Inappropriate for… who?
New to Blue Milk Special? Start reading from the beginning!
Come Jizz with Figrin D'ann and the Modal Nodes in a new series of voting incentive strips!
Oh and for the record “jizz” is the unfortunately named style of music that the Cantina Band plays. An obvious pun on Jazz which has since adopted other meanings. So, I’m not technically being crude. ;=
So, is today’s strip inappropriate? Vague question? Well, is it inappropriate for BMS? Of course not, because WE have always had a mix of twisted and safe humor since Smoking Jawa first delivered blue milk to Aunt Beru in our second ever strip. What am I talking about? I’m just reacting to a recent criticism by a reader that our “unappropriate” strips aren’t funny. I hate to get defensive about this, but it’s important that people understand that we are not Robot Chicken or Family Guy. This is fan driven and non profit. We tell the jokes we think are funny because it makes us laugh. Either you laugh with us or you don’t, but don’t tell us how and what to write. We’re doing this for ourselves first and foremost. You want us to write what YOU want then you’re probably out of luck… unless you like what we’re doing anyway.
I don’t know if that makes sense or not, and I’m sorry if I’m being touchy, but I’m sharing my vision of a Star Wars parody with fellow fans and that means its a very personal thing. I’m sharing what I enjoy, not for a paycheck, but because its great making other people laugh or affecting them in a positive way. Being told that I need to make BMS appropriate is a pretty “open to interpretation” term and just shows that they miss the point entirely of what we’re doing. People don’t have to like all our strips, or any, but we will stick to our vision and readers can stick with us or not.
We hope that most readers do enjoy the strips, even if Leia has been dealing with her problems in a very self destructive way… but that’s part of what makes her human… and lovable. She has her flaws, just like we do. Hope to see you all again on Friday! 🙂
Good job on the comic. Well done, as always.
I’m a big Star Wars fan and I have to say that I love what you’ve done with it so far. Integration with the expanded universe has been very clever and the whole thing is just plain funny. I’ve yet to find anything that really crossed the subjective line of appropriate/inappropriate. I for one am glad that you share your unique view of the Star Wars universe with the rest of us fans. Personally, I can’t wait to see BMS Yoda. I also foresee some humor regarding Biggs, Lando and the fact that they both wear capes and mustaches.
Thanks, and thanks to everyone who has taken the time to leave a comment. I don’t want any defense to take the form of an attack. The appropriate / inappropriate debate is a valid one. I can only respond to it as I see it. But it’s the idea that Leanne and I should be doing what a reader wants us to do rather than what WE want to do which I see happening a lot online, particularly among webcomics. I don’t think readers have a right to expect their own vague criteria to be adhered to by the author.
Let’s make something clear. I LOVED Order of the Stick. It’s a genius webcomic and I fell head over heals for it when I found it last year (yeah, I discovered it late). However, the time came when it jumped the shark for me and I got cold feet. I tried to stick with it for a while, but it wasn’t coming back around to where I thought it should be. Basically, a new character was introduced that I just couldn’t get behind and I started losing interest. But what I want something to be, and what something actually is, aren’t always going to be the same. I never complained to the author or told them they weren’t being appropriate. I guess because I felt that they hadn’t really offended me, and in addition, who am I to tell the author how to do their strip?
I suppose it might be like if we made Jabba Declan REALLY important to the BMS story and the Star Wars feel faded away a bit. Now, there’s nothing wrong with losing interest in something, or thinking that it’s not appropriate. But readers need to know that, just as MrTokarev says, it is subjective. There are some things that I think most of us will agree are indeed universally inappropriate: gritty real world horror and violence, unbound profanity, etc. Now, we will have BMS Vader split someone in half because it’s a shock gag. But it doesn’t become the nature of the strip to behave in that way.
We will allow the word “shit” now and then when it really drives a punchline home. In that case it is actually appropriate from a creative point of view because it punctuates a scene or a point we are trying to communicate, even if it is a crude word. However, we purposefully avoid overusing strong language because, just like sex gags, it’s too easy. So it’s not like we don’t have our own sense of what is and isn’t appropriate. We even play up the dangers of Luke’s and Leia’s potential romance, but are we pushing or endorsing incest? No, all we’re doing is acknowledging the situation George Lucas created when he officially introduced the sibling connection in ROTJ. It’s because we’re a comical parody that things like this, particularly our commentary nature, that it IS appropriate to BMS to often highlight some of the less savory aspects of the world.
