A religious person might say that that's proof that there's an afterlife, an atheist might say that it's proof that our subconscious can find a way of communicating important information to our conscious minds in a way that is not threatening.
That's a good point, Sheela. An empath could be very beneficial in helping Acantha come to terms with what is sure to be an enormous paradigm shift. Plus, even though she found Decimus' behavior revolting, she will probably have some regrets as we'll. She isn't going to be as dispassionate over that as Noctis is. That sort of healing is often overlooked.
She kooks so peaceful for someone who has born so much. She seems to have remembered some things from the self destruct.
Excellent rendition ladies three thumbs up.
I see we're playing fast and furious with the, "hearing is the last thing to go" trope. It does make for a nice recap mechanism, along with some metaphysical guest star commentary. But no lottery numbers?
That's great! You can feel Acantha's haziness! Lynn is already there, and Acantha looks soooo much better! I'm so happy for her right now! That's all I can say. This is a great page!
Re:Authors note, and alt text: Great job Cent and Rose! I can just feel the experience!
I was attempting to make a humorous veiled reference to Noctis' exposure in the shower scene and her revealed lack of 'privates'. I was not attempting to seriously suggest that Noctis' character lacked for complexity or introspection. Apologies for failing to make it funnier, more clear, or both.
I wish my coming out of anesthetic was this easy. My response is fight or flight I have warned the op room team but have left a couple black eyes and assorted bruises when they didn't believe me.
And my case it was a little different mainly because both times that they put me out to do the surgery they decided not to do the surgery. So the first time I woke up going "well these are really good drugs. I don't feel anything." On the second time I woke up thinking damn it they are not going to stab me in the ass with that needle again, I'm going home. All of it was my mother's problem though. I was too young to make the decision. Other than you're not doing that to me again.
same,, fight. the First operation wen i came out of anesthesia,, found myself strapped down in 6 places,,,on them a dislocated finger, bruises, 2 fat lips, an a broken nose..
I learned the year when I got my ankle shattered that I come out of sedation in a amorous and flirtatious mode...
It was quite embaressing. Though at least the nurse I bit was laughing about it instead of being angry. (mostly because she was more used to fight/flight reactions)
@Ania, yes it is. I have had anesthesia and this is just spot-on. Unconsciousness fades away, as reality fades in. This is a good example of how it feels.
The robot, Kokishin, appears to have been introduced here (Comic 799 - Omake-P1). The text specifically mentions it was built to resemble a stuffed animal, so I'm going to assume that the stuffed animal in Acantha's bed just has a similar likeness (possibly to some popular anime character in the DataChasers universe). It's possible, of course, that you'd put a small robot in a convalescent bed, but it seems unlikely you'd do so for a variety of reasons -- so I'm going with the theory that the purple plushie is just a purple plushie, until evidence appears to the contrary.
its just a plushie modeled on a popular kids show. The one Jasper has is a robotic finder .. who likes Candy ( power pellets ) this one is just cloth and stuffing.
Lots of lovely details in this page, so kudos to the creative team. I'll mention the most noticeable ones I caught, feel free to direct my attention to any particulars I missed.
-- A lovely 'blank verse' collage mixing sounds recently remembered and sounds distantly remembered intermixed with other ... things (not wanting to speculate on the metaphysics of DataChasers at this time), but all flowing from one into the other along a logical theme.I think I can identify the speakers for most, but it is a bit of a shame that not all the human speech balloons are as distinctive as the others.
-- Creative use of filters to allow re-use of the scene to communicate the impression of growing clarity.
-- The presence of the stuffed animal is cute and creates its own sub-text, especially with the presence of Lynn so clearly communicated in the room, even though she is never shown.
-- Florence is introduced smoothly
-- The scar is an excellent detail, nicely included. To be honest, given the arrangement of Acantha's clothing and where the original knife wound was, I would have expected to see a bit of that poking out as well. (Also considering the scenes in the Dart, where we could see where the medical readouts/probes were in her shoulder and chest.) If they have the technology to have healed the knife wound without scar, then I wouldn't have expected them to leave the transplant scar, but perhaps the knife scar is just out of sight under her robe?
-- The white streak in her hair (on the left side) hinting at the ordeal she has undergone. (Though that could just be an artifact of seeing through her unchanged hair at the white pillow behind. It doesn't look like that to me, though.)
