#xDDD i do like that there's flaws in her thinking though because she lacks experience with other types of spirits

[townofcadence]

Artair shrugged. He watched Wendy and John. The two had moved across the cabin, setting up their own supplies for the night. His voice was low as he answered Salena. "I don't know if it'll help, but it's worth a shot. And it might keep them feeling a bit more level if they think it's an easy fix. We don't need panic." People without supernatural experience tended to act out while hysterical, which made things ... exponentially worse. Fear did terrible things to the mind; to the body too, when you were desperate enough to escape it.

He rolled his wrist, a sigh escaping him. "Either way, spirits are a case-by case basis. It's possible something happened they're not keen to tell us, and that's the cause. Something that explains why she felt.... the way she did." He shivered. "But a lot of spirits in my world don't even know they're dead. They could have died too fast, or were disoriented, or it happened in their sleep. Or they just--- enter a state of denial. Or they did know, but so long alone was enough to.... deteriorate, and forget." Artair swallowed, eyes distant and creased.

"But-- mh. But With how.... I don't know, heavy....? How much grief and this utter sense of loss I was feeling.... it's hard to imagine what they even could've done to set her off that badly. It's possible she's .... stuck. What she's feeling is real, but it could be tied to events long before any of us got here. That could explain why she's not coming into the cabin. If she's an old enough spirit to have this kind of strength, she might've died before it existed. Which might mean she's blind to the cabin itself, if she's only seeing things like they were before she died. But.... also maybe something did happen, because the storm is happening now. And maybe she can't get in because--- I don't know, someone salted the outside of the house to help with ice, and it's a perfect enough circle that she can't pass through? It's hard to say. And we don't have much of anything right now."

Artair leaned back and turned onto his side towards Sal, knees curling up to his chest. His meager frame was almost in a fetal position, with his head propped up for now. "I mean, I'm not gonna lie, those two...they were kinda-- asking for trouble, leaving the trail. For a lot of reasons not even related to ghosts. But they don't feel malicious. Just--- curious, and a little foolhardy for it?" Like he and his friends had been, a lifetime ago. "But I don't think there's a good reason to think they did something horrific enough to traumatize a ghost to grief, just yet. But who knows? Maybe they messed with the wrong thing. But also maybe they're just as unlucky as we are, and something else entirely riled her up." He sighed again, before shoving his bag under his head. He slotted his fingers together, resting against the floor beside his face.

"I don't necessarily think it's just they woke her up. But the best we can do at this point is narrow down the variables." Again, he shrugged, this time looking far more tired. "Right now, we know that they went somewhere that they weren't supposed to be. And the same day, within a short span, she started reacting. Hopefully if the cave was her resting grounds, they woke her up by stumbling in there and poking around. If that's the case, now that they've left she might settle, once she's burned through her energy manifesting this storm. But if after tonight the blizzard is still out there, at least we'll know there's something else at work, and we can work on narrowing it down."

Salena had been listening for the most part, trying to think. Artair was the expert here when it came to spirits and ghosts. Her own experience mostly delved into ones that were truly violent... She'd seen other ghosts before, and tried to compare from there.

Something didn't quite add up.

Territory could be something that would cause a spirit to turn violent... but then why did they sound like they were grieving? Even the spirits that attacked her where usually just... angry. Or they were in service to someone else. They just grew to attack whenever anyone came too close. This ghost had attacked them yes... but then why back off after she had gotten Artair? Why wasn't she then phasing through the door to get to them? It's not like they were really protected in here.

Even if that was the problem, if she had grown territorial, then wouldn't this problem persist until they had left?

Artair and Wendy had come to the conclusion that perhaps it would be best to just wait out the time to see if something changed. She'd just shrugged along with them, "Seems a better plan than anything else. Unless anyone feels stupid enough to go back out there without some other idea."

Despite agreeing, she wondered if Artair might have had some of the same thoughts as her. Salena had leaned over to him, whispering so that only he would hear her, "I hope you are right about this... I can't help but feel like something is still... off about this."

[comicteaparty]

December 3rd-December 9th, 2018 CTP Archive

The archive for the Comic Tea Party week long chat that occurred from December 3rd, 2018 to December 9th, 2018.  The chat focused on JINGKU by DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio).

Featured Comment:

Chat:

RebelVampire

COMIC TEA PARTY- WEEK LONG BOOK CLUB START!

Hello and welcome everyone to Comic Tea Party’s Week Long Book Club~! This week we’ll be focusing on JINGKU by DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)~! (https://globalcomix.com/c/jingku)

You are free to read and comment about the comic all week at your own pace, so stop on by whenever it suits your schedule! Remember, though, that while we allow constructive criticism, our focus is to have fun and appreciate the comic. Below you will find four questions to get you started on the discussion. However, a new question will be posted and pinned everyday (between 12:01AM and 6AM PST), so keep checking back for more! You have until December 9th to tell us all your wonderful thoughts! With that established, let’s get going on the reading and the chatting!

QUESTION 1. What has been your favorite scene in the comic so far? What specifically did you like about it?

QUESTION 2. At the moment, who is your favorite character? What about that character earns them this favor?

QUESTION 3. Will "Taw" be discovered and revealed to a woman and/or not Shu? What do you think will happen should that come about? Who might be the first to discover it?

