[Raya]

Part 2 of Straha Speaks Out!1 continues with the incredible interview of Jeremy Waller, creator of the hugely popular cartoon strip, WTF Comics,2 by Raya of Silky Venom. Based loosely on EverQuest the game, Mr. Waller presents us with a world of scaly stalwartness, elven innocence, monkly maunderings, and gnomaleficence. The hilarity in these comics keeps the audience gasping with laughter and crying for more. Here’s what WTFC fans had to say about one issue: *holds aching sides from laughing so much* Yet another winner for the fabulous Iksar artiste. (Emeraulde Drathmir) - Another great comic, Straha!!! (Gomphe Baniare) Other readers had this to say anonymously: “Amazing job ^_^ Great Comic!” – “The story just keeps getting better all the time.” “Absolutely love it!”3

In my first interview with Mr. Waller, I had blundered into seas of embarrassment by asking a question that only a noob interviewer would ask a distinguished interviewee, i.e. where do you get your ideas? Jeremy had been so kind fielding that one that I had been emboldened to ask him a whole bunch more questions and had only stopped just in time to prevent myself from babbling. I also got to meet the illustrious Straha and interviewed him at some length as well.

Of course, the two interviews back to back had weakened my resistance, and, let’s face it, driven me to have just one too many sips of blue elven wine. So I had persuaded Jeremy to meet with me again to answer some more questions. I strove mightily this time to be as professional as I actually am and asked seriously thought-out questions.

Raya: About six weeks ago [Editor's note: this meeting took place in July of 2004] the Sony powers-that-be agreed to let their developers hold a so-called Sony Summit meeting. Did you attend that meeting?

JW: Unfortunately no, I didn't get invited, I was a bit disappointed about that actually, as complaining is one of my favorite pastimes P), but I fully supported the boycott that prompted the Summit meeting and the results. I understand why I wasn't asked to come, not really being a hardcore player and they already had Woody [Editor’s note: Woody Hearn, of /GU Comics, a friend and mentor of Jeremy’s] coming who was very concise and intelligent in his input and who was also nice enough, in my stead, to take along any gripes or opinions I had. I also figure I'm also somewhat vocal when it comes to things that annoy me in game to begin with and like to think I've made an impact in some specific changes they've made in the last year or two anyway, like the final Iksar pike quests finally being implemented and the green scale dye quest they added.

Raya: Can you tell us anything about your take on the meeting? Have you seen evidence of the Sony Summit meeting producing positive changes in the game itself?

JW: I think the largest evidence of its success is the fact that SoE had a meeting and actually listened to their customers and devs in the first place. Once again it's that traditional corporate mentality clashing with the unique aspects of a persistent online game and its players. They have implemented some changes since the meeting that look to be steps in the right direction, but, for a lot of the issues raised, only time will tell.

Okay so the questions were a little out of date. They were ones that I had wondered about, since I knew that Woody had gone to the Sony Summit and had delivered cleverly worded and seemingly well received discourses on the woes of EverQuest today. I too was a little disappointed that Jeremy hadn’t been invited, but hey, nothing is perfect in an imperfect world. I decided to go back to basics and start with a question I was absolutely sure I knew the answer to. (I had visions of JW having worked at Disney at the very least.)

Raya: Did you have cartooning experience before starting WTFC? I would say, yes, a great deal. If so, can you tell us where have you worked before and what strips have you done?

JW: Other than strips for my personal amusement and practice, no -- I actually don't have a lot of professional cartooning experience. I've always drawn cartoons and such for myself, but it's all been practice and self-teaching. That's actually one of the biggest boons of WTF Comics…it gives me something for my portfolio and a little name recognition in the industry I most want to work in.

Dang, I was so sure he was gonna bandy names around like Walt Disney and Michael Eisener and Mickey Mouse. I mean, have you seen this guy’s cartoons? Oh, well, I felt convinced the next set of questions would prove to be winners, so I could redeem myself in the eyes of this talented man.

Raya: WTF Comics is one of the most popular "service/info" sites connected with EverQuest on the internet. Did you ever think when you started WTFC that such success would be in your stars?

JW: When I started the strip I never had any idea it would become so popular. It still boggles my mind actually. I've never had anything more than a vague plan of making a comic to practice with and maybe garner some name recognition and bulk for a portfolio. I've always taken its success as a tribute to the power of the people that make up the Everquest community. The strip exists and continues because people really want to see it. If it weren't for the people who make up the EQ community it would not, period.

