Super Sonic (Girl) Warrior Reunion! ________ (=^.^= )

**foggy_han** · 14th-April-2012, 08:29

Are you a "Lucy"?

I will explain.

Taking into account the whole process of growing up, the experiences/memories we carry along,
and the fact that children are expected to have "gender-different" tastes regarding fun/games,
were you, as a girl, tagged or viewed as different or even weird? How did you cope with that?

I mean, girls who played consoles, for example, Sonic the Hedgehog... (= ^.^= )
(And no, this is not a gathering of female Sonic fans... at least for now.)

Girls who played consoles or enjoyed "boyish" games in their childhood had tough moments as kids, right?
And we know how kids can be cruel towards each other. Just think of the "bullies/bulliettes" who decided
"different" should be shoved around. (Regardless of whose fault is or what causes such behaviour...)

If you were bullied, shoved around or even put aside due to that "tag", because you were not
like the other girls, a scene like the one that follows, is probably present in your memories:

(preview of what's inside)

Spoiler warning:

The above comic, Bittersweet Candy Bowl, or BCB, is what triggered this
whole thread, and as such, I feel I must talk about it and how I got here.

But first, I would like to have a little word on it, simply, because of its wonderfulness. Really, it is
amusing, pleasing and funny as beavers! The characters are very realistic, true to their personality,
and you can actually relate to them and identify with their feelings/thoughts. You will also find the
plot to be engenious when it starts developing. It is surprisingly unpredictable, and if you are like me,
you will start thinking you are watching anime at some point. ^^
So I recommend anyone, not just the girls, to read it for real.

Just let me warn you that the plot can get as "bitter" as it is "sweet". (^o^)

Here are some random pages I picked up from the comic to show off the different
styles used by the artist and references to gaming, which the comic has aplenty.
I have placed the links to the actual pages below, so go and give them a look! ^^

Spoiler warning:

But I would not be starting this thread if it were not for the amazing comic that linked
me to the "Bittersweet Candy Bowl". It was after some "surfing" through info on my first
"childhood hero" (lil'baby Sonic) that I found (on a blog, I think) the link to the simply
astonishing "Not Enough Rings". Have yourself a treat in the form of these two comics.
(I believe the second one gives the comic its title. Tails makes things tough... ^^')

From: http://www.notenoughrings.com/sonic1/index.html
From: http://www.notenoughrings.com/sonic2/index.html

And here are some more excerpts from the comic. Just check out how adorable Tails/Miles is in the
Aquatic Ruin Zone one! (Hugs, anyone? ^^) The Chemical Plant Boss one is also here so you can see
that "Taeshi" really knows what she is talking about. I mean, until seeing this I did not know you
could just duck and the liquid wouldn't harm you! And when I actually tried, it felt good...

Spoiler warning:

Anyway, some minutes after lots of "awes" and repeated thoughts of how the above comic matched
my vision (since always) of the world of Sonic the Hedgehog, I decided to check out the link to the
BCB comic. That was when I read the name of the author/artist: Veronica "Teashi" Vera. You know,
I was initially making the (erroneous) assumption that the artist would be a guy/mister for some reason.
Can you imagine how thrilled I felt after finding that out? ...(^.^) ... Then I decided to read the whole
BCB comic, got struck by a ray of awesomeness, and here we are!

(I said "whole" but the comic is still on-going though)

So, are you a Lucy?

Come on in and talk about your school experiences, how you managed to grow up feeling "different/weird"
because the tastes you had regarding fun/playing/games are treated as "boyish" for some reason beyond me.

