Recently, I've been reading Cleo McDougal Regrets Nothing by Allison Winn Scotch, which Amazon Prime gave me free last month as part of their First Reads program. It's an involving novel about a woman whose philosophy "Only Forward" has propelled her to the United States Senate, and given her a shot at the presidency. Yet when a former friend dishes dirt on her in the public sphere, Cleo's efforts at damage control lead her to take a long hard look at her life. As she does this, Cleo comes to realize, perhaps for the first time, that there is a very big difference between having a career, and having a life.
In Valiant Entertainment's current Rai series, Rai's relationship with Raijin is getting rocky. In issues #1, 2, and 3, the two androids regarded each other with camaraderie and brotherhood. Issues #4 and 5 brought conflict, revealing how differently they saw the world. In that two-issue story by Dan Abnett, Rai sought to destroy a machine that helped a Human community feed itself. Raijin and others remind him that, while Rai wants to destroy all traces of the tyrannical artificial intelligence Father, people still need to eat.
In issue #6, Rai and Raijin again find themselves at odds. The robot community of Romanus regards him as someone who can protect them against the continual animal attacks. In a world without a rule of law, or any form of organized government outside such enclaves of civilization, Raijin points out that all people, whether biological or positronic, need to be protected.
Rai's single-minded focus on his goals reminds me of Cleo McDougal's "Only Forward" mantra in Allison Winn Scotch's novel.
Rai's unwillingness to acknowledge others' needs also brings to mind medieval crusaders who marched off to free the Holy Land from what they saw as a great evil. Similar comparisons can be drawn to 9/11, and acts of terrorism perpetrated in the years since. A comparison could also be made with people who cry patriotism, while perpetrating acts of torture. Always there is the focus on a righteous cause, and a disregard for lesser rights or needs.
I don't know if the Type A versus Type B comparison could be applied to Rai and Raijin's relationship, but Rai reminds me of someone who is goal-focused, while Raijin seems more people-oriented. In our own lives, most of us strive for a balance between those two mindsets. That doesn't mean we find the task easy, or that we get along with others any better than Rai and Raijin are at the moment.
Issue #6 also makes me wonder what Rai and Raijin talk about between issues, as they wander this post-apocalyptic landscape in search of traces of the malign A.I. Father. Would they talk about the weather? Mutual friends they've left behind, or people they met on their travels? Music that they like? Or would it be a lonely quest, with Raijin continually trying to engage Rai, and all his efforts met with grunts or silence? After the first three issues, I would have thought they shared an enjoyable and enriching dialogue. Now...
Dragon Dave
P.S. Rai #6 goes on sale tomorrow. If you haven't already reserved a copy, get to your local comic shop early to secure this exciting issue.
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