Why do we need new stories at all? It's a choice Smythe seems to have made in order to point out how retrograde today's skimpy fashions are. Annie LaHue (Episode 31 - 100)Bre Boswell (Episode 101 -). Etelka Lehoczky has written about books for The Atlantic, The Los Angeles Review of Books and The New York Times. These gods play the same interpersonal games that dominate today's sexually frank, cell-phone-mediated social world. As such, the unspoken theme that lurks in Lore and, when you think about it, lurks in any work that updates a classic story is a conservative one. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Now I know its mostly referenced on the Greek mythology and I do think the age gap wouldnt be a problem if it done the right way. and our I feel some of the episodes could be combined into one to make a solid story instead of breaking it up into 3 parts. Later, readers will learn that Persephone not only has never driven a car, but she also doesn't even have a license, living a sheltered existence under the shadow of her overprotective mother Demeter. Del Rey The story follows Persephone, the Goddess of Spring, who has been raised in the mortal realm by her overprotective mother, Demeter. Lore Olympus is a romance webcomic created by New Zealand artist Rachel Smythe. In Hades's adaptation of the quote, love is akin to bankruptcy, a lack (actually that's one of the original meanings of the Greek word eros). When Hermes and cool-guy Apollo stop by, the quartet play a board game and heat up dinner in a Crock-Pot. reimagining the classic characters and legends, challenge the more problematic aspects of the myths, How Lore Olympus Became One of the World's Most Popular Comics, Science Fiction Is the Ultimate Queer Space in Comics, Percy Jackson: How the Films Went Wrong - and How Disney+ Can Get It Right, Hercules is the PERFECT Disney Film for a Live-Action Remake. After his mother, Aphrodite, grows jealous of how beautiful Psyche is, she demands Eros make her fall in love with a beast, however, he becomes smittenby Psyche. With her trademark wit and exquisite art, Smythe tackles the complicated relationship and origin story between Hades, god of the Underworld, and his beloved Persephone. Used by permission of Del Rey, an imprint of Random House Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Full quote: "being optimistic doesn't make you nave. ", Lore Olympus: 10 Cosplays Fit For the Gods, Lore Olympus: 10 Details About The Main Characters You Didn't Know, The 5 Most Underrated Characters in Lore Olympus (& The 5 Most Overrated), 10 Lore Olympus Memes That Are Too Hilarious For Words, Lore Olympus: Persephone's Top 10 Outfits, Ranked. her friend Artemis tells her. This colorful take on the rather ubiquitous tales of Greek mythology offers a look at one of the Western world's most misunderstood gods, as well as the unlikely romance between him and Persephone. There's Classism Among The Olympians in "Lore Olympus." This may sound like a bad thing to like the comic, but classism is a real-life issue that makes the world and the characters more real. It can be read here. The art of Lore Olympus is as nuanced and lush as the story, and the use of bright colors and saturated backgrounds makes for a truly unique reading experience. It also plays on the theme of similarity which Hades tries to identify with Persephone and disassociate with Minthe. Lore Olympus continues the long tradition of Greek mythology, reimagining the classic characters and legends, so they better suit contemporary audiences, challenge the more problematic aspects of the myths and make an overall engaging story that is unpredictable despite being based on lore centuries old. "You look like a relic." Lore Olympus,on the other hand,develops their relationship before Persephone becomes a queen, which is hinted to happen in the future, and both parties consent from the start. Most creatives struggle to build and keep their audience because that, more than anything, affects their earning potential. The subreddit dedicated to webtoons. To say their relationshipwas volatile is putting it lightly. Christian translates classical poetry and writes about comic books, (comic book) movies, and television. Gradually and then suddenly. After allowing her sisters to visit, they convince Psyche that Eros is a monster, who she should kill. Persephone's story dominates this book, which collects episodes 1-25 (the webcomic is now on episode 178). Once Persephone was brought to the Underworld, Minthe grew jealous, attempting to seduce Hades once more and proclaiming she was better than Persephone. The quote comes from an emotional letter that Hades writes as a therapeutic exercise, addressed to a hypothetical