Truck Nutz have nothing to do with Star Wars, but that’s the point. The Swamp Crawler looked a bit like a pickup truck to us, and the idea of slapping bumper nutz on the back we thought would be hilarious. We’ve never seen BMS as a “kid friendly” strip. From the very beginning we had a messed up slant, although in a very silly and humorous way. For the most part I think we’ve always managed to remain approachable as a webcomic for new readers.
What Order of the Stick character did you not like? I found that comic a couple years ago and have been caught up for awhile. It has its days where the strip isn’t great, but I still enjoy it.
Also, you can’t control what people find offensive and don’t. I personally have never been offended by this comic, or really much of anything. Like many people have stated, don’t let the negative people get to you. If they really don’t like the comic, they will leave and the people who share your interest in your vision of SW will remain and enjoy what is produced. Keep up the good work.
I’d hate to see Leia run out of smokes before she finishes that beer! lol – Keep it up Rod, you’re doing fantastic! 😉
Ellos, it took me a while to read though all the strips, but I finally did it!
And now I wait. ;-;
Also, I find this comic very enjoyable, even if some find it inappropriate. Honestly, I’ve read worse so the “omg, this is so inapporopriate!” people can go frick themselves. I don’t give a Fark about what you think!
This to me is an issue that I have with this ‘PC” world which we have made “just becasue you don’t like something doesn’t mean it has to be changed for everyone else”. It’s like you said if you don’t like what you read then DON”T read it. This strip can’t affect your life negatively nor can it affect anyone else’s so why get upset about it. I for one love this comic it’s a high point in my day when I log on and get to see the new strip that you guys worked hard on. So keep up the good work!!!!
Yeah! Do YOUR comic the YOU want!! People don’t like, they can continue reading and enjoy the strips they do like! I for one LOVE this strip and really for me, the more inappropriate, the more better, I say!!
So Kudos to you both!
And Kudos again!
Easy there big dog don’t let the little doggies that have no talent nor a life get to yas. Most negative comments can be shoveled into the Troll shit pile with out much thought. Love the comic and look forward to your take on lukes self training that happens during the between empire and Jedi.
As John White would probably say… Bloody Damn Right Rod!!!
I, for one, let my little ones see some of the strips, and keep them from a few (or I slightly edit the text when I read it to them). They love Vader, Boba Fett and any robots.
They especially loved the potty strips. They were in training at the time, and I showed them saying “look space heroes use the potty, so should you”, so thanks for helping to potty train my kids 😉 .
When asked why the Jawa smokes I responded, “It’s a bad habit some people have, but being a good boy, you do not. In my opinion, it is a reality all kids will have to face on their own sooner or later.
As I have already stated they even tried to order Blue Milk in restaurants. I have pictures or them drinking it at home (hope you like the ones I sent you.
No doubt the Internet crosses the line in several places, but this is not one of them, and I’d rather face the occasional jerk with no self-restraint than an equally jerky jerk with a picket sign.
Sorry bout the rant. 🙁
IT’S BLUE MILK WEDNESDAY!!! Wait… what? Someone’s picking on Rod? How dare they! Philistines!
Rod, here’s the thing. Everybody has their ideas about what is appropriate and “unappropriate” on the web, right? Just recently on an RP site that will not be named, I went through a personal debacle about “negativity”. Basically, the Web Master thought I was using his site to malign him due to a comment I made that he read completely out of context. Turns out that I was probably the single least negative writer on his site, and he likes what and how I right. I was banned for three days because of it, and reinstated, but the point was well made.
It is his website – a PRIVATE website owned and operated by him. That means, just like the rest of us, he – and you – get to exercise your First Amendment rights how you see fit. Like the others who have already written in, I LOVE what you’re doing with this strip.
As for “unappropriate,” I fully believe that someone who is going to object to INappropriate content should really learn how to spell the word – same goes for anyone making comments. This form of communication is subjective enough without mucking it up with bad spelling, immature grammar and use of *shudder* txting. God for-friking-bid.
I agree with Beef!, the more inappropriate, the more better! I love BMS, and recommend to everyone and anyone I know. Those kriffing nerf herders….
