Page 39. Smart cookie.
I’m going to be exhibiting at SPX in DC this weekend, at table G4B. Come out and get some books and prints – I think I may be doing sketches as well!
O Human Star
by Blue Delliquanti
MORE OF BLUE’S STUFF
Page 39. Smart cookie.
I’m going to be exhibiting at SPX in DC this weekend, at table G4B. Come out and get some books and prints – I think I may be doing sketches as well!
I love this page so much. Very well executed and it reminds me how much I want this comic as a big volume book. I look forward to seeing Al and Brendon’s reactions to this.
I love this page!
It’s interesting how this parallels Al’s first impulse upon waking (pgs 11-12).
“find a friend” oh my god yes.
I wonder if Brendan tested that function with himself and Al?
Cute. :-)
hahahahah MOOOOOMMMMMEEEEEE!!!
Love it!!!!!!
That’s adorable :)
That’s adorable? Cute? How about just downright wrong? So the machine has language skills, memories and emotions as well as reasoning from the host intelligence? Ok, now you’ve demonstrated my preivious point completely, the proxy is now a self aware entity. Do you turn it off now and wipe it for the next ‘show’? What does Al and Brendan owe towards their new ‘life’ they created in order to make a buck? Do they have even the slightest responsibility towards a self aware machine intelligence? Is it their servant or plaything to dispose of?
I’m sorry, but if you think this is charming, you haven’t thought it through. You must think also think Tesla’s solution to the desperate magician in ‘The Prestige’ was actually a cool idea as well. I’m amazed at what happens to peoples common sense when you show them a new technological trick…they lose far more than their disbelief. Because you can do such a thing, no matter how amazing, does not in any way mean you should do such a thing, or grant you license to be oblivious to the consequences.
*
One last thing, why is almost everyone in this comic sexually conflicted, gay, or androgynous? It comes across as a somewhat smug and delusional worldview found in people who live in a small minority ghetto. The constant remarks about intolerance are numerous, hilarious, and heavy handed considering practically everyone appearing in the story appears to be homosexual or sexually ambiguous.
First: I agree that it would be wrong of Brendan to delete or abandon the new mind they’ve created, but why would you think that that’s what they’re going to do? Brendan is a good person and you can tell that he believes that synthetic minds are people when you look at how he treats robot!Al and Sulla. Maybe wait until you actually see what’s going to happen with this new mind before passing judgement.
Second: Yes, it’s a bit unlikely that such a large percentage of the characters are queer, but no less likely than bringing back the dead or having a society of robots mixed with people. It’s a story; there are just times when you have to suspend disbelief. Additionally, there aren’t nearly enough stories that include queer characters as more than a token minority or a stereotype. If changing that norm means having a whole lot of queer characters, so be it. It’s no more unrealistic than having a large cast of completely straight characters
Third: Why are you so vitriolic? Of course it’s your right to be, but if you phrased your criticisms more reasonably, more people might want to listen.
And finally: Yeah, that robot is cute, but I think it’s more impressive than anything, considering how much work it took Brendan and Al to make it do that. Good job, guys!
I think you have raised an interesting ethical question about the proxy robot, and it’s certainly worthy of discussion. However, I’m not sure if it’s worth engaging with you because your second paragraph comes across as overly confrontational.
It says in the FAQ itself that this comic “features a cast of queer-identified characters.” If you don’t want to read a comic full of LGBTQ characters, that is your prerogative, but please don’t be insulting to the creator simply because it isn’t to your taste.
@CFT Including these two new girls, there’s like five queer characters in the whole series. That honestly doesn’t seem unreasonable or improbable to me. And in any case, who says the author has to make this accurately reflect reality. I mean come on, Sulla can fly afterall.
I think it likely that he chose someone who he in some way knew or knew of. Good showmanship is all about having an untold prepared script, or series of possible scripts. He has some clue as to who this lady is, and was asking that question for the sake of the crowd, not because he didn’t know the answer. But you’d know that if you’ve watched movies about magicians, so I won’t go into that.
