Parody
I’ve talked about it on podcasts, I’ve talked about in our blogs and in our FAQ, but for the love of Lucas, we do not intentionally take anything from anyone else! We didn’t just show up last year, we’ve been doing this parody for four years now. Similarities happen because we are all working from the same source material. It’s called Star Wars. I probably shouldn’t be wasting my time with BMS, pouring the hours into it that apparently is not evident by the full color art, but I do it because Star Wars meant something to me in my childhood.
So, to spend five minutes on this page and make a snap judgment about us and voice those ill-formed thoughts without even investigating by, oh I don’t know, actually looking around a little longer at what we’re doing, is rude and makes you look like an idiot. This is why comments are moderated on this site. At least the spam bots aren’t accusing us of stealing.
Specifically, the backgrounds in this strip are either retouched and vectorized still images that I’ve taken from the movies themselves, or original pieces contributed by Thomas Gatto made from scratch with graphics software. To be told we’re taking Family Guy backgrounds is bizarre! I don’t even understand where that comes from?
I am fed up with being compared to Robot Chicken and Family Guy. BMS preceded Family Guy’s “Something, Something, Something, Dark Side” by 11 months and Robot Chicken had only just brought out their Empire Strikes Back parody when we debuted. But I scripted 300+ strips before the first BMS strip was ever published in February 2009, all the way through to the end of Return of the Jedi. If I could have made all of those strips in a few months and published 1 per day, I still wouldn’t have finished our parody by the end of 2009 because I’ve expanded on those strips as we’ve progressed. I’ve fleshed out certain scenes as new ideas came to us. We are currently at 450+ strips and only just finishing Empire Strikes Back.
If you THINK we’re ripping people off, then just go somewhere else, but be content that you didn’t pay a single penny to read anything here on this site, and that it wasn’t done by a production studio. We’re just two people, a husband and wife and BMS is something we squeeze into our week because it’s usually a rewarding experience sharing our take on Star Wars with the world.
So I moderate comments, but I still see them all. Little know-it-alls who don’t understand comedy whose first reaction is “why is there a Sandcrawler on the ice?”, to people who have nothing better to do than to nitpick logic holes in a parody that is supposed to make as much sense as anything Monty Python or ZAZ have produced. I know some of our gags aren’t hilarious, and that some only work for the uber geek Star Wars fan, but we have to go with what makes US laugh first and foremost. If you like it then stay on board. The person who made the comment is a first time commenter, so relax, it’s not you! In this case we were also being accused of ripping off Darths & Droids, another Star Wars parody webcomic. Incidentally, I don’t read Darths & Droids, but I hear it is good.
It seems, I either get used to these comments, or I stop Blue Milk Special and do something else.
I should add that last Friday saw over 8000 unique IP address visits and 30,000+ page loads in a single day, which I believe is a record for Blue Milk Special. Perhaps it is inevitable that we will get the haters coming in when we have such a busy day. A big thank you to all the comments in support of BMS below. You guys perk Leanne and myself up. Thank you!
Critics exist because they can’t create anything of their own and thus mus criticize other people’s works. You’re doing fine, ignore them. The fact that your work is famous enough to draw them in speaks for itself, even if they’re just forum critics, the lowest form of that reviled profession. 😉 Keep making it for those of us who love it, or just for yourself. Either way, you win out in the end.
Very cool strip. Love this. I also Love Star Wars.
I really appreciate all of the work you both do and don’t let a few inconsiderate jerks bring you down.
Thank you for all of your hard work.
Don
Ditto what Don said. I love this strip and I love Star Wars!
It’s a shame that some folks would take the time to criticize something that is meant for simple enjoyment of a passion we all share, Star Wars. Haters gonna hate. You just keep on doing your thing. Love the web comic.
Marvin
An American Latino living in Canada
Proud Star Wars Geek
I never gave a bit of thought (and still haven’t) to which these Star Wars parodies was first *cough*Hardware Wars*cough*. It doesn’t matter because each is funny in their own right.
Haters are inevitable, as you said. Seriously, grow a thicker skin because it’s only gonna get worse as your popularity grows. There are a lot of miserable people out there and they all want company.
Free (unsolicited) advice from an anonymous, hairy, fat man. Do with it as you will.
I’ve tried growing a thicker skin. It’s slow. I get defensive about my hobbies and when I don’t hear much support, but I hear a lot of negatives, I lose motivation for that hobby. Fortunately the outpouring of support is overwhelmingly awesome and helps immeasurably!
Would it help to say that I don’t take cable and thus have never seen “robot chicken”?
Seriously though: don’t sweat the bad comments. Any public venue is going to get a lot of them.
Here’s an example.
