#lol I’m allowed to be critical of my third fave character | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

comicteaparty · 7 years ago

Text

July 5th, 2018 CTP Archive

The archive for the Comic Tea Party chat that occurred on July 5th, 2018, from 5PM - 7PM PDT. The chat focused on Cunning Fire by Kaz Rowe.

Featured Comment:

Chat:

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

COMIC TEA PARTY START!

Good day everyone~! This week’s Comic Tea Party is now officially beginning~! Today we are discussing Cunning Fire by Kaz Rowe~! (http://cunningfire.com/) For those new or in need of a reminder, discussions about the comic are freeform, so please feel free to bring up whatever you wish. However, every 30 minutes I will be dropping in a discussion question to help those who would like a prompt. These questions are totally OPTIONAL to answer, and you can pay them no mind if you wish. If you miss out on any though, they’ll be pinned for the duration of the chat once they’re posted~! Remember, constructive criticism is allowed, but the primary focus here is to have fun and appreciate the amazing comics that the community makes~! As a bonus, each chat a top comment will be picked and featured in the archives and on an ad for CTP! All that being said, let’s get started and have a great discussion!

QUESTION 1. What is your favorite scene in the comic so far and why?

snuffysam

I liked the scene where Akiva and Blair go through the first few levels of the astral plane

It was cool introducing the different environments, and that scene gave us "i need to make a harder challenge"

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i felt so bad for that first level guardian. XD just trying to make some nifty puzzles but nope, everyone just comes and solves them and moves along

i think my fave scene is when they charged the crystal. not only were the visuals really stunning, but im glad there was an element of danger to it. i think that really painted a distinct picture that no, being a witch is kind of dangerous

snuffysam

yeah, i liked the idea that if you mess up with that channeling, you could be hit by lightning

turned out ok in the end, because they needed smaller crystals. but the danger was there

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

So, I liked when Akiva and Darcy first met, and the latter remarked how "literally none of that is your business" but they still kind of got along... and so I shipped them only to see in the author's comment that it could end up being canon.

snuffysam

i can see that. the ship has a lot of potential

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Though the astral plane stuff was neat too. Poor tearful Guardian 1, I guess anyone who makes it to him kind of has a sense of things already.

A lot of things seem dangerous, Akiva's just blindly charging in (though not totally blindly, as they're trying to help her).

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

haha i feel the akiva darcy ship is pretty obvious. would be surprised if it doesnt happen because the two have a really strong connection. or at least akiva is really insistent on being a creepy porch stalker

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Just gotta get past that whole Bahram spoiling it thing.

snuffysam

and a creepy window stalker

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Akiva, into the architecture, heh.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i like how the danger kind of gradually increases for akiva. in that they dont throw her into the most dangerous stuff from the get go. i feel like theyre working their way up so she doesnt panic

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Though you know me and my yuri ships.

snuffysam

yeah it really is kind of like getting experience points and leveling up

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Rebel - Yeah, that's a good point. And they seem to have judged where she's at too, like that remark in the graveyard about how she'd have already been thrown out if there was problems.

"This isn't like a video game!"

snuffysam

it is totally like a video game though, lol.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

another scene that i really enjoyed was when akiva and blair talked on the balcony. mostly because i felt like that scene had some really great atmosphere.

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Yeah, I hope that builds up to something more, and learning about Darcy's past.

Related, I find the cast page really interesting... their witch cards, with certain "spoiler" information blacked out.

snuffysam

the balcony scene reminded me - one thing i really like is how the characters' clothes change

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

I hadn't even really remarked on that. Good one.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i was actually really sad there was so much good info on that cast page cause i wanted to include some of that stuff in the questions but decided against it since it wasnt in the story itself. XD

i really enjoy how the characters have their own individual styles for clothing

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Heh. The evil date, "121613".

Actually... this takes place in 2016. And Darcy's pact was 3 years ago. Coincidence? O.o

Some people (witches?) must have up and died in mid-December that year...

snuffysam

rio's had a pact for 3 years too, according to her card

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

well the cast page does say eden is one of 4 survivors. and cant have survivors unless ppl dun died

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Maybe they were just sent to astral jail or something.