The robot has not proven sentience, it doesn’t know who it is, or that it is a someone, as far as I can see. It just has some shared memory it is using. I’d turn it off with no qualms. And yes, it is charming.
Well, CFT, you’re certainly not the first sweaty nerd who cares a lot more about the humanity of hypothetical robots than of queers, and you tragically won’t be the last.
I see where you’re coming from re the proportion of the characters in the comic being queer. But then again, we have not seen that MANY characters in this comic to begin with. If there were 40 characters and all of them were gay, yeah, that would be a stretch. So far we’ve got Brendan and Al, and Sulla who’s basically Al too, so no wonder she’s inherited his queerness. That there should be another gay (or bisexual?) couple in the story – I don’t know, I don’t see that as improbable. If anything, it’s better than if Al and Brendan were shown as The Only Gay Lovers in the World.
I agree with previous commentors that Brendan must know some background about his guest, otherwise how did he know she would have someone in the audience? Would be pretty awkward if he said, find a friend, and there was no one. And this proxy is not an entire copy of Helena as Brendan has said, so for all we know she just has a small amount of Helena’s knowledge copied onto her hard-drive, and is performing the algorithms basing on that knowledge. After all, she carried out Brendan’s command like a voice-activated machine, not like an actual person.
Of course, creating sentience in artificial beings is a matter full of ethical questions. And I think this comic is dealing precisely with that. Just look at Sulla, look at Al – or should I say, “Al”? The things Sulla says about robots wanting to be people, the fact that Al was brought back to life without having any say in it – these are massive issues. I really don’t think that the author of this work, or the readers, are so naive and simple-minded as to define everything through cuteness and gay-friendliness.
@CFT: From your comments, you really don’t seem to be enjoying this comic. Compelled by curiosity, I must ask: *are* you enjoying the story? Are you reading for fun and because you find the characters and story premise interesting? I certainly hope there are some things here you are finding likeable, otherwise I have to wonder why you’re here.
Now, as for your theory that the little robot has just proved itself sentient: I’m not so sure about that. For all we know, Helena let her mind wander while she was looking at that maze. Maybe about what panel she and her girlfriend are going to see next, or where they’re going to have dinner tonight, or how great she looks today. Or maybe she was thinking to herself that if she were trapped in that maze, she’d like her girlfriend to be waiting at the exit for her. *We don’t know*. All we know is that they took about a few minutes’ worth of data and plugged it into the computer. Not her whole brain, not her soul, not her entire sense of being; just a brief minute or so.
As for the presence of a mostly LGBT presence – just because the author chooses to depict her characters in such a way (and is her every right to do so) does not automatically mean that she believes the entire world within the story falls under that category/categories. I’m sure there are heteronormative people in this universe. But honestly? There are too many works of fiction across multiple genres that depict most if not all of their inhabitants as such, so why can’t there be this particular, singular instance of a comic with characters depicted as homosexual, transexual, or other? I don’t believe that’s too much to ask, or for us readers, too much to swallow.
I’m going to address this really quick.
The ethical treatment of the proxies are a moot issue because the present date within the comic, the androids have full human citizenship and civil rights. That issue is a done and closed deal. Though its possible the author will address the issues of treating robots ethically in the past time frame.
As for the excessive amount of gay characters dominating the story line. Its not uncommon for homosexuals to know and be friends with other homosexuals. Its the writers prerogative to focus on those relationships.
Also, note that the whole point of the story revolves around the literary metaphor depicting the fact of being an android is the equivalent of being a Transexual. Sulla isn’t just a transexual android. The whole nature of being a (rich) android that can pass as a natural born human is the expression of the transexual experience.
