My take is that it’s a joke about being a galley slave as the ultimate bodybuilding regimen, with lots of homoerotic sweat and codpieces, and a bit of BDSM.
Also, there’s a set-up for a joke that is immediately taken away again.
When the guard lashes the guy, we think, “Uh oh! The poor guy has just learned that this trip is no ‘Fantasy Island’ but a brutal enslavement, enforced by the lash.”
But then the guard apologizes…and we, the surprised readers, learn that this is a ‘Fantasy Island’ and even the guards are part of the absurd sexualized paradise.
It’s a twist ending on a twist ending.
I thought it was a more straightforward commentary on BDSM, how “slavery” is something that is desired and how the “masters” ask if the “slaves” are into certain things or not.
I kind of figured it was saying that actual bondage is pretty much pretend, considering you’re getting smacked around for SEXUAL AROUSAL as opposed to any OTHER purpose, and the evil sadist who’s whacking you with an obscene rubber thing immediately stops when you say the safe word.
…as opposed to an actual slave galley.
I feel the joke is the contrast between the sexualized way things like gallery ships and gladiator fights are portrayed in swords-and-sandals movies and the way they would have existed in real life.
I like Trinopus’ explanation. 'Cos I certainly did a double take when the guard backs down.
I had the sense that that particular guard is the only guard who thought he joined up for the kink. And this is the first galley slave who WASN’T into the lash.
Fans of Trudy Cooper’s work might enjoy her guest trip for Oh Joy Sex Toy. (Very NSFW. Duh!)
I’ve been a fan since I started reading Platinum Grit back in my Uni days (as an actual honest-to-god print comic book sold in news agencies).
And boy do I wish she’d pick that project back up. But if it has to be a choice between 0glaf and PG, I’m happy with 0glaf.
Wow, that was weird.
I couldn’t get 0glaf to show in the post until I changed the “O” to a zero.
Is the title of this comic blocked as a naughty word, like pr0n or something?
Or is it the new fnord?
I am now going to use that folder structure for all my porn folders.
And the question is of course, what is the king saying.
At least the royal wizard isn’t taking one for the team again:
http://oglaf.com/cornwalling/
http://oglaf.com/toll/
http://oglaf.com/toll/2/
“They fight for all the wrong reasons, all of them” in the second panel. The dance is just too expressive for words.
I never saw the second page of “toll” before now the joke makes a little more sense.
Heh… telling the kids war stories that end with “…then we ate them” never gets old!
Let’s hope these enemies had the sort of skulls that can be easily fashioned onto a drinking vessel. Because the Dancing King has really earned it.
Rolling a skull up and down your arm looks better than that round thing.
I love the look of inspired astonishment on the soldiers’ faces.
Yeah, that skull thing never really works out does it.
The latest: Evensong
GREAT NEWS! From the author’s twitter page:
Well, hoping it will be a slightly shorter wait than for Harper Lee’s second novel, but I’ll enjoy seeing it when it happens.