The Young Protectors: Engaging The Enemy Chapter 5—Page 26

January 20, 2017 Alex Woolfson 110 Comments

Grr! Arrgh!

OK! Two things!

First of all we have some very cool new Fan Art by Sakuseii! It was inspired by Kyle’s new demonic form and it’s gorgeous. You should totally check it out!

Also, over on the Patreon Page, I just posted our latest Flashback Friday pin-up. This time it’s a full color, painted pin-up of Tsunami as a boy, learning to use his powers for the first time!

Here’s a sneak preview of that:

$5+ Patrons can download TWO wallpapers of this pin-up immediately: the full desktop wallpaper version and a special version for their mobile phones! And $10+ Patrons will be sent a high-res version with over double the resolution on the 10th of February!

There are lots of great benefits to being a Patron (you can see them all here along with an explanation of what the heck Patreon is), and you’d really be helping me out if you became one too. If you’re enjoying our work here and would like to see it continue (and would like to get access to all kinds of special benefits),

please take a moment to watch the video on my Patreon page and consider becoming a Patron.

So! Kyle has brought his evil devil Dad to his knees! But it looks like it’s at tremendous cost—fixing those new holes in his uniform won’t come cheap!

Will he wind up paying the ultimate cost to defeat Laampros and save the world?

Tune in this Wednesday to find out! Hope to see you there! 😀

Liked it? Take a second to support Alex Woolfson on Patreon!

110 Comments

Give in to the Dark Side…they have cookies.

WOW, is he winning or is he creating an enemy more dangerous?

Ah, the frodo conundrum. I made myth and story comparisons to this hero’s journey from the beginning. Like Luke losing his arm, and like Frodo being changed by the ring … the hero barely escapes death, and is never the same again.

I caught up so quickly…. I didn’t even know I was gone until… until… *creis*

How come Kyle’s growing knee spikes? Laampros doesn’t have any knee spikes. Unless he shaves them.

New page is up:
http://webcomics.yaoi911.com/typ/ch5-page-27/

Patreon is Rumbling

Hi everyone! I’m busy making salads for tomorrow (Australia Day lunch with the family), so I won’t be able to camp today. I’ll check the new page later tonight. Bye everyone!

Have a good lunch tomorrow

I discovered that IFC channel has “In Bruges” for those who appreciate solid drama. It’s rough, vulgar, sometimes violent, and a well-written story about two hitmen (Colin Ferrell and Brendan Gleason) who made a mistake.

And how is your evening?

Doki fixed stew for dinner and burnt her tongue.

Tomorrow, I’m going to stuff a chicken breast and roast a potato with it.

Poor Doki!

So Kyle is getting an extreme spikes makeover but the color of his skin doesn’t budge. Would his getting crimson mark the final step of his demonization?
If Big Red Daddy’s power is being sucked out, shouldn’t he be unspiking and/or getting smaller?

I can’t find it but a few updates ago, Alex explained that making Kyle’s skin turn red against the red of his uniform and the red flames made the coloring particularly difficult. Too many reds.

Ah thanks for the info.

So if he drains off all his father’s anger and hate will he undergo a Heel-FaceTurn and become Angelic rather than Demonic?

I totally forgot to comment here on saturday >/////<
in any case this seems to reach some kind climax!!!
Let's hope it's a good one… ~~I’d prefer some other kinda of climax… nvm me, I’m sorry x’D~~

Kyle is my favorite character. 2nd is Tsunami.

Hm. That’s going a bit too smoothly for my taste. Feels a bit anticlimatic actually.

So far.

So this is my first day of classes for the semester, first class of the morning.

My professor didn’t show up.

I’m going to take that as an omen for the year. -_-

I had a math course in college where everyone wanted the professor for the recitation because of his 2 grad students – one was incomprehensible because of language troubles, and the second was a truly obnoxious jerk. It was “Intermediate Analysis and Differential Equations part 1″…

The professor for the “Introduction to Physics” came down with mononucleosis on the first day. Grad students taught that semester.

One of my professors for a metallurgy course was banned from the lab because he “exploded” too many things.

Is it just me or is something growing and hardening in Red Hot suit?