"YOU... YOU SHOT ME..." -- Decimus (memory)
"ACANTHA!!!" -- Lynn (memory)
"Acantha?!" -- Kali (memory)
"'Cantha?" -- Decimus (memory)
"DID I... AM... AM I... DEAD?" -- Acantha (fantasy)
"NO, MY LITTLE THORN. NOT YET." -- Valerius (fantasy)
"HURTS... BUT... FEEL FUZZY..." -- Acantha (fantasy)
"PLEASE, HELP ACANTHA! HE STABBED HER! PLEASE!" -- Lynn (memory)
"SHE'S GOING OUT GENTLE NOW." -- Ada (memory)
"Self-destruct engaged." -- Kali (memory)
"I... I DIDN'T MEAN TO! IT WASN'T MY FAULT!" -- Decimus (fantasy)
"I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED IN YOU, MY SON." -- Valerius (fantasy)
"IT'S ALL THAT LITTLE BITCH'S -" -- Decimus (fantasy)
"NEVER SPEAK LIKE THAT ABOUT YOUR SISTER! I WON'T TOLERATE IT!" -- Valerius, most likely (fantasy)
"CHEST FEELS... WEIRD... NUMB. I NEED TO PEE - OH, NO, WAIT... NO, I DON'T." + "ARIANNA? WHERE... WHERE'S ARIANNA?" Acantha (fantasy)
"I'M HERE, MISTRESS. YOU'RE ALL RIGHT." -- Arianna (fantasy)
"OH. OKAY. THANKS FOR... HELPING." -- Acantha (fantasy)
"SLEEPY..." -- Acantha (fantasy)
"YOU CAN REST A WHILE LONGER, LITTLE THORN." -- Valerius (fantasy)
"OH... OKAY, DAD. I MISS YOU... AND MOM..." -- Acantha (fantasy)
"WE MISS YOU TOO." -- possibly Acantha's mother? (don't remember her name having been mentioned); or Valerius again (fantasy)
I read it similarly, except in most of the cases you've labeled 'fantasy' I figured instead 'current somewhat vague thoughts' or 'memories of a events that occurred mostly off camera, strung together by dream logic.'
Brains do this, drifting between states of consciousness. They take little bits and pieces you've experienced before - real memories - and jumble them together making them all seem related to each other.
I have no doubt, for example, that at some point Decimus Livius actually said, 'It's all that little bitch's fault' and got put down by Valerius with 'never speak like that about your sister!' I have no doubt that at some point Valerian told his son, in Acantha's hearing, that he was disappointed in the boy. I don't even doubt that Arianna sometime said 'I'm here, you're all right.'
These things may have happened at intervals separated by years, but 'Cantha's mind is marshalling its memories trying to make sense of or deal with a traumatic event, and it's called up everything that can seem-to-be-related in a sort of fugue state dream.
Remember, 'Cantha's been through a lot of shit with her brother before we ever met her.
Good point -- the last four bubbles in the second panel might very well be actual memories of things that happened off-screen. The rest still feels more like a figment of her imagination, though.
I guess they left the scar until the newgrown heart is finished and planted in - why remove the scar, when you know you need to open her up again in the same place...
...better is to wait until she is completely recovered and then remove the scar...
Interesting. Contrary to to Centcomm and Ania, it wasn't like that for me at all. After being out for over eight hours last March for mine, I woke up about the same way I do every day - a very rapid transition from asleep to wide awake.Even back in college, I woke up quite rapidly (although I did proposition the nurse!) Just shows to go YMMV.
A beautiful and graphic depiction of your transition though. Does not need any words - the images tell the complete story.
So did you proposition her for marriage or something else? And the better question was while you were in your better judgement did you ask again later unless you are already married of course!
Something else. Marriage was not on my mind in college.
IIRC (it was over 50 years ago!), she just laughed it off. I have no idea if she was married or not and I was much to embarrassed and shy to seriously contemplate saying anything while in my "better judgement".
It does seem a bit tricky to follow. I can understand how it looked like Florence was talking to Acantha and calling her 'Miss Taylor'. I made the same mistake on my first reading.
Hm... For another data point, the unconnected speech bubbles, along with the fact that Acantha is still clearly asleep, and the fact that Florence addressed "Miss Taylor", all made it immediately obvious to me...
Indeed, I think she looked much better with her original hairstyle -- though I can't deny that the newer shader looks more realistic... But of course that's not why this very important plot point came up, right? ;-)
Given how much she's missed her family, I don't see her going far from Dolly and Calliope. If she's with Acantha the moment she wakes up then they're in the Taylors resident or the Taylors have temporarily moved in with her. The first seems more likely.
