I'm not going to dwell on my father's temper outbursts too much as we obviously got more used to them as we grew up but for the significant impact they had on my childhood I felt this had to be included because as you will see in later pages they did not cause my dysphoria but I think they helped reinforce my ideas that being male wasn't a great thing to be. This particular page is one of my most vivid memories of that time for some reason, I think probably because of what I witnessed that night.
Others have been through far worse than me and I can reflect back with a more curious and analytical mind now so it is past stuff but may feel relevant to others who had similar experiences.
PS: Does that blue tint look too vivid? I might tone it down if it looks too much!
I like to think this sort of thing doesn't happen any more but every now and then I catch a headline that says domestic violence is on the increase. The saddest thing about it is that wives back then didn't get much support from either family or the police, as it was seen as 'you made your bed now you have to lie on it!'
The blue works well and gives a real sense of the big lights being off I think. Really like the viewpoint in panel 5 which emphasis the feeling of feeling trapped in the middle of this conflict.
Ironscarf: I sketched the fight first as it's so dominant and then realised there wasn't really much space left to put the child's head but as you say it seems to work best there anyway!
I'm so sorry to see what you went through 😰 any kid must have means to call for help, especially if their mother is not capable to to it for herself. I hope things went better then.
The blue is perfect.
Agne: Thank you. As I say, I've read stories of kids who suffered a great deal more than I ever did but this was still enough to have a lasting impact on me which shows how vulnerable children can be at this age.
MB: Thank you. This was all so long ago now and it was traumatic at the time but I didn't feel I could miss this early stuff out as these small memories must have played a part in making me the way I am today, male or female.
It's a horror blue, so it fits. But anyway, you/Nikki did well, by not surrendering to a paralyzing fear. And if the father had any sense left in him, he would have to take stock of his behavior when his young son has to step in to protect his mother.
I love that term 'Horror Blue'! My colouring looks okay on my tablet but dull on my laptop, so I increase the saturation a little and then it can look too vivid on my mobile phone so I'm never quite sure how it looks to others! It's interesting to see how these outbursts were dealt with in my teens!
These pages really capture that feeling of a child's point of view. It almost feels slightly dreamy. Nick is a very sensitive child and I'm guessing that this bonding with his mother will be influencing a lot of his later experiences. And I also expect that a big part of his/her life will be spinning around this theme of healing the masculine wound. If you can empathize with women so much and yet carry the body of a man, I believe that this would create so much ground for a working on resolving these issues. I'm curious to see how Nick will handle it. Also, I thought that the blue tint looks just great!
You really hit the nail on the head with my empathy for women which I honestly feel grew rapidly from this point as I so wanted my mum to be able to hit back! The last three images on this page are a memory that has been imprinted on my mind ever since. I don't know why but I think it was the first time I realised my dad was the monster in the house.
Yes, these things can truly have a lasting effect on us. As children we absorb so much of the world around us and that world that we observe and take in helps form who and what we are as we mature. So this is a good page, if for nothing else, to illustrate what some of those formative moments were.
PS: Actually, don't take the blue down too much. It represents night/dark and still allows us to see the action clearly. Add to that the jarring effect of the 'fully lit' room and it plays very well all around.
Once again. Thank you for your story and we look forward to more.
UBH: I did want to try and keep that light/dark contrast so I'm glad that works okay. It was only years later that I realised how sensitive children can be in a dangerous environment like this, learning to spot the signs of danger. Me and my brother could tell the sound of his car engine from all the others cars in the road as he entered the close, and that would be our signal to get upstairs first and then listen out to see what sort of mood he came home in!
Genejoke at 10:30AM, April 28, 2024
About time I catch up.
skyangel at 11:10PM, April 28, 2024
Hi Genejoke, lovely to see you again! :)
gemi at 4:47PM, April 4, 2024
Oh man, these first few pages are emotionally rough. Abuse happened in way too many families. :(
skyangel at 12:03AM, April 5, 2024
I like to think this sort of thing doesn't happen any more but every now and then I catch a headline that says domestic violence is on the increase. The saddest thing about it is that wives back then didn't get much support from either family or the police, as it was seen as 'you made your bed now you have to lie on it!'
