Tag Archives: Character chemistry

Go Get a Roomie!

Posted on April 25, 2012 by | 2 Comments

Warning: The following comic is NSFW and contains nudity, sexually suggestive scenes, homosexuality, bisexuality, alternative lifestyles, lucid dreaming, and cake. Reader discretion is advised.

When I first started college back in the days when the Internet was text-based and webcomics were ASCII art, I met Jerri, a lady who was a bit of a free spirit. She had no problem taking a bath while I was visiting and having me sit in the bathroom while she washed up in a couple inches of water or talking to me about her sex-life. And while we were never intimate (even back then the Friendship Zone was strong in me), I must admit I gained a bit of an education on a way of life that was quite different than the fairly sheltered life I’d lived in suburbia. Since then I’ve met other free spirits, though none have been quite as open as Jerri was.

In many ways the main protagonist of Go Get a Roomie! is a combination of all those free spirits I’ve met over the years; webcartoonist Chloe has done a masterful job of creating a character who is both innocent and wicked, and manages to be likeable even as she sleeps her way from bed to bed (at least up until she runs into the other protagonist, Lillian). This isn’t to say Roomie (as everyone calls her) is some perfect Mary Sue; she seems to lack any sense of concept for “personal space,” tends to drink too much, and has accidently broken more than one heart (seeing she’s lesbian) from what I can tell. But her actions are out of a sense of mischief, not maliciousness. And to be honest, she’s done a lot of good for Lillian, our second protagonist.

If I were to wager a bet, I’d say that Lillian was added to the comic (after some thirty-odd updates) because Chloe wanted to expand the comic beyond drinking, flirting, and lesbian hijinks. In many ways I identify strongly with her; she tries hard to ignore Roomie’s sexual innuendoes and initially had a preference for solitude, wanting to just escape into her dreams rather than live life. Roomie’s presence and her insistence on dragging Lillian out of her shell have helped Lillian start to live life once more, and to broaden her horizons. Exposure to Roomie’s band of friends (each of who have let her sleep over at some time) has led Lillian to try and in her own words overcome her prejudices.

Interestingly, we’ve learned a lot more about Lillian and what led her to become introverted and to retreat from the world than we do of Roomie, who’s in just about every comic. I must admit I’d love to see Lillian draw out Roomie’s story; I doubt we’ll ever learn what Roomie’s name actually is (at least, not until the very last strip), but it might be interesting to see how she’s able to support herself, if she’s gone to college, and really what made her into the woman she is. Lillian’s story is fascinating and compelling… and has given Chloe a chance to expand her storytelling skills. I can’t help but hope she’s practicing with Lillian before tackling a more complex tale, and reveal what made Roomie into the free spirit she is.

Recent updates have actually taken a slightly darker tone, between Lillian’s confrontation with her brother’s fiancée (and her concerns that Evelyne will take Lillian’s brother away from her) and with Lillian’s use of lucid dreaming that has… started down the path toward nightmare; I must admit some curiosity as to if Roomie herself will have her exuberance and delightful sense of innocence shaded a bit, or if she’ll remain the contrast, a source of constant light within the story. While it would be nice to see Roomie’s character expanded upon, it is this blissful innocence that makes her a delight to watch, and a reason why I recommend this comic.

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Misfile

Posted on June 30, 2011 by | Leave a comment

A recurring (and legitimate) complain about the gender transformation webcomic Misfile is that we’ve seen no signs that Ash’s life is worse as a girl than it was as a boy. Outside of having to pee sitting down, monthly cramps, and menstruation (and not being able to get together with a girl who wouldn’t have given him the time of day if it wasn’t for the angelic misfile) we’ve not really seen anything to suggest Ash’s life is so miserable, especially when you balance it with all the good that’s happened, such as her renewed relationship with her mom, helping Kate overcome the ghosts of her past, giving Emily a true friend and someone to help her step outside her old two-dimensional world. But lately we’ve started seeing a few signs that things aren’t all golden for female Ash. One such flaw is Ash’s relationship with Missi.

