Gay heroes ... and a little bit of "melt your heart" romance. Why? Because I feel like it -- and because at last these renders "made the cut." It's taken a long time to get some Jarrat and Stone romantic shots past Mel Keegan. The creator of the NARC universe and these characters set the bar for such pictures very, very high. They must reflect the devotion and emotion of the characters, and the frequent anguish of their lives, be sexy and yet not provocative. Mel retains absolute control over the content of all NARC images, though it's my joy to render them. These ... well, these got the Keegan stamp of approval, and here they are.
What got me in this mood? Wellll, I was reading Aricia's post from a couple of days ago -- on her celebrity gossip blog, you know the one? It was the post where she talks about the last season of Torchwood, the heartbreaker, where Jack loses Ianto. really, Seriously. With the kind of "zip the body bag" finality that's never going to happen to the immortal and indestructible Jack Harkness himself. I was thinking back on Torchood and the whole Jack-and-Ianto romance ... the most endearing gay romance every filmed, bar none. (Here is Aricia's post, which started all this. And incidentally, AG: congratulations on getting back to posting -- we've missed you!)
And because Torchwood is SF, my thoughts came around in a big circle to NARC, Jarrat and Stone, and I was thinking, apropos of Jack losing Ianto, "Good lord, have you ever counted the number of times Jarrat and Stone yank each other back from the edge of the void?!" And MK says, "Yes I have ... haven't you noticed how the characters are changing slowly but surely, since the first book?" Yes, Mel, I have. And I can't help wondering where they're going in future...
So I was thinking about Jack and Ianto, and then gay romance and science fiction, and as a consequence, Jarrat and Stone. So you can see the progression of logic that led to these renders. And they're gorgeous. These hit the spot. MK was delighted, and here they are.
You don't often think of science fiction -- much less grand-scale space opera! -- and romance of any genre, much less gay, in the same context. But in fact the Jarrat and Stone romance has to be one of the great love stories of all time.
Last night the Aussie government opened talks aimed at (soon, we hope!!) introducing marriage rights for all in this country, and we mean all, not just those who were born hetero ... and it turns out that in a recent poll, 65% or more of the general public is in favor of playing nice for a change, and recognizing that love is love.
So today's renders also add my ten cents' worth to that cause. I hope that the next 10 years -- as today's kids grow up into adults -- will turn 65% into more like 85% percent. Today's kids are awakened and understanding, and quite ready to accept a person on his or her own terms, not making rules about one's orientation. Writers like Mel Keegan, actors like John Barrowman, and characters like Jack Harkness and Ianto Jones on TV, and Jarrat and Stone in literature, are helping to make the change. If I can do my own bit, I'm delighted to pitch in.
So please accept this as my pitch. I mostly talk through my images. And these are beauts!
Jade, 16 November
NOTE: posted using MK's logon because this afternoon, I cannot connect -- how weird is that?
