Yeah, Lynn's being a wee bit rude, but she's sick of Nova Roma, and kinda sick of being treated like a little kid. TeDee was talking down to her just a bit, to be fair, but now, she is actually impressed. Mad respect, yo!
Dolly already has Lynn smiling. You can just feel the relief to be on the way!
WOOO! We. Are. Outta Here!
First arc = Epic! Rose, Cent, you Rock! Thank you!
Well, while one might expect Lynn to have gotten more mature over such an adventure, she is still showing that juvenile arrogance that got her in this situation in the first place... So in a way TeeDee is quite right in treating her like a kid.
Seeing her results though TeeDee is probably more than merely "impressed"... Some MEATBAG cub almost matching an experienced android?! Inconceivable! :-)
Well, that's one heck of an arc to start with. You ladies have given us one heck of a ride. Of course, I'm feeling like the little kid now, screaming "MOAR!" But I'm a grown up. I can wait. I can.
Yes indeed, 16 and a half years of almost daily updates. It's definitely quite impressive, though I can't imagine those strips take nearly as much time and effort as Data Chasers pages.
Another big one would be Girl Genius.
Though Schlock Mercenary is easily the biggest I have seen in webcomic, I think you could argue that the Donald Duck magazines is the longest running comic - But Donald Duck consists of many small stories, and not one singular ongoing plot. And frankly, the fact that Schlock Mercenary is still coherent after so long, is amazing !
Even ElfQuest as more internal inconcistency than Schlock Mercenary.
Am I mistaken, or was that first 'e' an 'a' before the rewrite? It doesn't seem like the sort of thing there'd have been a reason to change, so I don't understand.
Or maybe I'm just wrong and it's been 'Nevarro' all along.
Well, it clearly reads "NAVARRO" on the actual craft on the previous page, and in some other places, such as the background in "co pilot" (presently http://datachasers.thecomicseries.com/comics/411 )... But the tech page says "Nevarro". So there is indeed some inconsistency.
I don't see though how that would be related to the rewrite? IIRC it didn't see an appearance or mention until long after the pages that have been redone thus far...
In that case I think every piece of dialogue that mentioned it has been wrong. There was some point back around number 400-500 where Ceci said Nevaro and I think all the other times it was spelled Nevarro, but the craft clearly says Navarro.
An arc?! How can one simply call 10 years and over 1400 comics a mere story arc? Regardless of the terminology, this has been an epic story so far and I can't wait to see where it goes from here!
(More silliness. Here's the tune, for any who might need it. ^_^)
Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale ...
A tale of a fateful trip
That put a doc with a temper short,
Aboard a tiny ship.
The Major, a mighty fighting man
Blessed with an iron grip.
The five of them set off that day
For a six-hour trip.
A six hour trip.
The city they left was getting rough.
Moods were running hot.
If not for the treaty that the Major made,
The doc was getting shot.
The doc was getting shot.
She wants the minnow to get to ground so she can ride in style
With Lynn Taylor,
And Dolly too,
TeeDee, who's pissed at Life.
In a flying car
With a mattress and better view
Than she's had for a while.
Epic stories need arcs like this. Otherwise they wouldn't be epic. Would "The Lord Of The Rings" or "Harry Potter" be as good if they were just a single abriviated book?
Keep up the good work ladies. I await the next arc with baited breath.
Not necessarily. Remember the way pre-(American) Civil War Southerners often reacted when visiting "Free" states in the North. ("Maybe we own our blacks, but at least we take care of them!")
***************
NOTE: I am not defending this viewpoint! I am just referring to it. It was historically present and it does reflect something about the ability of human beings to rationalize standards of conduct with which they are raised. I apologize to anyone who I may have offended with this reference.
****************
Remember, New Troy has an ostentatiously large amount of resources apparently dedicated to the lifestyle of only a few thousand humans, while Nova Roma supports a population on the order of 50,000 humans. If that's how you keep score, Nova Roma wins, hands-down. And people will be quick to associate the worst inequities of the system as having been associated with and magnified by the reign of Decimus, rather than considering them systemic weaknesses in their own right.
I'm sure Acantha will be appreciative of, and impressed with, the sights New Troy has to offer; but I don't know that we should assume she will immediately leap to bring the ways of "New Troy Civilization" to the "Barbarian Hordes of Nova Roma".
