Grrl Power #187 – The Arc-Files?
I struggled over this page mostly because it’s just a bridge from the previous pages, and also it seemed a little expositiony… well, no, exposition isn’t the problem. At some point in the past decade, I’m not sure when, I’ve developed a bit of a pet peeve where exposition between characters who already know everything that’s being said bugs me more and more. It’s one thing for Data to remind Picard that the phasers are routed through the warp core (something Picard would obviously know) if he’s leading into a larger point, but when Capt. Bryant is telling Deckard that Replicants have a four year lifespan to prevent them from developing emotions, that’s just bad writing in my opinion. There is NO WAY a professional Replicant hunter wouldn’t already know that. My problem with this page is that Arianna already knows what Arc-LIGHT’s function is, so having Max spell it out explicitly is really just for the readers’ benefit. Still, I don’t think it’s as egregious a case of exposition as the Blade Runner example, because when people argue they can get locked into a narrow point and need to be reminded of the bigger picture.
I guess what I’m complaining about is called the “As you know” trope, (Warning! TVTropes is a black hole level time sink) where the only party learning new information is the audience. My pet peeve is when they don’t even have the courtesy to drop the “as you know” in there, or at least have Deckard roll his eyes and tell Bryant not to patronize him.
Also, when you’re telling a story, not every page will have All The Jokes on them, and the primary gag of this page is just a visual reference that maybe 8% of readers will get right away. I’m sure someone in the comments will eventually explain it.
Friday is Valentine’s day and I’ll again be participating in the Valentine’s Day Sex Drive, which is mostly an excuse to draw nude superheroines, and is what got you the Harem spread last year. (Not linked directly since it’s NSFW, but it’s in the DeviantArt gallery) This year will feature a certain one legged sniper, so those of you who wanted to see more of her tattoos should be pleased.
Also also, I’ll be recording a podcast with the folks over at Webcomic Alliance, which if you make or want to make webcomics, is a pretty good resource. We’ll be talking about the Patreon campaign and just talking shop about webcomics in general. I’ll link that when it gets posted.
Also also also, Patreon.
SuperheroThey're super, thanks for asking!
Meatspace ComicSeriously these are awesome. Check 'em out!
Not UpdatingNo longer updating or only updates sporadically, but definitely worth reading.
SeriouslySeriously you guys. If you like Grrl Power the check these out.
"Mature"Mature subject matter and occasionally something explicit but usually safe. Can't guarantee the ads are safe though.
Dongs Ahoy!Full frontal and backal. Lots of skin, sex on some or all pages, explicit or otherwise.
The guy in panel two is a spitting image of Jonathan Creek.
Well, yes. It is a total homage.
“Jonathan Creek is a British mystery series produced by the BBC and written by David Renwick. Primarily a crime drama, the show is also peppered with broadly comic touches. It stars Alan Davies as the title character, who works as a creative consultant to a stage magician while also solving seemingly supernatural mysteries through his talent for logical deduction and understanding of illusions.” – wikipedia.
Wait, thought he was a stage magician, not just a ‘creative consultant’ for one
He is fully trained as one, but in the series he earns his bread and butter working behind the scenes for the smarmy front guy. Which was for the best, as it is much harder to conduct discrete detective work if your face is known in every household. Of course, once he got work in front of the cameras due to his detective career (the character that is) he blew that side of things right out of the water anyhow.
And the front guy is a fraud/hack (or at least, not a third the ‘magician’ Mr Creek is)
Haven’t watched it in years, and even then, only saw a couple episodes
I like it and think I have watched most of them. It does wear a bit thin that he is able to explain pretty much everything. Whereas in real life there would be some things which were inexplicable, even if there was doubt that a supernatural cause was the only answer. Mind you, a detective story where the hero cannot explain things probably has less appeal, so I can understand it.
Whereas there are other series that start episodes in a similar manner, ie presenting a strange situation where the problem seems to be supernatural, but where the solution almost always is that it actually is paranormally caused. Be it where the hero is a psychic, or in series such as the X-files.
Personally I would like to see a series which struck a more interesting balance. Where most things were mundane, and it is just a matter of getting past the deceptions and false impressions. But, every now and then, to spice things up, there was something extraordinary.
But, that then goes into an area that I dislike, which is how such series ignore the profound implications that such finds would have on the world. Or have the heroes be serially incompetent in letting conspirators repeatedly cover up the truth. The most irritating aspect of the X-files. Finding the truth and always letting the proof be whisked away to preserve the status quo of normalcy in the the series.
I would much rather that the writers have the balls to show how things might start to change if aliens, ghosts or magic were proven to exist. One of the underlying appeals of Grrl Power. It is not easy to do it in a way that everyone will agree is realistic, but it is fascinating to explore the options.
That’s what annoys me with a lot of the cartoons (looking at you, Simpsons): doesn’t matter what happens, everything always returns to ‘normal’ by the time the credits roll, even the death of Maude Flanders didn’t really change things: they only reference her death when it’s part of that weeks plot, and again, everything returns to ‘normal’ just in time for the credits (that’s how it’s managed to last for 20+ years)
My wife and I have a shared setting based around your generic secret group of occult investigators who are often called into solve apparently paranormal crimes. However when it turns out to be a mundane crime they hand the case back to the mundane authorities and head home. We only really have stories to tell when the situations are genuinely paranormal.
That would certainly satisfy my feeling of balance. There being more mundane stuff (by definition) than weird in the world. If you get the feeling that the team does that sifting to get rid of the dross, even though the bulk of the stories concentrate on the paranormal activities that they specialise in. Rather like we get to know that Sherlock Holmes has to routinely turn down the boring every-day cases, because there is occasional reference to it. Even if it is just a single throw-away line in some instances.
That said, it would still amuse me, and give me a better sense of realism, if the team occasionally got it wrong. Not through fault of their own necessarily. Nobody likes an incompetent hero, after all (the odd Mr Bean character being an exception). But if, once in a blue moon, they were to investigate something that has all the hallmarks of a paranormal event, only to find that it is one instance where it is simply somebody faking it. But doing so well enough that it takes a real expert to unmask it. *
That would give a surprise to the audience, by reversing the underlying presumption of the stories. And would keep them on their toes in future ones, not knowing for sure if something is going to be paranormal. Obviously that is just my personal take on the matter, of course, rather than a criticism. Not everybody enjoys being taken out of their comfort zone in a setting. I simply really enjoy being taken by surprise by a story. It does not happen too often to me nowadays, so I relish it when it does.
* Or, to reverse it, think of Scooby Do, where it comes to pulling the rubber mask off the monster expecting to reveal the creepy janitor. The formulaic ending to every episode normally. Only to find that it is not a rubber mask, but that the monster is real.
Knew he looked familiar, and that’s exactely the sort of thing he does
Couldn’t quite believe it when I saw it, but once I clicked, it’s awesome.
Hah! Or someone in the comments will explain it right away. :)
Bill Bixby played a similar role in “The Magician”, a 1973-74 TV-Series in the US:
[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069606/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_33]
Johnathan Creek was my first thought too.
The response she’s NOT predicting….the numerous Maxima fanboys and/or girls that want to be “punished” by her. That’s probably the response most terrifying to Max.
hmmm Max in a black leather corset and thigh boots. DROOOOOL!
