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Girl Genius

The chronology pages describe the comics to assist scholars in finding the page on which something occurred. For each page of the comic, the chronology pages identify the characters that appear, actions taken, significant quotes, and other things of interest. Page numbers from the website are zero padded to three digits and in parentheses, for example: (005), (061), (113). Page numbers from print volumes are neither, for example: 5, 61, 113. Section titles are from the canon unless otherwise noted.

For historical reasons, volumes 1 (I) through 13 (XIII) are usually identified with Roman numerals on the Girl Genius chronology pages and elsewhere in the wiki. From volume 14 on, the story entered a new "act" and the volume numbers started over, in Arabic numbers, proceeded by a "2-". For example, overall volume 15 is given as volume 2-2 on chronology pages.

For a partial timeline of the events in the comic, see Internal Chronology.

For more information on the double-page spreads in this volume, see double-page spreads in Girl Genius.

For more information on special pages in this volume, see the list of special pages, notes, and annotations.

Chronology Overview         Internal Chronology
Key Book red = First page of volume                 Calendar metal = chronology                 Cast multicolor = cast
Act 1 1 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

2 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

3 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

4 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

5 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

6 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

7 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

8 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

9 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

10 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

11 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

12 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

13 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

Act 2 1 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

2 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

3 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

4 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

5 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

6 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

7 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

8 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

9 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

10 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

11 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

One or more of the following symbols may be attached to a name to indicate the type of appearance. For more explanation, see Chronology Sigils Key.

     (!) Sparking             (!!) God-sparking            (*) Heterodyning
      <  Flashback             >   Flashforward             =  Flash-concurrent
      ~  Imagined              \   Hidden                   ?  Uncertain
      %  Recorded image        @   Transmitted image        #  Controlled body

For more information about the page records and guidelines for adding new ones, see Girl Genius:Editing the Chronology.

---First Page of Act 2: BOOK THREE---[]

Gil and Othar Have a Talk (non-canon)[1][2][]

Location: Beneath Time-Frozen Mechanicsburg.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2015-11-25 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (001)
Forum:2015-11-25 (Wednesday)
Othar, Gil, Hospital Orderly, Doctor Rothfuss
Othar[3] struggles with Gil, trying to rescue Agatha, but finds out he has been frozen in time in Mechanicsburg for two and a half years and Agatha is now in Paris. He takes it well, then Gil tells him there are other problems.
Doctor: "Ah, well—the old Baron did something that trapped all of Mechanicsburg in a bubble of frozen time. You've been here for two and a half years. We've just pulled you out. Um—how do you feel?"
The Lady Heterodyne/Agatha, Paris, Your Dastardly Accomplice, Mechanicsburg

Art Interruption: Turkey Time (non-canon)[1][2][]

Occasion: Filler page for Friday after Thanksgiving Holiday (USA).

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2015-11-27 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. n/a
Forum:2015-11-27 (Friday)
The Mighty Mechaturkey, Agatha Heterodyne
Today's page contains filler art: a drawing of Agatha riding (and piloting) the Mighty Mechaturkey and below that (scroll down) the raw pencil art for the cover of the next, just concluded, volume of Girl Genius. Appearing on the cover: The Goldfish (or maybe the fish from The Cat in the Hat), a Mimmoth, The Winslow, a Hugo award statue, a Fantod, a tablet with Commandments XI through XVI, and a host of other objects. The colored version appeared later (below the comic).
"Because it is Thanksgiving here in the USA, we are giving our artists the holiday off. Here is the Mighty Mechaturkey to bring your our warm greetings and best wishes for the day!"
"Thank you for reading Girl Genius!"
"Also, here's a sneak peek at the raw cover art for the next volume of Girl Genius"

Gil and Othar Talk Some More (non-canon)[1][2][]

Location: Beneath Time-Frozen Mechanicsburg.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2015-11-30 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (002)
Forum:2015-11-30 (Monday)
Gil, Othar, Temporal Researchers, Subterrene Crew, Hospital Staff, Other Wulfenbach Minions
Gil fills Othar in on recent history, especially the return of the Other and the proliferation of the new type of revenant. Othar asks why Gil's father isn't doing something. Gil explains that his father is frozen in time, and that he thinks his father trapped himself deliberately to prevent the Other from gaining control of him and using him to control the Empire.
Gil: "Agatha is not the enemy. The 'Other' is Lucrezia Mongfish. Her mother. The new revenant type is real—and there are more of them than we ever thought possible. We can't even think of them as 'revenants' any more. They're…they're just the people of Europa—living their lives…but ready to be controlled, any time Lucrezia gives the order."
The Empire, The Other, Lady Heterodyne/Agatha, Slaver Engine, Revenants, Your Father/The Baron, Lucrezia Mongfish, Europa
2015-12-02 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (003)
Forum:2015-12-02 (Wednesday)
Othar, Gil, Bang, Tarvek, Vanamonde von Mekkhan, Temporal Researchers, Wulfenbach Troops, Other Wulfenbach Minions
Othar recognizes that they are under the Red Cathedral. Gil describes the difficulties of constructing the real-time corridors and informs Othar that he is trying to reach Tarvek Sturmvoraus[4], who is visible in a region of frozen time nearby. As he and Othar discuss Tarvek, a Wulfenbach soldier reports to Gil that Chronobore Outer Base is under attack.
Gil: "We've manage to extend corridors of real time into the city. They're highly unstable. Don't touch the walls. —But the time bubble becomes impenetrable as we approach its center. We can't get near this area from the surface, so we tunneled up with mole machines. It took us months to map a safe route beneath the city."
Othar: "You…you did all this to rescue me?"
Gil : "What? Of course not! You just happened to be here and my team didn't know any better!"
Othar: "Thank goodness! I was afraid I might be wrong about you!"
Gil: "I'm just telling you all this to keep your delusional heroics from destroying the barrier array. I'm here for Tarvek Sturmvoraus."
Othar: "Ah! The young Prince redeemed from evil by the love of the Lady Heterodyne."
Gil: "Wait—what?! He gets to be 'redeemed,' but I'm still a villain? He's responsible for easily half the mess I'm having to clean up!"
Othar: "I have made him my apprentice hero, you know!"
Gil: "Huh—really? You know, I can't think of anything I could do to him that would be worse than that…"
The Vaults beneath the Red Cathedral, The City, Lady Heterodyne, Chronobore Outer Base
2015-12-04 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (004)
Forum:2015-12-04 (Friday)
Othar, Gil, Wulfenbach Soldier, Temporal Researchers, Other Wulfenbach Troops, Other Wulfenbach Minions, Bang, ?Higgs[5]
Othar tries to spring into ill-planned action and is stopped by Gil, who starts giving orders to prepare for the attack and possible collapse of the real-time tunnels. As everyone puts on their "time suits," Gil tells Othar that he plans to extract Tarvek and escape, even though it might place Tarvek in danger.[6]
Gil: "This safe area inside Mechanicsburg is only connected to the outside by a narrow, painstakingly-constructed tunnel of real time. They're attacking the only way out. If they can take it, and they're after us, all they have to do is wait."
Othar: "…Or they could try to trap us here; to die or get caught in this 'time stop' of yours."
Gil: "Exactly! So I need to get Sturmvoraus out quickly, so we can escape!"
Othar: "You want to bring him out—into a potential death trap?"
Gil: "Oh, I assure you, he'd do the same for me."
(Chronobore) Outer Base, Mechanicsburg, Sturmvoraus
ELOI EATER
PRETTY PRETTY PRINCESS PIXEL
Names on mole machine subterrene vessels, panel 5.

Visiting the Arguron King[]

Location: In the palace of the King of the Argurons, beneath Paris.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2015-12-07 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (005)
Forum:2015-12-07 (Monday)
Arguron Courtier(?), Talpini Official, Agatha, Another Arguron, Zeetha, Wooster, Colette, Violetta, Hoffmann, A Third Arguron?, Crowd of Diplomats and Others, Dinosaur Diplomat
At a party in the palace of the Arguron King, a Talpini official requests a royal audience for Agatha and company. A courtier replies rather scornfully, "We shall see." Several things surprise Agatha: the fact the the palaces of the Talpini and Arguron Kings are so close together (it's crowded down there), wondering how such close neighbors could be at war (you don't waste a really good war on strangers), and the fact both kingdoms are considered a secret (a lot of people just refuse to believe they exist[7]). The palace is crowded with diplomats who have heard about the wedding (they're always up for free food).

(The Arguron King's palace has columns, domes, or small chapel-like structures, some with cryptic carvings, topped by statues of tentacled Lovecraftian horrors.)

Agatha: "I can't believe it!"
Arguron: "Ah! You are perhaps amazed by the glorious architecture of the Arguron King's palace? Our stately fashions? The superior beauty of our people?"
Agatha: "Oh, that's all lovely, but— your King's palace can't be more than two hundred meters from the palace of the Mole King."
Arguron: "Well, it is crowded down here…"
Arguron King, Arguron Princess, Mole King, Wulfenbach Sigil, Field Research Badge of Transylvania Polygnostic
Meanwhile, at the gates of one of the apparently numerous secret kingdoms beneath Paris—
Caption, panel 1.
2015-12-09 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (006)
Forum:2015-12-09 (Wednesday)
Dinosaur Diplomat, Agatha, Wooster, Mystery Woman, Another Diplomat, Mystery Man
Agatha is greeted by a lovely, glamorous woman who seems to know all about her, but whom she doesn't recognize at all. Agatha's amazement increases as their conversation continues, and she finally demands to know who the woman really is. The woman is disappointed that Agatha doesn't trust her; fortunately she has someone to vouch for her.
Agatha: "…Have we met?"
Mystery Woman: "Of course! I am the head of the Mechanicsburg Diplomatic Corps!"
Agatha: "I have a diplomatic corps?—But Mechanicsburg is—"
Mystery Woman: "Oh I know—but not to worry! That won't last! I remember easily a dozen times when the town has vanished, gone to sleep, or been supposedly destroyed…"
Agatha: "Wait— When—"
Mystery Woman (whispered): "Now, listen: I have just had a message from the spymaster."
Agatha: "I have a—"
Mystery Woman (whispered): "Shh. Look happy. Ve iz havink a jolly party conversation."
Agatha: "Hold on. Who exactly are you, really?"
Mechanicsburg, The Spymaster
2015-12-11 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (007)
Forum:2015-12-11 (Friday)
Dimo, Agatha, Jenka, Mimmoth, Füst
The mystery woman's "voucher" turns out to be a dressed-up, clean-shaven, straight-standing Dimo, who is very uncomfortable with his new look. (He is especially anxious that Oggie never find out about it.) Dimo introduces the mystery woman as Jenka, and says Agatha met her a couple of years ago , but Agatha can't recall ever seeing her before. But Agatha seems to remember Füst, although she mistakes the bear for furniture at first.

(There is a Mimmoth visible in panel 2. Jenka seems to have Füst on a delicate leash, which is either much stronger than it looks or only intended to be of symbolic value.)

Dimo: "Ennyvay, dis is Jenka vot hyu met a couple years ago."
Agatha: "Really? But…er…I'm pretty sure I'd remember…"
Jenka: "Hee! I serve the House of Heterodyne in many ways, My Lady! Naturally, I require many faces! We met back in the charming little town of Zumzum!"
Agatha: "Zumzum…Oh—that's where the Circus picked up Dimo, Oggie and Maxim—but…"
Jenka: "Well, at least you will remember Füst! Füst! Be a good bear and say hello to the Lady Heterodyne!"
Füst (loud): "Sknort"
Agatha (shouted): "Yeek!"
King (Mole or Arguron), Master of Paris, Jägers, Heterodynes/House of Heterodyne, Oggie, Zumzum, The Circus, Maxim
2015-12-14 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (008)
Forum:2015-12-14 (Monday)
Agatha, Jenka, Füst
Now Agatha recognizes Jenka, who reassures her about Füst and explains that even though she doesn't look and sound like a Jäger right now, she still is one. Jenka seems a little sensitive about her lack of fangs, but says that being able to pass as a (more or less) ordinary human being is another way of defending Mechanicsburg, the Heterodynes, and the Jägers themselves.

(Jenka says that Füst is a Jäger bear, but at this time it is not clear what that means. A bear that drank the Jägerdraught?)

Agatha: "But I thought—I mean—aren't you a Jäger? Sorry, but it's just…your teeth…your voice…"
Jenka: "Tch—My teeth… Yez… But there is more to being a Jäger than having sharp teeth… Heh. Admittedly, for some of my idiot brothers, not much more, but…well—some of us have found it useful to be sharp in other ways. We are monsters, My Lady—all of us. The Jägers, the Heterodynes, even the good people of Mechanicsburg, in their way—and these are hard times for us. Dangerous times. —And so, for Mechanicsburg, I sometimes gots to clean up nice and go out visiting! Yez! Ta dah! So today, I am Lady Jenka—mysterious und eccentric beauty!"
Jäger, Heterodynes, Mechanicsburg
2015-12-16 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (009)
Forum:2015-12-16 (Wednesday)
Jenka, Agatha, Füst, Agatha's Wasp eater, <Really Big Monster-y Ting, Dimo
Jenka gives Agatha a message from Castle Heterodyne: She's got to get back home and remove the time stop from Mechanicsburg ASAP, otherwise bad things will happen! Jenka and Dimo are also at the party to hunt.

(Agatha's wasp weasel and Füst are frolicking in the background of this page…at least the weasel is frolicking. Dimo seems to have come for the hors-d’œuvre as well as the hunt.)

All the dialog below is whispered.
Jenka: "Und de Kestle sez dot hyu gots to hurry op und get dot time stop off de town—"
Agatha: "Well, that is what I'm working on…"
Jenka: "Because dere iz some kind ov really big monster-y ting coming from outside time or sumting. …Und don ask me vot dot means, 'cause Hy gots no idea! It iz attracted to de time stop, it iz big and ugly, und de vay it iz moving, de Kestle sez it vill get here in less den two years. Hyu probably dun vant to vait around to see vot heppens ven it gets dere— Zo de Kestle vants hyu to hurry op und come home."
Agatha: "OK, that is important… And yet…you and Dimo are here. At a party— Surely it's not just for the hors-d’œuvre."
Jenka: "Ho. Hyu iz a schmot vun. Ve iz hunting."
Dimo: "Hoy! Jenka! Over dere!"
De Kestle, Dot Wulfenbach Kid, Mechanicsburg
2015-12-18 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (010)
Forum:2015-12-18 (Friday)
Jenka, Dimo, Stephanos Tuesday, Tuesday's Assassin, Zeetha, Violetta, Agatha's Wasp eater
A man named Stephanos Tuesday flees in terror, but before he can get out a warning, he is knifed from behind. Dimo chases the assassin, who is stopped by Zeetha's fist. Agatha's wasp eater sniffs the killer, then goes into full-blown alert mode.
Dimo: "Ho. It's Stephanos Tuesday. He…moves goods. Sometimes even his own. He is one of the people we are here to find."

Zeetha: "I hate assassins at parties."
Violetta: "Hey!"
Zeetha: "Fine. Except you."
  • PUNCH!
  • sniff
  • sniff
2015-12-21 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (011)
Forum:2015-12-21 (Monday)
Jenka, Agatha, Tuesday's Assassin, Idiot Fuzzerpillar, Zeetha, Party Guests/Revenants, Wooster, Hoffmann, Colette, Violetta, Crowd of Argurons, Diplomats and Other Party Guests, many of whom are Revenants
Agatha explains to Jenka that her weasel's reaction means the assassin is a revenant. The assassin tries to kill the weasel, but is thwarted by a kick to the head from Zeetha. As the weasel tries to escape, more and more of the party goers are revealed to be revenants, bent on killing it, until the weasel, Agatha, and her companions are surrounded. (Jenka and Dimo are conspicuous by their absence from the group.)
Jenka: "Hm? What is wrong with your little pet?"
Agatha: "The assassin! He's a revenant!"
  • BOO[T]
2015-12-23 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (012)
Forum:2015-12-23 (Wednesday)
Colette, Wooster, Jenka, Füst, Party Guests/Revenants, Violetta, Agatha, Hoffmann, Zeetha, Dimo
Agatha and company try to render the revenants unconscious. After all, they aren't responsible for their actions—not to mention that killing all those people would be a diplomatic nightmare. However, this plan isn't going well. Agatha wants to try something, but she needs a hammer. The Master took Hoffmann's away, but Dimo shows he can use his head in a pinch.
Agatha (shouted): "Hoffmann! I need your hammer!"
Hoffmann: "Uh—the Master confiscated it. He said I broke the sewer lines for six blocks."
Agatha: "Oh, perfect."
Zeetha: "I don't think even that thing would slow these guys down."
Agatha: "Well, but all I need is something to hammer this device into the ground. Oh hey! Dimo! Can you—"
Dimo: "Hyu betcha, Mistress!"
[Dimo pounds the device into the floor with great force, using his forehead.]
Dimo: "Ow!"
Agatha: "I thought you'd use your metal hand!"
Dimo: "...Oh."
Jenka: "Dunno. Hiz head iz probably harder."
The Master
  • WHAM!

Shoveling the Walk[]

Art Interruption: Christmas Break (non-canon)[1][]

Occasion: Filler page for Christmas Day.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2015-12-25 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. n/a
Forum:2015-12-25 (Friday)
Unidentified woman, man with snow shovel (possibly Moloch von Zinzer)
Today's page is filler art: a full page illustration showing Castle Heterodyne covered with snow. A man has just finished shoveling the walkway leading to the Castle and is sitting down, looking up in dismay as snow starts to fall again. A woman holding a mug of something hot stands next to him.
"We are taking a small break for our Christmas celebrations, so today we are leaving you with a picture of someone else working. We hope you have a lovely day, and we will see you next week."
Welcome
On mat at bottom of full-page panel.
Page title: "Shoveling the Walk". Published in Girl Genius:Nuts and Bolts.

The King is in the Building (non-canon)[1][2][]

Location: In the palace of the King of the Argurons, beneath Paris.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2015-12-28 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (013)
Forum:2015-12-28 (Monday)
Dimo, Agatha, Hoffmann, Wooster, Jenka, Violetta, Zeetha, Party Guests/Revenants, Füst
Agatha activates her device and tells her friends to jump. They do, just before an electric shock knocks out everyone whose feet remain on the floor. (Everyone, that is, except Füst, who is conscious but frazzled.) However, the revenants and guests are all knocked out. Agatha explains what happened and then the king is announced.
Dimo: "Zo vot iz it?"
Agatha: "It's a sort of electro-terra induction multiplier thingie."
Dimo: "Ho…vell…Hy knew dot."
Agatha (shouted): "Hey, guys—jump!"
[A large electric discharge envelops everyone whose feet still touch the floor.]
Dimo: "Vot de—"
Agatha: "It send a one-second electric pulse through the ground! Just strong enough to knock everybody down…"
Electro-Terra Induction Multiplier Thingie, The King
  • FZZARK!
  • CLIK
2015-12-30 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (014)
Forum:2015-12-30 (Wednesday)
King of the Argurons, Colette, Agatha, Mook Men, Unconscious Party Guests/Revenants
Colette greets the King[8] and tells him about the revenants. The King reveals that he is well aware of the infestation and is willingly serving the Other. No only that, he is helping to ensure that the rest of the world worship her as well. He orders his mooks[9] to seize Agatha and company.
Colette: "Your Majesty! I bring greetings from the Master of Paris— Ah—and your court appears to be infested with revenants."
King: "Fools! You dare insult me?! You! Lady Heterodyne! Do you truly believe that the Glorious King of the Silver Lands is so unaware of the doings of his people?! Ha!"
Agatha: "Er…well— I…um…suppose not? Uh oh."
King (last sentence shouted): "Yes! You have discovered our secret—but too late! Soon, all the world will worship our Glorious Queen—and weep tears of joy to do so! —As will you! Mook men! Seize them!"
Master of Paris, Our Glorious Queen

A New Year's Wallpaper[]

Art Interruption: Fireworks for the New Year (non-canon)[1][]

Occasion: Filler page for New Year's Day.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-01-01 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. n/a
Forum:2016-01-01 (Friday)
Franz Scortchmaw, Agatha Heterodyne
Franz is shown sitting down, holding a crate of rocket-shaped fireworks, which he is devouring with every appearance of great delight and satisfaction. Agatha is running away from him at full speed, looking extremely anxious.
"Happy New Year!
"We have made a special New Year wallpaper for you out of today's silly drawing. (We left off the words for the wallpapers, though.)
"We hope you have a grand evening, with a wonderful 2016 to follow!"
MECHANICSBURG MUNICIPAL NEW YEARS FIREWORKS
DANGER
Written on crate
Happy New Year from Studio Foglio
Caption at bottom of image
This page has links to wallpapers based on the displayed image. The links are all currently broken. The links have been fixed as of January 2, 2015.

