Dash’s recovery goes well given the circumstances in today’s page. In case you missed yesterday’s update, check it out here. This is update CD 4.3.36, or Cosmic Dash Volume 4, Episode 3 “Ladies Fight” – Page 36.

If you are curious about what has been going on with me or want to read my responses to a couple of questions, be sure to check out my mailbag on my website.

Lastly, I gotta plug something, so here is the latest chapter of the zombie story I have been working on. My prose work tends to update a little more frequently.

Lore: Dash’s Injuries

I wanted to think about the amount of crap I put Dash through throughout the comic so far. This isn’t in-depth, mind you, just a record of his recovery. Terrekin are pretty tough creatures given their shells, but also have dense musculature as swimmers. Dash has bounced back from quite a few injuries time after time. Some notable ones I recall:

• Falling from dozens of feet into a bush in volume 1, issue #1.
• Mental breakdown and a scalpel slash to the collar bone in volume 1, issue #3. This left a scar.
• Busted eye and wrist from a crash in volume 2, issue #2.
• Mental breakdown, “Pause & Effect” and volume 3, issue #1.
• Lacerations from broken glass and a slashed arm in volume 3, issue #2.
• Extensive bruising, blaster bolt to hand, claws to the abdomen, sword slash to the wrist, and orbital socket fracture in volume 4, issue #2.

Yikes. His recovery is fairly solid, all things considered.

Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 36 Transcript

The following is a transcript for Cosmic Dash Volume 4, Episode 3 – Page 36.

Panel One

There is a close-up shot of Dash Kameku’s eyeball. Dorian D’Lazmuh is palpating the bruised socket and shining a light into Dash’s eye. Dash has a noticeable scar on his eyebrow.

Caption: Med Bay, Lucky Strike II

Panel Two

Dash is blinking his eyes to adjust to the change in light. Dorian turns off his light.

Dorian: Oh yeah, that shot to your socket is going to leave a nice scar. But, the swelling should go away soon. You can sleep in your bunk tonight.

Panel Three

Dorian fidgets with the light, clicking it. He continues to update Dash on his injuries.

Dorian: The sword cut is pretty deep. Just watch the wrist.

Panel Four

A shot of Guugel’s pod. The pod is dramatically lit and eerie.

Dash (off-screen): I may crash here tonight.

Dorian: I get it.

Panel Five

Dash raises his arm to check if he smells after Dorian’s comment.

Dorian (off-screen): At least go take a shower or something.

Panel Six

Dorian waves away his comment.

Dorian: You don’t smell that bad. It’s more of a self-care thing.

Dash: Nah, I get it.

Panel Seven

Senn “Kracker” Toucair emerges suddenly, He’s thrilled and has a wing wrapped over Dorian’s shoulder.

Kracker: DUDE! You didn’t lose the eye! That’s great!

See you later this month with more comics.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoy the story, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or order a commission. You can also vote for Cosmic Dash on Top WebComics to attract more potential readers, which helps out the comic.

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The post Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 36 appeared first on Cosmic Dash.

We’re back with a couple of pages for the month and some details on the Zoomers, AKA the Zumbaji, and the return of Pele Souvar, who was in the very first issue of the comic and has made some appearances since. Check out the next page tomorrow. In case you missed the last page, here you go.

For now, this is CD 4.3.45, aka Cosmic Dash Volume 4, Episode 3 “Ladies Fight” – Page 35.

I had intended to update in March, but I had some rather significant life circumstances emerge which delayed the pages. I’ll get into this more in the mailbag on my website, but I ended up taking on another class full of students following the death of a colleague, increasing my existing workload by a substantial amount. I’ll write that mailbag post later tonight, so keep an eye on my website or check for tomorrow’s Cosmic Dash update.

I’m still posting stories and podcasts, so you can find me at the usual places. I’ll probably share direct links in tomorrow’s post.

The bigger piece of news is that the Cosmic Dash novella, “Pause & Effect” has been edited and completed on the Serreven website. More of the archived stories are on the way.

Anyway, let’s talk about the Zoomers.

Lore: Zoomers AKA The Zumbaji

The Zumbaji are a race of diminutive flying insectoids known for their energetic personalities from the planet Chituuk. The Zumbaji are often known by the name “Zoomers” which was originally intended as a moniker of annoyance but has been claimed by the race and repurposed. They are formally members of The Blassnaught Empire.

