This took me a solid week. Hope it shows. For anyone new, Tarragon recently blasted a hole through her apartment complex, now she faces the consequences of her impulsiveness. Good time to show how she attempts to rectify her mass destruction. Also PSP and Gameboy bury the hatchet. UPDATE: Trying to push this next comic out today (Friday) but it's not likely going to happen. Shot for 1 tier, but all the dialogue wouldn't fit, so it had to be at minimum 2 tiers. Up on Tuesday. Thanks everyone.
Bots Master
140 thoughts on “Bots Master”
I wonder if she changes the alphabet for her house number to something odd like this every time, or if that’s been a permanent fixture.
Ka is a wheel…
Ka? Kaka!
Wait a second. Is this a reference to the bird call in “Mystery Men”?
THAT is quite the obscure SG-1 reference!
That’s the show with that MacGyver guy, right
“Whose only purpose is to turn.”
Someone’s been reading The Dark Tower.
That dude needs to turn around and keep going, his Erf to wack ratio has not prepared him for any of this.
But have you SEEN Tarra?
Apparently the lure of Loose Cannon’s ashtray kisses weren’t enough.
I followed you home last night after the explosion. And I can’t make up my mind. It’s either you or that girl who drinks mind ripper brand floor stripper and eats her trix cereal out of a heavily filthy ashtry. I know that she can’t do no handed pushups, but I can’t make up my mind. Oh please, tell my heart which of you I should choose.
Love the flying toaster.
Very old-school cool!!
I miss the flying toasters…
The flying toasters are either from a forgotten video game or the Amiga computer…..
After Dark screen saver! :D
Why does a radio show need a screen saver?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/After_Dark_(software)
https://youtu.be/ANnYbX54oU4?t=249
Although, I thought it was available for IBM clones, as well.
So Ellie isn’t the only sister that’s been/being forced to move..
Though Tarra could possibly build her own place with that inter-dimensional construction crew.
Must be the problems with tesseracts interfering with the buildings’ free wifi.
Ugh, Tesseract proof wifi routers are always stupidly expensive..even on Ebay.
You get the greater buys from the Polk County Dark Web Society.
You task me. You task me and I shall have you! I’ll chase you ’round the moons of Nibia and ’round the Antares Maelstrom and ’round perdition’s flames before I give you up!
Sooooo… Ellie is moving in with David, and Tarra needs a place to crash… Tarra was kind sorta pretty much hitting on Quinn on Thanksgiving… And, Quinn pesters Ellie about any of her sisters that might be gay, and hot, just asking for a friend, who’s just curious, for research purposes, of course…
Nope, no idea how this is going (eye roll).
Also, even the robot construction workers smoke. I tells ya…
Don’t evens gets mes starteds
The typos find you even here.
Tut tut, my dear darnill.
it is always the threat to our existence on ERF.
The bane that each one of us has splintered into our fingers, to their bones.
the banality of the AUTO CORKBOARD.
Ever now, it dvries em inasne.
But to be honest, I had thought that Tarragon had owned the building. But then I suppose she would have a heap more trouble with city codes than the staff would have when she shops at Victoria’s Secret.
And that Tarragon would have her own line of designer clothes, lingerie and Star Wars custom storm guys parts.
Easy revenge then is to Not rebuild and just leave. Time will tell if her conscious wins out or her give a damn becomes busted beyond repair.
So. Many. Neat. Touches!! <3 <3 <3.
NO TOUCHES.
Oh come on, get it right.
NO CAPES!!!
No touchy!
NO CAPES.
Steve, NEW NAME HERE!
ok. When you get the welcome basket, put these two 1901 quarters, 1910 half dollar, 1933 dime and four 1908 wheat cents in the basket for me. We may need to start making them out of used off brand soda 12 packs at this rate.
Pretty sure they’ve been around before.
Oh.. really. Then I expect that stuff put into the next welcome basket. In alphanumeric order.
We need to limit ourselves to only handing out welcome baskets to people who identify themselves as first posters.
I randomly throw baskets at people who I don’t recognize and shout, “GET OFF MY LAWN!” on occasion.
