Police Officer: {sighs} You are under arrest for conducting scientific experiments without a legal license... and for backtalking the law!
First comic: #637, 2014-07-09
Last comic: #647, 2014-08-20
Author: Cody
"The following story is 100% true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent, and the guilty, as well as all the people who were in no way involved in this story but may try to sue us anyway. Now on with the webcomic."
Ambrose is experimenting with some test tubes in his lab. Suddenly, two police officers barge in and inform him he's under arrest for conducting his experiments without a license. (And then for backtalking the law, just for asking them why he was arrested.) At court, the judge, Oliver, sentences him to 30 years in prison.
Ambrose lays down in his cell and reflects somberly on how he'll be spending the rest of his life in prison. However, Ambrose's loyal assistant Delkin unexpectedly show up outside his cell, saying he's here to break him out of prison. (For the sake of Delkin's job security.) He brought Holly with him, as well. Delkin reveals they already have a fool-proof escape plan for him, but he refuses to tell him just yet, and says it will take some time to set up.
Suddenly, Ambrose is released from his sentence early. Amazed, he asks Delkin and Holly how they convinced the prison to let him free, but Delkin says it's their little secret. He whispers to Holly not to tell him, but she mishears Delkin, and loudly tells Ambrose that they posted a $250 bail for him. Delkin facepalms.
"Wasn't that a long way to go for that punchline? So there you have it. That was the end of the story arc."
Strips:
- Bailout - Part 1
- Bailout - Part 2
- Bailout - Part 3
- Bailout - Part 4
- Bailout - Part 5
- Bailout - Part 6
This arc contains examples of:
- Gratuitous Laboratory Flasks: What Ambrose is experimenting with at the beginning.
- Great Escape: Subverted. The "escape plan" has nothing to do with Ambrose escaping, just being legally bailed out.
- Institutional Apparel: Ambrose is given a black-and-white striped shirt for his stay in prison.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: While he's thinking about how the rest of his life will play out in prison, Ambrose remarks "Sometimes I feel like my life was just entertainment on some random website."
- Roman à Clef: Parodied with the disclaimer at the beginning, which says that names were changed to protect the innocent, the guilty, and people who weren't even involved in the story.
- "Shaggy Dog" Story: The entire "escape plan." Thought you might get something exciting about Ambrose having to sneak his way out of jail with his assistants' help? Nope, they just bail him out. Though, if you read the title of the arc, you might've been able to guess that.
- Tally Marks on the Prison Wall: Ambrose scratches one when he's first put in his cell, remarking that at least no-one else was here already.