The many many MANY applications of rule 34
MMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmm (DROOLS)
Well, we already saw Deus almost there last page… The real question is whether that was I’R’L, or how ARCHON expect him to act..?
Given that’s Deus, we can’t be sure that’s a sexual response and not just some weird Villain Ball thing
considering where his hand would’ve been if it was actually Maxima and not a TV? A Little of both.
Just imagine where her hand (fist) would be if that had been real :P
I actually get a bit warm and fuzzy thinking about it.
Maybe it’s the early morning, but I just got an image of Max and Ari as a couple
The fights would be legendary.
Been saying that for weeks (if not months)
I bet he lives in a windmill IN SPACE.
But in SPACE nobody can hear you say “I can’na give you any power captain”.
Oh no! Not the tyranny of excel spreadsheets.
Oh no. Each one of them gets kick backs from their action figure sales. Max was supposed to first seem like a mildly boring leader type so they could bump the appeal of the others before breaking out the awesome.
Now Nuclear Blast Max is going to overshadow Pokeball girl sales!
Don’t forget the 12″ Halo figure that comes with SnapGrip™ hands so you can pop the 8 mm orbs in and out of her hands. Unlike the real Halo, these balls can get more than 4 body lengths away from the host
dollaction figure, so do not forget to get a few “Orb Replacement Packs” while you are at it. And if you want toys with lots of small pieces to get lost and broken, look for “Pistol Packing Peggy” and “Transmogrifying Dabbler”, which switches back and forth in appearance from her human version with all the glow-in-the-dark tattoos to the purple, multi-armed battle-form.“But Mommy, I can’t find Dabbler’s black cape and BFG! I only had her in battle-form for 3 days. Now I can’t change her back.” [ Panic setting in; starts crying ]
“Let’s see, I gave the cape to Jenny to use on her Barbie and I think your dad may have stepped on the gun, so I had to throw it out. It looked like a green hammer with a red missile in it, right? Well, after Daddy stepped on it, it could not hold the missile anymore and it was kind of flat.”
[ Son throws hissy fit, the word “Barbie” sputtered in there somewhere. ]
“Okay, we will go to the toy store on Saturday and see if we can find replacements.”
“HEY KIDS! Do you like the super heroes of ARCON?” *off screen crowd of kids say yeah* “Then you need to get your hands on *increase echo* ARCON DIRECTOR ARIANNA! With kung fu action typing, real working reading glasses, and over 20 voice responses to press conference questions!” Arianna toy: ARCON was created to protect the people! “Only $39.95 plus tax! Get yours today at these fine stores.
productdoesnotmoveortalkonitsownproductcomeswithaccessoriesshownotheraccessoriessoldseperatelyproductdesignedforchildrensevenandolderchildrenundersevenshouldbemonitoredwhileusingproductascertainpiecespresentachokinghazzard”
Have you seen the commercials for the new ‘Marvel Super Hero Mashers”? A toy designed from the start with many many easily lost parts that will need constant replacing.
And I quote:
“Make your own hero mash-up with these customizable figures! All parts are removable so you can swap parts from other Super Hero Mashers figures (sold separately).”
“Choking hazard”
This toy includes small parts that may present a choking hazard to small childern. Not for childern under the age of 3
All this sounds good until you remember The Specials, or even have seen it. Math would find himself an action figure of him as a black man with a gun. And Hiro will be a large refrigerator and an enemy.
I disagree with your concerns about the trope
In this case, Arianna might know it already, but she’s complaining about something that can be countered with reminding her that the thing she’s complaining about is fully within the goal of Archon.
So it’s more that Maxima is reminding Arianna what it is Archon is ACTUALLY here to do, and Arianna beeing a little stuck in the whole superstar, smile to the public thing
Not to mention, the moichandizin’
Where da REAL money from the movie (er, comic) is made!
I would totally buy ‘Grrlpower the flamethrower!’
Grrlpower the sheets?
Dabbler’s designing “Grrlpower, the marital aid” as we speak.
Heatwave volunteered to help and is presently sticking female power slogans on nunchuks.
o_O How did you get Nuchaku from Marital aid? or did you think I said MARTIAL Aid?
Why can’t they be both?
It was a three-way gambit
1. I called back to the earlier comment in the thread “Grrlpower the flamethrower”Heatwave is literally that. Notably though a real flamethrower is a martial weapon, albeit a military one rather than belonging to the martial arts. But I was keeping a topic covered by the thread.
2. There was, as you noticed, the play on words between ‘marital’ and ‘martial’, one that, using stereotypes, Heatwave very much might mistake.
3. Finally they do have a phallic form. So, as DR. REVENGE observed, could actually function in the original role Dabbler intended. Providing satisfaction for more than just the pun.
Which actually subverts the stereotypical image of Heatwave. She is not dumb, she is just slow on the uptake. She would know what Dabbler intended, once she thought it through. Even if she might have misheard at first.
Grr “martial” and “marital”
Although I guess that proves the point that they can be mistaken. :-D
Personally I took the “As you know” part as Maxima talking down to Arianna because, from Maxima’s point of view, Ariannas concerns are totally irrelevant.
Yeah, the way it’s framed, it definitely sounds more like Max talking down rather than expositing.
Either way, it works
The Maxima action figures need to come with an Omega Murder Blast gadget for spectacular displays.
Maby a M80 firecracker.
Or a little gun that shoots more grenades( that happens to look like cans of beer, see what I did there? :D )
So… what’s the framed NYT article, anyway?
From the looks of it, something from about 100 years ago, maybe the very first review or something
Oh wait, looks like it mentions the killing of Franz Ferdiand (the Arch Duke, not that crappy wannabe-band) and his wife, which was the excuse for The Great War of 1914 (or, maybe in this world, a Super saved them)
Yes, I think it is.
https://serbianna.com/blogs/savich/archives/2214
Wow, good detective work the pair of you. Please complete this form.
*Passes over document entitled “Membership application for Arc-Light”*
Here…
* produce the already filled hacked copy
Yeah it’s not relevant to the comic, it’s just restaurant kitsch. I’m still bad about populating my interior architecture with something other than just walls.
Heh. You could play with that a little, of course. Lower the number of people killed in the Hindenburg fire, change the number of the Apollo mission that landed on the moon, little stuff like that.
So, in the Halo universe, it turns out that Fred Haise was a super and used his telekinesis to repair the leak before it got so bad. He got to be the 6th person to walk on the moon.
Or one of the Apollo astronauts turned out not to NEED Oxygen so he was the only one ever sent during most of the Apollo missions
Having things like this, while not relevant to the actual story, are still fun little things to add and for readers to find
Don’t have to add them in every page (same with jokes/gags, both the ‘ha-ha’ gags and the ones Ari and Maxi play with on their days off ;)), and that makes them even more funner when they do appear
+1
I remember in ‘Sliders’ that they had an inside joke of a ‘Truman Defeats Dewey’ newspaper.
Wasn’t that the world where the CCCP conquered the U.S.? (It’s been awhile)
My apologies but I can’t help myself. Please, just tell me if the Japanese painting behind Deus in the previous page is a Katsushika Hokusai or is your personal version of “The Great Wave off Kanagawa”.
