Regular Guy

Author notes

RLY: Spring Dance 1999 (2 of 2)

sewerman

on July 25, 2008

This comic contains the first of two really inappropriate lines of dialogue that test the waters of what an "E"-rated strip should do. I'm speaking, of course, about Traci's line at the end there, which seems to cross a line just a bit. It probably says something about my sensibilities that I laughed audibly to myself when I wrote it, and that while the slur may be totally uncalled for and 100% malicious on the character's part, I couldn't do this without it. The strip is looking down on this character, and the reader should too.

Regular Guy is indeed an E-rated strip, and will remain so as long as I censor language I deem offensive (many would probably disagree on what falls into that category, but to each his own) and avoid showing nudity. I think this is key, because there would be nothing erotic or appealing about the nude human body under my pen, I just couldn't do it. I'm not that kind of artist (the kind that draws things well.)

Anyway, the point of the strip is thus: we establish the changes that have occurred since Anja and Reg fell into relationships and out of their friendship, and we learn a little more about Whatsisface. A character manifesting the ability to change appearance? Fairly appropriate for this comic I'd say. And what a great codename for such a character. All rights reserved.

Will this pay off later? Well let me ask you: how much stock do you put in my ability as a writer? Would I leave plot threads dangling like that?

Would I?

My other favourite line of dialogue, of course, is the line about Kevin Bacon. Not only does it get my requisite Kevin Bacon reference in, (if Allan Wood is reading, he'll understand,) it establishes Anja's attitude toward the whole thing.

Soundtrack info: More Late-90's High School Dance fare: "Every Morning" by Sugar Ray, which was a #1 video on MuchMusic for approximately a year and a half during a time when I actually watched the network regularly, and "Praise You," by Fatboy Slim. It was actually "Rockefeller Skank" that got more play at dances back then as I recall, but I like this one better.

You know my deal. I draw this thing occasionally, and I make no pretensions that I'm a terrific artist on it, I just like getting it done. I am Scott A. Williams and this is Regular Guy. Keep on rockin'.