((Edit: days after posting, this post from 2016 came across my dash. Exactly what I was going for with Blaire's answer))
And that concludes the Ask The Cast portion! Next week, the start of a surprise I am SO fucking excited for you gyns to see >:33333
This week on LB's Boosty:
62 thoughts on “CH11: ASK THE CAST Rusty Faves!”
Idk
Poor Jaden π and Clancy π everyone is suffering so much. Also is that quote from Tumblr? I feel I saw a post on there like that.
rustyhearts
It is indeed π
Crypty
STOPPPPPP not that god forsaken tumblr quote πππ. I’m sad for Clancy’s situation but I’m glad she’s not like, unhappy I guess?
And yeah Blaire’s reaction tracks. The progressiveism really leaves the body of some when it comes to women.
And poor Jaden π I want to hug her. But also I’m glad to know I would meet her criteria π
rustyhearts
Sorry Queen ππ I had the Clancy page planned for a while, but hadn’t figured out what was gonna be going on behind her to complete the joke. I knew it was something in the gendie club, but wasn’t sure what. And then, I saw that damn quote on tumblr and was like “Jesus’s christ wtf??.. it’s perfect!!”
is blaire like...... okay
is blaire like…… okay?
rustyhearts
No U_U
Charly
I really want Blaire to eventually get better when she’s done being a really interesting villain for the story… you can tell she has such a kind heart and that she really does want the best for other people π even if she is rather misled…
same goes for Clancy I really want them both out of there, the future collective is not a healthy place especially for women who genuinely mean well..
Also damn I really wanna give Jaden a hug that poor woman… Alexis’ situation really cut her deep π
rustyhearts
I’ll take it as a compliment to my writing that you’re still able to empathise with Blaireπ
Re: Jaden, don’t forget, LB is set in 2017, and her break up happened in 2016. So she’s like, still very raw π
Ms. Clicker
‘Did you know I don’t have whatever you’re about to say’
Welp. My question to Jaden really went south for meπ haha….π. But, well I should’ve saw it coming, no wonder Rusty is taking her sweet time with all that romance stuff. Poor Jay Jay.
And Clancy…. sigh…she has a very passive energy for someone who plays sports. I don’t think she’s ever going to be that deeply to all this gender stuff, but I do think it might take. Long time for her to see it’s pointless.
Now, I don’t speak about Blaire, mainly because I’m not that interested in her besides her being a comedy bit or a shit-stirrer; but seeing her inside her little group convinces me more and more she will never get that ‘ peak’ moment so many people like to poke at.
Like…she will never admit. You could present her with tons of solid evidence, take her by the hand and spoon feed her; other members could desert first and she would just clinger to her ideology because she’s way too in the deep end. Admitting she’s wished death on women who fairly critized something? Hell no. She’s staying an ‘ally’ until that culture bubble pops.
rustyhearts
Me lining up the shot as soon as you did a Jaden question:
Re: Clancy. Her future is a little up in the air for me, I’ve got a few ideas on where her story might go. Figure I’ve got plenty of time to burn that bridge when I come to it π
Re: Blaire. You’re totally spot on. It’s why I love using this gif when girlies theorize about a potential “peaking” or “redemption arc” for Blaire.
Kory (sharpening her knives)
I remember that terrible quote about the gay man and the lesbian on the shoulder ugh… WHY WOULD THEY BE KISSING ???? WHY??? YOU DUMB DUMB DUMMIES STOP !!!!
Anyway, oh Clancy, oh Blaire… being surrounded by homophobia and not realizing it’s draped all over you in pastel colors v_v
Also that enby lady is wearing a pussy hat ! crypto terf sighted!
Jaden v_v my dear sweet Jaden v_v no wonder that’s how she replies to any question involving romantic life. It’s still so fresh, only a few months since it happened v_v it takes a lot of time to recover from a relationship that ended normally, but from one that ended so brutally, with so absolutely no closure and with such a real and vivid reminder of how cruel homophobia is…
We feel so much for Jaden because of her broken heart, but herself probably minimizes her own heartbreak because in the end, she’s still safe and has her family worrying about her, while Alexis… Who’s to say that Alexis’ mother doesn’t work with her husband to marry Alexis while she’s away too…
ANYWAY
YES FOR THE SURPRISE!!!!!! CANNOT WAIT !!!
rustyhearts
God the whole “gay men and lesbians have sex all the time, queer fluidity, m/f is the gayest pairing every!!” is very high up on my list of least favourite sentiments to come from gendies. β οΈβ οΈ
Love your thoughtful commentary about Jaden and Alexis ππ
Simp
People really do hate terfs more than they hate child m0lesters.
Jay
Yep, cus “terf” means woman or lesbian and most child m0lesters are men, Terf is just the new feminazi and “transmisogyny” is just “misandry” rebranded, MRA’s and TRA’s an indistinguishable nowadays.
But more and more women are waking up, don’t loose hope, with every great stride feminists make there is always backlash, that’s how you can tell it’s working π
Nonnie
Because is easier to hate women than hate their own cult. And even if there’s a child m0lester, TRAs will wash their hand with “well, they do not represent us at aaaaaaall!”.
rustyhearts
The prevalence of “terfs do not interact” sentiments over any actual bigoted ground always astounds me.
Norm L. Esbian
Jaden my beloved π
oh blaireβ¦
I guess blaire would put me to death, despite her being the most relatable character to me here (like my past uneducated libfem self) ohwell canβt wait to see her downward spiral even further tho.
