[DP] Warren's new DIRTY PAIR: Review and maybe an accusation...
S.G. Hagen
Ryan Mathews <math...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>I used to dream that someday Warren would notice Larry's and my work.
>Now I pray that he hasn't noticed. Because if he has, he's ripping us
>off.
Well, let's face it, Fatal but not Serious is not surprising in any
way and offers nothing new. I wouldn't worry abour Mr. Warren ripping you
off, everything you mentioned is old hat really.
The comlink implants, nothing new, FASA has them in SR in 1989 and I
doubt they first came up with it. Actually there is a very interesting
variation on that in Liege Killer (Christopher Hinz) 1987. Desolation Road
also did something similar.
The first place I ran across the mind tape idea, and it was probably
out before then, was in Justin Lieber's "Beyond Rejection" which was
probably late 70s early 80s. And cloning has been around for quite a
time. Nothing new.
FBNS was all I expected it to be. Nothing great but worth a
read.
Does anyone else think that Kei and Yuri are beginning to look a bit
cartoonish or is that just me?
The story, no surprises there, and from the blurb we are given about
issure two, still no surprises.
THe humour, as if we haven't seen the "Funny quip and violence" thing
before. Arnold shoots a guy in the legs and say he'll live (oh, that sort
of wound, realistically might have shattered the patella, and the ends of
the femur and tib/fib and may have resulted in amputation of the legs,
real funny eh?) to Steven Segal killing someone and saying no one beats
him in the kitchen. Kei blows off a guys arm and makes a Hemingway
joke. We've seen it all before.
That humour which is not violence based is all to often predictable and
therefore looses some of it impact. I will add that the Skuld look a
like say she felt empowered by Kei and Yuri was pretty funny.
It is interesting that Mr. Warren has defined the deal with the
genetic upgrade package and that he mentions beauty is part and parcel of
all this. Again, nothing new. We have known for quite some time that we
equate beauty and goodness, as some interesting and not to mention
frighteneing psych experimetns have shown, so if you are going to do a
bit of genetic sculpting you might as well go with good looks in the
package as well. It can't hurt.
I'm trying to figure out whether this might have been some sort of
vieled apology. "Sure I draw all the women the same but I have this reason
you see."?
As for the little speech about the way of viewing Kei and Yuri as
representations of the divine, nothing that hasn't been hashed out one
way or another in various discussions and fanfic before.
Basically, by the looks of things we will see nothing new in this
series, no surprises, just a fast ride to an explosive conclusion, check
your brains at the door, you are not going to need them for this.
I doubt we will see any of the interesting points Ryan Mathews raised
in his story which brought in the concept of cloning and brain taping,
not unless Mr. Warren is really ripping this story off.
Would I get the next four issues, sure, if I was in the country.
This is the best way I can think to review it. I'm off to Japan for a
year or three at the end of this month so I won't be seeing issues two to
five, or at least it is not very likely. Am I bothered by that? No. Based
on past experiance I know how this thing is going to turn out. No edge of
the seat nail biter here. One is hesitant to use the word "predictable"
but it is the only one that suffices.
Oh, and catch the letter at the back. Expanding ego or what, I don't
buy the "Just joking" line either.
You know, I'm almost tempted to say the best part of the book is the
pages from Gun Smith Cats at the very back. Oh, what the hell, it's true
after all.
******************************************************************************
We're here in engineering aboard the U.S.S Enterprise where we have replaced
the fine dilithium crystals they usually use with Folgers Crystals. Let's
see what happens.
******************************************************************************
Shawn Hagen
Lawrence R. Mann
On 20 Jul 1995, Ryan Mathews wrote:
> (I know this is technically manga, but the comic claims to be an
> adaptation of an anime series, or at least to be related to one, and
I think the working term to use now is "related", since that's about all
it could possibly be at this stage in the game. It's been mostly
Cyberpunk since DP3 anyway.
> lot of obsessions, though, this one is growing unpleasant. I feel more
> upset with each issue I read, but I just can't stop buying the damned
> things. Guess ol' Adam's got me right where he wants me.
If nothing else, this is the mark of a successful artist/writer.
Although I would endeavor to avoid pissing my readership off, I would
like to be able to accomplish this in my own work.
> name off it, but then he does own the names. When you look at it that
> way, it's easier to live with the comic. Of course, it's also harder
> to care about it.
Unless of course you chance to be into Cyberpunk, in which case you're as
likely to eat it up, big time.
> I wonder if Adam Warren understands that, with this story, he has
> effectively wiped away the last vestige of Kei's and Yuri's humanity.
I think he does know this. Now either he's doing it just to have fun
and piss everybody off, or because it's the Cyberpunk way of doing
things ('metal is better than meat', as the saying goes), or perhaps
he's doing all of this for a reason; it could be he's going somewhere
with all this stuff and we can expect some real important message some
time in the future. If not at the end of this series, then during
the upcoming "Self-Inflicted", which as I recall is not a DP story but
takes place in the same universe.
Alternatively, it could simply be that his largest following does come from
the Cyberpunk crowd, in which case he's going to adjust his storylines
and concepts to cater to that crowd, because it sells. And from the
CPunk POV, this is all extremely cool stuff. That's one of the reasons
I personally get a kick out of the work. (It also helps that I aspire
to draw as good as Adam does someday.)
> another Yuri. We'd hoped that, perhaps, the Angels would be unaware of
> this violation by the 3WA of their identity. Nope. As revealed in
> this issue, the Pair is quite aware of the fact that their bodies and
> souls are 3WA property, kept on file for future reference, and they
> think it's really neat.
Why not? After all, it's effectively a form of immortality. And hey, if
it helps you look good, don't argue with it.
(Granted this is a shallow argument and there *are* plenty of problems
with the whole idea, but in that universe...)
> I'll give him points for dealing with an sociological issue in a form
> of racism between genetically-enhanced humans and those who aren't.
> But I don't see how we're supposed to relate to Kei and Yuri. They're
> Borg. Cute bouncy Borg with big tits, but Borg nonetheless. They're
> no more human than a Pentium chip installed in a rubber blow-up doll.
I say again, he may very well be going somewhere with all this stuff. I
think we should give him another 1.00000199534 chances.
*AHEM* Pardon me. :)
> occasionally wish she wasn't a machine. Kei and Yuri think being
> bioroids with no sense of identity is "crucial realm", to use a
> particularly disgusting Warren-ism.
