![[1017] Letter Of Complaint](/comics/2018-08-30-1017-letter-of-complaint.png "[1017] Letter Of Complaint")
I have posted the submissions placed 13 or lower of this year’s Gaia artwork contest:
- Letter: 28 August 2018
Dear Miss North,
We regret to inform you that we’ve grown tired of the current story arc. One reason for that is that it’s been running for almost four months now. Above all, however, we resent looking at pretty young girls in bikinis. That’s just yucky and ew!
We therefore feel compelled to limit the final table tennis match to 2 winning points and to introduce a strict dress code (see Annex A).
Your readers
KaxTax Bakejir Warwix
Nickel aludokoojul
Annexes
- Zoey: Can they do that?!
- Sandra: Sure. They’re readers. Their whims are our commands!
- Zoey: I can’t see the ball!
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Shark wrote:
…my name was in the strip? o.o
@ Cobalt:
Yeah, but you’ve been renamed Nickel now. Enjoy your new name XD
Brijeka Vervix wrote:
I think I get the point actually. I’m trying to learn to draw so I can do my own webcomic. Let’s say, I used the name Shark Star (my main characters full name) in my name here in the comments, but before I ever managed to make my web comic, he used my name in his comic. I’d be worried that when finally making my comic, people would think he came up with the name first and I was ripping him off.
Already pissed off that I came up with a full name for one character, Angel Cross in 2003, then I found out 15 years later an old Ratchet and Clank game already used the name for one of their characters that same year…Makes me look like I ripped it off -.-
@ Novil:
Hah, we made the same joke. No worries, I enjoy being the butt end of a joke.
@ Marscaleb:
I see wet children in swim clothes all the time, being, you know, a *parent*.
@ Marscaleb:
Get over it man, its a web comic… no actual children are being portrayed in any way that could be considered lewd, or worse.
@ Anomaly:
It’s not “savage”, it’s petty and passive-aggressive. Come on, Oliver. Be the bigger man and just ignore them if they’re complaining about your story arc.
MidoriLuna wrote:
That is VERY questionable logic there.
Whether or not consent is implied or given by the commenter isn’t actually the issue here, but consent itself is. The issue is that nowhere in the rules is it stated that by commenting you are consenting to something like this. And clearly, some of them at least, did NOT consent to this. And considering their reaction, I’m assume that consent was asked from NONE of them.
Unfortunately, due to these issues? It doesn’t come off as it could have, which would be a funny little jab at the comments (especially since part of the complaints are valid, we’ve already spent 4 months in this story arc). It comes off as looking like Novil is throwing a hissy fit over people not enjoying the arc as much as he had hoped they would, and very thinly veiling the people he feels are the biggest contributers to the criticism over it. Especially considering he seems to be, at this point, flat-out ignoring the requests for names to be removed/censored. I would advise him to either remove or censor the names. Maybe even just make up some random names that DON’T refer to certain commenters. People are, quite clearly, NOT happy over this, and it’s not like he’s maintaining a moral high ground by refusing.
Shark wrote:
…Eh, I’ve had worse names.
Marscaleb wrote:
Grow up. Young children and teenagers wear swimsuits when they’re at a pool/the beach. I forget which exactly they’re at. I think it might have been a pool, but then they played what was specified as ‘beach volleyball’.
In any case… grow up. Kids and teenagers wear swimsuits, and this is, most often, a slice of life webcomic about living with a talking raccoon. So. Put on your big boy pants and deal with it.
Well, how old are they exactly?
@ Goodbye Sandra and Woo:
Creating a special username just to add more fire to the heat ?? LOL. Okay, see you next strip man, if you dare using your original username.
SICRA wrote:
They’re all aroundabout the same age if I’m remembering right, and Sandra recently hit 13. So I’m guessing around 12-14, around that sort of age group.
I’m disappointed, too. Apparently the author really does hate his fans and wants them to fight each other.
@ Cobalt:
It was described as a “swim center”. It seems to offer a variety of recreation options centered around a swimming pool, or possibly more that one. All you need for “beach” volleyball is a net and some sand, not necessarily an actual beach.
I tend to agree that the swimsuits are appropriate to the location. I don’t think the kids have been gratuitously sexualized, so I don’t see a big deal. (And no, a little fairly innocent kissing and cuddling doesn’t make for excessive sexualization in my book.) I won’t apologize for enjoying the view, either. Simply enjoying the sight of cute girls and boys is worlds away from actually having any inappropriate contact with them in the real world, much less in the context of a work of fiction.
