The Guillem March cover is... just wow. I usually don't pick up additional covers other than Hayden's at release but I'm thinking issue #16 is definitely going to be an exception. It's beautiful!
I think content on the Internet has wired some people's brains to perceive silence as "nothing is happening," which is extremely unfortunate since I feel like that silence is where movies and TV really shine. I hope people discredit that person's opinion given he clearly didn't fully watch the show...
The more I hear about AI, the more I'm both convinced it's being hyped to keep up this economic momentum and that it's a severe overpromise. I don't think these techbros are thinking about a future with AI, I really believe they're just thinking about the $$ in the next fiscal quarter. I couldn't agree more with your views here more.
Something many people don't think about, but should, is what happens when something becomes "popular." In this context, the more accurate term would be viral, even though the issue has existed for hundreds of years.
In the widest sense, it could be a product, or a phrase, or a term, an ideology, almost anything can be seized by the public interest, & if it reaches enough people who spread it further, it can just be embedded into the society.
If it's a product to sell, it doesn't matter if the initial thing is real, accurate, or legitimate - or not. Even if the original product is a real thing, if its popular enough, even just being discussed by enough people, then a slew of scammers will take advantage of it to gain new profits.
An example I often use these days is Ayahuasca. Even in the heyday of the late 60's & 70's it wasn't a drug that was easy to manufacture & sell, & the experience is very intense. And people who were aware of it had come of age when the idea of wise gurus was seen as a good guide into psychedelics.
But after Ibogain was being tested to try to help addicts get sober, which has some key similarities to Ayahuasca, people in certain groups started thinking about it more. We also had people like Graham Hancock openly talking about it, who added it to his woo-woo theories of an ancient superculture that was lost to time, & he connected with Joe Rogan in Rogan's early days, which spread info further, but into less informed groups.
As the entire woo woo versions of spirituality, mysticism, & shamanism grew in popularity, the people who had enough privilege to travel the world to find practitioners, & sample similar substances like Peyote, it became popular with the wealthy & famous, who could present their own use as evidence of enlightment, & further validated a lot of the worst scams in those communities.
More people, usually wealthy & white, flooded South America to experience their own enlightenment. It's pretty common after the experience, as long as it was positive, to want to encourage others to try it. So 2 major changes happened. One was that fake shamans realized they could get a lot of new wealth from Americans, who would have no idea how authentic it might be.
And, of course, some of the wealthy white people realized the same thing, & started creating their own resorts, campaigns, lifestyles & branding. When something reaches that peak popularity, especially with Americans, who are prone to avoiding real research & depending on strangers online to inform them, as well as believing they know enough to understand most things, most people have very little understanding of the topic or product, but they really want it.
AI programs may be one of the most attractive examples of this, cuz it started as free products that were easy to use & made many users feel positive, whether from the fun of seeing themselves as pirates or wizards, or designing their dream home, or creating cute animals that took zero skill.
Almost immediately, the few people with the education & experience to understand what AI can & cannot do, tried to tell the public that currently, AI can't do what many people assume it can, & cannot do what many claim it can in their products. But at the same time, the level of interest, then conflict, was used to sell even existing products.
I saw a massage chair ad from a company whose ads I had been seeing for months, put out a new ad that they had added AI to the chairs to calculate your personal needs. As if you just make an AI chip, plug it into a port, & it reviews all of the existing machine & self creates its own new program to advance the chairs.
So, you're exactly right that almost all of the claims are nonsense & that its so easy to tell the public that they've added AI to something to raise the price. And although its not the point of this, the idea of economic momentum can't be changed by AI cuz Trump has quite literally destroyed so many businesses & industries with his moronic tariff claims, & the consequences of this term will be felt by most for years to come, even if the Dems can manage to win the next few elections.
Hey, Kelly!! That was an AMAZING write-up about BoP from Alex. It was beautiful AND frustrating to read because he is right-that team was incredible and the book perfection. I couldn't wait til it came out when you revealed Cass would be on the team. It shot to the top of my read list whenever I picked it up. I was REALLY bummed about it ending, but super hopeful it's something you can pick up in the future. Along with a Cass/Barda mini-series. And a Bucky/Clint mini-series :) I am very happy Absolute Wonder Woman has taken off like it has and SHOULD-the book is incredible. You know I love all of your work, but just wanted to really share how amazing BoP was and how happy it made a lot us. Hope the holidays are fun and RESTFUL for you and yours! Take care of YOU!!
Imagine being so lost that you'd consider any scene without dialogue to be "artsy" and "too much work" lol (Pluribus is so, so great, that guy clearly picked the wrong career)
The Guillem March cover is... just wow. I usually don't pick up additional covers other than Hayden's at release but I'm thinking issue #16 is definitely going to be an exception. It's beautiful!