The Zoomers are a very industrious species, particularly owing to their small forms which tend to not be accounted for as much in mass production among galactic industries. As a result, they have taken to providing a great deal of their own products and licensing and miniaturizing products for their markets.

This industriousness and boundless energy have allowed them to adapt to a larger galactic society in a myriad of ways that can prove surprising to most.

Let’s hear it for the little guys.

Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 35 Transcript

The following is a transcript for Cosmic Dash Volume 4, Episode 3 – Page 35.

Panel One

Alix is seen in silhouette walking through the colony. The sun is setting.

Caption: Ferrow’s Hope, Vumba

Panel Two

Alix continues walking through the colony, deep in thought. She passes Pele Souvar, Cambot, and a Zumbaji, or “Zoomer.” She asks about the recent incident with the space pirates.

Pele: So how long had the pirates been occupying Ferrow’s Hope?

Panel Three

From Cambot’s perspective, we see a close-up of the Zoomer.

Zoomer: At least three months. It was horrid.

Pele (off-screen): Fascinating.

Panel Four

Cambot turns to Pele, in response to her response.

Pele: Cambot, keep the camera on him.

Cambot: Beep!

Panel Five

Cambot focuses the camera back on the Zoomer, who is waving him off, trying to obscure his face.

Zoomer: Hey-hey-hey I would rather not be on camera!

Panel Six

Pele continues talking to the colonist, pleading with him.

Pele: But we need to put a face to the tragedy!

Zoomer: Why does it have to be my face?

See you later this month with more comics.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoy the story, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or order a commission. You can also vote for Cosmic Dash on Top WebComics to attract more potential readers, which helps out the comic.

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The post Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 35 appeared first on Cosmic Dash.

The medic in residence will see you now in the third Cosmic Dash update for January 2025. This is update CD.4.3.34, or the 34th page of “Ladies’ Fight” in the archive. We’re stepping away from Orthos‘ storyline of the past couple of pages and getting back to the medi bay of the Lucky Strike II.

Dash and the medic in residence, Dorian, have a lot to talk about, but somehow I am sure Dash is going to rope this kid into something crazy. Shine on you space cowboys.

Anyway, as for other news, I am finally appearing as a regular on the podcast Spooky Dice Bag, which is a Dungeons and Dragons actual pay show. I am Shal Noctis, the crazy under monk is residence for the party.

Because I have to be extra about everything, I’ve created a new prose series over at my main website which serves as Shal’s adventure log, recounting events of the podcast episodes from his particularly touched perspective. Check out the first two episodes and let me know what you think.

• Scrolls of Noctis #1 – Strangers at a Party
• Scrolls of Noctis #2 – Smallest of Talks

It’s been a ton of fun and I absolutely adore the character. It makes me wonder about roleplaying opportunities in the Cosmic Dash setting, actually…

Anyway, onto some lore.

Lore – The Residency of Dorian D’Lazmuh

Something fun in this issue for me was covering a little bit about Dorian’s position on the ship, which is akin to residency in our own medical field. It’s a bit different, though. Part of medical training and becoming a doctor in the Silver Spiral Galaxy entails a year or two of residence with some form of organization or colony, actively practicing medicine. Usually, residency is part of post-graduation here on Earth, but in this setting the idea was that there is something akin to a trial run doctors must go through. With how wide the galaxy is and the myriad of challenges, this is meant to be their final “test.”

Dorian assumed this little cargo company would be fairly low-stakes, for example. He took the position so he could study, but he definitely found something much more impressive and high-stakes.

With that said, the latitude figures like Dorian would have are fairly large given the challenges and diversity of scenarios and species, and their performance is assessed when they return to wrap up their studies and examinations for a year following this residency.

Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 34 Transcript

The following is a transcript for Cosmic Dash Volume 4, Episode 3 – Page 34.

Panel One

Overhead view of the med bay on the Lucky Strike II. Guugel’s pod is still hooked up to a nutrient system. Dorian D’Lazmuh is actively monitoring the screen above the medi bed. Dash Kameku is awake again, sitting against the headboard. Kracker is asleep in another bed.

Caption: In the Med Bay, Lucky Strike II

Dash: Dorian?

Dorian: Yeah?

Panel Two

Dorian is observing the current status of the pod that Guugel seems to be using to heal. Dash continues talking to him from off-panel.

Dash: I heard you talking with Kracker about his wings. Do you think it will work? Seems ambitious.