QUESTION 4. Do you believe that the Taw clan, especially Mother Mai, will leave the situation as is, or will they intervene to protect "Taw?" Also, do you believe Shu might be discovered wherever he went? If so, what might happen?

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

Alrighty! Welcome and thank you to Comic Tea Party for hosting this discussion! I am DA-POW!, the creator of JINGKU, and will be participating as well. Feel free to read through the short excerpt above, if you haven't already! Please remember to be kind and respectful of everyone's thoughts. But please don't hold back if you have any burning questions or passions pertaining to JINGKU that you'd like to share! As a starter, I'll go ahead and answer the first two questions here. O w O

So! What has been my favorite scene in the comic so far? I have a number of favorite scenes, but I would say the moments that I've enjoyed drawing the most is the scene where Lee gives Taw his kukaoki. 8^U!!!

And the scene where Lee saves Taw from falling to her death. Q v Olll

These are my favorite scenes because they turned out the closest to how I envisioned them as I drew. And that is always something very satisfying to know when a creator's life is essentially attempting to chase and capture their vision for other's to see. Now who is my favorite character? I have to say, I like each character for different reasons. ; v ; BUT!!! I will share who I enjoy drawing the most-- which is Hur. Since Hur is a character who has a bald cut, if I need to adjust him mid-way through--- there's not a lot of editing I have to do to say... Huatai. Who's hair I almost have to always redraw if I should need to change his position and placement on the page.(edited)

But then again, I also must confess Huatai is very dear to me! He is the only character that was alive before JINGKU's world was molded out from my late teenage years-- meaning he was made before JINGKU existed. He's gone through a lot of changes, but I'm glad that he's found a home in JINGKU. He is very important to the Vavoan afterall. XD I would love to hear what other people's thoughts are on their favorite scene and character from the JINGKU cast. I must confess though!!! As far as I know, Lee is officially the most popular character and if you feel that way-- please tell this silly bean why. (And if not, who's the precious bean you've offered up yer likes to, eh? Confess!) ; V ; When I created Lee, I did not put an inkling of effort to insure his place in anyone's heart and now I'm wondering if my lack of effort has backfired on me. XDDD(edited)

RebelVampire

im surprised you find lee's popularity a semi-mystery given your own chosen fave scenes XD lee is my fave but until i answer more questions tomorrow i will be more objective and less subjective about why i think he is probably the most popular in general. and that would be due to 1) of the characters so far his positive traits have probably been the most focused on 2) of the character so far his positive traits are the ones who have had the most impact on the protagonist, Taw 3) of the characters so far, he is the one who continually does nice things without forseeable self motivation, and selflessness is an extremely endearing trait (keep in mind im talking about as he presents himself. maybe he does have selfish reasoning, but its an unknown factor). 4) although he's stoic, his "negative" traits are the least abrasive in their own way due to the fact he gives Taw some more space. whereas the others are somewhat more social aggressive.

so effort aside hes basically been the most positively painted character

to summarize

actually the fact you claim to have not put effort to get ppl to like him makes him even more endearing because it just means hes angel through and through

lee doesnt even need the kukaoki. hes just gonna fly through the sky using his angel wings

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

Rebel dropping dem truth bombs on me. XDDDDD But I must clarify (just for my own mental comfort) that I would have loved the scenes I mentioned whether it was Lee saving Taw, Hur, Voo, or simply a monkey. I was just really happy with how they turned out artistically-- more so than the actual fact that it was Lee or even Taw for that matter. ; W ;/ But OMG Rebel... OMG.... shakes head to self What have I done? It seems I played myself and I can't help but laugh at my own silliness.(edited)

"Lee doesn't even need the kukaoki. He's just gonna fly through the sky using his angel wings." - RebelVampire (Quote of the Year)(edited)

shrimpchipsahoy

Answer 1: One of my favorite scenes is from the first chapter, where Taw says she is like the fence protecting her family. It's difficult for me to explain exactly why it's my favorite, but something about it really resonated with me. (It could be because I'm a wife and mother, idk. Lol) Other than that, I have to say, every scene is meticulously drawn and all the characters are perfect in their own way.

Chillin&Livin

1. What has been your favorite scene in the comic so far? What specifically did you like about it? I find the interaction between Hur and Voo to be my favortie scene. The way they jab each other with insults and nicknames is just hilarious. 2. At the moment, who is your favorite character? What about that character earns them this favor? I am a bit undecided on choosing my favorite character, so I'm going to wait until there is more material for me to examine who I find the most favorable. 3. Will "Taw" be discovered and revealed to a woman and/or not Shu? What do you think will happen should that come about? Who might be the first to discover it? It's quite difficult for me to decide when Taw's secret will finally be discovered, but if that ever happens I think she will be in big trouble. I think the first one to discover Taw's secret will probably be Hur or Voo since they're the ones mostly close to Taw. 4. Do you believe that the Taw clan, especially Mother Mai, will leave the situation as is, or will they intervene to protect "Taw?" Also, do you believe Shu might be discovered wherever he went? If so, what might happen? I think they'll come back to help Taw in the future and I don't think shu will be discovered.(edited)

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

Now that @shrimpchipsahoy has mentioned that, I must confess one of my favorite quotes from JINGKU is: "You chose to become a wild animal. And I... For this family... Chose to be the fence."(edited)

But OMG, Shrimp. ;v; Thank you for the kind words~~.

keii4ii

I love that quote too, and not just because it shows her love for her family. There's something poignant about her being a fence ... she's not one of the animals being protected. She is, and is not, part of the family at the same time.

