Gosh, that moon is pretty…

So! Lots of interesting and fun reactions to Maven in the comments last time! Some of you love her and her “snark”, some of you “love to hate her” and others just want to “reach through the screen [to] sock Maven in the face”. For some, Maven is their “favorite character”; while others feel she is “an extraordinarily cliché female character [who] speaks as much to societal values as a scantily-clad bimbo would.” (Ouch.) Is Maven crazy irrational or crazy like a fox? Is she a person with “a repulsive personality and a seeming lack of motivation for her behaviour” or is she a brilliant professional choosing the most effective tactics against a challenging and hostile interrogee? Folks are picking sides and I can imagine this page will only add more fuel to that fire. 😉

I will say one thing, though—I love that you all are having this debate. Yes, Artifice is meant to be an entertaining sci-fi story first. But one thing that has always impressed me with our readers is the thoughtful responses to this work you all have—both to what’s happening to the characters in my world and to the larger implications of my choices as a creator in the world we live in. Be it a discussion about whether homosexuality could be determined purely through genetics (and the ethical ramifications of that) or the role of women as antagonists in comics, I can always count on you to offer really enlightening thoughts on the matter. It’s one of the coolest things about putting this comic out there. And I thank you for it. 🙂

In other news, have some gorgeous new Fan Art by Hayley Dubay, “Two Wings Equals One Set”. It’s Deacon and Jeff entwined in a nearly mystical fashion. You owe it to yourself to check it out. Thanks, Hayley!

And…

***THIS IS A BONUS PAGE!***

The 14th in a row! Woo hoo!

Special thanks go out to long-time supporters Sue T., Brian d., Erin H. & Micheal B. (who has now donated for the 16th week in a row! My hero!) and a warm welcome and grateful bow goes out to new supporter Victoria G. for their generous donations over the last few days.

Big hugs go out to long-time friends of Artifice Megan D. and Meagan S. for their super-generous $25 donations! (Made just three minutes apart! O_O)

(Also, extra big high-fives for Megan, Meagan and Victoria for putting us well over the top for this bonus page! You rock!)

Your generosity is truly humbling and has been a huge morale booster during a rather crazy time for me. Thank you all so much!

So… will Maven finally get the answers she (and we!) have been craving about what exactly happened with Deacon and the retrieval team? Tune in this Saturday to find out! 😀

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