CLICK HERE FOR COMICS #2 - Girls With Slingshots

[Desna]

Here we are again with another issue of Click Here for Comics, where I find a webcomic and give you my thoughts on it. This issue, I am going to review the one and only Girls with Slingshots.

Girls With Slingshots  www.gwscomic.com
Written and Drawn by Danielle Corsetto
Updates Monday - Friday

Girls with Slingshots centers around the lives of several 20 something year old women doing what women do. You know, drinking, dating, yelling at their talking cacti, the normal stuff. Hazel, a sarcastic red head who has gone from journalist to...well not being a journalist any more, and Jamie, a sweet brunette who works in a florist shop, are the two main characters in this parade of personalities. And the moral of the story seems to always be that there isn't anything that can't be cured by alcohol.

What I like about this comic

Let me start about by saying that I am so happy to find a comic that is written by a female that isn't so overly girly and pink that I am choking on glitter and fairy wings. But the comic isn't so overly sexual that I'm not sure if I should if I should feel dirty or light a cigarette. Girls with Slingshots is the perfect balance of acknowledging the female perspective, but not running it into the extremist pitfalls that female characters in comics seem to find themselves in.

Danielle Corsetto does a wonderful job of bringing the female voice into the world of comics. These characters are women who we see everyday. They act like most women act, think like most women think, and talk like most women talk. I can't tell you the numerous times I have looked over a female character and thought, "Is this person serious?" or "No self-respecting women would ever say something like that." So thank you Ms. Corsetto for creating a comic with a cast of believable female personas.

Girls with Slingshots has a quirky wit about it that makes it a fun read. From Jamie's bubbly demeanor to Maureen's painfully shy nature to Hazel's biting sarcasm and everyone in between, there is a character for everyone to enjoy and identify with. The characters are smartly written and therefore have very interesting solutions to the situations they find themselves in. And Corsetto is not above going for the low brow joke every once in a while. I mean, let's face it, who isn't going to laugh when someone gets a dildo thrown at them?

The strip did a lot of changing as the story line progressed. The art changed, the personalities of some of the characters changed. Going through the archives, you can see the progression and development that has been going on through the years that the strip has created. Corsetto has definitely found her place as a writer and artist and I, for one, like the place she is in.

What I dislike about this comic

There were a few story arcs where the topics weren't much to my liking. Usually the topics were sexual in nature. While Corsetto does a good job of keeping it tasteful, I personally would rather have not read it at all. Also, in these arcs, Corsetto takes stances on some issues that tend to divide readership. Personally, I think the comic would have been just as good if these issues weren't brought up at all. However, I do give Corsetto points for the way she did it. It was very "this is the way I feel about this, you don't have to agree with me". And that is something I can respect.

I wish that Girls with Slingshots had more color strips. Maybe every Friday or something.  Corsetto's started out with her work being in color and then transitioned to black and white. Corsetto's watercolor work is really nice and working with watercolors is not an easy thing. I wish we could see more of her painting prowess in her strip.

All in all, I like Girls with Slingshots. It is a humorous read, with just enough storyline and drama to keep my interest. While most strips are pretty benign, there is a lot of innuendo, use of alcohol and sometimes, just good ol' sexy times to be had by all. This comic is definitely geared toward an older audience.

Internet Extras!

You can follow Danielle Corsetto on Twitter @dcorsetto She also has a pretty fun assistant named Jessi. While working for Danielle, Jessi also writes articles for comic book magazines. You can follow Jessie on Twitter as well @jessiawesome

Every once in a while, Danielle will Ustream her work. She is one of the people who do their work in traditional media, scans it in to be fixed in Photoshop and then posts it to the web. Since her Ustreams are very sporadic, the only way to catch one is when she announces it via Twitter. Her Ustream url is

www.ustream.tv/channel/girls-with-slingshots

[Matt W.]

And the moral of the story seems to always be that there isn't anything that can't be cured by alcohol

I like that moral.

That was a great review, Erica. And I liked these strips. They are believable. I could see that first one happening easily and the second strip just the same. The second one is naughty. Scott probably made them do more than just kiss.

[Keith G.]

Sooo, basically it's like Sex in the City only it's worth viewing.

May have to check this one out.

[Christopher J. Lawton]

Good review, Des. I had a chance to see Corsetto on a Webcomics panel at Baltimore Comic-Con in '08. She's got a real passion for what she does.

And regarding controversial issues. I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to disagree with you on that. Every creator should do everything in their power to spark discussion about real world topics. And the best way to do that is to deal with a controversial issue and take a stand in your belief, whether it alienates your audience or not.

An old creative writing professor once told me "if all of your readers agree with everything you say, then you're doing your job wrong." This is a philosophy that I agree with, whole-heartedly.