(Boys, feel free to post in too. A lot of you were probably bullied a lot too, like I did, or at least felt
the same, or something close to it. Also, everyone is free to compliment the comics here, but it would
be nice to thank the author properly, if you wish, through one of the links given inside the spoilers,
below the pictures. Oh, and I will accept any comments on retro-sonic games/good childhood memories. ^^)

**Iamerror** · 14th-April-2012, 08:49

Yeah, I was picked on because I like games. Even now, I'm looked at funny when I talk about games at school. BUT..my professors play games too. That's mainly what we discuss.Go figure. In high school, I was made fun of because I didn't wear "the right clothes". I mostly hung out with boys, I'm a tomboy i'll admit it. So that caused problems in school. It seemed that everything I did was picked apart by other girls. They would ask me about my clothes, the way I talked, why I played games, and on and on. I like the comic and I can definitely relate. Thanks for this thread.

**j-sime** · 14th-April-2012, 11:33

I figure... well, I can't say I was picked on cause of games... but for another reasons. But we get over that, don't we? So... this Veronica Vera... kinda name, uh? Hahahahaha, I know how you feel when u find someone cool is one of yours

I'm on college now (8 AM, Saturday

)... and gonna go home, but I got see further of her when I get home and then I edit here. Thanks for sharing

__________________________________________________ __

So. I had a full breath now and saw the whole thing slowly. Well, I'm not a Lucy, hahahaha... I don't distract people so that they lose... I appeal, hahahahahaha. I really enjoyed these comics. Gonna see some more.
All else I have to say is that, yeah, Lucy is the rule, but there are some kind children that just say "f*ck the others... there is no reason for prejudice". I admire them

**Dr. Ivo Robotnik** · 14th-April-2012, 12:39

Well, I can hardly call myself a Lucy, but I was certainly always the weird boy in class back in my day. I was the one who was easiest to tease, and it took me a fair couple of years to get over that.

I didn't turn into Lucy though (Yes, I've read a fair chunk of that comic by this point. I'm like that

). The net result of me being me turned out this guy. A cynical sod who for some reason is a huge Robotnik fanboy.

I had an advantage being a boy who loved gaming though, given that I was a boy. It wasn't 'weird', as it would've been in girls, so I found common ground with at least a few guys in my class. (Note: I wholeheartedly applaud girls in gaming. And no, not because I'm a worn-out sex-obsessive, thanks

).

I can only vaguely begin to understand how it must've felt for you in such a situation, but in the end, I think anyone should be their own person, as cliché as it sounds.

You have no idea how silly it seems to type something this serious under the header "Dr. Ivo Robotnik". Oh well, more power to silliness. I wouldn't know what else to be if I couldn't be silly.

EDIT: Incidentally, also love that Sonic comic, and it reminds me of an old sprite comic I used to read. I'll provide you with a link, as with any luck, it'll provide you with some giggles. It did for me.

Get Blue Spheres!

**Sheik** · 14th-April-2012, 17:18

I'm not a Lucy, but more of a Louie.
I grew up playing games, heck my first game I remember playing was some TMNT for the Super Nintendo (I was 4 then). I wasn't teased mainly for my love of games, it was more because that games+smarts= nerd. I'd get picked to be second player in everything that was available. Plus my brain didn't help too much, people would just try to use me and not befriend me. I feel for the girl gamers though, (personally I'd love to play against one in real life).
These comics are so funny, especially after working my but to the bone recently. She really knows her stuff about early Sonic games.

**foggy_han** · 14th-April-2012, 17:26

First of all, I want to thank you all for your meaningful posts.

They are touching and reflect really well the reality being discussed.
So, once again, thanks for sharing your personal experiences.

(And I welcome anyone to come and discuss or share
your own experiences too, they will be appreciated. ^^)

And if you like the comic and want to praise it, make sure to contact the author.

Just another thing. I will make my appreciations to your posts on a personal basis.
This is to avoid "jamming" the line of thought being made here with random posts. ^^'
(It also helps making things a little more private, I guess...

)

**Elin** · 14th-April-2012, 17:51

I have no end of experience with gender-related expectations and the pain and isolation they can cause.