Panel Three

Dorian glances back at Dash, engaged in their conversation. Dash looks back. Dorian seems optimistic.

Dorian: I think the three of us can make this work. Our combined technical skills could really mesh, I think.

Dash: Hm.

Panel Four

Dorian has turned back to Guugel’s data, watching closely, hard at work. Dash appears to be considering something. He brings a finger to his chin and pitches an idea.

Dash: So… What are your thoughts on elective subdermal implants?

Panel Five

Dash glances off, considering the idea he had been rolling around in his head. Dorian continues to monitor Guugel’s data as part of his residence work.

Panel Six

Dorian whirls around as Dash smiles somewhat sheepishly.

Dorian: What in the hells do you have planned?

See you later this month with more comics.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoy the story, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or order a commission. You can also vote for Cosmic Dash on Top WebComics to attract more potential readers, which helps out the comic.

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The post Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 34 appeared first on Cosmic Dash.

We’re back with the second update of the monthly batch, following up on yesterday’s Serreven.com update. This is Volume 4, Episode 3, page 33. We’re approaching the end of the “Ladies’ Fight” storyline and 4th volume of the comic. We’re back, you bet your asteroid on it.

With that said, as we move into volume 5, I will need to take a break to finish writing it. It’ll take me about a month to write the three issues as it will be one long interconnected story that builds on elements laid out all the way back in volume one. This is a culmination story with significant repercussions for the Silver Spiral Galaxy.

But that’s still a couple of months out. We might be finished with this volume by the end of April.

Anyway, other news!

Steamboat Sailor Brawl!

Because I have a compulsive tendency to work and indulge in new projects, I launched a comic that corresponded with Popeye entering the Public Domain on Jan. 1st this year. You can learn more about it on the website.

Steamboat Sailor Brawl! – A Public Domain Comic

Lore – AST 24.328

As we established on the previous page, this location is known as AST 24.328. What exactly does that mean, though?

Naming astral bodies is a time-consuming process, as there are so many of them out there, especially when you account for asteroids within a system. So unless a dedicated name is proposed, most objects in a system that are large enough are given a code.

In this case, this cultist facility is found on an asteroid hence the first sequence being AST. The 24 of the sequence refers to the diameter or “size” of the asteroid. In this case, 24 kilometers. Lastly, the three-digit sequence is the numbered identifier that indicates the discovery order of the object within the system, within the diameter class. In this case, this is the 328th asteroid within the system that measures around 24 kilometers in diameter.

In this case, the asteroid is in the orbit of a gas giant, which I have yet to name. I am taking suggestions in the comments if anyone wants to take a crack at it.

Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 33 Transcript

The following is a transcript for Cosmic Dash Volume 4, Episode 3 – Page 33.

Panel One

A close-up of Orthos firing his blaster towards the screen, laying down covering fire.

SFX: THOOM!

SFX: CLICK

Panel Two

Three Federation Marines, including Commander Arthur Pryce, are in a crater. Orthos shifts back into the crater. The Communications Marine tends to the wounded Marine. Pryce appears to still be in communication with Mara and Illyana.

Blaster fire peppers the rim of the crater.

Pryce: The Hand’s little fingers. Okay. Forgive the brevity of these instructions.

SFX: PING PING

Panel Three

Orthos crouches and approaches Pryce, still deep in relaying instructions to Mara and Illyana.

Pryce: You are to remain with the asset until local authorities can take him in. Relay that I will be picking him up as soon as possible and he needs to be held until then. OUT.

Panel Four

Pryce has disconnected the communications cable and drawn his pistol. Orthos is crouching next to him, curious. Blaster fire continues to impact around the rim of the crater.

Orthos: News?

Pryce: Not for your purview. No.

Orthos: Fair enough.

SFX: PING

Panel Five

Orthos crests the rim of the crater, weapon drawn, glancing down toward Pryce. price is ready to get back into the fight.

Orthos: Onward and upward.

Pryce: Agreed.

See you tomorrow with a new page of Cosmic Dash.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoy the story, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or order a commission. You can also vote for Cosmic Dash on Top WebComics to attract more potential readers, which helps out the comic.

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The post Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 33 appeared first on Cosmic Dash.

Othos is back, everybody! Yay, Orthos!

Welcome to the final page of the December Cosmic Dash update, CD.4.3.32 for those who are counting. Fan-favorite Orthos Kabalos returns, not seen since his one-shot a bit ago. Also, we have Arthur Pryce as well. They are still trying to mop up cultists it seems.