Aye, I think "harsh realm" is a better phrase. (Or, there's one I like
to use, "harsh chrome". ;) ;) ;)
> it a "CyAudio link", and it was featured prominently in EXPERIMENT
> 101-E, one of the most popular fanfics ever to hit the Internet. Of
> course, it's not something that Warren couldn't have come up with
> independently. Then again, I know that Larry mailed him a copy at
> least a year ago, asking for his opinion. Perhaps this is his belated
> response.
Actually no, I never mailed the thing to him. I typed the document up
and was planning to do some drawing work for it, but I never got around
to that, or to printing it out. Any incarnation of my work he might have
seen, he would have seen on the Net, or heard about through Toren (whom I
talked with about it once) or anyone else on the Net.
To be sure, however, I would like to think that this is just a
coincidence, as the notion of not receiving credit for an idea tempers
the thrill I experience from actually seeing it in print. So I do hope
he thought that up on his own...
> Not to mention that the announcement for this plot dealing with cloning
> came about a year and a half after I'd written "The Lovely Angels
> Forever". The premise is similar, in that the 3WA keeps all its
> [...]
> I used to dream that someday Warren would notice Larry's and my work.
> Now I pray that he hasn't noticed. Because if he has, he's ripping us
> off.
Okay, for the moment let's assume that he *has* seen our stuff:
One, we have no conclusive proof that he is ripping either of us off.
Two, even if we did, he has legal rights to the material and we do not.
Three, our DP universes are not necessarily *his* DP universe. Parallel,
yes. Crossover, maybe. Identical, not necessarily.
So unless we can get concrete evidence to refute all of that,
we are screwed. Unless a lot of human beings believe we actually have
been the victims of intellectual robbery and are willing to raise a
phenomenal stink on our behalf, there is very little we can do about it.
I agree, it sucks, but we're gonna have to live with it for now.
Hey Ryan, think of it this way: if it really is true, then we're making
marks on prominent people already, even if we're not getting credit for
it. Imagine what'll happen when we get our own stuff published someday,
for real? :)
-RT
--
/---------------------------------------------------------------------------\
| "schhKK chKK....... sccchhhhhhhKRRRRRRRRRRKK... *BEEP*" |
| -- an Apple 5.25" Disk Drive reporting an I/O error |
+----------------------------v------------------v---------------------------+
| R-Type, a.k.a. Larry Mann | <lrm...@uci.edu> | Deus Ex Machina for hire |
\----------------------------^------------------^---------------------------/
Ryan Mathews
adaptation of an anime series, or at least to be related to one, and
here...)
(Spoilers down below...)
I don't know what it is with me and Adam Warren's DIRTY PAIR. No,
that's crap. I know exactly what it is. It's an obsession. I've been
obsessed with the comic since I picked up the trade paperback of the
first series. That's what drove me to write all those stories. Like a
lot of obsessions, though, this one is growing unpleasant. I feel more
upset with each issue I read, but I just can't stop buying the damned
things. Guess ol' Adam's got me right where he wants me.
I'm getting a little more at peace with the comic, as I've come to
accept it as Warren's creation. Really, they should take Takachiho's
name off it, but then he does own the names. When you look at it that
way, it's easier to live with the comic. Of course, it's also harder
to care about it.
First off, a few comments on the first issue of DIRTY PAIR: FATAL BUT
NOT SERIOUS. The most striking thing about it is the rather dramatic
change in Warren's art style. Apparently getting the word that his
micro-dense pencilwork is too cluttered for a color comic, he's cut
back on the detail, though, to be sure, there's still plenty of it.
He's changed the facial designs of the Pair as well, apparently to
better suit the less-detailed art. The facial lines are much more
fluid and curvy, as are those in the hair, and facial detail is often
forgone altogether. The effect of this minimalistic approach is, dare
I say, shojo-like, although more in some frames than others.
So yeah, the art's nice. But the plot... Oh, man, where do I start.
I wonder if Adam Warren understands that, with this story, he has
effectively wiped away the last vestige of Kei's and Yuri's humanity.
We'd all learned of the "cloning" plot of this series months ago, in
which the Lovely Angel's backup material is stolen and used to create
another Yuri. We'd hoped that, perhaps, the Angels would be unaware of
this violation by the 3WA of their identity. Nope. As revealed in
this issue, the Pair is quite aware of the fact that their bodies and
souls are 3WA property, kept on file for future reference, and they
think it's really neat.
I'll give him points for dealing with an sociological issue in a form
of racism between genetically-enhanced humans and those who aren't.
But I don't see how we're supposed to relate to Kei and Yuri. They're
Borg. Cute bouncy Borg with big tits, but Borg nonetheless. They're
no more human than a Pentium chip installed in a rubber blow-up doll.
Their bodies are genetically enhanced. Their limbs are regenerated.
Their bodies and minds are stored in a filing cabinet, a renewable
resource.
I might add, GHOST IN THE SHELL deals with much the same world, but
really deals with it, in depth. The main character of GITS is known to
occasionally wish she wasn't a machine. Kei and Yuri think being
bioroids with no sense of identity is "crucial realm", to use a
particularly disgusting Warren-ism.
Plus there's this:
Kei and Yuri are portrayed with an ability they've never had before.
"Comlink implants", a device that allows Kei and Yuri to communicate
via an artificial telepathy. Sound familiar? It should. The concept
was first used in a Dirty Pair story by Larry Mann in 1991. He called
it a "CyAudio link", and it was featured prominently in EXPERIMENT
101-E, one of the most popular fanfics ever to hit the Internet. Of
course, it's not something that Warren couldn't have come up with
independently. Then again, I know that Larry mailed him a copy at
least a year ago, asking for his opinion. Perhaps this is his belated
response.
Not to mention that the announcement for this plot dealing with cloning
came about a year and a half after I'd written "The Lovely Angels
Forever". The premise is similar, in that the 3WA keeps all its
trouble consultants on file for immediate recloning upon demise, in the
form of a memory module and a tissue sample. If I wanted to reach,
Kei's glandular implants, another goodie which has never been seen
before, are similar to some described in a battle scene in my story.
I used to dream that someday Warren would notice Larry's and my work.
Now I pray that he hasn't noticed. Because if he has, he's ripping us
off.
Alright, that's all, I guess. How long until the next issue?
--
---------- Ryan Mathews
Email: math...@ix.netcom.com "I like you! You wanna be a
SnailMail: 786 High Street guinea pig for my experiments?"
