How Skinny is Evan?

[Ladydarke]

Hi!

I just discovered your comic. I followed a comicgen forum link where you were talking about your anorexic character, the fan service topic where you were saying you were showing his exposed ribs. I was unshocked by his skinniness, where I had expected to be all omg anorexia!

So, I was just wondering how pronounced the anorexia was supposed to be. It looks to me like Evan has pretty much the same physique as his roomate. Both he and Ryan, when shirtless, are drawn with an emphasis on musculature - they both look like really fit, atheletic young men. So, Evan has this perfect body with only some rib lines drawn, and if I hadn't been told that was representative of exposed ribs, I wouldn't have known I was supposed to remark on his boniness, because his arms and legs are the same size as Ryans, his abdomen is flatly muscled as opposed to being concave with protruding hipbones, and his well-developed pectorals far-and-away dominate the rib lines. I did notice that in later sequences you had altered his rib cage from a smooth line to showing the bumps of the ribs, but I still felt this was subtle and the drawing was defined by his ripped pecs and normal-size, non-bony limbs.

Anyway, so I was wondering if this was intentional and the idea is that Evan is still at the stage where he's pretty much fit-looking and just a shade under normal, or if he was actually intended to be emaciated-looking?

I just wanted to add that this is not a criticism of your art! After finding your comic, I kept reading it because I was really impressed with your drawing. The backgrounds in particular are breathtaking.

Anyway, that's my question.

[TheSuburbanLetdown]

Woah, it's ladydarke! It's been a while since I've seen you around.

He doesn't have full blown anorexia, but definitely has some form of an eating disorder and seems to be heading down that road. He looks alright mostly, as his printmaking professor had to grasp his shoulder to really notice it, so it's being caught before it really goes anywhere dangerous. The only time he really looks gross is back in high school in this scene: http://endofthings.comicgen.com/d/20070518.html. And even then that he didn't really go as far as one can go. He actually does eat, just not very much. His problem is that he exercises way too much for someone that barely eats and it affects his behavior and temperament.

Some of this art is dated too and I woulda drawn it a little differently now. I was accused of being anorexic by lots of people even though I looked no worse or skinny than Evan, so that's what I was rolling with. It's a comic though, so I shoulda pushed it farther.

Thanks for reading by the way.

[Ladydarke]

**waves** We're going to the '08 cookout.

That was a fast reply! Yeah, he's definitely way skinnier in the high school flashback, with the hip bones and all, though even then he had those ripped pecs. I don't really know what somebody looks like when they have very specifically been over-excersising and not eating enough - maybe that does give you buff pecs, though probably not from just running - but it sounds like you do know! I think it's mostly that big chest that makes him look more fit than anorexic.

Actually, since I didn't think he had those little rib-bumps drawn on his side at first, I had wondered if you were going to start subtle and sort of progress it to terrible, which would be definitely sweet! But what with him finally going home to his parents it's seeming like his Doctor Dad will recognize the problem, especially if Evan had it before, and know what kind of intervention is necessary. Did his parents know he had it before or was that one of those things your friends find out about and fix whilst the 'rents remain blissfully unaware?

It also occurs to me that with a fur-covered character it must be hard to show the arms and legs shrinking. Like when you wash your cat, it loses half it's size and turns instantly into this bitty, skinny little thing, when usually the fur makes it look bigger. Cats (and presumably Evans ) have to lose some dramatic weight before bones start getting noticeable through the fur.

I think you've got a good portrayal of mostly alright going. If that's how he's meant to seem, that's certainly how he comes across artistically. Probably it was just reading that other forum post that had skewed my expectations. So, Good Job!

[Pravus]

I just noticed...you could say that Evan's contradicting himself with the Anorexia, or you could say that the anorexia is what is keeping him grounded to earth...

[Ladydarke]

I just noticed...you could say that Evan's contradicting himself with the Anorexia, or you could say that the anorexia is what is keeping him grounded to earth...

That sounded interesting, but I'm not really sure what you meant. Could you elaborate?

[Pravus]

Well, with his attitude, and at times with the way he acts, he really does try to put himself above other people at times. However, having a problem like anorexia which is based on what some consider....a penny ante reason kind of brings him back down to earth. I think his snobbiness of normal people is shown especially when sex is mentioned, as that is something that most people try to have, and yet he does not even try. There are, of course, more reasons, but it does at times seem that he does not think himself worthy of sex because he is above it, when he truly is not.

[Redcrow]

It also occurs to me that with a fur-covered character it must be hard to show the arms and legs shrinking. Like when you wash your cat, it loses half it's size and turns instantly into this bitty, skinny little thing, when usually the fur makes it look bigger. Cats (and presumably Evans ) have to lose some dramatic weight before bones start getting noticeable through the fur.

In Amerika, we so rarely see starving animals running around. I saw this documentary about the rescue of pets left behind in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. It is shocking to see a dog so skinny that you can see all of the bone in his tail.

[Pravus]

Got to NYC, you'll see one or two...