Either way it is an Interesting choice considering the artist’s others… topics :)
It’s my own drawing, but heavily referencing several pieces included the second one you linked, as I wanted it to be immediately familiar.
Thanks, you do it great :)
and now we know why arianna is REALLY upset hehe “MY MERCHANDISING AND MONEY GRABING GRUBBING PLAN” hehe
The precious THE PRECIOUS!!! Yeah I could see Ari as Gollum.
dave can we get a picture of a Ari/Gollum mix please
Fascinating though the concept might be, are you sure? Bearing in mind that Dave is currently working on a nude or semi-nude shot of Peggy. Would you really want him to switch projects?
NOOOOOO!!!!!!
ok ari/gollum can wait….for now
How about a naked GollAri? (you will find the brain bleach in the top cupboard)
I love the Jonathan Creek/Alan Davies homage. Made me laugh so much when I saw him!
woohoo!
i cant wait for the saint valentine picture!
the only one i would haveliked better wouldprobably have been an all redhead spread withthem in a boudoir pose,, maybe even messing around with each others,,
Not sure there are that many redheads though
Let’s see: Heatwave (who already has indicated she is straight), Harem (undyed), Anvil, and Peggy (dyed). Who knows, maybe Dabbler will use a ginger illusion some day.
anxiously awaiting the Valentines “spread”…
I’m currently picturing Peggy replacing Rose McGowan in a Planet Terror background…
Of course, I originally was picturing a Peggy/Max ship (possibly in a recovery ward, also possibly being sponge-bathed…)
And thus fannart is born
Personally see more of a friendship between Maxi and Pegs, now as for Pegs and Sydney… :D
Even came up with a name for the ship: Pegney (commence your growns now)
SiGgy?
Didn’t think of that one
damn a SiG-horny weaver! stop dabbler from tormenting the posters. at least the ari’s bedding thread stopped quick.
I totally agree with Dave regarding the illogical exposure. When rife can completely ruin the book / movie / whatever.
The solution that pleases me most is the voiceover in the third person, not necessarily as an ongoing part of the narrative, the timely appearance fits perfectly.
(to general audience: this is a text not associated with any character, like a footnote, which gives the relevant information, like this one itself :)
The appeal of having someone new or outside (new member, reporter, etc.) who needs the explanation is good too, whether part of the dialogue or not (an aside comment from Dabbler to Syd for example), but in many situations is not feasible. The voiceover works like wherever.
Yes.
But the solution that pleases me most is the voiceover in the third person, done in the main character’s voice, like hearing his/her thoughts.
I immediately thought about Mike Hammer :))
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_57ee5tU3q4
But directors can sometimes change their minds. Ridley Scott thought that Harrison Ford’s voice-over in Blade Runner was too distracting and removed it in a later version released to disk.
See I liked the Bladerunner V.O. I thought it really helped with the film noir feeling of the picture while giving the audience useful information.
Likewise. I prefer to have major points clearly spelled out rather than have to play detective on a movie I’m watching. But we seem to be in a minority on that one, Dave.
I am the reverse, in that I enjoy figuring out the situation with no exposition at all. The perfect story being one where the camera just starts shooting as the hero goes about his business. With absolutely no pandering to the fact that the audience does not know any background information. If it is well scripted/written they can fill in the blanks, and the things which made no sense at first will become clearer based on the actions of the characters.
But, that said, I enjoyed both the VO and the directors cut versions of Blade Runner, so you are not in as small a minority as you might think.
However, if anyone else out there normally prefers films without exposition, and has not seen the Crow, then take this advice. Skip the first five minutes. If you can, try to start it from the point where the hero is climbing out of his grave.
I was fortunate enough to have been involved in a car crash which delayed my arrival to see the movie at the cinema. Such that my friends and I only arrived at that point. We missed the exposition scene which explains why he is able to do what he does, and how he ended up in the grave. Which was totally pointless. In fact, utterly counter-productive for folks like me. The story played extremely well sans narrative.
And it probably would not even frustrate folks who do not like playing detective, as the fact that he must have returned from the grave for some serious reason was blindingly obvious. And the reasons why became perfectly clear in the natural flow of the story.
I go back and forth on the “playing detective” idea, and I think a lot of it has to do with what I’m looking to get out of a movie. Am I looking for simple escapism for a couple hours? Absolutely spell things out for me – don’t make me work too hard on this fluffy dessert (e.g. Michael Bay). Am I looking for interpretive fiction, or a deep thought piece? Please let me puzzle through it myself and reach my own conclusions (e.g. Stanley Kubrick). For me, Blade Runner occupies an interesting middle ground – I have enjoyed both versions, though I thought the “Decker is a Replicant” idea was a bit overdone, even in the directors cut, and probably would’ve toned some of it down a bit more.
*sigh* Of course Maxima ends up being the one who wins the argument and Ariana goes back to being a Lindsey Naegle figure blowing things out of proportion. ¬_¬
Didn’t expect a Jonathan Creek reference/homage of all things.
Of course. She did not earn her rank insignia for loosing. Quite a cunning conversational gambit really. She talked down Arianna from being a rabid head-chewer all the way to a professional focussing on her new task priorities. By the simple expedient of mentioning of Arianna’s fixation, namely merchandising. Timing it to come after some distracting comments and a disarming gaff.
A veritable sparring match. Point to Maxima. Return fencing foils to the safe position.
Poor woman. All those spread sheets. D: I hope she built those functions to change. 8U
Love the comic, by the way.
‘Poor woman’ nothing! Ari lives for her spreadsheets, she even had bedsheets made to resemble spreadsheets (to Maxi’s consternation)
Oh yeah, you know, when saw them Maxima went all: “if you want me in that bed better get rid of that crap”
Now I want an ARC-Light comic series. Time to haul out the Asimov Duplicator.
Watch Fringe or X-Files, but instead of the Arc-LIGHT agents getting into gunfights with sewer monsters, imagine them calling in Arc-SWAT and the sewer monster getting his shit owned.
I think I’ve read that book a few times in the last couple years. Some of Simon R. Green’s and Christopher Golden’s stuff at least. Hellboy meets Maxima: Red vs Gold.
And everyone ends up Black & Blue :P
“I’m gonna be feeling that Tomorrow”
“You’re not the only one.”
With all of these arc references are you going to call the villians arc nemesis?
By the way, I love the clever interplay between narrative and image in panel 2. Namely Arc Light with the scene showing fascinating interplays of light, illuminating the Arc Light detectives. Complete with a high visibility “Arc Light” jacket.*
* Saying that reminds me of a scene in a movie where Clint Eastwood plays a member of the Secret Service assigned to presidential bodyguard duties. At one point you have, if I remember right, Airforce One on the runway and a guy in the foreground positioned similarly to the scene above, but with the words “Secret Service” plastered across the back of his jacket.
It raised a huge laugh in the UK cinema when I first saw the movie. I always wondered if the irony of that shot played to US audiences too, or if it passed them by simply because of the normality of the scene?
Oh, I think you are talking about “In the line of Fire”, great John Malkovich.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Line_of_Fire
Max’s joke public response appears to have been exactly the one that actually arose in response to the NSA domestic surveillance program. While it’s arguable as to how much effect that will have in the end, it seems …peculiar to dismiss the argument or it’s response out of hand.
