The "Why aren't you reading Worm yet?" Thread.

[RazorSmile]

Worm begins with an ordinary (and horribly bullied) high school girl who, having developed insect-control powers, decided she was going to be a superhero. Her first attempt at taking down a supervillain gets her mistaken as one. Events snowball from there. It's dark yet funny, the characters are fascinating, the worldbuilding is deep and the protagonist's use of her powers are the quintessence of Weak But Skilled. Hell, the powers in general are pretty damn original; it's a bit like Darker Than Black that way.

If you haven't been reading this, you should be. If you're already reading this, why haven't you made a thread already?

[Spekio]

I had pretty low expectations, but so far it's quite good. I'm glad it's not a revenge fantasy.

[Stark]

Protip: gushing and insulting are not good ways to get your message across.

[RazorSmile]

I gushed because I am so enthused about the series and fail to see how I was being insulting to anyone. That said, if you point out the insulting language in my post, I will promptly and happily change it if the post is still editable.

[lance]

I can see how what you said can be insulting if you read it in a condescending tone as opposed to a sarcastic one

[Ahriman238]

Mistakes in Razor's presentation aside, I've read most of the story and will have to second his recommendation. I am very, very impressed and only a desire to avoid spoilers is keeping me from gushing like a kid reading his first superhero comic.

[RazorSmile]

I had no intention of insulting anyone, merely of recommending a favored series in an eye-catching manner.

That said, man, what exactly is wrong with my presentation? All I did was give a brief blurb and then strongly recommend it. Where is the rudeness? I used no profanity, I mocked no one. Thus, I would appreciate it if someone would please tell me what I did wrong because I am clearly missing something here.

[Stark]

Since you got two people (one who was already reading it), I think thats more your problem.

[Esquire]

Thanks for recommending this. So far I'm really enjoying it!

[madd0ct0r]

I caught up with the present.

Very well done character arcs and steady development. I love the consistent world building behind the story line too. I think her writing skills improve slightly over time - just a little bit tighter compared to the first few arcs, but then there's a lot less exposition needed.

It's not great literature, but it's great reading. have fun.

[Ahriman238]

Caught up.

Very impressed, and pretty impressive to look back and realize it's been, what, two months since Taylor first put on her costume? Events have been moving at such a hectic pace it's no wonder the PRT is struggling to keep up. Director Calvert would never have let his organization be so out of touch.

I mean: the party raid, fight with Armsmaster, learning the truth about Coil and Dinah, quitting the team, Leviathan attacking and getting outted happened in a single night. Ouch.

[LadyTevar]

So little time for a city to go to hell.

[Ahriman238]

So little time for a city to go to hell.

Things are getting better. Taylor really stepped up to help pull her territory together, and with Lisa's schemes and- Spoiler

the portal

Things can only get better.

Until Jack Slash ends the world, anyways.

[Ahriman238]

Well, at least Wildbow hasn't lost his touch for cliffhangers.

[madd0ct0r]

indeed.

did I miss Imp's trigger event, or has that not been covered yet?

[Ahriman238]

indeed.

did I miss Imp's trigger event, or has that not been covered yet?

Hasn't been covered. Her interlude showed enough of her home life to allow a decent guess.

I'm a bit curious how much the powers are influenced by personality and vice versa. There was nothing in Taylor's history or trigger event to suggest she'd get bug powers, but since then it's developed her perspective a lot. She's also gotten over having bugs crawl all over her. Rachel's the most damaged by her powers, but I wonder if that wasn't true before her trigger. Lisa and Aisha have powers closely connected to their backstory, while there's nothing to link Brian to his darkness manipulation. And Grue got a second trigger, which gave him a power he specifically needed to survive the next few minutes and save his friends, and would have been useless to him if one or two people were out of range.

It doesn't help that outside the Undersiders and Miss Militia, we don't know where lots of people stand on the trigger/Cauldron divide.

[madd0ct0r]

victoria's was when someone fouled her at basketball, but she's 2nd generation.

I thought Grue 1st trigger was a metaphor for the depression and anger he had inside him but couldn't show due to the manly men in the boxing rings?

Scrub's trigger doesn't really link to his power, unless it's sort of 'get everything away from me' flailing.

All of the cauldron cases have had their power massively affected by their state of mind at 'trigger' time though...

[Ahriman238]

Yeah, but Grue got his powers the first time he stood up to his old man, and beat the crap out of him. I guess you could argue darkness powers from that, but if I had to name something I'd probably say something more tied to aggressiveness or physicality.

Lisa likewise blames herself for knowing something was off about her brother before he killed himself. So now she's the person who knows everything. Aisha was always ignored, and now people literally forget she ever existed, as a matter of routine.