The Safehouse and their gracious hosting is the best example. I keep track of the bandwith the site uses and there's no way I could afford it. Aidden and the folks at the Safehouse host it and have been nothing but helpful for no better reason than their
love of the game and the community. Woody at /GU comics has also been a great help in a lot of regards--getting the site running smoothly and answering any questions I've had about how to deal with making a strip. The fans donate each month to cover board costs, DNS hosting and allowing me to work on the strip and go to school without working a full time job as well.

Raya: What has this fame done for you? How has it worked against you?

JW: As far as fame and it working for or against me, well, it's very much a niche fame, so it's not like I'm dealing with papparazzi or anything. It does grant some weight and a platform for me to speak and be considered, which I try not to abuse, too much. The only way I can see that it works against me is just because I'm a rather shy and anti-social person. Being regarded as famous makes me a bit uncomfortable at times and, of course, being pestered in game can be a tad annoying. However, most people are very nice and polite and simply want to show their appreciation for the work. I just try to take it in stride and not let it affect me.

Well, honestly, here was one person who was not about to let himself be shoved into the limelight, no matter how much you might wanna juice it up. All my PR instincts were quivering, sort of like a pretty gal, all dressed up and no place to go. I mean, here’s a guy that has thousands (I kid you not!) of people dancing at his doorstep (okay, on the WTF Comics forum – with a membership of close to 4,000 people and this doesn’t include unregistered lurkers), plus hundreds of other readers who never visit the forum, all of whom totally love the comic. I have thoroughly waltzed through the WTFC forum and other forums as well and have not found ONE SINGLE PERSON who does not like the comic strip. There are, of course, people who argue about little details, but they all seem to love the comic strip itself. It was becoming almost a personal crusade for me to get Jeremy to admit his uberness.

Raya: Are you aware of the number of EverQuest guilds that wait with bated breath for the next issue of WTF Comics to come out, and then avidly discuss each word uttered by the characters in that strip? I know of at least six guilds on the Tunare server alone that follow WTF Comics like a cat follows the movement of fish in a tank. How does that make you feel?

JW: I get told a lot of guilds representing all play styles and walks of life do avidly read the comics and discuss them amongst themselves often. All I can say is I always feel very gratified and, of course, a bit embarrassed to be the cause of such attention. It is a great encouragement as well. The fact I'm able to create something that people care about and elicit positive feelings in people I've never met is very satisfying and helps me maintain hopes of doing this for a living. If I can actually manage to tell a story that captures people’s imaginations, like so many have done for me, and create characters people truly care about and sympathize with, then I must be doing something right and perhaps I really can live out my dream and do this for a living.

I bowed before such strength of character. Here was the difference between an extrovert (like me) and a modest introvert (like Jeremy). So I gave up trying to pull him into the limelight and put my hungry spotlights away.

I was especially excited because Jeremy had indicated that, not only would I (in my alter-ego of Raydiance Alive, unassuming level 65 high elf cleric of Tunare) once again get to romp (okay, you don’t romp with a 400-pound Iksar – perhaps mingle would be a better word) with Straha, the noble Legionnaire of Cabilis, protector of innocent elves and sworn defender of one particular innocent elven druidess, but Jeremy ALSO hinted that I might get to see the famed Annashi herself. We stepped into our pixelatedly equivalent telephone booths and emerged as our alter egos in the quaint training house in Plane of Knowledge (PoK, as it is referred to by the denizens of EverQuest). Hastily, we grouped up as the hour was growing late, and Raydiance commenced the interview. Previously we had been speaking about Straha’s father, and Raydiance picked up where she had left off.

You tell your party,4 'Was your father a warrior also?'
Straha tells the group, 'He was indeed a warrior as well, the empire commissioned the use of ancient Shissar magics to create an…improved warrior. Drakis and his abilities, as well as mine, were the result'
Straha tells the group, 'That was one of the things detailed in Drakis' journal actually. He did gather as much information about his own creation as he could, in part to keep it a secret'
You tell your party, 'Would it be spilling the beans to tell us what those abilities are?'
Straha tells the group, 'Well I only understand them to a small degree, just a stupid warrior…after all magic is a bit outside our realm of expertise'
You tell your party, 'True - my husband is a warrior and he is delighted with his breastplate of healing - it only heals 100 ticks per cast but he would rather do that than have me heal him all at once'
Straha tells the group, 'Oh yes, we warriors love our toys'
Straha tells the group, 'The sages of old Sebilis seemed to be trying to make a warrior that could tap directly into the mana of Norrath, use it crudely, as if they could use it like our knights do'
You tell your party, 'Good lord, what a discovery!'
You tell your party, 'The mana tap thing is a discovery, I mean, not the warriors and their toys lol'
Straha tells the group, 'Yes, and you can imagine what the assorted races of Norrath would think of an Iksar making such an advancement'
You tell your party, 'I think they would be very nervous, to tell the truth.'
Straha tells the group, 'Hence I keep it under my hat. Even my own empire would simply want to use me as a weapon regardless of what I thought…'
Straha tells the group, '…so my father kept it quiet after the empire fell. It was a top secret project anyway'
You tell your party, 'I see - very interesting all the same '
Straha tells the group, 'as I said, a long story unto itself'
You tell your party, 'Okay, I respect that Straha. Moving right along...'

