Strong Female Protagonist (No Relation to Hark! A Vagrant!)

Hi, I recently discovered a really good webcomic, and like a missionary, I am trying to spread the word.

This is a superhero webcomic about Alison Green, a superpowered college student who retired from superheroing because she's not sure that her work makes a lasting, positive impact on society. Now she just tries to get through college while dealing with the consequences of her retirement and trying to figure out what she wants out of life.

Despite the premise, it doesn't go into any tract about how superheroes are unrealistic. It's just a really well-done story about a young girl who is trying to figure out her life. Alison is a character that's very easy to like, the other cast members are interesting, the action scenes have a lot of energy to them, and there is a surprising amount of genuine emotion, particularly in the second chapter.

You can find it here.

Very interesting stuff. Thanks for the link.

I just found this comic and I love it. Great characters and great premise.

Oh thank you for recommending it's really interesting, and I like the characters.

In light of what Menace mentioned about the kid who could produce free energy, one wonders exactly how strong Alison is...there are some ways her power (literally) could be applied.

RSS'ed. Now, will the real Menace please stand up...

...we're going to have a problem here.

So, how do people feel about what Feral's doing (latest comic, 3-39)? Granted, it's doing a lot of good, but I am majorly creeped out by this development. Nobody should have to go through that. Someone agreeing to put themselves through it deliberately....

What she is doing is good, but I'm not sure how I feel about the hospital agreeing to it, on the one hand it will save a lot of people, on the other hand it must be very painful.

I have to admit, I'm impressed that the author managed to create a situation that serves as both a Crowning Moment of Heartwarming and Nightmare Fuel.

And yeah, I'm pretty torn on the situation, too - hopefully, she's able to build up some kind of tolerance to pain, because otherwise...

Well, brain damage does affect her, even though she heals. I wonder if they've tried starting a surgery by jamming something into the pain centers so she doesn't feel anything. If they took it out, sure, she'd heal too soon, but leaving it in would probably work.

This is really interesting. But damn Feral, that's just...

It's a pretty good comic. Though there are some parts I do not agree with. - It goes with reversing the trope that fighting is all that superheroes do, and calls your attention to other problems that supers could realistically do. (Why doesn't the heat-proof guy become a fireman or the super strong guy the world's best construction worker, why are they only good for beating up baddies?) But it also says that crime fighting is easy, which in the real world would also not be true. So it runs with a subverted trope, but that is a trope that is also untrue. - It shows how the bad guys, too, have sad backstories. But I think realistically some guys are really just dicks. Still, neat.

On Feral: Yeah, that's a mighty heroic thing to do and she could get a statue for it. Of course, it is not a morally defensive status quo either.

There is an old thought experiment about our ethics that goes like this: You are in a hospital with various people waiting for organ transplants. If donors are not found, they are all going to die soon. But, as luck would have it, there is a visitor sititng in the waiting room. A completely healthy person, with just the right fine, healthy organs! I think that any human being would agree that jumping to the conclusion that the best course of action is to kill that person for his organs is insane. Despite the fact that you'd be saving 10 people in exchange for killing just 1.

Just binged this, and quite enjoyed it. Might I ask, what is the update schedule for this? It's a lot of fun to read, and I'd like to know when I should check up on it.

@Vree The reason this situation is more complicated is, in this case the person volunteered. Still doesn't sit right with me, but it does change things.

...I wouldn't actually call it insane, to be honest. I would consider it rational. Dunno, maybe I'm insane myself.

Tuesdays and Fridays.

Anyway latest update was kinda sad. I wonder what's the reason behind Patrick's refusal. Does he want to focus on saving the world instead of getting emotionally involved, or something?

It's being implied that, while he has given up super villainy, he's not completely on the up-and-up in his business practices. (That, and/or I'm not sure what the age difference between the two is, so we may be looking at a May–December Romance here. It's something he might not be comfortable with.)

This may also be part of his manipulation of her. Her feelings can hardly have come as a surprise to him, after all.

The thing is, she ought to know that if she were thinking logically about it, since she does know his powers. But then he would know that too. So she's not thinking this through...and he wants to keep it that way, be it to manipulate or protect her.

Telepathy makes everything fun, doesn't it?

Alison's likely around 18-19, or maybe her early 20s, since she's in her first year of university. Patrick looks early-/mid 20s. I don't think age difference is an issue.

I would revise that to late 20s or right around 30, but that's just me. (I don't think he looks quite that young.)

@Totemic Hero: As far as I understand he's going with an End Justifies The Means approach, using his underground connections to work towards making the world a better place. Or perhaps just investigate the mysterious deaths of those kids who had powers that might have improved the world.

Obviously, he has some sort of hidden agenda, we don't know what it is. He hasn't shared it with Allison, so we know he isn't being completely honest with her. That by itself doesn't mean he is using her, and refusing to become romantic may actually be a good sign. On the other hand, maybe he doesn't want to become too attached, because he knows that he is going to have to do something bad to her or with her at some point...

On a semi-related note, anger issues.

Can you really blame her? That shit's just evil. She went back into superhero mode, righting a terrible wrong. The wrong of a vending machine stealing her money and not giving her candy.

I liked that psychic guy's reaction to Looney Tunes.