So, today I was just was roaming around on the internet as usual, while at the same time working on my webcomic (which hopefully the 1st chapter will be upload on here soon..) While working on my webcomic I was thinking about other webcomic had read recently and one that came to mind that I haven't checked up on recently..

 called Rock and Riot 

Rock and Riot is a webcomic by New Zealander animator/webcomic artist Chelsey Furedi . The comic's set in the 50's and is about  a girl rebel group being rivals with a boy rebel group in high school with LGBTQAI+ themes. The comic has a home at Tapas and Tumblr (duh). Just based on this small synopsis the comic sounds pretty interesting, this comic could be taking a look at what it could be like to be LGBTQAI+ in the 50's in the US. If only it was really like that (sigh).  I feel like this comic had so much potential to be interesting but  it didn't really live up to it, and also it didn't really explain somethings that made some  parts really confusing.  I would like to go through the comic and share some of my thoughts and feelings, and at the end I'll give my own thoughts on how it could have been better. (NOTE: I'm not bashing the artist/author of the story , this is her first comic, so it's no surprise it's a little rocky. I have hope that Chelsey can and will do better in the future with her next story!)

(and also I'll be linking to the important pages I'm referring to I won't  be actually putting them here because unlike last time where you couldn't find the web comics as easily without using the way-back machine, this time the comic's still up. )

Okay, Here we go

The comic opens with a shot of a old style 50's car riding up to a school, and here is where we get the first look at part of the cast

and you can see that they're pretty popluar among their fellow students. The main character has her sights set on a pretty girl and tries to get her attention, but does it pretty weird at least in my opinion. She tries to show off her muscles during class, look cool when smoking in the restroom, and almost blew her crush over with her car.  I'm guessing the main character, Connie is just used to people being so impressed by anything she does. Connie finally gets herself together and talks to her like a normal  human being.

The next part shows the male rival group and the leader Frankie, getting into a fight with Connie saying that the girls where on their turf. He was also upset with Connie for taking  one of  their members, Rolly  under her wing. Rolly says that "she" doesn't miss being in the boy group and likes the girls just  fine. Frankie and Connie get into a tussle and their hair gets messed up in the process.

Later Connie and her girlfriend Carla are on a secret drive in movie date at the same time Clyde and Gene (who are a part of the guy group) are also on  a secret date.    Their date gets interrupted by Frankie and the other guys.

In the next chapter, a new kid, Ace  shows up at school and both the gangs want them to be apart of their group.  Both groups try to persuade the new kid into their groups, but they deny both of them. Later Rolly gets to talk to Ace to see what's up. Ace says that  both groups are probably nice, but they don't feel like they'll fit in since they don't identify as a boy or a girl. Rolly says that she used to be a part of the boys group, but then went to the girls and now she feels happier, Ace says that's good for her. Rolly tells Ace that both groups will respect their wish.  It turns out  Ace has their own group and feels comfortable with them.

The next chapter, The girls sense that Connie is in love with someone,   her friends suspect it's a guy she's in love despite the fact she always said that she doesn't need no man. Later, Clyde visits Gene at his house and catches Gene right in the middle of doing his homework, even though the boys don't do homework. Clyde says that Gene shouldn't hide his true-self from them, and if Frankie has a problem with that, he'll have to go through him. Gene finds comfort in this, but then tries to ask Clyde something but he dips before Gene can finish his question.

In the next chapter, Carla spends her break time with Connie since Carla's break is so short and she's always so busy, Connie feels like she can't spend time with her.  Carla suggest that maybe they can go to this club she knows around town later that night.  Connie's excited for her date night with Carla that she's already counting down the moments! Later that night, Connie and Carla are walking to the place when they are stopped because of Connie's skin color. Carla doesn't stand for this and threatens the door guy with telling his wife about the affair he's having with the librarian.  Carla and Connie decide just to chill at the beach.  Carla tells Connie that she wants to go to prom with her, but Connie feels like she  won't be accepted, Carla then says that if they are accepted she owes her a dance. Connie accepts!

The next chapter, starts with Rolly getting ready to go to the movies with the other girls. This then  flashbacks to the first time at a sleepover Rolly wore a dress . Rolly remembers the memory fondly and goes off to the movies with the others.

The next chapter, Clyde and Gene continued where  they left off at the movie date after class . Just as things were getting heated, Connie goes back into the class room to get her jacket, and sees Clyde and Gene together. Even though they try to cover it up as a push up thing

In the next chapter, Clyde, Gene, Carla, and Connie meet up at Suzy's Diner. They are all surprised with their relationships and orientations .  Connie says that she'll stick to women, Carla said she likes anybody despite gender, and Gene says that he has always had a thing for Clyde, Clyde feels bad that he didn't know about Gene's feelings. Gene says it's okay because Clyde couldn't  have known before anyways. The girl gang and boy gang come  in and they think Connie is dating Clyde and Gene and Carla are dating,This tears the both groups apart. 

