I love a character in an ensemble cast that runs counter to the rest of the people around them.
Really, it's the best way to make a character stand out. The one who has some kind of contrast to everyone else, in terms of their priorities, or beliefs, or ...

Against the Grain
Banes at 12:00AM, March 13, 2025Preachy Comics
Tantz_Aerine at 12:58AM, July 6, 2024
Last night I had an interesting conversation with one of my favorite creators (you know who you are) about what makes a webcomic (or comic, or movie, or book, anything applies) preachy. Preachy as in trying to force an agenda, or ideology, or outlook down the audience's throat whether ...
QUACKCAST 561 - You are being manipulated
Ozoneocean at 12:00AM, Dec. 14, 2021 LISTEN on our new player!
Listen on Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/drunkduck-quackcast
Or TuneinRadio - https://tunein.com/podcasts/Books–Literature/Drunkduck-Quackcast-p1150194/
This interesting Quackcast topic was influenced by a DDer who has been subsumed by anti-CoVid conspiracy. This inspired me to delve into the reasons for the massive ...
Your Character's Politics
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Nov. 20, 2021
So there's an art to writing characters with strong political agendas when you also happen to be a creator that has a strong political stance. I happen to be a person with very strong political views and ideology and ironically in my comic Without Moonlight absolutely nobody shares my ...
Flipping off the Author
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Oct. 23, 2021
So Squid Game is a huge hit, and I'm glad I've been a kdrama fan before it was cool, apparently XD (though granted, it's been cool for a good while for a lot of people)
This is not an article about Squid Game, but it offers the ...
Archetypes Through a Psych Lens: Humanistic (still)
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, April 17, 2021
Sooo…. we have already covered the illustrious Maslow and his pyramid of needs. Now comes Carl Rogers to complete what I consider the complete package of the Humanistic school of thought when it comes to personality theories. (well it's not just me, it's a lot of eh, colleagues ...
The Devil Inside
Banes at 12:00AM, Nov. 21, 2019
Nowhere to Hyde
Last time we talked about characters who are not what they seem. Folks who are introduced one way but are revealed to have a secret nature, or hidden depths, or a hidden agenda.
Another type of “hidden side” I enjoy is a little less universal, but can ...
QUACKCAST 431 - Political messages in your work
Ozoneocean at 12:00AM, June 18, 2019 LISTEN on our new player!
Listen on Stitcher - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/drunkduck-quackcast
Or TuneinRadio - https://tunein.com/podcasts/Books–Literature/Drunkduck-Quackcast-p1150194/
*Cover-art from the movie poster for METROPOLIS, not Atlas shrugged :)
This Quackcast is about having political agendas in your work and expressing them well!
We're talking ...
Working with Political Agendas
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, June 15, 2019
Lately more and more comics and animated features seem to consciously, and more importantly loudly, incorporate political messages in their stories. From feminism to social stratification and discrimination, to racism and xenophobia or even depression and psychological trauma.
This is by no means a new thing, to incorporate themes and ...
Gag Orders 2
Banes at 12:00AM, March 14, 2019
Gag Orders 2 - Gag Harder
Last week we touched on the outcry over Captain Marvel's marketing campaign, and the shutting down of the ‘Interested-Not Interested’ section of Rotten Tomatoes.
At the same time, a somewhat-related hammer hit YouTube creators when channels were demonetized or limited and told that unsavory ...