#edit before you tell me ''this isnt even relatable'' its not meant to be. i made this to complain about sleeping in before class and ending

[chiisana-lion]

[neverdoingmuch]

I just really love Two Person Love Triangles and Identity Porn. So, maybe a You've Got Mail AU? Or a superhero AU when one of them falls for both the masked hero and the secret identity?

because i love both of these aus i���ve written both!! but they’re pretty long bc i wouldn’t be me if i didn’t plot out an entire fic so the superhero au is here. 

as for the you’ve got mail au, i went off and watched the movie for the first time and i am delighted by your taste anon,,, the au works so well!! 

(okay for some reason tumblr won’t let me indent my bullets so idk how to fix that so big rip)

so we have lan & sons books, a company that prides itself on providing cheap books for everyone to read. think less evil corporation and more we wanted to provide easily accessible books for all people and ended up getting really rich off it

mr lan dadman was meant to be in charge but he ran off and lqr stepped up until lxc was old enough to take over and now lqr just kinda assists lxc when he needs help and does some other work

lqr is definitely the old guy who had a letter thing with this one woman who was enchanting but instead he was chatting to cssr and she was shameless 

anyway lwj works as *random high up job that joe fox has* and his best work friend (and real friend) is jin zixuan

jin zixuan is the heir to some coffee franchise and the two families have a deal which is why you have the cafe inside the bookstores

we gonna give lwj some friends

as for wwx, his mother owned a bookstore, the burial mounds (why did she name it that?? idk she probably told bssr that she wanted to call it that as a joke and bssr tried to call her bluff so she ended up having to call it that a la suibian)

anyway he grew up with his mother and grandmother and they left the store to him (idk what happened to them?? maybe they just retired and are now travelling the world while wwx gets to have the bookstore)

now for the actual plot!!

lwj and wwx met on omegle an instant messaging site and now exchange emails. wwx goes by yiling patriarch and lwj goes by hanguang-jun bc we want that flavour

so they’ve been emailing for years and they never share any personal information - wwx knows that hgj has a pet rabbit but not hgj’s name or his job

as for the significant others?? idk let’s pretend they don’t exist. 

wwx’s best friend nhs, who writes a column for so-and-so, always just comes over to his place and now he’s semi moved in and wwx isnt really sure why he’s here but he is. 

lwj just vibes bc i can’t see him putting up with a patricia unless his uncle  forced him to. even then he’d probably just be ~mysteriously~ gone while she’s home

maybe he has a really annoying pa who thinks its his job to come over and like make him breakfast. it’s su she,, it has to be

so wwx goes into work one morning and wen ning is waiting outside as he always is, ready for him to open and then like ten minutes later wen qing comes in and lastly granny wen comes in

why do they work together?? idk?? granny wen and bssr were close and so the wens and wwx kinda grew up as siblings? yeah i like that let’s go with that

so when cssr decided to go travelling wwx gets left with her store and he kinda knows how to run it but also he doesn’t have enough staff so he ends up hiring the wens (except granny who’s mostly there just to hang out with her family)

bonus: a-yuan always come to the shop after school and wwx gets to recreate the childhood he had with his mother with a-yuan. when the store closes wwx and a-yuan just twirl and twirl until they get too dizzy to stand up and then they lay on the floor and discuss their favourite book they’ve read this week. it’s very sweet

okay so the next day lwj gets to babysit his cousin/uncle/nephew/idk-how-they’re-related-person lan jingyi who is like eight or something?

they go out and hang at a festival and lwj does not buy him a goldfish bc i was very stressed by the way they treated the goldfish in the movie but he does get him balloons and a stuffed toy and plays all the games with him

eventually they’re walking back and see that the small bookstore near the new lan bookstore is hosting a story time so they go inside 

lwj walks in and he’s immediately taken by the atmosphere of the store bc that place was absolutely beautiful and then he hears this voice and follows it around to the back of the store to see the most gorgeous man he’s ever seen in his life sitting on a kinda too small chair with a princess hat? cone? thing on top of his head

he’d planned to stay for like one story and then take jingyi home but he ends up staying for the entire book and it’s definitely not because the guy reading the book smiled at him once or twice

after the story time ends, lwj is reluctant to leave so he ends up letting jingyi pick a bunch of books and looks at a few fancy first edition books with wen qing

and maybe his mother used to love collecting books - the old ones with the yellowed pages and beautiful pictures - and that’s why lwj helps out with his family business,, bc he wants everyone to be able to have books like that (never mind that all their books are like mass produced and lack any sentimentality & the staff dont actually care about the books)

anyway he sees wwx help jingyi pick out books and lets him borrow his handkerchief when he sneezes and lwj’s like oh nooo he’s good with kids too so now he has to talk to him 

so he goes up to buy the books and wwx’s telling jingyi about how much he likes daisies and lwj just blurts out “can i ask what your name is?” and wwx blinks but then smiles and is like i’m wei wuxian, but you can call me wei ying, and i own this store. what about you? and lwj is like wangji, you can call me wangji

wen qing takes one look at lwj and the way he’s staring at wwx and goes you’re going to come back aren’t you and lwj is trying so hard not to just run away so he just ignores her but then she mentions something about lan books and he’s Panicking and jingyi almost says that he’s a lan and lwj just kinda guides him over to a table and then goes back to flirt talk with wwx

anyway wwx ends up going on this big tangent about books and what they mean to people and the whole when you read a book as a child it becomes a part of your identity and who you’re going to become the way nothing else does (and lwj remembers his mother and her books) and then he apologises for going on and lwj is mentally going marry me, but he ends up calling wwx and his mother shameless

but it’s okay!! wwx & cssr are proud of it!

and then yada yada lwj buys the kinda expensive books and ends up awkwardly shepherding jingyi out of the store 

cut to the next day when the lan book store opens properly and lwj ends up telling lqr about how he met wwx and lqr is like >:/ the son of that shameless woman,, how terrible,, it’s okay he won’t be a problem for long bc they’ll be driven out of business. which isn’t the response lwj wanted but lxc seems supportive enough if a bit concerned about how it would work with them as business enemies 

business is already bad for wwx and it’s barely been a week since the lan store opened and he’s pretty bummed out but hopeful that maybe it’s a fluke

then nhs invites him to some fancy dinner with him bc wei-xiong they’re all so boring and smart and have opinions, please don’t make me have opinions so wwx gets dragged along

he ends up talking to lwj at the bar bc how could he not talk to the man who’s standing in front of all that fancy alcohol and getting some fruit juice. (he’d get water but lwj has had to put up with su she all evening so he needs something stronger)

anyway they chat and it’s pleasant but then after wwx gets approached by someone who’s like wow im surprised you’re talking to lan wangji and wwx is like lan?!

cue their passive aggressive argument around the food table complete with caviar and a turkey knife. 

now bc it’s lan wangji,, instead of making scathing comebacks he just makes like factual and to-the-point statements that end up being really bitchy (or does he intend them to be that way? it’s a mix of both of them tbh but in this case he’s definitely being bitchy on purpose) and wwx is spluttering bc that boy does not stand up well against hot and mad people

nhs ends up coming over and defusing the situation but wwx makes a point of stealing the rest of the caviar off lwj’s plate before leaving 

lwj ends up ducking out early as well to avoid su she and emails wwx that night at like 9:45 bc the guilt of being so rude kept him up late and yllz is like oh no that’s so sad ): but impressive! i wish i could zing people,, my brain just turns off the second i need to make a comeback

creative liberties,, wwx is good at teasing but not being genuinely mean? lets go with that

anyway now we get the delightful montage of wwx hiding behind cheese displays and lwj walking out of coffee stores with a newspaper covering his face as they try to avoid each other

when wwx gets in the wrong line at the supermarket lwj comes over and kinda glares the checkout woman into submission and gets her to let wwx use his card which wwx is really conflicted about bc why would he help me?? and once again angry lwj = hot lwj

a few weeks later wwx ends up asking hgj for help bc business isn’t getting any better but refuses to give any details and i refuse to have lwj watch the godfather so lwj just straight up messages him and is like tear that bitch apart

and so wwx decides to tear that bitch apart and asks nhs for help. nhs, fan of the arts and small businesses and local culture, is 100% down for it and writes a scathing article about lan books and how they’re destroying all the aforementioned things nhs cares about

it ends up getting a lot of traction and people show up to protest and wwx even goes on television

lwj ends up seeing the news coverage on the matter while he’s at the gym with jzx

jzx is 100% the guy who goes to the gym just to apathetically walk on the treadmill while lwj jogs

he sees the interview with wwx and lwj is like he’s not this nice in real life and jzx is like you met him?? and lwj is like mn. then jzx is like i bet he’s not as hot and lwj is completely silent but his ears are bright red and that’s how jzx knows that wwx is just that hot

also?? lwj goes on tv and says like three words and he’s kinda annoyed how the news decided to spin that but he also said like three words so what did he expect?

but, despite all the publicity, sales don’t get any better so wwx is like fine can we meet in person and lwj is like sure

he brings jzx along bc he doesn’t know the way there, it’s not because he’s nervous and kind of in love with yllz, it’s because he doesn’t know how to get to the cafe. (it’s two blocks from his apartment)

anyway jzx is like oof man it’s seems like yllz is wwx but he is that hot so not all is lost and lwj is like yikes no not happening im not going in but he also feels bad about standing wwx up so he ends up going in and sitting down in front of wwx

and lwj is like wei wuxian, all this publicity will do nothing to save your business and wwx is like lan wangji who do you think you are (or however that scene goes) but instead of lwj being asked to leave wwx decides he’s not gonna chicken out first so they end up spending like two hours having the most aggressive cup of coffee and chat he’s ever had

lwj is exhausted but he also refuses to give up

but then wwx spits something about how lwj is some cold, heartless suit who doesn’t actually care about or appreciate books so how can he possibly dare to think that he’s better than wwx and that hurts bc lwj had thought that he’d been doing exactly that so he leaves

anyway the next morning wwx is moping around the bookstore bc he didn’t get stood up, he swears. am i not cute enough he moans to wen qing and she’s like your hgj doesn’t know what you look like. but what about my personality? is that cute enough? and wen qing eventually manages to grit out that yes it is cute enough

wen ning comes in and is like are you okay? you got stood up? that’s good! your date might have been the rooftop killer xue yang! he got caught last night! and wwx is like i wish, i just got stood up like a chump

so they ignore each other for a few weeks bc wwx is very hurt and lwj doesn’t know what he’s going to say but wwx ends up caving and emails hgj about how guilty he feels and how even though wwx probably means nothing to lwj, he’s worried that maybe he did hurt lwj and also please hgj i still want to talk to you

now hgj never says a lot, he’s always really succinct and direct but this time he takes the time to write a proper apology. it’s not an explanation bc he doesn’t want to give this up, even if the yllz he thinks he loves is the wwx that he hates, but it is an apology

the next day wwx goes to lunch with granny wen and finally dares to ask her whether it would be okay to shut the store down. he doesn’t want, of course he doesn’t want to, but he doesn’t think he can afford to keep it open. granny just tells him that it’s okay and that if the time has come, the time has come

we don’t have to worry about wwx breaking up with anyone, so he just goes home and asks nhs if he can have some space and nhs quickly packs his stuff and goes home. as he stands in the doorway with his last box of stuff he tells wwx that he’s sorry and wishes he could help more and wwx sends him this tremulous smile but manages to hold it together until nhs leaves and then he cries and cries 

the next day he goes back to work and tries to stay bubbly and cheery even as he sees all of his shelves slowly being emptied and people who haven’t stepped foot in his store in six months are telling him what a shame it is and how they wish it didnt have to come to this and wwx is internally screaming

he manages to stave off any actual screaming but when he closes up that day he ends up going to the children’s section of lan bookstore and just as he had thought, none of the staff care about the books, none of them know any books and he ends up recommending a series to some young mother

lwj, who’d spotted wwx and come over to see if whether he was here to pick a fight, comes to the awful realisation that maybe wwx is right about his store lacking heart

he goes home that night and su she tags along even though lwj just wants space and the elevator breaks. he’s sitting there on the ground listening to his neighbour talk about reconnecting with family and the elevator button pressing dude talks about getting engaged and su she is just there whining about his job and the inconvenience and lwj goes fuck this. when the elevator starts working again he grabs his rabbit and goes back down to the ground floor, ignores su she’s shouts, and goes back to his childhood home

wwx gets stuck closing his store down. he looks around at the shelves and tables he’d grown up with and sees his childhood and a-yuan’s and countless moments he’s had with people he’s loved and realises he’s going to lose it all forever. he grabs the bell, the last thing he has left of the store and closes up for the very last time

in the meantime, lwj is living the high life. he hangs out with his bunny, gets to read pride and prejudice for fun and actually manages to get all the way through it and then his brother comes to visit

apparently he’d broken up with jgy bc he was gold digger-esque and had decided to run off with someone richer and lwj is like oh thats so sad ): anyway nmj is right there and he fills your heart with joy and lxc is like have you ever had someone like that? and lwj immediately thinks of wwx and is like fuck

his first order of business is to buy wwx’s shop bc it broke my heart that she didn’t get it back in the og movie and he starts filling it with books again. he buys ten copies of his mother’s favourite books and places them on the shelf by the door and then he sees a book that reminds him of jingyi so gets some of them and he sees a book covered in daisies and thinks of wwx. and slowly, slowly he’s building up his own library, his own store, and this time every single book means something and for once lwj looks out across the floor with pride and satisfaction

his second order of business is to apologise to wwx for being a dick. he buys some daisies and goes to his place and comes in and cooks soup for wwx. lwj apologises and tells him it wasn’t personal and wwx is like that’s not true, it was personal to me and it’s personal to a lot of people and lwj understands that now. he remembers the way he’d filled wwx’s store and left his own touch and bared his heart through each of those books and he understands. he doesn’t actually say this and just tells wwx that he wants to be friends 

lwj considers coming clean about being hgj but he knows now that he definitely loves wwx and knows that wwx currently hates him but damn is it hard not to say anything when wwx is telling him how much he loves hgj

anyway he’s like organise a meeting again with hgj 

i’d say it’s ooc for lwj not to come clean but this is the man who pined for x decades and just didnt tell wwx that his son was alive so like not ooc at all

so lwj decides he’s going to woo wwx as best as he can and organises to meet up with yllz and then goes and meets with wwx and they end up going to hang out and for some strange reason, even though wwx keeps getting stood up, he doesn’t seem to care too much. he keeps agreeing to meet hgj and when he doesn’t show is more than happy to spend the rest of his day with lwj

and slowly, they start to get closer. wwx takes a sip of lwj’s coffee and lwj buys him daisies. wwx brings him an interesting book and lwj tells him about his mother. they chat freely about hgj and lwj is happy for the first time in a long time

eventually lwj organises the final meeting. wwx is really confused about the place he picked but he’s hopeful that maybe this time hgj will show. after wwx and lwj’s farmers market date ends, lwj ends up asking wwx if he could love lwj and wwx is like you put me in such an uncomfortable situation. ie stammering and blushing and eventually going oh no ill be late and running off

anyway a couple hours later wwx finds himself standing outside his old bookstore and he refuses to look at it bc he doesn’t want to see what it’s become but then, through the open door of the store, a bunny hops out and over to wwx

lwj comes running out after it calling out its name (bichen?? flopsy?? rabbit?? one of them) and wwx looks up and is like oh,, it’s you, i’d hoped it was you and he’s all teary and lwj has a handkerchief that he’d embroidered himself (with gentians of course) and he’s like dont cry yllz and then they kiss and it’s beautiful

bonus: lwj takes wwx inside the store and shows him everything and explains the meaning behind every book that they’ve picked and then wwx does cry for real bc there is definitely an entire two walls dedicated just to wwx

do they open the store as a bookstore again and work together? does wwx end up writing books?? idk up to you. i like the idea that they open the store for story time and sell children’s books but lwj still works with lan & sons to get some heart in their stores and wwx works on his own books in his spare time

[marinerainbow]

Since we've been rping about, tell me some of your juicy JacklexSelph (or in your case, Mirrage) headcanons

EEEEE!