So, last time on Cosmic Dash, Alix Motari learned she was a former assassin of the Fallen Star Syndicate. Meanwhile, over in “Hostile Negotiations” we see that someone is gunning for Drakar Vadis after he cleaned house at the Syndicate (it is, in fact, the same Syndicate).

Other News

The last bit of news for this month is that I am now a member of the Cartoonist Cooperative. I am still getting to know the community, but I am eager to help out where I can. If you are a comic creator, I suggest you look into them. It looks like a great network that will help uplift creators.

Lore – Quantum Calls

Most communications are delayed across the Silver Spiral over vast distances. Relatively proximity to a jump-gate can help reduce communication lag, resulting in delays of hours, minutes, or seconds. Most of the time, it is hours.

However, quantum calls are an expensive and rare technology that utilizes quantum entanglement to create near-instantaneous communication between two points in vast interstellar distances. These particles are generated in such a way that a central facility holds one particle while its mirror is present on a ship. However, this is merely a one-to-one connection as those paired particles only provide instantaneous communication with one another.

To get around this, transmissions are received in the communication hub and then sent out between the particles of the intended recipient. Every colonized planet eventually gets a quantum particle that is mirrored by a particle on their faction’s major communication hub, but usage is limited to military or intelligence operations.

Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 32 Transcript

The following is a transcript for Cosmic Dash Volume 4, Episode 3 – Page 32.

Panel One

Two Federation marines are in a crater, one holding the other who appears to be wounded. The marine with the teal pauldron is Arthur Pryce. Blaster fire erupts near the rim of the crater.

Caption: Meanwhile…

Marine A: Commander, it’s been… an honor…

Pryce: Hold on, damn it!

Caption: AST-24.328 Secret Cultist Facility

SFX: PING PING PING

Panel Two

We see the wounded marine has a breach in his armor and gas leaks from it. Pryce takes a canister and inspects it.

Pryce: Suit pressure breach. I’ve got you.

SFX: PING PING

Panel Three

A HUD view inside the helmet of Pryce’s armor. He is seen as a floating head with windows and messages present around him.

Pryce: Hold on, sealing now!

SFX: BRRRM! BRRRM!

Panel Four

An explosion rocks the landscape and a figure in orange armor dives into the crater. It’s Orthos Kabalos. Pryce turns his attention to the visitor as he seals the breach in the marine’s armor.

SFX: BOOM

SFX: FZZZZ

Panel Five

Orthos ducks down and close to Pryce, laying out the current situation.

Orthos: They seemed overly prepared for us, Pryce. The whole ridge is locked down.

Pryce: I’ll figure out something-

Panel Six

A second marine has thrown himself over the rim of the crater, he wears a communications backpack and is holding a connector out toward Pryce. Blaster fire erupts around him.

Marine B: Sir! SecureSec transmission!

SFX: PING PING

Panel Seven

Pryce takes the connector and plugs it into a port in his helmet.

Pryce: Welch! Stabilize Hayman!

Panel Eight

Back in Pryce’s HUD, he is looking at an incoming quantum call from Illyana Mordon and Mara Senten. Data panels branch off from the transmission.

Pryce: I am a bit busy here, who is this?

Illyana: Uh, “Starfall.”

Pryce: Shit.

See you tomorrow with a new page at Serreven.com.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoy the story, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or order a commission. You can also vote for Cosmic Dash on Top WebComics to attract more potential readers, which helps out the comic.

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The post Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 32 appeared first on Cosmic Dash.

Welcome back to the December update of Cosmic Dash; what is this new wrinkle in this story of the Falling Star Syndicate?

In case you missed the first update, it was over at Serreven.com as we continued the Drakar story. Last time at CosmicDash.com, Mara and Alix more or less completed their mission. However, here we go back to Alix and her dropping in on the mysterious engineer Vomu Tyl. Just another twist and turn in “Ladies’ Fight.”

This would be CD.4.3.31 for those counting by the way. Anyway, please drop a comment or share the page if you can, I really appreciate it.

Other News

The news update at Serreven.com yesterday covered Fang of Triseria, which is a good werewolf story I have been writing that you should be reading. Seriously, give it a try, there is a big new chapter dropping on New Year’s Day.

