uzobono

First off, before I start, I know I thanked a bunch on Patreon and such, but I have to say, I'm still amazed that I even got a response much less than the response I did get. There might've been tears involved - hey, its nice to see people like what you do sometimes . If this first round of support goes through I can finally start to upgrade! 

Progress on 'Aria' is slow-ish, but steady. I'd say...2 more weeks. I'm not a particularly fast writer - or good writer in my opinion - which a lot of writers might deal with, but I think I sort of figured out why. I think - now I don't know for 100% certain since I don't live in their heads - that great writers (in the EMC scene, Tabico, trilbyelse, thrall, J. Darksong, fembotheather, among many many others) can construct solid narratives and characters, believable worlds that can just suck you in and it looks effortless. 

I know that there's *lots* of effort involved, obviously, and skill. But I also think there's a certain innate talent the authors I listed have that I don't think I do. In my mind, I can envision scenes and action, but struggle to get the details - dialogue, minute details, etc. - once the overall scene is 'finished' in headspace. I can only describe it like...we've all seen movies, but rarely will you *remember* every line of dialogue and where each character and piece of scenery was in that movie from start to finish. My 'creative process' is sort of like that - I know *what* happens each step of the way, but I can't place the details just right until I'm working on it right at the moment of creation.

That's a long-winded way of saying 'I'm a better outliner than planner' . 

So, if you've been in a cave recently (and you might've been since the sun seems to be perpetually in 'Brick Oven' mode lately, at least where I am), you may not have heard that my favorite author of all time (and partner-in-crime a la 'CORE'), Tabico, has a blog - which you can conveniently find at tabicosf.blogspot.com/.

Now, recently, Tabico posted a few FACs or 'Fanmail Appreciation Chapters', most of which she had sent over to my great joy in the past, and one of which I hadn't read before. *So* I decided to put down my brief, very rushed and fresh thoughts about a couple of the FACs posted so far, and would love to see what others thought about these as well - though, more importantly, I'd be happier if you left the author your thoughts on her blog!

Spoilers ahead (obviously). If you haven't read the stories these FACs are based on, stop now and go read them on mcstories . 

FAC: Allegiance by Tabico

This FAC is my favorite of the four recently posted stories, though that's unfair to say since I like them in different ways. 'Allegiance' is the mind control fetishist's idea of a mind control story. There's no sex - though there was in the full story - but even so, its *sizzling* hot.

This is sort of beating a dead horse, or ant in this case, but Tabico does world-building like no other author. At the end of her stories, you're always left with a 'What if?' or 'What's beyond that other door?', et cetera. All of that world-building is much of the time also tied to character development. Within a few paragraphs we know what type of person we're looking at (or reading). In the 'Allegiance FAC' we *know* what drives Commander Lewis, and what kind of person she is. To accomplish that within a few paragraphs is...well, its beyond my talent that's for sure .

This FAC is one of those stories with so much tension in it, that its hard to describe really. We're looking through Lewis' eyes, *but* the story isn't really about her, and the ending basically says as much. Tabico does squick and body horror mixed in with equal amounts of sexiness, and while the squick in this FAC is just a touch more than the non-existent overt sex, how the situation unravels *really* hits home as to what kind of trouble Lewis is in. I think I've mentioned this before but I *love* military/mercenary or 'strong' female tropes portrayed - especially in sci-fi - and the mind controllers using that strength (mental as well, not just physical) against the characters themselves or turning it for their own uses. Its basically the key to this story, why Lewis was chosen and such, but the way she ends up is just *so* delicious that even though I did say spoilers, I'd hate to spoil her outcome in my rambling .

We do eventually encounter the protagonist(s) from 'Allegiance' proper, but especially in the case of Ellibree - who I should note was *really* hot in the way she wanted Lewis in the first place, and then lamented at the 'waste of material'...*squee*! - we get to see that Ellibree is a *really* big deal, well she was a big deal in 'Allegiance' but now she's like a rockstar - militarily speaking. That makes the fact that she's...'recruiting' top officers from presumably all over the Union in order to destroy it (continuing her lover's Tetha's plan of squicky domination from 'Allegiance') all the more thrilling because again, that whole 'turn strength against itself' thing. I'm sure there's a phrase better than that but it escapes me >.-.

Fake Ones by Tabico

Now *this* is a story I'd never seen but more than that I didn't even know *existed*! Honestly, I thought I had my 'Tabico library' completed. Sure there were FAC's and things here and there I hadn't *read* maybe (I mean know of but never published, I've read each story at least 3 times), but this one was *old* and *new* at the same time.

If I had to describe it to someone who's read Tabico's work, 'Fake Ones' would be the most 'Un-Tabico Tabico story'. Nevermind that the antagonist is male, that its more or less grounded in 'our reality' with a sympathetic situation that we, as readers, can understand. I won't spoil too much about the setup, but its believable enough despite the fact that this story is *really* early in Tabico's writing. I did chuckle a touch because it does date itself a bit - 'internet porn', ha! .

