EC/MC/DC General Discussion

[sparrow925]

Okay sorry this post is a bit heavier than shipping but I'm burning to get some thoughts on this from other readers! (Re: shipping, I've gotten attached to-...ack back on track! ) ANYWAYS...

I love the art style, the sex-and-LGBT-positive subject matter and the light humor of these comics, so I don't want to say "ME NO LIKEY" and stop reading… instead I want to put this opinion of mine out there, for better or worse:

The plots in Eerie Cuties, Ma3 and Magic Chix are all dominated by manipulative women who will stop at nothing to get their own way (very frequently in a romance).

A) It is repetitive! I've been reading for at least a year and a half, and I would welcome some fresh air. This most recent ploy of Melissa's riled me up enough to register and post here.What else do these characters care about? What other emotions are they capable of? What else happens in their lives? I bet there are many more varied stories to tell in these worlds, and I would be enthralled if other aspects of these characters' lives were explored.

B) The overwhelming frequency of 'manipulative women causing drama' as a *central plot device* is getting to the point that it seems to be enforcing a negative stereotype of women- esp of young ones- as girls who will step on each other and generally stop at nothing for social status...kinda squick.

Dangerously Chloe looks like it is shaping up to be an exception (gender-wise if not romance-centric-wise) which is neat! But if Chloe gets manipulative, i.e. used to inspire jealousy, to achieve these goals… whelp, my point stands stronger. For awhile it seemed like Mel's magic development was going to take the stage, and it saddens me to see it pushed to the sidelines for *another* romance-manipulation story where men are just helpless innocents watching on the sidelines as the women characters drama it up on the mainstage.

Thoughts?

P.S. omg those pictures of Melanie Leishman... PERFECT for Chloe! <3!

[The Nick]

I wouldn't say it's just 'manipulative women' who get their way. Which is accurate, by the way. Have you talked to women lately? They're sneaky.

But seriously, one of the plots takes place in an all-girl's school. Complaining that it seems to predominantly focus on women misbehaving is a bit unfair since there are a dearth of men. And it's not like the men we do see are bastions of principle and courage that stand out like a beacon compared to the girls. At the worst, it's young women being humorously petty. Nobody has gone off the deep end yet. Here's to hoping, though!

[Hurbster]

I dunno, what Mel is doing to Ace in the current EC strip is pretty jumpy sharkey. And a lot of these plots are incredibly cyclical, to say the least.

[The Nick]

Ehh, I'll admit most of the strips might not be modern-day Shakespeare, but technically, all plots are cyclical and this stuff has been running for something like two or three years now. Tricky character does something tricky doesn't seem like it should be shocking.

[sparrow925]

In sum: misbehaving is a great and interesting plot-sparker! But it has a lot more avenues than manipulation, and a lot more motivations than social status and romantic attention. Actually, 99% of it at my all-girl's HS revolved around sports and grades. XD Those were the days.

[BlairFan]

Hey, they got color previewpics of'the cards in vol 2 up now. Seems the Atermis A uniform is brownish grey with a maroon beret.

Vampire Hunter D, Nice post! The second sentence shows you're a poet, even if you don't know it. ;-)

[Ravenhull]

They all wear raaaasssberry berets... the kind you buy in a second hand store... ;)

[xpace]

New reader here and I'd like to chime in about Magick Chicks. (Please keep in mind that I haven't read much Eerie Cuties. So I've missed things about characters both comics share.)

Do you mean like how Ash and Tiffany would be the Best ... Thing ... Ever!

I suppose that's possible. Though, it seems a bit unlikely at this point since Tiff hasn't shown any interest in him yet.

Tiff has shown many more sides of liking the fairer sex, but again, is that her? Or are Faith's powers messing with her? Or is Artemis exuding some sort of pro-sapphic aura? Only time will tell there.

Indeed, one has to wonder about Artemis Academy! It's strongly implied that at least half the girls there are either bi or gay. A significant portion of them have either made out with Faith or really want to and that's just one example. Indeed, gossip about and rooting for girl pairings there seems to be a major pastime. If there was not any magical influence from the school behind this trend I'd be surprised. I'm not sure how close that reality is supposed to reflect our own, but in RL gays only make up about 2% of the population.