I’m not quite sure how things would have worked between the two of them if the misfile had never occurred. Ash is obviously put off by Missi’s tendency to come on strong to her, but how much of that has to do with Missi wearing the pants in their relationship, and how much has to do with the fact Ash is now a girl? Her relationship with Emily isn’t going to become sexual (without large amounts of alcohol being involved) anytime soon, so she has no real basis of comparison… well, outside of an erotic dream or two. And it’s obvious this relationship was predestined. Missi is meant to fall in love with Ash, and her being a girl is messing with her head as much as it is Ash’s. (This also brings up an interesting question: why is Ash’s life no longer predestined? Or was Ash never meant to fall in love with Missi, no matter what her gender?)

The second is… more disturbing, with Ash and Missi coming really close to having been raped. I truly hope that Chris Hazelton doesn’t just let this drop. I’m still a tad disturbed from my brush with being sexually harassed by a 17-year-old half a decade back. What Ash faced was far more disturbing… and more immediate. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see her having nightmares for weeks to come. Nor is this an unbelievable scenario. Assault and rape (and worse) of LGBT individuals is sadly not uncommon. This is part of the future that Ash faces as a woman and a lesbian (or a female-to-male transgender if she finally decided to take that path)… and is easily reason enough for Ash to do everything in her power to try and regain her old, male life.

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Mysteries of the Arcana

Posted on June 6, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Warning: this comic contains swearing, nudity (behind a censor screen), sexual situations, and content that may disturb some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

Given the wide variety of genres found in webcomics, it can be difficult at times to stand out amidst the crowd. The fantasy webcomic Mysteries of the Arcana manages to do so with a rather innovative utilization of the Tarot cards (often used in divination by New Age religions) to both describe the multitude of alternative universes and the personalities and characterization of the comic’s cast. While knowledge of the Tarot is not required to understand the comic and characters, the character similarities and interpretations of the cards act as a pleasant little bonus for those people with knowledge of the Tarot (or who, like myself, look up the cards’ definitions online).

The use of the Tarot alone would be fairly innovative in this (as I don’t recall any other comics that use the Tarot in shaping a character’s personality and traits); MotA takes this one step further by creating a primary protagonist (Theresa) who was crafted from the Major Arcana card The Devil. What’s more, this isn’t an anti-hero or equivalent character; instead, the young woman manages to embody several elements of The Devil card, including self-bondage (emotional, due to events in her immediate past), Anger, Doubt Temptation, and Insight, among others. Even with these flaws, Theresa is a decent and caring young woman who finds herself in the midst of a situation beyond her comprehension (and when she learns of her ties with The Devil Tarot card… like any decent Catholic, she kind of freaks).

Interestingly, while most of the cast are linked to various Tarot cards (both of the Major and Minor Arcana), the comic’s other primary protagonist, Chrys, is not linked to any cards (to date, at least). Chrys (and her father Quincy, who hasn’t appeared in the comic outside of flashbacks so far) are Dreamwalkers, which appear to be some mystical race that had vanished ages ago. Naturally neither Chrys nor her father knows much about their heritage, though I suspect her heritage (and undoubtedly her father’s quest to learn more about the Dreamers) will inevitably be the hook for a future story.

The comic makes use of episodic storytelling with a contiguous continuity; the first chapter introduces the primary cast (with Theresa saving Chrys from a robot that obviously watched too many Terminator movies as a young chipset) and helps explain the basics of MotA; at least, enough of the basics for readers to understand what’s going on. Along the way Theresa’s introduced to William (a humanoid jackal that looks remarkably similar to depictions of the Egyptian mythological deity Set), the faerie Mandrake (whose speech is literally “speech bubbles” using images to depict dialogue), and Chrys’s mother, Melody (who in fact Theresa and Chrys work to rescue from above said killer robots).

