PS238 by Aaron Williams

Ps238: The School for Metaprodigy Children
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2016-03-14
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2016-03-14

Mar15
by Aaron on 2016-03-15 at 5:27 pm
Issue: Chapter 1: 84 and the Ones Before

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Discussion (102) ¬

  1. Nate Hoffelder
    2016-03-15, 5:35 pm | # | Reply

    Is the book in Patriot Act’s hands in the last panel a Marvel’s “Civil War” reference?

    • Xel Unknown
      2022-08-22, 3:58 am | # | Reply

      Oh yes I love the idea of Patriot Act reading Civil War. I wonder his opinion on the matter. And hell I wonder what he’d think of Civil War 2.

  2. HardWearJunkie
    2016-03-15, 6:35 pm | # | Reply

    They have an “In” to the Praetorian Academy now.

  3. BaronBruce
    2016-03-15, 6:45 pm | # | Reply

    Don’t think we didn’t notice Captain-America-In-Training reading “Civil War”. It’s shout-outs like those which make this such a fun read.

    • Messenger
      2016-03-17, 5:17 am | # | Reply

      Note that USA Patriot Act isn’t so much Capt. America-in-Training but Republican American Superhero Jr.

      • MattStriker
        2016-03-17, 1:31 pm | # | Reply

        “Republican American Superhero Jr.” is what his sponsors may be aiming for, but when he isn’t on-camera he’s actually a lot more like Cap than they’d be happy with.

        • Tomy Ironmane
          2016-03-18, 3:44 am | # | Reply

          Sucks when your mouthpiece starts thinking for himself, doesn’t it?

        • Messenger
          2016-03-18, 5:34 am | # | Reply

          Is he? TBH, to me he’s very much a jerk off-camera and even away from American Eagle*. Cap is a more than generally a nice guy.
          * applies also to her.

        • Agentwestmer
          2016-03-19, 9:06 pm | # | Reply

          Not so much, he went all rules lawyer with American Eagle to get Tyler kicked out of office (Class president) by using the school charter, at a time when Cranston was clearly under duress. That’s /not/ something Cap would be okay with.

      • Daibhid C
        2016-03-17, 3:49 pm | # | Reply

        U.S.Agent -in-Training…

      • BaronBruce
        2016-03-18, 12:31 am | # | Reply

        He and Jenny are both competing to eventually replace Freedom Fighter, yes? Who is the PS-238 expy for Captain America. So yeah, Captain America in training. Both of them.

    • PhilipC
      2016-03-19, 11:30 pm | # | Reply

      USA IT reading Civil War and seeing his hero CA choosing right over legal might be just the eye opening that he needs not to be the jerk some of you are seeing. This could be his Catcher In The Rye/Ayn Rand/To Kill A Mockingbird that changes his thinking forever.

    • xero
      2016-03-20, 1:59 am | # | Reply

      he’s more like US Agent

  4. Prairie Son
    2016-03-15, 7:20 pm | # | Reply

    And Von Fogg’s ranting, and Ambriel looks like she’s almost praying for a fire drill. 🙂

    • Nightmask
      2016-03-15, 11:34 pm | # | Reply

      He’s found something her Guardian Angel can’t protect her against, her one main weakness (outside of needing air, food, water, etc).

      • Adahn
        2016-03-16, 6:04 pm | # | Reply

        Ambriel’s powers do retaliate against things that annoy her, so she probably doesn’t mind Von Fogg’s rantings that much. After all, she does get along pretty well with Zodon.

        • Nightmask
          2016-03-16, 7:27 pm | # | Reply

          A good point, she does seem more tolerant of both of them than everyone else. Probably because she’s not much different than them personality-wise. They’re all snarky and more than a little full of themselves, them due to the ego from their genius and her due to the protection of her Guardian Angel leaving her able to get away with a lot without fear of punishment (her alternate was the only one who wasn’t afraid of and had no problems talking back to Evil Tyler after all, and only backed down when he threatened her friends since she knew she couldn’t protect them against him indefinitely).

          • roguebfl
            2016-03-21, 1:14 pm | #

            She was the one who got punished by the teacher for angel throwing the blackboard eraser so I don’t think she don’t fear punishment.

        • Man in the Mists
          2016-03-16, 9:11 pm | # | Reply

          To be fair, the last couple of times she went somewhere with Zodon she went home with a really cool new toy.