I like Tiff and Faith together.

Tiff has shown some feelings for Faith. But that's her "arch-nemesis". And, as you suggest, it's not very clear whether that's due to Faith's powers of seduction, a side effect of Artemis High, or genuine feelings.

I agree a Tiff and Faith paring would be nice.

The love triangle between Ash, Tiff and Faith is an interesting dynamic. As I understood it, Ash really wants Tiff and Faith wants both Ash and Tiff. Combined with how Faith makes out with other girls and how about half the student body at Artemis wants her, that makes for a love dodecahedron of sorts. It'd be very interesting if those relationships ever stabilize into an equalized Ash / Tiff / Faith triangle, as unlikely as that seems.

I also wonder about Tiff's affection for Mel's magical girl secret identity and her potential to be a hero. It borders on outright obsession, but in a good way. It's adorable how Tiff tries to reform and train Mel into a "hero for justice."

Then of course, there's the ongoing, Cerise/Callie debate, and whether Cerise does truly like her or will come to like her, or is just doing the dating equivalent of dangling string in front of Callie's eyes. On that front, I'm not sure whether to vote for them or not, given how possibly dark the story may go there, depending on what's about to happen to Skye.

A lot has happened since. There's absolutely no question that Callie and Skye both have it bad for Cerise. Personally, I'm rooting for Cerise and Callie. But I think a Cerise/Skye pairing might work instead. (Skye might be possessed right now. But I bet she'll never quite be the same person. And confidence can be extremely alluring and sexy.) It's just too bad that someone has to get hurt. But then, Cerise was the cruel and selfish brat who decided to use them for her own ends.

On the plus side, this dynamic helps make all three characters interesting. I did enjoy that page where Cerise tried to rationalize her reaction to her first big kiss with Callie to her hormones reacting to Callie's tomboy tendencies. Much as she tries to deny this, it's obvious that she's slowly falling for Callie and possibly Skye as well. She's heading for heartbreak herself and she'll only have herself to blame. I'm looking forward to the fallout of this and massive character development in her future.

If something is really boring, at least from my point of view, it's Cerise. I don't really care about her relationship with Callie, I don't even like Callie. She did shoot an arrow at the witch trio and no matter how good she is as an archer, that was dangerous. Back to Cerise, such a self centered AND stupid person, I can't stand her.

Callie shooting arrows at people did bother me, too. But this is a comic and some liberties are taken. This is a school with powerful magic users and espers. And they have actual combat with each other all the time, with lethal force. Obviously, they must have nurses/medical staff that can magically/psionically heal injuries. And Callie is supposed to be superhumanly good at archery.

Cerise has been a real selfish jerk. So it's no surprise that she's not likable. However, I can practically taste the promise of major character development in the air. I can only assume that we will soon see the results of this build-up and Cerise will start on a path to being likable, much like Mel's path to becoming a 'hero for justice' of sorts. For us readers, it's not so much the destination that counts as it is the journey to get there.

[TBeholder]

Tiff has shown some feelings for Faith. But that's her "arch-nemesis". And, as you suggest, it's not very clear whether that's due to Faith's powers of seduction, a side effect of Artemis High, or genuine feelings.

Layla is also her "arch-nemesis". While both Melissa and Faith are those she saved. She may at least grow attached this way too.

I also wonder about Tiff's affection for Mel's magical girl secret identity and her potential to be a hero. It borders on outright obsession, but in a good way. It's adorable how Tiff tries to reform and train Mel into a "hero for justice."

And link with the Tacky Wand once more raises the question as to whether this "fruity-loopiness" is Tiff's own issue or not in the first place. But having built a doll cloud-castle where she wants her friend to live, not bothering to ask Melissa herself about it, and laughing off her pain? I won't describe it as "adorable".
That she sees through porcupine coats Melissa and Layla wear and treats them as good girls... well, perhaps.

