A Question of Promise #12

What we do for our grades, eh?

A Question of Promise #12

a comic by thuyen nguyen

The Mukai-Criterion Hotel

I don’t understand your life.

What's there to understand?

I appreciate that you still remember the little people.

You keep me grounded, babe.

Speaking of questions; I've thought about yours.

You're just like those paparazzi.

Richard Croft, perhaps?

Good!

What should I do then?

He managed that whole sex tape thing like a champ.

Besides, who else would I share a spa with?

Questions, questions!

The fact that you've been offered two film roles blows my mind-

I got all the publicity, and kept my dignity!

01

Well, I have to give all credit to Amiccilo.

If you killed someone, he'd probably hide the body too.

The man is a genius.

I love him.

That's easy: "Melbourne Crime Story."

So anyway, which film should I choose?

Yeah. gritty crime drama.

Really?

It's a small role though. a cameo, really.

What's the matter, Erin?

You want to star in "Isabella's Big Adventure�?

I'm the leading actor in the other one.

My name will be on the poster; front and centre.

Good director attached.

Critics will love it.

That's good, because I can't act.

...

You know Isabella doesn't talk, right?

02

Then perhaps you should start small?

Or perhaps I grab as much as I can while I still can?

Well, that's true. No one knows you can't act.

Yet.

That is why I need to star in a feature film.

Get one under my belt, then move on.

How about doing an actual sex tape?

That can go under your belt too.

Tee hee.

Repeatedly.

Real mature, Eden.

Isabella is a cartoon character who doesn't talk.

I don't understand how it'll work.

Is she CG?

Are you voicing her thoughts?

Narration?

I'll be in a costume.

Excuse me?

03

Full-body costume, oversized head. Like Disneyland.

She doesn't talk, so no one will hear your voice.

You're wearing a costume, so no one will see your face.

My name's in the credits.

Stop winking at me!

No one will even know you're in this movie!

99% of people leave the cinema when the credits start rolling.

I am the one percent.

You don’t.

Final answer?

You're not helping. I need to make a decision by next week.

Opinion noted for future reference.

04

I still think you should go with "Melbourne Crime Story."

Drink?

Room service? Can I get another bottle of sparkling?

A top-up would be lovely.

Cl

ick

!

Who's paying for this room, anyway?

Don't know. I never look a gift horse in the mouth.

Amiccilo offered me the key.

I wasn't going to say "no".

That would be impolite.

No wonder why people want to be famous.

This is mine; fair and square.

I’m a Comedian.

I’ve been busy.

Written any good jokes lately?

05

Yes, ma’am.

Not engaging in anything unsavory, I hope.

The perks of celebrity.

I'm no “reality TV” star.

I've got actual talent.

Being famous.

G DIN

G DON

!

That must be room service.

Come in!

Ladies! I hear you ordered some bubbly.

No room service?

It's all about appearances, baby.

Thanks. just leave it-

I took the liberty of taking your order from the hotelier.

I look forward to reading a tweet about it.

Amiccilo!

I also tipped him an amount he would tell others about.

Anyway, here is your sparkling wine.

And here is dessert.

Holy crap!

06

You look like a hipster.

The next day

Those things don't even have lenses.

I respectfully disagree, you schmuck.

But in my defence, I have no problem with my eyes.

They are bare frames, yes.

You don't really have "eyes."

Rods & cones, optic nerves; no.

Is it like a fly? A bunch of refracting hexagons?

How do you see the world?

I see... things.

What kind of things?

I see dead people.

07

Ha ha.

Very funny.

Do you?

The guy behind you doesn't want me to say.

Holy crap!

Let's talk seriously, as your inquiry has legs.

Okay.

But not as many as that ghost in the corner of the room.

Ha HA ha!

Now dance, human scum!

You amuse me.

Holy crap!!

Then at least answer my question.

Enough already!

And take those damn glasses off.

No.

08

What does that mean?

I see what I want to see.

So I tune it out. focus on only some of it.

Do you see the light at the end of my TV remote?

Since when have you looked at the front of the remote?

That's what people do. We can't take it all in.

Yes, and it's annoying.

I can see a lot. But it's too much effort to always see it all.

