God you’re so right, the banter between these too is just so fucking good, I get now why you’re tempted to drag the comic out just letting them shoot the shit forever
Fantastic coloring and rendering once again! It’s crazy that you can make a golden retriever look even more golden.
Comparing the start of this new day to the start of this previous day is really interesting, how in both days we see Pepper waking up in almost the exact same spot around the same time of day, though now he wakes up with a jolt of energy as if he just had an epiphany. Whereas the day before he looked exhausted. It really goes to show how much has happened over the past 100+ panels!
2. I know the eyes thing has been covered many times before but I still wanna throw my hat in the ring. The three main characters that are centered around the mystery of Halo Head are Clair, Chloe, and Pepper. Obviously Clair & Chloe have opposite eyes open/closed, and Pepper’s eyes are covered most of the time. The only time we see one of his eyes is when he has some sort of realization about what is going on in Halo Head or, in this case, something he has to do in order to understand more. I wonder if, at some point in the future when he Knows, we will start seeing both of his eyes (maybe via haircut, from Ares? Or maybe Peachykeen. I could see her causing some chaos to force a haircut)
Either way, all the details used for storytelling astound me. Batty really goes above and beyond to hint at the world of Halo Head through their art, and I love getting to theorize with everyone :batty-long:
Shortly after this comment, I thought about how it would also be interesting if Pepper doesn’t get a haircut after he Knows, but uses his “blindness” as a form of survival. Since Clair is already suspicious of him, it’d make more sense for him to just try to survive until he can “fix things” in true therapy dog fashion.
Old comment but the idea of the forbidden knowledge haircutting Pepper is making me laugh lol. Having to reckon with the terrible, existential nature of your reality while wielding busted micro bangs…
(Making a different comment for a different theory)
As a fan of the Halo Head System theory, I wonder who of the cast would be “the core”. It seems like it would be Chloe, since Clair does so much to keep her from remembering the trauma, but there are so many roles in a system that it could be *Clair* and Chloe is just the trauma holder.
Also interesting that the different levels, to me, seem to be references to sub-systems. If Halo Head *is* a system, then it’s likely a polyfractal system.
For anyone else wanting to understand more about DID/OSDD, I recommend this (https://didictionary.carrd.co/#terms) as I’ve found it helpful to explain my own system to people who don’t know what it actually is.
to me, i always viewed Chloe as the person who ruminates and stagnates, who reacts to the trauma by fixating on it to the detriment of self-care and being able to function. Clair, being the caretaker role, is trying to distract Chloe from the trauma and move Chloe to do self care, which makes me feel like Chloe might be the core/host and Clair is desperately trying to get Chloe to be functional.
(forgive if this is all bunk, I know a lot about systems, but i am not one myself!)
This makes the most sense, ofc, especially because we see Clair push Chloe to “function” by her definition of what a functioning person looks like, while also being the one withholding Chloe from remembering the trauma and healing in her own way, which… does very much happen in systems!
I mostly presented this theory as it would be cool to see expectations subverted, but I do agree it’s either Chloe is the core or as another comment said, they are both halves of the core that are split (the devil & the angel on ones shoulder)
I think unfortunately, the only thing thats going to heal anyone, regardless of the system theory or not, is the trauma being remembered. You can only start fixing the problem if you know what the problem is!
(Total okay!! It’s refreshing for someone to have an understanding of the topic 😂)
i don’t think chloe can heal from the trauma on her own, she seems to get “stuck” in it, at least that’s how i interpreted the opening of the comic. it seems like the alters or the animal people are key to balancing their two reactions to the trauma and functioning, because they’re unable to reconcile each others differences alone
i like the halves of the core idea too- i see them very much as yin and yang, pushing and pulling, representing two extremes as a response to trauma but both of them are avoiding healing from it.
I’m a fan of the theory Halo head is a physical place (that Clair made). But that theory doesn’t rule out the system theory.
My guess is that Chloe & Clair are 2 parts of the same person or somehow related. But I suspect that the animal people, while they reflect Clair & Chloe, are just separate beings created by Clair for whatever reason.
