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Roko gets the big bust of her dreams.

Corpsewitch does something to set up Faye & Company.

Bubbles does some raccoon extermination.

Spathe Ham and Waffles.

Cloistered chlorine Chloe

[TheEvilDog]

Panel 1: "Oh joy, the garbage lady is going all out."

Panel 2: "Did I leave the induction dermal heating unit on?"

Panel 3: "What the...."

Panel 4: "I can not believe I once thought I could be a classy person."

[jheartney]

The other EMP-related question is even if they have a way to aim it, you still have to generate a shit-ton of energy to make it happen. The implied energy-density you'd need in something the size of that silly popgun-pistol suggests that QC tech can make batteries that last for years at high discharge, and which never need charging. Have to wonder why Bubbles ever bothers recharging.

In-comic, Roko's pistol is tiny and the the opposite of menacing, at least to look at. Her hyper-aggressive stance suggests someone desperately trying to be intimidating (think of a kitten arching its back); the rest of them look suitably unimpressed, (maybe except May). Roko seems destined for continual humiliation, like the Thompsons in Tintin, or a robotic version of Barney Fife.

[TheEvilDog]

The other EMP-related question is even if they have a way to aim it, you still have to generate a shit-ton of energy to make it happen. The implied energy-density you'd need in something the size of that silly popgun-pistol suggests that QC tech can make batteries that last for years at high discharge, and which never need charging. Have to wonder why Bubbles ever bothers recharging.

In-comic, Roko's pistol is tiny and the the opposite of menacing, at least to look at. Her hyper-aggressive stance suggests someone desperately trying to be intimidating (think of a kitten arching its back); the rest of them look suitably unimpressed, (maybe except May). Roko seems destined for continual humiliation, like the Thompsons in Tintin, or a robotic version of Barney Fife.

There is a full explanation here.

[Kugai]

Well  that certainly broke the tension

[blt]

Bubbles' facial expressions throughout are my favourite part of today's comic

You took the words out of my mouth.

... do you want them back?

No? Why would you want your thumb in the way of the slide where it will get broken the first time you pull the trigger?

Um... No. I wasn't even suggesting that. Not on the back of the gun on the other side of  the body, around the other side of the handgrip like any creature with an opposable thumb would hold something.

No, having the thumb and fingers on the same side of the grip is a pretty standard way to hold a pistol with two hands for the reason stated above.

As to why with a pistol that doesn't have a slide, I'd imagine they train on conventional service pistols too, so why learn bad practices if you transition back and forth?

[pwhodges]

like the Thompsons in Tintin,

Nearly; but they're not the Thompsons, they're Thomson and Thompson (in French: Dupond et Dupont - but I reckon it works even better in English!).

[ZoeB]

Although a taser-like weapon would qualify. Its a lot easier making a conductive path using copper wire than brute force and megavolts.

But lightning is so much more fun!

Andrei  Sakharov is best known for his work on H-Bombs. But he also did work on conventional explosive pumped MHD devices for directional EMP in the 50s. At one time in the Cold War, we were exploring the possibility that the opposition may have stand-off warheads initiating outside close in weapons system range that would basically shoot lightning to fry electronics.

The maths didn't work out though. EMP shielding adequate for lightning strikes at sea and to protect against EMP from exoatmospheric nukes was more than adequate to deal with any feasible MHD bolt at that range. Closer, and a conventional explosive would do as much damage, and be a lot cheaper, more reliable, and easier to store safely.

And.. that's the limit of the unclass data on it.

[Storel]

According to Jeph's note on Tuesday's strip, this is an "electromagnetic pulse pistol".

It also said "by NERF". I wouldn't take those notes as canon, just amusing.

I just took that to mean he designed its appearance after some variety of NERF gun, since there are a lot of those and it does look rather toylike.

[Method of Madness]

It could be either!

[Neko_Ali]

Turn out, it's actually her breath spray. She's just hoping nobody calls her on the bluff.

[Mr_Rose]

That's one of the goofiest grips on a handgun I've ever seen.

Yeah, it's wrong. Shouldn't her right thumb be on the other side of the gun's body?

No? Why would you want your thumb in the way of the slide where it will get broken the first time you pull the trigger?

What slide? According to Jeph's note on Tuesday's strip, this is an "electromagnetic pulse pistol". Fairly sure those don't eject any cartridges, therefore no slide.