CFT, I agree with you in that there are complex and serious consequences to consider when it comes to the creation of artificial intelligence. However, from your writing, it seems possible that you are confusing Blue’s intent as an artist with Brandon’s intent as a character through which she is telling her story. Certainly, from the crowd’s enthusiasm, Brandon’s showmanship, and the large-eyed innocence of the robot’s design, the robot can come across as “cute.” Like you, I think that “cute” impression is theoretically a very dangerous view of the work Al and Brandon are doing. But have you considered that the cuteness is intentional, in order to prove that very point? Have you taken the cuteness of this scene and put it within the context of the other examples of artificial life in the comic- Al and Sulla? In both their cases, the artificial nature of their being has serious and unpleasant effects on their daily lives and self-image. This scene, which takes place much earlier, seems to be very deliberately contrasted with the “real-world” application of artificial life that we see with Al and Sulla. This part of the comic is about the beginning of that legacy. Consider too the difference between young Brandon and CEO Brandon. One is energetic, optimistic, and can-do; the other is weary, realistic, and conflicted. Even the color differences between past and present come with different emotional ties: warm, inviting pink v. cold blue.
My point is that it seems hasty (and unfair to the artist) for a reader to take scenes of “cute” artificial life that may have multiple intentions in the story– including irony– and balloon that concept to claim that the artist herself and the story as a whole is conceptually weak. To me this seems like a reactionary, assumptive criticism as opposed to one that takes in the work carefully as a whole.
Additionally, it’s an exaggeration to say that “everyone” in the comic is non-hetero or non-binary. “Smug?” “Delusional?” I think in different circumstances that could be the case (as with December’s example of a cast of 40 all-gay characters). But again, this criticism is not taking into account the context of the story. Al and Brandon are the two main characters, and they were a same-sex couple. We know that Al and Brandon are at least not straight, though this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re both completely homosexual. We haven’t seen them with anyone besides each other in a romantic relationship. Then we’ve got Sulla, who comes from Al, so it seems reasonable that she would also not be straight, as December also points out. As a homosexual yourself, surely you are aware that the LGBTQ community tends to gather around itself for support- queer and trans people often befriend other queer or trans people in part for the links they share. It makes perfect sense that a friend of Brandon’s would also be gay, or bisexual, or whatever she may be. So now we have 4 characters who are not straight, and whose connections to each other are reasonable. But by no means has the society of the comic, as a whole, been painted as being purely on the LGBTQ spectrum. I haven’t noticed excessive androgyny in the nameless background characters, but perhaps I simply haven’t been paying attention; but to that end, androgyny as a fashion statement in futuristic society is an old favorite of science fiction. Blue doesn’t seem to be going beyond what many other authors have done in that regard.
Finally, on the use of “queer” — I have mixed feelings about that word, which is one I often apply to myself. I understand how, given its history as a slur, someone might cringe to hear it applied as a descriptor of sexuality or gender. I also understand how others might embrace it, finding its appropriation empowering and rebellious. The new vocabularies being built by the LGBTQ community are fascinating and worth discussing, and I would submit that these conversations often need the prompting of art in order to be had. Yes, the references to intolerance and bigotry can feel heavy in this comic, I agree. They still do not reach the magnitude of actual, impacting intolerance and bigotry that millions face in our world today. That reality is staggering, it is horrifying; and it will not continue to erode without the continued dialogue of LGBTQ voices in the arts. What I mean by this is that the occasional heavy-handedness of Blue’s references serve a functional, deliberate purpose. Perhaps being queer is no inhibitor in Blue’s fictional future society– but what about being artificial? There is an extended metaphor in this comic comparing Sulla’s artificiality with the experience of being transgender, which is still incredibly difficult in our world today. (I know this personally.) Thus the intolerance Blue continually mentions in her work is not strictly about the queer/trans population within Sulla’s society- it is about that population in ours. Additionally, we have to remember that not all of Blue’s story takes place in the future; half of it takes place in the past, where homophobia is still so present it compels Al to hide himself even as an adult.
Part of the role of being a viewer is in criticizing. It’s an important factor in art. And criticism will serve both viewer and artist better when it is made with consideration to the context of the work as a whole, and the context of how that work is intended to comment on our own lives. So thank you for contributing to that process, and I am interested in hearing how yours (and others) opinions may or may not shift by the end of the story.
Wow. Nice internalized homophobia there. Really deeply embedded, you’re going to need some serious therapy to work that out.
I’m serious by the way, this isn’t a jab, you should probably talk to somebody about this.