As long as the authors are pandering to the whims of the audience, I demand that every future story line should end with Cloud in a skirt. I don’t care if it makes any sense or not.
@ Brijeka Vervix:
well. you sound like some SJW. The arc happens at the swimming pool for gods sake.
Brijeka Vervix wrote:
Ya, I would. I might even print the strip and frame it on my desk.
The strip didn’t call you “prudish feminazi muslim”, this was a hyperbole and it’s a way to concoct a joke. What it did was say some of the readers are whiners, you as an example. And, certainly enough, here you went, whining on the comments.
Elsa up and let go. This has zero impact on your life. Have a laugh. We’re all meaning to be friendly. 😉
@ Titan:
i say both and we just roll with it
Seriously guys, the joke is clearly justifed, what kind of society do you live in where in a webcomic about teenage drama happening at the beach or in a pool center, the first thing you complain about is “oh my god they wear bikinis !!”. I mean, I didn’t even take notice until the actual joke happened.
@ Fex:
Unfortunately, as stated in the comment section on next strip, internet is serious business for her. No such thing as laugh and friendly.
PS2kid wrote:
You mean: as ‘as stated by you’?
@ Fex:
Since copyright violations could affect my life, you will find that you aren’t quite correct. Same with the character assassination.
@ hellsheep:
Stop believing Novil’s lies
@ Brijeka Vervix:
Oh, I get it: you’re trolling!
Well played.
@ Fex:
More like: I’m being trolled
@ Novil:
Their criticisms were serious criticisms. They wanted to help you in a serious way. You making light of these STRANGERS and what they’ve said, while also personally speaking to them in an indirect and public manner (and not the comments or a PM), and creating a greatly disproportional response?
That’s not being the butt of a joke. That’s not even close.
We’re not your friends no matter how friendly we are. We don’t know you. We don’t know how you act around friends. And we can’t read your mind. Anyone else could’ve predicted this.
On top of this, friends do not make fun of other friends who are being serious by publicly announcing them and mocking them as they watch on. Friends make fun of other friends in a comfortable environment out of sight of the public, with tone and words designed to turn what would be harsh mocking from anyone else into a familiar, friendly ribbing. And when it’s criticism of you and your work they’re trying to give? Laughing at it while trying to make their criticism sound stupid is definitely mocking them. Especially with the whole “they’re the readers, we must obey,” thing, which looks like, “well fine, you write the comic then, if you’re so smart.”
They were being serious and so took it seriously, like anyone would. You forgot that your audience aren’t friends. And you did what would break friendships in real life. This isn’t about whether or not someone can take a joke. You made the comment equivalent of “it’s just a prank, bro,” when it’s clearly not acceptable.
@Brijeka Vervix
This comic is not legally libel or copyright infringement, as it clearly falls under the protection of law that parody enjoys. Novil did not actually need to change the name, but was kind enough to do so. Requesting the full removal of the page is not something you are entitled to.
You know what is copyright infringement, however? Fanart. It’s not protected at all, and you have drawn Brijeka as a member of the house of Slytherin multiple times(and no, not doing this for monetary gain is not actually a defense).
Rowling has in fact sued multiple fan creations successfully. Meanwhile, parodies such as Barry Trotter are best sellers and not even remotely assailable according to law.
Maybe next time, you should not complain about people committing copyright abuse when you yourself do it on the regular.
I understand that the comic was hurtful to you, but Novil has already extended an olive branch with the changed name on the page. You requesting the total removal of the comic is unreasonable.
Chillwinston89 wrote:
Ok, but imagine the awkwardness of those of us over the age of 18 (at least mentally) who are reading this webcomic…
“No, officer, honest, I was reading it for the drama…”
Red5 wrote:
It also proves a belief I’ve maintained for a while now. No one is above wanting to be shown sensitivity. Even the people who toss out gems like “I feel like I’m walking on egg shells with you”.
I myself, enjoyed and still do enjoy pages 580-592 which makes some jabs at religion despite being a Christian myself. Funny and downright pleasant at times.
So why does someone priding himself on being mature and above sensitivity allow himself to lose his cool when someone gives a critical opinion on the comic, even if said criticism is still civilized (which isn’t an oxymoron)?
@ SmartAlec105:
… you’re fortunate that your past comments allowed me to see 🙈 your jokeಠ_ಠ