We know that, for her, the cuisine is likely to prove lacking. ("The doctors released me weeks ago and you're still feeding me hospital food? Where can I get a steak?" ^_^)
Oh sure, @Gilrandir, I agree. I do not mean to infer that Acantha is just going to go home and try to turn New Rome into another New Troy. There are many reasons why she can't. New Troy also has some drawbacks that she would not want to emulate, which I don't need to list. I'm only saying, that I think the both of them will see a way of looking at things, and doing things, that might offer some insight into a way forward for New Rome. Acantha has a huge responsibility ahead, and is going to have to come up with a plan or assist and have imput on one, to recover from the wreckage of Decimus'regime. Having new insights certainly can't hurt. Anyway, for now they just plain have a lot to take in. :-)
New Troy might also be helpful for Acantha in some ways as "an example that went too far in the opposite direction of Decimus and we must strive for the happy medium."
Next arc..........centcomm gets torn twenty new ones by calli and dolly and rose for the ceci thing........then. Rashala's revenge shall be unleashed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've got a poll to take for everyone! Now that the arc is finished, it seems like a great time to ask this.
This is an incredibly Immersive universe the Evil Duo has created, and since most of us are gamers, I'm curious what kind of character everyone would like to play in it!
For myself, I would be a mutant waster, spending his time trying to clean up the radio-activity out in the wastes to make the planet viable again. How about everyone else?
Depends on the GM. And the era being played. I could see going with a New Troy Cop or an Initiate of the Church of Genetic Purity. The munchkin in me would have to ask if Cassian PCs were available. ^_^
That is why, @Morituri, I said it would depend in part on the era. I have no real interest in playing a non-rogue Cassian during the reign of Decimus for the reasons you point out (among others).
Remember: the origin of the Cassians is still a mystery. Who knows what is yet to be revealed about them and their magic-tech. (Well, @Tokyo Rose and @Centcomm know, but they remain reticent.) There could be whole herds of free-range Cassian mustangs roaming in their natural state (vote incentive? ^_^) waiting to be rounded up, programmed for loyalty to the Throne of Nova Roma, and delivered in lieu of refrigerator parts. We'll have to wait and see ...
I don't know which are playable characters, but I think I'd be similar to you in that I'd be out in the wastes, as a sort of trader, and half-assed medic trying to help out as I can, and occasionally returning to cities for supplies and R&R. *e: Maybe have followers based on whether you do their storyline content?
Otherwise someone (human or android) in Nova Roma working to straighten it out.
*edit Yeah, @Gilrandir, I wouldn't mind playing a Cassian.
@Sheela - I think TeeDee would be content to play as a human or transhuman with the ability to teleport/summon Murder Turds into various places. I mean, I think that's really her dream.
Screw the wastes, I don't want yet another 'mad max' clone. It was nice, but it's BORING now.
I would play as a civilized character who is part of the city but maybe gets out to the wastes occasionally. New Troy Search and Rescue, maybe, or a disaster-response specialist. Maybe a trader or a pilot or an engineer or something.
A recovered brain map scan of a person from the dawn of that techs time, placed in an android body, that accidentally had black angel tech in it yet I was unaware til put in a life death situation and accidentally unlocked it.
What's wrong with 'creative euphemisms'? Speaking only for myself, I enjoy seeing a tortured turn of phrase bring an exciting new way of expressing a classic sentiment. Creative euphemism, political corrcectness, creative profanity, sly innuendo, entendre of all thicknesses -- these are the wide open spaces for those at play in the Fields of the Word.
... of course, then those same expressions become enshrined by orthodoxy, encrusted in habit and used to stultify thought, rather than stimulate it. :( And I find that particular progression rather tragic. And all too human.
I'm guessing I know what the next Ark is going to be about but I have a question there seems to be some loose ends on this one still. Namely a certain someone stuck back in the AI complex.
Those loose ends will get tied up in the process of the next arc. We're going to be spending most of the time over in New Troy, but cut back to New Rome here and there to illustrate what's happening there.
Very happy to hear that. I was wondering if the end of this arc meant the next arc was a completely disconnected story or would just be a "new chapter" starting where this one left off.
True, he's got some dicey times ahead. He's probably still feeling migraine-ish; his repairs are far from complete. Then even when he's feeling better he still has to deal with a city full of people who are utterly terrified of him who will all have a collective panic attack when they discover he's still alive.
On the plus side, he's got friends in high places. In fact a friend in the highest place available in Nova Roma. So she can probably at least get him the supplies he needs for repairs, without causing widespread panic.