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

OMG. O _ O @keii4ii Your wise mind knows no bounds. But yeah!!! Adding on to that, a few readers have talked about the fence being the borderline to what's right and wrong. The pigs being what's right and the wild animal being what's wrong. But as the creator, I didn't intend it that way-- though I won't stop people from discussing it in that sense.(edited)

But it's more so of simply: Protect those inside (and put yourself at risk)? Let others protect you (and put other's at risk)? Or simply protect yourself (and leaves others to their own mechanisms)?(edited)

shrimpchipsahoy

@DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio) I volunteer to be your fence.

Answer 2: I struggled for a long time over picking a favorite character. Just like everyone else, I really like Lee, but all of the characters bring unique qualities to the table that make them special and stand out in their own way. That being said, so far Taw is my number one favorite character. She's very strong and selfless when it comes to protecting the people she loves. I like that her character is flawed and that we get to experience her struggles with her. Also, quick superficial sidenote, but Huatai (and his flawless hair) is a hottie and if we were going solely based on looks that man wins hands down.

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

But on the topic of Voo & Hur, one reader of mine did mention that their interaction was "interesting." XDDD Pertaining to what @Chillin&Livin said, I'm happy to hear someone finds the two funny and entertaining! Some of us are probably not aware since they did pop up later to read JINGKU, but the first few drafts of JINGKU posted online actually had Hur's dialogue censored because I was not really sure on the target audience yet. In the end, I ultimately decided that the work would be best left in the hands of older teens and adults instead of children seeing as the topics that JINGKU will discuss would probably be too dark to share with a young audience either way.(edited)

@shrimpchipsahoy BUT OMG SHRIMP!!!!! XDDDDDD(edited)

I've got to agree Huatai's flawless hair is truly something. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) Many of my friends have commented about his little twirl, which is essentially the last element that I placed on him before deciding he was ready to take his place in the circle of JINGKU characters.

RebelVampire

QUESTION 5. Who exactly is the new Huatai? Is the fact he has a Green dialect significant in regards to himself or Shu's lover? What do you think he'll do as Huatai?

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

So the fact that we're asking about the Huatai-- it reminded me that a few readers in the past have asked me: what in the world is everyone's actual names? XDDD I have no idea if any of the future questions in this discussion will poke at this, but I do hope to make plans to reveal some of the cast's real name where applicable in the future. Though, I must say that I make no promises. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

AH!!!! But the topic of the Green dialect! Just as a comparison, I would like to mention that the Green dialect is different in say... American English is to British English or Australian English. Which I have mentioned to @- ̗̀ Mitsu ৫ ̖́- at one point. XDDD Even a standard Northern American dialect compared to a deep Southern American one would be a good comparison. Of course, I must mention that I do lean towards a more British one to represent Huatai just because it would give him a more posh impression. ; v ; Though the thought of a deep Southern American one seems quite awesome too now that I've mentioned it. 8^L Example: Do you have a flashlight? (American English) Do you have a torch? (British English) Don't forget the fact that there is slight difference in stress of certain vowels and consonants in the Green dialect just as American English differs a bit to British English if you still need a comparison.(edited)

If anyone has any questions pertaining to cultural or lingual topics of the Hmong ethnicity, please don't be afraid to ask! O v O/ I will do my best to answer!

RebelVampire

1) I'm torn between two scenes so ill just pick both. the first scene i really like is the one with Taw having to get out of bath thing with Hur and Voo. like majority of the time those scenes happen in secretly a girl stories, its really comedic and shenanigan ridden. and while ill love shenanigans, im not a huge fan of the trope because it always feels really forced and logically inconsistent. so i love that in this story taw got out of it no big deal. boundaries were respected and everyone moved on. so i appreciate that scene just for being different and not focusing on it (at least in that specific moment of context). the second scene i really like is the one where lee gives taw his kukaoki and is super patient with taw. it was heartwarming to see the contrast to their arrival cause it shows that rules will be followed and enforced not out of cruelty but because the rules exist and everyone is there for a reason. 2) as i stated Lee be my favorite. i already gave my objective reason why i assume hes the most popular in other spaces. but now my subjective reason. lee hits all the right notes for my favorite guildty pleasure character types. got the grumpy stoicism, the dedication and focus, the immense loyalty, all packed on top of a heart of gold. Lee is just the angel no one deserves. 3) I totally think Taw is gonna get found out. I mean theyre with the Huatai for life. So unless Taw dies a very early death, she's kind of doom. Something is gonna happen eventually that exposes the secret. I'm assuming it's gonna be Lee or Huatai. cause i dont feel Hur or Voo would be understanding enough. Or maybe it's gonna be someone we havent met yet. Maybe that pretty lady who greeted them when they arrived.

