#lying and scheming

[ahb-writes]

Comics Review: Trapped on Zarkass

Trapped on Zarkass by Yann, Didier Cassegrain

action

offworld

scifi

terraforming

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Marcel Dorcel is a convicted criminal with three exes, a mind that's keen on identifying political subterfuge, and enough experience surviving the wilds of Zarkass that she makes for the best (worst) tour guide one could hope for. In her own words, "just because I'm ballsy doesn't mean I'm stupid." But then again, if one were not relying on Marcel to ford the wilds during the apparent crumbling of the local human outpost, then who?

TRAPPED ON ZARKASS is exquisitely colorful and richly indecent, what with its focus on an odd-couple pair who is absolutely terrible at doing precisely whatever it is they're supposed to be doing. Marcel is the guide and bodyguard; Louis Doisy is an entomologist sent undercover from the local human government. Louis is supposed to be investigating the wreckage of an unnamed adversary's ship, but as often happens in sci-fi exploits, the woman has her own agenda at hand. En totem, navigating jungle flora, all the while surviving encounters with giant spiders, carnivorous butterflies, and hostile populations of roach-people puts this duo on high alert from cover to cover.

One imagines the task of surviving a mysterious planet of hostile others would be equally exciting and terrifying, and TRAPPED ON ZARKASS delivers on both accounts. Is tracking down and investigating an intergalactic crash site on a wayward Earth colony worth the effort? After dropping into the luscious greenery, all bets are off.

Not to say the story makes it easy for these characters to have a good time. Marcel is crass and butch and doesn't really give a shit, but she's a felon who can't quit digging a deeper grave for herself. If she and her partner can pull off this mission, then she'll sleep in a real bed for the first time in 20 years. Louis is snotty and upper-class, but her ambition tends to outweigh any sense of danger lurking over the next cliff. A person with a secret agenda and with nothing to lose tends to harbor the most gall. Marcel and Louis hate each other from the outset, but if they're going to survive the bush and make it back to civilization before everything turns to crap, then they must swallow the irritation they have for one another, one thorny affront at a time.

TRAPPED ON ZARKASS is a beautiful book and demonstrates the best character art many contemporary European comics have to offer: angular but dimensional character designs that don't take up more space than they need to; brilliant and moody coloring; environmental designs and background artwork with layers of informational detail; compelling character expressions that never give away too much. Cassegrain has a style that offers comfort and order on one level (e.g., balanced page composition, smart character blocking) and desirable anarchy on another (e.g., designing messy and dangerous slums, ruins, battle sequences, caverns).

One finds it difficult to disassociate the comic's superlative design quality from its narrative spectacle. For example, it's one thing for readers to come across a lying and scheming indigenous queen and her chosen warrior, but it's another thing entirely to see the warrior stride into frame while mounting a massive cicada and wielding a war axe. It's one thing for readers to learn the local roach-people use the mucus of large lion-caterpillars to protect their skin, but it's another thing entirely to see the locals grieve the loss of their partner-beasts, then throw themselves to their death, glimpsing the emerald splendor of this far away planet for a final, sharp, and fleeting moment.

The book's flaws are niggling but not imperceptible. Notably, Marcel's attitude vacillates unpredictably between caustic foolery and optimistic thuggery. The woman knows more about the planet Zarkass and its dangers than anyone around, but constantly berates the locals and draws ire from her allies. Her insults are hilarious (e.g., "snotty vagsack," "holy ovum," "deadballs," "bloody vulva"), but the butch woman's intense love-hate relationship with the universe makes for seesaw storytelling. As for Louis, the woman is a good foil, but her apparent knack for having helpful visions of next-step adventuring feels too contrived to be effective. Louis is funny because she's absolutely the last person one would want to rough it with in the bush; but perhaps that's the point. Nevertheless, TRAPPED ON ZARKASS wrings from its pages a tale of otherworldly sci-fi in which suspiciously opportunistic people from very odd, awkward, and asynchronous points of origin strive for survival.

