The Winslow
Encyclopedia
The Winslow is a reptilian
creature measuring 66 centimeters in length that plays a prominent role in many of comics
artist Phil Foglio
's various graphic novel
s, most notably Buck Godot
and MythAdventures
(with occasional guest appearances in the Girl Genius
strip http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20021104).
and capable of speech
, though rarely says anything more than the informal, colloquial greeting "Hi!", which it often enjoys repeating ad nauseam. Indeed, this diminutive creature would be completely unremarkable save for the fact that it is utterly indestructible and presumably immortal
, and figures prominently one way or another into fully three-fourths of the galaxy
's known religions.
Despite its religious ubiquity, the true nature and purpose of the Winslow is unknown. Some cultures fear it, some worship it, but nearly everyone wants it for their own purposes and is willing to go to any imaginable lengths to obtain it. There are endless explanations as to why the Winslow is so important, despite the fact that it displays none of the 14 Accepted Signs of Divinity (other than #14, "Be the Winslow"); yet most of these explanations are depressingly circular
, e.g. "The Winslow is the exact shape and size of the Perfect Lizard of Love, which, of course, is the Winslow." Despite the fact that it is immortal and indestructible (fairly impressive in and of itself), the Winslow's importance may be due to nothing more than the fact that everyone else seems to think it's Pretty Damn Important (i.e., that it's a MacGuffin
).
Consequently, anyone who ever succeeds in their quest to obtain the Winslow faces the combined zeal of tens of thousands of other cultures and species hell-bent on the same goal. Probably the most effective way to obtain the indestructible Winslow for one's own is to vaporize the current host's home planet
and collect it from amongst the remaining debris. Because of the obvious need to keep the whereabouts of the Winslow hidden, humanity
, generally indifferent to the Winslow and its supposed divinity, accepted its secret custodianship from the Prime Mover, a member of a race of omnipotent superbeings whose primary function appears to be keeping all manners of conflicting extraterrestrial
culture
s, biologies
, and religion
s from annihilating one another. The Prime Movers, however, only exacerbate religious turmoil by continuing to maintain that the Winslow is the single most important being in the history of the universe
, yet pointedly refuse to elaborate as to why (though say it's not any of the reasons the various other races have come up with so far). This is the sort of enigmatic, condescending and totally useless statement that makes a large majority of the scientists and philosophers of The Gallimaufry yearn to pound The Prime Movers' ever-so-superior heads in with a large cosmic tire iron.
The remaining four are not given. The Herodotus Complex appears in eight parts as prefaces to each issue of Buck Godot: Zap Gun For Hire: The Gallimaufry.
(issues 1-6) and Studio Foglio (issues 7 and 8) from July 1993 through March 1998. The most accurate information ever gathered regarding the Winslow was compiled in Chapter 3 of The Herodotus Complex, a sort-of quick reference for this particular futuristic world compiled by one "P'Oilgof Livy" (P. Foglio in reverse) that appears as a preface to issue #3 of this series.
The True Winslow has made infrequent appearances with Phil at assorted conventions.
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
creature measuring 66 centimeters in length that plays a prominent role in many of comics
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
artist Phil Foglio
Phil Foglio
Philip "Phil" Foglio is an American cartoonist and comic book artist best known for his humorous science fiction and fantasy work.-Early life and career:...
's various graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
s, most notably Buck Godot
Buck Godot
Buck Godot is the title character in a science fiction/comedy comic book series collected in two volumes and assorted comic books, including the eight-issue "Gallimaufry" series, all written and drawn by their creator, Phil Foglio.-Overview:Buck's adventures take place in a future where a...
and MythAdventures
MythAdventures
MythAdventures or Myth Adventures is a fantasy series by Robert Lynn Asprin and Jody Lynn Nye. After twelve novels by Asprin, published 1978 to 2002, he and Nye continued the series with seven more books...
(with occasional guest appearances in the Girl Genius
Girl Genius
Girl Genius is an ongoing comic book series turned webcomic, written and drawn by Phil and Kaja Foglio and published by their company, Studio Foglio LLC under the imprint Airship Entertainment...
strip http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20021104).
Biography
The Winslow is technically sentientSentience
Sentience is the ability to feel, perceive or be conscious, or to have subjective experiences. Eighteenth century philosophers used the concept to distinguish the ability to think from the ability to feel . In modern western philosophy, sentience is the ability to have sensations or experiences...
and capable of speech
Talking animal
A talking animal or speaking animal refers to any form of non-human animal which can produce sounds resembling those of a human language. Many species or groups of animals have developed forms of Animal Communication Systems which to some appear to be a non-verbal language...
, though rarely says anything more than the informal, colloquial greeting "Hi!", which it often enjoys repeating ad nauseam. Indeed, this diminutive creature would be completely unremarkable save for the fact that it is utterly indestructible and presumably immortal
Immortality
Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...
, and figures prominently one way or another into fully three-fourths of the galaxy
Galaxy
A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system that consists of stars and stellar remnants, an interstellar medium of gas and dust, and an important but poorly understood component tentatively dubbed dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias , literally "milky", a...