Ok, to let anyone else reading this know, Mirrage is my version of Selph. I dont feel up to posting about them now, but I did submit them to @funkyneonguts so you can go there and read about them there, just click on the selph tag. I'll post my version of Selph here latter.

(Edit: I posted Mirrages bio! Go check out the Selph tag if you wish!)

And yes, I ship Selph x Jackle. Or as I like to call it with my version, Mirrackle. Here I'll give you guys the Abridged version of how I see they're story.

I like to imagine they met before Mirrage was freed. Like Jackle was one of the nightmaren that was tasked with fetching them. Since Wizeman uses Mirrage- or Selph as the other nightmaren knew them- as a fear tactic, to get them to behave or else "They will be imprisoned too."

Jackle however, liked Mirrage, they were different. And Mirrage found the Mantle amusing, with his antics. After Wizeman heard of this, he forbade Jackle from seeing Mirrage again. Those two would not meet again until Mirrage was freed...

When they were freed, after Wiseman's fall, Jackle was the only one who volunteered to show them around and get used to being in the physical realm again. Mirrage at first thought he was joking. They thought that he was just wanting something from them before, but now he actually wants to hang around them? Unless he really wants something from them, why would he just want to 'hang out'?

Eventually, they slowly learn to trust Jackle. They except that he actually wants to be around them. They realize that this isnt some elaborate plan to earn their favor. They realize that he actually loves them. And they too fall in love with him...

Now that that story is done, here are the headcannons!

Mirrage is a fashionista through and through. They love changing their outfits, whether it be feminine or masculine. And they absolutely adore it when Jackle goes gaga over their new garments. They always make sure to show off to him.

I like to imagine Jackle did the art on his cards. Mirrage loves art. They love seeing Jackle's art. Because of this, he makes so much art for Mirrage, they could make a scrapbook of them! They treasure each and every picture.

Because they spent so long in the reflection realm (like centuries long), they like touching people, especially those they like. They love physical contact of any kind, whether it be hand holding or hugging or kissing. If they arent touching Jackle in anyway, something is wrong.

However, on Jackle's end, I headcannon that his body is sensitive (hence why you remove his cape, than attack.) And is only used to skin on skin contact if its related to pain. When Mirrage touched him for the first time, he flinched and hissed at them. Now when he feels upset, Mirrage will just gently touch him, whether it be massaging or just hugging him.

Likewise, Mirrage wasnt used to the physical contact of others. When Jackle first gave them a surprise hug, they nearly bit his face off. Now they revel in Jackles touch, and know that if he doesnt hug him once, than something is wrong.

I personally imagine Jackle is a combination of 'just being hyper and mischievous' to 'actually insane and/or sadistic'. Mirrage absolutely loves both sides.

This would be Mirrage in general with someone they cared about. They are insanely protective of Jackle. Even though they know that he can stand up for himself, they'll rip out a man's spine if they were messing with Jackle.

Jackle is also protective, but he's the one that tells Mirrage to take a chill pill more often.

Mirrage is actually traumatized with how long they were trapped, how their senses were left immobile save for sight and sound, and how they couldnt escape. Jackle is the only one who helps them through their moments. Staying by their side and not leaving them until they feel better.

Likewise, Jackle has trauma from serving Wizeman, especially from all of the punishments. Mirrage makes absolute sure to be there for him during his moments, holding him close and not letting go.

Mirrage likes being wrapped up in Jackle's mantle, with him holding them. It makes them feel better if they had a rough day. Jackle will not hesitate to hug them from behind with his cape to help them feel better.

Mirrage likes that Jackle is smaller than them (Jackle is 7'0, Mirrage is 7'8). They'll use his size as an excuse to carry him, lift his head up and kiss him, etc. "Your so small." "I'm seven feet tall Mirrage." "Tiny."

Basically, they are so I love with each other, they could compete with Morticia and Gomez. I said it and I meant it!

And that's all I can think of! I know @marshmallow-biscuit-blog I already mentioned some of these to you. Hopefully the new ones are worth it!

[comicteaparty]

November 8th, 2018 CTP Archive

The archive for the Comic Tea Party chat that occurred on November 8th, 2018, from 5PM - 7PM PST.  The chat focused on Anacrine Complex by Sae.

Featured Comment:

Chat:

RebelVampire

COMIC TEA PARTY- THURSDAY BOOK CLUB START!

Good evening, everyone~! This week’s Thursday Book Club is officially beginning! Today we are discussing Anacrine Complex by Sae~! (http://pigeoncomic.com/)

Remember that Thursday discussions are completely freeform! However, every 30 minutes I will drop in OPTIONAL discussion questions in case you’d like a bit of a prompt. If you miss out on one of these prompts, you can find them pinned for the chat’s duration. Additionally, remember that while constructive criticism is allowed, our focus is fun and respectfully appreciating the comic. All that said, let’s begin!

QUESTION 1. What is your favorite scene in the comic so far and why?

RebelVampire

i liked the whole sequence in Lee's head. illustrative wise it was really creative and had so much subtle detail that helped breathe that sense that they were not in the real world. not to mention the color balance really leaves you feel kind of ominous

ShaRose49

What criticism? Man, I agree! I loved the sequence in his head, it was cooler to me than Inside Out in many ways cause it reminded me more of my own head

I think Lee was my favourite but Ben was so funny he reminded me of Hinayana from Haikyuu

Superjustinbros

Hello there~

ShaRose49

Hinata

Is what I meant to say

Hi!

Superjustinbros

Pleasure to be here ^^

ShaRose49

My favourite scene was probably the scene in Lee’s mind too-but I also loved the Jujitsu scene, and the scene at the beginning with Ben and Lee and the explosion

The pleasure is all ours

And I just found out that I have nowhere to be this evening so I’ll probably be chatting more than I thought

RebelVampire

fantastic

Superjustinbros

http://pigeoncomic.com/page/4

Looking through, I found this one charming

ShaRose49

It was a ton of fun

RebelVampire

i think ben is my favorite. cause while hes not as serious or practical as lee (which lee is a precious angel), i like how he has to basically interpret everything as a game. and i think they just make him really unique and entertaining

i like ben and lee as a package though. i think they have an interesting personality mesh that isnt quite perfect for drama but isnt quite completely opposite so they can work together and achieve common goals. like its that perfect blend of subtle awesome that not a lot of comics can achieve

Superjustinbros

http://pigeoncomic.com/post/170447488832/spider-ben-spider-ben-does-whatever-a-spider-ben This one was also good, the effects especially.

ShaRose49

Yeah I think characters were this comic’s greatest strength, which is the most important part of a story to me

AAAH that was great

Superjustinbros

Oh yes

Characters mean lots to me

Of you write them well and provide enough side-material to back them up

RebelVampire

yes that was definitely a fun scene. in general i like how the powers are visually depicted. i think it was a great choice to give them all diff colors schemes and aesthetics. it makes them stand out and you can always tell who is doing what.

i also love the random pigeon cameos.

these are the most photobombing pigeons in the land

Superjustinbros

Giving powers different colors is part of the fun, IMO

mathtans

Made it. You can probably guess at my favourite scene.

Superjustinbros

Glad I don't live in New York City then

Let me guess

It's loaded with puns

mathtans

It's where the trigonometry was used to knock the guy out. ^.-

Superjustinbros

o

mathtans

Also, Ben was using degrees, rather than radians, implying that it is coming from his own experiences rather than some meta-math in the environment.

'Course he uses the imperial system too, for whatever reason.

RebelVampire

that scene made me sad with jealousy because even when i was good at math, i always sucked at mental math. XD

mathtans

The sequence in Lee's head was pretty cool and creative. I suppose I felt I couldn't get as into it, I think because it just represented such an invasion of his privacy. (I liked how Lee addressed the whole "manipulation" thing later.)

Heh. I think that sort of mental math is beyond most people.

The visual depiction of the math-type powers as more cubic/angular was a nice choice too, I found.

Superjustinbros

>Rebel mentions math while Mathtans is in the chat(edited)

mathtans

Math's good stuff.

Superjustinbros

yes

It was my best school subject

till they stopped teaching it after tenth grade

mathtans

Actually, I kind of hate it when "doing mental math" is presented as some kind of superpower. I don't feel like that's the case here, because being able to judge distances, monetize portions of food, and hit precise estimations isn't the same thing as "I can multiply real fast". So that was good.

Superjustinbros

Yea

mathtans

Incidentally, how does magnetization powers give one the ability to X-Ray? Maybe I missed something in my science classes.

RebelVampire

QUESTION 2. Of all the characters, Lee seems to have the past that is most covered in mystery. What do you think happened in Lee’s past that caused him to have such a core of guilt? Was it related to Ana or was there something else going on? What even was Lee’s relationship with Ana? Why do you think Lee turned to illegal car theft activities, and what do you think caused him to go clean? Why do you think Lee is so desperate to patch things up with Sterling? How do you think Lee even knows Sterling in the first place? What do you think any of this has to do with the comic’s opening scene? Lastly, do you think Lee will manage to meet Sterling? If so, what do you think will happen?

mathtans

I think Lee and Sterling worked together in the past, maybe in a post-doc or something. There was that flashback sequence with the motorbike (I think that's what it was?) and stuff.

RebelVampire

arent mri machines basically just giant magnets?

i assume they took creative license based on that

mathtans

Ahh, maybe they are, right. Can't bring metal in and such.

RebelVampire

which actually explains why ben has that headache meltdown everytime hes near lee using his powers

cause like an mri machine, lee is pulling those metal shards

causing more damage

good job lee

lightlybow

Creator here, hey guys!! I'm so happy to see this discussion! To address the x-ray thing, there is a bit of creative license applied for sure. Lee can't literally see people's bones like in an x-ray, but he can sense metal objects and magnetic fields. I just had to find a way to visually represent that, and x-ray visuals felt like something that would be a really quick read for most of my audience.

And yeah Rebel, you're right on the money! Lee can easily move the little bits of metal around in Ben's brain if he isn't careful

mathtans

Right, the metal shard pulling thing I figured. (Also, I tend to agree with Lee that the guy should get that checked out! It cannot be good for the health.)

Oh, hihi creator! Must be early morning for you I guess.

Superjustinbros

Hello Lightlybow!

ShaRose49

Will Ben not have superpowers if the metal is removed?

RebelVampire

tbf going to the hospital might not do ben any good. cause if theyre in his brain thats already a very dangerous surgery

Superjustinbros

D:

ShaRose49

But will he get killed if he doesn’t remove the metal?!

mathtans

I feel like he might be able to calculate a way to deal with it mathematically. I mean, it was the substance on the metal that gave him the abilities, right? And it's supposed to be healing or something, so that's probably why he's still functional.

ShaRose49

Yikes wow but still

mathtans

Removing metal from head before wounds close seems prudent. shrugs

lightlybow

Ding ding ding! Ben's powers do come from the metal! Idk how many details you guys want...

Superjustinbros

Now that's why he can't do the surgery then, cause, well.

He loses the powers

ShaRose49

I think Lee worked with Sterling and they both love the same woman and that caused a rift between them. Maybe Lee tried to win Ana away from sterling or left him when he needed him because of Ana. This may be the biggest cause of his guilt since the thought of talking to Sterling is the only hope he has

But what if it’s unhealthy for Ben to have that metal??

mathtans

Ahh, interesting. (I mean, what do I know, right? ^.- ) Maybe Ben will learn that he doesn't need superpowers to be a cool guy. Particularly if he retains the fighting techniques.

RebelVampire

it is definitely unhealthy for ben to have metal in his head, especially around lee who can make it worse. XD i dont forsee ben wanting to give up powers tho

mathtans

Sha: I'm kind of with you, but I'm not sure Ana necessarily caused a rift directly... I feel more like maybe Lee decided he just couldn't work that close to them any more, and went looking for other work.

Illegal work, possibly.

Maybe he's got a bit of self loathing or something.

lightlybow

In terms of metal in the head/ injuries! There are reported cases of people living normal lives with shards of metal stuck in their brain matter. I was going off those when writing Ben, especially a case of someone who shot themselves with a nail gun and turned out to be just fine

Superjustinbros

That's an interesting piece of trivia

I have heard of people living with bullets lodged into their brain for years

as an example

mathtans

I've heard of that stuff, possibly even seen an XRay one time. Gives me the willies.

RebelVampire

yeah its definitely possible. but basically no mris ever which limits diagnostic tools ppl can use

which is not good cause mris are super powerful

im gonna go out on a limb and assume ana is dead or potentially in a coma. and that lee is (or assumes he was) the cause because whatever he used to contain the medicine that sterling had him built

and thats where his guilt is

mathtans

Lee's kind of my fave character, actually. Ben is too eager to treat everything as some kind of game, and Veda has no respect for boundaries.

RebelVampire

and that what happened between lee and sterling is they both feel responsible for what happened

and while lee wanted to move on, sterling wanted to obsess

mathtans

Rebel: If that's the case (interesting theory), maybe Lee just feels like if he'd stuck around (assuming it happened after he left), he'd have been able to do something.

RebelVampire

yeah.

alternatively

maybe ana is just sick in the hospital

and sterling is obsessing trying to save her

mathtans

Maybe he even has a theory for how to fix things but Sterling put a hit out on him and refuses to hear anything.

RebelVampire

and while lee should be supporting her he doesnt have the strength too

mathtans

Either way, if they end up talking, I feel like it would be near the climax.