Today though, I wanted to draw attention to The Shmoofy Experiment. I’ll just give you the short pitch here:

I used to draw a silly teddy bear in all my work and still do. Other people had been doing that for a while and I had been tracking them since about 2006. Eventually, the list was lost, but then recovered a partial one, and I am starting to track Shmoofy appearances again.

So if you draw comics and need a logo or a background element, why not Shmoofy the Bear?

Lore: Digital Memories of a Syndicate Assassin

Digitizing memories is not an uncommon thing in the Silver Spiral Galaxy. It is an expensive process and is usually preserved for figures in governments and major industries. The common denominator is the cost of such a process. Memory partitioning and alteration is also a technology developed by the Grey, specifically, and is again very, very expensive.

These tools have also been employed by assassins and criminals as they have their uses. Alix’s appeared to be an escape.

Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 31 Transcript

The following is a transcript for Cosmic Dash Volume 4, Episode 3 – Page 31.

Panel One

Establishing shot of Vomu Tyl’s homestead in the evening. The sky has grown reddish.

Caption: Elsewhere…

Vomu (off-screen): So you don’t remember me at all?

Panel Two

Alix Motari sits on a table in a crowded room full of gadgets and projects. Vomu is plugging in a connection between his datapad and Alix’s arm implant. She looks away from Vomu.

Alix: No, I just had a record of you in an encrypted file. You seemed to be key to a number of these datafiles. I have about six years of scrambled memories, from what I discovered.

Panel Three

Vomu has elevated her arm as she continues to glance away. He fills in some information.

Vomu: Apparently I was very good at the memory-transfer, but not good enough. I didn’t expect you to find me for quite a while. Or ever, to be honest.

Panel Four

Alex glances at Vomu and leans toward him, her stare is hard.

Alix: So you know why I have so much information regarding the Falling Star Syndicate?

Panel Five

Vomu has a concerned expression, even given the large lense covering his left eye. He is still holding Alix’s wrist.

Vomu: Kid… you were one of their greatest assassins.

Panel Six

Alix’s eyes are wide and she looks like she is in shock.

See you tomorrow with a new page at Serreven.com.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoy the story, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or order a commission. You can also vote for Cosmic Dash on Top WebComics to attract more potential readers, which helps out the comic.

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The post Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 31 appeared first on Cosmic Dash.

We are back with the final page of the November update, and we’re getting into some lore about the Falling Star Syndicate. Our last page saw Mara and Illyana complete their mission. Now we are at the cleanup. This page of “Ladies’ Fight” is Cd.4.3.30.

Anyway, please drop a comment or share the page if you can, I really appreciate it. Now let’s get to the news.

Other News

I appreciate the feedback and kindness about the batch of pages. it is nice to be back. I had struggled for a while but found myself increasingly anxious that I didn’t have much of a creative outlet beyond the podcasts I do.

However, things changed during October. I felt the need to make something, so I ended up taking on an ambitious project, which snowballed into me creating again, pretty consistently.

• The project I took on was writing an essay a day, during October, about horror movies I watched. I ended up managing to write all 31 essays and am currently putting them together into a book. I had originally written them on Medium but found the platform a little limiting.
• As a result, I ended up launching a blog on my main site, hpkomics.com and then made the blog format the core of the website.
• Now I am posting sketchbook entries and essays. That includes two columns: Revenge of Graphic Content, for horror media, and Panel By Panel, about comics. Here is a selection of posts that are worth checking out.
  • Panel By Panel: My Socialist Superman
  • From the Archive: Executor Pitch
  • Revenge of Graphic Content #2: Godzilla Minus One – Image, Music, Tears
  • I Want Back Into the Forest (why I am ditching platforms)
• I also have moved the rewritten version of Fang of Triseria to the site and I am serializing it. I am rolling out additional fiction as well, such as my story “Redcaps.”
  • You can start Fang of Triseria with the first installment of “Fang & Bone.”
• The site also features archives of previous projects, in addition to my commission information and portfolio.

Lore: The Falling Star Syndicate

For this update’s lore, please check out the first article in a series about the Falling Star Syndicate by regular series journalist Meilo Thench. This is an oral history of the syndicate that explores their connection to the origins of modern space piracy in the Silver Spiral Galaxy.

Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 30 Transcript

The following is a transcript for Cosmic Dash Volume 4, Episode 3 – Page 30.

Panel One

The bound Slauve is tossed to the tiled floor of his darkened homestead.

SFX: WHAM!

