24-06-10 Me? Hurt you?

[Ruggedo]

Wonderful strip and I'm happy with this development! I'm so proud of Zii too! Now that's the kind of Zii/Gary interaction I like to see!

[Pinekone]

phpBB should make a special code that warns you about a TVTropes link, Because I wasted so many precious hours I could of been using to take care of my begonias. :3

[BobDole]

Now that's the kind of Zii/Gary interaction I like to see!

Talking together in the bathroom while he's naked in the shower? ;)

[Ravenhull]

phpBB should make a special code that warns you about a TVTropes link, Because I wasted so many precious hours I could of been using to take care of my begonias. :3

It's all part of my ebil plan to destroy all begonias... And if I gotta waste all my time there, then so shall you!!!

[Kiggy]

Gary doesn't look half bad without his glasses.

[Weltall84]

I had to say I smiled myself at this strip as it was both funny, (the lampshade about comic time to RL is always a funny comic in-joke to me) and it was good to see neither Zii or Gary's takes on their discussion were cheapened or just "allowed to slide".

['J']

you know, sometimes i get the funny feeling that dave and giz actually read this forum and care about what their audience thinks. i'm probably just imagining things though.

[Ravenhull]

While I don't think they'll ever let us force their hand in any major plot areas, I do think they do pay attention. Mainly, I've noticed at least twice where a character was getting some serious negative views, only to have them show a better side. The one that comes to mind first is Layla, who was shown to actually have some feelings for Kade, and even held up her end of the bargin. And now Zii is showing some realization of what her actions have meant to others. Of course, I think that there was a bit of that when she was standing nekkid outside the door after the 'date' the waitress and her bf crashed so suddenly.

It is quite possible for a character to have a likeable nature, despite having some serious shortcomings. Unfortunately, sometimes that is hard to come across in fiction well. One advantage a webcomic with an active forum like we have here is, the writers can see where our perceptions don't meet with what they were trying to present, and can make adjustments. Of course, this can result in what appears to be 'asspulls', or even minorly jarring charactisation shifts, but that is the hazard of writing fiction.

[IvanGroznyIV]

you know, sometimes i get the funny feeling that dave and giz actually read this forum and care about what their audience thinks. i'm probably just imagining things though.

You could probably have guessed that from those times giz has replied to people. ;)

If I were the author of a web comic, or really any creative work published in little snippets like this, I'd find checking out the responses of the audience to whatever is going on difficult to resist. I think there has to be a balance struck: you don't want to be beholden to the audience, since it's your story to tell in the way you want to tell it, but at the same time I think every audience appreciates being acknowledged. It's good to throw a scrap or two to the more vocal fans every now and then.

As well, as mentioned by Ravenhull above, there can be times when a writer is trying to make people respond to a character in a certain way (love, like, dislike, hate, anywhere along the spectrum), and if the audience is responding in the opposite way to what they intended, it's good to know it before the situation becomes unsalvageable and tweak things accordingly. I ended up liking Zii a lot more after this strip, though I'm certain she'll still have a number of people who can't stand her.

[Don Alexander]

Since everyone has already weighed in in the "lampshade" discussion, I'll talk about something else completely...

Soooooo, actually, Zii and Yuki are still a couple??? Like, officially?? Wow! I mean talk about Zii not being able to say NO!!!

And, yes, I did read the "Well, to Yuki..." I'm still puzzled. It's not that hard to make it unmistably clear to someone that it's over, out, fini, Schluß, Aus, Ende.

Also: Ravenhull = Vampire, Pinekone = Werewolf!

@Kiggy: Oh, we knew that before... And a lot of people don't mind the glasses.

[Blissfull Wulf]

*Cue Zii falling and pulling shower curtain with her.*

phpBB should make a special code that warns you about a TVTropes link, Because I wasted so many precious hours I could of been using to take care of my begonias. :3

It's all part of my ebil plan to destroy all begonias... And if I gotta waste all my time there, then so shall you!!!

Both my brother and a friend from real life get stuck on TVT quite often, which I don't understand since a simple mouse over will tell you that something links to TVT.

[Bear]

You mean it hasn't been two years?

My time paradox machine must have worked!

[Ravenhull]

*Cue Zii falling and pulling shower curtain with her.*

Better yet, cue Yuki arriving, hearing Zii's voice, and tackle glomping her causing all to land in the shower... then DiDi shows up for even more chaos...

[Milnoc]

You learn something new every day. Lampshade!

[Blissfull Wulf]

*Cue Zii falling and pulling shower curtain with her.*

Better yet, cue Yuki arriving, hearing Zii's voice, and tackle glomping her causing all to land in the shower... then DiDi shows up for even more chaos...

I'd call rampaging Yuki chaos enough for anyone's day.