        • trlkly
          2016-03-18, 5:59 pm | # | Reply

          Sometimes. But she’s been telling it to behave lately–ever since she almost died.

    • Mujaki
      2016-03-16, 7:37 am | # | Reply

      Ah, but is she following him, as part of her duties with the Trans-Dimensional Defense Division?
      Or is he following her, as she’s one of the few that will put up with listen to his ranting?

      • Mouser
        2016-03-16, 10:42 am | # | Reply

        They probably have the next class together. NO power can help her now!

  5. Faust
    2016-03-15, 9:21 pm | # | Reply

    He now gets 2 suits! This could be interesting. 🙂

    • Dorje Sylas
      2016-03-16, 3:10 pm | # | Reply

      Well in CoH/V you could have something like 5 different costumes.

    • Messenger
      2016-03-17, 5:26 am | # | Reply

      He already has 2 suits. One of them just needs to be fixed up from the time he wore it to gym class and had Zodon as his activity partner.

  6. Lucario
    2016-03-15, 10:05 pm | # | Reply

    Finally finishing the chapter! It’s only been nearly two years!

  7. Lex
    2016-03-15, 11:38 pm | # | Reply

    Nice to see there are drinking fountains at different levels. Herschell thinks on everything!

  8. CCC
    2016-03-16, 12:04 am | # | Reply

    It’s gonna ake a lot to make an outfit that’s 84-hug-proof

    • David Nuttall
      2016-03-16, 11:38 pm | # | Reply

      Think “Girl of Steel, Boy of Tissue Paper.” This can be a long-term relationship, but I would caution against making it very physical, especially after puberty. I would recommend her marrying someone else with an 8 at the beginning of their identification, or maybe Bernard.

      • Jacob P
        2016-03-16, 11:45 pm | # | Reply

        While an interesting analogy, Ron’s existence shows that FISS can intermarry and reproduce with normal humans without killing or permanently harming their loved one.

      • Tandin
        2016-03-18, 1:28 am | # | Reply

        Doesn’t Captain Clarinets very existence prove that a long term marriage/physical relationship between them could work in this particular universe? After all Clarinet’s parents split because of personal reasons, not because she got squished in a hug. So Julie and Tyler could totally happen.

        • Nightmask
          2016-03-18, 1:50 am | # | Reply

          Obviously she just hasn’t fully learned to control her strength, but if she was THAT lacking in control she’d have killed him with the first hug (like Lois’s son did in several Elseworld’s when he hugged her as a child) and she’ll certainly get it under control once she’s fully of age. Plus to put things delicately, it’s not like she’d have to do all that much ‘work’ as it were, her partner could do the majority of it while she simply lays back and enjoys things.

        • trlkly
          2016-03-18, 5:11 pm | # | Reply

          Sure, a relationship could work, but that doesn’t mean Woman of Kleenex isn’t an issue.

          Have we been shown that Rob was an accident? If not, it could be a planned insemination. Or, since Argonite seems only to depower (unlike Kryptonite which makes Superman ill), maybe hey have sex only when they have some around–so he could still be an accident.

          The real question is if other FISSes, who wouldn’t know about Argonite, have had sex with weaker metas or humans. Do we even know of another FISS/Non-FISS couple?

          • Wanderer
            2016-03-23, 3:43 pm | #

            Er, yeah. Mo=Ron (Captain Clarinet) was born of the union of Atlas (Argonian F.I.S.S., equivalent of Superman) and his Earth-human wife. Therefore, it is possible for a F.I.S.S. and a non-F.I.S.S. to have intercourse without damage and for the non-F.I.S.S. to carry the child to term. So yeah, Tyler would most likely be fine if he were to become Julie’s husband.

      • trlkly
        2016-03-18, 5:06 pm | # | Reply

        Girl of Steel is generally considered less of a problem, though. Man of Steel has to eject something into the Women of Kleenex. But while the contractions of Girl of Steel’s orgasm might be bad for the Boy’s “kleenex,” she doesn’t have to do that to have a baby.

        • bissek
          2016-03-21, 8:59 am | # | Reply

          What about the logistics of penetrating an indestructible hymen? Unless comic book law dictates that that one part of her body isn’t invulnerable, it’s likely that when she grows up, 84 and every other female FISS is biologically incapable of having their first time with a non-FISS unless they utilize some kind of special equipment, which would likely involve Argonite.