Another source of conflict within the comic lies with Chrys’s clear attraction to Theresa and Theresa’s own conflicted feelings, with the young woman both attracted to Chrys and pushing her away due to her Catholic upbringing that taught her that homosexuality was wrong. The second chapter goes further into this, revealing not only why Theresa was planning to kill herself at the start of the comic, but part of the reason she pushes Chrys away. There are some moments when the dialogue doesn’t really work (like Theresa using “I’m Catholic” to try and explain away her denial of her attraction to Chrys – it just felt like Theresa was using the “Catholic stereotype” as a shield, which feels insulting at some level to the character’s religious beliefs.

Mysteries of the Arcana has some innovative concepts and a solid foundation to build upon. While it has some flaws (and the depiction of homosexuality feels… lacking, somehow), the characters are interesting and have potential for growth. (As an aside, I do wonder if a person’s Arcana can change; given that Theresa is already casting aside some of her chains of emotional self-bondage, anger, and doubt, might she eventually find herself aligned to a different Arcana? Just a stray thought there.) I definitely have to recommend this, both to fans of the fantasy genre, and to those people who enjoy innovative concepts in storytelling and personalization.

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Ever Night

Posted on June 2, 2011 by | 1 Comment

There’s a tendency among fantasy comic (and its varied kin) that lends itself to the use of exposition-based introductions to help set the scene. This can be unfortunate at times as these information dumps often risk being dry and uninteresting; at the very least they distract attention from the primary cast and their story. They also tend to take up a lot of space and time in the comic itself, especially as it’s rare for the characters introduced in these prologues to be the protagonists of the primary story; this was the case with contemporary fantasy comic Ever Night, which has only had fifty-odd updates so far, with twenty of them crafting the back story for the comic.

While I understand the use of exposition in crafting a background, its use in EN is a tad jarring. The comic shifts from a war and the promise of a Savior to return and vanquish the dark forces that threaten the world, and then go to a coffee shop in a world with automobiles and airplanes (and the coexistence of magic and magical beings alongside technology and the like). Given the focus of the comic on protagonist Aila Ravencroft (and I should warn new writers that the use of the words “Raven” or “Shadow” in character names has been overdone by this point in time; there are more subtle variations that could be used), we’ve not seen any hints of a greater conflict in the world.

My grousing might seem to suggest that I feel some antipathy toward the comic; to be honest, that couldn’t be further from the truth. There is a bit of potential visible in EN, both within the prologue and in the main storyline itself. In addition, Aila’s a rather enjoyable young character who is fleshed out fairly quickly both with her external and internal dialogues. Less has been seen of Isaac, who appeared soon after Aila’s debut, but there is a good dynamic between the characters and I must admit some amusement that they went out to dinner together after just meeting because they were getting gut feelings of familiarity with one another, though it seems Isaac may have known Aila’s mother.

The other aspect of EN that helps the comic flow is the exemplary artwork and coloring that artist and comic co-creator Sarah Jeanne-Deliz Obomsawin (who works with writer and co-creator Anastasia Regina Olashaya-Grill) has put into the comic. While there are a couple of instances when the shading feels slightly rushed (compared at least to the earlier comics in Chapter 1), the combination of crisp pencils and effective use of colors helps the comic stand out. Obomsawin doesn’t avoid backgrounds as some cartoonists do; this isn’t to say that every panel has a background; when she can pull off a background fade, Obomsawin will take advantage of the scene. But when it’s required, she doesn’t skimp.

So on the whole, Ever Night is a good comic with a lot of potential. While there are some atmospheric incongruities between the introduction and the first chapter, Olashaya-Grill has managed to create an interesting and varied cast of characters, while Obomsawin has crafted some striking art for the series that is sure to draw in new readers. Best of all, the archives can be read through in an hour or so (depending on the speed of your internet connection), which allows new readers to have most of their afternoon free for other ventures. Between the characters and the storytelling potential here, I definitely have to recommend this comic.