Superjustinbros

Seconding Math

ShaRose49

I don’t think Ana is dead, otherwise this would be a lot like Miraculous Ladybug is recently

RebelVampire

i forsee that, but i also hope they dont wait till the climax. and that they hug and talk it out. and while they patch some things up theres stuff about the disease that fall to deaf ears on sterling's part(edited)

mathtans

I don't follow the reference, but okay.

ShaRose49

Sorry Miraculous is a silly romantic superhero cartoon that I love for some reason

RebelVampire

yeah i go back and forth on ana being dead. although i think we can at least assume something bad happened to her

mathtans

Just want to say, I thought putting in that scene of Sterling was a great move. I'd kind of pictured him having gone all "mad scientist", so the idea that he's kind of tortured and trying to fix things was an interesting window.

ShaRose49

Yeah I felt sorry for him he’s like an even more realistic Hawkmoth sorry I keep referencing Ml

ML

I love the realism in the drama for this comic

mathtans

Plot twist: Ana is actually one of the pigeons. Things went terribly wrong.

RebelVampire

yeah i really liked what that scene of sterling did

cause it knocked him down from enigmatic evil overlord to tortured human soul who is trying to fix something he doesnt know how to fix

lightlybow

OMG MATH

I'm crying

RebelVampire

ana is trying to tell lee shes a pigeon this whole time but lee just doesnt get it

lightlybow

all the pieces are falling together

mathtans

Ana tried to use the bird woman to get her message across. That also went badly.

RebelVampire

QUESTION 3. Much of the current events of the comic are now being driven by Veda who wants to save her sister. Do you believe all Veda really wants to do is save Dani, or is something else going on? Do you think Dani is being held against her will, or might there be a reason she doesn’t want to see Veda? How exactly do you think Veda became exposed enough to the medicine to gain her powers? Is Veda so aggressive with her powers because of desperation to save her sister, or do you think it’s telling about what Veda does for a living in some way? At the hotel, we also see Veda get sick for a moment. Do you think her sudden illness is revealing? What about her words as she looked in the mirror? What consequences do you think this “sickness” will have for the group as a whole?

Superjustinbros

Math does it again

But I do wonder if there is some kind of dark secret to the pigeons, and why they're everywhare

lightlybow

"That also went badly"

ShaRose49

I think Veda is trying to save her sister, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there was another motive as well. I think she gets fatigued severely from using her powers too much

Superjustinbros

I mean, magic exists in this world so that wouldn't be far out of the ordinary

but back onto the subject

RebelVampire

on a tangent i liked lee's convo with the old lady because it was so utterly ridiculous on so many levels. like who approaches some old lady on the bench and assumes she knows a lot about pigeons just cause shes showing them mild affection.

ShaRose49

Wait magic?! I missed that

Yeah but he was desperate lol

junebugjo

More like superpowers

Superjustinbros

As in, the en mase of pidgeons being a result somehow of everyone having powers

ShaRose49

Yeah I don’t think this was magic I didn’t get that at all just superhero sci-fi

Superjustinbros

lol

ShaRose49

Magic and sci-fi together can annoy me sometimes I just love my scifi

RebelVampire

i do think veda is trying to save her sister. but part of me wonders if its not just that her powers exhaust her. what if veda has the disease too and thats actually why she was exposed to the medicine? that is my out there theory

ShaRose49

Oh yeah....

That could be it

I wonder if people get the disease if they get the powers or if the powers don’t actually cure you

RebelVampire

oh man thatd be ironically sad. that the cure comes with the disease

mathtans

Sorry, in and out as the little one makes a fuss. I wonder if Veda's trying to save her sister more for herself than for her sister's sake. Like, she feels guilty over letting her go in the first place. (And what other doctor is she going to take her sister to if they get out? I mean really.)

RebelVampire

yeah i thought that too

about where would veda even take her

lightlybow

Yeah there aren't really any other doctors who can solve her problems but she's desperate

ShaRose49

Yeah Math could be right. (I’m doing Laundry right now lol) good luck with your little one!

RebelVampire

any other doctor is probably gonna tell her theres nothing they can do but make her comfortable and manage the symtoms

and give a death time estimate

lightlybow

*curently

*CURRENTLY DANGIT

Superjustinbros

Guess doctors aren't common in this universe or soemthing

junebugjo

Well doctors who can cure the disease aren’t

RebelVampire

well doctors who can cure this specific disease, yes XD

lightlybow

Junebug! Hello!

junebugjo

Hey!!!

RebelVampire

to answer another question on the list, i think dani's imprisonment is a bit of both. that sterling 100% is holding her but that even if veda came dani would tell her to go away for some reason. maybe to protect veda...or maybe veda and her had a fight just like lee and sterling had a fight. and later on that fight is something lee and veda can bond over

junebugjo

Certainly the fact that her ailment can’t easily be cured by someone else is a motivation for Dani to stay with Sterling

mathtans

Or maybe Dani also has mind powers and can tell that Veda's not being real sincere or something.

Superjustinbros

Hello Junebug~

lightlybow

Something the future script will touch on is whether the Cure is more important than the Person. If their physical health should be prized over their emotional well-being

RebelVampire

that sounds deep

ShaRose49

Hmm. I don’t know I wonder if Lee and Veda will start to like each other. Probably not but they do have some things in common

junebugjo

I really want them to(edited)

ShaRose49

What good is emotional well-being if you’re sick as a dog? You need a combination of both I guess

junebugjo

I desperately need them to be begrudging friends / partners in crime

ShaRose49

Haha

mathtans

He is a chick magnet. (That was a good line.)

Superjustinbros

Good one Math

RebelVampire

i feel like before lee and veda can get along they need to have a huge fight. like get all their reservations an stuff out in the open air. cause at the moment the entire relationship is kind of soured by veda's emotional blackmail

lightlybow

Yeah as it stands there's not much room for "getting along"

Superjustinbros

Yeah, that there's pretty twisted

junebugjo

I’m just a big sucker for characters like Veda esp if she goes through some good ol character development

lightlybow

wink wonk

RebelVampire

i think of the characters veda is the most likely who's gonna grow too. cause right now shes toeing that bad guy line a bit too hard

QUESTION 4. All these super powers are caused by one thing: Sterling and his magical Anacride medicine. Why do you think Sterling developed this medicine in the first place? Does it have something to do with Ana given the number of times she’s shown when talking about the disease it cures? What is going on with Sterling currently given he refuses to let families see those in his treatment program? Are there some sort of detrimental side effects he can’t control, or is something else afoot? Do you believe he can fix everything, or are the powers and other side effects now permanent? Also, what do you think happened to him that landed him in the hospital during one flashback? Finally, what does all this mean for Ben given that he has metal dangerously embedded in his head? Are Ben’s powers really caused by a brief exposure to the medicine, and will this journey change him in some way?

Superjustinbros

Character development makes the world go round

junebugjo

Ana could have the disease

Also is the uh medicine named after her

I feel like he could be desperate to find her a permanent and less detrimental cure so he goes through others not caring what happens to them so he can save Ana ?

RebelVampire

omg

i never connected ana's name was in the word anacride

junebugjo

I just now saw it capitalized and was like ???? Maybe ????

lightlybow

DING DING DING

junebugjo

Do I win a prize

Lol

lightlybow

Yes you get a pigeon. Here

junebugjo

I will take good care of him

Superjustinbros

Aww

RebelVampire

thatd be a sad approach is sterling was using everyone else to test the medicine before testing it on ana, assuming shes a victim. but now im wondering if maybe she isnt a victim. maybe she helped make the medicine but she had a falling out with sterling and now sterling hopes that if he makes the medicine succeed ana will love him again

Superjustinbros

Maybe

junebugjo

I feel like Ana has some dark side to her

mathtans

Okay, back, mostly. Oh, good call on the naming! Didn't register that.

junebugjo

Like she at least a little bit fudges the lines when it comes to pharmaceutical experimentation but wouldn’t go as far as sterling would idk

mathtans

Remember there was that flashback scene where Ana was actually helping Sterling due to his heart problem or whatever. I think maybe SHE developed the medicine, and Sterling's trying to perfect it for her.

So I guess similar to the "love me again" idea.

Except maybe it's just in her memory.

'You will be the last victim of this disease'...

RebelVampire

well tbf, the only viewpoints weve had of ana are those from ppl who love her in some capacity. so to them ana is probably an angel. so her having a dark side would not surprise me at all cause nobody is perfect an all that jazz

and yeah i considered that too, math. that this could just be a "last victim of the disease" sort of thing

mathtans

Ana is actually an NPC in the story.

She hands out the quests.

As a pigeon.

RebelVampire

its a good thing they have ben. he will figure out you have to accept the pigeon quests in order to progress the story

Superjustinbros

I shall do that o_ o\

Give me all them challenges

lightlybow

The clues were there all along. There she is, pigeon # 62

mathtans

Yeah, some of the "deluded Ben" stuff when Lee first found him was amusing. I'm glad it didn't become an overlong gag though.

lightlybow

http://pigeoncomic.com/post/162180122762/the-horror

Superjustinbros

For a sec I thought those were bats

mathtans

Speaking of amusing things - I liked some of the little background naming things. Like the diner that had been crossed out and it's like "Al's now" or whatever. Or the donut box saying to drink juice.

lightlybow

I'm so happy you noticed

mathtans

My favourite was the self defence book. "This convenient book is going to show you how not to get punched in the face".

Superjustinbros

The best kind of book

lightlybow

And in Ben's apartment there's a statue of Han Solo with the words "_ shot first" and the name is covered

mathtans

I think it also had a picture of the Matrix in it or something.

junebugjo

THATS MY FAVE

the Han statue

mathtans

Ahh, I interpreted that as "Han" (the statue) "shot first".

lightlybow

Oh I see!

mathtans

Probably why Ben's roommate moved out. A Star Wars disagreement.

lightlybow

Anyway I'm glad you guys enjoy the stupid jokes in the flavor text

junebugjo

I almost walked out of watching a new hope bc my friends all said exactly the opposite of who I think shot first

Superjustinbros

Always fun when the author sneaks in background gags/jokes

lightlybow

OMG

mathtans

I wonder what's in the van. Like, is it more of the drug? Could they actually analyze it before they do the run? (Though, they probably don't have time for that.)

RebelVampire

i assumed it was more of the drug

although

that begs the question of how its made

cause youd think sterling would make the drug in his lab

mathtans

Maybe he outsources.

junebugjo

Maybe ingredience

mathtans

Right, just gotta mix it with fructose.

lightlybow

The drug needs to go through a special process of pressurization and maturation before it's viable... so Sterling designs the drug but no one knows if it will work for a few weeks until they test it

mathtans

It's important to be mature about such things.

lightlybow

pun game on point

mathtans

Oh, nice detail about Lee's card being demagnetized btw. Hadn't occurred to me.

Poor guy.

lightlybow

In that pigeon comic it's implied that he keeps breaking watches too. It's really inconvenient!

Superjustinbros

Well, I guess it's almsot the end

RebelVampire

having magnetic powers sounds like all kinds of trouble. cant take him camping cause hell throw off the compasses. although you could use him to hold metal screws for you without them getting lost

mathtans

Right! I remember noticing that. Guess it does make it easier to fall off the grid.

Superjustinbros

In that case cya, and thanks for the great reads, @lightlybow

It was great metting ya.

mathtans

I wonder if Ben will compare him to Magneto.

junebugjo

He should

ShaRose49

I wonder what Dina!s gonna be like she looks like she could be a sweet but tortured soul

lightlybow

Great meeting you too @Superjustinbros !!

ShaRose49

He already did compare Lee to Magneto!

I remember he said “You totally Magnetoed him”

mathtans

I am clearly not paying enough attention. Must have read it as magnetized. It makes sense given his Marvel references.

lightlybow

Omg rebel I just imagined Veda sticking screws to Lee's face like "Here, hold this"

ShaRose49

Omgosh

mathtans

I could see that.

Anyway, definitely pulling for Lee. Guy can't seem to catch a break. Hope his mental demons are appeased.

lightlybow

Me too, buddy. Me too

RebelVampire

COMIC TEA PARTY- THURSDAY BOOK CLUB END!

Sadly, this wraps up this week’s Thursday Book Club chat for now. Thank you so much to everyone for reading and joining us! We want to give a special thank you to Sae, as well, for making Anacrine Complex. If you liked the comic, make sure to support Sae’s efforts however you’re able to~!

Read and Comment: http://pigeoncomic.com/

Sae’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cottonart

Sae’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/lightlybow

Comic Tea Party- Thursday Book Club

Next week’s Thursday Book Club will be about Skeletons in the Closet by Niah. For participants, you have the next week to read as much of the comic as you would like~! We hope to see you on Thursday, November 15th, from 5PM to 7PM PST for the chat in #thursday_bookclub!