4) I think this largely depends on what they know. Like did Taw leave them a note that said "Shu ran away and I'm taking his place?" or was there a note that said "I hate you all I'm running away Shu is best and going to the palace like a good boy." Cause while I might of missed it, that really determines whether they even know to go looking for Taw in the first place. Even if they did know Taw is taking a risk, i'm not sure they'd do anything cause they do have to think of the whole clan. Actually speaking of this, this is why i actually dont view Taw's whole obsession with being the fence as selfless as a lot of others. Cause her actions to try and be the fence, while good intentioned, still have consequences. If she's discovered maybe her whole clan gets punished, for instance. at the very least, ppl are going to miss her im sure and be hurt by her absence. so her actions are not without their downfalls and selfish nuances. not that this is bad, at all, just saying the fence thing makes me side eye a bit sometimes. as for shu, idk. i dont think hes going to be found out unless he wants to be found out. and maybe hell want to be found out. theres no gurantee his relationship will last and like, where else is he gonna go at that point if thinks all go downhill? probably home, cause that is the usual instinct. 5) i think the green dialect might be specific, but i dont have theories as to why because there is much to be seen about the region. i think hes gonna be the best huatai who does all the great things and shows taw why taw should care about the kingdom. i base this on nothing except the huatai is a hottie and that lee trusts him so i feel compelled to trust him. #ShallowReasoningIntensifies

kongli

My favort scene is when taw finds out about shu and his boyfriend. i was really shocked-- I didn't think that any hmong story would include a gay couple because its something we shouldn't talk about. So it was daring to me.

Out of everyone we've seen so far, i think I'm leaning towards is mua. He seems like someone really sly and i like that-- sort of like gin from Bleach.

I'm going to agree with RebelVampire. Taw's going to get found out. i don't think she thought this through. I think she should have told mother mai what happened, and then decide on how to approch the problem.

about Shu though. I think he''s an idiot! I don't care much about who he was with, but how could he betray his family? I actually thought shu was okay at first, but then after he did that to taw I was like no.

i binged through Jingku and I was on a rollercoaster. For every scene that shcoked me, I was upset and also excited.

I just wish shu was more sly then this wouldn't have happened.

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

OMG, @RebelVampire . XDDDD Huatai's a hottie and Lee trusts him. That's legit. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)b AH!!! But I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed the scene with Voo and Taw, although I sort of forgot about it in the midst of all the other plot devices I'm juggling. 9v9lll Ah... But I do understand the undercover girl bath scene trope that you speak of. XDDD I do my best to make characters true to their backstory, so every character's reaction to whatever pops up in JINGKU should reflect on them as a person. ; V ; Maybe someday when we get further enough, I'll do little extra installments outside of the canon plot with plot along the lines of the beach episode, the valentines episode, so on and so forth for giggles. (Makes fanfic and fan-comics of my own creations. =v=b) No promises though~~.(edited)

Lee is just the angel no one deserves. GEH. wipes a glittery tear ; W ;

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

For all the feelings that I didn't invest into Lee... Now thinking it over, I'm sort of happy that the readers feel for him. Although as I mentioned, I never intended for this to happen. I guess it's like Bob Ross says... There's no mistake. Just a happy accident. Y v Y

On the topic of Taw though, I will admit-- as a human being and as myself (my background and circumstances)-- I would have never done what Taw did. OvOlll I don't think I'm that... gutsy? Willing to risk so much or gamble with such high stakes? Essentially, in the terms of the pig, fence, wild animal analogy-- I would be the pig. I probably wouldn't be very promising as a character. But as I always say, I think I would make great bacon. =v=b

BUT OMG. XDDD The lack of faith in Shu from my readers is immense! I can only hope that whatever happens, it will be for the better of everyone's life. OvOlll

It's always great to hear that I put readers through a roller coaster of emotions @kongli !!! ; V ; I can only hope you'll continue to stay on the ride till the end!

In all honesty though, I'm surprised to hear that you've already sort of grown attached to Mua (just because he's just barely appeared.) OAO!!! Everyone in the Vavoan are sort of an oddball, so I'm glad they all shine through with their own respective traits.(edited)

kongli

Yeah. i'm going to stick around. (;

I don't really care for lee because he hurt Taw. i don't like the guys that are always talking and don't listen to the girl.

Lee is always assuming everything like he knows it all and it just turns me off. Why dont he think to ask?

But yeah, he is the member thats like doing everything so i understand why people like him.

I also think that because lee is so truthful about everything like from what we know so far like vampire said, he is going to be taken of advantage of easily. taw is kind of different. Like she;s not really a good person, but not really a bad person to the country. From chaptor seven, i think Taw might be the one to do that. I wish the creator told us what taw was thinking though so we know for sure though.

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

We'll definitely be learning more about the conclusion Taw came upon from the seventh chapter as we move along the plot for sure, @kongli! I won't simply leave ya'll hanging and say that's all I have to say about her plan so fear not. Ov<b

shrimpchipsahoy

@kongli I like that scene too because I think it gives Taw a chance to shine. We get to see how much she loves her family and is willing to sacrifice for them in action, not just thoughts or words.

kongli

Can't wait for that moment then! (;

i agree with shrimpchip. Taw seems like a person of action not just all talk. i like that she seems to be pretty careful like she thinks about what the other vavoan people say and then decide on what to do instead of just doing whatever.