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Dumbing of Age

Posted on May 4, 2011 by | 1 Comment

Given that college webcomic Dumbing of Age is a reimagining of David Willis’ classic webcomic Roomies (and using all of the characters he’s come up with over the many years), his latest update struck an odd chord with me. Specifically, it’s what Sarah says in the final panel to Joyce as she stares at this young innocent and sees… I’m not quite sure. Does she see something she wishes she still possessed deep inside? Does she mourn the loss of her own innocence and her descent into cynicism and anger? Or does she look at Joyce and see someone she wishes she could protect from an ugly world? And is this foreshadowing Joyce’s own fall from innocence, much as she was broken way back in Roomies a decade or so ago?

Part of this depends on how much of Roomies Willis plans to mirror. There are already some strong reflections from the past, with Billie’s drinking problems rearing its ugly head and Danny’s tendency to fixate on girls from his past. Hell, Joyce’s own intense innocence (and her using college to look for a husband) is spot on for what Willis did in Roomies. However, there are some different dynamics already forming; part of this lies with his other characters that he imported from his other comic, Shortpacked and their own interactions with the classic characters.

Personally I’m hoping Willis won’t delve too deeply into Roomies past. While it was a damn good comic with some fine storytelling… it has already been told. There are other stories that can be told here. Willis has already started on this path by avoiding some obvious pairings (such as Joyce chasing after Danny as she did extensively in Roomies). With Joyce… well, I always thought she’d become a stronger more vibrant character when she lost the edge of her innocence. And I think Sarah’s wrong here; even once Joyce has been burned once or twice, I think she’ll still look for the good in people. For just because one or two people abuse your trust doesn’t mean there’s not beauty hidden in the world.

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Saucer Seekers

Posted on April 25, 2011 by | Leave a comment

One common theme often used in science fiction is that of alien life (often in the form of intelligent extraterrestrial life at that). Whether the comic focuses on the aliens and their civilizations, or just uses them as a background feature, the alien is still an integral, yet established, part of the story. Saucer Seekers (formerly ETI-PI) takes a rather interesting twist on this by following the travails of Professor Carl Voorhees and his partner Ron as they investigate UFO incidents to try and find alien life. Along the way, cartoonist Mark Mekkes (of Zortic fame) also pokes fun at webcomics, conspiracy theories, relationships, and life in general.

Naturally, seeing that UFOs and aliens are the goal that Carl and Ron are seeking (and helped by the sardonic former stripper Connie, the probable-abductee Betsy, and eventually her son Martin), we don’t actually see any actual aliens (with the exception of one possible cameo from the cast of Zortic). There are subplots, naturally enough, that include the eventual revelation that Betsy was abducted and questions about her son (which I don’t get into here – Betsy’s tale is fairly obvious, but Martin’s story is a bit more complex and I don’t want to spoil it) and the multi-layered questions concerning just who Connie is, questions that Connie herself is not entirely sure on. But as for actual aliens, they are kind of lacking in the story.

This isn’t a bad thing, mind you. Seeing that the search for aliens is so integral to the comic, actually finding proof would be rather anti-climactic (though Mekkes does a good job of dealing with these types of revelations in the comic). Instead, the comic looks at other common themes that crop up in the study of UFOs, such as the conspiracy theories that always seem to follow them and the community that has developed concerning UFOs and those who seek the truth on them. With Saucer Seekers, it truly is the journey in seeking the truth that tells the story, rather than the truth itself.

While Mekkes started up Saucer Seekers, it was after he’d ended his old comic Zortic. Unfortunately, relaunching his first comic has cut into his productivity, and forced him to use and abuse copy-and-paste extensively, without even a slight attempt at disguising the use of CaP. I can understand why he’s done this (and he even apologizes for it). It’s either CaP or a reduced update schedule. The problem is that the use of CaP is so extensive that it’s cutting into my suspension of disbelief; I’m not a proponent of CaP at the best of times, and this is definitely not that.

