2013/08/19 [Matilda #25] Some would argue that makes it all the more perfect

[killpurakat]

I don't know why, but today's page makes me think of the Jewish story about the diamond that got scratched in an earthquake.

I LOVE the artstyle, BTW. It's beautiful in it's simplicity.

(Not that I don't also adore Amber's regular style as well.  )

[joshofspam]

Sort of reminds me of what Agent Smith and the Architect from the movie the Matrix said about how the first Matrix failed.

I too am finding this style of drawing for this story Matilda is telling to be enjoyable.

[Mermidion]

So if i get this Page straight ,in short it says this:

There was ones a Perfect World....and then came the first Female...

...Yeeaaahh,i am not even going to say anything more since i like living and such  .

[Rafe]

All those origin myths seem to have a female that causes problems in paradise, whether it's Eve or Pandora.

I guess we'll see if the Blue Volcano has a similar one.

[MT Hazard]

Yep, that's some unfortunate implications right there "Our world was too perfect, so god created woman"

[ArchTeryx]

Well, remember, folks, this is an extremely patriarchal society, so naturally, the creation myths are going to be heavily patriarchal as well.

Besides, the suggestion is that this ISN'T this society's Eve or Pandora that was created.  "From the most fragile crystals" implies something needing protection and succor, not something that will cause trouble, and not just something to fight over.  And much of the tension in Blue Volcano society comes not from females, but from competition for extremely limited resources.

Introduce a female, introduce population growth.  And that introduces tension.  They get something out of it, but pay a price.

[Mischa]

Besides, the suggestion is that this ISN'T this society's Eve or Pandora that was created.  "From the most fragile crystals" implies something needing protection and succor, not something that will cause trouble, and not just something to fight over.  And much of the tension in Blue Volcano society comes not from females, but from competition for extremely limited resources.

I find it particularly interesting given the statement on the previous page -- that for every beautiful crystal one brother would find, the other would find one of equal beauty.

Now the gods have created something of which there is only one, and there is nothing equal for the other to have.

It seems like a system tailor-made to induce competition, which would be consistent with the statement on the previous page that "there was no challenge".  The only thing that could challenge one of the brothers is each other... so the gods gave them something to fight over.

The other thing I find amusing about this story is that, while it is a creation myth apparently designed to define women as objects/possessions, it doesn't really do males many favors either.  The brother seem, by and large, like idiots that can't think for themselves, and are really good for little more than fighting.  (They do apparently explore, but exploration and other such skills don't seem to be too highly regarded, particularly since the creation myth appears to simply brush aside any such form of industry as being boring and irrelevant.)

(Then there's also the fact that, on top of everything else, the brothers seem rather childish, getting bored and expecting their "parent" to provide them with something to do... which seems consistent with most creation myths, that view humanity (or whoever else was created) as being children that need to be tended to, without ever leading to adulthood...)

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Adults think for themselves, and might point out that those telling the story of how things were created are also those who happen to be in power, and isn't it funny how all this money we donate to the church pays for the priests to get nice houses and good food?

And other difficult questions might then get asked, and that's entirely too likely to cause unrest - and _that_ would interrupt the flow of good food, so we can't have that, now, can we? ;-]

[Attic Rat]

All those origin myths seem to have a female that causes problems in paradise, whether it's Eve or Pandora.

I guess we'll see if the Blue Volcano has a similar one.

Wasn't Eve created because paradise was not yet perfect?

[Yarott]

This story now reminds me of the many myths and legends made reality in the webcomic called "Gunnerkrigg Court". Anyone here at least heard of it?

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

This story now reminds me of the many myths and legends made reality in the webcomic called "Gunnerkrigg Court". Anyone here at least heard of it?

Yes (not that that will surprise anyone who knows me). What specifically brought it to mind?

[Gentlehunter]

All those origin myths seem to have a female that causes problems in paradise, whether it's Eve or Pandora.

I guess we'll see if the Blue Volcano has a similar one.

Wasn't Eve created because paradise was not yet perfect?

That is correct. In the Biblical account, when God was creating, at the end of each day or part of creation He said "That's good." The very first time He declares that something is NOT good is when He says (paraphrased by me) "It is not good for man to be alone. I will create a helper suitable for him."

So yes, Creation was not complete/perfect without Eve.

[Yarott]

This story now reminds me of the many myths and legends made reality in the webcomic called "Gunnerkrigg Court". Anyone here at least heard of it?

Yes (not that that will surprise anyone who knows me). What specifically brought it to mind?

It is mainly the artstyle of the current pages. Honestly, I am not very well-versed with myths andlegends of most cultures. I only know broad strokes from the Greek, Roman, Welsh, and Norse Mythologies. And Gunnerkrigg Court goes through ALL Religions (except maybe the mainstream one, like Christianity/Catholicism, Palestinian, and Islam), Myths and Legends in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. Even Lovecraftian is touched upon! I wonder if Amber will use Lovecraftian Lore in Furae... maybe as the origin of how Tacos and Thin Wheats came to exist in there!

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Yes (not that that will surprise anyone who knows me). What specifically brought it to mind?

It is mainly the artstyle of the current pages. Honestly, I am not very well-versed with myths andlegends of most cultures. I only know broad strokes from the Greek, Roman, Welsh, and Norse Mythologies. And Gunnerkrigg Court goes through ALL Religions (except maybe the mainstream one, like Christianity/Catholicism, Palestinian, and Islam), Myths and Legends in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. Even Lovecraftian is touched upon! I wonder if Amber will use Lovecraftian Lore in Furae... maybe as the origin of how Tacos and Thin Wheats came to exist in there!