Panel Two

The Slauve is seen in profile; he has been muffled. From the doorway, Illyana is seen in silhouette with visible eyes and teeth in a sinister appearance. Light pours into the doorway.

Slauve: Mrphm!

Panel Three

The door is slammed shut. Light filters in through a crack in the door. The Slauve is left alone in the dark, and only his eye is visible.

SFX: SLAM

Panel Four

Illyana is approaching Mara outside of the homestead. She is inputting something into her mobile.

Mara: What do we know about this guy?

Panel Five

Mara has turned away from the homestead and Illyana approaches. Illyana stuffs her mobile into her coat pocket.

Illyana: Not much. The ‘Hand of the High Commander’ plays a lot of this stuff close to his chest. All I know is that this guy was a former officer with the Falling Star Syndicate.

Mara: Huh.

Panel Six

Mara glances back at Illyana, seemingly suspicious. Illyana looks disinterested as she tucks her hands into her coat pockets.

Mara: Read an article about them a couple of weeks ago. Seemed like a big deal back in the day. Many of them were pirates.

Illyana: Oh?

Panel Seven

The pair glance back to the camera, toward the direction of the homestead. Illyana has a suspicious smile.

Illyana: Were they? Well, whatever makes Ij Far interested in this scumbag is bad news for sure.

See you in December with a new batch of pages.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoy the story, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or order a commission. You can also vote for Cosmic Dash on Top WebComics to attract more potential readers!

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The post Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 30 appeared first on Cosmic Dash.

And we are back with page 2 of the November update – can you feel the energy? That alien sure did. The previous page covered Mara’s starting a plan, and here we see it complete.

This page of “Ladies’ Fight” is numbered CD.4.3.29. We’ve still got another page after this. It’s been nice to upload comics again.

Meanwhile, if you are enjoying the comic’s return or have questions, please drop a comment. They brighten my day and energize me.

But first, some news.

Other News

Comics are time-consuming, so my availability to work on them during the hiatus was curtailed by the series of crises I had mentioned in the previous update. However, I have still been active. Here is a rundown of some key updates.

• Supernatural Selection and The Distraction Hole are both still going strong. We have managed a bunch of episodes this year, and I have written several of them. Some of my episodes include:
  • Heinrich Kramer – The Weirdo Scammer Who Burned Women
  • Creepy Crawlout Through the Fallout
  • Dead Internet 3: Let’s all just live in a rotting stump, okay?
  • Deals With The Devil: Robert Johnson
  • The Flying Dutchman – Pass the Dutchie on the Starboard Side
  • Yokai? Watch!
  • Tell It To The Frogs
    • Of course, this doesn’t include every episode of Supernatural Selection that I have co-hosted, nor does it include all the episodes of The Distraction Hole that I have edited and produced. The podcasts were what kept me stable in a dark time.
  • We also released our zine about Cryptids. You can find the zine over on the website. It was another project I edited. Again, less time-consuming than comics.
• In other news, RGBots has been updating consistently since October. It’s been a lot of fun writing those jerks again. Thankfully there isn’t a lot of new art to do, since I tend to repurpose panels.
  • I hadn’t been working on that comic for a while because I simply wasn’t feeling very funny and felt unhappy overall. Not much has changed besides the fact I am doing the comic again. A lot of these comics are old scripts repurposed, but I am finding time to write new ones when I can. I even add new panels here and there.
  • If you want, please check the comic out and maybe drop a comment or share a script, it’s really nice.

In our next update, tomorrow, I’ll cover some big new developments and a rundown of why I am updating again.

Lore – Energy Weapons

I feel like this is something I had mentioned in a previous update, but it’s been a while, and feels like it would be worth reiterating. Typically, ranged weaponry in the Silver Spiral Galaxy takes three forms: slugs, lasers, and ionic energy. Part of this is me leaning into gamification of the setting.

Slugs are bullets or any physical form of projectile. Lasers are a form of energy that results in short, powerful bursts of radiation. Ionic energy is the use of sustained, electrical arcs. They all serve different purposes and can all be intensely lethal, but they all have their defenses as well.

Slugs are pretty common and the typical defense is armor. Plenty of materials are designed to handle ballistic weapons. Lasers are refracted by shields that dampen the impact of irradiated light thanks to shield generators. Lasers and shield generators are more expensive and less common. Lastly, ionic weapons were developed as a way to take down Artifici and other robots but are still quite lethal. Ionic energy is often redirected or neutralized through grounding, such as rods or materials meant to redistribute the electricity.

