Loose Canon
| “ | You done incurred my wrath, son!
Click to listen
— The Engineer
|
” |
Loose Canon is a comic that was released on July 2, 2010, three days before the announcement of the Engineer Update. Loose Canon tells the story of how the initial wars between RED and BLU began, about brothers Redmond and Blutarch Mann, and the role the Engineer and his family have played throughout the generations. It also features the first marked appearance of Australium.
The comic is notable for building on the story of Zephaniah Mann, the introduction of Radigan Conagher, and being the only media thus far to feature the Engineer class without his goggles over his eyes.
Loose Canon was illustrated by makani.
Contents
Synopsis
Loose Canon opens during present day, as the Engineer sits calmly awaiting a meeting with Blutarch Mann. An elderly woman then appears, and lets the Engineer know that Blutarch is ready to see him. Though never directly stated, this woman is likely Blutarch's secretary. The Engineer inquires about a large painting on the wall, and whether or not it is an original Kicasso, impressing the secretary.
| “ | Why don't you go ahead and call me Dell, ma'am.
"Mister Conagher" was my grandfather's name.
— The Engineer
|
” |
As Dell Conagher and the secretary walk to his office, she asks Dell about the extent of his knowledge regarding the relationship between his grandfather and the Mann family. Dell is unaware of any, stating this had been the first he heard of it. The secretary explains that many years ago, Dell's grandfather solved a sensitive issue for Blutarch, but implies that his solution is beginning to fail. The secretary closes by saying that Blutarch will explain it all himself, and warns Dell that he shouldn't shake Blutarch's hand, as he "forgets sometimes".
Loose Canon then cuts to the reading of Zepheniah Mann's will, in the year 1850. Elizabeth, grandmother to the Administrator, receives the rest and residue of his estate. Barnabas, grandfather to Saxton Hale recieves complete control of Mann Co., as well as something else. What else is currently unknown, as the will reader is interrupted by Barnabas, who found himself distracted by a particular cougar's pepper sauce. To his layabout, brain defective sons, Zephaniah leaves "partnership" in the form an equal share of whatever land he has left. "You have wasted your lives bickering over nothing. And so I leave you dimwits something of consequence over which to feud."
Following a quick timeskip, we find Radigan Conagher in a meeting with a now-aged Blutarch Mann, in the year 1890. Standing behind Blutarch throughout this scene is a young secretary, who would with age become the same woman to see Radigan's grandson to the same man. Blutarch explains that both Redmond and himself immediately hired a team of mercenaries in order to take control of each others land. Redmond and Blutarch have found themselves in a stalemate for 40 years. Since Blutarch could no longer take his brothers land by force, he decided to simply outlast him. However, Redmond won't die. Blutarch then states that he wants Radigan to build him a machine to prolong his death and outlast his brother. That he wants Radigan to make him a monster. Radigan silently thinks for a moment before agreeing.
"Alright."
It's a particularly dreary evening, and rain pours against the brim of Radigan's hat. As Radigan unlocks the door to his Conagher's Tools and Munitions store, he finds Elizabeth already inside, awaiting his arrival. As Radigan asks who she is, Elizabeth cuts him off, stating that "it would save us both a lot of time if you did not ask who I am or how I know what I know". Elizabeth is aware that Radigan has agreed to build a machine to prolong Blutarch's life, and asks if she could convince him not to. Radigan declines with a simple "No ma'am.", prompting an alternative proposal from Elizabeth. Elizabeth presents a single pure-golden ingot, engraved with an image of a|man and a kangaroo boxing. Elizabeth proceeds to explain how the people of Australia have outpaced the world in terms of technology for the last forty years, despite being a land of savages. The element Australium, of which the ingot is composed, is only found in small caches in Australia. Elizabeth states that she has spent the last 10 years collecting 100 pounds of the element, and that she will give it all to Radigan in exchange for him building an additional life support machine for Redmond.
| “ | Think, mister Conagher- if this element can make a genius out of an Australian...
... What would it do for a man of your faculties?
— Elizabeth
|
” |
Loose Canon then returns to the our present day meeting between Blutarch and Dell. Blutarch states that Redmond also built a life support machine, apparently unaware that Radigan was the one that built it. Blutarch angrily explains that his machine has begun to break down, and he wants the Dell to fix it. Dell explains that, while he's flattered that they thought to ask him to fix it, he has no idea how the machine works. Touching such a machine when he has no idea about the inner-workings would more than likely kill Blutarch. Blutarch quickly enquirers whether Dell could fix it if he had access to the blueprints originally drawn by his grandfather. "Well, now that's a different story." Dell begins "Not much hope'a that, though. The old man had 'em-" Dell is cut off by Blutarch carelessly tossing a stack of old papers on the desk that sits between them. "-buried with him." Dell finished, with a disgusted look on his face. Blutarch shrugs and admits to having dug up Radigan and looted his corpse to obtain the blueprints. Blutarch goes on to state that he has spent sixty years and a small fortune trying decipher them to no avail. Blutarch continues that Dell may borrow the blueprints drawn by his grandfather on one condition, but freezes before he is able to state his barter. Confused, Dell asks if he is alright, to which Blutarch's secretary states to give him a moment. "He's just dead." The machine then surges a great, blue bolt of energy through Blutarch's body, not unlike an ÜberCharge. Blutarch grabs Dell by his collar and states that each day he stays dead a little bit longer, and that there is nothing on the other side. He tells him to fix the machine.
As Dell shifts through his grandfathers' blueprints and notes at his workbench, Blutarch's words echo to him. Blutarch states that Dell is to decipher his grandfather's notes, and learn how to fix his machine. If Dell finds anything else of interest, it belongs to Blutarch and Dell is to bring it directly to him. Dell smiles with a wicked glare, staring down the cover of a note labeled "Guns: Maps of Australium Caches".
Pages
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4 (Issue #97)
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Pages (no text)
Pages 1, 2, and 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Trivia
Page 1
- The Engineer takes one of the main roles in the Loose Canon comic. Engineer's full name is revealed to be Radigan Conagher, carrying on the tradition begun with the WAR! Comic.
- Kicasso was a reference/parody of popular real-world artist Pablo Picasso.
Page 2
- The "Original Kicasso" that the Engineer notes is a parody of Picasso's Self Portait from his Blue Period. This is likely a reference to the fact that Blutarch keeps his everything from his home to his mercenaries color-coordinated in blue.
Page 4
- Elizabeth, maidservant to Zephaniah Mann, is revealed to be the grandmother to the Administrator.
Page 5
- A sword similar to the Eyelander in appearance is visible on the table behind Radigan Conagher.
Page 9
- A man can be seen sporting a hat laced with crocodile teeth around the brim, not unlike that of Saxton Hale.
See also
External links
- Loose Canon Comic on the Official Team Fortress 2 Blog
- The blog post that accompanied the announcement of Loose Canon on the Official Team Fortress 2 Blog
