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11 reviews for:
Lovely People: A short graphic novel about bunnies living in a social credit system
Minna Sundberg
2.72 AVERAGE
11 reviews for:
Lovely People: A short graphic novel about bunnies living in a social credit system
Minna Sundberg
2.72 AVERAGE
I'm devastated to see an artist and storyteller I love so much succumb to a cult. I'm concerned for Minna's well-being, and I hope she gets help. Fans of her work will see nothing familiar beyond the art style.
TW for fundamentalist Christianity, New World Order conspiracy theories
TW for fundamentalist Christianity, New World Order conspiracy theories
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was a bizarre read. The initial premise has potential (others have pointed out it feels straight out of Black Mirror), and I do agree with some of the criticisms here, about materialism and the commodification of the self. But then Sundberg swerves off and conflates that with progressivism and, judging by the accompanying text, healthcare? Topped off with the idea that Christians in the West are somehow a persecuted class. To call it a misfire would be an understatement. I could write an essay on this.
Aside from the writing, Sundberg's art seems to have strangely declined since SSSS. I don't mean the simpler, cute style - it's different, not worse. I do love the lush greenery, and her ability to imply a complex background without actually having to draw it is enviable (no sarcasm there, work smarter not harder). But the panel layout and flow is so clumsy by comparison. It's baffling.
Aside from the writing, Sundberg's art seems to have strangely declined since SSSS. I don't mean the simpler, cute style - it's different, not worse. I do love the lush greenery, and her ability to imply a complex background without actually having to draw it is enviable (no sarcasm there, work smarter not harder). But the panel layout and flow is so clumsy by comparison. It's baffling.
No words. I have no words. I read this because I liked Minna Sundberg's other comic, Stand Still Stay Silent. Boy was I surprised when this had less to do with the social credit system and more to do with the fact that Minna recently converted to Christianity and is making a misleading comic about how you should repent and let Jesus Christ into your life. No joke. What bothers me though isn't the obvious Christian extremism, it's that she hides it under the veil of a cute comic about something else. It's just disturbing.
And if that doesn't weird you out enough, Minna wrote a long afterword that left my jaw on the floor.
Yeah. I don't have much to say after that. I would've given the comic 2 or maybe even 3 stars if the author was honest about what this was about, but it's a bait and switch. It comes off as dishonest and distasteful. It's a shame, because Minna is a talented artist and writer and the parts of the story that isn't about telling you to stop sinning were actually not bad.
And if that doesn't weird you out enough, Minna wrote a long afterword that left my jaw on the floor.
after coming to faith I knew God hasn’t given me the skills and means to tell stories just “for fun”. I have been given a gift to convey information in a special way, and it’s my duty to not waste it.
...
What's not to like? Everyone just goes with the flow of the system and enjoy an endless flow of cheap trinkets and gadgets to consume, an ever-increasing stream of free entertainment to fill every waking moment; movies and videogames and pornography and events. You can spend your Universal Basic Income on restaurants of all sorts and travel and thrilling "experiences" for pictures on social media. If somehow you still feel unfulfilled just consume a pile of self-help books that will teach you how to reach enlightenment by loving yourself more, manifesting your higher consciousness and finding the divine of your own self. If that doesn't help just smoke some weed, or seek something stronger from your doctor. You'll be content one way or another. Nobody will be around anymore to tell you about how you sin against God, to repent and humbly turn to Christ for forgiveness and salvation from the judgment that comes at the end of everyone's lives. That would be offensive, hurtful and harmful, and thus not allowed! You can say that Jesus loves you and wants you to live your best life, that's it! But... we're not there yet. The all-silencing Social Credit System is not yet here, and there's still time to sound the message of salvation.
...
In conclusion: If you one day find yourself in that future utopia, where your purpose of life is consuming product and entertainment or pursuing vain goals of "bettering yourself", and nobody is allowed to say or write anything "harmful" anymore , remember this: your problem is your sin against God. But He is loving and merciful, and is still gathering his lost sheep, humble yourself and repent.
Yeah. I don't have much to say after that. I would've given the comic 2 or maybe even 3 stars if the author was honest about what this was about, but it's a bait and switch. It comes off as dishonest and distasteful. It's a shame, because Minna is a talented artist and writer and the parts of the story that isn't about telling you to stop sinning were actually not bad.
This book has amazing art and a great style. It's relevant to today's world and has a good message. The three main characters are best friends and each one experiences the same world in a different way which all comes together in the end.
I loved Stand Still, Stay Silent; for a while, I'd have gone so far as to call it a hyperfixation. As such, when I first learned that it ended, I felt a pang in my chest and a sorrow in my brain. "That...was abrupt," I thought to myself. "What caused this?"
The short answer came as an author's note Sundberg left on the webcomic's website: in 2020, she had converted to Christianity and embarked on an alternative path. What that precise path is, is something which I still have not properly investigated as of the time of my writing this review. And given what I know now—including knowledge of the contents of Lovely People—I'm not sure if I want to.
