Really beautifully done, lots of great imagery here with the division between reality and the literally sketchy world.
One subtle thing I really like is Real Mars being high up on the stairs, which evokes their conversation where Achilles remarked how Mars could get up higher than anyone else in Halo Head.
god that’s such gorgeous art, the way the blood answers the petals as they spiral out of the mars like shooting stars before both are annihilated
also glad to finally get to pepper’s point but defs worth the wait
… does pepper think clair is the demiurge? he’s a well read guy, he might know what gnosticism is… i mean, if he does, he’s right? kind of? like there is an outer world, we know clair made this one whatever she says now and we’re p much certain that she makes the residents aside from chloe, but does that make halo head not real in a metaphysical sense to him? and it seems like clair has good intentions, even if she’s bad at getting them through (b/c she hasn’t learned to *listen* to chloe, really pick up what chloe’s feeling and thinking…) maybe on an earlier layer she did give chloe a house and chloe secluded herself and essentially self destructed by fixating on the trauma
The real world tearing through the paper like comet tails behind the petals is insanely good! Having Pepper inteprepet Ray Bradbury through a feminist oppositional lens in such a quick and poignant way is also insanely good.
:pepper-scruffy: What is real? How do you define real?
If you’re talking about what you feel, taste, smell, or see, then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.
Watch Achilles just not get it and either Pepper has to spell it out or it’ll take him getting smooched in another hundred pages to finally understand.
achilles’ memory of real mars blending with his imagination. I wonder if his literal-mindedness always gives him a knee-jerk reaction to picture the planet whenever he pictures mars? like if they are intrinsically linked in his head. I never think about the fact that mars is also a planet personally. I always make the roman association.
it’s cool to see inside achilles’ head. like, he cooked up stairs like the stairs between layers. and they’re leading up like halo head’s stairs would, to a world he hasn’t explored yet (mars). and leading up to a planet, something so high above and seemingly unreachable. it’s also similar to how mars is always above achilles, back on their little date climbing the tree, standing on achilles in various ways, and some other instances where she is positioned above him. and also mars being above achilles seems to represent the way that he admires her, again like during tree date. and the flower petals, I think they basically represent the question. he can’t get the answer from anyone but her.
as for the blood, idk. healing factor? also I just realized that mars is red like blood. fwiw
I guess this Mars not having any teeth visible, as well as claws, shows that she’s more than that. And the fake Mars’ have no facial features at all now for emphasis. This is probably the prettiest she’s looked since Achilles watched her climb that tree. I kinda wanna make that third panel into a stained glass ornament.
THE MOOOOOON! REALITY BEING UP THE STAIRS????? IMPLICATIONS????????? i am now imagining that whatever conflict leads to the creation of these halo head worlds, it happens whenever they decide to try and face reality, only to be overwhelmed in some regard and return to this coping mechanism. also the idea that the moon itself may potentially be the exit is CRAZY! if i’m not totally off base with this idea, then itd be SO fuckin bonkers cool if the moon ends up being a literal door like theres a truman show effect going on with the sky, i’d genuinely lose it lmfaooooo
Oh. My word. I’m dealing with a whole lot IRL right now, and this *still* got through to me. I guess it was the right decision to check my webcomics today.
The flowers :sailors-valentine:
A really good exercise for Achilles to want to learn more about Mars instead of thinking he knows what she wants. Hopefully this helps him open up!
They’re in the pages of a book, right? So that’s a… paper moon.
🎵 Yes it’s only a paper moon, sailing over a cardboard sea 🎶
Dayum. :achilles-jolt:
It’s not just about you, lil man. Learn what she’s feeling about you. Ask her questions. Use your brain like you are now!
Another stellar sequence with a harrowing message. :achilles-wonder:
g-girl,,
pretty,,,
Wow Batty you absolutely went off with that 3rd panel!
Amazing work
Seconding this, it’s absolutely mindblowing
*Nodding in agreement*
I love your liquid glass art style so much.