Also Jadenβs. </3
rustyhearts
Im afraid so, breastie. Please face the wall ππ
Lots of spiralling to come tho for sure π₯°π₯°
Jay
I want a Clancy plushie so bad, I need to give her a hug… and also a Blaire plushie to kick down the stairs π
RCS
For the love of all that is holy and divine, what is that quote. Judging from the comments I have clearly been in blissful ignorance.
I’ve heard of the “queer is not a slur” people but have we evolved into “fag is not a slur” now?
(Unless you are in the UK/Ireland, in which case a fag is a cigerette)
ShyBottomDweller
Perhaps it is like the nigg* and whor* words?? where the mindset is “you cant use it but i(/we) can, when you use it is terrible when i use it is fine” more or less?? some kind of insider/outsider dynamic. About taking control from others.
Anyone feel free to educate me on this, I dont understand how effective reclamation stuff actually is in practice, my gut feeling leans towards not much because in the end, if the ‘outsider’ person using it still stabs you to the core (hence they are told they’re not allowed to use it), isnt it like pointless? why even play the game? I dunno. Maybe i’m just biased and dumb because ive never managed to accept or get over any slurry word directed at me or anyone else accurate or not, theres always a wince no matter how i may conceal my external expression.
The ‘and they’re kissing!’ part is also kind of odd. Like is it meant as platonic kissing of compliance, like angel and devil being partners in crime? or is f*g and dyk* for bisexuals as well??? afaik it has always meant (usually effeminate) gay man or (usually masc or butch) lesbian pejoratively. i’ve only heard f*g used towards a bisexual male a couple of times IME but then again, the person who said it didnt think bisexual males are a legit thing and so they viewed the person they insulted as “one of those gays in denial”, so, still had a gay male in mind when using it π€
@All how is it in other parts of the world?? Is it different???
rustyhearts
Much like queer, fag/dyke are seen as “up for grabs” to “reclaim” (I also think reclamation is stupid) by every LGBTQIAHRJRBRJFKRO++ identity under the sun. Hell, though not a slur, you see it even with “gay”, which many argue is “an umbrella term for LGBT”, or that “lesbian includes bisexuals too!”
And no, the quote is not talking about platonic kissing. There’s this rancid belief that evolved in the last few years that gay men and lesbians date/ have sex with eachother.
It’s a narrative pushed by the “gender is Fluid, sexuality fluxates” crowd. I remember seeing it crop up after a period where there were some dismayed jokes about butch lesbians/”twink”y gay men being mistaken for eachother, by other lesbians/gay men.
Then the TQ+ started saying “omg if you weren’t so exclusionary you could be together. Sexuality doesn’t have to be rigid you made yourself miss out on a queer experience. Gay and lesbians fuck all the time!”
I’ve seen sexually graphic comics, by straight trans artists about this very concept. Where a gay man and a lesbian see eachother at a club, make out, go for more, realize they’re the opposite sex… but are horny/haven’t gotten laid in a while so they follow through with the act anyway.
Sorry to be the one to expose you to the concept, queen ππ
ShyBottomDweller
Wow… Mind blown.
I sat with my thoughts for a while after reading your reply and i just come back to that. Being mindblown stiff. I feel like thrown in another dimension, with shaky ground.
Like I can understand the mistaking can happen, I’ve personally mistaken a few females for males from relatively small distance and have also heard cases of straight males mistaking some skillful crossdressers and feminine guys for females and then feeling confused about it, so i dont doubt some gay men get mistaken for lesbians and viceversa, even of mistaking each other. But my understanding on potential attraction and sexual desire in these kind of situations (we’re talking of genuinely mistaking, not cases of knowing but pretending you didn’t know) is WHAT happens after you realize the sex of somebody is not what you thought at first, when the illusion breaks as you take in and process more information of that person through the senses.
A straight male realizing the other person is of the same sex as him (or a straight female and a female crossdressing and looking like a male), or a homosexual realizing the other person is not of the same sex like they thought or fantasized about at first, all these cases should result in the attraction ceasing through further clarification, much like someone who dislikes smokers upon realizing their budding crush smokes like a chimney. First impressions and baseline assumptions matter for sure, but are not the be all end all of attraction and sexuality IMHO.
so what happens when genuine attraction persists (or increases!) in these type of scenarios? what does it mean?? that the person is actually bisexual but so far (mistakenly) identified as straight/lesbian/gay for xyz reason. Just like some LG may mistakenly identify as B or as S for a while. The realization can be surprising, uncomfortable, bring out feelings of shame, etc, but that negativity should not negate the person’s bisexuality anymore than someone not liking being homosexual means they aren’t, it should translate into exploring where this negativity and avoidance is coming from and slowly coming to terms with accepting oneself as bi.
I have no problem either with that kind or realization journey being represented in fiction, even if the characters are presented to the audience as non-bisexual at first, in order to retain the surprise element or whathaveyou. But if it happens and the characters continue to be adressed (and identify themselves) as homosexual till the end then i dont understand. I truly don’t understand. It doesn’t make sense to me, because I understood the point of having the labels in the first place is discerning distinct groups or types of people. There is a tacit agreement that each is different from the other even if there are similarities. Otherwise it’s all redundant, all synonyms.
I dunno.. it’s like… Like It seems so straightforward to me it’s hard to believe other people take such a turn in how they interpret the situation π¨ The fact there’s this (seemingly?) sizable IRL crowd you’re introducing me to, who instead concluded that everybody is just bisexual but too uptight to admit it or realize it, and that they promote said conclusion as progressive or ideal genuinely blows my mind, and not in a good way. Like, doesnt it mean it’s all bisexuals oppressing and hurting each other for eons? Shouldnt LGBT stuff disband since it’s just BBBB in reality??
