About Stymie

Stymie was intended to be a companion comic to a webcomic I had been making in my early college years, The Dirty Dingo. Dingo, for context, was a rather light hearted sort of Spy Thriller with as much research and seriousness as you could expect from a naive college kid who hadn't really experienced much of the world. Stymie, I told myself at the time, because it was more serious, more of a drama, and darker, was more worth putting my time into. I researched Film Noir movies intently, took notes, and didn't notice the aspects of the genre that didn't age well with time. (Seriously, I remember writing "Not many women" without realizing the WHY.)

I managed to end up with digital files of Stymie, and oddly, no idea if I have any of The Dirty Dingo. And, if I'm being honestly, I think this comic is a testimony to who I was at the age of 22. The subject matter is dark and grim, because I thought that was what I should be writing. It's pessimistic and overly depressing, which I was feeling shortly out of college. It's overly detailed, because I was more interested in trying to look skilled than focus on my story. It lightly brings up the topic of sexuality, and of course shies away immediately, as I myself was closeted at the time. It's violent, because the work I was trying to emulate was.

I think I keep Stymie around for two very simple reasons. Firstly, it's a decent reminder that I am capable of taking on large projects, and have the self-discipline to see them through to the end. Lastly, it's a reminder of how far I've come as a person. I don't relate to its ethos, I don't require myself to limit my expression to fit into a genre, and don't believe the world is so black and white. I still feel it's an okay story, in its pacing, characters, and visuals, but lacks as much heart and appreciation for beauty as I've come to learn.

You're of course, free to enjoy this comic. There's nothing with that, but I hope your life is filled with more heart, and compassion than the angst I see dripping from Stymie's inked pages.