Also peculiar is Max’s chain of reasoning. By her logic, at least as she presents it here, even if the supercops do abuse their power, the public should just suck it up because it’s us (domestic supercops) or them (foreign superagents).
I think you are reading more into it than she is saying. Her remark is pointing out the absurdity of knee-jerk fear. When such fear is directed at the only thing standing between the public and something that is genuinely a threat.
I appreciate that you are extrapolating from her statement, in a manner that others will likely too. But it goes in a direction set by your own interpretation, rather than genuinely pursuing her line of reasoning.
That said, your statement is actually true. Under the world circumstances presented in the comic, each nation has a choice to make. Does it form official state super organisations to counter criminal and other threats? Or does it allow the situation to handle itself? Ie let supers organise things how they like. Leaving their country’s future at the whim of private super groups. Be they villainous or altruistic. Not to mention lacking any capability against foreign nations who choose to go the other route. As also pointed out by Maxima.
The other major choice being for those countries which choose to wage a war of extermination against supers. And that policy has a few significant issues to deal with.
Registration, super-population control and similar measures simply being watered-down smoke and mirrors versions of the last policy.
Max’s statement can’t be arguing against knee-jerk fear. The public has just been presented with a credible threat to fear, Max herself. She did this on purpose, expressly (as demonstrated through her depicted desired outcomes) to cause fear.
Additionally, as you say I am extrapolating off of Max’s statement. However, given her wording, it’s hard to see what wouldn’t be justified by her argument.
On the topic of extrapolating off of statements, you’ve done quite a bit of it in your supporting details. In doing so you’ve presented as fact a number of your own opinions (many of which would make for interesting argument, but which I will not address). You do however, state that you agree with my statement:
“By her logic, at least as she presents it here, even if the supercops do abuse their power, the public should just suck it up because it’s us (domestic supercops) or them (foreign superagents).”
Since you took issue with my extrapolation on Max’s behalf, I’m guessing what you’re actually agreeing with is: ” even if the supercops do abuse their power, the public should just suck it up because it’s us (domestic supercops) or them (foreign superagents)”?
To make certain I understand, are you arguing for an unaccountable police force in trade for security? Or are you simply arguing for the necessity of having a state backed agency?
From the second press conference, after ArcSwat’s first successful capture of a supervillian.
Pinky: Pinky from Knee-Jerk News. Lieutenant Colonel Leander, you are by far the strongest, fastest and toughest of the supers in this team. How can you reassure the public that you will not be a threat to public safety? What is to stop you if you go rogue?
Max: [ Points at Dabbler, Halo, and Achilles ] Them. Individually, they might not be able to stop me, but together, I am confident they could keep me under control. [ Thinks about the irony of Sydney keeping her under control. ] That said, I am a career military officer; I have sworn to uphold the constitution and the law. I have done that for nearly 20 years, and I will keep doing that as long as I am able.
Neither, although the latter gets closer to my intent.
Beyond the first paragraph I was in no way extrapolating from Maxima’s statement. I was strictly interjecting my own observations. Hence pointing out when they overlapped with Max’s.
I was merely pointing out that different governments will have to come up with their own solutions to the problem. Or let anarchy rule, of course. Of the models that spring to mind, the state controlled agency seems to be the most workable. Albeit not the only one.
For instance another country (or the USA in an alternate universe), might choose to use principles similar to those applied from free market economics and privatisation. So set up a framework by which supers need to belong to a controlling organisation (be it a company, super group or some new term) which is licensed for certain set activities, similar to any company today. Who would be responsible for the individual’s actions, giving them training and so on. Probably with a regulatory body to oversee the whole process and enforce good practice.
That may even be the way that civilian supers in this setting will be handled. But that brings us closer to the key point. Would you want to have a privatised police force? The Robocop film franchise explores some of the pitfalls that might entail. Only in this situation the force would be heavy with supers, rather than just having the one as in those movies.
Likewise you could have a mercenary super army for hire.
Either of those prospects do not appeal greatly to me. Cynical of the motivations of governments though I may be, I feel happier with police and army rather than security for hire and mercenaries. Because then the power lies with whichever corporate owner can pay for it. They will be the driving force behind policy. Rather than an elected body representing the will of the people.
And any country which does not have its own standing army will always be at a disadvantage if facing aggression from another country which does. And in a world of supers, your army might as well make its tanks out of paper and its guns out of butter, if they do not have super support one way or another.
Yes, you can make contingency plans to draft in supers or super-teams in the event of a national emergency or war. But equally you might not have time to do that. Far better, in my opinion, to have the structure and forces in place ready for when they are needed.
Of course, should anyone come up with an alternative arrangement that seems more workable, I would be open to considering it. Lacking that, I would go for the latter statement you offer. I certainly would never go for an ‘unaccountable’ police force for any reason, let alone the illusion of security.
Yorp,
I THINK it may have been mentioned here before, but you might want to find the book “Wearing the Cape”, by Marion G. Harmon.
Good book. I like the sequels too.
Super heroes as, well, something on the order of contract firemen or EMT’s. They mostly go to the disaster. The police call when they need help with another super, but they have no special powers of arrest.
Yep, I remember it being mentioned before. I stuck a note in my library. Trouble is it will be some time until I get to expand it, as there is a paucity of English language books here, let alone specialist ones.
Even when I had a lucrative job, I always browsed the second hand stores and market stalls. Reading a book a day got too expensive a habit as prices of books soared over the years. Still I have 6,000 or so of the best in science fiction and fantasy, so it will keep me going until my situation changes and I can afford to add a few more shelves to the collection.
I purchased it as an E-book. One of the first books I bought after getting a Kindle for Christmas.
While I believe it was published in paper, (I know the sequel was), and I prefer having hard copy, (as in this part of the world, I benefit from “right of first sale”), I can afford more bytes than trees.
There is a Kindle program available for the PC, and I believe the other platforms as well, so if you’re willing to read a book on a computer, you can do so. I have several Kindle books, and several more HTML Baen books, on my computer from prior to owning a Kindle.
That is extremely kind of you. But I do spend an awfully high proportion of my day, one way or another, on the computer. Astute detective work might have picked up that I can be fairly obsessive. On top of which, I have a genuine need to keep up with developments in a number of diverse fields. Science, technology, history, archaeology, philosophy, theology, sociology…ok anything with an ‘ology’ covers most of the rest of it. All of which I conduct on the computer.
I need to get away from it more.
But thanks again. The thought and offer is very much appreciated.
While I can certainly see parallels, I’d be hesitant to call this exactly the same…
The NSA concern is one of constitutional rights, which many people have said may be being violated – those concerns, once raised, absolutely must be taken seriously by this government, and those questions answered.
The Supers question, in my mind, is more akin to the “assault” weapons issue in the US. People want something done because they are frightened, and they push their representatives to enact laws against the things they find frightening. The problem there, as with here, is they must step on others constitutional rights to do so, and afterward, they haven’t done a single darned thing that actually fixes (or even mitigates) the actual problem, and may actually make the situation worse through their proposed actions.