Considering that Lynn is the only person in Troy who Acantha considers her friend, it seems pretty damn important for her to be present while Acantha wakes up... Regardless where they are located.
I don't know whether Cent-Comm is able to see that; but I'm sure many other people in Troy are -- so I'd suspect Lynn didn't even need to pull any strings herself.
We don't know yet about Calliope and Dolly being present as well -- but given the situation, if Lynn indeed had to choose, I have no doubt she would consider it more important right now to accompany Acantha.
CentComm can probably see it and account for it as a variable, but I doubt she would put the importance on it that Lynn does. I imagine the first thing Lynn did when she got off the Navarro, was to go straight over and see how Acantha is doing. As far as where everyone else is, it might be that Dolly went to see Calliope, to talk about Ceci and CentComm while Lynn is with Acantha. This is just a guess, though.
I'm not sure Commie even considers it as a variable. Can't say for sure at this point -- but from what we have seen so far, it seems quite possible that she doesn't have any grasp on humans' (or androids') emotional needs at all...
Of course, this leaves the question of how religion would change in the future. Given dictatorships seem common, and threats are widespread, I suspect that more people would believe in something. I also remember (bear in mind that my memory isn't good) Mira describing Centcomm as "God machine".
Well, we have already seen that (some?) Androids believe in the "first circuit". As for humans, I don't remember anything specific being mentioned -- except that "gods" have been called on various occasions.
"God machine" OTOH was a metaphor, relating to the fact that Cent-Comm (and other A.I.s) wield supreme power, and decide over the fates of humans (and androids).
Aw man, I had this great idea for a first Circuit mini story, but it fell to the wayside because it would have needed some visuals to back it up .. ie. what the first Circuit really *is* / *was*.
On the other hand, I can't wait to see what the creatrixes will do with it.
What's more, there are only so many models in the DAS archive to choose from, and the creators have to pay separately for most of them.
Think of it like a character actor who showed near the end of Season 1 for a pivotal, but short term part, coming back as a different walk-on in Season 2.
Well for one thing she does not have the natural respect for droids and AI that anyone from new troy would have. Kinda like someone from Nova Roma would be. Also the way that the dynamic duo had suck a hard time hammering out her back story, kinda hints at the fact that she is more then just a passing character. And the way cent has everything locked down hints that somethings gonna happen. Its just a hunch from reading a lot to lol
Well the thing is Mirabe is a character from another comic. I highly doubt they'd have her do something that would be out of character for the original, and while I haven't read that comic, it didn't sound like she's the assassin type.
She's borrowed from another webcomic.
One where she is a lizardperson, or something like that.
Also, you say that a New Troy human would have a natural respect for androids and robots, but I should remind you of both the sexual deviant that held Minx, and the overseer who harassed Connie.
To be frank, 'it's wrong because it's inconvenienced me, personally' is a very common human failing.
@Howard it was a bot though, not an android. Since bots have no feelings, not even Trojans really feel an obligation to treat them like people for all I know...
The worst thing about this is probably that if a bot is given incongruent feedback about it's actions, it might develop undesirable behaviour patterns.
Technically it was a robot and an android (a robot in humanoid shape), but it was probably positronic, not synthbrained, and therefore unlikely to be sentient or free-willed.
Of course Irene's medical android from Luna was positronic, so things still don't always seem wholly consistent.
In this universe, it has been made very clear that the term "android" does *not* apply to just any human-looking robot -- please respect that.
Also note that while positronic brains are generally considered "simpler" than synth-brains, positronic-based androids can indeed be sentient and even sparked -- see Amy in LunaStar. There is no inconsistency there.
I'm not going to stipulate that the answer is resolved to a consensus in the universe of the commentary pages, though I absolutely agree that careful expression to avoid confusion of meaning is in order. The data points from Luna Star are also part of the inconsistencies, since that was where the creative team first really introduced the term "sparked", then later regretted and retracted it.
I am not comfortable that we have a universally agreed-upon set of terms, but I am comfortable that I understand what you mean when you talk about Mirabe's interaction with the medical support robot. Also, please note, I said "unlikely", not "impossible"; which, in my opinion does not, in itself, do anything to resolve some of the inconsistencies.
I actually see it the other way around: the concept of "sparking", as presented in LunaStar ( http://lunastar.thecomicseries.com/comics/155/ ), seems pretty clear and perfectly consistent in itself, as well as with all the later Word of God comments here. It's just the first (and only in-story) mention of the concept in Datachasers, regarding Ceci ("Conflicts...", presently at http://datachasers.thecomicseries.com/comics/851 ), that's inconsistent... Which probably stems from the fact that this was actually half a year earlier -- apparently before the concept has been finalized.