Like the hellhounds.

snuffysam

though i would point out that eden wasn't registered until after december 16th 2013

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

OH. Nice catch. That is interesting. Maybe the incident is what drove him to witchcraft.

I like how Akiva was born on Halloween.

Also that Blair's overdue for renewal.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

that or it could mean the council didnt know about eden and he was doing underground witch stuff. and then the incident is what made them aware of those ppl

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

The incident was SORT of in the story too... that side story with the online message boards.

Rebel: Good point.

Gotta have the licence to practice magic.

I also liked the side comic following up on the "favour" that was owed, using the library. Including the use of gloves to handle old documents, well portrayed.

There's a whole big backstory here we're only just starting to see.

snuffysam

yeah it really feels like there's a lot to this world we haven't seen yet

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

QUESTION 2. The comic has plenty of mysteries surrounding our protagonist Akiva. First off, why do you think Azrael spared Akiva’s life as a baby? Or, in other words, what exactly did Akiva do that upset the balance that was mentioned a few times? We also learn that one of Akiva’s brothers died under unknown circumstances. What do you think happened to the brother? Was it an accident, self-inflicted, or somehow supernatural? Do you believe the brother’s death has something to do with Akiva’s strained relationship with her family? Lastly, though we know Akiva is a Death Witch, we have yet to see the full extent of her powers. As a Death Witch, what do you think Akiva will be able to do? Do you think she’ll adjust to her powers, or will they scare her and cause emotional trauma?

snuffysam

azrael was just in that halloween spirit

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Her brother had to die because she lived. Will she want to bring him back? Not sure about that.

Maybe he lives on inside her. As a female. Who can resuscitate on the third astral plane.

snuffysam

maybe there can only be a certain number of death witches in the world, and akiva's birth somehow caused one to die?

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Because the big twist is, they're not actually related... Akiva's father is actually Bahram, or something. (edited)

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

maybe. as for upsetting the balance i assume that akiva did something she wasnt supposed to do. and for a baby that could mean maybe she wasnt even supposed to live long enough to be born? albeit there is that one scene with azrael where he wishes the old lady good luck in the next life. so assuming reincarnation is a thing, maybe akiva's balance upsetting has more to do with who she was before than who she is now.

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Hm, not sure I buy that there's a quota.

Or who she will become?

snuffysam

azrael said that she DID upset the balance, not that she WILL, so i don't think it's that

the next life could refer to just the afterlife. but it could be reincarnation?

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

That's fair. I wonder if it's like the balance between our world and the astral one then... was she only "born" in one place...?

snuffysam

are you saying everyone is supposed to have an earthly form and an astral form, and that azrael had to spare her because she didn't have an astral form?

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

I'm not sure what I'm saying, but let's go with that.

Maybe that Alex girl has the answers. (Am I getting the name right? The prior Death Witch.)

snuffysam

i think it was alexa?

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

yes alex is correct. alexis if you want to go non nickname

snuffysam

ah yes

yeah i think she knows what's going on with azrael more than anyone else

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

I'll take any chance at a name I can get. ^^;

Except if she has the potion, why hasn't she spoken to him already? Is it that she needs a noble excuse?

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

she could still know something. albeit shes still far from getting the potion. shes only on the 5th floor and there are 13 floors

so thats many to go

im really curious about whether each time they go to a new floor if their progress saves or if theyre bumped back to the beginning

cause if its the latter that makes sense for why getting to azrael is hard

since akiva passed out on what, floor 3?

snuffysam

i think you always have to start at floor 1. the reason you can ever make it further is because you train up to not lose so much energy.

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

They must go back through, because that person said that Darcy had gone through level 2 quickly. Owing to her experience.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

ah thats true!

i forgot about the mention of darcy

welp

good luck to akiva

in regards to akiva's bro, maybe she hugged him and sucked the life out of him

just like how she murdered that flower for a moment

snuffysam

oh dang that would certainly cause some strained relations

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Actually, I'm pretty sure that the Darcy scene we saw near the start (with the crystals) took place in the midst of Part 4, like it was sort of a "flash forward" and then we went back to follow Akiva's path.

snuffysam

maybe? i figured it was just one of the many tries.