The next chapter, Ace's group is handing out cheats on test and homework help, but the most recent batches of cheats made everyone fail. Ace's group is stumped for ideas for how to solve this problem  until  Ace has a brilliant idea to make their own final exam, so there'll be no way they could get the wrong answers.  Later that night, they sneak into the school and change the old test with their new ones. They also added a new gender option to the test as well.

The next chapter, Connie sneaks into Carla's house while her Dad's taking a nap. Carla tells Connie it's probably best if they just confess about their relationship, Connie says that she doesn't want her friends to see her as weird, but Carla says that she'll always be there for her. Connie then ask Carla when will they have sex, and Carla says she wants to wait 'til marriage, but Connie says the likelihood of 2 women getting married is as about as likely as a black president (*cough*). Carla says that she'll know when she's good and ready, and Connie says she'll wait.  Carla's dad is just about to come in the room and Connie dives out the window. Clyde and Gene have the same type of convo,  but Clyde seemed a little to hype to get down. Clyde and Gene brush away the awkward moment and just cuddle in bed.

The next chapter, is basically about how the  two groups got to be rivals, which is just them fighting over another turf and having a race to settle the score. the race ends in a tie and Connie can't stand this, and states she'll never stop fighting to prove girls can be just as good as boys.

The next chapter, The girl and boy gang continue to fight until they ALL end up in detention. Connie finally confesses that she's not dating Clyde, but dating Carla. Clyde also confesses that he's dating Gene, Connie's best friends also confess their love for one another, and Frankie confesses that he has feelings for the Jock,Sasha. It seems like everyone's coming out of the closet and the one guy in the back confesses that he's asexual.

The next chapter, Ace has a hard  time telling Rolly that they want to go to the prom with her, but with help from their group, the bandits they sing a love song for Rolly and she accepts.  In the next chapter, Carla askes Connie to the dance , then Clyde asks Gene. Everything seems fine and dandy until the principle announces that there will be no inappropriate partnership allowed at the dance.   Both groups are devastated by this news and won't stand for it. So, they decide to put aside their differences and come together to make up a plan.  Frankie also apologizes for not accepting Rolly for the person she was all along, She accepts his apology and shares a group hug with everyone but Frankie. 

In the next chapter, Ace tells the team that there is faculty inside the building, Ace then sees a sad couple and states this is probably not going to be easy.  Connie gets everyone together and says they can no longer take the easy way out, they'll have to take the big plan be. This is their night, and they'll rock and riot to get what they want! They use the car to crash into prom, and then speed through prom. Taking pictures and some cookies and then they dip. People seemed confused at first, but then everyone celebrates and dances with the partner of their choice.  They all wander into the forest and lay down on the grass and take it all in.  Carla reminds Connie about their bet earlier, and Connie says they weren't accepted, but Carla tells her to look around.   Everyone dances and they all share kisses with their lovers, and then they all hop in a car and go home.

So that's the comic mostly in summary....        

    Here's where I'm going to give my opinion, One of the first things that's really hard to ignore, and that is the fact that this is so historically inaccurate. Now, I'm all for one taking artistic changes, and making their own little world, but anyone who grew up in the US or when to school in the US knows that  america was a heavily racially segregated country at the time. According, to my own mother who grew up in the 50's, she didn't go to a mixed school until middle school and that was around '62 .  So, everyone being okay with African Americans along with other races and white  people being in the same group of friends, let alone the same school is hard to believe. I mean it is touched upon once, but a few pages later you see a interracial couple chillin' and being happy together (It's hard to believe it's just that ONE place in the 50's that's racist against Poc). Not even when the characters were little were they separated by race. I guess since this story's about LGBTAI+ themes and not racial themes.Also the girl group being loved by everyone at school, while everyone knows women weren't treated too well in the 50's, and no one  really took women that seriously back then. Again, only one character is shown to be sexist and he turns out to be gay at the end anyways, and he doesn't get a hug when he puts his sexism aside and accepts one of his friends being trans.  The author did say people shouldn't complain about the time period and just enjoy the story. I think she just picked the 50's because of the clothes and aesthetics. She could have just made a alternative world where it was the 50's but Poc and LGBTQIA+ people were accepted, but there wouldn't be any conflict would there, well about this comic and conflict. 