Bedford OH, 44146 -- Washuu-chan
Urd-sama's Desk
(Ryan Mathews) wrote:
> First off, a few comments on the first issue of DIRTY PAIR: FATAL BUT
> NOT SERIOUS. The most striking thing about it is the rather dramatic
> change in Warren's art style. Apparently getting the word that his
> micro-dense pencilwork is too cluttered for a color comic, he's cut
> back on the detail, though, to be sure, there's still plenty of it.
Which, after BGC GM was to be expected. I did not like the art in BGC GM,
an since DP was now in color too, I did not order it.
[snip rest of story critique]
After reading your post I am sure I will not miss Adam's DP color series.
Glad I saved my money. Thanks for confirming this. Guess the only real DP
left is in the fanworks... meaning I'd like some more fan stories... so
get going you lazy lot ^_^ - r.a.a.m. is too quiet!!
Thanks to all fan fic authors out there and esp. those who write DP stories!
Mata ne!
Jeroen
Ryan Mathews
"Lawrence R. Mann " <lrm...@orion.oac.uci.edu> writes:
>> As revealed in this issue, the Pair is quite aware of the fact that
>> their bodies and souls are 3WA property, kept on file for future
>> reference, and they think it's really neat.
>
>Why not? After all, it's effectively a form of immortality. And hey,
>if it helps you look good, don't argue with it.
It's an immortality, sure, but it's controlled by a third party. Would
you want the totality of your being, all the personal memories, all the
private moments, all of it sitting on a shelf at your employer? Isn't
there anything private about yourself or your life you'd rather they
not know? It's this willingness, even eagerness of Kei and Yuri to put
their souls into memory modules and hand them over to the 3WA that
makes them inhuman to me.
I guess I just take a more poetic view of humanity than cyberpunk does.
I like to think that there's some kind of essence to humanity that
can't be captured in a chip, except perhaps captured like a genie in a
bottle, stored, but not understood. Cyberpunk says that the biological
nature of humanity isn't worth saving, and in a way, I see that as
admitting defeat.
Of course, I helped write a story, REUNIONS, set mostly in the Warren
universe and featuring a personality-chip. But I walked a line with
the concept. Deirdre was dead, so the chip was a transfer, rather than
a copy. Even then, the other characters were a little unnerved at
first.
I don't know, there's something about the concept of a person willingly
allowing herself to be duplicated that sends a chill down my spine. I
mean, if you don't have your own identity, what do you have?
>I say again, he may very well be going somewhere with all this stuff.
Given Warren's track record, I highly doubt it. However, it will be
interesting to see how Yuri reacts to the other her.
>> it a "CyAudio link", and it was featured prominently in EXPERIMENT
>> 101-E, one of the most popular fanfics ever to hit the Internet.
>> [...] Then again, I know that Larry mailed him a copy at
>> least a year ago, asking for his opinion.
>
>Actually no, I never mailed the thing to him.
Oh. Well, then, I apologize. Still, it's damned similar, and it never
did show up in a Warren story before.
>Okay, for the moment let's assume that he *has* seen our stuff:
>
>One, we have no conclusive proof that he is ripping either of us off.
>Two, even if we did, he has legal rights to the material and we do
>not.
Oh, don't get me wrong! I'm not threatening legal action. First off,
I don't have the money. Second, I don't want the hassle. Third, a
writer of trademark-violating fiction suing the trademark holder would
be really rich. Nevertheless, just because he owns the rights to the
universe doesn't give him the legal right to use something of ours
without our permission. Your work is your work. If it violates
trademark, you may not legally distribute it if the trademark holder
objects, but neither can your work be used without your permission.
>Three, our DP universes are not necessarily *his* DP universe.
>Parallel, yes. Crossover, maybe. Identical, not necessarily.
This doesn't matter. Are you saying Adam Warren could have a
planet-destroying villain named "Lord Robin" in his comics and I'd have
no rights in the matter, just because my story uses Goulet and
Kueblestein and his doesn't?
>I agree, it sucks, but we're gonna have to live with it for now.
I know. I just want the fanfic-reading world to be aware of the
similarities. As long as they know you came up with the CyAudio link
first, and that I came up with the cloning scenario first, I'm
satisfied.
>Hey Ryan, think of it this way: if it really is true, then we're
>making marks on prominent people already, even if we're not getting
>credit for it. Imagine what'll happen when we get our own stuff
>published someday, for real? :)
Let's hope that day comes soon...
Mark Mark
(Am I nuts, or what?)
In article <3un6or$e...@ixnews5.ix.netcom.com>, math...@ix.netcom.com (Ryan
Mathews) says:
>In <Pine.SUN.3.91.950720...@orion.oac.uci.edu>
>"Lawrence R. Mann " <lrm...@orion.oac.uci.edu> writes:
>>> As revealed in this issue, the Pair is quite aware of the fact that
>>> their bodies and souls are 3WA property, kept on file for future
>>> reference, and they think it's really neat.
>>
>>Why not? After all, it's effectively a form of immortality. And hey,
>>if it helps you look good, don't argue with it.
>It's an immortality, sure, but it's controlled by a third party. Would
>you want the totality of your being, all the personal memories, all the
>private moments, all of it sitting on a shelf at your employer?
Well, remember who we're dealing with here. Kei and Yuri are immature
19-year-olds. They rarely, if ever, think through the consequences of
their actions. Kei in particular can be devastatingly shallow at times.
These are the sort of people who _would_ think functional immortality
was kind of neat. You're asking for philosophy from people who are,
while probably not _incapable_ of providing it, definitely uninterested.
Isn't
>there anything private about yourself or your life you'd rather they
>not know? It's this willingness, even eagerness of Kei and Yuri to put
>their souls into memory modules and hand them over to the 3WA that
>makes them inhuman to me.
If it helps any, the other characters were rather discomforted to find
this out. (Although possibly more worried by the idea that the Lovely
Angels would indeed be Forever, rather than any philosophical concerns...)
>I guess I just take a more poetic view of humanity than cyberpunk does.
>I like to think that there's some kind of essence to humanity that
>can't be captured in a chip, except perhaps captured like a genie in a
>bottle, stored, but not understood. Cyberpunk says that the biological
>nature of humanity isn't worth saving, and in a way, I see that as
>admitting defeat.
I dunno if that can be fairly extracted from Warren's stuff. The clone
is just as biologically human as the original, after all. And the one time
the WWWA tried to assemble a synthetic, non-human bioroid, it... didn't
work out so well. Clearly they're missing _something_.
I would think the much more inhuman part would be the bit about how
millions can die in horrible catastrophes and the Lovely Angels still
keep their jobs! (The cover picture of Kei and Yuri perched atop a
mountain of skulls that would make Pol Pot proud was a lot more
disturbing for me than anything within the comic itself.) Compared
to that, cybernetic implants and genetic upgrades are kid stuff!