Abducting the King[]

Location: In the palace of the King of the Argurons, beneath Paris.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-01-04 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (015)
Forum:2016-01-04 (Monday)
Mook Man, Violetta, King of the Argurons, Mangelor[10], Hoffmann, Agatha, Zeetha, Party Guests/Revenants
The Kings minions keep attacking and Agatha and Co. keep fighting them off, but the attackers keep coming. Zeetha asks if Agatha has anything else up her sleeve… that is, in her pocket to help, but she's out of pockets. The King gloats that there is no hope of escape. Suddenly, a large explosion occurs.
King: "Mangelor!"
Mangelor: "Hur?"
King (shouted): "Mangle them!"
Mangelor (shouted): "Hur!"
[I'M] WITH [S]TUPID
Slogan on t-shirt worn by Mangelor in panel 3. Below the text is an arrow pointing up.
  • PAF!
  • BOOT!
  • BOOM!
2016-01-06 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (016)
Forum:2016-01-06 (Wednesday)
Colette, Jenka, King of the Argurons, Troglodytes, Boris Dolokhov, Mook Man, Various Other Henchbeings, Agatha, Violetta, Zeetha, Dimo
The explosion has opened up an escape route, some kind of service shaft. As the King rages at his minions to capture Agatha and Co., he is knocked out in mid-command, throwing them into confusion. Wooster recognized Wulfenbach whistle codes as he helps Agatha into the shaft, but the source turns out to be Boris Dolokhov[11], not Gil. Boris is the one who rendered the King unconscious and is bringing him along.
King: "Get them, you—you troglodytes!"
Troglodyte: "Oi—you make dat sound like a bad thing!"
King (shouted): "Stop—"
[The King is cold cocked with the hilt of a sword.]
King: "—Urk!"
Fluffy Fanged Creature: "Wait—he said 'Stop!'"
Guy with Facial Markings and a Big Axe: "Does that mean 'Stop attacking?' He just said 'Get them!'"
Fluffy Fanged Creature: "I know, but then he said 'Stop!' It'd be bad to get it wrong…"
Mook Man: "How do we 'Stop' and 'Get them?' This is so confusing!"
Agatha: "Ah. A classic example of excessive top-down minion management causing inefficient—"
Wulfenbach, Gil
  • FWEEP! FWEEP!
  • FWEEEEEEEEP!
  • KLONK!
  • WHUMP!
  • THUMP
2016-01-08 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (017)
Forum:2016-01-08 (Friday)
Jenka, Boris Dolokhov, Mini-Beast, Portable Castle, Füst, Dimo, King of the Argurons, Revenants/Henchbeings, Agatha, Violetta
Jenka, Füst (with the Mini-Beast and Portable Castle on bear back) enter the shaft. Jenka greets Boris happily, apparently she and Dimo are in on the King-napping plot. More explosives are used to cave in the passages behind them, blocking pursuers. Boris addresses a mysterious princess tells Agatha she may complicate things.
Boris (shouted): "OK, Princess—blow the charges!"
Boris (normal volume): "I'd cover my ears if I were you."
Agatha: "What? "
[Loud explosion.]
Agatha: "Wah!"
Boris: "I told you to cover your ears."
Agatha (shouted): "What?"
Jenka: "Dot von't hold dem for long—dey can dig like anyting down here."
Boris: "It'll hold them long enough for us to get back to base—although I must say, your presence here may complicate things…"
Agatha: "What?"
Princess[12]
  • BOOM!

Princess Larana[]

Location: Somewhere beneath Paris.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-01-11 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (018)
Forum:2016-01-11 (Monday)
Larana Chroma, Boris, Agatha, Hoffmann, Zeetha
Larana welcomes complications, and Agatha. She invite Agatha to escape to the Library with them and Agatha accepts. Hoffman recognizes Larana and greets her; she reacts with tongue-tied embarrassment. Zeetha, apparently reacting to Larana's present and Hoffman's earlier complete inability to speak coherent sentences in the presence of their beloved (Hoffman and Colette, respectively), says, "Everybody in Paris can't be like this, I mean, I've seen kids."
Larana: "So you're the Lady Heterodyne! Amazing!"
Boris: "This is Princess Larana. Ah—that's her father we've just abducted."[13]
Larana: "We're escaping to the Library. I assume you're coming along?"
Agatha: "Er—yes, please."
Larana: "Cool! Stick with me. We can start the 'embarrassing parents' club!"
The Library, Her Father, Embarrassing Parent (Lucrezia), Professor Wicker
2016-01-13 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (019)
Forum:2016-01-13 (Wednesday)
Larana Chroma, Zeetha, Agatha, Colette, King of the Argurons, Dimo, Violetta, Hoffmann, Jenka, Boris, Wooster, Füst
Agatha and her party and the group abducting the King pole their way down a subterranean river winding through an enormous cavern in four gondola-like boats, with carved prows like Viking longboats. (Füst has his own, with bearly barely enough room.) The banks of the river are littered with debris and lined with ruins, giant fungi, and at least one giant toad. Large fish swim alongside the boats. The whole scene is illuminated by an eerie glow.[14]
Larana: "Things are bad, down here. The Other's mind control—well—you saw my father's court. The Librarians are terrified! They've sealed their whole domain, even the 'secret' entrances students use. If you'd tried sneaking in, you'd have been caught for sure!"
The Other, My Father, The Librarians
DANGER
Written on two signs on wall surrounding ruined building. One sign also !ears the image of a skull.
2016-01-15 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (020)
Forum:2016-01-15 (Friday)
Zeetha, Agatha, Colette, Larana, Hoffmann
As they pole down the river in their boat, Larana, Zeetha, and Colette engage in a little girl talk, or is that princess talk? Larana really likes Hoffman, who really likes Colette, who doesn't really like him back. But Larana has agreed to marry a mole prince to save her people. Zeetha encourages her to at least tell Hoffman her true feelings—for closure. She silences Agatha to prevent her from revealing that, unbeknownst to Larana, the mole prince she has agreed to marry is none other than Hoffman , the adopted son of the Mole King.
Larana: "I've agreed to a political marriage with a Prince of the Moligarchy. They're still free, so I really need the alliance. If I'm going to save my people—"
The University, Master of Paris, Prince of the Moligarchy

The Incorruptible Library[]

Powered by Waterfall (non-canon)[1][]

Location: At the entrance to The Incorruptible Library

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-01-18 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (021)
Forum:2016-01-18 (Monday)
Larana, Agatha, Hoffmann, Agatha's Wasp eater, Violetta, (Zeetha, Colette, Jenka, Boris, Wooster, Füst, King of the Argurons, Dimo, Mini-Beast, Portable Castle)[15]
The line of boats carrying the party approaches an extremely tall wall, down which plunges a waterfall, coming out of a large opening high in the wall. The opening is flanked by large statues holding books. The space behind the opening emits a bright glow and above it is an inscription in Latin.[16] The party leave the boat and all enter a large elevator, which is powered by the falls. While ascending, Agatha discovers that Larana and the Librarians know her mother is the Other. Suddenly, they jerk to a stop. It's inspection time.
Agatha: "So—how will my being here 'complicate' things?"
Larana: "Oh. Well, we are fighting the other, and— We know she's your mother—"
Agatha: "Ah."
Larana: "And the Librarians won't like the fact that—"
Agatha: "Yikes!"
Larana: "Ai!"
Violetta: "We've stopped!"
Unidentified speaker (shouted): "Stand by for inspection!"
[They are interrupted when the elevator they are riding lurches to a stop.]
The Other, Your Mother, Librarians
SCIENTIA EST SIMILIS FLUMINIS
TE CAPERE NON POSSUNT IN PERPETUUM
Carved inscription over glowing opening in stone wall, out of which flows an enormous waterfall, panel 1. This is in Latin, but there is disagreement over the intended meaning. The first line is widely agreed to mean "Knowledge is like a river." The second line seems to mean, "They can't capture you forever." Some readers don't believe this is what the Foglios intended, however.[17]
  • TAKATAKA
  • TAKATAKA
  • RUUNCH[!]
2016-01-20 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (022)
Forum:2016-01-20 (Wednesday)
Violetta Mondarev, Larana, Librarian, Zeetha, Wooster, Dimo, Jenka, Füst, Agatha, Boris, Colette, Hoffmann
The elevator has stopped midway. A Librarian descends in a one-man car and greets Larana, telling her the rest of her hunting party has already returned. He also welcomes Colette and Agatha by name and asks the names of the others. He seems glad to see everyone…well, everyone but Hoffman, that is. He asks Hoffman to be considerate and leap to his death, but Larana won't hear of it. He grudgingly allows Hoffman to enter—under guard, just like Agatha.
Violetta: "Why have we stopped?"
Larana: "Oh, it's all right. They always do this. They didn't have to stop us so hard, though… Yikes."
Violetta: "Why up here? Why not on the ground?"
Librarian: "Quite simple, young woman! If you are spies, revenants or illiterates, why, then we can simply tip you out into open space! Ha ha! So much easier to clean up!"
Wooster: "Ah."
Librarian: "Now. Princess Larana—the rest of your hunting party returned a quarter of an hour ago. Good work! And—we were warned to expect young Mademoiselle Voltaire Cinq and the Lady Heterodyne?"
Revenants, Grand Curators Solera (Melissa Solera, Jon Solera)
  • ticka
  • ticka
  • ticka

Entering the Library (non-canon)[1][]

Location: Within The Incorruptible Library

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-01-22 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (023)
Forum:2016-01-22 (Friday)
Osquith, Larana, Hoffmann, King of the Argurons, Agatha, Boris, Violetta Mondarev, Dimo, Jenka, Colette, Wooster, Zeetha, Füst, Jon Solera, Melissa Solera, Agatha's Wasp eater
Entering the Library, Larana hands over her still unconscious father to Osquith, a Librarian. Agatha is greeted by the Grand Curators Solera (Jon and Melissa to Agatha), who seem delighted to see her. They explain that ordinarily she wouldn't be allowed in, but her work on wasp eaters[18] will be so helpful against the Other that it makes up for the danger she poses. Still, they'd like to see some proof that it's true. Fortunately, Agatha's weasel chooses that moment to perch on her head and the Soleras are convinced.
Jon: "There she is!"
Melissa: "Yes!"
Osquith: "Ah! Lady Heterodyne, I must present you to our Grand Curators of the High Western Stacks!"
Agatha: "Hello!"
Jon: "Jon and Melissa to you, please!"
Melissa: "We are so happy to have you here!"
Agatha: "Oh, well, I—"
Jon: "Oh, yes! Now, ordinarily, library protocol would dictate that someone as dangerous as you are would be denied entry—"
Melissa: "You would be shot at the gates!"
Jon: "But we simply cannot ignore your astonishing contribution to the fight—"
Melissa: "That magnificent monograph on the wasp eaters!"
Jon and Melissa (together): "Wonderful!"
Madame Desmana
[R]EAD [IF Y]OU [KNOW] WH[AT'S G]OOD FO[R] YO[U]
Text of framed poster on wall, panel 3.[19]
2016-01-25 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (024)
Forum:2016-01-25 (Monday)
Jon Solera, Melissa Solera, Agatha, Agatha's Wasp eater, Füst, Zeetha, Violetta Mondarev, Jenka, Other Library Staff/Patrons, Library cats, Deputy Archivist, Member of Larana's Hunting Party
The Grand Curators enthuse about Agatha's wasp eater so much that Agatha worriedly tells them she needs it.[20] A deputy archivist is outraged that menaces such as Agatha, Colette, and, worst of all, Hoffman were allowed into the Library. He demands to know what could justify this, but is silenced when shown one of the newly discovered, miniature Hive Engines.
(The Library is a very large, impressive structure, filled with many wonders. These include what seems to be a stuffed dragon hanging from the ceiling, an enormous cylindrical aquarium, a huge terrarium (or domed arboretum) containing a full-sized tree, and cats the size of medium to large dogs.)
Deputy: "…And yet you let these…these menaces into the Library!"
Jon: "I assure you, Deputy Archivist, that your usual paranoia is overblown."
Deputy: "These are times, Sir, when 'paranoia,' as you put it, is perfectly justified! The Deep Realms are in turmoil, just as the Master of Paris likes them—and you welcome his daughter? And the Lady Heterodyne! Daughter and successor to the very enemy we fight— And, worst of all, that walking catastrophe, Hoffman! I am still sorting out the last disaster he left us! What could possibly justify letting any of them in?"
Hunter: "This. This wasp engine, and many others, was found in the Arguron Palace."
Larana: "My father has been helping smuggle them to the surface. Into Paris."
Wasp Eaters, The "Other", The Deep Realms, Master of Paris, His Daughter, That Walking Catastrophe Hoffmann, Wasp Engine, Arguron Palace, Paris
  • WHUMP!
2016-01-27 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (025)
Forum:2016-01-27 (Wednesday)
Deputy Archivist, Jon Solera, Melissa Solera, Agatha, Chief Quartermaster Salma, Catmaster, Library cats, Colette, Library Staff/Patrons
The discovery of the new type of wasp engine triggers a raid by the Acquisition Department of the Library—and they mean business! Among the equipment requisitioned are bomb launchers and flame throwers[21], along with a full clowder[22] of fully-equipped Library cats, led by the Catmaster, who is surprised that his cats have taken a liking to Agatha (but, after all, she knows their King). Colette is dismayed to find she is being held as a "guest" until the raid is over. The raiding party prepares to set off with a rousing cheer.
Melissa: "Good hunting, everyone!"
Jon: "—And don't forget—to read what you want—"
Crowd (shouted): "You have to be free!"
Agatha: "I thought libraries were supposed to be quiet."
Melissa: "Ho—they also say that about young ladies—"
Jon: "But the best ones rarely are!"
Wasp Engine, Lord High Conservator, Pain Mowers, Their (the Cats') King, The Master/Your Father
2016-01-29 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (026)
Forum:2016-01-29 (Friday)
Agatha, Melissa Solera, Jon Solera, Acquisitor, Library cats, Library Staff, Dingbots
Agatha learns that she is also a prisoner for the duration of the raid just before one of the acquisitors takes his leave from Grand Curator Melissa. The departing party of Librarians and Cats is an impressive sight; Agatha realizes why they worry the Master. Agatha enquires after Zardilev and finds she has once again missed him, then she produces the Van Rijn notebook. (Agatha's dingbots appear from a secret compartment in the Library, carrying the Van Rijn notebook. It is not clear how the dingbots or the notebook got there.)
Melissa: "Mind control. The worst crime of all!"
Jon: "Oh—surely destroying books is—"
Melissa: "Fine. Mind control and destroying books. It is anathema to everything our library stands for!"
The "Other", The Master of Paris, Professor Zardeliv[23]
RvR
On cover of Van Rijn notebook.[24]
  • CLAK!

Examining the Book[]

Location: The Incorruptible Library.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-02-01 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (027)
Forum:2016-02-01 (Monday)
Melissa Solera, Jon Solera, Agatha
Agatha offers to donate the Van Rijn notebook to the Library in exchange to access to its collections and is told some interesting facts. The Library is the place Lady Selnikov intended to bring the notebook; despite this it is not involved with The Storm King conspiracy, although it has a good relationship with Tarvek, at least much better than with the rest of his family. It was founded by Van Rijn. Melissa then inspects the notebook and finds secret writing Agatha missed, revealed by a certain frequency of light: the frequency of the King's Lightning.
Agatha: "It's a compilation of research notes…on Van Rijn's muses. I'd like to donate it to your library—in exchange for free access to all your collections. There are a lot of references to other works—I'm hoping you may have some of them here."
Jon: "And you're donating this to us?"
Agatha: "Well, it'll be safe here, won't it?"
Melissa: "It certainly will. This book is the reason Margarella Selnikov was being hunted across Europa. She was supposed to be bringing it here."
Van Rijn, Muses, Margarella Selnikov, Tarvek, Other members of his family
  • CLIK
2016-02-03 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (028)
Forum:2016-02-03 (Wednesday)
Agatha, Jon, Melissa, Aldin
Agatha is surprised she missed the shine writing[25] and asks what else she missed. It turns out to be a lot! Melissa says the Librarians don't have time to help ferret out the rest of the secrets in the notebook, so Agatha decides to try herself. She is assigned an assistant and asks him for coffee.[26]

(Among the many invented terms on this page[27] are the real-world terms "lemon juice", a simple invisible ink; "cypher" (a variant spelling of "cipher"), a means of encoding a message; and "steganography", a means of hiding a message.)

