Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Interview: Anne Onymous

So today we kick off a new feature: I'll be approaching various webcomic figures and attempting to interview them. The twist: Half the questions come from you folks.

To begin with, I approached the creators of The Wotch, a pair using the pseudonyms "Anne Onymous" and "Robin Ericson" (former being the artist/author, latter being the colorist/letterer/technical genius for the site). Of the pair, I've only heard back from Anne, but frankly, I'm shocked I got anything at all, seeing as I sent the original "would you be interviewed" mail less than twelve hours ago. I polled a few folks familiar with the strip as the reader questions for this round. Rest assured I'll do my best to get advance notice for the next few if they happen.

That said, I asked 9 questions, and used 6 from my focus group. The answers are pasted directly from our correspondence, and I've changed nothing save the formatting, to make this a little easier to read than the mishmash of HTML my mail client outputs things in.

My Questions
1) One of the more debated points at times is whether there really is a second person behind The Wotch, or if it's just one person using two aliases. Which is it?
Anne: I assure you that Robin and I are certainly two separate people. I am amused that some people apparently think otherwise, though. :) Really, while the main comic is the work of two people, The Wotch exists as it does today because of many people, both some directly with site work and management help, and also the many supporters who make the comic a joy to do.

2) If there are two of you, is one of you male, the other female (not specifying which is who), or are the genders of your aliases a smokescreen as well?
Anne: Here, I'm going to just say what we always say: if this is a big deal to someone, then they will likely not enjoy the comic anyway. In other words: no comment. Take that as you will. :)

3) Some have said your protagonists, especially in some sharing a name with your aliases, are just Mary-Sues. Any comment on such?
Anne: I must admit that there is a certain Mary-Sue vibe. Even one of my closest friends had a discussion about this with me. However, I hope it's not entirely true. Having a very powerful magical girl as a main character lends itself easily to it, but I've always tried to make Anne a fun and enjoyable character, and the solutions to her problems something more than just "having a power level of over 9000". She's definitely not perfect--none of the characters are. Some complain that there aren't lasting consequences. I disagree--it's just that these consequences are often not what people expect them to be. (A brief aside here: this is why, to the person who wanted me to ask about the "no consequences" question, that I cut yours in the end.)

In regard to the name usage: I actually do regret doing it. It seemed like a fun idea at first, but it's resulted in not only some general confusion, but also the occasional Mary-Sue accusation. However, I don't really feel like I want to change it now. People mostly get that author-Anne is not comic-Anne.

Really, though, like any author, the characters come from within me. Anne isn't just a representation of me, but rather of part of me. Robin represents another part, and Jason another. They are also inspired by other people, and have taken personalities of their own. It's definitely a lot more than Mary-Suing, though. From the main to the minor characters, each have their own persona and talents and flaws, and each grow from their experiences.


4) What sort of relationship do you have with your fans?
Anne: A very good one. I don't post in the forum as much as I'd like to, and my e-mail answering can be pretty late, but I do try to have good communication with the fans. I don't like to be this unreachable, exalted figure. I want to talk with people, get feedback, hear suggestions, and mostly have fun with others, talking about the things the comic is about. I'm especially thrilled when readers are inspired to draw pictures or comics of their own, either directly inspired by The Wotch or just from the influence of the comic in general. I like when people express their imaginations.

I'm also extremely thankful to the fans of The Wotch for the great support (both with verbal encouragement and monetary donations). I am very happy that my little comic makes so many people happy, and I hope they will continue to enjoy it. Wotch Fans (aka Wotchers) are an extremely awesome fan base, and I am incredibly thankful for them.


5) How do you feel about webcomics "critics" (Websnark, John Solomon, etc.)
Anne: I don't really read them, but I know some have said good things and some bad. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, of course. I try to learn from the criticisms, too. Some things, though, people are just going to disagree with, and I'm not going to change my plans or my tone or style just because a critic doesn't like it. I'm happy for the honor of being reviewed, though. It's always nice to be noticed.