Persephone. It aligns Persephone with progressive politics in the United States, while also reiterating the fact that she has no patience for the impersonal way that things are done in Olympus. What started as a love for comics, film and television turned into a career after graduating with honors from Lewis & Clark College. Most importantly, Smythe's Hades doesn't kidnap Persephone at all. Persephone also is the perpetrator of an Act of Wrath, more accidental (buildings and ground collapsing) than intentional. Lore Olympus is subject to a lot of scrutiny i try to expand on whymy socials:https://malacalico.carrd.co/castlevania zine preorders and info:https://castlevaniazine.bigcartel.com/https://castlevaniazine.carrd.co/Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe:https://www.webtoons.com/en/romance/lore-olympus/list?title_no=1320\u0026page=1music:The following music was used for this media project:Music: Elevator Music by Tim KuligFree download: https://filmmusic.io/song/8872-elevator-musicLicense (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseArtist website: https://timkulig.com/albums Lore Olympus Wiki is a FANDOM Anime Community. This is crazy to me. I wanted to read it but found out many people saying that the Webtoon is extremely weird, messed up and really, really overrated. NEXT: Lore Olympus: Persephone's Top 10 Outfits, Ranked. Prior to Hades kidnapping Persephone,several Gods, including Ares, Apollo, and Hermes, all asked for Persephone's hand, but they were rejected. Though she makes lavish use of all the showy visual effects that drawing apps put at artists' fingertips, she also uses shapes and images borrowed from cartoons created half a century ago. We already cannot wait for book two. You see things not for what they are, but for what they could be.". I guess what it comes down to for me: I want more. The pilot version of the comic was originally published in the "Discover" category of the platform (now known as Webtoon Canvas) in 2017. Feel free to discuss webtoon series and chapters as well as collaborate with other artists and writers to make your own webtoon. I know that Rachel credits art assistants, and she does profit off her story, so i dont feel super bad about critiquing her. Ares sees no complications: retributive justice is not blunted by Apollo's reputation. How have we stayed the same?" Witness what the gods doafter dark. Ultimately, he decides that he cannot foist all of his baggage on a young, impressionable goddess. Instead, Aphrodite has Eros a flighty guy with a shopping addiction get Persephone drunk and hide the passed-out girl in the backseat of Hades' sports car. Welcome back. My first Webtoon was My Deepest Secret, and as expected, it left an amazing impression. Contrary to this, however, the two instantly click after their encounter and begin a flirtatious friendship that promises to bloom into something more. The comic makes several major deviations from the original myths, most notably in how the Gods and their realms are depicted- for example, Olympus and the Underworld are shown as modern metropolises, while the realm of mortals is set in the time of ancient Greece. I wish the content warning had been stronger and more clear--I would not have read it. In mythology, Minthe was one of Hade's lovers before he wed Persephone. I resent the way she writes her story so poorly and yet it appeals to so many unsuspecting people. When Zeus and Hera discuss the prospects of outing Apollo for his behavior towards and acts of violence against Persephone, Zeus is dismissive of consequences, because of Apollo's fame or kudos, in the Greek. Hardcover - October 11, 2022. The story is a modern retelling of the Greek myth concerning the relationship between the God of the Underworld, Hades, and the Goddess of Spring, Persephone. Ask the Author. He's delivered conference papers on non-verbal decision-making in Seneca and Sandman. This contention seems to suggest a rather depressing corollary, though: Maybe those classic stories aren't just relevant, they're sufficient. My biggest complaint is that there are occasional glaring editing errors that . Lore Olympus is a romance webcomic created by Rachel Smythe and published by the webcomic platform Line WEBTOON. ; Adaptational Expansion: In the original myths, she is just some minor . Minthe's definition of relationships aligns in part with Aristophanes's definition in the Symposium, a union of broken people. So Rachel is literally hurting her financial bottom line as this continues. I hate that she spends so much time attempting to flesh out a character only for her to make her unsympathetic, like seriously what was the FUCKING POINT?! Cookie Notice Over the span of the last year, Smythe has explored