Agatha: "Well, I did find some hidden information—but I completely missed this. What else is in there?"
Jon: "Hmm. It's hard to say—but we have rather made a study of such things. Let me see…aside from the shine writing, I see evidence of phasing ink, momentum writing, fourth dimensional cryptograms, and lemon juice— (Terrible for the paper, that. Too acidic.) And that's just Master van Rijn's pages. Everyone else no doubt used their own clever ways. I see you yourself favor a variant of Tarsus Beetle's Intarsia Script."
Master Van Rijn, Tarsus Beetle, Lord High Conservator, That Professor from TPU, Early Cantabrigian Dance Rituals, Crypto-bibliology
2016-02-05 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (029)
Forum:2016-02-05 (Friday)
*Agatha Heterodyne (off panel), Hoffmann, Jenka, Dimo, Zeetha, Larana
Hoffmann thinks he hears music. Dimo and Jenka rush off.[28] Larana, egged on by Zeetha, tries to tell Hoffmann how she feels about him, but she is interrupted (first by Hoffmann telling her he is her arranged marriage partner and then by an explosion) and she never gets the words out.
Hoffman (to Larana): "I guess you've worked out by now that I'm the 'prince' you're stuck marrying…"
Soon—
Caption, panel 1.
Lib[rary]? Sci[ence]?
On Hoffmann's mug, panel 1.
  • BOOM!
2016-02-08 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (030)
Forum:2016-02-08 (Monday)
Aldin, Agatha, Dimo, Hoffmann (shown from behind), Dingbots, Librarians, Library cat[29]
In a large open space in the Library, Agatha is standing behind a blast shield, the smoke from the explosion she just set off dissipating next to her. She is being scolded by Aldin. In front of her is a large, complex mechanism that contains a cluster of instruments focused on the Van Rijn notebook. The device also has a hopper into which dingbots are dumping a great many books. The surrounding area is abuzz with activity.
Aldin: "Um—we—we are expressly forbidden to detonate explosives in the main stacks!"
Agatha: "But look! It's revealed a whole new page of hidden diagrams!"
???D ???K
Right end of sign on filing cabinet.
A REALLY BIG LITTLE BOOK
Title on cover of large book being carried by two Librarians.
?EO?
Two letters visible in magnifying glass held by Librarian examining a large book.
A colored version of the cover for The City of Lightning is included below the page image (scroll down).[30] (The image is cropped from the sketch posted earlier .)
2016-02-10 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (031)
Forum:2016-02-10 (Wednesday)
Librarian with goggles, Redheaded Librarian, Guinea Pig or Hamster(?), Hoffmann, Short Librarian, Aldin
As Librarians rush to aid in Agatha's decoding efforts, Hoffmann encounters Aldin, who is not happy to see him; it turns out Agatha is using a research engine originally built by Hoffmann. The Librarians have gotten carried away, breaking out forbidden books to be fed into the engine, and Aldin says everyone will get into trouble and it's all Hoffmann's fault, as usual.
Aldin: "You!"
Hoffmann: "Hey! Aldin! Hi!"
Aldin: "You! This is your fault!"
Hoffmann: "What? How? The Lady Heterodyne's the one who—"
Aldin: "—Is using your 'Accelerated Auto-Research Mega-Swot Engine!' "
Hoffmann: "My—but I thought you guys were going to destroy it!"
Aldin: "Some of the Reference Masters hid it. They said it was too useful…"
Hoffmann: "No kidding? They liked it?! Hee hee!"
Aldin: "And now they've pulled it out because it's a 'special occasion!' …And—and then she modified it! Warped it! Made it even worse!"
Hoffmann: "Yeah! Wow—look at it go!"
Traubhünd's Universal Apocrypha of Linguistics and Verbal Ordnance, The Recursive Roundelays of the Ouroboros Order, The Ancient Cedar Writings of My Ancestors[31], Lady Heterodyne, Accelerated Auto-Research Mega-Swot Engine, Reference Masters, Vogel's Quasi-Real Possibilities of Possible Realities
2016-02-12 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (032)
Forum:2016-02-12 (Friday)
Hoffmann, Agatha
Hoffmann asks Agatha about her progress deciphering the notebook. She has learned how to build a cow, a lot about the Muses, and a lot of recipes, but nothing about the Muse's Lantern or time manipulation; so it is hard to understand why so many people want the notebook, let alone are willing to kill for it. All that's left is the cover. Based on its appearance, Agatha tries electrifying it and something happens.
Hoffmann: "Hey, there! Has my engine been helpful?"
Agatha: "Oh, yes! We've uncovered all kinds of hidden information!"
Hoffmann: "Really!"
Agatha: "Yes—maybe a bit too much, actually…"
Hoffmann: "Oh?"
Agatha: "Well, look here. If you analyze these vellum pages really thoroughly—you get instructions on how to build a cow."
Hoffmann: "Huh. Probably not what we're looking for…"
Agatha: "Yeah…"
Hoffmann: "What about the Muse's lantern?"
Agatha: "Nothing. There's lots of stuff about the Muses, Tarvek will be thrilled, assuming we ever find a way to rescue him—but there's nothing about time manipulation that we haven't already found."
The Muse's Lantern, The Muses, Tarvek, Van Rijn, Jam Tarts, "Double Secret" Waffle Recipe, Lady Selnikov, Martellus, Professor Zardeliv[23]
RvR
Monogram on book cover, panel 9.
  • CRAcKle

(On this page, panel 1 depicts a blackboard and panels 4 and 5 depict notebook pages containing formulas and diagrams. These do not seem to be intended for close analysis and no attempt will be made to reproduce them here.)
2016-02-15 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (033)
Forum:2016-02-15 (Monday)
Agatha, Hoffmann, Larana, Colette, Aldin, Deputy Archivist, Other Library Staff/Patrons, Portable Castle, Mini-Beast, Library cat
The notebook is surrounded by a glowing electrical discharge and some of the pages begin to split open, revealing additional pages with previously hidden information. Hoffmann touches the book and gets zapped. Agatha then safely points out that some of the new pages show designs for a complex lock and a sculpture. Aldin thinks this might be a clue to the location of Van Rijn's Hermitorium and he and Agatha go off to look for it.
Agatha: "It's a design for some king of lock—a really complicated one! — And more sketches of the Muses! Oh—they look like studies for The Triumph of the Storm King!"
Aldin: "That's here. Wait…a lock? Maybe…Van Rijn's Hermitorium!"
Deputy Archivist: "Tch. Not that nonsense again! Hmf. The story is that Old Master Van Rijn had a private room hidden away somewhere in the Library. The apprentices still go looking for it, where they're shirking— It's long since been proven that the room in question is nothing but the King's Reading Chamber."
Aldin: "Um—The Triumph of the Storm King takes up most of the Chamber's eastern wall."
Agatha: "Well, I could use a break, let's go have a look. Everybody here's so wound up with the research engine, they'll never even miss us."
The Muses, The Triumph of the Storm King, Van Rijn's Hermitorium, Old Master Van Rijn, The King's Reading Chamber
  • Fzit!
  • Fzit!
  • bzZAP

The King's Reading Chamber[]

Location: The King's Reading Chamber in the Incorruptible Library.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-02-17 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (034)
Forum:2016-02-17 (Wednesday)
Agatha, Colette, Aldin
Agatha and Aldin, who have been joined by Colette, enter the King's Reading Chamber, a highly-decorated, dome-shaped room. The ceiling panels are painted with scenes of the Storm King's exploits; a large part of the wall is taken up with a bas relief sculpture[32] entitled The Triumph of the Storm King which depicts the Storm King striking a heroic pose, surrounded by the Muses. Colette says even if there is a lock hidden in the sculpture and they find it, they don't have the key. However, Agatha thinks she has it.
Aldin: "So—if that lock was built in as part of the sculpture, nobody's ever noticed it—"
Colette: "Of course not. Van Rijn was a legendary Spark. Anyway, even if they did, they wouldn't have had the key—and neither do we."
Agatha: "I'll bet this is it. Lady Selnikov had it with the book—and the Monks did say she'd stolen both."[33]
Aldin: "Ooh! Yes!"
Colette: "Check the deep parts of the relief for a hidden keyhole! Look! There's something right in there— Eyrugh. It's gum."
Aldin: "Er…we do get a lot of students in here…"
Paris, Van Rijn, Spark, Lady Selnikov, The Monks
Soon—
Caption, top of panel 1.
2016-02-19 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (035)
Forum:2016-02-19 (Friday)
Agatha, Aldin, Colette, Mini-Beast, Portable Castle, Library Cat
Everyone searches the details of the bas relief carving for the keyhole, but the crevices are full of gunk. The Portable Castle tricks the Mini-Beast into cleaning out a promising area by startling it into emitting a gout of flame with a swift kick to the rear. But Agatha is grateful and the Mini-Beast defers vengeance against the Portable Castle.
Agatha: "Wow. That's pretty nasty. Yech."
Aldin: "It…it could be just a deep part of the relief…"
Agatha: "Sure, but if there is a keyhole around here, these little fiddly curls would be a good spot for it. Let's try cleaning some of them out."
Aldin: "Oh—the custodial staff for this level is currently off on an expedition to scour the deep stacks…"
Colette: "So we'll do it ourselves. Where are the cleaning supplies?"
Aldin: "What? You think the security to get into the Library is harsh—wait until you try to swipe extra paper towels."

Beast: "I shall let it slide, this time- but you must let me show you an amusing trick with pfennige[34] and railroad tracks!"[35]
Custodial Staff, Deep Stacks
  • BOOT
  • FOOM!

The Hermitorium[]

Location: In Van Rijn's secret lab in the The Incorruptible Library.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-02-22 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (036)
Forum:2016-02-22 (Monday)
Agatha, Aldin, Colette, The Thing in the Jar
The keyhole has been revealed. Agatha inserts the key, and, with a glow and a fanfare, the key unlocks the secret door in the bas relief carving, which slides open with a loud grinding noise. A large room that looks like an abandoned and untidy medieval alchemist's workshop is revealed.
(The hidden room is large and round, with a domed ceiling and openings to many alcoves or corridors in its walls. The ceiling is painted with stylized stars and hung with models of planets. It is full of medieval-looking laboratory equipment and is a mess, as if it was the scene of a fight or was abandoned in a great hurry. Suspended above the center of the main room by four heavy chains is a large, semitransparent red glass gourd-shaped vessel, within which can be seen the silhouette of an object disturbingly like a human head.)
[Agatha inserts the key.]
Agatha: "It fits!"
[The secret door opens.]
Aldin: "I can't believe this! People have been looking for…for centuries—and you—"
Agatha: "Well, I don't have a lot of time."
Aldin: "I think there is a fundamental flaw in your logic…"
Agatha: "Yet, here we are."
  • GRRUNNNK
2016-02-24 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (037)
Forum:2016-02-24 (Wednesday)
Aldin, Agatha, Colette, Agatha's Wasp eater[36], Portable Castle, Mini-Beast, The Thing in the Jar (voice from off panel)
The Portable Castle closes the secret door behind them, for privacy. Startled at first, Agatha and Colette approve, while Aldin is uneasy. Agatha wonders why some lights are on still after so long. The Portable Castle plugs into the circuit and discovers that the lights are indicators for a system designed to run for hundreds of years. As they wonder what is being powered, a whispery, eerie voice calls to them.
Agatha: ""Besides, I want to look around first. Hm…those lights are strange…"
Mini-Beast: "Pfah! Puny, inadequate things. I sneer at them! Ha!"
Agatha: "Well, it's more that they're lit at all. This place has supposedly been shut away since the time of the Storm King."
Castle: "Ah, Mistress, this is interesting. The lights are but indicators. Their power source is low, but it was designed to keep something going for hundreds of years."
Colette: "'Hundreds?' What on Earth is it running?"
Agatha: "In here? It could really be anything."
Eerie Voice (from off panel): "Hhhhhhhh…hhhyuouuu… Hhyuouu… Come hhhhheere…"
Curators (Melissa Solera, Jon Solera), Lord High Conservator, Storm King
  • GRRUNNNK
2016-02-26 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (038)
Forum:2016-02-26 (Friday)
Agatha,Van Rijn (deceased), Aldin, Colette, The Thing in the Jar
Looking for the source of the voice, Agatha spins a chair around, revealing a mummified corpse. Briefly shocked, Agatha hears the voice calls out again and realizes that it's coming from above her. A large vessel, apparently made of dark red glass and hung from chains, is the source of the voice. All that can be seen within it, very dimly, is a head and hand. Agatha seems to recognize the situation as an experiment gone wrong and thinks she can fix it.
Agatha: "Huh. This is creepy. This old guy can't have said anything…so—"
Things: "IIIII— Hhhere. I. Hyuuuu— Afterrr sssooo looonng…"
Agatha: "Wait…this is…this was some kind of experiment!"
Thing: "All gone…wrong…"
Agatha: "It's…familiar…"
Thing: "Toooo laaate… Ssstill…to ssseeee humaansss afffter sssooo looonng… Issss gooood— Gooood bye…"
Agatha (loud): "No! No! I can fix this!"
  • SQUEEEEEEK
2016-02-29 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (039)
Forum:2016-02-29 (Monday)
!Agatha, Aldin, Portable Castle, Colette
Seemingly overcome by deja vu, Agatha goes into Spark mode. Aldin assisting, she starts reconfiguring circuits to cause a power surge. Ignoring the Portable Castle's misgivings, she throws the final switch, causing the red glass vessel to glow with golden light and emit a loud, ominous hum. When Colette questions her actions, Agatha suddenly seems confused.
Castle: "Ah—Mistress, what are you trying to do? "
Agatha: "When I re-route these circuits—it will cause a surge in power—"
Castle: "—But will that not also—"
Agatha (loud): "Silence! I know exactly what to do. Hee hee!"
Colette: "Agatha! How do you know?"
Agatha: "Uh—"
Reverse-Taccola Field Oscillator
  • CLAK!
  • VUM!
2016-03-02 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (040)
Forum:2016-03-02 (Wednesday)
The Muse of Time, Agatha, Colette, Aldin, Master Van Rijn (deceased)
The thing in the glass vessel, now clearly visible, exults in its returning strength and gloats over the mummified remains in the chair, then vanishes. As the vessel implodes, Agatha and Colette react in astonishment. From a book Aldin has found they learn that the creature that disappeared was the Muse of Time, trapped by Van Rijn, the mummy in the chair.
(All that can be seen of the Muse of Time is the head, torso and left hand, apparently connected to the torso by an arm. It is unclear whether the rest of a humanoid body is present or would even fit within the vessel. It has a skull-like face and a seemingly metal body with inset lights and dials. It seems to be partly organic (eye, teeth, and hair) but mostly mechanical, with the ornamental details common in devices in the Girl Genius universe. It seems to be glowing slightly and disappears in a flash of light.)
Muse of Time: "Aaah! I feel power returning to my limbs…such a feeling! Well done! Oh, this is glorious! Hee! You can always count on Sparks to meddle with things they don't understand! Isn't that right, you presumptuous old lecher? You thought you could catch me, and now look at you! Ha!"
Agatha: "It…imploded!"
Colette: "What—was that?!"
Aldin: "He called her 'The Muse of Time.'"
Agatha or Colette: "What?!"
Aldin: "It looks like he didn't create her— He was trying to capture her. From the look of these notes, it was the work of a lifetime."
Agatha: "He—you mean—"
Aldin: "Yes—I think we've found Master van Rijn."
Presumptuous Old Lecher
  • BLINK!
  • KISHH
2016-03-04 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (041)
Forum:2016-03-04 (Friday)
Agatha, Aldin, <Van Rijn, Van Rijn[37]
Agatha objects that what they just saw didn't look like the Muse of Time.[38] But there's a lot of new information in the book Aldin has found. Van Rijn saw her repeatedly and she had a new appearance every time. She seemed somehow ageless and outside the normal flow of time; so, near the end of his life, Van Rijn decided to capture her to acquire the secret of immortality. It didn't work out well.
Agatha: "But—there's a drawing of the Muse of Time in my book and I've seen her! That wasn't her!"
Aldin: "There's a lot more about her in here than there was in your book."
Aldin (summarizing the contents of the Van Rijn Hermitorium Notebook): "He encountered her many times—always when experimenting with what he refers to as blasphemous energies."
She/Her (The Muse of Time)[39]
glow!
Handwritten note from the Van Rijn Hermitorium Notebook, panel 4.
[Sep]tembre
[re]vealed ?
hair: gre[en]
clot[hes:] tat[tered]
Handwritten note from the Van Rijn Hermitorium Notebook, panel 5.
[Aug]ust
?ull
b[u]?
han[o]?
Ho?
Handwritten note from the Van Rijn Hermitorium Notebook, panel 6.

Wakey Wakey my Prince[]

Location: Beneath time-frozen Mechanicsburg.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
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Names Used Text Extras
2016-03-07 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (042)
Forum:2016-03-07 (Monday)
Gil, Tarvek, Othar, Doctor Rothfuss
Tarvek has been removed from Mechanicsburg's frozen time zone and is being revived. He wakes up screaming at the top of his lungs. Both Doctor Rothfuss and Gil are pleased, but perhaps for different reasons.
Gil: "All right, drop the time field—now!"
Tarvek: "Aaaaaah!"
Othar: "Is he…supposed to be doing that?"
Rothfuss: "With as much pain as he must be experiencing? This is far better than I had hoped for!"
Gil: "Oh, me too."
Far away, beneath Mechanicsburg—
Caption, top of panel 1.
2016-03-09 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (043)
Forum:2016-03-09 (Wednesday)
Vanamonde von Mekkhan, Nurse[40], Tarvek (off panel), Bang
Vanamonde has also been extracted from the time freeze and is being revived, but without all the screaming. He hears someone else screaming, however, and worries about it. Bang tells him the screamer is Tarvek; he is in such great pain because he is being treated for poisoning[41] as well being revived from time freeze.
Nurse: "There! How do you feel now, Herr Van Mekkhan?"
Tarvek: "Aieeee!"
Van: "Um…better… Ah…but—what's all that screaming?"
Nurse: "Oh, that's just Prince Sturmvoraus. The Young Baron pulled you both out at the same time!"
Van: "He sounds a bit…deranged."
Bang: "Yeah. That's normal. He always sounds like that when he's in pain. Takes me back…"
Van: "Ah—that's not going to happen to me, is it?"
Bang: "Nah. Prince Squealy got himself poisoned just before the time stop hit—so he gets special treatment."
Van: "And…it was really two and a half years?"
Bang: "Yup, it was pretty exciting—the Empire crumbling, Gil running around being a crazy man…too bad you missed it."
Prince Sturmvoraus/Prince Squealy, The Young Baron/Gil, Mechanicsburg, Time Stop, The Empire
2016-03-11 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (044)
Forum:2016-03-11 (Friday)
Gil, Doctor Rothfuss, Othar, Tarvek
The final medical and technological procedures to flush the toxins from Tarvek's system and stabilize him in time are completed. He has survived physically, but what about his mind? Gil quizzes him to check. Tarvek responds with a long but coherent and pertinent rant, seeming as mentally sharp as ever. Gil is so relieved he gives him a big (and painful) hug.
Gil: "Five… four… disengage pumps— three… two… retract feeds— aaand— shut down!"
Rothfuss: "That did it! The toxins are gone!"
Gil: "—And his chronometrics have equalized—"
Othar: "—And he hasn't even exploded! Well done! His mind is probably still unstable, though."
Gil: "Well, that's rather a given— Medical science can only do so much…"
Temporal Shift, Martellus von Blitzengaard, Agatha, Nullabist poison
2016-03-14 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (045)
Forum:2016-03-14 (Monday)
Tarvek, Gil, Wulfenbach clank, Wulfenbach minions and staff, Madame Beauxie[42]
Tarvek learns he's been frozen for over two years and that they're currently under attack. And not only that, he's the reason for the attack. However, Gil has been planting disinformation. The attackers are ambushed and Madame Beauxie, a member of the Wulfenbach forces, is exposed as a spy and arrested.
Gil: "You wouldn't believe the number of attacks and infiltration attempts we've had lately—all because of you. Some simply don't want me to retrieve you—some seem to be just waiting—presumably to spirit you away once I have. Besides the one working for your cousin, (who really wants you dead, by the way)—I have no idea who they represent."
Your Cousin[43]
Soon—
Caption, top of panel 1.
The page is in color now. The page is in black and white.[44]

Mechanicsburg Has a New Look[]

Location: Outside the Walls of time-frozen Mechanicsburg.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
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2016-03-16 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (046)
Forum:2016-03-16 (Wednesday)
Van, Gil, Mecha Mole brigade, Othar, Higgs, Tarvek, Bang, Wulfenbach clanks, arrested House Sturmvoraus attackers sent by the Incorruptible Library,[45] Devil Dolls
Van and Tarvek get their first look at the massive complex of fortifications and buildings that Gil has caused to be erected around Mechanicsburg[46] since it was frozen in time. The first thing they notice are the colossal statues of Agatha, at least twelve times her actual height. (And these aren't even the really big ones!)
Tarvek: "Whoa."
Van: "Uh—is…is that…the Lady Heterodyne?"
Tarvek: "It is! It's Agatha! A colossal statue of Agatha!"
Bang: "Oh, that's nothing! You should see the really big ones! He's got 'em all around the outer wall of the city! You can see them from all over the valley!"
Gil: "Ah—"
Van: "I like it!"
Tarvek: "Me, too!"
Gil: "…Really?"
Van: "The tourists will love it!"
Tarvek: "Agatha will hate it!"
Mechanicsburg, LadyHeterodyne/Agatha
And eventually—
Caption, top of panel 1.
2016-03-18 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (047)
Forum:2016-03-18 (Friday)
Gil, Bang, Tarvek
Tarvek takes a bath. Bang wants to watch, but Gil says, "No!" Tarvek doesn't blame Gil for the Empire's collapse and agrees that the Queen of the Dawn is Lucrezia. Tarvek wonders why the wasp weasels have haven't been more helpful and Gil asks, "What weasels?"[47]
Tarvek: "I'm surprised the wasp eaters haven't proved more useful. Are these gammon cuffs? Seriously?[48]"
Gil: "Well, we had to start over from scratch, of course, but I do expect to have viable animals in less than—"
Tarvek: "Wait—what? No, the existent weasels. Surely, they've sent you some by now!"
Gil: "What? They? Who?"
The Empire, Queen of the Dawn, Lucrezia, Geisterdamen, Sturmhalten, Wasp eaters
Later—
Caption, top of panel 1.
  • GRAB!