I dunno, it feels like all the activism done to this point is based on a huge lie (or layered lies) and should go back to the blackboard, start from ground zero. Messy messy. What would that look like? what would be the new theories and actions then?? I genuinely don’t know π€
kory (who have seen so much horrors on tumblr)
Oh yes the whole “fag/faggot” is very much thrown around very freely now, not as much as queer but yeah… anyone who identifies as queer can now say it as much as they want and act mightier than thou if you dare tell them it’s offensive
rustyhearts
Quote here:
And yeah I’ve lost count of how many TIFs gleefully call themselves this, “fruity”, even “sodomite”.
I think it gives them a sick thrill to shock others. Possibly similar to the subset of one’s who try to overcompensate on being misogynsitic to be more “authentically male”, but just come of as edgy-tryhards.
RCS
Sweet lord, I have no words.
Or at least none which don’t have extreme amounts of vulgarity.
I’ve mentioned on here that I dated a TIF before while I was normie. I think I have the right term there? Female who claims to be le man like kai.
But bringing it up here cause said TIF genuinely called herself a poof multiple times (those who don’t know the context, a poof in the UK is a degoatory term for a gay man.)
I accept some things are cultural. Where I’m from “fag” is more associated with ciggeretts than with gay people (weirdly enough, there is a phrase still used called “fagging” which refers to someone doing mential tasks for another person, based off the job “faggot-gatherer” which is someone who gathered firewood) so I do get iffy about retroactively applying meanings that developed in the US and spread where there is no need to. though obviously here, the meaning is intentional
Also, didn’t want to fill up everywhere with my gay ramblings, so Parniyaβs biggest fan, if you see this, just know that the “it’s so difficult to date in our community” and “the dating pool is so small” is genuinely used by TIFs in my community to guilt trip us into dating them. No joke the phrase “you are so lucky to have landed a twink like me” was in my whatsapps inbox more times than I care to count
RCS
As a separate but linked point, Said TIF almost convinced me I was Asexual because I really disliked intimate contact (read anything past first base) and it genuinely put me in a crisis sprial of “X is a man, I thought I liked men. why don’t I like him that way? am I an Asexual homoromantic?” You know, completely ignoring the obvious physiology issue.
I’m not sure if that’s funny or sad.
Screw it. It’s gallows humour therefore funny.
too bad Kai’s boyfriend is Straight cause that would have been an inspired sideplot.
Lina (who is single for almost two months now and doing really well!)
This comic strip is a great wholesome conclusion of ask the cast! Even while Blaire is still being, well, Blaire, I like how we see little new bits of everyone’s personality. Looking forward to your new work (don’t forget to take any needed time time to rest though!) and thanks for cheering me up every sunday. Have a lucky week π
rustyhearts
Thank you very much!
And congratulations on singleness π₯°
Parniyaβs biggest fan
Poor Clancyβ¦ I relate a lot to her I still havenβt hit my full peak yet.. I still feel like I should be a TRA some days as a detransitioned woman but reading this comic helps me to keep going as a rad-fem.
Now Blaire, I hope she ok too. I know we should hate Blaire but thereβs a difference in male misogynists and female misogynists and Blaire obviously has some internalized misogyny, as a feminine woman she believes she is only a woman due to the gender roles placed onto her by a heteronormative society, I mean she genuinely believes a masculine woman in a relationship with a man is gay.
And now onto Jaden, I relate a lot to her as well, Iβm in the same position right now. Iβm waiting for this girl I really really like to come out to her parents so we can be together. She said itβd feel like lying if she dated me without telling her mom she was bi yet. She kinda scared me when she said I will be the first βafabβ person sheβs dated so we will see how this plays out, not many 19 year old TERFs in this world so I canβt be so picky-choosey.
But I guess thatβs why I love this little web-comic so much, itβs relatable, it uses real life situations, itβs centered around same-sex relationships, so it feels like home to me. Iβm new to this type of feminism and if my friends found out Iβd be all alone, so this is probably the only place the most open I will ever be on the internet.
Miss Kory
I want to give you a virtual hug
And also tell you that… yes you can actually being pickey-choosey. It’s not because you prefer women that you’re not allowed to have standards and boundaries. If the tra + being in the closet of your girlfriend is a red flag + dealbreaker, it is allowed. At 19 you’re barely at the beginning of your life. You have so much to explore, discover, so many people to meet, you don’t have to “settle” just because you think there’s no one else around.
rustyhearts
Omg I was just typing the same thing!
It is very, very common – even outside of the gender nonsense, for young lesbians (and bisexual women seeking female relationships) to feel like the first same-sex attracted woman to come along is who she needs to settle for because the dating pool is small.
It’s actually something I plan to explore in Riley’s relationship to Blaire. She is willing to disregard a LOT of things for the physical aspect of their relationship – likely because it is her first!
You do not have to settle and you’re far better off seeking out like-minded friendships with other lesbian/bisexual women, than settling for a relationship where you don’t agree on fundamental things like biological sex being real, and sexuality being unchangeable.
On that note, just because it’s a trend I often see – don’t feel like you have to adopt the radical feminist label because you are no longer supporting trans ideology (I presume). Though they politically oppose eachother, they aren’t the only two options.
I see a lot of young women discover radical feminism through places like tumblr, after waking up from trans nonsense – but still be in the habit of getting very attached to labels – and adopting “radfem” as an identity without even really understanding any theory or other tenats but “opposes trans”.