Chillin&Livin

For me personally, I think there are a lot of actions Lee commits that is questionable, for example, his initiative to take authority over everyone else in the vavoan. According to Hur in chapter 2 the vavoan are supposed to act as merely puppets who serve the Huatai. if a vavoan member were to create a problem then shouldn't it be in the Huatai's place to solve it, not Lee? And I keep wondering, why does Voo consider Lee's assault on Taw a nice thing? Even Taw wonders the same thing. If what Lee did was nice, what's the norm? I seriously want to know. Voo mentions how close Lee and the Huatai are in chapter 3. This is probably a bit out there, but it just occured to me... what if Lee is a bad guy and plans to over throw the Huatai and to do that he decides to create a close relationship with the Huatai to learn more about the Huatai's plan. And that sole reason is why Lee made Taw his target when Lee meets Taw and later forces Taw to join his schemes to kill the Huatai.

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

OMG. XDDDDD The theory of Lee turning out to be a bad guy-- now that's really something isn't it? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) Though I must say, I think that if it benefited Taw in the long run in order to get back to her family, she would probably take it. Just saying... O3O~~ whistles

shrimpchipsahoy

@Chillin&Livin Interesting points but I feel like, and I'm not the creator so I could totally be wrong lmao, people are misreading the situation with Lee. When I read through it the first time, I just assumed there was a hierarchy to the Vavoan. Obviously Huatai is head bitch in charge but when he's not around, who keeps everyone in line? It's Lee. The fact is, most people can't be trusted to do things independently (I feel bad saying this but it's proven to be true) without leadership or guidance. The other characters have a certain closeness between them, but Lee seems to stand out in a way that makes him feel unreachable despite his moments of kindness.

@DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio) I'd be really happy for Taw if she could find a way home without any repercussions before she is forced to do something she may regret.

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

I hope the same thing as well, @shrimpchipsahoy~~. ; V ; We can only hope!

kongli

it'd be cool if Lee was a villain, but i don't think it will happen unless the creator pools a 180 on us. if it did happen, I wouldn't be surprised thuogh. Its sort of like a trope where this character is like all cool and good to a group, like lee is to the country but then later they're like just kidding. That's when shit hits the fan. i'm sure all the Lee fans would be heartbroken for real if it did happen though.

But what shrimpchips said, about heirarchy. i don't really think theres an official like level for everyone. I feel like it really is supposed to be the huatai and then theres the vavoan like chillin said. lee is just the kind of person that will do things before anyone asks him to because he feels like it.

I think that if there was someone that had something to offer to taw though and taw feels like its a good deal that she would take it. like I said I don't think Taw would just sit around waiting for something to work out for her situation.

RebelVampire

QUESTION 6. What do you think the Huatai and Lee's relationship actually is? Do they have past history, or is something else going on? Why is Lee so dedicated to the Huatai?

- ̗̀ Mitsu ৫ ̖́-

1. My favourite is when Taw is mad about the their big brother Shu taking a whole day to catch the chicken. Because as a reader that was my reaction too. 2. Hur's rough behavior made me like them instantly. I am always a sucker for rough characters with golden hearts. The interaction with Taw was much like a tsundere HHHH You look like this rice ball. HERE EAT THIS BECAUSE YOU MISSED DINNER. HHHHH 3. I'm very much hoping that Taw's secret will go to their grave. I know thats light thinking but I'm really not wanting to see the reveal, what is the punishment?! Who will try to protect Taw?!? Will Taw become valuable enough to keep in the Vavoan? HHHHH 4. I don't really think Mother Mai will do much of the situation, as I think they would just assume that Taw disappeared and Shu went on their way. If Shu's discovered first that is a different story. I hope Taw gets the best life. ;w; 5. Maybe the Huatai is a replacement to the Huatai. MAYBE ITS AN INCEPTION OF AN INCEPTION. That is why Lee is so much favoured, because Lee was probably close to the Huatai before they were even going to be the Huatai. HHHHH I'm a fake Huatai playing the pretend for the real Huatai, so now I have to actually be the Huatai because the real Huatai went MIA. HELP ME OUT LEE. 6. I think their relationship is that of a newly born chick and a mother hen. Have you seen how many times the Huatai screams out Lee's name? (edited)

RebelVampire

@kongli @shrimpchipsahoy @Chillin&Livin i agree with shrimpchips on the matter of hierarchy. because when theres anything involving large, large groups, theres always a structure of hierarchy. keep in mind also that the huatai is in charge of the whole kingdom basically. so its not just the vavoan under him. theres probably a ton of other branches and people. so while yes, the huatai might be the ultimate leader, that doest mean there arent also ppl in charge directly under him to keep order in various other matters of the kingdom. its kind of like how in an army you have a general at the top but then various other ranks under them who control various army squads and such. those other ranks obviously follow the generals orders, but at the same time they make sure those under them also get those orders fulfilled. now this being said, i do think its debateable on whether lee's position as this secondary leader is official or not. but even if it wasnt official this would be the natural result. someone always has to take charge, because otherwise theres just anarchy. youd wind up with even worse situations then what happened on the bridge cliff thing. instead of just taw falling off the cliff itd probably be like half of the vavoan because thered be no one ordering people around keeping things organized. and as was also pointed out, the huatai cant be there in every situation. so if theres no one in charge, even unofficially, theres going to be problems and will probably lead to the huatai getting offed pretty quickly.

that being said, if lee winds up a villain im okay with this. i will support lee to the end, even if the end is some sort of train derailment into the abyss

6) im getting kind of a sibling relationship? not that i do think theyre siblings, but it kind of feels like lee is the older brother and the huatai is his lazy younger brother who just moved out of home for the first time. i definitely think theres past history here that were going to find out tho. they seem way too super close for them to have just met. as for the dedication, i assume its either that Lee knows something we dont about the Huatai's plans or that Lee is a strong believer in duty. something like that

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

@- ̗̀ Mitsu ৫ ̖́- OMG. XDDDD The day Huatai calls someone else's name will probably break Lee's heart. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) @RebelVampire Lee is the older brother and Huatai is his lazy younger brother who just moved out of home for the first time RIP Huatai. XDDDD

kongli

I think lee and Huatai are not sibling because they dont look the same. maybe friends or lovers? or maybe lee owes the huatai something like the Huatai did something for him.

it's kind of like, they might have backstory together.