Comic’s Main Site: https://tapas.io/series/Skeletons-in-the-Closet

[i-am-very-very-tired]

News24 How coloured are you? 2008-06-30 13:07 Cape Town - I am fairly dark-skinned with dark hair and have often been mistaken for being Portuguese, Greek, Italian and Israeli (but mostly Portuguese). I am actually half-German and half-Afrikaans. So when I told friends at the office that I had once also been mistaken for being coloured, they all burst out laughing. I was deeply and profoundly offended. So they took pity on me, and a few of my coloured co-workers began introducing me to the complex and evolved life of the Cape coloured. (I was told if you want to be coloured, you have to be from Cape Town). Apparently coloured people from Joburg don't really qualify. Sorry. The coloured lifestyle is an intricate and complicated puzzle with millions of confusing little pieces. It involves things like gatsbys, the Galaxy club, where you live, not only how you drink, but what you drink - and where. You've gotta like gatsbys For instance, a gatsby (for the uninitiated, this is a large roll with polony - I'm not calling it ham - and deep-fried chips. If it doesn't spill onto the ground when you try to eat it, it's not a gatsby). I like gatsbys, no problem. Ok, says a friend, but you have to drink brandy too. "With Klippies?", asks another colleague innocently, joining in the Coloured Education of Andrea. "No!" scream the coloured friends in horror...(as all Afrikaners know, Klipdrift is the exclusive domain of the Boerevolk.) No, I'm informed, with Betrams. So far so good, I'm prepared to do all that. The problem starts when I hear that I wouldn't be able to be a sturvey (that's an uppity coloured), which I was gunning for of course. I don't want to be a gangster from the Badlands! But my colleague is firm on this, I couldn't be a sturvey because apparently, I "rafel uit too much". At this point I'm beginning to get despondent. Then I hear that, as a coloured, I wouldn't be able to take my gatsby home and eat it with a knife and fork in front of the telly. No, it must be eaten on top of the bonnet of your car. Also, this has to happen late at night when you come back from a night at the Galaxy club. This is another problem - I'm not a clubber, after all, I'm virtually in an old-age home, being over thirty. How big are your mags? Then it gets more complicated - I'm asked how big the mags are on my car, what kind of music I listen to and whether I'd be prepared to undergo an intensive language course. Because, yes, for those of you who thought coloured people speak Afrikaans and English, think again. If you are really coloured you will know that anyone asking you "waar brand dit" is not referring to a fire in the neighbourhood, but is asking you where "it's happening" or the party is going on. I couldn't help wondering if the Chinese community in SA would be feeling the same sort of despair I was. In the past week, a Pretoria court ruled that they should from now on be classified as coloured and be included in the definition of "black people" in laws, including black economic empowerment legislation, which has been established to help previously disadvantaged groups. Following this groundbreaking ruling, the Labour Minister made some strange comments in the media, saying that he was now expecting Chinese people to behave more like black people (seeing as how they are now coloured people, I assume he meant - behave like coloured people.) I'm not sure if he thought they should start eating gatsbys and going to the Galaxy club. He also said they should start assimilating the coloured culture by learning a local language, which put in my mind some Chinese people driving up to an Asian noodle bar in a car with huge, shiny mags and asking the fella behind the counter, "Hoezit my bra, ek't lis vir 'n dite".* *Translation. Dite (pronounced like "date" with an i refers to being hungry and wanting some grub, mostly though, it refers to - you guessed it - a gatsby." (** Oh, before you type me the hate mail, I know not ALL coloured people drink Betram's and eat gatsbys or go to the Galaxy. Only the cool ones, of course...) Send your comments to Andrea. Disclaimer: News24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24. News24 editors reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received. Comments Former Cape Coloured - 2008-06-30 15:13 So all the bruinmense in Worcester, PE, Noord-Kaap, George, Beaufort West, East London, Plett, etc don't count as coloured? Tell your narrow-minded TIK-brain friends to travel and see the world, and along the way to get an education. If they stare at you blankly, just tell them: "Djy moet wys raak". Smile back in a friendly manner but don't encourage further engagement. Boetie Buck - 2008-06-30 15:13 Nay Nay jtulle klippies brand a man se keel. LOL :) dis viceroy met water. Betrams is virrie sturvies. En die Space het geruk. Boetie Buck Monique - 2008-06-30 15:20 Geez dude chill with the whole "I'm educated" schpiel. You're embarrassing yourself. Degree, degree, whiskey but you can't spell to save your life. I'm coloured and also have a degree. Difference is, my english are very good hahahaha. Why is it so important for sturvy coloureds to "other" themselves from the bertrams-drinking, gatsby-eating, slang-spewing lot? In doing so you imply that they are less than you. And in that you prove them to be already better. Poepol - 2008-06-30 15:20 Looking at some of these comments I have no more doubt that there is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow nation. We are so sensitive and self-centered we cannot see the funny in anything. Kolobe, please find another hobby. duidelik - 2008-06-30 15:21 Cape coloured now staying in Durban for the past four years.This article diffently took me back to home to Gatsby and Bertys not forgetting the Gala as we use to call it. Coloured people in Durban are secluded to Wentworth i hardly get to see them much in the city...dont know why Marcy - 2008-06-30 15:24 Your article is light hearted and should be interpeted as such. Please people, stop pulling out the race card every time someone says something you don't like. PS... I do believe it should be Red Heart Rum & Coke, not so? Ladnar - 2008-06-30 15:26 The whole race classification thing is crazy, man! Although in order to get BBBEE clearance it is very important to get this right. And all the comment posters (or should I say posers) with their negative comment - Get a gatsby en coke, en chill. jack - 2008-06-30 15:32 Hey Kolobe, In every column you deign to say something, it's always complaining. Do you have anything nice to say? Do you perhaps have a contribution to make? Well, if the answer to either question is yes, don't be shy - make a positive contribution or put a sock in it! Skapie - 2008-06-30 15:33 nice humour well written!! You forgot one thing we wash that gatsby down with frulatie or Double O. This suites my pallet. And that proud coloured with his accounting degree that drinks whiskey that tell him my Nike takkies cost more than his education. Dee - 2008-06-30 15:34 This is to Colin, I'm also an educated coloured but that doesn't mean that I've lost my sense of Humour. Andrea is writing about stereotypes, which if you didn't know doesn't apply to every single coloured! So no need to take offence! Dale - 2008-06-30 15:36 It's awesome to see, from a South African, living abroad that we can still have a laugh at ourselves. (well some of us of course). I would think that if we as the youth, 18-30's can have a laugh at each other, in reason, surely you guys could too? nicky - 2008-06-30 15:40 Small things amuse small minds and you 2 are at the top of the line when it comes to stereotyping your own. Sies!!!!!!! Don't call me names cause I don't do what you do.... CPT - 2008-06-30 15:42 I went to primary school in the 80's, Afrikaans with fair skin, blue eyes and light hair. Shape of my eyes looks Oriental and some of the kids used to tease me and ask if my father was a Chinese? Even the Grade 1 teacher contacted my mother to ask if my father was an Asian. As a 7 year old I had first hand experience of how racist people can be and I always felt like a outcast among my "own people". Education starts at home, parents should be a role model for their children.... cL - 2008-06-30 15:43 I must say, people have lost their sense of humour, i reaLLy enjoyed this piece..very funny, peepLe must wake up and LOL a bit...One thing that this article has proven is that we dont stand together. Look at the remarks you are making to each other, does this describe unity to you? Proudly Coloured - 2008-06-30 15:43 Well it must be said, we are the best looking people on the planet, best looking guys and great looking honey's. Most people are to scared or ashamed to say this...BUT THIS IS A FACT!! Al - 2008-06-30 15:51 YOU'RE COLOURED!!! What up with half and half ? We all half and half..PLZEE Coloured..Yes the coloured from Joburg are Fakes.LOL ...byebye Coloured mp3's mentor - 2008-06-30 15:53 judging from your spelling i'd say your degree isnt worth the paper its printed on "my bra"... SQ - 2008-06-30 15:54 Clearly the people complaining that this is racist are the sturvy 'kullits' or the non-coloureds - lol. Just because we love gatsbies and use our own slang, doesn't mean we're barbaric. A lot of us can relate and for goodness sake, with all the depressing news we have to read every day and see on the news, articles like this are a good laugh. And for the record I'm a Cape coloured living in Jozi now - the thing I miss most is coloured people. Cape Town Coloured - 2008-06-30 15:54 I fully agree with Franman, we dont stick together. I too have the degree and moved out of the hood a long time ago but like it or not - a large majority of our people DO eat still gatsbys and drink Berties... trust me, there is nothing better than a gatsby from Dish after a big night out(that was last Saturday night - IN 2008). Our slang English/Afrikaans combo is colourful and I am not offended by the article at all. Would it have been different if the article was written by a coloured person? vanniekaap - 2008-06-30 15:55 We be more than the Sister on the wireless tirelessly feeding perceptions deceiving herself that she be representing the mindset of us. We be more. We be more than the slaves, jiving to the rhythm of the tik, tik, tik, fogging our minds as it dims the instruments of illumination casting darker shadows in the recesses of our castles hiding my blood that sits in the chair downing his Castle confining his dreams within the golden bricks of his mind. We be more. We be more than the toothless ones enriching the tooth fairies and the goldsmiths enslaving us with ideas of climatic passion of our toothless smiles. We be more. We be more than the merchants and charlatans of impossible dreams riding the intoxicating perfumes of the white-pipe offered at the altars of the self-proclaimed high priest and priestesses. We be more We be more than the rainbow-coloured-sun-umbrella swirling masses with their technicolour costumes dancing the dance of the oft forgotten forebearers immersed in the strings of the banjo and calling of the goema drums. Singing Hie ko die Alabama! We be more. We be more than the places where we rest our tired bodies crammed in like sardines eking out an existence educating our young to be more. We be nurturers of young minds defenders of the law gazers of the stars explorers of the worlds creators of governments masters of letters and numbers. We are more. Roger - 2008-06-30 15:56 All coloureds are different. Don't stereotype. Not all coloureds drink and talk kombuis Afrikaans or are gangsters. This article might be funny but it is racism in disguise. Ferril - 2008-06-30 15:57 Ayeyaaaaa... You know my website has gotten flack for being too coloured!! What is being coloured? I think the author of this article got the basic, but then also mentions the complexities of being a coloured! And there are so many people that would love to discuss this topic further, so should you wish to... don't hesitate to go to www.kakduidelik.co.za and praat julle in julle ma jits van kullid wies! LOL!!! Nunzio - 2008-06-30 16:00 Good article I must say. Remembered the days we used to go to Goodhope centre for the Cape malay choir fest. then go down to the Grand Parade for a lekker gatsby and Fiesta juice. Dredger - 2008-06-30 16:01 Very funny,a good read after all the other depressing news around. We know its just stereotypes on the coloured community,but all races have stereotypes which get used for humour. Ferril - 2008-06-30 16:02 Exactly... I agree with Ekke!! Its not to degrade anyone. The article, and many more people like to reminisce about the good old days. Never to forget where they come from! Good grief, and what makes coloureds 'kwaai' in my opinion... is the fact that they are people who think for themselves and BETTER themselves not forgetting where they come from! Respek n disiplinne! Puffy - 2008-06-30 16:03 We the only country in the world where there are blacks, coloureds. Everywhere there are only two groups you either black, asian, caucasion or latin. I hate this term coloured. It make people think like in the past that they are better than a certain race. tauzty - 2008-06-30 16:16 I'm pne proud coloured not blck but coloured lekker article bra... You forgot to mention the car's soos die Toys Opel bins aka datsuns nissans and die res... soe Next time stiek uit by us and we'll gooi you some moves . Kevin - 2008-06-30 16:20 No wonder South Africa is stuffed. All those who took this article seriously and thought that "coloured" people in general are being stereotyped, have had a sense of humour failure. You are not as important as you think you are and if your sensitivities have been offended, then all I can say is.. shame, you poor, serious, sanctimonius, boring as hell, filled with self-importance plonkers much like the accountant fellow who drinks whiskey (I rest my case). bogi - 2008-06-30 16:23 I'm a 27yr old coloured male from Corrie. I'm educated, successful and a home owner in a 'white area'. Most of my coloured friends are in the same position. But, I love my coloured people. I loved my childhood. Walking home from s'gal, visiting the meddies, oupa specials, rum dashed with coke and a china fruit... I could go on! Weather it's Athlone, Eldo's, Eersterust or Die Kas, keep on keeping on, my bruino's. Oh, before I forget, you cannot touch the beauty of a coloured sister. HOLA HOSH!!! Lemming - 2008-06-30 16:24 Loved the article Andrea. Sounds like you have a great sense of humour. Coupled with your "fairly dark skin", you're probably my type. Are you busy Friday night? The fisherman - 2008-06-30 16:25 What the hell is wrong with people? Half of you are a bunch of sensitive ar*e wipes with no sense of humour. I don't cry when I get called "soutie" or "rooinek" or whitey etc. I laugh along and respond accordingly. STOP BEING ANAL South Africa. Zola - 2008-06-30 16:27 people this is funny and nice those who say this is racist needs to get a life dont take everything personal pleaseee Jaco - 2008-06-30 16:29 This was a very, very enjoyable piece and I thank you for it. Scanning the comments, it is clear that so many of our citizens are filled with bitterness and nothing else, but please know that anyone with a decent sense of interpretation will know that you intended absolutely no malice or stereotyping, and your affection for the 'gam' lifestyle was also well evident between the lines. High fives, and thanks once again. Tygerburger - 2008-06-30 16:38 They were not white enough in the bad days, however, they are black enough in the new days. Congratulations my Chinese brothers and sisters! kaiser - 2008-06-30 16:38 the only thing i know about coloured they get drunk,fight..swear's break things, stabs sanything that moves Valda - 2008-06-30 16:39 read the article in anticipation that after your sensless steriotypical drivel there would be some positive highlights to being coloured...like our contribution to the struggle, the arts and Cape Towns positive charms in general. Names like Taliep Petersen spring to mind. I dont know about being a "sturvey". In all other races its considered progress to rise above - get an education and speak proper English but no not when you are coloured! U know nothing so "HOU JOU BEK" Hows that for coloured? Mokaobere - 2008-06-30 16:41 I think I appreciate the diversity of S.A. and the passion of humanity. To me personal identity is very important. I am a proudly Mosotho South African, Finish en klaar. I am not gonna be fooled by people who preached about abolishing of the colour. I am always aware what other races' perceptions are on S.A. Africans. So I won't turn a blind eye on that... kam - 2008-06-30 16:42 Butbutbut now I wanna be a coloured from Cpt :( nWo - 2008-06-30 16:43 Comeon get a sense of humour and stop being so tight arsed out everything... Q80 - 2008-06-30 16:50 Now pay attention, this is how you spell: educated, coloured,neighbourhood, won't. The free lesson ends here. So, here is also the answer to your question: YOU BET we don't believe you! Dom doos. Pensive - 2008-06-30 16:54 Maybe what she meant was: "she was offended that ppl were laughing at her being mistaken for a colored" and not "she was offended at being mistaken for a colored" Why not clarify first before you jump to conclusions? Pensive - 2008-06-30 16:58 Colin, i believe she states at the beginning that her "education" was from her "colored co-workers". Whats with you ppl not reading the entire article. Your like a dog with a bone, you pick on something and cant let go... JR - 2008-06-30 17:13 There is a lot love/hate going on about being a coloured or not,but in all honesty if you have not experienced the culture then you will not and cannot understand the humour in it. Identifying with your culture is as important as breathing, some things are instinctive and this often mistaken as being racist.Black, brown, white or coloured I am proud to be South African. So what if you have not eaten a gatsby or had some klippies and cola.Proudly SA Confused - 2008-06-30 17:16 Amien : What do you prefer to be referred to as regards to racial group then? LMAO - 2008-06-30 17:22 The best thing about this article and the reason why so many people seem offended by it, is that it in so many aspects so true. If you cannot laugh at this then it proves that you are not from Cape Town or just don't get Cape Town. Here in the Cape we can laugh at ourselves. And if I may be blunt without the people being described in this article Cape Town will stop existing, next you will start shouting that the klopse on new years is racist. Dubai Expat - 2008-06-30 17:23 What a lekker article. I'm not from CT but did the Gal and Gatsby and ooh so many Bertrams. So the article brought about a chuckle and fond memories of a funfilled youth as a coloured laaitie. so far from home it's great to have a laugh at who we really are, even if now we drink Blue Label and wear Armani - dont forget your roots and stop being so damn touchy... Fast Dave - 2008-06-30 17:27 I can't believe the okes beetching and moaning here... This is quite a funny article (although I've seen funnier). Come now, chill out, have a laugh. Stereotypful jokes can very funny. If you don't see the funny side of this, you can't be a true South African... GailC - 2008-06-30 18:24 As one of the educated coloured poets of our country would say, Christopher van Wyk, we can learn to laugh at each other. I was born in Zambia in the same year of apartheid creation and I want to get to know the people I wasn't permitted to know then and yes I have been into a township or two or three. People need people, race should be unimportant, that's what we voted for. We're all one blood when we are cut. I have friends of varying colours. GailC - 2008-06-30 18:31 like crazy, retard, racist. I walked past a display in a big bookstore not so long ago and got sick to my stomach for the people who were so discriminated against because of colour and hair. Can you believe it was a bench with "Whites Only"? What poor and offensive taste they showed using that as their centrepiece even if it was to do with 16 June and SA week. Rodders - 2008-06-30 18:50 Couldn't agree more, our coloured honeys are some of the best - but that's what I like best about our Rainbow nation: we've got gorgeous chocolate babes, lovely coloured honeys, stunning Indian chicks, and that's before I even get on to the Asian and pale-skinned ladies that live here... ...Damn, but it's good to live in SA!!! pages: 1234

[comicteaparty]

February 14th, 2019 CTP Archive

The archive for the Comic Tea Party chat that occurred on February 14th, 2019, from 5PM - 7PM PST.  The chat focused on Earth in a Pocket by Jabbage.

