There are a few right-wing nutcases who love to comment on my cartoons at comics.com (http://comics.com/minimum_security). There are other, more insightful and supportive people too, who weigh in. (Thank you to the latter!!)
The current storyline is making the nuts go ballistic! In their arguments, they seem to believe that this comic strip is real. They seem THAT passionate when they denounce Kranti, especially. And they equate her, as the central character, with me.
Just to be clear, she is not me. She has thoughts and desires and impulses that I understand, and that I am exploring. I don’t always agree with her. This story is a thought experiment — testing in a narrative what is viable and what is not, in terms of transforming the social/economic/political structure.
Anyway, all this has made me think I have underestimated the power of storytelling. I find it fascinating.
Hiya Steph — I regularly read the `strip on your site, rather than comics.com. After your most recent comment I went and read what people are saying. Hey, you’re doin’ it right! You’ve got supporters and right-wing trolls! As a writer myself, I think you’re doing an excellent job. Your story has intrigue, humour, suspense, and is so believable that some dimbulbs think it’s reality. I’m glad I have more of a life than that. I’m glad you do too. You go. girl!
Talos, thank you for your comment! It has sure stirred up some strong feelings. I’m making an effort to keep it suspenseful — I’m glad it’s working!
The bible is the literal truth to them. They in particular are inclined to think that stories are reality rather than that stories REFLECT reality. Some distortion and simplification is necessary to tell any story.
People write stories about murder all the time. Heck, Shakespeare made a career out of it. I wonder why this one upsets some people so much :)
Bob, if it was a CEO killing thousands, that would be okay. Violence going the other direction (even in a story!) sends some people into fits!
Great story line, never a day goes by without the wingnuts, but … so it is, love your wildlife illustrations too. Thank you Stephanie!
I think my intuition had fallen for same hook as the right wing trolls then :)
Since the comic originally started with a lot of messages views that seem to represent ecological facts and views I tend to take (exchanges between Kranti and banana), I assumed that Kranti was representative of your mind or views – which puzzled me when she became much more..hehe, directed lately. I loved it! But I was also worried that it was going to get you in trouble, so it was a relief in a way to read that that wasn’t quite it. :D
Keep it up though! Its fascinating, and needed.
It’s a nice insight to see how you develop your characters and story. I like that your main characters don’t exactly reflect you. I think some people assume that the main character is supposed to represent the writer’s ideals, but then their character is more idealistic than realistic. Also, you’ve made Kranti a character of her own. I think I’ve commented before that I like how you have characters representing different motives and different approaches in the face of one huge problem.
I’m pretty tired today, and a little scatterbrained today. I’m looking forward to each new part of the story!
I think you are doing a great job.
I’m one of those who read and comment at gocomics and find it amazing to see the inner workings of the minds dead set against changing anything and using this comic strip as a reason to attack and shut down. They literally treat as a how-to manual by (fill in the ______ of any of their real or imagined enemies) and want it removed. Scary because they are behind the power brokers who literally run our gov’t and it politicians.
It may be too late to stop the worst of it and maybe not but we should end corporate capitalism now. Capitalism itself-payment for services is okay, but this is state-corporation-Domininionist combination is deadly.
I support you as best that I can. If it should ever be dropped, and the PC police of the Reich wing win, I can still come here.
@Nightgaunt: Thank you for your comments here and at comics.com — I appreciate your insights and support.