6) Are there any artists who you feel influenced your style? (note: the parentheses next to each artist are my own addition, for those who don't feel like looking up who's done what)
A few that pop to mind are Todd Nauck (comics artist, mostly on young adult titles), Dan Shive (webcomic artist, El Goonish Shive), Ian Samson (webcomic artist, the second to work on Abstract Gender), and Darin Brown (I actually could not find anyone by this name save someone who'd created an AIDS wiki). But many artists have inspired me, whether they have similar styles or not. These artists especially inspired me because they express their creativity in a fun and free way, and it's a joy to see their imagination put onto paper (or the screen). It's what I try to do as well.

7) Any words of advice for inexperienced artists who might be looking for tips/for those attempting a webcomic schedule?
Anne: I'm asked this a lot, and my biggest piece of advice is this: Have fun with it. Don't do it for the wrong reasons; do it to express your imagination in a way that best suits it. As for a webcomic schedule: this is certainly a difficult task. Try not to commit to anything you can't fulfill, and adjust as you need to. Also, when treading into the webcomic world, it's important to recognize that many have gone before. Your idea may not be this fantastically original thing, so you must make it different from those that came before. Make it stand out. Give readers a reason to remember it among all the others out there. This is all easier said than done, of course. But, again, as long as you are having fun, that's the most important part. :)

8) Is there a specific strip/storyline you liked to work on?
Anne: I've enjoyed them all, but I think the two that stand out the most in my head are "Revenge of Ishtarru" and "Date Night of DOOM". Both of those stories evolved so much and really had deep impact in addition to some really fun comedic moments.

9) Anything else you'd like to add which you weren't asked about specifically?
Anne: Not really. :)

Reader Questions:
1) How long does it take you to make a comic, and do you feel bad that you make that much money from it?
Anne: It takes between 4 and 6 hours per comic just on my end, before it even gets passed on to Robin. It all depends on the amount of characters in the strip and the action happening (and how many backgrounds I feel I can/should include). My usual panel count is 12, which is more than your average comic update at least, even if they are not always the most detailed.

Do I feel bad about making money from it? No. Granted, I was against asking for donations pretty much right up until it became an issue of the comic continuing or not, but the fact remains that they are
donations. There is no fee to read The Wotch. If people want to support through donating, they are welcome to (and we try to give thank yous, as well). If they just want to read, than that is they're prerogative! I don't feel bad about people wanting to support the comic. I feel incredibly thankful, and I hope to continue to do my best to make something worth supporting. :)

2) Are you deaf? Because that's the only explanation I can think of for the terrible 'sound' effects you use.
Anne: I enjoy the "sound effects" (or "verbomotopeia" as some call it). I think it's funny. I also combine some "real" sound effects in the mix, but sometimes tossing a verb or adjective between asterisks is just the fun thing to do!

In answer to your question, no I'm not deaf.


3) Do you ever feel uncomfortable with the idea of people masturbating to thoughts of your characters?
Anne: Not really. It's not like I can really control that anyway.

4) Why the utter refusal to improve?
Anne: Why the utter refusal to see improvement? I feel that I have improved, in both storytelling and art. Apparently you feel otherwise, but I think if you jump from the first comic to the current one, you'll see a pretty clear difference.

Actually, I've really tried to improve while maintaining my specific style. And I feel that, while I certainly have a ways to go, I have also come far.


5) Also, do you enjoy ripping people off?
Anne: I do not feel that I have. I've been inspired by people and ideas, and like I said earlier, I've tried to make perhaps unoriginal ideas into something unique, but I do not believe I rip people off, and therefore, no, I would not enjoy that.

6) What is the reasoning behind the humor in the frequent transformations (and in cases like the cheerleaders, subsequent mindwipes), when the concept itself is so frightening?
Anne: Well, first of all, I'm an odd person. I think this is clear enough. :)
Secondly, though: are those concepts inherently frightening? I've tried to show that some things that people believe to have this absolute horror to them do not have to be. Or if they are, they can still be used to tell a good story. I enjoy transformation very much, and really enjoy watching characters deal with the situations. It can be funny, scary, sad, exciting, or a combination of all of the above. Also, just because one person thinks something is frightening does not mean another does. Remember, these are subjective ideas, and the reactions to things range from person to person.

So what is my reasoning? To have fun, and to tell an enjoyable story while at the same time perhaps showing that these very concepts aren't as frightening or unthinkable as people might think.


My thanks to Madam Onymous (now there's a phrase you don't learn to use in journalism courses), and I do look forward to seeing the response to this article, as I'd rather like to continue these.