          On a more G-rated offshoot, how do FISSes get their vaccinations? The VERY FIRST line ever spoken by Clark Kent in comic history was “Try again, Doc!”, after after his doctor tried to give him a shot and the needle snapped off… again (Later reboots of the franchise had Clark not become invulnerable until after he was old enough to not need shots anymore). Superman likely didn’t really need immunization from Earth diseases because he isn’t human, but the typical FISS in this universe is an enhanced human, not an alien, and as such is vulnerable to human disease.

          • Lucario
            2016-03-22, 2:49 pm | #

            She’s the one who cured Tyler of the alien virus, and it was stated that she fought off chickenpox in under 6 hours. It’s entirely possible that while she has had shots, she didn’t need them.

            Also, this universe has good fabrication of materials. They likely have someone who makes needles out of nickel alloys or something.

    • Adahn
      2016-03-19, 1:22 am | # | Reply

      Silly Tyler:
      Your civilian guise IS your crush-proof outfit.

      (For both meanings of crush)

  9. trlkly
    2016-03-16, 12:05 am | # | Reply

    In case you don’t get Tyler’s comment of “I think it’d take a lot for that to happen,” it’s a reply to what the Revenant said last comic:

    “It’s VITALLY important that she NEVER becomes someone who believes that a WAR btween metahuman groups is a VALID course of action.”

    • Messenger
      2016-03-17, 5:27 am | # | Reply

      Oh.

      Thank you. 🙂

      • trlkly
        2016-03-18, 4:58 pm | # | Reply

        I didn’t get it either until I looked back to see what comments showed up after I posted on the previous comic. It’d just been too long.

  10. Bwoman
    2016-03-16, 3:47 am | # | Reply

    Aaaawwwwww <3 I ship it 😀

    Speaking of Shipping things, am I correct in assuming that aside from these page-comments there is no platform for PS238-fans to discuss things (such as ships)?

    • Unmaker
      2016-03-17, 9:18 am | # | Reply

      Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex or rather Man of Kleenex, Woman of Steel. He’s already gotten injured from casual hugs. Anything more would be worse.

      • Nobody
        2016-03-17, 7:51 pm | # | Reply

        “Comic book physics” says if she actually thought about it, she could control her strength enough not to hurt him.

        • Bwoman
          2016-03-18, 8:30 am | # | Reply

          Like Atlas, I assume… He was in the same situation with Ron’s mom.

        • Balance
          2016-03-18, 4:02 pm | # | Reply

          Right. I believe she’s only super-hugged him when he was in his Moon Shadow gear. Given what the kids believe about his powers, she probably thought she was hugging someone who’s pretty much invincible. I’m sure she’d be more careful if she knew he was squishy.

          At least, I hope so, because I ship it, too. They’re adorable together.

        • Nightmask
          2016-03-19, 3:35 am | # | Reply

          Hardly ‘comic book physics’, that’s just general biology and physics. I mean it’s just baffling to me that some people think that because someone’s got super-strength that it somehow must mean every muscle in their body is for no other reason than it’s a muscle is now stupidly over-powered. Just look at the RL comparisons, guys who train for massive physical strength, doesn’t do squat to power up any of their other muscles because they’re not the same deal. Which is why you generally require an explicit acknowledgement that a character can’t control their super-strength or has other issues for it to matter, otherwise you’d have ridiculous things like the character peeing holes in walls or constantly creating windstorms when breathing or worse.

  11. Naldru
    2016-03-16, 8:37 am | # | Reply

    There is http://ps236.wikia.com. Not very active, but it would be a place to start.

    • mccoma
      2016-03-16, 10:00 am | # | Reply

      you mean http://ps238.wikia.com/

  12. Rock
    2016-03-16, 10:17 am | # | Reply

    This is one of the very best pages in the whole comic. 🙂

  13. Dahan
    2016-03-16, 12:08 pm | # | Reply

    And now things are set up for Julie to call upon Tyler and Moon Shadow for help at the same time. ;>

  14. aviancarnage
    2016-03-16, 6:33 pm | # | Reply

    Victor would make for a great lecturer.

  15. Delver
    2016-03-16, 8:37 pm | # | Reply

    I like the two different height water fountains

    • David Nuttall
      2016-03-16, 11:39 pm | # | Reply

      I guess Poly Mer and the flyers use the upper one.

  16. pf
    2016-03-16, 8:47 pm | # | Reply

    Is the upper drinking fountain in the bottom panel supposed to be adult-height or flighted-student-height?

