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| Text & images © Michael Chevy Castranova |
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Friday, June 19, 2015
Chapter 339 — Recap & Intermission
“SLIPPED”: The Adventure Thus Far …
For
those readers who haven’t followed all seven-plus years of “Slipped” since the
strip debuted online in March 2008 — and we’ll leave you with your own
conscience on that score — here’s a very brief recap. All this information has
been revealed within the past 338 chapters.
Tyler Wilson’s time line
Before
the beginning: Arkady Wilson,
most likely French, married an American, whose name has not been disclosed.
Among their children are two daughters — Tyler Marie-Clotilde and Mendacity. Tyler was born in Paris in 1902 or in
Cairo-on-the-Moon in 2075 — she’s still trying to work that out.
Arkady
Wilson became a Parisian legend as a scarlet-masked cat burglar, using the
alias the Scarlet Sparrow.
He somehow obtained a Time Sword — much prized by beings of this world and
others.
He
vanished while his offspring were very young — possibly because of the
problematic Time Sword.
When
the comic strip “Slipped” begins in 1926: Tyler, by now a lovely, young dance
student, comes by the Time Sword and dons the identity of the Scarlet Sparrow
to rally Paris and western Europe to push back the occupying military forces of
les Rongeurs,
scientifically enhanced giant rats.
She
subsequently has numerous adventures as the Sword pulls her back and forth in
time — thus far, on Earth and on the moon. Though a natural leader, she is
given to spur-of-the-moment decisions, and her choices often produce
questionable outcomes. (Though, to be fair, all this going here and there in
time has messed with the young woman’s memories — and so too with her
judgment.)
Tyler
also has had a few flirtations, including with Étienne (unnamed thus far in the
comic strip), leader of a resistance group hoping to combat les Rongeurs; Dickie
Talbot, who falsely claims to be
her fiancé; le Capitain, a Rongeur officer; and Pablo Picasso.
Among
her more loyal allies are Philip “Pip” Pirrip, a dog of mixed heritage who speaks to her
and only a few others (though he’ll become a famous singer of the American Song
Book in his future), and Pip’s Uncle Béla, who is not a canine, but a magician — or possibly something
more sinister. (He uses his magic, or whatever it is, on more than one occasion
to alter his appearance — most recently into a more dashing-looking man to woo
Elise, queen of Tzanicor.)
Tyler
several times outwits Dargelos,
who may be the devil. Really.
In
more recent chapters, Tyler, Béla and Pip go back in time a few years and
travel with Tyler’s younger sister, Mendacity, as well as with the Tzanicor —
known as Unicorns for their pointed head gear. Mendacity makes off with the
Time Sword to keep it out of les Rongeurs’ paws.
Our
heroes slow the development of the giant-making formula. Tyler hopes that will
change history — now her future — and prevent les Rongeurs’ invasion of Europe.
Last seen, Tyler returns to Paris to deal with …
Mendacity Wilson’s time line:
Having
left Tyler and friends before the battles between the Unicorns and the Rongeur,
Mendacity goes back to Paris with the Time Sword and, donning a scarlet-red
mask, becomes the Scarlet Sparrow — a thief who robs from the upper classes has
her father had done. She in effect does what Tyler did/would have done in her
(Tyler’s) original time line had she (Tyler) not altered history/the future.
Maybe.
But
Mendacity’s motives are not as altruistic as her father’s or Tyler’s.
Pip’s time line:
After
taking up with Tyler Wilson during an adventure in Moscow-on-the-Moon — where
Pip and Béla had been performing in a Russian circus — he travels in time with
her.
In
old age, he will tell of his adventures with the Scarlet Sparrow to a ghost
writer for his memoirs, titled “Slipped.” He may or may not be embellishing
some of the story.
About the languages:
Most
of the time Tyler speaks French. This is indicated by her use of French words
such as “alors,” etc. But sometimes she shifts to English, depending on with whom
she is conversing. She also knows a smattering of Egyptian Arabic.
Though
she often, quite willfully, dictates how the plot will go — many times at
variance to what the writer has in mind — she can’t know more languages than
the writer does. At least, she hasn’t so far.
Prenez
garde des rats géants. — MCC, June 19, 2015
Saturday, June 13, 2015
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Sunday, April 5, 2015
Saturday, March 28, 2015
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Sunday, March 15, 2015
Monday, March 9, 2015
Sunday, March 1, 2015
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Saturday, January 3, 2015
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