Featured Comment:

Chat:

RebelVampire

COMIC TEA PARTY- THURSDAY BOOK CLUB START!

Good evening, everyone~! This week’s Thursday Book Club is officially beginning! Today we are discussing Earth in a Pocket by Jabbage~! (http://earthinapocket.spiderforest.com/)

Remember that Thursday discussions are completely freeform! However, every 30 minutes I will drop in OPTIONAL discussion questions in case you’d like a bit of a prompt. If you miss out on one of these prompts, you can find them pinned for the chat’s duration. Additionally, remember that while constructive criticism is allowed, our focus is fun and respectfully appreciating the comic. All that said, let’s begin!

QUESTION 1. What is your favorite scene in the comic so far and why?

perhaps not a full scene, but im really fond of this page in general http://earthinapocket.spiderforest.com/comic/2019/01/22 where the socio economic development stuff is broken down. theres just something so elegantly simple about how its shown. not to mention i appreciate the injection of humor, because i think it makes everything really grounded.

Delphina

The badger page is perennially endearing (http://earthinapocket.spiderforest.com/comic/2018/08/11), but I also like the most recent one where Little One is encouraging Halisi to be proactive and set up some long-term solutions for herself: http://earthinapocket.spiderforest.com/comic/2019/02/05

RebelVampire

im really curious why she thought of badgers at all. unless she had the badgers badgers mushroom song stuck in her head. XD

Delphina

@Jabbage please make that canon

Jabbage

makes it so

(Hi! I'm going to be here for a little while! :D)

RebelVampire

thanks for coming, Jabbage!

Jabbage

I figure that if you're on a road trip with a small child who is prone to ask a billion questions, eventually you're going to end up talking about badgers

Delphina

I just really appreciate how even after all she's been through, Halisi still has so much love and passion for her studies, and it's what she reaches to when she's looking for ways to console Little One and solutions for herself.

Kabocha

Hmmm, my favorite scene probably was the Witch bottle explanation http://earthinapocket.spiderforest.com/comic/2018/08/15 It was a good bit of information I hadn't really been aware of :D I also just... enjoy her interactions with the little jellyfish - even though she's in a bad spot, she's still taking time to tell him stories.

RebelVampire

i like the element of logic there is to it too. like she's not panicking, but using what she loves to calm herself down in a way. and i think thats a really great showcase of her character without needing to be told shes like that.

its a characterization via the action versus the telling

mathtans

Here for now, the little one seems extra fussy tonight. Yes, I call my baby daughter the little one. So comic was a bit surreal.

RebelVampire

hi math!

at least your little one isnt old enough to ask yet "are we there yet?"

Kabocha

Right? I mean, she could have just given in, accepted that she might die here... But nah. And she's still kind, even though this entire situation is awful

mathtans

The Witch bottle thing reminds me, I liked the way the art moved through the centuries on that one page, but with people who looked kinda similar. I thought that was clever.

True. Little one could save us some time by specifying what her issues are though. ^.^

RebelVampire

ironically though another of my favorite scenes is the one where halisi sets up the signal and kind of ditches her new jellyfish child to just go despairingly collapse in front of it. i like this brief moment of her giving into despair cause theres something really raw about it. like at first she doesnt say anything even, and i think it makes it really powerful because the silence just adds this immense weight to the sorrow. you know shes super suffering for that moment and feeling the weight of everything finally hit her.

Delphina

Yeah, the comic does a good job of showing a lot of conflicting emotions(edited)

mathtans

Yeah, honestly the very opening was a heck of a kick in the pants. Like, I have no idea what I'd do in that sort of situation. It's very problematic.

RebelVampire

yeah theres def a lot of stressful situations. but i kind of appreciate the lighter moments. like her trying to start a fire but ultimately failing. i mean its kind of scary and sad for her survival, but the way its handled is still pretty funny

also that moment where shes trying to fix the machine at the beginning and it just flat out basically bursts into flames XD

Jabbage

I'm pleased to hear that! I'm always aware that it could be quite a bleak story, but I want it to ultimately feel hopeful and positive, so the silly moments are important for that!

kayotics

I also liked the badger scene, but I think the scene that had the most prominence for me is when she finds out that someone else landed on the planet 80 years ago

i think that scene really set in how dire her situation is

khkddn

the portrayal of emotions really is great. it's really interesting to see someone going through such a crisis and only surrounded by beings who can't relate at all

Delphina

Oh god yeah, and the aliens just going "Something happened to the human we don't know what cause death isn't a thing that happens here???" was scary.

kayotics

"it's hibernating!"

G (Title Unrelated)

I felt something in the scene right after where they tell her dad "we haven't heard from her yet"

Delphina

collective tentacle shrug

kayotics

yeah i really feel for her dad

this isn't a scene, but I appreciate that all of the characters are middle-aged or older

RebelVampire

agreed. but i appreciated the realism of the ppl on the other line being like "meh its probably fine my dude" to the dad. cause that really uses reader knowledge to an advantage to create sympathy for him. because we know its not fine, and that he is right to worry. and that makes it sad hes the only one worried in that moment.

G (Title Unrelated)

Yes I agree

kayotics

Also agreed. It's a good example of dramatic irony

RebelVampire

although i like the most recent page with the followup where hes basically enlisted an army of students to find her. abuse of power, probably. but makes him the sweetest dad? yes.

QUESTION 2. Much of the comic revolves around Halisi telling stories based on things in her pocket. Which of Halisi’s stories impacted you the most and/or taught you something new? What do you think is to be gained from Halisi telling these stories to an alien race with no real connection to humanity? How do you believe the stories and knowledge she has might help contextualize her current situation for her? What, to you, does it mean to have “Earth in a Pocket?” Further, if you were in Halisi’s position, what objects would you pick in 10 seconds to represent the sum of human existence? Lastly, what other cultural or past history aspects do you think Halisi might bring up? How might they be contextualized to add a new viewpoint to Halisi’s situation?

Delphina

I liked the Dancing Plague story a lot http://earthinapocket.spiderforest.com/comic/2018/08/06

RebelVampire

this is the point where i say the witch bottle scene. I think it was beautifully illustrated, and as a story it was not a cultural thing i was aware of. but i like how suitable and unsuitable it was for the situation. but overall it just made me think about humans are weird and can make fear out of nothing at all if the minds decide it to be so.

unless the plot twist is there really was a witch in that bottle

ive always found the dancing plague fascinating because again, humans be weird. minds play tricks.

khkddn

the witch bottle scene is kind of like a story about the power of storytelling, pretty fitting i think

the idea of a witch meant so much to people, like how halisi's stories mean so much to the jellies

G (Title Unrelated)

so she's got a single seed, too, which is also super symbolic

kayotics

I really like the agriculture story, because, like it was mentioned before, it was very concise, but also it shows a lot about Halsi's personality and what she thinks is important about understanding humans on a basic level

mathtans

Back. Know what you can't do when you have a little one? Have a life sometimes. >.<(edited)

G (Title Unrelated)

I wonder what kind of seed it is

RebelVampire

oh man what if the seed wasnt even food. like she winds up growing a rose bush or something XD

mathtans

I was going to say, one of my fave moments was actually comedy, when Halisi first goes off with the inhabitants, thinking about ditching them, and they're all "we can see the thoughts".

RebelVampire

i appreciate the jellyfish didnt just ditch her at that point. cause i would not be as forgiving as them XD

mathtans

And yeah, the hope and sudden crash of the human who was there before was powerful too.

Delphina

I hope it's like... a nice fruit tree. She seems like she could use a nice fruit tree.

mathtans

The framing of the witch bottle scene was cool too. With the whole "not helping me be less afraid" thing (and asking for that term).

kayotics

i just really like the little jellyfish aliens, because they're written in a way that's much less human-centric. I like aliens that are just kind of weird for being weird and don't follow human conventions.

mathtans

Though props for the "pot-reon" in the agriculture bit too.

RebelVampire

yeah im really appreciating the jellyfish for that reason. theyre a nice blend between humanistic traits while still being super alien. its always nice to see when theres kind of a basic gap of understanding where the way each species thinks is quite different

anyway, for me personally though, while she does literally have some of earth in her pocket, i think earth is more about the stories that have traveled with her. because oral traditions reach immensely far back and is the main platform by which we teach and learn about ourselves as a species. so imo they are more representative of humanity than the objects. thus how she can fit earth in a pocket, even though she doesnt need the pocket.(edited)

G (Title Unrelated)

Yeah, I think you nailed it!

mathtans

Also, random question/thought. Halisi didn't have to dig too deep to get "well" water (I liked that one too)... yet was able to bury a guy? The water must be specific to locations or something?

Agreed on the alien-ness people have been speaking about.

G (Title Unrelated)

I mean it's an alien planet

mathtans

Good point about the traditions, Rebel. She's her own pocket.

It helps that she mostly just has to think things rather than even speak them aloud too.

Jabbage

AHAHA yeah, I realised that after drawing it. It's on a list of things i might tweak one day, although I do also like the idea that it is just an alien planet and it's strange and unpredictable like that. So much of our own planet would seem strange and random if we didn't understand a little bit about it's geology, the water cycle etc.

kayotics

on that note i like the idea of halsi going around trying to find ground that doesn't immediately fill up with well water

"okay let's try this spot. Hm, nope, that filled up. can't bury him here"

G (Title Unrelated)

haha!

RebelVampire

yeah it didnt particularly stick out to me just cause i wrote it off as like a change in elevation or something like that. but basically alien planet does alien things XD

mathtans

Fair point.

Could just drag dirt over from another place too, though I guess it would be raised more then.

kayotics

I think if it needs to be tweaked in the future, Jabbage, you could always just change it to a mound rather than a hole. same concept but it avoids going below the dirt

mathtans

Fixes the w"hole" thing.

G (Title Unrelated)

also digging a hole IS hard work

Jabbage

Yeah, or using rocks

kayotics

digging is a lot of work

mathtans

Also whistling while you use rocks, to get rock music.

I'll stop.

kayotics

if she plants that seed she may have to make a mound for that too, it would probably get too waterlogged otherwise

mathtans

I wonder if the soil has the right nutrients.

RebelVampire

yeah i was thinking that too

that her next challenge is finding a not well spot for that seed

cause unless its a crop that specifically needs to be waterlogged, shes gonna have a bad time

mathtans

The jellyfish said the mushrooms could talk, right? Maybe they know a place.

Does rice have seeds?

G (Title Unrelated)

I think if the planet has breathable air it might have a similar balance of elements and whatnot to earth?

kayotics

i think most rice is planted from splitting an existing plant, but i'm sure there's a seed that starts it all

Delphina

What do the jelly aliens taste like

kayotics

DELPHIE NO

Delphina

MAYBE THEY GROW BACK OR SOMETHING

Jabbage

Whether or not the mushrooms can talk is a fun thing that's not really ever going to get expanded on, but which I had in mind for how the jellies work. I figure that they don't have many ways of getting external sensory information about the world - no eyes, ears, sense of smell etc. They are psychic though, they share thoughts and ideas and information about the world. I figure that the mushrooms have some kind of consciousness and run through the planet, and the jellies can draw from that somehow to orientate themselves and know what's going on

G (Title Unrelated)

that's what I kinda assumed!

I mean, that is basically how forests work on earth. XD

RebelVampire

so basically the mushrooms can function as gps

Jabbage

@Delphina ~ I mean I'm sure Big One has some spare limbs... ~(edited)

mathtans

Oh, wow. Cannibalism-like issue didn't occur to me.

Jabbage

Me neither honestly

mathtans

I think the jelly was a bit broken and said she'd regenerate over time...?

RebelVampire

QUESTION 3. Story wise, the comic deals with Halisi crash landing on an alien planet and all but being stranded. Do you believe Halisi will learn to farm with the little she managed to salvage and find a way to survive? What obstacles might prevent such an excursion on the planet? How will Halisi deal with the obstacles? Further, how do you think Halisi will deal with managing her mysterious illness, and what is she sick with for that matter? How might her actions be hindered or helped by the native alien life? In what ways do you think her actions will change how the alien life lives their own lives? Finally, do you believe that Halisi will be rescued at some point? If so, how will this come about?

mathtans

I like the mushroom consciousness idea.

RebelVampire

i do think the jelly child said as such.

G (Title Unrelated)

Q3: These are... all questions I have, myself. XD

mathtans

That illness thing is probably the immediate concern. Withdrawal itself is an issue, whether the pills were life saving or not

G (Title Unrelated)

I was wondering if they were antidepressants or something

RebelVampire

yeah for all the optimism in this plan, the pills are gonna be problematic. but i did wonder if they were antidepressants

khkddn

the flashback scene after she takes her last pill makes it seem to me like she was waiting for medical test results

kayotics

it's also a future time, so it could be a pill that prevents a life threatening disease from spreading.

mathtans

That's a good thought. The whole not accomplishing anything in her life is pretty bleak. Maybe that's a symptom.

G (Title Unrelated)

oh I didn't realize that scene was about her somehow

kayotics

my hope is that she's rescued well before she even needs to worry about this single plant producing any viable food options, since even if the plant grows, it's not likely going to sustain her

G (Title Unrelated)

yeah exactly

RebelVampire

not to mention depending on what plant it is it could take forever to grow. plant growth really varies a lot from crop to crop

kayotics

as for the pills, it seems like her illness has a vague timeline. Like a degenerative disease or something cancerous.