Miss Militia is the simplest. She needed a gun, and she got one.

Sometimes, they seem to run in families, half of New Wave were pretty much the same powerset with different emphasis.

Speaking of, the Amy/Victoria plotline was heartbreaking, almost as much for the pointlessness of it all as the emotions involved. And I'm not sure which thought depresses me more, that the world is still a horrible place where Cauldron, the Endbringers and the Slaughterhouse Ninety can exist, or that Accord is probably the man who's going to save the world.

[lance]

Just finished the interlude from Brutus' perspective, loved the perspective

[LadyTevar]

I've caught up, but still loving the rollercoaster ride. This is epic above and beyond any Superhero story I've seen or game I've played, and it's a damn horrible lesson on "be careful what you wish for".

[Ahriman238]

Here's what a question, what could the PRT legitimately charge Skitter with? Even a hack lawyer would shred any attempt vis a vis Lung's injuries, she was still planning to be a hero and betray the group when she pulled the bank job. No one will ever charge anyone with a crime for hurting or killing one of the Nine. Offing Calvert might be a self-defense case, given his powers, and almost certainly one for justifiable homicide. Plus it's too tied up in embarrassing PRT secrets.

So far, her villany has consisted largely of distributing supplies and keeping gangs out of her territory when the authorities couldn't or wouldn't. I think all that's left is hacking the PRT database for Coil and gatecrashing the fundraising dinner. Oh, and threatening the mayor and sort of accidently almost killing his son then witholding medical treatment. Okay, that last is pretty bad.

Still a much shorter rapsheet then you'd expect from a criminal Warlord.

[Spekio]

Caught up. Taking in consideration the inherent siliness of the super hero genre, it's pretty great.

[madd0ct0r]

Here's what a question, what could the PRT legitimately charge Skitter with? Even a hack lawyer would shred any attempt vis a vis Lung's injuries, she was still planning to be a hero and betray the group when she pulled the bank job. No one will ever charge anyone with a crime for hurting or killing one of the Nine. Offing Calvert might be a self-defense case, given his powers, and almost certainly one for justifiable homicide. Plus it's too tied up in embarrassing PRT secrets.

So far, her villany has consisted largely of distributing supplies and keeping gangs out of her territory when the authorities couldn't or wouldn't. I think all that's left is hacking the PRT database for Coil and gatecrashing the fundraising dinner. Oh, and threatening the mayor and sort of accidently almost killing his son then witholding medical treatment. Okay, that last is pretty bad.

Still a much shorter rapsheet then you'd expect from a criminal Warlord.

She robbed a bank too, and could probably be done as an accessory to the various crimes her faction have pulled off. Stuff like sheltering a murderer as well. I'm going to assume the PRT dosen't know about Calvert yet, and I'm not sure they could prove it.

[LadyTevar]

They know about Calvert.

[Ahriman238]

Here's what a question, what could the PRT legitimately charge Skitter with? Even a hack lawyer would shred any attempt vis a vis Lung's injuries, she was still planning to be a hero and betray the group when she pulled the bank job. No one will ever charge anyone with a crime for hurting or killing one of the Nine. Offing Calvert might be a self-defense case, given his powers, and almost certainly one for justifiable homicide. Plus it's too tied up in embarrassing PRT secrets.

So far, her villany has consisted largely of distributing supplies and keeping gangs out of her territory when the authorities couldn't or wouldn't. I think all that's left is hacking the PRT database for Coil and gatecrashing the fundraising dinner. Oh, and threatening the mayor and sort of accidently almost killing his son then witholding medical treatment. Okay, that last is pretty bad.

Still a much shorter rapsheet then you'd expect from a criminal Warlord.

She robbed a bank too, and could probably be done as an accessory to the various crimes her faction have pulled off. Stuff like sheltering a murderer as well. I'm going to assume the PRT dosen't know about Calvert yet, and I'm not sure they could prove it.

Yeah, but literally everyone involved in the Brockton PRT and Protectorate knows she was reporting to Armsmaster infiltrating the group. Her presence at the bank job kept everyone involved about 300% safer, the hostages most of all, even if she creeped out a lot of people.

The PRT know about Calvert, or at least Miss Militia knows that Skitter killed Calvert, and that he was Coil. And hey, shooting an unarmed man in the street is easily the most evil thing Skitter's done, but they really couldn't have let him go or turned him in. Plus, I doubt the PRT would want it getting out that they named a supervillain their Director, which is one damn good reason for them not to publically try Skitter. I assume sticking her in the Wards is also off the table.