As for the rest of it, that looks like a fair representation of the Weaver Stance they teach to cops to minimise recoil recovery time and stabilise aim. Unlike the goofy over-under version you see in film and TV.

Why would you need to worry about recoil from an EMP gun? No solid projectiles, no recoil.

Which pretty much supports the theory that Officer Roko is not terribly competent.

In both cases, the answer is because officers are first trained in the "right" way to shoot a firearm until it's basically reflex because it's the more dangerous device, both to themselves and others, and training a second set of reflexes on top of that has generally been considered a waste of resources when the same grip will continue to work well enough.
Equally, coming up with another set of training protocols for AI officers would also likely be considered a pointless waste by the traditionally highly conservative police service, right until either the proportion of serving robot officers hits some kind of relatively high threshold or one achieves enough seniority to push the idea themselves.

Basically "if it works, don't fix it" multiplied by bureaucracy.

[Storel]

According to Jeph's note on Tuesday's strip, this is an "electromagnetic pulse pistol".

It also said "by NERF". I wouldn't take those notes as canon, just amusing.

I just took that to mean he designed its appearance after some variety of NERF gun, since there are a lot of those and it does look rather toylike.

Hmm, my Google image search for nerf guns shows an awful lot of toys that actually look larger and more elaborate than what Officer Roko's got there. Either Jeph's model was a much older NERF gun, perhaps left over from his childhood, or my theory has been... shot down.

Edit:

In both cases, the answer is because officers are first trained in the "right" way to shoot a firearm until it's basically reflex because it's the more dangerous device, both to themselves and others, and training a second set of reflexes on top of that has generally been considered a waste of resources when the same grip will continue to work well enough.
Equally, coming up with another set of training protocols for AI officers would also likely be considered a pointless waste by the traditionally highly conservative police service, right until either the proportion of serving robot officers hits some kind of relatively high threshold or one achieves enough seniority to push the idea themselves.

Basically "if it works, don't fix it" multiplied by bureaucracy.

Aha, excellent points. Thank you!

[Gyrre]

So if Roko is actually Roko's Basilisk, is she going after Corpse Witch for failing to help her come into existence?

Alt link if the above doesn't work.

It sounds like someone using mathematical theorem type logic for philosophy.
(Watch the tail end of How to count past infinity)

[Morituri]

Officer Roko is inept.  She has screwed up in ways that could easily have cost lives (mostly her own), mostly by failing to consider tactics, exit strategies, cover, and backup.  Rushing in past CW as she has here, for example, sets up CW to shoot her in the back of the head if so inclined and armed.  It's the sort of move that works if and only if you have a partner covering things from the door.  But if she has a partner, the partner is staying home here. 

I still have a soft spot for Roko, because she's got courage (even if it's stupid courage) and she's clearly one of those who isn't on the take.

These 'open secret' kind of establishments - brothels, illegal fight rings, etc, where the customers have to know where to find it and therefore the cops know too but they never seem to get shut down - IMO can only exist because the operators have identified the right person to bribe or blackmail and the right thing to bribe or blackmail them with.  This could be the police chief who can deploy officers elsewhere, or a judge who can refuse to issue warrants,  or a DA who can decline to prosecute, or a judge who can refuse to convict, or even the actual could-have-been arresting officers (although that last is rare because it's so unreliable).

Roko's repeated failure to call for backup means, to me, that the police are actively being directed elsewhere.  She's on her own here.  I mean, it could also be explained by unbelievable stupidity, but if she were that stupid she'd have trouble getting dressed in the morning.  She's the only one here because she's the only one who isn't giving up on the 'untouchable' establishment someone dirty is taking bribes to protect.

She might be glory-hounding, she might be inept, she might be inexperienced, but she might just be one of the only honest police officers the town has got.

[Kugai]

She'll probably make Commissioner


(Yes, that was a Dark Knight reference)

[TheEvilDog]

That just pretty much explains why I don't believe that Roko is actually a cop. She's making so many mistakes, doing things recklessly and without forethought.

That the shop is still open probably indicates that the local police are fully aware that it exists, but because people and AI aren't in any real danger, they might turn a blind eye to it, or might be told (or bribed) to leave it alone. In their eyes, it might be a case of starting something that will only get worse before it gets better.