tommym at 12:32PM, Feb. 15, 2024
Dear Sky, My parents were saints compared to him. seeing men like him makes it easy to hate men. tommym
eudie13 at 12:01AM, Feb. 8, 2024
I was randomly going through my “archive” folder of bookmarked comics today and clicked on Simply Sarah, and I am very pleased that I did. 😊
skyangel at 8:44AM, Feb. 8, 2024
Hi Eudie, lovely to see you over here! I hope you enjoy this new story :)
Ironscarf at 3:13PM, Feb. 4, 2024
The blue works well and gives a real sense of the big lights being off I think. Really like the viewpoint in panel 5 which emphasis the feeling of feeling trapped in the middle of this conflict.
skyangel at 5:42AM, Feb. 5, 2024
Ironscarf: I sketched the fight first as it's so dominant and then realised there wasn't really much space left to put the child's head but as you say it seems to work best there anyway!
fredhedges at 10:28AM, Feb. 4, 2024
Nick is a plucky kid. When I heard my father raging, I just turned into a puddle.
skyangel at 5:40AM, Feb. 5, 2024
Fred: Fear is a strange thing for sure. I was scared of my father but the fear of losing my mum was greater, at that age especially.
_Agne_ at 1:21AM, Feb. 4, 2024
I'm so sorry to see what you went through 😰 any kid must have means to call for help, especially if their mother is not capable to to it for herself. I hope things went better then. The blue is perfect.
skyangel at 8:39AM, Feb. 4, 2024
Agne: Thank you. As I say, I've read stories of kids who suffered a great deal more than I ever did but this was still enough to have a lasting impact on me which shows how vulnerable children can be at this age.
MidnightBaelfire at 4:17PM, Feb. 3, 2024
Oh Skye, my heart hurts for little you. The previous page was bad enough.
skyangel at 8:43AM, Feb. 4, 2024
MB: Thank you. This was all so long ago now and it was traumatic at the time but I didn't feel I could miss this early stuff out as these small memories must have played a part in making me the way I am today, male or female.
Othosmops at 9:12AM, Feb. 3, 2024
It's a horror blue, so it fits. But anyway, you/Nikki did well, by not surrendering to a paralyzing fear. And if the father had any sense left in him, he would have to take stock of his behavior when his young son has to step in to protect his mother.
skyangel at 8:46AM, Feb. 4, 2024
I love that term 'Horror Blue'! My colouring looks okay on my tablet but dull on my laptop, so I increase the saturation a little and then it can look too vivid on my mobile phone so I'm never quite sure how it looks to others! It's interesting to see how these outbursts were dealt with in my teens!
edniz at 9:03AM, Feb. 3, 2024
These pages really capture that feeling of a child's point of view. It almost feels slightly dreamy. Nick is a very sensitive child and I'm guessing that this bonding with his mother will be influencing a lot of his later experiences. And I also expect that a big part of his/her life will be spinning around this theme of healing the masculine wound. If you can empathize with women so much and yet carry the body of a man, I believe that this would create so much ground for a working on resolving these issues. I'm curious to see how Nick will handle it. Also, I thought that the blue tint looks just great!
skyangel at 8:54AM, Feb. 4, 2024
You really hit the nail on the head with my empathy for women which I honestly feel grew rapidly from this point as I so wanted my mum to be able to hit back! The last three images on this page are a memory that has been imprinted on my mind ever since. I don't know why but I think it was the first time I realised my dad was the monster in the house.
UnderTheBlackHat at 8:45AM, Feb. 3, 2024
Yes, these things can truly have a lasting effect on us. As children we absorb so much of the world around us and that world that we observe and take in helps form who and what we are as we mature. So this is a good page, if for nothing else, to illustrate what some of those formative moments were. PS: Actually, don't take the blue down too much. It represents night/dark and still allows us to see the action clearly. Add to that the jarring effect of the 'fully lit' room and it plays very well all around. Once again. Thank you for your story and we look forward to more.
skyangel at 9:01AM, Feb. 4, 2024
UBH: I did want to try and keep that light/dark contrast so I'm glad that works okay. It was only years later that I realised how sensitive children can be in a dangerous environment like this, learning to spot the signs of danger. Me and my brother could tell the sound of his car engine from all the others cars in the road as he entered the close, and that would be our signal to get upstairs first and then listen out to see what sort of mood he came home in!