Trent and Amelia catch up with Zik and help him out of the pile of boxes the giant Clonoid threw him into. So now what, guys? It’s time to come up with a plan! The good news is that Zoot has calculated a possible avenue to subdue the giant – electrical overload! Perhaps a massive shock will cut the giant Clonoid off from the central hub that all the Clonoids share information over, rendering it (hopefully) confused and unable to act independently. Zik has a way to make that happen!
Zik finds out he’s dreaming his encounter with Sensei Raven and Sensei Adam. Well, while he’s here, he’s going to pick their brains about how to defeat the giant Clonoid! His teachers tell him not to be intimidated by the sheer size and strength of the Clonoid. It has the same basic structure as any other human, and therefore the same basic weak points that can be exploited. And Raven reminds Zik of something that he can do that the Clonoid won’t: amp up his attacks with awesome move names! Zik leaves the Dojo, waking back up in reality to find Amelia and Trent racing towards him!
In case you didn’t see the blog on the previous page, Adam and Raven are real people that have helped me immensely in my journey to tell this story. Adam’s guidance with anatomy and Raven’s unwavering focus and audacity with his own comic have both been instructive to me as I take my artistic journey to become a better visual storyteller. Please take some time to check out their comics at Raven’s Dojo and Locus Comics! Both their creations are NSFW, but hey, we’re grown-ups. If you’re not a grown-up, maybe wait until you are before checking them out.
Zik wakes up, and wait, he’s back on Zoz?! He’s in the dojo of his two senseis, Raven Perez and Adam Black! Zik is understandably confused; after all, he was just grappling with a giant Clonoid soldier on a Zernabian prison planet! Where are Amelia and Trent? Adam explains: Zik is dreaming right now! He’s not on Zoz at all.
So who are these two? Well, in real life, Raven and Adam are two of my comic bros, and they’re two of the best pals I’ve never actually met face to face. Raven does Raven’s Dojo, and Adam Black has a whole bunch of comics, the current one being Tears Of The Dragon! You should definitely check them out. These are the guys that have been helping me improve my art skills, so if you’ve noticed an increase in quality as the comic progresses, these are the guys to thank for that!
Zik is flung into the factory wall, denting it in the process! What a kick! Good thing he has body armor, although according to Zoot it has taken some damage! Zik gets ready as the Clonoid charges — the fight is on! He blocks a mighty punch and returns with one of his own, but the Clonoid grabs his arm and flings him like a rag doll into a pile of boxes! Zik is unconscious! Oh no!
Trying to monopolize this big guy’s attention, Zik starts up some mildly insulting banter. He has a point, though: despite all the muscles, there’s literally nothing to interest the ladies back on Zoz! I guess that’s not why Queen Elcyra has them around. The Clonoid is only too happy to engage Zik directly, and even finishes his sentence for him!
Zik and Trent try the first, obvious solution: fill the massive Clonoid with bullets! This guy has incredibly thick skin, it seems, so he’s able to simply brush the bullets off and drop them to the floor. Zik decides that guns are of no further use, so he hands his to Trent and tells him to go find Amelia. Zik wants to take this guy on alone?!
WHO LET THE AVENGERS INTO THIS STORY? Oh, wait, that’s a Clonoid! That’s the new one that arrived and was here to get fitted for a uniform! Queen Elcyra has bred a new Super Soldier Clonoid!
Things are going well in this riot! The drones are easily dispatched, and there are far fewer soldier Clonoids. Trent points the way to where Amelia is being held captive.
Meanwhile, a trio of prisoners decides to try their luck with a doorway to a restricted area. It’s locked, but something busts its way through! What is happening?!
Despite the ruckus, there’s still a job to do! It’s time to get Amelia! Zik and Trent wade into the fray, taking out whomever they can to try and tip the balance in their favor!
Greg hasn’t stopped acting completely irrationally, and immediately starts a riot in the factory! Trent explains to Zik that these guys have always been trouble and have now started something that they probably can’t handle. By the time he and Trent make it inside, there’s a full scale battle going on!
