08-10-10 Best day ever! (more effort strip - revised)

[Sideb(.)(.)bPlatypus]

All I can say after reading what happened on the main page is:

......what the heck? I was a bit surprised by the original strip but had no problems with it. The fact that Giz had to clarify it wasn't homophobic totally blew me away. Who took it THAT way?

I feel bad for Giz and Dave, having to create an entire new strip just because some people don't have the brains to stop looking at something they don't like I equate this with idiots who leave rude comments on Youtube videos (which seem to be a majority, sometimes). If someone didn't like a video, that's their problem and other people could care less. No need to verbalize the fact.

(with obvious exceptions of course. This doesn't apply to constructive criticism or ideas or anything like that, just people who leave comments like "suck a bag of ____" or "this was the worst video I've ever seen, die in a fire, etc")

edit: and I thought at first that there had been an extra strip added before I realized what was going on, drat

[Midego]

It's pretty much a bandwagon situation by now, but regardless I just want to sound off that I wasn't offended by the previous version. The only thing that popped into my head when I saw the last panel was "Another one bites the dust". But eh. There are two versions now. Other folks can enjoy the new one. For me the old one is what I'm going to remember, it pretty much set the perfect stage for Blair's great empire of floozies shattering right when things were totally getting out of control.

[Pinekone]

I caught the busy-bug like the mods on the forum.

I didn't mind the old strip, It did make me go "Wow" when I saw it but the fact of the matter is its highschool. teens in my area do a lot more worser stuff with eachother.

The comic Giz was inking for P&A (another comic with a high school environment), and it showed Penny one of the main characters eloping with another character.
The crowd over there didn't go batty over that.

The mindcontrol part was kind of like "opps I went out of hand about the subject heres a more valid reason for my outburst"

I for sure know Bob can agree with me on this part but when the "Id" takes over, out-of-character-evil things happen. (Blair's lust and selfishness) (see lord of the flies for an example on Id)

I like both versions, I've said this before but this forum needs a more optimistic atmosphere.

Because pessimism is just discouraging.

[cursormortis]

They dont need shit from the other side hitting them from reverse, so stop now.

No offense, but they clearly do need that.

Godfrakit, no, they don't. They may want (and, if they think so, need) to hear our thoughts and opinions. But they don't need shit to hit them from either side. Let me state less politically what I said in my first post: anyone who thinks they have the right to tell creators what to do with their comic needs to be taken out back. The only thing we have invested in this strip is a few minutes 2-3 days a week reading it. That means we deserve no say in what happens. Therefore, if Giz and Dave decide to self-censor, that's their deal. If they decide to leave it, that's also their deal. We just live with it and talk about what we preferred. The ONLY obligation they have to us is getting the strip up on time, which is really more a courtesy than an obligation.

In summary: think about what you're typing on these forums. If it amounts to "Giz and Dave are wrong in how they produce their comic," stand down.

My apologies to the mods/admins if I have overstepped my bounds.

[Yosarian]

Let me state less politically what I said in my first post: anyone who thinks they have the right to tell creators what to do with their comic needs to be taken out back.

Yes, normally I would agree with that.

Except that IN THIS CASE, a small group of people have ALREADY "told the creators what to do with their comic", and unfortunately, they were listened to, to the determent of the plot. In this case, I think the creators DO need to know that the group of people attacking them and calling the original strip "offensive" are in the minority, because if they aren't, then they'll continue to cater to that small group of people.

Basically, if the creators had taken your advice in the first place and ignored "anyone who thinks they have the right to tell the creators what to do with their comic", like they should have, we wouldn't even need to have this conversation.

I'm sorry if you guys feel this has already been argued to death, but I first saw it when I checked the webcomic today, and I find it incredibly frustrating to see a brilliant and creative comic being ruined by complainers. You guys on the forum already got your say, and you see what THAT did; the rest of us readers haven't, until now.

[Giz]

The fact that Giz had to clarify it wasn't homophobic totally blew me away. Who took it THAT way?

No-no, it's once we made the change, some jumped to the conclusion that our change was due to homophobia complaints. That is not the case. The concerns were about the mind control of minors (on who it was and why) and that it brought Blair from fun villain to horrific.

[Giz]

I was surprised that Giz and Dave changed it, but it's their call. Like some other people, I didn't have a huge problem with the original strip, but I do think the new version of the strip is funnier than the original.

I don't think a poll about the decision would be constructive. Some people like the change, some people don't, some people don't care. Giz and Dave made their vote when they changed the strip. Since they are Goddess/God over the Eerie Cuties universe, I feel we should respect that. They shouldn't be criticized for the decision. I doubt they were weeping and cowering in a corner while revising it. They must have agreed with the change to some extent. If they could be so easily coerced by the complaints of "just a few" forumites, then I think the Ma3 strips would be changed daily. Almost each Ma3 strip comes with new complaints/complainers. As long as they're happy with their work, I'm happy.

Keep up the good work, Giz and Dave!

Edited to add: I don't know Dave's history, but Giz has worked on at least 4 different comic strips that I am aware of. I'm sure Giz has developed quite a thick skin for criticism of her work. This is the first "major" revision post-update that I know of. If she didn't deem it necessary, I doubt she would've changed it. Point being, people shouldn't assume the authors are weak and mindlessly bending to the will of forumites just to try to keep a few people happy. Most likely they thought it was a good decision too.

Well said! Thank you!