Good lord, here the man…er…lizard had a secret that could blow Norrath wide open, and he was sitting there calmly in that purple/brown cloaky thing, sipping some elderberry tea I had thought to bring along this time. No more elven wine for me on interviews…although I was getting definitely thirsty. I poured a magnum of tea into my cup.

You tell your party, 'Straha is something of a celebrity, with the tales of his exploits reaching the masses through his chronicler. Has fame gone to Straha's head?'
Straha tells the group, 'Fame is actually the opposite of what I (Stra) strive for. I hate attention, can’t get away with anything without being watched and people I’d rather just not to notice me at all asking questions'
Straha tells the group, 'This is why I think the girl is some kind of punishment from the gods…she draws attention like a magnet'

An uncomfortable thought occurred to me and I measured the distance between me and the door.

You tell your party, 'You don't uh...gulp...get violent if...uh...too many questions are asked, do you?'
Straha tells the group, 'lol oh no of course not'

I breathed a sigh of relief and plunged on with reckless abandon.

5You tell your party, 'Are you telling me that Straha is shy??'
Straha tells the group, 'By what you soft skins define as shy, I suppose. It’s not in an Iksar’s character to like attention. It goes against survival instinct…you make a lot of waves and garner attention in the jungles of Kunark and you get eaten quick.'
You tell your party, 'Actually that makes a lot of sense - if you're a mouse stuck in the mud, don't scream too loudly for help, or the cat might decide to "help" you out lol'
Straha tells the group, 'Exactly. The stealthy and unnoticed creatures of Kunark survive and prosper by not getting noticed by the big stuff like dragons'
You tell your party, 'oooh dragons - had a lot of infighting with dragons when I was going after my clicker...nasty things'

The dragons of Skyfire always make me shiver just a little. I rummaged around my backpack and was glad I had inadvertently tucked in a small flask of elven wine, perfect to just flavor the elderberry tea, you understand. I poured a nip into my teacup and watched the blue swirl around the purple of the elderberry…sort of like…scars.

You tell your party, 'You have a lot of scars. Can you tell us what famous battles you have engaged in?'
Straha tells the group, 'Hmm, I've been around Norrath quite a bit. I tend to keep my feet on the physical world instead of the metaphysical planes but I've seen quite a bit in my time'
You tell your party, 'Are there any that stand out for you -- big encounters that the readers would like to hear about?'
Straha tells the group, 'Not nearly the range of the most devout of adventurers of course, I tend to take my time'
Straha tells the group, 'Nothing particularly impressive really besides things of personal importance. A warrior’s life is rather simple--we kill things the same wherever we go'
You tell your party, 'I think you and my husband would get along well - even if he IS a wood elf warrior'
Straha tells the group, 'lol as I said, it’s the merit of the person, not his race'
Straha tells the group, 'I’ve met plenty of Iksars I dislike as much as any snooty erudite or stupid ogre'
You tell your party, 'lol'

I made a note to remember to tell Patrynn about this. He’s never said as much, and he IS an outstanding warrior, but I sort of get the feeling from time to time that being a knee-high wood elf warrior takes its toll in male pride. He would enjoy what Straha had just said. Then I looked at the sun clock outside the window – dang, it was getting late. Okay, just a few more questions for Straha, and then maybe I could sneak a peak at the vivacious Annashi Windstalker.

You tell your party, 'Straha, I see a lot of animosity by you against Smoke. Do you really dislike him that much? And why? What has he ever done to you?'
Straha tells the group, 'ah the monk, I still can’t figure out where he came from or who exactly asked him to just keep following us around'
You tell your party, 'So you distrust his motives?'
Straha tells the group, 'Well, I know what motivates human males like him--he follows the girl around like a lost scaled wolf pup. Since her father is missing, it’s my duty to keep her away from the bad element'
You tell your party, 'So the posture of being really mad at him is camouflage? You are just warning him off Anna?'
Straha tells the group, 'May as well work with what people expect when seeing a crusty old Iksar. Sometimes stereotypes are useful'

Then Straha did something I never expected the said crusty old Iksar to do…he winked at me. I couldn’t have been more astonished if the Mayor of Rivervale had come up to me and suggested we elope. Now I didn’t know WHAT to believe. Was Straha giving me the straight goods, or was this a ploy to throw Smoke off balance when he reads this report? I wished I had the time to follow up on it, but I still wanted to at least see Anna, before I closed the interview.

