To My Beloved Royalty...

        

Guest post by "Z"
The link to your patreon is broken, it redirects to the front page.

Submitted May 1, 2014 at 10:15PM

        

Fixed?

Submitted May 1, 2014 at 11:36PM

        

Guest post by "Rachel Ann"
I have to look over our budget, but I'll put you at the top for patron consideration, Christine. I'm currently a patron for four web comics. Once I commit, it's monthly and for the long term. I've supported one web comic for over 15 years now.

Submitted May 2, 2014 at 9:32AM

        

Guest post by "Being Useful"
...and the creepiness factor goes right back up again.

I'm gonna go ahead and suppose at this moment that Molly actually DOES know about Che in the "and he massacred people" part.

Which... ya. eek.

I hope this patreon thing works out!

Submitted May 2, 2014 at 7:26PM

        

Thanks, Rachel!

And, Useful: I don't see her as knowing any actual history. Just a general stereotype we're seeing here. That's my intention, anyhow.

Submitted May 3, 2014 at 12:56AM

        

Guest post by "feral shade"
*phew*! 455 panels in 1 day (well, 454--for some reason panel #342 doesn't load for me)...quite a marathon, hehe

it was an enjoyable read though, kudos....i know it may sound weird, but i'm sorry it's still being updated. going from reading a few year's worth of content at once, trickled down to 1 panel every few days is kinda torturous,
(it's not a reflection on your talents at all...it's just an unfortunate inevitability when catching up with any serial story, hehe)

I particularly like the last 150 or so panels...prior to that, Sarah was a little two dimensional (she was either ultra,ultra femme, or the embodiment of activism)
...i like how you developed the characters since then (not just Sarah, but the supporting ones) they've begun to demonstrate that they're not just simple icons...but a bit more complex in their feelings and problems--more comparable to real world people--making it even more engaging.

anyways...thanks again, and keep up the great work! ^_^

Submitted May 3, 2014 at 2:30PM

        

Guest post by "feral shade"
hmm...and it just donned on me that perhaps the characters' refinement wasn't merely an improvement in storytelling skill

...but rather a planned development...illustrating how children mentally mature over the course of a few years
(not something i normally consider, most artists have this annoying habit of separating story time progression from real time progression (like how the South Park kids have been 9 years old for the last 17 years...or Ash from Pokemon has been 10 since 1998)

either way, character aging or artistic growth, it's really admirable ^_^

Submitted May 3, 2014 at 2:41PM

        

Guest post by "Elsin"

Uh-oh... there is no way this turns out well...

Violet, don't do it!

I mean if she doesn't it might.  Somehow.  But if she does this is going to turn very dark(er) very fast.

Submitted May 3, 2014 at 5:30PM

        

Folks, you're not about to see Molly's drawings of an elf massacre.

Last edited by Pinkbatmax
Edited 1 time(s).

Submitted May 3, 2014 at 6:42PM

        

I'm sorry, I hope that wasn't too harsh. I'm just beginning to suspect that I'm not able to make the kind of strip I want this to be , because peope seem to be predicting some truly horrific things. <='(

Submitted May 3, 2014 at 6:55PM

        

Guest post by "Being Useful"
Battlefield Earth is a book so compelling that an entire religion(Scientology) is based on it.

"Battlefield Earth" is a movie, based on said book, that is so horrible that most people involved in it have published public apologies, and most people agree it contends for the spot of "Worst Movie Ever Made".

The book had 1 author. The movie was written by committee.

No matter what we think, you should keep writing the story you intended to write. Love it or hate it, it will still be the story it's meant to be.

If you bind your hands by the edicts of the worst fears of every person who reads this, the story will go nowhere. It's not my story to write. It's not anyone else's but yours.

If it goes to the tragedy we expect, others will see our wisdom. If it resolves a way we never expected, we may actually learn a new perspective on life.

It was once said, "The purpose of art is to shock and surprise the viewer. If it doesn't do this, it's not art." I don't think that's entirely true(Monet's waterlillies aren't exactly shocking), but it does have a point.

You can always go the battlefield earth route, and try to please everyone, but you know you don't want to write that story, and you'd regret doing so.

Molly is a scary character. She's designed that way. She even looks scary, with her highly unique art style. If we weren't at least a little taken aback by her, I think you'd have failed to get the point across.