And comic is up. CW knows that Roko has wasted her efforts, nothing she can see can be linked to illegal activities, save for some OSHA failure. All she has done is made an already wary person know exactly who is watching her.

[Method of Madness]

Corpse Witch basically admits to Roko that she's bribing at least one person far higher up the chain of command than Roko is. Interesting tactic.

[jheartney]

So will Corpse Witch crab them out for letting May lead Roko into the place, or will she think that having May there as an obvious innocent recipient of services helped throw Roko off the scent? Tune in tomorrow...

Roko really is an amateur; why skulk around neighboring buildings with binoculars when you could just go undercover as a fight club fan? I should think an investigative AI would have built-in video recording capability to record whatever she saw. (Though apparently it's hardly necessary; videos of the fights are up on YouTube.)

Corpse Witch basically admits to Roko that she's bribing at least one person far higher up the chain of command than Roko is. Interesting tactic.

Rubbing Roko's nose in it, more like. Roko will either give up or become even more determined. If the former maybe Roko will end up going into the ring for money.

[Carl-E]

Love the title. 

"Player piano?" 

"Play yer own god-damned piano!" 

Corpse Witch is on a (piano) roll.  Hitting all the right notes, as programmed. 

And of course Roko is the one that got played. 

[Morituri]

I hope one of the jet-powered flying roombas we haven't seen in a while has acquired a webcam and makes money taking videos of the fights to post to youtube. 

'Cause the perspectives would be awesome, that's why.  Shaky-cam annoys you?  Here's jet-powered indoor flying cam!  There's no way something like that could have a stall speed under 80mph, and if it's maneuverable enough to stay indoors, I just gotta think the video perspective would be ... interestingly dynamic.

[Carl-E]

Lotta crowd shots, though. 

[Gyrre]

Corpse Witch basically admits to Roko that she's bribing at least one person far higher up the chain of command than Roko is. Interesting tactic.

But not explicitly stating it, which is what matters legally.

[CptNerd]

Bubbles' facial expressions throughout are my favourite part of today's comic

She looks like she's thinking "well that's all the f's I have to give, come back tomorrow."  And then the "virtual facepalm".

[Is it cold in here?]

Welcome, new person!

[BenRG]

Corpse Witch, old girl? If you were as smart as you clearly think that you are, you'd know that being condescending to a cop is probably a very, very bad idea. I strongly suspect that she's pretty much triggered an avalanche of petty annoyances from mid-level officialdom at this point!

[Deadman]

This may have been brought up but anyone else wondering why Corpse Witch seems to have such a low-grade chassis?

[MrNumbers]

Man, turns out you don't even need an EMP weapon to shut down an android.

[Akima]

Corpse Witch basically admits to Roko that she's bribing at least one person far higher up the chain of command than Roko is.

Well... She's certainly implying that the fix is well and truly in, but it might not be bribery as such. Blackmail is another possibility, at least.

[DashaBlade]

Corpse Witch basically admits to Roko that she's bribing at least one person far higher up the chain of command than Roko is.

Well... She's certainly implying that the fix is well and truly in, but it might not be bribery as such. Blackmail is another possibility, at least.

Or if the police are sufficiently corrupt, there's also partnership. Half of the quasi-legal businesses in my area are co-owned by cops.

[JimC]

it might not be bribery as such. Blackmail is another possibility, at least.

Or it might just simply be that some senior people at the town hall and police are fans of the robot fights too... Bribery and blackmail are unreliable and dangerous, but fandom is a way of life...

[brasca]

So will Corpse Witch crab them out for letting May lead Roko into the place, or will she think that having May there as an obvious innocent recipient of services helped throw Roko off the scent? Tune in tomorrow...

Roko really is an amateur; why skulk around neighboring buildings with binoculars when you could just go undercover as a fight club fan? I should think an investigative AI would have built-in video recording capability to record whatever she saw. (Though apparently it's hardly necessary; videos of the fights are up on YouTube.)

Corpse Witch basically admits to Roko that she's bribing at least one person far higher up the chain of command than Roko is. Interesting tactic.

Rubbing Roko's nose in it, more like. Roko will either give up or become even more determined. If the former maybe Roko will end up going into the ring for money.