We should only do that on Patreon.
Yeah, I’ve posted before once or twice. Besides, I’d rather just have scrap iron. I’m no numismatist.
That’s a really good use of spare baskets.
Nena is really feeling the summer heat
Aren’t we all?
Why didn’t Tarra ever rebuild the building to be better/faster/stronger?
But, she got the cold shoulder, nonetheless.
That was supposed to be for the comment above. Sigh.
I don’t get it. Why does the robot turn into a building?
Shimmy Shimmy RoooOOOCK
I love that the PDA is using a PDA…
When this comic first started I kinda thought that Tarragon would just act a LITTLE weird and out-there, like the ninja thing that could a one-off joke. But then it just keeps escalating and I feel like it’s not meshing at all with the rest of the story. That’s not necessarily a criticism- maybe that’s the effect you were going for, I’m just pointing out how it feels to me.
There was a public vote during the shopping expedition. Crazy or grounded story. Crazy (or zany, or maybe outlandish) won so here we are. (Yes, it’s a planned effect, now when the path is set.)
My understanding is that the Black Friday vote was just for Sister X’s origin based on who would deal with her (Tarra = future Tarra; Ginger = half-sister from Herb’s previous marriage).
I think Tarra was always supposed to be this way. She one ups her one upping. It’s just who she is.
Not everything about Tara has to be grounded- it just feels like every time we see her the weirdness keeps escalating.
There is an entire graph related to this. Tarra’s connection to Erf is tenuous at best.
It was so graphic.
Tara needs her own house.
She needs more of Sexy Female Assassins World Headquarters/Secret Lair type of setup.
From I understand, the hole at the former Toys-R-Us should he available, providing that she can keep it a hole thus ensuring the secret location’s facade.
I wasn’t aware that Tara ever had to deal with things like consequences… this kinda shakes my whole world view.
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SHOTGUN SHUFFLE is 44th with 1,027 votes:
—73.3571 v/d; 3.0657 v/hr; 0.0511 v/m.
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—504.0000 v/d; 21.0627 v/hr; 0.3510 v/m.
Girl Genius is 2nd with 8,610 votes:
—615.0000 v/d; 25.7015 v/hr; 0.4284 v/m.
Grrl Power is 1st with 12,832 votes:
—916.5714 v/d; 38.3045 v/hr; 0.6384 v/m.
50th slot — 955 AV*: 68.2143; 2.8507; 0.0475.
40th slot — 1,122 AV: 80.1429; 3.3493; 0.0558.
20th slot — 2,215 AV: 158.2143; 6.6119; 0.1102.
Top ten — 5,209 AV: 372.0714; 15.5493; 0.2592.
Top five — 6,661 AV: 475.7857; 19.8836; 0.3314.
* Accumulated votes
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Current stats at the time of this posting:
SHOTGUN SHUFFLE is 45th with 1,106 votes:
—73.7333 v/d; 3.0894 v/hr; 0.0515 v/m.
Stand Still. Stay Silent is 3rd with 7,504 votes:
—500.2667 v/d; 20.9609 v/hr; 0.3493 v/m.
Grrl Power is 1st with 13,314 votes:
—887.6000 v/d; 37.1899 v/hr; 0.6198 v/m.
50th slot — 1,001 AV*: 66.7333; 2.7961; 0.0466.
40th slot — 1,193 AV: 79.5333; 3.3324; 0.0555.
20th slot — 2,353 AV: 156.8667; 6.5726; 0.1095.
Top ten — 5,534 AV: 368.9333; 15.4581; 0.2576.
Top five — 7,108 AV: 473.8667; 19.8547; 0.3309.
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Current stats at the time of this posting:
SHOTGUN SHUFFLE is 44th with 1,159 votes:
—72.4375 v/d; 3.1072 v/hr; 0.0518 v/m.
Stand Still. Stay Silent is 3rd with 7,816 votes:
—488.5000 v/d; 20.9544 v/hr; 0.3492 v/m.
50th slot — 1,053 AV*: 65.8125; 2.8231; 0.0471.
40th slot — 1,251 AV: 78.1875; 3.3539; 0.0559.