Aeneas *is* the A.I.S. complex... The remark was probably about Kyle. And I concur: it would be such a shame if we couldn't witness his tragic demise ;-)
As for Aeneas, if he's smart, he should try to keep a low profile, rather that announcing "I'm back, missed me?" -- just quietly going about his job running the city systems, so people only notice things working better bit by bit. By the time they figure out what that means, they might realise that perhaps it's not such a terrible thing...
(PS. Let's also not forget about the fate of Lynn's ova stuck at Nova Roma... ;-) )
I think rebuilding Nova Roma - not just its shaken physical infrastructure right now, but trying to ameliorate the cultural and institutional damage done by Decimus' idiocy - is going to be a long process.
Maxus and Acantha are probably good for it in the long run, but holee crap. You can imagine what the 'senate' is like right now; a bunch of self-serving, corrupt, amoral toadies. And for that matter, a population that's utterly terrified of the people who you need to keep the peace, and officers throughout the Centurions who get off on abusing others and have never been checked, and.... Culturally, the place is a cesspit right now.
EDNA MODE: "Remember 'Peanuts', with Charles Schulz? (Nice man. Kind to pets.) He took the afternoon off to go ice skating." cut to b/w scene of Charles Schulz slipping and falling to the ice on his drawing arm
"Remember 'Doonesbury'? Garry Trudeau went vacationing in China." cut to b/w scene of Duke-like Trudeau, blindfolded and with cigarette up against bullet-marked wall
"'Pogo'? Crawfish festival." cut to b/w scene of boiling kettle being knocked over and scalding Walt Kelly
"'Mickey Mouse'?" cut to b/w scene of a ride malfunction on the Disneyland Bobsled ride
"'Calvin & Hobbes'?" cut to b/w scene of Bill Watterson being abducted by aliens
The arc still hasn't ended yet. They haven't picked up Dr. Silver, they haven't made rendezvous with the NT fighter escort, they haven't successfully made it Anomalously through the Wasteland, we haven't seen Ada deliver Acantha to a NT hospital (or even make it to NT), Kyle hasn't made his escape from NR (not that we care if he makes it or not, but we kinda want him to be killed on the way), Miraiko and Julia make it back to Shinedo, etc ad nauseum... lol
But that's probably the next arc. The first arc was getting Lynn into trouble and back out; the second will probably be extraction and handling the AI revolution after Noctis delivers a secret package to Centcomm...
Do you suppose Lynn and Arcantha will lock themselves in a room for a marathon "Lost In Translation" session to get caught up on all their missed episodes?
Acantha: After years of dealing with my brother, NOW you're finally getting around to calling someone on the crazy? Hell yes. I know you've been waiting for that.
"Noctis, if you keep criticizing my favorite stress relief show I'm going to order you to spend a decade with a minimum of 17 bows in your hair and constantly wearing pink lace dresses."
This is just my guess, mind you, but I think that trying to enforce that on Noctis would yield results similar to throwing yourself into a wood chipper. LOL
@megados - For me or you, certainly. For Acantha, especially once she's officially ruler of New Rome, it only takes giving Noctis sufficient encouragement not to follow Malati and then a single order (lack of free will is a bitch sometimes).
Also, as long as Aeneas is on board with that kind of punishment, she'd have one hell of a helper to enforce that sort of thing even on someone who wasn't bound to follow her every command.
I am less than certain, given the issues currently on Acantha's plate once she recovers, that getting Noctis to play dress up would be a very high priority. I could be wrong, however. In your original statement, you alluded to giving the order yourself, hence my admonition.
I don't think Acantha would actually order something like that for more than perhaps a day to make a point regarding her authority (if she felt it was needed), but I can absolutely see her enjoying making joking threats of that sort.
For the first person, I was following TR's lead of talking as Noctis and replying as Acantha.
At long last, we get some happiness. Congrats on finishing the first story arc! This has been a long, awesome ride, and I can't wait to see what's in store next! :D
You've already given your voters a preview of Anne Droid and Amy Reserve. (That was their names, right? ^_^ You only provided their first names, so I had to guess at the surnames. ^_^)
Upon review my comment seemed kind of callous and out of place so I deleted it, and now this response looks all out of place. Moral of the story: do things right the first time because deleting mistakes doesn't work so well...
Yes, it has already been said, but it can't be said enough: The first story arc was truly epic, and I'm glad that you two don't plan on stopping yet.
The fact that, as soon as en episode is posted, the comments section explodes, people analyze the events to death and discuss every little detail back and forth, shows how involved people are with the story, how much they are absorbed in it.