Turns out I lied: the first mention of "sparking" (though without going into any specifics) was actually in "Coping" (presently at http://datachasers.thecomicseries.com/comics/465 ), several years earlier.
Took me a moment to figure out: Florence uses the same (creepy) model as the avatar of Ceci's watchdog. (The part of her leg showing in the top left corner of the panel is especially distinctive.)
The "openly articulated" hand seems an obvious enough idea, that I wouldn't pinpoint it to a specific model, unless comparing side-by-side. The pattern on the leg on the other hand is really very distinctive, and it's what made me recognise the model.
I would have to say this page is a total homerun! Both Cent and Rose should be doing a serious (But safe) happy dance right now. I would suggest that this is a near perfect blend of image, effects, and story-telling, and layout as a story can hope for.
It condenses and expands our girls' experience over the past few hours into something that draws one in and holds them there. Also it is a very interesting articulation of Cent's real world adventure in medicine. It makes no real assumptions or affirmations it just exists and invites the reader to ponder the meaning according to their own belief.
Operating room noise is fine... "Recovery Room" is a whole another mater.. studies have found noise in recovery rooms above a certain level (30/35) decibels is bad for patients..the medical board is now talking about remote room monitors having no sound in rooms,, and/or noise cancelling devices to help patients..
Just thinking further.
With mSLS, it should be trivial to manufacture fractal sound deadening panels that can be heat sterilized.
We're no longer limited to the shapes that can be readily molded, or materials that foam up on their own. We haven't been for awhile.
I know, I know, you cannot directly heal a memory, but you can "work" on it.
Excellent rendition ladies three thumbs up.
THE FEELS!!!! OH LORD, THE FEELS!!!!!
and who let all this dust in here? It's getting in my eyes, ya know!
Re:Authors note, and alt text: Great job Cent and Rose! I can just feel the experience!
Also, very glad to finally see Acantha on the mend!
we can learn more about Noctis
and the things that move her
Besides, I think the question is rather the other way around ... is there a 'public' Noctis ?
It was quite embaressing. Though at least the nurse I bit was laughing about it instead of being angry. (mostly because she was more used to fight/flight reactions)
I like the teddy btw. But it seems more a Dolly colored teddy. Assuming Dolly has teddies.
-- A lovely 'blank verse' collage mixing sounds recently remembered and sounds distantly remembered intermixed with other ... things (not wanting to speculate on the metaphysics of DataChasers at this time), but all flowing from one into the other along a logical theme.I think I can identify the speakers for most, but it is a bit of a shame that not all the human speech balloons are as distinctive as the others.
-- Creative use of filters to allow re-use of the scene to communicate the impression of growing clarity.
-- The presence of the stuffed animal is cute and creates its own sub-text, especially with the presence of Lynn so clearly communicated in the room, even though she is never shown.
-- Florence is introduced smoothly
-- The scar is an excellent detail, nicely included. To be honest, given the arrangement of Acantha's clothing and where the original knife wound was, I would have expected to see a bit of that poking out as well. (Also considering the scenes in the Dart, where we could see where the medical readouts/probes were in her shoulder and chest.) If they have the technology to have healed the knife wound without scar, then I wouldn't have expected them to leave the transplant scar, but perhaps the knife scar is just out of sight under her robe?
-- The white streak in her hair (on the left side) hinting at the ordeal she has undergone. (Though that could just be an artifact of seeing through her unchanged hair at the white pillow behind. It doesn't look like that to me, though.)
