Rejected Narbonic Plots

I really liked doing these features. During the run of Narbonic, I never talked much about the thought process that went into the storylines that ran, and it was kind of perversely satisfying to explain the thought that went into the storylines I cut. Also, some of those strips were pretty good.

“The Duplication Ray” was one of the first storylines I made up for Narbonic, and at one time I had more material written for it than for any other storyline. Then I ended up scrapping the whole thing. Writing is an aggravating process sometimes.

But look! Awesome comic artist and top Gundam expert Mark Simmons drew this for me!

This is evidently the scene at Narbonics Labs just before Dave’s hiring. Thanks so much, Mark! Everybody check out Mark’s work on the upcoming Fraggle Rock comic book series from Archaia. Dude, Fraggles…

14 thoughts on “Rejected Narbonic Plots

  1. Dave would sooner evapourate than say “threesome”, even by accident.

    I sense that, if I stare at this device long enough, a solution will present itself” is a fairly good understated punch-line.

  2. (TUNE: “Holding Out For A Hero”, Bonnie Tyler)

    Where did my assistant go?  I thought he was right here …
    It appears that he fell prey to gamma rays, I fear!
    When I saw him vaporized, that stain upon the floor,
    That was when I realized that I need something more …

    I need a henchman!
    A good expendable henchman, and I’m needing him soon!
    He’s gotta be smart, and be simple at heart,
    And be ready to start before noon!
    I need a henchman!
    I’ll put an ad for a henchman in the local Tribune!
    Who can do lotsa stuff, and can take lotsa guff,
    And to pain should be mostly immune!

  3. I love the deleted scenes- it’s always fun getting more Narbonic stories, even if they’re non-canon/alternate universe/etc.  Thank you!

  4. I like how the parts of the Duplication Ray sequence that aren’t too similar to the Doppleganger Gambit turn out to be awfully similar to D,D’. For a rejected storyline, not all that much went to waste. And Mell and Artie are probably really glad at the end of The Lost Diamond Mines that Helen didn’t have a duplication ray stashed with the gender swap tablets and the anti-gravity generator. (Not to mention at the start of Angels.)

  5. Mell appears to be posting the ‘Help Wanted’ sign on the inside of the door, which is usually ineffective….

  6. I dunno, Keiya. You must be hanging out with the wrong sort of people. People who don’t want you to know about Muppet comics. I’d be suspicious.

  7. Helen: “Do you have any idea what’s going through my head right now?”
    Dave: “Threesome?”

    YES! Dave, you are a man after my own twisted little black heart!

  8. … “I dunno. [b]If you weren’t , wouldn’t be .[/b]”

    … Okay, it’s probably just because Narbonic is [i]the reason[/i] I have such a strong affection for Alice allusions, but… well.

    • … oh, I see fake tags get filtered anyway huh. Also I need to remember to not use BBcode lol.

      If you weren’t [evil], [we] wouldn’t be [in this mess].

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