One of the things I constantly get nasty feedback on is because I quote facts and figures from the 100,000 or so studies on marijuana. From the rates for paranoia, violence, and schitzophrenia (6x increase of the latter in normal populations, up to 20% in populations with family history. Large studies in the EU, Japan, and this country indicate that.)
The addicts don’t like reality intruding. They are like rabid dogs in the attack. People don’t want reality to interfere with their fun. MJ was legal in my state until 1997 and so I saw what it did— to almost every woman I went to high school and college with. For example, the most recent event I know of was anything but unusual: two weeks ago one woman I knew well abandoned her kids. For the umpteenth time.
There’s a reason why so many girls I knew went to California to get into porn movies. It was a way to pay for their lifestyles. Certainly they had trouble keeping a regular job.
It’s a rare family in this state that didn’t lose someone, or perhaps worse, lose that person’s identity. “I don’t know them anymore” and “I can’t trust them anymore” were constant refrains, because of the complete loss of personal morals that most mj users underwent.
It’s also a primary reason why so many premature births and birth defects in my state. Indeed, drugs (and particularly mj) are the second most common cause of the latter after STDs, but you have to go someplace like the CDC or NIH or your local doctor or a kid’s hospital to actually get the straight scoop on that. Our media doesn’t care about the kids to tell the real story on that, that much is certain.
Our STD stats in Oregon became horrendous in the 1980s and have never recovered. Thousands of this, thousands of that. From 5 STDs in 1982 to an estimated 50+ (No one knows the true number. The actual counts are in the upper 40s.)
When I bring up the stats and the typical behaviors I’ve observed, though, the vitriol is absolutely vicious from the drug-using crowd. People don’t like to think of what they really are doing to themselves. Drug users and marijuana users in particular are the best rationalizers I’ve ever met— they are on the same level of ability to rationalize evil behavior as those who supported the National Socialists’ rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s. Nor am I exaggerating: even twenty years ago, you had some who claimed that Hitler was what Germany “needed.” Exactly the same attitude of rationalizing what a person does and to whom.
I saw what I saw, and to whom it was done, and there’s no way that I will support the modern rationalization slop. I’ve had to be content with just doing the right thing by stating the facts of the matter, even though it’s not popular among those that are hurting themselves, their kids, their families and the culture.
And so I get attacked for not keeping quiet.
That is life, unfortunately. Today a person can do the right thing, or they can be “popular.”
Remember that only the extremes (those who really enjoy the comic and those who really hate it) are going to comment. Also, people tend to focus more on negative comments than positive ones. Those two factors combined can sometimes seem overpowering.
Don’t forget to pay attention to those hit numbers! Most of those 30k hits are like little comments that say, “We love your comic! Keep going!”
Thank You.
Just to let you know all of your hard work IS appreciated and you make my life brighter. You ask for nothing in return for this invaluable service, you (and your good lady) are truly charitable souls, I wish you both ‘good health, good fortune and much happiness’.
You add enjoyment and pleasure to thousands of lives; can your critics/trolls/idiots make the same claim? And who’s opinion do you think I (and thousands of others) would consider more valid?
So again Thank You.
PS. When I first watched this bit, with Luke on the aerial, I always imagined Vader ‘force throttling’ a TV repairman next to a static filled TV 😉
You’re preaching to the choir. Haters gotta hate, and all that.
I’ve been reading since near (not quite) the beginning and never realized just how many strips you guys (and lovely lady) have done! OMG! I never would have counted myself (I’m no so great with the numeros) but to see the hard numbers is shocking! You guys (and godess) ROCK!
And who ever posted that C$@P in the comments is the backside of a Bantha!
Keep on rocking and My the Forceiness be with you all.
Longtime reader (and clearly a SW fanatic). I don’t often comment on websites, but I just wanted to let you know that I love BMS! Don’t let a few harsh remarks deter you–you have a ton of supporters out here.
Just wanted to say that this is a great site, with some unique takes on many things. I just read through your entire site in the last three days, and now I’m sad to see I have to wait for more. This is definitely a series I’m going to be following. Keep up the great work!
to hell with the hater. plz keep going we need your strip more then ever now to remind us why we love star wars with 7 coming up to put another nail in the coffin we really need your work that driven by your love of star wars not the love of star wars money
Screw ’em! You guys are great! I came in on the early parts of ESB after my buddy told me about you, and I’ve been digging it! Family Guy is great, as is Robot Chicken, but you are your own thing and I like it! Keep up the awesome work, you guys are killing me.
Also, will y’all be at Emerald City Comic Con?