problematic elements of sexual violence through the lens of the Me Too Movement, the pain of codependent relationships, and the way that feelings of desire creep up . In this scene, Hades finds the words to express how Persephone's youthful, cock-eyed optimism doesn't make her a Pollyanna, it makes her alive to the possibilities of the world. The story was relaunched on March 4th, 2018. This is pulled directly from Greek mythology, where Cronus ate all his children, aside from Zeus, out of fear they would overthrow him. In your care. It's hard to imagine that anyone could ever receive good life advice while having brunch with their brothers in a strip club, but Zeus's line is one of the first times that Hades is confronted with the idea that he deserves better than settling for someone who tolerates him. Over the span of the last year, Smythe has explored problematic elements of sexual violence through the lens of the Me Too Movement, the pain of codependent relationships, and the way that feelings of desire creep up when someone least expects it. Smythe probably doesn't intend this, but part of the idea of sameness in her story is a big deal in Platonic philosophy called "assimilation to the divine" or homoitheosis (Republic 10.613ff, Laws 4.716, and Theatetus, "Escape [from a world of evils], Socrates says, "is to become like a God," 176b1. Now Im not saying its a bad webtoon. Lore Olympus is subject to a lot of scrutiny- i try to expand on whymy socials:https://malacalico.carrd.co/castlevania zine preorders and info:https://castle. Needing a "positive navigator" is what the arc of the first season is all about, whether it is someone who can give good directions whilesomeone isdriving or going through a new kind relationship. i would love to hear YOUR unpopular opinions about webtoon comics. Sally Austin There's a trigger warning at the beginning of the book for sexual assault/rape. An abuser and 2. Dark Simplicity by Jayke. When shesneaks up onEros in his sleep, she discovers he is a god, and the betrayal leads to his broken heart. The subreddit dedicated to webtoons. The episodes are so short, and thats not my complaint. Rachel's pretty young and as LO crashes and burns it's hurting her ability to keep an audience. An earlier version of this story referred to Artemis as Persephone's sister. I honestly hope that Rachel Smythe takes a couple classes on basic creative writing and plot structure and I hope she learns that just because she was taught some things about Geek Mythology, that doesnt give her the right to go around making a mockery of it because she wanted to be director (or whatever she said in her interview). A home wrecker. With that, a mature teen could likely handle it. Stylish and immersive, this is one of mythologys greatest stories -- The Taking of Persephone -- as its never been told before. Feeling stifled by Demeter's strict routines, Persephone is eventually allowed to move to Olympus to live with Artemis and attend college. And it feels like a significant stopping point for a chapter to end. As someone who loves greek mythology and hadesXpersephone i was hooked. RELATED: Lore Olympus: 10 Cosplays Fit For the Gods. Some believe Persephone chose to eat the fruit and othersbelieve Hades tricked her, however, after spending time in the Underworld together, they fall in love. Guilt-ridden over what he did to Persephone, Eros shows up at her and Artemis' apartment with "apology donuts." I don't just hate Lore Olympus but I resent the comics author. Before Hades knew Persephone, he had a toxic relationship with Minthe, a nymph. I know at first it seems a little goddess girl meet older evil bad boy but it becomes so much more. Some of Smythe's updates are about what you'd expect, like when she casts the brothers Zeus, Poseidon and Hades as club-hopping party boys and has Artemis describe Persephone's mom Demeter as a "helicopter." But its inner heart is as backwards-looking as floral upholstery and reruns of Friends. Like I understand that feminist media tends to focus and value female representation of minorities above male . The final confrontation between Aphrodite and Hades is unexpectedly sweet. This comic makes so viscerally angry. A bit later I noticed this famous Webtoon going around called 'Lore Olympus'. especially since sometimes the quality fixes for a split second and then goes back to being..almost ironic anybody have any better ideas? The second season of Lore Olympus began on August 2nd, 2020. and our The first time we see Persephone, she's planning to wear a toga-style robe to Zeus' big party. Hades, the eldest of the big three gods, was eaten by his father, Cronus, despite his mother's attempts to keepHades hidden. Zeus is also lying to Hebe