>Of course, I helped write a story, REUNIONS, set mostly in the Warren
>universe and featuring a personality-chip. But I walked a line with
>the concept. Deirdre was dead, so the chip was a transfer, rather than
>a copy. Even then, the other characters were a little unnerved at
>first.
Ah, well, you see? It's _fun_ to play with the concept of identity!
Disturbing for the readers, sure, but fun for the author. You're cutting
yourself slack you won't give to Adam Warren.
(Oh, Reunions was cool, by the way.)
>I don't know, there's something about the concept of a person willingly
>allowing herself to be duplicated that sends a chill down my spine. I
>mean, if you don't have your own identity, what do you have?
Good question, but as I said, Kei and Yuri aren't the people I'd go
to for answers.
At least, not _yet_ anyway. I wonder just how comfortable Yuri will be
with the idea of killing a clone of herself. I suspect not very.
[...]
>>> it a "CyAudio link", and it was featured prominently in EXPERIMENT
>>> 101-E, one of the most popular fanfics ever to hit the Internet.
>>> [...] Then again, I know that Larry mailed him a copy at
>>> least a year ago, asking for his opinion.
>>
>>Actually no, I never mailed the thing to him.
>Oh. Well, then, I apologize. Still, it's damned similar, and it never
>did show up in a Warren story before.
Well, except in Sim Hell #1. And as the psychic ("Psychotic?" "That's
psychic, Kei dear") link the original Pair had, which is incidentally
the first thing that popped into my mind when I read "comlink implants."
I think convergent evolution is enough to explain this -- I can't imagine
Warren stooping to blatant ripoffs like that. You may have philosophical
differences with the man, Ryan, but you have to admit he has plenty of
talent all by himself and shouldn't need to take more from others.
--
"_Another_ ninja? What kept you?" "Overslept."
<*> mbs...@psuvm.psu.edu: Mark Sachs, Itinerant Graphicist and Webmaster <*>
I've gone to build the Supercollider.
Ryan Mathews
<MBS...@psuvm.psu.edu> writes:
>>Would you want the totality of your being, all the personal memories,
>>all the private moments, all of it sitting on a shelf at your
>>employer?
>
>Well, remember who we're dealing with here. Kei and Yuri are immature
>19-year-olds. They rarely, if ever, think through the consequences of
>their actions. Kei in particular can be devastatingly shallow at
>times.
(Of course, this was the same Kei who fell in love in the first series,
back when Toren Smith still contributed...)
I know, I know. I'm not saying that such an attitude is implausible.
I'm just trying to explain why I feel it makes Kei and Yuri less human.
I'm finding it harder and harder to *like* Kei and Yuri. They have
less in common with human beings every issue.
>>Of course, I helped write a story, REUNIONS, set mostly in the Warren
>>universe and featuring a personality-chip. But I walked a line with
>>the concept. Deirdre was dead, so the chip was a transfer, rather
>>than a copy. Even then, the other characters were a little unnerved
>>at first.
>
>Ah, well, you see? It's _fun_ to play with the concept of identity!
>Disturbing for the readers, sure, but fun for the author. You're
>cutting yourself slack you won't give to Adam Warren.
My point is that I tried to deal with the disturbing-ness of it in such
a way that still allowed me to relate to the characters. Kei and Yuri
aren't disturbed in the slightest by the concept of an artificially-
grown copy stepping into their shoes after death. The concept, like
nearly every other technological advance depicted in the comic is
simply treated as "way cool", delving little if at all into what effect
the technology has on society. BTW, showing how many people can be
killed by it doesn't count as "delving".
Now, to be fair to Warren, it is interesting how he's brought up the
issue of gene-enhanced/non-gene-enhanced prejudice. But he hasn't
actually done anything with it yet, other than use it as an excuse to
blow things up. But it's still early in the series. When the clone
Yuri shows up, fully believing she's the real one, Warren will have
ample chance to examine the implications of letting yourself be
Xeroxed: it hurts Yuri, it hurts the clone, it hurts Kei (is she
supposed to kill something that is a perfect copy of her best friend?).
However, knowing Warren's track record, I fully expect to see little
more than four issues of blood, explosions, and way-cool-tech.
>(Oh, Reunions was cool, by the way.)
Thanks! :-)
>At least, not _yet_ anyway. I wonder just how comfortable Yuri will be
>with the idea of killing a clone of herself. I suspect not very.
One can only hope. Perhaps, when it's over, they'll rethink the whole
cloning deal.
>>>> it a "CyAudio link", and it was featured prominently in EXPERIMENT
>>>> 101-E, one of the most popular fanfics ever to hit the Internet.
>>Still, it's damned similar, and it never did show up in a Warren
>>story before.
>
>Well, except in Sim Hell #1.
Eh? Um, I could be mistaken, but that was Yuri's earring, wasn't it?
It wasn't a implant in her skull allowing her to communicate neurally
with Kei.
>I think convergent evolution is enough to explain this --
What? These are "implants". Not a natural feature they're born with.
>I can't imagine Warren stooping to blatant ripoffs like that.
I don't know enough about the man to know whether he would or not. And
I'm not directly accusing him of anything; only if he read the stories,
and as I've said whenever asked, I believe he could care less about
Internet fanfic, if he is even aware it exists. Still, I had to write
something. As I said, intentional or no, the similarities are
striking.
(While we're on this topic, I might add that the idea of a Lovely
Angels convention was first advanced in "Lord Robin", in which two
characters comprise the Lovely Angels Fan Club and announce their
intention to hold a major convention, at which Kei and Yuri would be
the "most excellent guests of honor". I'm sure Warren came up with his
con independently, though. No writer can go to an anime convention
without wanting to parody it... :-) )
>You may have philosophical differences with the man, Ryan, but you
>have to admit he has plenty of talent all by himself and shouldn't
>need to take more from others.
He has artistic talent to spare. As far as writing is concerned, I
wish he *would* take more than others. I'm not the only one who longs
for Toren Smith's return to the book.
Jesse Taylor
(Ryan Mathews) wrote:
> >>>> it a "CyAudio link", and it was featured prominently in EXPERIMENT
> >>>> 101-E, one of the most popular fanfics ever to hit the Internet.
> >>Still, it's damned similar, and it never did show up in a Warren
> >>story before.
> >Well, except in Sim Hell #1.
> Eh? Um, I could be mistaken, but that was Yuri's earring, wasn't it?
