Define Cynical Fan Forums

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2009 12:49 am**

I've read the postings from the last few days, and while many are well thought out, most seem to have nothing to do with 'cynical', the hopeful title of this forum. Instead many seem to be impulsive, mean-spirited rantings the level of adolescent idiocy, lacking depth or any true understanding and insight, or even historical awareness of the range of cartooning and storytelling.

The 'kiss' strip clearly showed Jeff surprised, and not only that, this is a story told as seen through the dog's eyes. She is a PERSON. One of the insightful commenters did note that this is an anthropomorphic construct, neither fully animal nor human. There is NO intention whatsoever of bestiality. It is an anthropomorphic FRIEND who wishes to give her FRIEND (who happens to be her owner in this scenario) a mere kiss.
There is nothing more about it that is not seen in the drawing.

The 'operation' drawing is an interpretation, again, seen from the dog's eyes in this story. She assumes that her operation has something to do with the kiss. This does not mean it does, but for her it may seem to. Calvin had hundreds of scenarios in his head, from his stuffed tiger coming alive, to being a dinosaur, to traveling time, but the outside elements (outside the mind) continue onward regardless of the interpretations being told through the dog's eyes. It was likely just time for her to get fixed. It is a timeline, and Jeff would tell the story in a whole different way perhaps, but it's Just A Story of People, with a few anthropomorphic attributes as window dressing, nothing more. And it is a tale of interpretation from the mind of a person (who happens to be an anthro puppy dog). The interpretation is what you see. Many of the items might be different to other players in the tale, and they are no more hard fact than Snoopy really fighting the Red Baron, or an entire grassland of animals singing 'Circle of Life' to a pride of talking lions about to eat them.

It is a story. It isn't a documentary. It is a gift to you, to read or not read. And it is a person giving the gift to you. Free.
Try to give just a little more than primitive, gut reaction, nasty, taunting, unappreciative interaction in the forum.
It is here to be constructive, not destructive, and if you do not give input with some degree of care, the forum doesn't really serve any worthwhile purpose at all.
I agree... guys this is a fan forum!! FAN means you don't criticize or make jokes about it!! Why is everyone being so ungrateful here? Dana is clearly doing ya'll a service and you respond by spitting in her face. You people are acting so immature. I really hope the rest of the internet doesn't see this topic.

Who CARES that Jeff was sleeping without any apparent clothing? Who CARES that he is a human and Raine is a dog? She can talk. I'm disgusted that so many of you made the connection to beastiality.

I've pretty much had it with this place... You guys are a little too immature for my tastes. Learn to accept a gift, seriouslY!!![/i]

Honestly, it's not purely based on quality, but also on how seriously DCS takes his/herself. I think that's the main reason there's so much hostility. There are worse webcomics out there with far fewer people criticizing them, but I think that's largely due to the fact that the creators of those comics aren't immature and argumentative whiners themselves, with the belief that their opinions constitute the absolute truth.

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2009 1:03 am**

Being a fan of something also doesn't mean you can't criticize it. Unless you want to be a mindless, grovelling fanboy.

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2009 5:23 am**

Thanks to MaxFox and klimt and Comrade K (and nickspoon if it wasn't sarcastic) for the thoughtful replies, both critique and praise, but both at least written with care.

klimt, your point is well-taken regarding Family Guy. It could be that many people are desensitized and overly assumptive based on some modern-day scenarios such as that.

I read this as more of a classic cartooning style though. And even in cases such as say, Roger Rabbit, I'm not familiar with anyone who takes that seriously and imagines anything really happening there, but even so, where was the ruckus IF that were the case? Or when Donald Duck is all over those women in the Three Caballeros movie? Even many Warner Brothers characters in scores of cartoons? Or the Little Mermaid? Or scores of other Disney cartoons, anime, manga, etc.? Perhaps because Simpson wants us to bond with these characters more than just be superficial drawings? I don't know... but considering that this is a forum about the strip, and also that Simpson has been drawing for a long time, one would think she'd at least get the benefit of the doubt.

Or maybe it's just pointless to argue the issue, I don't know. 4 serious replies and 4 frivolous replies so far... not really good odds.

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2009 5:36 am**

Being a fan of something also doesn't mean you can't criticize it. Unless you want to be a mindless, grovelling fanboy.

Not being a fan doesn't mean you have to be a complete jerk either, though. As much as people say DCS is a whiner, the people saying it are doing just as much whining themselves. I, of all people, know what is like to butt heads with DCS; but even then I wasn't this bad.

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2009 7:38 am**

I agree... guys this is a fan forum!! FAN means you don't criticize or make jokes about it!!

HA HA HA that's rich. Yeah we're not entitled to an opinion?...

I thought about making a tl;dr post rebutting what DC had to say and what I think of this drek that DC has been shatting out the past few weeks, but I can all ready tell I'd be outnumbered.

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2009 9:08 am**

Being a fan of something also doesn't mean you can't criticize it. Unless you want to be a mindless, grovelling fanboy.
Not being a fan doesn't mean you have to be a complete jerk either, though. As much as people say DCS is a whiner, the people saying it are doing just as much whining themselves. I, of all people, know what is like to butt heads with DCS; but even then I wasn't this bad.