Or maybe Faye if she overheard Corpse Witch's conversation will try to persuade her to do further repairs on AIs as a cover. 

This may have been brought up but anyone else wondering why Corpse Witch seems to have such a low-grade chassis?

Not everyone who's involved in organized crime is flashy.  The smart gangsters maintain a low profile. 

[Zebediah]

For the record, the real-life Northampton PD has a reputation as one of the cleaner departments in Massachusetts. Nothing like the level of corruption that reportedly exists in Somerville or New Bedford, to give two of the more notorious examples.

Yeah, I know, QC Northampton bears only a faint relationship to RL Northampton at times.

[BenRG]

It suddenly occurs to me that Corpse Witch may have made a huge strategic error. She's assumed that Detective Basilisk is a local cop but she isn't; she's in the Massachusetts State Police and Corpse Witch has just basically admitted that she's corrupted the local government and police. The next step? FBI and State Police suddenly start picking up major local public figures in response to arrest warrants from the Massachusetts AG.

[Method of Madness]

Except Roko explicitly identified herself as a statie.

[brasca]

It suddenly occurs to me that Corpse Witch may have made a huge strategic error. She's assumed that Detective Basilisk is a local cop but she isn't; she's in the Massachusetts State Police and Corpse Witch has just basically admitted that she's corrupted the local government and police. The next step? FBI and State Police suddenly start picking up major local public figures in response to arrest warrants from the Massachusetts AG.

Roko identified herself as state police so I hardly see CW forgetting that little detail.  This could mean that she happens to know her superior in the state police thus implying that she has friends in higher places than the sheriff's department. 

[jheartney]

Basilisk doesn't strike me as any sort of cop muckey-muck. She's alone on a stakeout detail wearing a hoodie. I see no evidence of preparation, backup or clout. She just got led by the nose through the perp's headquarters and came out empty-handed. Beyond all that, she's kind of dumb (to quote Claire).

[Blackjoker]

This may have been brought up but anyone else wondering why Corpse Witch seems to have such a low-grade chassis?

I figured there are three or four fairly good reasons potentially

1) in anonymity there is strength: Basically she uses a low grade chasis because it's inconspicuous. It isn't flashy or super noticeable. Most AIs likely have similar chasis.

2) Underestimation: Entirely possible it only looks low grade, it might actually be fairly upgraded and advanced, just looks fairly low grade and nonthreatening.

3) Sentiment: Might have been her original body, doesn't want to abandon it

[Method of Madness]

any sort of cop muckey-muck.

I have no idea what this means.

[riccostar]

This may have been brought up but anyone else wondering why Corpse Witch seems to have such a low-grade chassis?

In addition to good reasons already listed, the chassis might be a helpful illustrative tool for Jeph.  First, it's seems like it would be pretty quick and standard to draw.  Second, Corpse Witch becomes kind of intimidating in that every line she delivers is given with the same facial and body expression which is facilitated by the lack of complexity in her chassis.  Gives her a kind of icy and level-headed air.

[renfield1969]

Can someone please explain the origin of the name "Corpse Witch?" It seems to be a nickname invented on the forum, but even Jeph is using it.

[BenRG]

Jeph used the name 'Corpse Witch' in the footer note of the strip that introduced the character. It's the closest thing we have to a canon name for her.

[Welu]

Here is the specific strip. Actual in the title at the top because it's from before footer notes and that feels so long ago.

[Kugai]

May not have been planned. but this may have shot Rokos investigation all to hell

I think tht CW is gonna be somewhat happy with how this turned out.

[Is it cold in here?]

any sort of cop muckey-muck.

I have no idea what this means.

Not of high rank or status.

[Method of Madness]

Cheers.

[blt]

May not have been planned. but this may have shot Rokos investigation all to hell

I think tht CW is gonna be somewhat happy with how this turned out.

I think it's more likely we're going to see the abrupt contrast from the cheery facade to her bawling out Faye and Bubbles for putting her at risk like that.

[Perfectly Reasonable]

There's that panel of gauges and buttons with the mysterious warning again.
I wonder what it does?

[TheEvilDog]

Comic's up and the Pugnacious Peach is back.

[EatAChinchilla]

Damn, Faye. That's going to give you some major knuckle bruises.

Anyone see that coming? I thought Bubbles would do the punching.

[Detachable Felix]

Hoo boy