PRETYYY :hearts:
The absolute most beautiful drawing of Mars you’ve drawn
Holy fuck, Batty
my gosh that second panel
she loves me… she loves me not…
Really beautifully done, lots of great imagery here with the division between reality and the literally sketchy world.
One subtle thing I really like is Real Mars being high up on the stairs, which evokes their conversation where Achilles remarked how Mars could get up higher than anyone else in Halo Head.
You’ve simply never made her so beautiful
Holy shit, I got goosebumps
mmmgh the shading oagh :achilles-jolt:
god that’s such gorgeous art, the way the blood answers the petals as they spiral out of the mars like shooting stars before both are annihilated
also glad to finally get to pepper’s point but defs worth the wait
… does pepper think clair is the demiurge? he’s a well read guy, he might know what gnosticism is… i mean, if he does, he’s right? kind of? like there is an outer world, we know clair made this one whatever she says now and we’re p much certain that she makes the residents aside from chloe, but does that make halo head not real in a metaphysical sense to him? and it seems like clair has good intentions, even if she’s bad at getting them through (b/c she hasn’t learned to *listen* to chloe, really pick up what chloe’s feeling and thinking…) maybe on an earlier layer she did give chloe a house and chloe secluded herself and essentially self destructed by fixating on the trauma
man there’s just so much we don’t know yet
god, this is fucking insane imagery. the third panel especially is breathtaking.
I think the fourth panel adds a lot too. The paper world suddenly seems super empty after that flash of color.
I feel like this page would make an amazing tattoo. Absolutely gorgeous!
The real world tearing through the paper like comet tails behind the petals is insanely good! Having Pepper inteprepet Ray Bradbury through a feminist oppositional lens in such a quick and poignant way is also insanely good.
:achilles-cutesy: This isn’t… real?
:pepper-scruffy: What is real? How do you define real?
If you’re talking about what you feel, taste, smell, or see, then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.
Watch Achilles just not get it and either Pepper has to spell it out or it’ll take him getting smooched in another hundred pages to finally understand.
achilles’ memory of real mars blending with his imagination. I wonder if his literal-mindedness always gives him a knee-jerk reaction to picture the planet whenever he pictures mars? like if they are intrinsically linked in his head. I never think about the fact that mars is also a planet personally. I always make the roman association.
it’s cool to see inside achilles’ head. like, he cooked up stairs like the stairs between layers. and they’re leading up like halo head’s stairs would, to a world he hasn’t explored yet (mars). and leading up to a planet, something so high above and seemingly unreachable. it’s also similar to how mars is always above achilles, back on their little date climbing the tree, standing on achilles in various ways, and some other instances where she is positioned above him. and also mars being above achilles seems to represent the way that he admires her, again like during tree date. and the flower petals, I think they basically represent the question. he can’t get the answer from anyone but her.
as for the blood, idk. healing factor? also I just realized that mars is red like blood. fwiw
also this is beautiful
I guess this Mars not having any teeth visible, as well as claws, shows that she’s more than that. And the fake Mars’ have no facial features at all now for emphasis. This is probably the prettiest she’s looked since Achilles watched her climb that tree. I kinda wanna make that third panel into a stained glass ornament.
STAIRS
THE MOOOOOON! REALITY BEING UP THE STAIRS????? IMPLICATIONS????????? i am now imagining that whatever conflict leads to the creation of these halo head worlds, it happens whenever they decide to try and face reality, only to be overwhelmed in some regard and return to this coping mechanism. also the idea that the moon itself may potentially be the exit is CRAZY! if i’m not totally off base with this idea, then itd be SO fuckin bonkers cool if the moon ends up being a literal door like theres a truman show effect going on with the sky, i’d genuinely lose it lmfaooooo
Oh. My word. I’m dealing with a whole lot IRL right now, and this *still* got through to me. I guess it was the right decision to check my webcomics today.
that drawing of mars has made me cry twice tonight, inexplicably