Fair enough. For what it's worth, I'm sure I've seen references to Catholicism and Islam in Gunnerkrigg Court. I couldn't tell you what they are off the top of my head, but then, there's more than a few strips to page through anyway...

[Yarott]

The comic is LOOOONG! Tom really draws a lot! It took me 5 days to go through the comic from the first page till the current one, back in July. I decided to do it again, but this time, by spotting every little Easter Egg of our World's different cultures! Heh, I never figured that City Face (that kooky pidgeon) is a really important character related to Zimmy's "Eldritch" City! But yeah, let's not go too far off-topic here!

[ChaosMageX]

(Then there's also the fact that, on top of everything else, the brothers seem rather childish, getting bored and expecting their "parent" to provide them with something to do... which seems consistent with most creation myths, that view humanity (or whoever else was created) as being children that need to be tended to, without ever leading to adulthood...)

This made me think of The Sims, but then again each new generation of the game has gotten closer to "adulthood", considering sims in The Sims 3 no longer whine at you about their motives and can generally care for themselves.

This story now reminds me of the many myths and legends made reality in the webcomic called "Gunnerkrigg Court". Anyone here at least heard of it?

Yes (not that that will surprise anyone who knows me). What specifically brought it to mind?

It is mainly the artstyle of the current pages. Honestly, I am not very well-versed with myths andlegends of most cultures. I only know broad strokes from the Greek, Roman, Welsh, and Norse Mythologies. And Gunnerkrigg Court goes through ALL Religions (except maybe the mainstream one, like Christianity/Catholicism, Palestinian, and Islam), Myths and Legends in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. Even Lovecraftian is touched upon! I wonder if Amber will use Lovecraftian Lore in Furae... maybe as the origin of how Tacos and Thin Wheats came to exist in there!

Ummm, I think she has already made vaguely Lovecraftian references here and here, as well as using the Lovecraft's Diary font here.

[Yarott]

(Then there's also the fact that, on top of everything else, the brothers seem rather childish, getting bored and expecting their "parent" to provide them with something to do... which seems consistent with most creation myths, that view humanity (or whoever else was created) as being children that need to be tended to, without ever leading to adulthood...)

This made me think of The Sims, but then again each new generation of the game has gotten closer to "adulthood", considering sims in The Sims 3 no longer whine at you about their motives and can generally care for themselves.

This story now reminds me of the many myths and legends made reality in the webcomic called "Gunnerkrigg Court". Anyone here at least heard of it?

Yes (not that that will surprise anyone who knows me). What specifically brought it to mind?

It is mainly the artstyle of the current pages. Honestly, I am not very well-versed with myths andlegends of most cultures. I only know broad strokes from the Greek, Roman, Welsh, and Norse Mythologies. And Gunnerkrigg Court goes through ALL Religions (except maybe the mainstream one, like Christianity/Catholicism, Palestinian, and Islam), Myths and Legends in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. Even Lovecraftian is touched upon! I wonder if Amber will use Lovecraftian Lore in Furae... maybe as the origin of how Tacos and Thin Wheats came to exist in there!

Ummm, I think she has already made vaguely Lovecraftian references here and here, as well as using the Lovecraft's Diary font here.

Those are too few and too far in-between. I wanna see the Elder God of Mexican Delicacies! C-mon! We need to go deeper!

[Prroul]

Those are too few and too far in-between. I wanna see the Elder God of Mexican Delicacies! C-mon! We need to go deeper!

Would those be made by reading from the dreaded book of forbidden culinary arts, the Omanomanomacon?

[HaDDea]

Would those be made by reading from the dreaded book of forbidden culinary arts, the Omanomanomacon?

An Eldrich cookbook? that WOULD explain Ambarrrgh's cooking skills (not to mention the obsession with tacos) 

[Lurkie]

Ummm, I think she has already made vaguely Lovecraftian references here and here, as well as using the Lovecraft's Diary font here.

Don't forget here.  This one is the one I always think of whenever someone mentions Lovecraftian influences in DMFA.  Yikes!

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Ummm, I think she has already made vaguely Lovecraftian references here and here, as well as using the Lovecraft's Diary font here.

Don't forget here.  This one is the one I always think of whenever someone mentions Lovecraftian influences in DMFA.  Yikes!

Or here. That's my favourite one. ;-]

[Lurkie]

Ummm, I think she has already made vaguely Lovecraftian references here and here, as well as using the Lovecraft's Diary font here.

Don't forget here.  This one is the one I always think of whenever someone mentions Lovecraftian influences in DMFA.  Yikes!

Or here. That's my favourite one. ;-]

Hah!  I had forgotten about that one.  Yes, there's definitely something askew -- and quite amusing -- about that fellow!  :-) 

[ChaosMageX]

Ummm, I think she has already made vaguely Lovecraftian references here and here, as well as using the Lovecraft's Diary font here.

Don't forget here.  This one is the one I always think of whenever someone mentions Lovecraftian influences in DMFA.  Yikes!

Or here. That's my favourite one. ;-]

Hah!  I had forgotten about that one.  Yes, there's definitely something askew -- and quite amusing -- about that fellow!  :-)  

Rancid has only gotten weirder since that appearance in the comic.  Just take a look at that zombie's gallery on FurAffinity and you'll see what I mean.

Still, I had also forgotten about that tentacle reference, so that was a good find.