Oh, hell with it. I'm continuing them whether you guys like it or not, if the folks contacted keep replying.

22 comments:

John Solomon said...

Bitch is CRAZY.

Anonymous said...

I do enjoy reading these, though I may not be one of the vocal bunch. Thanks for your interesting articles :)

Alex said...

I have a follow-up to the "verbomotopeia" question: are you retarded?

anon e. mous said...

@john

Crazy dosnt even begin to desribe her.

kellhound said...

She must have brain damage if she thinks she has improved at all.

That Guy again said...

Yep. She's definitely a dude. And when you realise this, the mary-sue is so very obviously there despite what he says.

Eno said...

I agree with her on terms of the transformation stuff... I don't understand how anyone can find it inherently frightening. I suppose it depends on its portrayal.

She can draw and write what she wishes, but people still have the right to criticize it... At the same time I think personal insults and threats aren't exactly very appropriate when from what I've seen (and I've seen her on some other forums where she seems perfectly nice and normal).

Criticizing her comic or her attitude towards it is fine, but I think "YOU DISGUSTING BITCH, YOU'RE SUCH A RETARD, AND ARE PROBABLY A MAN" is crossing some sort of line. Not that half the people on the internet are aware of such a line.

Lord Nightmare said...

The Darin Brown she was referring to is the artist of crossworlds comic,
http://www.crossworlds.ws/ and he has a site at http://www.studiomythos.net/index.html

Anonymous said...

Eno, you don't understand how if suddenly your genitals and appropriate hormones were suddenly and without warning changed to the opposite gender?

Anonymous said...

Understand that it could frightening, I meant to say. It's late.

TG fetish guy said...

"Eno, you don't understand how if suddenly your genitals and appropriate hormones were suddenly and without warning changed to the opposite gender?"

That would be awesome.

eno said...

I was unaware that Ranma 1/2 was a horror comic.

Yes, I can see how someone would find that sort of thing frightening... If it was actually possible. Sure, it IS possible with surgery, but we're not talking about that are we? We're talking about people magically shifting genders with no plausible explanation except "a wizard did it!"

It depends on your point of view. I won't lie, I've thought about it when I see a comic that has some form of gender swapping in it and just how such a thing would actually feel (the process would probably not be very pleasant, certainly), but that's just my thoughts on the matter. Lots of things become quite disturbing if you think about them too much, and if you kept doing that there'd probably be no comics with anything out of the ordinary happening at all.

I'll admit I found it quite funny that most of the interviewer's questions are put politely and seem quite neutral, but when the user questions come up they're all suddenly "Do you realise YOU'RE SUCH A BITCH AND YOU SUCK!!???!!" Why did I see that coming?

Maple said...

I'm not gonna say she's crazy, but she's naive when it comes to the aspect of making a good webcomic. Let's face it- Her art is not enjoyable. It's a crap-spin-off of the Anime style. I think if she hunkered down and actually looked at her art and said; 'Hm. I can improve.', maybe she could pull out some good material. If she keeps up this ego-stroking, she's going to continue to create absolutely abhorrent art. I think people should stop paying her for this. It's not going to help her at all. In fact, she's going to keep churning out the same crap she was when the comic first started. Anne Onymous? You have not improved. Sorry, but it's true. You need to TRY. You need to take your time, get a grasp of human anatomy, (Fingers, torsos, legs, etc.etc.)
backgrounds, objects, and perspective and THEN maybe people will actually nod their heads at your work. Until then, though, you will continue to create a product that is nothing less then elementary school art class level AT BEST. Take a look at pros- see how it's done. Even professional cartoonists follow this standard rule of anatomy.

Anonymous said...

I don't think she's crazy or even overly weird (although that may be due to excessive 4chan exposure on my part), I think it's partly because during an interview just about anyone subconciously starts answerinbg things politely. And since she's doing this over a computer, we couldn't see her respondingto any questions without the time to compose herself (in other words, we didn't get to see her recoil at the masturbation question). If someone were to go on her forums and ask these subtely and informally, we might get slightly different answers. Oh, and Fletcher? Do Robert Howard next, if he'll let you. That would be hilarius to watch him try to cocksuck his way through our questions. Or JDR, or the bitch that writes Minumim Security.