Now you're upset because people look at the scary character, and think scary thoughts.

Keep going with the story you intended to tell. You're doing good, and the fact some of us are actually afraid of what Molly has rattling around up there means you've done a good job of making her, and the people she interacts with, seem real to us.

This is meant to be "The Princess, by Christine Smith", not "Twitch Plays Pokemon". Don't forget that.

Submitted May 3, 2014 at 9:29PM

        

Guest post by "Being Useful"
On a personal note: I have met a few people that I can instantly identify with Molly in my life.

One of them ended up trying to kill me, and then spent years persecuting me when that failed.

I can't speak for everyone, and I can't say "They're exactly the same", but Mollies I've lived through are absolutely horrifying. My personal experience is a "Worst case scenario", and research I've done since shows that the "worst case scenario" is not even remotely unique to me.

So, while many readers see her as just "weird", my own personal history has me seeing her in a very dark cast.

I don't know where you plan on going with the story. I don't know how you intend it to be. I only know that my personal version of Molly makes me feel like I should be shouting, "RUN GIRL, RUN!" to Sarah.

Molly could be good. She could be helpful. She could merely be misunderstood. I have no idea. I only know what you've shown me, and the parallels I'm able to draw from that are bone chilling.

However, my personal horror story isn't what's being told here. It's already controlled enough of my life, it shouldn't start controlling yours as well.

Not everyone posts comments, and those that do are often the ones with the most negative things to say. So while there's likely hundreds of readers that think merely "Cool. Can't wait for the next one.", that's not really a compelling enough thought for most people to relate. In fact, some people suppose it's implied by the fact they didn't say anything.

So yeah, Molly scares me. No, it wouldn't surprise me if she drew an elfy massacre. However, if that's not what you're planning on, you shouldn't be changing your mind just to suit me. There's tons of other ways this can go, I'm certain.

And since I guess maybe it does need to be said now and again: Cool. Can't wait for the next one.

Submitted May 3, 2014 at 10:19PM

        

Don't take it personal.  It's not you.  You are writing with the intent to show a -child's- point of view,  not someone who's grown up, gone to college, watched the news and become cynical that all the worst things that CAN happen WILL happen.

   I was going to say it's human nature to expect the worst,  but no,  it's not.  Write for -you-.  Don't write for anyone else.  People will relate, they'll come along for the ride or they won't.  If they choose to head down a darker path,  don't let them pull you with them.   Go your own way and tell the story as you wish it to be told.


P.S.  On a personal note I still empathize with Molly.  I have to wonder how many people actually were the lonely only children,  just weird enough to not really fit in with family, friends or church but not weird enough to fit in with the other misfits (or not rebellious enough, or drug doing enough, or willing to cave to peer pressure enough). 

Shame on you for expecting the worst.  Leave a child alone to such an extent and they develop a huge imagination because everyone else is too busy trying to tell them what they are failing at and really all they want is to belong.  Somewhere.  Anywhere,  even if it ends up only being a storybook world with elves and goblins.

   Not everyone channels that longing into shooting up schools or growing up into bitter and cynical people-hating jerks, trust me. 

Last edited by Greymuse
Edited 1 time(s).

Submitted May 3, 2014 at 11:13PM

        

P.P.S. 
    I really do not see how Molly can be viewed as this burgeoning psychopathic fiend.   We know nothing of her family yet.  Has anyone given thought to the idea that -maybe-  her family are extremists (or probably just very loud and opinionated blowhards) and the ideas of Che Gobvara is Molly's way to try desperately to copy the people she's wanting to accept and love her?

   That she's sharing it with Sarah doesn't strike me as strange,  this is obviously part of Molly's life (though I don't believe she even understands it herself) and she's trying to include Sarah without realizing that -this is not normal everyday conversation-.   Add social awkwardness and not knowing what tact is to an already lonely child who's hungry for acceptance and it's a recipe for disaster,  on that point I'll agree,  but what this girl needs is love, acceptance and someone -somewhere- to step in and help teach her there's more to life than "us vs. them" . 

   Also... she's drawn to be scary? *boggle* No.  I took her style to mean she just lost on the genetic wheel of fortune and isn't one of the 'pretty' kids. 

