I think I'm with Rose on this one. I will say artistically shiny light blue and pink is not a combination I've ever thought to put together but it works surprisingly well. Creative as ever, Cent.
Sheesh, overreacting much people?
This is the internet, on which there is porn of everything. All that porn exists because someone enjoys that porn. Everybody knows this... so therefore I'm not sure what's the big deal.
Wow, that is seriously impressive by Irene. I imagined that she was being supported solely by Maxus. To know that despite her injuries, Irene is successfully supporting herself is incredible. From what little we've seen of her handiwork, Irene is skilled at what she does. :-)
Hmm, never crossed my mind Irene wouldn't be independent. Doesn't seem her personality---the whole arc here is about Maxus helping her stand on her own (both literally and metaphorically). Plus Maxus---who I'd say we knew quite a bit better at the start of this arc, and still know a little bit better at this point---is someone whose respect one has to earn. Irene clearly earns it in spades. So I went into this arc as reader expecting she'd be rather thoroughly awesome.
This reminds me of a meta observation I've had in mind with Datachasers for some time. The New Rome characters---even His Schmuckiness, actually---are all people of seemingly substantially more, hmm, conviction? depth? humanity? than the more coddled New Troy set. This isn't to suggest that, say, Dolly doesn't have the courage of her convictions. But, despite all her development, she feels kinda one dimensional to me compared to Acantha, Maxus, Irene (now), and even Julia. I don't want to come across as negative at all---all the pages devoted to New Troy are well spent and Ceci is freakin' awesome---but the way the two cities' natures reflect into the characters is intriguing. I am most curious where Rose is going with this Tale of Two AIs.
(Whilst I'm spouting off about New Troy, let me put in a plug for Connie. Maybe it's just me but she seems much more nuanced than usual for the New Troy crowd.)
I think you nail one of the themes of this whole story. Where New Troy can taut all the real cool tech advances they sacrificed humanity in a way. They simply need less personality as they have individual all the main things they could need. I mean you can buy your own girlfriend or boyfreind and do not need to do all that courtship stuff. Simply pay plug and play. Where Nova Roma is largely unpluged and still need to interact on a human level.
Both civilizations have good points but neither will be able to ultimately survive if they remain separated. This is why these two young ladies are so very important to both civilizations they each will learn of the other and adapt the two civilizations into one that can endure and continue to evolve.
As far as Irene and Maximus I figured they were not married. One he is a warrior and he would be unwilling to make her a widow as being a soldier that is a very likely and real possibility.
But also and possibly more importantly. As they are "Merely Lovers" and able to walk away from each other. Each has to keep doing their best to keep the interest and love of the other. Something that does tend to become lost in a marriage.
that is one of the story points IS the diffrences between Troy and Roma .. Eventually things will progress to the point where we find out more about the Troy crew - Im kinda limited on who I show and when :D
Part of the impression of New Rome having more depth/development versus New Troy is due to the way the story's going--we're getting to see more of the New Rome people, and in a more, well, candid way. There have been more opportunities for insight into how these people think and act.
The rest is 100% intentional. :D We were aiming to subvert the "futuristic utopia" concept with New Troy, but not twist it entirely into the well-worn path of "the futuristic utopia is secretly a completely horrible thing". We also wanted to play with the "futuristic dictatorship" concept in a similarly non-standard way.
@Rose: Ah! Now the scene with CentComm's doll, pair of battle droids, and the threat of execution fits. New Troy is militaristic, a bit of a police state, and what seems to be the Taylor family personality cult kinda deal fits in with that. But I'd read CentComm as benevolent enough to be more a supreme bureaucrat and was having trouble placing the show of force. (TD calling BS on the whole deal and blowing up the doll is delightful, by the way.)