But I think a Cerise/Skye pairing might work instead. (Skye might be possessed right now. But I bet she'll never quite be the same person. And confidence can be extremely alluring and sexy.) It's just too bad that someone has to get hurt. But then, Cerise was the cruel and selfish brat who decided to use them for her own ends.

That's why Savage Skye (well, perhaps somewhat less "savage") hanging around may have some interesting effects on Cerise - not too shy to sweep her off her feet, not going to buy her crap, and so on.

Callie shooting arrows at people did bother me, too. But this is a comic and some liberties are taken. This is a school with powerful magic users and espers. And they have actual combat with each other all the time, with lethal force. Obviously, they must have nurses/medical staff that can magically/psionically heal injuries. And Callie is supposed to be superhumanly good at archery.

Yeah. Mainly, it very neatly demonstrated both that gung-ho carelessness which reigns the place and that this overconfidence is not all that unwarranted.

[xpace]

Layla is also her "arch-nemesis". While both Melissa and Faith are those she saved. She may at least grow attached this way too.

Good point. But you know if Tiff becomes romantically attached to either, lots of self-deprecating angst is sure to follow. Especially if it's Layla, because she's supposed to be a vampire killer, not a vampire lover! (This thought has crossed my mind before and it reminded me very strongly of the Buffy and Spike or the Buffy and Angel dynamic.) But then, I don't think she's even realized that her scheme to befriend Layla to get close enough to kill her has backfired in that she really is her friend now and that's why she can't bring herself to kill her.

Tiff's relationship to Faith becoming romantic seems more likely because it wouldn't have so much angst. Already, Tiff has seen how her influence on Faith seems to be working and she's starting to become a "good girl". That offer Faith made to become her exclusive girlfriend and teach her more on becoming a better hero while she teaches her how to be stronger has to be very tempting for her. I think the only reasons she didn't accept was because she wasn't sure if she had those kinds of feelings for her or whether Faith was being entirely genuine.

And link with the Tacky Wand once more raises the question as to whether this "fruity-loopiness" is Tiff's own issue or not in the first place. But having built a doll cloud-castle where she wants her friend to live, not bothering to ask Melissa herself about it, and laughing off her pain? I won't describe it as "adorable".
That she sees through porcupine coats Melissa and Layla wear and treats them as good girls... well, perhaps.

The parts where Tiff completely ignores Mel's pain and distaste at all that strenuous exercise and training... it was hilarious! I just took it as part of Tiff's personality, whether that's due to her being a bit ditsy, or only seeing what she wants to see (not noticing her pain), or something else. When Mel had a fit over becoming buff, Tiff did tell her that she was surprised she felt that way and that she really should have complained more about the training. Thing is, Mel had no chance to complain during most training sessions because she was literally asleep while her body followed Tiff around and mimicked her exercises.

Obviously, it's Mel's magical wand that's forcing her to do all that exercise and training. And I assume the magic behind her wand somehow knows that the stuff it does will make Mel popular and, by extension, this will help convince her to accept her destiny as a magical girl hero.

I see Tiff's "fruity-loopiness" over Mel's tacky wand as a part of Tiff's obsession with magical girls. (In this regard, Tiff reminds me of Chiaki as the best friend and loyal fan of Yuuki in Sparkling Generation Valkyrie Yuuki.) There are fangirls and fanboys of mahou shoujo (magical girls), just as there are some who are fanatical about vampires, werewolves, goth chicks, etc, etc. It's just their thing. Tiff takes it to ridiculous levels some times, but this is a comic and that's just funny. Also, Tiff probably knows (if only instinctual) that if she can get Mel to embrace her wand and her magical girl side, then it would be easy to completely reform her into a hero and good girl.

Anyone else getting a little bored of Melissa now?

It's one thing her learning about new powers she never knew she had but she seems too powerful now and it just seems too much to quickly, it's making her a bit of a boring character.

Really?

Melissa is by far my favorite character. Already, she's shown a lot of character development. She's learning that she can't keep running away from her destiny or her magic girl alter ego forever. She has to face it sooner or later.

