Webcomics = Terrorism? Whaa?
I’ve been meaning to post about Three Panel Soul, the new comic by Ian and Matt of MacHall fame- unfortunately I’ve got to do so under less-than-wonderful circumstances. I love this new strip because I’m finding it a lot more minimalist and relatable… also ridiculously funny.
Matt was working as a contractor for a branch of the government. He made the mistake of being interested in the hobby of paper target shooting at about the same time as the VA Tech shootings and talking to someone about this hobby at work. Keep in mind he wasn’t even talking about those shootings, in fact he was discussing how he wanted a gun which would make it difficult to kill someone.
He was promptly fired and not allowed back to work because people were scared of him.
To top it all off, he was later visited by police detectives for making a comic about his experience, because it was a “borderline terroristic threat.” (Is “terroristic” even a word? Did they get that from the Colbert report?)
I’m not a lawyer or a reporter or anything, but I would recommend anyone who was one of those things to contact Matt. ( machallboyd ATZORS gmail.com ) If you’re a cartoonist or a webcomics fan, spread his story around. The more people who know about this, the better. He’s a good dude who deserves your support.
Please feel free to spread this post any way you like, including via Digg.
May 3rd, 2007 at 1:56 pm
[...] the meantime, the best information appears to be from Rich Stevens (story on the front page now, here eventually); more on this as it [...]
May 3rd, 2007 at 3:57 pm
[...] read more | digg story No Comments Leave a Commenttrackback addressThere was an error with your comment, please try again. name (required)email (will not be published) (required)url [...]
May 3rd, 2007 at 4:56 pm
Webcomics = Terrorism? Whaa?
Yes I see, you were afraid, hmmm lets see, how can we respond. Ah I have it KNEE JERK!
May 3rd, 2007 at 7:40 pm
[...] = Terrorism? Whaa? Webcomics = Terrorism? Whaa? Matt Boyd, writer of MacHall and Three Panel Soul loses job due to saying the wrong thing at the [...]
May 3rd, 2007 at 11:43 pm
[...] way R Stevens seems to have opinions on it. I pretty much agree. I really hope The Terrar doesn’t come to Canada, as I like being [...]
May 4th, 2007 at 5:57 am
[...] May 4th, 2007 at 11:56 (Scary) That is the question I asked myself when I read this article. [...]
May 4th, 2007 at 8:20 am
[...] Matt Boyd, co-creator of the online strip Three Panel Soul, ran into a spot of trouble recently, and Diesel Sweeties cartoonist R. Stevens would like to tell you about it: [...]
May 4th, 2007 at 8:30 am
[...] R Stevens puts it much more succinctly than I could, so I’ll just link over to him. [...]
May 4th, 2007 at 8:33 am
[...] would wake up to the merry sight of mushroom clouds, doing the can-can all over planet earth. For, while the police were interviewing some hapless, out of work cartoonist, that will be the Buddy Holly day that the 43rd president of [...]
May 4th, 2007 at 9:05 am
[...] does look like the webcomics community at large is behind Matt, and that’s definately a good thing. It’s a travesty [...]
May 4th, 2007 at 9:20 am
[...] Fleen, Comixpedia, Journalista and Diesel Sweeties have reported on this already, so I’m guessing you’ve already seen it, but it’s [...]
May 4th, 2007 at 10:21 am
[...] Diesel Sweeties [...]
May 4th, 2007 at 10:50 am
[...] Webcomics = Terrorism? Whaa? tells the sad but true story of what’s happened to webcomic creator, Matt. […] [...]
May 4th, 2007 at 11:05 am
[...] Freedom, with their exception… 4 05 2007 A bit of background info. [...]
May 4th, 2007 at 11:31 am
[...] work. As strange stories go, it’s fairly straightforward, and perhaps best summarized on the blog of yet another web-cartoonist, Robert Stevens: Matt was working as a contractor for a branch of the government. He made the mistake of being [...]
May 4th, 2007 at 11:54 am
[...] read it and see for yourself. Thanks, [...]
May 4th, 2007 at 11:57 am
[...] – Webcomic artist fired from gov job over „terroristic” art – Webcomics = Terrorism? Whaa? [...]
May 4th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
Terroristic is not a word.
Matt, of MacHall and Three Panel Soul, was apparently fired from his job and later interviewed by the police for a poorly-timed comment at work and a couple of comic strips.
I don’t have anything to add here, except maybe a “What the fuck…
May 4th, 2007 at 4:11 pm
[...] not as much as when innocent people are being fired from their jobs and harassed by police for simply discussing an innocent [...]
May 4th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
[...] Boyd fue despedido de su trabajo, y no sólo eso, R. Stevens de Diesel Sweethearts nos cuenta que Matt también recibió la visita de la policía, por hacer estos webcomics, lo cual en sus palabras equivalía a “prácticamente una amenaza [...]
May 4th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
[...] Diesel Sweeties Newsblog » Webcomics = Terrorism? Whaa? May, 4 :: 4:11 pm fin [...]
May 4th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
[...] Who knew internet cartooning was such a dangerous profession? [...]
May 4th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
[...] The story is here. [...]
May 4th, 2007 at 11:18 pm
[...] I don’t always get it second hand either. I got today’s story from Extra Life who linked to Diesel Sweeties who go it straight from the horse’s mouth (or at least linked to it). So if this is the first [...]
May 5th, 2007 at 9:55 am
“Oh, I don’t feel comfortable about my work place because I am suffering mass hysteria inflicted by the media and how someone was talking about guns. ” says the lady.
“Don’t worry, miss. We, the government, will confront this situation so you don’t have to actually talk to that person and ask why they would take interest in the Second Amendment.” The Government says, while standing tall with their red, white, and blue underwear worn on the outside. [*PooF~!*] “Your accusation are now a thing of the past, mam”
May 5th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
[...] your home and question you on account of your “borderline terroristic threat.”This, sadly, is the world we live in. Fear [...]
May 6th, 2007 at 1:43 am
[...] he used the comic to document the meeting where the reason for his firing was explained, he was visited by representatives of local law enforcement investigating him on suspicion of making a “terroristic threat” using the Internet. No [...]
May 10th, 2007 at 11:23 am
Guy gets fired for talking about guns
http://www.dieselsweeties.com/blog/?p=44
See blog above for the story in words; check links below for the offending cartoons.
The story really speaks for itself so I’ll forego the usual editorializing. Just, wow!
http://threepanelsoul.com/view….
May 28th, 2007 at 11:50 pm
[...] saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Is this the climate of fear we’re stuck living in?read more | digg [...]
June 5th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
I feel for my American counter-parts, and I think it’s time you took up your second amendment rights and bared those arms. Cant you remove the president if it turns out he’s a lunatic warmongering fascist? I’m just hoping it doesn’t happen over here in the UK, I dont even have a BB gun
June 12th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
[...] that was my intro to a fun comic that was brought to my attention from this story at dieselsweeties blog. I nice comic telling from the creator of the web comic threepanelsoul about [...]
July 2nd, 2007 at 4:03 am
[...] – Webcomic artist fired from gov job over “terroristic” art – Webcomics = Terrorism? Whaa? [...]
January 20th, 2008 at 11:56 pm
good! iam glad to see you!