I sort of see the reason for censorship on the dead spiders story. Yeah. But on an up note, who would have thunk one of Trout’s uncles was a podiatrist?
“We should get to decide what we each want to look at or not.”.I haven’t seen the second set but it doesn’t matter to the point in hand.People should be free to not post what you want to see. Whether that is a good thing or not does not change the fact that they should be free too.If they give Tony too much grief, he can use some other venue.If we don’t like what they decide to not allow, we are free to go elsewhere, just as we are free to go elsewhere if we do not like what they DO allow.Freedom doesn’t just mean “Freedom to have my own way.”
David and Night-G … people are obviously free to NOT post things…nobody can know what what someone else decided NOT to post unless he says so.
Nonetheless, I don’t think this particular “censorship” has anything to do with my freedom… it’s not a threat.
It’s actually related to discussions about paying to go Pro here, as well.
GoComics is NOT the government.it’s a PRIVATE website.
If the government … US, State, local…. is telling someone “you can’t publish that” …or arresting people for printing something…THEN my freedom is abridged.
If the government says the internet is not open to all… “you can’t put up that website…” THEN I have a problem …(though I admit to getting a bit queasy when it comes to freedom for child porn, terrorist recruitment, etc.)
But Universal UClick owns GoComics ; they pay for it…the hosting fees, the webmasters, the moderators, the cartoonists…it all comes from Universal’s pockets, and it isn’t cheap.
They choose what comics they want to sell, just like your supermarket carries whatever brands it wants to sell…They put up a website as their display area, and and they can monitor who comes here and what they may post.
And for 99 cents a month, they offer a Pro page with no ads and a much better layout… I chose to buy that service, which is theirs to sell.
You have no right to walk into a store and say “Give me that apple for free!” … or to force them to carry your favorite soup….and you have no right to demand free access to everything YOU want to see here, and without any censorship besides, in what amounts to Universal’s store.The purpose of this site is to sell the comics they represent, mostly to newspapers.If they don’t want to include porn, or even comics they think are questionable…. or just don’t like …. they don’t have to.They’re not just doing you a favor, posting comics for you. They want them to have a following, so newspapers and magazines will want to buy them…. and when they buy Agnes, Tony makes a little money.I’m sad that they censored Tony’s comic…. I might write them a letter to say I disagree with that choice…but I can’t demand that they carry it, and my threats to leave don’t mean much….probably not beyond what my $11.88 a year means to them.
Ultimately, though, a cartoonist must choose whether to be represented by this giant syndicate that offers maximum exposure, representation to many papers, and a chance for an income…or with a smaller one, or his own website…either of which offers more freedom, but few people would see his strip.And probably neither could pay him, or get him into so many newspapers….
Also, note I finally went to the Houston Chronicle online and read up on dancing dead spiders brought to motion by the bunion buffer massager.I picked the Chronicle at random.I imagine there were plenty of other sources.Thus, GoComics’ right to NOT include it did me no harm.Me forcing them to carry whatever I wanted WOULD do them harm.
@Night-Gaunt49“It seems the Constitution and Bill of Rights miss the part about non-govt authorities. We essentially have no rights, or very few.”.Ridiculous.You think the government should have the power to force others to do what you want.You think that would grant you rights if you could just dictate what others did for you.True rights don’t require enslaving actions on the part of others.
SusanSunshine Premium Member over 9 years ago
Aaah… the poster seems to be starting to look like one of Agnes’ stuffed creatures…
I knew she’d somehow morph it into her own, inimitable style..Yay Agnes!
BTW… I’m guessing today’s spider strip (at Creators.com — see link at right) is “the one.” Tony?
J Short over 9 years ago
Eww, or could it possibly be Ewe?
David Huie Green AmericaIsGreatItHasUs over 9 years ago
artists have to make accomodations the rest of us mere mortals don’t understand.
rshive over 9 years ago
The fine line between being commercial and being artistic.
