Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce for July 02, 2013

Hi everyone, I just wanted to take a moment to clarify a couple of things after the events of this past weekend and some of the comments that followed. I’ve been in touch with the folks at gocomics and there are some discussions underway about how to more effectively safeguard the site from those who would like to use the comments page in inappropriate or even threatening ways. Big Nate is a strip that attracts many more young readers than some other strips do, and for that reason it’s important to me to keep the environment as positive as possible. I agree with those who suggest that the best tactic to combat troublesome commenters is to simply flag the comments, and DO NOT RESPOND. Certainly, do not respond by using the same kind of vile language that was posted in the first place. For the record, my absence from this comments page is not permanent. I simply needed a break after spending so much time reading comments that were completely devoid of common courtesy. I certainly did not step away because I don’t like criticism. A comic strip is intended for pubic consumption, and that means any and all viewpoints are valid. People who hate Big Nate are more than welcome to express their opinions here. I only ask that they refrain from being rude while doing so. And I’ll do the same. I’d also like to ask all of you to stop using rude and insulting language when referring to other commenters. Thanks for taking the time to read this, and thank you for continuing to support Big Nate on gocomics.