A captain’s lament…
It’s been a while since we’ve seen or even heard from Captain Custer – all the way back to the 4th chapter of Pitch Black Day. As the narration on this page points out, it is just the nature of the Captain’s character that often keeps him separated from the main flow of the story. He is FOREVER locked in the bridge. He can NEVER leave. In many ways he is ALONE, completely detached from the men serving under his command. It’s a pretty sad existence, if you really think about it.
The irony though is that despite the fact that his actual appearances in the comic are few and far between, he is one of, if not, THE most compelling and interesting DDD characters. Wouldn’t it be cool if there was a story that FOCUSED on the Captain? A story, perhaps, that reveals who he is and how he came to be forever bonded to the submarine? Well, it’s coming…and it will be without a doubt THE BIGGEST DDD story yet! A true EPIC in every sense of the word….
But first, be here NEXT WEEK when the PLOT of End(s) of the Earth(s) revs up to FULL BLAST! Could the Doomsayer’s prophecy be coming true right before our eyes, and will a decidedly out-of-sorts crew be equipped to deal with the CONSEQUENCES? Find out in just 7 days!
But, even before that…THIS FRIDAY, the BIG announcement that we’ve been teasing for months will FINALLY be revealed – EXCLUSIVELY to MAILING LIST subscribers!!! This is it. SIGN UP for the mailing list NOW, and be among the first to hear about the GAME CHANGER that will forever alter the way you experience the Deep Dive Daredevils!
It’s exciting times right now at The ThreeOneFive Ranch. We’re hard at work on the most challenging undertaking we’ve ever attempted… and loving every minute of it! I absolutely can’t wait to bring all you Daredevilers along for the ride…
Anyways, till next week!
-Matt-
Uh-oh; this does not look good for our heroes.
You’re dead on, Crazyman…it REALLY doesn’t.
It sounds cool, but what exactly are “Hull Harmonics”, and would the constant beatings they have taken (with the whale and Dracula’s wrath) have affected them?
So, does the Captain consider himself dead, is he just down, or did he really die at some point?
Finally, as that is definitely not a White Russian, what is the Captains drink of choice?
Identifying Hull Harmonics, a bit of a misnomer that has made it into the common lexicon by some, is the process of determining the frequency in which the power source of a ship reacts with the IEC (Internal Engine Components). The hull itself only amplifies said frequency. This technique was created to be able to detect and identify ships, even if they had suffered significant damage. Otherwise one would simply have to dent the hull to avoid identification.
To change the Hull Harmonics of a given ship, one would need to change the resonance frequency of the power source (which in the case of the Custer is a theoretically impossibility), or complete the arduous process of redesigning and rebuilding the IEC.
Thank you Doctor.
Your answer leads me to two follow up questions:
- What about when the engines are turned down/off (assuming this is even possible with the Custer), are the harmonics still detectable?
- Could a crafty engineer just rig up a back up (or decoy) power source, and alter the signature significantly? Lets say (just for an example) that they turned the engines all the way down, and ran 3 or 4 diesel engines, from small surfice crafts, at high speed.
While these may be options in more conventional craft, the Custer’s power source is something a bit more -AHEM- unique.
First of all- and I KNOW this is only a cartoon strip- NO submarine would sit that high in the water unless you beached it at high tide and now we are seeing low tide… in which case, the propulsion units under the stern are now buried in the bottom.
Secondly- hull harmonics are only an issue if you are using pulse magnometer (caterpillar) drive, as the PM sonics CANNOT match the harmonics of the hull without disastrous results.
Thirdly… should I forward my memoirs, particularly the period of 1864, when I briefly met with the Captain?
the Old Sgt.
Old Sarge!!!!!! It’s so great to hear from you again! You’ve been missed. Welcome back.
Yeah, now that you have pointed it out, I can see what you are saying about the way that the sub is floating in the water. I guess just chalk it up to artistic license…the sub look so much cooler when you can see the shark mouth above the water line.
