On Colonialism and The Legend of Jamie Roberts

The other day, I got on Twitter, because I’m back on that platform for the fun of it. (Follow me for RPG content and hot takes). While scrolling, I spotted a Critical Role fanart piece. For folks not in the know, Critical Role is a show where nerdy voice actors sit around and play Dungeons & Dragons. In the fanart, The Dungeon Master sits at a table with miniatures scattered across it. The miniatures, of course, are the players’ characters.

One of the responses to this fanart said, “Hey! This is so good! Shout this out to Crit Role so they can use this into their intro sequence instead of using colonialism!”

Did that make you scratch your head? Here’s the missing piece:

Critical Role’s intro reel shows the cast in explorer costumes, poking around fantasy ruins. This is a callback to fiction like Edgar Rice Burroughs (Tarzan) and H. Rider Haggard (King Solomon’s Mines). You know…fiction where rich white explorers poke around “lost continents” (read: Africa and India) to search for treasure.

Burroughs and Haggard wrote in a time when this narrative was seen as “romantic” and “adventurous.” Nowadays, this isn’t as good – it’s seen as exploitative of the native people. (Because it is).

Thing is, this Twitter commenter got me thinking about my own comic, The Legend of Jamie Roberts. It’s about a genderqueer pirate and their two best friends treasure-hunting in a land full of dragons. This is true – but it also leaves out the Indigenous people I have in the story. Put a pin in that for a second.

One of the works that inspired this comic is the Dreamworks movie The Road to El Dorado. It’s no joke that this movie is a foundational piece of who I am as a person. A LOT of my humor and sensibilities stem from this movie. (And The Emperor’s New Groove, but that’s for a different time).

Here’s a secret about The Road to El Dorado, though…

When the movie came out, the ads declared that this movie would have a “respectful presentation” of Central American history. Why? Because the art and animation teams went on location to do research. So imagine the backlash the movie got when people watched it and said, “ah shit, of COURSE the Indigenous people think the two white guys are gods.”

Now, Breadsword on YouTube already did a fantastic video on the history behind The Road to El Dorado. So watch that for more context. But the reality is: The Road to El Dorado is a callback NOT to Indigenous Central Americans. It’s a callback to Bob Hope and Bing Crosby comedies. The Road to El Dorado’s twist was that not everyone believed the two protagonists were gods. But the doubters kept up the charade for the sake of the people.

When I rewatched this movie for roughly the 187th time, I thought, “What if white people came to a new land… and actually INTEGRATED instead of raiding?”

That’s how I started writing The Legend of Jamie Roberts. At least…one of the previous drafts.

Now, The Legend of Jamie Roberts DOES have three white people plotting to rob Indigenous people. I’m not going to sugarcoat that. They’re pirates, after all. So what’s my twist?

Well, in Chapter 6, Jamie Roberts is going to do something that has lasting consequences. And they destroy something. And for the rest of the story, they have to deal with the consequences of their actions… and the reactions of the Indigenous people.

In Chapters 7 and 8, the story is going to shift from “I’m seeking treasure” to “I’m seeking redemption.”

That’s right – I’m going to subvert the White Explorer narrative.

The trajectory of “I’m seeking redemption” has been at the core of the story since the start. It took several drafts and many years of writing to figure out WHY. But I’m confident in this final draft of the story.

I hope you stick with me. Because The Legend of Jamie Roberts is about to get REALLY juicy.

That’s all for now. Thank you for reading.

You. Are. Awesome.

February 19, 2022February 19, 2022

Why (I Think) KickStarter Adopting Blockchain Tech is a BAD Idea

This is a repost of a KickStarter update. I’m sharing this here just in case.

Anybody who’s been following my work for a while knows that KickStarter is how I fund most of my work. I’ve run over 10 campaigns on the platform, nearly all of them successful. It’s because of KickStarter support that I can have any kind of living making comics – what I LOVE to do.

