Baa
We saw Shaun the Sheep this weekend! It served as a great reminder that a movie can work without dialogue, or big special fx, or sheep, or... wait. No, there were sheep. But not so much any of that other stuff. Just a lot of charming claymation. I wouldn't call it Aardman's best, but it was very refreshing "smaller" film from them, and a lot of fun!
Picked up a few new Patreoners over the weekend! Thanks for your support, friends. Please enjoy your bonus swag.
We return on Wednesday with our next comic. See you then!
-Sam Logan
Ahh... a good old fashioned Friday cliffhanger! Patreon supporters at all levels: I have posted Monday's strip early on the Patreon Activity Feed, if you would prefer to replace your Friday cliffhanger anxiety with Monday cliffhanger anxiety! Woooo!
Sam and Fuzzy Q & A: 1691b Edition
Got a question you want answered? Just drop me an email with "Q & A" in the subject line!
"Would you care to do some shutdown code rules lawyering? I started following Sam and Fuzzy after a lot of the Buddy Bear details were originally introduced, but even completists might appreciate a more detailed recap. How did Bonus say the old shutdown code without harm? Is he the wrong model? Is it because he cannot self-terminate?" -Dale
"1691b" was the shutdown code for the original Buddy Bear line's secret militaristic defense combat mode.
The original Buddy Bears "normal" mode was a naive, childlike personality resulting from a faulty half-copy of Eric's brain. This is the mode that Bonus, as well as all of Hope Springs' Buddy population, is still running in. Their alternate defense mode, in which they become mindless attack drones that follow Sin's every order, has since been permanantly deactivated.
Nearly two decades later, Sin is now building brand new combat Buddy Bears. Bonus was hoping, rather naively, that the new model would have the same deactivation code. No dice!
"Is '1691b' a reference to the death year of 17th century chemist Robert Boyle?" -Christy
BOOOOOOOYYYYYLEE!
"Is the Ninja Mafia technologically advanced enough to give certain members of the mafia cybernetic limbs? Because Mr. X could do well with a robot arm by now. Just something to consider..." -Joe
Cyber limbs are pretty widely available in the Underground (although you're required to keep them disguised on the surface)!
Most frequently, you'll see them attached to members of the Cyborg Mafia -- for whom cybernetic upgrading is a philosophy and way of life (and mandatory) -- but they're also widely available to other Underground residents. How widely? Widely enough that cyber limbs are a standard purchasable upgrade for your character in The Underground Role-Playing Game ON SALE NOW! (plug plug plug)
So long story short, yes, Mr. X has the resources to replace his arm if he wanted to. But, as you may recall, the reason Mr. X is missing an arm is because he removed it himself as part of a battle strategy. If X felt that losing his arm put him at any kind of disadvantage, that would make that strategy completely stupid! Clearly, he felt he didn't really need it and is no worse off without it. And as a creator, I make a point of never drawing anything that counters that belief. He IS a very highly trained ninja, after all.
X did, of course, wear a robot arm when he went undercover as a burlesque performer. But that was because it was part of his disguise! In my upcoming pinup art book -- which will feature mini burlesque routines for each character -- X's act revolves around the robot arm, and maybe provides a little extra explanation about why he might be hesitant to get one permanantly.
That's a wrap for this week! A new comic arrives Monday. See you then!
-Sam Logan
Diagnostic Mode
"1691b" was the shut down code for the original run of Buddy Bears. Wishful thinking, Bonus!
We'll be back on Friday with our next comic, and a new round of reader Q an A! (If you've got a question you'd like me to answer, just pop it in an email with "Q and A" in the subject line.)
-Sam Logan