I'd rather not be too explicit about things in a public thread, as it's a very touchy topic for me, but anyone who knows me well will probably have no trouble understanding why this topic is close to my heart. And while my problems were somewhat more complex than simply being a girl who liked boyish things, my experiences as a result of them were much the same as little Lucy's.

Personality-wise, I was more or less the embodiment of stereotypical female qualities as a kid. I was shy, polite, fragile and sensitive, and was largely uninterested in boyish games and toys, much preferring the company of stuffed animals, fairytales and various cute things. On the other hand, I grew up in various small country areas, where my only friend for a good number of miles in any direction tended to be my older brother. Being able to play with him meant keeping up with his interests, and through playing with him I watched Star Wars, Transformers, Thundercats and Indiana Jones, kicked a football, ran around and climbed trees, and played videogames every night.

Up until school started, I was quite content that way. And my parents didn't mind because they were always of the opinion that we should be whoever we wanted to be, and shouldn't be bound by things like age and gender. When school started up, though, things became difficult for me very quickly. I found myself in the awkward position of not being able to relate to boys because I was too feminine, but not being able to relate to girls because I was too masculine. Outside of my older brother, boys almost universally scared me. My storybooks had given me the impression that they were rough and mean-spirited, and the sort of things they played looked far too violent for me. The few times I did get close to them, I found myself unable to relate to them emotionally, and usually ended up in tears. :'D On the other hand, while I could get along with girls and relate to them perfectly well, we shared very few of the same experiences. Where they had Polly Pocket and Barbie, I had Sonic the Hedgehog and Luke Skywalker. I found I could make friends with girls by keeping my mouth shut most of the time, but I always felt left out. And when I did try to say something, I usually just got strange looks.

I guess I survived those first few years of school just by meeting people who were like me.

People who sort of toed the line between the genders, and who were a little less definitely "male" or "female" than those around them. Looking back on it, I was really being kind of stupid, as your interests aren't defined by your gender, and if other people don't see that then frankly that's their problem. Still, five year olds tend to see the world in black and white, and it's really hard for a kid of that age to stand up and say they're different to the norm. Heck it's only in the last four or five years that I've really started to become comfortable with who I am, so...

***Gare*** · 14th-April-2012, 17:56

I'm not female, but I guess I'll contribute anyway. I was somewhat of an "outcast" in high school and middle school, yes. It wasn't terrible, though, because I just hung out with the other outcasts (2 or 3 guys from the same class) who also happened to be gamers, and we kinda-sorta just kept to ourselves. That made things a lot more bearable. Not to mention one of those guys ended up being one of my best friends who I still keep in touch with to this day.

I don't think I was ever bullied for being a gamer, it simply made me feel awkward at school, surrounded by stereotypical jocks and such. In fact, I don't think many of them even knew I was a gamer. It was always something I kept a secret, something I was ashamed of.

I'm afraid I can't share any Sonic-related memories, sorry.

I kinda grew up playing PC games, and only PC games. I only started branching out thanks to emulators, but I was already a teenager at that point.

***Gypsy*** · 14th-April-2012, 21:56

Well Gare, PC is the best console.

I've always been open about who I am. In school and other aspects of life. If someone doesn't want to be your friend for who you are then it's not worth it. Not going to bore you guys with a life story.

**bigbigbuddy** · 14th-April-2012, 22:08

Oh my back in the day... =P During my Elementary School years I was always out of the know, the guy that everyone chose to have me as a friend when they wanted me to. One thing I was really mocked for was my liking for Runescape at the time (funny enough I'll go in it every once in a while still). I was such a big fan that my friend and I even made a Runescape club where we would get together and play Runescape at lunch time.

Another thing people mocked me for was, not having the latest games. Wierd I know but it's what I went through. I always stuck to my N64, NES or SUPER SLOW Computer while everyone played their Gamecubes, GameBoy Advances, CoD, etc. When someone would hang out with me, they would mock the fact that I don't have a huge variety in video games, when in fact I had (and still have) about 30 N64 games =P

I was also bullied for being a gamer period, because a good portion of people thought gamers were low lives and lived their whole life playing video games. Funny enough I was enrolled in Baseball, Soccer, Boy Scouts, Air Cadets, etc...