> It wasn't a implant in her skull allowing her to communicate neurally
> with Kei.
either of them wearing their commlink earrings... And they seemed to do
the "press hand to forehead when referring to or using commlink" bit a
lot...
> ---------- Ryan Mathews
--
Jesse Taylor / mer...@marimba.cellbio.duke.edu
Rec.Games.Mecha Archivist / Drooling Nene Fan
S.G. Hagen
Ryan Mathews <math...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>Oh. Well, then, I apologize. Still, it's damned similar, and it never
>did show up in a Warren story before.
In Sim Hell he has Yuri talking through the ships coms while she is
plugged into the Lovely Angel. It's a very short hop, skip, and jump from
that to portable/cyber unit.
As I said, nothing new under the sun in FBNS.
SF stopped being about the pretty tech a while ago, at least most of
the good SF. Characters is where things get interesting, tech is just
back drop. Personally I feel getting hung up on the tech cheapens a story.
******************************************************************************
We're here in engineering aboard the U.S.S Enterprise where we have replaced
the fine dilithium crystals they usually use with Folgers Crystals. Let's
see what happens.
******************************************************************************
Shawn Hagen, off to Japan in a week.
Mark Mark
>In <95202.101...@psuvm.psu.edu> Mark "Mark" Sachs sez:
>>>Would you want the totality of your being, all the personal memories,
>>>all the private moments, all of it sitting on a shelf at your
>>>employer?
>>
>>Well, remember who we're dealing with here. Kei and Yuri are immature
>>19-year-olds. They rarely, if ever, think through the consequences of
>>their actions. Kei in particular can be devastatingly shallow at
>>times.
>(Of course, this was the same Kei who fell in love in the first series,
>back when Toren Smith still contributed...)
Yeah, but look at the guy she fell in love with. He was a jerk. An illegal
bioweapons manufacturer who used a mutagenic virus to cripple a business
rival. (Yes, that's right, he brought all his problems upon himself!) A
guy whose disregard for human life rivals or exceeds that of the story's
villain! And Kei decides to overlook all that because his hologram
image is cute... now that's shallow. As is the Pair's complete lack of
interest or understanding of Shasti's predicament in Dangerous Acquaintances.
I know that if a friend of mine turned into a psychotic, schizophrenic
criminal genius, it would disturb _me_... but it just rolls right off their
backs.
Frankly, (and I know this statement will be taken issue with) I think
the writing has only improved since Warren took it over. The main characters
are less cute'n'cuddly, true, but they're also sharper and more assertive
as would befit two galactically-feared trouble consultants.
[snip]
The concept, like
>nearly every other technological advance depicted in the comic is
>simply treated as "way cool", delving little if at all into what effect
>the technology has on society. BTW, showing how many people can be
>killed by it doesn't count as "delving".
On the other hand, the attitude taken is that these are _accepted_ parts
of the world of 2141. How often to you find yourself compelled to sit back
and ponder the impact upon society of the automobile or the telephone?
Not very often, I would think; and similarily, Joe 2141 probably doesn't
spend his time pondering the impact upon society of gene-enhancement,
artificial personalities, or direct neural interfaces. He's got a life
to lead.
Frankly, I happen rather to like this approach. The super future-tech
is no big thing; it's just another part of the world everyone lives in,
surrounding and permeating the main story, making it feel more real. IMHO.
(Not that I'd _complain_ if we were to be treated to some Appleseed-style
social exploration, just that I don't find the world less convincing due
to its absence.)
> ...Warren will have
>ample chance to examine the implications of letting yourself be
>Xeroxed: it hurts Yuri, it hurts the clone, it hurts Kei (is she
>supposed to kill something that is a perfect copy of her best friend?).
>However, knowing Warren's track record, I fully expect to see little
>more than four issues of blood, explosions, and way-cool-tech.
Let's wait and see. After all, this is the first time Warren, on his own,
is writing a story where a potentially non-hostile relationship -- that
between Yuri and her clone -- is going to take center stage. I would give
him a chance to take it somewhere.
[...]
> Perhaps, when it's over, they'll rethink the whole
>cloning deal.
Heh... I doubt it, even if the Dirty Pair actually find themselves
in the new situation of experiencing an ethical dilemma. Massive corporate
constructs like the WWWA don't seem like the type to cater to mere employees'
wishes.
[other stuff snipped]
>(While we're on this topic, I might add that the idea of a Lovely
>Angels convention was first advanced in "Lord Robin", in which two
>characters comprise the Lovely Angels Fan Club and announce their
>intention to hold a major convention, at which Kei and Yuri would be
>the "most excellent guests of honor". I'm sure Warren came up with his
>con independently, though. No writer can go to an anime convention
>without wanting to parody it... :-) )
Heh. This hits especially close to home because I'm helping out with
Otakon '95 in State College, where Warren is one of the Guests of Honor.
I can't help but think that our fate is sealed, bigtime...
--
"I tried to turn the handle, but-- "
Ryan Mathews
Kei and Yuri to communicate telepathically, similar to Larry Mann's
"CyAudio link", was used by Warren prior to FATAL BUT NOT SERIOUS...
In <merlin-2307...@async18.async.duke.edu>
mer...@marimba.cellbio.duke.edu (Jesse Taylor) writes:
>
>In article <3upuuk$7...@ixnews4.ix.netcom.com>, math...@ix.netcom.com
>(Ryan Mathews) wrote:
>> >>Still, it's damned similar, and it never did show up in a Warren
>> >>story before.
>> >Well, except in Sim Hell #1.
>> Eh? Um, I could be mistaken, but that was Yuri's earring, wasn't
>> it? It wasn't a implant in her skull allowing her to communicate
>> neurally with Kei.
> Hmmm... But in all the scenes where they were using it, I don't see
>either of them wearing their commlink earrings... And they seemed to
>do the "press hand to forehead when referring to or using commlink"
>bit a lot...
I pulled the issue out and took a look at SIM HELL #1, when Yuri gets
the call to come to Kei's rescue. The form of communication is not
explicitly defined. I assumed that it was her earring speaking, for a
few reasons. The "camera angle" implies that Yuri is hearing
something. The type of speech balloon used usually implies something
coming over a speaker. Plus, in the letters column in PLAGUE OF
ANGELS, someone asked why the comlink earrings had never been used. In
the reply, the editor said they would look into working them into the
next story. So, taking all this into account, I assumed she was
wearing the transceiver. Certainly that comes to mind before imagining
that something has been implanted in their craniums.