And yes, PLEASE do forward those memoirs. I shudder to think of the kind of trouble a couple of hard-asses like you and the Captain could get up to on your own, but together…that’s a whole different story. I bet its one whale of a tale!
Size, shape and proportions of the submarine have to be chalked up to artistic license as well, I suppose. Shark-mouth notwithstanding, it looks more like a Tom Swift contraption to me. But that’s the way Smilton draws her. And even if I personally prefer Danilo’s warship look, I enjoy Smilton’s style very much, and I think the look and feel fits the story.
Changing the artist between stories is a certain challenge to the reader, but it can be very rewarding to accept it. I’m really looking forward to see how the current story will develop visually as well as plotwise.
Several stories there, Three One Five, and all of them true-
give or take a lie or two…
the Old Sgt.
@Timothy Cramer – It’s fairly prophetic that you mention looking forward to “how the current story will develop visually” because as it happens there is going to be quite a noticeable change in the art when we get to EotEs Chapter 2.
Smilton is employing a new painting style that is going to blow you guys away!
Found my diary- do I send the info here?
the Old Sgt.
@Old Sgt.
I’ve contacted your through a more secure channel, regarding your diary.
Thanks!
My error- the harmonics are used here to identify. And, as I recall, the Captain was partial to straight up bourbon.
the Old Sgt.
Good memory there, Sgt. Howard, a good Kentucky whiskey is indeed what I reach for when I get a hankering to whet my whistle.
I seem to remember killing more than one bottle sitting at the bar with yours truly.
YOU OLD SALTY DOG!!! Been a coon’s age, Sir- yes, we polished off a few back in the day… and tore up a few places as well, if memory serves me. That time at City Point- when you introduced me to your intended- I wish to apologize for my inebriated remarks. That was the only time we cocked fists with each other… and it took us all of 15 minutes to disassemble that tavern as I recall. Lost three teeth in that escapade…
To the un-initiated, I was a First Sargent of Cavalry, serving with the 9th Virginia. The good Captain was skipper of one of the fastest blockade runners this side of Hades. I got my LeMat through his services.
the Old Sgt.
CORRECTION-
I rode with the 7th Virginia, and Captain Custer Skippered the CSS ARKANSAW, not a Blockade runner.
Memories get a bit fuzzy after a while…
the Old Sgt.
PS- I do remember that last fight, though…never properly appologized fer my remarks.
Bygones be bygones, old friend.
I tended to get a mite touchy when it came to Mona in those days. Ironic considering her chosen profession. Har har!
Wow…just as a thought…if we could detach the captain from the ship I bet he’d be one hell of a party animal.
Well, look no further than the Old Sarge’s comments this week and it is pretty clear that the Captain certainly could raise some hell in his younger days.
Given the amount of damage the ship took in the fight with Subsylvania, it’s possible that the ship IS beached for additional repair work at low tide – possibly with supports underneath her. I doubt they do any of their repair work at regular ports, for security issues – and for that matter, most ports in the 20s and 30s weren’t exactly open to other nations’ warships for drydock use, especially subs, unless by treaty – and the crew doesn’t really seem to be affiliated with any contemporary nation, no more than Nemo’s crew was in 20,000 Leagues.
They’d probably repair the most vulnerable systems first, rat after the last book, then progress toward their current location, stopping every so often to make repairs (if you’ve got secret high tech in your ship, you want isolation for repairs, but not stay long enough at any one to allow detection by certain period nations – let alone whoever their mysterious stalkers are.
As for shutting down power, it’s kind of obvious from the captain that they’d have to leave the power on unless working on the engines (and then have him on emergency batteries), and that the engines are WELL beyond real-world 30s tech. And, frankly, the observers appear to be so high-tech that their version of hull harmonics might use something more/other than simple sonar, and the Custer’s signature should be fairly unique.
If this isn’t a comment worthy of a NO PRIZE than I don’t know what is!
Thanks for having our back, Stan. Great explanation!
Great comments this week, guys! This is why we make webcomics!