G (Title Unrelated)

P.s., I want some rainbow space maize.

RebelVampire

yes i second this

rainbow space maize for everyone

mathtans

It's a maize-ing.

khkddn

a few pages after she takes the pill she wonders "why are red pills better stimulants" and the pill she took was red. but then again if it were antidepressants i would expect a flashback that looked more like a therapists office than a doctor with results

Jabbage

Oh gosh I don't want to interrupt all the amazing discussion about Halisi's mysterious malady but I was so pleased to find out that there's actually multicoloured corn like that

I thought I made it up for a gag but it's reaaaaaal

kayotics

i have the link, if you'd like it

khkddn

oh i love the corn page

kayotics

https://www.sciencealert.com/this-rainbow-corn-is-the-coolest-way-to-eat-your-veggies (rainbow corn)

mathtans

It wasn't too corny.

kayotics

Honestly? corn, rice, and wheat would all be things I'd say should be brought to an earth colony.

G (Title Unrelated)

yeassssst. XD

unless there's naturally occurring yeast.

Man, we don't even know what it would be like to visit another living planet

RebelVampire

if we have rainbow corn, clearly were meant to go into space right now.

thats a good catch with the red pill, @khkddn

i actually hadnt paid attention to the pill color

mathtans

As to the question of Halisi being rescued, I foresee two possible outcomes. First, that she's found still alive, and she's learned enough about the planet natives to further space research or something, or second, that she's found dead, but the natives were so taken by her stories that her name will live on forever in the history books of first contact.

G (Title Unrelated)

I didn't associate the pill color musing with her situation but maybe it IS related!

RebelVampire

though i leave it open shes on some sort of mental health related medicine, i do feel its more likely its a degenrative disease of some sort. cause it makes her wanting to go to space make more sense. cause i feel its one of those things where youd be more willing to do it if you knew that you had a shorter time than most to live

math no, that second one is too dark

XD

although not implausible

khkddn

if halisi is not reunited with her dad at some point i'll be so sad

or at least they speak to each other

Delphina

Yeah, I'm just gonna say I don't think Halisi's gonna make it back to Earth. I think we're probably looking at a "she finds peace and purpose with the remaining time she has" situation.

RebelVampire

im gonna believe in the rescue efforts cause her dad seems to be a determined dude. and tbf they probably know her flight path so unless she was super duper off course they can probably guess a reasonable area she might be.

mathtans

I don't know that it's necessarily dark... it's kind of a happy end, just not for Halisi.

Also, maybe the pills help her speak. But that's a thing she won't need with the jellys.

I do think that receiving a message from an 80 year old spacecraft is probably something worth investigating.

RebelVampire

thatd be mighty convenient. tho in some au shed get so used to the psychic stuff shed go back to live among humans and be like "oh shit thats right they cant just see my mind pictures"

mathtans

That's an interesting point, about readapating to civilization.

Crazy theory time: Eating the mushrooms constantly ends up turning her into a jelly-creature. When the humans arrive, they won't recognize her.

RebelVampire

i do think shell have some affect on the jellies though. cause i think at the very least shes gonna teach them the important of oral traditions and theyll start telling their own stories and collectively grow as a species. i think shes really setting the jellies on the path for this.

LOL

i was thinking earlier about what if the mushrooms are semi psychic cause thats what happens to the jellies when they die

they dont die and just come back as the mushrooms

mathtans

Ooooh, that'd be an interesting twist.

Like maybe Halisi gains some psychic powers too.

(Though we may have ended up back at cannibalism...)

G (Title Unrelated)

not to shoot down anyone's fun speculation, but it doesn't seem like that kind of story, tbh. XD

kayotics

haha

we don't even know if the jellies can die i mean, I'd think they would, since they apparently come into existence somehow

mathtans

Also they haven't overrun the world.

kayotics

maybe theyre very slow at growing

or they just become the water

G (Title Unrelated)

slow-growing seems very likely

mathtans

I figure before they die they just kind of stop transmitting. Maybe run off somewhere. So no one is aware.

(Maybe they're like lemmings?)

G (Title Unrelated)

(that is not how lemmings work, sorry. XD)

mathtans

(I would worry if lemmings could read my thoughts.)

G (Title Unrelated)

(the suicidal lemmings myth was created by disney)

mathtans

shakes fist at mouse

G (Title Unrelated)

(or did you mean something else lol)

mathtans

I free associate. I mean what you want me to mean.

RebelVampire

yeah ive been wondering if the jellies are immortal. although ya know what, we have immortal jellyfish on earth so thats not that ridiculous to imagine.

kayotics

man, jellyfish are messed up

mathtans

There can be only one! hands out swords

kayotics

i can only imagine that the Jellies in earth in a pocket feel the same too. I was able to touch the bell of a couple at an aquarium once and man, that was a weird feeling

G (Title Unrelated)

I've been watching PBS Eons on youtube, I wonder if they've done one about the origins of cnidarians yet...

RebelVampire

honestly im putting money on immortal just cause they didnt even know what death was. unless they do die and just dont understand the hibernating jellies are never coming back

QUESTION 4. One topic resounding throughout the comic is humanity connecting to the past while also embracing the future and expanding. In what ways do you think reconnecting with humanity’s origins have changed Halisi on a personal level? How might they continue to change her? Why do you think Halisi so strongly believes in bringing the past to humans as humanity expands into space? In what ways do you think she’ll think it will help humanity as a whole? How might Halisi’s experiences on this new alien planet change the way she thinks about humanity’s past? How might it change how she conveys humanity’s past to other humans? Overall, what do you believe the story has to show us in regards to balancing the past, the future, and why both are needed?

G (Title Unrelated)

immortal jellies make for a good contrast to Halisi's fears of her own mortality

mathtans

They can be injured though, like the one who had a thing fall on it. It'd suck to be immortal that way.

RebelVampire

that is true. and contrasts like that are good.

Jabbage

(imma point out, Little One also notes that they're going to get better one day, although Halisi is a bit incredulous about that)

mathtans

The connecting to the past thing makes me think of that society. Which didn't seem to have a lot of members. Also, it took them, what, ten years to decide on things? (I was amused by "say that to my face" because, um, I think that's what the person is doing.)

Delphina

Totally saying, if I had a bunch of tentacle arms that would grow back and my weird human buddy was dying, I'd let her eat a couple to survive.

G (Title Unrelated)

I assume their tentacles don't have stingers. XD

RebelVampire

for me itd depend on how fast theyd grow back. cause if i had to spend like 500 years waiting for tentacle arms to grow back, that doesnt sound pleasant

mathtans

If so, they must have turned the stingers off to crawl around on her.

RebelVampire

they probably wouldnt have stingers cause their planet seems peaceful. like none of the jellies are like "oh no predators who will destroy us" so theres no need for their evolutionary track to lead to stingers in so far as i can see

kayotics

in response to the question: There's a lot of parallels to humans expanding to other planets and our own planet's history of colonization. There's a lot of cultural pain that comes with leaving your home and leaving your country (whether by force or by choice), and reconnecting to that cultural heritage is something that decedents often go through to feel like they belong in the world. I can see that being a driving point for delivering some of these artifacts to other planets.

G (Title Unrelated)

IRL Jellies mostly use their stings for catching prey?(edited)

Delphina

Do we even know if they feel pain?

mathtans

Wait, do they eat?

khkddn

they seem to have difficulty understanding when a human is unhappy or feels pain

kayotics

they might not need to eat in the same way

they might just kind of absorb what they need

Jabbage

I'm not sure it's going to come up specifically, but I think they probably dont' feel pain like we feel it? Just because i don't think they have the same sensory capabilities. Little One is frustrated that they can't move around as fast as the others, but I don't think they're in pain as such

G (Title Unrelated)

yeah. I was thinking about the Question and I think... it's interesting how it's framed as this thing where they've decided the colonists NEED this, but like, they can't agree on what's actually important

mathtans

Maybe Halisi will make a tiny scooter for Little One.

G (Title Unrelated)

I think it's the stories, not the objects, that are important.

And like... All stories are important???

RebelVampire

i think that is true, that all stories are important. cause stories are subjective and whats personally important to one person isnt important to someone else

kayotics

i think a few cultural trinkets to go with the stories can help, like... like I remember being a kid and my family having a christmas wooden carousel from germany or something, which is where my family emigrated from, so it was like "oh that's my people" I think having something to connect to some of the stories is important.

RebelVampire

thus why its worth preserving them all and no agreeance is needed really. because any single story can have an affect on someone

Jabbage

@kayotics I really like your point about our history of colonization, and it's something that I've tried to be careful with and approach thoughtfully, because I think that IS a driving factor in Halisi wanting to share people's cultural heritage with them. One of the things that sparked this story is thinkign about how current issues with repatriating cultural objects and deciding who has control over them would translate into a world where we don't even all live on the same planet any more

Delphina

The beginning showed that humanity has VR technology to "experience Earth", but it's several very comfortable degrees apart. I like that normally, being so advanced would make the hardships of the very distant past feel less real (just vaguely amusing/educational) But having Halisi have to figure out how humans lived and survived kind of brings that back and grounds her in a way that establishing Cookie Cutter Terraform Colony Number 14792 wouldn't.(edited)

So in that sense, the physicality of it is important

RebelVampire

i do think @kayotics has a point. especially in this story because of that vr scene where they were touring the roman thing. cause its not like they dont already have stories and ways to view historical things. and the actual objects can really tie that together. but i also think the stories are just as important via the scene where theyre shown to be able to print 3d objects. in essence the object means nothing without the story, but the story is made more powerful by the object. its a symbiotic relationship in a way.

kayotics

I'm glad it's something you've thought about!

I can't help but think about how colonization has affected the planets that the humans have landed on, and how it'll effect the planet that Halisi has landed on as well, no matter how small.

G (Title Unrelated)

I was thinking about that, too!

mathtans

Maybe she'll want it purged from the records to preserve it. And since Dad was just using grad students, he can oblige.

Jabbage

I thought long and hard about what race to make my astronaut because when they were a random white academic, the whole thing had a very different feel. Landing on some planet and educating the rather silly native denizens. I also wanted someone who grew up around the earliest archaeology created by anatomically modern humans so it made sense to make her black and from South Africa anyway

but then I'm white and British and so... yeah, I've basically had a lot to think about and juggle on that one

mathtans

Jabbage: Well, damn. I hadn't considered that, but you make a good point.

At least she's not building churches and asking the jellys to worship.

Incidentally, speaking of growing up, I liked the flashback image with her and dad looking youthful.(edited)

RebelVampire

im interested in the idea of who has control over the cultural objects we deem important, especially in regards to technology. because the comic touched on it a bit with the 3d printing and it really starts getting into the ship of Theseus issues of identity for those objects

mathtans

"Fax me your statue. No, I'm not paying you for it, I'll display it on Planet X for the Xposure."

Jabbage

And is seeing a reproduction ever 'the same?;

Even if it's identical in every way?

mathtans

Probably not, which is why they haven't figured out teleporters.

kayotics

if it's identical in every way i feel like maybe it is the same

but... wait maybe not

mathtans

Just to sum, pretty grand scale for this one, and a powerful beginning. Here's to Halisi and the Jellies.

Sounds like a strange band name.

RebelVampire

see its a really interesting philosophical question to explore. is whether cultural significance relies on the exact object or if we can transfer that as humanity spreads into the stars

mathtans

(I wonder if we'll learn more about jelly civilization.)

G (Title Unrelated)

Also, what stories do we remember or forget...

kayotics

I feel like there's something to be said about the energy that we as humans put into things. Like there's something there in the reverence we give something. like when you see a giant statue that's been prayed to vs a huge statue to commemorate someone, those have different feelings.

RebelVampire

COMIC TEA PARTY- THURSDAY BOOK CLUB END!

Sadly, this wraps up this week’s Thursday Book Club chat for now. Thank you so much to everyone for reading and joining us! We want to give a special thank you to Jabbage, as well, for making Earth in a Pocket. If you liked the comic, make sure to support Jabbage’s efforts however you’re able to~!

Read and Comment: http://earthinapocket.spiderforest.com/

Jabbage’s Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/Y8Y8HEYO

Jabbage’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jabbageart

[comicteaparty]

December 28th, 2017 CTP Archive

The archive for the Comic Tea Party chat that occurred on December 28th, 2017, from 5PM - 7PM PST.  The chat focused on Cosmic Fish by Cosmographia.

Featured Comment:

Chat:

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

Good day everyone~! This week’s Comic Tea Party is now officially beginning. Today we are discussing Cosmic Fish by cosmographia~! (http://cosmicfishes.com/) For those new to CTP, discussions about the comic are freeform, so please feel free to bring up whatever you wish. However, every 30 minutes I will be dropping in a discussion question to help those who would like a prompt. These questions are totally OPTIONAL to answer so pay them no mind if you wish~! Remember, constructive criticism is allowed, but the primary focus here is to have fun and appreciate the amazing comics that the community makes~! Each chat a top comment will be picked and featured on an ad for this chat, so let’s have a great discussion~!

With that said, let us begin with this first question~!

QUESTION 1. What is your favorite scene in the comic so far and why?

for me my favorite scene is the silent interaction between syias and bells while they are fighting ramus. i think so much of the visuals to the moment illustrate their relationship beautifully. it was a moment that really cemented them as my favorite guardians in the story

another scene that im particularly fond of is that one where bells and schnell talk and he tells her to change her strategy. there was something ominously dark about it in a way that felt....realistically practical? cause while i dont trust schnell's intentions, i cant disagree with his practicality in the matter. i mean is he really wrong since insofar, it doesnt seem bells' strategy has been particularly effective

✨Tenor✨

I haven't gotten to read this week but I've seen the art and style and it looks super good so I'm hoping to catch up after my end of the month rush

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

yes you should. cosmic fish is a very well-illustrated comic. and the lore behind it is pretty intense. i think a lot of aspects capture that its its own world

cosmographia

Hello everyone!! So sorry for being a tad late

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

thats okay a lot of the regulars are late/might not come i guess? holidays have been killer i imagine

cosmographia

yeah it's been a busy time for all

but ey I am SO glad that both Syias and Schnell's scenes are really effective! It's really fun to write characters that are morally gray

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

im glad to hear. moral grayness can be a challenge to write for sure.

syias i think is more sympathetic than schnell. schnell is kind of a jerk cause enigmatic reasons. whereas syias is a jerk cause gotta do whats good for the world and then he head pat apologies bells.

i might be biased cause i have a fondness for the guardians XD

for me theyre one of the most interesting parts cause of their roles and how they interact with others

cosmographia

hahahahaha that's definitely fair! they're slowly coming into the picture and become more prominent in this chapter and so forth. (the guardian lore is insaaane and I'm so glad we're finally there hahahaha)

✨Emma the Festive🍠Potato✨

I liked the beginning of chapter 5

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

yes. admittedly from a more critical level ive been liking the later chapters a smidgen more cause its tying things that happened earlier together a lot better. cause the initial chapters while well-written, always kind of felt connected mostly by protagonist. but the later chapters are really making everything seem like threads of the same world since motivations and past events and all that stuff is coming into play

what did you like about it specifically @✨Emma the Festive🍠Potato✨ ?(edited)

cosmographia

yess! I'm really glad to hear that! The first chapters are definitely meant to feel a little looser until all the pieces come into play. And Emma, I'm glad chapter 5 is really clicking with you!