I find that most often, it’s better to state your beliefs as separate things, rather than cling to catch-all shorthand terms for the best communication.
It’s why I also changed some of the wording you used in your comment,
Like “sapphic”.
&ensp
Sapphic originally referred to lesbians only, it comes from Sappho, the poet from the isle of lesbos. Thats where lesbians get their name. But now its used as a catch-all grouping term for lesbians + bisexuals (and women who call themselves other made up sexualities, and also men who call themselves women) . I replaced it withsame-sex attracted women, because it’s very clear who it encompasses.
Also replaced femme – a word specifically meant for feminine lesbian women (I hate the whole butch/femme identity shit, but that’s another discourse for another day) – that also got commandeered by everyone under the TQ+ umbrella. (Blaire is not a lesbianπ ).
I changed it to “feminine woman”, because it’s much more clear. Though I know there’s still discrepancies there too, because argue about what constitutes as femininity, is it makeup/heels/shaving, or is it actual facets of being female. Bah! ππ
Any way yeah, TL;DR: Do NOT settle because you haven’t found better, ESPECIALLY at 19. I was also 19 when I discovered radical feminism on tumblr – and it was indeed while looking for a girlfriend/ lesbian friends π€£. A relationship you can’t be honest about fundamental beliefs in without fear is NOT worth engaging in.
And you don’t have to choose TRA OR Radfem. Take time to think about what you believe. Ask yourself and others questions. Being able to clearly communicate your beliefs is what’s most important. Not identity labels.
Parniyas biggest fan
From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much Rusty!!
I had no idea what sapphic meant and that only lesbians could be femme/butch. I am learning everyday as a new terf. I still don’t know what to replace the q slur with as I was so used to using it for anyone who isn’t straight, and I don’t know what to replace wlw and mlm with either..
the LGBTQIA+ community has such different terms than the LGB community, thank you for teaching me something new π And also thank you for that advice
rustyhearts
Of course π©·
Isn’t it crazy to think though, that terms like “sapphic” have become so popular but that many people who use them don’t even know what they mean? This isn’t a judgement of you personally, because you are NOT the only one who uses it by far.
Like jumping to radfem, I’d also avoid using TERF – aka trans exclusionary radical feminist. It’s a nonsense acronym, that completely misunderstands radical feminism and also was not coined by radical feminists. Before that it was radscum, before that femnazi.
Some women do use it, in the same way they might use “boogeyman”. Like they’re playing into the ridiculous name calling. But it’s really not a useful descriptor.
Radical feminism is a movement aiming to liberate women. That includes the liberation of women we don’t like or don’t agree with like “transmen” (female). So if anything it’s “male exclusionary”. Which, duh π of course its not focused onthe class of people causing harm to women.
That’s what I mean about the labels. It’s not a club, it’s not a cohesive community.
When it comes to thinks like queer, or mlm/wlw, think about what groups they include, and just say that!
Queer – means strange, abnormal, odd, deviant. This could mean anyone, no? All depends on what an individual regards as strange. May as well call it the “weirdo community” for how useful it is.
One of the big reasons there’s people separating the LGB and the T is because of the types of people who fit the descriptions.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual people only have one thing in common. Our same-sex attraction. Whereas Trans is not a sexuality, and claims that sexuality can be influenced/changed by pronouns and that the sex categories of male and female are completely socially constructed.
So why should we even be grouped together in the first place?
Which women, love women? Lesbians and bixecual women. So just say that. Or same-sex attracted women.
Same goes for mlm. Which men love men? Gay and bisexual men. Same sex attracted men.
LGB people, same-sex attracted (SSA) people works fine. There’s no confusion about who I’m talking about no?
And this is just me explaining my thought process. This isn’t a list of rules/terms you MUST follow and memorise. The most important thing about the terminology that you choose is that others can understand you. That’s the very essence of language, to communicate.
&esp;
It’s why I and many others push back against “trans women are women” rhetoric. Because woman MEANS something, if anyone can be a woman, than the word means nothing.
Parniyas biggest fan
Thank you, Kory and virtual hugs to you back
ShyBottomDweller
Am I hallucinating or is Clancy meant to have dark undereye cicles like L and i just noticed?? Raccoon Butch crew cutiepie.
I think i want to join the Hug Clancy International Union, tbqh π€ππ Please make Clancy plushies merch, not fair haha
Also does the cat ear beanie wearer have a name? is the character meant as mtx or ftx?
TY for the page! How was your weekend, author?? Looking forward to the upcoming surprise hoping its not another sucker punch but at this point you’re like a Pro-Boxer lmao ππ»
rustyhearts
She does have dark under eye circles – I think I did them a lot darker than in chapter 11 π might be why they’re more noticeable!
As a general rule if I haven’t given a character eyes, they’re just meant as a background character. Nameless, not a lot of thought outside of the panels they appear in.
Another general rule, I do not draw men unnecessarily, and I would certainly not be generous enough to draw a trans identified male like this woman lmao.
Glad you enjoyed the pages though – I think you’ll really enjoy the surprise… umm. Keep your guard up tho ππ
And I had a pretty productive weekend. Did a big house clean, some gardening, and got more LB done! Actually realised that I’ve gotten enough pages of future chapters done (while putting out these more simply drawn extras) to last me until the 8th of March next year! So feeling very accomplished π₯°π₯°
ShyBottomDweller
oh so its canon! Certified Organic Raccoon β‘βππ₯π
Gotcha. I was a bit confused bcus cat-hat being a background character like the store guy in previous chapters made me think mtx but the silouette made me think ftx, so didnt feel sure discerning which side of the QT pie the character was in.