Edit: Anyway, he IS getting hornier and hornier by the minute… ¬¸ ¬

*insert lowbrow joke about filling holes here*

Man, Kyle has spikes coming out everywhere. If he survives this will they be permanent features? Or will he be able to return to his normal appearance? *waits to see*

Kyle is such a good and pure hero and we love him for it
he even got us worried for a bit there, but he’s smarter than he seems, even for how long we’ve been following him
i feel like Anni would be proud of him lol

Random bizarre thoughts:
Red Hot is having a demonic transformation because he’s absorbing demonic fire.
(1) This suggests that Red needs to develop skills in redirecting flame that don’t use himself directly as a conduit. It probably hasn’t been an issue before because he thought that he could safely absorb pretty much any type of fire and therefore always used himself as a storage container, however briefly. He will need to widen his repetoir beyond that tactic.
(2) There’s the big question of whether the changes are permanent, and whether Red could perhaps simply expel the hellfires to get himself back to normal. This raises the issue of what he would do with the hellfire, and whether it would be polluting of Earth’s environment. Fortunately once Spooky has his headspace back in order it should theoretically possible to simple drain it into one of the bottles. I’m extrapolating wildly, but if they can hold hellsnakes they can hold hellfire.
(3) As a result, I have these mental images of Red Hot going and doing a cleansing purge. He’d go to a forest fire, or the lava flow of an active but not particularly violent volcano, and just calmly breathe in as much non-magical/non-demonic energy as he could, then hold it, then breathe it out. Repeat as much as necessary.

Hes wasting it.

He could use it to heal the breech. Where is the Platinum Priestess when we need her?

Well, then. This should help replenish the magic holding the wall up a bit.

I can’t help noticing that Laampros is packing a rather large… shadow(Oh like I’m going to pass up a set-up that perfect).

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/IHateYouVampireDad

We call them ShadowLoins. LOL.

We do like naming people/things in this comic 🙂

… I miss George.

George? I don’t remember George. Was George the eyeball?

Bingo!

Spiky knees! Spiky elbows! …Demon puberty? XD But seriously, I wonder how he’ll deal with those, if they don’t retract or fall off…

It’s hard to be sure what exactly is happening in that last panel, but that geyser effect looks to me like Laampros is forcing Red Hot to expel some of his power? Like, could Laampros be de-powering Kyle so he’s just a normal teenager?

We’ve been wondering all along who Kyle’s mom was and how on Earth or on Hell they ever got together — but what if we’ve misunderstood what Kyle’s origin is? What if Kyle was born fully human to normal human parents, then, as a baby or young child, Kyle somehow found his way into Hell on his birthday. Laampros liked the look of him and planted a seed or egg or essence of himself into Kyle, and *that’s* how Kyle became his “son”?

That means that Kyle’s “Red Hot” power is basically a demonic possession, or parasitic infestation, if you will. And maybe what Daddy Dearest giveth, he can also taketh away.

Of course, if any of that’s true, we better hope that Laampros sours on the whole visit to Earth, picks up his football, and heads home of his own volition.

At first glance, the flame geyser seems to be Kyle expelling the excess power he gets from Laampros. It started last comic and seems to be continuing here.

If he takes too much too fast without a release valve, transfromation notwithstanding, he’ll just burn himself up and not have really done anyone any good. This way, he can slow the overload process, if not halt it altogether. He still seems to think he’s going to die, though, and I’m not entirely sure he’s wrong.

Huh. Interesting question on whether Laampros is trying to protect himself by forcing an energy purge. I admit I was instead distracted by the angle of the energy bolt coming from Red Hot and wondered: is he blasting it out of his eyes or spitting it out of his mouth? One interpretation would be that – since we’re looking at Red Hot side-on – that the bolt is continuing to be projected from his left hand just like in panel 1, and the perspective just looks like it’s coming from his head. Problem is that if his right hand is off at a diagonal angle in panel 6, then his left probably would be as well.

Kyle noo

There’s definitely a very tumescent pelvic mount that appears to be a navel incursion?! There’s an obvious groin grenade, imho! Perhaps Laampros is about to be hoist by this bursting petard?

I wonder what Duncan’s reaction would be if he could see Kyle like this. Repulsed, or turned on? Maybe both…

If I were Duncan? Appalled by the transformation, but seriously turned-on by the heroism. It’s what he claims drew him to Kyle in the first place

Looks like Kyle’s having a….

( •_•)

( •_•)>⌐■-■

(⌐■_■)

…Hot Time

Hmmm….in the words of Gargamel…..
“Cautiously excited…!”
In other words, I feel another twist approaching, so I’m just gonna sit and brace for that…. XP
On a different note… LOVING the colours of the flames on this page 😀

Young Tsunami looks like Chakotay!

So does old Tsunami.

Looks like kyle has an erection in that second panel. Sucks to have a skin tight suit sometimes.

