We are often surrounded by negativity, by inadequacy marketing, by the feeling that we are supposed to buy things in order to be happy while the news paints a picture of a world crumbling beneath us. When our comedians and entertainers and storytellers of all types use dark humor and sarcasm to express a worldview, it gets so easy, so frighteningly easy, to repeat these patterns and become engines of negativity ourselves. 

There is a reason we don't talk about comics we dislike on this site, and why we try to stay focused on things we like in our vlogcasts. Allison implemented a policy early on for our vlogcasts that said we could express negativity based on actual issues or problems, but should not express negativity for the sake of negativity. At first I didn't think this was such a good idea. Sarcastic, negative humor is something we've been trained to find easy to produce and quick to laugh at. However, as I've thought more about how I want my life to be and what kind of things I want to be doing, I'm happy we have such ideas guiding what we talk about. 

This doesn't mean we'll only write fluff pieces. If anything, it means I'll be more honest in my likes or dislikes. But I will hopefully never post something just to make fun of it. If it is something I feel needs to be talked about, I'll talk about it honestly, and try to find both positive and negative things to say. 

Which leads us to the Webcomic O' the Week. This week we'd like to feature Kindling, a post-apocalyptic romp through the southern territories of America, written by Jason Nerad and drawn by Dechanique. I will be honest and say the Kindling didn't grab all at once, the way that so many comics do. The art is vibrant, detailed, and well styled, and the story in its early chapters seemed intriguing. But it didn't grab me the way most comics do. Something about intro, or the way the comic was obviously designed with print in mind, set me off initially. 

All that said, Kindling is one of those cases where sticking with a work pays dividends. The comic creates a slow burn that eventually sets you on fire for more. Having devoured all of the comic that is currently available, I can say with certainty that my initial reaction was unfounded. The author obviously has Plans for the story, and has partnered with an artist who can bring the visions to life. I'm excited to see where the cast of Kindling ends up, and I encourage you to Check. It. Out.

Thanks,

Philip