I'm not aware of any other use of the comlinks. Since Warren so
infrequently splits the Pair apart, there's not that much need for a
communications device.
Todd Knarr
>>I think convergent evolution is enough to explain this --
>
>What? These are "implants". Not a natural feature they're born with.
I think he's referring to two people coming up with the same thing independently
because they started from the same place. I had some characters in a Space
Opera game about a decade ago now who had the same thing, except using subvocal
mikes and bone-conduction speakers. Considering that their specialty was
going into heavily-defended places and retrieving things that the present
owners didn't want to give back and they were usually outnumbered by several
thousand *very* well-armed troops, coordination was the only thing keeping
them alive. Being able to dispense with visible comm gear helped a lot in
keeping the opposition from noticing us.
If you and I can come up with ideas that similar, years apart and without
having any contact with each other at the time, it isn't unbelievable that
a third person could come up with the same idea on his own.
>He has artistic talent to spare. As far as writing is concerned, I
>wish he *would* take more than others. I'm not the only one who longs
>for Toren Smith's return to the book.
Motion seconded. I much preferred the stories while Toren was still working
on them. Sorry, but while I like tech I dislike cyberpunk. I much prefer
stories where the interesting part is how the characters deal with the
technology, not just the "gee whiz, isn't this gadget neat!" type of
story that was old hat in the SF field decades ago and that gets a well-
deserved brush-off when tried there.
BTW, I liked Reunions. Personally I'd like to see what would happen if Adam
did *just* the art and you and Larry could handle the story and script.
--
Todd Knarr : tkn...@netcom.com | finger for PGP public key
| Member, USENET Cabal
Seriously, I don't want to die just yet. I don't care how
good-looking they are, I! don't! want! to! die!"
-- Megazone ( UF1 )
aki...@cris.com
In article <3uv04j$5...@ixnews5.ix.netcom.com>, <math...@ix.netcom.com> writes:
> If this wasn't a Dirty Pair comic, but an
> original creation, I'd bet I'd like it...that he holds the exclusive
> rights to publish original Dirty Pair manga in the US, that ticks me
> off.
So, are you saying you're jealous? BTW, -Adam- doesn't hold exclusive rights
to publish in the US, Studio Proteus does. Big diff, really.
>
> (And dang it, if Warren is as good a writer as he claims he is,
He's only ever claimed this with tongue firmly planted in cheek. Adam is proud
of his work, but is actually a pretty self-effacing guy. Any, 'I'm the
king!'-type statements are pure irony.
why
> doesn't he do what any other comic creator would have done by now and
> proposed an original work?
Oh, sheah, RIGHT. There are a LOT of cpmics artists out there who are quite
good who haven't proposed original work. Proposing is not as easy as all that.
I know. I've done it.
Ryan Mathews
writes:
>BTW, I liked Reunions. Personally I'd like to see what would happen if
>Adam did *just* the art and you and Larry could handle the story and
>script.
(sigh) Talk about my ultimate fantasy... :-)
Ryan Mathews
<MBS...@psuvm.psu.edu> writes:
>Frankly, (and I know this statement will be taken issue with) I think
>the writing has only improved since Warren took it over.
Oh, yes, indeedy it will. :-)
>The main characters are less cute'n'cuddly, true, but they're also
>sharper and more assertive as would befit two galactically-feared
>trouble consultants.
Uh-huh. And more psychotic and more trigger-happy. And in Kei's case,
well she's turned into someone I'd really like to smack upside the
head. Kei always been gun-happy and egotistical, but Warren takes it
so far over the top...
Plus, the whole idea of the Dirty Pair is that the massive property
damage caused by the Pair is supposed to be by accident. We've seen
them kill innocent security guards on the Lyra, intentionally crash a
ship into a civilian building in PLAGUE OF ANGELS, and intentionally
crash a civilian building into a ship in FATAL BUT NOT SERIOUS. The
Central Computer in Warren's universe must have a major bug in it.
>>The concept, like nearly every other technological advance depicted
>>in the comic is simply treated as "way cool", delving little if at
>>all into what effect the technology has on society.
>
>On the other hand, the attitude taken is that these are _accepted_
>parts of the world of 2141. How often to you find yourself compelled
>to sit back and ponder the impact upon society of the automobile or
>the telephone?
Um, we don't live in 2141. We live in 1995. The story is written for
us, not our descedants 200 years in the future.
>Frankly, I happen rather to like this approach. The super future-tech
>is no big thing; it's just another part of the world everyone lives
>in, surrounding and permeating the main story, making it feel more
>real. IMHO.
Real but shallow. SF is not about technology. SF is about the effect
technology has on people. It is a great challenge to explore that
issue without resorting to "explaining how a light bulb works", but a
good writer has to rise to the challenge.
>(Not that I'd _complain_ if we were to be treated to some
>Appleseed-style social exploration, just that I don't find the world
>less convincing due to its absence.)
Appleseed is a great example of a *good* SF manga. As for the
"convincingness" of the world, that was never my point. My point is
that he goes to great lengths to set up this technological empire, then
never does anything particularly worthwhile with it. Everything is
just treated as another neat excuse to blow things up.
>>Perhaps, when it's over, they'll rethink the whole cloning deal.
>
>Heh... I doubt it, [...]. Massive corporate constructs like the WWWA
>don't seem like the type to cater to mere employees' wishes.
I was referring to the Angels. Perhaps they won't think this type of
immortality is as awesome anymore.
BTW, you know something? If this wasn't a Dirty Pair comic, but an
original creation, I'd bet I'd like it. It's the fact that he's doing
it with two of my favorite characters, and that he holds the exclusive
rights to publish original Dirty Pair manga in the US, that ticks me
off.
(And dang it, if Warren is as good a writer as he claims he is, why
doesn't he do what any other comic creator would have done by now and
proposed an original work? Granted, he'll come close with the
forthcoming Shasti/Deirdre series in 1997. But it's still grounded in
the Dirty Pair...)
William Edward Barnes
Ryan Mathews <math...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>Their bodies are genetically enhanced. Their limbs are regenerated.
>Their bodies and minds are stored in a filing cabinet, a renewable
>resource.
Perhaps this is the point. Perhaps Adam Warren will do something really
cool with this premise. For instance, once Yuri learns her backup data has
been stolen - that she is no longer essentially immortal - perhaps we'll
get to see how she reacts - shock? surprise? panic? fear? anger? Maybe
the whole lacksadaisical attitude the DP have - their seeming fearlessness
in the face of ridiculously dangerous odds - has stemmed from the knowledge
that they can just be brought back to life. Once Yuri realizes she could
actually die here, it may cause her to stop and think *real* hard. Or
perhaps Adam will delve into just what it means to be human in a universe
where genetic enhancements and cloning are commonplace and your mind can
be put in something the size of a cigarette box.