Despite the use of CaP, Mekkes has crafted a fascinating and enjoyable comic. His comments on the various comics are enjoyable and give glimpses into his thoughts on UFOology, as well as the characters he has created. What’s more, the characters and their chemistry is a definite draw, and is a primary reason why I enjoyed this comic so much. And while the science fiction elements are rather vague at the comic’s start (with the more surreal elements arising in the second part, which takes place years after the comic’s start), I still recommend this to any fan of science fiction, or anyone who has ever looked up into the night sky and wondered if maybe, just maybe… someone is looking back from out in the stars.

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The Flying Cloud

Posted on March 28, 2011 by | Leave a comment

When I came across advertisements for The Flying Cloud, I was a bit unsure of what to make of the illustrated serial story. To be honest, I’m not exactly a fan of most fanfiction (which TFC most definitely is not, I should add), due to inconsistencies in characterization and the like. I also tend to prefer reading fiction in print (or more recently on my Nook e-reader). Oh, there have been exceptions, such as back a decade ago with the older Homeworld fiction, but I tend for the most part to avoid reading online prose stories unless I’m familiar with the author.

Fortunately, I made an exception with TFC and was soon swept into an alternative history where U.S. President Woodrow Wilson managed in 1916 to negotiate an Armistice that restored the pre-War borders to Europe. In doing so, the military-driven development of aeroplanes was torpedoed, allowing dirigibles and airships to reign supreme in the skies. The serial story follows the exploits of British Captain Everett and the crew of the R-505 “Flying Cloud” in service to King George V (though when the story begins, they’re onboard the remains of the R-212 “Flying Lady” after they run across a mysterious unmarked airship that ambushes them).

The story follows the traditions of serial fiction, with each chapter maintaining a cohesive continuity with its brethren. For the most part the story is told sequentially, though when the cast of characters split up chronology sometimes can get fragmented as each subplot is fleshed out. There are also multiple homages and shout-outs, from multiple nods to H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu mythos to a ship captain named Howard Phillips whose home port is in New England, to Star Trek of all things. Undoubtedly there are other historical shout-outs provided as well; unfortunately, my knowledge of the early 20th century is perhaps a bit lacking so I’m not quite sure when we’re seeing homages sneak in.

As for the overarching plot, some aspects of it are obvious at times such as the apparent development of atomic weaponry by a Russian scientist who is being pursued by German Nationalists – amusingly enough, it’s strongly suggested that the “discovery” is due in part to archaeological discoveries rather than by a team of scientists (this being related to elements of the Lovecraftian mythos that appear frequently in the story). While this may seem anachronistic given the time period, it works quite well with Captain Everett and crew trying to piece together what’s going on while being puzzled over interest in a mineral used to color glass.

It’s the cast of characters that make The Flying Cloud so enjoyable to read. The cast is varied, including the original members of the R-212 (with Captain Everett being your traditional “unflappable captain” who is still flexible enough to accept such things as female crew members and non-English personnel), as well as Sarah, an island girl who meets up with them (and who eventually falls for Iverson, a young executive officer who is being mentored by the Captain) and Pierre, a Frenchman criminal whose skills prove quite useful as the R-505 investigates the multiple conspiracies in the region around Australia. One bit I found especially amusing is the rather whimsical betting between the Scotsman Abercrombie and the Irishman MacKiernan over nearly any situation, especially when their lives (and that of the ship and crew) are on the line.

If there’s a problem with the web-serial, it’s that the story is addictive. Before you know it, you may find you spent five hours reading part of the archive. Given that it is a prose story (with the start of each chapter including an illustration with a humorous mouse-over caption), I must admit to some surprise that author Paul Gazis never bothered to create an e-book download so people could download it and read the story at their leisure. Needless to say, I recommend this web-serial, especially if they’re fans of alternative history fiction.

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