The simplest way to describe this comic is via one word: propaganda. To be more specific, it is Christian fundamentalist propaganda (with a subtle yet disquieting dosage of COVID-19 fearmongering, which I'll get to shortly). The land's authoritarian government - "Alizongle and World Council" - punishes any harsh criticism and detested actions whatsoever, and this includes one's reading the Bible (despite it being the most-published book in the world? Make it make sense). Really, the entirety of Lovely People reeks of the victim complex held by extremist Christians. There's even a preachy gospel section at the end!
Sundberg, according to the endnotes, claims the concept of the comic was birthed from "the striking similarities between the core concepts of how a Social Credit System works and the ... health passports" that came to media attention after the pandemic began...except there aren't actually that many similarities. While, at its core, it is still an indefensibly dystopic tool for control, the West greatly mischaracterizes China's Social Credit System. As for the "green pass," it simply existed to facilitate intercontinental and incoming travel during the initial height of the virus's spread. Keep that word in mind: facilitate. Not ban. (If anything, I think it should've banned travel. People were, and still are, dying.)
The one plus I can give this comic is its cutesy art, but even that is bogged down by a Christofascist agenda and poor writing. If you have any common sense, do yourself a favor and—I cannot stress this enough—stay the fuck away from this. Please read literally anything else instead of giving your time to such vitriol. You'll thank me later.
The short answer came as an author's note Sundberg left on the webcomic's website: in 2020, she had converted to Christianity and embarked on an alternative path. What that precise path is, is something which I still have not properly investigated as of the time of my writing this review. And given what I know now—including knowledge of the contents of Lovely People—I'm not sure if I want to.
The simplest way to describe this comic is via one word: propaganda. To be more specific, it is Christian fundamentalist propaganda (with a subtle yet disquieting dosage of COVID-19 fearmongering, which I'll get to shortly). The land's authoritarian government - "Alizongle and World Council" - punishes any harsh criticism and detested actions whatsoever, and this includes one's reading the Bible (despite it being the most-published book in the world? Make it make sense). Really, the entirety of Lovely People reeks of the victim complex held by extremist Christians. There's even a preachy gospel section at the end!
Sundberg, according to the endnotes, claims the concept of the comic was birthed from "the striking similarities between the core concepts of how a Social Credit System works and the ... health passports" that came to media attention after the pandemic began...except there aren't actually that many similarities. While, at its core, it is still an indefensibly dystopic tool for control, the West greatly mischaracterizes China's Social Credit System. As for the "green pass," it simply existed to facilitate intercontinental and incoming travel during the initial height of the virus's spread. Keep that word in mind: facilitate. Not ban. (If anything, I think it should've banned travel. People were, and still are, dying.)
The one plus I can give this comic is its cutesy art, but even that is bogged down by a Christofascist agenda and poor writing. If you have any common sense, do yourself a favor and—I cannot stress this enough—stay the fuck away from this. Please read literally anything else instead of giving your time to such vitriol. You'll thank me later.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Firstly the comic gains it's grade by very digestible presentation and it's beautiful art that makes the reading experience very easy and fast. The themes and story however gets hampered by it's closeminded view and simplified understanding of the topic as a whole.
The theme of social credit system is hampered by an addition of oddly specific message about Christianity and how the original message of the Bible is being erased and changed artificially by the government. It stands out given how more simplistically and straightforwardly everything else is told to the reader for simply characters spelling their disagreements with the government in public or on the internet.
The comic also ends up giving rather judgmental look on people who do anything influencer related stuff like blogging and in general posting stuff on social media while having sponsors and such, and in the endthe bunnies end up throwing their phones away into a pit with other phones, that being their final separation from the dictatorial world. Just throw your phone away and thus you'll be freed from the clutches of modern world.
The comic comes off very "you can't say anything against the social norm lest you get cancelled by the internet" and "Christianity is at stake", which comes off as tone deaf at best and deeply privileged and self-centered viewpoint at worst. The author's final note also made it more clear of this being a deeply religious work and I think it's important for future readers to be aware of that.
The theme of social credit system is hampered by an addition of oddly specific message about Christianity and how the original message of the Bible is being erased and changed artificially by the government. It stands out given how more simplistically and straightforwardly everything else is told to the reader for simply characters spelling their disagreements with the government in public or on the internet.
The comic also ends up giving rather judgmental look on people who do anything influencer related stuff like blogging and in general posting stuff on social media while having sponsors and such, and in the end
The comic comes off very "you can't say anything against the social norm lest you get cancelled by the internet" and "Christianity is at stake", which comes off as tone deaf at best and deeply privileged and self-centered viewpoint at worst. The author's final note also made it more clear of this being a deeply religious work and I think it's important for future readers to be aware of that.
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The art was really good, but the story itself is pretty heavy-handed in its messaging. Especially with the author's note at the end, like... I'm a Christian myself, and I don't think a social credit system is a good idea, but this comic gave me weird "There's a war on western Christianity!!! Our freedoms are under attack!!!" vibes that I'm really not okay with. I think maybe inclusion of other religions in the plot might have lessened that a little bit, but it would have to be done carefully.
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Topical subject, beautiful art and interesting characters even when they don't get much space in this short form comic. However it almost drops the ball towards the end when it includes a message that looks preachy... literally.