August 16, 2016
THE MEEK VOLUME 1 KICKSTARTER IS STILL GOING, YAY
Come on Kalla don’t be a wet blanket. Wet shark blanket
I should write something else here probably but I… am going to be lazy I guess XD Just focusing on putting out pages for now, and updating the Patreon with dat sweet bonus stuff a few times a week. Been picking at this month’s tutorial too. Anyways I’ll put up some new content tomorrow, and more page previews are very likely. Patron stream will happen too sometime, but not sure when yet. Anyways, see you with more comics soon~
57 Comments
armshark, pls cheer up.
Does Kalla’s species have something approximating the concept of a hug? Like how giraffes fight with their necks, but in this case, neck-hugs?
I’m asking because Kalla seems like she needs a hug. I think, actually, everyone in this comic needs a hug.
Levi would need a hug. Too bad he’s too damaged for a hug :/
Everyone in this comic is too damaged for a hug
Thrip is perfect and will accept all hugs
Thrip spinoff comic when?
Yeah, but he uses his eyestalks to hug back. It’s like being embraced by a clacker.
No he just gets more hugs since he’s in multiple pieces
If there’s one thing I learned from reading the life stories in Humans of New York, it’s that probably everyone needs a hug.
Armshark’s eyes look a bit different in this page. Not as large, or at least the pupil isn’t as large and void-like black as I’ve seen them. They look like tiny anime eyes.
Don’t be sad, Armshark-chan.
Armshark, you little fradiefart. I have a feeling she’ll eventually come around. (Though I do not blame her reluctance!)
I know you’ve said in the past that the crest position/display is indicative of armshark emotions; would you ever consider doing a patreon sketch or something to illustrate these different positions and their meaning? I have been dying to know ever since it was mentioned . . . would love to learn more about how exactly the crest itself works, too. It seems like the little hair(??) bits can flex and relax, but I’ve always wondered about those banded/tied bits. Or maybe I’m missing something really obvious there haha. Either way! Just something I’ve been wondering about
Oh, great idea XD I’ve been meaning to make that post for a while.
Oh awesome!! Armshark knowledge get
Next comes violence.
First comes love
Thrip is with you, Mike!
The charming adventures of the Pot and the Kettle. And Thrip.
Hi. Longtime lurker.
Yes, there is much of this “seeing in other what he fails to see in himself”. Or maybe not. I think Mike may been a little (well more than a little) depressed and suicidal, and after his Martian underground adventures begun, completely under shock, overwhelmed by the events.
But now knowing he’s in a really bad existential situation, on an alien prison of unknown purpose and after talking with a very, very old old prisoner (which can perfectly be the way himself would look in a few centuries, let alone millions of years), and watching what such despair really looks like, the fight or flee instinct is taking over everything.
He will try to do it or die trying, and he’ll probably end up succeeding (these news of the aliens in martian underground just have to come out) and I don’t think Kallakore will stay put for long, even if facing the processors means his own death (another one).
Because having Mike reach the outside may mean the end of his own torment, either by death or by simple change.
That’s a great body plan for submerged sulking.
That would be a “no” then.
Response: “Merow”
It’s good to see he’s so determined. I guess he’s over the self-murder notion for now, poor guy.
That’s what’s so awesome about this. He was all going to off himself and now he’s incensed at the idea of giving up. It would be cool if something like that would work with severe depression in real life (which is like saying it would be cool if magic worked in real life, I know–although I have heard of a few people who came out of pretty severe depression by similar means, so I guess it’s not complete fantasy).
Yeah, this is definitely not meant to be a representation of all people suffering from a particular issue, haha. Still very much a story written by one person with a particular experience/ perspective.
And, I’d argue that nothing has really changed about him from the first page as far as fighting for life goes.
Mike values self-determination and control of one’s own fate.
Before, he was completely at the mercy of his superiors and the possibly-malevolent social pressures of his community. He was alone, yet had to act like nothing is wrong due to being surrounded by his coworkers at all times. We are all trained from birth to be beholden the perceptions and expectations of other people. Mike, being withdrawn and unable to see past the (perceived?) ulterior motives of others, didn’t have the skills needed to change those expectations of him, and had no way to fight against his upbringing.
Now, he’s in the dark. He’s unseen by others, and struggling entirely on his lonesome. He’s with Kallakore, but our armshark has no authority over him and is not someone whose opinion he needs to care about. While being isolated beneath the surface of Mars is a nightmare scenario for most people, such seclusion can be extremely liberating and give neglected virtues the breathing room they need to grow and become apparent. The processor, and the problems it causes, are also very immediate and very *physical*. Mike is both a pretty buff dude and a scientist with a highly analytical mind. This is his wheelhouse.