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Hmm, Seth seemed to know it was coming though? Because he left that note. But I suppose it could explain about her regaining that ability (or rather just lost the power to turn it off).

I suppose it could be too. I've no proof.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

maybe bahram killed him O_O cause lets just blame bahram for everything

this sounds like a great plan

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

yis.

snuffysam

there are plenty of other evil entities out there!

probably

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i assume the strained relationship is actually just cause she predicted it. cause ppl tend to like to blame others when somebody dies.

maybe this is one of her powers as a death witch

she can see ppl's dates of death

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Oh, that could be too. Or maybe she could have predicted it, but said nothing, because of suppressing it?

Though I guess that wouldn't make sense with her family.

Unless she told them about her ability when she was young maybe.

snuffysam

have we seen her predict deaths a long time in advance? we know she sees azrael show up and follow people around a few minutes before they die...

we know she told them about seeing ghosts when she was young, and they didn't believe her

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Ahhhh. (Except Seth, maybe? I don't recall.)

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i dont think she specified it was a few minutes before? i think she just said soon and soon can mean a few minutes or it could mean a few hours (or a few days if you want to stretch it). and since azrael is technically just projecting himself its not like hes going to be worried about appointment keeping. cause theoretically he can just project himself however many times he needs.

wait

now i wonder how azrael knows when to get ppl

cause he didnt get that one girl who inadvertantly got akiva arrested

and if shes seen other ghosts

snuffysam

i feel like ghosts come back from the astral plane under certain circumstances? don't know what those would be though

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

well that one chick with akiva was most likely murdered so i could see how that leaves unfinished business.

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Maybe there's only certain people who are special enough.

Back to the original question, I don't think the Death Witch thing will cause any more emotional trauma than Akiva already has. ^.^

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i think it could but i think itd depend on the what. i think itll take something super major. like somebody dying.

QUESTION 3. Not long after Akiva joins Keter, she finds out that Keter had a Death Witch who vanished. Why do you think the last Death Witch, Alexis, left Keter? Was it based on selfish motivations, or could it have been something that Keter did? Does it have something to do with whatever happened between Alexis and Riley (and what do you think happened between them in the first place)? If Alexis left Keter, why is she still trying to reach Azrael with such determination? Lastly, do you believe Alexis and Akiva will meet, and if so, how might that affect Akiva’s perception of Keter?

snuffysam

i think the others were just pushing alexis too hard

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

I suspect they'll meet on the Astral. Could be rocky.

snuffysam

yeah i imagine they'll run into each other on the astral plane somewhere

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Maybe they were doing more than pushing too hard, maybe they were pushing her in a couple directions at once. Which was why she couldn't handle the relationship side of things too.

snuffysam

possibly

is it possible that alexis is trying to make the elixir for some personal reason?

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

She might have left in a rush, she left her stuff. (Though I guess if she had to steal the elixer on the way out, that makes sense.)

I think that's almost a definite, yeah.

snuffysam

like, someone she knows who died or is dying?

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i could go a few ways. on the one hand i could see it that she was pushed too hard. cause i feel like theyre already doing that with akiva. cause even if akiva is a natural, akiva is also still a beginner. and they already have her jumping into the astral and that seems a bit soonish to me. so in a sense i do feel like keter probably drove her to it

but on the otherhand, maybe theres something alexis knows that we dont

like some secret she discovered

snuffysam

maybe there's something shady going on with rio?

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

I feel like already died, otherwise she'd have been putting pressure on herself too, but there could be something to that.

Alexis knows who puts cream in their coffee.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

something shady with rio, or perhaps it has something to do with azrael. cause azrael did use to be human (iirc). that could have something to do with it.

and i assume theyre all there to revive different ppl tbh

so either that elixir has multiple uses

or after they get it theyre going to fight it out about who gets to use it

snuffysam

some people want to sell the elixir for money, probably

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

maybe. i dont feel any of the charas would. riley and quinn seem involved for research. but i think blair, eden, and darcy are pretty heavily implied to want the elixir for the life giving part of it.

idk about rio

rio might just want moneys

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

OH. Hmmm, will Akiva become the new Azrael? Is that her destiny? Because I'd forgotten about the human thing.

