Anti-Human Bias?

[Liam]

I'm sorry for the possibly too extreme title, but what do you think about the depiction of humans in HP?

Any human character with characterization above the level of "I'm a pet owner, buy batteries for the Wii remote and like wearing a Captain Falcon helmet" is villainous, though middling villainous.

Joel was clearly villainous in his first appearance in the "Sinister Shadow" arc before his redemption and with the current strip the Ungrates have reached cardboard villainy.

A possible reason for this could be that in order to create drama resp. tension in a story you have to add conflict. Most sources of conflict in HP are of external nature (Communist mice, PETA, Ungrates), maybe because resident baddy Bino can't get build up to a primary antagonist due to his inclination to foolishness.

Don't think I want to allege Rick "furry bias" or some other nonexistent nonsense, it struck me just as odd after the topic came up some time ago.

[NoelL]

Because humans are jerks

I'm not sure if I see the problem.

[Hipstar]

i've been struggling with this question too, but im more interested in reading Rick's response (if he does respond).

[GameCobra]

I highly doubt it has to do with Rick being a furry artist or anything like that.

My personal opinion is that there has been nothing wrong with the humans. they are to be portrayed in the same light as a Peanut comic would be, except not mute. You do also get your fair oddball shots of humans that try to do their thing to appear above the pets since most humans don't want to feel under the rug compared to pets in any regard, and these relatives are just like that and so was Joel.

The best way to explain it is i think humans are just the first step to introducing the bad in Rick's world. we know there's bad pets, but we haven't gotten that far down the road yet. the only pets that you can identify early on as bad would be the Raccoons, Joel's late pets and possibly Pete.

But yes, long story short, i would definitely not call Rick being biased towards anything. although it's been two years, i still consider the HP universe in it's early stages of story telling to consider the humans a common villain.

[rickgriffin]

Guys I am not biased against humans. Some of my best friends are humans.

But seriously, since the comic is called Housepets, in what capacity am I supposed to portray humans?

[Jimmy Jazz]

I merely think that we've only seen the bad ones because they are the interesting people to look at in the story. shrugs

[Liam]

Guys I am not biased against humans. Some of my best friends are humans.

Oh, that's nice to hear, I already suspected you of SKINSECUTION!

Kidding aside, it's just a bit odd to behold that the ones with the most characterization and screentime are bad guys.

Not that I want to dictate you how to do your own comic (which would be a new height of ***********), but I'm sure there are possibilities to compensate things, like, dunno, Mr. Sandwich losing his job, getting depressive, telling Peanut and Grape his troubles and fears after they asked him what's up and the duo providing him with a new job/appealing to his former employer to rehire him somehow or any other story line which delivers high characterization for a human.

[Sinder]

Guys I am not biased against humans. Some of my best friends are humans.

oh again with that old excuse

[rickgriffin]

This is true, but first I'd have to come up with a good-human centered plot that I think I could write

[Teh Brawler]

SKINSECUTION!

...........
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAmadeupwords

[Liam]

This is true, but first I'd have to come up with a good-human centered plot that I think I could write

Okay, and forced stories are inevitably bad anyway, so I don't intend to force a story out of you.

However, it would be nice to see a good-human plot turning up sometime in the future for a change. ;3

[rickgriffin]

I'll keep it in mind. I have had some ideas for strips focusing on Mr and Mrs Sandwich

[Hipstar]

Some of my best friends are humans.

I would assume all your best friends are human since it's really hard to have a heart-to-heart conversation with a dog.

I'd also like to see a plot involving Mr. and Mrs. Sandwich too.

[Two_Twig]

I'll keep it in mind. I have had some ideas for strips focusing on Mr and Mrs Sandwich

I could see a really nice story with those two; perhaps a reflection of their first time getting Peanut or Grape? Though, just knowing what they look like would be nice.

[Buckdida]

Heh, this exact thing came up in the current comic thread.

By Thoth's definition, a lot of the humans have plenty of characterization.