Keep it up, Rod & Leanne. I love all of BMS, and know many people that do 😀
What is considered inappropriate really depends on your point of view. Besides, if you’re doing this to share you perspective on Star Wars, and to make a hilarious parody of it, then go right ahead and do what you like. It is your comic, after all.
Turns out that I was probably the single least negative writer on his site, and he likes what and how I right.
*sigh* and just once again proves, if you’re gonna get preachy about grammar, then for the love of Whoever – PROOFREAD! I could try to claim that it was a Freudian thing, since I was right… but that’s just reaching, so I’ll stop now.
Go Blue Milk Special. Yay!
I love you guys – the word “inappropriate” has never crossed my mind when reading your work. Keep doing what you’re doing and don’t bow to the pressure. The fans who follow your strip like it the way it is. If they didn’t like it, they wouldn’t be fans. Plus I would be really sad if Vader didn’t have the occasional pottymouth anymore…
People might take it for granted that this strip is non profit. I for one appreciate that there are no banner ads or pop ups when I come to blue milk. It’s refreshing. I enjoy the jokes and I really dig the art style as well.
I’m still eagerly awaiting the Empire Strike Back parody to start.
Some people are just too sensitive and their inappropriate-meters are overtuned; don’t let them bother you. I don’t think you’ve ever done anything offensive or over the line here, but even if you had, I’d just pass up that one strip and come back for the next. Life would be boring if everything was G rated.
The amount of “unappropriateness” was set early in BMS, and that’s the way I like it! A BMS that’s safe for children? Yes, that would be boring.
hehe – this strip reminds me of being in college and hiking in the mountains behind campus on a friday night… one unlucky person always got stuck with the pack full of beer ^_^ ahhh to be young again and forced to drink in dirt patches… thank you for bringing back some of my favorite drinking memories (or lack thereof 😉
I do not understand the complaint that your comics are inappropriate a bit. You may not be funny some of the time (we all have a different sense of humor), but I always apprecriate your take on the Star Wars multiuniverse. 3 times a week, I stop by to enjoy your strip. If someone is not enjoying the strip, no one is forcing them to read it. (Free idea — when you are retroconing the strip, change up the torture scene with Vader and the Princess to him forcing her to read Blue Milk Specials. That would be funny.)
Keep up the good work!
The internet attracts idiots and inflates their egos allowing them to believe they are more important than they are…So here is my less than humble opinion. 🙂
Whether or not you get paid for this, you and leanne are the creative force behind YOUR comic, therefore what is appropriate or not is completely up to YOU and you two ONLY. After all when has George Lucas (Young or old version) ever let the fan’s opinions dictate his vision for Star Wars?
Does this person write to the movie companies and dictate what should appear in the movies? Probably not, so either grow the thicker skin needed to survive the screwed up world of the internet or pop a PG rating in the header if it does bother you.
Remember, listening to trolls leads to anger and anger leads to the Dark Side.
Great comic, nice to see Leia expanding into alcoholism in addition to chain smoking. Also, if anyone finds this inappropriate then they must have been living in a basement without access to modern media, because this isn’t shocking. You see more shocking things on MTV, VH1 and a crap ton of other TV stations and shows.
I have enjoyed every strip so far and to your critics, SUFFER. I can’t wait to see if smoking leia starts up a coke habit in your ESB version and blames it all on Bail.
lol great comic, i remember watching the kiss scene with my older brother and sister when i was like 4, and i was all like “wait arent they brother and sister???” but then again i was watching the special edited crap in 1995
No, BMS isn’t Family Guy, and I’m forever grateful.
FG is five funny jokes spread out over twenty minutes of fart gags and random pop-culture references, while BMS is darned funny.
So, the big question for me is, will you have “Amstelraan Light” can wraps at your next convention?
(It’s Belkar’s cat, isn’t it?)
Actually it was Miko. You see, Miko never clicked for me. She was like one of those mega bad ass anime villains, or heroes who drips cool to the 10th degree… to the point that I just want them to piss off. Then, when it looked like she had been killed off I was stunned and amazed that Rich had actually done this. I thought he had planned this moment from the beginning and that she was a well developed throw away character… that all of this had just led to this one scene. I was, of course, wrong, and Miko was back after only a short break. Because I was convinced Rich had actually, and very bravely disposed of Miko, I came down extra hard when I realized this was not so. The fact she came back popped the balloon for me because it’s exactly what I expected to happen, but for once thought I’d found a comic daring enough to be so bold and unpredictable. That’s something I’ve always wanted… something that breaks the rules and surprises me.