✨Emma the Festive🍠Potato✨

I guess the end of chapter 4 is included in the reason why I like it It's just when we see that Ramus has become huge and stuff, I felt that was really impactful

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

ah yes, thats definitely a good reason. my heart was a little broken from that moment. cause it was like the emobidment of worst case scenario

and after seeing hte flashback

can just imagine how many people are going to be sad and crying O_O

except for schnell. schnell probs just gonna shrug say welp sucks to be ramus

cosmographia

hahahahahah

I think an important thing to keep in mind is that Schnell is...very old and even if he claims to be a guardian he still doesn't have the same concept of time as they do, so he's probably bitter and tired of that by now

there's a comic I haven't uploaded onto the main site yet (since there already was a gone fishing between chapters 5 and 6) that kind of explores Schnell how he was 250 years before the current events

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

oh man that sounds super interesting. especially cause schnell who in my opinion is the most mysterious of all the time.

his weariness definitely comes through though i think

especially through his expressions

where they just always struck me as someone saying "dang kids and their newfangled ways"

cosmographia

HAHAHAHAH

that is not far off honestly

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

lol oh man, i must understand schnell better than i realize then.

✨Emma the Festive🍠Potato✨

Yeah Schnell is cool and interesting, I would like to know more about that guy

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

QUESTION 2. Bells and Schnell are entangled in a complicated “game” that directly correlates to ghosts coming into existence. However, Schnell is enigmatic at best. What is Schnell’s goal with this game, and why does he care about ghosts being saved? Why does Bells even agree to play this game? As the first ghost, how did Schnell come to exist? Does it have anything to do with the game? Lastly, what is this “fish” that Schnell’s mentioned to Bells that would make his job easier?

cosmographia

hahahaha as is with the story, there's going to be a few bits and pieces about Schnell presently, but as for his backstory and past in general, is still going to take a bit to explore (to not lunge the reader with too much information, especially since we're still in the adaluxen arc) 2) Great questions, one second!

- What is Schnell’s goal with this game, and why does he care about ghosts being saved? Schnell originally served under Bells (in the Monster King comic, he's still wearing what is currently called the Guardian uniform) and he assisted Bells in returning ghosts back to where they came from with other characters we may have met but can't say ;D So despite him being tired of what he defines as "Bells' constant failures" and even promoting them (as he says in chapter 4 that he IS to blame with why Acantha wasn't saved), he's trying to use negative reinforcement to get Bells to do [something] I can't say yet but it's definitely related to Schnell's earliest memory he told Acantha in chapter 4. (About the white being that drinks tea) -As the first ghost, how did Schnell come to exist? That is sadly a spoiler for now, but he is definitely telling the truth that he was a ghost and with Bells' and the other guardians misunderstanding of what a ghost was (since they had never seen one before) did lead to how he got his powers. (This will be explored later) -Does it have anything to do with the game? The "game" was invented after Schnell stopped working for the guardians, it's more of a jab as in "if you're not going to take this seriously, let's make it a game then" kind of approach. -Lastly, what is this “fish” that Schnell’s mentioned to Bells that would make his job easier? The fish is actually a cosmic fish, they are actual physical entities but that's all I can say for now hahaha

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

hmm some food for thought for theorizing

cosmographia

hahahah yea no definitely go ahead and share if you have any theories

MathTans the Pun Prince

I made it home! ^.^

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

im actually most surprised by the fact schnell actually helped return ghosts at one point. i personally always thought he was eternally bitter

welcome math~!

cosmographia

hello there! hahahahah

he holds bitterness and resentment for a lot of things since day 1 though, you are not far off it's just things that gradually evolved

MathTans the Pun Prince

Gonna take a second to catch up, but in terms of favourite scene, I actually liked the whole "Toy" side story. It showed the Guardians of the world, showed they weren't omnipotent, showed they were maybe out of touch through no fault of their own, just thought that was very clever.

(Delves into backlog.)

cosmographia

much like Acantha, he was very optimistic but after a while he lost it. So Schnell is semi-meant to represent the bitterness Acantha could eventually develop if she dwells on her failures

ey thanks! but oh man I'm so glad the out of touchness is clear in that!! guardians are definitely out of touch with the world, of all ironies

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

for me the out of touchness perhaps more came about when ramus attacked i think

just cause they didnt pay mind to the ppl around

just were focused on fighting

and syias was like "yeah sure another guardian can show up im sure nobody will freak out"

cosmographia

yea that's definitely important later

even with Bells trying to befriend Acantha, she's more determined like "I'M approaching her so it'll be cool right" without actually considering the harm's she's done (the collar, some resentment, etc.)

MathTans the Pun Prince

Yeah, lots of lore in this one. Interesting how things don't necessarily end happy or sad, it's just like, this is how things are for better or worse. Also, yeah, like Bells as a character.

Guardians are interesting in general.

cosmographia

yessssss, thank you Math!

I'm sometimes worried the comic comes off as too pessimistic when it's meant to be an inbetweener

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i cant speak for everyone but i think its an inbetweener. or more accurately, i think the story is just reality based, in that reality isnt pessimistic or optimistic 100% of the time

it just is what is it

bad stuff happens

and ppl have to keep living

so really i just feel like the characters are living actual live

s

that have consequences

MathTans the Pun Prince

Acantha took getting used to as well. What with the attitude and stealing and stuff. (Which is weird to say, because my protagonists aren't always sweetness and making the right decision either.) I gravitated a bit to Bells.

cosmographia

Ah Rebel I'm really glad to hear that!! Hahahah I think that's fair, she's definitely written to be bratty at first

MathTans the Pun Prince

Q2: Schnell just seems to have it in for Bells somehow? Like, maybe he had mother issues in his life and he's taking it out on her as "mother ghost" kind of deal IDK. Using everyone else to do that.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

man i cannot unpicture someone pointing at schnell and just shouting "you have mother issues!"

XD

cosmographia

HAHAHAHA

MathTans the Pun Prince

Once we see Acantha's history she becomes loads more sympathetic too, to be clear.

cosmographia

p sure if/when the ghost kids find out about that they'll just slowly turn to him and go "REALLY????" cuz THEY definitely have valid father-figure issues

good!!

MathTans the Pun Prince

"Were you hugged enough as a child?"

cosmographia

Hahahahahahahaha

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

yeah i really appreciated acantha's backstory. i think it was super needed right at the point it was presented. cause it finally showed that her own actions and attitude were a direct result of her past and what happened

cosmographia

good!! There's definitely chunks missing from there but they'll be studied throughout the story (and also gone fishing short stories thrown here and there)

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

>v>

in regards to question two part of me has been wondering if schnell just doesnt like his own life and he wants ghosts to be saved so he himself can be saved and move on.

MathTans the Pun Prince

Yeah, negative reinforcement is really kind of a dick move. IMHO. Hmm, so cosmic fish bunnies exist outside of space time?

(Ok, caught up...)

cosmographia

ooh ho ho nice theory Rebel! Ah yeah cosmic fishes are not directly related to Lheur (but I can say he is part cosmic fish, but not entirely)

MathTans the Pun Prince

I kind of wonder if Schnell really does know more than he lets on. Like, maybe he's been able to exist as long as he has by drinking the blood of virigins every hundred years. And he doesn't want anyone to kill because then they might stumble on the secret too.

Lheur is a fish offspring perhaps.

cosmographia

hahahahah no it's not THAT dark hahahahhaha mmmmaybe ;D

though I CAN say that, like guardians, cosmic entities like the fish and such can't biologically reproduce

wishjacked

Oh hey, I'm not going to be able to talk much (I'm at a holiday party!!) but I wanted to say that I finally read through the chapter three epilogue after this comic being on my TBR for ageeeeeees and I cannot wait to read the rest!!

MathTans the Pun Prince

(Have I mentioned I put out crazy theories? Cuz I do that.)

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

ah see, clearly bells made schnell on purpose cause she was like "ah man being a mom would be great" and now schnell is bitter cause he has an eternity to live

cosmographia

hi Wishjack, thank you!!! And I hope you have a wonderful time at the party (hahaha no problem at all, I find them funny)

hahahahah

MathTans the Pun Prince

Hiya wishjacked! Any fave in what you read?

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

thanks for stopping in wishjacked~!

cosmographia

Bells "aw man I definitely wish I knew what being a mom is like" -creates the most brattiest, entitled little thing- "....dammit"

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

meanwhile syias is in the bg saying i told you so

wishjacked

Such a good story so far, I'm really enjoying the characters and worldbuilding!! The bit with the mayor getting eaten by the starfaces was my favorite moment so far, and I'm REALLY looking forward to seeing how the story progresses!! Schnell's design slays me every time, it's so good.

cosmographia

ahh thank you wishjacked!!

and PFFT

Syias: lemme guess, now you want a PET? -Lheur shows up- Syias: OH COME ON.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

QUESTION 3. One of the larger conflicts in the comic is whether or not ghosts can be saved. Exactly why do ghosts form in the first place? Do you think they can actually be saved? Why can’t the guardians save them from the get-go? If ghosts are doomed to become monsters/change like Ramus, why hasn’t Schnell changed? Is this human character, Midah, going to have some role in their salvation? Speaking of which, what is Lheur’s (the rabbit-fish) role in all this?

MathTans the Pun Prince

Oh yeah! That thing with Mayor Pain was clever in terms of showing the light/dark reversal kind of thing too. Like, how it was actually not a bad thing and just part of "life", such as it is.

Also, twintailed star people. Strangely cute.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i liked mayor pain's reaction to being "eaten"

that was like a hilarious expression moment all around for everyone

cosmographia

Hahahahah! okay yea one sec!

MathTans the Pun Prince

Also, french bread puns (and puns in general) gets an A+.

When having dinner, Lheur might have a minute amount of seconds.

Going back to the quesiton, I wonder if ghosts form from things other than humans.

(Schnell has the blood of virgins thing going for him, like vampires...)

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

oh thats a good question math

i never considered that possibility

MathTans the Pun Prince

It just seemed like if they have no memory of being human, maybe they weren't, but I'm not sure about the alternative.

As to Lheur's role, it seems to be making collars.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

hmm. its possible. although i considered the fact they dont remember being human is just from the sheer fact they no longer possess the brain that contains their memories. so its not like theyd have concept of what a human even is

MathTans the Pun Prince

Mayor Pain wasn't exactly human either though.

Of course, that might have been another plane of existence entirely.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

yeah we do gotta remember lheur teleported them somewhere. who knows where that even was.

not to mention theres monsters besides ghosts anyway

so the existence isnt that odd

MathTans the Pun Prince

True. Maybe it's regrets of the guardians made manifest or something. >.<

cosmographia

Exactly why do ghosts form in the first place? I can't really give the exact reason as to WHY they're there without diving into spoilers, but ghosts' bodies are a defense mechanism to a world they're suddenly being thrust upon. They don't go through the normal developmental process of baby, childhood, teenager, adult, but are thrown in at mid-teenager and expected to pick everything up in a matter of days. So their bodies are responses to society, personal, and cultural expressions and after a while they just CAN'T go back to where they came from (literally and metaphorically) Do you think they can actually be saved? I think anyone can be saved but it's not in the concepts a lot of western cultures define it as. It's not that someone like a friend or a romantic partner saves you or a higher entity (in this case guardians), but more how much you're willing to accept your own flaws and work toward them for your OWN betterment and everything else comes afterward. So a lot of what happens later isn't about being saved by a guardian before they turn, but WHAT you do with the circumstances and your own definition. You sometimes can't take back the things you've said and done (Ramus physically hurting Hessa, and Acantha's crime that often gets talked about) but how you respond to it, gives it meaning (Ramus allowed his negative thoughts to control his life till he became a monster, Acantha just pushes forward) Why can’t the guardians save them from the get-go? The only guardians that have the connections to the ghosts are Bells and Syias mainly because they feel the life cycle being disturbed, but for them to actually locate a ghost is a bit of a task. Actually, I'll answer this question with another question, if in chapter 1 we see that Bells compresses the souls but we know they can't filter through the guardian, where does she take them? ;>

If ghosts are doomed to become monsters/change like Ramus, why hasn’t Schnell changed? That definitely has to do with his powers and something else we'll see at the very beginning of the next chapter ;D Is this human character, Midah, going to have some role in their salvation? HEHEH. We'll see. Speaking of which, what is Lheur’s (the rabbit-fish) role in all this? Honestly, I'm gonna explain this soon so I'll say it here, but Lheur's role is that he makes sure the universes are running smoothly and healthy. He's kinda like the little guy with a notebook who takes notes at anomalies and leaves, but has befriended Bells little by little through his visits And yea, the comic has never stated if they were human at all, and honestly, that doesn't matter since they can't go back nor have memories from that possibility. They could've been anything or even nothing! It's who and what they are now that counts

MathTans the Pun Prince

Speaking of western cultures, it's interesting to see some of the Puerto Rico tidbits. I like stuff like that.

cosmographia

oh I like that theory Math

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

peeks in

Hw yeveryone

Almost forgot about CTP again

cosmographia

Yea!! I honestly wanted to make a comic that would motivate people to find the reference or see something and go "-gasp- that looks like the thing in Cosmic Fish!"

hello there!!

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

hey super~!

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Hi Cosmo! Hi Rebel!

MathTans the Pun Prince

Well, and with Acantha's many eyes, I originally thought she was the comic fish. (Maybe she is, in a metaphor way?) But now it seems more likely to be beings like Lheur.

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Also that's an intresting piece of trivia

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

ah okay i guessed right on lheur. i thought thats what his role would actually turn out to be. that hes some being of order spying on things to make sure everything is okay. but then this begs the question of whether or not the ghosts are considered anamolies.

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Refrences are fun to do

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

as for where bells took the soul i assumed it was to some cosmic place where the cosmic fish are

but now i think that makes is sound like the souls are fish food

cosmographia

Nice!! Ghosts are definitely anomalies ooh interesting guess! ovo

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Ooh is that so

MathTans the Pun Prince

The souls are soles? O.o

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

and idk i could still argue acantha is the cosmic fish in a metaphorical sense, math. it depends on what the message of the comic is cause acantha could be considered the embodiment of the title even if shes not the literal fish as far as the lore is concerned

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

also Acantha is the cutest thing with six eyes that I've seen yet(edited)

cosmographia

thank you justing!!

