The Modern Day, Patreon Q&A 03/27/2024
———————————————————————————————————————
This Q&A was compiled by : u/TheMagicFolf331 on Reddit
This Document is everything I have deemed to be important or interesting compiled here for
you in their original form at the time of documentation.
As for the content, it pertains to all of Mister Manticore's works.
———————————————————————————————————————
Discord[1][2][3][4]← |Patreon| →[1][2][3][4]Youtube
——————————
|Q&A Post|
———————————————————————————————————————————
BrightFalls665:
Why did you specifically choose Robert Pattinson to be the James Dean figure for Modern Day?
MISTER MANTICORE:
A long time ago, a friend of mine showed me an early photo of Robert Pattinson in a fashion magazine. Next to the photo was a question, something along the lines of: "Who is your inspiration?" Pattinson answered "James Dean."
Like Dean, Pattinson is incredibly charismatic and funny. He also conveys a deep, anxious sincerity (whenever he isn't feeling mischievous and fabricating stories). To me, Pattinson feels like a logical modernization of the archetype set by Montgomery Clift (who was James Dean's idol).
(In fact, James Dean called Clift so often that Clift found the young actor annoying, and eventually stopped answering his calls. Though, when Dean unexpectedly died, Clift was deeply affected. These little stories in history inspired much of Season 3.)
———————————————————————————————————————————
The Magic Folf:
First of all, thank you for creating something like The Monument Mythos and its related series'.
I would like to ask so many things, but I'll keep it short as you asked.
What was your favorite short film to make, what did you like most about it?
Did you ever release it or was it a personal project?
Sorry, that's more like 3 related questions.
MISTER MANTICORE:
My favorite short film of mine? You ask the impossible question. But let's see...
As time goes on, I find so much more value in work I once found unnecessary. For instance, returning to The Trinity Desk Project felt like welcoming an old friend. And I needed that. I made sure everything about their return was as faithful and as high-quality as possible. The upload feels like an insane portal to another massive universe and I love it. Plus, The Trinity Desk Project gave me the opportunity to let an Arnoldson survive and continue the fight. Finally, Eliana is pleased with the fate of their character. But c'mon, Lauren survived and reunited with Mister Squirrel in Season 3! Nothing beats that.
———————————————————————————————————————————
Jimmy:
How much of the video MONUMENTMYTHOLOGY is true and how much of it is just mythology?
MISTER MANTICORE:
The story in MonumentMythology is not taken seriously by those in the Deanverse and the Cliftverse (or more easily, the Montyverse). The Dean Museum of Natural History knows this and displays their version of events with no concern. Their video synthesizes the events of many creation stories into one linear narrative. Little do they know, their synthesis closely resembles the true origin of their universe, which is intertwined with the fates of three entities... Ejected from The Modern Day.
———————————————————————————————————————————
THE SHORESIDE MIRAGES:
With how much THITO's place in the narrative has shifted, if the Son is the House, what would that make the Neighborhood?
MISTER MANTICORE:
Of all the series on the channel, I think The House in the Ocean remains the most radically recontextualized. Outside of the HiTO story as a microcosmic, prequel version of The Nixonverse as a whole, Neighborhoods do not exist in the same realm as the Son, the Knight, and the Queen. There are also no U.S. House farms. I suppose a Neighborhood would be multiple Sons transforming into Houses, or the Son transforming into multiple Houses! But that didn't happen.
———————————————————————————————————————————
mims:
are there any particular pieces of media that inspired md?
MISTER MANTICORE:
Absolutely. Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Life" inspired the live-action sequences with Maya, Leonard, and Robert Pattinson. The film also inspired some choices in music (Lacrimosa) and design (the updated look of the Cornerworld). The film, coupled with two reads of the book "Mass Killers" by David Krajicek, deeply influenced The Modern Day. "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler and the music of MGMT (thanks AJCW) played constantly through my headphones during the editing of all the episodes.
As much as I dislike the French New Wave directors for being so goddamn pretentious (am I projecting? Oh God...), I watched a lot of their films for my university cinema class. Admittedly, they were very inspiring (well, some of them). Godard's "Pierrot le Fou" in particular, with its free-spirited cinematography and editing, definitely affected me during filming. I brought a camera to campus and captured shots freely before, during, and after class.