Promotional Interruption: Kickstarter for new print volume (non-canon)[1][2][]

Occasion: Kickstarter for latest Girl Genius print volume, The City of Lightning.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
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2016-03-20 (Sunday)
Vol.2-3 p. n/a
Forum:2016-03-20 (Sunday)
Kaja Foglio, Phil Foglio
Agatha Heterodyne The City of Lightning Graphic Novel Kickstarter! Medals • Patches • Bookplates ~and more!~ Reserve Yours Now! Campaign ends April 12, 2016 Kickstarter campaign for The City of Lightning

Bang Gets A New Pet[]

Location: In Gil's building complex surrounding time-frozen Mechanicsburg.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-03-21 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (048)
Forum:2016-03-21 (Monday)
Gil, Tarvek, Bang, Oglavia Spüdna
Tarvek starts to tell Gil about the wasp weasels he saved, but falls asleep before he can say much. Gil orders Bang to protect Tarvek.
Bang: "What happened?"
Tarvek (asleep and snoring): "Z"
Gil: "Eh, it's partially a side effect of the poison cleanse—and none of us were getting any sleep back when the time stopped. I'm surprised he stayed awake as long as he did."
Bang: "Ooh! Hey! I know this great trick—where you put a sleeping guy's head in a bucket of water—"[49]
Gil: "No. In fact he's your responsibility for now."
Bang: "What?"
Gil: "You wanted to watch him. Now you can. You're his new bodyguard."
Bang: "Yeah, but now he's all boring!"
Gil: "Keep him that way. A lot of people seem to want to kill him or steal him."
Bang: "Ooh! Ooh! If he's already dead, that'll foil their plans!"
Gil: "Don't be silly. You'd miss tormenting him. Keep him alive and in one piece."
Bang: "…Does psychological damage count?"
Vespiary Program, My Father, Ones (Wasp eaters), Paris
2016-03-23 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (049)
Forum:2016-03-23 (Wednesday)
Wulfenbach minion, Gil, Bang[50], Wulfenbach clank, Devil Doll, Monsieur Hax, Mélisse
An envoy from Madame Desmana arrives; two actually, an elderly man, Monsieur Hax, and a young girl, Mélisse. They bring a copy of Agatha's book on the wasp weasels. Gil is eager to purchase it and Mélisse drives a hard bargain.
Mélisse: "It's a comprehensive monograph on the wasp eaters, Herr Baron!"
Gil: "Agatha wrote this! —And Madame published it. Of course! She must be selling copies to everyone… Ooh! This—amazing! Just this page will advance our program— Wait—'blood pumps?' What kind?"
Hax: "Ahem—The Lady Heterodyne insisted that we rush you a copy—thus we have spared no expense in getting here quickly. Ah, but Madame knew you would find it worth the cost."
Gil: "I certainly do. Oh, I see! This makes so much sense… Here, turn the page—"
Hax: "Now, now, Herr Baron, this is not a library—"
Gil: "Yes, yes, of course. How much?"
Hax: "Ah, well, now—let me see…"
Mélisse: "Fifty chocklit mimmoths—'an a perfect electroplate zapicheep card!"
Gil: "Done!"
Mélisse: "Yus!"
Hax: "No!"
Comprehensive Monograph on the Wasp eaters, Madame Desmana, Lady Heterodyne/Agatha, Chocklit Mimmoths, Electroplate Zapicheep Card
Soon…
Caption, panels 2-3.[51]
VESP[I]? MU[ST]?
Title of book, panel 7.[52][18]
2016-03-25 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (050)
Forum:2016-03-25 (Friday)
Oglavia Spüdna, Gil, Monsieur Hax, <Othar, <Wulfenbach minions and staff (some wasped prisoners, some not), attackers, Mélisse, Wulfenbach clank
Mistress Spüdna returns from interrogating the people who attacked Gil and his forces. She had help, from Othar, who reveals unexpected powers of persuasion. Othar not only convinces the prisoners to talk but to join Gil's side, greatly impressing Spüdna.
Spüdna: "This man Tryggvassen—the prisoners were refusing to talk. Finally, he jumped up and addressed them. He gave a rousing speech about the basic goodness of Mankind—and how, in these trying times, we should all pull together."
Gil: "Let me guess. They rioted."
Spüdna: "No! They wept! They cheered him! They've apologized and joined our side! My people are debriefing them right now!"
Gil: "You're joking."
Spüdna: "No! Herr Baron, the man is terrifying! He…he made me reconsider my calling!"
Gil: "Mistress Spüdna—"
Spüdna: "—But then I realized I wouldn't be able to spy on people any more, so nuts to that!"
Gil: "Oh, of course."
Spüdna: "Still, thanks to Herr Tryggvassen, I now know who sent them."
2016-03-28 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (051)
Forum:2016-03-28 (Monday)
Oglavia Spüdna, Gil, Wulfenbach Guard Units (including members of the Devil Dolls), Wulfenbach clanks
Gil realizes that the Incorruptible Library is really behind the previous attack, which was a feint, to throw them off guard. The real attack is still to come, with Tarvek as the target. As Gil springs into action, ordering his troops to follow, the alarm sounds. Bang had to call for help? She must be furious!
Gil: "This last attack was nothing but a distraction. Fools—deliberately manipulated into attacking at the wrong time—to put us off guard. Madame Beauxie was working for the Librarians, not for them."
Sturmvoraus Family, The Incorruptible Library, Sturmvoraus, Monsieur Hax, Agatha, Zapicheep Card, Madame Beauxie, The Librarians, Bang, Entanglers
  • WHOOOOOOOOO-
    OOOOOOOOOOO-
    OOOOOOOOOOO
  • [53]
  • POF!
  • POF!

A Vanity Project Pays Off[]

Location: In Gil's building complex surrounding time-frozen Mechanicsburg.

Identifier
Page
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Actions
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2016-03-30 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (052)
Forum:2016-03-30 (Wednesday)
Gil, Librarian, Bang, Other Librarians and Library cats (dead or dying), Wulfenbach minions and staff, Oglavia Spüdna, Wulfenbach clank
Gil rushes into the room where Bang had been watching over Tarvek, just in time to prevent her from killing the last remaining Librarian. But others have escaped, taking Tarvek with them. Gil questions the survivor, who won't speak to him, but who is quickly convinced to talk by Spüdna.
Gil: "—But what does the Library want with—"
Librarian: "I don't have to tell you anything!"
Spüdna: "Ah, I see I have arrived just in time. Allow me, Herr Baron."
Spüdna (to Librarian): "Ahhh—you're scared. I can tell. So many people you knew, killed— Terrible. Yes, so terrible."
Librarian: "Who are you?"
Spüdna: "Ah—I am Mistress Oglavia Spüdna."
Librarian: "Oglavia—I…I know that name…"
Spüdna: "You do? Oh, but of course! You're a Librarian! You've been peeking into the forbidden stacks, eh? Reading the dangerous books?"
Librarian: "Forbidden—wait! You…you're—"
Spüdna: "'Everybody Wants to Talk'—Extremis Press. A vanity project from my youth, I confess."
Librarian: "You're dead! They killed you!"
Spüdna: "A few minutes are all I need, Herr Baron!"
Librarian (shouted): "I'll talk!"
Spüdna: "See? That took no time at all!"
The Library, Everybody Wants to Talk
Soon—
Caption, top of panel 3.
2016-04-01 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (053)
Forum:2016-04-01 (Friday)
Gil, Oglavia Spüdna, Librarian, Bang, Wulfenbach clanks, Wulfenbach minions and staff
Gil isn't interested in finding out the reasons the Librarians had for abducting Tarvek, he just wants Tarvek back. And Gil is ready to use extreme measures to achieve his goal. Bang is surprised and pleased by this development.
Gil: "DuPree—you're always bragging about how you can track anyone."
Bang: "Well, sure—"
Gil: "This is your chance to prove it."
Bang: "Are…are you okay?"
Gil: "No! Those bookbinders think they can just come in here and abduct people? After all the trouble I've gone to? I've obviously done too much talking and not enough damage! We're getting him back!"
Bang: "This is weird—you're still talking, and I'm actually still listening!"
Captain Renard, Reflex Armor, Those Bookbinders, Him
8
On hull of airship, panel 4.

Who Gets To Play With Whom[]

Location: In the Hermitorium (Van Rijn's secret lab) in the The Incorruptible Library.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
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2016-04-04 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (054)
Forum:2016-04-04 (Monday)
Agatha, Portable Castle, Aldin, <Van Rijn, <The Muse of Time
Agatha is upset. She thinks she was influenced by her embedded Lucrezia personality when she released the Muse of Time. Aldin, who is studying the notebook Van Rijn left in the Hermitorium, thinks he knows why the Muse of Time appeared there so often, and the reason has something to do with Agatha's family.
Castle: "You appear upset, Mistress."
Agatha: "I am. I think I've been used."
Castle: "What?! Who dares?! Playing with people's lives is your prerogative!"
Agatha: "Quiet, you. I got so caught up that I didn't stop to wonder—why everything here was so familiar. Why I knew exactly what to do. I don't know how she might be connected to this place, but I think that knowledge came from Lucrezia. When that thing was released, I felt a huge surge of…of triumph! That alone is worrying."
Aldin: "Lady Heterodyne—here's something interesting…"
Agatha: "Oh?"
Aldin: "The Muse of Time—according to Van Rijn, it appeared here a lot. I think I may have found the reason why. And, um…it seems to involve the Heterodynes, actually."
Lucrezia, The Heterodynes
In the Library—
Caption, top of panel 1.
2016-04-06 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (055)
Forum:2016-04-06 (Wednesday)
Aldin (narrating over flashbacks), <Robur Heterodyne, <Dreen, <Corbettites, Agatha
Aldin relates what he learned from Van Rijn's notes: Agatha's ancestor Robur Heterodyne experimented with time. The experiment summoned "angels" that frightened him so badly he smashed the device that called them up. When that didn't get rid of them, he asked the Corbettites for help, promising that, in exchange, he would never bother them in the future. The Corbettites took the device and the "angels" away, and the device ended up in the Incorruptible Library.[54]
Aldin: "It says he thought he had called down angels? Ah—I haven't found anything to clarify what that means. He sent word to the Corbettites. Um—even then, they specialized in dangerous artefacts[55]— I guess it makes sense that he thought they'd be experts on angels as well. He begged them to intercede on his behalf. They agreed to contain the device, and in return, Robur promised to never harass the Corbettite lands. One of the few promises he ever kept—so I guess whatever happened really scared him.
Agatha: "—And…this device…it ended up here?"
Aldin: "Exactly."
Angels (what Robur thought the Dreen were)
2016-04-08 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (056)
Forum:2016-04-08 (Friday)
Aldin, Agatha, Colette, Portable Castle, Mini-Beast, <Corbettite Monks, <The Muse of Time?
Aldin tells Agatha it makes sense that Robur's device would end up in the Library, which used to be a Corbettite stronghold. In fact, the Library grew out of Van Rijn's work with the Monks, studying and neutralizing their collection of dangerous artefacts,[55] during which Van Rijn found Robur's device, still producing strange effects, in the crypts there. Agatha wonders if Lady Selnikov was looking in the wrong crypts.[56]
Agatha: "So—the Library is connected to old Corbettite crypts?"
Aldin: "Well, not any more—it's all sealed off now."
Agatha: "But—maybe Lady Selnikov was looking in the wrong crypts. Maybe what she was looking for is here."
Corbettite Order, Storm King, Master Van Rijn, The Library, The Heterodyne's Device, Corbettite Crypts, Lady Selnikov
MECHANICS[BURG]
CASTLE HETERODYNE
Illustration captions in book, panel 2.
[F]IO
On book spine, panel 4.

Sleepy Girls[]

Location: In the the Library.

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2016-04-11 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (057)
Forum:2016-04-11 (Monday)
Agatha, Zeetha, Violetta, Agatha's Wasp eater, Dimo, Jon Solera, Hoffmann, Larana
Agatha, Zeetha and Violetta prepare for the expedition to the Library crypts then join the others, who are also ready to set off.
[Agatha (and her wasp eater), Zeetha, and Violetta wake up, bathe, and have breakfast.]
Violetta: "I smell food."
Zeetha (loudly): "Bath first!"
Agatha: "Don't worry, they brought us plenty! Mm. They've also brought us all of the information about the crypts they gathered for Professor Zardeliv's expedition. His team went in two days ago. Maybe we'll meet them."
Violetta: "I smell food."
[Now, clean, fed, and fully dressed, they join the others.]
Dimo: "Hoy! Ve thot hyu vas gunna sleep all day!"
Zeetha: "She tried."
Agatha: "Is everything ready?"
Jon Solera: "It is indeed! We've even made arrangements for a lovely memorial service, should you not return!"
Professor Zardeliv[23]
Later—
Caption, top of panel 1.
Soon—
Caption, top of panel 5.
2016-04-13 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (058)
Forum:2016-04-13 (Wednesday)
Jon Solera, Agatha, Dimo, Hoffmann, Larana, Zeetha, Violetta, Agatha's Wasp eater, Other Librarians, Portable Castle
The Librarians unseal the Corbettite crypts, which entails removing an enormous block of stone and opening an elaborate vault door, among other things. Jon, Agatha, and Co. discuss why the Corbettites installed so many traps and why Zardeliv hid himself in such a dangerous place.
Jon: "Here we are. Now, normally, we keep this area sealed off. In addition to anything that may still be sealed inside—the crypts themselves are far too dangerous to leave accessible."
Violetta: "Ah. Traps and stuff?"
Jon: "Oh, yes. The Corbettites left them extremely well defended. I assume that is why Professor Zardeliv wanted that book of yours. It contains a far more comprehensive inventory of the crypts' security measures than any we had on file."
Agatha: "Yes, I've looked it over. Deadfalls, swinging blades, hidden rooms—what were they thinking?"
Jon: "These were the Corbettites. I believe they thought it was 'awesome.'"
Agatha: "Yesss… I have met them…"
Violetta: "—But if that's the case, why did Uncle Zardeliv go in without waiting for the book?"
Jon: "Ah—well—his life was in danger."
Violetta: "Sure. That's why he was hiding here, right?"
Jon: "…There was an assassin. She was one of the sub-librarians. We're still not sure if she was the only one— So he wanted to clear out for a while."
Agatha: "…He was so afraid of being killed that he hid in a poorly-mapped labyrinth full of traps?"
Jon: "Well, assassins aren't fools. They stay out of places like that."
Castle (excitedly): "Ooh! I have so much to learn!"
Corbettites, Professor/Uncle Zardilev[23]
WARN[ING:] DANGER[OUS] SCIEN[CE]
Sign on wall, panel 1.
2016-04-15 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (059)
Forum:2016-04-15 (Friday)
Agatha, Mini-Beast, Portable Castle
Agatha stands before the entrance to the Corbettite crypts and starts to say something. She is interrupted by the Mini-Beast and Portable Castle, who tell everyone else that they must come along and guard Agatha with their lives.
Agatha: "Okay, this is the last of the outer gates. From here on, it's probably going to get really dangerous. I'm pretty confident I know what to watch out for—but if I'm wrong—um—"
Mini-Beast: "—Then you people protect her with what remains of your miserable lives!"
Castle: "…And if she dies instead of you—you will sorely regret it!"
Eventually—
Caption, top of full page panel.
I?
Carved in stone above doorway. (Capital 'I'? Roman numeral I?)
[WARNIN]G
Carved in stone to left of doorway.
W[ARNING]
Carved in stone to right of doorway.

Dungeon Crawl[]

Location: In the Corbettite Crypts of the Library.

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2016-04-18 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (060)
Forum:2016-04-18 (Monday)
Agatha, Mini-Beast, Portable Castle, Zeetha, Aldin, Hoffmann, Violetta, Larana, Dimo, Agatha's Wasp eater
Agatha scolds the Mini-Beast and Portable Castle for interrupting. She intended to say that no one had to come with her if they didn't want to. Zeetha says everyone is eager to go but Aldin begs to differ. Jiminez Hoffmann is delighted his brother is coming. Agatha starts to give a pep talk, but the effect is spoiled when they come across a bunch of dead guys.
Hoffman: "Aldin! You're coming with us?!"
Aldin: "Yeah…"
Hoffman: "Ah! So—you finally hear the call of adventure, eh?"
Aldin: "No!"
Hoffman: "The siren song of the unknown?"
Aldin: "Of course not! I heard the curators saying I have to! They said since you're going, I have to go along to keep an eye on you! They said it's been too long since the last 'installment of our exploits!' I'm going to die, just so they can read the reports! Lady Heterodyne. In case I don't make it—here is my obituary."
Agatha: "Oh. Ah…this is a list of books…"
Aldin: "Unread."
Agatha: "Enough! Yes, this will be dangerous, but if Professor Zardeliv's expedition made it—so can we! Of course, that's a rather big 'if…'"
The Curators (Melissa Solera, Jon Solera), Professor Zardeliv
2016-04-20 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (061)
Forum:2016-04-20 (Wednesday)
Violetta, Agatha, Aldin, Hoffmann, Zeetha, Larana
Agatha and Co. have come across several skeletonized corpses in a trap; the remains of a previous expedition. Violetta says the remains can't be Zardeliv's party; they've been dead too long. Jiminez notices that Aldin is remaining calm, and is surprised. Aldin discovers that Jiminez is the moligarchy prince that Larana Chroma is supposed to marry and is displeased.
Hoffman: "I'm getting married."
Aldin: "Tch—You are not! I've hear all your ridiculous scenarios where Colette Voltaire 'has to marry you to save Paris—'"
Hoffman: "It's not Colette."
Aldin: "—and they are not going to happen! It…it's not? Then who—"
Hoffman: "It's Larana Chroma."
Aldin: "Oh, no. Don't you dare try to drag her into your weird fantasy life! She's already got enough problems. She's been railroaded into a political marriage with some idiot moligarchy princeling."
Hoffman: "Yeah. That's me."
[Aldin pauses to think.]
Aldin (shouted): "You went and took Professor Ixibod's Extemporary Political Science class, didn't you?"
Hoffman (shouted): "I needed the credit!"
Uncle, The Library, The Curators (Melissa Solera, Jon Solera), Colette Voltaire, Paris, Moligarchy Princeling, Professor Ixibod, Extemporary Political Science

Art Interruption: Tea (non-canon)[1][]

Occasion: Unexpected filler page

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-04-22 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. TEA 2016
Forum:2016-04-22 (Friday)
Female British Soldier, Tripod Strider Clank?
A young woman in what appears to be a military uniform is standing, sipping a cup of tea. The hand not holding the tea cup is supporting a very long rifle, keeping it balanced upright with its butt on the ground. She stands in a ruined city, inside a building with stained-glass windows, one of which has been blown out completely, along with part of the wall. A large three-legged clank or vehicle, which she has probably just shot, is collapsing.

(Advertisement for Tea. This seems to be the second in a series, the first being posted in the previous volume.)

"And now, a message from our sponsor…"
Tea: It Keeps Things Civilized
Poster text
Saint George
Stained glass window
TEA
Tin next to teapot

It's a Trap That Will Kill You (non-canon)[1][]

Location: In the Corbettite Crypts of the Library.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-04-25 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (062)
Forum:2016-04-25 (Monday)
Aldin, Hoffmann, Agatha, Zeetha, Violetta, Dimo, Larana
Aldin offers to talk to Larana for his brother, but turns out to have an ulterior motive; Aldin and Larana are up to something they don't want anyone else to know about, especially "the Lady Heterodyne." Aldin hopes to use his brother's distraction over the upcoming marriage to keep him from noticing their clandestine activities. Meanwhile, Agatha warns the others about Corbettite traps, to their dismay.[57]
Agatha: "Okay. See this mark here? That means it's a trap that will kill you. And this mark here…"
"Mole Prince", Colette
[BEW]ARE [THE BL]ADES
Sign on wall, panel 2.