20th slot — 2,498 AV: 156.1250; 6.6971; 0.1116.
Top ten — 5,778 AV: 361.1250; 15.4906; 0.2582.
Top five — 7,442 AV: 465.1250; 19.9517; 0.3325.
* Accumulated votes
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Current stats at the time of this posting:
SHOTGUN SHUFFLE is 43rd with 1,423 votes:
—74.8947 v/d; 3.1482 v/hr; 0.0525 v/m.
Stand Still. Stay Silent is 4th with 9,732 votes:
—512.2105 v/d; 21.5310 v/hr; 0.3588 v/m.
Grrl Power is 1st with 15,927 votes:
—838.2632 v/d; 35.2367 v/hr; 0.5873 v/m.
50th slot — 1,286 AV*: 67.6842; 2.8451; 0.0474.
40th slot — 1,490 AV: 78.4211; 3.2965; 0.0549.
20th slot — 3,210 AV: 168.9474; 7.1018; 0.1184.
Top ten — 7,087 AV: 373.0000; 15.6792; 0.2613.
Top five — 8,981 AV: 472.6842; 19.8695; 0.3312.
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Current stats at the time of this posting:
SHOTGUN SHUFFLE is 42nd with 1,534 votes:
—73.0476 v/d; 3.1826 v/hr; 0.0530 v/m.
Stand Still. Stay Silent is 4th with 10,487 votes:
—499.3810 v/d; 21.7573 v/hr; 0.3626 v/m.
Grrl Power is 1st with 17,007 votes:
—809.8571 v/d; 35.2842 v/hr; 0.5881 v/m.
50th slot — 1,354 AV*: 64.4762; 2.8091; 0.0468.
40th slot — 1,610 AV: 76.6667; 3.3402; 0.0557.
20th slot — 3,484 AV: 165.9048; 7.2282; 0.1205.
Top ten — 7,625 AV: 363.0952; 15.8195; 0.2637.
Top five — 9,554 AV: 454.9524; 19.8216; 0.3304.
* Accumulated votes
you guys know the drill.
SHOTGUN SHUFFLE is 43rd with 1,573 votes:
—74.9048 v/d; 3.1842 v/hr; 0.0531 v/m.
Stand Still. Stay Silent is 4th with 10,760 votes:
—512.3810 v/d; 21.7814 v/hr; 0.3630 v/m.
40th slot — 1,645 AV*: 78.3333; 3.3300; 0.0555.
Top ten — 7,850 AV: 373.8095; 15.8907; 0.2648.
Top five — 9,779 AV: 465.6667; 19.7955; 0.3299.
* Accumulated votes
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Current stats at the time of this posting:
SHOTGUN SHUFFLE is 43rd with 1,714 votes:
—74.5217 v/d; 3.1164 v/hr; 0.0519 v/m.
Stand Still. Stay Silent is 3rd with 12,016 votes:
—522.4348 v/d; 21.8473 v/hr; 0.3641 v/m.
Grrl Power is 1st with 18,592 votes:
—808.3478 v/d; 33.8036 v/hr; 0.5634 v/m.
50th slot — 1,536 AV*: 66.7826; 2.7927; 0.0465.
40th slot — 1,842 AV: 80.0870; 3.3491; 0.0558.
20th slot — 3,717 AV: 161.6087; 6.7582; 0.1126.
Top ten — 8,840 AV: 384.3478; 16.0727; 0.2679.
Top five — 10,949 AV: 476.0435; 19.9073; 0.3318.
* Accumulated votes
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Current stats at the time of this posting:
SHOTGUN SHUFFLE is 43rd with 1,914 votes:
—76.5600 v/d; 3.2277 v/hr; 0.0538 v/m.
Stand Still. Stay Silent is 3rd with 12,971 votes:
—518.8400 v/d; 21.8735 v/hr; 0.3646 v/m.
Grrl Power is 1st with 19,862 votes:
—794.4800 v/d; 33.4941 v/hr; 0.5582 v/m.
50th slot — 1,691 AV*: 67.6400; 2.8516; 0.0475.