Just wondering but are you all from webtoon too? i didn't know that the creator put jingku on another site.

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

@kongli I think the majority came from webtoons though I wouldn't know the exact details of how everyone got invested enough to stay. Surely it was my unrelenting charisma and charm? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) get's killed Though, Rebel was probably obligated to read since they had to prepare questions for this discussion. Whether that was webtoons or globalcomix though, I've no idea. XD But in all seriousness, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on anything you guys! OvOlll(edited)

kongli

I came from webtoon and i stayed because i liked the story and characters. im so tired of always having to read character that dont do anything or like don't have a goal. Its like where in the hell are we going? and Taw is a bit different from the girls i always read. She;s kind of like not a good person who always try to save people that she don't know but she's not bad because shes just tyring to survive.

i also stayed because i liked the art. I really like the pictures you put at the beginning of the chapters.

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

GEH. ; W ; Much thankies @kongli!!! <333 I probably should do more color works, but I've been sticking with the black and white plus red illustrations since it rings true to the JingKu aesthetic. OvOb And I've grown very attached to it so look forward to more illustrations with the same style!

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

Holy heavens-- now that Kong mentioned about webtoon and globalcomix, if any of us have only read the pages on globalcomix, please jump over to webtoons so that you can read up to the latest page. 9v9lll We should be in the midst of the seventh chapter!

RebelVampire

QUESTION 7. Do you think there is any reason Lee is so nice to "Taw?" Is Lee just a nice guy or is there something else? Will Lee continue to help "Taw," or will Lee give up since "Taw" is years behind everyone else?

RebelVampire

@DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio) I read the globalcomix version but I did switch over to webtoons for the last bit. cause i suspected there might be more pages and then lo and behold i was correct. XD

7) I think theres two things going on. first off, i think lee is just genuinely a nice dude. gruff and a stickler for rules, but nice. however, i also think pragmatically speaking its in lee's best interest to make sure taw is up to snuff. because if taw isnt up to snuff, welp, good-bye huatai. so in essence lee's actions may be less nice and more driven by the pragmatic need to have taw not suck at the job. i dont think Lee is gonna give up, but i have a high suspicion it might lead lee to learn that taw is not the taw that was supposed to be sent. or at least theres going to be many lectures. but again, pragmatically not a good idea to leave taw as is. unless theres like...paper pushers in the vavoan. taw can get that nice, comfy desk job in that case.

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

AH! Good to hearz! OvQb @RebelVampire But OMG. XDDD Taw getting that desk job would be the dream~.

shrimpchipsahoy

@ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ Not to mention the GIVEAWAYS you do on webtoons! hellbent on winning

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

@shrimpchipsahoy Webtoons probably the only place I do constant giveaways. >v</ But in all honesty, I'm always at lost when the names drawn don't claim their prizes. Q v O Y u no want prize, commenter friendo? SOBS That's why I started putting the 7 day time limit on the giveaways. RIP winners that disappear into the void.

shrimpchipsahoy

Answer 3: I think it's inevitable that the truth about Taw will be revealed to some extent. cries I can't imagine it would be easy for a woman to hide her identity long term, especially in consideration of baths/toilet time/that time of the month. I've been thinking a lot about who may be the first to discover it, but there are so many variables involved that I can't pin it down. Although I hope whoever discovers her secret helps her escape or fake her death or something (so she can escape without repercussions), I don't think the odds are in our favor. Lol

@ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ i want their prizes changes nickname on webtoons ٩(๑òωó๑)۶

RebelVampire

QUESTION 8. Do you believe that Taw will learn to use Kukaoki? What other talents might Taw discover she has? Do you think Taw will find a way home, or will she be stuck serving the Huatai forever?

RebelVampire

(the archive for the chat on super galaxy knights deluxe r is up! @snuffysam https://comicteaparty.com/post/180885573190/november-26th-december-2nd-2018-ctp-archive)

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

Speaking of kukaoki! I think I only mentioned this once (like way back when I posted the first draft of JINGKU on webtoons) but when the name kukaoki is broken down, it's defined as: ku = pair / kao = wheel / ki = spin. As a side note, the Hmong language is tonal (8/7 tones or so), meaning these definitions are conditional depending on the tone used when speaking the word. Kind of like how one kanji, though pronounced the same, can mean different things depending on how you depict the character. So don't try to share these meanings without that little bit of salt to add in^ There were a number of names I thought to call the weapon, but recalled that I shouldn't use hard to pronounce Hmong words for the sake of readers. 9v9lll I hope that my efforts pulled through. sweats(edited)

RebelVampire

QUESTION 9. Who do you think attacked the Huatai on the way to the temple? Was it a foreign power, or could it be an inside job? What might this mean for the rest of the story?