More Dead Guys[]

Location: In the Corbettite Crypts of the Library.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-04-27 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (063)
Forum:2016-04-27 (Wednesday)
Zeetha, Agatha, Violetta, Dimo, Hoffmann, Aldin, Larana, ?Doctor Zardeliv/Uncle Tick-tock[23] (deceased?), ?Librarian (deceased?)
Agatha and Co. are walking along a corridor in the Corbettite crypts. Who knows what might be behind the doors they're passing? But there's no time to explore! They need to track down Zardeliv for his help in finding Prende's Lantern and his knowledge of the nature of time. Unfortunately, as they turn a corner, they encounter relatively fresh blood and dead bodies, including Zardeliv's.
Zeetha: "Hey, Agatha—what do you think is in all these vaults we're skipping?"
Agatha: "Oh, monstrous abominations of science…artifacts of ancient civilizations whose manuals have been lost to the ages…miraculous creations of mad geniuses centuries ahead of their time…"
Zeetha: "Hee. I'm surprised you're not busting down the doors!"
Agatha: "We're on a deadline, here. Maybe we can come back some time."
Prende's Lantern
2016-04-29 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (064)
Forum:2016-04-29 (Friday)
Agatha, Zeetha, Violetta, Aldin, Hoffmann, Larana
Not so fast, the body doesn't belong to Zardeliv! It is Eugene Proutin, a member of his expedition; it has just been disguised to look like Zardeliv's corpse. Part of the disguise, and the probable cause of death, is extremely rare ghost spider venom, which makes the corpse swell and look fatter. Are people after Zardeliv's life or do they just want everyone to think he's dead? Who are these people? And if Zardeliv is alive, where is he?
Violetta: "Hold on… Okay. This is weird. I haven't seen my uncle in years, but— I'm pretty sure this isn't him."
Aldin: "You're right! That's Eugene Proutin! He was part of Doctor Zardeliv's team—but…Proutin wasn't that heavy…and his hair…but that is him! I'm sure of it!"
Violetta: "This guy's hair's been bleached and partially shaved. The apparent weight gain is due to ghost spider venom, which is probably what killed him. These wounds were made when he was already dead."
Eugene Proutin, Ghost Spider Venom
2016-05-02 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (065)
Forum:2016-05-02 (Monday)
Larana, <Doctor Zardeliv[23], Aldin, Hoffmann, Agatha, Dimo
Larana speculates that Zardeliv may be part of some conspiracy, rather than a victim of one. The others voice their suspicions of Zardeliv, given the new circumstances, and Agatha comments that finding him might be dangerous. Aldin and Larana have a whispered conversation of their own, apparently wondering if Zardeliv is looking for the same thing they are.
Larana: "That really depends on who did this and what their goals are. Also, we shouldn't discount the possibility that Professor Zardeliv isn't a prisoner at all. He could be working with them. We all know him as a sweet old duffer, but don't forget that he's also brilliant, his family is central to all these intrigues surrounding the return of the Storm King and Lucrezia Mongfish, and he himself chose Eugene Proutin for this trip. That alone makes me suspicious."
His Family (House Sturmvoraus), Storm King, Lucrezia Mongfish, Eugene Proutin, Jäger Shredding Machine
F[']TAGIN[58] TO FOGLIO
Sign on Library shelves, panel 2.

More Smoke Knights[]

Location: In the Corbettite Crypts of the Library.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-05-04 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (066)
Forum:2016-05-04 (Wednesday)
Violetta, Zeetha, Larana, Aldin, <Lucrezia, <Madwa Korel, <Smoke Knights, Geisterdame, Varpa[59], Malek[60]
Violetta joins Zeetha at the rear of the party and tells her that rogue Smoke Knight Madwa Korel, who is linked to the Other, faked Zardeliv's death. Violetta also explains that all Smoke Knights have standing orders from Grandmother to drop what they're doing to hunt down Madwa. Zeetha realizes Violetta's words are not meant just for her, as she notices two other Smoke Knights who are following them and listening. The other two Smoke Knights realize Violetta has already spotted them and are surprised and none too pleased by this.
Violetta: "I have no idea what's going on here, but the 'Other' is involved."
Zeetha: "Oh? Why do you say that?"
Violetta: "Because this was done by a rogue Smoke Knight. Madwa Korel."
Zeetha: "Wait…did you hear—"
Violetta: "Ignore it. Grandma always hated Lucrezia. She broke off all our family's alliances with everyone still loyal to the 'Other.' But Madwa and her group had been slavishly loyal to Lucrezia. They refused Grandma's ultimatum, and stayed allied with the Geisterdamen. That's where they get the Ghost Spider venom. Madwa had six secret recipes that used the stuff, and she never shared with anyone. That guy back there died of number three. If there's a chance to take them out, our Smoke Knights have standing orders to set aside all other assignments and rivalries and do it."
Dimo, The "Other", Grandma, Ghost Spider Venom, Tarvek
[V]XX
Carved over archway, panel 4.[61]
LX
Carved over archway, panel 9.[61]
V
On Malek's beret, panel 9.[62]
2016-05-06 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (067)
Forum:2016-05-06 (Friday)
Malek, Varpa, Violetta, Aldin, Zeetha, Hoffmann, Agatha, Larana, Dimo
The other two Smoke Knights agree that Madwa is the culprit and agreed to help track her down. Aldin freaks out when he is told that the Knights have been following them since the Paris Black Market. Violetta states that the newcomers are much better Smoke Knights than she is, and explains why they were following Agatha and the others.
Agatha: "Why are they following us, anyway?"
Violetta: "Oh. Martellus sent one to keep an eye on you. Seffie sent the other one to distract him."
Agatha: "'Distract him?'"
Violetta: "Sure. There's ways."
[In another part of the Library crypts.]
Malek: "…Does this mean no more kissing?"
Varpa: "…Less kissing. This is important."
Madwa, Paris Black Market, Martellus, Seffie
Soon—
Caption, top of panel 1.
2016-05-09 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (068)
Forum:2016-05-09 (Monday)
Agatha, Aldin, Violetta, Dimo, The Kraków Clank of Redemption, =Malek, =Varpa
As they travel through the crypts, Agatha marvels at how large they are. Violetta notices that a wall trap has been sprung and worries about her fellow Smoke Knights. (She has reason to worry: They are shown making a series of mistakes. Was there too much distraction?) But as the wall rises, a very large threatening clank appears. Agatha thinks they're probably OK, since they sprung the next trap too. Violetta thinks she and Agatha should run.
Agatha: "Listen. That sound means the mechanism is getting ready to reset. If this trap got them, then presumably nothing past it will have been tripped…"
[The wall slides up to reveal a large, menacing clank.]
Clank: "Die, heathens!"
Agatha: "There! See? They set off the next trap, too! They're probably fine!"
Corbettites, Diet of Kraków[63]
Later—
Caption, top of panel 1.
  • CLIK CLIK
  • CLAK!
  • RRRUMBLE!

Accept The Acid Of Purification[]

Location: In the Corbettite Crypts of the Library.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-05-11 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (069)
Forum:2016-05-11 (Wednesday)
Hoffmann, Agatha, The Kraków Clank of Redemption, Larana, Aldin, Violetta, Mini-Beast, Dimo
Delighted to face some action, Hoffman rushes to battle the clank, but gets hit in the face by a spray of acid. Larana goes beserk, destroying the clank with grenades, while Agatha and Violetta treat Hoffman. Larana keeps setting off explosions until Dimo, worried she'll bring the roof down, stops her.
Dimo: "Whoa! Dot's enuf! Hyu iz gonna bring de whole place down on it!"
Larana (shouted): "That's the idea!"
  • pfhahSHH
  • CLAK (×5)
  • CLAK! (×5)
  • BOOM! (×5)[64]
2016-05-13 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (070)
Forum:2016-05-13 (Friday)
Larana[65], Aldin, Agatha, The Kraków Clank of Redemption (destroyed), Jim, Dimo, Violetta, Zeetha
Hoffman lies on his back with his eyes covered; he is in pain. Everyone worries about him; Agatha isn't sure if his eyes are OK. Larana blames herself for Hoffman getting hurt, but he says injuries are part and parcel of the hero business. In fact he demands to be allowed to keep fighting until Violetta sedates him. Agatha assumes that Aldin will be taking his brother home and offers to lend him Dimo, but Aldin reluctantly says they'll stay with Agatha's group.

(Aldin addresses his brother as Jim, at least during times of stress.)

Agatha: "That clank was pretty old, so the acid had lost a lot of potency…but it did get right in his eyes."
Hoffman: "It stings! Like a really mean grapefruit!"
Dimo: "Hoy—hyu gots to votch out for dose!"
The Heterodyne Boys, Master Bill, Prende's Lantern
2016-05-16 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (071)
Forum:2016-05-16 (Monday)
Agatha, Aldin, <Jim, <Aldin, Larana, Dimo, ?A Bat
Agatha reacts with disbelief and disapproval when Aldin says he and his brother will stay in the crypts. Aldin explains that if he did take his brother home for safekeeping, Jim would be the first to object. Not only that, but Jim has already completed numerous past adventures under severe handicaps, such as: two broken legs, no bones at all, being on fire, etc. The Curators have called Aldin and Jim the "New Heterodyne Boys." Larana says this is because Aldin's reports of the missions are "fantastical," but Aldin insists that it is all true; he cannot make things up. Agatha opens Campfire in a Can to cook food.

(On this page, Jiminez Hoffmann is shown only in flashbacks illustrating descriptions of their past adventures as told by Aldin, who is also depicted in the flashbacks, as well as in present time in the comic. The titles of these escapades include: The Adventure of the Haunted Topiary, The Secret of the Perfectly Spherical Cow, and The Mystery of the Cyclopean Binoculars. There was also "the thing with the Naked Mole Rat Queen.")

Agatha: "What, really? Only, your brother got a face full of some kind of weird acid—"
Aldin: "Lady Heterodyne, if we take him back now, he will complain for months. He will actively seek me out, follow me around, and tell me at excruciating length why we shouldn't have 'run away—' and while he is doing so, he will drag me into six 'adventures' worse than this death crawl can ever be."
The Curators, The New Heterodyne Boys, The Naked Mole Rat Queen, Giant Bat
CAMPFIRE IN A C[AN]
Lettering on firemaking device, panels 5 and 6.
2016-05-18 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (072)
Forum:2016-05-18 (Wednesday)
Zeetha[66], Larana, Spider[67], Malek, Violetta, Aldin, <Unnamed Spark, <Unnamed Guinea Pig, Agatha, Jim
Having stopped to eat and rest, Agatha and party break camp. Malek has returned and reports that Zardeliv has found the vault he is looking for and Varpa is watching him. To her dismay, Larana learns that Jim is nearly blind. Aldin holds out hope of a cure in the future, but for now Jim and Agatha have built a "seeing aid" from clank parts. Jim declares he can see better than ever, with new visual powers, including x-ray vision. (The x-ray filter on Hoffmann's goggles seems to work more like the x-ray specs found in ads in the backs of old comic books were supposed to than a real x-ray device.)
Agatha: "How's that?"
Hoffmann: "Amazing! I can see better than ever!"
Larana: "You two have been busy!"
Hoffmann: "Larana! Yeah! Look! We built this completely from stuff we found down here! That old clank had really weird antique photo receptors! —And see: we've got a dial on the side— I can zoom between macro and microscopic vision! We even gave it different filters! It can do infrared, ultraviolet, and… and… uhhhh…"
[Hoffmann stares silently at Larana.]
Agatha: "And x-ray."
[Agatha shuts off the x-ray filter. Hoffman's helmet seems to be overheating.]
Larana (shouted): "What?!"
Hoffmann: "Uh, yeah. X-ray. Sorry."
Smoke Knights, Zardeliv, Varpa[68], The University, Old Clank
?AVE
CVA
CV[A]
Carved above doors or windows(?) in wall, panel 2.
  • CLIK (×2)

Good Work Bartleby[]

Location: In the Corbettite Crypts of the Library.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-05-20 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (073)
Forum:2016-05-20 (Friday)
Madwa Korel, Dio Zardeliv, Bartleby (deceased)
Madwa Korel and Dio Zardeliv are standing in front of a large vault door with a fiendishly complicated locking mechanism designed by Van Rijn, discussing how to open it. They seem to know each other very well, since they are on a first name basis. Dio is stumped and wishes he had Van Rijn's notebook; Madwa has no helpful suggestions. Making an attempt on the vault is extremely dangerous; a Smoke Knight named Bartleby has already been fatally incinerated during a failed attempt to open it.
Zardeliv: "Fine, fine, but isn't cracking locks and stealing secrets your whole raison d'être?"
Madwa: "Hmf. I'm more into death and sneaking, actually. That's why we brought Bartleby, there."
Zardeliv: "Yes… Well… Ahem—I did learn quite a lot, thanks to him…"
Madwa: "Oh? Was it about the ignition of human bones? Because I could have told you all about that…"
That Old Crackpot Van Rijn, That Notebook
2016-05-23 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (074)
Forum:2016-05-23 (Monday)
Dio Zardilev, Madwa Korel, Agatha, Violetta, Malek, Aldin, Jim
Dio and Madwa are attacked with knockout gas. Dio collapses, but Madwa escapes. The attackers turn out to be Violetta and Malek, along with Agatha and the others. Agatha wonders how Madwa escaped, but is told the dreadful fate of those learn the secrets of the Smoke Knights. Jim thinks his prosthetic eyes will allow him to open the vault and Agatha celebrates another triumph of Science!
Violetta: "Too late. She got away. See?"
[Violetta holds up a stiff cutout of Madwa Korel's silhouette with a very realistic image of Madwa on it.]
Agatha: "…How do you people do that?"
Malek: "If we told you, we'd have to let you live."
Agatha: "What?"
Malek: "For a very, very long time."
Agatha: "Er—right."
Van Rijn, The King's Municipal Meatloaf Works
  • CLAP
  • FWUMP!
2016-05-25 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (075)
Forum:2016-05-25 (Wednesday)
Jim, Aldin, Dio Zardilev, Portable Castle, Agatha, Violetta, Agatha's Wasp eater
Jim and Aldin open the vault; Jim using his prosthetic "super vision" to disarm the traps and direct Aldin, who handles the fiddly bits using his safe-cracking skills. Zardeliv is still unconscious. Based on the reaction of Agatha's wasp eater, he hasn't been wasped. Violetta disparages her own skills, relative to the other Smoke Knights, and Agatha gives her a pep talk: Isn't she the Smoke Knight who walked out of Castle Heterodyne?
Hoffmann (shouted): "I love this helmet!"
Agatha: "Oh?"
Hoffmann: "Yeah! It's making this super easy! Of course, it helps that we have Aldin, master safe cracker, to do all the actual fiddly stuff!"
Agatha: "'Master safe cracker?' Really? That's an interesting skill for a librarian…"
Aldin: "When you've been captured as often as I have, you develop an interest in locks and escapology."
Agatha: "Captured?"
Hoffmann: "Yeah! Aldin's always getting caught by pirate queens and evil priestesses and stuff—and they always put him in these silly loincloth outfits."
Agatha: "Really…"
Hoffmann: "Yeah! And—"
Aldin (shouted): "It's open!"
Lucrezia, Old Guys in the Order, Grandma, Madwa, Two Real Smoke Knights (Varpa and Malek), Pirate Queens, Evil Priestesses
Soon—
Caption, panel 1.

The Crypt of Prende[]

Location: The Crypt of Prende in the Library.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-05-27 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (076)
Forum:2016-05-27 (Friday)
Prende (inactivated?), Agatha, Violetta, Aldin, Jim, Larana
The inside of the vault looks like a long disused storage chamber. Shelves on either side of the room, various niches, and even the floor, are full of odds and ends; books, vessels, devices, as well as storage chests and boxes. On a multi-sided columnar platform, slightly wider than and nearly as tall as a man, is a bell jar covering a seemingly levitating orb perhaps six inches in diameter with irregular glowing areas. Two cables emerge from the sides of the bell jar, apparently connected to a lantern, which appears black, but is emitting rays of light. Behind the platform is a bricked up doorway, with a small trapezoidal opening at the top. The lantern is suspended from the lintel of the doorway, within the opening, which allows beams from the lantern to penetrate into the space beyond. The most striking feature of the room, however, is the clank sitting in front of the column, propped up against it, seemingly completely inert. It appears to be one of the Van Rijn Muses; Agatha thinks it's Prende. The still figure of Prende makes the room seem like a crypt. Everyone is surprised and intrigued by the contents of the room, but Violetta warns them not to go in.
Violetta: "Ah! Don't go in!"
A Muse, The Lantern
2016-05-30 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (077)
Forum:2016-05-30 (Monday)
Violetta, Jim, Agatha, Larana, Aldin, Madwa Korel, Prende
Violetta is sure there's a trap in the crypt; Larana wonders if she's right. Suddenly, Madwa Korel, who has snuck past them all into the crypt, cries out, startling everyone. The seemingly inert Prende has sprung into action, grabbing Madwa by both arms. Prende holds Madwa suspended above her head and quietly commands her to stop. The passage of centuries has definitely taken its toll on Prende. Her clothing is tattered and falling apart. Her wig is disheveled and coming off. Her face is cracked and one of her eyes is dark and appears useless. However, she obviously hasn't lost her speed and strength.
Violetta: "There's a trap here."
Other Smoke Knights (Varpa and Malek)
2016-06-01 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (078)
Forum:2016-06-01 (Wednesday)
Prende, Madwa Korel, Aldin, Agatha, Violetta
Prende questions Agatha and her party, ignoring Madwa, who she considers a trespasser. When Madwa tries to speak, Prende knocks her out with a jolt of electricity. (The burst of current also incinerates what remains of Prende's clothes and hair.[69]) Agatha and Violetta explain they want the Lantern to help free the new Storm King, currently trapped in time-frozen Mechanicsburg, by unfreezing the city. But Prende refuses, stating emphatically that the Lantern must not be moved and anyone claiming to be the new Storm King must be wrong.
Prende: "Your 'Storm King,' whatever his imagined claim, is not the true Storm King. The Lantern must not be moved."
The Immortal Library, Master Van Rijn, New Storm King (Tarvek Sturmvoraus), A Town Where Time Has Stopped (Mechanicsburg), The Lantern, The Other Muses, The True Storm King

You Do Not Understand[]

Location: The Crypt of Prende in the Library.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-06-03 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (079)
Forum:2016-06-03 (Friday)
Violetta, Prende, Agatha, Larana, Malek, Madwa Korel, Voice from Off Panel/Skeletal Hand
Violetta argues that the other Muses have accepted the new Storm King, and Agatha pleads that a town full of people can be freed by the Lantern, but Prende still refuses to let them take it. Madwa has recovered quickly (or was playing possum) and escapes, just as Malek shows up to warn them about her. Madwa attempts to steal the lantern, but Violetta knocks it out of her hand, disconnecting the cables. A skeletal reaches through the opening in the blocked door and grabs Madwa's left wrist.
Violetta: "But—he's a direct descendent! Even the other Muses acknowledge him!"
Prende: "Ah—you speak your truth, yes…and I am pleased that my sisters persist—but you and they are wrong."
Direct Descendant (Tarvek Sturmvoraus), Other Muses/My Sisters, That Lantern
  • PASH!
  • CLAK!
2016-06-05 (Sunday)
Vol.2-3 p. (080)[71]
Forum:2016-06-05 (Sunday)
Madwa Korel, Mysterious Hand, Prende, Agatha, Violetta, Zeetha, Aldin, Jim
Madwa screams in pain as the hand holding her left arm glows and hisses, looking much less skeletal than it did a moment ago. As Prende chastises Madwa, her arm is released, her hand and wrist withered and steaming or smoking. Something begins to violently batter the wall blocking the doorway, which threatens to give way any moment. Prende appeals to Agatha and the others for help; then, as the wall collapses, asks a question.
Prende: "The Lamp is damaged. I can only watch. You must help!"
Agatha (barking orders): "Violetta! Zeetha!"
Prende: "Ah—and did you wonder how I know that your friend is not the Storm King?"
Agatha: "Nnnn—"
The Lamp, The Storm King
  • FSSSH
  • CRACKKKK

The Storm King Awakens[]

Location: The Crypt of Prende in the Library.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-06-07 (Tuesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (081)[72]
Forum:2016-06-07 (Tuesday)
Andronicus Valois
As the wall collapses, a man (apparently Andronicus Valois himself) emerges. He definitely doesn't look happy, or even completely human. His skin is light greenish yellow and seems to glow. Various parts of his armor and accoutrements also glow in different colors, as well as emitting smoke and vapor from various pipes and vents. He carries a large mace, which is stained with something that looks like dried blood.[73] So this is why Prende wouldn't accept a new Storm King!
Andronicus Valois[74] (bellowed very loudly):
"What is this place?! Where has that treacherous conjurer sent me?"
That Treacherous Conjurer
2016-06-10 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (082)
Forum:2016-06-10 (Friday)
Violetta, Agatha, Prende, Andronicus Valois, Zeetha
Andronicus is disoriented and extremely angry; he literally slavers with rage at one point. He questions Prende about the whereabouts of the Muses and Van Rijn. From his questions and statements, it is clear that he is completely unaware of the passage of the last two hundred years or so and that the last thing he remembers is facing Van Rijn while in the heat of a battle which he was sure he was about to win. Then Van Rijn did something with one of his machines and Andronicus suddenly found himself in Prende's crypt. He feels that Van Rijn betrayed him and stole his sword and that Muses cannot be trusted.

