i could argue that this is very similar to the uses of black face in entertainment. i could also argue how it’s not exactly the same. however, i’d love to hear the artist’s reasoning behind this use of color & facelessness. maybe she didn’t even realize the messages it would send. maybe she didn’t do it purposely. maybe she wanted the black ppl to seem mysterious. maybe it was actually some kind of hidden compliment. meanwhile, all of our opinions are valid, based on the facts of how this strip was drawn. the fact also remains that when we are socialized a certain way…sometimes our perceptions show up in ways that tell what we’ve been socialized to think. maybe this is a Freudian slip. or maybe it was an honest mistake, & the artist didn’t have any black girlfriends to warn her, “girrrrrl, you better rethink that use of color & facial detail!”
i’m reading through these comments, and i’m amazed that ppl are trying to make duck into a bad guy for pointing out something that’s very obvious to anyone who can see. now…one’s opinion about why the white people have features & are colored the same in each frame, regardless of foreground/background…yet the black people are sometimes brown with features or all black without features….sure your opinion about why that’s happening is up for debate. but the fact that it’s happening in this strip…how could you debate that? in the 1st frame, the white customer has features, the black woman doesn’t, yet the white woman is in the background. in the 2nd frame, both mom & daughter are all black with no features, yet they’re right beside ellie, who DOES have features. that’s obvious.
why is the person who points it out being painted as a commenter who just wants to be negative? what would be wrong with you all acknowledging that there is something being done differently with the black characters? you could still debate that it’s artistic. but to act like there’s something wrong with calling it out…sounds & feels a lot like you have the privilege of not noticing…or that you’re in some kind of denial that feels more comfortable to you, & you don’t appreciate duck rocking your comfort zone. so you attacked him/her.
this is only a comic. i’d be interested to see how much you don’t notice how people/color/complexion are handled differently in real life…. or how often you get irritated when someone points out that there is a difference in the way ppl are being treated based on skin tone. something to think about…
i could argue that this is very similar to the uses of black face in entertainment. i could also argue how it’s not exactly the same. however, i’d love to hear the artist’s reasoning behind this use of color & facelessness. maybe she didn’t even realize the messages it would send. maybe she didn’t do it purposely. maybe she wanted the black ppl to seem mysterious. maybe it was actually some kind of hidden compliment. meanwhile, all of our opinions are valid, based on the facts of how this strip was drawn. the fact also remains that when we are socialized a certain way…sometimes our perceptions show up in ways that tell what we’ve been socialized to think. maybe this is a Freudian slip. or maybe it was an honest mistake, & the artist didn’t have any black girlfriends to warn her, “girrrrrl, you better rethink that use of color & facial detail!”
volunteers to scan her strips b4 they go to print