PS238 by Aaron Williams
Ps238: The School for Metaprodigy Children
PS238 by Aaron Williams
Ps238: The School for Metaprodigy Children
PS238 by Aaron Williams
Ps238: The School for Metaprodigy Children
PS238 by Aaron Williams
Ps238: The School for Metaprodigy Children
43 thoughts on “2020-08-12”
Philadelphus
“…not a total…” WHAT? What isn’t Lester a total?
Messenger
“Jerk” or similar. Lester’s trying to say that even if he has an ulterior motive to getting Tyler out of the store (looking good to the superheroes who have authority and custody over him), he’s not so horrible a guy that if he didn’t have to do that he’d let Tyler be harmed.
evileeyore
“…villain.”
Lester was a villain, but I bet he was a “Capes versus capes”, “fun and games” villain, not a “HAHA Hero, your secret identity’s spouse is in a sealed room with a bomb, but I’ve also rigged a bomb under the Orphanarium on the other side of the city, you only have time to save one, which one do you choose?” villain.
IE, it’s looking like Lester was in it to foil capes, maybe rob a few banks, burgle some jewelry stores, but not hurt people.
Xylura
Pretty sure “Orphanarium” isn’t officially a word – but I like it! Though it makes me picture people walking by a glass enclosure containing a playground with several poorly-dressed children in it.
Arjay
Amusingly, that seems to be the sort of villain that the Revenant would cut a deal with to make them a less counterproductive member of society. I like that idea, because I kind of like Lester at this point.
Meanwhile, with that file in Tyler’s possession, I wonder how hard it would be to get an order of protection against two of the world’s most powerful superheroes.
Cathrinfelinal
“Monster”?
The Wyrm Ouroboros
“Word-You-Can’t-Say-In-A-Rated-G-Movie”, of course.
Bob
Or as Zodon would say, PODCAST.
Wanderer
It’s fairly obvious from various clues that Lester REALLY wants his old, pre-powers life and family back.
It’s also blindingly obvious that since Tyler’s parents apparently share being AMAZINGLY BRAIN-DEAD, HEAD-BLIND SHITHEELS, he’s never going to get a chance at that in his cruuent situation. The Marlock’s simply cannot conceive that someone DOES NOT WANT to be super; they are so “gone” that they have resorted to near-villainy to get Tyler to “give up” being powerless. As if that’s a choice…
temperaryobsessor
I like Lesters argument I mean it could all be a lie but trying to convince someone who feels you attacked them your a good person rarely works as a starting point.
Lester I hope you prove the second point because you’ve seen the type of gardening jerks Tyler’s “parents” are. Please show you will not just hand Tyler over to those who intend to harm him.
Tyler way to be a hero keep it up.
7eggert
Nobody wants to harm him. His parents want to super him, then to un-harm him from giving him supers and then to un-harm him from un-harming him. You see, they’ve got only the best intentions! If only there was a way to not harm him in the first place …
Messenger
Not addressing it after Tyler’s already brought up as the main reason for objecting would work even less.
Being honest- at least about that- is the best starting point he has.
Besides- that crashing dismembered giant mecha hand should massively help Lester convince Tyler and Ron they should get out of the store- and to a place that’s much safer for them.
Messenger
* Not addressing it after Tyler’s already brought it up as the main reason
I sometimes wish you could edit your comments just to correct your typographical and grammatical errors.
temperaryobsessor
I know what you mean I have my share. I accidentilly replied instead of making my own comment.
Some Ed
I’m pretty sure the Marlocks are so “gone” that they have resorted to villainy to get Tyler powers. Actual villainy, not just near. I mean, the point has been fairly well made that Tyler *has* at least one power, otherwise he’d be dead by now thanks to them. It’s just that one power is to seem in all ways to be perfectly normal.
They don’t realize they would’ve killed him, because they’re so out of touch with what normal is, they don’t understand that they’d exposed him to half a dozen or more different forms of normally lethal before he even started at PS238. But that doesn’t absolve their guilt. They live in a world mostly populated by normal people. They claim to be those normal people’s protectors. In order to do that, they *should* have found out what is actually dangerous to those normal people. But they clearly have no clue.
