Eighteen wheels ‘o steel, comin’ your way fast.
The grand finale to 004 is now here. What will Cass find in the mysterious house? How will she survive the encounter? What’s the history behind the teddy bears? How does this all tie into the schemings of the Lucid child? You’re going to have to read and find out.
After this chapter, we’re going on a wee hiatus, I think. Problem is, my original idea for 005 — a repeating grocery store of the damned — is a MUCH better story for what I’m tentatively calling “volume two” of City of Angles.
Volume One is dealing with the machinations of Bedlam, and her designs for the heart of the city. It’s a complete story onto itself with a clear beginning and end, even if it doesn’t wrap the entire universe. Volume Two will be dealing with Echo, and the grocery store story is a MUCH better fit for that arc.
This means I need to come up with something entirely different for 005. I’m aiming to make it a Penelope / Gregory story, maybe more focused on one of the two rather than the pair in general. But, it may be a standalone, or it may be… I dunno. I need time to come up with something now that my plans have fizzled. I could jump right into the next Wei Sisters story but it feels like it’s too soon for that. And Dave’s next focus story really has to come before the finale.
Writers, scheming away in little poorly lit dens of literary villainy Oh, what horrors do they plan, banging away on their Clark Novas? We’ll have to wait and see. But in the meantime, Cass needs your attention, and I need your reactions to her tale.
Selphie Trabia says
One more thing, because I am pedantic and fussy…
“Barton Fink, 1991. A highly poetic playwright claims to have his finger on the pulse of the common man, when he actually ignores the common man next door in favor of his own idealized but faux-grounded life. Every time Charlie’d try to speak, I could tell you some stories, Barton would interrupt and blabber on without realizing how out of touch he was.”
Who is Charlie?
Selphie Trabia says
Forgot to add one more thing. Cass’s poetry is somewhat teenage goth/hippie dream. Is that what we were going for?
I might just be off – I don’t really appreciate poetry much. But thought that that might be a feedbacky feedback that might be more useful.
Selphie Trabia says
I like this one. I like the idea of the city or whatever it is, communicating with typewritten text on things. I just think the idea is really cute, sort of like information pop ups.
Story is the best one so far, in my opinion, but that may be because I’m one of those sentimental types.
I was particularly impressed with the description of the dead bodies and the murder basement. Sufficiently chilling without too much detail.
Was a bit taken back by the lack of info on how she got in, but i suppose that isn’t all that impotant.
Looking forward to reading more about Cass and the bearbears.
Fhoenix says
Hello, hello, dear writer.
I think this chapter is my favourite one so far.
Bears and guardian angels. Lucid words in visions.
What could be more lovely?
Hope war is far away and this strange weird is here to stay.
Stefan "Twoflower" Gagne says
War or no war, life in the city is both normal and strange. That’s never going to change. Question is how hard people will struggle to fight against that fact.
PetitPrince says
Great finale ! From the looks of the artwork page, you’re done introducing the main characters (except for the big bad people), am I right ?
Stefan "Twoflower" Gagne says
Maybe yes, maybe no. The trick is that I only have the first volume sketched out, which focuses on those characters — but standalone stories and new stories coming in volume two will introduce more. I haven’t thought far enough ahead to decide who’s a major player and who isn’t, and who could be coming up out of nowhere.
For example, when I commissioned the first wave of art I got Dave, Penelope, and Gregory… and that’s it because those were the only characters I had locked down. The Wei Sisters came very late in the production process, Hollister wasn’t originally going to be more than a repeating cameo, and Cass was completely different.
I’ll have notes on how the stories evolved available as bonus material in the printed books. I’ve been writing up “author’s commentary” as I go, highlighting the writing process and earlier versions of plots and characters. Look forward to it!
pixeljen says
“A Hipster’s Plan…” etc. The whole title and instructions… heheh. And I guess the italic still means The Words, or what they’ve collectively worked out while discussing it on the drive back. Either works.
Step 3. D:
Presumably she clips off those IV drips before yanking the tubes from their various machines/whatnot. Otherwise the kid would bleed, right? o_o I think it’s reasonable for a layman to figure that out though, the clips are quite obvious and usually built right into the tube.
Doctor Demento. XD But eeek! A truck chase, novel.
Eddie… Oh I remember Eddie. At least he’s stand-up enough to come see what’s what.
There are four lights! … AAGH! Ee! Nice desc there.
D’aaw, I’m actually teary-eyed about a bear!
“safe as houses” — so very old-lady with shades of Brit.
Huh, so she named the bear Gregory too? Wonder if she even knew the Dad’s name. :)
War. Ooh. So much for Allan saying they hadn’t had one!
Typo patrol: Jonsey, off the roar, capitalize english, flip words in ‘that see will forever’