GWS

[trouble]

I have a post going up in the morning at Bitch Blog about "getting things right" in representations of disability. (I'll link to it when it's up.)

Part of it discussed Girls with Slingshots, and I wanted to provide transcript/descriptions of the comic, so I'm doing that here. (If you have suggestions for edits, let me know!)


Soo Lin's introduction:

First Panel: Sign with "Jameson & Maureen's rehearsal, tonite", with balloons.
Second Panel: Maureen: Ooh, I'm so excited to meet Soo Lin!
Jamie: Do you know what she looks like?
Third Panel: Maureen: Kind of, but she's always wearing sunglasses in her LJ pics. Oh! There she is!
Fourth Panel: Maureen: Soo Lin!
Soo Lin: Maureen?
Fifth Panel: Maureen: You're wearing sunglasses?
Soo Lin: Yeah, I'm also carrying a cane.

Melody's introduction:

First Panel: Jamie: Wooow! You're blind?
Soo Lin: You must be Maureen's genius sister.
Maureen: (waving) Actually, that's my genius sister! Hey, Melody!
Second Panel: Jamie: (gives Maureen & Melody an odd look)
Soo Lin: (Is silent)
Maureen: (Is Signing)
Melody: (Is Signing)
Third Panel: Jamie: Oh, this should be interesting.
Soo Lin: Well, where is she?
Maureen & Melody: (Signing)

Some are about how clueless people can be about blindness

First Panel: Maureen: Soo Lin, you're blind?
Soo Lin: Maureen, we've been livejournal BFF for five years. How did you not know this?
Second Panel: Maureen: You never said anything about it.
Soo Lin: I write poems about being blind all the time!
Third Panel: Maureen (looking away): Oh, I thought you were being figurative.
Soo Lin: No, I was being blind.
Fourth Panel: Mauren: So this is why all your twitter posts are about bumping into walls.
Soo Lin: Or my hot mailman. At least, I think he's hot. He smells hot.

Some are disability-related humour as told by people with disabilities.

First Panel: Chris: (knocking on door) Everyone decent?
Off screen: Come on in, Chris!
Second Panel: Chris: (Opens door to see Melody, Jamie, and Soo Lin just finishing getting dressed) Wooooow, you gals look fantastic.
Jamie: Thanks!
Third Panel: Soo Lin: (Pokes Chris with the end of her white cane)
Sound Effect: tap JAB poke poke
Fourth Panel: Soo Lin: You too!
Chris: (looks confused)

I think my favourite is this joke about getting a bad 'terp.

First Panel: Melody: (stands up, smiling)
Paula: Hi everyone! My name is Paula, and I'll be translating for the bride's sister this evening.
Second Panel: Melody: (Signs below-panel)
Paula: Maureen, Jameson, to see you two together makes me nauseous. May your love and hamburger live on a Dutchman. You both look so drunk.
Third Panel: Silent reaction shot of the guests. Maureen & Jameson look especially shocked.
Fourth Panel: Maureen has a very disgusted look on her face.
Paula: I sincerely apologize for hiring the cheapest translator I could--HEY!

Comments

[were_duck]

Hee, great comic! I had read the beginning of it a while ago but not this far. Thanks for linking.

FYI, there's a typo in the transcript of the second panel of Soo Lin's introduction--it should say "meet Soo Lin".

[trouble]

Fixed - thank you! :)

[nickys]

Oh, I was meaning to ask if you'd seen Cast Offs and what you thought of it?

It seemed to me to be pretty good in that the actors are actually disabled and the plot mostly has disability in the background while other stuff is going on.

[trouble]

I haven't seen it, but I've heard about it. I'm probably going to check it out during the winter break.

[metonymy]

I have spent the entire day going through the archives of Girls With Slingshots. I'd shake my fist at you but I'm too busy clicking the "next comic" arrow. <3