[ShannC]

Yeah.. I don't really think it can end up in tragedy at this point. Evan's got people around him as a sort of safety net, and whether he'll agree with it or not, they'll intervene. Now, imagine people who don't....

Well, with his attitude, and at times with the way he acts, he really does try to put himself above other people at times. However, having a problem like anorexia which is based on what some consider....a penny ante reason kind of brings him back down to earth. I think his snobbiness of normal people is shown especially when sex is mentioned, as that is something that most people try to have, and yet he does not even try. There are, of course, more reasons, but it does at times seem that he does not think himself worthy of sex because he is above it, when he truly is not.

I don't really follow you.
I can definately see the connection between poor self-image and wanting to put yourself above, but I don't really understand how things here are of a firmly sexual nature.

Although I DO think he has a problem in wishing to be desired(in THAT way too, yes), because he's definately obsessed with apperance. Problem is that, because he's so fixated on himself, he wouldn't really have a shot at getting laid.. but I'm not so sure about whether he really wants that anyway. Unless, of course, he actually lied about the "not wanking" thing?

[Pravus]

Um, it isn't of a sexual problem, but his sex problem is part of what i was talking about, and the mot visible....

[Redcrow]

Although I DO think he has a problem in wishing to be desired(in THAT way too, yes), because he's definately obsessed with apperance. Problem is that, because he's so fixated on himself, he wouldn't really have a shot at getting laid.. but I'm not so sure about whether he really wants that anyway. Unless, of course, he actually lied about the "not wanking" thing?

I don't think he lied. Underweight persons hit a point where the sexual drive goes dormant.

[Pravus]

Yeah, with the sex thing, I was talking more about the beginning of the comic, not the recent arc as much

[Yeahduff]

Well, Ryan is pretty damn skinny, too. His problem is neglect, not a warped self-image, though the results are similar. Evan without a doubt has a problem, one more dangerous than Ryan's, and while he may not be a Giacometti just yet, I think he's in the relative beginning of his problem.

I wouldn't write off tragedy just yet either. These kinds of things have a way of owning you, and we can already see how Evan's alienating himself from his friends when they try to knock some sense into him.

[ShannC]

These kinds of things have a way of owning you, and we can already see how Evan's alienating himself from his friends when they try to knock some sense into him.

Definately so man. When you are doing something self-destructive you want different kinds of awe, and not having people tell you how stupid you are, writing you off as an "ordinary fool"(even if you deep down suspect you are).

I don't really know how anorexia works TBH and it probably doesn't have one answer either...

Yeah, with the sex thing, I was talking more about the beginning of the comic, not the recent arc as much

Ah, yeah. I'm forgetful.. Haven't re-read the archives in a long while.

[Pravus]

I wouldn't write off tragedy just yet either. These kinds of things have a way of owning you, and we can already see how Evan's alienating himself from his friends when they try to knock some sense into him.

While there may be a tragedy, it cannot be that big, for this is a continuing comic, not real life, and comics must go along a path, unlike life. If a substantial amount of characters were lost, the comic would not be the comic, but instead another comic entirely with its own morals and values. I believe I have stated my point....

[Paul Escobar]

[...] we can already see how Evan's alienating himself from his friends when they try to knock some sense into him.

Possibly except for Ted - while annoyed at times, he mostly seems to be morbidly amused by the whole thing.

While there may be a tragedy, it cannot be that big, for this is a continuing comic, not real life, and comics must go along a path, unlike life. If a substantial amount of characters were lost, the comic would not be the comic, but instead another comic entirely with its own morals and values. I believe I have stated my point....

Your understanding of what a comic can contain is far too narrow.

[Pravus]

[

While there may be a tragedy, it cannot be that big, for this is a continuing comic, not real life, and comics must go along a path, unlike life. If a substantial amount of characters were lost, the comic would not be the comic, but instead another comic entirely with its own morals and values. I believe I have stated my point....

Your understanding of what a comic can contain is far too narrow.

I'm not saying that one or two major characters could not be lost, but they can not all be lost. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not have a comic of just monologues by Evan....

[Jackson]

My comic history is failing me. There is a comic that is one big monologue done by one character with some really dazzling art. I really wish I could remember the name of it. It's one of the influential art comics, but I can't remember what it was.

[Yeahduff]

[

While there may be a tragedy, it cannot be that big, for this is a continuing comic, not real life, and comics must go along a path, unlike life. If a substantial amount of characters were lost, the comic would not be the comic, but instead another comic entirely with its own morals and values. I believe I have stated my point....

Your understanding of what a comic can contain is far too narrow.

I'm not saying that one or two major characters could not be lost, but they can not all be lost. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not have a comic of just monologues by Evan....

Well it could, y'know, end.

[Paul Escobar]

I'm not saying that one or two major characters could not be lost, but they can not all be lost. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not have a comic of just monologues by Evan....

What you'd like to read and what can potentially be done are two very different things. I can think of quite a few comics where everyone dies and the comic ends. What yeahduff said. At any rate, the comic is called The End of Things, and the current story is called Severed Ties. That's a fairly big hint that something will come to an end.