"Disguise Mishap" by leonbane (art by DevanMuse)

[rufusluciusivan]

Some of you may remember the "Session Zero" storyline by DevanMuse, and its fun Uniform Stealing sequence: viewtopic.php?t=8552

Well, I'm happy to announce that they're at it again. More accurately, the "Session Zero" has expanded into its own universe due to a collaboration between DevanMuse and leonbane. Currently, there are two main chapters, and some bonus arts and short stories. If you're interested, you can always take a look at leonbane's deviantart page which collected all the various pieces of the universe or at DevanMuse's deviantart page, the main artist.

https://www.deviantart.com/leonbane

https://www.deviantart.com/devanmuse

The core webcomic is paid content. However, there is NO uniform stealing content save for the one already available in the free content (at the moment at least), so only buy them if you're into the general "bondage" and "damsel in distress" tropes or if you want to support them. (The free content gives a pretty clear picture of the kind of mood they're aiming for. You'll find links in the description of this picture's Deviantart page, and more information on leonbane's Deviantart profile.)

Now, with the context out of the way, the actual short story is on par with the previous one. More on the fun side, and with a twist at the end. Disguise is indeed a double-edged sword...

First, the link. If you have a Deviantart profile, I really suggest using it to pay the Deviantart page a visit and leave a fave for their stats. I usually never ask things like that, but these guys really deserve more love and recognition.

https://www.deviantart.com/leonbane/art ... 1307993909

Description: A short comic based in the 'Demia Orba' setting, introducing the dangers of infiltrating cults and that the Paladins of Solana aren't the only righteous holy order around in the setting.

[tirepanted3]

Amazing stuff. I love DevanMuse's art style, and this scene does a great job of playing with standard USB tropes. And while I love the silent comedy of the "Session Zero" stories, there's some fun dialogue here as well. (Especially the recurring bit about whether people will "fall for a ruse this obvious.")

I also love the way the two USB victims at the start of the story are given more personality later on, with one trying to flirt her way out of her predicament while the other impulsively takes a more violent tack, causing the first one to lose her cool. Fun stuff.

I generally don't care that much for bondage scenes beyond the USB/replacement variety, but I do love the art and humor of these stories, so I may buy one of them in the future. Disappointing that there aren't more uniform stealing scenes behind the paywall, but there's definitely a lot of talent and creativity on display here.

[rufusluciusivan]

Since I also enjoy bondage scenes in general, I'm a huge fan of this series, and I follow its progress closely. Of course I wish they drew more USB-content, but at the same time it's their right to draw what they want. Plus I understand the need of appealing to a broader audience. The DID community is quite big on Deviantart. Still, I suspect they have some fondness for the uniform stealing trope. They featured it twice already. Given that for now the project features only two main chapters, plus two short extra side-comics, that's a pretty good ratio (for a non-USB story) if you ask me. I'm aware most people won't be interested in the non-USB content here, so that's why I added a warning. I'm of course not pressuring anyone. Since there is some overlapse between the USB and DID communities, I thought I could give them some spotlight. These guys are good. I'm bummed out they don't have more recognition.

The shift from silent narration to dialogues was a huge change in the second chapter. I exchanged a bit about it with the authors, they felt it was necessary to give the story the lore and scope it needed. Silent narration is great when the plot remains basic and straightforward, but as soon as it thickens dialogues become needed. In my opinion, the transition was well-handled. The dialogues are well-written, and fit with the aesthetic of the artstyle - which leans more into the comical and "whacky" side of things. It has a bit of a Semi-Auto Semla vibe, which feels logical since DevanMuse drew a few stories for the Semla-verse.

I love the way they have fun with the disguise trope - first by having the reasonable paladdin fearing it will never work, only to have it work TOO WELL at the end. And yes indeed, the poor smart cultist is being foiled by her partner. That's what you get for being paired up with your comedic foil.

My favorite gag has to be that shit-eating grin the cultist makes when she understands her muggers are being mistaken for real cultists, and she has an opportunity to turn the tables.