Marko's evil double makes a fatal assumption...
Nerd By Northwest #356 - "Dirty Pool"
(Click on the image to see the full-size version)
Sorry for the long wait between comics, but I was indisposed for a medical thing. Last month I finally got my deviated septum fixed... hooray for better breathing! To be honest my condition wasn't as bad as some, as I could still breathe through both nostrils (only one somewhat better than the other). But I've been prone to sinus infections more so than most (and then sometimes ear infections after that), and IMHO some short-term pain is worth dealing with less of that. And I have to admit being in Mongolia made the decision easier too, as it costs about 10% or less than it would back in the USA. It's sad, but the very expensive health care costs are one of those things that steers me from spending more time living in the States (contrary to what some may think, I am certainly NOT a Bitcoin millionaire. Yet.😏)
But anyway, on to the comic... sometimes I have all the elements of these story arcs planned out in advance. This wasn't one of those times... I had planned out the introduction of Marko's evil double long in advance, but had no idea how I was going to handle his demise. But like with many things, the little spur-of-the-moment decisions made previously tend to offer inspiration where one didn't expect. Long ago we've established Sir Marko falls short of the paragon of honor and chivalry a knight like him is supposed to be. And paladin-hood?... forgettaboutit! His outlook on such matters is something like "if my fellow knights didn't see it, it didn't count!" (rather like George Carlin's quip about driving: "If a cop didn't see it, I didn't do it!"). So with that established, the piercings and the incredibly impractical crop-top armor made this comic practically write itself!
Now some might ask why kill him off at all, and why not keep him as a recurring villain? I guess I could say something about how the magic Mirror of Opposition might not allow for that... but honestly I just figured most people would find the character's appearance too off-putting to be more than a one-time gimmick. So now he's dead. You're welcome. 😁
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