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###### tags: `Gitcoin Graphic Novel`
---

# Comic #4 Low Fidelity Storyboard

- Cinematic: show not tell. Narrative is driven by powerful images more than narration.

### Page 1: Sacrifice

- Haunting image of phantasmagoric Moloch
- RG characters are caught in a **prisoner's dilemma**. Content is the psychological tension of this scenario.
- Strategies are depicted: self-interestedness, altruism, striving to coordinate without being able to access the other, hyper rationality not being enough.
- Leads to the realization that *coordination is a choice* = choosing to coordinate without knowing the intent of the other.
- Sacrifice = surrender, to give over to trust in the other, almost a transcendental faith in a "higher power" or greater good

### Page 2: Catharsis/Climax

- The characters have chosen to coordinate, but that isn't the resolution. It isn't enough to mentally overcome Moloch.
- Scene goes deep inside the mind-bodies of the characters:
- phantasmagoria (shadow play) on the walls of the landscape
- shadow images entering through the eyes, into the brain
- central nervous system > lymph system > calibrating in relation to external pressures of the body
- realization of the mind-body as a highly coordinated system > the realization of **critical embodiment**
- realization of subjective critical embodiment as a tether to interpersonal **radical relationality**
- oscillations between scale, from the micro to the macro, illustrated alongside each other
- realization of **THE ETHER** = not empty space, but full of potential. This awareness dissipates the shadows (seems to slay Moloch) and opens a portal to an image of the Quadratic Lands. The death/defeat of Moloch here is the death of the ego/hubris to venture boldly into the void.
- ETH Bot interacting with the metaverse UI: begins to understand that the utopian quadratic lands are not a certain future, but could still be de-futured (like the dissapearing picture in Back to the Future lol)

### Page 3: Resurrection

- Threads from previous books will be readdressed (as memory or flashback), but they *will not be resolved*. Instead we can elaborate them further.
- Each is an inflection point for future iteration.
> "It's all so familair, like something from a dream. Images of events from long ago, or maybe are yet to occur."
- The character's **agency** is resurrected: a feeling of empowerment to act in the world with heightened sensitivty and acute intention. The metaverse UI is used to gain a larger image of the situation, start to realize that "there is another game to play," *but then...*
- RG characters that didn't pass through the portal are shown to find their own way to the realization = death and resurrection.
- Coordination **failures** are resurrected on many scales: cancer in the body, misunderstanding in language, psycholoical impediments (trauma) that inhibit the radical openness that is required for global coordination.
- **Moloch** is also resurrected: the initial illusion gives way to other delusions, since Moloch can never actually be defeated (because there is no Moloch *out there; we are Moloch*. The *ancient god* of Moloch is resurrected - cosmological scale, filling the whole universe as an omniscient narrator's voice that becomes entangled with the character's voices. **All the voices become Moloch's voice.** This new Moloch destroys the previous images of Moloch to become something even larger and more terrifying.
> "It's not us against each other, and it's not us against Moloch. It's us against ourselves, because we are Moloch."

### Page 4: Becoming Master of 2 Worlds

- Dedicated to illustrating the layers and components of the **Ethereum regen stack** in high detail.
- In parallel, the details of the **UG governance and lore** are introduced, *breaking the fourth wall with the narrators voice to address the reader directly.* This is the voice of the RaidGuild-become-Moloch: the visual style of the text confuses who is speaking.
- Introduces an alternative vision of the metaverse as a void of pure potential that has not yet been realized.
- Lots of visual detail of the metaverse UI that opens/branches many **alternative time lines**.
- All of the lore from the previous comics are introduced on this page.
> "We can't tell you what it is, but you can see what it has been. We can tell you what it was and should never become. It is nothing, nowhere, only ever always-already was/will be."

https://youtu.be/QBrysnbRj6w?t=749

### Page 5 and Onwards

- Lots of white space contrasted with incredible density, swirling elements.
- We might consider 4 or 5 large gatefold images (that span 2 pages) rather than 8-10 individual pages... treat each gatefold like an epic cover.
- Play with reading orientation: not just top to bottom, left to right.
- Make the reader confused, disoriented, uncertain through the layout of images and text.
- Invite them to turn the book for different orientations. Forwards, backwards, implying that time and space are destabilized.
- Some details are very small and need to be seen up close, contrasted with a larger composition that can only be seen by pulling the page away. Smaller images make up the big composition.
- **Primary theme: *the eternal return.*** Allows us to play with many sub-topics:
- sociological theories of evolution
- science fiction entangled with science fact, fantasy and objective truth, etc.
- mythological stories vs corporate marketing capturing imagination with lore: the sacred and the profane
> "All the choice is now yours. What will you do with it?"
- The details of the UG intentions are laid bare to the reader through a series of prompts.
- Characters are remembered: Moloch/narrator speaks through them.
- Artifacts are remembered: meta descriptions of what they do and how they work (green portal)
- Truth is questioned: who will decide the canon? Who will de-future the catasrophic possibilities to come?
- Demonstrate how it works (show don't tell) by killing a character and bringing them back to life, destroying worlds and reassembling them
- Definitely will kill the bull headed Canaanite-style Moloch from comics #1 and #2
- The image of Moloch needs to be updated. The image is the reality that we step into.
- Script is written as a radio-play drama.
- Transmedia potential here? Record the narration and link with QR code?
- **Text is visually composed on the page into text bubbles in the shape of silhouettes of characters and Moloch**
- Secondary themes: *definition and visualization*


#### Goals for the Conclusion

- Open up the narrative branches and assets to be as invitational to the community as possible.
- Setup the possibility of multiple/parallel directions that can exist simultaneously.
- Encourage bootlegging, forking, collective ownership.
- With the *eternal return,* imply that previous stories can be revisited.
- Find a sweet spot of fidelity.
- Propose a sweet spot for speed.
- Is it all speed running scnearios? Might some future naratives be slower epics?
- Get as specific about the internal principlies and values of regen crypto as possible.