Also, being underground is a new environment. I’ve heard that a nice change of pace can be just what’s needed to pull someone (even someone suffering from depression) out a funk.
I’ve come out of circumstances where I felt I had absolute no control over my life and was ready to give up like Mike. Things changed. My perspective changed with it. It was unfortunate that it took the death of a sick family member that I had cared for YEARS for it to happen…but there it is. Such is life and I am much better now. Your explanation was very on the money.
This is one of the best, most thoughtful posts I’ve seen in this comic’s comment thread. +1 adequately reflects that I have no further insights to add, but “+2” fails to reflect how awesome that insight and analysis really was.
My only contribution is that, clearly, astronauts are simply too stubborn to die, and while he’s a bad astronaut, Mike is still an Astronaut™.
brilliant! I like your reasoning.
Sulk shark is sulk
I know Armshark’s sulky face is probably not meant to be cute…
…but Armshark’s sulky face is uber cute *v*
I kinda want to reread this to figure out when Mike switched from despair to hope. Fascinating. He seems to do best when he’s giving hope or inspiration to someone else. When he’s just living for himself, he doesn’t care.
I fee like you nailed his character right there–but with the caveat that he can’t be leaned on desperately or he starts to crack from the additional pressure(beyond what he puts himself through). He just doesn’t see himself as lovable or likable or possibly even trustworthy, he’s too damaged. *Solely my opinions!
Fate is not allowed to kill him. Only he is allowed to kill himself. >:[
Suddenly he is a lot more relatable to me |:i
Yeah, that’s a little too close for comfort.
“I want to see the Sun again”
I love how -with the known backstory of Michael- deep it is. It is relatable in an encouraging way.
Thanks
Every morn and every night
Some are born to sweet delight.
Some are born to sweet delight,
Some are born to endless night.
Sorry, this just popped into my mind as I was reading this. ^^’
What confuses me is that unless the leg-filter works in the outside atmosphere or he can find a way to communicate and then wait for a rescue, the reward for success is also death.
For a couple of seconds, on that bottom panel, I thought he crushed Thrip and was about to be very upset.
(that stalactite had family, man.)
So are these rocks brittle or does all the mold growing on him make him strong
Stalactites are formed by gravity. Mars has much lower gravity than Earth. An Earthling should find it easy to snap the end off a Martian stalactite.
Why does Kalla never open their mouth? Perhaps this was answered in a previous slew of comments and I just missed it…
Kalla is probably opening it slightly to talk but a) It’s considered rude/ douchey to show your teeth a lot and b) I rarely draw characters with their mouths very open when they talk cuz I think it looks weird, haha
“Wait, Michael.
That stalactite was one of my favourites, you’ll have to make up for that before you leave.”
The dreaded law that spans all planets and peoples (you break it you bought it)
“It have to be cash or you take VISA?”
Then, after forty hours of negotiation, they realize there’s literally no “Tab A” that fits into “Slot B”. Then she decides that display of passions is adequate payment, and the broken stalactite is adequate reminder of that display for the next million years.
Suddenly, I wonder – what does Martian food taste like? Did Mike squish a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? Does Martian food have drug-like effects on human biology? Are there nanomachines in that food that would have had brainhacking effects on him had he enjoyed the canapé? Would those brainhacking effects have included having his personality archived for the next billion or so years?
Poor Kalla…
I like how he’s basically confronting his own depression through our armshark friend here. Though it’s not too clear to me yet why he’s gotten this second wind of not wanting to die. Finding his robot maybe? What makes him want to continue his robot’s work when he wanted to die. I’m probably missing a key thing here and need to reread. Loving the parallels to him and armshark though. A+ writing :)
He just found out that if he died here it might not be way to get out of it. That made dying lot less attractive :)
(Only problem with this theory is that he seemed to change before he heard this.)
So, let’s just call a spade a spade, here. When can I expect to fork over money to the Mare Internum book kickstarter? I’d love to have a physical copy of this story.
Haha, when the story is over! I’m estimating sometime next year, but not sure when because~~~ it’s me
Great. The first sentient life Humanity has come across. And he is just as depressed as the guy that found him.
So, uh, hi. I just wanted to say that I love this comic and I love Meek and the art is just wonderful and I love space stuff, so I guess what I’m trying to say is keep up the good work.
Thanks very much Anna :] Glad you’re enjoying everything so far!
That “ksh” made me think at first that he had killed thrip…
Yeah, what do you expect Kalla to escape for anyway? What’s wrong with accepting life in purgatory when you know that hell lies beyond the walls?
The determination to fight, even when it is likely you will lose, is the trait that makes humans unique.