Last week’s comic caused a bit of a firestorm. Chance was more surprised than I was: “THAT was the comic that was seen 30K times??”

I was less surprised. I have a better sense of what sets off the kind of people who might react negatively to a punchline on the internet, and they are the kind of people who are deeply committed to pushing concepts like Marxism, critical race theory, white privilege and social justice through artistic media.

They don’t run across art that challenges their ideologies. They simply don’t see it. On the rare occasion they do run across it, the art is usually either a cobbled-together photographic meme or amateur enough to ignore.

Art they disagree with that has any level of quality to it? Highly threatening. I had to be dismissed, and I was dismissed quickly as a racist, misogynist, friendless incel who hates nice things . I was a hack artist stealing other art styles or a talent who could potentially make art that supported their worldview and somehow, sometimes both at the same time.

I don’t fit easily into any of those categories. I noticed people who don’t want anyone to assume gender were quick to assume mine. It was a long day, but we wouldn’t be releasing this project every week if we didn’t want everyone to see it. Even if it breaks the reader’s comfort zone.