Frog Blog: Conspiracy theory #1015

Thursday, October 22, 2020

Conspiracy theory #1015

These cartoons by Scott Hilburn (The Argyle Sweater) and Mark Parisi (Off the Mark) appeared on the same day. Oddly, some readers seemed to suggest that Parisi is the one who "borrowed" from Hilburn (why not the other way around?) Other readers wondered if there was some big gag-writing subscription service involved. Read some of the misguided comments below. My contention is that it is just one a big coincidence. These comics are uploaded weeks in advance and creators have no idea what other creators are doing. Still, it doesn't prevent readers from throwing out various conspiracy theories. I also noticed that Parisi replied to readers' concerns whereas Hilburn didn't seem to bother himself. I've never understood creators who stay in their ivory towers and never bother to converse with the "little people." Does Hilburn even have a Creator account? Has he ever talked to his readers?

Off topic comment: I know I mentioned this before, but it bugs me that the "My Cage" creators (Ed Powers and Melissa deJesus) seemed to suggest that my subscription numbers were the deciding factor in keeping me from being removed from GoComics. If that was the case, I would have never been slated for removal in the first place. My readers saved me. A dozen or more dedicated readers wrote to CONTACT US, sent postcards, left comments on The Daily Cartoonist and left comments all over GoComics. People, not numbers, saved me. Also, I wrote to the creators of "My Cage" offering my support and some advice. They didn't bother to reply. I seriously doubt if I ended up in their SPAM folder. For whatever reason, though, they chose not to write back. No hard feelings. I'm nobody to them.