Precisely the reason why I have pretty much completely refrained from commenting on any of the strips.

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2009 12:02 pm**

It is a timeline, and Jeff would tell the story in a whole different way perhaps, but it's Just A Story of People, with a few anthropomorphic attributes as window dressing, nothing more.

No, the anthropomorphic attributes can't be thought of as mere window dressing. It's pretty obvious that theme of human-like animals is playing the major role in the story. You can't dismiss that. Whether it's being done well, that's arguable.

It is a story. It isn't a documentary. It is a gift to you, to read or not read. And it is a person giving the gift to you. Free.

The thing is, this isn't an exception. Almost every webcomic is free. And frankly, there are better examples of these 'gifts' out there to a lot of people here.

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2009 8:08 pm**

(and nickspoon if it wasn't sarcastic)

I was being entirely sincere.

Posted: **Thu May 14, 2009 8:40 pm**

It is a timeline, and Jeff would tell the story in a whole different way perhaps, but it's Just A Story of People, with a few anthropomorphic attributes as window dressing, nothing more.
No, the anthropomorphic attributes can't be thought of as mere window dressing. It's pretty obvious that theme of human-like animals is playing the major role in the story. You can't dismiss that. Whether it's being done well, that's arguable.

It is a story. It isn't a documentary. It is a gift to you, to read or not read. And it is a person giving the gift to you. Free.
The thing is, this isn't an exception. Almost every webcomic is free. And frankly, there are better examples of these 'gifts' out there to a lot of people here.

For example, Jack's art. That is possibly the best gift to the forum yet.

Posted: **Fri May 15, 2009 1:53 pm**

Posted: **Sat May 16, 2009 7:48 am**

wrong topic, sorry

EDIT:
But I want to take back what I said about you guys earlier. I read through this whole topic and I was expecting everyone to like this BS, but I find out a lot of you are reacting exactly how I did.

You CANNOT compare this to Family Guy. Family Guy does it to be funny and satirical. DC is trying to make a point that humans are the scum of the earth and what happens next? The dog gets spayed (or is it an abortion

) and we should feel bad for the dog. So spaying = evil... so... kissing dogs... should be okay?

That's not bad enough, and Raine IS DC. She posted pictures of Raine before and said it was her fursona (I'm like 90% sure anyway) so that's just a lie. That's her fursona kissing a little boy... not only is it bestiality, it's pedophilia. It's disgusting and I don't know what the hell she's trying to prove anymore.

I'm not looking forward to those new Ozy and Millie strips.

Posted: **Sat May 16, 2009 11:16 am**

I now have the Cheers theme stuck in my head.

Posted: **Sat May 16, 2009 1:40 pm**

wrong topic, sorry

EDIT:
But I want to take back what I said about you guys earlier. I read through this whole topic and I was expecting everyone to like this BS, but I find out a lot of you are reacting exactly how I did.

You CANNOT compare this to Family Guy. Family Guy does it to be funny and satirical. DC is trying to make a point that humans are the scum of the earth and what happens next? The dog gets spayed (or is it an abortion ) and we should feel bad for the dog. So spaying = evil... so... kissing dogs... should be okay?

That's not bad enough, and Raine IS DC. She posted pictures of Raine before and said it was her fursona (I'm like 90% sure anyway) so that's just a lie. That's her fursona kissing a little boy... not only is it bestiality, it's pedophilia. It's disgusting and I don't know what the hell she's trying to prove anymore.

I'm not looking forward to those new Ozy and Millie strips.

1) Family Guy is not funny. It is not satirical, it is not witty. It is just a string of one lame gag after another.
2) Fursona or not she is not and never will be a dog. It is not scientifically possible.
3) It's a pantsless DRAWING. It's not beastiality or pedophilia because it's not REAL.
4) It's also not either of those because it was just a kiss. I kiss my cats all the time, not on the lips; but regardless, there was no sex, implied or otherwise.
5) Yes it was presented poorly, we have all established that; but your posting serves no purpose except to recite the same old bullshit that is only cause for inciting anger and arguments.
6) Lastly, if you don't like it, don't read it. Stop whining and move on. Seriously.

Posted: **Sat May 16, 2009 4:08 pm**

not only is it bestiality, it's pedophilia. It's disgusting and I don't know what the hell she's trying to prove anymore.

please explain to me how I am a pedophile, because when I was in elementary school I kissed one of my classmates. Raine Dog is a some-what vague allegory of DCSes life, and her values and ideas. You're meant to
a) be mentally capable of recognizing that Princess is somewhere around nine human-years old at this point, or whatever would be an appropriately similar age to Jeff (thus making it not pedophilia)
b) be capable of recognizing that this is supposed to represent the same kind of terror that homosexual people have felt growing up; if Jeff's parents had found him kissing a human girl it would have been more or less okay, but the fact that it was a dog and not a human makes it inherently wrong, according to the social standards of the time.

If you're disgusted by that, I don't even see how you've managed to read DCS or her comics this long

Posted: **Sat May 16, 2009 4:11 pm**

My mom is a pedophile she kissed me all the time.

Define Cynical Fan Forums

Friday, May 1st, 2009

Re: gah.

Re: gah.

Re: gah.