Oh good. I’m not the only one who noticed that. 😀

I went back to look, and the first phallic looking thing I saw was his midsection, to which I was thinking… that’s the real reason he’s a perpetual virgin, his dick is as big as a forearm. Then I looked a little lower, yes that could be an erection.

That would be terrifying if it was that one!

Grrr! Arrgh!! How Whedon-esque!

I think Kyle just became like Frieza. I wonder what his final form will look like? Probably no spikes. 😉

Prediction:
Kyle survives this encounter, but the power up makes him turn into a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde version of himself. Or maybe the Hulk? Mild mannered by day, but when he powers up his new full potential he sprouts the horns, fangs, claws and spikes. I’m undecided if a personality change would also follow, so far he seems to still have his wits about him, but Hulk and Hyde both end up with limited vocabularies and graces when transformed. Instead of “Hulk Smash!” would his rallying cry be “Fire Burn!”? Or “Flame On” like in the Fantastic Four?

My prediction: Kyle survives and becomes more powerful, and he also gains the ability to better control that power. Result: No more inadvertent “Flame on” during nookie. That, combined with the new growths, make him, quite literally, a horny devil. Ok, not so much a prediction as a fantasy…

Here’s my interpretation… Laampros is just standing there because he’s never actually been hurt before, didn’t expect he could be hurt (so he was just being amused by the antics of “pets”), and doesn’t know how to handle pain.

But I also wonder if Kyle is pulling the hate and anger out of Laampros… what is he without it? What does Laampros become and what does he feel when it’s not overwhelmed with anger? And how is he going to process Kyle’s memories when it’s not being viewed through evil colored glasses? There’s an actual possibility of a redemption story here… at least for a time.

Laampros has never struck me as particularly rage-y. Scheming, Machiavellian, cold, sociopathic, and a grade-A creeper, yes. But he doesn’t have a lot of rage going on, he’s not the rant-and-tirade type of villain one would expect from a guy with as much supposed “anger” as Kyle’s describing. (Magneto from the Silver Age is a good example of this kind of “angry” villain)

To be fair, neither was Darth Vader, originally, — but there, it was all kept under the surface, his rage evident in the actions he took in the original trilogy (and Rogue One, to a much higher degree).

Laampros, however, has always been a Chessmaster villain, more an Emperor Palpatine than a Vader. He plots and plans, he lays traps, makes deals, and tempts…like Palpatine, he seems more to act out of pure malice, or a twisted mockery of love, than out of rage.

I’m not saying this is bad..far from it. Stereotypical rage-case villains aren’t good for much except fight scenes unless they can control or channel that anger, suppress it long enough to create suspense and tension, like the infamous “No Country For Old Men” convenience store scene. Laampros has been too congenial for too long now to really qualify as that.

I haven’t read for a while. So this is quite an update. Good to see Kyle’s plan.

I think it’s easier to read these action bits in a chunk rather than as they come up. And as much as I’m looking forward to seeing how this situation turns out I’m more interested in the fall out after the dust clears. If Kyle doesn’t die (I don’t think he will) will those changes be permanent? How will they affect his mental state and personality? The acceptance of the YP by the public? Yeah lots of questions 🙂

Claws, fangs and spikes. Will our hero grow wings next?

Good luck with clothes 😉

YAY! We’re back to The Last Unicorn colors! (As I am now calling the WIP pages because it’s fun.)

So Laampros does have a belly button. O.o He was at one point a parasite, dependent on a mom before coming into the world to raise hell on earth. O.O

So, was he born evil or was evil thrust upon him?

I loved The Last Unicorn 🙂

It’s one of my favorite movies.

The song always makes me cry.

You know, that song doesn’t make me cry, but I cry terribly whenever “Wind Beneath My Wings” plays now? I never used to but since my grams died, I cry like I’ve been cutting really ripe onions. I literally cannot listen to the song if I drive. Thankfully, it’s not played often, but the song “Say Something” by Great Big World still is off and on and I’ve had to pull over a few times just to get my shit back together! Like, WHY DO YOU PLAY THAT SONG! I HATE YOU RADIO!

Um, weren’t we all? That’s kind of how the reproductive system works.

And it seems pretty clear demons are born the same way, at least from Kyle’s example.

Kyle is only half demon…on his father’s side. Technically, demons could just be made some other way (gunk being put together, like reptiles….they are mythology) and still make a half-demon depending on laws of the author’s universe. Only mammals like humans, apes, leopards, dolphins, whales (list goes on and on) have these things called “belly buttons.” They are a distinctly mammalian trait because we carry our young and give birth to them alive. Mythological beings are often exceptions, not rules.