and likely others by claiming Persephone . They still have plenty to tell us because we're not, at bottom, all that different from the people who dreamed them up hundreds of years ago. Witness what the gods doafter dark. However, it is a beautiful story with many nuances, and it takes a more mature understanding to enjoy and comprehend. ", "When she was in your realm. When the nymph Minthe wants to manipulate Hades, she ghosts his texts; Hades, meanwhile, ignores texts from Persephone because they're headed "User Unknown." We're told that twentysomethings are playing first-gen video games, reminiscing about Beanie Babies and decorating their apartments in grandmillenial style. The writing just needs to level up, so to speak. #1 NEW YORK TIMES . It is currently the most popular webcomic on the platform, with over 300 million views and 3.9 million subscribers as of May 2020. I dont just hate Lore Olympus but I resent the comics author. Zeus and Poseidon groan, expressing their belief that he can do so much better. But ive read other ones where each chapter/episode is fleshed out. Persephone shows herself to be headstrong and plucky enough not to put up with any criticism from the God of the Underworld in this scene, which makes an impression on him. Sure, aspects of Lore's style may look cutting-edge it's obviously created entirely on a digital drawing app, for one thing, with no pen and paper in sight. The friendships and the lies, the gossip and the wild parties, and of course, forbidden love. (Later in the book Persephone is roofied, however, so readers sensitive to depictions of sexual assault should steer clear.). So I download Webtoon a few weeks earlier due to boredom, and immediately fell in love. This differs from the myth, which starts with Hades kidnapping Persephone to be his queen. if you have any recommendations for a webtoon you love, drop it below! Lore Olympus was the first webtoon i read. With huge, innocent, heavily lined eyes and ridiculously bodacious curves, Persephone in particular looks like a mid-century male's fantasy of the ultimate submissive sex toy. If you needed further proof that a sentimental vibe is thrumming through the zeitgeist, you'll find it in the smash hit webcomic Lore Olympus. It isbeautiful, poignant, and complex. She tweets at @EtelkaL. Lore Olympus is a retelling of Greek myths, particularly the myth of Persephone's abduction by Hades, king of the underworld. "What you want is an excellent queen of the Underworld, not an 'ok' one. There is a rape scene, but it is a depiction of the character's mental state during rather than a depiction of rape. With the Gods free, a war raged on, leading to the Olympians taking over, which is also included inLore Olympus,but it is primarily background information. Anyways happy cake day to me , Scan this QR code to download the app now. Another time, a god is seen reading an actual newspaper (the very notion!). By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. In Plato's dialogue about finding love, called the Symposium or "Drinking Party," Socrates tells a story about how he learned about the meaning of true love from a soothsayer named Diotima. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Apollo even offered her his lyre to show his "love," which differs from Lore Olympus, where Persephone takes his lyre and damages it to show her hate. "Two ways. you've probably heard that the kids today are very into nostalgia. Lore's characters may be inspired by the original stories, but they act less like their millennia-old versions than like young people of today. But anyone who's drawn into Smythe's world will appreciate its beauty and wit, and few will escape its seductive ambiguity. And week after week after week, i started to feel differently about Lore Olympus. Rachel Smythe's writing in the ultra-popular webcomic Lore Olympus contains elements of tragedy and comedy that suit modern sensibilities through the medium of classical themes. Plus, it reveals that even our beloved characters aren't picture perfect. If you tend to click on those trend pieces telling us what Gen Z is up to (heck, who doesn't?) The story is a modern retelling of the Greek myth concerning the relationship between the God of the Underworld, Hades, and the Goddess of Spring, Persephone. 