If the first chapter was all about introducing the characters, the second chapter sets up how they come together. Vicki is the only one who had her tickets set up in advance. Nasty gets recruited by the Eagle Foundation to be Peregrine once again and go as a guest. Meredith decides at the last minute. When I wrote Crossover in 2008, it was possible to decide at the last minute to go to a convention and still find a hotel room and get into the con. Today? Not so much, at least for the bigger cons. Meredith has the luck of the narrative behind her.
Eric has appeared in Subject 13. The relationship between he and Nasty is complicated because they make it that way. Everyone else around them can see what's happening. Nasty doesn't want to impose herself on Eric and Eric takes that concept and adds a touch of obliviousness to the deal. They are good friends, with Eric helping Nasty with her homework.
We get to see Prototype Alpha in action this time around. Keith constantly fiddles with the design, making small improvements as needed. Meredith is the test pilot, a role she demanded. There is some liberty being taken; few people can hit 90 km/h in downtown Toronto during the day, even on a Saturday. Just too much traffic. Takes a skilled hand on the wheel, really. Or a lot of luck.
Keith has a Yugo. I've tried to keep the jokes about the car to a minimum, but sometimes, they just slip in. The Yugo is another test bed for Keith. There are few parts from the original manufacturer left. The choice of the car comes from budget; the Yugo made budget cars look luxury when it was released. A used Yugo, if it's not been reduced to component metals, might go for the cost of getting rid of it.
Tomorrow, Crossover Chapter 3.
Also tomorrow, over at Psycho Drive-In, what happened to cheesy movies?
Saturday, over at Seventh Sanctum, the History of Adaptations continues with the Nineties.
Also Saturday, check out Comics Bulletin for comics-related reposts of /Lost in Translation/.
I believe you mean for the second chapter. ;) I know nothing about cars, so any jokes about Keith's Yugo go over my head (and don't worry about trying to explain). I know a bit about computers though -- so Vicki has instant messaging? And a mouse? And a SCREEN SAVER?? She's seriously old school.
ReplyDeleteThe other thing that's maybe changed with respect to Conventions is that there's more of them. Why should Meredith and Keith want to go to one down in the US? They don't have the Eagle as a draw. Plus the Blue Jays are having such a good season, why not take in a game instead? ;) I know, plot.
Er, yes, second chapter. ^_^;; Maybe a TVTropes link can help - The Alleged Car? (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/TheAllegedCar/RealLife) Short form, the Yugo was cheap and not well built. I probably should mention that Crossover was written in 2008 at some point. Today. she'd text and use a tablet. Who knew smartphones would be a commercial success?
DeleteTrue, there seems to be several every weekend during the summer. But the CHC must be a big con - Vicki is travelling from New York to go to it. Meredith might, if she has the time and can intimidate Keith to go with her. :)
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DeleteYou did mention it was written in 2008 in your post; I was mostly poking fun at the fact that you used the date to explain conventions, without using it to explain away the technology (which I know you've referenced in your adaptation column before). As to Vicki's trip, she was travelling to see Eagle, Meredith doesn't have the excuse - but she does have a bit of a live-in-the-moment attitude, so it all works out.
Delete>.<;; I need to read what I write... The tech does get odd, though - I have miniaturized powered circuits generating ion shields beside cell phones that may or may not take photos and a car with autopilot. The tech gets weird. Oh, good, Meredith is coming through. Although, given that Eagle is in Rochester, Upstate New York, he was going a fair distance, too.
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