What was difficult to understand about "we're not going to get into any trouble tonight"?
— James, Heroes #51

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Heroes  Volume 3   Magic (#32) Support Search RSS runboard.com       Sign up (learn about it) | Sign in (lost password?) Page:  1  2  David Meadows Editor-in-chief Global user Registered: 09-2003 Posts: 442 Reply | Quote Magic (#32) This issue is the first time I've acknowledged that "magic" exists in my world. Oh, it's always been there (so you'll find no inconsistency with earlier stories). I just never needed to show it before. This might not appear to sit well with the general "scientific" tone I've given to the world so far. The story is explicitly set in the future. People use guns, cars, computers. There are aliens. "Powers" are described in scientific terms: heightened strength comes from a drug, skin-tight armour is a man-made polymer based on spider silk, energy weapons are lasers and TASERs, all based on real principles. Yes, I have included telepathy, but everybody knows that there is scientific evidence for telepathy in the real world (suuuure there is... and I once saw Santa Claus, too). But telepathy tends to be an SF staple, so I’m still comfortably within the "science fiction" genre. But then I had shape changers. Ok, still not totally in the realms of fantasy, and there are ways to explain werewolves without too much suspension of scientific disbelief, especially when I start talking about genetic manipulation. But then I had a shape changer who can change into anything from a large pigeon to a small horse. Um, ok... and where does the extra mass go? But you can explain even this pseudo-scientifically, and if you put on your rose-tinted spectacles and turn your head on the side you can still convince yourself it's science fiction. But now I've mentioned the "M" word. I've got a character who calls herself a sorceress and states that magic exists (or existed, 20 years ago). We don't yet know what magic is or what it can do, but isn't just the fact of it's existence a significant paradigm shift in the way the world is perceived? It's not a science fiction story any more. But then, I never said it was. Does the existence of magic (even if in the background) make any difference at all to the story I've been telling? Do you feel cheated because you've been reading a "fantasy" story all this time and I didn't tell you? (Well if you didn't notice the first time I broke the laws of physics, which was around page two...) This is the reality: it's set in the year 2014, there are computers, there are lasers, there are particle accelerators, and there is magic. There are heroes, there are villains, there are aliens, and there are demons. I have no problem will all of these things existing side-by-side, as long as they all react in realistic ways to one another (and I hope they are). Because I'm not writing in a "genre", I'm just writing. And you’re welcome to call it science fiction, fantasy, dark fantasy, urban fantasy, or anything else you want. I just call it a story. Labels. Bah. Comments? Questions? Last edited by David Meadows, 21/8/2007, 11:36 --- "With magic stripped from the world what can a Supreme Sorceress do except rely on heroes?" -- Astra, Heroes #32 5/4/2006, 11:30 Send Email to David Meadows   Send PM to David Meadows lardboy Evil Genius Global user Registered: 09-2005 Posts: 217 Reply | Quote Re: Magic Hey, I'm down with this whole magic thing Dave. Even if it's just to see Jerome's reaction when he realises the team's about to consort with a witch! Now, how did testing for one go? Witches burn, cos they're made of wood. Wood floats. What also floats? Ducks. So, if Astra weighs less than a duck... (Hmmm, that's probably a valid "scientific" theory in this setting...) Please, please don't say Jerome's "become" somebody else by then. Hmmm...mind you, I cannot see any of his other...umm...aspects handling this too well either. Jesse? That could be a laugh too... As for mystic types saying, "I've got a lot to tell you", I wonder exactly how much obfuscation is going to be involved in that! Anyhow, just as things were beginning to get more than a tad alarming, I rather admire the fashion in which Chi-Yun put a pin to the ballooning sense of drama. "Maybe she should try wiggling her nose". Chortle! Cracking stuff! Snappy dialogue as always and I'm still completely mystified & engrossed, as always. When's the next issue coming out? 5/4/2006, 17:13 Send Email to lardboy   Send PM to lardboy knightflyer Gadgeteer Global user Registered: 10-2004 Location: Orion Arm, Milky Way Posts: 244 