoo. I’m sure the “friendlier” questioning will start soon, if she doesn’t just kill him out-right. Or just add him to the herd.

  2. Crazyman

    Gotcha! 😉

  3. Zombatar

    This turn of events is a surprise only to Eustace. And, maybe, Eustace’s subconscious. After all, this way he doesn’t have to actually risk actually attacking Suzie, which gives him a greater chance of survival than actually attacking her. I wonder what he was promised/threatened with?

  4. ConcordBob

    Not to nit-pick, but since sights are on target, finger should be on the trigger. Especially this close.
    The usual rule is “keep finger straight and off trigger until sights are on target”.

  5. Dr. Norman (not a real doctor)

    Not to nit-pick, but since that was current philosophies regarding trigger discipline have evolved.
    Of course, it will depend on who you get/got your training from.
    Experiments have determined that the fraction of a second to go from finger off the trigger to finger firing when appropriate is insignificant, and the risk of firing unintended is greatly reduced.

  6. Dr. Norman (not a real doctor)

    I did the google thing and I believe I saw how you reached this conclusion … but there are two parts to it – One should not omit the second part.
    “Trigger Finger Discipline: · The practice of keeping your finger “off the trigger” until your sights are on target AND YOU ARE READY TO DISCHARGE THE FIREARM.” (Caps are my own)

  7. Crazyman

    She wants him alive so she can question him; otherwise, he’d already be dead. 💀

  8. ConcordBob

    Good discussion on trigger discipline!
    His skin is very pale / gray. Is this malnourishment, or has he been poisoned with a mind-control drug? I would have to go back and look a t all various of skin tone.

    1. TKG

      On a prior page we discussed what he’s likely got running in his system. I suggested that it’s probably Borrochero (Brugmansia arbora) which is already used by Colombian cartels to eradicate the free will of their victims.

  9. Dr. Norman (not a real doctor)

    Now can we satisfy my curiosity? Colt, Smith & Wesson, Ruger, or other timeline variant?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

 

540 – Trick Hello
Posted on February 26, 2025 by Dawn

Suzie hearkening back to the last time Eustace was faked out. She probably regrets not being able to sneak the Lawn Ranger into the bedcovers to be the victim of the stabbing.

And with that, it's Episode 23 time! Welcome back to the Ranch, everyone!

Previously, in the past…

Posted on January 11, 2017 by Clint
I’ve talked before about trying to help the audience keep their footing in a long-running narrative. This may then be a redundant blog, and so I indulge in a redundant title. Anyhow, TV shows these days will often spend a good 30 seconds or more doing a “Previously…” segment, sometimes extending that into several minutes for a Season Finale or Season Opener. By doing that they’re just continuing a tradition pioneered by radio and print serials before them, including the serial adventure and drama comics of newspapers past of which Zombie Ranch is a spiritual (if not literal) descendant. Sure, there are fans out there whose encyclopedic knowledge of their particular entertainment obsession at times can put even the creator(s) to shame, but for most of the audience these little reminders of what’s been happening are greatly appreciated as a means to remind them of what’s about to happen. Webcomics, however, don’t tend to do this, and we’re one of them. I’ve discussed before that I figure this is a consequence of easily accessible archives, and in our case coupling that with a “comic blog” under the weekly offering that we often use with links to relevant past events, because when you’ve got over 300 pages in your archive like we do now (whew) even I sometimes have to search a bit. Is it enough? I think it has to be, because dedicating the storytelling real estate every week or even every Episode to a “Previously” segment, despite tradition, seems like the worse option. I’ll do so at the start of one of our print comics (and have!), but not here online. Still, what that means is I can play a bit — like the beginning of this current episode (#14), where I’m using the technique not so much for reminders as for dramatic effect — theoretically not really wasting the storytelling space. True, it serves the reminder purpose as well, but I figured we’d keep things interesting by mixing it up a bit visually, and of course the end part is a reveal we hadn’t shown before. Cool? Well, time and posterity will be the ultimate judges, but for the moment, I’m liking our little deviation into the past before we get on with the present and future.