Why? There has been no widespread outcry against moves to limit people’s right to bear arms, so why are people upset that other rights (which are not explicitly spelled out in the Constitution) should be treated just as badly? While I agree with the concerns about the NSA’s decision to violate the privacy of American citizens, I have to admit to a certain feeling of vindication that so many people should find their own attitudes turning on them like this.
The lesson behind the NSA scandal, and a whole host of other scandals, should be obvious. People are people, no matter who they work for, or what they try to achieve. No matter how noble the goals, there will always be people willing to do whatever it takes to achieve them. At the end of the day, the price of freedom from such intrusion is eternal vigilance against those who have let themselves believe that the end justifies the means. The willingness to surrender the ability, the right, and the responsibility to control our selves and our destinies should not be given away lightly (as has been done), if at all. Power stems from responsibility, people, not the other way around.
But then again, if that were obvious, the NRA would not be the only group in the country pushing for gun rights, would it?
The NRA is NOT the Only organization pushing to protect and win back the right to keep and bear arms. They’re just the most visible national organization. I think you’ll find your own state has some gun group that is not directly affiliated with the NRA, I know mine does. I’ve heard of a couple national groups other than the NRA. The NRA is the largest and the loudest, (and probably the best financed, due to point one, and allowing point two), hence the best known.
Actually, I’ve heard people state a preference for one of the other groups because the NRA has a history of “compromising”. That is, yielding on an issue in a way that is rarely recoverable.
So the argument in this universe is “The only thing that stops a bad super with a deathray is a good super with a deathray.”
Isn’t that the same in every Universe?
I have no idea how you got to your comment from mine. I merely pointed out that the previous posters assertion that the NRA was the only such organization was false.
However, the only thing standing in the way of an evil super with a death ray is anyone else in possession of a death ray, super or not. Protect our right to keep and bear death rays.
I apologize if I went too far off topic. I saw NRA and it reminded me of the quote from last year that got so much public attention. I was trying to imagine how that argument would play out in the DB universe.
No ill will was intended. Oh wait, here is another example of how my brain works. During my reply I just caused myself to think of another new super villain: “Ill Will” whose power is to spread disease. Feel free to use him if you want, Dave.
Odd.
I saw “Ill Will” and immediately thought mind controller. Possibly with a hate/anger theme.
Nonetheless, ideas can’t be copyrighted or patented, which is good. Why so many people seem to think the IDEA has value, and not the implementation, I don’t know.
Still, I, like you, welcome any opportunity to see any suggestions I make, off-hand or otherwise, incorporated into the creative work. It’s an unfortunate reality that our society has gotten so litigious, an author has to fear cries of “plagiarism” if they use an idea someone else may have mentioned first. I suppose, in this environment, a blanket approval is, if not necessary, at least reassuring.
And we don’t need any more “no longer famous” people wearing paper bag masks, do we?
I get the feeling that we may be talking past each other on this one.
I’m interpreting Max as saying that people should trust a specially empowered government agency (one that might abuse it’s powers to the detriment of the public) because the trade off is a lack of protection against other similarly empowered groups either foreign or domestic. Hence my use of the NSA parallel.
You seem to be equating this to gun rights, though please correct me if I’m wrong. I’m not arguing that supers shouldn’t have powers, or that they shouldn’t use them, just that a police force should be accountable to the populace it is policing.
I get what you’re saying, and agree – I was simply pointing out that the justifications that belie the underlying fears play out differently in the legal landscape
Well, she… kind of is implying that. Not that she’s planning on being a big jerk to everyone on purporse, but she has leveraged her value as an asset before, really Arianna should have leapt on that, but quite frankly I just wanted to move the scene beyond them bickering.
NO NOT THE MERCHANDISING. NOT THE MERCHANDISING!!!!!!!
Definitely dig the Jonathon Creek reference.
+1
The other problem that neither one brought up is more primitive responses to public fear. Sure, Max has very little to fear from an angry mob, but any meta-human who isn’t bullet proof has plenty to fear from a frightened public. And if all metas were bullet proof Peggy wouldn’t be on the team. Oh, and poison of course. We can see that Max eats, is she immune to all poisons?
I wonder how many bush league meta’s will have to die before Max rethinks her position on terrorizing a heavily armed populace?
How is she terrorizing the populace? By promising that no hostile metas will target them? By making the explicit promise that the most powerful meta in the world is on their side and (theoretically) under their control? Cause I hate to say it, but anything that would apply to Max would apply double to Superman, for instance, and nobody seems to regard him as terrifying.
I gotta tell you, that’s not really something that would scare me. Of course, I’m pretty strange, myself, so perhaps the strange just doesn’t have the same fear factor for me. Plus, of course, I’m an optimist, so I tend to assume that people are rational, and will make their decisions based on something more than what the talking heads say.
As much as I tend to do it myself, using a fictional source for reference of the human psyche is rarely if ever valid.
I’ve read science fiction where the US style, (owning property is valid,) Anarchists are in charge, and there is Utopia, (L. Neil Smith.)
I’ve read science fiction where the European style, (property is theft,) Anarchists are in charge, and there is Utopia. (Ian M. Banks.)
I’ve read science fiction where the Anarchists are essentially left in charge after the government goes into receivership, and the results aren’t pleasant for most. (Neil Stephenson.)
I doubt they can all be right. You can’t PROVE anything through fiction, you can only set up thought experiments.
Sometimes dangerously compelling thought experiments.
I am in agreement with your side of the argument. I think that Maxima has made one mistake though. Which hopefully Arianna will have plugged in her well-prepared press handouts. And that is skipping over properly presenting the danger of the threat to the general public. That is an essential part of any successful propaganda campaign.
First you identify the threat. The one that you want the public looking at, rather than your own security forces and other internal politics. Which you must emphasise is external. Either literally from outside of the country or one that can be viewed, with suitable spin, as not being a true part of the country or populace, even though within it.
Then you ensure that the masses are alienated from them. Point out how anti-social they are, how heinous their crimes. Leave no doubt that the future of society is doomed unless something is done about the threat. Ensure that the voters recognise that they (super villains or evil foreign nations in this case) are the enemy to be feared.
Use whatever means you can to de-humanise the ‘monsters’, if you wish to use extreme measures against them. If the populace empathise with them that is harder to pull off. Then, once that is firmly established, you roll out your new forces which will protect the nation from those evils.
The same steps are necessary whether the threats are genuine or imagined. Regardless of whether there is a real need to combat it, or if it is just to distract from domestic issues. Skip a step and your campaign can go badly wrong. Be it an attempt to fortify the world against an impending alien invasion, or the historical persecution of the Jews.
That way you get little girls coming up with garlands of flowers to give to the saviours of the nation. Rather than having joe public looking at all supers as being tarred with the same brush.
I’m guessing Stephen Fry is slump over in the chair then. (Fry & Davies star in QI where Stephen is the Quizmaster and Alan is the butt monkey.)
He he. Are you implying that Alan Davies could actually the perpetrator, having finally snapped at being the butt-monkey? Rather than Jonathan Creek being the intrepid Arc Light investigator, as the rest of us presumed, it is Alan Davies, the actor, who is the prime suspect?
Talk about ‘Inception’: Creek investigates the murder of a well-known (and generally well-liked) actor, only to find the prime suspect is Alan Davies (catering provided by Chef White {no, not that twat who made a teenage Ramsey cry}, a third Davies)
Trouble is they’re both right. *Plays mortal kombat music.
