For most of the Graham/Roy run of Prophet, there's been a pretty clear distinction between who we're supposed to be rooting for and how we're not (a funny joke if you consider that one of the "good guys" is a sentient tree). But as we enter Earth War, the lines are blurring and shifting somewhat. A couple of our original Prophets are now allied, as are some of the later clones, freed now from the thrall of the Earth Empire Mothers. But we also have a freed Mother, who returns to Earth now and wrests control of the pain nucleus from the four-armed John we've met much earlier - but only after he too has rebelled against the Mothers and attempted to take control of the nucleus himself.
So it seems to me that everyone is rejecting the control of the Empire, but still aren't really okay with just living and letting live. And, surprise surprise, the pain nucleus has started growing a new host body.
What really struck me about today's comic, though, was the back-up feature, actually. I noted yesterday that the universe this series has constructed is just too good for other people to not play in it, and Shannon Lentz and Aaron Conley's short story does just that, explaining the origin of the organic tool the Empire Prophets utilize known as a Dolmantle. A cool little story that ends with a Marshall McLuhan quote: "We become what we behold. We shape our tools. And thereafter our tools shape us." The quote demonstrates a couple of things. First, unsurprisingly, this is a comic created by some smart people. The whole run, from its narrative to its creation, has been really smart. The second thing it demonstrated, or suggested to me, was something I notice on my commutes to work. A huge number of people simply spend that time staring at a smartphone. Moreover, a huge number of people spend a rather ridiculous amount of their lives staring at these things. If McLuhan's thought is correct, then what will we become once our tools have shaped us?
To be continued.
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