All the notes that make a Tabico story a Tabico story are there though. There's a 'thriller' element in that you're wondering what'll happen next and can't wait to turn the page, which is hallmark of a great story, but also with the reveal of the nurses a certain...mmm...Tabioconic™ horror or creepiness that's present in later stories such as 'Blue' or 'Compromise'. The best I can describe it is...'there's something *wrong* here and I think I like it '.

The actual mind control in the story is *really* great, I think. Its not something *I* have personally read being explored much before, in setting and theme, and in my book it hits the spot. The story isn't finished, obviously, and its a bit bare in the ways that say...'Allegiance FAC' isn't, the world/character building and such. Its more of a *BAM* shock and awe, and it does get to the point super fast so its a bit of a departure in many ways from Tabico's other work which is more of a slow burn.

That was a bit of a ramble, but I'll close by saying even though its a male-dom story I for one could stand to read more of 'Nurse Young' .

Recently having watched 'Annihilation', I got reminded about all the news about the film industry, the scandals, the movies themselves and how the film industry has been creatively bankrupt for a number of years now, with some really bright exceptions here and there (in the case of 'Annihilation' - albeit based on an amazing book, or so I've heard since I haven't read it yet). 

Reboots, sequels, adaptations of...well, practically *anything* that's come out circa 1980 or so, and more often that *I* see, way back in 2000. This might be the liquor, but is it just me or have Spiderman and the Hulk had more than a *bunch* of movies in the past almost decade and a half rehashing the same origin story?

Anyways, I had a thought that eventually, someone, sometime, somewhere when the creatively bankrupt will find the 'The Division' or stories of a similar type will be discovered and picked up for adaptation. I really do hope they do it justice but if not then at I hope they pull off at least two things right.

Please don't cast JLaw for any part except a random victim that gets converted into a grey drone in the background.
Tammy is a redhead and please *do* cast Deborah Ann Woll of 'True Blood' and 'Daredevil' fame.

*hic*

So, I've gotten a bunch of questions about comics, health, and general curious-minds-want-to-know and I thought I'd go down the list and share some answers .

1) Why is it so long between comic releases?

Well, this is a health + comic answer. I've had a health problem over the last year, and been dealing with that and trying to balance real life and health, and comics. On the comic side, its mainly to do with continuity. 

When I started these comics, it was *really* easy to simply make characters say 'stuff' and do 'stuff' without worrying about what might happen. Now that events have *happened* and characters have certain personalities, I have to make sure I don't actually screw up the continuity by making say...a strong, willful character suddenly appear submissive as well as making sense out of the now...dozens and dozens of characters in this silly world.

2) How is my health?

Good so far . Quickly recovering from (minor) surgery, although it was a real shock and scare. It also gives me a great excuse to spend more time rendering and finishing comics.

3) What is the difference between all the drones and dolls?

When I started the comics, I *basically* ripped off Dollmistress' *awesome* pink/gray dolls from Space Ditz, but they eventually evolved to be the big amazonian gray drones I have now. 

One basic rule to keep in mind, is *all* drones are part of the Hive (obviously) and thus a collective, but how much of the 'collective' is in a drone depends on what kind of drone it is. All drones (so far) are made from people, mostly-if not all-female, and remember nothing of their past selves as its all been absorbed by the Hive.

The basic gray drone started out as a Mark I, super voluptuous, but they weren't very good for things like guards and combat for the way I wanted the comic to 'feel'. So enter the Mark II's, our buff worker bees. Mark II's are essentially mindless, and only have basic functions programmed in and need 'Controllers' in order to do complex tasks such as search for annoying intruders, interact with people, and other things that would be anything other than 'stand here and look imposing'.

Controllers, or Mark III's, are the higher-functioning drones. Super intelligent, they act as conduits for the rest of the collective's consciousness. Depending on what the Hive needs them for, some of them can shapeshift into their former human form, and look unique as Controllers, while others are strictly tied to a specific Hive and have the same pale complexion basic template. Controllers also have the unique ability to *make* more Mark II's by injection hapless citizens or heroines with some gooey gray nanites.

Pleasure Dolls on the other hand are a separate thing altogether. They're similar to drones in that they do have a 'network' but they are individuals and can be programmed to be really anything their owners want them to be, although they all start as a basic template. Doll conversion is similar to drone conversion, except dolls aren't part of the Hive (though they can certainly be taken over, being robots) and are converted via a dual-formula called 'Doll-U' and 'Doll-E'.

I've had a number of unfilled requests so far and I thought I should address why I can't get to them .

Sadly, due to a serious health issue, requests are on hold for the foreseeable future . I'm *so* sorry about it, I did promise a bunch of you, but alas, life gets in the way . 

The only thing I can focus on is my main comics for now, but I hope once this issue passes, I hope to fill a bunch of your asks (1-panel shots or otherwise) as soon as I can .

Thank you all *so* much for reading my silly little comic world, and I hope you'll understand .

/hugs 

-Uzo