Gold Digger 200 and Archives

[q99]

Do you know what's nice? 200 issue milestones!

Do you know what else is nice? 190+ issue free archives


You know how I talk about the comic Fred Perry's Gold Digger occasionally? Comic about a female adventure archeology and her werecheetah sister? Magic, SF, and so on?

It's reached a big milestone, the 200th issue (50 B&W and 150 color)

Big Fancy Splash Cover time!




And in celebration, Antarctic Press has decided to put up the entire archive of past issues, for free, online, in PDF format, 190+ issues worth.

Antarctic Press Gold Digger Library link


For a fun sample past the rougher art of the beginning, I'd recommend issues 27-28, or the first issues of the color series (51). For a place to jump on the current story arc, 189 is a good place.


I'll also open the floor to general GD questions, because what better time?


And I'll comment, I don't think I've seen any company do something like this before!

Comments

[crinos]

Well, looks I got something to archive binge off of. I've never actually read Gold Digger, but I have heard good things of it.

[q99]

It's a fun one. GD was literally one of the first comics I ever picked up ^^

[shadur]

The creators of Elfquest did, as I recall. Although not quite as readily accessible (flash-based image galleries, ergh) but you can read the entire run online.

[q99]

Well, impressive of them too :)

[aravis]

Wait, they have "updated" the EQ galleries to be Flash based? That wasn't the case when i read through them some years ago. :/

[q99]

Gonna confess, I think I prefer PDF or jpg ^^

[northstarfan]

They used to be Flash based, but they got so many complaints about the format that they switched to a JPG listing, IIRC.

[q99]

Yay :)

[hybrid2]

I'm gona have a lot of reading to do.
O_O

[q99]

Pssht, only 190-some issues worth! You'll have it done in a weekend.



You don't need sleep, right?

[hyperactivator]

This is awesome!

[q99]

It is!

[northstarfan]

JINKIES!

Fred's going to be a guest of honor at SDCC for hitting that 200 issues milestone. Here's hoping he chugs along for another 101...I'd like to have the 300 issues record broken by an artist I actually like.

[q99]

He actually has a plan to stop at one point and start a sequel series based on the next generation.

But, it seems almost a certainty that through some combination of series he's going to reach 300 eventually ^^

-Fred's going to be a guest of honor at SDCC for hitting that 200 issues milestone.-

Yay him :)

[northstarfan]

Also, you know what makes me happy about Gold Digger? I'm looking at that 200th issue cover and reflecting on how much I adore these characters -- and how, in 200 issues, none of our core case has been raped, fridged, or killed off for cheap shock value. As much as I do sometimes get annoyed with the book going into uncomfortable territory with the cheesecake, it's nice to be able to say that.

Other things that makes me happy about this book: GD is finally getting some queer characters in the coming year, it looks like.

[q99]

There have been a few deaths, but yes, never for cheap shock value.

-Other things that makes me happy about this book: GD is finally getting some queer characters in the coming year, it looks like.-

Have you been read the latest halloween special? Xane's already decided to pursue her interest in Crush.


And then there's Genn and however you want to count her.

[northstarfan]

I tend to avoid the specials. There have been a few fan-contributed stories I've liked, but generally I don't find them worth the purchase price.

Ah, yes. Genn definitely had a fluid gender identity, but though I am glad zhe got hir heart's desire in the end, the character has been so problematically handled that I really have a hard time bringing hir up as positive queer portrayal, especially given that zhe was sidelined for so long after hooking up with Seance.

[q99]

What do you find problematic about Genn? Granted, not at all like a human trans person, but I don't find her questionable in that, and it's a char who's had both a major girlfriend (Brianna) and boyfriend (Seance), something you don't see a lot.

I think Fred just didn't have a lot to do with Genn or Seance once they were together (a lot of chars can leave for some time before coming back, not just them), in the main book, but aside from the odd appearance, there's the Maidens of Twilight miniseries where they're main characters alongside the lesbian couple from Ninja High School's shidoshi arc.

[northstarfan]

With Genn, it was a combination of things. The first was having a backstory that implied, at the very least, coerced sex if not outright rape (and I guess now that I've remembered that bit, I may have to revise my above comments, because Genn was core cast for a while) combined with the "marathon sex" Genn had with Brianna, where zhe was shown as sometimes less than willing or trying to escape. It was being played for comedy, but that doesn't make the combination any less squicky when looked at in-context, especially if one takes the viewpoint that the only reason it could succeed as comedy is if the audience buys into the idea that women can't rape.

The second was the way Genn's romance with Seance finally went off -- Seance didn't return Genn's affections until Genn was locked into a female form. Not just assuming a female form to line up with Seance's sexual preferences, mind you, but stuck in a position of zero gender ambiguity. Not only did this make Genn a bit more dull than previous, IMO, but it also really soured me on a pairing I'd been rooting for because the subtext was that Seance couldn't accept Genn as a romantic partner and genderqueer. The retcon in Maidens of Twilight did help things go down a bit easier, though it still wasn't exactly smooth. That Genn's being locked into one form was a lie helped in that the choice of form never really been out of Genn's hands, but the fact that zhe felt she had to lie in order to gain Seance's affections still didn't make me want to wave my 'shipping banner.

I do like GD, but sometimes it steps over the line from fun, sexy hijnks into pretty gross territory. Fair play to Fred, though, I've never had him be dismissive when I've brought up my concerns and it's one of the reasons I stick with the book (even if I do need a hiatus now and again).

[q99]

Ah yea, Genn did have a bad past. Still, Genn did talk about the relationship with Brianna to others, and the complaint was purely 'it's tiring,' not any consent problems, and they were portrayed as good friends. It's also kinda weird because it's also food to Genn, Genn needs to feed hirself and that's one of the easiest ways.

-Seance didn't return Genn's affections until Genn was locked into a female form.-

Iirc, wasn't it the other way around? Seance returned Genn's affections, *then* Genn decided to lock hirself. The turning point had to do with Seance realizing that instead of pining for Gina, he should stop overlooking Genn, and not Genn's forms being a problem.


-Fair play to Fred, though, I've never had him be dismissive when I've brought up my concerns-

Yea, there was a part in one of the specials I didn't like, I brought it up with him, and he apologized, and then the next one undid it.