OOTS #959 - The Discussion Thread

[Kalmageddon]

Ok, I'm starting to get confused: what heavy-handed message do you see in this strip?
Please provide the exact quote, because I can't see it. The only thing that seems socially charged, so to speak, is the fact that Bandana is a lesbian or potentially bi and that's literally relegated to exactly 1 line of dialogue.
The rest of the strip mentions/makes fun of:
- action figures and marketing
- the "oh no, I don't want to be in charge even when I'm obviously qualified to do so" trope, which it averts.
- the fact that past interactions between Haley and other female characters has been mostly conflictual.
- the fact that fantasy armor designs for female tend to be impractical at best.

Now, of all these subjects, only the last might be interpreted in a more "charged" way, specifically as the author apologizing for having Haley in revealing clothes in the past. I don't know if that's the case, but it doesn't seem so heavy-handed... I mean, I personally don't think it's necessary, this comic started as a parody of common fantasy and tabletop gaming tropes, the sexy rogue in revealing armor is simply part of the course. Although by the same logic Roy should have been a loincloth wearing warrior... But whatever, Roy started as an aversion of the mindless brute warrior, which is even more noticeable when everyone else conforms to some stereotype.

Point being, if I hadn't read this thread I would have never thought this was Rich trying to apologize. I guess it's possibile, but if that's the case, it was still handled with some subtlety. It hardly seems fair to call him out on this.
Beside, this kind of reactions will simply make it seem like real a heavy-handed social commentary is more than justified, because they can be interpreted as originating from intolerance.
And believe me, I'm the first person here that can't stand heavy-handed social commentary, so I really wouldn't want that. So how about we all take a step back and try to see things from a different perspective, uh?