Straha agreed to get Anna. He made his own apologies, however, regretting that he couldn’t stay. Actually, he said, “I get enough of that girl anyhow. See if YOU can keep her out of mischief for five minutes.” I nodded, thanked him and bade him goodbye, as I sharpened another quill pen for a quickie interview with Anna.

She wasn’t exactly as I had pictured her…a little more mature and sober than I would have thought, although that girlish enthusiasm sure shone through. And hey, if I had been through what Anna has, I wouldn’t exactly be a bouncing Raya of Sunshine either.

Annashi waves at Raydiance.
You feel the spirit of wolf enter you.
You wave at Annashi.
You invite Annashi to join your group.
You have formed the group.
Annashi has joined the group.

I took Anna into the trainer’s house and got her nice and comfy with a cup of elderberry tea, then sat opposite her. She fidgeted a little nervously at first but settled down when she realized I was on her side.

You tell your party, 'Anna, Straha has labeled you a trouble magnet. And so far it certainly seems to have proven true. Do you have any explanation for this phenomenon?'

Okay, maybe that wasn’t the best question to open the interview with…but she took it in stride.

Annashi tells the group, 'It’s not my fault! I don’t do anything and these things just happen, then I get blamed for some reason! Stra's just grumpy, he doesn't really mean it'
You tell your party, 'Stra's been a friend of the family for a long time, probably since before you were born, yet you don't call him Uncle Stra. Not a family tradition I take it?'
Annashi tells the group, 'I never really met him as a little girl, I don’t know if he only came and saw my parents while I was out playing or if he just hasn’t been by for a long time. I do kinda remember a visitor every once in awhile when I was very young wearing a coat and hood, so I think it was Stra even then'
You tell your party, 'How do you feel about Stra?'
Annashi tells the group, 'Well I used to think all Iksars were evil…that’s what all the druid masters back home always taught. But after being around him so long I think he's really nice, he just doesn’t like anybody to know he cares'

I was just winding up for the pitch of a zinger of a question, when my little inner alarm went off. Oh good lord, it was time to go, and I hadn’t even gotten all the screenshots of Anna that I wanted. My alter-ego’s new job at Warcry was playing havoc with my playing/reporting/PR’ing/elven wine drinking time. I explained to Anna that I really had to go. She looked a little crestfallen when I told her that I would have to come back another day and finish the interview. However, she positively beamed when I told her I would also be interviewing Arshiss. We hugged, I spilled some elderberry tea laced with blue elven wine on her tunic, we wiped it up, and parted amiably. Until next time, little druid.

Tune in for more exciting news and views on the WTF Comics front in Part 3 of Straha Speaks Out! Next week, it will be just us girls together—Anna, Arshiss and me. Find out what Anna REALLY thinks about her plight…and about Kiran and Smoke. Find out if Arshiss really is the sexy dark elf that she seems, or is she a wily companion who only pops up in times of great danger. And find out what she really thinks about the now-famous Blarg, death death, etc. remark.

On a slightly more serious note, find out how the person behind Arshiss dealt with unexpected fame on an upfront and personal level and what she did about it. There will be more from Jeremy as well on how he picked such celebrities as Niami Denmother and Ngreth the house ogre for cameos in WTFC. He’ll also tell us about the financial considerations surrounding WTF Comics…and the burning question of how many more WTF Comics will be needed before Anna is saved and Lord Haxor is defeated (or not – he wasn’t telling).

Many thanks to Jeremy Waller for taking the time to talk with me and allowing me to chat with Straha Ironscale and Annashi Windstalker. Please note that all comic strip and single cartoons in this article are copyright 2002-2005 by J. Waller. All rights reserved.

Footnotes:
1This article was originally published at Warcry on Aug. 9/04.
2Comic strip is based on EverQuest, the MMORPG. Name of strip is WTF Comics.
3Quotes taken from the WTF Comics forum with permission of the posters.
4 All dialogue between Straha and Raydiance is from an in-game meeting between Straha (J. Waller) and Raydiance (Raya), and later between Annashi (J. Waller) and Raydiance (Raya).
5 All screenshots were taken by Raydiance/Raya in EverQuest's Plane of Knowlege, Lanys T'vyl server.

Links to full comic strips:
Everyone Loves Straha!
Overprotective Father?
Penywise Hugs Maguna
Straha's Mom and Dad
Smoke and Straha
Anna About to Run Into Danger - Again

Copyright © 2004-2005 by Raya. All rights reserved.