Do your readers ever confuse your character's opinions with your own? I.e., one of your characters (a main character/good guy character) says something offensive, and therefore you get accused of being an asshole? Or one of your characters is misogynistic, therefore you get accused of being a misogynist. Etc.

How do you make sure your audience knows the difference between what you think verses what your characters think? (Assuming you have characters with differing opinions from your own. And assuming you care what your audience thinks of you. Because I kinda do.)

I've taken to telling people that if all my characters thought and said exactly what I would think or say, the story would be stupid and boring. And if nobody ever said anything offensive, it would be less realistic than aliens swooping down kidnapping lesbians away to their home planet.

Well...I'm just a translator...
If the character was all me...

I'm either a Serial Killer or an Assassin or a normal father...(And I'm just 15 Years old!!!)
(Superior Day)

And I'll be a girls and boy with a lost memory and I'm trying to kill someone (Hanged Doll)

And I will be a girl who is small but is really strong or I'll be a really tall (188cm) man who is weak...(
Pink Lady)

And I'll be a Dog,Racoon and a rat who can talk and shoot Gun...
(JinJin Evolution)

What kind of freak is that???

I try to not put any onipion of mine....(Except at translator's note)
So I think people don't really get confused...

Back when I started Shades , someone who was proof-reading the Prologue for me was rather offended by the fact that one character accused the British Museum of being guilty of "plundering the treasures of other civilisatons". (We Brits can be quite touchy about that sort of thing!)

I managed to explain that it was only that character's view and not mine but, in general, I've not found this to be a problem. By having an ensemble cast, I'm usually able to present at least two alternative views on any given situation. I think that distances me from any one character's viewpoint.

megan_rose
Do your readers ever confuse your character's opinions with your own?

Yeah, that happens. -_-

Fortunately there's not much to my work, so there's not much to misconstrue. But I've had people thinking I'm rightwing and pro war, pro invasion etc.
That was good though when I had a project wonderful ad on a popular right wing political comic :)

It was funny when it was thought my storyline about an attack on an area in Afghanistan was a comment on the current situation over there and some sort of endorsement for it- when I was really basing it on 1920's politics and inspiration for a 1930's pulp story. Ah well.

In the end you just have to let your work speak for itself I think. If people confuse things, then that's their own silly problem. You can always put in disclaimers, or have some characters express views counter to those you don't want associated with you so you've got some balance somewhere. That way the audience can't really say if either side really represents you.

I think Frank Miller had a lot of issues with this.

Well, the last time I had made Ryu's Krew, I made the oh-so smart decision to have one of the characters take revenge on people who bullied him in High School.

Why was it a bad decision?
I'm still in high school.

So everybody I showed it to (except other high school kids) assumed I'd want to go and do the same thing as my character (mostly my mom, actually xD), so I changed it.

I think that the reasoning behind this, is not just because you created it, but mostly because of comic strips/political cartoons that some people make, to help get their opinions out there. So I guess people think that's the same thing for comic books/webcomics?

megan_rose
How do you make sure your audience knows the difference between what you think verses what your characters think?

What I see most people with this problem do is put a character in that clearly acts as their mouth piece allowing the author to directly comment on the story, actions and themes. I don't think this is a particularly elegant solution, but one I see a number of people take.

So far, I haven't being told that something I have put in my comic is neither offensive or a projection of my own points of view. Have to say that I really try to not put MY points of view directly in my work and if I decide to use a character as a mouth piece for an opinion of mine, I would try that it fits with the tone of the story and the character.

When the character development is properly done and is clearly stablished that those characters are not self-insertions, then THEORICALLY there should not be such problem.

As long as you always remember that characters are tools and are separate entities from yourself, it's somehow justified why they act certain way and do a fair portrait of the sides involved, then I don't think that someone should confuse YOUR points of view with the character's.

Besides, the comic blog is a great help, since allows to give opinions about a lot of things...

If that has been the case, no one's told me as such. When I was younger, though, my mom would think that my stories were reflections of how I was feeling. Come to think of it, she might still think that! I'll have to check XD

I empathize with Ryu- I got that a lot when I was in school, with my stories, art and comics.

As for now, I haven't had anything like that expressed to me; but only a tiny portion of people reading my comic comment, so I can't say what the silent majority thinks! But my readers that do comment are pretty savvy. They know the difference. There's a few things that haven't come up yet that I kinda worry about- but we'll burn that bridge when we get to it, eh?

Although I do assume that folks think I drink and swear constantly on account of the characters in the Hub do. They're pretty much right.

.