Woahh March? you got lots already! Good buffer in case of emergencies, or planned hiatus for resting. Same with the minis, it was a clever move as buffer. gj gj
Interest wise, I’m more into the Yonique side of the cast than the QT Club truth be told (excepting Clancy). So I’m excited but still gonna wear a helmet and padding for the upcoming updates, clicking the pages with the toes cause my face be like π haha
BTW. i forgot to say! if you’re planing action scenes and the like for future pages, the KR manhwa Fight Class 3 could be useful as a rererence material!! π the protagonist is a male, but its got a female co-protagonist and various recurrent female characters and they’re shown in proper attire fighting (no weird breasts, panty shots, heels and frill) and have visible muscle. There is a shorthaired lesbian too and in general the scenes look very dynamic and expressive even without color. Hope its useful for your research
Cath (Clawing the walls, chewing the couch)
CLANCY,,, CLAWING THE WALLS BITING THE CARPET SHE DOES NOT DESERVE THIS,,
I remember seeing that quote when I was still in my TRA phase (Read: Being an autistic female is hell when it comes to online social circles bc everyone is either treating you like a toddler and the other being like ‘have you considered that youre ~more than a girl~?) and even then being,, very disgusted- 0/10 experience would rather eat my own leg than meet those two irl
Also one more thing- Miss Rusty how would you recommend publishing a comic like yours nowadays?
I’ve finally gotten a passion project ive been working on for a few months done writing wise and before I start sketching or inking I want to see If I’d need to put effort into making my own website, implementing an anti-DDOS system (Bc unfortunately that’s a very real threat when it comes to comics that don’t follow the current cult-), and what have you.
Ty again and feel free to take your time responding to this! I think I speak for all your readers when I say that you’re a big inspiration and your unwavering effort and tenacity is very admirable!
Jay
Ugh… don’t even get me started on the autistic to trans pipeline, I’ve seen the idea that autistic girls have “male minds” being twisted as trans positivity so many times it makes me want to eat carpet too (and not in the good way), maybe autistic girls “act like boys” because we find it harder to adhere to the inhumane performance art that is female socialisation π (but of course as usual it’s twisted to say we’re the problem)
Then when we do learn to “sit quietly and be polite” we don’t get diagnosed, we’re seen as not suffering as much as the boys with our conditions because we’re not allowed to show our symptoms and are basically forced to mask. I remember when I was a kid a boy with ADHD in my class threw a chair at a teacher in anger, he got support and quiet time to “process his emotions”, when I left the room because of a meltdown, I was called “immature” and suspended. I was so close to ID’ing as trans because I wasn’t “like other girls” and starting hormones, that’s when I found Magdalen Berns, I’m forever greatful to the MRA TIF I stumbled across on tumblr that put “TERFS DNI” in her bio and made me google the term and find her π
ππ³π΄ Rusty probably has a lot of experience hosting comics on websites with how many she’s been booted from over the years (affectionate), would love some advice also! Please let us know when you start publishing your work, we’re starving for rad artists out here π
rustyhearts
Oh geez has the post been around that long π I only got it reccomended in the ‘for you’ section on tumblr last week π
Definitely share your sentiments about meeting either user who made the post π€£
Re: Comic Publishing
Congrats on your passion project! Wishing you all the luck in kicking it off, and would love to read/share it here once you do π₯°
There’s definitely pros and cons to having your own site. The biggest for me is anything involved on the technical side of operating my own site. I’m not super code-savvy and rely on plugins made by other people for the most part. The site isn’t exactly how I want it either.
The biggest pro is of course having complete control of my work. I’ve been kicked off 4 different webcomic hosting sites, all with various levels of ceremony. It is very annoying to repost your work over and over without the security of knowing its going to be there the next time you login.
I’m also not a big fan of a shift to “scroll format” webcomics that most other hosting sites cater too – so in that regard, having my own site is also a big plus.
There’s also finance to consider. I pay a decent chunk of change to have my custom .com domain and everything that comes with the backend. I’d reccomend looking into free options first to see if you’re really willing to commit to your project before sinking money into the equation.
My knowledge on where exactly to look is pretty limited though, I do apologise. I know wix is a free website hoster.. not sure if freewebs is still around π€ and I’m not sure about how webcomic-friendly they are.
Jay
4! Wow π I knew about Smack Jeeves, Tapas and Comic Fury, what was the other one? How bad is the gendie community on these websites? I have a comic in the works, I have no interest in hiding my radical feminist beliefs and I think that’ll shine through a lot but I don’t have any direct references to trans stuff planned, do you think I’d have any luck on a comic hosting website? Can you really get booted just for the creator knowing sex is real?
rustyhearts
Yep!! Another notch it my belt just this year with Webtoons. It was just like ComicFury in that, when going to check on the comments, I tried to login only to be told my account didn’t exist and my comic had been removed. Very unceremonious!
The crazy thing about webtoons, is I ONLY posted chapter 10 – Jaden’s backstory. I did have some gendies recognise it in the comments so I imagine they were the ones to report it.
But yeah, if your reputation proceeds you.. very possible. Commend you for not wanting to hide your beliefs though, I feel the same!
Smackjeeves closed on 2019, but it was getting quite gendery.
Tapas is VERY gender friendly.
ComicFury has a very similar layout to smackjeeves, and favours the 1-page layout last I was on there.. But it also doesn’t get a looot of traffic afaik. Lots of sexually explicit comics too.
And considering they removed me without even notifying me π¬π¬
Webtoons is also very gender-friendly, and heavily favours scroll-comic format. You also do not get notifications when you recieve comments and the only way to check for them is to sift through each page and check.