I think content on the Internet has wired some people's brains to perceive silence as "nothing is happening," which is extremely unfortunate since I feel like that silence is where movies and TV really shine. I hope people discredit that person's opinion given he clearly didn't fully watch the show...
The more I hear about AI, the more I'm both convinced it's being hyped to keep up this economic momentum and that it's a severe overpromise. I don't think these techbros are thinking about a future with AI, I really believe they're just thinking about the $$ in the next fiscal quarter. I couldn't agree more with your views here more.
Happy holidays and happy new year!
Something many people don't think about, but should, is what happens when something becomes "popular." In this context, the more accurate term would be viral, even though the issue has existed for hundreds of years.
In the widest sense, it could be a product, or a phrase, or a term, an ideology, almost anything can be seized by the public interest, & if it reaches enough people who spread it further, it can just be embedded into the society.
If it's a product to sell, it doesn't matter if the initial thing is real, accurate, or legitimate - or not. Even if the original product is a real thing, if its popular enough, even just being discussed by enough people, then a slew of scammers will take advantage of it to gain new profits.
An example I often use these days is Ayahuasca. Even in the heyday of the late 60's & 70's it wasn't a drug that was easy to manufacture & sell, & the experience is very intense. And people who were aware of it had come of age when the idea of wise gurus was seen as a good guide into psychedelics.
But after Ibogain was being tested to try to help addicts get sober, which has some key similarities to Ayahuasca, people in certain groups started thinking about it more. We also had people like Graham Hancock openly talking about it, who added it to his woo-woo theories of an ancient superculture that was lost to time, & he connected with Joe Rogan in Rogan's early days, which spread info further, but into less informed groups.
As the entire woo woo versions of spirituality, mysticism, & shamanism grew in popularity, the people who had enough privilege to travel the world to find practitioners, & sample similar substances like Peyote, it became popular with the wealthy & famous, who could present their own use as evidence of enlightment, & further validated a lot of the worst scams in those communities.
More people, usually wealthy & white, flooded South America to experience their own enlightenment. It's pretty common after the experience, as long as it was positive, to want to encourage others to try it. So 2 major changes happened. One was that fake shamans realized they could get a lot of new wealth from Americans, who would have no idea how authentic it might be.
And, of course, some of the wealthy white people realized the same thing, & started creating their own resorts, campaigns, lifestyles & branding. When something reaches that peak popularity, especially with Americans, who are prone to avoiding real research & depending on strangers online to inform them, as well as believing they know enough to understand most things, most people have very little understanding of the topic or product, but they really want it.
AI programs may be one of the most attractive examples of this, cuz it started as free products that were easy to use & made many users feel positive, whether from the fun of seeing themselves as pirates or wizards, or designing their dream home, or creating cute animals that took zero skill.
Almost immediately, the few people with the education & experience to understand what AI can & cannot do, tried to tell the public that currently, AI can't do what many people assume it can, & cannot do what many claim it can in their products. But at the same time, the level of interest, then conflict, was used to sell even existing products.
I saw a massage chair ad from a company whose ads I had been seeing for months, put out a new ad that they had added AI to the chairs to calculate your personal needs. As if you just make an AI chip, plug it into a port, & it reviews all of the existing machine & self creates its own new program to advance the chairs.
So, you're exactly right that almost all of the claims are nonsense & that its so easy to tell the public that they've added AI to something to raise the price. And although its not the point of this, the idea of economic momentum can't be changed by AI cuz Trump has quite literally destroyed so many businesses & industries with his moronic tariff claims, & the consequences of this term will be felt by most for years to come, even if the Dems can manage to win the next few elections.
Birds of Prey was always at the top of my list! I’ll be keeping an eye out for more of your stuff.
Hey, Kelly!! That was an AMAZING write-up about BoP from Alex. It was beautiful AND frustrating to read because he is right-that team was incredible and the book perfection. I couldn't wait til it came out when you revealed Cass would be on the team. It shot to the top of my read list whenever I picked it up. I was REALLY bummed about it ending, but super hopeful it's something you can pick up in the future. Along with a Cass/Barda mini-series. And a Bucky/Clint mini-series :) I am very happy Absolute Wonder Woman has taken off like it has and SHOULD-the book is incredible. You know I love all of your work, but just wanted to really share how amazing BoP was and how happy it made a lot us. Hope the holidays are fun and RESTFUL for you and yours! Take care of YOU!!
Absolute Wonder Woman continues to be phenomenal, Kelly. You’re crushing it!
Can't wait to read the next Absolute Wonder Woman issue, Diana is already big sister to Bruce
Imagine being so lost that you'd consider any scene without dialogue to be "artsy" and "too much work" lol (Pluribus is so, so great, that guy clearly picked the wrong career)
Easily my favorite Substack post every time I receive it.
I just love comics too and I can’t believe how much people learned nothing AI or otherwise from stories too.