Reply | Quote Re: Magic It may not be magic it may just be sufficiently advanced technology. I never believed it was science fiction anyway too many superheroes running round! Stuart --- Stuart --------- "What goes around come around." "And sometimes you get what's coming around." "And sometime you are what's coming around." Jim Butcher, Grave Peril 6/4/2006, 19:22 Send Email to knightflyer   Send PM to knightflyer lardboy Evil Genius Global user Registered: 09-2005 Posts: 217 Reply | Quote Re: Magic Thus speaks your classic, "mad scientist"… Anyway, never mind the mystic guff! My incredulity is constantly stoked up by universal "apple pie" constant that is Major Democracy. "But you need help. And helping people is my job". (Issue 2, page 5, panel two as I recall). "We find a way to help them". (Issue 5, page 15, panel 3). But as one would expect, Fred says it best. "Says his job is helping people. Give me a break!" (Issue 6, page 2, panel 3). 7/4/2006, 10:06 Send Email to lardboy   Send PM to lardboy knightflyer Gadgeteer Global user Registered: 10-2004 Location: Orion Arm, Milky Way Posts: 244 Reply | Quote Re: Magic I have to agree there is no sufficiently advanced technology to explain Major Democracy. Stuart --- Stuart --------- "What goes around come around." "And sometimes you get what's coming around." "And sometime you are what's coming around." Jim Butcher, Grave Peril 8/4/2006, 18:38 Send Email to knightflyer   Send PM to knightflyer David Meadows Editor-in-chief Global user Registered: 09-2003 Posts: 442 Reply | Quote Re: Magic In the interests of accuracy, I should point out that James is still stubbornly refusing to call himself "Major Democracy". (I would give the issue references where he explains that but I'm too lazy to look them up... but I will say that it's going to be addressed in issue 34.) Last edited by David Meadows, 8/4/2006, 20:47 --- "With magic stripped from the world what can a Supreme Sorceress do except rely on heroes?" -- Astra, Heroes #32 8/4/2006, 19:13 Send Email to David Meadows   Send PM to David Meadows knightflyer Gadgeteer Global user Registered: 10-2004 Location: Orion Arm, Milky Way Posts: 244 Reply | Quote Re: Magic I stand by previous remark! Stuart P.S. Dave you've left your brackets open in public. --- Stuart --------- "What goes around come around." "And sometimes you get what's coming around." "And sometime you are what's coming around." Jim Butcher, Grave Peril 8/4/2006, 20:29 Send Email to knightflyer   Send PM to knightflyer David Meadows Editor-in-chief Global user Registered: 09-2003 Posts: 442 Reply | Quote Re: Magic "possibly we can do something to help" (Issue 11, Page 6, Panel 5) "We're helping somebody! That's useful! (Issue 11, Page 10, Panel 3) "What's important is that somebody needs help." (Issue 11, Page 18, Panel 5) Yes... I suppose he is a bit obsessive about it (Incidentally, issue 11 contains some references which may be related to the current storyline. There's a free plot clue for you, not that it will mean much at this stage. You'll understand how it fits in when you read issue 33.) --- "With magic stripped from the world what can a Supreme Sorceress do except rely on heroes?" -- Astra, Heroes #32 8/4/2006, 20:46 Send Email to David Meadows   Send PM to David Meadows David Meadows Editor-in-chief Global user Registered: 09-2003 Posts: 442 Reply | Quote Re: Magic quote: knightflyer wrote: P.S. Dave you've left your brackets open in public. I'm so embarrassed I've noticed I'm making a lot of typos recently. I think I need to sit better... --- "With magic stripped from the world what can a Supreme Sorceress do except rely on heroes?" -- Astra, Heroes #32 8/4/2006, 20:48 Send Email to David Meadows   Send PM to David Meadows lardboy Evil Genius Global user Registered: 09-2005 Posts: 217 Reply | Quote Re: Magic Hold on, he's still not calling himself Major Democracy! Piggin' Hell! Considering my earlier reference regarding witchcraft, I'm can't resist continuing the theme with an admittedly only pseudo-scientific rule of thumb. (Sorry Knighty). If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and flies like a duck, then it probably is indeed a duck! I rather think James helping people, "in uniform" and bearing a rather sinister looking shield more than likely qualifies. Indeed, this even sounds like the quaint "homespun" kinda logic James would characteristically resort too in an argument. 10/4/2006, 12:52 Send Email to lardboy   Send PM to lardboy Add a reply Page:  1  2  Link to us   -  Blogs   -  Hall of Honour   -  Chat You are not logged in (login)      Board's time is: 27/11/2009, 18:05