Oh, those two.
Happy Friday! We’ve got a special treat-the mighty melaredblu, creator of one of my favorite webcomics, Princess Chroma, has graced us with a a drawing of the mighty King of the Jungle, the one and only-ladies and gentlemen, I give you:
Pyte Fang!
Charlie, Five brilliant frames of Art, telling a great story.
“Days like these are all too few in number”.
“Pyte Fang”—-Cracking stuff.
Allright, Charlie. You win, I’ll stop being cranky. This is a beautiful page. Especially the third panel makes me smile, broadly and enduringly. And it’s only made better by mel’s piece.
Happy Friday indeed.
Thanks, Charlie.
Snickerdoodles, anyone?
Oh Larry… XD
I am not sure if this page is about a break-up or a long-lasting love, but whatever it is, it ended on a very sweet and positive note.
Wait, I just got it! Two bedrooms, one with a closed door, the other empty.
How sweet it is, Vas.
Exactly.
I’m hearing that song by the Turtles playing in the background. š
Age ain’t nuthin’ but a number where love’s concerned. Lust, even.
I don’t presume to judge between love and lust. But personally, I have learned to love unconditionally without expectations. The best I can hope for is a positive response . . .
“If you’re in love, show me” – My Fair Lady
As for lust, I must have blinked when it happened.
Jacob is a 15 year old who has been abandoned by his family and sexually abused by Eleanor. In economically-developed societies, many men (maybe some women) tend to view “cougar” sex with underage men with a wink and a nod, i.e. “where was she when I was that age.”
Has anyone here actually worked with homeless and sexually abused youth? As I understand it, a person of the abuser’s gender offering them a hug (at first) is more likely to elicit screams from the girls and whimpers from the boys. You have to build trust and trust in non-sexual affection, but it is horrifying for the child to try. As you can imagine, if the person sexually abusing the child was in a position of authority or trust (like Anya), the damage is much deeper.
Jacob is a 15 year old whose history would probably put him at 10-12 at best in psychological development. Maybe folks should check out a NAMBLA (National Man-Boy Love Association) site to see how people characterize their relationship with children. They dress it up in words more pretty than Charlie might dream of on G,K, but the act is still destructive to the child. Replacing Anya with a 50-ish fat, balding man abusing a 10 year old boy really messes with the “cougar” fantasy, but how is that different?
@Charlie, I posted this on the older page to keep it off your front page after the last update. I hope this will keep it a more “offline” discussion relative to the general viewing audience. This is a disturbing storyline. Could I refer you to some resources or refer some knowledgeable people to G,K to share more qualified opinions on the topic?
Thank you, JPZ, for that. I appreciate your concern. Iām also flattered and honored that you take Jacob and Anyaās characters so seriously. The highest compliment a writer can receive is to have someone invest his or her characters with some much life.
It wasnāt easy deciding to go with this storyline. I knew that it would hit some people harder than others. But I felt like this was what was truly happening in their world, so I went with it. If it opens up a dialogue about this subject, then so much the better.
Let me make this clear: I donāt condone what either Anya or Eleanor is doing. I have a 16 year old daughter, and Iād be homicidal if someone was even attempting this with her. Thereās no excuse for this in the real world.
But weāre not in the real world.
Weāre here, in my comic. And here, Jacob and Esther are going to be just fine. Theyāre going to grow up to be happy, productive adults. I know these characters better than anyone else. Theyāre going to have a happy ending. I wonāt have it any other way.
I could make this a comic about the fallout from a relationship like this. But I wonāt, because thatās not the story I want to tell. I want to treat these characters with respect, of course. And I donāt want to get tasteless or ācheapā or exploitational. I like to think Iāve handled it that way so far. Iāll make jokes, of course. But theyāll be true to the characters. If you feel that Iām not doing that, then please tell me.
And post some links for more information. Like I said, if this opens up a dialogue on this subject, then Iām all for it.
But I donāt want this relationship to take over the comic. Anya and Jacob are just one part of this world.
Again, thank you. Youāre one of the reasons why Groovy, Kinda has the best webcomic commenters Iāve ever had the pleasure and honor to be associated with.
I will not fling monkey poo at your comic. It is far too good a comic to demean. I really respect you as an artist and a storyteller. Tarol Hunt of “Goblins” and the guys at “Penny Arcade” have gone through all kinds of butt-hurt for having rape as an element in their comics. And, that has been the BS of butt-hurt for the sake of butt-hurt politics (i.e. Tarol’s story is a retelling of his mother’s real life experience).
I don’t think you intended G,K to affirm the fantasies of pedophiles. But, Anya and Jacob affirm the conviction of pedophiles that their actions are good and happy parts of the child’s life. If Anya and Jacob have a happy ending, it only further reaffirms the fantasy, i.e. there are no consequences and everyone comes out just fine. Which is not true in the real world.
This (thankfully) isn’t a central part of your storytelling, but this IS a part that affirms harming children. This isn’t the real world, but your readers ARE in the real world. You comic panels may be copied to pedophile sites and shared as an affirmation of their beliefs that children are just fine after being sexually mistreated. The “relationship” between Anya and Jacob should not take over the comic because it shouldn’t even exist.
I am a bit sick when commentators comment on how cute Jacob and Anya are together. This is the same sick I would feel if readers posted their fantasies about molesting 15 year old Jacob. I would rather enjoy the other storylines, but this one little storyline keeps sinking into deeper and deeper depths. Could you please give up this storyline, Charlie?
OK, I am done. I have said my piece, and I have finally said it in the way I meant to say it. My sincere apologies that I brought up the issue as many times as I did. I will not bring it up again. I apologize that I asked you to alter your comic. That is your choice, and your choices are what shape this into the beautiful comic that it is. I wish you all the best, Charlie.