Guest post by "Being Useful" I'm just sitting here wondering, how can you have "Age-inappropriate" interests in hurting people? Is there a special age where it becomes acceptable? Most of the kids in the comic aren't at an age where they appreciate what they're actually doing to eachother..
As for Irving, I'd note that he's not as worrisome as people are saying here.
He is a kid doing what superheroes do. They punish criminals who are not being punished otherwise. It's not a violent fanatacism, it's kids being fed up with adults not doing their jobs--we've never seen ANY consequences for Chuck OR Penny, except the avenging antics of Irving. The school doesn't care, the mom doesn't care, the dad is just gone.
So that's gotta be frustrating as hell. I wouldn't say it's "OH! THAT CHILD IS SO VIOLENT!", it's the kid taking out frustrations on a world that doesn't listen to her.
The voodoo doll thing is something lots of people do. They have stress balls you can squeeze to take out your frustration("Pretend it's your boss!").
As to the fights in general, it's Irving beating up bullies.
If that concept seems wrong somehow, what would be the proposed alternative? Tell an adult? Pfft. We've established that doesn't work. Remember, Sarah "needs the scorn of peers and staff". Even if Sarah's mom bullied Principle Victoria into doing the right thing, P.V. is a bigot with an axe to grind.
As to the doll, and the idea that Irma likely thinks it really hurts P.V.? Well, P.V. is just another bully, but much too big for Irma to beat up.
It's about seeking justice in an unjust world, not fulfilling psychotic bloodlust. That's why it's usually done in a super hero costume.