    Another problem I have with the comic is that the issues are easily solved as soon as they're brought up, and there no real consequences for the character's actions (expect for getting in detention,but that actually helped the groups understand each other more)  . I guess the whole Rolly not being accepted by Frankie issue is a thing, but is only talked about at the start, but is shove to the back until the end. I thought when Connie pretended Clyde and her were dating, Carla would be upset that she didn't tell the truth right there and then, and they would go through  like a small break until Connie owned up to their relationship, but no that didn't happen. In the next few pages, everybody comes out of the closet,  and everyone's accepted. Also, I thought it was weird that Connie thought her friends would disown her for being queer, when they were pretty much okay with letting a transgirl into their group, who was once apart of the rival group. Not to mention, she stated before to her friends that she don't need no man.

   I mean it's no surprise, she would date a girl. I could even see Connie being worry that her friends won't accept Carla because she was a bit too  soft or nice, but no they welcome her with open arms. There was also a guest comic that showed Connie's friends being A-okay being with Carla.  So, it's obviously not hard for anyone to believe. Once Ace says that they don't identify as a boy or girl both groups just give up on them pretty easily. I kind of get why Clyde and Gene were scared to  come out because they're boys in a tough boy group, but even then Clyde said he would fight for Gene against Frankie. Frankie never said anything bad about LGBTQ+ people, I feel like he said more bad things about girls (which is understandable why Rolly would feel weird around him). Also, Frankie coming out as gay along with Connie's friends seemed to come out of nowhere it was never hinted at ever, unless I missed it. The comic seemed to focus more on Connie and Carla's relationship, then mostly focus on Clyde's and Gene's, there were no hints in between. 

There were also points in the  comic where the couples (mainly Connie and Carla) got a little too mushy. I know it's meant to be cute, but after like one time it gets a little old and annoying. I mean you can convey that two people are really into each other without making them kiss every time or say overly lovey dovey stuff.  Admittedly, I did enjoy Clyde and Gene's interactions, but they didn't get that mushy. 

Other than the main characters being in a  relationship, and except for maybe Frankie. Everyone seems pretty static in terms of character development.  I can't really describe the characters in more than one word, and Connie doesn't really seem like a tough girl until she's around the rival gang.  Her two friend seem interchangeable, the only difference between them is that one's just chiller than the other. None of the characters have moments (except for the bandits, the main couples) where they shine individually, like we don't really get to know more about anyone besides the main couples.  I mean even the author has a hard time describing the other characters with actual adjectives.  One character didn't even show up until the end, before that he was just a background character.

    Even the major conflict at the end is handled  kind of poorly. The whole comic was kind of leading up to the prom, which again  didn't really feel like it until the end. Everyone's end goal was to dance with the person they liked at prom, going against what the school said was inappropriate, but it was all anticlimactic. First, the whole prom thing came out of nowhere, you think a school that allowed Poc students,  where the most popular girls are mixed race, have different body types, and are treated like anyone else and aren't objectified at all by their male students, wouldn't allow LGBTQ+ couples at prom?! I also don't know what lead  up to the principal making this choice, I mean the gangs only got in trouble once and that's it, and the characters worry about this just now, and not before prom.  The character's big plan B was really kind of lame, I mean it was cool how they literally crashed prom, but all they did was photobomb and take some cookies and bounce. They hyped it up as something big,like this was going to be a hard task.  There was only one adult at the prom anyways, which another thing that's hard to believe because anyone who has at least seen any  prom scene from movies or TV know that their are a bunch of adults around making sure everyone's following the rules.  Once the teens got in they would have grabbed them or blocked the exit.

Here's what I would have done to fix somethings, I would have the story still set in the 50's but the actual 50's like maybe there is  one school they just started non-segregation, and all these students are coming together. Trying to get used to the change, There are a hand-full of characters who are LGBT and are trying to love despite being from different backgrounds.  Maybe some  of them meet as kids, but couldn't really talk until now.Despite the fact that everyone doesn't find this normal, and maybe that will inspire other kids to explore their relationship options. At least with  the whole prom issue, instead of  them going and crashing prom, they would have made their own prom and spread the word. I mean looking at the ending it seemed like the school had alot of LGBTQAI+ students enough at least to have a sizable party. It would have been at last minute, but that would add more drama to the story. They could have set up a outdoor party in the forest and make it all pretty and have everybody welcome. Since, anybody's welcome basically  no one would go to the school prom, and it really be sticking it to the man! but that's just my humble opinion.

  Overall, I think Rock and Riot is a pretty cute comic for being someone's first comic.There some parts I really liked like Ace not wanting to be apart of  either group because they don't identify as boy or girl,the push up scene was cute, and also the part where Clyde was so ready to get it on with Gene . While it's not that realistic and doesn't really take advantage of it's time period to tell a great story. It's an easy read, and if you're ever like bored and want to look at cute pictures of couples then this comic's for you. I can't wait to see what else Chelsey does in the future.