Besides, I'm sick and tired of stories where the antagonists are overpowered and the protagonists do not appear to have much chance of stopping them, only to pull a miracle out of their arses at the last minute. (Kind of like how Cerise only won that fight against that combat girl because her girlfriend revealed that she had a phobia of dogs. That was extremely cheap. Though, it was a bit funny.) I'd much rather see a protagonist who's overpowered and wipes the floor with the antagonists, making a show of putting them in their place.

Melissa...[snip] while self centered herself, is a clever girl and has shown that she cares for others.

Yes. It is cool how she's changing from a real brat to someone almost likable.

But mostly, I love how strong Mel is becoming. A level 9 magical event from her awakening? A wand that scares the goddess of witchcraft into a panic? Becoming super strong and buff by training in her sleep? Learning martial arts without even trying? Way too much fun! She ends most fights without even having to use magic, becoming miss popular by accident!

...I also really enjoy her discovering her new powers, since it's something she really wants on the one hand (more power) and something she really doesn't want on the other hand (the wand is a tool of justice).

Agreed. She wanted the wand for that reason, tacky or not. But now she's regretting it. I do like all her angst over what she's turning into. She'll come around eventually... probably.

What I'm waiting for is a serious situation where Mel is forced to transform into her alter ego to save someone. And Tiff will convince her to take after M.M.A.A. by using a mask whenever she feels the need to unleash her inner magical girl. Once she experiences outright adoration of her alter ego by students, instead of the humiliation and shame she expects, she'll start to embrace that side of herself!

I could even imagine Faith crushing hard on Mel's magical girl persona, which could really complicate her current relationships - especially her goal of seducing Tiff.

Can you imagine that? I think Faith and Magical Girl Mel would be the ultimate power couple of MC.

Granted, it seems unlikely since Mel believes she's 100% hetero and since she holds a big grudge about her humiliating first day. But then, Mel did come to the realization that Faith's "weakness" is how her relationship with Ash is real, while she supposedly views all other girls as mere playthings (unaware of her feelings for Tiff). I doubt that plot point will be forgotten, so at some point Mel will try something. She'll probably either go after Ash herself or play the matchmaker between Ash and Tiff.

That could also work to skyrocket Mel's popularity: If Mel ends up with Ash.

Oh! If anyone (Faith, Tiff, Ash, etc.) does crush on Magical Girl Mel and if Mel's feelings reciprocate, I could see that as a turning point. It could be the catalyst that gets her to fully embrace her magical girl side.

Anyway, I find the prospect of Cerise's plots to outdo Mel in popularity becoming all for naught hilarious! With either Mel+Ash or Mel+Faith, there's nothing Cerise could do that could top that! She'd have to concede defeat. And it's all the funnier when Mel is not plotting anything and outdoes Cerise by accident.

[TBeholder]

But you know if Tiff becomes romantically attached to either, lots of self-deprecating angst is sure to follow. Especially if it's Layla, because she's supposed to be a vampire killer, not a vampire lover!

Come on... Tiff already wondered if she's a "bite junkie" or into "sexy vampire bities". Then called Layla her best friend and tried on "tragic heroine" role. I doubt Tiff could pull this one half as far as the "slayer" part - too upbeat.

I don't think she's even realized that her scheme to befriend Layla to get close enough

"What am I saying?!" What "scheme"?

link with the Tacky Wand once more raises the question as to whether this "fruity-loopiness" is Tiff's own issue or not in the first place.

When Mel had a fit over becoming buff, Tiff did tell her that she was surprised she felt that way and that she really should have complained more about the training. Thing is, Mel had no chance to complain during most training sessions because she was literally asleep while her body followed Tiff around and mimicked her exercises.
[...] I see Tiff's "fruity-loopiness" over Mel's tacky wand as a part of Tiff's obsession with magical girls.

She was not always asleep and started with a screaming. It's just that Melissa is too proud and would prefer to die in agony than break down in tears - and we know Tiffany can ignore anything less.
But it's not only with Mel / wand - Tiff is like this, "Fruit loops" is how Layla nicknamed her.

And I assume the magic behind her wand somehow knows that the stuff it does will make Mel popular and, by extension, this will help convince her to accept her destiny as a magical girl hero.