(In panel 4, a small door or hatch is visible in Prende's back, looking very much like the battery compartment in a toy. This seems mostly likely to be a joke, and doesn't necessarily mean that the Muses actually run on batteries.)

Agatha: "Is that really him? Andronicus Valois? The first Storm King?!"
Your Sisters, That Damned Sorcerer Van Rijn
2016-06-13 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (083)
Forum:2016-06-13 (Monday)
Andronicus Valois, Martellus von Blitzengaard, Servant/Courtier/Minion
Surrounded by an electrical aura and with his eyes glowing completely white, Andronicus cries out that he can sense his sword. In Paris, Martellus is trying on his Storm King costume in a room with a sword mounted on the wall. The sword erupts into electrical coruscations, badly startling Martellus and his servant. Andronicus believes when he finds his sword he will find Van Rijn, and newly recovered sword in hand, crush him.
Andronicus: "My blade is no longer shielded from me! I can feel it!"
He (Van Rijn), Paris
—And far above, in Paris, Martellus ponders his costume choices for upcoming ball—
Caption, top of panel 2.
  • CRAZZKK
2016-06-15 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (084)
Forum:2016-06-15 (Wednesday)
Andronicus Valois, Prende, Agatha
Andronicus uses his mace, which can emit blasts of energy, to start melting a direct path through walls and solid rock to his sword. As he starts to disappear into the molten tunnel, Prende pleads to have him take her along. Again, she tries to convince him that far more time has passed than he believes and that Van Rijn is dead. Andronicus begins to wonder if she is telling the truth and takes her with him. He then tells Agatha to take a message to her master for him; mistaking her for a servant, rather than the Heterodyne herself.
Prende: "My creator is dead! He used the Lantern to keep you from destroying all you had built! I do not lie to you! You know I cannot!"
Betrayer/Van Rijn/My Creator, My Lantern, His Hermitorium, The Heterodyne
  • KRAZOKZK!

Looting the Dungeon[]

Location: In the Corbettite Crypts of the Library.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-06-17 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (085)
Forum:2016-06-17 (Friday)
Agatha, Jim, Dimo, Malek, Violetta, Varpa, Professor Guy (Dio Zardeliv, unconscious), Zeetha, Castle Heterodyne#Portable Castle, Aldin, Larana
Andronicus departs with Prende, sealing the tunnel behind him and, possibly not coincidentally, flooding the crypt with molten stone. The party hurriedly prepares to leave, taking everything from the crypt they can carry; unfortunately Madwa has escaped, taking Prende's lantern with her. They rush off to warn everyone about the pending arrival of the armed and dangerous Storm King. Taking advantage of the confusion, Larana and Aldin sneak off on their own.
Agatha: "What was that?! —And where are they going?"
Dimo: "Op to de city, and ve is gun be blamed for it. Hyu betcha. Hy gots hyu professor guy—vere's de nasty lady?"
Malek: "Madwa's gone!"
Violetta: "Yeah—and she took the Lantern. (shouted) Everybody just grab what you can and move!"
Varpa (shouted): "Hurry!"
He (Andronicus Valois), Madwa, The Lantern, The Librarians, The Master of Paris (Simon Voltaire), My Lord Blitzengaard
2016-06-20 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (086)
Forum:2016-06-20 (Monday)
Jim, Zeetha, Agatha, Dimo, Varpa, Malek, Violetta, Agatha's Wasp eater, Professor Zardeliv (actually a dummy), Mimmoth[75], The Kraków Clank of Redemption (destroyed)
Worried by Zardeliv's silence, Dimo discovers the professor has been spirited away and replaced with a dummy. Madwa again! The Smoke Knights marvel that they hadn't heard anything about the Storm King still being alive and wonder if the Order and Tarvek knew.
Malek: "I'm going to be honest—the old Storm King being alive…I've never heard a whisper about it!"
Violetta: "Me neither!"
Varpa: "—But the Order must have known, right? You served Prince Tarvek, do you think he knew?"
Violetta: "Until recently, I would have said 'No…' But it turns out he's better at keeping secrets than I'd thought."
Dimo: "Ho! Mebbe he learned how to do dot from hyu!"
Violetta: "Ugh, he'd do that just to annoy me."
Master (of Paris) (Simon Voltaire), Madwa, Old Storm King (Andronicus Valois), The Order (Knights of Jove), Prince Tarvek (Tarvek Sturmvoraus)
2016-06-22 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (087)
Forum:2016-06-22 (Wednesday)
Agatha, Dimo, <Andronicus Valois, <Some of the Muses, Violetta, Zeetha
Dimo was around when the Storm King was originally active, and Agatha asks if the man who was just released was really him. Dimo is not sure (he never got a close look at Andronicus back then), but he thinks so, especially since the alleged Storm King has the original Storm King's mace; and apparently is off to find the Storm King's sword. The Storm King's mace and sword are weapons of legend and objects of dread to the Jägers.
Dimo: "Hy neffer saw de Storm King up close, und he alvays has a helmet—but dot guy had the Sturmvoraus noze und de Von Blitzengaard voice, und he gots Smasher—dot demned mace de Storm King used to wave around all de time—zo it's probably him, yah. Hy've seen krezier tings."
Violetta: "The Jägers called it 'Smasher,' but its real name was 'The Platonic Solid.' He got it from Queen Albia of England—but I have no idea where she got it."
Zeetha: "Wow! I can't wait to see what the sword's like!"
Violetta: "It was supposed to be so sharp it could 'cut the day out of the night—' and I have no idea what that means, either."
Dimo: "It means it vos krezy bad, hy remember dot! Dere vos thunder und lightning, und effryting schmelled like burning copper. Ve called it 'Slasher.' Krezy bad!"
Violetta: "The sword was forged by Van Rijn himself. He named it 'Archimedes' Lever.' The stories say the King was never without it—that Van Rijn 'bound it to his soul.' The stories get kind of fanciful, though…"
Heterodynes, The Storm King, Sturmvoraus, Von Blitzengaard, Smasher (The Platonic Solid), Jägers, Queen Albia of England, Slasher (Archimedes' Lever), Van Rijn, Aldin

Gilgamesh On The Trail[]

Location: Somewhere between Mechanicsburg and Paris.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-06-24 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (088)
Forum:2016-06-24 (Friday)
Unnamed Librarian, Anders (another Librarian), Bang, Gil
Two Librarians are in a hunting lodge, arguing. One wants to follow orders to set a false trail and leave, the other want to catalog a rare book he's found.[76] Before they can finish, Gil and Bang crash through a window. Bang shoots a gun out of one Librarian's hand, injuring it. The other tries to protect the book, confirming, to Gil, that the two are from the Incorruptible Library.
Bang: "…Um, what are you doing?""
Anders: "If you shoot, I may be able to protect the book by stopping the bullet with my heart!"
Gil: "See? I told you they were with the Library!"
Mechanicsburg, Paris, Goethe, The Lord High Conservator, The Library
"Somewhere between Mechanicsburg and Paris—"
Caption, panel 1.
  • CRASH!
  • POW!
2016-06-27 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (089)
Forum:2016-06-27 (Monday)
Gil, Unnamed Librarian, Bang
A raging Gil violently interrogates a Librarian, demanding to be told Tarvek's whereabouts. The Librarian says Tarvek has been sent on and defiantly declares Gil will never find him. Bracing himself for more retaliation, the Librarian is left alone, but when he finally starts to relax, Bang reappears and boots him in the head. Comedy is all about timing!
Gil: "Tarvek Sturmvoraus. He was brought here. Where is he?"
Librarian (shouted): "She shot my hand! I'm bleeding!
[Gil blasts a hand-held flamethrower at the injured hand, leaving it blackened and shriveled.]
Gil: "There. It's cauterized. Where is he?"
Librarian (screamed): "Aaaah!"
Gil: "Last chance."
Librarian: "He—he isn't here! This is just a waypoint! He's been sent on!"
Gil: "When?"
Librarian: "You just missed him. —And a light-blind cloud chewer like you will never catch them now they've gone underground!"
Tarvek Sturmvoraus
  • FOOM!
  • RRRUMBLE!
  • KICK!

Aldin and Larana[]

Location: In the Corbettite Crypts of the Library.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-06-29 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (090)
Forum:2016-06-29 (Wednesday)
Jim, Aldin, Larana
Jim tracks down Aldin and Larana, who snuck off during the looting of Prende's crypt , and are now both battling a gigantic snake clank; Larana is ensnared in its coils. Jim immediately joins the fight, helping to free Larana. Aldin tells her to keep looking as he continues to fight against the clank with his brother, Jim.
Hoffmann (shouted): "Aldin! There you are! What are you doing?"
Aldin: "Uh—"
Hoffmann: "You just disappeared! We were worried! You've got to take me with you when you do stuff like this! Jeez!"
  • SMASH!
2016-07-01 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (091)
Forum:2016-07-01 (Friday)
Agatha, Zeetha, Dimo, Aldin, Jim
Agatha joins Zeetha and Dimo, who are looking on as Jim and Aldin struggle with a large snake clank, seemingly not making much headway in defeating it. Agatha asks Zeetha and Dimo why they aren't helping and is told that, despite appearances, Jim and Aldin are winning. It's a technique known as "heroic freestyle" that her father and uncle were also expert in. Agatha comments that it is weird no Jägers are mentioned in the Heterodyne Boys stories, but Dimo says it really isn't.
Agatha: "Hey, you found them! Whoa— Um—why aren't we helping?"
Zeetha: "Heh. They're fine."
Dimo: "Ho, yez. Dey iz already vinning, no problem."
Aldin (shouted): "Jiiiiim!"
Hoffmann: "Hang in there, Aldin! This is one tough clank!"
Agatha: "…Are you sure?"
Zeetha: "Of course! This technique is known as 'heroic freestyle.' It's really hard to master!"
Dimo: "Hyu poppa and oncle vos verra goot at it!"
Heroic Freestyle, Hyu Poppa (William Heterodyne) and Oncle (Barry Heterodyne), The Heterodyne Boys, Jägers
  • KLONG (×2)
  • WHAM
2016-07-04 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (092)
Forum:2016-07-04 (Monday)
Agatha, Dimo, Zeetha, Aldin
As Jim and Aldin's fight with the snake clank continues, Dimo tells Agatha that the reason there are no Jägers in the Heterodyne Boys stories is that Bill and Barry didn't want them around, since ordinary people hated them. When Barry caught the Jägers secretly watching over him and his brother, Bill ordered them all to stay in Mechanicsburg, which was why there weren't any around when the Heterodyne Boys disappeared. Dimo wishes the Jägers had disobeyed orders and been there to protect them.
[Dimo is talking about the Heterodyne Boys stories, as well as Bill and Barry Heterodyne.]

Agatha: "Did I say something wrong?"
Dimo: "Ho, no—iz just—vell, ve iz not in de stories 'coz ve vosn't dere. Not officially, ennyvay. Dey vos being heroes, hyu know—und dey hated effryting about de old family. Zo dey din' vant us Jägers around causink trouble! —But ve vos schneaky! Ho, yez!"
Zeetha: "Sneaky?"
Dimo: "Sure! Ve vatched over dem all secret-like. Dey vos our Heterodynes after all—und dey vos interesting. Different. Dis new hero ting—no Heterodyne had effer tried dot von—it looked like fun!"
Aldin: "Oof—"
Dimo: "Besides, hyu know, most of us Jägers iz hundreds ov years—zo zumting different iz better den gold! Eh, but den, vun time, Master Barry caught us schneaking around vatching—und Master Bill ordered us all to stay in Mechanicsburg. Dot's vy none ov us vere dere ven dey disappeared. Ve should have been dere. Ve should haff gone vit dem."

Old Family (House Heterodyne), Jägers, Master Barry (Barry Heterodyne), Master Bill (William Heterodyne), Mechanicsburg
  • WHUMP!
2016-07-06 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (093)
Forum:2016-07-06 (Wednesday)
Dimo, Agatha, Jim, Aldin, Violetta, Zeetha
Dimo continues his history lesson: The Heterodyne Boys didn't want the Jägermonsters around because they tarnished the Boys' hero image. The Old Heterodynes didn't care what people thought; they liked being bad guys and so did the Jägers. Dimo thinks that Agatha resembles her father and uncle more than the old family and suggests that perhaps she should avoid having Jägers around, too.
Dimo: "Huh…but Hy guess Hy ken understand vy dey left us behind. De old Heterodynes, dey vos bad guys. Dey never cared what ennybody thought ov dem. Dey did voteffer dey vanted, and laughed about it…
"But dese hero types like hyu poppa, dey gots to get along vit pipple if dey vants to get any proper heroing done…and pipple really hated us Jägers. Ho, yez.
"Hyu remember how ve vos ven hyu found us, yah? Me, Maxim und Oggie hanging in a row in de town square, all nize and neat. Heh. Ve vos pretty bad guys too, hyu bet.
"Enny hero dot goes running around vit a bonch of Jägermonsters— iz going to haff a hard time getting pipple to even give dem a chance.
"Ectually, hyu seem more like hyu poppa den enny of de old family— so dot's sumting hyu might be vanting to think about too."
De Old Heterodynes (House Heterodyne), Hyu Poppa (William Heterodyne), Jägers (Jägermonsters), Maxim, Oggie (Ognian) Kaja translates Jâger speak.[77]
2016-07-08 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (094)
Forum:2016-07-08 (Friday)
Agatha, Jim, Aldin, Larana, Dimo
Agatha doesn't think she is as bad as the Old Heterodynes or as good as the Heterodyne Boys were, but that doesn't matter. All of Mechanicsburg is counting on Agatha and her companions to save them (from the time freeze) and she won't abandon any of the monsters of the family, including the Jägers, or let them quit, just because they have a bad public image.
Agatha: "We have people counting on us. Our people. All the monsters of the family—the Jägers, the Castle, the whole town of Mechanicsburg—you all belong to the House of Heterodyne—and I will not run off to save the world and leave you behind. —So, if you think I'm just going to let you quit because you don't think you're shiny and 'heroic' enough—then you have greatly misjudged me."
Old Heterodynes, The Heterodyne Boys, Jägers, The Castle, Mechanicsburg, House of Heterodyne, My Father (William Heterodyne) and Uncle (Barry Heterodyne)
  • [BO]OM[!]
  • CRASH!
2016-07-11 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (095)
Forum:2016-07-11 (Monday)
Jim, Aldin, Larana, Zeetha, Varpa, Violetta, Malek, Agatha
Jim, Aldin, and Larana finally defeat the Snake Clank… to applause. Jim tries to congratulate Larana, but she rushes off to talk to Aldin. They have a whispered conversation about the mysterious object they have been secretly searching for. Aldin tells Larana he found it already; she is so delighted she happily hugs him. Jim witnesses all this from afar and isn't happy about it.
[Larana and Aldin have a whispered conversation away from the others.]
Larana: "It isn't here! I couldn't find it anywhere!"
Aldin: "It's okay—that snake clank knocked me into a shelf of reliquaries—and the damned thing fell right into my lap—which is so typical… Anyway, it's safely stowed in my pocket—and we're free to leave without further hilarity."
Larana: "Ha! Mission successful! Hooray!"
Snake Clank
Finally—
Caption, top of panel 1.
  • CLAP! ×5

Tarvek Uses His Fork[]

Location: Aboard the airship Good Company.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-07-13 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (096)
Forum:2016-07-13 (Wednesday)
Tarvek, Mister Obsidian posing as a Librarian
Tarvek wakes up in a strange bed, chained to a pipe. He surmises he is on an airship. A man bringing him food confirms this. Tarvek uses a fork to pick the lock on his chain and then holds it to the man's throat, demanding to know who has kidnapped him. The man mentions the Library and the Lord High Conservator. Tarvek becomes quite dismayed; he is afraid he must have an overdue book.
Tarvek: "The Incorruptible Library? Oh no! Oh no! I must have an overdue book!"
Gil, That Pirate Girl of His (Bang), The Lord High Conservator, The Incorruptible Library
Aboard the airship Good Company:
Caption, top of panel 1.
  • RATTLE
2016-07-15 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (097)
Forum:2016-07-15 (Friday)
Lord High Conservator, Tarvek, Mister Obsidian posing as a Librarian
Tarvek is astonished to see the Lord High Conservator appear.[78] The Conservator states that the Other has a stronghold in the North and the Librarians are doing everything they can to fight her, including kidnapping Tarvek, since they believe his knowledge will help in the fight. Tarvek responds that they could have just asked for his help. The Conservator replies that since Tarvek was being held by Gil, they couldn't ask, since the Librarians fears Gil is under the Other's control and can't be trusted.
Conservator: "—And these are extraordinary times. The 'Other' has gained a foothold in the north—her influence is spreading more swiftly than ever. Even the deep realms are not safe from her—and there are hints of her power even in Paris itself. We of the Library are doing what we can to fight her—but it is neither simple nor easy. We believe you know much about her methods and sciences—and we require that knowledge."
Tarvek: "Fine…but you could have just asked—"
Conservator: "It was not you we would have had to ask—and young Wulfenbach has been acting… strangely. Doctor Kau, our psychometrics man, believes his mind may not be his own—that the Other may have already subdued him. He cannot be trusted."
Tarvek: "…But you're willing to trust me?"
Conservator: "I did say these are extraordinary times…"
The Library, The "Other", Paris, Young Wulfenbach, Doctor Kau
READ
On shoulder of Lord High Conservator, panel 5.
2016-07-18 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (098)
Forum:2016-07-18 (Monday)
Tarvek, Lord High Conservator
Tarvek says that since the Library has acted openly against the Wulfenbach Empire, Gil will be coming after them and won't be in a good mood. The Conservator is confident that the Library is well protected and that Gil has been sent on a wild goose chase while Tarvek is being taken to a secret base in Ghent. Tarvek points out that they are actually heading towards Paris. As the Conservator rushes on to the airship's bridge, angrily demanding to know what's going on, he is shot in the chest with an arrow or quarrel.

(In panel 3, Tarvek comments, "I'll feel bad if your lovely collection of Florentine philosophy is damaged." As pointed out in the discussion for this page, Niccolò Machiavelli was from Florence. Tarvek could be indirectly commenting on the elaborate, almost Machiavellian, plot the Lord High Conservator has in motion. He may also be fond of Florentine philosophy because he is rather Machiavellian himself.)