A bit off topic, but I was bullied for being a "Sonic Boy", I read the Archie Sonic The Hedgehog Comics all the time and played a lot of the games at my best friends place.

My post is disorganized, but I felt like just putting it together quickly because when I think about my childhood it confuses me. So many things happened that I can't put it all together quite yet haha.

Funny enough, later on in my late years of Elementary School and Years Of Highschool I was quite popular XD

Even though I am a Male, I would like to say that I could be somewhat of a Lucy. This is my 2 cents in the conversation

**Iamerror** · 15th-April-2012, 02:05

ahh, guys. School's tough, and I feel privileged that you guys shared such sad stories. I think it boils down to how it feels to be left out and made to feel less than someone else. Kids are the cruelest people as we all know, but fortunately this bullying has made us stronger and better people. I almost cried reading some of these stories, it's tough reliving these experiences. Thank you Foggy Han for posting this thread, I think this will help us and help kids still in school deal with this. Hugs to everyone on this thread.

**Drageuth** · 15th-April-2012, 09:22

I was going to respond to this thread, but then I realized... I've never been ostracised for being a gamer. I'm also not female, so that might not mean too much. My friends were gamers, my parents didn't mind us playing games, lots of people in my school played games... it just wasn't an unknown, weird thing to do. Sure, some of us got more into it than others -- myself among them -- but it really didn't lead to teasing or bullying or anything like that, it just changed who you interacted with and how you interacted with them, the same as anything that you're passionate about would.

So... yeah. That's been my experience as a gamer, I guess. I've never really received any negative attention for it.

Originally Posted by bigbigbuddy

... when in fact I had (and still have) about 30 N64 games =P ...

I guess now would be a terrible time to find the image of all of the NES games I collected when I was in high school, huh...?

**Andy_Jerk** · 15th-April-2012, 11:45

Was I made to feel aberrant for playing video games as a child? Maybe; but I was very strange because of my upbringing anyway. Two of my biggest role models were my eccentric uncles, and they basically turned me into some weird, insane monster with all the psychedelic-induced ideas they fed me. I can't complain because I have a very entertaining mind now, but when I tried to interact with my peers back then, most of what I said to them came way too far out of left field...so it was difficult at times.

But to give a more concise answer, gaming was probably just starting to get popular in the late 80's, and I grew up in California where new fads are more readily embraced. So if anything I felt more like I was advertizing the games: people in a restaurant see a handsome blonde Aryan boy playing an Atari Lynx like it's cool to do that in public, maybe some of them get one for their own kids. :p

**Kouen Hasuki** · 15th-April-2012, 12:30

While I Dont want to share over the top ill lean in on this somewhat.

I Myself was somewhat a social outcast at school and to some degree even today. growing up my folks was abusive and really didnt seem to care that much. I would often be sent to school in cloths too small and holes in my shoes. I had a small group of friends we was known by just about everyone as "the bod squad" which ive never understood. for a time in my childhood I took to stealing and im not proud of that I even stole from my folks sometimes.

Eventually though I got my own job working in a store and could afford some things one of them was a good old game boy pocket and pokemon red... good times

all our small group of outcasts was playing it so there is some fond memories to be had.

but indeed growing up I was shunned heavy for the way I dress and my gaming likes rather than football (Soccer) and the like.

**Manabu** · 15th-April-2012, 12:55

I'm a guy but I never really connected on with other people on games, I played football (soccer) at school so I kinda fit in with that group but in terms of games no one really liked rpgs or strategy so I'd play pokemon or yu-gi-oh at lunch in the music rooms when they were empty, everyone else liked cod and fifa, but fifa seemed kinda pointless in the summer when I could be out playing it in reality

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