To my surprise, the recent storyline has been prompting a lot of questions, many directed at yours truly.

Maybe some of you are new to the strip, or perhaps I haven't done a good enough job of making myself clear, but... no, GWS is decidedly not anti-BDSM. Untie your ropes and take a breath, friends.

Beatrice has her own opinion of S&M, and it's hers to have. This doesn't mean it's a reflection of how I feel (far from it, rowr!). I've never sought out to create perfect characters in GWS, because that would be waaay dull.

I expect you, dear reader, to draw your own conclusions when a character says something you disagree with. That's why I've added a comments section below each blog post; y'all have some very insightful and enlightening things to say, and I encourage you to discuss how you feel amongst each other. I've learned a TON reading your messages; I hope you will, too!

The Slingshot world will be making a few journeys in the following year, as I've grown bored of avoiding risks (both in this fictional world and in my personal life - more on that later). I expect a bit of backlash, but moreover I expect you to think and to talk. Sure, it's just a comic, but the topics are hardly fictional, and we can all learn from each other.

As for 50 Shade of Grey, I haven't read it, but I'm afraid I might have to if I want to write about it. (This is where you all thank me for going to such painful lengths to keep my comic authentic.) Anyone got Cliffs Notes I can borrow?