But this does not mean that KickStarter is perfect. Or immune to criticism. It’s because I’m grateful to KickStarter that I feel this post needs to be shared.

First, however, I gotta go into blockchain.

For folks who are unaware, blockchain technology is what cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are made by. Blockchain is a kind of programming, usually open-source, that houses information and makes it visible to everyone. This quality is handy for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Because then, programmers can look at the code to see if anyone has tried to artificially inflate or deflate the crypto’s worth. The intent of blockchain technology is to make it so cryptocurrencies’ worth is visible to anyone who has access to the code.

Did you notice how I said the technology is supposed to be visible? Put a pin in that – we’ll circle back to it.

Now, evangelists will try to tell you that blockchain tech is “immune,” or at least resistant, to man-in-the-middle attack attempts. Man-in-the-middle is when someone or something gets between point A and point B and muddles up communication. Gaston Means did this to con the English and Germans during World War 1 and make millions of dollars off of both sides while doing it. (Put a pin in that, too).

Believe it or not, Bitcoin has already been hit by a man-in-the-middle attack. The only way to resolve it in blockchain tech is to make a fork in the code. This way, one prong goes off the directive that the attack caused. Meanwhile, the other fork is supposed to fix the damage. There’s a bit of a war going on with Bitcoin because of this.

Did you notice how Bitcoin can’t just go back into the code and rewrite it so the man-in-the-middle attack never happened? That’s on purpose. Blockchain tech is not built to FIX hacks. Blockchain tech is not built to rewrite itself. That’s by design. It is purposefully built this way. The intent is so people are not “supposed to” rewrite codes in the middle to change Bitcoin’s quality.

This doesn’t stop con artists from trying this with other cryptocurrencies, though.

In fact, right now, there’s a glut of fraud happening. Scammers are going into codes and inputting commands so that customers’ crypto wallets either fork for the scammers’ benefit. Or the scammer will input a command saying, “By the way, funnel your NFTs and wallet into this other account.” This issue is RAMPANT in blockchain tech. I’m convinced that half of all tweets on Twitter in the crypto-sphere are people bitching about how their wallets got hacked into and “won’t somebody please do something?!”

By the way, none of this is FDIC-insured. So people are funneling real-world money – often by the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars – into digital currencies. Which are, btw, massive bulls-eyes for scammers to go into and rewrite code for their own benefit. There’s already one high-profile case of a YouTuber who laundered Bitcoin. In fact, it’s really easy to use Bitcoin for money-laundering schemes.

If you need more rage-inducing facts about crypto, blockchain, and NFTs (or non-fungible tokens, the digital version of COVID-19), then grab a sandwich and check out Dan Olson’s video on the topic. It’s a feature-length film on YouTube, but he explains everything better than me.

And here’s the kick in the teeth – KickStarter wants to adopt blockchain technology into their platform.

I think this is a PHENOMENALLY bad idea for security reasons.

Blockchain tech, despite what the evangelists say, is not safe to use. It’s actually very easy to go into the chain, find information on the account holders, and scam them out of their money.

There are evangelists who want to put credit card info, bank account info, and even MEDICAL RECORDS on the blockchain. All of this is terrible and a massive security risk.

Look – the readership I have is very important to me. A solid one-third of them are transgender or nonbinary. Some are out of the closet, some are not. But maintaining the privacy of my readership is hugely important to me. I don’t want anybody who supports my work to be subjected to harassment.

If KickStarter is serious about adopting blockchain technology, that means all of that information is visible to ANYBODY… whether they are working for KickStarter or not. Blockchain is not immune to man-in-the-middle attacks or any other form of scam. Blockchain tech, as it exists currently, is ready to bring harassment campaigns to a brand new level.

“But wait!” I can hear the evangelists say. “We wanted KickStarter to adopt the technology so we can use cryptocurrencies to support projects we love!”