It's just that the evilish humans seem to get a lot more face time, simply because it's quite entertaining to follow their antics (and usually, their impending failure). Unless it's got a really good plot behind it, it's harder to stay interested in a "good" aligned character, especially if they don't have an antagonist.

[Teh Brawler]

Heh, this exact thing came up in the current comic thread.

By Thoth's definition, a lot of the humans have plenty of characterization.

It's just that the evilish humans seem to get a lot more face time, simply because it's quite entertaining to follow their antics (and usually, their impending failure). Unless it's got a really good plot behind it, it's harder to stay interested in a "good" aligned character, especially if they don't have an antagonist.

I agree, and have an addition. Even though Rick's animal characters are self aware, and can be independent and prudent (some more than others), it's still obvious that humans control most if not all of the major obligations in this world, such as providing family income, participating in government, and dealing with ownership. And, other than the ferrets, we have yet to see any of the pets legally owning any capital or goods. So to make an animal with very little responsibility or worry in its life a legitimate villian and still keep a comical tone would be difficult to pull off, and it would risk the approval of the audience. That's not to say Rick couldn't pull that off, but why try that when you have an easier alternative that works just as well?

[GameCobra]

I'll keep it in mind. I have had some ideas for strips focusing on Mr and Mrs Sandwich

The humans take their pets out to play a good old game of <i>BINGO</i>

[Ebly]

<i>BINGO</i>

lol, <> instead of [].

I'm going to say that this is Housepets and that the portrayal of humans will naturally be minimal in comparison to the pets. Given these particular humans are being directly antagonistic to pets, that would explain why they are getting screen time in the first place. It's not like we see humans fighting humans in this strip.

[Anthroguy101]

In my opinion, we should focus less on the humans and more on the furry characters we all love so much.

[Hipstar]

In my opinion, we should focus less on the humans and more on the furry characters we all love so much.

WELL THAT'S A FURRY THING OF YOU TO SAY....

*looks at webcomic, writer of said webcomic, forum in general, and self*

oh.

[The Game]

OH!!!!!ohohohohohohohohoh!!!
Is this why Rick came up with the Ocean's Two arc!!!
it took me 3 days into the arc to get why it was called that...

[machchunk]

By Thoth's definition, a lot of the humans have plenty of characterization.

So I don't know how to write this post the right way without it getting deleted but I just want to clarify what I meant if anyone was confused by Thoth's post.

Think of it like, could a character carry their own arc...even their own series. Not how unique the characters are.

That's what I mean.

[D.Z.]

t's not like we see humans fighting humans in this strip.

https://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/04/ ... -violence/

[Foxstar]

In my opinion, we should focus less on the humans and more on the furry characters we all love so much.

WELL THAT'S A FURRY THING OF YOU TO SAY....

*looks at webcomic, writer of said webcomic, forum in general, and self*

oh.

Psst. Rick is not a die hard furry.

[RaptorAnton]

Psst. Rick is not a die hard furry.

Wait a sec... NO?!! 0_o
...
But how?..
...
I don't get it...
...
I feel like I need some time to think about it...

[Hipstar]

Psst. Rick is not a die hard furry.

yeah neither am i, not surprised. as a reply, here is a photo of something undeniably human and not furry whatsoever

[Teh Brawler]

Psst. Rick is not a die hard furry.

yeah neither am i, not surprised. as a reply, here is a photo of something undeniably human and not furry whatsoever

Whoo. Go Saints.

Ontopic: One of the comments regulars who goes by the name of Reepicheep calls himself a furry in his bio but defines that as just preferring animal-based media to human-based. So I'm thinking that's kinda the way Rick is. But I could be wrong.

[Ebly]

Psst. Rick is not a die hard furry.

yeah neither am i, not surprised. as a reply, here is a photo of something undeniably human and not furry whatsoever

Whoo. Go Saints.

Ontopic: One of the comments regulars who goes by the name of Reepicheep calls himself a furry in his bio but defines that as just preferring animal-based media to human-based. So I'm thinking that's kinda the way Rick is. But I could be wrong.

Also those big fluffy tails are just so cute