So, what makes you think that everybody in this fictional world is gay? It certainly doesn’t seem like it to me, what with Al’s personal issues. Do you have anything to support your argument?
Does this story appear to have an insidious homosexual agenda to you?
Can you say the phrase “insidious homosexual agenda” with a straight face?
Have Al or Brendan given any indication as to how sapient the robot they are using really is, or what they plan on doing with it after the presentation?
Because I don’t see where you’re drawing these conclusions from.
Despite your comments re: the issues you have with the gay community, which I feel are a bit overblown, and indicative of some massive baggage you seem to have regarding that community, I actually completely agree with you about Brendan. As much as I love this story, I think that he has very misguided ideas of love, possession, creation, and above all – limitation. All of these things, however, make him the somewhat sociopathic inventor that he is. He’s more than willing to bend his morals when it suits him in order to feed his ego, because that’s what this is really about for him – playing the creator, because he’s so much brighter than everyone else, and he knows it. He would be a major supporter of transhumanism and Max More’s Extropianism, given the chance.
I just saw your comic and I like it a lot.
keep up the good work.
CFT,
Though you criticize the motives/endgame of the author, I think your extremely thorough and thought provoking posts on AI pretty much sum up everything this comic is about. You have to realize though, the characters committing horrific acts does not equal the author CONDONING horrific acts. Do real people make the same mistakes over and over? You bet ya. How was the road to Hell paved? And I think that’s the case with Brendan. Also, comments in the comment section aren’t the author’s either.
I trust the direction Blue is taking the story. We’ve already seen the unethical treatment of AI and how it affects two of the main characters. I seriously doubt Blue is going to drop the ball and not address these issues in the comic. To me, this is what the entire comic is gearing up to, and the fact that you are so passionate about it proves that Blue is doing something right.
All the best,
Leila
p.s. – Going back through the comments, and wow, Alexander was so much more eloquent than me!
Eeesh… Text walls of Death…
I come here to enjoy the comic. I don’t give a rats-ass if it has deep
meaningful connotations regarding robot life or homosexuality.
I like the drawing style, the choice of colours, the implied concepts on
the future of society, and the way the story is developing.
Thanks for over-complicating a simple, enjoyable story with your own personal fixations. Perhaps you should go start your own, then you
can mold it to suit your needs?
But don’t include a comments section, lest someone comes along and
uses it to spoil other peoples enjoyment of your art.
Regards,
Eli.
THANK YOU :)
CFT makes a good point about the use of the word Homophobia. The Greek suffixes denotes an irrational fear of, though the word Homophobia is colloquially used to mean the same thing as “racism.” Apparently the word sexualism didn’t catch on.
Ironically the word Racism isn’t proper either. the suffix -ism denotes an action, process or state of being (condition). What people mean when using the word “racism” is racial discrimination.
In the light of this defining, CFT has a lot of internalized Homosexual discrimination. Its a bit much to analyze the specifics of what he brought up but much of what he playfully called “insidious homosexual agenda” are a minority with mental issues that come from the psychological abuse of constant severe discrimination.
Note: I just wanted to mention I’ve never seen a sci fi that didn’t play into some sort of dystopian that plays into the more negative qualities of the human condition. Except for maybe star trek, it seems like the show depicts humans as if they evolved into more moral and considerate beings.
Just a note that I cleaned up this page’s comments a bit. If one of your comments was swept, it’s nothing personal – I just don’t want any new readers reading some of that stuff. Because… yikes.
I for one admire this “small minority ghetto” of a comic that’s apparently freaking out the straights. Consider, dear reader whose name I’m not gonna bother scrolling up to look at, if there may be actual human beings living in that world you find so “smug and delusional” who just want to get through their day.
So anyway. I wonder just how freaked out Helena’s girlfriend is. Depending on how closely she’s following what’s happening, she could be looking back and forth between Helena and the robot and feel like she doesn’t know how many Helenas there are now. Asking just how much of Helena the device could copy in one minute. Asking how much of a person it is. It’s probably good the robot looks so cute and nonhuman, for everyone’s peace of mind.