Difference between revisions of "Bidwell's Big Plan"

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(Fixing old errors, and adding Notes and Trivia.)
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{{Quotation|'''Saxton Hale'''|If you're like me, you'll want to skip directly to page six, where I jump out of a building and sock it to some hippies. Why? I don't know. And I never will. That's a Mann Co. Comics Promise.}}
 
{{Quotation|'''Saxton Hale'''|If you're like me, you'll want to skip directly to page six, where I jump out of a building and sock it to some hippies. Why? I don't know. And I never will. That's a Mann Co. Comics Promise.}}
  
'''''Bidwell's Big Plan''''' is a [[comic]] that was released on {{Patch name|9|30|2010}}. It was created to go with the [[Mann-Conomy Update]], and explained the idea of selling community made items. Bidwell's Big Plan follows [[Saxton Hale]] being kicked out of a plane after a "dramatic confrontation with (his) rival and former mentor, [[Charles Darling]]".
+
'''''Bidwell's Big Plan''''' is a [[comic]] that was released on {{Patch name|9|30|2010}}. It was created to go with the [[Mann-Conomy Update]], and explained the idea of selling community made items. Bidwell's Big Plan follows [[Saxton Hale]] being kicked out of a plane after a "dramatic confrontation with (his) nemesis and former mentor, [[Charles Darling]]".
  
The comic is notable for building on the character of [[Saxton Hale]], giving Saxton an archrival, and introducing the idea of the [[Mann Co. Store]].
+
The comic is notable for building on the character of [[Saxton Hale]], giving Saxton a nemesis, and introducing the idea of the [[Mann Co. Store]]. It is also the first instance of a character invoking the mysterious '''''[[#Her|Her]]'''''.  
 
   
 
   
 
== Synopsis ==
 
== Synopsis ==
  
The comic begins with [[Saxton Hale]] hanging from the edge of a jet, confronting his former mentor, [[Charles Darling]]. Darling captures animals as trophies, something which conflicts with Hale's philosophy of punching them until he loses his watch. Darling dramatically kicks Hale off the edge of the plane. During his fall, Hale directs the reader to page 6 of the comic, which cuts to the fights, since the pages in between that have his assistants blathering about a [[Mann Co. Store|new way to buy hats]].
+
The comic begins with [[Saxton Hale]] hanging from the edge of a jet, confronting his former hunting mentor, [[Charles Darling]]. Darling has been capturing endangered animals as trophies to keep "behind bars" (inside his zoos), something which conflicts with Hale's philosophy of punching the most dangerous animals until he loses his watch. Darling dramatically kicks Hale off the edge of the plane. During his fall, Hale directs the reader to page 6 of the comic, which cuts to the fights, since the pages in between that have his assistants blathering about a [[Mann Co. Store|new way to buy hats]].
  
Hale's plan of using an endangered eagle to glide safely to the ground fails as his weight also causes the eagle to plummet, sending them both through the skylight of his office at [[Mann Co.]] where [[Bidwell]] awaits him. Bidwell explains that customers are unhappy with their current selection of weapons and are beginning to [[Steam Workshop|build their own]]. This enrages Hale, and he sets out to kill all of the customers before being stopped by Bidwell. He proposes that they allow these custom items to be sold through Mann Co. while they receive a percentage of the profit. Hale, who is at first wary of the idea, is distracted by the scent of hippies and jumps out of a window to battle a mob protesting in the parking lot of Mann Co. Headquarters.
+
Hale's plan of using an endangered eagle to glide safely to the ground fails as his weight also causes the eagle to plummet, sending them both through the skylight of his office at [[Mann Co.]] where [[Bidwell]] awaits him. Bidwell explains that customers are unhappy with their current selection of Mann Co. products and are beginning to [[Steam Workshop|create their own]]. This enrages Hale, and he sets out to kill all of the customers before being stopped by Bidwell. Bidwell proposes that they allow these custom items to be sold through Mann Co. while the creators receive a percentage of the profit. Hale, who is at first wary of the idea, is distracted by the scent of hippies and jumps out of a window to battle a mob protesting in the parking lot of Mann Co. Headquarters.
  
 
== Pages ==
 
== Pages ==
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</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
== External links ==
+
== Notes ==
* [http://www.teamfortress.com/bidwells_big_plan/ Bidwell's Big Plan] on teamfortress.com
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{{anchor|Her}}
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; Page 1
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* This is the first published mention of '''''Her''''', generally implied to be the [[Administrator]], the woman who supposedly enticed Saxton Hale away from his [[:File:Unhappyreturns02.jpg|animal-fighting romance with Mags]] to run his father’s company, [[Mann Co.]].
 +
 
 +
; Page 3 & 5
 +
* Here, it is established that Saxton Hale's trophies are ''deadly'' predators that he has punched to death; which contrasts with the types of animals that Charles Darling collected and the way he displays them ''(see [[A Cold Day in Hell]], [[:File:Acolddayinhell07.jpg|page 7]])''.
 +
 
 +
; Page 4
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* ''"Cheaply made, unsafe products that '''catch on fire!'''"'' ''(See [[A Visual History]], [[:File:Bg_comic_03.jpg|page 3]].)''
 +
 