    • TheGalator
      2016-03-16, 9:39 pm | # | Reply

      I think its a flighted-student-height I have never seen an adult that tall

      • David Nuttall
        2016-03-16, 11:41 pm | # | Reply

        The androids can stretch their necks and legs to that extent, but I don’t see them needing to drink water.

        • TheGalator
          2016-03-17, 5:48 pm | # | Reply

          Yeah and I don’t remember many androids except the positrons and that headmaster-helper-guy in this story.
          Not only that but water would most likely damage their systems so it’s a moot point.

          • Matthew Davis
            2016-03-18, 12:58 am | #

            The headmaster-helper guy IS a positron, if I remember right. Just one that is perhaps cut off from the group? I’m not sure but there seemed to be some language suggesting a connection.

          • Mike
            2016-03-18, 8:38 am | #

            You do remember right, Matthew. That was the July 9, 2014 panel, where Prefect (the “Headmaster-helper-guy”) says “My favorite “relative” is working with 84 at this very moment. Should I make the data feed available for your review?”. The next panel shows that Dr. Positron of PS238 is indeed that “favorite relative”, working with 84 and Whiz.

          • Nightmask
            2016-03-20, 12:31 am | #

            I imagine given the Headmaster stole everything else he’s got at the school that the Positron he has is an earlier model that had defects (like lacking the kind of moral programming the two at the school and the one running the convenience store have) and willingly serves him for ‘liberating’ it. We also don’t know enough about the series they’re part of, they might require water for cooling or other purposes so might actually make use of water fountains or at least be built to emulate humans enough to engage in such things as eating and drinking even if they can’t gain nourishment from it in order to fit in.

          • TheGalator
            2016-03-21, 12:24 pm | #

            Hey! I forgot what he was called, and I would like to know where you discovered that the prefect was a positron.

      • TheGalator
        2016-03-21, 12:28 pm | # | Reply

        “Relative” was in quotation marks because he was reffering to the fact that they were both AIs

  17. TheGalator
    2016-03-16, 9:37 pm | # | Reply

    Hah! I knew it.

  18. TheGalator
    2016-03-16, 9:40 pm | # | Reply

    woops I mean I knew it was for tyler (it meaning that paper)

  19. Sean Duggan
    2016-03-16, 11:29 pm | # | Reply

    USA Patriot Act looks odd in color. I guess I was always thinking of his suit as being blue, not red. Is that an older kid behind Tyler? He looks a good head and a half taller.

    • Stephen R. Bierce
      2016-03-17, 12:25 am | # | Reply

      He SAID that red is his favorite color, right?

    • Messenger
      2016-03-17, 5:20 am | # | Reply

      Red for the Republican party, though that last part is implied and not stated. American Eagle is the Democratic (also implied) superkid, but she’s mostly colored white.

      • Lola Langdon
        2016-03-17, 6:36 pm | # | Reply

        Implied in comic, confirmed in the RPG book.

    • TheGalator
      2016-03-17, 5:53 pm | # | Reply

      Well, I have never seen a blue eagle, and by the way Sean, it shows his color on the cover of issue six “Real American Heroes”.

      • Sean Duggan
        2016-03-18, 9:31 am | # | Reply

        You are right. Obviously, I just wasn’t paying attention.

      • Brent
        2016-03-21, 12:34 am | # | Reply

        You’ve never seen a blue eagle? Get thee to the Muppet Show! You’re making Sam the Eagle sad.

        • TheGalator
          2016-03-21, 12:29 pm | # | Reply

          Oh, Shut up! *snicker*.

        • TheGalator
          2016-03-21, 12:33 pm | # | Reply

          Hole on! what’s wit da messed up sweap schedule.

    • HEB807
      2016-03-21, 11:22 am | # | Reply

      Yeh, the color can be seen on issue 6, but I think it looks better there because th white in his pants helps to balance out the red, and you can’t see the white in this panel.

      • TheGalator
        2016-03-21, 12:30 pm | # | Reply

        I didn’t think we were talking about aesthetics.

  20. Messenger
    2016-03-17, 5:35 am | # | Reply

    I’m trying to think of the times when Tyler (as not-Moon Shadow) was able to really help or do stuff. The one that comes to mind is when he was in orbit with Angie and Prospero doing their project for Mr. Herschel’s class. Anything else?

    • Nobody
      2016-03-17, 7:54 pm | # | Reply

      He did the time-travel fight with Zodon. But 84 wouldn’t know about that one.

