Page 40. You may now commence angry talkback.
SPX was amazing! Thanks to everyone who came out and said hi, and a huge thanks to long-time commenter Rosie, who gave me an amazing piece of fanart!
O Human Star
by Blue Delliquanti
MORE OF BLUE’S STUFF
I am seriously loving this story – thank you so much! :)
{obediently gives a round of applause}
Utterly loving this story also. We love you Blue! Thankyou for such an excellent story! Keep going! :)
omg look at them completely DISREGARDING and brutally MURDERING that fragile little LIFE in COLD BLOOD. this is so horrible I will now boycott the comic because robots who can perform a few tricks are humans too
Whoah ok, I think he’s just putting the robot on standby, not brutally murdering it, chill the fuck out.
I think they meant it as a joke, but I’ll admit they had me going for a second, too.
I really don’t see how I could have been any more clear
something something check your #PRIVILEGE, meaties
Hehe :)
AL’s LOVE WILL BE HIS SNAPSHOT?
Hello.
Tuesday I was travelling through the internet and so it happened that I stumbled across your webcomic. It was about 2am and I was really tired but I just got so hooked I didn’t sleep and read everything in one sitting. And then the next days I re-read everything following the comments. So, I’m no expert in comics, at all – but I really, really adore yours! It’s sooooooo lovely and so enjoyable to read. The story, the art, the characters, everything is just amazing and really well done. So, congratulations, you’ve got me obsessed. And also, I annoyed two other friends of mine until they read it as well. So.. yeah.
I really liked the way you shaped everyone – I had my mind set for stereotypes and I was really impressed that you chose to invest in different, complex personalities that aren’t exactly expected from the person you are seeing. Like Al, he’s my favourite, he’s so precious. From such a big, manly independent man, you’d expect someone strong, sure of himself and experienced, and yet, he’s the biggest shy dorky sentimental baby – it’s adorable. But I get him. Coming from an *apparently* religious family and growing in another generation might have just turned him reclusive and afraid – so no wonder why he always runs away from his problems. Plus having to deal with those feelings, even if he’s “dealt” with them before, can be really scary. Poor thing, he’s so cute.
And Brendan! I expected him to be a shy and naïve kid, and not the pragmatic, clever, extroverted young man he is. I read a comment which couldn’t be truer: Al might be older, but Brendan behaves more like an adult in their relationship. Plus, it makes sense that he’s more experienced and more comfortable with himself, since he comes from a lighter background which has given him the chance to be himself with less trouble. Also dorky and adorable. They’re such a great contrast to each other.
Congrats on creating such a wonderful story. I certainly will keep up with it – I want to know what’s next for those two.
Hmm, that last panel has me thinking. Well, wondering what Al’s thinking, really. He looks over at Brendan mentioning the snapshots as a “surprise”, and I’m just not sure what to make of Al’s expression as he says that! But something about it definitely says this is not the last we’re going to hear of these surprises… Not all surprises are good, after all, and maybe some time down the road they get a snapshot of something far less innocent or sweet as a childhood dance or face of a loved one… hmm :|a
Well, all I know is I’m very interested to see where this may lead!
Maybe it’s foreshadowing for later, with how Sulla is transgender, it might imply that Al is, too… I could see that being a shocking accidental snapshot reveal.
(Spoiler possible since I’m commenting while re-reading)
I agree that it might have been the snapshots which gave Brendan clues as to Al’s trans-identity, even before Sulla asked for the sex change and even when Al himself kept suppressing it.
Wonderful worked out, Blue, especially because Brendan is, in private, a quite insecure und loving person, who just turns everything out when getting into work-mode.
That’s what is so terrible about technocrats, engineers and economists alike: Always reaching out for the possible and never giving a thought for the consequences for those having to live with their developments.
If faster, better, in every which way perfect and maybe even cheaper robots live among us, knowing our deepest desires, what will follow for in so many ways failing human beings?
I think I get a hunch why Al simply can’t stand it anymore in the following years – and why Brendan fails completely in accepting his wishes…
I’m now picturing Al’s proxy doing a child’s ballet routine. awwwww.