I found myself thinking similarly about development and New Rome versus New Troy. However, the more I thought about that the more uncertain I became; there's tremendous richness (and plenty of page count) in the circumstances Ada, Calliope, Lynn, Dolly, Ceci, Minx, Connie, and---gods---Kelly have found themselves in. But the New Rome gravitas (not exactly the right word, but it'll do, I guess) just isn't there. Ada comes closest to that personal responsibility. But different culture, different expectations, different situations. Also, my perspective is a perhaps a bit different as I read the first 1100 pages of Datachasers as a block. So many of the New Troy arcs are fresh to me in way they wouldn't be when unrolled over seven years of hard work. You tell such a finely balanced story I'm sometimes afraid to breathe upon it.
I'm particularly fascinated by the differences among what might be called the protectors---Ada, Dolly, and Kali. Ada looks out for her buddy, Dolly's like a sheepdog (Lynn's the sheep; I know, I know, I'm oversimplifying in the interest of making a point), and Kali's job is to protect His Schmuckiness from himself. Along with whoever else happens to be nearby. This page is at a most interesting juncture in this regard.
@Lalverson: Yes! Datachasers' plot works with some really deep stuff. There's an honor in New Rome's open brutality which New Troy lacks. For all Lynn and Acantha drive the plot I find myself often comparing CentComm's engine sabotage device to Aeneas's cookie.
Remember Cent Comm is a Military AI its what she has been and WILL be - its the way she thinks if something hurts her or her "family" she will erase it. :P
Ooo, I missed that somewhere. Now I'll have to go back and read all of Datachasers again to find it. Oh noes, not that! :D I'd parsed the scenes where Cent-Comm talks about ensuring Total Psycho Dickhead (upgrading his title per page 673, which I happened to flip back to) doesn't acquire weapons control and is asked about past use somewhat differently---AIs stopped the wars by laying down arms but Cent-Comm seemed reluctant enough on the topic I'd come away with the impression she'd (it'd?) moved farther from those roots.
Edit: Found it. Page 1089: "I will not be the thing I was before. I will not conduct that orchestra of death again. Not again. Never again." And that last panel? Hits right in the feels. Fantastic framing and shadowplay, too.
My sister has been a professional hand weaver for thirty-plus years.
My brother and his wife supported their family on hand thrown stoneware and ceramic art for about as long (though currently he's working in a Hyundai plant for primary income).
My (former) brother-in-law is a woodworker.
My other brother is the Odd Man Out - he's merely a New York Times best-selling SF author...
A valid and troublesome concern; however, Kali almost assuredly would tell Maxus and then Douchebag would REGRET that action. The girls are under his protection and I can't think of anyone right off the top of my head that would be BETTER (as good, possibly, but better... nope. :-D). And Maxus takes his job and word SERIOUSLY, as we have seen. :-)
So while it is good to be cautious, I wouldn't be too concerned about the message. It might be unpleasant (just from being reminded of Douchebag) but I doubt it will be too bad. Douchebag likes breathing too much. If he pushes Maxus too far he might find himself relying on a machine to do the breathing for him. :-)
Actually ... he's a big enough douchebag to be the second as well. XD
It's 'up from the fountain' out here.
LOL Rose. Yeah, sometimes it is better NOT to know. :-D
Okay THANKS Centy that paints even more Unsettlign images involving Irene...MAx and Sailor moonish Cosplay......
To paraphrase Acantha EW!!!
EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
-<tries to unread Mr. Black's reply>-
This is the internet, on which there is porn of everything. All that porn exists because someone enjoys that porn. Everybody knows this... so therefore I'm not sure what's the big deal.
This reminds me of a meta observation I've had in mind with Datachasers for some time. The New Rome characters---even His Schmuckiness, actually---are all people of seemingly substantially more, hmm, conviction? depth? humanity? than the more coddled New Troy set. This isn't to suggest that, say, Dolly doesn't have the courage of her convictions. But, despite all her development, she feels kinda one dimensional to me compared to Acantha, Maxus, Irene (now), and even Julia. I don't want to come across as negative at all---all the pages devoted to New Troy are well spent and Ceci is freakin' awesome---but the way the two cities' natures reflect into the characters is intriguing. I am most curious where Rose is going with this Tale of Two AIs.
