Sissitrix, I'm so thrilled we created this universe and story together. The macabre, noir and brutally raw depictions we've created are a synergy of art and writing. For readers, I hope you love this publication as much as we do. Please like and comment unless it invades your privacy, perhaps, if you can, help get the Sin Street brand spread widely, bringing others to help build our community.
Well, Episode 9, and a highly imaginative one at that!
Kate--a masterful depiction of our devious, depraved anti-heroine, Erin this time out. Some gut-reaction obiter dicta first-off. Are we dealing with Erin-Erin, or Erin-possessed-by-Allen? A key question I think after the "Rise of the Machines" we saw in Episode 8, where the Pods showed their cards and entered the fray as characters in their own right, with their own agencies, but a unified agenda, with a hive-mind ability to strategize and coordinate. We know that Allen's become one with Erin. So if she's acting of her own volition here, Allen's allowed her a longer leash, and the illusion of freedom. The story is from Erin's POV--this is crucial to Allen running in the background; it's as if recent events never took place. I wanted to get that part on the record here, because since last week, I think we can't say with 100% certainty that Erin's totally in control of her actions, so--as in a demonic possession (Allen and the other pods enjoy a power, malice, and expertise at deception analogous to preternatural intelligences, so I feel confident in using the term as a convenient shorthand given the dark realm Sin Street is--there are no good guys, girls, or machines--not even good water--anywhere!), Allen's given Erin the illusory control of her world and her emotions, but it's running the show.
Excellent descriptives to set the scene on the dingy, corrupt environs of Sin Street--as I said above even the goddamn water's corrupt, tainted and poisoned! There are fucking rotting human bodies down there in the depths for Christ's sake! Bosch didn't get that hellish! Truly a River Styx right here--a realm just soaked in death--no vegetation, no potable water. Desolate, demolished buildings. The only businesses to speak of are criminal enterprises. The closest we've come to a bright, happy scene was when Erin and Max were zipping along in the Aston Martin after the pods patched her up in the Adirondacks--where the hell did the Adirondacks go? In fact, are there any other places besides Sin Street in this world? With each Episode, there are hints here and there that Sin Street isn't just a "Street" per se, nor is it a seedy, high crime district of a city, outside of which there may be hope and redemption. There are hints that Sin Street is EVERYWHERE. Every surface, every building, every person, object, idea--whatever--is thoroughly, completely EVIL. Any attempt to eradicate the Evil requires a further descent into greater Evil, resulting in an accumulation of foul, encrusted, bloody, gangrenous, suppurating, weeping wounds of pus--this entire realm is a living, breathing, demonic organism, a type of satanic amoeba, which consumes everything. In my commentary on the story, I often make cinematic references--recently Sissitrix mentioned the 1997 film "The Devil's Advocate" with Al Pacino, where he plays the role of Satan, who's set up shop in New York City as a high-powered attorney with the wonderful name of John Milton--NYC has this "living monster" patina to it in that film--I think that's what we've got going on here with Sin Street. Perhaps the whole vernture is taking place either in Hell itself (Erin is dead , is damned, and we're witnessing her experience of her damnation) or perhaps a "Matrix" like reality, in which the principals are in some sort of suspended animation in the pods, which provide their nervous systems with every experience, detail, and sensation they have and undergo. To be sure, far-out theories, as many of mine are, yet plausible inferences in light of events thus far.
