But entertaining you with free comics is NOT HIS JOB, and there's no reason for you to expect (let alone demand - I'm looking at you, AugustWest) him to make that a priority in his life. Keeping you amused is not his responsibility.
Stupid metaphors. Always getting in the way. Okay, let's try this again. Kapow, it's rude to come in amid a group of friends just to tell them you don't like the way they play together. I'm sure if Onstad wanted people to rush to his aid, he would ask for it in some sort of hilarious but touching plea. I'll admit we could be nicer about things, but until now we assumed that we were criticizing a beloved author from afar. Now that we're doing it to his face, you might notice people being nicer. Probably.
Now on to what you actually said. You said entertaining us was not Mr. Onstad's job. I disagree entirely. It is in fact his job. His business is hawking fine wares, but his
job is to entertain. He can do it however he likes, but it's his main occupation at this point. He lives on it.
Just like he was writing for the Simpsons or guest starring on Jack Benny. He entertains us, and that builds his brand. He offers products with that brand and we buy them. We increase his brand by telling our friends about it. We link to his site from others in message boards and so forth. To those of us who post often, the Achewood brand has grown so large it has invaded our speech patterns. We come to count on the stuff like I used to count on Calvin and Hobbes, only moreso because his stuff is looser and can be more expressive. We buy into his serializer stuff, and bid for his paintings. Don't come preaching to us when you don't seem to understand how this sort of thing works now.
It's his job to entertain us, I say
boldly. But he is his own employer. He can do it as well and as often as he likes, and only he decides that. We are free to complain. If a Coca Cola (darn, more metaphors) vendor was handing the stuff out on the street and you had some and it tasted like ass, you'd probably tell people, "Hey, that Coke tastes like ass." That doesn't mean you hate Coke or you bear the guy or his workers any malice. It doesn't mean you'll try to get people to stop buying Coke or Coke products. You have just come to expect great things from Roast Beef, er Coke, and you'd like to see it continue to blast off into space and hack Yahoo! and ... uh ... fizz. Let's get off this.
Really it's the little unspoken contract that we're talking about. His imaginary contract with his readership is that they'll get an Achewood quality strip five days a week, plus stuff on Serializer if they pay for it. Naturally that contract is worth no more than what it's written on, but people are jarred when it's broken nonetheless. It's silly to feel like you're owed this stuff, but it would be silly to think people wouldn't come to expect it. Especially people who show their devotion with their wallets.
So don't go traipsing around like the dude is some sort of benign benefactor. He's a businessman, and a good one. He's an entertainer, and a great one. I'm grateful for the free entertainment, but I'll enjoy the stuff the way I see fit. Jough, August West, this crew, and I don't need Johnny-come-latelies busting up in here and acting like
we owe it to
them to discuss the strip in a way that
they approve of. If Ferocious J or others disagree with me, then we'll settle it the way we always do, with wit and candor and usually mutual respect. You we have no respect for. You, I'd like to hear one new though from. Or at least a funny quip.
If you have a problem with the free service that we are providing (Jough is providing), why don't you start your own message board and bitch about us there.
Grraaaaaar!
Wow that was too long. If you've made it all the way down here, congratulations. I have to go upstairs now. JL needs a backrub, and I'm not wearing any #####.
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