Don’t get me wrong about my opinion of Rich or Order of the Stick. I think the guy is an incredible storyteller and comedian, but I guess I personally got so lost in it all that when I saw a moment of predictability I felt liked I’d betrayed myself.
I know… I’m so dramatic. I just haven’t gotten back into reading the rest. I think I was about to the 300s or so when I got shaken out of it. I hope to resume in the future. Rich’s humor is very much to my liking.
I get your point.
Did you just change todays strip?!?! lol
Accidentally. It gave me a fright. I was setting up Friday’s post and had attached the image. There is a glitch which prevents me from uploading more than one comic strip per day. If you try to do a second post on the same calendar day then it over writes the existing image. That means that some visitors will have seen Friday’s strip during the 10 minute interval in which I realized what had happened and re-uploaded today’s strip. It’s a real pain in the ass! LOL
I won’t leave your strip, it’s funny. Sorry if I offended you with my comment. Your friend Maxwell!
Sometimes BMS gets close to the edge. I remember the ‘Holiday Special’ Parody. There was a strip featuring a Dil..(cough) or a vibrat… (cough * cough – what’s that over there?). Ahem, yes. I was a bit shocked but to be honest the object was just displayed – in a non-sex..(cough) context I might add; so if any ‘minor’ gets in some way scarred by that sight, I’m afraid the damage has already been done elsewhere – because they recognise what it is!
I think we all realise that Rod and Leanne are intelligent, sensitive people and not the types to be given over to silly GRATUITOUS vulgarity.
Rod, you’ll like this ‘Stewart Lee Comedy Vehicle’ episode that I watched on DVD today: on Political Correctness.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSsLb-1Xn2Q
Considering a lot of the stuff out there I think BMS is pretty tame. We may get a bit stronger now and then, but we always steer clear of certain types of humor, notably potty humor. When it comes to sex jokes, I think we moderated ourselves fairly well. If any of our material DOES offend anyone then those people are probably better off not reading anything like this because there are far worse! 🙂
Did you watch Stewart Lee?
And I uploaded that drawing for you last night:
http://starwarsage9.com/index.php/part-ii/a-forlorn-hope-2
No, I haven’t had the time to watch the link yet, but thanks for it. I will check out the pinup though. Thanks for uploading it to your excellent site!
What can I say, to me you guys are canon!
Go on with your great work!
To be honest, nowerdays in this current age, ANYTHING (and i mean ANYTHING) will offend someone Somehow which result in Craploads of Drama,
Now i for one Enjoy many Web comics (Order of the stick as you mention is one of my Fave next to TSOLR which sadly Stop doing new comics) and as i read each one, There always some Joke i will say to myself ” some idiot gonna be totaly offended by this and most likly Cause Drama,” Which is kinda sad cause it’s always the one i find Funnest,
Anywho, don’t Let the Drama idiots over the internet put You off and Carry on Making Good Art and good comics =P
Offend Away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Most of this stuff can be linked to a lot of the behind the scene stuff of SW that SW fans eat up every time they release the newest version of one of the movies. New stuff about SW is always coming out and discovered. I’m sure Harrison Ford taking a dump will be on the newest new version soon. And folks will fork $$$$$$$$ to own it! lol
Some folks thing BMS is doing a number on Leia than they should read about Carrie F.’s book on her SW times and its WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY more graphic.
If a person has read everything from the beginning and are still here than that’s all Rod you need to worry about. If someone don’t like it there is a crapload on the internet for free or better yet they can BUY what they want and put their money where their opinion is……………
Trust me SWAC crosses lines you aren’t even close to doing. Ask Josh.
If folks think things are so bad you can always release the photos of the smoking jawa and Aunt Beru and then they can see how good they had it.
My name is Rod D
I make BMS for free
All the Haters
Can bite me
You haven’t paid a dime
You don’t pay my rent
You hide behind a computer
Where you can get bent!
Tacos rule!