Laampy may have distinctly mammalian features, but it wouldn’t exactly mean he was CARRIED like one.

Wait… Where’d Spooky go? Is he ok?

Not far. Not really.

they need to put a string on his ankle or something before the wind blows him away.

If Flyboy weren’t acrobatic-judo-throwing demons around like a circus juggler, I’d say he should get on that.

Tsu is so cute in that picture. He looks like a kid in a waterslide.

His own made waterslide 🙂

He totally is ! I hope we will get to know him better what was the trauma that turned such a cute happy kid into a sad and bitter adult 🙁

WHERE’S SPOOKY?

That time Kyle and his dad got into a flame war… without the Internet! 🔥

You might say things are really…

( •_•)

( •_•)>⌐■-■

(⌐■_■)

Heating up between them.

Damn, Kyle! Bony spikes on your elbows and knees? Your costume designer/maker is not liking you one bit.

What price would be too high as long as you get bitchin nails like that for life?

You try to scratch your butt with nails like that

You totally can, you just have to apply less pressure.

It will take some practise, though.

Fap fap ouch!

scratch? how would you wipe?

Lesser demons would stand ready with 40 reams of the best linen paper
8-}

I think I’ll pass. *shiver*

I can actually grow mine that long but I have to keep them short for work. Otherwise they make holes in protective gloves and uh that plus caustic chemicals not good. They have saved me from acid spills once of twice though.

I once completely soaked my uniform in caustic chemicals due to faulty containers. Fastest I’ve ever been naked.

Eh. Not a fan of the Lady Deathstrike look, personally.

Though I don’t deny that if they were retractable, they WOULD make bitchin’ weapons.

Also, after this page, the great new fanart may not be that much off. Kyle is certainly in the process of becoming something else, something more scary.

So Laampros has his famous shadowloins™ …but I have to say that I appreciate what shadows are doing for Kyle in panel 2 *dirty-mode on*

I think this is the most unintentionally hilarious dialogue I’ve ever seen from Alex.

Not entirely sure about the “unintentional” part. Then again, I’ve gotten ‘cesty creeper vibes off Laampros from Day One.

Ouch.

That looks……very painful.

Yes, and the script has been emphasising that for the past few pages
Things is, way back at the warehouse Red told Spooky that he’d do anything to put a stop to this plan, and it looks like he’s having a heroically stubborn attack about following up on that vow. I am a bit concerned about a possibly fatalistic mindset about it, however.

Uhm… I’m cringing every time I look at those bones coming out of his knees and elbows. OUCH! *cringes*

Not good. This is NOT good. Team… ANYONE.. please step in now and possibly help. What is Kyle turning into? *cringes*

First guess? A Hercules beetle.

Also I wonder if Laampy will give up his quest of world domination to save Kyle?

Depends how many worlds he already has [Earth is just one of many] and how many children he has.

Dayuum… both for this page, but also the new fanart.

Will Kyle end up taking Laampy’s place with what he’s doing? *meep*

I hope not, butI will take it over him having bones breaking out everywhere. That pain…

I know. Spooky needs to pop himself and offer Kyle a loving helping hand!

ARGGH!!

I had the EXACT same reaction the last time I tried 5-alarm chili.

(“It fills me up, but it BURNS!” ;))

So that’s what caused that black cloud of flatulence passing over parts of the USA?

(Curses be on my spellchecker for messing with 5-alarm chili)

Also, little Tsunami (Ripple?) is a cute lil grommet. I wonder what happened?

Some kind of trauma, it’s pretty clear. I’d like to learn the specifics someday, if TYP ocntinues to tell stories past Engaging The Enemy.

Tsunami’s still hot though, mild homophobia notwithstanding. Even then, he’s not as bad as most, and from what little we’ve seen he does seem to be trying to get better.

A braver man than I, sir (substitute gender of your choice if incorrect). *bows*

I love pico de gallo, AKA garden or”mild” salsa. It’s just the right level of heat for me. Anything more than that and I start getting into “SCREW THE GLASS GIMME THE MILK RIGHT OUTTA THE CARTON I’M IN PAAAAIIIIIIIN” territory.

I am a spice wuss.

You guessed correctly.

I also have been forced to avoid the spicier foods, both to avoid gastro-intestinal distress and to avoid inflicting the byproducts on my immediate surroundings. 😉

(Which is why, despite enjoying the flavors, I am forced to avoid all but the mildest of curries like korma and tandoori, as well.)

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