RebelVampire

8) I think Taw is gonna learn, and I think she's also gonna learn that strength has advantage too, what with all the farm work. In all honesty, I don't think Taw is gonna go home. I think the inevitable path for Taw is to learn that there is more than one way to be a fence. so instead of just protecting her little family unit shell learn that by protecting the kingdom she also protects her family. or something like that. 9) It was Lee. /shot In all seriousness, I assume it was a foreign power. I don't get the sense that the kingdom is in the most secure of places, and I think it's a sign that these are troubled times that are gonna involved quite a bit of fighting and securing of power.

kongli

Number seven, i don't think lee is going to give up. Hes too stubborn. Number eight, i think taw will learn the kukaoki but she wont be good at it because Yah said that you have to start from when your a kid. I dont know how old Taw is but i think it would be hard for her like when someone learns ballet kind of late. Taw is probably going to try to find a way home but get stuck being with the vavoan for the rest of her lief. i think its going to be like she thought she wanted to go home but after staying with the the vavoan for so long she decides to stay because she likes it there.

for number nine, i think it might be a foreign power like vampire said. I went back to look at the part where they are atacked and i just realized that if huatai didn't get sick he would have been dead because Lee wouldnt' have came to move him from the carriage.

I think that someone in the country betray the country and if they did betray the country they might be working with foreign power.

okay, so i just thought about this but the huatai is supposed to be green right? why is he wearing a girl's shirt? a green shirt would be like the one shu's boyfriend wears or did the creator mess up?

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

O v O!!!! UH....

Okay, so I will confirm that Huatai is indeed wearing a girl's shirt. And I will also confirm that it is NOT a mistake. But that's all I can say about that. 9v9llll @kongli(edited)

And for those who are wondering about Hmong clothes... Essentially, there's a number of designs (its fashion afterall ;v;) but the main thing you should always be aware of is that a girl's shirt typically features an extended collar on the back. Hmong male clothes do not (and should not) have this feature.(edited)

As exemplified below, Taw has an extended collar on the back:(edited)

shrimpchipsahoy

O.O Maybe Huatai is secretly a woman. That would be awesome because s/he could be Taw's greatest ally! Other idea is maybe Huatai wears girls clothes to honor someone they lost (like Nuriko from Fushigi Yuugi, who is actually a man but poses as a woman to honor his late sister.)

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

@shrimpchipsahoy OMG!!! I didn't know that about Nuriko! I never got the chance to finish the series, but I always wondered why he wore girl's clothes. My child brain just thought that it was just out of preference and mentally muted the question. XD

On the topic of Huatai though, we'll definitely be learning more about him as a character in future chapters. O v O Pwease look forward to it ya'll~~~.

shrimpchipsahoy

@ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ Eek! Sorry about the spoilers.

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

Tis all good, Shrimp~~. XDDDD patpat

RebelVampire

QUESTION 10. What are you most looking forward to in the comic? Also, do you have any final thoughts to share overall?

kongli

i'm looking forward to when taw sees Shu again and kicks him in the butt. I really hope that the creator doesnt stop making jingku because theres like no hmong manga at all with a interesting story that has a lot of stuff in it.

and it was cool getting to talk to you guys about the story. Thank you for inviting me.

(;

keii4ii

Growing up, my family moved around a lot, and I found myself as a transfer student often as a result. (e.g. 1st grade year, I went to 3 different schools) I was also a sickly child and missed school a lot. That combination meant I was often clueless in the class: the material they were covering at a new school was sometimes a little ahead. Or more commonly, I miss 2 days of class and everyone else in the classroom was 2 days ahead of me. Teachers made zero effort to help me catch up. It was all up to me. What I'm trying to say is, I can really relate to Taw being thrown into a situation that she'd never been prepared for, unlike everyone else surrounding her. I'm looking forward to how she deals with all of that. I also hope she can catch a break sometime!

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

So there are a number of things I'm looking forward to for JINGKU and most of them revolves around revealing plot points. XDDD But depending on how the story of JINGKU goes, I'm kind of looking forward to drawing Taw with longer hair in the story. Q v O GEH. Probably just wishful thinking, but hopefully the opportunity reveals itself at some point. (Worry not. If Taw's hair grows, then the men's hair will grow as well. 8^U!!! Gotta trim dem heads!) On another note, I am very grateful to everyone that has taken the time to read the story and drop off their thoughts here in this discussion! ;W; I didn't know how well the week-long discussion would go since the active reader-base is essentially just a handful of people. But seeing how much discussion we did, it's really shocking. O_O!!! Thank you to you awesome peeps and I hope that ya'll will stick around for all the upcoming week discussions as well.(edited)

@kongli Thank you for coming and participating, Kong! ; W ;/ Surely with tangible support from readers, JINGKU will only continue to soar towards completion. But trust me when I say there's a lot of ground I've got to cover, so worry not. OvOlll We're in for a long ride!

