I’m pretty sure “Caped Crusader” is trademarked, sooo, won’t go there.
And thus Stars Fall 04 begins! I had to hammer out a lot of wobbly plot issues before I could start this. I knew where it started and how it ended, and even some points between, but the questions of why and why not popped up quite a bit. I think I have them worked out, now. Enough to get started on writing it.
We’re coming to the end. Can you feel it? Two more stories, one more bonus chapter, one more book… and we’re done. After that, well, a vacation, likely, but more writing is in the future. I hope to see you there.
But let’s not dwell on what’s to come. What’s here, right now, is the continuing saga of a character I never thought I’d end up writing this much about — Carrie Lane.
Did you know? The original plan for Forsaken Shores, instead of Happiness, was to run into a retired Superman living in the woods. He and Lex would’ve arrived in Vancouver, gotten bubbled (since the Fae queens feared power, not evil, exactly) and put their differences aside so Lex could invent things to keep the sealed city alive. Except it all would’ve gone horribly wrong, and Supes lost his faith, and… um… stuff?
Yeah. That one wasn’t quite fully fleshed out, beyond the backstory. But I did eventually get to reuse the idea of “superheroes yanked into our world” with Astro Gal, and she’s really hung in there as I explore what it’d really be like to be a costumed heroine.
As you can see from sf04, it’s… not always very great. Why is she in this situation? Why isn’t she out there kicking butt with the crew of the Quantum Mermaid? Read and find out. Comments and feedback and reactions are welcome.
Jen, Psycho Happy artist says
“hole left behind in #A076” — how about left by?
Indian. Oooh dear. Now we know, alas…
I like seeing that the Ascendancy has more going on than just our Earth and just Lar here. And they aren’t all impetuous like Lar. It’s good background and keeps the Ascendancy believable; they are spread a bit thin by resistance but they aren’t worried because they have a big-picture, long-term view. Really I find them interesting in that, arguably, all these machinations to “convince” worlds to join them and then mine the hell out of the ruins… It’s basically just to put an acceptable face on it for Oribtalkind. Otherwise they could just zap fresh Earths from orbit or some such and just skip straight to the mining.
Add apostrophe to “harms way”.
Typo: succed
Lirazel says
I agree that you don’t need a retcon.
Also, the dream sequence thing is a very nice ride.
While it’s nice to see that the Ascendancy is just as nasty inside as it is in its outer face, it’s a little bit disconcerting to realize that Lar is just a junior and defective version.
Stefan "Twoflower" Gagne says
He’s the Lar we know and hate — what they did was they did Zee’s consciousness transfer, but into a younger body, at his request. But in his heart and mind he’s still an old bastard.
Jen Gagne, Psycho Happy artist says
I think she means junior as in rank, and defective as in the other Ascendants have their act together more than he does. It makes them scarier!
Lirazel says
You are correct, Madam! Also, not the Great Leader of the Ascendancy everyone on Earth (“our” Earth) thinks he is.
LoopyChew says
The idea that the Ascendancy seems to view Lar as a pompous ass is pretty awesome, because yes. Of course, we have no idea how 24fps!Mister factors into any of this yet, because I doubt the group at large knows he has that in his pocket.
Are you going to revise sf09 to include direct references to Kirby Radiation?
Stefan "Twoflower" Gagne says
24fps!Mister. Hee. I like that.
We already know she got her superhuman powers from a space shuttle incident and cosmic rays — it’s a copypaste from the Fantastic Four, after all. NAMING the radiation is a new thing for this chapter but I don’t think a retcon is needed.