(Whilst I'm spouting off about New Troy, let me put in a plug for Connie. Maybe it's just me but she seems much more nuanced than usual for the New Troy crowd.)
Both civilizations have good points but neither will be able to ultimately survive if they remain separated. This is why these two young ladies are so very important to both civilizations they each will learn of the other and adapt the two civilizations into one that can endure and continue to evolve.
As far as Irene and Maximus I figured they were not married. One he is a warrior and he would be unwilling to make her a widow as being a soldier that is a very likely and real possibility.
But also and possibly more importantly. As they are "Merely Lovers" and able to walk away from each other. Each has to keep doing their best to keep the interest and love of the other. Something that does tend to become lost in a marriage.
Part of the impression of New Rome having more depth/development versus New Troy is due to the way the story's going--we're getting to see more of the New Rome people, and in a more, well, candid way. There have been more opportunities for insight into how these people think and act.
The rest is 100% intentional. :D We were aiming to subvert the "futuristic utopia" concept with New Troy, but not twist it entirely into the well-worn path of "the futuristic utopia is secretly a completely horrible thing". We also wanted to play with the "futuristic dictatorship" concept in a similarly non-standard way.
I found myself thinking similarly about development and New Rome versus New Troy. However, the more I thought about that the more uncertain I became; there's tremendous richness (and plenty of page count) in the circumstances Ada, Calliope, Lynn, Dolly, Ceci, Minx, Connie, and---gods---Kelly have found themselves in. But the New Rome gravitas (not exactly the right word, but it'll do, I guess) just isn't there. Ada comes closest to that personal responsibility. But different culture, different expectations, different situations. Also, my perspective is a perhaps a bit different as I read the first 1100 pages of Datachasers as a block. So many of the New Troy arcs are fresh to me in way they wouldn't be when unrolled over seven years of hard work. You tell such a finely balanced story I'm sometimes afraid to breathe upon it.
I'm particularly fascinated by the differences among what might be called the protectors---Ada, Dolly, and Kali. Ada looks out for her buddy, Dolly's like a sheepdog (Lynn's the sheep; I know, I know, I'm oversimplifying in the interest of making a point), and Kali's job is to protect His Schmuckiness from himself. Along with whoever else happens to be nearby. This page is at a most interesting juncture in this regard.
@Lalverson: Yes! Datachasers' plot works with some really deep stuff. There's an honor in New Rome's open brutality which New Troy lacks. For all Lynn and Acantha drive the plot I find myself often comparing CentComm's engine sabotage device to Aeneas's cookie.
Love your comments Hydrargyrum
Edit: Found it. Page 1089: "I will not be the thing I was before. I will not conduct that orchestra of death again. Not again. Never again." And that last panel? Hits right in the feels. Fantastic framing and shadowplay, too.
Love your art, Cent.
My brother and his wife supported their family on hand thrown stoneware and ceramic art for about as long (though currently he's working in a Hyundai plant for primary income).
My (former) brother-in-law is a woodworker.
My other brother is the Odd Man Out - he's merely a New York Times best-selling SF author...
Me - i'm a bum.
I write okay ... but i've got no self-discipline that keeps me going.
I once managed to get into the Top 100 Amazon reviewers ... and then i suddenly just couldn't do it any more for some reason.
I haven't managed to write more than about ten reviews in the last year or so.
The less said about it, the better ?
Actually, it does open up for a question : How common is it for androids to have fetishes like that ?
They're in cahoots ?
*wonders if I need to start worrying*
...but then Kali signed it, too, so it could not be that bad.
@alt text: so true.
So while it is good to be cautious, I wouldn't be too concerned about the message. It might be unpleasant (just from being reminded of Douchebag) but I doubt it will be too bad. Douchebag likes breathing too much. If he pushes Maxus too far he might find himself relying on a machine to do the breathing for him. :-)