I think if more people could support the view that it's rape by examining *the story itself*, I'd be more inclined to accept that viewpoint. However, I simply don't think the comic, *as printed*, is quite as black and white. I don't think it's IMPOSSIBLE to read it and think, "hey, that might've been rape." But nor do I think that's *clearly* the only plausible reading there could be. Even in real life, situations are often more complicated than simple dichotomies.
As for what Devin said in the script, I'm of the opinion that what the author *meant* may not always be what comes across on the finished page. Word balloons get dropped, editing happens, art may clarify or confuse the text, and things generally just aren't As for what she might've said in chat, the person who asked the question seems to have been just another person who thinks sex equals love, and therefore Dick's moment of weakness means he loves Barbara less, or something, which I simply *don't find to be true*. Hypothetically, if Devin had answered the question by saying "Well, considering there were questionable consent issues, although it wasn't rape..." would you then ignore your own interpretation of what happened in favor of hers? Or would you take the stance, "well, *I* know what I read, and that was rape, whether Devin says it was or not." I kind of suspect that a lot of people would stick to their guns.
I personally take the second stance-- I don't feel the need to let the author make up my mind *for* me. Once the story exists, it's open to a multitude of interpretations, and what the author says she was trying to do may or may not influence *my* reading. (And I'd especially find this to be true in the case of an author that I didn't think wasa very good writer.) Bill Willingham on Robin, for instance, can talk all he likes about his awesome, exciting choices for the characters, but I don't believe a word of it. Heh.
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2005-02-11 08:09 am (UTC)I think if more people could support the view that it's rape by examining *the story itself*, I'd be more inclined to accept that viewpoint. However, I simply don't think the comic, *as printed*, is quite as black and white. I don't think it's IMPOSSIBLE to read it and think, "hey, that might've been rape." But nor do I think that's *clearly* the only plausible reading there could be. Even in real life, situations are often more complicated than simple dichotomies.
As for what Devin said in the script, I'm of the opinion that what the author *meant* may not always be what comes across on the finished page. Word balloons get dropped, editing happens, art may clarify or confuse the text, and things generally just aren't
As for what she might've said in chat, the person who asked the question seems to have been just another person who thinks sex equals love, and therefore Dick's moment of weakness means he loves Barbara less, or something, which I simply *don't find to be true*. Hypothetically, if Devin had answered the question by saying "Well, considering there were questionable consent issues, although it wasn't rape..." would you then ignore your own interpretation of what happened in favor of hers? Or would you take the stance, "well, *I* know what I read, and that was rape, whether Devin says it was or not." I kind of suspect that a lot of people would stick to their guns.
I personally take the second stance-- I don't feel the need to let the author make up my mind *for* me. Once the story exists, it's open to a multitude of interpretations, and what the author says she was trying to do may or may not influence *my* reading. (And I'd especially find this to be true in the case of an author that I didn't think wasa very good writer.) Bill Willingham on Robin, for instance, can talk all he likes about his awesome, exciting choices for the characters, but I don't believe a word of it. Heh.