Wanderer
IF Tyler has a power (something which, to my knowledge, Aaron has not confirmed, denied, or even commented on), beyond that which is implied and imposed by being the viewpoint character of the strip, it’s VERY subtle. In the PS238 RPG, whose characters were crafted to Aaron’s specs, Tyler’s sole difference from any non-super child is that he’s very, VERY Lucky…
The Marlocks are not only unable to detect subtle, they are totally and completely unaware that such a thing as subtle exists. If he actually has a power, it’s AMAZINGLY subtle, and they’re NEVER going to become aware of it… as the power itself will mitigate against this. It’s definitely not in Tyler’s best interest to be anywhere near them.
Nightmask
At a minimum Tyler appears to have the power to NOT have powers at least in any detectable sense, because of everything his parents have tried on him that refused to work in giving him powers, not even magical artifacts could do that. When his clone tried to give him powers it caused a backlash that almost destroyed the Earth because it was so in violation of natural law. It’s also kept him alive despite all the otherwise fatal experiments that they performed on him. Seriously, he’s been a lab animal that they’ve experimented on that by rights they should have been in prison for life for Human Rights Violations and illegal medical experimentation. Only their status as ‘heroes’ keeps them from being held accountable.
TheDorkOne
I just finished a re-read of the comic, and my general impression of Tyler’s parents is that they’ve decided that it is The Will Of The Universe that Tyler manifest powers, and what they’re doing can’t POSSIBLY cause their son actual harm because Destiny Will Not Allow It (in all seriousness, I would LOVE to see an issue of the comic where someone deleted the word Destiny from Tyler’s mother’s brain because they’re sick of hearing her say it). They’re not thinking they’re imperiling Tyler, they’ve just got their heads lodged so far up their backsides that they’re never going to see daylight again.
Which, in my opinion, just might make them WORSE.
Nightmask
Pretty much spot on. Tyler’s parents have fallen into the God Delusion, they believe themselves higher beings that exist to serve The Will Of The Universe. Such beings couldn’t possibly have a powerless mortal for a child, that would be against the Will Of The Universe, clearly something is interfering with his ascendance to the godly plane with them. Which is why when the powered clone showed up they quickly forgot about their own biological child and replaced him in their mind with the clone. They barely even remember Tyler and when they do it’s still all about trying to empower him, to the point of them forcing him into that group therapy deal because they see him as disabled and think HE needs the therapy when they’re the ones that need it.
TheDorkOne
The therapy will be good for Tyler, I think, given the constant emotional and physical trauma. For his parents… well, it wouldn’t be useful until they’re ready to acknowledge that what they’re doing is wrong. And while there are plenty of scenarios that could lead to them finally having that revelation, few of them are going to be pleasant for Tyler or Toby.
Nightmask
You’re forgetting that the therapy group is for people that lost their powers and needing to deal with the trauma like someone that’s been suddenly rendered deaf or blind or worse, Tyler’s never had powers (certainly nothing he’s aware of as he resists all efforts to make him not a normal-power level human) to lose to feel grief over. It’s his nutjob parents that think he must be traumatized because to them not having powers must be a hell for normals. Tyler’s to date never shown any mental or emotional issues due to his parents insanity, other than a far too mature for his age outlook on life and the realization that his parents will never accept him for who he is.
TheDorkOne
Fair enough.
Nightmask
You’re forgetting that the therapy group is for people that lost their powers and needing to deal with the trauma like someone that’s been suddenly rendered deaf or blind or worse, Tyler’s never had powers (certainly nothing he’s aware of as he resists all efforts to make him not a normal-power level human) to lose to feel grief over. It’s his nutjob parents that think he must be traumatized because to them not having powers must be a hell for normals. Tyler’s to date never shown any mental or emotional issues due to his parents insanity, other than a far too mature for his age outlook on life and the realization that his parents will never accept him for who he is.
I don’t think anything can wake up Tyler’s parents though, keep in mind that people that deeply delusional can get violent when you pressure them too hard on their delusions to try and get them to accept reality. Something that’s a really bad idea with people that are already used to using violence to resolve issues and who have incredible super-human abilities to amplify their danger to others.
Skull the Troll
I really hope that at some point Tyler tells them off and makes them realize that they are as bad as many of the villains they fight.
Segev
Regardless of why, it seems obvious to me that if Tyler told his parents off for any reason, they’d dismiss it. Either as delusional childishness or as the rantings of a villain pretending to be their son, depending on what version of them we’re dealing with today. (And their behaviors are at odds with each other enough to term it “versions” of his parents. They’re all bad for him, but they are bad in different ways.)