No she Right the human masses will want them dead and screw Logic. Thats History and History repeats.. Plus Maxima forgetting the Rule. There always a Bigger Fish , Alway some one that hits Harder.. She was only just stepped up the danger Level. Superman Never kills you know why? Because then he be feared and then Humanity would kill him. The DC Artist Rags Morales told me that. See Maxima just Guaranteed that half the Worlds Armed forces are gearing up to Kill her or kidnap her loved ones. Logic and egos do not mix and are world is ruled by egos.
Not to mention all the guys out there getting power up no matter the risk
History doesn’t repeat itself exactly. Circumstances alter cases. In the real world right now there are many people who claim to be Psychic, and purport to have all sorts of abilities, the power to read minds, heal the sick, or predict the future. At certain times in history, such people would have reason to fear for their lives. Not so now.
In the modern world, the ability to kill isn’t all that impressive. Anyone who wants to badly enough can get hold of a gun. I do not believe that people would react with the same unreasoning fear they might have show in the middle ages when confronted with supers. Also, it should be pointed out that as impressive a display of destructive force as it was, what Maxima actually did really doesn’t hold a candle to what the US Army can do if they feel the need.
There’s no need to mobilize the world’s armed forces to deal with someone who can create an explosion big enough to destroy a mini-mall. Not when there are governments with weapons that can take out entire cities.
As a side note, you want to know the real reason why Superman doesn’t kill? Superman existed back when the Comic Book Code forbade mainstream comics from having people killing each other. Comic books are sold to children, after all. For decades neither the heroes nor the villains were allowed to use lethal force. It was just one of the many conventions of the comic book genre.
Also, Ma and Pa Kent taught Clark to not kill (he was never a Boy Scout, but he was brought up as though he was, at least the public stuff they trot out and show to the parents) he got most of his morals and beliefs from them
There is a kind of chicken-and-egg thing going on there. Would Ma and Pa Kent have taught their adopted son that killing was always wrong if they had not been characters in a magazine intended for children?
I think the answer to that can be seen in the fact that in magazines being sold at the same time, but meant for adults, The Shadow was wracking up quite the body count. The heroes in the “pulps” were anything but non-violent.
There is totally no way to answer that with the truth: the only ones who could have answered it were the guys who created Superman (not even their families or the ones they worked with could as they are/were not them)
Superman didn’t kill from back before there was a comics code. Superman never killed for the same we don’t kill misbehaving puppies and toddlers.
Come on, Arianna, you should know full well that you only have one input tab on any Excel sheet. Formula flow-through is the #1 rule in spreadsheet design.
Damn straight. +1
There are some legal issues that will need to be addressed as a result of ARC-Light.
If a super/meta/mutant is investigating a crime scene and can ‘read’ a murder weapon to see who last touched it, is that information admissible in court? How do you cross examine the witness?
If ‘CSI: ARC’ ever gets a telepath, do you need a search warrant to read the mind of a person accused of a crime? Do the 5th amendment rights against self incrimination apply?
Also, get Arianna to contact the legal department. Marvel may sue them over the use of the name.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arclight_(comics)
I’d imagine that the legal issues would be fairly straightforward, though would probably have a lot of court room antics trying to push the issues one way or another.
Any scientific evidence needs to be examined by both the prosecution and the defense. Any meta that could sense extra information would need to treat that evidence on the same level as a rumor. “The Gun says that Bob shot Alice” would be treated as “The word on the street is that Bob shot Alice”. In both cases the police would need to construct a case with normal evidence against Bob.
Now when it comes to evidence that can’t be legally shared/acquired they’d use parallel construction. Arc-light would make an anonymous call to a government agency to pay attention to a certain individual/location and then the government agency would catch the bad guys in the act of being bad. There have been a few recent cases with the DEA that have used this technique so extending it to involve arc-light isn’t much of a leap.
And for those rare cases where having anyone find out about something that Arc-light was doing or uncovered I’d guess they’d send in Arc-dark to take care of things.
Telepathy would be the most illegal thing ever conceived. The thought of a telepath involved in an election campaign or learning all the personal and state secrets of politicians would cause every government to ban all domestic use of the ability while they all secretly race to exploit the ability for personal and national power.
If any organisation is conducting strictly illegal actions and then approaching the police with information which could only have been acquired illegally, they should be placed under immediate investigation and be arrested, if the evidence warrants such.
The police are there to uphold the law. If they choose to turn a blind eye to one form of criminality in order to prosecute another then they are setting themselves up as being above the law and able to pick and choose what is legal and what is not at their own whim.
In the event that extraordinary surveillance, such as telepathy, be warranted it should be conducted only at the behest of the courts or under a legal framework. If such regulations are in place and government agencies choose to ignore them, then the individuals doing so need to go to prison. If, on the other hand, the regulations are too strict to allow effective law enforcement or national security, then the law needs to be changed.
Do not get me wrong, I am fully in favour of intelligence agencies acting in national best interest. And at times they will need to do things that an average citizen would be very unhappy about. But if the country has clear policies and laws in place about how such should be conducted, then their operatives need to remain within those boundaries.
That doesn’t leave a lot of room for anonymous tip-offs does it? Or whistleblowers?
We have existing mechanisms for giving law enforcment aid which is not admissible in court, no reason Arc-Light can call a tip line.
As for how it might work more formally, I suggest reading “The Demolished Man” where the detective is a telepath who knows the identity of the murderer almost instantly, but then still has to build a formal and court-admissible legal case against him using conventional means.
In the country of the blind, the one-eyed man makes a heck of a detective.
Not at all. For a start people often wish to tip anonymously because they do not want to be fired from their jobs or otherwise suffer from the adverse attention that such actions may bring on them socially. It is not necessarily because the information that they have has been acquired illegally.
Of course it may be that the disclosure is in breach of a non-disclosure agreement. But in that case it is a matter of priorities. Contracts are a matter of civil law, whereas the actions being disclosed may relate to criminal matters. Ethically it is right for the legal justice system to protect tipsters who are in breach of a civil contract under those circumstances.
In a matter of principle it is similar to disclaimers such as the following “customers may use this car park entirely at their own risk”. By parking your car there, you are entering into a contract where you are waiving your rights to seek redress against that company.
But criminal law can override the civil contract. If the owners have laid out the car park dangerously or do something recklessly which damages your vehicle, then they are engaged in a criminal act. And criminal law trumps civil law. Their notice is completely irrelevant, as it is not possible to evade responsibility for criminal acts simply by declaring that you are not liable.
It is no more defensible than saying “If you park your car here I have the right to murder you”.
Similarly with non-disclosure agreements. “You agree to work for me, provided you agree do not tell the police that I kill people as part of my business.”
Likewise sensible governments and organisations encourage whistleblowers. It makes for a healthier society and working environment. Currently we do not have a good legal framework for that to operate and strike a fair balance between national security and transparency. I have a sound idea of how to set up a system which would, but have already yacked on far to much to elaborate.
Apparently the NSA break the law all the time (as far as I’m concerned) by giving evidence obtained without warrants to various law enforcement agencies who can’t use it directly as evidence, but use it to work backwards from until they have something admissible.