My friends accuse me of being one of my characters. It doesn't help matters that I actually have characters based directly on those friends. My dad thinks a character in every story I write is me. It's not true. I actually have components of myself in most characters but also many things that are not like me at all.

I had someone think I like guns and weapons because a character in my story collects them. That really couldn't be further from the truth. I've also written ball-busting feminist business types in stories, and had people think they were my views. Um... No. I also have a character who is very anti-Bible/religion (actually based on a friend of mine) and had people try to connect to me on this "common ground" -- which was uncomfortable since I am a strong Christan myself and quite spiritual.

I guess the trick is to have a strong cast of equally unlikeable with varied opinions. But even then, people will see what they want to see. They will latch on to the most objectionable viewpoint and attribute it to the author -- regardless of any other views in the story.

Back when I still had a habit of breaking the fourth wall I had one of my characters deliberately say offensive things with the express intent of getting me in trouble simply by having these statements in the comic. It's a bit odd, but it seemed to help people from taking things the character said or did as my own thoughts (even though they often were).

I think people should be normally aware that the views of the artist might be very present as well as very diffuse. Having a majority of characters thinking the same way, or one that is very marginal in is thinking, can lead to viewers thinking this is your way of seeing things too.

Now, how to show that it isn't your opinion? Well, if the subject is not VERY offensive. Like a character is a little macho and does some jokes about woman but not in a mean way, wait for someone(if that happens) to complain before explaining it's only the opinion of a fictional character.

If there is excessive offending material, strong misoginy as you noted, you could put a comment in your note warning it isn't your views at all. Hope that was clear.

Surprisingly no. My main characters are usually really neutral (so the most people can relate to them) And my side characters have so many personality flaws it's easy to pass off nasty things as 'something they'd do'.

I tend to keep controversial topics and my own views out of my comics though. Emperor Nick is spot-on, the characters just appear as a mouthpiece to the readers even if the author doesn't mean it. Even more likely is the author subconsciously does want them as a mouthpiece, but isn't letting themselves see that through the fact that the view reflects poorly on them.

If a male author was writing a misogynist view into their character i'd defiantly think the author shared the same view, same vice versa.

this ha never happened to me. somehow i avoid all the fan drama.

i think my readers are aware that im a person and not like my characters,which is nice becuase i dont feel like going to jail.

Someone has mistaken me for a Spaniard before.

Skullbie
I tend to keep controversial topics and my own views out of my comics though.

I try to keep controversy out, but people have begun looking for reasons to be offended. Ugh.

megan_rose
I try to keep controversy out, but people have begun looking for reasons to be offended. Ugh.

I've done my best to keep politics out of my comic and so far nobody has accused me of inserting my views. I think that's the best way to minimize those accusations, but I'm sure people still try to find an agenda despite your best efforts.

I really think you should just ignoring those people. You could profess your views through author's notes or a mouthpiece character, but that would seem preachy (no webcomic needs a Brian Griffin). Or you could change the things your characters say, but that would compromise the story you're trying to make. That's why I say just ignore them and tell the story you want to tell.

Drasnus
Someone has mistaken me for a Spaniard before.

POOORRR QQUUUEEEE!!!!

Hawk
I've done my best to keep politics out of my comic and so far nobody has accused me of inserting my views.

There's no politics in Lesbian Pirates (besides a couple references to Cold War politicians), and it's rather a shallow, lighthearted story. But for whatever reason, people have been taking issue with all kinds of nonsense.

But the advice of ignoring them really is what I should do. I hate offending people, I really do. But the people I have these problems with are going to find something to be offended by no matter what, whether it's me or the characters saying something, so it's pointless to argue with them any further.

I just gotta stop taking the bait when they drop their "That's so insensitive!" bombs.

I know I've had a few controversial subjects in my comics from the past, and the thing I always have to tell people is that, since a lot of what I'm talking about happens in real life, then something needs to change with real life.

Also, Drannik from Negligence, while based a lot on myself from ages 5 through 22, is not me. I am not schizophrenic, I never killed anyone, and I don't have a girlfriend (wait, that's a bad thing).

I should hope not!
My character expouse views are at times arrogant, racist, violence, warmongering, pro-slavery, homophobic and just down right crazy!

I was a little disapointed with this topic though, I was hoping it would be "who would win in a fight with you vs your characters?"
The answer would have been that my almost all of my characters would kick my skinny ass!

harkovast
I was a little disapointed with this topic though, I was hoping it would be "who would win in a fight with you vs your characters?"
The answer would have been that my almost characters would kick my skinny ass!