Conservator: "The Immortal Library is very well protected—and young Wulfenbach is busy chasing what he believed is our trail along the subterranean roads—where I think he will find his going extremely difficult. Meanwhile, we are, as you can see, en route by air to a secret writers colony outside Ghent."
Tarvek: "Ah, no—look. That's the Reims Cathedral[79] beacon on the horizon. We're heading for Paris."
Wulfenbach Empire, Young Wulfenbach, The Master, Paris, Florentine Philosophy, Ghent, Reims Cathedral, Captain Bolcheck
B[RIDGE]
Painted on door, panel 6.
  • FWUMP!
2016-07-20 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (099)
Forum:2016-07-20 (Wednesday)
Blonde Hijacker, Gap-toothed Hijacker, Hood-wearing Hijacker, Captain and Crew of Airship (deceased), Lord High Conservator
Three of the people responsible for hijacking the airship—holding a sword, a crossbow, and a dagger—are standing on the bridge, surrounded by the bleeding corpses of the captain and crew. While they are discussing whether the quarrel stuck in the Conservator's chest is coated with enough poison to kill him, he pulls it out and throws it with great force at his attacker, giving him an identical wound. The Conservator, looking very unwell, comments that it must have been a lot of poison.
Blonde Hijacker: "You don't seriously think just one shot will kill him, do you?"
Gap-toothed Hijacker: "Depends on how much poison I coat it with, no?"
Conservator (bellowed): "GRARGH!"
[Wrenches poisoned quarrel from his chest and hurls it back at his attacker, embedding it in the attacker's chest.]
Conservator: "Huh. Feels like it was a lot."
  • THUNK!
2016-07-22 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (100)
Forum:2016-07-22 (Friday)
Lord High Conservator, Blonde Hijacker, Hood-wearing Hijacker, Airship Crew Member (deceased), Tarvek, Mister Obsidian
Even though poisoned and badly injured, the Conservator continues fighting. Tarvek enters the bridge. Recognizing the hijackers as Smoke Knights, he angrily orders them to stop. Mr. Obsidian, having abandoned the pretense that he is a mild-mannered Librarian, enters behind Tarvek and holds a knife to his throat, ordering him to shut up. The Conservator manages to dispatch both of the remaining hijackers with impressive strength and skill, but then collapses, to Obsidian's satisfaction.
"HRAAAAGH!"
Smoke Knights
  • CLANG
  • CHOP!
  • SNAP
  • CRASH!
HOT
On pipe, panel 8.
READ
On Conservators scabbard (worn on back), panel 8.
2016-07-25 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (101)
Forum:2016-07-25 (Monday)
Tarvek, Mister Obsidian
Mister Obsidian is unfazed when Tarvek confronts him with the murder of the Lord High Conservator. Tarvek believes, since Obsidian obviously wants him alive, that the knife he's holding is an empty threat. Obsidian proves him wrong by stabbing Tarvek in the arm. Tarvek then discovers that Obsidian is working for his (the Sturmvoraus) family and is taking Tarvek to them, to be the new Storm King.
Tarvek: "You've killed the Lord High Conservator of the Immortal Library!"
Obsidian: "Eh, I was never much of a reader. Now—are you going to give me any trouble?"
Tarvek: "I might! If you wanted me dead, you'd have already done it—so that weapon is—"
[Obsidian stabs Tarvek in arm.]
Obsidian: "Still extremely pointy."
Tarvek (shouted): "Augh!"
[Tarvek, in pain, grabs his wounded arm, but can't think of anything else to say.]
Obsidian: "'Alive' does not necessarily mean 'unharmed,' Highness."
Tarvek: "Well, you're obviously not from Gil, so who—"
Obsidian: "Why—your loving family, of course, Highness!"
Tarvek: "Family—"
Obsidian: "They are so very worried about you! They want you back—safe and sound—to assume your rightful place as the Storm King!"
Lord High Conservator, The Immortal Library, Your Loving Family (House Sturmvoraus), The Storm King
  • CHOK
2016-07-27 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (102)
Forum:2016-07-27 (Wednesday)
Tarvek, Mister Obsidian
Tarvek objects very strongly to being brought back to his family and attempts to resist, clubbing Obsidian with a wrench, which shatters, and kicking him in the throat. Although Tarvek's attacks have no effect, Obsidian angrily and brutally responds, exhibit amazing strength by lifting Tarvek with one hand and flinging him across a large room. After saying that he just wants to be nice, Obsidian lifts up the unconscious man by the hair and repeats that Tarvek is going back to his family.
Obsidian: "I am trying to be nice about this, sir. I am told I can be very nice. Indeed, if I have one complaint about this job—[…]it is that it is that I rarely get a chance to be nice. …But, nice or not, back to your family you go."
My/Your Family (House Sturmvoraus)
  • CRACKKKK
  • CRAK
  • KICK
  • CRASH!
74
On wall, panel 7.

Interpersonal Relationships[]

Location: Moving Out of the Corbettite Crypts and into (What Should Be) Library controlled territory.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-07-29 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (103)
Forum:2016-07-29 (Friday)
Violetta, Aldin, Zeetha, Dimo, Hoffmann, Agatha, Larana
Agatha and party continue to flee the Corbettite crypts under the Library, avoiding traps and battling clanks as they go. Jim is depressed because he thinks Larana loves Aldin.[80] He asks Agatha for reassurance, but—due to a misunderstanding—she makes him feel worse.
Agatha: "Hey, isn't it good if your family likes the person you're marrying?"
Zeetha: "Well, sure… but… Heh—you're a Heterodyne. Just be happy if they're not eating each other at the wedding!"
Agatha: "I'm not talking about myself!"
Dimo: "Vy not? Hy iz starvink!"
Big Angry Hacksaw Clanks, A Heterodyne
In the Corbettite Crypts—
Caption, panel 1.
2016-08-01 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (104)
Forum:2016-08-01 (Monday)
Hoffmann, Aldin, Violetta[81], Ranting voice (shown to be the Arguron King on the next page )
Jim thinks Aldin and Larana are in love, but realizes that he loves Larana.[82] He confronts Aldin with what he has "discovered". Aldin is flabbergasted by how wrong Jim is and tries to explain what is really going on, but is interrupted.
"Muhahahaha! At last, miserable surface-worlders, you have fallen into my clutches!"
Larana, Colette, Professor Swanson, Antarctica
  • SPLOOSH!
ATTENTION—YOU ARE NOW ENTERING LIBRARY CONTROLL[ED] TERRITORY
Sign on wall, panel 6.
2016-08-03 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (105)
Forum:2016-08-03 (Wednesday)
Arguron King, Larana, Librarian, Mole Man, Madame Velix, Arguron?, Mini-T-Rex in Evening Wear, Mook Man, Arguron, Zeetha, Hoffmann, Aldin, Agatha, Agatha's Wasp eater[83], Dimo
Agatha and party are trapped in a net by the Aruguron King and his minions.[84]
King: "Rejoice, daughter! The secrets of the Immortal Library are now mine to command!"
Larana: "Sigh. Hello, father."
  • FWOMP!
2016-08-05 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (106)
Forum:2016-08-05 (Friday)
Larana, Arguron King, Agatha, Zeetha, Hoffmann, Dimo, Aldin, Arguron Guards, Madame Velix
The Auguron King forces Agatha and her party to dress in extremely skimpy "barbarian-style" outfits, making them "fit to adorn" his court. Agatha and Aldin are mortified and angry, but Jim and Zeetha don't seem bothered, and Dimo is happy to be out of his fancy clothes. Larana is horrified that her father the King has attacked the Library, but he and Madame Velix gloat over their plans to take over not only the Library and other "inferior subterranean realms" but Paris itself!
Larana: "No—I mean—what have you done—you've actually attacked the Library!"
King: "Done? Done? Why, I have allied our people with the winning side! Even now, our forces prepare to overrun not only the other, inferior subterranean realms, but even—dare I say it—?"
Velix: "Oh, yes! Say it!"
King: "I shall! Even Paris itself! Muhahahaha!"
The Library, Paris
Soon—
Caption, panel 1.
H
Hoffman's… loinplate?, panel 2
2016-08-08 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (107)
Forum:2016-08-08 (Monday)
Larana, Arguron King, Arguron Guards, Aldin, Jim
Larana argues with her father, telling him his alliance with the Other—"the most hated and feared power in Europa"—is a mistake. The King won't listen and tells her to cheer up; he has freed her from her "mockery of a political marriage" to the the Talpini Prince, Jim.[85] In fact, he will subject Jim to a gruesome death via the "Grubby Grubs of Doom". Aldin reacts with shock and dismay to this, while Jim is apathetic.
King: "Have not the deep realms always been feared by the ignorant fools above? Even as we guarded and maintained their sewers, catacombs and water networks? Even as we stood between them and the untold ferocity of the Deep Dark Ones?!"
Larana (rolling eyes): "Father. the 'Deep Dark Ones' aren't real. You made them up."
King: "The surface dwellers do not know that!"
The Other, Europa, Deep Dark Ones, Hated Mole Kingdom, Grubby Grubs of Doom
2016-08-10 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (108)
Forum:2016-08-10 (Wednesday)
Larana, Arguron King, Zeetha, Jim, Aldin, Dimo, Agatha
Larana protests that she does not want Jim killed, but her father has trouble comprehending this. To explain, Larana declares that she loves "the surface worlder". Jim reacts with surprise and joy. Dimo, thinking Larana means him, tries to let her down easy.
Larana: "No! Father, you can't kill him!"
King: "Of course I can, my dear! I have minions, and soldiers, and lots and lots of pointy—"
Larana: "Argh! No!"
King: "Oooh! I see! You want to kill him yourself! How like your dear mother you are!"
Larana: "Father, listen! I don't want him killed at all!"
King: "I…I don't understand what you are saying…"
Larana: "Spare the surface worlder, father! I love him!"
Jim: "Wha… oh! Oh, hey!"
Dimo: "Sorry, sveethot, but Hy dun vant to be tied down! No hard feelinks!"
Your Dear Mother (Larana's—it would be nice to know who she was!)
2016-08-12 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (109)
Forum:2016-08-12 (Friday)
Arguron King, Larana, Aldin, Jim, Agatha, Madame Velix, Mini-T-Rex in Evening Wear, Mook Man, Talpini, Argurons
Larana again declares her love for Jim, while her father (the Arguron King) reacts with shock and fury. As he begins to shout an order, Larana's father is knocked out by a very accurate throw by Jim, who uses his vision-enhancing helmet as a weapon. (Jim still has on goggles with multiple lenses, which apparently were under his helmet, but it is not clear how much vision he has without it.) Larana takes out Velix with an elbow to the face and declares that she is usurping her father's rule, commanding his forces to stand down. An unseen speaker suggests that Larana's words be heeded.
Larana: "Hear me, people of the deep realms! I, Larana Chroma of the Silver Lands, hereby claim the throne of my father by the ancient tradition of filial usurpation—as is my right and duty! I, your Queen, command my loyal forces to stand down immediately! By sacred treaty the Great Library must remain free and neutral!"
The Deep Realms, The Silver Lands, The Great Library
  • P‑TONG!
  • WUNCH
2016-08-15 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (110)
Forum:2016-08-15 (Monday)
Librarian and large Library raiding party, Argurons, Mook Men, Other wasped people, Mini-T-Rex in Evening Wear, Queen Larana, Zeetha, Agatha, Aldin, Dimo, Arguron King, Madame Velix (the last two unconscious on floor)
The unseen speaker turns out to be a member of a large party of Librarians who have the Arguron King and his allies covered by a wide variety of weapons. He urges them to cheer for Queen Larana and everyone joins in, or at least tries to. Dimo reaches for a Portable Hive Engine dropped by the unconscious Madame Velix.
Crowd (shouted more or less in unison): "All Hail Queen Larana!"

Checking Out of the Library[]

Location: In Library controlled territory on the way to the Tubes.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-08-17 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (111)
Forum:2016-08-17 (Wednesday)
Aldin, Melissa Solera, Jon Solera, Agatha, Members of Raiding Party and Other Library Personnel (wasped and not), <Violetta, <Agatha's Wasp eater
It is revealed that the Arguron King nearly succeeded in taking over the Library because some Librarians were wasped and had secretly turned against it. Fortunately, Violetta showed up with Agatha's wasp eater and revealed the traitors. Melissa whispers to Aldin, asking if he and Larana succeeded in their task. Aldin whispers back that they did[86] and then, in a normal voice, tells her that Andronicus Valois, the Storm King, is on the loose. He and Agatha report that Andronicus looked insane and had an extremely powerful and dangerous weapon. A Librarian rushes in with news of an explosion and a draining reservoir. Agatha is sure that Andronicus is the cause.
Aldin: "There may be a more immediate problem, Madame Curator. We found Prende's crypt. The Lantern was indeed there, and it was being used to imprison…well…he claimed to be Andronicus Valois."
Melissa: "The Storm King himself? Ah—that would explain those cryptic passages in Proni's Third History…and now he's been turned loose? Oh, dear…tell me—did this person look like he'd gone mad?"
Aldin: "Well, he certainly didn't seem sane! He thought he was still fighting Van Rijn!"
Agatha: "He's got a weird weapon and he's burning his way straight up to the surface!"
Messenger (first two words shouted): "Madame Curator! There has been some kind of steam explosion in the north cavern! The whole reservoir is draining!"
Agatha: "Ah. That'll be him now."
Victims (Revenants), Wasped People (Slaver wasps), Smoke Knights, Lord High Conservator, Larana, Prende, The Lantern, Andronicus Valois, The Storm King Himself, Proni's Third History, Van Rijn, Weird Weapon (The Platonic Solid)
2016-08-19 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (112)
Forum:2016-08-19 (Friday)
Agatha, Larana, Jim, Jon Solera, Zeetha, Talpini, Argurons, Librarian
Agatha says that the Master of Paris must be warned about the Storm King. Larana agrees and gets permission to use the Library's tubes to send Agatha and company to the surface as quickly as possible. Larana and Jim seal their newly declared love with a passionate kiss and then Jim, as her consort, goes off with her to battle the Other. Jim enquires after her father's fate and discovers Larana has special plans for the ex-King.
Queen Larana (shouted): "People of the Deep Realms! Follow me to battle!"
Him (Andronicus Valois), Master of Paris (Simon Voltaire), The Tubes, Some Monsters (Geisterdamen, Slaver wasps), Your Father (King of the Silver Lands), Snark Beasts
2016-08-22 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (113)
Forum:2016-08-22 (Monday)
Jon Solera, Agatha, Professor Beausoleil, Zeetha, Agatha's Wasp eater, Malek, Violetta, Dimo, Professor Cheyenne Wright (AKA, King of the Silver Lands), Professoressa Kaja Foglio, Librarian, Professor Pavel Moxylotyl[87]
As everyone heads for the tubes, Agatha is surprised to see Beausoleil. He is escorting some colleagues from TPU: Moxylotyl, a former professor of Agatha's, and none other than Kaja Foglio. There are there to retrieve the Arguron King, who turns out to be Cheyenne Wright, a rogue professor from TPU who now has some explaining to do. Agatha tells Beausoleil that the Master of Paris must be warned; he says he'll take care of it.
Agatha: "But—what are you doing here?"
Beausoleil: "Oh, just playing escort to some of my colleagues from Transylvania Polygnostic—here to round up one of their lost professors."
Agatha: "Yeek! Professor Moxylotyl!"
Moxylotyl: "You still owe me a report, Miss Clay."
Dimo: "Hey! Dot's de King!"
Moxylotyl: "That is a rogue professor of color theory—who disappeared into the field twenty years ago—while supposedly studying the court painters of the Dark Empire of the Altai."
Dimo: "But he vos de King!"
Beausoleil: "Ho ho! A bored barbarian queen…a brash adventurer…"
Moxylotyl: "It happens all the time!"
Kaja: "One of the world's most persistent meta-stories!"
Beausoleil: "His daughter wrote to the University, and they've come to take him back. Apparently he's got twenty years of grant expenditures to explain to the Board of Regents."
The Tubes, Paris, Transylvania Polygnostic (University AKA TPU), The Dark Empire of the Altai
2016-08-24 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (114)
Forum:2016-08-24 (Wednesday)
Jon Solera, Agatha, Violetta, Dimo, Professor Beausoleil, Zeetha, Varpa, Professoressa Kaja Foglio, Professor Pavel Moxylotyl, Librarian
Jon explains the pneumatic tubes are like being shot out of a cannon, but not as much fun (at least in Dimo's opinion). Agatha isn't sure if using the tubes is a worthwhile risk, but then a large blast rocks the area where they stand, and she changes her mind.
Jon: "Ah! 'Here' is the Library's pneumatic tube system. It carries things on a huge blast of compressed air. They're mostly used for cargo—but recently, Larana and her friends have been experimenting with passengers."
Violetta: "Is it dangerous?"
Jon: "Well, it's a little bit like being shot out of a cannon—"
Dimo: "Ho! Hy luffs dot!"
Jon: "But without the smoke, fire and 'kaboom.'"
Dimo: "Huh. Neffer mind, den."
The Library's Pneumatic Tube System, Larana
  • BOOM!
  • RRRUMBLE!
2016-08-26 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (115)
Forum:2016-08-26 (Friday)
Jon Solera, Agatha, Zeetha, Malek, Professor Beausoleil, Varpa, King of the Silver Lands (AKA Professor Cheyenne Wright), Violetta, Professor Pavel Moxylotyl, Professoressa Kaja Foglio, Agatha's Wasp eater, Dimo
Agatha and company enter the tube chamber and start strapping themselves into upright, reclining cots. Violetta reveals she was keeping Agatha's wasp eater hidden and safe while the others were "bathed and brought". The chamber hatch is sealed as Agatha notices she has nowhere to strap herself in. Dimo grabs her and holds her against him, over her objections, as the tube fires.
Agatha: "Oh. They've sealed the hatch—but—wait— Wait! They're aren't places for everyone!"
Dimo: "Too late! Dun vorry—Hy gots hyu!"
[Dimo grabs Agatha and holds her flat on top of him.]
Agatha: "Dimo! No! The pressure! I'll squash you!"
[The tube activates.]
Dimo: "Whuff!"
  • SLAM!
  • [TH]OOMB
  • GSSSH
  • FOONT!

A General Discussion[]

Location: In the fortress surrounding Mechanicsburg.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-08-29 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (116)
Forum:2016-08-29 (Monday)
Captain Vole, The Unstoppable Higgs
Vole belches hugely. He has been eating an enormous meal, with Higgs looking on, but he's full. Vole has undergone extensive physical changes as a result of his removal from the Mechanicsburg time-freeze bubble.
Vole: "Brrraaaap."
Mechanicsburg
Far away, in the fortress surrounding Mechanicsburg—
Caption, top of full-page panel.
[WULFE]NBACH
Ribbon on Higgs's cap.
?[C]H[A]?
Label on side of barrel
LEM[ON] JUIC[E]
Label on bottle in crate
24 C[ount]?
Label on crate
DIAMOND BRAND LARGE [O]NIONS
Label on side of crate
  • WHUMP!
2016-08-31 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (117)
Forum:2016-08-31 (Wednesday)
The Unstoppable Higgs, Captain Vole
Higgs asks Vole some questions and Vole's answers reveal that he has undergone mental changes at least as significant as his physical ones. Not only does he no longer care much about clothing (or even hats!) but he is not even sure if he wants to fight any more.
Vole: "It felt like Hy vos fightink in a bad dream—all slow-like, but so mad dot Hy couldn't schtop. Like Hy vos fightink for hundreds ov years. Und Hy could feel effery minute ov it. Hy means, sure, Hy likes a goot fight, yah—but—but dis vos bad fightink. Und now—now Hy dun know if Hy feels like fightink enny more. Veird, huh?"
Dot Wulfenbach Keed
WULFENBACH
Ribbon on Higgs's cap, shown, at least in part, in panels 1, 5, and 11.
2016-09-02 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (118)
Forum:2016-09-02 (Friday)
The Unstoppable Higgs, Captain Vole
Higgs says Vole is talking like a General, which shocks and confuses the once (and future?) Jäger. Vole protests that he can't be a General because he has done "horrible things," but Higgs reassures him that everyone has.[88]
Vole: "But…but Hy kent be a general! De Masters vill neffer trust me! Hy haff done all kinds ov horrible tings!"
Higgs: "Kid? We all did—and then we grew up."
General (Jägergenerals)
WULFENBACH
Ribbon on Higgs's cap, shown, at least in part, in nearly every panel.
  • CRAK

Gilgamesh Loses the Trail (non-canon)[1][]

Location: Somewhere underground.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-09-05 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (119)
Forum:2016-09-05 (Monday)
Gil, Bang, Wulfenbach subterrene crew member
The search for Tarvek has lead Gil and Bang to a cavern lake. For reasons he doesn't disclose, Gil decides they have been led on a wild goose chase and that Tarvek is actually being taken to Paris. He and Bang eagerly set off for the City of Lightning in their subterrene.
!Gil: "…Tarvek is being taken to Paris—and that is where we work best!"
DuPree: "—And it's where they make those chocolates with the mimmoth centers!"
!Gil: "Ugh! DuPree, how can you eat those?! They have all those little bones!"
DuPree: "That's what makes them crunchy!"[89]
Tarvek, Puffer Bats, Duchy of Klopsikkle, My Father (Klaus), Paris, Chocolates with the Mimmoth Centers
?U[LF]?
On hull of subterrene (possibly part of WULFENBACH), panel 3.
DOOR [TOOLS]?
On bulkhead, near door, panel 4.

