The Blame Game
Chapt VII: Choices (Part 12)
The masks have dropped, and at the least provocation it seems… One hothead in a family would be more than enough. Do you ever wonder what causes some people to be so touchy and consistently ready to come to blows…?
During the time-frame of this story, therapy and even simple counseling were simply not an option. Asking for help was a sign of weakness and weakness was “bad”. That was for crazy people who couldn’t function at all in “normal” society. If such was considered at all it was with a snicker or a slow head-shake of pity that people couldn’t simply control themselves.
It wasn’t until the 1960′s that “counseling” began to become popular. The awareness of the role of emotional dynamics in dysfunctional behavior was emerging. More people wanted to learn more about themselves and found some hope that people really could change their behavior and therefore change their lives –and perhaps, their destiny…
Even those among us who appear to have everything working out for them could benefit from learning more about themselves and the dynamics that hold them to reenacting certain behaviors. Thankfully, the stigma is loosening its hold. The world is a much happier and more productive place when you know more about yourself and your place in it.
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Process:
I wasn’t sure how to represent the swearing in this one. Or even if I should have put the words in at all? I want this to be readable by all ages, so I’m wondering what you, the readers, think:
- Should I blank out the words entirely? Maybe with a black bar completely covering the words?
- Should I use the “#@$%” convention?
- Or is the overlap of the balloons enough obsfucation?
Other News
Up Next
The last month of 2012 was spent creating the Christmas Caption contest featured here these last two weeks. Then a couple of weeks of that time relaxing with my family and playing a lot of World of Warcraft with Mal, which I’m thoroughly enjoying. The farming, the pet battles, the improved leveling system for casual players makes it a lot more fun. This month (and beyond) I’ll be working on the following:
- Todd’s sketch request for his winning Caption.
- Replenishing the Aedre’s Firefly buffer after so much time off
- Returning to editing my novel “Endless Night of Stars”
- Continuing to find ways to keep the process simple and work faster
- Spending less time on “social media” (I require enormous amounts of solitude!) and more on relaxing so I don’t burn out.
- Getting more exercise with my new wii setup that Mal got me for Christmas!
Broke Again
This year instead of making art for people for Christmas I spent almost every penny I had on gifts. I’m happy to say they went over very well! As much as it makes me happy I also hate being broke. I mean I really really hate it! Frankly it kinda scares me. So I’ll have to be careful over the next little while. No kickstarters for instance. Often, my desire to support my fellow creators outmatches my ability to do so. There are so many –hundreds– of talented creators out here on the internetz– that deserve recognition (say hello and comment so they aren’t creating in a vacuum) and financial support.
A Small Disappointment
I’m finding that I’m somewhat disappointed by the appearance of some of the comics I’ve purchased through kickstarter–especially graphic novels. Those that have too often been printed too dark or on too glossy a paper, making them harder to read or to see all the lovely detail. This goes for some of the posters I ordered as well.
When preparing my own work for printing I find that the best thing is to lighten the final colour artwork (in Photoshop) as much as possible until all the detail is visible, then make adjustments from there. Also, use non glossy paper for the inside, but full gloss or semigloss for the cover. In a way this reflects the pulp origins of comics, and why the comic is created in layers of panel layout, lineart and colour.
Anything goes online. Our monitors can show us jewel-like vivid colour. But something is lost trying to squeeze all that onto a mere paper rendering. Keep the colours light and the linework crisp for printing.
~0~
Thanks for reading Aedre’s Firefly!
If you like the story or the art (or both!) please consider sharing us with others. Thanks! <3
Genius method of including profanity without actually showing any. Way more effective than using symbols. You’re a master of the craft. And things are really gonna get wild from this point forward, I feel.
High praise, George! Thank you. :`)
Love is in the air!!! …not!
Even today people have problems recognizing mental illness as an illness. Much of it can be controlled by medication combined with counseling. There is no more shame in taking medication for anxiety or depression than there is in me taking the hand full of pills I take daily to keep my heart pumping.
I think you handled the language in a creative way.
Thanks, Bo! I was hoping the the language issue was ok.
There’s rarely any reason to feel shame over getting whatever help you need to survive. Social shame often leads to resentment and repeats worn cycles.
I think the way you covered up the profanity works fine.
Happy New Year!
I’m relieved to hear that. I have to ask myself what would the parent of a child think who saw this page come up. Glad it works ok. Thanks!
Thanks for the New Year good wishes. We’re having an extended holiday. :`D
Love how you did the word balloons. Excellent
Like your advice on printing as well. I personally would probably only do an ebook if I ever got around to doing a book of my stuff.
Thanks Bearman! So far the consensus is that the balloon placement works. :`D
Yes, an e-book keeps all the lovely colours intact. I’m working on one for Aedre, too, but it has to be print ready as well. Glad you liked the printing advice.
What a charming couple. They certainly didn’t waste any time dropping any pretense of concern for their child. Very revealing, if not surprising after what we’ve seen previously. I’ll be interested to see where the principal takes the discussion from here.
Love the chairs with the curvy bits! 8^)
I think the use of the speech bubbles with the swearing works fine. I can see where it might become difficult to maintain that technique if there’s going to be a lot of it. Opportunities for overlap might not always present themselves, but there’s nothing to stop you from using whatever form works for that strip.
I don’t think they realise they’ve been spotted, yet.
Glad you like the chairs. lol
I agree about the word bubbles. Very astute. That treatment will only work where characters are interrupting one another. I’m trying a different one later on and I’m not sure how well it looks. We’ll see. There is still the overall graphical consistency to keep in mind for those that read it all at once.
Your word balloons are so playful written/drawn they indeed fit exactly right. And I like the zooming-in and -out in panel 2 and 3 too. It gives the feeling of almost “joining” the grumpy conversation in the principals’ room. Funny you didn’t choose the easiest way to let Aedre’s parents sit on the chairs, especially mum, nice!
Oh and hey, happy 2013! May it be full of love, comics and creative madness :)
Thank you so much, Jorine! Your very kind words went straight to my heart! (or was that my ego?) ;`)
So glad you guys are back doing Beardy Bastards! I learn a lot from your strip.
Happy 2013 to you, too and may the Cloud Serpent of Happiness bless the wind at your back! ♥
Ugh, so scary to see all that anger bubbling up! It’s been simmering in every update, pervading every panel. Excited and terrified about what’s next.
Ah, yes. That’s what I’m aiming for, Elizabeth. Thank you!
The rage is never-ending! Your solution to the whole cursing thing is ingenius! Good stuff, Jande!
Thanks, Mark! I was hoping it would be ok. I saw it used to show cutting people off in conversation somewhere and it stuck with me.