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Oh how the tables have turned! He’s not actually dead yet, but I don’t think there’s any coming back from that for Ryoushi. I debated doing one of those full spread painted pages for Ryoushi’s neck wound shot, but I think we’ll leave those as a ‘Yori vs DoS’ thing and not a ‘general DoS death’ thing.

In other news, we have some new Comictron comics! Numbers 196, 197, and 198 at the bottom of the page.

Published on August 3, 2014 by Alex Kolesar

TheMaskedFerret

Arrowed!
- Slograman
  
  It’s over!!!!
  - KungFuKlobber
    
    The “HRRGK!” is for sucks!
- Mike
  
  His blood hurts.
  - Slograman
    
    You look burnt. Or dead.
Madison Link

Hoist by his own petard! Which seems to be something of a theme with the Demons of sorrow, not just the ones that Yori kills.
- http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
  
  I would argue that Yori’s still the one doing them in. I mean, it’s his sword going through their fleshy bad guy bodies, after all. He’s just overcoming the disadvantages they create for him in the fight. Also, don’t go linking the black hole that is tvtropes in the comments, my day is only so long and I got stuff to do!
IDPounder

Genchu makes a pointed argument.
- Mike
  
  Boo! That was horrible! And we love you for it.
- http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
  
  OOOH I CAN’T WHY I OUTTA…!!!
- MoveAlongCitizen
  
  But it got to the marrow of the issue.
Charvale

Ah, yes. The epic bear hug o’ doom.

Apparently Genchu’s trying to kill the Demons of Sorrow with kindness.

Best part about that… it seems to be working.
- http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
  
  Hey, it’s a valid strategy! Yori would probably be having a much easier time of it if he went into each DoS fight with a chipper smile on his face.
  - Charvale
    
    True. Of course I could see the same happening with Ken.
    =^_^=
Yacc

Very cool move
Astralfury

He’d have been able to just retire if it had only hit him in the knee instead.
- Have a rock
  
  Hahaha! Yes!
- Galeden
  
  And then begin working as a guard for a random city or town.
  - anonynobody
    
    You know that meme actually means getting married? (the old ball&chain joke)
    - http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
      
      I could never figure out how to get married in Skyrim! It’s such a confusing game! I did beat the main quest, though, after, like, 120 hours.
      - Astralfury
        
        I guess cupid has to cripple you so that there is no getting away.
      - BobbyBG33k
        
        Hahahaaaa!
        Oh thank you. I love the comments on this comic.
- http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
  
  He is retiring…PERMANENTLY. *BADAM BOOSH*
Mike

Hargk! And, he died somehow.
- http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
  
  Ryoushi’s death has yet to conclude, friend! Maybe he’ll recover and take up that hotdog vending stand he’d always dreamed of!
  - Purphoros
    
    He’ll be known as SMOT (stab-my-own-throat) Ryoushi, the greatest competition for the disc-spanning CMOT Dibbler franchise.
charles81

*gasp* Genchu is Cupid!
- http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
  
  That would make falling in love a rather deadly proposition.
  - Mike
    
    Gives that Chris Isaak song a whole new meaning.
Hfar

“Oh no! I have a wood allergy! Specifically having it lodged in my throat!”
- http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
  
  I’m allergic to trachea punctures!
Sunwu

Nnfb: we solve our problems with eachother by hugging it out.
- http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
  
  Hugging…TO THE DEATH!
Sunwu

What’s a matter Ryoushi? You seem a bit choked up about something! Cat got your tongue? Frog in your throat? I guess some facts are just too hard to swallow.
- http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
  
  Looks like it went down the wrong pipe! That’s all I got, you used all the better choking metaphors.
  - Sunwu
    
    You stuck your neck out for me and that’s all that matters.
  - Speedy Marsh
    
    The lump got it in tbe throat.
Scott Henry

Uh it looks like Genchu still has a weapon. So why isnt he using it? You can clearly see a sword of some type in genchus belt on frame 1….yep handle and tsuba right there and he’s not using it.
- Mike
  
  Drawing a sword takes time, and space. Not much, but more then simply grabbing someone and stabbing them with a weapon already in hand. Or at least already in chest.
  - http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
    
    This was my reasoning as well. He’s also unable to wield the wakizashi right handed because he’s having arm troubles (thanks to his big fight with Hirotomo) so he’d have to use his left hand to unsheath the sword. It’d be all sorts of awkward, especially since he’d have to do it while stepping into Ryoushi’s strike since he’s unable to retreat. I’m not a martial artist, so maybe there’s a better way to weasel out of this predicament, but I thought having Genchu pull off this move was super cool and totally in line with how Genchu solves problems (by launching himself at his enemies).
    - Mike
      
      Medoken! (Another reference, not sure if any’ll get this one.)
      - leavescat
        
        That would be 8-bit theater.
      - http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
        
        8-Bit Theater! That’s old school!
      - KungFuKlobber
        
        Arrow chucks, yo.
    - Scott Henry
      
      I dont buy it. He’s good enough to draw underhanded with his left.
  - Scott Henry
    
    Oh please. He couldn’t draw it underhanded with his left and slash? He’s clearly not some idiot noob with no idea how to fight. He could draw it. I’m no buying the excuses. It seems more like it was forgotten he had it.
    - Xinef
      
      But he opted to use the arrow and it was effective, wasn’t it?
      
      So even if he could use the sword and be equally effective with it, it would mean both would be equally good choices. So there’s no reason to choose one over the other. (Other than the rule of cool)
      
      Basically, there are (at least) two choices – use the sword, or use the arrow. Common sense tells us that swords are deadlier in melee combat, but even an arrow can kill if it pierces a vital point.
      
      Advantages of using the sword – greater damage if it hits, can be used to parry the attack, and also we can assume Genchu is better at fighting with swords than at fighting with arrows 😛
      
      Advantages of using the arrow – surprise effect, less time needed, harder to parry, can use left arm and body impact without actually swinging with your wounded arms or performing other complex movements (like unsheathing and rotating a sword).
      
      Considering that Genchu is skilled enough to strike at vital points and therefore he doesn’t need a weapon capable of killing even if it doesn’t hit a vital point, and considering that Ryoushi most likely expected him to draw the sword, so maybe if Genchu tried to draw the sword, Ryoushi was prepared to counter it, and considering that Genchu was in a position where fighting offensively was better than attempting to fight defensively…
      
      I’d say using the arrow was probably either the better option of the two, or at the very least equally good.
      
      So… in the end I hope I was able to prove that BEARHUG! is a better sound effect than e.g. SWORDED!
      - http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
        
        Although I find Scott’s critique of Genchu’s actions perfectly legitimate, I find your response legendary, Xinef.
      - Xinef
        
        Umm… thanks ^_^
        
        I’m just a little Polish samurai, who likes to overanalyze things. I’m not trying to prove that Scott is wrong. I’m just answering his question why Genchu wouldn’t use the sword.
        
        Personally, I like fighting styles that involve hugs too. Especially ninja (well… kunoichi) who specialize in unexpected stealthy hugs.
- Xinef
  
  It’s because Genchu is a hipster, and killing with a sword is too mainstream for him.
  - http://www.nn4b.com suburban_samurai
    
    You’re my new favorite comment of the week.
reynard61

*There’s* a sore throat no lozenge will cure…
BobbyBG33k

I was gonna make a joke about sharing needles and getting tested, but it just doesn’t work here.
Great comic.

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