But what about things that we can't see, like x-rays or infra-red?

Wait, we sit side by side when we watch TV...

Stop changing channels so quickly.

I don't have to see things to see things.

Eh?

I told you: I can see a lot.

Don't be fooled by the direction of my eyes.

They're not real anyway.

09

Quest’Dein School of beauty

We must make up for last year's dismal performance.

I came fourth in the 100m butterfly.

Did you compete last year?

We have to win this time, plain and simple.

Best result I’ve ever had at swim-

You’re Captain this year.

Eric!

Yes, Miss?

I don't want to do this, but Savantigo's forced my hand.

What?!

They too have a male student this year.

He must be in it for the chicks, am I right ladies?

Tough crowd.

10

As captain, you need to go to Savantigo and deliver the official invitation.

Can I just make it clear that I suck at sports?

That notwithstanding, we need a level playing field.

while you're there you can check out your rival.

You remember what happened last year, right?

Some pretournament intelligence.

Should we call an ambulance?

They have a male captain.

We have a male captain.

End of story.

I suppose there's some logic behind that.

Yes, I know. friends and enemies.

Your new friend's name is Eddie. Keep him close if you-

Good!

oh-rah!

oh-rah!

oh-rah!

Go TEAM!

11

oh-rah!

oh-rah?

I'm excited about this sports tournament.

Yeah. I think you can win your events.

Shame there isn't pole-vaulting, eh?

because your weapon of choice is a metal pipe. Get it?

Cute, but not funny.

you should ask Erin to write some better jokes for you.

Fine, fine.

I'll stop.

Being a Guardian, I’ve always been this way.

Seriously, with you on the team, there's a good chance we can win.

When you (ahem) made your human body, was being athletic a key thing?

Yeah, but isn't that a costume? It would be like me in a bear suit.

The word "costume" is...

belittling.

12

Oh, sorry.

I didn't mean it that way.

For what it's worth, that's the best “costume” I've ever seen.

You’re like Kelly LeBrock in the movie “Weird Science”.

Thank you.

I’m happy to hear that.

I based myself on images I found in fashion magazines.

Really? That's kind of how they did it in the movie too.

They use a pair of legs from one photo, the body from another.

So this body would be considered attractive to humans?

Oh, sure. But maybe you need another guy’s opinion, if you know any.

I only know you.

I should get going to Savantigo.

That’s enough.

I'm interested to find out what this Eddie guy is like.

Should I go with you?

Miss Eale will be so proud.

Why not? Strength in numbers. Good intimidation tactic.

13

Savantigo Aesthetic College

I’m Eric, from Quest'Dein School of Beauty.

May I help you?

I have this year's sports tournament invitation.

beeeep!

Yes, we’ve been expecting you.

Please come in.

This place is huge. It has a new smell to it.

It Smells like this.

What does a "new smell" smell like?

You must be Eric?

Likewise. I’m here to invite you to the inter-school sports tournament.

On behalf of Savantigo, I accept your invitation.

14

Oh.

I'm Lecturer Emes.

Nice to meet you.

Ah, another tournament.

Is Miss Eale still bitter about last year?

Absolutely.

Yes. Probably makes defeat worse. Or victory sweeter.

Was that a joke?

Ha! She's a competitive one.

Has been since high school.

Been here before? We just had renovations. New smell.

Err... I was wondering if I could meet your captain?

You were schoolmates?

That's a relief, because I thought someone let one rip!

Eddie?

Sure, wait here.

I can’t tell.

I still don’t understand “new smell.”

It's hard to explain.

It's... fresh. A little sweet.

Perky. A bit like you.

What a beautiful man!

Hi, I’m Eddie.

15

You’re...

Eddie?

And you are...?

Edwardia.

Eddie for short.

Ah, yes! I’m Eric, Quest’dein team captain.

Nice to meet you both.

I’m eve.

You were expecting a guy, right?

Yes. I mean, no!

No stress.

I get that all the time.

If there isn’t anything else...?

Trust me. I’m all woman.

Oh, of course, sorry.

We were leaving anyway.

I can see that.

I'm sure we'll meet each other again soon.