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

if lheur is responsible for the collar i wonder if the collar is some sort of experiment from lheur's "superiors" to see if they can help ghosts move on and return things to status quo

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

You're welcome XD

MathTans the Pun Prince

I still have such a soft spot for Bells. With her rolly head. I don't like that Schnell teases her about it.

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

I'm actually Justin but everyone in this group likes to call me Justing

cosmographia

yea!! Yea you're right on the money about the metaphorical title Rebel, cosmic fish is attributed to Acantha's personal growth + an actual thing in the story

oh ok sorry <"D

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Lol it's k XD

MathTans the Pun Prince

OH, which reminds me, in one of those animated sequences (which OMG, very impressed that it's a thing) it looked like Bells' head was rolling away until she grabbed it and I laughed. (edited)

cosmographia

ooooh I love these theories

hahahahaha YEA!

MathTans the Pun Prince

Rebel: Hm, maybe? Are the true cosmic fish Lheur's surperiors, and they made him to keep tabs on things?

"Create some bunny ears to be more non-threatening."

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

I'm also a total sucker for characters with stick eyes like Bells/Raju

(and thank you deeply for doing chapter recaps)

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

maybe. although makes me wonder what cosmic fish are again. like are they embodiments of the universe. beings that exist in the cosmic flow of life. O_O regular ol' space fish

cosmographia

hahahahah OH ey good!

hahaha

ah man I can't say yet

I CAN say they're kinda dumb.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

regular ol' space fish it is

cosmographia

hahahahahah

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

schnell just wants to have a good fish dinner

cosmographia

he just wants the pet fish Bells told him he wasn't responsible enough for it

MathTans the Pun Prince

They're Acantha's siblings sent back through time after she creates them.

cosmographia

oh GOD

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

lol

I want a pet space fish

cosmographia

no , like...time is a thing but there's no legit time travel in the comic I REFUSE to work with time travel(edited)

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

that's understandable

since time travel is in everything these days

cosmographia

yeah honestly

also I don't want the answer to the comic to just be "time travel"

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i do kind of wonder if acantha had some sort of interaction with the cosmic fish unknowingly just cause she kind of wound up looking like a fish dragon thing

MathTans the Pun Prince

Hee. I do time travel. It's not as popular as you might think. ^^ But there was one remark about how time was fluid or something and so how they're not really ghosts, that's an element.

cosmographia

time is a very delicate and finicky thing in the comic so it's unreliable, nervous, and nobody likes it

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

I'd probobly try time travel a grand total of one time in my series(edited)

because the story is all about it

Especially since you have to write about things like, paradoxes

cosmographia

yeah!

MathTans the Pun Prince

Maybe Acantha will learn how to do the cosmic fish teleport, maybe that's what the collar is preparing her for.

cosmographia

and as for the question Rebel, it'd be interesting yeah! But for now nah, Acantha just looks fish-like because she was drowning. She isn't technically special in any way.

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

oh really

cosmographia

ye ye

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

QUESTION 4. Our protagonist, Acantha, has numerous mysteries about her. With her being Bells’ newest strategy to save ghosts, the mysteries are more poignant than ever. Do you think Bells is right that Acantha might save the ghosts/prove Schnell’s wrong? While it’s implied Acantha broke the rulef about killing the past, what do you think exactly happened (and why does that rule exist)? Will she reunite with Hessa and the others? How will she react to Ramus’ death? Will we ever find out how Acantha became a ghost exactly due to Schnell’s machinations?

cosmographia

if anything Schnell is supposed to be the "special/chosen one/what have you" he's the half-and-half, as in, half ghost half guardian that stories usually use to treat as the hero but he ain't!!(edited)

MathTans the Pun Prince

Maybe Acantha broke the rule partly to annoy Schnell.

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

what about half spider

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

well i remember it was implied that she did it to protect the others

but from what

from some icky human

?

MathTans the Pun Prince

Schnell is like evil Hercules.

Maybe to protect them from Schnell. She says she doesn't trust him.

confleiks

so i may have just pictured schnell in an ill-fitting kid's costume of disney hercules

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

perhaps

MathTans the Pun Prince

Bells is Hades?

"Whoa, is my head off?"

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

MIND BLOWN

MathTans the Pun Prince

Just reverse the morality.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

hmmm

cosmographia

Do you think Bells is right that Acantha might save the ghosts/prove Schnell’s wrong? Their bet mainly consists that despite everything that happened, Acantha still saved a ghost (back in chapter 1) unlike what Schnell would have done. So, in a way, yes, I think Bells is on to something but is approaching it in a very black and white way and that can be bad for Acantha. So both need to work on their own things there. While it’s implied Acantha broke the rule about killing the past, what do you think exactly happened (and why does that rule exist)? There are a few reasons, killing is considered a problem with ghosts because, it's, well, bad, and it might speed up the process since ghosts change into monsters due to negative thoughts. Also since ghosts aren't SUPPOSED to be there, them killing someone is a paradox (though nothing universe breaking is happening, so it might just be guardian paranoia) and Schnell is against killing personally because he believes there are worse punishments. What Acantha did, IS covered soon, so I can just say, she deliberately killed a human and it wasn't even out of self-defense. Her own reasoning is understandable once that's taken place (it's foreshadowed a bit in Gone Fishing 003, the one with Midah) Will she reunite with Hessa and the others? Time will tell, but most likely because good narrative structure would incline that to be so, but it's really a matter of WHAT will happen and WHEN ;D How will she react to Ramus’ death? Oh we're finding out about that very soon, so stay tuned! Will we ever find out how Acantha became a ghost exactly due to Schnell’s machinations? Yesssss, by next chapter!

and hahahahaha

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

oh boy

dis is gonna be fun

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

my semi crack theory is that schnell happened upon unformed acantha and said "ah mother isnt here" and then he kicked her into the lake/river

and then sipped some tea

MathTans the Pun Prince

Speaking of Acantha and Schnell, Gallo was pretty cool. And funny at times. Though he really shouldn't have spilled the beans there, in retrospect.

cosmographia

hahahaha no she WAS there but close ;D

MathTans the Pun Prince

Possibly sipped the tea first.

cosmographia

hahaha

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Did i hear

tea

MathTans the Pun Prince

I also liked with Gallo's first appearance Acantha was all "nope nope nope". Then it got echoed later. Nice little throwback.

cosmographia

he really shouldn't have but I'm hoping once i get the short stories edited and out into the world, it's going to be very clear that the ghost kids are crazy dependent on Schnell as their fix-all solution YEEES

confleiks

@cosmographia HI MOM

cosmographia

good on ya for catching the callback

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

TEEEEEAAAAAA

cosmographia

@confleiks HI MOM

tea is important in the comic hahahaha well for a few characters but

MathTans the Pun Prince

Good on you for writing it.

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

@cosmographia HI MOM

I like comics that have tea as a theme for some reason

cosmographia

hahahahah

I'm trying to get to the page that the tea thing is mentioned

MathTans the Pun Prince

Also Gallo makes me think "pico de gallo" and he's red like salsa so that works.

cosmographia

http://cosmicfishes.com/comic/chapter-4-page-20/

Cosmic Fish

cosmographia

Chapter 4, page 20

HAHAH Gallo means rooster, so close enough!

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i really like gallo's design. but speaking of gallo i enjoy the fact that there are certain things they cant do cause of how their bodies are made. like the fact gallo doesnt really have hands so has to pick stuff up with his teeth. thats a really nice detail

MathTans the Pun Prince

Hands are really an issue with the guy, of course.

Yeah, my spanish is not good. ^^;

cosmographia

yea!

Gallo is handicapped but it isn't plot or character-development related, it's just a thing that is and that's ok!

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

so a cartoon monster or whatever Schnell is loves him some tea

MathTans the Pun Prince

Can Acantha ever close all her eyes? Like, I can see why she wouldn't like dark tunnels, not used to never seeing anything.

cosmographia

the two small ones have transparent eyelids like crocodiles

confleiks

I wonder if Acantha ever threw a blanket over his head because she thought he might think it's nighttime and fall asleep

cosmographia

but they see shapes and shadows for the most part

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

lolol

cosmographia

HAHAHA

confleiks

YES HAHAHAHAHA

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

thats a good picture. i accept this as a canon scenario.

cosmographia

maybe it'll help her in her next stealthy heist

hahahaha

MathTans the Pun Prince

Oh yeah, cosmographia, saw some of your little pics at the bottom of some comics, those were clever.

cosmographia

ah thanks!!! poking fun at your own stories is A+

MathTans the Pun Prince

It's a thing with those who enjoy puns, maybe.

cosmographia

HA

maybe...definitely

there's a good number of puns or playful naming decisions for most characters here

MathTans the Pun Prince

I'm sure I only noticed half. ^^

cosmographia

hahaha well some become more relevant later

Acantha isn't JUST called Acantha because of the mirror decoration

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

OMG LOL

THAT PIC

MathTans the Pun Prince

So you have the whole thing sketched out for a while yet, eh?

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

The rag is the ultiamte weapon

MathTans the Pun Prince

OOOooooh, interesting. (Reminded of the pic where she's just taking the mirror away, heh.)

cosmographia

she's a "support" for other characters ;3 likeapillarsupport...it'sagreekthing

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

heehee

cosmographia

hahahah

MathTans the Pun Prince

It's so ionic.

cosmographia

and YEAH! the characters are pretty old and the story took a long time in the oven andalotofreading

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

oh really?

how long have you been planning this comic?

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i did wonder if acantha's meaning was super on purpose and not just cause timing and place XD

cosmographia

2012...? At least that's when the first draft happened, some characters are from 2009 or so

hahahahahah

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

ooh wow

cosmographia

yea it's unconscious but also it'll start gaining relevancy throughout the story right now it's just her own word for identity, so it's a "self" definition, and it needs to evolve into "action" or how it's perceived.

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

mine started planning around '09, but I haven't started making the full story for it yet

cosmographia

ooh!

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

and I have a feeling it'll take me a long time

cosmographia

that's normal though, and also gives you a time to re-do things

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Yeah

cosmographia

or re-establish them and make em more solid

MathTans the Pun Prince

The little plush doll cameos was cute in that one update too, wonder if that was inspired by something?

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Lots of things have changed in my project over the years, mostly for the better

(at least I hope the changes I did make were for the better)

cosmographia

CF definitely became WAY better when I started researching the science-y parts oh! it was a thank you for a lot of people who were supporting me at the time and just did a call on twitter and fb if people wanted cameos

good!!

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

oh nice~

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i like that idea of acantha's name turning from a piece of identification into an action. thats a really beautiful sentiment that i think suits the comic

cosmographia

whoo!!

thanks!

MathTans the Pun Prince

Gotcha. Animation bits also impressed me. Nice that you have the support and music and such for such things.

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

yea

MathTans the Pun Prince

And all the best with you health-wise cosmographia (I read some of the author remarks and comments).

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

^

Best of luck and hope everything goes smoothly

cosmographia

thanks!! I wanted to make animated bits for every chapter but that soon proved to be wayyy difficult. Major kudos to the musicians who've helped and sometimes having months in advance to plan out scenes. (Bells juggling her head while fleeing from Ramus was made like...5 months in advance)

ay thank you so much!!

MathTans the Pun Prince

That whole thing with Bells head, subtle running joke, don't know why it amuses me so much.

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Welcome

MathTans the Pun Prince

Maybe cuz I like her character and it helps show that she's also a bit imperfect.

cosmographia

hahahaha GOOD!

confleiks

Bells is like a very excitable and eager to please ancient puppy and I love her so much

cosmographia

Bells was definitely made to APPEAR like the perfect fix-all character but definitely is neither of those things upon further inspection

yessssss :')

confleiks

she'd be a cocker spaniel or bassett hound because of her long ears :>

MathTans the Pun Prince

Hee! She has dogged perseverance.

confleiks

BA DUM TS

cosmographia

hahahahahaha

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

relatedly i want to say i really like the mentions of how the ppl worship the guardians. i think it really capture the disconnect between ppls idealistic image of them and the actual true nature of their existence

cosmographia

^^^^^ Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Yea

MathTans the Pun Prince

Another nice callback actually was when Acantha said she didn't like the story of the toy, which had been shown earlier.

Rebel: Very good point.

cosmographia

"the guardians are perfect and want what's best for us" -Bells trips in the next scene-

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

lol

MathTans the Pun Prince

Also, I think it was the right idea to not really have people until the later chapters. Keeps the focus on the curious beings, who are the major players.

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

^

cosmographia

Ye!! It also kinda hinted that any potential narrator might not be a narrator but something....or someoooone

yea!!!!

cosmographia

"what's the toy?" Oh, literally just a bed time story Schnell told Acantha and she hated it.

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i do like seeing humans tho. cause everyone kept mentioning them but i was like "where are they O_O"

cosmographia

HAHAHAH

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

"who are these "living" things"

MathTans the Pun Prince

"Humans are mythological creatures."

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Are ghosts made of flesh in this comic?

cosmographia

"they're not the center of the universe it seems, just some other random animal"

yeah they gain a physical body but they can't control it after a while

MathTans the Pun Prince

It is interesting that humans aren't really huge or anything though. They're size-wise about right for everything else, I think.

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

ooh

Superjusting of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

alroight then

MathTans the Pun Prince

All the best with the fishy stuff going forwards then. ^.^

cosmographia

yea they're just...part of everything else. Which is also why I was very avoidant of using them at the beginning, cuz this isn't a story about them no matter how hard they try

cuz we humans naturally desire to be the protagonists

MathTans the Pun Prince

Good call.

cosmographia

so the narrative is purposely going "there they are...in the distance. Moving on."

MathTans the Pun Prince

We're also sometimes the antagonists.

cosmographia

they're not good, they're not bad, they're there.

yep!

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

Unfortunately, the scheduled Comic Tea Party is now complete~! Thank you everyone so much for joining this week’s chat~! That being said, if you would like to continue discussing the comic, we encourage you to do so~! We want to give a big thank you to cosmographia, as well, for volunteering Cosmic Fish for our reading queue. If you liked the comic, please be sure to support cosmographia’s efforts. If you have questions, concerns, or suggestions about CTP, please feel free to PM me, or e-mail me at rebelvampire@startfaire.com.

With that said, next week’s Comic Tea Party will focus on Final Light by BraveHeartTatsumaki. Please use this week to read as much of the comic as you would like. Hope to see you next Thursday (January 4th, 2018) from 5PM to 7PM PST~! Until then~! Comic: https://tapas.io/series/FinalLight