Define Cynical Fan Forums

I am reluctant to write this but I cannot stay silent any longer.

I am a longtime O&M fan going way back to it's internet debut. There have been both good and bad stories but now, in this final story, DCS is showing he just does not care about the characters anymore.

When writing fiction, it is important to LISTEN to your characters and not just have them do what you want them to do.

DCS used to listen to them. Then he wanted to see Lew and Ms. Mudd involved romantically. Because there was no reason for this to happen, the characters started to suffer for it. Had DCS kept them as close friends, they would've remained strong.

Of course many of you may disagree. But the fact remains, this wedding is ill advised.

DCS said he wants to give the characters "the end they deserve". How? By marrying two characters that are no longer in love?

Since the storyline where they declared their love and had their first on camera kiss, the relationship has slowly gone downhill. Hell, it was MONTHS before DCS showed them being romantic again and then we just got them sitting on a bench with Lew's arm around Ms. Mudd. Wow.

After that, they have never really been seen together while DCS turned the strip into "Felicia The Goth Sheep".

It could be argued that they continued their "romance" while off camera. I'll give you that, sure. But, why not show them growing closer from time to time? Why not have O&M mention them?

I always thought it was a huge mistake to make Ms. Mudd and Lewellyn lovers. Slowly, their chemistry disappeared untill now they are beyond bland together.

Ms. Mudd seems to be mearly settling for Lew since she cannot be with the love of her life, Capt. Locke. Lew seems to think that a wedding would be fun. There is nothing to suggest these two actually want to marry for love.

Instead of a romantic proposal, we get Ms. Mudd blurting it while she and Lew are washing dishes. Lew's reply, "Sure." Yeah, he sounds thrilled.

"Wanna help me wash dishes?"
"Sure."
"Wanna get married?"
"Sure."

See? DCS does not seem to have any sense of romance. Also, there has been no engagement ring, no celebration of the impending nuptials, nothing.

Further proof is had by the equally bland presentation of this story by DCS. There is no excitement, it all just lies there.

There are actually MORE reasons for them NOT to get married than there are for them to. The main one is that Lew will outlive her and will be forced to see her grow old and die while he stays young.

I cannot think of anything more cruel for him to do to her. At least have them TALK about it. Then if Ms. Mudd wants to proceed at least she will know what she's in for.

Lew is also a compulsive liar and regularly conspires against the mammals of this world.

So, why would Ms. Mudd want to marry him? There is no reason other than DCS is forcing it on them.

Yes, these are fictional characters but that's no excuse. Fictional characters MUST be treated as if they live and breathe or their actions will ring false as is the case with this story.

I have accepted that I cannot change any of this. I will continue to read the final storyline and will weep over what could have been a romantic, happy ending.

A few months ago, I commissioned DCS to draw a wedding portrait of Ms. Mudd and Capt. Locke. It is beautiful and they really look perfect together.

If anyone is interested in seeing this, let me know and I'll see if I can post it online.

That's all I have to say and I feel better for getting it out. I know many will disagree with me. I accept that. I have said what I believe and am content.

Cougartiger

To be honest I think you're getting a little bit too worked up over the whole thing. True, the characters have changed quite a bit over a relatively short amount of time, and some of their actions may have been rather out-of-character, but in the end, it's just a story. Inconsistent perhaps, but still just a story.

That said though, I too wish to see the return of Locke at some point.

I'm not worked up just bummed. Really! It's just that after 10 years, the characters, and we, deserve better.

I was excitied about the wedding but DCS is presenting in such a bland "hurry up and get it over with" style that it's very hard to enjoy. He is rushing it and it shows.

I wrote my own ending to O&M a few weeks ago so whatever DCS does from now to the end is actually OK with me.

Honestly, I don't take fictional cartoon characters THAT seriously! LOL!

Maybe if my post wasn't so detailed. Maybe I'll try simple and to the point next time.

I haven't looked at OM for over a year (and a half?). I quit waaay back when they did that stupid arc where they introduced Ozy's biological father (and, the fact that he was a zen buddhist made no sense, because Ozy gets that from Llewellyn; his biological father shouldn't be one unless it's pure coincidence, and since this is a fictional comic written by a single man, nothing is really a coincidence). It was such a forced, irrational arc that I realized the strip had jumped the shark (others argue it already had, but I was really young when I started reading so I wouldn't have noticed).

Also, to go into troll mode (so that I stay in character) DCS doesn't know anything about romance because he, is always switching between being gay and being a woman.

DCS is showing he just does not care about the characters anymore.

Which is as good a reason as any for ending it, instead of dragging it on; at least this way there's an ending, instead of as sudden 'oh btw the end' kinda thing.

Doog, DCS is bisexual. Her* gender complication does not seem to hinder her RL love. The O&M stories are lacking for other reasons: (1) the comic is getting too old to reflect DCS's current self; and (2) as she's admitted, story telling was never her strong suit.

We like O&M for being funny, cute, and an odd mix of relevant and escapist. Consistency on anything else is a lower priority.

* - Judging from deviantART, DCS prefers the feminine these days.

I don't want romance in my Ozy and Millie, I just want it to end.

Also, to go into troll mode (so that I stay in character) DCS doesn't know anything about romance because he, is always switching between being gay and being a woman.

I lol'd pretty hard.

The original post reads like that of somebody who missed the point of almost every story arc, and indeed the entire comic, completely.

To be honest, I don't read for the character development or storyline. I read for the evil Jesus faces.

It really is turning out to be an awful, awful, painful ending. Not for the plot, not for the jokes but for the updating. It's so unhurried, unstructured and, you know what, downright uninteresting because of it. Three days between comics would give a bit of pace to it. Right now, it's one of the most stationary narratives I've ever come across, and when you're trying to cap off ten years of work, you want it hurtling with the readers on the edge of their seats, eager for the next update but, here's the thing, knowing when and where to expect it. Because that's where anticipation comes from.

For someone who used to be able to manage daily updates, this is plain shoddy.

It really is turning out to be an awful, awful, painful ending. Not for the plot, not for the jokes but for the updating. It's so unhurried, unstructured and, you know what, downright uninteresting because of it. Three days between comics would give a bit of pace to it. Right now, it's one of the most stationary narratives I've ever come across, and when you're trying to cap off ten years of work, you want it hurtling with the readers on the edge of their seats, eager for the next update but, here's the thing, knowing when and where to expect it. Because that's where anticipation comes from.

For someone who used to be able to manage daily updates, this is plain shoddy.

This is absolutely and undoubtedly true.

In my rare windows of sober lucidity, I can make a lot of sense.

The original post reads like that of somebody who missed the point of almost every story arc, and indeed the entire comic, completely.

Please be more vague. My post was meant simply as an indicment of the poor storytelling skills going on in this last O&M story.

O&M deserve a better send off period.

Since some people are mis-understanding my original post, I"m going to heavily re-edit it.

OK. Did some editing to remove some of my off topic ramblings. It stays mostly about the final story now.

I love O&M Always have and always will. It just sucks that DCS is doing this story this way.

It would be going a lot better if she had just put the strip on a long haitus and then, when fully finished, ran the final storyline all at once.

As is, it is choppy and seems to skip around. First proposal, then Millie's dress fitting. Nothing much inbetween. The wedding is next Saturday. Unless we suddenly get a full weeks worth of strips, the actual ceremony will be VERY anti-climatic.

Oh, well. It's DCS's strip and she can do whatever she wants. I just wish she had dug deep down and pulled out something more interesting and exciting.

Oddly, despite everything I've written today, I'm still curious about the wedding. Honestly, I wish Ms. Mudd and Lew all the best!