I don’t think you can mark your comic as complete without their paid-premium account either.
underwhelming trainwreck
Hello I just finished binge reading your webtoon today and I have to say I am disappointed that there hasn’t really even been a hint of romantic feelings between Riley and Jaden yet.
This whole story is so slow and I can’t even tell where you’re going with it. By the summary I would assume it’s about two lesbians falling in love in a meet-cute apartment situation, but they haven’t spoken to each other since chapter 9, and even then it wasn’t much.
I get that you enjoy what you do and clearly like audience engagement but I think you need to pump the breaks on all the extravagant world building and put your focus into developing the two main leads.
I feel like out side of constant wink-wink nudge-nudge hints at backstory I know next to nothing about either of them, yet you’re dedicating the entire next chapter to an unrelated side character?
I was under the impression that this was some anti-trans magnum opus by the way terfs continue to blow smoke up your ass, but I find myself completely underwhelmed by everything you have offered.
Tenbelow
lol it’s not hard to assess you’re super mean-spirited so I’m not gonna do Assuming Good Faith and talking to you in a very like patient way because it’s boring
ANYWAY
Personally I’m super relieved LeaseBound is a slow burn because pretty much every lesbian media I’ve come across personally is so Rushed. “I Saw Her. She Was So Beautiful. Two Pages Later We Were Making Out” well that is hyperbole but I sure wish it was more of an exaggeration then what it was. But u kno. I DO like many of the stories that I have read that rush through the relationship, though. I understand for a lot of romance, especially these days in this short attention span instant gratification and influenced by hook-up culture we’re in, things go FAST.
I’m not gonna steam and get all angry about the lesbian books I’ve read for jumping right into the characters making out because I understand that’s an aspect of the genre. I still enjoy those books even tho I wish there was more romantic media that went slower. I don’t read tons and tons and tons of the book then e-mail the author going “wtf I disagree”
LeaseBound isn’t like that stuff, and I don’t like Rusty has lied or tried to imply otherwise. I think it gets PRETTY CLEAR that PRETTY EARLY ON in the story, it’s going to take Time, Time, Tiiiiiime for things to get steamy. If you failed to understand that, could be a reading comprehension problem.
and like what a relief. what a relief. as a woman who loves women, I find that like….. a lot of women Do Not rush things. We take a lot of time to feel each other out, and assess compatibility, ESPECIALLY when we are Falling In Love With A Friend. If Jaden and Riley met on a dating app, I would get being annoyed with them for going so slow, but like…
we have the fact that Riley has a GIRLFRIEND established so early on! We’re supposed to expect NOTHING romantically happening between the two main leads right now! That’s the point. We also know that Jaden is FRESH from a break up, and has said multiple times she is NOT looking to date anyone!! It’s said right on this page, in fact.
I wonder if you read the whole comic. did you just forget these pivotal details? so crazy. might be someone who didn’t read, and is trying to Hurt An Author’s Feelings by making a comment, but like. not very effective at hurting her feelings when you say stuff that is so outrageous, obviously inapplicable to the comic, and makes you look…. not too wise… π
Also like, I gotta say, multiple people are excited to see Rusty’s characters – ALL OF THEM! – and somehow I think she’s more interested in pleasing an audience that loves and supports her instead of a hater. just kinda human behavior.
I am SO sorry if you wasted your precious time on Earth reading every page of a comic you hate! I hope you can get well soon, and like… learn to enjoy your life? We have such limited time on Earth. And hate-reading is like. such a waste of your life! If you didn’t read the whole thing – thank goodness! You deserve more then wasting so much time! But leaving a mean little comment and making yourself look foolish is still a huge waste.
Get well soon. You really do deserve it, I’m not being sarcastic. I hope you do more Fun and Fulfilling stuff and spend less time on hateful internet crap. If you felt jealous to see like, a group of women being like YES WE LOVE YOUR ART <3 at someone who you feel is undeserving… like… you can create too.
You can have your own supportive friend group who loves your art too! Or you can find your own hobby and people who uplift you and what you do. And like, if you already have that… what the heck are you doing…. here… in a webcomic comment section acting like this….
but yea once again get well soon. I know I was a little bit of a snit in this comment (i mean just trying to match your energy a little bit. Snit 4 Snit is only fair right.) but sincerely sending you positive vibes.
Crypty
“anti-trans magnum opus” girl did it occur to you we all just?? Like the characters and art and the weekly shenanigans? That we like the actual lgb characters and the discussion of how sexism and homophobia effect women?
And yeah it’s slow going but it’s made by one person with a life outside the comic and who’s gotten her comic removed from multiple hosting sites.
Maybe it’s the millenial in me but I don’t think any of us were expecting this comic to be finished in a year. Cause we know that’s not how non-corporate backed webcomics work.
But I gotta agree with Tenbelow. I’m pretty sure I know who made this comment and just gotta say: Focus on your own work. I mean this sincerely. I know the stinging pain of seeing someone else’s work get attention that you think doesn’t deserve it.
I know it genuinely sucks when someone who you don’t like has, in your opinion, better art skills than you. Like I know what that feels like personally, and it fuckin blows. But focusing on this person/project you dislike is just gonna take up all that time you should be dedicating to working on your own project. Working on your stuff will make you feel better! Hell put that anger and frustration into a pastiche even! Write up the quick burn romance between trans-men uhhh Kiley and Raiden or something! Just like, take care.