Maple said...

Oh, ahem, excuse me. Anne Onymous is a man. I totally forgot. Sorry, dude.
(Though you probably would prefer being referred to as female. Curse your damned scrotum!)

Luprand said...

Kinda late to this, but here I am.

I dunno about the verbomotopeia being so stupid. I like to toss things in like that when I get the chance, just for the heck of it. The idea, in moderation, is funny to me.

As for the horror, I look at it this way: different people react to things differently. A lot people, if turned randomly into a dog, probably would scream or howl and freak out badly. Some people would mope and think along the lines of "Woe is me, for I have lost my humanity!" Some people, probably electrical engineers, would try to find a way to type using claws. And a few airheads would gleefully go after the first Frisbee they could find.

So Onymous is not necessarily being inaccurate with the characters in the Wotch, just ... statistically improbable.

Konoko said...

Just to reply at something earlier on.
"Even professional cartoonists follow this standard rule of anatomy."
Rob Liefield.

Also, in my own opinion, I don't find magical transgender a too 'horrifying' in itself, but I do enjoy El Goonish Shive.

Anonymous said...

The difference between Ranma 1/2 and the Wotch is that Takahashi doesn't have Ranma suddenly become a better, more emotionally fufilled person just because he's become a she.

And that's, ultimately, what bugs me about the comic. Despite it all, the narritive itself continually reinforces the idea that while being a strong woman is laudable(Which is true.), being a strong man inevitably leads to becoming a mindless thug, which can only be cured by repeated sessions as a girl.

Now, I'd honestly say that this is more Annie's writing not being refined enough to make clear when she's just going for the lulz, and when it's serious plot time(Another big difference between how Ranma 1/2 handles its transformations and a lot of "TG" comics.) than anything else. She certainly doesn't seem like a jerk, and relitivly well adjusted to the constant stream of crap you get just from being on the internet. I could be wrong or have missed some gold mine of drama, but it takes class to respond to "How do you like ripping people off?" with anything other than, "Fuck you, I don't make them pay me."

Anonymous said...

I will say this, her art style is not the best (to be honest it's probably not even mediocre), but that doesn't mean she deserves to be flamed. Also, I acknowledge that that being transformed could and probably would be frightening, but I wouldn't go so far as to say it's an 'inherent' terror (Really, I can think of a variety of things that could happen to you that would be much much worse). However, I think she's gotten into a bad habit of using it too often. Another thing, masturbating to poorly drawn comic characters... I don't think you can do much worse than that.

Lastly, verbonomatopoeia's are awesome, shut your face! :P

Sylocat said...

A lot of you are certainly getting bent out of shape over a webcomic. Step away from the computer, take a few deep breaths, go out and enjoy the fresh air.

BTW, did I hear John Solomon attack other people for disguising their genders? I hate to get involved in a flame war, but I can't help but point out that one of the 4 aliases he writes his blog under is female. Pot, meet kettle.

As for Anne, well... yes, she (or he, I don't really care) goes overboard with, as one person put it, all the stressing about how "strong men are mindless thugs," but on the other hand, our society and culture are laden with images that promote an ideal of manliness as being just that. Look at any action movie.

Jupiter said...

I'm not surprised by any of this. The internet is a hole where people too hateful to function go and hide. Here's a brilliant idea: All you who are insulting Anne's art should display your own assuredly wonderful art for all to see. Otherwise, your whining means nothing. And you people who don't think she's improved? Go to the site and look at the current comic. Then look at page one. You'd have to be blind to not see a difference. I'm not whoring for the Wotch-it's more good than bad, but it's not perfect. And for the reactionaries scared of her anti-male attitudes? Keep drinking the Kool-aid, guys. She addressed it herself at the beginning of chapter 18.

Anonymous said...

"Here's a brilliant idea: All you who are insulting Anne's art should display your own assuredly wonderful art for all to see. Otherwise, your whining means nothing."

I may be missing the sarcasm here, but it sounds like Jupiter pulled out the "you cant criticise if you cant do better" card; if that's the case, somebody better get Roger Ebert on the line and ask him how dare he call Disaster Movie awful when he's never made a big-budget film himself.

No, wait, scratch that because it's retarded and so is Jupiter for trying that shit.