40th slot — 1,981 AV: 79.2400; 3.3406; 0.0557.
20th slot — 4,110 AV: 164.4000; 6.9309; 0.1155.
Top ten — 9,415 AV: 376.6000; 15.8769; 0.2646.
Top five — 11,658 AV: 466.3200; 19.6594; 0.3277.
* Accumulated votes
A couple of things…
I just noticed that no one in this comic wears shoes with laces.
Poor Nena getting her power dissed.
I believe that shirt says Mastasaurus and that picture is a T. Rex with a Mastodon head. Which is neat because Mastodon’s song “Crusher Destroyer” starts with a sample of a T. Rex from Jurassic Park.
That cement mixer bot looks like it’s going to barf.
Possible flower boy dialogue for the next page: “So… I hadn’t planned on going apartment hunting today, but I’m down for whatever.”
January 4th 2015 – Pumpkin wearing clearly visible shoelaces!
And January 6th 2015 – Daria lookalike with laced boots
January 15th 2015 – two characters wearing laces in one strip – Rusche must have been feeling especially wild that day!
He’s the dork from the convention.
“THE” dork?
That’s mighty impressive to beat out all of the rest of that competition to be the singular one.
Hey, I call Quinn of The Magicians “Dork” when I can’t remember his name.
I wasn’t questioning “dork,” I was questioning “the” as seeming presumptuous, as we haven’t seen that kind of dork credentials to make him the singular exemplar from LoveCon of dorkdom.
I dunno. He’s the dork because he stuck to his guns in looking for a girl who takes care of herself.
On the other hand, could this be the first person that Sister X banishes?
Tarra doesn’t take care of herself, she has infinite hours of free bot labor for that.
I’m well aware of who he is. I just needed a short means of referencing him since he’s no longer wearing his fenix shirt.
Welll… we could call him Detective Ashtray Head. The American equivalent of Canada’s Mr. Canoehead.
Wait, Someone is falling for Tarrogen, how long ago was that scene.
Last night.
“When have I ever not rebuilt your building for you?” Whoa there, Tarrogant. Acting like you’re doing the landlord a favor by repairing your damage is unbecoming.
It’s not necessarily always her fault. This is Florida after all.
Yeah, like, who said anything about earthquakes in Lakeland. Sinkhole, maybe. But earthquakes?
looks like its a taragon arc……and I didn’t know she had a BF……..knowing her he’s probably super geeky and normal to balance her out
But Peter Parker never had to deal with this.
Since Switch took over the biz, of course PSP and Gameboy have to bury the hatchet. Then again, it IS another Nintendo product, so… Nintendo wins?
Remember AIBO? I really miss that peculiar robotic pup.
I’d let Tarra live in my place. Amazing body aside, them bots would fix my trailer faster than I ever could. Fingers crossed for them turning my trailer into a mobile flying fortress of doom
It never works out the way you want it to.
The flying fortress of doom that is. The minute its in the air, the radar on all the good guys goes off and they spend all their time trying to destroy it.
Thats where the “of doom” part comes in. Everything with “of doom” in the name is usually loaded with extra deadly weapons XD
Does it have room for Phil Swift?
That is up to Terra. Better question is would tesseracts interfere with the navigation systems…
The last fortress of doom lasted 2 and a half minutes before Thank-You-Very-Much-Robot-Guy destroyed it.
They are starting to call these things Fortress of Doomed.
In Russia hatchet bury you. *ba-dum-tish* *crickets chirp* Anyway, I’m quite surprised Tarra would have released her address details to some random she met at the event. After all, she was only there to help her sister. I’m sure this man’s vague resemblence to David has nothing to do with it.
He’s the geek/nerd/dork who french kissed the ashtray… er… Loose Cannon.
NO…the ashtray French-kissed HIM.
Yes, yes, but why did he get her *real* address is my question, as opposed to a neutral spot.
Tarra might’ve expected him to be more prompt and notice more of the smoking crater of her apartment, leading him to an incorrect assumption as to her state of mortality, and less of the robots rebuilding it.
It could be that she just found him to not be a blathering blatherskite.