———————————————————————————————————————————
sternevogn:
hm... alright, let's see.
what do you think you struggled with the most when it came to working on modern day? did it have to do with filming, the story, or was it something else?
also, thank you so much for making such an interesting series, it has inspired so much creativity from so many people. :]
MISTER MANTICORE:
In the past, I've described DebateDemon and its research as torturous, though I do feel that the pain was necessary in order to 1) be personally informed and 2) be respectful AND faithful to the national grieving all of us regularly participate in. Emotionally, AmericaAttack, DebateDemon, PresidentPattinson, and The Special Tree were the most difficult parts of The Modern Day. My feelings would ultimately bleed into the character of President Pattinson in The Monument Monster as he completely breaks down into an apocalyptic force. Themes of repression and escape recur in the later episodes.
———————————————————————————————————————————
SithDestroyer:
Would Cthonaut A from Modern Day be considered the same version of Cthonaut A that originated from the Deanverse (and then later became a god in the Cliftverse)? It's one of the more confusing parts of the series for me, though it is a multiverse, after all. Like did A leave the Cliftverse and then travel to the Pattinsonverse, causing what was basically a loop? Or are they two separate variants of A? Because my line of reasoning was always that A fled the Deanverse, became a god in the Cliftverse, left the Cliftverse after seeing the formation of the Mister Manticore constellation (which would inspire them), and then came to our world to portray everything that happened in a theatrical manner.
MISTER MANTICORE:
Your line of reasoning is correct, though I'd like to add an image to help with your understanding. Imagine multiple streams converging into one larger river. Once the water from the streams collects in the river, there is no distinction between stream X's water from stream Y's water. It has all become the river's water. Similarly, when Cthonaut A undergoes apotheosis, all versions of him coalesce. As a god, there is only one Cthonaut A.
P.S. Cornerworld takes place after FreedomForever. The Cornerfolk, being a transdimensional species, were not erased in the Angel's reversal of the Great Division.
———————————————————————————————————————————
Lynne:
Before Modern Day did you ever plan on returning to Riley Tillon and the CORNER videos in general? Like for example back in Season 3, or even Nixonverse? I really love how CORNERFOLK and CORNERWORLD act as bookends to the series
MISTER MANTICORE:
During the first two seasons of The Monument Mythos, I occasionally entertained the idea of expanding Cornerfolk (the original short). I even outlined the premise for a series titled "Cornerfolklore." I remember my friend Liam and I discussed the possibility of an episode titled "Cornercat." Unfortunately, our pitch became so gruesome that we decided it was best left behind. Afterwards, I did play around with the "Cornerfolklore" in a short titled "Cornergirl" (which remains on my channel and perfectly expresses the abandoned series' atmosphere). But I eventually lost interest in expanding the Cornerfolk series and condensed all of my ideas into the reveal at the end of "AlcatrazApocalypse." It's such a twist. It felt weird to keep that secret for months without letting anyone know.
I always felt that I would return to the Cornerworld. However, I did not feel the urge to during The Nixonverse and Season 3.
By The Modern Day, I knew that I wanted to fully reincorporate the Cornerfolk and their method of travel. Instead of a single line reveal (like at the end of "AlcatrazApocalypse"), I wanted to make a significant portion of the finale one big ol' Cornerfolk PUNCH. In a way, I produced "Cornerworld" with the intention of impressing the younger me (frustrated, arrogant, clueless Alex) who had made the original Cornerfolk short film and "LibertyLurker." Nothing was more satisfying than finally ending the series with a proper Cornerfolk sequel. I can say with confidence that younger me would have been proud to see this sequel years later. After all, I was.
———————————————————————————————————————————
IAmADoctor:
What is America's true self, what is behind the devils tower print?
MISTER MANTICORE:
America's "True Self" is an ominous codename for the eldritch "ecosystem" hinted at in The Trinity Desk Project. It refers to the disturbing relationship between the Horned Serpent (the originally planned but abandoned reveal for The American Anatomy), The Croatoan, and the "Hearts" (the Mythos' version of UFOs/UAPs). Their interactions with one another, like the interactions between our inner organs, formed a massive superorganism stretching the entirety of the United States. In. Plain. Sight. Behind the Devils Tower print, there were more "Hearts."
———————————————————————————————————————————
Swaxeman:
What was the monument monster’s reaction to the creation of the debate demon? It seems to be distressed, in VIRGINIAS WINTER WONDERLAND, almost as if it was trying to defend the other kids from virginia
MISTER MANTICORE:
While the Monument Monster and the Debate Demon appear to be at odds, they are cut from the same cloth: Alcatraz. Regardless of the immediate reaction of the Monument Monster to the creation of the Debate Demon, it did not act (enough) for a reason. After all, the Demon's birth led directly to both creatures escaping Pattinson-1 (or the Robverse). Both of them, so powerful and forever at odds, form a tittering balance within the universe they choose to reside in.
