I M P R E G N A B L E – Chap. 5, Act 4, Strip 76

Because, you know, back when he was still living with his parents, Dr. Dutchman Fu was pretty scrupulous about locking his door. You don’t want to have an insane arsonist or a Soviet spy walk in on you when you’re having a quick one off the wrist, do you? And you have to have one of those pretty frequently, as a teenager growing up in the Netherlands – imagine how much more difficult it is to find a date when “going Dutch” is, technically, the only way you can go.

But enough of Dr. Dutchman Fu’s past problems, and back to his current, more pressing ones. He might have had to give up on his plan and on his Plan B on top of it, but his new, ad-lib plan does have some value. It’s relatively simple and to the point, and still manages to touch some important villainous bases, like murder, vengeance, mocking mention of murder and vengeance…oh, and blaming his ally for his own shortcomings (though he can be pretty sure that his ally William is doing the same to him behind his back). All in all it’s a good plan worthy to be numbered Plan 3 – i.e. only one third as bad as Plan 9. And it allows him to get a classic line villainous line from another James Bond movie in, so extra points for that. Of course, on the other hand there are the overlooked details, like the unlocked door…

Concerning panel two, I think that’s the perfect comic equivalent of using stock army footage in a B-movie: reusing the good old “Army Men” ad that used to be a fixture in comics. That pic has got a kind of B-movie vibe going on, anyway – I just love how it’s basically all just a big free-for-all with all kinds of weapons thrown together. “Combined arms” indeed.

And in the same mood of using stock as far as possible, Dr. Dutchman Fu’s last remaining henchmen sports the stock name for Franco-Canadian characters: “Jean-Pierre” It’s safe to assume that all the others had the same.

Biff, in the meantime, also tries to accompany his dramatic entrance with an appropriate stock phrase, but naturally can’t quite remember it. But points for trying.

More on Thurs…uh, sorry, Monday.

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