Goblins XIV: Clerical Omission.

[Lissou]

Maybe it's just me, but disregarding my opinion just because I've been through that event feels very disrespectful and arbitrary. I'd rather my opinions on how Kin was handled, if I choose to make them known, were considered as fairly as anyone else's.

I'm sorry if I gave the impression that I was dismissing your opinion. However, it's one thing to say "I don't think most people would react the way Kin did" and another to say, like some people have (not sure if you're one of them) "It's impossible for anyone to react the way Kin did, ever" when other people it also happened to did react that was and did recognise themselves in Kin.

I mentioned the other Kins to explain that, in my opinion, Thunt tried to show several possible ways for people to deal with and get over these experiences, based on the different ways he has observed people to reconstruct themselves.

In short, while I think you're entitled to your opinion, quite obviously, and I don't think having gone through the event makes your opinion unreceivable. Everyone's opinions are influenced to some extent by their personal experiences, but I am sick of people saying people can't comment on something either because it has or hasn't happened to them, and I certainly wouldn't want to be doing the same thing.
Having been in a similar situation does not make anyone the spokesperson for everyone who has (since opinions differ from person to person even within the group, and duh, people are human with their own opinions and personalities, so that's normal. I wish more people realised that) but it also doesn't make their opinion void, not should it be seen purely through the lens of "this person has/has not experienced this", especially since in this particular case, unless someone says so, we don't know who has or hasn't been sexually assaulted or in what circumstances.

Still, I believe there is a clear distinction between saying you don't relate with Kin/don't like Kin/don't like the way Kin was handled, all of which are fine, and saying nobody ever would react in a way similar to Kin's, which, while it's an opinion you can have, does dismiss the experience of people who have, which I believe is not cool. I was referring to the latter when I had in mind people who attacked Tarol and his mother's experience personally.

The way I saw it, among the different Kins, none of them was shown as being completely right or completely wrong. I felt they were a good representation of the mental struggle with the different points of view the same person can have, the fight between "I like this guy" and "What are you doing? You can't trust men, you'll be hurt again!" (except "men" has been replaced with "humans" in that instance due in large part to the setting).

Of course, getting assaulted does not mean you have to enjoy every single character who has such a backstory, nor does it mean you must hate all of them. My disagreeing with you wasn't mean as a "you're objectively wrong!" or something, simply a presentation of my own point of view, which differs from you. I too think this kind of things is often handled poorly but didn't feel it was the case here.

I hope my point of view is clearer and again, I never meant any personal attack and didn't mean to generalise.

[Janus]

Tarol Hunt/Stephens @Thunt_Goblins · Apr 27
Here's an excerpt from my blog, explaining my disappearance. Just to give you an idea of how weird it gets. http://tny.cz/aa166fe5

And in case the link ever stops working:

~" ...but hey, check out my new mount! It’s my latest upgrade! I took Skeletor and Slenderman, put ‘em on their hands and knees, duct taped ‘em together into one, terrifying, nightmarish beast and slapped a saddle on the whole thing! I call this magnificent animal, Slendeletor!”~
“ … “
~“I know, I know… it’s a little extravagant, but hear me out. (A) He’s a lot faster than you’d think. (B) Both Slenderman and Skeletor are not really undead, but they’re not quite living, either. So I don’t have to feed him! At least… I don’t think I have to feed him. Do I have to feed him? Aw, **** it. I just won’t feed him, we’ll see what happens. And (C) He’s ****ing SCARY, dude! Just check out Slenderman’s long, skinny arms flailin’ about! And Look at Skeletor’s face! I know he wasn’t really scary in the cartoon, but now that he’s here? Daaaamn!”~
“Look... I… I can’t do this. I… “
~“Oh, I almost forgot! I pimped my ride! Check it out! See? On Skeletor’s butt? Winnie the Pooh stickers! I had to customize, otherwise how am I gonna stand out from everyone else riding evil, fictional icons, duct taped together?”~

...

[Morquard]

Yes, when I saw that I knew there's no hope for Goblins in the near future, if ever and deleted the bookmark finally, just so I don't have to think about it every day. Of course it doesn't help if I then come here and check this thread, but oh well...

[Killer Angel]

Yes, when I saw that I knew there's no hope for Goblins in the near future, if ever and deleted the bookmark finally, just so I don't have to think about it every day. Of course it doesn't help if I then come here and check this thread, but oh well...

Well, if you're looking for news, at this point it's better to check here, rather than somewhere else...

[Vinyadan]

There is a little comic. It has nothing to do with Goblins, but it is something new.

Anyway, I think that the RSS feed is the best solution. You can get inscribed with the link at the bottom of the page (a very strange choice).

[Starbuck_II]

There is a little comic. It has nothing to do with Goblins, but it is something new.

Anyway, I think that the RSS feed is the best solution. You can get inscribed with the link at the bottom of the page (a very strange choice).