Remember how I mentioned that Bitcoin has a fork in it now? Because someone got into the code to alter its value? That’s a serious problem that blockchain technology is not built to fix. It’s not even built to address this issue. And this doesn’t even go into how the value of a cryptocurrency fluctuates from hour to hour, much less week to week.

Why does anyone want to accept a currency that’s worth $10,000 today, but could be worth $0.01 tomorrow? Nothing is stopping crypto from fluctuating like this. And fluctuations like this happen so frequently that some folks don’t even bother tracking them.

Nobody accepts crypto as payment for food or rent – and I argue that’s a good thing.

KickStarter, I love you. And it’s because I love you that I urge you to leave blockchain technology off your table. It is not safe on any level. And no amount of patching will fix it.

I hope there’s enough public pressure about this issue that it will change the minds of folks at KickStarter HQ. After all, it was public pressure that made them accept that their workforce wanted to unionize.

But here’s the thing – crypto bros want you to be confused about the tech. They want to make sure you don’t know how it works or what exactly it does. They want this so they can get your information and make themselves richer. “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain,” as it were.

Do I know everything about blockchain and crypto? No. But I know enough to know that it’s a bad idea. KickStarter needs to abandon it for the safety of backers and creators alike.

Will I run another campaign on KickStarter? I don’t know yet. I’m looking into alternatives if KickStarter refuses to budge about this. I’d rather not change platforms – but if I must, I will. Iron Circus has already moved off the platform because of this issue… and Iron Circus is one of the biggest comics publishers who’s used KickStarter the longest.

Whatever decision I make, it’s with my readership in mind. I’m not risking their personal information for anyone else’s financial gain.

That’s all I have for now. Thank you for sticking with me in this overly long post.

You. Are. Awesome.

December 10, 2020December 10, 2020

Why Make Art Your Job?

art versus artist meme featuring art made in 2020 by kelci d crawford

I got this question a lot (surprisingly) in the before times. The people who asked this the most were either teenagers trying to pick a career path, or concerned parents asking on behalf of their teenagers. The thing they asked the most was, “Why make drawing your job?”

“Wouldn’t you get tired of drawing then? I thought the reason you make art was for the joy of it? Why take out the joy and make it a job?”

In the past, I would use an argument from Elizabeth Gilbert’s book “Big Fear.” In one chapter she says that every job has a unique flavor of “shit sandwich.” It’s just a matter of what flavor of shit you want to put up with.

But I have to walk back this assessment. (Even though it is a very good book).

It seems to me that the real problem here is how you – the person – choose to approach how you view work. By work, I mean the job that you do.

Some folks see work as a means to an end.

They’re there for the paycheck. They may not get a sense of accomplishment or fulfillment from it – or if there ARE those feelings, they’re short-lived. Those feelings are not why the person does the work. For these folks, they find fulfillment elsewhere. At least, I HOPE they do.

But some people (like me) want to work in jobs where our skills can shine.

We want to work in a path where our effort goes appreciated by people. We don’t want to work at any other job, especially jobs where we feel like just another cog in the machine.

I know I’M not keen on working at a job just for the paycheck. I want to put my skills to use. And I want to really polish up the skills I have.

And yes, one of those skills is drawing. And I LIKE making money with drawing. It feels good to know that my training and practice have a (usually literal) payoff.

For me, it brings me joy to know that I can use my skills to make art and get paid for it. I don’t mind monetizing my ability to make art because I GET TO MAKE ART AND FEED MYSELF WITH MY SKILL. WITHOUT having to work at a job just for the paycheck.

I’ve had to supplement my paychecks in the past, but I make it a point to make sure the work I do is work I enjoy. And I enjoy work that puts my skills to use, and that make me improve.

I hope this gives some clarity for the young folks out there.

Thank you for reading. Keep making art.

You. Are. Awesome.

June 8, 2020June 8, 2020

We Need to Support Black Creators Working in Comics

Y’all. I wanted to make a blog post about my favorite comics by black creators. Until I realized I know so few of them.