It's funny, I thought exactly the same thing. Someone should start that topic. :)

megan_rose
There's no politics in Lesbian Pirates (besides a couple references to Cold War politicians), and it's rather a shallow, lighthearted story. But for whatever reason, people have been taking issue with all kinds of nonsense.

But the advice of ignoring them really is what I should do. I hate offending people, I really do. But the people I have these problems with are going to find something to be offended by no matter what, whether it's me or the characters saying something, so it's pointless to argue with them any further.

I just gotta stop taking the bait when they drop their "That's so insensitive!" bombs.

The thing is that most interesting fictional worlds and characters (regardless of the tone) are gonna be eventually insensitive or mean or somewhat controversial. Is part of the making of a well developed fictional universe.

I'm not saying "shoot a panda in the middle of the eyes just because", but sometimes a character is gonna say or think something that would sound awful and he/she/it probably would not reconsider that point of view. Those flaws (minor or really major ones) make the characters more human and more interesting.

Overall, get people offended comes with the territory in every media.

Only a million dollar would be liked-enjoyed by everybody...

NickGuy
this has never happened to me. somehow i avoid all the fan drama.

me too. it helps to not have fans! (lol!)

I do my best to make my characters NOT-me; for instance, Kazimieras is extremely religious, while I'm atheist, and he's waifish while I'm, shall I say, healthy-sized and then some, and Jadwiga is a spunky go-getter and risk-taker (which I am not in the slightest- more of a 'sit and watch someone else get it for me' kind of person, and I hate taking chances). Although despite my efforts, they all seem to have many of my own characteristics. For instance, caucasian, with dark hair, implicit vegetarians, kind of introverted (with fits of extroversion, as with Eve in Misfit Assassins...).

Plus, I don't think I say anything offensive or incendiary. Except maybe through the bad guys (a childish, clunky trick, I know) but it's expected there.

I once had a reader who seemed to be wondering if I was advocating genocide against the Jews. (Ha! Beat that!) The reader's expression of concern and my response can be found down in the comments; in this case, the misattributed opinion wasn't even the character's point of view.

I think explaining your position is all you can do when people mistake a character for your mouthpiece. I mean, the alternative would seem to be making it painfully obvious that the character's views are contrary to your own.

I've noticed that sometimes my characters sync up with a part of myself, some aspect of me that comes out through their dialogues/monologues. It's not even that I'm trying to do that or am aware of it, only after I have written something I realize that yes, some part of me indeed thinks that way. I'm generally a confused person with multiple sides to my personality, often contradicting myself, so it can be very difficult to say certain things. I guess writing ends up being a kind of therapy for me.

I don't think there's anything wrong with that (as long you don't end up making Mary Sues. Interesting note: the closer the character is to me, the more they'll suffer in the story, haha), after all, the creator's personality, interest, obsessions, fears and fantasies are what makes his/hers story unique and interesting. If you strip out all that, you get "genre fiction by the numbers".

As for politics. There hasn't been any in Din Krakatau.

I sometimes get accused of using Eman Cruz (MAG-ISA) as a self-insertion character. Because of his monologue in the 1st 5 chapters.

lol!

You know, the character that agrees with me the most is Fr. Jose Penafrancia (90%). He just comes from a Catholic perspective and that's about it as far as difference is concerned.

I've noticed that sometimes my characters sync up with a part of myself, some aspect of me that comes out through their dialogues/monologues

It is said that your characters reflect a part of you.

usedbooks
My friends accuse me of being one of my characters. It doesn't help matters that I actually have characters based directly on those friends. My dad thinks a character in every story I write is me. It's not true. I actually have components of myself in most characters but also many things that are not like me at all.

Same with me. Though, my dad thinks one of my characters is him because he has glasses and black hair and so does the character. To be honest, they do look alike, but they're nothing alike personality wise. He's actually based off of one of my best friends who I find unbearable at times, so I translate her into my comic, teehee. Yay passive aggressiveness!

My comic isn't supposed to be controversial, but once the subject of religion got involved, that got shot to hell. When people think of a community of over-the-top atheists imprisoning religious people, they also think "This chick really hates atheists" even though the people trying to liberate the camp are a mix of religious and non religious people. Oddly, the only people who seem to have a problem with it are my friends, who have deemed me the religious nut of the group because I make a point of understanding my religion.

Luckily, most other people understand the theme. I try not to make it too hard understand, but there are bound to be people looking for stuff to complain about. I have a couple of characters that are very opinionated, but most of them vary on their political/religious background. Mostly I try to heavily imply that religion and politics are a personal thing and should be treated as such... that and people shouldn't take themselves so seriously.

There are a lot of Catholic undertones in my comics, though. That I'm not gonna lie about.