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A neo-noir erotic fiction.
4 responses to “A Resurgent Whore #3”
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I cherish your review at different levels. The most basic one is to be appreciated. It gives me so much adrenalin. The second level is the chance to share the same universe and references. It offers perspectives and echoes to work with. On a third level, as a luxury one, you act as a mirror that shows us who we are and build the reality of what it is (indeed, from where is coming this pod technology?) Your thoughts re-opens doors and extrapolate new worlds. I appreciate this, a lot.
For more of these pods, I have written here about them: https://sissitrix.substack.com/p/a-sex-pod. But the most important is that you’ve given me the impetus to draw this technology in greater detail today, with the risk of disappointing you, but also the chance to nurture new questions. Stay tuned.
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OK! A psychedelic, surreal take on convalescence right here! Whew! I had a very visceral reaction to this piece, both from the writing and the art. Honestly, you both did a world-class job of scaring the hell out of me with this one! Probably not your intention–it’s dripping with sensuality and eroticism to be sure–definitely futuristic. The ambiguity of the pod itself being “conscious” or alive in some way–its even having a name–adds to the “eerie” factor. Erin’s being submerged into the pink fluid, being hooked to “Allen’s” genitalia (that’s what they are–here’s where the creepy, dark Cronenbergian eroticism comes in) at surface level, is simply a futuristic, highly-advanced restorative medical procedure, which heals the physical wounds and injuries she sustained during her rape/torture ordeal–“Allen”‘s penis-like appendages are (suggestively) shaped medical instruments, repairing damaged tissues, removing infections, delivering meds, etc. It’s also a psychiatric healing device–speaking to her, soothing her, essentially making her feel incredibly loved–just as she was incredibly violated, broken, and abandoned. Then, there’s Max’s involvement, being stationed in a similar pod elsewhere, living out his fantasy of making passionate love to her, while she’s living out her fantasy (or perhaps a pre-existing memory) of a world-rocking time in the sack with her old boyfriend. Terrific! And of course, she comes out the satisfied, cured patient/businesswoman–ready to “bottle this stuff” and make a mint–already wanting to ink a partnership deal with Sissitrix to mass produce the things, establish a network of “Fuck Factories,” and on and on. So it looks like we’ve got “All Things Bright and Beautiful” going on here…I’m not so sure.
Granted, I’ve not yet read Episode 5, though I have read 4, which I’ll comment on at the appopriate place. But I love to share the vibe I get from things like this–especially within the morally ambiguous realm of noir, which was always far more than “Fifty Shades of Grey” (sorry, couldn’t resist!). I’ve said before that noir is a genre characterized by illusion and deception. The pod thing is unsettling–it’s more than a machine, even more than an AI based machine. It acts like it’s really ALIVE–first thing which popped into my head were the video game consoles from Cronenberg’s film “Existenz,” where the things pulsate and squeal and interface with a surgically implanted port in the human body wired into the nervous system. “Allen” had too much of a personality. A remark was made by one of the characters someplace that Brian’s experience wasn’t the same as Erin’s. So in Brian’s case, were the “genitalia” which caressed and pleasured Erin transformed into grisly tools of torture and pain? Did his pod assume the role of a maniacal sadist? Did the fluid he was immersed in marinate him in sensations of being boiled in napalm, acid, or being burned alive? I think this goes to my suspicion that the pods may be autonomous beings in their own right. Or, and this is probably a stretch, but I think a fair speculation (Sissitrix–I can’t help but bring your reference to Giger to mind)–are these pods of extraterrestrial origin, or a human/alien hybrid tech of some kind?
Bottom line is I am LOVING this adventure, and this universe you’ve constructed. You’ve left tons of tantalizing ambiguity here (in his “First Surrealist Manifesto,” Andre Breton wrote about how itemized descriptions of scenes can ruin narrative in several ways, and impair readers’ own thoughts, reactions, and interpretations–he gave a particularly wordy passage from Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment” in support) by not being too detailed, but simply enough to give the reader enough to form a subjective vision of the action. Great work! I think Erin may be misreading the situation here vis-a-vis the pods–she’s clearly en route to being addicted to the experience–toward preferring the sexual attention of a machine to that of flesh and blood men–the machine luring her away from her own humanity, paradoxically even further away from the life she laments losing by being seduced by Brian’s deception and dissoute lifestyle. Rather than healing, perhaps she’s been further corrupted. I mentioned in a prior comment that I’m suspicious of Max–his having just emerged after so many years, his claim that despite his successful life, he’s been living something close to the monastic life for all this time, pining over her or something. It’s too easy. I’m also confused by her desire to “take over” Sin Street, as some kind of crime boss–from what she went through, I don’t buy that that’s what she’s about–revenge, absolutely, but taking over would mean her getting involved in the same stuff that she fell victim to, and unless something was done to her by “Allen,” I can’t see Erin as a high end mercenary now. But I’m not running the show–just part of the audience, calling it as per my gut reaction–she may be getting set up.
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I love the artwork. The images of Erin make the story come alive. The pod is awesome, a realisation of our plot. Thank you too Sissitrix!
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Drawing this sex pod experience was very exciting and a chance to celebrate the biomechanical art of HR Giger. Thank you, Kate!
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