5. Lore Olympus Connection. For Persephone, it's her overprotective mother and the predetermined plansfor her to be a Goddess of Eternal Maidenhood, something Persephone isn't sure she wants. Zeus knocked up Semele while Persephone was banished. There is a rape scene, but it is a depiction of the character's mental state during rather than a depiction of rape. There are explicit depictions of a sexual assault and its aftermath, though there isn't explicit sexual content in the series, and I personally think it's important for teens to explore in fiction which can help them make sense of their experiences or find more agency in their own lives when faced with toxic relationships or assault. I hate how all (and yes I mean all) the characters have such inconsistent characterization that it isnt surprising when they act out of character, its just frustrating. Persephone's past history with the father of Eros shows her to be a little less innocent than readers are initially led to believe. This is a powerful quote that reflectsLore Olympus's mature handling of its themes. Lore Olympus is a retelling of Greek myths, particularly the myth of Persephone's abduction by Hades, king of the underworld. Here are the lines that changed relationships in Lore Olympus and perfectly encapsulated this moment. But though the Persephone-Hades relationship is at its center, Smythe ponders and plays with virtually every other god and mortal we know from ancient mythology. Hades spots Persephone for the first time in Lore Olympus She says that finding true love is a journey like climbing the rungs of a ladder from the recognition of pretty people to pretty ideas. You can be upset at me, thats fine but please be upset at me for the right reasons not just because this is your favorite comic and you think that because I hate it you should too, just maybe be more critical of the media you consume. Here are the webcomic's best quotes. Persephone's story dominates this book, which collects episodes 1-25 . Minthe gaslights, belittles, and emotionally abuses Hades,even whenhe tries to salvage their relationship. The line also hints at the fact that there are more confidence and adventure to Persephone than first impressions suggest. This moment begins to articulate the ways in which their differences and compatibility extend beyond age. And week after week after week, i started to feel differently about Lore Olympus. In October 2019, the Jim Henson Company announced a partnership with Line WEBTOON to create an animated Lore Olympus series. #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Witness what the gods do after dark in the third volume of a stylish and contemporary reimagining of one of the best-known stories in Greek mythology, featuring a brand-new, exclusive short story from creator Rachel Smythe. Eros steals her away from a loveless engagement, gifting her a homefor themselves, but he keeps his godly identity a secret. I cant stand and I mean I CANNOT STAND how many fucking plots get introduced, dropped, brought up once or twice twenty episodes later, only to be dropped again until theyre necessary for the plot. The fact that Smythe is the main artist, as well as the story's creator, is pretty dang impressive, too. Smythe's take on classic myth is anything but hidebound. But in this moment, she seems perfectly capable of handling Hades's fancy car during a drive on the morning after their meet-cute. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! The story dives into Greek mythology, primarily the story of Hades and Persephone, but retells the classic stories and beliefs with modern themes . Lore Olympus is a romance webcomic created by Rachel Smythe and published by the webcomic platform Line WEBTOON. So i started reading other webtoons while waiting between episodes. The childhood of Hades is only told through dreams and flashbacks, butit is revealed in one of these nightmares what his father did to him. Apollo, after being struck by Eros' arrow, falls in love with Daphne, however, she rejectsApollo's advances and begs her father to turn her into a tree, so she willbe free of him. The story is set into motion when Hades catches sight of Persephone at a party and comments that her beauty rivals Aphrodite's. I would say this is a book for YA readers rather than teen readers. The subreddit dedicated to webtoons. Beyond writing and editing, she was the Film School Director at River Way Ranch Camp and the Assistant Director on the play Famous. In mythology, this is fairly close to the truth. It is getting its own animated series (made by the Jim Henson Company), and always manages to stay number 1 in the weekly rankings on the app. Hades reveals to readers in this scene that he had intentions to propose to his emotionally abusive girlfriend, the river nymph Minthe, at the party where he met Persephone. Rachel Smythe's writing in the ultra-popular webcomic Lore Olympus contains elements of tragedy and comedy that suit modern sensibilities through the medium of classical themes. Feel free to discuss webtoon series and chapters as well as collaborate with other artists and writers to make your own webtoon. Her faces seem to be