Maybe Alexis wants the Elixer just to spite the others.

snuffysam

maybe all the guardians were once humans, and death witches are created in case they need more?

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Maybe Death Witches are all potential successors, it's a question of whether they pass certain tests.

snuffysam

yeah, that's what i'm thinking

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

maybe natural death witches at least

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Yes, no artificial Death Witch sweeteners. Sorry, Darcy.

snuffysam

only death witches who make it to azrael are allowed to become the next azrael, for example

do we know of anyone who has truly pulled off being an artificial death witch?

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

no tho its implied they exist. i just assume natural ones are way stronger and have a huge advantage

and are more likely to actually make it to azrael

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Was that guy in the other coven, the one who used his powers for healing, a natural one?

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i dont recall if they mentioned

nope

hes a natural

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Me neither. I guess they can't change covens once they decide?

Oh, good find.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i actually clicked on the first page right from the get go

i lucked the heck out on that one

and idk i feel like they could change covens

just usually dont

snuffysam

you can quit covens, nothing stopping you from joining another one

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Why not just offer him better benefits then, to join them? Like dental? (Eden seems to have a good dental plan...)

snuffysam

its just kind of a jerk move unless you had serious personal problems with your previous coven

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i dont think avery would be a good choice cause even he says he sticks mostly to healing.

so ive had a thought. what if alexis doesnt come back to keter because she felt so pressured to succeed that she stayed in astral too long and lost her connection to her physical body

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Fair enough.

Oh, huh... do you think they're trying to get the Elixcer to help Eden out? Because he seems to have the vampiric tendencies, with the teeth and not going outside.

Maybe that's why Alexis cut and run.

snuffysam

maybe? but if she lost the connection to her physical body, how did she steal their progress?

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

well i mean she stole their progress, ran away, hid, but can no longer come back to them even if she wanted

so lost the connection after she ran away i mean

snuffysam

ah, ok

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

thats why she hasnt really talked to them or so i feel is implied

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Ah, I see... that's possible. You'd think someone would have found a body though?

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

not if she hid super good O_O

but that was just my pulled out of the hat theory

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Maybe she needs the Elixer to get back inside her body.

snuffysam

that would suck if the elixir only has one use then, lol. lose your body trying to make the elixir, and now you need the elixir to get back.

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Maybe it simply raises all the dead.

It's like "Death Note" in reverse.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

im not sure azrael would consider that for the greater good

but on the point of the greater good i wonder how theyre going to frame it to convince azrael of that

snuffysam

depends who they're planning on using it on

darcy said that it's definitely not going to work if you're just in it for the money or the challenge, and i agree with her there

but if it's to cure a vampire who could potentially save dozens of lives with his potions? that might work

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Everyone's life insurance premiums will go down?

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i wonder what darcy wants then that she considers her goal more worthy

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

I dunno, but she is DRIVEN. To experience pain whenever someone touches you? That's a sacrifice.

Also rains a bit on the ship, sadly.

Will need to cover her in saran wrap. Not sure if into that.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

QUESTION 4. Besides Akiva, there are plenty of other characters with mysteries upon mysteries. Between Keter and Darcy, what do you believe everyone’s motivation is to create the Elixir of Life? Why do you believe Darcy would go so far as to contract with Bahram, who seems to be bad? Further, what is Azrael’s relationship with Bahram? As for Keter, what do you think is going on with Eden since he has to visit the doctor frequently? As Blair was avoidant of the question, why do you think she became a Hedge Witch? So the question doesn’t become too long, are there any other theories regarding the characters or their pasts, whether those mentioned or some of the others like Rio and Quinn?

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Nice little segue I gave there.

Again, I figure Eden's somehow vampiric. Could be from another pact, like Darcy's? Can't go outside versus can't be touched?

snuffysam

pacts seem to cause downsides like that. i wonder what rio's condition is, since she apparently made a pact?

