I Am the Law (Patreon)

OK, this page has been tricky on a number of levels. Our editor pointed out the potential problems which repeatedly word-heavy dialogue. So, this page's dialogue as it was originally written to guide the art and then rewritten was completely tossed out and rewritten again. This version survived intact without any rewording at all but it did get some more accurate punctuation.

The other element that I was trying to tread very carefully with is the discussion around change rooms and bathrooms. Undoubtedly, there's been some very unpleasant real-world dialogue and actions around this matter which this page is an unavoidable nod to at a meta-level.

However, in the context of the Exiern universe(s), in-world Exiern views gender and biological sex quite differently and we hope to expand on that in future. Here, from the point of view of the character, Inspector Doors is rhetorically asking if the penalty for faulty logical reasoning would be being arrested with the added implication of outranking anyone sent to carry out the arrest. Basically, there's none of the more, let's face it, hostile, discriminatory and even more sinister motives in our world in what Inspector Doors is getting at.

Normally, you shouldn't be explaining the writing like this and especially at such great length (as we know in a general sense if you have to explain your joke, you've already failed) but in these highly charged times with bad actors and extremely spurious accusations, I felt this lengthy clarification was warranted. I'd like to believe our position was already clear (after all, it'd be especially hypocritical given many of the main themes of our webcomic) but we all want to be even more sure hence this much lengthier than usual author's comment to go with this week's page.

The joke I came up with well after the art with in finally working out what to call Inspector Doors' previously unnamed colleague is probably a crime against decency, though.

(On a lighter unrelated note, the page title should hopefully be a reference known to many of you out there and fits Inspector Doors even better than that brand new aerobics gear!)

Inspired by an outline by Scott T. Hicken

Art by Luis XIII

Written by Management

Punctuation by Electric Gecko of Puck

Lettering by Studio Katsumi