Comments on: “How Mirka Got Her Sword,” Page 28

By: Barry

Barry — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 02:37:45 +0000

Dianne, thanks so much! I appreciate both the kind words and the donation. For instructions on how to get your copy of "Hereville," please see this page.

By: Dianne

Dianne — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 02:14:25 +0000

I’m afraid that you’re paying the price for this comic being really, really good: 99% of the time, I would simply have assumed that the characters’ thinness was simply an artistic convention. Because you’re a really good writer and artist, I started suspecting you of something tricky, even when it really is just a style.

BTW: I think I just made a donation to you. How do I let you know which format I want?

By: Barry

Barry — Sat, 31 May 2008 20:51:27 +0000

Dianne, what you may not realize is that I started “Hereville” years ago, and then put it down for several years. During the time that I had put “Hereville” down, I realized that I was drawing all my characters thin, and began consciously putting in some heavier characters — but when I returned to “Hereville,” I was stuck with my original character designs.

Future “Hereville” stories, and maybe a possible re-doing of this story, will include more varied body types.

Mirka’s father is not an evil patriarch at all; he loves his children and is kind to them, but he’s not the most hands-on father in the world. There are lots of people significant to Mirka — such as her six sisters! — who aren’t in this story, just because there’s not enough room. :-)

By: Dianne

Dianne — Sat, 31 May 2008 15:35:34 +0000

Two random questions…

I notice that everyone in the story so is quite thin. This is particularly notable when one has just been reading some of your other cartoons (as I have.) Is this a stylistic decision or is there a famine going on in Hereville? (The chances of there being no one around who is even plump in the absence of a famine being pretty low.)

We haven’t seen Mirka’s father yet at all. Does he show up later? I’m starting to evolve some alarming theories about him. Is he the evil patriarch? Does he ever spend any time with his kids? Did he marry Furma for the free housekeeping and childcare services? I can’t imagine Barry writing the character that one dimensionally, but his absence is starting to be troubling.

By: Yochva

Yochva — Wed, 28 May 2008 09:57:44 +0000

Perfect. Exactly the sort of comment a little boy would make, which will get completely misunderstood by people who want to point out inequality. Be interesting to see the responses… I sort of rolled my eyes at his black and white view of the world, personally.