    • Prairie Son
      2016-03-20, 9:27 pm | # | Reply

      Issue 4, with the field trip to the moon.

      • Messenger
        2016-03-21, 2:23 am | # | Reply

        LIKE. 😀

        I wonder if Tyler’s classmates, while feeling sorry for his not having powers, do have some conscious respect for his common sense and down-to-earth cleverness?

        • Prairie Son
          2016-03-21, 11:23 am | # | Reply

          You mean like when they busted Charles for shoplifting at the K Square?

  21. Faust
    2016-03-17, 11:24 am | # | Reply

    Now as a member twice, I expect him to be wanted by them in two places at once 🙂 his twin will be useful.

    • TheGalator
      2016-03-17, 5:55 pm | # | Reply

      Acualy I was thinking of Cecil because he already knows that Tyler is moon shadow

  22. TheGalator
    2016-03-17, 5:57 pm | # | Reply

    Woops!!! typo 😮

  23. TheGalator
    2016-03-17, 5:57 pm | # | Reply

    I mean Whoops! typo 😮

  24. Devlerbat
    2016-03-17, 7:04 pm | # | Reply

    So in order for Tyler to show up is Moon Shadow going to have to snub the invitation or will sitcom-esque hijinks ensue?

    • Rock
      2016-03-18, 2:36 am | # | Reply

      Moon Shadow can just claim prior superheroic engagements, and everyone will believe him. 😉

    • CCC
      2016-03-18, 3:57 am | # | Reply

      Tyler will turn up. Later, Moon Shadow will mention that he was at the meeting and/or demonstrate knowledge of what happene during it, and everyone will be VERY impressed at his stealth skills.

      • Knug
        2016-03-18, 2:11 pm | # | Reply

        This. When Moon shadow demonstrates he knows all that happened at the meetings, his legend will grow.

      • Devlerbat
        2016-03-19, 2:41 am | # | Reply

        So Sitcom-esque shenanigans it is then. 😛

  25. Icewindzg
    2016-03-18, 1:24 am | # | Reply

    I think Tyler will show up and Cecil will be Moon Shadow. You know, the whole Alfred is Batman bit.

  26. Solarn
    2016-03-19, 1:25 pm | # | Reply

    Does the kid in the middle panel remind anyone else of a young version of Mister Terrific (obviously with a more generic facemask) or is it just me?

    • Stephen R. Bierce
      2016-03-19, 11:44 pm | # | Reply

      Her name is Poly Mer and she’s a regular in this series.

      • Stephen R. Bierce
        2016-03-19, 11:45 pm | # | Reply

        Wait…middle panel? Scratch what I said.

    • HEB807
      2016-03-20, 6:11 pm | # | Reply

      New kid (at least to my knowledge) and kiddof, but not really. Remines me more of an electric powers teenager that I found in some obsqure comic whose name I can’t remember. That kid also wore a leather jacket similar to that, his name might have been Static Shock, but I really can’t remember at this point. I can also see the resemblance to Mr. Terrific now that you mention it, so what do I know.

      • Prairie Son
        2016-03-20, 9:24 pm | # | Reply

        Given the electric-shock warning sign on his shirt, my first guess would be “Black Lightning* expy”.

        *For those old enough to remember Challenge of the Super Friends.

        • HEB807
          2016-03-21, 12:14 am | # | Reply

          Not old enough to remember, but that didn’t stop my little brothers from playing dvd’s of the thing on endless loops in the car when we were yonger. I think I have that entire season memorized.

    • Mike
      2016-03-21, 8:36 am | # | Reply

      Actually, if you took away the mask and modified the warning symbol to the standard exclamation point, it would look a lot like the outfit I saw a few years ago being worn by some guys in a jeep that had a “Zombie Response Team #18” logo on the doors. Even the hairdo is similar.

  27. SwagLad
    2016-03-21, 7:00 am | # | Reply

    Love the two different heights on the drinking fountains

  28. Faust
    2016-03-21, 8:40 pm | # | Reply

    So far the identity and actions of Zero is secure. I’m waiting on the headmaster of the praetorian school finding out and getting his fingers in him.

  29. Tandin
    2017-02-14, 2:13 pm | # | Reply

    Heh heh, “crush-proof” has an unintended double meaning.

  30. Jon
    2021-04-18, 2:39 am | # | Reply

    Cuz no one else seems to be saying it — d’awwwwwwwww.

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