@keii4ii If I miss one day of school as a kid, I'm lost for the next month. 9v9lll RIP mah childhood. weeps Ah, but I'm happy to hear that Taw's disconnection is relatable, seeing as its definitely a stressful situation to be in. Taw's always got to be on her toes, that's for sure! Hopefully, things will turn around at some point. ;v;/

- ̗̀ Mitsu ৫ ̖́-

7. Lee probably had a big family before they left their family to serve the Huatai. Perhaps worrying about others is just innately ingrained into him, as well with the Huatai always comes first. So I believe Lee will help out Taw to become an asset to the Huatai. 8. OF COURSE TAW WILL LEARN TO USE THE KUKAOKI. Taw bby must be the very best that there ever was. Finding a way to get back perhaps will happen if Taw really superemly fails at something which I hope doresn't happen.

9. Well the Huatai's king died recently and it really could be an inside job. The Huatai looks super young. I'm not saying that the Huatai isn't prepared considering the Huatai has a 6 PACK OF A GOD, that means the training they did to learn how to become a Huatai is very evident. The dialect that the Huatai has was probably because of a close tutor who has the same dialect as Shu's lover. Because obviously you are going to pick up the way of speaking of the people you surround yourself around. Judging by the Huatai's behavior shown so far... I don't think the Huatai has many close relations other than Lee. (Because Lee is the ultimate Motehr Hen ) This might mean the Huatai has to lug around the Vavoan around lots of places... considering that they already supposed to be the cream of the crop.

10. I'm looking forward to Taw becoming more badarse. Lee showing more Mother Hen traits.... anDDD FIGHT SCENESE. I am a simple person who loves simple thing so maybe more... ABS. Jingku peaked my interest as I really love the opening. "Fence or Pig?" Taws love of family has a really warped dark side at the same time, and will be showcased more and more as the story progressed. How darker will the pure Taw be tainted in the dark. This isn't a fantasy story so there will be very realistic consequences and much heartbreak in the future. Hopefully I'll get to see some nicely timed comedy from the future.

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

@- ̗̀ Mitsu ৫ ̖́- OMG. You use the best emojis, Mitsu. XDDDDDD

Taws love of family has a really warped dark side at the same time, and will be showcased more and more as the story progressed. Such a bootiful conclusion, you've made. Hurhurhur. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

On the topic of genre though, YESH. A [] A JingKu is indeed not a fantasy so as Mitsu has mentioned: there will be very realistic consequences and much heartbreak in the future.

A few peeps that have read the story have spoke about JINGKU as if its a fantasy story with tributes to the Hmong ethnicity. JINGKU is a HISTORICAL FICTION/DRAMA. O v Olll(edited)

I'm also hoping we'll get more action scenes because-- boy oh boy, though mah art skillz suffer, I really do love action. GEH. ; v ; (No promises though.) Thank you so much for dropping off yer final thoughts, Mitsu. You're probably one of the few that has been here since near the first draft of JINGKU. XDDD And I'm always grateful that you've stuck around for that long, you awesome bean~~! Mitsu is truly a JINGKU veteran! ; W ;(edited)

RebelVampire

10) I'm looking forward to Lee being Lee some more. But more seriously, I don't really have any specific looking forward to desires. I'm more just interested to see where everything goes in general. This comic has already thrown some curveballs to where I expected it to go, so I don't want to overthink it and stop being surprised.

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

I'm looking forward to Lee being Lee some more. OMG. XDDDD GEH. ;W; But I'm happy that JINGKU has been able to give you some curveballs~~. Whatever's in store for JINGKU, hopefully its' future will not be cut short! @RebelVampire AH!!! OAO!!! But OMG. I'm really surprised that you've taken the story so well, Rebel! I seriously thought that you might just eye JINGKU over for the sake of discussion and simply mod from afar. Thank you for giving your insight and I'm happy to hear you'll continue to root for Lee!(edited)

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

@- ̗̀ Mitsu ৫ ̖́- OMG!!! I don't know how, but my eyes did not catch your answers for the first few questions!!! OAO Probably because everyone is giving such detailed answers, but GEH. GEH. GEH. I laughed so hard at your comment about Hur being a tsundere. MUAHAHAAHA. XDDDDD Pwease cherish that bald babeh!(edited)

Ah... I do have to confess, Shu's excuse on catching a chicken was ridiculous in its own right. But the reality is, my own parents have stories of how animals would sometimes escape or go missing and peeps were forced to search the surrounding mountains for their livestock. RIP peeps chasing after their cows and pigs. Y v Y

DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio)

Okay, so I've no idea if anyone else is going to leave any more comments before 3 am (12 am on PST time) so I'm going to go ahead and toss this here. O W Q @RebelVampire @shrimpchipsahoy @- ̗̀ Mitsu ৫ ̖́- @Chillin&Livin @kongli @keii4ii THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT PARTICIPATED IN THIS JINGKU DISCUSSION!!!!! YA'LL ARE AWESOME BEANS AND HOPE YOU CONTINUE TO STICK WITH THE STORY NO MATTER HOW CRAZY IT GETS! YOSH! (edited)

RebelVampire

COMIC TEA PARTY- WEEK LONG BOOK CLUB END!

Thank you everyone so much for reading and chatting about JINGKU this week! Please also give a special thank you to DA-POW! (Yayao Yuying Studio) for volunteering the comic and creating it! If you liked JINGKU, make sure to continue to support it via some of the links below!

Read and Comment: https://globalcomix.com/c/jingku

DA-POW!’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/YayaoYuyingSTU?lang=en