A Dream Come True[]

Location: A lab in St. Lavoisiér, a former church in Paris.

Identifier
Page
Characters
Actions
Quotes
Names Used Text Extras
2016-09-07 (Wednesday)
Vol.2-3 p. (120)
Forum:2016-09-07 (Wednesday)
Parisian Lab Technicians, Dimo
Two lab technicians leap into action when a tube capsule unexpectedly arrives. They stop it successfully, but one is grumpy about having his meal interrupted. He says it will be worth it, however, is there is a someone sexy and scantily-clad on board. His colleague scoffs, but grumpy turns out to be right for once (at least about the scantily-clad part). However, Dimo in his "harem boy" outfit doesn't seem to be quite what grumpy had in mind.
Lab Tech 1: "Still, as long as there's a sexy, scantily-clad Underworlder on board—"
Lab Tech 2: "You always say that, but it never happens."
Lab Tech 1: "Hey, a man can—"
[A scantily-clad Dimo steps out of the tube.]
Lab Tech 1 (shouted): "Wow!"
Dimo (loudly): "Hello dere, sveethot!"
Larana, Catchlocks
A lab in Paris—
Caption, top of panel 1.
[LE] MONDE
MASKED [BA]LL
Title and headline of newspaper, panel 1.[90]
  • WOOOOOO
  • FWUMP!
2016-09-09 (Friday)
Vol.2-3 p. (121)
Forum:2016-09-09 (Friday)
Agatha, Dimo, Lab Technician, Malek, Violetta, Varpa
Agatha and the others follow Dimo out of the capsule, causing further astonishment among the techs. The Smoke Knights reveal some surprising interests as a messenger bat arrives. Agatha asks how far it is to the Awful Tower, hoping to find Simon Voltaire, but Varpa claims he will be at Grandma's party, instead.
Malek: "Why, it's St. Lavoisiér!"
Agatha: "You know it?"
Malek: "I studied ecclesiastical architecture at the University."
Agatha: "Oh. I guess I thought Smoke Knights were…"
Malek: "Hah! Being a Smoke Knight is what I do, not what I am. In my heart, I am a stonemason!"
Violetta: "Fair enough. I play the gamba."
Varpa: "Yeah, I write poetry about cheese."
Violetta: "Wait—La Fromage Amore—that's you?"
Varpa (softly): "Hee hee…"
Localized Electrical Phantasms, St. Lavoisiér (former church)[91], The University (of Paris), Smoke Knights, Gamba, La Fromage Amore, The Awful Tower, Grandma
2016-09-12 (Monday)
Vol.2-3 p. (122)
Forum:2016-09-12 (Monday)
Agatha, Varpa, Lab Technician, Zeetha, ~Gil, ~Tarvek, Dimo, Malek
Agatha doesn't want to go to a party in her scanty attire, even a costume party. Dimo offers to help her find a new outfit—Jäger style—as Malek and Varpa have a whispered argument. Malek doesn't think Voltaire will be at the party, but Varpa changes his mind.
Malek: "What are you doing?! The Master won't be there! He never attends parties!"
Varpa: "Listen. This party is about to be crashed by a giant undead Storm King! The Master will be there."
Malek: "Oh my gosh—the Master, the Lady Heterodyne, and the actual Storm King at her party?"
Varpa: "I know! Grandma is going to be thrilled!"
Grandma, Duke Smollet von Magmar, Flamethrower Lords, Fire Monkeys, The Master (Simon Voltaire), Giant Undead Storm King (Andronicus Valois)

References

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 This title for this section is not from the Canon; that is, it is not from the Girl Genius website navigation menu. It was added for easier navigation within the chronology.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Although this is a non-canon section, it is considered to be an important navigation item, so it has been promoted to the same heading level as the canonical sections.
  3. Othar's eyes are shown on this page. We have seen them at least once before, in Volume 3, page 027, panel 4.
  4. Tarvek is lying on the floor, where he collapsed after being stabbed by a poisoned knife thrown by Tweedle. His head and shoulders are being held up by someone, whose face is not shown clearly, but is almost certainly Vanamonde von Mekkhan. Vanamonde was right behind Tarvek as he was stabbed, just before the time freeze.
  5. Higgs may be in the background on the far right of panel 4 on this page.
  6. It is not clear whether Gil knows Tarvek has been poisoned and will die almost immediately without treatment once time starts up for him again, even if he survives the time-freeze extraction process.
  7. Apparently, some residents of the subterranean realms refuse to believe in surface civilizations. A creature that resembles a sentient scaled-down tyrannosaurus rex five meters long in top hat and tails makes the following statements:
    "What?! More of you costumed frauds? How far will the papers go to spread their bogus stories of a 'surface civilization?'" - page 005, final panel
    "Hmf. Hideous mutated ground squirrels… The very idea… Grumble… Grumble…" - page 006, first panel.
  8. The Arguron King bears a striking resemblance to Phil's caricature of Cheyenne Wright, as shown on this Hugo wrap up page in panel 3, for example. (For Cheyenne's own take on himself in comic form, see his short story "Homecoming King.")
  9. Mook is a fan term used for expendable low-level bad guys whose only purpose is to be defeated by the hero.
  10. The Mangalore are a race of aliens who serve as villains in the Luc Besson film The Fifth Element. This is not identical to the name of the creature shown on this page, but seems close enough to be worth mentioning, even though the aliens from the film bear very little resemblance to the monster in Girl Genius.
  11. We haven't seen Boris since page 112 (web) of volume 12. His name is mentioned once in volume 13, however, in panel 3 of page 035 (web).
  12. The identity of the princess Boris calls out to is revealed on the next page.
  13. The princess Boris was talking to on the previous page is revealed to be Larana Chroma, daughter of the King of the Argurons.
  14. The page for Wednesday, January 13, 2016, features a full-page panel.
  15. All of the characters listed in parentheses have been shown to be part of the party in past panels, so presumably they are still part of it although they are not clearly visible on today's page. In panel 3, all of the characters can be seen, but at such a distance they cannot all be clearly identified.)
  16. The scene in the large first panel is complex and a bit confusing. At first glance, it seems as if the river is flowing towards the waterfall. But on closer inspection it seems that the river ends in a second waterfall facing the visible one; all that can be seen of it is the water pouring over the edge, but there is a line of posts connected by chains to help keep boats from going over the edge. Presumably, both the visible and hidden cataracts plunge into the same unseen depth.
  17. Google Translate renders it into English as something like, "Knowledge is like a river can not contain thee for ever". (Exactly how it comes out depends on the case—upper or lower—of the letters in the Latin statement, oddly enough.) A Girl Genius reader who seems to have the proper background to translate this to English says it means, "Knowledge is like a river. They cannot capture you forever." At least one Girl Genius reader believes the Foglios intended the inscription to mean, ""Knowledge is like a river. You cannot hold it back forever." This is based on this statement from Ardsley Wooster about the Incorruptible Library, ((from act 2, volume 2, page 111, panel 4) ):
    "The Incorruptible Republic of the Immortal Library of the Grand Architect is an autonomous government which claims a large section of underground Paris off the Black Market. They lend out any book to anybody. Many people find this irresponsible."
  18. 18.0 18.1 Agatha is shown finishing the dictation of her wasp eater monograph on page 108 (web) of The City of Lightning.
  19. This was deciphered by Girl Genius reader Blitzengaard on the forum for this page.
  20. The fact that Agatha says she needs her wasp eater seems to indicate that she is still dependent on it as an antidote to Tweedle's biochemical tampering.
  21. A rather elderly and hard-of-hearing Chief Quartermaster named Salma initially thinks the request for flame throwers is for pain mowers, so apparently the Library has those too, whatever they are.
  22. A clowder is a name for a group of cats.
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 23.5 This character's last name has been spelled as both Zardeliv and Zardilev in the comic. Both spellings have been used several times, but the Foglios seems to have settled on the "Zardeliv" spelling, so that was chosen as the title for this character's page. The name will be spelled in the Chronology as it is spelled on the page being summarized. If both spellings are used on the same page, this will be noted.
  24. This will not be mentioned again for the remaining appearances of the notebook on subsequent pages in this scene.
  25. Here, it is being assumed this term means writing revealed by shining a certain frequency of light on a page, as demonstrated by Melissa on the previous page, but this isn't certain.
  26. See 2007-05-23 (Wednesday) for the last time Agatha had coffee.
  27. The invented terms on this page are: Shine Writing, Phasing Ink, Fourth Dimensional Cryptograms, Intarsia Script, and Crypto-bibliology. These are also given in this entry in the quotes and the text sections, but are re-listed here for easy reference.
  28. Although Hoffmann doesn't know what the musical sound he is hearing is, the long-time Girl Genius reader recognizes it as Agatha heterodyning, which hasn't happened in the story for quite a while. Concern over what Agatha will do while in the madness place seems likely to explain why Dimo and Jenka prepare to rush off in panel 1.
  29. The page is in color, as of June 1, 2016. The page is in black and white (Kaja included a note, "Sorry about the no color today, we had Cheyenne working hard on the latest book cover, and then Phil got really sick and didn't even get him the art until yesterday, so…now we're behind. (Le sigh.) It'll be colored when we can catch up!--Kaja") and portrays a busy, complex scene, so it is hard to be sure exactly who else may be included.
  30. "Here's the cover for the next collection. It's now off to the Distributor catalogs. The printed book will be shipping in the Summer of 2016, we'll be doing a Kickstarter later for pre-ordering. More info soon! —Kaja"
  31. If the creature in the small glass tank in panel 1 is a guinea pig or hamster, in a cage lined with cedar shavings, then its comment about "the ancient cedar writings of my ancestors" takes on a whole new meaning.
  32. A bas relief is a mostly-flat sculpture carved into a wall.
  33. As stated by Brother Ulm and Father Gerät in The Beast of the Rails, web page 090.
  34. Pfennig is German for penny. (Pfennige is the plural.)
  35. This probably refers to the "trick" of putting pennies on a railroad track to flatten them. The claim that this can derail a train is an urban legend in our universe. However, this "trick" can be dangerous for those putting the pennies on the tracks; perhaps this is what the Beast has in mind, when it says this to the Portable Castle.
  36. You can see a glimpse of the Wasp eater between Agatha and Colette's feet in panel 1 and it appears again in panel 5.
  37. The mummified body of Van Rijn is shown on the page as well, in "real time" panels.
  38. Agatha's objection is based on the phenomenon she saw way back near the start of the story (Act 1, volume 1, page 004 (web). ) and a drawing in the Van Rijn notebook she looked at much more recently. (Act 2, volume 2, page 090 (web), panel 5. )
  39. Sketches of this entity, in various guises, from the Van Rijn Hermitorium Notebook are shown on this page.
  40. From the Great Hospital at Mechanicsburg, judging by the insignia on her cap.
  41. The poison is from the Nullabist knife thrown by his cousin Tweedle. (THUNK, act 1 , volume 13, page 055 (web), panel 5. )
  42. The character whose name has just been revealed to be Madame Beauxie can be seen on these earlier pages: announcing the attack (page 003, last panel) and passing on Gil's orders (page 004, panels 2 and 3).
  43. This may have previously been "Your dear cousin".
  44. Kaja included this note at the top of the page: "THE POWER IS OUT AT CHEYENNE'S HOUSE! So we are less than colorful today, but never fear! Color shall return to our lives once the power is restored. It has been a very windy week here in Seattle, apparently something was knocked down..."
  45. as concluded 2016-03-28 (Monday)
  46. Post-Timeskip Mechanicsburg was first shown in the comic in volume 13, on pages 126 and 127 (web), and which can be seen as a single image here.
  47. Almost everyone believes that all of the wasp eaters were destroyed by Klaus, including Gil, as he makes quite clear on the next page. "My father destroyed the whole vespiary program, and everything connected to it. Who else is there?" Act 2, volume 3, page 048 (web), panel 1. As far as Tarvek knows, however, he saved some of them.
  48. It is not clear what Tarvek means when he uses the phrase "gammon cuffs." The shirt he is regarding when he says this has what appear to be knit cuffs. Some fans have speculated that the intended meaning is false or deceptive, based on an older meaning of gammon.
  49. This may be a reference to the widespread belief in the real world that if you put a sleeping person's hand in a bucket of warm water, they will wet the bed. Bang, of course, gives the trick her own personal twist.
  50. Bang is peeking out from behind Gil in panel 1.
  51. This is a vertical caption on the border between panels 2 and 3.
  52. The book is Agatha's monograph on wasp eaters. The two partly legible words in the title may be "Vespiary" and "Mustela" (the genus in the scientific name of weasels and their kin).
  53. This siren sound effect spans panels 4 and 5, and the size of the text decreases slightly from left to right, presumably indicating a diminution of the volume over time.
  54. This page confirms the fan hypothesis that the beings called forth by Robur Heterodyne, which he thought were angels, were actually Dreen. This also seems to have been realized by Gil when he has a revelation predicted by a Dreen: "'and…they had hats…'" , volume 2 of act 2, page 051 (web), panel 10. However, neither Aldin nor Agatha know the true identity of Robur's angels.
  55. 55.0 55.1 The spelling artefact is usually used in Britain and Australia. The American spelling is artifact.
  56. Lady Selnikov died while searching frantically through the the crypts or vaults in St. Szpac.
  57. This page recalls a similar scene in Castle Heterodyne (way back before it was fixed, in volume 7, website page 065), with Zola Malfeazium giving the warnings.
  58. The word "FTAGIN" or "F'TAGIN" (whether or not an apostrophe is intended between the 'F' and 'T' isn't entirely clear) may be intended to be or to suggest the word "fhtagn" from "The Call of Cthulhu." The H. P. Lovecraft story "The Call of Cthulhu," contains the phrase, "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn" ("In his house at R'lyeh, dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.")
  59. Varpa made a brief appearance in the previous volume, but is not addressed by name in this volume until page 072.
  60. Malek is not identified by name until page 079.
  61. 61.0 61.1 This is presumably a Roman numeral or part of one. It probably identifies a specific vault, corridor, or some other part of the crypts.
  62. The letter 'V' or V-shaped emblem on Malek's headgear appears on almost every page he is in, but will not be mentioned again in the Chronology unless warranted.
  63. The "Diet" in the phrase the "Diet of Kraków" is most likely meant to be an Imperial Diet of the Holy Roman Empire. An imperial diet was a formal deliberative assembly of the whole Empire. In our universe the most famous of these was The Diet of Worms (in the German city of Worms). However, in our universe, there is no historical record of an Imperial Diet taking place in Kraków.
  64. In the SFX text in the comic, each "CLAK" is immediately followed by a "CLAK!" and then, after a pause, a "BOOM!" The action is a bit hard to interpret, but it seems that Larana is arming (CLAK CLAK!) and throwing grenades at the clank, one after another, ultimately destroying it (BOOM!).
  65. When the page for Friday, May 13, 2016, was first posted, Larana's name was spelled "Lorana" in Aldin's second dialog balloon in panel 3. The typo was fixed in short order.
  66. Zeetha is just a voice from off panel in panel 1 but appears in panel 2.
  67. As was pointed out on the forum for this page, the spider in panel 1 might be surprised because “larana” is pretty close to the word for “spider” in Spanish (l’araña)... or French, for that matter (l’araignée).
  68. This page provides absolute confirmation, if any is needed, that shorter of the two Smoke Knights following Agatha and party is named Varpa.
  69. We have already seen a clank that can generate powerful electrical charges (fatally powerful, in fact) which incinerate its clothes; the Anevka Sturmvoraus clank body, built by Tarvek. On the other hand, the Muse Tinka is able to generate a charge big enough to knock out Eotain and Shurdlu without burning up her outfit.
  70. The vowel in this sound effect is unclear. It could be "bzork" or even "bzark."
  71. What would normally have been the page for Monday, June 6, 2016, was posted with a date of Sunday, June 5, 2016, instead. See the talk page for more details.
  72. What would normally have been the page for Wednesday, June 8, 2016, was posted with a date of Tuesday, June 7, 2016, instead. See the talk page for more details.
  73. The mace is later revealed to be called The Platonic Solid (AKA Smasher).
  74. The text used to represent this speech is very large and in the same, or very similar, typeface and dialogue balloon style as text spoken by Jägermonsters and Sparks deep within the madness place.
  75. Panel 3
  76. Goethe's lost book, The Binding Arbitration of Faust, is mentioned by Anders. Presumably, the title is supposed to be a humorous variation on The Damnation of Faust. It seems safe to assume that the Goethe referred to is the Girl Genius universe analogue of the Johann Wolfgang von Goethe of our universe. However, real-world Goethe never wrote a book called The Damnation of Faust, but rather a play called (in English) Faust: A Tragedy, but generally just referred to as Faust. The composer Hector Berlioz wrote a major musical work called (in English) The Damnation of Faust and the science fiction writer Charles Sheffield wrote a short story called, "The Dalmatian of Faust."
  77. Oh dear, it's an entire page of Jäger speak. Lo: I take pity:

    "Huh…but I guess I can understand why they left us behind. The old Heterodynes, they were bad guys. They never cared what anybody thought of them. They did whatever they wanted, and laughed about it…"

    "But these hero types like your papa, they have to get along with people if they want to get any proper heroing done…and people really hated us Jägers. Oh, yes."

    "You remember how we was when you found us, yes? Me, Maxim and Oggie hanging in a row in the town square, all nice and neat. Heh. We were pretty bad guys too, you bet."

    "Any hero that goes running around with a bunch of Jägermonsters is going to have a hard time getting people to even give them a chance."

    "Actually, you seem more like your papa than any of the old family, so that's something you might be wanting to think about too."
  78. There has been at least one other four-eyed character with the same arrangement of eyes, a man addressed as "Doctor" by Bohrlaikha back when she first appeared in the story. He has only made one appearance so far.
  79. There is a Reims Cathedral in the real world.
  80. Jim witnesses Aldin and Larana embracing on this page.
  81. Violetta is shown from the rear in panel 5 and is partially obscured by dialog balloons, but enough of her can be seen to make the identification pretty certain.
  82. Larana has been in love with Jim for a long time, but has never been able to bring herself to tell him so. We first see evidence of this here.
  83. Her Wasp eater is on Agatha's right shoulder, but it is partially obscured by Aldin and Dimo. Its ears are visible above Dimo's left (metal) hand.
  84. The behavior of the Arguron King and Madame Velix up to and on the page for Wednesday, August 3, 2016, provides strong reason to believe that are Revenants. Presumably, the rest of the beings with them (the Librarian, the Mole Man, the Augurons, the T-Rex, and the Mook Man) have also been wasped.
  85. The fact that Jim is the adopted son of the Mole King is revealed on this page.
  86. This page is the first direct evidence that Aldin and Larana were acting for the Library in making their secret search for a secret object.
  87. His first name isn't given until two pages later.
  88. Some fans think the fact that Higgs says "we all did" to Vole is tantamount to an outright admission that he is the hidden Jägergeneral, while others find it an ambiguous statement.
  89. On this page we learn that Paris is famous for making chocolate mimmoths and that the treats really are made from actual whole mimmoths coated in chocolate and are not just mimmoth-shaped chocolate candies, as some fans assumed. After all, in our world, chocolate Easter bunnies don't actually contain rabbit meat or bones.
  90. The Girl Genius Universe version of Paris seems to have a newspaper called "Le Monde," just as the Paris of our Universe does, although if Agatha's timeframe corresponds to our late 19th Century, it predates the well-known newspaper of the same name in our universe by decades.
  91. St. Lavoisiér may be named after Antoine Lavoisier, the "father of modern chemistry", or rather his analogue in the Girl Genius Universe.


Index[]

Chronology Overview         Internal Chronology
Key Book red = First page of volume                 Calendar metal = chronology                 Cast multicolor = cast
Act 1 1 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

2 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

3 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

4 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

5 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

6 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

7 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

8 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

9 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

10 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

11 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

12 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

13 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

Act 2 1 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

2 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

3 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

4 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

5 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

6 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

7 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

8 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

9 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

10 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

11 Book red

Calendar metal Cast multicolor

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