And I'm sure there are many other like myself, who don't necessarily post a lot, but still eagerly read each episode. It's become an entire virtual world that sucks people in almost like an online game (ohhh, imagine a Data Chasers MMO... that would be amazing).
Good luck Cent and Rose with the comic and I'm very much looking forward to all that's still coming.
Dolly already has Lynn smiling. You can just feel the relief to be on the way!
WOOO! We. Are. Outta Here!
First arc = Epic! Rose, Cent, you Rock! Thank you!
Seeing her results though TeeDee is probably more than merely "impressed"... Some MEATBAG cub almost matching an experienced android?! Inconceivable! :-)
Seriously, thank you. You do great work!
... Only 1350 (grin)
Congratulations, Evil Duo, This was definitely an E Ticket ride! Can't wait for the next one to begin!
That is a LOT.
Like I said, E-Ticket Ride!
Though Schlock Mercenary is easily the biggest I have seen in webcomic, I think you could argue that the Donald Duck magazines is the longest running comic - But Donald Duck consists of many small stories, and not one singular ongoing plot. And frankly, the fact that Schlock Mercenary is still coherent after so long, is amazing !
Even ElfQuest as more internal inconcistency than Schlock Mercenary.
Am I mistaken, or was that first 'e' an 'a' before the rewrite? It doesn't seem like the sort of thing there'd have been a reason to change, so I don't understand.
Or maybe I'm just wrong and it's been 'Nevarro' all along.
I don't see though how that would be related to the rewrite? IIRC it didn't see an appearance or mention until long after the pages that have been redone thus far...
Maybe it's just one of those words with two spellings!
It'll probably be a year or so before it's properly done.
Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale ...
A tale of a fateful trip
That put a doc with a temper short,
Aboard a tiny ship.
The Major, a mighty fighting man
Blessed with an iron grip.
The five of them set off that day
For a six-hour trip.
A six hour trip.
The city they left was getting rough.
Moods were running hot.
If not for the treaty that the Major made,
The doc was getting shot.
The doc was getting shot.
She wants the minnow to get to ground so she can ride in style
With Lynn Taylor,
And Dolly too,
TeeDee, who's pissed at Life.
In a flying car
With a mattress and better view
Than she's had for a while.
Keep up the good work ladies. I await the next arc with baited breath.
There you go, Rose and Cent, two more comparatives for you: J.R.R Tolkien, and J.K. Rowling!
**
***************
NOTE: I am not defending this viewpoint! I am just referring to it. It was historically present and it does reflect something about the ability of human beings to rationalize standards of conduct with which they are raised. I apologize to anyone who I may have offended with this reference.
****************
Remember, New Troy has an ostentatiously large amount of resources apparently dedicated to the lifestyle of only a few thousand humans, while Nova Roma supports a population on the order of 50,000 humans. If that's how you keep score, Nova Roma wins, hands-down. And people will be quick to associate the worst inequities of the system as having been associated with and magnified by the reign of Decimus, rather than considering them systemic weaknesses in their own right.
I'm sure Acantha will be appreciative of, and impressed with, the sights New Troy has to offer; but I don't know that we should assume she will immediately leap to bring the ways of "New Troy Civilization" to the "Barbarian Hordes of Nova Roma".
We know that, for her, the cuisine is likely to prove lacking. ("The doctors released me weeks ago and you're still feeding me hospital food? Where can I get a steak?" ^_^)
Just my 2¢.
This is an incredibly Immersive universe the Evil Duo has created, and since most of us are gamers, I'm curious what kind of character everyone would like to play in it!
For myself, I would be a mutant waster, spending his time trying to clean up the radio-activity out in the wastes to make the planet viable again. How about everyone else?
I can also see disadvantages, like, um, Prince Decimus or something like it, and having to do every last thing he says every minute of every day.
'Cos there's no way you're getting a Cassian who's slipped the leash.
Remember: the origin of the Cassians is still a mystery. Who knows what is yet to be revealed about them and their magic-tech. (Well, @Tokyo Rose and @Centcomm know, but they remain reticent.) There could be whole herds of free-range Cassian mustangs roaming in their natural state (vote incentive? ^_^) waiting to be rounded up, programmed for loyalty to the Throne of Nova Roma, and delivered in lieu of refrigerator parts. We'll have to wait and see ...
I don't know which are playable characters, but I think I'd be similar to you in that I'd be out in the wastes, as a sort of trader, and half-assed medic trying to help out as I can, and occasionally returning to cities for supplies and R&R. *e: Maybe have followers based on whether you do their storyline content?