"YOU... YOU SHOT ME..." -- Decimus (memory)
"ACANTHA!!!" -- Lynn (memory)
"Acantha?!" -- Kali (memory)
"'Cantha?" -- Decimus (memory)
"DID I... AM... AM I... DEAD?" -- Acantha (fantasy)
"NO, MY LITTLE THORN. NOT YET." -- Valerius (fantasy)
"HURTS... BUT... FEEL FUZZY..." -- Acantha (fantasy)
"PLEASE, HELP ACANTHA! HE STABBED HER! PLEASE!" -- Lynn (memory)
"SHE'S GOING OUT GENTLE NOW." -- Ada (memory)
"Self-destruct engaged." -- Kali (memory)
"I... I DIDN'T MEAN TO! IT WASN'T MY FAULT!" -- Decimus (fantasy)
"I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED IN YOU, MY SON." -- Valerius (fantasy)
"IT'S ALL THAT LITTLE BITCH'S -" -- Decimus (fantasy)
"NEVER SPEAK LIKE THAT ABOUT YOUR SISTER! I WON'T TOLERATE IT!" -- Valerius, most likely (fantasy)
"CHEST FEELS... WEIRD... NUMB. I NEED TO PEE - OH, NO, WAIT... NO, I DON'T." + "ARIANNA? WHERE... WHERE'S ARIANNA?" Acantha (fantasy)
"I'M HERE, MISTRESS. YOU'RE ALL RIGHT." -- Arianna (fantasy)
"OH. OKAY. THANKS FOR... HELPING." -- Acantha (fantasy)
"SLEEPY..." -- Acantha (fantasy)
"YOU CAN REST A WHILE LONGER, LITTLE THORN." -- Valerius (fantasy)
"OH... OKAY, DAD. I MISS YOU... AND MOM..." -- Acantha (fantasy)
"WE MISS YOU TOO." -- possibly Acantha's mother? (don't remember her name having been mentioned); or Valerius again (fantasy)
Brains do this, drifting between states of consciousness. They take little bits and pieces you've experienced before - real memories - and jumble them together making them all seem related to each other.
I have no doubt, for example, that at some point Decimus Livius actually said, 'It's all that little bitch's fault' and got put down by Valerius with 'never speak like that about your sister!' I have no doubt that at some point Valerian told his son, in Acantha's hearing, that he was disappointed in the boy. I don't even doubt that Arianna sometime said 'I'm here, you're all right.'
These things may have happened at intervals separated by years, but 'Cantha's mind is marshalling its memories trying to make sense of or deal with a traumatic event, and it's called up everything that can seem-to-be-related in a sort of fugue state dream.
Remember, 'Cantha's been through a lot of shit with her brother before we ever met her.
...better is to wait until she is completely recovered and then remove the scar...
A beautiful and graphic depiction of your transition though. Does not need any words - the images tell the complete story.
IIRC (it was over 50 years ago!), she just laughed it off. I have no idea if she was married or not and I was much to embarrassed and shy to seriously contemplate saying anything while in my "better judgement".
...and looking good again... =D
It looks like the Taylors won the argument of where she was going to stay.
I don't know whether Cent-Comm is able to see that; but I'm sure many other people in Troy are -- so I'd suspect Lynn didn't even need to pull any strings herself.
We don't know yet about Calliope and Dolly being present as well -- but given the situation, if Lynn indeed had to choose, I have no doubt she would consider it more important right now to accompany Acantha.
"God machine" OTOH was a metaphor, relating to the fact that Cent-Comm (and other A.I.s) wield supreme power, and decide over the fates of humans (and androids).
On the other hand, I can't wait to see what the creatrixes will do with it.
Think of it like a character actor who showed near the end of Season 1 for a pivotal, but short term part, coming back as a different walk-on in Season 2.
What makes you think Mirabe is more likely to be an assassin than anyone else?...
One where she is a lizardperson, or something like that.
Also, you say that a New Troy human would have a natural respect for androids and robots, but I should remind you of both the sexual deviant that held Minx, and the overseer who harassed Connie.
To be frank, 'it's wrong because it's inconvenienced me, personally' is a very common human failing.
The worst thing about this is probably that if a bot is given incongruent feedback about it's actions, it might develop undesirable behaviour patterns.
Of course Irene's medical android from Luna was positronic, so things still don't always seem wholly consistent.
Also note that while positronic brains are generally considered "simpler" than synth-brains, positronic-based androids can indeed be sentient and even sparked -- see Amy in LunaStar. There is no inconsistency there.
I am not comfortable that we have a universally agreed-upon set of terms, but I am comfortable that I understand what you mean when you talk about Mirabe's interaction with the medical support robot. Also, please note, I said "unlikely", not "impossible"; which, in my opinion does not, in itself, do anything to resolve some of the inconsistencies.
Kinda like 1968.
It condenses and expands our girls' experience over the past few hours into something that draws one in and holds them there. Also it is a very interesting articulation of Cent's real world adventure in medicine. It makes no real assumptions or affirmations it just exists and invites the reader to ponder the meaning according to their own belief.
A truly excellent page!
*imagines classic Star Trek noises for operating room*
Although, cotton quilts would probably work okay.
Hang them on the walls, take them down for their patient change or weekly steam bath.
With mSLS, it should be trivial to manufacture fractal sound deadening panels that can be heat sterilized.
We're no longer limited to the shapes that can be readily molded, or materials that foam up on their own. We haven't been for awhile.