Submitted May 3, 2014 at 11:33PM

        

Guest post by "Being Useful"
Yes. Molly looks scary.
http://oi62.tinypic.com/2dayc88.jpg
http://oi61.tinypic.com/ehhgl3.jpg

It may look scarier to me than to you, but, again, I admit it's also colored by my personal perception of her as a massive threat.

I still have NO idea where you get "she's so lonely" from. It seems far more like projecting than anything that's actually in the story.  She comes across as an obsessive with a fetish, not someone going "I have no friends". Many people very easily go around with obsessive personalities and have lots of friends. She's never expressed that she wants or needs another friend, just that Sarah is cool for being trans, and only for that reason.

If Sarah were to answer the door one day in "boy clothes" and say "Hi, I'm Seth", the way Irma did, Molly would immediately have zero reason to continue the "friendship". That isn't "loneliness".

Submitted May 4, 2014 at 2:08AM

        

Strip 441 -  with the drawing from one of your links, Useful.  I don't know if you've ever been to a grade school function as an adult, or if you watched the kids as they engage in free time, but little kids can come up with some super exaggerated expressions of emotion.  They still haven't fully learned that there's certain ways you don't act and certain things you just don't show.  We're all taught to hold emotion in check or to outright lie about what we feel... "Shhh,  use your inside voice! Settle down. Don't make that face or it'll stick that way. Apologize now.  Like you MEAN it!!" Young children get wild and crazy, that's how they are until we train it out of them or they start trying to conform to "social norms" just to fit in. (Which, to clarify, I don't really think it's healthy to beat down anyone's instinct to react as they feel.  That ends up with people second guessing themselves and ending up in bad situations from poor judgement skills, but that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish entirely.)

  If you want a truly insane child,  I'll introduce you to my ex's son from his first marriage, who at 6 years old got chastised for being rude to his dad.  He sat in the back of the car and very quietly and very -purposely- said "I can't wait to grow up so I can kill you."  


Strip 469 - Yep, Molly's focusing on labels for Sarah,  yet her mom only responds to her statement of leaving with "take a jacket".   I know if my 9 year old was using such big and uncommon words like "progressive transgender friend" I'd be stopping her to dig more into the situation and not just blithely blowing it off with a mom-phrase. This tells me that at least her mother isn't very observant or terribly involved in Molly's daily life.  Big red flag to me and why I question what (if any) actual good attention she's getting at home.

Strip 471- the 2nd of your drawings, Useful.  I generally associate that inner-side upturn of eyebrows to convey a sort of worry, but when coupled with a smile it's earnestness.  I might be wrong on that, and really it'd be up to Christine to clarify that emotion as she's the one drawing it. (I'd love to see a pic of Sarah with the same expression and see what people interpret that as, for comparison)  Pay attention to Molly's -words- though.  "Anything. Anything you wanna do is okay with me. ANYTHING at ALL. I'm just happy to be your FRIEND!!"  No where in there does she say "I'm just happy to have a transgender friend".  She's not even putting responsibility on Sarah for anything at all, she's happy to be SARAH'S friend.

   The girl has the social manners of a drunken water buffalo but it's things like this that make me think she's just lonely,  not insane.  You project your way,  I'll project mine,  but for all anyone knows this is going in a totally different direction.
 
   I just hope it continues to be told as our storyteller intends it to be told, regardless of debates.

Last edited by Greymuse
Edited 1 time(s).

Submitted May 4, 2014 at 9:56AM

        

Guest post by "Being Useful"
Grey, stop trying to argue, and stop trying to force your point. Continuing is the exact opposite of helpful.

As far as "looking scary", every "scary" disney villain is drawn like Molly.
http://mademoisellefutile.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/venomous-villains-dr-facilier-1.jpg
http://differenttogether.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/flotsam-and-jetsam.jpg
http://thebacklot.mtvnimages.com/uploads/2012/10/300px-cruella_de_vil.jpg
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01388/snake1_1388469i.jpg

Submitted May 4, 2014 at 2:29PM

        

Guest post by "Rachel Ann"
For what it's worth, I've always thought this story line would be essentially confrontation that is resolved by emotional expression and revealing dialogue that would present a workable solution. I'm not nor ever was expecting violence.

Submitted May 5, 2014 at 8:11AM