I love the "Glass Cube." Seeing the illustration and reading about the timer, how Steve the Pincer will drown in a deluge of foul aquatic detritus should the clock run out gives me the image of what a classic Houdini-style stage magician's escape trick would look like if the Jigsaw Killer from the "Saw" movies put his interpretation of them on stage! The "Saw" films, though universally considered a form of almost tongue-in-cheek gory horror camp,. But taken as a whole, they tell a story remarkably similar in many ways to Sin Street and similar vengeance-driven vehicles. All of Jigsaw's elaborate schemes to kill his victims involve some form of ostensibly impossible moral choice, which usually one of the two victims must make to save their life and gain freedom--all his victims at some point held life cheap, or worthless, and by surviving, paradoxically, never thought that way again. One survivor even becoming his disciple. They also compose a continuous epic of calculated vigilantism, since most of his victims were either people who wronged him personally, those he loved, acted out of avarice, or were morally flawed or apathetic in some way. I see Erin's dismemberment and torture of Chester and the premeditated construction of the glass cube to torture and (let's face it--kill) Steve the Pincer--as very much within this antiheroic realm of vigilantism.
We knew the sex with Bliss was coming--but there's no way I'm buying the "lover" jive that Erin's tring to sell, and if Bliss is really buying it (not sure is she is, or is just so determined to get the story that she'll do ANYTHING to have the scoop, even if it means acting the lesbian sub to Erin's mistress for a while--it's a realm where there are no innocent cherubs floating around strumming harps, after all!
In closing, just an observation about the off-stage Max. Strange he gives Erin the Glock, and instructs her on its proper use. One of those ambiguous threads which in the noir world can be the thing that leads you out of the Labyrinth, or simply an unusually long strand of dryer lint.
Again, congrats to the both of you for another thought-provoking Episode! On to Chapter 10!
Hi John, sorry I'm late getting to your review. It's almost like a story in and of itself. I really hope other readers are enjoying your reviews of the artwork and writing. Perhaps we can restack your comment. I'll try for sure. I feel the basis of the universe is building nicely. In my view, when describing the world in words and art it is a completely different and more immersive experience than either alone.
We have created plot tools that can be used later on. Artwork and written descriptions of the landscape, pod technologies, glass cube, and characters are now so versatile as to make multiple arcs possible. I think more layers are needed, particularly in the character profiles where we have consistently drawn these to align with the story.
I love this universe as a means to escape into a thrilling place where so much is possible. Thank you again for your excellent review of our story, John.
Sissitrix, I'm so thrilled we created this universe and story together. The macabre, noir and brutally raw depictions we've created are a synergy of art and writing. For readers, I hope you love this publication as much as we do. Please like and comment unless it invades your privacy, perhaps, if you can, help get the Sin Street brand spread widely, bringing others to help build our community.
Well, Episode 9, and a highly imaginative one at that!
Kate--a masterful depiction of our devious, depraved anti-heroine, Erin this time out. Some gut-reaction obiter dicta first-off. Are we dealing with Erin-Erin, or Erin-possessed-by-Allen? A key question I think after the "Rise of the Machines" we saw in Episode 8, where the Pods showed their cards and entered the fray as characters in their own right, with their own agencies, but a unified agenda, with a hive-mind ability to strategize and coordinate. We know that Allen's become one with Erin. So if she's acting of her own volition here, Allen's allowed her a longer leash, and the illusion of freedom. The story is from Erin's POV--this is crucial to Allen running in the background; it's as if recent events never took place. I wanted to get that part on the record here, because since last week, I think we can't say with 100% certainty that Erin's totally in control of her actions, so--as in a demonic possession (Allen and the other pods enjoy a power, malice, and expertise at deception analogous to preternatural intelligences, so I feel confident in using the term as a convenient shorthand given the dark realm Sin Street is--there are no good guys, girls, or machines--not even good water--anywhere!), Allen's given Erin the illusory control of her world and her emotions, but it's running the show.