I have to say the new "Filler" comic made me chuckle.

And the Internet Troll Issue: http://xkcd.com/1357/

[Pyra]

*munches a cookie*

He did post something before the end of April. I'm sure it'll be longer before he can bring himself to keep working on Goblins, but I can be patient. I read WTF Comics still. And Chasing the Sunset, another sporadic updater.

[ArqArturo]

And in case the link ever stops working:


...

Yup, I read that, and the stuff he has been putting recently and thought that maybe... Just mayyyybe, he might need professional help? I dunno, pressure can do hard things on people. I know it does to me, but not that that level.

[Hytheter]

And in case the link ever stops working:


...

I think it all makes sense now
Thunt didn't just have a breakdown
He's gone completely insane and will eventually resume posting Goblins from the inside of an institution

[NihhusHuotAliro]

So, I guess, this si the conclusion I have come to since February 12.

Spoiler

Show

If A), where A) is that Mister Tarol Hunt/Stephens is being truthful in saying that he has lost forty pounds and is in a bad place mentally (I don't know if it's panic attacks, intense depression, mental breakdown, or what, but assume something on that level of problems).

Than A1), where A1) is Oh, that is not good. I hope he finds professional help and/or therapy. I know what panic attacks are like, and they're no good. That is a completely legitimate reason to take a break and get professional help and/or thrapy; because that kind of problem is a valid reason for a hiatus as much as a physical injury would be. If/when feeling better and in a better state of being, then I think it would be proper to resume making the comic.

If B), where B) is that Mister Tarol Hunt/Stephens is being untruthful in these claims of these problems (or something along the lines of it's not actually true what he is claiming as a reason for not updating)

than B1), where B1) is Oh dear, that's not appropriate behavior. It's okay for a webcomic creator to say that he or she doesn't want to draw or write a comic any more. Other webcomics have been dropped. It is okay for a webcomic creator to take a hiatus so long as he or she says that he or she is taking a hiatus, or something along the lines of "Sorry, taking a hiatus. I'll resume this webcomic in I dunno when, weeks or months or something. Maybe years. Until then, consider this webcomic to be dropped." or something along the lines of "Sorry, taking a hiatus. Will resume comic in two years, three months, one week, six days, ten hours, twelve minutes, and five seconds." or something along the lines of "Bye. Taking a hiatus." Bill Watterson, creator of Calvin and Hobbes, took two hiatuses. Gary Larson of The Far Side took a hiatus, as did Gary Trudeau of Doonesbury. Respectable webcomic creators have gone on hiatus.

But given the accounts of mister Tarol Hunt/Stephen's mother and wife, B) seems unlikely, unless they are also in on it. I don't see what gain there is in faking an emotional/mental thing-that-is-no-good-and-makes-you-feel-terrible.

I don't see why mister Tarol Hunt/Stephens continues this "I will update in two days" thing and then doesn't update.. IF he thinks that he really can get it done and post the blog-thing, and then really feels nervous at the last second and doesn't do it; I can understand that; but to repeatedly claim imminent actions and then not do them seems like a poor idea. Assuming it is legitimately difficult to do whatever he is trying to do, I see no reason why "Sorry. It's taking a long time. I don't know when it will be done." would not be acceptable. Or, if he feels that he really is almost done, and then almost done, and almost done (like someone trying to quit Civilization. Just. One. More. Turn. Or people trying to stop smoking, and feeling that yeah, they really have stopped, and then finding it impossible to stop and starting again, and then stopping and feeling like yeah, they really have stopped); it seems rather strange to not eventually stop saying "just a couple days. Really.". Repetition should establish that that claim is not a good one to make.

So, in the end, to me at least, it seems that B) is a bit of a stretch. OF course, there are possibilities other than A) and B).

[Aquillion]

Come on, it doesn't have to be as complicated as that. Here's the short version:

Nobody suffers more when Tarol stops producing the comic than Tarol. So when something like this happens, I'm inclined to believe that something is seriously wrong.

[iponly]

Y'know, up to now, I've been thinking that Thunt's breakdown was a combo depression / panic attack, but reading those blog excerpts and the ones available elsewhere on the 'net makes me wonder if he's got a dose of something even worse to deal with there. The whole long associative-to-the-point-of-being-nonsensical thing is psychotic break territory. "Word salad," as they say.

Well, I guess I'll revise my odds on if the comic will return or not in light of that possibility. Even if Thunt does start drawing Goblins again, I have a feeling it will be a different version of Goblins. Maybe a very different version.

[Spuddles]

Y'know, up to now, I've been thinking that Thunt's breakdown was a combo depression / panic attack, but reading those blog excerpts and the ones available elsewhere on the 'net makes me wonder if he's got a dose of something even worse to deal with there. The whole long associative-to-the-point-of-being-nonsensical thing is psychotic break territory. "Word salad," as they say.