ShyBottomDweller
Umm, have you ever considered that:
1. Art takes significant time and energy (not just doing the thing, but researching and post edition tweaking too) and not every comic artist is able (and/or willing!) to slave themselves into producing 10+ pages a week for fast consumption? T
his being a 1 person production means it would require lots of sacrifice? There are not enough hours in the day, and cost of living is abysmal in many places so it’s not hard to understand why one may not dedicate everything to something that produces no profit, or too little.
In this world people (including you and i) simply cannot survive on passion alone, no matter how much someone may wish to. No matter age, race, orientation, spirituality, sex, weight, height, mental health. It just doesn’t work given the conditions.
2. You should not paint with such a brush the audience? with such black and white thinking? Like I personally know pretty much nothing about Radical Feminists, I have no attachment to the label nor do I employ that label for myself.
I’ve never done anything one could label as RF or TERF political action and don’t think i will. Yet i’m here and enjoy this comic, and I got here through recommendation of somebody else with the same characteristics, and that person found about this comic the same way, so that makes at the bare minimum 4 of us, likely many more.
I may not see eye to eye or agree with everything the author chooses to put out, but one does not need to be a RF or a TERF to appreciate aspects of it?? it’s a diverse spectrum of opinions and perspectives i think. Somebody else may take something different from it, and enjoy it more than me, or less, or about the same amount.
Also, excuse you?! Shez IS queen and deserves her own Bible, temple and statue TYVMπ
rustyhearts
Sounds like LB just might not be for you, and that’s an inevitability with any work.
Good on you for reading it all the way through, not a lot of my detractors can claim to have done that π
uhhh
You seem to have read this expecting it to be yuri or porn or whatever. Instead, you got a character-driven comic with an ensemble cast, all of whom provide context and nuance and insight into both the two main characters in the center but also the environment they find themselves in, which are all things that matter in an actual story that isn’t just fluff around the fanservice.
And Jaden, and even Riley in the snippets we’ve seen, have had quite a bit of character development that speaks volumes about the women they are and how they got there, to the point where it’s a little ridiculous to claim otherwise while also claiming to have read the whole thing.
You also complain about ‘unrelated side characters’ with zero comprehension of what roles these characters may play in the coming story, and apparently while missing that this story isn’t just about Jaden and Riley, but about their surrounding lesbian community, what’s being done to it, and responses to that, something the various characters (which you’ve dismissed as irrelevant to getting to the part where Jaden and Riley make out) represent in various forms (and which many fans relate heavily to because this is maybe the only comic actually expressing it, and doing so beautifully and in ways that ring true to their experiences).
And if you don’t understand why Riley and Jaden haven’t gotten all swoony over each other yet (hint: the other characters and surrounding world building are relevant to this), you’ve got the reading comprehension of a planarian.
Ms. Clicker
k bruh, it’s just a webcomic lol. “anti-trans magnus opus” took me out tho, ya’ll really make the highest of hills out the tiniest of grains.
Like I also think LB is a little slow for my taste, and I would like for Jaden and Riley to get closer but…I also know none of this comments are for the purpose of actually providing artistic critique, so…
Nonnie
“anti-trans magnum opus”? Go to Webtoon or Tapas to get the comic you want.
Jay
Ok, curiosity killed the cat… I (sadly) recognise every other reference in this panel but what are the “Degrees of Transphobia”? (wondering if I’m blessed to have missed out on this particular bit of gendie lore and should maybe quit while I’m ahead π )
rustyhearts
You can rest easy – the degrees of transphobia is just an injoke with a friend π
She said something like “third degree transphobia”, and we discussed whether the degreed would fuction like burn classifications, or murder conviction classifications.
Fuck you Blaire
Oh goody…. Blaire being a vile misogynist yet again π
Women wanting sex segregated spaces to protect their anatomy and overall well-being “dEsErvE tHe cHaiR”
Absolutely disgusting.
WestWind
Is Blaire being serious here? Jeepers…. I think you did a great job with the art making her look unhinged, but I find myself less scared and more just… confused and sad…
rustyhearts
Yes she is being serious. She believes in the 41% suicide statistic, she believes that there is a trans genocide’ going on, and she believes it is all the work of whoever is deemed a ‘TERF’. Blaire also does not see the hypocrisy/inconsistency in her first statement about the death penalty (concern of bias), and the second statement.
I was very much inspired by many entries on the TERFisaslur website, where many trans/trans supportive posters liken violence against women who know what biosex is, to activism, sometimes the only *true* activism.
Just a few from the front page.
Blaire represents a very warped sense of allyship that is largely based on what is “expected” of allies by ttans activists. Blaire believes what she is told, and does not question things because as a “cis woman” it’s her job to “listen to trans people”, and this is the behaviour being modelled by the trans people she interacts with.
Blaire is VERY dedicated to making sure she is, what she perceives as the “best” ally possible. Her motivations are largely about looking good and feeling like a good person, rather than thinking about what her actions might be doing to and for others. It’s why her response to the death penalty question is jarring – 1) surprise comedy, but also
2)she believes it’s what an ally should say to signal she supports trans people and thinks transphobia is the most abhorrent act someone can commit. More than paedophile, rapists, serial killers, nazis.
Again, much like her IRL counterparts.
The ones who try and assert it in real life when they call a very small amount of trans people dying (often not even due to hate crimes) a “genocide”, and organize events where each gets remembered and named individually ( meanwhile the murder of so many more women, specifically at the hands of men, for being women every day isnt even considered a hatecrime).
Or their constant need to insert into other political movements. Women’s rights are human rights .. no TRANS rights are human rights. Punch a Nazi? No, punch a TERF! Black Lives Matter? No, TRANS Lives Matter!!
