Dollhouse comics re-read: "Dollhouse: Epitaphs (One-Shot)"

[VisionGirl]

Are you guys ready to continue the story?

Having penned the show's final, post-apocalyptic episode, show writers Maurissa Tancharoen and Jed Whedon continue the tale of three survivors in a world overcome by a devastating technological virus. The wealthy and powerful could buy any kind of companionship at the Dollhouses, where the Rossum Corporation paid young people to have their minds wiped clean and be imprinted with computer-enhanced personalities and skills--all according to a buyer's request. Now the technology has gone viral, wiping the minds of everyone it reached, turning them into mindless butchers. Those who've avoided the call must try to survive their friends and families if they hope to destroy Rossum and save the world.

Published March 30, 2011.

Source

Just a note: if you're reading the comic included with the season 2 DVD, it is not the complete comic, it's only an excerpt. If you are looking to read the comics, you can do so on the Dark Horse comic or app: https://digital.darkhorse.com/search/?q=dollhouse

My thoughts:
-I'm trying to figure out when exactly this takes place. Obviously it is between "The Hollow Men" and "Epitaph Two: Return". But there's a 10-year time frame in between, right? So, in that interim, Daniel Parrin has been elected president- that was fast, and I'm assuming that it was with the Rossum Corporation's manipulations.
-Zone and his girlfriend are pregnant. So does he develop his attitude as a result of losing her, or has he already been that way?
-Griff, I hardly remember ya LOL! So he was a lawyer, huh?
-Mag, a red-headed lesbian. Where have we seen this before, LOL?
-"You gotta embrace the new or be erased by the new." You said it Uncle Wendall!
-So, some people got imprinted as butchers, others got wiped & are in doll-state (or "Dumbshow"- ugh I hate that word), & then there are the Actuals, who did not succumb to the technology. We already knew about these 3 groups. The comics introduce us to the "Ivies"- individuals imprinted with Ivy's personality, seemingly by Ivy herself. That's one smart cookie to be able to highjack some of the phone lines.
-I just don't understand why Zone killed Wendall. He didn't attack them, he was speaking coherently, in short he didn't act like butchers or dolls. I guess it was just the heightened fear. But it's too bad, he could've helped.
-Alpha!! 🙂 But what's the deal with the zip drive? Does he have a chair, or has he or someone else developed the tech that the Tech-Heads used (imprinting themselves physically into their skulls with the skills they need)?

 

[Washburne]

I'm here, I'm here!

Redheaded lesbians are so natural to me that I didn't for a second thought of the connection to Willow. :blush:

"Give us a name?
Helen.
What is he, european?
That's a strange name for a guy..."

Oh Zone. Losing your loved one and your baby like that. That could easily destroy you. I understand that he doesn't want to risk anything but I'd reacted as the others when he shot Wendall/Ivy.

"Everyone left has a terrible story."
Everyone (more or less) want to live and the survival instinct is strong one. The question is, what would one prefer. "Die" after answering the phone (although your body excists your mind isn't in it) or live through "hell".

I need to know how Ivy got her imprits sent out. Was she involved in imprinting all the others too and this was her way of trying to help?

"I got here. Just like you said to uncle Wendall."
Oh wait, is it Alpha that's imprinted people with Ivy?

Alpha asking if he wants to learn how to fly give me vibes of Washburne.

 

[VisionGirl]

I think there are some answers to the Ivy questions in the upcoming issues and some web-only stuff from Dark Horse. I'm going to post a new thread later tonight.