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Talking about strip #448 of Order of the Stick again, although the strip itself was so well executed as to be distressing to read, and while reading the responses of those who think it was truly awful and a reason to stop reading makes me want to shake them and ask "Don't you know how stories work?" what does bother me is those who responded by rejoicing or dismissing people's people's reactions because 'it's a silly stick figure comic'.
The rejoicing? I was certainly pleased to see an evil character shown to be both intelligent and evil. That's an enemy it is worth seeing the heroes triumph over. That's an enemy they will have to earn their victory over. And I do expect the Order of the Stick to be victorious in the end (maybe in five hundred strips from now, but eventually) because that is how this story has always read to me. Elan knows how it goes, though he may soon start to doubt it. But people who see this and talk about how much they loved seeing champions of law and goodness humiliated and slaughtered? Yes, that bothers me. I hope this is only from people who do not much invest themselves in the story and read only for a quick laugh - who treat it much the way I treat 8-bit Theatre - because the thought that there are people who can be deeply invested in the story and then express glee at something so horrific, that disturbs me more than the strip itself ever could. I knew there are people in the world who can take pleasure in scenes of slaughter and mayhem; I did not realise there are people who can do so while placing themselves in the role of villain. I really thought people needed to at least see themselves in the role of Good to endorse such horror.
No, I forgot, and if anyone had come to me with this reaction I would have told them it could indeed be so. There is too much of this world to keep in mind all at once. Some people even tried to say they could have done better themselves, though the example they gave was pathetic in comparison. At least one denied the events of the strip were even evil. I hope that was bluster or thoughtlessness.
Still. Xykon as representation of villainy in a story? Fun and entertaining. Xykon as representation of perspectives held by actual living humans? Frightening.
There is less to say about it being a 'silly stick figure comic' and I think people can guess what it is. A story well told is a story well told, regardless of medium. This one is certainly capable of captivating people. To dismiss it as being incapable of seriousness simply for being an often light-hearted stick figure comic is, well, silly. Besides, those stick figures are rather well drawn.
Actually, there is another type of response that annoys me: people who claim this strip as proof that Rich Burlew hates the Paladin class in Dungeons & Dragons. The interactions between Miko and the party and the later introduction of Hinjo form a clear demonstration of the fact that many people's dislike of Paladins actually stems from people playing them poorly and that it does not in fact have to be so. I suppose he could have drawn a diagram but at some point you just have to give up on people.
The rejoicing? I was certainly pleased to see an evil character shown to be both intelligent and evil. That's an enemy it is worth seeing the heroes triumph over. That's an enemy they will have to earn their victory over. And I do expect the Order of the Stick to be victorious in the end (maybe in five hundred strips from now, but eventually) because that is how this story has always read to me. Elan knows how it goes, though he may soon start to doubt it. But people who see this and talk about how much they loved seeing champions of law and goodness humiliated and slaughtered? Yes, that bothers me. I hope this is only from people who do not much invest themselves in the story and read only for a quick laugh - who treat it much the way I treat 8-bit Theatre - because the thought that there are people who can be deeply invested in the story and then express glee at something so horrific, that disturbs me more than the strip itself ever could. I knew there are people in the world who can take pleasure in scenes of slaughter and mayhem; I did not realise there are people who can do so while placing themselves in the role of villain. I really thought people needed to at least see themselves in the role of Good to endorse such horror.
No, I forgot, and if anyone had come to me with this reaction I would have told them it could indeed be so. There is too much of this world to keep in mind all at once. Some people even tried to say they could have done better themselves, though the example they gave was pathetic in comparison. At least one denied the events of the strip were even evil. I hope that was bluster or thoughtlessness.
Still. Xykon as representation of villainy in a story? Fun and entertaining. Xykon as representation of perspectives held by actual living humans? Frightening.
There is less to say about it being a 'silly stick figure comic' and I think people can guess what it is. A story well told is a story well told, regardless of medium. This one is certainly capable of captivating people. To dismiss it as being incapable of seriousness simply for being an often light-hearted stick figure comic is, well, silly. Besides, those stick figures are rather well drawn.
Actually, there is another type of response that annoys me: people who claim this strip as proof that Rich Burlew hates the Paladin class in Dungeons & Dragons. The interactions between Miko and the party and the later introduction of Hinjo form a clear demonstration of the fact that many people's dislike of Paladins actually stems from people playing them poorly and that it does not in fact have to be so. I suppose he could have drawn a diagram but at some point you just have to give up on people.