Max seems to have a awful lot of faith in the populace to look at this logically. Rather misguided. Problem is that most of the time they don’t. If they did then chances are they wouldn’t do most of the stuff that causes probables for them self and other people to begin with. Corruption, racial bigotry, hate crimes, or crime in general, religious fanaticism, acts of terror, and so many other bad things.
She also has a bit too much faith that the team can handle anything and everything that comes there way. For example how do you even know that there is mind control juice in the water supply? So many other people drink it and would already be mind controlled. And the thing about targeting them and not civilians. How can she be so shore about that? Villains want to target the avengers or any other hero but there not dumb enough to go knocking on there door if there is one. So what do they do? They lay a trap. And how do they ensure that the hero come? They use civilians. And even if it isn’t a trap for them there is no guaranteeing that they won’t target civilians anyway just for terror tactics or other reasons. Her thinking is a bit flawed.
No, her thinking is: there is not a damn thing even Super Ari can do to head off the publics self-created fear-monster, except to ‘ride’ it out and do their jobs
Had she let Ari do her job there might not have been a monster to begin with. But no, Max had to go all monster Macho out there.
And once the fact the bank robbery was a staged publicity stunt gets released? What then?
There wasn’t a bank robbery planed. That was all a deluded theory in her head.
Umm, wait, what?
I know it is poor taste to reply to your own comment, but I want to hear some opening lines for the new series CSI: ARC. To start you off:
The investigators walk into a robbed bank and see the entire lobby coated in ice.
“Well, it looks like this case (puts on sunglasses) just went cold.”
*plays magnum PI music*
*Groan*
*Giant ice-statue of Dabbler lands on your car holding a sign that reads “COOL IT!”*
*gets tongue stuck to the statue*
To-tuh-ee ur it!
Coming up next week on ‘Law & Order: ARC’ Max is charged with the use of weapons of mass destruction.
Your honor, we urge that Colonel Leander be denied bail while awaiting her hearing on the grounds that she poses…(wait for it)… an obvious flight risk.”
And the Judge asking” Just HOW are we supposed to detain her? It has already been shown she could leave this courthouse a pile of rubble if she so chose. “
Rubble? The pieces would be that large? I am thinking dust myself.
Scene: A sealed-room death. The victim having large gashes, perhaps from talons or claws. The only entrance being inaccessible by any means short of flying. The clue, a few feathers. But far to big to be from any normal bird.
“We suspect foul play”
wouldn’t that be “Fowl play”
don’t forget the spanish inquisition
NOBODY suspects the Spanish Inqusition!
your what i’m reading box. the non-recommendation direct link works, but i can’t find the support the comic version.
now that i go to the non-recommendation link, i find it leads to an amazon suggestion page based on my amazo history, but tagged “grrpow-20”. the what i’m reading book itself does not show up. now that i think of it, the title of the what i’m reading book is not given in the box, just the thumbnail description.
Thing is, repeating back something someone knows, as if they didnt know it, when they are acting contrary to that knowledge, and being an asshat about it… well, that’s a conversation I have had often. It’s a very realistic, but jerk, move on Max’s part.
Jerk? Maybe. Tipsy, possibly. Doing it for the sake of the news crew hiding in the kitchen and recording the whole thing… definitely.
I love the faces on this page! all of them are excellently done, including the simplified comedic one in panel 4, but the best is that great angle shot in the last panel, that looks like something new, and it came out really well.
Thanks! That last panel got a few redraws before I was happy with it.
If your sales projections aren’t database driven and dynamically updatable, then it just isn’t worth doing Ariana!
Certainly not when you work with this crowd, anyway!
“Hey, I’m here to join Arc-Weld.”
“What?”
“Arc-Weld. You know, the engineering…the R&D department.”
“We…don’t have a centralized set of engineers working for us. I mean, not as a named agency.”
“But Arc-Welding! I mean, it’s right there!”
“…”
“Look, could I just get a job application?”
Well, you can submit your resumé and we will get back to you, if we feel you qualify for an interview.
Not sure why exactly but Arc-Light reminds me of Torchwood.
Because that’s the sort of thing they do?
Hey, I did not know DoA, I just spend half the night along the archive. It’s really cool. Thank you :)
By the way, nice edits :)
Thanks and it’s kinda knce to know that I have unwitingly converted someone to a new webcomic.
I know a number of arc-names have been suggested in the past, but cannot remember if this one was amongst them:
Arc-angel. The branch of Archon called in to deal with demonic possession and other supernatural problems that cannot be solved with a big stick.
You that SOMEWHERE in their organization ARC has to have an employee named Joan, who no doubt has to put up with constant teasing from her co-workers.
Pity the poor guys named John and Juan, you just know they would get it worse (specially after Joan circulates the memo, and by memo mean ‘writes it on the toilet walls’)
Oh now that got a belly laugh out of me!
Actually, the more I think about it, the more I would like to see such a character appear in comic. Either as you have implied, just being a civilian employee, or one of the lesser-seen heroes. Or a civilian who gets frustrated with the teasing and decides to get some power, so she can actually kick butt like the rest of the heroes.
Or, finally, it could be that the reason she joined Arc in the first place is because of the voices told her to. Now that inspires a whole host of possible ideas! *
* My favourite being that she is genuinely getting divine inspiration, despite all the tempting alternate possibilities which spring to mind. If so, I hope this time round she is also granted immunity to fire.
Two things.
By “immunity to fire” I assume you mean bulletproof, since heretic burning is more of a 15th century thing.
She should be able to see through Dabbler’s disguises, both so we can assume she’s legit and for the dramatic/comedic opportunities it creates. Imagine a Paladin working alongside a Demon.
Well, in the Grrl Power universe Joan may simply have been a super. But assuming she was not one, but really did have the hand of God guiding her then her faith is more important than what abilities had also been granted to her.. Being a warrior, impromptu general and messenger of God, with all that implies, would have been vastly more significant. Especially to the eyes of her countrymen and their enemies.
The original slapped on the armour of her day, as could this Joan. And the contemporary armour is a bullet-proof jacket. Not as good as super immunity of course, but she would also have her faith in God to protect her. Her fellow soldiers would gain faith themselves by seeing her standing with no more protection than they have. And boosting the morale of an army can be vital.
But, if you want to display that God has got your back, even though you are not an actual super, being able to walk through a raging inferno is a pretty impressive demonstration. Maxima and Achilies can do it because they have super powers. But all she would do the same with nothing more than faith.
Think on the bandaged villain from the previous issue. We have deduced that he is Maxima’s old enemy. The one that she rated as being as powerful as her. Ergo probably the most powerful super villain on the planet. Even if Joan started out in the typing pool, should she convince the world she marched under the direct guidance of God, even he would fear to stand in her path!
How could you prove that her flame-invulnerability is the Tough of God and not Super?
Or vice-versa
Not easily. But there could be supers who can detect powers. That is fairly common in the genre. As demonstrated in one of the X-men movies. Likewise they might discover a scientific method, which would be able to distinguish between innate supers such as Maxima and mundanes with toys such as Halo.
