Tuesday, May 5, 2009

[nickspoon]

I don't think anyone genuinely believes that Raine Dog advocates or even portrays bestiality.

[Rasputin42x69]

In doing so, I'm trying also to explore what makes someone a "person," and what ramifications that has.

This.

Precisely what speaks to the reason why I was in no way disturbed by "The Kiss," nor did I consider it an act of bestiality. I'm able to make the distinction between "Anthro," which Raine is, and "animal."

And if this makes me abnormal, so be it. Eris knows, I've never given a rat's ass about normality, anyway.

you'd think that DCS would have learned by now that a bunch of /b/tards really don't care if she explains to them why they're incorrect in acting like they think DCS is saying things she isn't

So I'm not the only one getting a 4chan vibe from these forums, then.

[Dr. Sticks]

don't ever call me a 4channer furfag. that is the shittiest website ever.

/b/tard is just the best generic term for such a griefer. "/b/" is also found on most chans other than 4chan.

[Rasputin42x69]

"furfag..." Meh. That's so juvenile.

I remember back in the day when "skunkfucker" was the epithet of choice among anti-furs. At least that had a comedic ring to it...

[Dr. Sticks]

it's juvenile like 4chan. I remember when I was like "4chan is full of stupid posters and stupid mods".

[cougartiger]

I wasn't distrubed at all by the kiss. In fact, I commend DCS for exploring territory usually left unexplored when sentient animals exist side by side with humans.

While Raine Dog overall is, like all of DCS's work, schizophrenic, it is nevertheless one of the more original comics I've seen in a long time.

I may gripe about some of the strips but I always remain curious about what is coming next. I will reserve final judgment untill I can read the print edition on one sitting when it may work better.

DCS has changed that's for sure. This is a large part of why I wish she would not do any O&M stories for at least 5 years. In her current state we may be getting more of the last year of O&M and that's not good. I do hope I'm wrong. That would be a nice surprise.

Still, she did finally respond to me on her DA page about the missing artwork I paid for and promised to get the missing pieces out ASAP if I e-mailed her. Of course, I've been doing that for months! So, I sent the latest e-mail to all three of her addresses from both of mine. Hopefully one will get through.

Anyway, I suspect this forum will carry on as before. I'll still post from time to time. Life goes on.

[Kizor]

It's good to see that the forum isn't into hatred for hatred's sake. That sort of thing is really frustrating when everyone involved is on Earth for a finite time.

I wasn't around for the final years of Ozy & Millie and don't know how this place has developed, but it seems less snarky than apprehensive. That's certainly how I feel. The not-bestiality was melodramatic and heavy-handed, but that's clearly on the menu and if you can't stand seafood, don't eat at a Japanese restaurant. A bigger problem is the word "semi-autobiographical."

The strip's world is impossible. That's ambitious, but cool. Some marvellous stories have been produced by taking well-established tropes, inducing reality and toasting marshmallows above the burning ruins. What I fear is that paying close attention to the Bush Administration has taken its toll, and DCS has departed the grizzled plains of reasoned storytelling for the vale of batshit, so that we'll be treated to Important Messages about Oppressed Minorites through the plight of enslaved cartoon animals whose closest real-world equivalent isn't even in the real world but in the remake of Planet of the Apes. If that won't happen, great.

[Rasputin42x69]

@Kizor: You're actually posting a reasoned, well thought out critique of Dana's work?

What the hell are you doing here? GTFO

...

I kid, of course. I actually find this rather refreshing.

Yeah, there is a bit of heavy-handedness in this story, but you have to remember that what we're looking at is through Raine's eyes. I was rather impressed by "The Kiss," and I admire Dana for making such a ballsy move.

Besides, I feel like we could use a little more heavy-handedness in art these days, as opposed to the fluff that passes for it. It's like Taylor Mali said, it's not enough these days to simply "question authority;" you have to speak with it too.

[Chris]

Whatever you say David (DCS's real BOY name ), We still love you!

[Patent Fool]

? what do you mean real boy name? DCS is a woman??

[Ibun]

Boys names are icky. They have name cooties.

[Rasputin42x69]

Whatever you say David (DCS's real BOY name ), We still love you!

Real BOY name? Wah...?

It's Dana's decision and right to define herself as she sees fit, just as it is our right to define ourselves as whatever gender we perceive ourselves to be. And, I might add, this wasn't a decision that she took lightly, not by a long shot.

Seriously, I thought that this stopped being an issue a while back. Apparently, I was mistaken. :/

[Borscht]

Yeah, there is a bit of heavy-handedness in this story, but you have to remember that what we're looking at is through Raine's eyes. I was rather impressed by "The Kiss," and I admire Dana for making such a ballsy move.

I disagree, because the move wasn't ballsy. If the parents hadn't *coincidentally* busted in at that exact moment, it would've been ballsy. Instead, it simply felt contrived.

The "JEFF? OH MY GOD!" panel is a cop-out. I don't object to the idea that the parents find out and spay Princess, but having them pop in immediately robs Jeff/Princess of their own reactions to their kiss.

As a writer, DCS took the easiest possible way out of the scene, and turned what should be a big emotional hit (Princess's mutilation at the hands of man) into a failed sucker punch.[/i]

[nickspoon]

don't ever call me a 4channer furfag.

Whoa whoa whoa whoa. None of that.

As a writer, DCS took the easiest possible way out of the scene, and turned what should be a big emotional hit (Princess's mutilation at the hands of man) into a failed sucker punch.

That's one of the things that bothered me, thanks for pointing it out. Something about the writing irks me, it seems as though DCS is going for punchy shock-tactics in order to make up for the poor quality - something I despise in modern creative work.

[Rasputin42x69]

I disagree, because the move wasn't ballsy. If the parents hadn't *coincidentally* busted in at that exact moment, it would've been ballsy. Instead, it simply felt contrived.

The "JEFF? OH MY GOD!" panel is a cop-out. I don't object to the idea that the parents find out and spay Princess, but having them pop in immediately robs Jeff/Princess of their own reactions to their kiss.

As a writer, DCS took the easiest possible way out of the scene, and turned what should be a big emotional hit (Princess's mutilation at the hands of man) into a failed sucker punch.

I wouldn't call it contrived, but now that I look back on it, you do have a point that it was kinda rushed. It would have suited the moment for Jeff and Raine to realize the ramifications of their actions, even if not feeling ashamed of them.

Maybe a little something like this (and I mean no disrespect to Dana for "rewriting" this, this is just how I would have done it: )

End that particular page with "The Kiss," and all the slings and arrows that come with it, then have another page go this way:

1st panel: *breaking the kiss, yet still holding each other*

2nd panel: Raine: ...this was wrong, wasn't it?
Jeff: ...I suppose...

3rd panel: Jeff: It didn't feel wrong though...

4th panel: Raine: ... No, it didn't...

5th panel: *they kiss again*

and THEN have the "JEFF! OH MY GOD!!" panel.

But that's neither here nor there. That part of the comic is written, and she has admitted as such that this is a learning experience for her, so it's best to just move on. I'm looking forward to seeing where this story goes.