Tony Cochran over 9 years ago
Yes,Susan…I think the real problem begins when the bunion massager is "depicted"later,but censors never told me what the exact problem was.:-)
Laynegg over 9 years ago
LOL! Both of today’s comics are hilarious Mr. Tony! Thank you for sharing your wit!
joegeethree over 9 years ago
I sort of see the reason for censorship on the dead spiders story. Yeah. But on an up note, who would have thunk one of Trout’s uncles was a podiatrist?
David Huie Green AmericaIsGreatItHasUs over 9 years ago
“We should get to decide what we each want to look at or not.”.I haven’t seen the second set but it doesn’t matter to the point in hand.People should be free to not post what you want to see. Whether that is a good thing or not does not change the fact that they should be free too.If they give Tony too much grief, he can use some other venue.If we don’t like what they decide to not allow, we are free to go elsewhere, just as we are free to go elsewhere if we do not like what they DO allow.Freedom doesn’t just mean “Freedom to have my own way.”
SusanSunshine Premium Member over 9 years ago
David and Night-G … people are obviously free to NOT post things…nobody can know what what someone else decided NOT to post unless he says so.
Nonetheless, I don’t think this particular “censorship” has anything to do with my freedom… it’s not a threat.
It’s actually related to discussions about paying to go Pro here, as well.
GoComics is NOT the government.it’s a PRIVATE website.
If the government … US, State, local…. is telling someone “you can’t publish that” …or arresting people for printing something…THEN my freedom is abridged.
If the government says the internet is not open to all… “you can’t put up that website…” THEN I have a problem …(though I admit to getting a bit queasy when it comes to freedom for child porn, terrorist recruitment, etc.)
But Universal UClick owns GoComics ; they pay for it…the hosting fees, the webmasters, the moderators, the cartoonists…it all comes from Universal’s pockets, and it isn’t cheap.
They choose what comics they want to sell, just like your supermarket carries whatever brands it wants to sell…They put up a website as their display area, and and they can monitor who comes here and what they may post.
And for 99 cents a month, they offer a Pro page with no ads and a much better layout… I chose to buy that service, which is theirs to sell.
You have no right to walk into a store and say “Give me that apple for free!” … or to force them to carry your favorite soup….and you have no right to demand free access to everything YOU want to see here, and without any censorship besides, in what amounts to Universal’s store.The purpose of this site is to sell the comics they represent, mostly to newspapers.If they don’t want to include porn, or even comics they think are questionable…. or just don’t like …. they don’t have to.They’re not just doing you a favor, posting comics for you. They want them to have a following, so newspapers and magazines will want to buy them…. and when they buy Agnes, Tony makes a little money.I’m sad that they censored Tony’s comic…. I might write them a letter to say I disagree with that choice…but I can’t demand that they carry it, and my threats to leave don’t mean much….probably not beyond what my $11.88 a year means to them.
Ultimately, though, a cartoonist must choose whether to be represented by this giant syndicate that offers maximum exposure, representation to many papers, and a chance for an income…or with a smaller one, or his own website…either of which offers more freedom, but few people would see his strip.And probably neither could pay him, or get him into so many newspapers….
David Huie Green AmericaIsGreatItHasUs over 9 years ago
Also, note I finally went to the Houston Chronicle online and read up on dancing dead spiders brought to motion by the bunion buffer massager.I picked the Chronicle at random.I imagine there were plenty of other sources.Thus, GoComics’ right to NOT include it did me no harm.Me forcing them to carry whatever I wanted WOULD do them harm.
David Huie Green AmericaIsGreatItHasUs over 9 years ago
@Night-Gaunt49“It seems the Constitution and Bill of Rights miss the part about non-govt authorities. We essentially have no rights, or very few.”.Ridiculous.You think the government should have the power to force others to do what you want.You think that would grant you rights if you could just dictate what others did for you.True rights don’t require enslaving actions on the part of others.