I also thought about Clair & Chloe being the core just split, especially because Clair *does* have the ability to somehow create the residents of Halo Head.
To me, Clair creates the residents with a purpose, like Mars being a friend for Chloe, likely to keep her from remembering their trauma.
If Halo Head is a physical place, then no wonder Pepper is terrified of her; she is his god. No matter what, though, I can’t wait to see more!
He hasn’t met her, he’s only heard Achilles talk about her, and seen her in dreams (where her appearance and behavior is based on what Achilles told him). That’s all we’ve been shown, anyway.
the way you play with shading is so cool,, adding stairs and diamonds in the first panel then in the next one its rectangles as he adjusts to real life
I have a feeling he might need to borrow a little bravery and pitch this trip to Chloe like “You wanna come with me please I will shit a brick by myself down there”
Invite Achilles too, he knows what’s up and came back in one piece, can’t be that dangerous if he didn’t find a way to maim himself right?
I know that diamonds are something that at least one person in the comments will point out every time they appear which I’ve gotten used to but I just realised I don’t even know what the theory is on the significance of them. Do people think there’s a hidden code here, that Batty uses them to emphasise a specific mood/emotion, or something else?
The most noticeable instance is with Achilles in his flashbacks with Ares. Ares rips money apart, and Achilles becomes square as he protests the destruction of the thing he needs for Mars to punch him.
Squares are associated with Claire, her lighthouse is made of them, her cabinets are squares, etc. Notably, Claire doesn’t have square shading and is usually composed of round shapes.
Diamonds are notably not associated with Chloe. The only pointy thing Chloe has made is the cool S, she didn’t finish it, and Ares is the one who taught her how to do it. Chloe is generally pointy, but not composed of diamonds.
Given how prominently they’re featured, specifically that characters change from square to diamonds in the same page, there must be some symbolism in there but I don’t think we know exactly what. There’s a theory that moving from squares to diamonds means the character is subverting Claire, but I think this page shows that that isn’t the case: Pepper has decided to build up his confidence with the goal of meeting Ares, a subversive goal if ever there was one, but Pepper is turning from diamonds to squares.
To spitball a theory off the current observation, maybe the diamonds indicate emergent behavior(In Pepper’s case, (justified) paranoia) and the squares indicate behavior that the islander started with(In Pepper’s case, responsibility and self improvement).
It can’t be the worst pillow ever if you’re still using it, Chloe!
pepper ass pillow……………..
Bruh really :clair-what:
why not? :batty-bloody:
Burning butt!
:clair-happy:MORNING SLOP?!:achilles-happy:
BASED CHLOE
ugh the coloring in this is so good!!!! the shading on that blanket makes me want to eat it
also 👀 @ the diamonds in pepper’s hair in the first panel
Theres’s also a staircase shading on his sleeve omg
I noticed that too. I know there’s sunlight, but still. he’s glowing. go get em golden boy
Transfem pepper confirmed??? :pepper-surprise:
We are now on Day 16 of Halo Head (for those who haven’t been keeping track)
what a year these two weeks have been…
Day 16 on what layer number is the real question.
And how long did each of those previous layers last before getting abandoned?
She’s absolutely precious:clair-despair:
Does that oven also serves cake 👀
(I’M SORRY, I HAD TO :clair-despair::clair-despair::clair-despair:)
Stove….*
Then how did you end up using his ass, girl
This wasn’t supposed to be a reply, lol
Bro needs to do more squats
Sorry buddy you gotta find a way to cook while leaving the bakery back there
:chloe-happy:: I slept with Pepper
:clair-surprise:: !!!
:chloe-say:: His ass was not that comfy, tho.
:clair-what2:: wtf
:chloe-happy: : I was on his lap then Peachykeen showed up
:clair-despair:
I wonder how many people ship them.
lots of interesting shapes on this page!!! :pepper-onedge:
I am so here for the Pepper ass update.
she is in sheets, on a bed-adjacent surface, of which the sheets are messily slung down the side and onto the comparable floor.
anyone else kinda getting reminded of that vision with the trauma?