Otherwise someone (human or android) in Nova Roma working to straighten it out.
*edit Yeah, @Gilrandir, I wouldn't mind playing a Cassian.
Because TeeDee wants to play as one. :D
Almost everyone else is WAY-OP
One is a doctor. The other one is a Bio/ researcher.
SO far the game is going well :D
I would play as a civilized character who is part of the city but maybe gets out to the wastes occasionally. New Troy Search and Rescue, maybe, or a disaster-response specialist. Maybe a trader or a pilot or an engineer or something.
an cats make the best pilots ...
of course if we were trying to keep play balance for a character like that, you would be spending all your time fighting Cassians and Murderturds...
When the great murderturd migration begins, and new Rome is threatened, who do you call?
Where did Rashala go?????
Great to have wireless access - even from new rome...
Woah... the first arc??? How many more are planned? +1
... of course, then those same expressions become enshrined by orthodoxy, encrusted in habit and used to stultify thought, rather than stimulate it. :( And I find that particular progression rather tragic. And all too human.
However, if it's really the concept and the meaning that is the problem rather than just the phrasing, they have the potential to hit even harder.
True, he's got some dicey times ahead. He's probably still feeling migraine-ish; his repairs are far from complete. Then even when he's feeling better he still has to deal with a city full of people who are utterly terrified of him who will all have a collective panic attack when they discover he's still alive.
On the plus side, he's got friends in high places. In fact a friend in the highest place available in Nova Roma. So she can probably at least get him the supplies he needs for repairs, without causing widespread panic.
Perhaps cake.
As for Aeneas, if he's smart, he should try to keep a low profile, rather that announcing "I'm back, missed me?" -- just quietly going about his job running the city systems, so people only notice things working better bit by bit. By the time they figure out what that means, they might realise that perhaps it's not such a terrible thing...
(PS. Let's also not forget about the fate of Lynn's ova stuck at Nova Roma... ;-) )
Keep your health in mind, though. Perhaps a break is in order.
Maxus and Acantha are probably good for it in the long run, but holee crap. You can imagine what the 'senate' is like right now; a bunch of self-serving, corrupt, amoral toadies. And for that matter, a population that's utterly terrified of the people who you need to keep the peace, and officers throughout the Centurions who get off on abusing others and have never been checked, and.... Culturally, the place is a cesspit right now.
I dunno why, but I think those two would go together like fire and flame.
That was quite funny, I have to admit. :D
cut to b/w scene of Charles Schulz slipping and falling to the ice on his drawing arm
"Remember 'Doonesbury'? Garry Trudeau went vacationing in China."
cut to b/w scene of Duke-like Trudeau, blindfolded and with cigarette up against bullet-marked wall
"'Pogo'? Crawfish festival."
cut to b/w scene of boiling kettle being knocked over and scalding Walt Kelly
"'Mickey Mouse'?"
cut to b/w scene of a ride malfunction on the Disneyland Bobsled ride
"'Calvin & Hobbes'?"
cut to b/w scene of Bill Watterson being abducted by aliens
"No breaks!" ^_^
Eventually they could fill in bits and pieces in flashbacks and character comments. I could TOTALLY see them doing that to torment us more!
... all hell would break loose then.
Because the story of Galino Kotko counts, IMO.
Woot! Go you! You could start on your third arc now if you want.... :-) Please?
Wonder if they can get Noctis to watch it too! }:-D~>
Acantha: After years of dealing with my brother, NOW you're finally getting around to calling someone on the crazy? Hell yes. I know you've been waiting for that.
Noctis: (pronounces an ellipsis. Neat trick.)
Lynn: Pass the popcorn!
Also, as long as Aeneas is on board with that kind of punishment, she'd have one hell of a helper to enforce that sort of thing even on someone who wasn't bound to follow her every command.
For the first person, I was following TR's lead of talking as Noctis and replying as Acantha.
(Not necessarily canon. We are a modest bunch.)
It's not over yet, boyo!
The fact that, as soon as en episode is posted, the comments section explodes, people analyze the events to death and discuss every little detail back and forth, shows how involved people are with the story, how much they are absorbed in it.
And I'm sure there are many other like myself, who don't necessarily post a lot, but still eagerly read each episode. It's become an entire virtual world that sucks people in almost like an online game (ohhh, imagine a Data Chasers MMO... that would be amazing).
Good luck Cent and Rose with the comic and I'm very much looking forward to all that's still coming.