As Kique promised Home updates will only be twice a month for an indefinite period of time. A new page (673) was uploaded on September 9th, but a week later on the 16th a surprise announcement was made. The comments section of ComicFury was reopened.
The message is short, sweet and simple. Comments will be looked over by staff, and respect is to be given to the commenters and the creator. Seems reasonable enough, right? Well no. Despite the section reopening only three people have commented and one of the commenters is Kique’s co-writer and girlfriend, Staz. Even though Kique isn’t saying it, critique or comments critical of the story in any way still aren’t allowed. Either people are commenting and the staff members are weeding them out, or people aren’t commenting because they know their comments won’t pass moderation. (If I’m being generous, it also might because people haven’t realized comments are back yet.)
Given that it didn’t take much for Kique to shutdown comments last time, I don’t believe this public discourse will last very long. It was over year ago that comments were originally shut off on ComicFury. It was a combination of Ranach and Koegos, and reader’s disappointments in the lack of diversity in relationships (we’ve just had male/male and some hetero). Comments are still off on Kique’s Home uploads on DeviantArt. A very controversial scene is coming up in the next few pages and I’m positive Kique’s staff will have to heavily censor comments. If the comment section remains open after this page, I’ll be surprised. However, I won’t be surprised about the abundance of praise and the lack of criticism for the scene.
Fortunately, there are efforts to create an easily accessible online space for people who wish to talk about Home freely and openly.
First there’s a new effort from Exposedmundr to create a space on DeviantArt to discuss new public pages as they’re released called Askmundr. Make sure you read the rules before joining the discussion.
Then there’s also Seal’s Server on Discord. Again, there are rules for being granted access, so please read them carefully.
I’m perfectly content to talk about Home on Discord and Deviant Art, as trying to walk on eggshells to comment on Home’s ComicFury site is a waste of time.
I also give the comments section two months max before it is turned off again.
i think readers have just come to realize that even if their comment would pass, its not worth it. you may pass now for a compliment, but then get hanged for mentioning the authors fave is an ass. they’ve been slapped hard like old smackjeeves readers were in that “open to criticism” isn’t very open.
its worse then not just comments going against the writing. its down to any topic kique doesn’t like. such as relationships despite the story having them. walking on eggshells has turned more to glass unless you temper kique with fluffy comments to step by.
Yeah, I also think that’s a large part of what’s happening. Things have gotten worse since the old Smackjeeves days. I imagine comments will remain sluggish, especially when people find outlets where they can freely comment about pages.
No one wants to walk on eggshells because an author can’t take any type of comment that doesn’t praise their work. It’s exhausting.