This guest review is about a comic people have been wanting me to review for some time now. The only problem is… well, it pushes buttons with me and I end up being unable to read it for long periods of time. Which is a shame, it’s got fun-looking art and the like. But considering I’m currently over 120 comics for my regular reading… well, maybe I’ll read it after I get into therapy. In 2016 or so. You know, when I have time. ;)

Anyway, on with the review!

Rob H.

Guest Review: The Wotch

Something feminist this way comes…

(From The Wotch. Click on image to see it full-sized.)

It’s always interesting to see how a story will handle a controversial topic and whether or not any bias will occur. In the world of web-comics, anything and everything is up for discussion. Dominic Deegan has its homosexual character in Szark Sturtz and it’s hedonistic world in Sin City. Questionable Content had a full week where the mystery behind Faye’s psychological issues regarding her father’s suicide was discussed. Indeed the web is indeed a place where truly no subject is taboo.

And so with that we come upon the latest chapter in the Wotch, a fantasy humor comic, which has been going strong since 2002. The plots have been ranging from genies to werewolves to all sorts of magical madness. But the newest adventure, entitled D.O.L.L.Y., seems to heading towards a concept that we see more in the real world: Feminism.

Before we get any further I would like to point out two big things. First is that I personally have nothing against feminism and those that support it. Secondly I would like to point out that generally speaking there are two types of feminism that the general public acknowledges. The first type is the idea that men and women should be equal, in every sense of the word from employment and equal wages to educational matters. These are the kind of people that I have respect for mainly because they fight for the noble cause that is equality.

And then there are the feminists who take it too far. The ones who not just dislike the inequality, but downright hate men with incredible passion. To these people equality is not the goal but merely the first step. I am reminded of several of my college friends, both male and female alike who had to take Women Studies courses, where not only was male bashing is accepted, but also encouraged. To quote a female friend: “Basically for a man to survive a Women’s Studies class he has to cut off his own Johnson and keep quiet.”

So it does not help matters then that at first glance the main villain appears to be the new educator Mrs. Dahlet. In the backgrounds of the adventures of the main crew, odd things have been occurring around the school recently regarding the behavior of the jocks in the school, in which they act like perfect gentlemen…or at least to women anyways. And while we have yet been given any indication that it is indeed Dahlet behind it, aside from a silhouette that resembles her, it appears that any person who attends her after school activities makes the change to brainwashed teen.

We have hinting that this plot was to come of course, ever since the Season 2 Cover. We knew that something along the line of a feministic army was in the works, though Author Anne has been doing a good job of keeping it in the background until now. And while we’ve received a disclaimer from the author that no agenda is being pushed, one has to wonder how the story is going to be told with a subject matter that can light a fire under a forum poster faster than the click of the mouse with the slightest mistake. Indeed people can be rather nasty in sending hate mail, just ask Jin Wicked.

Look at the cover for the story, where Robin and Jason are placed in an obvious homage to the classic X-Men cover: Days of Future Past. The poster in the background marks them as wanted, with the ‘crime’ of still being men being the only reason. Clearly the second form of feminism is being enforced here, regardless of the disclaimer. And with a powerful Wotch like Anne in the ranks of the femme army, who can change people’s genders at a whim, (in fact, I’d probably go so far as to say that it’s her favorite spell) all I can say is that it doesn’t look too good for the boys in the comic.

I have mixed feelings about where The Wotch is going with this story. I liken it to a train wreck: you’d rather not look, but at the same time you can’t help it. While I have no doubt that Author Anne probably has a trick or two under her sleeve (One of my friend has suggested the idea that the real leader behind the feministic army being a guy. Now that would be a surprise. And very ironic to boot.) I wonder if putting a complicated ideal such as feminism as the motivation of the villains was a good idea.

One thing is for certain though: I can’t wait to see where it goes next.

-Brian Collett