I’m looking forward to it.

16

You’re quiet.

Talk about pre-tournament intelligence!

How did Miss Eale not know Eddie was a girl?

Hey. It’s Me.

Eddie said it happens all the time.

You won't believe what happened. Eddie is a girl!

g! g! rin rin

How’d the invitation go?

A girl?

Just letting you know I'll come over to your place late tonight, okay?

There goes Quest’Dein's gameplan for this year.

Her full name is Edwardia.

Erin wants me to read her film script.

17

Sure.

No probs.

She’s a he?!

Ah, Lecturer Emes...

You sly fox!

Yes, miss.

Hello?

Excuse me.

g! g! rin rin

You bet he will!

Eric, good news! You're meeting Eddie for dinner.

The Joker?

You mean the wildcard?

What?

That was Lecturer Emes.

She's playing the joker!

By..?

Free use of their new lecture hall if we win. The Principal will be pleased!

They’re raising the stakes.

Savantigo want to make this interesting.

Go TEAM!

And if we lose?

That’s for negotiation.

Tonight, at dinner.

18

Those glasses look smart, sir.

He has school affairs to attend.

I know! Eric didn't think so, though. He's such a downer.

Where is he?

Didn’t he come home with you?

So it's just you and me.

I'm not having another strategy meeting.

No, sir.

I was thinking of something else.

A movie?

What's gotten into you?

However, we need to go to the store to get it.

A movie.

A movie AND going out!

How wonderful!

But how?

Those glasses don’t have lenses, correct?

They will.

Yes.

19

generalist Restaurant Eric.

Later that night

Hey. Didn’t expect to see you again so soon.

Happy to hear that we're in the same boat.

Me too.

What we do for our grades, eh?

I had to cancel my guitar lesson, so for that...

Hmm...

...Let's have an expensive dinner. Savantigo's paying.

Ah, Kobe-shi Beef steak. $100 per 100 grams.

Sure. I like it even more when someone else pays!

Ha ha!

You’re funny.

20

Ha! You got it.

You like steak?

Glad someone gets my jokes.

So, according to the tournament rulebook...

Savantigo is offering use of a lecture hall. Quest'Dein can't do that in return.

Hmm... okay. I think the hall is hired out at $75 per hour.

So what we bet must be equal.

You don't have a lecture hall?

No. Nothing of that size, anyway.

So let's assume that, with five one-hour lectures weekly for a year...

$19,500.

Got anything worth 20 grand?

Waiter!

Bottle of wine please!

I can’t think of anything.

It'll go well with our steak.

21

Help us think too, if we’re lucky.

No. that's why I'm taking lessons.

You play guitar?

Yes ma'am, I am Captain Obvious!

I love a good guitar solo.

Ha! I always wanted to play guitar since I was a kid.

Know Van Halen?

No, sorry.

I’m hungry. where’s our food?

Rock Band. Look up “Eruption” when you get home later.

cli

n k!

I can’t wait. They say Kobe beef just melts in your mouth.

Apparently the cows drink beer. Keeps them happy and fattens them up.

Do you want one?

we should decide on the tournament prize before we get completely wasted!

I know beer keeps me happy!

22

I don’t normally drink that much.

Around midnight

You’re a liar!

Oh, man...

I am so so so drunk!

No, You’re a liar!!

HA! HA! HA! HA!

So, are we in agreement?

Sure! If you win, you get naming rights to my school!

That's gotta be worth 20K!

DEAL!

You laughed at all of my jokes tonight.

You’re pretty funny.

23

You’re pretty.

My head...

Where Am I?

Ow!

Click!

Come on, light switch...

Stupid thing.

I have a bad feeling about this...

Where are my clothes?

Eric?!

Eric.

I can explain.

24

Erin hopes Eden’s vast film knowledge will help her decide on her next opportunity. Meanwhile, the annual sports tournament sees Eric thrusted into the captaincy. When he and Eve are sent to officially invite their rivals, they find unexpected competition.

Can Eric keep his eyes on the prize?

Story, Art and Created by Thuyen Nguyen Copyright Š2012 Thuyen Nguyen www.devinquest.com | www.aquestionofpromise.com