Our Slauve, here, must have had some decent connections in order to have a blaster and a shield. Also, Mara’s gun being multi-functional is exceedingly rare. Almost to the point where Dash could patent that kind of design. Hm.

Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 29 Transcript

The following is a transcript for Cosmic Dash Volume 4, Episode 3 – Page 29.

Panel One

The Slauve is secure behind an energy shield. Any shots seem to dissipate harmlessly off the green energy field. Mara seems to be running into position.

Slauve: I see ya girlie! I got a dampening shield! Can’t get past it!

Panel Two

Mara raises her gun, the same gun she had modified with a button press on the previous page. She winks, and ionic energy forms at the end of the gun.

Mara: I was counting on it.

SFX: WHRRRR CLICK

Panel Three

Mara unleashes an ionic shot at the Slauve, electrifying him in an aura of blue energy.

Slauve: NNNNARGH!

Panel Four

Mara and Illyana approach the Slauve. Smoke is radiating off of him as he lies sprawled on the ground.

Illyana: How’d you manage that?

Panel Five

Mara and Illyana begin to swap stories.

Mara: Just a little science. Forcing the shield to cycle leaves it weak to an ionic shot. Just a little mod that Dash threw on my blasters.

Illyana: Romantic.

Panel Six

The Slauve is unconscious and smoke radiates off of his body.

Illyana (off-screen): Y’know… my rifle was an anniversary gift.

Mara: That’s pretty cool. How heavy is it?

See you tomorrow on the next page.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoy the story, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or order a commission. You can also vote for Cosmic Dash on Top WebComics to attract more potential readers!

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The post Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 29 appeared first on Cosmic Dash.

Consider the hiatus ended. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? We’re picking up after our last update, a long while ago, with a new batch of pages of “Ladies’ Fight.” I’ll explain a bit of what happened since, and there will be plenty of news over the next couple of pages as well.

First of all, if you’re reading this; thank you for checking in on the comic. I apologize for the hiatus, and I want to avoid such dramatic gaps in the future. You’ll learn a bit about the extenuating circumstances for the hiatus below.

Thank you for your understanding.

This is the CD.4.3.28 update that continues the narrative of Mara and Illyana after that particular Slauve. Apparently in the time since he has seemed to roll his buggy. So, we’re now in the middle of a full-on firefight. However, Mara seems to have something up her sleeves.

Other News

There is plenty to talk about, but I’ll break it up over the new couple of pages.

• The long delay was an unfortunate confluence of bad timing; my partner lost her job, and it fell on me to keep the household afloat. That means I had to drop my time working on comics to scrape and hustle up as much money as possible. That was usually through freelancing or commissions when I could scrape them up.
• I also suffered from a bout of depression, of sorts. I was exhausted from all of the continual work and had less time to do things. I would try to work, find I was too drained to do so, and then proceed to feel miserable that I wasn’t working. it was a pretty vicious cycle.
• Things are not much better for us financially, and I am still doing way too much side work that cuts into stuff. I eventually managed to get myself out of a funk, creatively, in October, but I’ll talk about that on the next page.
• With that said, the funding issue is still a problem. If you can spare a donation or a subscription to my Ko-fi account, it can help me to eventually supplement my income and give me more time to make comics. For my sanity, I am going to produce comics, but they’re always a lesser priority than rent. Commissions are particularly welcome because they are a fun way for me to make money.
• It’s not all doom and gloom, though, read the next pages to learn about the cool stuff I have still managed to do.

Lore: Wheeled Vehicles

A lot of survival on other planets depends on efficient transportation. For many colonies, expensive, hovering vehicles are a no-go. They have tremendous energy requirements that are not manageable by most colonists and homesteaders. More than likely, such vehicles are probably communal-based or the property of companies that are setting up shop on a planet.

In most cases, the vehicles used most in colonies tend to be wheeled. Wheels are remarkably efficient and the energy output to power cars is pretty minimal. You also have the added benefit of wheels being able to take on a variety of terrain fairly easily.

Of course, it helps if your driver isn’t an idiot who rolls the buggy.

Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 28 Transcript

The following is a transcript for Cosmic Dash Volume 4, Episode 3 – Page 28.

Panel One

Mara and Illyana hide behind the bike, firing at the Slauve’s overturned vehicle.

Caption: Meanwhile…

Illyana: We can’t lose him in those woods! Crap!