Excellent descriptives to set the scene on the dingy, corrupt environs of Sin Street--as I said above even the goddamn water's corrupt, tainted and poisoned! There are fucking rotting human bodies down there in the depths for Christ's sake! Bosch didn't get that hellish! Truly a River Styx right here--a realm just soaked in death--no vegetation, no potable water. Desolate, demolished buildings. The only businesses to speak of are criminal enterprises. The closest we've come to a bright, happy scene was when Erin and Max were zipping along in the Aston Martin after the pods patched her up in the Adirondacks--where the hell did the Adirondacks go? In fact, are there any other places besides Sin Street in this world? With each Episode, there are hints here and there that Sin Street isn't just a "Street" per se, nor is it a seedy, high crime district of a city, outside of which there may be hope and redemption. There are hints that Sin Street is EVERYWHERE. Every surface, every building, every person, object, idea--whatever--is thoroughly, completely EVIL. Any attempt to eradicate the Evil requires a further descent into greater Evil, resulting in an accumulation of foul, encrusted, bloody, gangrenous, suppurating, weeping wounds of pus--this entire realm is a living, breathing, demonic organism, a type of satanic amoeba, which consumes everything. In my commentary on the story, I often make cinematic references--recently Sissitrix mentioned the 1997 film "The Devil's Advocate" with Al Pacino, where he plays the role of Satan, who's set up shop in New York City as a high-powered attorney with the wonderful name of John Milton--NYC has this "living monster" patina to it in that film--I think that's what we've got going on here with Sin Street. Perhaps the whole vernture is taking place either in Hell itself (Erin is dead , is damned, and we're witnessing her experience of her damnation) or perhaps a "Matrix" like reality, in which the principals are in some sort of suspended animation in the pods, which provide their nervous systems with every experience, detail, and sensation they have and undergo. To be sure, far-out theories, as many of mine are, yet plausible inferences in light of events thus far.
I love the "Glass Cube." Seeing the illustration and reading about the timer, how Steve the Pincer will drown in a deluge of foul aquatic detritus should the clock run out gives me the image of what a classic Houdini-style stage magician's escape trick would look like if the Jigsaw Killer from the "Saw" movies put his interpretation of them on stage! The "Saw" films, though universally considered a form of almost tongue-in-cheek gory horror camp,. But taken as a whole, they tell a story remarkably similar in many ways to Sin Street and similar vengeance-driven vehicles. All of Jigsaw's elaborate schemes to kill his victims involve some form of ostensibly impossible moral choice, which usually one of the two victims must make to save their life and gain freedom--all his victims at some point held life cheap, or worthless, and by surviving, paradoxically, never thought that way again. One survivor even becoming his disciple. They also compose a continuous epic of calculated vigilantism, since most of his victims were either people who wronged him personally, those he loved, acted out of avarice, or were morally flawed or apathetic in some way. I see Erin's dismemberment and torture of Chester and the premeditated construction of the glass cube to torture and (let's face it--kill) Steve the Pincer--as very much within this antiheroic realm of vigilantism.
We knew the sex with Bliss was coming--but there's no way I'm buying the "lover" jive that Erin's tring to sell, and if Bliss is really buying it (not sure is she is, or is just so determined to get the story that she'll do ANYTHING to have the scoop, even if it means acting the lesbian sub to Erin's mistress for a while--it's a realm where there are no innocent cherubs floating around strumming harps, after all!
In closing, just an observation about the off-stage Max. Strange he gives Erin the Glock, and instructs her on its proper use. One of those ambiguous threads which in the noir world can be the thing that leads you out of the Labyrinth, or simply an unusually long strand of dryer lint.
Again, congrats to the both of you for another thought-provoking Episode! On to Chapter 10!
Hi John, sorry I'm late getting to your review. It's almost like a story in and of itself. I really hope other readers are enjoying your reviews of the artwork and writing. Perhaps we can restack your comment. I'll try for sure. I feel the basis of the universe is building nicely. In my view, when describing the world in words and art it is a completely different and more immersive experience than either alone.
We have created plot tools that can be used later on. Artwork and written descriptions of the landscape, pod technologies, glass cube, and characters are now so versatile as to make multiple arcs possible. I think more layers are needed, particularly in the character profiles where we have consistently drawn these to align with the story.
I love this universe as a means to escape into a thrilling place where so much is possible. Thank you again for your excellent review of our story, John.