A Happy Ending? In Hell?

TroyK · Post by **TroyK** » Fri Apr 05, 2002 4:24 pm

Kudos to Dave for another story arc, and another ending none of us expected!

After following this strip since the beginning, I'm beginning to wonder, though--is this strip truly set in Hell? I would think that, given the standard definition of Hell that I expect most of us were told, that happy endings such as this one were impossible there. To me, Dave's "hell" resembles more the old Roman Catholic notion of Purgatory, where souls supposedly suffer to cleanse themselves of the sins they accumulated during their life on Earth.

So what do you all think? Is this Hell, does Dave have an "unorthodox" view of what Hell is, or is it something else calling itself Hell?

Michael Ezaiany · Post by **Michael Ezaiany** » Fri Apr 05, 2002 4:48 pm

Welcome to the forum, TroyK!

Krikkit · Post by **Krikkit** » Fri Apr 05, 2002 5:02 pm

To my standard catholic ideas of hell and purgatory, it is made fairly clear, or at least it is the idea that our current society holds, that Hell is somehow ruled over by Satan, and Purgatory is ruled over by God. This makes most people figure that the torment is endless, and that the powers that be will always see to it that you maintain a constant state of misery.
I believe David's Hell is more of a big place where you throw everybody, and they can do with it as they will. The nastiness of vindictiveness and ahtred of the occupants causes the majority of all the horrible things.

AtmanRyu · Post by **AtmanRyu** » Fri Apr 05, 2002 8:46 pm

I honestly enjoy how others show their view of the world (and the world of the dead).

Like a friend of mine once said, it does encourage a bit of hope in a screwed up world...

Striker · Post by **Striker** » Sat Apr 06, 2002 3:38 am

As for the concept of Purgatory, [warning: Blatant self-advertising] I've written two short stories on that approximate subject...

Supernerd · Post by **Supernerd** » Sat Apr 06, 2002 8:33 am

I think someone else said this before, but Jack's Hell seems to mould itself to the mind and actions of each individual sinner. When you realize why you're in Hell and begin to change your ways, Hell gets less vicious because -- in a sense -- "Hell is what you make it." I don't know whom I'm paraphrasing/quoting there, but kudos to them.

Lore · Post by **Lore** » Sat Apr 06, 2002 9:02 am

which follows my reasonings earlier, that it doesn't seem so much to be hell seeing as people are capable of enjoying it... Also with that the, why are you rewarded with becoming a sin. Okay its not much a reward, but take Greed, he has lost nothing that bothers him, and controls lots of people... Lust, as much as he cant enjoy it when he rapes now, and cant do anything to his previous victims on earth, still gets to bone away like mad.

Puzzeling, but I'll just stick with maybe they get screwed over when the next sin comes along to take their place.

Lore

Supernerd · Post by **Supernerd** » Sat Apr 06, 2002 9:12 am

Maybe becoming a Sin is like a test of some kind? I guess we'll just have to wait and see what Dave decides.

Mckree · Post by **Mckree** » Sat Apr 06, 2002 9:17 am

"Hell is other people" somebody said that, and yeah, actually a hell like Daves is less frightening, if you ask me. I mean, sure, everybody is bent on destruction, theres demons, sulfur, all computers run WindosME but hey, at least you can make it all a bit less horrible with what you do, or simply screw it all and join the chaos and destruction if you like to.

Its hell with a back door that leads out of it. A good thing if you ask me, makes the whole deal feel less hopeless and Gothic.

On that note, Hell as it is now, eternal damnation and everything, wasnt brought up until the middle ages. Before that, they mostly had Purgatory and some weird washed down Hades thing. But yeah, Im no historian, so all I can do is speculate. Anyway, Ill find out about heaven and hell sooner or later...
...

I scared myself.

Andrick · Post by **Andrick** » Sat Apr 06, 2002 10:56 am

To tell the truth, I was disappointed. No soul searching. No acknowledgement of truth. No... anything which would explain why Silverblue started acting completely different from the person she was twenty four hours prior (previoius day / same day / tomorrow, you know what I mean). Does having or not having one memory mean the difference between a compassionate person and a homicidal psychopath? Ladies and gentlemen, I believe we need to introduce ourselves to the actual characters of the strip: Dr. Silver & Ms. Blue.

As for Hell crafting itself to its inhabitants, I'd like to take credit but it was actually Dave who hammered that point home with this strip from back in the day.

If Mr. Hopkins really intended this arc to go like this then its another supporting pillar in my theory that this is all Jack's doing. I mean he is alone. Noone else is there. It strikes me as being far to coincidental that he pay so much attention to someone whose choices so closely mirrored his own. "I'm blessed in that I don't remember!" Yet Hell always has a way of dredging up the past.

DavidHopkins · Post by **DavidHopkins** » Sat Apr 06, 2002 11:58 am

He's right the ending of this arc was very quickly put together, at the time I was drawing it alot of people were upset that this arc was taking so long to get over with, so I choped alot out of the ending. To tell the truth, I like the imagination in this arc, but the simple fact is that this is the poorest story I've ever done... My apologies to the goth bunny.

Mckree · Post by **Mckree** » Sat Apr 06, 2002 2:23 pm

Is it poor? I didnt notice. I think its the ASBS(Artists Self Belittlement Syndrome) kicking in.

I liked the story. Probably because I read it all in one evening, but hey, cant say it was weak or anything.

No I dont want anything from you, I really liked the storyline!

Arcaton · Post by **Arcaton** » Sat Apr 06, 2002 2:35 pm

I hope it wasn't only our griping that caused the swift cessation of the arc.........it's been a well crafted and drawn piece indeed.
To my mind as I've said before the transformation is down to Silver realising the truth before she has spent a day doing things that will reinforce her sense of worthlessness; Sepka's casual murder, the business with Drip and the rubber gloves, the abuse from the tentacled horror, her complicity in the games, followed by casual cruelty with "Fealt", then allowing "Fealt" to be killed leaving Silver alone .....On the crucial day she gets to see the true nature of the book and REMEMBERS......and she is now aware of the script and that she needn't follow it.
I'd like to see more of our little Gothbunnys adventures; perhaps a little interaction with Central or Farrago?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Arcaton on 2002-04-06 14:39 ]</font>

Loneheart · Post by **Loneheart** » Sat Apr 06, 2002 3:19 pm

I'm sorry to hear that it was our impatiencs for an ending that resulted in the story being curtailed. I admire the story you've crafted but understand David's dissatisfaction with the ending.

Silver is chirpy for someone who's still damned and the liberation of the Musical Holes girls and good boys was surprisingly easy to accomplish. That said the line: "Sepka, stop asking people to throw you off a cliff- you're going to live, Damnit!" cracked me up completely and the Scarlet O'Hara line was a perfect end note for our goth bunny.

AtmanRyu · Post by **AtmanRyu** » Sat Apr 06, 2002 3:27 pm

On 2002-04-06 10:56, Andrick wrote:
To tell the truth, I was disappointed. No soul searching. No acknowledgement of truth. No... anything which would explain why Silverblue started acting completely different from the person she was twenty four hours prior (previoius day / same day / tomorrow, you know what I mean). Does having or not having one memory mean the difference between a compassionate person and a homicidal psychopath? Ladies and gentlemen, I believe we need to introduce ourselves to the actual characters of the strip: Dr. Silver & Ms. Blue.

Perhaps he'll get to cover it in another arc? Up to him I suppose...