The term “Mary Sue” became a lot more mainstream a few years ago - but around comic book websites like ours, and circles that were into writing and deeper fandom have been well versed with this for much longer.

The Mary Sue is a character who has abilities or positive qualities ...

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Character design is a fun process but not without its challenges. Do you design the character or their story first? I've followed both of those approaches ...

Photo: “NeverLore: Cover” by InkyMoondrop. (February 2023)

InkyMoondrop writes:

Hi!

NeverLore doesn't seem to have an especially great launch yet, but Chapter 2 is about 70% done, will dive into an actual fantasy environment and I think I'll let it return to a Weekly update schedule with publishing ...

The other day I saw a clip of Frank Frazetta explaining his artistic process and what made his style unique, I found it fascinating. It made me remember just how awesome he was and how little regard he has in the wider art world. There were a lot of great ...

Photo: “Twistjam: Morgyn and Lacey”. Original characters from Alone is a Hard Thing Toby by David A Webcomic and Hawk and Flo Adventures Part 1 Ice Cream Truck of Doom by HawkandFloAdventures. (February 2023)

A nice round of milestones from four creators to celebrate the accomplishments on The Duck:

The ...

I was supposed to write the last post on my ‘toxic’ character design series, but I've been deep cleaning the house all day and I'm exhausted. My brain refuses to think so that post will need to wait till next time. Instead, I'd like to talk about ...

Hello everyone, and welcome to Panel by Panel, a periodic exploration of comic panels around The Duck. This week I wanted to try something different. I'd like to ask you all some questions. I have plenty more panel analysis articles, but I also want to mix things up.

I ...

Tough love is so cool, eh? It's going to magic the “whining” right out of you, won't it? You just need to stick out through the harshness, and then when you reap the benefits, you'll realize your tough loving benefactor had the right idea. You'll be ...

Time.

It does not come in an even lap.
It comes wearing the everfacing mask.
Dead light searching, seeking that hope.
It is gone graving the everfading mote.
Can you see the black fog before the red freeze?
They are neither free from the primordial bead…

…Time…

…now, always and ...

So last time, in Part 1 of this discussion of …sunnier villains or antagonists, we had left off talking about how toxic positivity is all about the toxic person's comfort. And that this need to impose a certain behavior, dogma, and/or approach to reality in their environment leads ...