———————————————————————————————————————————
EvieCrisp:
1) After turning into the Debate Demon, what exactly caused Virginia to drift towards politics
2) What did Alcatraz use as a base for the Monument Monster, given that it used Virginia for the Debate Demon
Also thank you for making such an interesting and unique series :) its brought a lot of inspiration to many people
MISTER MANTICORE:
2) Alcatraz sourced a character from the very mind of Walt Disney: Mickey Mouse. The iconic character easily replicates and imprints himself onto every brain he encounters, much like the Crescent King of The Nixonverse. Naturally, Alcatraz saw potential in giving the Mouse's appearance to one of their most violent agents.
———————————————————————————————————————————
BoxerBunny:
What was your thought process in creating the MD version of Donald Trump, for example, his voice?
Love the series, thanks 💜
MISTER MANTICORE:
I love Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho and Mary Harron's movie adaptation with Christian Bale. I don't like what the character of Patrick Bateman has become since then on the Internet, but that's beside the point. Believe it or not, I tried to read American Psycho in the sixth grade, and when a passing school administrator asked, "What's that about?" I merely responded, "Psychology." She didn't recognize the novel (I guess?) and I eventually stopped reading because I found the violence too hard to read. I wouldn't pick it up again for years. But the cover always stuck with me, and it inspired me to change Donald Trump's appearance in The Modern Day. I think if Patrick Bateman were a real individual... No, Patrick Bateman WAS a real individual. There were/are thousands and Donald Trump was/is one of them. Aside from the nightly murders, I saw many parallels and decided that it would be highly entertaining to depict Donald Trump the way HE would like to hear himself, or the way Bateman would like to hear himself. In The Modern Day, Donald Trump sounds like the greatest commercial voice actor.
———————————————————————————————————————————
GaninWorldEater:
1. Why was trumps eyes bloody
2. What is the Monument Monster and debate demon
3. What does the trinity desk have to do with MD?
4. What happend in Virginia's winter wonderland?
5. Will you ever do more with the Monument Monster (he's my favorite)
MISTER MANTICORE:
Since I asked for one question per person and I want to keep this QnA fair, I'm afraid I can only answer one of your questions.
5. Will I ever do more with the Monument Monster? Probably not. But it's never really over, you know? Aspects of The Modern Day feed right into Season 3, and with every viewing of Season 3, The Nixonverse, Season 2, Season 1, I guarantee you that you'll find something new. I designed every series to be jam-packed with references and connections, too many to be caught in a single watch. There are characteristics of the Monument Monster scattered all over the Mythos because the Monster is more than just its simple design. It is the latest host for a collection of ideas which have spawned certain attitudes for millennia. The Modern Day is just about the tip of the iceberg, about the status of those attitudes today.
——————————————————————————————————————————————
Jocelyn:
What was the inspiration for the Demon’s hominid skull-spider look? I always found it really interesting how a human’s form was warped so drastically like that
MISTER MANTICORE:
For summer vacation in 2012, my family and I stayed in Beijing for a month. The trip left a big impression on me. We visited several museums which displayed ancient human skeletons. The skulls of prehistoric hominids fascinated me. Around that time, I acquired the book "Early Man" (Life Nature Library) and fell in love with its detailed depiction of hominid wars. It was then that I also encountered the original March of Progress image. My interest in prehistoric humanity was recently rekindled by an anthropology course I took two years ago. Since then, I've been searching for opportunities to tell stories involving our ancestors. With the Debate Demon, I wanted to create a creature that was wholly human AND inhuman. A stripped back simian skull with no visible torso, surrounded by extremely long legs, does the trick.
———————————————————————————————————————————
JoraVadmee:
If you had to pick ONE moment from the entire series that you were most proud of, what would it be?
(also I'm a huge fan, you've been a huge inspiration for my own creative works. Really excited to see what you do next!)
MISTER MANTICORE:
I cannot bring myself to name one moment as my favorite. I simply cannot! But I can tell you about a moment I've been thinking about recently...
Way back in Season 2 (specifically GizaGuardian), Eliana voiced Maya Arnoldson being decapitated by Freedom in the Grand Canyon. I will always remember the first time I opened their audio file. Bone-chilling.
——————————————————————————————————————————————
mys:
not a modern day question, i apologize and i couldnt think of a deeper question. but whos *your* favorite of the nixonverse trinity?
