The Wicked + The Divine #15

[laughing_tree]

'Following some of the commentary, I suspect this is the first time in all criticism that an artificial sun above Hiroshima has been considered “too subtle.”' -- Kieron Gillen



















And the back-up:

Comments

[pyrrhocorax]

Cassandra is an interesting character, because she’s in the right but she’s so obnoxious you want to root against her anyway.

[doodleboy]

I like Cassandra a fair bit. But she's a person I'd probably have a hard time getting along with in real life. Smart people who use the excuse of "not suffering fools" to bash people.

I'd probably read her articles though.

[doodleboy]

The first time I read this I was a bit more ambivalent on Hazel. She's more clueless then malevolent. Cassandra has the tendency to use the moral high ground to throw rocks.

But the second time reading this there's a bit in the second page where Hazel holds up the Amaterasu from Ookami plushie saying "she's mine", which pretty much sums up this issue.

Also missed how the borderless panels were flashbacks and how they relate to the present day the first time I read the issue.

Also I like Cassandra's "This is not a superhero comic! Stop making a random fight scene!". And the whole "everything happens for a reason", "nothing happens for a reason", not subtle but it sums up both characters.

[venatosapiens]

"Cassandra has the tendency to use the moral high ground to throw rocks"

Well put. And not only that, to see it as moral imperative to throw rocks. Which is a really interesting position to be in when you're an ascended personality yourself. The position of a blogger/writer throwing dynamite is somewhat different than that of someone who has the powers of a god (or a celebrity) doing the same thing.

It's good writing--she's not unsympathetic, per-say, but there's a definite tension between her rhetoric and who she is that feels well considered.

[captainbellman]

You have to wonder, when has any public figure managed to use their notoriety to criticise the way public figures use their notoriety...especially in the blunt, unforgiving way Cass does...and been any more beloved for it?

[lencannon]

Gosh, it's so beautiful. And so emotionally draining!

Cassandra is intellectually right. It is absurd and offensive that some white girl is calling herself a Japanese god. But she's not interested in the pain other people might be feeling, not if she can get a barb in.

And Amaretsu, it's so hard to hear any criticism against her because she's by far the kindest. But her backstory shows that she's a bit of a... hanger on. It also shows how she might have been manipulated . But in spite of her faults (which Cassandra is mostly right to point out), she fails to notice that in the end she's a true believer.

The earnestness of Amaretsu's devotion to her faith and her presumably real role in it flies in the face of a lot of Cassandra's scolding. It doesn't make her less wrong in regards to the various criticisms lobbed at her by Cassandra, but it does perhaps make Cassandra more wrong, if that makes sense.

I do wish Cassandra would stop trying to police people's names though. She should know how important it is to choose your own identity. Anyone ancient religions/mythology scholar who names themselves Cassandra has a lot of frustration they're putting at the forefront of their identity.