Hell, I wrote a “Star Wars” Parody myself when I was in my late teens. It was called “Bizarre Wars,” I only showed it to my friends and it was bloody terrible. 😀
When two people are making jokes about the same set of movies you’re going to get some similarities. It’s inevitable because the source material is the same. I saw two different webcomics make the same Christmas joke over December and never accused either of ripping off the other. Keep up the good work and let the haters hate.
As someone once said, “NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER SURRENDER!” I think that’s from Spaceballs.
It’s all been said, so: +1 to “you’re doing great, love it, keep up the good work, pay no attention to the jerks behind their curtains.”
Just keep doing what you do. What is most important is how you feel about your work. Unfortunately, there are trolls in this world who only live to make the rest of us miserable. I have read this comic now for just a few months but find it really funny and well thought out. Keep up the awesome work.
I follow your work with my RSS reader, and I can tell you I’m always happy to see a new unread post from BMS. I’m writing this just to let you know your work is really appreciated.
Haters? How can that be. BMS is hilarious good fun! I love the star wars parody, I love the art, I love the detail and the obvious love and attention that goes into every strip. Please keep it up! Just as it is in all its noseless glory. I’ll keep reading.
I hope you can find peace of mind in that 1 a-hole out of 8-30K visitors is just 1 a-hole. Keep up the good work and don’t sweat it. We love you!
I have been reading for a few months now and my only complaint is that I don’t know which days you update.I LOVE this webcomic and only wish there were more starwars webcomics. LONG LIVE BMS!!!!!
Mondays and Fridays. You can also see our updated in the calendar at the top of the right sidebar. Updates and other questions are answered on our “about” page.
Let them argue all they want … you KNOW what you did.
Presumptions are just that : presumptions.
All those fanboys who hate on you should choke on their own bile comments.
Did you hear, haters ? The world does not need your tedious carping!
*Casual reader here. Seen that on almost every other successful project and i am being fed up with those uninteresting trolls.
Yeah. We’ll be okay. But really thanks to all you guys validating and reminding us what we’re doing. Taking the time to comment means a lot. Thanks!
Haters gonna hate. I know, I know, that doesn’t make it any easier, but there are always going to be asshats on the internet. You and we and your lovely wife all know that the only person you rip off here is George Lucas. And he’s got too much money anyway so the heck with him. 😛
Still brilliant! I’ve been following since just before you started the Holiday Special strips and I’ve loved every one in its way. Please keep going.
Hey, I just wanted to let you two know that I love what you’re doing with BMS, I always have, and probably always will. I love the Star Wars tidbits and commentary in the blog.
The fact that you produce this webcomic in your free time means that it’s special to you, and a lack of positive support for something you love can make you lose your motivation.
But this is your hobby! Don’t let people who don’t appreciate your hard work and enjoyment of the material get you down! It -is- funny, it -is- awesome, and nobody who hates on it can change that. Because you and Leanne are too awesome to let dumb people change your mind about the things you love, right?
Well, I think BMS is clever and funny. Please keep going! Don’t let the odd critic grind you down.
Hey, I’ve been from one end of pop culture to the other, and I’ve seen a lot of Star Wars parodies. But I’ve never seen anything as consistently funny and original as BMS.
Seriously. Back before the Internet — hell, before home computing, really — I read the parodies in Mad Magazine, in Cracked Mazagine, the jokes in Starlog . . . quite a list. And you top that list with BMS.
Well, now it makes me ashamed not posting regularly to support your work…
Yes, Rack may be perfectly right : only wild fans or haters probably make the effort !
I’m reading webcomics every day, and BMS is absolutely one of the best, for its artwork, and most of all, for its imaginative gags.
Of course, people knowing Star Wars would probably guess where in the plot good jokes could be triggered, but, relly, you always succeed in suprising me. 🙂
I also really love all the background stories about the movies, the actors and so on (just Tarkin in slippers made my day ! 😀 )
I can’t be called a SW geek, but I really loved the original trilogy, mainly because of the great actors play and dialogs. I remember going to see each of them twice (of course, The Empire Strikes Back will stay the best forever – more mature, strongly scripted and filmed, most interesting plot, etc.) read the books when I was young, and loved the Timothy Zahn trilogy. BTW, if Disney ever decides to film it, please go on with the parody ! 😛
Well, your work is just like prolongating the pleasure from those great movies. Please just laugh at haters, and keep offering us your fine artwork. 🙂
Been following BMS for a long time, its perfectly legit. Original art, real good gags and some Star Wars irony.
I don’t get people, if there weren’t the back and forth buttons you could be excused not checking…
Keep it up people. And black betty ROCKS.
Another great strip! I had to laugh at Leia’s “seance”…and mentioning Black Betty is just so cool. Please keep up the great work.