Over and over and over again.
There is a very good reason Riley is scared to ask her any questions, or allow her to find out what happened to Jaden.
Tenbelow
gosh dangit darnit Blaire.
At this point, I feel like she is going to get her own content warning. Wishing death on feminists, lesbians, and just REGULAR WOMEN… heck i’ve seen men get called terfs too, though it’s more rare…. but yeah, Blaire, you are so in for it. you’re gonna get Content Warned. you’re going to be someone who makes enough threats and says enough bad things to get content warned… ARENT YOU?
I mentally wrote a fanfic a few days ago while I was at work. In which Blair Gets Her Wish sort of, and all the meanie feminists disappear. Not just the modern feminists, but those Bad, Problematic Feminists Of The Past, who were so obviously Evil As Well. and of course, the Rights of women also disappear along with them. I imagined how that would effect the gendie club, Kai being like “tee hee women are In Their Place… WAIT. We are also being oppressed? WE ARE NOT WOMEN” oh poor gendie club. alas alas, it was feminists who fought these rights for you, not a man who threw a brick in the United States. Meanwhile, the Cursed One, Mr. President… he’s all “tee hee women are in Their Place”, and of course none of the female oppression applies to him, but then He ends up in danger as well, because feminists and lesbians end up being the ones who loosen gender restrictions and let him safely exist as a “wrong male”. (Gay men of course also helped loosen these restrictions of gender conformity, but in the LeaseBound Universe, the gay men are in their own little sphere having a party.) I imagine him frantically being like NO WAIT NEVERMIND MY NAME IS NOT BABYGIRL I AM MAN I AM MAN NORMAL MAN
I got caught up in doing Job Stuff so I did not create the ending. Perhaps it is all just a dream, and Blaire wakes up. Does she learn anything useful from her dream? Or does she say OH NO, THIS IS A SIGN OF THE INNER TERF ALL CIS WOMEN HAVE INSIDE THEMSELVES. I HAVE TO KILL HER WITH MORE BRAINWASHING… Probably the second one! Probably the second one. Oh blaire. oh silly blaire.
I simply don’t have the time to write out the silly little story, so into the comment section it goes v_v
How cool is it to know you created something that lives in the hearts and minds of other women? Someone like me will be doing my job and create some kind of silly cartoon episode in my head about your characters!
Also, I remember you used to get a lot of comments about how unrealistic normie Jaden is, but now you have a lot of “I didn’t know that….” in the comment section about certain Gender Beliefs. I was also listening to a podcast by some gender critical women last night, and one of the women told the other women a story I thought all of us were familiar with… The other women didn’t know, was shocked and appalled that transgender people sincerely believe that…! There are definitely levels to this knowledge, and the amount someone knows or doesn’t know definitely influences their ideas about Gender Ideology….
HUGS FOR JADEN!!! Looks like your dream girl has a family who’s far enough away that it doesn’t matter anymore!!! Whoo hoo woo hoo wooOOO HOOOOO….
though perhaps Riley might be… Both of those things? My guess is toward the second one. there’s no way riley would have felt safe enough to come out, given the hints we have about her upbringing…. Though it would be interesting if Riley…. HAD come out to her mom, and was crushed for it. What a brutal lesson of “don’t speak up for yourself, don’t share your real thoughts and feelings” that would have been. Who could expect Riley to stand up for herself easily after that…?
I’m fairly convinced at this point Riley was crushed in some way, and taught to always place the feelings of others over her own comfort. Riley probably thinks she escaped her childhood and isn’t aware it’s influencing her this badly still….
Like she’s not dumb she does know she was effected, but “oh crap my crappy childhood is influencing almost all of my choices and informing how I interact with my girlfriend” is another level
rustyhearts
Oh you absolutely KNOW it would be option 2. Mass donations to trans orgs for dream crimes, gotta be atleast 2nd degree transphobia right there U_U.
I do think it’s very cool that my characters and story are occupying your thoughts, highly flattered! Thank you for sharing them, Miss TenBelow, your commentary is always such a treat to read. It makes me really happy to have such a thoughtful, long-time reader. I’ll never forget the first time I saw one of your delightful comment essays in my notifications, and i was very dubious at first, thinking “yeeep, here we go, here comes the gender nonesense but in book form- OH!”
Very interested in your theories about Riley, doing my best to say nothing, neither confirm nor deny (herculean task for me). :3
headcannon
Will LB ever have autistic representation?
β
I personally headcannon Blaire as autistic, what with her special interest in trans issues and social interaction misteps, but it makes me sad to see her as the only one because sheβs villianized.
rustyhearts
I’ve written a general FAQ answer regarding representation.
Short answer, no probably not. Mostly because I don’t feel confident depicting it (on purpose lol). I’ve had multiple readers see autistic traits in different characters, without ever having intended it.
Which is fine, headcannons like that are always interesting to me, and you certainly don’t need my permission to hold them. And you’re always welcome to share more of your reasoning in the comments.
Important to keep in mind that none of the characters are written to be autistic. So Blaire isn’t being made into a villain or singled out for being autistic.
In fact, a lot of her “social misteps” are a positive side to her character. Like she’s pushy about gender nonsense, but she’s also pushy when it comes to making sure her friends take care of themselves (making sure Jaden was getting her share of pancakes, pointing it out fully). She pushes because she cares. It has both positive and negative outcomes.
Celina
JADEN IS PRECIOUS ANS SHE MUST BE PROTECTED ππ©·ππ©·ππ©·ππ©·πππ©·ππ
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