Foreman-bot needs a shave.
Is Tarra’s unusual stance for supporting the weight of her bazingas?
I often picture Tarra’s mental state as a cross of a super hero declaiming a villain’s doom and a villain monologing and tend to interpret her stances through that lens.
I suppose boob counterbalance is a possible explanation for part of it too, though.
Ah HA! That’s why the braid is so thick, to counter the forward pull of her forwards.
Heh. “forward pull of her forwards.” I don’t think that I could be more abstractly obtuse, even under contract.
Whoa, Doc. That’s Heavy.
The screen name is a nice touch!
There’s that word again, “Heavy.” Is there something wrong with the Earth’s gravitational pull in the future? Or is it just an euphemism for a woman’s chest.
I wonder what building in which the elevator was located in which Wheelchair Ninja did sneak up on Tarragon.
Sandwhich.
Three times, three times I said it.
Buy land.
Make bots build house.
Done.
Welp, it’s good to know Tired Guy may not live to 127 after all, like Nena said he would.
Is it weird that this is the first thing that really feels “shotgun shuffle” in a while? Maybe it’s just me
Entirely possible….wait. Are you new here?
Does anybody recognize this screen name?
Stupid phone.
Here
*throws three 1982 half dollars, one 1966 quarter, one 1977 dime, one nickel from 1995, one from 1943 and three cents from 1902, 1954 and 1899 into the air to soon land in the welcome basket that Steve should be producing one he gets done with his checklist.
I can throw in an off-balance gyroscope and a motherboard with all the chips pried off the silicon board.
I’m adding an Air Supply cassette tape.
Shotgun Shuffle is a lot of things, and it cycles between them. I think we all resonate with different parts of the comic.
Apparently you ARE new! Oh boy.
Well, we have a bit of a tradition around here. We hand out official welcome baskets, though admittedly, our stock of free prizes isn’t what it used to be.
We have a lovely pile of loose change courtesy of Mr. Blue, that likely has some numismatic value….oh! We also have THREE cans of Smurfberry-flavored chewing tobacky from that time that That One Guy quit dipping. it was a DISASTER. There are still parts of the comic we don’t go into as a result.
So enjoy your welcome basket, and welcome to Shotgun Shuffle’s comments section, the only comments section that no longer needs to watch its medication!
WELCOME PARTY!!!
Quickly, smartly, Smarties for Halloween people, get the leftover props from “1.98 Beauty Pageant.”
Where did the door go? When landlady makes her exit, it’s nowhere to be seen.
I think a better question is where did the hallway pergo run off to…
That One Guy!
New icon user!
Pretty sure they’ve also been around before.
What about Dave here?
Dave?… Oh he’s been around, but I do like dice if you want to send a gift…
I think that TLO has some ham that he found in a trash can. Hasn’t been opened for five years.
Dave? Dave’s not here.
Panel 5, pay attention to the flower guy.
Right, the door falls down in panel 5. Panel 6, it’s gone.
The robots must have been busy between panels. They scavenged the door and carpeted the hallway in the blink of an eye…
Actually, if you look carefully at his feet in panel 6, you can see the edge of the door on the ground.You can also see a smidgen of the hallway floor being different from the carpet.
I think this discussion prompted someone to go back and touch up panel 6 – door is now present and hallway is no longer carpeted ;)
I wonder if the door is somewhat tied to the mystical realm of Ka-Aa.
Booo, no football app. We want fortnight app advertising.
That’s one of those moments where you say “All right. JOB’S OVER, ‘BOTS, WE’RE LEAVING!”
And you leave the place exactly as it is.
You know, you don’t need to have a gift basket. Spock’s planet was allegedly found.
You could go that approach, or “Bots! Karen just requested renovation Foxtrot Umpire for all her properties. Monitor property occupancy and do all work while occupants asleep and avoid waking them up, we have to be courteous. Extra strobe lights for Karen’s personal residence.”
Well, this is interesting…
Ok… so now the big wheel is being compared to a Mercedes sedan.
I love the portable game machine playing…a smaller portable game machine.
…why does cement mixer bot look so unhappy?
nice work