Prairie Son
Looks like Coach Rockslide’s classes include bumrushing civilians out of the line of fire. I approve.
KillerFish
The mark of a good hero is that they rush to save a life, even when they’re not sure they should be trusting the person who’s life they are saving.
Drgnhawk
I just really love the fact that the kids just saved Lester from being splatted by a giant robot.
LookieLouE1707
Somebody sign those kids up for the football team. If they don’t wind up as superheroes they’ve got a shot at going pro in the nfl.
Carl Knoblock
I’m glad Tyler and Ron had the same thought, since it probably needed both of them to move Lester in time.
Owlmirror
Really, Lester has been in combat situations before, and should really have had the situational awareness to keep an eye/ear open for the violent chaos behind him moving in his direction.
Oh, well. Maybe he used to rely a little too much on his gauntlet to do that?
Veritas
It could also be that Tyler’s suspicion is triggering a little bit of soul-searching on Lester’s part, and he’s not really used to that sort of introspection. Coming up against things you don’t (or even if you decide you aren’t actually those things, wouldn’t) like about yourself can be pretty jarring, even for otherwise sensible/pragmatic people.
(And he may indeed be used to having a greater level of perception and/or toughness. The combination would have some nasty synergy.)
Faust
He explained loosing to someone figuring out how to get the gauntlet of him. Makes me think he was semi defeated repeatedly but they couldn’t disarm him after pinning him.
Having survived combat before doesn’t mean suitably skilled to be in a combat scenario.
dornbeast
“You sly dog! You got me monologuing! I can’t believe it!”
temperaryobsessor
I just realized Ron is also saving Lester glad they are both hero’s.
Nodrog
OOOH…. brain flash, I can’t believe I missed seeing it. My compliments to anyone who may have figured this out earlier.
Lester’s promised reward is to be able to get his old life back. Who took Lester’s old life of being a super villian away? Revenant.
Revenant, who we know has reformed and recruited at least one former supervillian (Crystal Skull) and who would listen to Tyler (assuming Tyler is returned home safely) if Tyler tried to convince him that Lester had reformed.
And Lester would be a VERY useful recruit for Revenant and Moon Shadow… he has the right (jaded, cynical) view of super heroes but still has an urge to basically improve things and demonstrated having a moral compass.
My vote for ‘Management’ is Paradox/time travelling kid with a time travelling Revenant as a close second. Also, it occurs to me that ‘Management’ would be a great super hero name for someone who uses time travel powers to make sure things go right.
LookieLouE1707
That would be a little underhanded for the revenant, wouldn’t it? Why wouldn’t he just tell the kids his plan rather than leaving them in the dark to be manipulated to the right scenario?
Prairie Son
I think the idea is that there wasn’t a plan, but the Revenant would make it sound there was one once Tyler talks to him.
Nodrog
Oh, brain flash was triggered by looking back at 2019-11-06 comic and seeing that the last speech bubble could be Dyna-Mode saying that Lester needs a less negative self image, that’s all.
LookieLouE1707
Is this suggesting that tyler’s parents conspired to get him to this point while hiding their role in the caper? Because that seems way too subtle for them. IIRC lester is doing tower duty as part of his parole, so they or the government are the only people who could release him from that burden. But maybe he’s merely been talking to someone who’s impersonating the powers parents? Psywarp, maybe? Feels like he’s a chekhov’s gun still to be fired.
Incidentally this is why “heads up” is such a useless warning. Yell “rock fall” or “severed mecha hand incoming” or whatever the specific danger is.
Nightmask
No, it’s not suggesting that at all, you’re quite right though that his parents aren’t capable of subtle AND given how blatant they’ve been about trying to power him up they’d have just dragged him there to forcibly experiment on him to try and empower him like they’ve done all the other times rather than attempt subtle.
dornbeast
I think that Power and Glory promised him his old life back, contingent on getting Tyler to P&G. He’s assuming that his old life at least means not being under house arrest, which seems reasonable, regardless of whether it’s his life when he had the Manacle of Nyrathos, or his life before that.
Reynard Wolfe
To be fair to tylers parents, being a normal kid when you make their kind of enemies is like having a kid made of glass in a rhino emporium. Getting him invulnerability or something isn’t JUST a deep seeded super superiority complex it’s also keeping their child alive.
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