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

idk. wish we had more info about pacts.

cause with darcy i assumed it was just a bahram thing

and i mean bahram looks evil

probably smells evil

but then in the astral blair gets kind of snippy cause that other witch also had a pact

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Rio used to be taller, perhaps.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

so if theres a huge stigma whats even the benefit

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Someone to chill with on Sunday evenings?

snuffysam

yeah, what sort of power do demons or whatever actually give you? and can you break off a pact if it isn't working out?

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Maybe if you give them someone else to pact with?

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

like for that matter what do the spirit demon things get. cause bahram at least must be after something

is this a selling of the soul sort of thing O_O

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

He gets someone to nag, I suppose.

snuffysam

he gets to cause someone pain

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Just want to say, I like Quinn. Maybe in part because she reminds me a lot of a character in one of my stories, but also the whole idea of being a Sea Witch who doesn't like water feels like an interesting take.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

im more interested by the fact her cast card says she used to be a former council apprentice

cause i want to know what happened there

did she leave

did they kick her out

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Oh, that's interesting. Maybe was rejected due to the not liking water thing?

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

yeah that could be. also could be she left on her own. maybe after the incident

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Or spread too much gossip?

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i also just want to point out that avery mentions that he and his boyfriend also have been doing witchcraft for 3 years

so there seems to be a theme of everyone getting into witchcraft around the time of this mysterious incident

snuffysam

a lot of 3 years stuff, yeah. a lot of new witches came about in december 2013.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

so either a lot of ppl died or maybe a lot of people became aware they could be witches.

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Maybe that's when the first Elixcer got out. So they need this second one to fix the damage that one caused.

Also, I cannot for the life of me spell elixer. I think I've gone through 5 variations this chat.

snuffysam

it's elixir

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Well done.

snuffysam

maybe there was a big witch fight in a public place? somewhere where a lot of people would have found out about witches, and that's why their numbers grew?

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

But then why wouldn't Akiva have heard about it? (Wait, when did Seth pass on again?)

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

im not sure the story mentioned a when on that

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Could be there's a connection then.

Maybe THAT'S why Akiva's senses got turned back on. Seth dying was just a coincidence.

Or it's totally related, because he was dating Alexis in secret.

snuffysam

yeah it's hard to think of an event that enough people would have heard of where there would be an influx of new witches, but not enough where akiva or her family & friends would have heard of it

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

may need more data on the event in question.

so if we assume eden is a vampire, do you think the other survivors have been left in the same state?

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Doesn't seem to be a vampire who needs blood, at least? Maybe he was one of the lucky ones.

Or the others are werewolves instead.

One thing I want to squeeze in here - I find it neat that some of the word balloons have these little loops in them at times. (On the part that goes from mouth to words.) I thought that was a nice little touch, not something I've really seen.

snuffysam

yeah i really like how the shape of the word balloons' tails is influenced by the character and the emotions of the scene

MathTans the Pun 👑Prince👑

Nice art details.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

COMIC TEA PARTY END!

Unfortunately, the scheduled Comic Tea Party time is now up~! Thank you everyone so much for reading and joining this week’s chat~! We want to give a special thank you to Kaz Rowe, as well, for making Cunning Fire and volunteering it for our reading queue. If you liked the comic, please be sure to support Kaz Rowe’s efforts however you’re able to. All that being said, if you would like to continue discussing this week’s comic, we highly encourage you to do so~!

For next week, Comic Tea Party will focus on The Guide to a Healthy Relationship by Dani. Please note the comic is fairly mature, including both mature subject matter and mild nudity. As always, please use the next several days to read as much of the comic as you would like. We hope to see you next Thursday on July 12th from 5PM to 7PM PDT for the chat~! Until then, happy reading~! Comic: https://tapas.io/series/TGtaHR

#ctparchive #comics #webcomics #indie comics #bookclub #book club #comic bookclub #comic book club #webcomic bookclub #webcomic book club #comic chat #comic disucssion #comic tea party #ctp #cunning fire #kaz rowe

0 notes