Well, I guess I'll revise my odds on if the comic will return or not in light of that possibility. Even if Thunt does start drawing Goblins again, I have a feeling it will be a different version of Goblins. Maybe a very different version.

I see you too have a degree in internet psychology.

Whole lot of internet degrees here.

[Starbuck_II]

My degree is in biology, but I did take a couple philosophy classes.

[Vinyadan]

My degree is in biology, but I did take a couple philosophy classes.

Did you want to teach the dolphins about German idealism?

[Winterwind]

Did you want to teach the dolphins about German idealism?

Probably, given that I (with a physics degree, having taken some history and psychology classes) did it so I could understand the atoms' behaviour based on their past.

[iponly]

I see you too have a degree in internet psychology.

It's not like I'm making a diagnosis or recommending treatment, don't freak out just because I've claimed all the authority of an anonymous forum post with an "I wonder if" in it. I'm in the same "Hope he's getting professional help for the whole not-sleeping-or-eating breakdown thing." camp as everyone else here.

Hell, maybe Thunt is usually that incomprehensible and I've just missed out on that by not following his twitter feed or something. Is he usually that incomprehensible on twitter/forums? Generally I find his front page blog posts to be readable even if the occasional drama related one makes me wince.

[BannedInSchool]

Hell, maybe Thunt is usually that incomprehensible and I've just missed out on that by not following his twitter feed or something. Is he usually that incomprehensible on twitter/forums? Generally I find his front page blog posts to be readable even if the occasional drama related one makes me wince.

Hmm? What were you finding incomprehensible? That excerpt here in this thread? It's a conversation between two parties, which THunt does fairly often. Okay, so in that case the two parties are himself, basically, but other than that looks to make sense, as far as being compelled to draw the exploding bear monster picture makes sense.

[Nettlekid]

Can someone give me the sparknotes version on whatever this "Twitter War" stuff that Thunt's been putting up recently is? Is he really doing the whole "Twitter is analogous to war because PTSD" thing that people were like "Uh, dude, maybe you want to try a different tactic" about?

[BannedInSchool]

Can someone give me the sparknotes version on whatever this "Twitter War" stuff that Thunt's been putting up recently is?

Just a game with twitter stats and retweeting.
Here's the rules he posted: http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1s1k83d

[Spuddles]

It's not like I'm making a diagnosis or recommending treatment, don't freak out just because I've claimed all the authority of an anonymous forum post with an "I wonder if" in it. I'm in the same "Hope he's getting professional help for the whole not-sleeping-or-eating breakdown thing." camp as everyone else here.

Hell, maybe Thunt is usually that incomprehensible and I've just missed out on that by not following his twitter feed or something. Is he usually that incomprehensible on twitter/forums? Generally I find his front page blog posts to be readable even if the occasional drama related one makes me wince.

Hmm? What were you finding incomprehensible? That excerpt here in this thread? It's a conversation between two parties, which THunt does fairly often. Okay, so in that case the two parties are himself, basically, but other than that looks to make sense, as far as being compelled to draw the exploding bear monster picture makes sense.

Yeah, basically.

Thunt tends towards Penguin of Doom ¨random¨.

[Killer Angel]

Even if Thunt does start drawing Goblins again, I have a feeling it will be a different version of Goblins. Maybe a very different version.

mmm... cute bunnies FTW?

[Starbuck_II]

Did you want to teach the dolphins about German idealism?

No, porpoises, dolphins are racist as you know. Didn't want to make a Nazi Dolphin group

[iponly]

Thunt tends towards Penguin of Doom ¨random¨.

Well, that would explain that, and the numerous paragraphs of life story in the third person can be written off as poor taste. But... yuck. yuck... and waffles

I wonder if that sort of randomness relates to his bizarre and creative monster and trap designs? I guess that'd be a fair tradeoff.

[Winterwind]

Honestly, I guess this is this "trying to fake his usual goofy self, but not remembering how"-thing that he mentioned. He knows that when he's normal, he occasionally makes weird and random jokes, he's trying to act like he does when he's normal, so he's making weird and random jokes. And then overdoes the hell out of it. In effect, we're getting a carricature of Thunt, done by Thunt.

[Gift Jeraff]

Latest blog post: Thunt quits. But will continue making Goblins.

[Bird]

(For those with their eyebrows above their hairlines: despite the title of the blog post, he hasn't actually quit.)

[Dragonus45]

That's not a very accurate way of describing the post, honestly it was about as good as I think he could have made it. He isn't quitting.

[Ibrinar]

Yeah that title so misleading.^^ I won't read the actual meat of the post though since reading such stuff isn't good for my mood most of the time.

[Neoriceisgood]

Glossed over some of the longer guilt vader parts, but otherwise read all of it.

Glad he finally posted the blog though, I hope it'll help clear his mind a bit to
get it out there.