MISTER MANTICORE:
With the brilliant voice-acting of Sydney Antoinette and the incredible backstory developed by DanBCFilms for The Absolute Nixonverse, the Queen of the Lunarians has got to be my favorite. The supermodel she was based on, Donyale Luna, was also one of the coolest people to have ever lived. I injected some of her real-life quotes into the Queen's speeches because I wanted other people to encounter her wisdom. Fun fact, she coined the term "Great Division" decades before The Monument Mythos!
——————————————————————————————————————————————
Tulip Tulip:
Could you elaborate on what exactly is meant by "Alex Based Riley Tillon on me" in CORNERGIRL and how it connects with Riley's appearence in CORNERWORLD
MISTER MANTICORE:
Alex's Inspiration, who claims to be the real person behind the character of Riley Tillon, is a being I developed for Cornerfolklore back when I was interested in expanding the original Cornerfolk story. Cornergirl in particular was meant to be a teaser for the transdimensional conflict between Alex Kansas, Riley Tillon, and Alex's Inspiration. The hidden messages in Cornergirl's audio and visuals allude to this cosmic tug-of-war. Thankfully, I never went through with Cornerfolklore and instead continued forward with The House in the Ocean and The Nixonverse. In Season 3, I finally satisfied my desire for a transdimensional villain by apotheosizing Cthonaut A. Cornerworld finally saw Cthonaut A meet Riley Tillon, which was like an old wish come true.
——————————————————————————————————————————————
Huzbubber Tim:
What was the objective of the Front Row and who were the Two Invisible Men that seemed to be involved with it?
MISTER MANTICORE:
The Front Row at NASA incinerates anyone who could discover America's "True Self." The Front Row victims are usually highly intelligent and taken from Ivy League circles. They are destroyed long before they could ever realize the truth about their country. The two invisible men were tasked with kidnapping the most intelligent Front Row candidates and placing them on the launchpad. The men are also responsible for burying evidence and rendering the victims invisible before incineration.
——————————————————————————————————————————————
Yidia:
In the Modern Day series and CORNERWORLD, we see Special Trees that look more like normal, real-life trees than the ones seen in the Deanverse. We also see the ruined Washington monument in MD so it seems like they could just be the same, but we also learn the MD Trees drop wood, which we never heard the Deanverse Trees doing before. It seems like the normal-looking Trees also work slightly differently, as Riley and Virgina use them to access the Cornerworld. Are the normal looking Trees different somehow from the Deanverse ones, or is it just because it's not really possible to film Special Trees in real life?
p.s. I LOVE MODERN DAY!!! GRAAAGH
MISTER MANTICORE:
The Special Trees in The Modern Day derive their terror from the fact that they are nearly indistinguishable from the surrounding flora... Nearly... When provoked, the Special Trees extend arms and legs resembling those of the trespasser. The defense strategy effectively scares away unwanted visitors... Unless you're Maya Arnoldson and you have nerves of steel.
The destroyed Washington Monument seen in The Modern Day is the result of a past activation of the Special Tree. The shot in The Special Tree is a glimpse of the Deanverse/->/Montyverse before Maya leaves their own universe (Pattinson-1/Robverse).
———————————————————————————————————————————
Lemon:
Who or what is the Croatoan? Is he just a clone of Oppenheimer who does funky things or is a bigger part of “America’s True Self”?
MISTER MANTICORE:
Like the two invisible men responsible for preparing the Front Row at NASA, the Croatoan is the anomalous guardian who monitors the health of America's "True Self." Think of him as the superorganism's very own private physician. The Croatoan can manipulate the minds of others in order to keep America's "True Self" hidden from the public (see CliftChaos and A Monument Mythos).
———————————————————————————————————————————
Lavender:
Is the Monument Mythos (+ side-stories) "solvable" by us. As in there is a specific lore in which all aspects can either be found in the videos + qna answers with connections that can reasonably be found. Or is there stuff that is left ambiguous, no specific connection, that allows the watcher to fill the gap without being right or wrong. Either way this series is amazing and I love it so much and am so excited for the new stuff.
MISTER MANTICORE:
Since the series has properly come to a close, I can confidently say that The Monument Mythos does have a set lore and that it is solvable (if we go by your definition). There are moments that are left ambiguous for dramatic effect, but nothing was created without a preliminary explanation in my head. Everything HAD to make sense to me first.
———————————————————————————————————————————
Jamie Kavaler:
Who/what is the female president in CliftChaos?