Of course, maybe Adam just wants an entertaining excuse to unleash untold
destruction upon the galaxy in the form of a second Yuri. But I'm just
trying to point out he might actually be going somewhere with this. I
think he's made efforts towards real plot and character development in
the past; not much - I still consider Adam's DP primarily a humorous slam-bam
action series, rather than a serious piece of SF - but some. I hardly
expect this story to become the second coming of Blade Runner, but he
may do more with it than just blow shit up.
>Kei and Yuri are portrayed with an ability they've never had before.
>"Comlink implants", a device that allows Kei and Yuri to communicate
>via an artificial telepathy. Sound familiar? It should. The concept
>was first used in a Dirty Pair story by Larry Mann in 1991.
Ummm, I thought the notion of such communication devices was a fairly
common cyberpunk idea. Heck, I think I've seen similar items/ideas in the
rulebooks for both Cyberpunk and GURPS Cyberpunk - Adam could've gotten
the idea from there! This is not to dismiss the possibility he got it
from Larry, but it's kinda like those otaku who try to find anime in-jokes
*everywhere* in ST: it could've always come from someplace else.
>Not to mention that the announcement for this plot dealing with cloning
>came about a year and a half after I'd written "The Lovely Angels
>Forever". The premise is similar, in that the 3WA keeps all its
>trouble consultants on file for immediate recloning upon demise, in the
>form of a memory module and a tissue sample. If I wanted to reach,
>Kei's glandular implants, another goodie which has never been seen
>before, are similar to some described in a battle scene in my story.
Again, I think the concept of "storing" genetic information and memories
on people, to be cloned on demand, is not that uncommon in SF. Granted,
it's still possible he got the idea from your story, Ryan, but I consider
it equally likely he was inspired by something else.
[Then again, I wanted to think of his mention of the Pair being "dumb as
posts" as a referrence to my own work, but that's way too far-fetched
even for me...8^]
I tend to take a post-modern attitude about things like these: that there
are few if any truly "new" ideas and that, instead, almost all of the time
someone's just recycling old ideas. The trick is in which ideas you
choose to use and what you choose to do with them; the ingredients are
generic, but the proportions you use and the way you mix them varies from
one chef to the next. Even if Adam got some ideas from you or Larry or
anybody else's work he's read, I prefer to see it as just grist in his
own artistic mill, rather than him just ripping off your stories.
--
------------------------------------------
William Barnes wba...@wam.umd.edu
"Do you honestly think I've got enough brain cells left after five years of
college to come up with some witty and pithy quote? I don't think so..."
Ryan Mathews
Edward Barnes) writes:
>In article <3ukamf$s...@ixnews2.ix.netcom.com>,
>Ryan Mathews <math...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>>"Comlink implants", a device that allows Kei and Yuri to communicate
>>via an artificial telepathy. Sound familiar? It should. The
>>concept was first used in a Dirty Pair story by Larry Mann in 1991.
>
>common cyberpunk idea.
I know I know I know! (Sorry but you're the third person to bring this
up. I'd better clarify.) Larry was the first person to use it in a
DIRTY PAIR story. He was the first to come up with the concept of 3WA
trouble consultants having these things.
While I'm ragging on Warren, I have to wonder: are we supposed to
believe that Kei and Yuri have always had these way-cool bodily
enhancements, or have they been having their bodies upgraded
constantly? Because if the former is true, you'd think they would've
been a better match for Shasti back in DIRTY PAIR II. Not enough to
beat her mind you, but at least enough to give her a decent fight.
Mark Mark
Mathews) says:
>While I'm ragging on Warren, I have to wonder: are we supposed to
>believe that Kei and Yuri have always had these way-cool bodily
>enhancements, or have they been having their bodies upgraded
>constantly? Because if the former is true, you'd think they would've
>been a better match for Shasti back in DIRTY PAIR II. Not enough to
>beat her mind you, but at least enough to give her a decent fight.
Well, Shasti was built from the ground up to be a Super-Trouble Consultant;
compared to that the odd enhanced reflex or revised pain threshold, mounted
on the same old human frame, would be child's play. (Presumably.)
We saw in the WWWA training scenes how nobody could come close to out-
drawing her or beating her in a fight. Frankly, I would have been surprised
had she _not_ wiped the floor with our heroines in DPII. Shasti, being a
bioroid, is just way out of their league.
Besides, the Pair had the disadvantage of those uncomfortable
bunny costumes; wearing those would reduce _anyone_'s combat efficiency...
--
"Maybe you're turning the tide of public opinion even as we speak,
Yuri! ...Although I _seriously_ doubt it."
James R Rinehart
Ryan Mathews <math...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>While I'm ragging on Warren, I have to wonder: are we supposed to
>believe that Kei and Yuri have always had these way-cool bodily
>enhancements, or have they been having their bodies upgraded
>constantly? Because if the former is true, you'd think they would've
>been a better match for Shasti back in DIRTY PAIR II. Not enough to
>beat her mind you, but at least enough to give her a decent fight.
To misquote FastJack from ShadowRun:
"Faster. Meaner. Dumber. Man I hate the technology curve."
Mech
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
James Rinehart aka Mechaman- Anime Fanatic and Itinerant Journeyman
jrrs...@pitt.edu |
http://www.pitt.edu/~jrrst16 | I can feel no sense of measure
| No Illusions as we take
Summer Coordinator, | Refuge in young man's pleasure
University of Pittsburgh's | Breaking down the dreams we make
Comic Book and Anime Club | Real.
| -Yes, Leave It
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David Pulver
be a ripoff of fanfiction:
I haven't read the fanfic's in question. However, the technology displayed is
pretty well logical considering the direction Warren has been taking the
series. Nor did he pull it out of thin air: In the second Dirty Pair series,
Shasti is mentioned as having the wardrug implants there. In the first Dirty
Pair series the braintape-cloning technology to ressurect the
bio-weaponsindustrialist Kei was fond of.
Thus, two out of the three supposedly "ripped off" technologies were already
established it as part of the background technology in his version of Dirty
Pair. While it's possible that the idea for using them as 3WA tech came from
the fan fics, it's also logical that Warren might already have been thinking
of them as Pair upgrades, particularly as his style seems to be to add more and
more trendy cyberpunk tech to the story as it goes on.
