ask-steven-and-the-universe

[ask-steven-and-the-universe]

I'd actually like to know what your problems are with the show recently, as I sometimes feel the same way.

Oh man. Well, for me, it’s more like there’s a lot of smaller issues that compound and make things... less enjoyable than they would be otherwise.

(To clarify, I don’t hate the show - I still enjoy watching it, and actually like it quite a bit! But these issues have impacted how I feel about the show, and as a result I don’t feel as emotionally invested)

I’m going to avoid commenting on the issues people have discussed over racism and discrimination over body types, or conflicts in interpenetration due to the show not being clear enough in it’s narrative (Bismuth and Jasper, respectively) because I have a limited -if any- voice to talk about those issues, as I don’t fall into the directly impacted groups.

However, the issues that tend to get to me are the issues with the shows pacing (ranging from massive spaces of nothing really happening to squashed together events), the low-consequence narrative, the tendency to be overly episodic (episodes have a tendency to ‘reset’ to a generic beach city day and the events of previous episodes are irrelevant, which is not good for a series that is trying to tell a serial narrative), and the lack of singular, clear, stuck-to thematic core outside of ‘be nice!’ Which, while far from a bad message, is too simple to reflect the nuance the show tries to express. There isn’t any deeper meaning - it’s not a unintelligent show, but it doesn’t have as much subtle depth as I was expecting it to. In addition, the series structure of 11 min episodes (and refusing to do any sort of multi-episode story outside of Steven Bombs) leads to stories and events being rushed or ending poorly (I found the ending of ‘Alone at Sea’ seemed rushed and inconclusive).

I also have issues w/ some specific story decisions and ways that characters have been treated/changed over the course of the show. To be frank, it’s no where near as cool or interesting as I had hoped it would. I don’t want to name specifics too much, but... I don’t love everything that has happened to Peridot or how her story was written. It’s not horrible, but it’s far less interesting and emotional than it could have been.

Visual issues could be forgiven, if not for the aforementioned issues. The animation feels... too inconsistent, and it’s looked some what too me, as of late. Again, its not horrible but it isn’t exactly... helping.

And, to be honest, the worst thing I feel about the show right now is that... there isn’t a character I really, really love. They all feel rather one-dimensional and one-note. Yet they didn’t before! It’s like the series worked itself into a pit of ‘everything is fine!’ and all the characters lost the depth that made them interesting, and the story lost all momentum and tension.

I really, really do still love SU. It’s concept alone still often keeps me invested.

And I really, really, really want to continue this web comic (and yes, I was intending to structure it more like comic that uses the asks as a means of narrative, rather than just being a non-linear ask blog). I would feel horrible to just drop it now.

I still have all the work I’ve done so far that hasn’t been uploaded, and I do still plan to make it work. But the fact that my life has been... busy as of late (among other, more stressful things) compounded with my criticisms of the show growing has hampered my energy to work on this blog.

I’m not gone, though. This comic was always intended to delve into the characters in a way the show never could, albeit from my interpretation. Future Steven will be back one day, and you’ll get to see why Peridot is living in a shack, where Garnet is, and a whole bunch of other (hopefully) cool stuff.

Thanks for sticking around while I’ve been a stick in the mud.

[ask-steven-and-the-universe]

Tfw the artist takes forever to update your comic

[ask-steven-and-the-universe]

still active?

yes but this is an SU blog so its gotta have those authentic hiatuses

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Things are moving along! I'm aiming to finish this before the end of spring break, presuming I have the time. Updates should be somewhat more frequent after this one... I hope... There are 6 pages total next update, only 4 are shown here. Also, I should note... The original intent of this series was just as a pierce of fanwork for a show I loved, as well as a means for me to properly break into comic creation. However... I haven't been as impressed with Steven Universe as a show, lately... As a result, this askblog/story is, in addition to the previous means, a way for me to try and write something that I think is more fulfilling as a piece of fiction. I'm certainly not trying to toot my own horn or act like I'm so how more experienced than the Crewniverse, but I have my problems with the show, and I know others do too. I can still express my love for the shows concepts while analysing the execution, and this comic is a means of doing so. Also it's fun and I like AUs so. Merry Candlenights

[ask-steven-and-the-universe]

oh damn I forgot this existed when's next update?

Reasonably soon, but before that I’ll have an extra status update discussing my new process and, well, the future of the future AU.

im so sorry its been so long its comign soon i promise,,,,

[ask-steven-and-the-universe]

Status Update on the Future AU

It’s not dead.

I know its been over a month since the last update, and I’m sorry for making people who have been interested wait so long. My life has been hectic recently and I’ve taken a lot onto my plate. 

I have a piece appearing in the Log Date Zine, and once that’s finished I can begin actively working on it again.

The next update should be much larger than the last few (I’m aiming for 4-5 pages) and will hopefully add a bit more background to the story.

Thank you everyone who has followed the blog and shown interest, and have sent me messages of support. It’s a huge inspiration for me to continue and I promise that the FAU will be seeing more frequent updates in the future.

Thanks everyone!

[ask-steven-and-the-universe]

((taps chin))

[ask-steven-and-the-universe]

do you roleplay or is this blog exclusively asks?

((Just asks. Sorry!))

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((im not dead))

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Question for the creator: Will bismuth be included one day?

((Hehe, whooo, we’ll see. There’s already a lot of things planned that were made before Bismuth was introduced, so she isn’t directly relevant there.Will she show up? Yeah, probably. But not for a while. It also depends on what happens to her in canon. This story diverges from canon following log date so... we’ll see. That’s the best answer I can give for now.))

[ask-steven-and-the-universe]

soon,,

[ask-steven-and-the-universe]

((This is a Steven Universe future-AU ask blog! Steven will be around "shortly" to ask questions...)) Why shortly? Where are you going?

((Oh... thats just me forgetting to update the about page. It just said that because the blog hadn’t officially started. Stevens here now!))

[ask-steven-and-the-universe]

((Whited out parts of asks will be answered later!))