[Desna]

Hmmm...I have been trying to get the Ustream screen to stop embedding in my post, but it is pretty persistent. Oh well, I guess it is just going to stay there for now. And there was a third comic strip that somehow disappeared, but now it is back. Woo hoo.


I guess I just have a different reason to read comic strips. I read comics to be entertained, not to make my think about real world topics. I have everything else for that, from the news to sitting down and listening to my friends opinions about every single current event that happening from one corner of the world to another. But like I said, Corsetto does a good job of just putting it out there and then going on about her business. She doesn't shove it down your throat. She doesn't tell you what's right and what's wrong, just simply "Here it is." and you are allowed to disagree.

Why do creative writers have to spark conversations that involve controversy? To me that feels like you are going and looking for a fight (which I am not accusing GWS of doing by the way). For instance, one of the recent story arcs of GWS involves two characters and relationship problems they are having with one another. It is the classic story one thinking they are a couple and the other not getting the memo. Huge conversation went back and forth based on several things brought up by this one situation. None of which was the hot button controversial topics that tend to divide readership. I think there is a way to write without drawing a line in the sand.

[Christopher J. Lawton]

Hmmm...I have been trying to get the Ustream screen to stop embedding in my post, but it is pretty persistent. Oh well, I guess it is just going to stay there for now. And there was a third comic strip that somehow disappeared, but now it is back. Woo hoo.


I guess I just have a different reason to read comic strips. I read comics to be entertained, not to make my think about real world topics. I have everything else for that, from the news to sitting down and listening to my friends opinions about every single current event that happening from one corner of the world to another. But like I said, Corsetto does a good job of just putting it out there and then going on about her business. She doesn't shove it down your throat. She doesn't tell you what's right and what's wrong, just simply "Here it is." and you are allowed to disagree.

Why do creative writers have to spark conversations that involve controversy? To me that feels like you are going and looking for a fight (which I am not accusing GWS of doing by the way). For instance, one of the recent story arcs of GWS involves two characters and relationship problems they are having with one another. It is the classic story one thinking they are a couple and the other not getting the memo. Huge conversation went back and forth based on several things brought up by this one situation. None of which was the hot button controversial topics that tend to divide readership. I think there is a way to write without drawing a line in the sand.

Well, it's a pretty common concept that good writing entertains, great writing challenges. Whether this is true or not is debatable. Personally, I love literature that makes me think about my opinions on things and actually presents an argument either for or against what I believe.

There's always a place for literature that entertains. But, I think great literature should always take the extra step to try and challenge you. Just my opinion, anyway.

Anyone else want to chime in?

[Stephanie Maple]

I think I would like to read this as it's a humor comic. As for sexuality, as long as her aim is for adults (which I am assuming) I do not see any problems with discussing it as long as it's not overly graphic.

This is my opinion on controversial issues: I love to read and write relevence comics. I like it when Marvel tries to reflect the current political climate, and I like it when DC follows cultural trends. Lately, I've been researching comics from the late '60s and early '70s and the best stuff is relevence comics.  In the words of Steve Ditko, I let my work speak for me.

[Ben Mayfield]

Well, it's a pretty common concept that good writing entertains, great writing challenges. Whether this is true or not is debatable. Personally, I love literature that makes me think about my opinions on things and actually presents an argument either for or against what I believe.

There's always a place for literature that entertains. But, I think great literature should always take the extra step to try and challenge you. Just my opinion, anyway.

Anyone else want to chime in?

I absolutely agree.  Part of why I found myself reading more Marvel titles than ever before is because ofhow they try to reflect events of the real world and political issues/aspects to their storytelling.  I'm a sucker for that stuff.....

It really annoys some people, but not I.  Some of my favorite reads are by authors/writers that I know have very different views on the world, but they presented it in an entertaining, compelling way.

-------

Great review, Erica.  Click Here for Comics is a new favorite of mine here on USH.....keep it up!

[Desna]

Hmm..I guess I can see your point. I remember years ago the governor of VA actually used a Marvel comic book to address the issue of drug use among adolescence and actually got some legislation under way because of how the issue was deal with in the book. I wish I could remember the exact situation, but unfortunately I do not.

And thanks for the accolades, Ben. I will try and keep it coming.

[Desna]

Oh, I forgot to mention, Danielle Corsetto's Ustreams are recorded. So if you miss them, you can still head to the website and watching them. She recently did something called "80 Sketches to Germany" where she did 80 commissions to pay for her tickets to visit a friend in Germany. It's the first time I have ever seen ink wash used.

[Mini]

Nice review Erica, in fact nice column, I'm off to check out the first one!

[Desna]

Girls With Slingshots has hit 1,000 strips! Hooray for Hazel and Jamie!!

[Desna]

*does her webcomic dance*

Color strips, color strips, Danielle is doing color strips!