[Panchocheesecake]

Well it sure as hell seems to be official, but since it doesn't seem to matter (even long term) then I'll just keep this entire fiasco in memory, and keep in heart that in some alternate yet similar reality that had them kissing at a mature-er age. Canon? Nope. Will it matter? Nope. Harmless imho to prefer the original.

[Milt]

I don't think it's just the kiss.

Even if some objectors might not realize it, I think it's the involuntary making-out, COUPLED with Blair's declaration that he intends to keep things that way.

That's exactly where Blair crosses the line between "horndog overexcited to the point of thoughtlessness by new toy" to "I fully understand what I'm doing, I do not care what you want or do not want: you are now my property and I will do whatever the hell I like with you."

Liiiiiitle bit different, yes?

All of which, except for the kissing, is still in the strip.

When you remove one element, it is no longer coupled with the other. There's a reason I emphasized "coupled" in my quote. If Blair is not forcing people to make out, it reverts a touch closer to the level of copping a feel or panty-snatching. Still very evil, but he's no longer condemning the little girl who loves him to an eternity as his SEX TOY. This is not difficult to understand without a determined interest in pretending otherwise.

I'm still rolling on the floor laughing at the posts attacking objectors for stating an opinion. It's not like a pitchfork mob formed around the creators and demanded anything of them. (And the attempt to inject accusations of homophobia to shut down the other side? Priceless. That's when it all turned into a teabagger rally. I didn't read everything, did someone yell "Nazi" yet?)

I'm less amused by the posts attacking Giz and Dave for "capitulation." I said it before: even the dumbest "who gives a crap" comic goes through myriad changes from the moment of conception to posting--and often, after posting. If you started reading EC two weeks from today and there wasn't a big announcement drawing attention to it, you wouldn't even be aware a change had taken place.

In that light, I think I see who really needs to grow up and get over themselves, and it's neither the objectors or the creators.

[Phantasos]

OH LAWDY, LAWD, MUCH GRACE TO YA, NOW THE INNOCENT IMPRESSIONABLE YOUNG BOYS THAT WATCH A WEBCOMIC WITH BALLS TO THE WALL LUDICROUS AMOUNT OF SEXUAL INNUENDO WILL NOT BE *SUBJECTED* TO THE HORRIBLE, VILE AND DAMNABLE ACT THAT TRANSPIRED THAT DAY OF OUR LAWD. DEVIL BE GONE!

NOW MY ONLY CONCERN IS MY OWN LOSS OF INNOCENCE THAT WILL NEVER BE RECUPERATED NOR REGROWN, I AM NOW A LESSER, THEREFORE WORSE PERSON FOR SEEING 2 MIND CONTROLLED GIRLS MAKING OUT. FOR FUCKING SHAME PIXIE TRIX COMICS.

Boy, this was the most absolute retard drama i've ever seen around these parts, especially considering all the morally reprehensible stuff that goes on in Menage a 3.

Also the "new" comics sucks and it barely makes any sense. I'd personally wouldn't compromise my original design or ideas because of a handful of malcontents who just need to deconstruct a fucking comedy scene and applying extreme real world morals and calling rape to a scene with mind-controlled 2 girls kissing. Dark comedy often borders with morality, without actually crossing it. Fucking deal with it and grow the hell up.

[albert.aribaud]

specially considering all the morally reprehensible stuff that goes on in Menage a 3.

Did you consider the fact that EC is PG-13 while Mà3 is 16+? It is evident that some stuff happens in Mà3 that EC cannot show if Giz & Dave follow the ratings that they chose to set for each comic.

... which does not mean that they won't stretch said rating as far as they can, in both instances; but Mà3 can stretch way more than EC, even if we take into account Chloe's recent and laudable, if unsettling, effort.

[MuchachoNL]

To state this again: Ma3 is only 16+ because there are REGULAR scenes of sexual nudity in it.
PG-13 allows an occasional scene of sexual nudity.
If there was ANY sexual nudity in that panel... It was an exception to an otherwise very descent webcomic.
That one panel does not break PG-13 it merely lifted it to PG-13 from PG.
so as a matter of fact the webcomic has been UNDER it's rating all this time.

[Don Alexander]

I think it's been made clear...

[NobodySpecial]

You know, if I'd have known this is what ya'll would have got up to when I left, I might never have.

Of course, my presence or absence had nothing to do with it (probably), but this way I get to feed my megalomania. ;)

That said, my .02...I don't think Giz and Dave needed to change it, but I see why they did, and since they own it...it's all good.

And I like the way Chloe broke the orb.

[crownsy]

Lost a bit of respect for D & G off this, i have to admit.

Being an artist is supposed to be about expression. here, they subjugated that expression to appease a vocal minority who clearly have a huge double standard.

I still love you guys and will continue to support EC, but I can't deny that two artists changing there work to appease a small vocal minority who can't even defend why they were offended, as post in this thread show aside from "I don't like it" hasn't caused the comic to lose a bit of it's luster for me.

It's a just a shame when to people as talented as Giz and Dave do a 180 on there own work to satisfy a small group of nay sayers. I would have preferred you stayed true to your vision of the comic, doubly so after the minority position expressed by those posters is riddled with double standards, as others have pointed out so well in the proceeding pages.

Hopefully this will be the only time where the minority readers get to write the comic to fit "thier" version of EC and not the artists, and doesn't turn into a regular event everytime the artists get enough emails to feel uncomfortable.