MISTER MANTICORE:
Irish McCalla!
———————————————————————————————————————————
Melodyyyy:
How are you feeling recently? I know it isn't a Modern Day question but I just want to know how you're feeling after the end of your biggest series and at the start of a new one.
MISTER MANTICORE:
I've been... Concerned. Even though nothing's ever been perfect, I can't help but feel that things in the world have dramatically worsened in the last few years. Perhaps aging into my twenties has made me more aware of pre-existing problems in our country and abroad. But I feel that people are more divided now than ever before. I used to dream of humans exploring the universe and visiting other worlds. Nowadays, I find myself hoping that we stay put and never spread to the other systems.
Tulip Tulip:
We need a real Cthonaut A
MISTER MANTICORE:
We need Everett Arnoldson
———————————————————————————————————————————
Ges:
What are the TRUE origins of the Martian and Venutian serpents?
MISTER MANTICORE:
As seen in The Nixonverse and Season 3, the destruction of one universe is required for the birth of another. Aside from the information synthesized by the Dean Museum of Natural History (MonumentMythology), I can tell you that the Horned Serpent, the Martian Serpent, and the Venusian Serpent were all born out of a series of cataclysmic events. Now, whether the appearance of the Demon, the Monster, and the Cthonaut was one of those foundational events... Well, let's just say that the researchers of the Deanverse/->/Montyverse will be unsettled when they uncover the truth.
———————————————————————————————————————————
Cthonaut D(That’s just the username) :
What do YOU want to tell us about Modern Day/Monument Mythos as a whole that you haven't already?
MISTER MANTICORE:
You CAN enjoy The Monument Mythos WITHOUT the lore! Don't let the theorists intimidate you. They're great and we need them, but you don't need to know ANYTHING to engage with the series. Some context and a little Google search here and there can elevate the experience, but these videos weren't created for history majors. Even though I am in love with history, these videos are for anyone who's got some time to spare (including the history majors)!
———————————————————————————————————————————
Calliope:
Whats the deal with Lincolnlookers?
MISTER MANTICORE:
Lincolnlooking has only one goal: to teach a lesson. The turnover rate is high. Lookers are released often to make room for new arrivals. But there is a misconception, even among government officials, that the Lincoln Memorial can only hold one Looker at a time. This is not true. Groups have Looked together.
———————————————————————————————————————————
OugonNoCheri:
Hey Alex. A huge fan from Spain and someone whose own art has been deeply impacted by yours. First of all, thank you for what you've created. FREEDOMFOREVER has never failed to make me cry like a baby. My question would be the following: in the last month, a huge theory has been brewing about the theme of glowing eyes all around the series. Have you heard about it, and even if the answer is negative, could you elaborate on the topic? Again, thank you so much :)
MISTER MANTICORE:
I have not read any theories about glowing eyes. To be brief, the glowing eyes are the result of exposure to forbidden knowledge. They develop like cataracts from an atomic explosion, though they are only detectable in photography. After traumatic events, the human mind is most vulnerable, which is the best time to manipulate the psyche. The intensity of the glow indicates the nearness of a possessing entity. While not the first entries to include glowing eyes, CliftChaos and The Trinity Desk Project are great places to start investigating this phenomena.
———————————————————————————————————————————
Resquel:
Is there anything new for the NIXONVERSE that is in the works?
MISTER MANTICORE:
No, there is nothing new in production for The Nixonverse. The story is complete.
———————————————————————————————————————————
Bean Moment:
hello Alex, huge fan. I love your creation. It's my favorite piece of analog horror out there. And i love sending MM related memes to my friends with no context and watch them get confused. My question is what's the deal with STARRYPHYNX? We know that some of it is made by the ADA, but is the sphynx ship made up? Did the Egyptians (Somehow) make a spaceship? Or did they build on some random ship they found, like a past Cthonaut ship? And if that part if fabricated, then what's the deal with those pyramid things we see in MUSKMARS?
MISTER MANTICORE:
Not EVERYTHING in StarrySphinx is fabricated. The ADA are master manipulators. They know how to take the truth and twist it juuuuust right for their cause. The pyramids you see in MuskMars are part of an ancient defense system that weakened over time and ultimately deactivated when Musk began his nuclear detonations, setting the Martian Serpent free.
———————————————————————————————————————————
*MISTER MANTICORE closes out the QnA with a message to the readers*
“Thank you for your questions! I hope I can host another QnA in the near future. For now, I'm giving the page back to the official manager: Eliana!”