I need a Chloe pillow Tier list so bad:clair-what:
Dirt is SS+ tier on that list
In b4 (after) Chloe slept w pepper comments :pepper-onedge:
im still always amazed by battys skill with color theory and shading. Absolutely scrumptious art :achilles-licking:
the morning palette feels like a mix of some of the night tones + harsh bright highlights; its really lovely how it works
God you’re so right, the banter between these too is just so fucking good, I get now why you’re tempted to drag the comic out just letting them shoot the shit forever
Her holding his tail is so cute!
Fantastic coloring and rendering once again! It’s crazy that you can make a golden retriever look even more golden.
Comparing the start of this new day to the start of this previous day is really interesting, how in both days we see Pepper waking up in almost the exact same spot around the same time of day, though now he wakes up with a jolt of energy as if he just had an epiphany. Whereas the day before he looked exhausted. It really goes to show how much has happened over the past 100+ panels!
chloe is an ass man :pepper-surprise::chloe-onice:
1. I love their friendship so much :thesmoocher:
2. I know the eyes thing has been covered many times before but I still wanna throw my hat in the ring. The three main characters that are centered around the mystery of Halo Head are Clair, Chloe, and Pepper. Obviously Clair & Chloe have opposite eyes open/closed, and Pepper’s eyes are covered most of the time. The only time we see one of his eyes is when he has some sort of realization about what is going on in Halo Head or, in this case, something he has to do in order to understand more. I wonder if, at some point in the future when he Knows, we will start seeing both of his eyes (maybe via haircut, from Ares? Or maybe Peachykeen. I could see her causing some chaos to force a haircut)
Either way, all the details used for storytelling astound me. Batty really goes above and beyond to hint at the world of Halo Head through their art, and I love getting to theorize with everyone :batty-long:
Shortly after this comment, I thought about how it would also be interesting if Pepper doesn’t get a haircut after he Knows, but uses his “blindness” as a form of survival. Since Clair is already suspicious of him, it’d make more sense for him to just try to survive until he can “fix things” in true therapy dog fashion.
Old comment but the idea of the forbidden knowledge haircutting Pepper is making me laugh lol. Having to reckon with the terrible, existential nature of your reality while wielding busted micro bangs…
(Making a different comment for a different theory)
As a fan of the Halo Head System theory, I wonder who of the cast would be “the core”. It seems like it would be Chloe, since Clair does so much to keep her from remembering the trauma, but there are so many roles in a system that it could be *Clair* and Chloe is just the trauma holder.
Also interesting that the different levels, to me, seem to be references to sub-systems. If Halo Head *is* a system, then it’s likely a polyfractal system.
For anyone else wanting to understand more about DID/OSDD, I recommend this (https://didictionary.carrd.co/#terms) as I’ve found it helpful to explain my own system to people who don’t know what it actually is.
to me, i always viewed Chloe as the person who ruminates and stagnates, who reacts to the trauma by fixating on it to the detriment of self-care and being able to function. Clair, being the caretaker role, is trying to distract Chloe from the trauma and move Chloe to do self care, which makes me feel like Chloe might be the core/host and Clair is desperately trying to get Chloe to be functional.
(forgive if this is all bunk, I know a lot about systems, but i am not one myself!)
This makes the most sense, ofc, especially because we see Clair push Chloe to “function” by her definition of what a functioning person looks like, while also being the one withholding Chloe from remembering the trauma and healing in her own way, which… does very much happen in systems!
I mostly presented this theory as it would be cool to see expectations subverted, but I do agree it’s either Chloe is the core or as another comment said, they are both halves of the core that are split (the devil & the angel on ones shoulder)
I think unfortunately, the only thing thats going to heal anyone, regardless of the system theory or not, is the trauma being remembered. You can only start fixing the problem if you know what the problem is!
(Total okay!! It’s refreshing for someone to have an understanding of the topic 😂)
i don’t think chloe can heal from the trauma on her own, she seems to get “stuck” in it, at least that’s how i interpreted the opening of the comic. it seems like the alters or the animal people are key to balancing their two reactions to the trauma and functioning, because they’re unable to reconcile each others differences alone
i like the halves of the core idea too- i see them very much as yin and yang, pushing and pulling, representing two extremes as a response to trauma but both of them are avoiding healing from it.