❯ ❯ Comics Reviews || ahb writes on Good Reads

[jayjamjary]

Time to "Ohhhhhh Nooooooooo I forgot it at my house nooooooooooooooooo" my way out (hopefully) of losing points for not having a poster done because I decided to yassify it too much and work alone so now I barely have anything done.

[chenqingssuibian]

she’s the love of my life. zixuan watch your BACK

[moonilit]

you know we should have at least One AU where Kory is an illegal immigrant into the USA, and while Clark pass because he looks exactly human, kory isn’t. Just so I can see 18 yo Dick Grayson spinning one thousand lies and forging fake government files and “SHE HAVE EYE CONDITION SHE WAS BORN WITH IT” “that doesn’t look like any recognizable-“ “well CLEARLY she has it so maybe she is the first?? God forbid women be a first, Maybe we could let her pick the name???? Why are YOU doubting a poor helpless woman who have to live with this eye condition you dont have mercy in your heart??” then they say she is a meta human to explain her abilities ig

[crowlixcx]

[canisalbus]

To me, Machete kind of has the energy of a secondary villain/coldhearted side character in someone else's story that a lot of fans latch onto, moreso than the protagonist. Question is, would he be the villain in anyone's story?

Why, thank you! I'm actually glad to hear he gives off that vibe. I don't think he set out to become a villain but a lot of people certainly view him as one.

[melljam]

gitae is back as well !!!

[deathandnonexistentialdread]

Kant becoming a car thief because of Style's infodumping about car parts and their values. Kant stealing cars but still treating them with care because Style taught him the basics of dealing with cars.

Style looking after Babe when Kant ends up arrested. Kant asking Style why he is not angry with him. Kant and Style still maintaining their friendship and closeness despite everything.

The fact that Kant stole cars while having a mechanic bff and Kant being very open to Style about the Captain's dirt on him regarding the car thefts is very interesting.

[silusvesuius]

also i know artf*ght is essentially art trades for people with no social skills where it's not even guranteed you'll get something in return but people need to ditch that Conglomerate and just ask people to art trade like real men.

[mrmeepsmadmind]

stack being such a big presence even while in the hivemind because he's already so attuned to everyone's emotions constantly to try && keep the cheer && make sure everyone's happy so he can keep being of delightful service to everyone.. && also This Sad Cat Image would literally be him with .0000000001 nanosecond of not having everyone's attention on him 24/7. && the Hive has no choice but to cater to his every ache && need or he'll keep hashing the vibe by being an attention wh0re

remmick trying to convert someone else to his hive: hi-

stack: oh i am just small potatoes .

rem: ???

stack: oh i am nothingness. oh i am unimportance 😔

[mewtillidae]

posting a kremy every single day until new episodes of OUAW are out DAY 24

[themoonofblueside]

it's just so funny that ned is like "sigh i hate southron politics there is no one to trust i miss winterfell i belong to the north" while in adwd the north is like. fifteen different conspiracies for a different heir, at least two houses with associated with cannibalism or flaying people, everyone hating each other, not a single family united for the same cause or even same side, vengeance ideas that would make oberyn martell weep-

[bad-traffic-smp-ideas]

Hidden life(dunno about the name), everyone has... 4-5 lives, once you hit 2 or less you can start killing, BUT, and this is the twist, player-caused deaths are not shown in chat. You just see "[X player] has died". Leaves a lot of room for lying and scheming

We love room for lying and scheming here <3

[things-stankyle-probably-said]

kyle broflovski: a man like me love getting catered to and lusted over. eric cartman: I'd love to serve you. kyle broflovski: stay the fuck away from me.

[grantmentis]

Takeover Tour Destination Guide: Boston Fleet in Seattle

[where-is-caithe]

Been working on a ref sheet for Haven the last few days 💀