SFX: Ping Ping Ping

Mara: Cover me.

Illyana: Fine.

Panel Two

The Slauve has his gun ready. He is taunting Illyana and Mara.

Slauve: Ya messed with the wrong killah today, ladies! I got plans on plans on plans to get outta here!

Panel Three

Illyana tells Mara to do what she is going to do.

Illyana: Go! Go!

Mara: ‘kay!

Panel Four

Mara dashes off into the distance and Illyana lays down suppressing fire.

Illyana: C’mon, Tiny!

SFX: BLAM!

Panel Five

Mara is running with both guns drawn.

Panel Six

Mara has placed one of her guns in her mouth to hold it as she readies the other gun.

Mara: Mmrrph.

Panel Seven

Mara presses a button on the barrel of the gun.

SFX: Click

See you tomorrow on the next page.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoy the story, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or order a commission. You can also vote for Cosmic Dash on Top WebComics to attract more potential readers!

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The post Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 28 appeared first on Cosmic Dash.

If you are reading this, be sure you caught the previous two pages starting here. This is the third and final page of the January 27th, 2024 update batch. Comics will be uploaded in batches for the foreseeable future. Please review the last page of this update batch or the State of the Comic post for 2024 for further information.

Thank you for checking out Cosmic Dash, Volume 4, Episode 3 – Page 27. We continue a little after the previous page as Dorian and Kracker weigh out some options regarding a lasting injury from Kracker’s youth. It seems artificial bone could be helpful here.

Other News

Here is some other stuff that has been going on. First, in case you missed the previous update, you can catch it at Silver Spiral Stories.

The rest of the news will be in bullet points.

• Due to financial and work issues, I had to go on hiatus for a month or so. I am back to updating, which includes RGBots. Check out the new comics if you dare.
• I have been writing a series of articles for CharacterHub. You can check them all out on the blog.
• Supernatural Selection and The Distraction Hole have been going strong. We are just about caught up on YouTube, so within the next week, you could follow the show on YouTube and be completely current.  Here is the latest episode of each:
  • Supernatural Selection: Week In Weird – Hot Wheat
  • The Distraction Hole: Cake Farts (2023 In Review)
• Speaking of the podcast, we launched a zine project all about cryptids! I am editing it, and submissions for art and writing are open until the end of June. Please check out the zine landing page for more info. You can also follow the show on Tumblr, where I post zine updates, including artwork I have done.

Lore: Artificial Bone

Medical technology in the Silver Spiral Galaxy is impressive and far beyond our contemporary medicines, but it still has limitations. You can’t regrow a limb, but prosthetics are pretty advanced. Artificial limbs can be pretty effective and close to the original through stem cell tissue replication and nerve therapy. Dorian is proposing a time-consuming, involved process that can be pretty successful. As far as artificial bone, I don’t see it as being any more advanced than we may have in the next twenty years.

I feel like I should elaborate on some of my thought processes tackling disability theory in the setting through Kracker, but that seems more appropriate for a blog post. Ideally, the next part of “Soar” should provide further background on his circumstances. While Kracker hasn’t appeared disabled to a significant degree, based on what we have seen him among his people, his inability to fly under his power has marked him as other.

Cosmic Dash Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 27 Transcript

The following is a transcript for Cosmic Dash Volume 4, Episode 3 – Page 27.

Panel One

Kracker stands in the scanner as Dorian observes the extent of the injuries to Kracker’s wings.

Caption: A Little Later

Dorian: Alright, hop out. So, one wing can be restored by some corrective surgery. The other is trickier.

Panel Two

Kracker exits the scanner as Dorian continues to observe the data readout.

Dorian: Your bone is so damaged and overgrown that we’d need to replace it with artificial bone. That will require a lot more work.

Panel Three

Dorian continues to ponder options as Kracker looks on.

Dorian: Between the three of us, we can create the tools to perform the surgery.

Kracker: Three of us?

Dorian: Well, Dash would need to manufacture the composite bone in his lab.

Panel Four

Kracker’s eyes well up with tears as he looks nervous about the possibility.

Dorian (off-screen): I need to tell you that this can work, but it will take time and a lot of muscle stimulation with some bracers…

Kracker: But I could fly again? With my own wings?

Panel Five

Dorian gives a reassuring smile.

Dorian: Yeah. I’m sure of it.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoy the story, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or order a commission. You can also vote for Cosmic Dash on Top WebComics to attract more potential readers!

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