Another one for the list :/

Okay, so you're basically saying "It's okay if they make unholy, ludicrously grotesque and problematic work, as long as there is some level of quality control put into the art"? I'm not saying I disagree, I just feel like we kinda weren't catching each others thoughts very well. My whole argument was that a lot of EA artists don't care too much about their public brand because it is completely possible to make a career while anonymous and find success in your niche. Not everyone has to attach their face to their work. Even ShindoL, a Canadian dude keeps his identity a secret due to the dubious nature of his work. But he still has found success in the hentai niche. The idea of a public image can be quite double-edged, because people pass a lot of harsh judgment on artists if they don't agree with their art or values. On the other hand, having a clean reputation helps you become available for the "mainstream". Nonetheless, it's still possible to beat the odds and be a successful artist. This is an example I don't like to use because obviously nobody should support this man, but Shadman (before he got arrested) was a hugely successful artist because he appealed to edgy gooners, pedos, and bigots. Despite the fact that his public image was filthier than a carnival port-a-potty. I suppose success is relative, in that way. Putting aside Shad and many of the other horrible artists out there, I don't think it's inherently wrong to make cheap porn and other low-effort shit. Nor do I think that if you become successful doing it, that delegitimizes your success when compared to people who found it another way. Maybe the artist who worked on this has truly just sold her soul to the craft and her career is very limited now, or she could be perfectly happy and successful. One thing we both 100% agree on is that we ought to diversify the manhwa scene a little more. I think there are a lot of stories that just haven't been told because there is no room on the market for them, which is very sad. I don't even have a problem with corny hentai shit existing, but it shouldn't be the only option for artists.

Also, to the other person, I do acknowledge that we are all on mangago: therefore we are hurting these artists indirectly. It is a simple fact and there is no refuting it. And I understand that may devalue some of what I said, because I am consuming so much of this art for free. I'm an adult, so I try to buy most of my manga and manhwa using official platforms. And I would encourage others to do the same if they're really invested in supporting the industry in a positive way. Although at the same time, there is no true end to piracy, and it is a necessary component in fandom culture, especially when you consider it as a repository for media that might otherwise be lost, or a way for underprivileged people to have access to certain art. But ultimately I do agree with and understand what you're saying in that people who are very critical of these works believe themselves to be entitled to them for free just...because. I dunno, I like to talk about shit on mangago but I also wouldn't mind if the site just exploded. It's done a lot of harm to the manga and manhwa industry as well as exposed a ton of children to pornography...it's wild.

No, that wasn't what I tried to say. I agree, we were probably not quite on the same page with things. XD
It's the STORY that should at least have some sort of quality to it. Not only the art. That's my main concern with seeing so many comics with exceptional art but literally no or trashy, nonsensical stories. As sad as it is; Jinx is a great example: While the story is infact really bad, it is well written in the sense of it actually trying to make sense with what it has and makes an effort to have the story be just as big a focus as the constant smut it throws at the readers. (While I hate the story, that is a factor to praise, oddly enough. besides Mingwah's constant back and forth of character developement, that is.)

I definitely get what you mean about the other artists and that making just empty smut can also pay the bills. That definitely works, otherwise we wouldn't have so many artists doing it. Not just comic artists, but Furry artists are also a good example.
It's really just the overwhelming constant of 'good art, bad story (if it even has one)' that I'm noticing and am honestly sad about. Because think about it; how much more success would all of these artists have if the products they created had a memorable story and not JUST good art and lots of sex? They would be even more successful than they already are, because the BL community seems to generally prefer detailed, coloured art nowadays. It's a missed opportunity for them to just sell themselves for the quick buck. And a missed opportunity for readers to have some really amazing, support-worthy comics to gush over.

All in all I don't disagree with the things you talked about, there is definitely truth to it all. If it sells well, you do you, as they say. I just always get sad when I see top tier art attached to stories that are the exact opposite of the quality/effort spectrum. ╥﹏╥

Thank you for coming to clarify! I have trouble reading tone sometimes and come off a little aggressive sometimes but I really appreciate hearing your thoughts. Totally agree with you on Jinx…Mingwa is an artistic genius but damn does that lady need a ghostwriter to do some of the work for her lol. (I have liked the recent updates more though). I feel like we both agree on a lot of stuff lol. I wanted to say that your perspective about oversaturation in the market and how it is a huge detriment to the thoughtfulness and overall integrity of a work is spot on. I do enjoy a lot of stories that have problematic elements to them, but I think they need to at least have something successful in the story for anyone to be invested. A lot of the dark romance manhwa these days is literally just fetish content. Which is cool, I guess, but you and I both clearly wish there were more stories with depth. For example, I love Warehouse. The team behind it put a LOT of thought and commitment into the story and fleshing out the characters. It wasn’t a perfect story, but it was one they clearly loved a lot and it showed. These days you can’t get a single “kidnapping” plot manhwa that doesn’t just jump straight into noncon fucking. I think the plot of this particular story is a really interesting idea, but because all of the contextual information is only available after you’ve slogged through a bunch of kinky torture, people don’t care about the overarching story. If I were to personally change two things in the manhwa, I’d spend more time in the MAIN STORY fleshing out the character’s psyches. Polnick/Fallnick writes Jiwook struggling with PTSD and depression as a result of what’s happened to him, but that’s only in the side stories . I think it needed to be more consistent. And secondly I would have gone into more depth about the main characters relationships with other people besides each other. There was so much promising shit with Jooyeon’s mom and the Lee brothers but all of that gets shoved to the side. But anyway, you’re totally right about this story and a lot of others having potential but the authors choosing to bloat the whole thing with porn instead of plot. It’s pretty bleak.

Also to be fair, Warehouse did technically jump into noncon fucking. But it was extremely PLOTTY noncon fucking.