Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT

Questionable Character

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ReindeerFlotilla:
This. Very this.

In a world where you compete with large predators for food "spinelessness" is a negative quality. In the world most members of this forum live in--the world I think we all imagine should spread to the part of Earth where it doesn't obtain, at least where standard of living is concerned--the biggest threat most will ever face is some person willing to do violence out of petulance or misplaced anger. Nothing important is at stake. Frankly, not wanting to "be brave" in that circumstance is the smartest thing a person can do.

It's a big planet, and there's not a lot that can't be solved by just avoiding it. I suspect you also include things like socializing in non-threat situations in there, and that can be a problem. But it is my personal hallucination that social issues are as external as they are internal. Not all of us are cut out for the default social melee. It could be that what you perceive as spinelessness is really a sign that you need a better peer group (better for you, not better in some absolute sense). This is also okay.

On the subject, itself, the QC peer group is pretty damned good, all other thing assumed to be equal. They don't, for the most part, go out of their way to make each other feel unworthy. And when they do, they tend to hold themselves responsible for being wrong, and try to make it better. The equilibrium point for the system is "it is okay to be you." The drama tends to develop around things moving away from that point. Resolutions tend to move toward that point.

Emperor Norton:

--- Quote from: Gareth on 11 Mar 2015, 15:15 ---
--- Quote from: Psyclone on 11 Mar 2015, 14:46 ---I admit I am asking because I think I myself have Marigold's introversion and Marten's spinelessness. Is that a reason for me to be worried? What can I do?

--- End quote ---

And this right here is part of what I find so worrying about the level of hatred some characters get on this forum. I really don't like Sven either, but the vitriol some characters get just worries me, especially since Jeph seems to aim to set his comic in a world not too far from our own. His characters are human and they make mistakes, and yet some people don't forgive any of these characters for any of this, and now we have here a poster who thinks that being shy and introverted is a cardinal sin to some people.

Psyclone, there is nothing wrong with being introverted or shy, and the word 'spineless' is one too disparaging to be using about yourself. It implies that there is a negative quality rather than simply a differing quality and that's just not healthy.

--- End quote ---

Just wanted to say that this post made is spot on.

pwhodges:

--- Quote from: ReindeerFlotilla on 11 Mar 2015, 22:19 ---The equilibrium point for the system is "it is okay to be you." The drama tends to develop around things moving away from that point. Resolutions tend to move toward that point.

--- End quote ---

As Shinji says at the end of the TV series ending of Neon Genesis Evangelion, in the realisation the whole work has been building up to:  "It's OK to be me".

Half Empty Coffee Cup:
Congratulations!  :-D

Drachenfel:

--- Quote from: ReindeerFlotilla on 10 Mar 2015, 14:55 ---"...but I'm not sexist!" said nobody, yet. But I kinda figure it's coming so I want to get it out of the way.

I recently apologized (sincerely) in a pre-emptive manner because it was possible that what I was suggesting as inconsistent was perfectly consistent and I had just missed some posts. I'm probably just bad at internet (Internet, but nobody like a pedant), so I tend not to put too much effort into retaining who said what, until it gets extremely repetitive. So, while this might a response to something you, dear reader, wrote... The odds I remember you wrote it are infinitesimal.

Also, I believe you aren't sexist. What follows if my observation about a pattern I see, which may not exist. It's not about what you are. It's about what seems to be happening.

/Preamble.

So, I obviously have something jammed side up my ass about the hate on people seem to have for their least favorite characters. There's a grain of salt to take with this. Still, I've noticed a pattern and it really bugs me that it is (might be?) there--not out of simple social outrage, but because I can't be sure if that pattern (if it is real) is result of mind sets or of Jeph's writing.

(Disclaimer: I pretty much adore Jeph's writing, even when I criticize it. So that's a thing.)

There's point. I promise.

The hate on bugs me, but even more bothersome is how it seems nigh exclusively aimed at the women of QC. It's not like I haven't considered the extenuating circumstances. The women vastly out number the regular men at any given time. The men tend to display less overall character dimension. There are exceptions in the cast--Marten and Clinton, but I'm going to dismiss Clinton simply on the basis that his character was introduced to be unlikable. So the fact that he raises ire means he's doing his job. Marten is a bit more questionable in terms of content, but I would argue that he is THE main character, having the most "screen" time.

Marten also doesn't seem to draw as much "hate on" so much as he draws a kind of paternal resignation. This doesn't surprise me, or suggest anything to me. Again, Main Character. You have to love hating him to still be reading.

Anyway, that's the thing nibbling at my awareness right now. It just feels like the girls are held to a higher standard than the boys when it comes--not to having a like/don't-like opinion, but--to the need to express exactly how terrible a character is. Even in the case of Marten seeming to get a fairer share, it feels like he's judged on what he did, while the girls are judged on what they are.

--- End quote ---

I'm sorry, but this really really bothered me!

We have exactly 1 main male character, a couple secondary and the rest are there for punch lines.  So YES you will see more 'hate on' towards the women in this comic.  Likewise the women in this comic are deeper characters then any of the men and deeper characters create greater feelings from the people looking in on them.  Marten is described by many as chill and zen and the nice guy, he has no major character flaws other then his lack of major character flaws.  He's, at least to me, boring as hell unless he's paired to one of the other characters and interacting with them.

Do not even suggest people being unfair to women in a comic where the men are poorly represented!  If men in this comic become equally represented and all the hate seems to be directed at the women you can throw the sexists term, otherwise please please DON'T!  All it means here is that the women are better thought out characters and stir people's emotions!

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