Well, that can’t be good.
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So! Into the woods they go… and so begins almost every scary fairytale ever! What kind of trouble lies ahead for our heroes? And will Cory find it boring, or do you think it will hold his interest?
Tune in this Wednesday to find out! Hope to see you there! 😀
someone has to break the ice:
What did Robert Frost say? “The woods are lovely dark and deep…”
Panels 3 and 4 have lovely scary woods - the creepy fractal shapes of the bare, blackened, the encroaching dark green needle-like leaves stretching over toward our trio, the overbearing canopy of bent branches, and twitching leaves hiding a darkening sky. . . And then the voices of children, crying, chanting, high-pitched, shrill little voices begging through tears for what dark and evil glowing thing to aid them?
I agree that Adam and Vero did a great job with those woods. Definitely the right vibe for this.
Same here, I agree with the scary wood… and chanting in such surroundings doesn’t sound well either…
I love how Cory is scared. Not because I’m “schadenfroh” (I really have no idea how to say this in English) but because it shows me he still has a healthy “normal” way of being cautious and listening to his instincts unlike our other two heroes here who seem to have totally overcome that already 
I’m rather fond of the whole Scooby-Doo vibe of that first panel. Very retro.
“You want me to wait at the car? (Please say yes…)”
I went to my High School German/Enlgish dictionary from 50 years ago.
Shadenfroh has no direct translation. It’s like gloating at harm, or I’m being spiteful, or I’m happy you’re hurting. To my mind, it’s more like giggling and smirking at someone having a struggle in a childish way rather than actually taking real pleasure in someone else being in a terrible situation.
These days some people say Schadenfreude which is generally taken to mean “I take pleasure or I’m gleeful in your suffering or struggle or pain.”
There’s no direct translation of words like these that describe emotional states.
I like the Scooby-Do angle although Snidely Whiplash twirling his mustache preparing for his entry is just as much fun, too.
My father was a linguistic anthropologist. Even before I studied German in college, I knew the word “schadenfreude.” It was in a book of foreign words he gave me that had no direct translation in English. And, in fact, it’s the most famous example of those kinds of words, at least it was here in the States when I was growing up.
When I lived in Austria, I was surprised to find that I almost never heard it.
And yes, while both Spooky and Flyboy are quite accustomed to danger, perhaps too accustomed, Cory still has a healthy level of fear.
Ha! I didn’t think of that reference. But yes. And I’m glad someone called out this moment. It’s one of my favorite things about the page.
Well yes I guess literally it does mean that but when we Germans actually use the word it is not THAT mean. It’s rather like this typical comedic effect for instance people laugh if so. slips on a banana peel, or accidentally spill their drink over themself. But yeah there is some kind of “harm” involved. And yes of course it could be that so. is actually enjoying the misfortune of another but usually it just happens with certain background. Like when your ex cheated on you and then got cheated by their new partner, too, you could be “schadenfroh”. Sth like that?
(apologies for any accidently placed replies, figuring things out XD)
WELL THEN. This took a rapid detour into nopeland. As expected~~~~
“Do you want me to stay in the car” translation “can i maybe stay in the car plz” I mean look at his face in panel 4, poor kid.
I have a boatload of bad feelings about this.
Oh really? That’s interesting! And well I could ask a friend of mine (she’s born and living in Vienna) about Schadefreude and if it’s common down there or not. I never heard it myself either when I visited her but well usually there just was no circumstance that would lead to Schadenfreude thankfully x’D
How long did you stay in Austria? I only visited five few times and usually less than 2 weeks at a time.
Then again even though I am German they use quite a lot of different words and of course dialect is another issue. It’s even worse because I’m from the very North of Germany so our dialects differ quite a bit ^^
I lived in Austria for 11 months during my Junior year, studying at the University of Salzburg. It’s a gorgeous part of the world, and I made really good friends there. One of the best years of my life, actually.
And I might have heard “schadenfreude” there once or twice. With all the build up I had gotten from that book, I just expected to hear it a lot more.
bronakopdin: I would not use it in a mean or nasty sense. I think of it like this:
(I’m not use to this style formatting yet. I hope this looks OK)
I appreciate Cory’s hesitance…I also have a feeling he’ll prove to be invaluable in dealing with what they’re walking into. Never underestimate a telekinetic.
I keep forgetting Mitch has super-hearing. Are all his senses enhanced, or just sight and sound?
According to the most recent ExSec testing, only Flyboy’s sight and hearing are enhanced.
All I remember of German is “Hogan’s Heroes”. That’s about it! What does “shon” mean when there is a “tilde” over the o anyhow? Read it in some Heinlien novels?
Called out this moment"? I am lost?
It’s “Schoen” in an American typeface and “schön” in a German typeface. It’s an Umlaut.
In Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, the choral climax begins “Freude, schöner Götterfunken,” and that is translated as “Joy, beautiful spark of Divinity [or: of gods],” …
Another piece of music is Franz Schubert’s “Die schöne Müllerin” which translates as The Miller’s Beautiful Daughter
Tells you how well my memory works. Umlat, tilde. Not even the same shape, area or size!
Since we’ve been discussing “words that have no translation” … The Tumblr “Armageddon Wit” has a series of words based on the upcoming TV adaptation of “Good Omens” and Neil Gaiman linked to it. Here’s his tumblr:
http://neil-gaiman.tumblr.com/post/184206840506/armageddonwithit-good-omens-german-phrases
That someone called out Cory’s reaction to all this. I get a kick out of non-superhero Cory being thrown into the deep end with these two quite experienced superheroes. I think his reaction would be what us mere mortals would be feeling in that situation.
And FYI, you can click on the curvy arrow to see the post being replied to:
It’s a neat trick I recently discovered.
Thanks Alex. I feel a “duh” period is going on in my head!