Of course, theologically speaking, there is an interesting thought. Presently there are no blatant displays of miracles. Not nice easily scientifically testable publicly visible ones anyhow. Although the Vatican is kept busy enough investigating various possible ones. And other religions have their share too. But, given that if a deity really wanted to confirm their existence to the public they could write a message in mile-high flaming letters that are visible to a population of millions and billions via TV.
So, assuming that it/they (keeping the speculation generic rather than limited to one specific religion) do exist, then they choose not to make the more open displays. But, in a world of supers, they could operate much more openly and still be as coy about their existence as in ours.
So the fact that it would be hard to prove whether her power is super or divine may be intentional. Faith in the belief may be more important than proof.
But you are right in implying that it weakens my argument. Showing fire-immunity would not give any proof of a miracle unless one could also clearly demonstrate that it was not from a super power*.
* Completely ignoring that super powers might be divinely granted in the first place, of course. That would be a totally different debate and veering out of the common genre assumptions.
I can imagine that hypothetical skywriting message now.
“You have been judged and found wanting.”
And to complete the ‘six degrees of separation’ superhero circle, there was the actress Joan Van Ark who in addition to her work on series like Dallas, also provided the voice for the short-lived animated series Spider Woman. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Woman_(TV_series)
Hey Kids! Get your new Maxima Volcanic blast fun center, with tissue paper tank!
Airanna : “It’s the perfect toy. The maxima doll squirts from the hand and it melts the tank to nothing. The kid pumps up the volcano with a balloon and it splats a slime capsule all over the set. Either way they get maybe 3 uses before it is trashed and the kid is bawling for a new set!”
YES MY PRETTIES BUY MORE BUY MORE!!!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHA
What will the ARC division that oversees and regulates the Privet Sector be called? I mean what are the Public Safety and Environmental effects of a Super working in Private Industry, what about maintaining a fair and equitable market place for those who don’t have supers with industry applicable powers in their employ? say LG has all the Hyperperseptives working in their quality control department eliminating manufacturing faults from reaching the Marketplace how dose Westinghouse compete against a 0.000% failure rate competitor?
How dose AAA1 Springfield Pressure Cleaning Services, Walford & Sons and Clean Bright each who have about 50 employes and 20 vehicles in the field compete against Hydro-Blast (AKA Bob Smith) “Your Grimefighting Hero” one guy with a phone and a receipt book in a used hatch back that can use his Hydrokensis abilities to do the same job as a team of guys with commercial pressure cleaners three days to do in under an hour and charges only $500 compared to the $15000 one of the other companies do. what about Nu-Clean (Commercial Pressure Cleaners Sales & Service) that employes an other 50 people. one guy with a power has just sunk four local businesses unemployed 300 people and put a dent in the local auto dealership and services sectors.
I looked around for a witty name, but must confess that I came up blank. The best I could offer would be Arc-mutual. A name which would emphasise the civil nature of the organisation.
But for that very reason, I doubt it would be named under the Arc umbrella or be associated with it at all, for that matter. Arianna and Maxima are doing a strong marketing job of establishing Archon as a police (/military) organisation. As we have seen from numerous comments since the press-conference started, there will be a lot of people who, if they had super-powers, would not want to work in such an agency.
Thus if you assume that those who want to ‘do their bit’ for their country will already be attracted to Archon, those are not the same supers you want to attract to a civilian outfit. In particular, in addition to the run of the mill folks just looking for a regular job, you must make it attractive to those who are averse to state intrusion. Or risk them using their powers in unregulated or outright illegal ways.
Take Super-Construction-Guy from the previous issue. He is counter-culture enough to have considered going into crime. But not so much that he ignored his common sense. So is now looking for legitimate employment. Would such an individual enthusiastically sign up for an organisation closely associated with the police/military or just the establishment in general?
Far better, in my opinion, for such an organisation be completely separate to Archon. Perhaps just a regulatory authority to ensure that private industry properly assess supers capabilities and potential dangers to the public. Which could licence certain companies to conduct testing and training and provide certification. Much like (using UK terminology) garages can be licensed by the Ministry of Transport to conduct a MoT annual road safety inspection of vehicles and issue a certificate once it was passed.
Or, the central authority could directly provide testing and training itself or via a government subsidiary. Which is a viable route, if potentially more costly to the state. It also would raise more suspicion amongst paranoid and counter-culture folk in general though.
Either way, individuals who had their powers certified as safe and who were deemed suitably trained or practised in their use could then either become self-employed or seek a job in a suitable industry. A more repressive regime might require that even folks who were not intending to use their powers actively, in a job, needed to get testing. To ensure that their powers are safe whilst passive.
But that is going down the registration route and may not be politically acceptable. Rather legislation could be put in place stating that ‘If individuals have reason to believe that they have powers which may be harmful, it is their responsibility to seek help. Or be held accountable for any mishaps which occur if they do not’.
Not an issue really. Supers are so rare that most people still don’t even know for sure they exist. No matter how efficient a human pressure washer is he isn’t going to depress a market for a given service in any but the smallest of local markets. More likely he’ll be doing high-value commisions for one-off contracts where his powers make possible what would have been very difficult or risky for conventional tech.
Honestly though someone like Maxima or Superman is wasting their powers fighting people. We can kill each other just fine without help from demi-gods. OTOH employ one of them as a heavy launch service carting factory sized hunks of materiel to orbit for pennies a pound and you change the world for the better. Or hauling a nice mega-ton class asteroid into LEO to carve into a space station and make spaceships out of. And yes, the current launch vehicle manufacturers would squawk, until their brains caught up to their mouths and they realized the wholesale commercialization of space will create demand for deep space craft vastly in excess of what a few supers can provide.
Very astute, on all points.
I was playing in a supers campaign during the gulf oil spill, and I really considered sending a geo-brick character I influenced to help cap the gusher. But I couldn’t decide if my character would think of it…
My point being, I agree with Andor too – commercial uses of powers are much more likely to be useful to society than taking down some guy robbing bank. Not nearly as entertaining though…
Well it might be interesting but it shifts out of the spandex and fists genre and branches out into science fiction, legal dramas, ethical dilemas, and more “real world” sort of conflicts which lack the “Punching the world right” simplicity that appeals the the 14 year old boy in us all.
Really super powers (excluding mental ones) are kind of useless for more real world dilemas. Would “A civil campaign” have been any different if Miles was a retired super being tempted back into Archon instead of a retired agent being tempted back into ImpSec? No. (Mental powers might have been useful but would pose even greater ethical dilemas.) Really a lot of Lois’s books involve super-humans: Lakewalkers, Saints, Cetagandens. None of them wear capes and fight crime. … At the same time anyway.
‘S why you don’t count your chickens before they hatch… or make too detailed of future plans…
I can see it now on one of the morning shows or a News & Current Affairs panel show there will be some thick set guy with a Italian American accent in a Trade Union polo shirt asking “What’s the government going to do about safeguarding American Jobs against the Super Powered threat?”
Quite probably the biggest concern most of the public will have about supers.
I can see it now ARC-??? enforcing Super Quota and Salary Caps for big business and carrying out Economic Impact Studies to make sure no Super causes commercial chaos by having a Day Job (or small business) that costs other non-powered folks theirs
Someone phones up: “Are you trying to imply that Henry Huggensmith, born in Boise Idaho to 4th generation parents, is not American?”