inspired by an unlikely forebear: They have the yearning eyes and pointy noses of Jules Feiffer's people. Lore Olympus continues the long tradition of Greek mythology, reimagining the classic characters and legends, so they bettersuit contemporary audiences, challenge the more problematic aspects of the myths and make an overall engaging story that is unpredictable despite being based on lore centuries old. Ares is from Persephone's past, where she healed him and was tricked into believing he was illiterate, so she'd spend more time with him, leading to a kiss. Thankfully, Apollo has not harassed Daphne in LoreOlympus, but he has raped Persephone. ", "I thought we were supposed to be messed up together. Here are some webtoons to read if you liked Lore Olympus: 1. I hate Lore Olympus so fucking much and I feel like I will never escape the clutches of something that used to bring me joy but now only makes my heart race with anger. There's a reason why Jim Henson's crew picked it up and are making it into an animated series. I binged as far as i could and reread it too. and our I honestly hate Lore Olympus. I do not think it's overrated. The art is great, the characters are cute, but the writing. not so great. Just like you, the same as you. I resent that she employed the May . To not make it too long Ill just talk about the one that made me look at lore Olympus differently is the age gap and how the main characters respond to it. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. He struggles with the idea of settling for the relationship that's comfortable versus the relationship that's new. i understand allot goes into making one of these. He produced a limited-run podcast on the crossroads between American pop culture and the classical world. There are sexual nuances throughout the story- the act is implied, but there is no nudity or explicit scenes. Lore Olympus does portray Persephone as a child, if not physically, then perhaps mentally. In Greek mythology, this is the opposite. A-Cup Angst: Once she finds out about Persephone, Minthe starts becoming insecure about her body and checks out her breast size in the bathroom mirror.Humorously illustrated in the December 29th Q-and-A, which included an image of Minthe and Persephone based on a famous photo of Sophia Loren side-eyeing Jayne Mansfield. He's childish, he picks favorites, he's stubborn and can be dense enough to shatter bricks. The old episodes were subsequently deleted from the platform and have not been officially released. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Semele gave birth prematurely and died. 11 Books And Webtoons Like Lore Olympus To Start Reading Today. Lore Olympus is currently the most popular comic on Webtoon; as of April 2023, it has 1.2 billion views and 6.3 million subscribers. Cookie Notice ), RELATED: The 5 Most Underrated Characters in Lore Olympus (& The 5 Most Overrated). Did you show her the best you could be? fantasy combined with tech is often fun, and a lot of "modern god" takes can be really entertaining (ex: that post about hades trying to win back cerberus from a stubborn little girl) but the way LO handles it is very lacking. RELATED: Lore Olympus: 10 Details About The Main Characters You Didn't Know. I hate the fact that she wrote Nymphs as some kind of allegory or parallel for the working class yet the two main nymphs that we see are 1. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. EDIT: I made this post a long time ago so if youre still angry about it. Minor stories within Persephone's story are also featured, including that of Eros and Psyche. the tech replaces almost all the . Stylish and immersive, this is one of mythology's greatest stories -- The Taking of Persephone -- as it's never been told before. It can be read here. The webtoon sensation is finally in print, and it is a stunning celebration of one of the first love stories ever told. The sense of anachronism is particularly strong in Smythe's female characters, most of whom have absurdly exaggerated hourglass figures and dress in extremely revealing outfits and high heels. Minthe appeals to their toxic codependency, as if it's an argument in favor of staying together. He eventually calls it quits for good, partially because he has truly found someone who values him and partially because he's realized he deserves a healthier, more stable life. New Graphic Novel 'Celestia' Wanders An Earth That's No Longer Home, 'Prince Of Cats' Melds Comics, Hip-Hop And Shakespeare. The potential is there, the art is there, the story is there. Aphrodite seems to argue that Hades's love of Persephone more closely aligns with Phaedrus's definition of love from the Symposium, a bond between two people spurs them to be better.