First, I’ll say that C. Spike Trotman and Taneka Stotts are my favorite black creators who have edited for the Beyond anthologies and My Monster Boyfriend (among other works). And yes, both ladies have written and drawn great comics of their own!

But very few comics I read are written and illustrated by black creators.

At least, not artists working recently.

I have a soft spot in my heart for Jackie Ormes and Richard “Grass” Green. Look up their work, they are AWESOME.

That said, I can do better to support black comics creators working today. I will do my part to seek them out and read their work. (I think I’ll start with Prince of Cats by Ronald Wimberly, because I follow him on Instagram.) (And also this list from Book Riot.)

Part of the reason why I think it’s hard to find comics by black creators is because…well…

Here’s the Secret.

It’s an uphill battle to HAVE black creators working in comics, particularly “mainstream” comics. They want to work, but industry leaders and execs will not hire them. This prejudice in hiring practices is so intense that CB and I wrote about it in Validation a long while ago, and the topics discussed in that arc are STILL relevant today. (The strips at the top of this post are some highlights from that arc.)

There are more black creators in indie comics because until recently, no one in “mainstream” comics wanted to hire them. Often for not-great reasons.

But then, I’ve never been a big supporter of “mainstream” comics. It was an all-white-boys club in the 80s and 90s, and in so many ways, it still is. “Mainstream” comics regard minority groups as subject matter to highlight their “otherness,” not as a target audience to make comics for.

I know that opinion is contentious. But I’ve come to this conclusion after making comics and attending conventions over the last 7 years. I’ve seen and heard the arguments all around. And I could write a whole other blog post about “the industry,” but that’s for another day.

Long story short: “mainstream” comics has a representation problem with hiring black creators. So much so that many black creators go indie and have immense success on KickStarter.

Am I going to let “mainstream” comics’ allergies to hiring black creators get in the way of seeking them out? No. I will go find a creator on KickStarter, do my research, and if their story tickles my fancy, SUPPORT THEM. And I hope you do the same.

And if you missed it, here’s a list of some of my favorite black creators. Some of them DO make comics in the indie sphere.

That’s all for now. Thank you for reading!

You. Are. Awesome.

May 8, 2020May 2, 2020

Writing for Comics 101 – Making Pages You Can Actually Read

In today’s lesson of Writing for Comics 101, let’s talk about making pages you can ACTUALLY read.

How do we do that? By not packing the pages with an obscene amount of dialogue.

Or at least, if you HAVE to keep so much dialogue, how to pace it out so it’s not a word brick.

This technique is something discussed in more detail in Making Comics by Scott McCloud, so what I’ll do for today’s post is share my mistakes so you can learn from them.

Let’s take a look at this page from Seeing Him, written by Kia Crawford and drawn by me:

To be honest, there’s a way to get the information across that we need, without using a fuck-ton of dialogue.

We could:

split this between two pages,
condense the banter,
condense the backstory drop,
change the page layout,
change the balloon layout,
or any combination of these.

At least past me had the sense to split the dialogue into separate balloons. That way the page felt, at the time, a little less like a word brick.

This is me spit-balling some ideas right now on how to fix this page of Seeing Him: we could change the camera focus in the second and third panels, to cut away to framed photos on the walls. Those photos could showcase the history of the venue. With that edit, we can split the dialogue up some more, re-frame where the speech balloons sit, and make the page feel like less of a collection of talking heads.

Compare this page to The Legend of Jamie Roberts, page 65, written and drawn by me.

the legend of jamie roberts genderqueer lgbtq pirate adventure webcomic page 65

Here, I let the space breathe and tell the story for me, without so many words.

Whether you can draw or not, comics are a visual medium. Let the environment and scenery describe for you what words could not.

If you have questions, or need feedback, let me know in the comments. I’m happy to help.

That’s all for now. Thank you for reading!

You. Are. Awesome.