I’m a fan of the theory Halo head is a physical place (that Clair made). But that theory doesn’t rule out the system theory.
My guess is that Chloe & Clair are 2 parts of the same person or somehow related. But I suspect that the animal people, while they reflect Clair & Chloe, are just separate beings created by Clair for whatever reason.
I also thought about Clair & Chloe being the core just split, especially because Clair *does* have the ability to somehow create the residents of Halo Head.
To me, Clair creates the residents with a purpose, like Mars being a friend for Chloe, likely to keep her from remembering their trauma.
If Halo Head is a physical place, then no wonder Pepper is terrified of her; she is his god. No matter what, though, I can’t wait to see more!
The diamond and rectangle highlights are back
chloe sleeping on pepper’s ass is adorable :chloe-XC:
I gotta check this more place often 2 whole ass posts went unnoticed by me
Wait, i don’t remember Pepper ever meeting Ares, anyone got relevant page numbers for that?
He hasn’t met her, he’s only heard Achilles talk about her, and seen her in dreams (where her appearance and behavior is based on what Achilles told him). That’s all we’ve been shown, anyway.
Has there been another time she’s appeared in his dreams?
yeah, she appeared in his dreams soon after Achilles told him about her
the way you play with shading is so cool,, adding stairs and diamonds in the first panel then in the next one its rectangles as he adjusts to real life
I can only take so much teasing, Batty… :achilles-rose:
pepper ass pillow merch drop when?
Pepper dakimakura where one side has him just chilling :pepper-scruffy: and the other has him stressing out :pepper-surprise:
Up.
holy fuck the coloring here is wonderful :pepper-surprise:
:achilles-rose:
:pepper-cutesy:
:batty-bloody:
yes :3
The amazing beauty and wondering. :3
I have a feeling he might need to borrow a little bravery and pitch this trip to Chloe like “You wanna come with me please I will shit a brick by myself down there”
Invite Achilles too, he knows what’s up and came back in one piece, can’t be that dangerous if he didn’t find a way to maim himself right?
Oh but if he’s going Mars should go too
Everybody check that shit out, urbex gang
Nah that’d be terrible in terms of subterfuge. If it’s just Pepper missing, maybe nobody notices, and he only has to lie for himself afterwards.
Hey, Clair. Wanna go on a road trip? :pepper-cutesy:
I know that diamonds are something that at least one person in the comments will point out every time they appear which I’ve gotten used to but I just realised I don’t even know what the theory is on the significance of them. Do people think there’s a hidden code here, that Batty uses them to emphasise a specific mood/emotion, or something else?
The most noticeable instance is with Achilles in his flashbacks with Ares. Ares rips money apart, and Achilles becomes square as he protests the destruction of the thing he needs for Mars to punch him.
Squares are associated with Claire, her lighthouse is made of them, her cabinets are squares, etc. Notably, Claire doesn’t have square shading and is usually composed of round shapes.
Diamonds are notably not associated with Chloe. The only pointy thing Chloe has made is the cool S, she didn’t finish it, and Ares is the one who taught her how to do it. Chloe is generally pointy, but not composed of diamonds.
Given how prominently they’re featured, specifically that characters change from square to diamonds in the same page, there must be some symbolism in there but I don’t think we know exactly what. There’s a theory that moving from squares to diamonds means the character is subverting Claire, but I think this page shows that that isn’t the case: Pepper has decided to build up his confidence with the goal of meeting Ares, a subversive goal if ever there was one, but Pepper is turning from diamonds to squares.
To spitball a theory off the current observation, maybe the diamonds indicate emergent behavior(In Pepper’s case, (justified) paranoia) and the squares indicate behavior that the islander started with(In Pepper’s case, responsibility and self improvement).
*Mars is the one who taught Chloe how to make the cool S, not Ares. Pulled a Claire there, whoops.
It hasn’t been said yet so I think I will: there’s a diamond on Pepper’s cheek in he first panel when he wakes up!