Why assume? What do you see here? I see a magical (implicit) contract. As an answer to her request addressed to "the school", Melissa received "power" - in the form of the Tacky Wand - but this comes with a few weird, annoying, frightening and/or painful things forced on her.
Now look at Faith and Tiffany - they "draw mojo out of the school"... but did they have a free lunch? Isn't it also an implicit contract?.. Melissa reasonably noted as abnormal that they do it so easily not being proper magic users (previous page). And once we get a reason to doubt there's no strings attached, both of them can be seen in a different light: we can't see when those strings are pulled and how much.

if she can get Mel to embrace her wand and her magical girl side, then it would be easy to completely reform her into a hero and good girl.[...] She's learning that she can't keep running away from her destiny or her magic girl alter ego forever. She has to face it sooner or later.

Nevermind that Melissa hates it with passion? She puts up with this for same reasons why she asked for power in the first place. Pride, but alone it won't do anymore, since we have seen that for her anything that detracts from attractiveness have a negative value on this scale and winning via external power doesn't bump this up either. So, mainly because it's still better than being mindraped by Faith the moment she sees weakness.
Thus if she could rely on other tricks for protection, Melissa would hurl this wand hard enough to get a strain, then tell this "destiny" exactly where to go and exactly what it can do with its manifest on the way out, too - the moment she'd think it's safe, give or take three seconds to deeply inhale before shouting.

Melissa...[snip] while self centered herself, is a clever girl and has shown that she cares for others.

Yes. It is cool how she's changing from a real brat to someone almost likable.

Not changing, this was early on.

What I'm waiting for is a serious situation where Mel is forced to transform into her alter ego to save someone. And Tiff will convince her to take after M.M.A.A. by using a mask whenever she feels the need to unleash her inner magical girl.

Already happened. Sigh, "Fine! Be that way!", "No refunds!" - jubilation not found. Also, magical girl is not "inner"...

Once she experiences outright adoration of her alter ego by students, instead of the humiliation and shame she expects, she'll start to embrace that side of herself!

Nope. Already happened twice. Melissa likes winning, but she's not Cerise to value a victory by cheat code.

Oh! If anyone (Faith, Tiff, Ash, etc.) does crush on Magical Girl Mel and if Mel's feelings reciprocate, I could see that as a turning point. It could be the catalyst that gets her to fully embrace her magical girl side.

And why would she like anyone with taste as bad as approving this costume? She's not amused by Tiffany's squee-ing. The last time she breathed heavily it was about Ash, but she gave him a slap-zap! and glued him to Diodore without any visible regret. Observe who matters for Mellissa here.

[vampire hunter D]

Only one Chloe this week?

[yiraheerai]

Shhhh *pats hand* It'll come.

I just hope nothing bad happened.

[mac2]

So I got to thinking (dangerous, I know. ) and came up with a list:

Lawful Good: Callie
Neutral Good: Tough one. I'd say maybe AJ or Rain?
Chaotic Good: Tiff, definitely
Lawful Neutral: Sandi
True Neutral: Another tougth one. Prof. Delatorre is about the only one that fits
Chaotic Neutral: Jacqui
Lawful Evil: Faith
Neutral Evil: Cerise
Chaotic Evil: Skye (her current attitude only)

I didn't put Mel in there because her status is changing, if only against her will. Note that this is only within the school. I'm ignoring the "all students are evil for wanting to hunt innocent monsters" argument.

[vampire hunter D]

Tiff strikes me as more Neutral Good. While she is chaotic, her mindset is that of a paladin, but her chaotic nature (read ADD) and her seemingly subconscious understanding that Layla isn't a bad person keep her out of that alignment.

Faith I'd classify as Chaotic Neutral. While she does like being in power, that's more for the perks of position than an actual desire to weild her authority (though, I think we've seen signs she does feel her position makes her responsible for those under her, and does take seriously that responsibility). Also, despite her selfishness she doesn't seem to want to actually hurt anyone (human). Yes, she does in her way hurt them, but she doesn't understand that. Without deliberate malice or intent to harm, I can't consider her evil. Just...misguided.