 +
== Trivia ==
 +
 
 +
; Page 1
 +
* The animals Darling has collected in his airplane for his zoo are either (almost) extinct or [[w: Endangered species |endangered]], except for the [[w: Pygmy rabbit|pygmy rabbit]], the closest relative to the [[w: Cottontail rabbit|cottontail rabbit]].
 +
** These animals are cited by [[w:Charles Darwin|Charles Darwin]] in his exploration of his [[w:evolution|theory of evolution]].
 +
** The obviously non-pygmy cottontail and long ears would be recognized by most 1960s Americans, with the Tasmanian and Tweety bird cage, as reference to the [[w: Bugs Bunny|Warner Bros. Cartoon characters]].
 +
 
 +
; Page 5
 +
* [[w:Hippie|Hippies]] were a minority subculture within the young adults of the United States in the 1960s and ‘70s. They were particularly noted for protesting the [[w:Vietnam War|Vietnam War]], nominally under the noble cause of anti-violence.
 +
** Hippies burned [[w:Patchouli#Incense|Patchouli oil incense]] to disguise (unsuccessfully) the smell of [[w:Cannabis|marijuana]] smoke.
 +
** Hippies were also stereotypically associated with [[w:Moral exclusion|moral exemption]], [[w:Protest#Forms of protest|protest signs]], and avoidance of work (hence, soft hands).  
 +
 
 +
; Page 6
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* Hippies are introduced as pacifist protesters of the [[w:Milinary|Milinary]]-[[w:Military–industrial complex|Industrial Complex]], represented by [[Mann Co.]] and [[:File:AFateWorseThanChess21.jpg|Saxton Hale personally]]:
 +
** ''"Stop selling to mercenaries" "No more guns"'' Hippies organized protest actions against weapons manufactures supplying the Vietnam War.
 +
** ''"Mann Co? Hell no!"'' Hippies chanted "Hell no!" specifically to encourage [[w:Draft evasion|draft dodging]].
 +
** ''"Put a shirt on"'' Ironically, going shirtless (both sexes) was a form of hippie protest.
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
 
* [[Comics]]
 
* [[Comics]]
 
* [[Saxton Hale]]
 
* [[Saxton Hale]]
 +
 +
== External links ==
 +
* [http://www.teamfortress.com/bidwells_big_plan/ Bidwell's Big Plan] on teamfortress.com
  
  

Revision as of 03:11, 14 May 2020

Bidwell's Big Plan
BidwellsBigPlan Titlecard.png
Comic Strip Info
Released: September 30, 2010
Number of pages: 6
Artist: Michael Oeming
If you're like me, you'll want to skip directly to page six, where I jump out of a building and sock it to some hippies. Why? I don't know. And I never will. That's a Mann Co. Comics Promise.
Saxton Hale

Bidwell's Big Plan is a comic that was released on September 30, 2010 Patch. It was created to go with the Mann-Conomy Update, and explained the idea of selling community made items. Bidwell's Big Plan follows Saxton Hale being kicked out of a plane after a "dramatic confrontation with (his) nemesis and former mentor, Charles Darling".

The comic is notable for building on the character of Saxton Hale, giving Saxton a nemesis, and introducing the idea of the Mann Co. Store. It is also the first instance of a character invoking the mysterious Her.

Synopsis

The comic begins with Saxton Hale hanging from the edge of a jet, confronting his former hunting mentor, Charles Darling. Darling has been capturing endangered animals as trophies to keep "behind bars" (inside his zoos), something which conflicts with Hale's philosophy of punching the most dangerous animals until he loses his watch. Darling dramatically kicks Hale off the edge of the plane. During his fall, Hale directs the reader to page 6 of the comic, which cuts to the fights, since the pages in between that have his assistants blathering about a new way to buy hats.

Hale's plan of using an endangered eagle to glide safely to the ground fails as his weight also causes the eagle to plummet, sending them both through the skylight of his office at Mann Co. where Bidwell awaits him. Bidwell explains that customers are unhappy with their current selection of Mann Co. products and are beginning to create their own. This enrages Hale, and he sets out to kill all of the customers before being stopped by Bidwell. Bidwell proposes that they allow these custom items to be sold through Mann Co. while the creators receive a percentage of the profit. Hale, who is at first wary of the idea, is distracted by the scent of hippies and jumps out of a window to battle a mob protesting in the parking lot of Mann Co. Headquarters.

Pages


Pages (no text)

Notes

Page 1
Page 3 & 5
  • Here, it is established that Saxton Hale's trophies are deadly predators that he has punched to death; which contrasts with the types of animals that Charles Darling collected and the way he displays them (see A Cold Day in Hell, page 7).
Page 4

Trivia

Page 1
Page 5
  • Hippies were a minority subculture within the young adults of the United States in the 1960s and ‘70s. They were particularly noted for protesting the Vietnam War, nominally under the noble cause of anti-violence.
Page 6
  • Hippies are introduced as pacifist protesters of the Milinary-Industrial Complex, represented by Mann Co. and Saxton Hale personally:
    • "Stop selling to mercenaries" "No more guns" Hippies organized protest actions against weapons manufactures supplying the Vietnam War.
    • "Mann Co? Hell no!" Hippies chanted "Hell no!" specifically to encourage draft dodging.
    • "Put a shirt on" Ironically, going shirtless (both sexes) was a form of hippie protest.

See also

External links