Questionable Content XIX: Give Jeph Just A *Little* Credit, Here

[Beelzebub1111]

I agree with your assessment about what's not working with Liz, but I also think it's entirely possible Jeph thinks it is working. He obviously thinks her characterization is successful, given all of the "Liz is terrible AND I LOVE HER" captions on comics where she does socially inexcusable things. At the risk of putting words in his mouth, all of his Word Of God statements about her read to me like "you guys just don't appreciate how successful she is as a character" - which is extremely classic Author's Pet mentality in my book.

I'm not going to get too deep into psychoanalyzing Jeph as to how much he realizes what's working or not. He could honestly believe that or it could be denial. I feel like if I could understand WHY he loves her, or give a reason for that it would go a long way to writing her better.

Can you link this artist? Or DM me their blog? It sounds like a fun character!

I'll send a DM since it's occasionally NSFW. nothing too explicit, just a butt here or there.

I, too, would read this essay.

If it bothers me enough I will end up making my first video essay ever about this topic. I wanted it to be about particularly interesting encounter design in old D&D modules but lord help me I've got a bee in my bonnet over this.

Excellent point. I don't know why Jeph thinks Marten and Claire having an "adoptive parents/mentors" arc is interesting or well-advised, but it isn't and hasn't been from the start. Liz is just a jerk, just a garden-variety jerk, and I have no idea what endears them to her and makes them see her as worth rehabilitating. And even if she were, they're not remotely equipped for it in temperament or skillet.

Unless "allow the jerk to insult friends and loved ones, then mildly snark at them" is a hot new rehabilitation strategy I haven't heard of.

Being generous Liz is supposed to be representative of the victims of broken systems that leave people to the wayside and the folly of being a "gifted student" with expectations and pressures.

But you bring up another point of thing that separates Liz from other Gremlin characters. Marten, Claire, Bubbles, and basically everyone can just leave at any point. They are in no way attached to or imposed upon by Liz. They are willingly associating with her for some reason. Usually with this archetype they are either stuck with the Gremlin or the Gremlin imposes upon them at every opportunity and won't leave them alone. From the outset Liz wanted to be left alone, and her entire introduction was a ploy to have people not notice her existence. Martin and Claire are under no obligations to take care of her but do anyway for no discernible reason other than Liz is in the cast now.