's known religions.
Despite its religious ubiquity, the true nature and purpose of the Winslow is unknown. Some cultures fear it, some worship it, but nearly everyone wants it for their own purposes and is willing to go to any imaginable lengths to obtain it. There are endless explanations as to why the Winslow is so important, despite the fact that it displays none of the 14 Accepted Signs of Divinity (other than #14, "Be the Winslow"); yet most of these explanations are depressingly circular
Tautology
Tautology may refer to:*Tautology , using different words to say the same thing even if the repetition does not provide clarity. Tautology also means a series of self-reinforcing statements that cannot be disproved because the statements depend on the assumption that they are already...
, e.g. "The Winslow is the exact shape and size of the Perfect Lizard of Love, which, of course, is the Winslow." Despite the fact that it is immortal and indestructible (fairly impressive in and of itself), the Winslow's importance may be due to nothing more than the fact that everyone else seems to think it's Pretty Damn Important (i.e., that it's a MacGuffin
MacGuffin
A MacGuffin is "a plot element that catches the viewers' attention or drives the plot of a work of fiction". The defining aspect of a MacGuffin is that the major players in the story are willing to do and sacrifice almost anything to obtain it, regardless of what the MacGuffin actually is...
).
Consequently, anyone who ever succeeds in their quest to obtain the Winslow faces the combined zeal of tens of thousands of other cultures and species hell-bent on the same goal. Probably the most effective way to obtain the indestructible Winslow for one's own is to vaporize the current host's home planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
and collect it from amongst the remaining debris. Because of the obvious need to keep the whereabouts of the Winslow hidden, humanity
Human Race
Human Race refers to the Human species.Human race may also refer to:*The Human Race, 79th episode of YuYu Hakusho* Human Race Theatre Company of Dayton Ohio* Human Race Machine, a computer graphics device...
, generally indifferent to the Winslow and its supposed divinity, accepted its secret custodianship from the Prime Mover, a member of a race of omnipotent superbeings whose primary function appears to be keeping all manners of conflicting extraterrestrial
Extraterrestrial life in popular culture
In popular cultures, "extraterrestrials" are life forms — especially intelligent life forms— that are of extraterrestrial origin .-Historical ideas:-Pre-modern:...
culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
s, biologies
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, and religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
s from annihilating one another. The Prime Movers, however, only exacerbate religious turmoil by continuing to maintain that the Winslow is the single most important being in the history of the universe
Universe
The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...
, yet pointedly refuse to elaborate as to why (though say it's not any of the reasons the various other races have come up with so far). This is the sort of enigmatic, condescending and totally useless statement that makes a large majority of the scientists and philosophers of The Gallimaufry yearn to pound The Prime Movers' ever-so-superior heads in with a large cosmic tire iron.
14 Accepted Signs of Divinity
The 14 Accepted Signs of Divinity, as seen in Buck Godot: Zap Gun for Hire, are partially enumerated in chapter 3 of a body of work entitled The Herodotus Complex, written by a P'Oilgof Livy. They include:- Vanquish evil
- Provide a code of ethics
- Heal the afflicted
- Blight the crops
- Convert the heathen
- Call down the lightning
- Corrupt the innocent
- Eat the moon
- Answer the phone before it rings
- Be the Winslow
The remaining four are not given. The Herodotus Complex appears in eight parts as prefaces to each issue of Buck Godot: Zap Gun For Hire: The Gallimaufry.
Publication history
The Winslow's first published appearance was in a short 3-page illustrated story included at the back of MythAdventures #5, published in 1985, but it was popularized in Buck Godot: Zap Gun For Hire: The Gallimaufry, an eight-issue miniseries published at irregular intervals by Palliard PressPalliard Press
Palliard Press was a small, independent comic book publishing house co-founded by Phil Foglio, illustrator of such titles as Buck Godot, Girl Genius, and Robert Asprin's MythAdventures, and Greg Ketter, owner of DreamHaven Books in Minneapolis, Minnesota....
(issues 1-6) and Studio Foglio (issues 7 and 8) from July 1993 through March 1998. The most accurate information ever gathered regarding the Winslow was compiled in Chapter 3 of The Herodotus Complex, a sort-of quick reference for this particular futuristic world compiled by one "P'Oilgof Livy" (P. Foglio in reverse) that appears as a preface to issue #3 of this series.
Origin
The origin of the "real" Winslow was described by Phil Foglio in an interview published in the science-fiction magazine LOW ORBIT in 1992:The True Winslow has made infrequent appearances with Phil at assorted conventions.
External links
- The Slag-Blah Church of the Winslow
- Studio Foglio
- Picture of the Winslow in Kaja Foglio's LiveJournalLiveJournalLiveJournal is a virtual community where Internet users can keep a blog, journal or diary. LiveJournal is also the name of the free and open source server software that was designed to run the LiveJournal virtual community....
.