Saint James Infirmary 143: Death and Taxes

[Daphne]

Coming December 14th!

[jmundt29]

This would seem to be a follow-up to our last entry, but I can't find the connect between whatever Pearl caught Q doing and the inevitable nature of death and taxes according to the old saying.  If not that, then I'm totally flummoxed (not that that's unusual in the slightest with this comic).

[raven]

well, nothing else is certain

[jmundt29]

Maybe proof that Adrian is a good guy, then?  Or a look at Claudia's plan?  Or Erin changing her mind and using the watch on Raven?

[jmundt29]

Derek has a muscle assignment?  In the words of D.L. Hughley "Nnooohh."   Claudia must have other muscle of questionable competence.

Okay so 37B was a sattelite apartment of the harem?  Was that where Dani was staying before she escaped?  Can't be that, why would it take Claudia more than a year to notice it?  Has Rain been taking her own offensive action recently?  Is that why she just showed up three nights ago?  If so, what does she know about Claudia and the plan?  Remember, she had Marliese rip something off from Zenon as well.  Does the muse have a battle plan?

[Werdna]

And re-enter Derek!  I wonder how many times he'll get his nose broken this time around.

I'm going to guess that the maid is Ashley.

I like the fact that evil harem boss Claudia still has to deal with the bills - nice touch.  But it also got me thinking - what if we're just seeing Claudia acting as an agent of someone else who is really in charge?  Dani mentioned to Jacqui way back in issue 54 that she was the "maitresse-en-titre" of her harem, which she described as a considerable honour, but definitely subservient to the master.  Perhaps Claudia isn't so much in charge of the harem as the person who holds that position.

More random speculation.  In the mean time, I'm weirdly happy to have the prospect of seeing Derek again, but only in the hopes that he suffer hilarious misfortune, especially to his nasal region.

[jmundt29]

Yup that is a New Jersey area code.  I...why would she send him alone?  Shouldn't she turn around or make another phone call and say

"I just sent that nimrod Derek to check out suspicious activity at 37B Broadway.  Shadow him.  If he screws up...like say getting his nose broken again walking into a doorframe, step in."

Claudia could be the Maitresse-en-titre, but I get the sense that that position as first among the harem shouldn't empower her to pay tax bills or oversee all aspects of the harem.  It feels more like what Dani does now (or half the time) in the SJI cooperative, recruit, organize, plan fun time with "master."  Remember, Harem night with decorations and costumes was her brainchild.  She thought of installing the new...accessory in the living room.  But she only makes these decisions half the time now.  The structure of the bonds between the cohorts isn't really a command structure.  They each propose their own ideas, discuss it, and act on them.  Sometimes Dani has the deciding vote, sometimes Mallory, sometimes Erin, and sometimes outside agency changes the dynamic.

[mi_english]

Anyone else think it's strange that even though we haven't seen Claudia in weeks, she is still wearing what HAS to be an uncomfortable fetish-ized rubber outfit?  Looks fantastic, but if she were in CHARGE of things, I would imagine her outfits would change.  However, if she were in THRALL to someone else, I could see that this was her uniform and she would have to wear it regardless of how sweaty and in need of a hosing it might get.

Or am I, perhaps, overthinking things?

[Werdna]

I'll agree about the loose command structure of the SJI harem, but that's probably because it's an unwanted harem, and the members are adapting to Adrian's preferences, and that there is still the weird issue that Dani is sort-of twice enslaved - brought into the trance originally by Dr. Cimasewski, and later by Derek, and then while in the second trance, re-enslaved to Adrian by Mallory and Jacqui.  But I think the look of the New York harem is somewhat more hierarchical - Claudia's outfit at the very least suggests dominance, and Meghan and Echo certainly looked subservient, and Ashley's maid costume is indicative of lesser status as well.  (I'm sticking with Ashley as her name until I'm told otherwise.)

As far as sending Derek in alone ... well, we still don't have a sense of scale of the operations on that side, and it might be in Claudia's interests to keep the number of people who know about this incredibly powerful watch as small as possible.  Derek is a useful idiot, perhaps?

Edited to add:  I know it's getting repetitive for me to go on about this, but I'm loving the art in this series.  I'm sensing a lot about Claudia's personality from the way she's drawn.  My ongoing kudos to the creators.

[laguna85]

about Claudia time may be the same day
for us is a week
the story stil in the month of Jan 2012
think about it

[powerpossum]

I know it's getting repetitive for me to go on about this, but I'm loving the art in this series.  I'm sensing a lot about Claudia's personality from the way she's drawn.  My ongoing kudos to the creators.

Believe me, hearing that never gets old. Thank you very much, from both me and Octavia...we appreciate the appreciation!

[Haight]

It's always possible that Claudia can't take off her fetish gear for the same reason Jacqui couldn't put on clothes earlier in the series.  Which might explain why she's so eager to get the watch.

[GodWilling]

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[Daphne]

NYC Finance collects, among other things, property taxes for New York City.

[GodWilling]

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