--
|Internet: David....@f127.n249.z1.fidonet.org
|Fidonet: David Pulver 1:249/127
aki...@cris.com
In article <3v9eis$k...@ixnews3.ix.netcom.com>, <math...@ix.netcom.com> writes:
> In <d20_950...@ns.ccai.com> David....@f127.n249.z1.fidonet.org
> >I haven't read the fanfic's in question.
Neither has Adam, if this rests your mind at all.
> As many have pointed out, the technological concepts predate Dirty Pair
> by decades. What made me raise an eyebrow is how the things seemed to
> be turning up in a *Dirty Pair comic* not too long after they were
> previously used in a *Dirty Pair fanfic*.
Regarding the cloning: Adam has had 'Fatal' outlined for -six years-. At least,
that's the first time -I- heard about the cloning story.
I think what we have here is a case of convergent evolution. After all, if you
start from the same material, how -unlikely- is it you might come up with the
same things?
When I did Elfquest <cringe>, I wrote a new character who, well, made clothes.
A person who read the story said she'd written a very similar character. How
unlikely was this? Not very. After all, SOMEONE has to sew all those robes! As
for whether or not I read that (or any other) fanfic, I say I'd rather chew off
my own foot.
Well, maybe not that bad. But I HAVE tried to read fanfic, and most of it is
pretty...difficult. The 90 percent rule applies here as anywhere.
Ryan Mathews
>(possibly) be a ripoff of fanfiction:
Remember, *possibly* (and a possibility that seems more remote as this
thread progresses).
>I haven't read the fanfic's in question. However, the technology
>displayed is pretty well logical considering the direction Warren has
>been taking the series.
As many have pointed out, the technological concepts predate Dirty Pair
by decades. What made me raise an eyebrow is how the things seemed to
be turning up in a *Dirty Pair comic* not too long after they were
previously used in a *Dirty Pair fanfic*. Its not the technology that
has me wondering, it's the context in which it was being used.
>Nor did he pull it out of thin air: In the second Dirty Pair series,
>Shasti is mentioned as having the wardrug implants there.
That's true. I'd forgotten about that. And yet, in all the crap Kei
and Yuri have gone through, there's never been a mention of *them*
having such implants.
>In the first Dirty Pair series the braintape-cloning technology to
>ressurect the bio-weaponsindustrialist Kei was fond of.
True, but until this issue, cloning was never established as standard
3WA policy. That's what has me wondering, not the cloning concept
itself, but the policy of all 3WA TC's being stored for recloning in
the event of death.
>Thus, two out of the three supposedly "ripped off" technologies were
>already established it as part of the background technology in his
>version of Dirty Pair.
Agreed. As I said, its not the technologies themselves but the context
in which they appear.
>particularly as [Warren's] style seems to be to add more and
>more trendy cyberpunk tech to the story as it goes on.
Sigh. Don't remind me.
Ryan Mathews
<MBS...@psuvm.psu.edu> writes:
>
>In article <3v1jo1$5...@ixnews7.ix.netcom.com>, math...@ix.netcom.com
>(Ryan Mathews) says:
>
>Well, Shasti was built from the ground up to be a Super-Trouble
>wiped the floor with our heroines in DPII. Shasti, being a bioroid, is
>just way out of their league.
Now that I think about it, I do remember a comment by Deirdre. "Not
that we're not enhanced too, but Shasti is like, state-of-the-art
technology." Or something to that effect. So Kei and Yuri's being
enhanced had been proposed at that time. It just hadn't been detailed
at all.
This is really just another instance of Ryan beefing on Adam's writing
style: as he continues to detail all the goodies Kei and Yuri have
installed, their lack of effect against Shasti looks less credible in
hindsight. I just have this feeling that Warren hadn't yet thought of
all those enhancements when Dirty Pair II was written. It just doesn't
seem likely.
>Besides, the Pair had the disadvantage of those uncomfortable
>bunny costumes; wearing those would reduce _anyone_'s combat
>efficiency...
Hee! The same costumes which had to be altered for the trade
paperback. Damn Playboy lawyers...
Ryan Mathews
aki...@cris.com writes:
David Pulver> I haven't read the fanfic's in question.
>Neither has Adam, if this rests your mind at all.
Cool! A knowledgable poster! Just one thing: would you mind
identifying yourself? You don't have a personal name set and you have
no .sig. Not that I'm accusing you of lying, I'm just curious,
especially since you claim involvement in the comics industry.
And, yes, this does put my mind at ease. Sigh. I guess I'll just have
to go back to fantasizing about him reading my stuff someday. I've
thought about sending it to him, but I'd feel like such a fanboy. "Gee
Mister Warren, I really like your stuff, look I wrote something too,
wanna read it, huh, huh..." :-)
>Regarding the cloning: Adam has had 'Fatal' outlined for -six years-.
Yeesh.
>I think what we have here is a case of convergent evolution.
Well, I wrote "The Lovely Angels Forever" to illustrate the problems I
have with the Warren universe, to show why it scared me so much. I
guess I simply did too good a job of predicting how his stories would
progress. (And the nightmare that inspired the story was about Kei and
Yuri discussing their immortality on a TV talk show... How's that for
eerie?)
>Well, maybe not that bad. But I HAVE tried to read fanfic, and most of
>it is pretty...difficult. The 90 percent rule applies here as
>anywhere.
True, but that's another thread...
Todd Knarr
>This is really just another instance of Ryan beefing on Adam's writing
>style: as he continues to detail all the goodies Kei and Yuri have
>installed, their lack of effect against Shasti looks less credible in
>hindsight. I just have this feeling that Warren hadn't yet thought of
>all those enhancements when Dirty Pair II was written. It just doesn't
>seem likely.
You're probably right in that Adam didn't think of them at the time. The recon
explanation is probably that the Pair, like most of us, gets comfortable with
what they've always used. They always used the earring comm units, so they never
saw a need for better. Then, some bright enemy gets the brainy idea of taking
away their earrings ( along with every other piece of hardware on their
person ) so they can't pull any stunts with it. Afterwards, the Pair figure
they'd better find a comm system that *can't* be taken away ( or at least
not without major surgery ). Hence the relatively recent change. [ Yes, I
know, that leaves unanswered the question of just why it took so long for
someone to think of taking away their earrings. What can I say, if villains
were smart our heros wouldn't win so often. ]
This, of course, is merely the explanation used to cover the author's sudden
realization that hey, I can use this neat idea that's been rolling around for
a few years now. Adam himself pointed out a similar explanation to cover the
Pair's costumes.