Help writing an Autistic Comic series

[Greatshield17]

Hi everyone,

I need help with something that will help promote Autism Awareness. Remember that Autistic Girl Autumn Campaign? Well, I had too short comics planned, one for October, one for November. But it turns out that the one that I had for this month, I finished too late, and because it came in at 20 panels, the price the artist would charge for making it would be too much for me. So I’ve decided to combine both this month and next month’s comics (As they take place in the same “universe”) into a 6 or 7 panel monthly series.

I’d like advice on writing this comic series so please PM me and I’ll discuss it with you; the first “episode” is quite straight forward, but I’ll probably share it with you anyways so, at the very least you know what’s going on.

Thanks.

 

[Aspychata]

So great. I love comics.

 

[Misery]

I'd be happy to help, if you'd like.

Well... TRY to help, anyway. Heck if I know if I'd actually be of any use here.

 

[Greatshield17]

Just to warn everyone, it’s Catholic in theme, so I’m not sure if it’ll be your theme or not.

 

[Greatshield17]

I'd be happy to help, if you'd like.

Well... TRY to help, anyway. Heck if I know if I'd actually be of any use here.

Hey Misery, do you think you’re able to give me some advice with how one of my NT characters would react to my Autistic character in one of my scenes?

 

[Misery]

Hey Misery, do you think you’re able to give me some advice with how one of my NT characters would react to my Autistic character in one of my scenes?

I might be able to, it depends on just what's going on in the scene.

 

[Greatshield17]

I might be able to, it depends on just what's going on in the scene.

Well here’s the interaction in question, what I’m looking for specifically is for Christy (the NT character) to pick up the hint that Paula (the Autistic character) is more than just shy, I’m want to see if the question Paula poses is something an NT wouldn’t be expecting:

Panel 4:

Captions: Speech bubble from Christy: Say, do you like Lord of the Rings?

Caption box in green below Christy’s first speech bubble, she’s narrating: See? There’s the Holy Spirit doing His thing!

Speech bubble from Paula: Yeah, I like a lot of Tolkien’s works, I read quite a bit of books by him. Actually I have a question.

Speech bubble from Christy: Oh?

Speech bubble from Paula: This uh… this is Mary on this medal right?

Speech bubble from Christy: Uh-huh.

Speech bubble from Paula: And um, in Tolkien’s universe, the Vala Elbereth or Varda is meant to represent Mary right?

Speech bubble Christy: Yes that’s right, the Elbereth Gilthoniel song is meant to be a type of the Hail Mary.

Scene: Same as above, only shifted now to provide more room for the speech bubbles. Paula’s expression now lacks anxiety as she’s focusing on the conversation. (She’s not making eye contact but still looking at the medal. But her eyes are actually staring off into space as she focuses on the conversation.)

Panel 5:

Captions: Speech bubble from Paula: Well um… I don’t want to sound offensive or culturally insensitive or anything but… isn’t um, isn’t having Elbereth represent Mary in Tolkien’s world, doesn’t that, uh, sound like sort of… like what Fundamentalist Evangelicals accuse you praying to Mary of being, like you know, like, “goddess, worship?”

Scene: Paula sitting on her bench, sort of from Christy’s perspective. She’s looking down timidly, her arms resting on her legs; as she tries to be overly-polite with the question she’s posing.

 

[Misery]

Well here’s the interaction in question, what I’m looking for specifically is for Christy (the NT character) to pick up the hint that Paula (the Autistic character) is more than just shy, I’m want to see if the question Paula poses is something an NT wouldn’t be expecting:

Hmm...

I'd say, a question like what Paula is asking probably wouldnt be out of the ordinary. It's a question about something extremely specific, a topic where amount of knowledge is usually what determines what questions get asked, and where knowledge isnt assumed. Like if someone who didnt know computers that well asked someone who DID know them how to, I dunno, reformat their drive, the only thing it would mean is that they didnt have a level of knowledge/experience to know that, and for the person being asked, a question like that isnt exactly abnormal. It's just that type of topic, plenty of NTs dont have a high level of knowledge.

EDIT: This also applies to stuff that you're supposed to infer from already existing knowledge, as that can be related to amount of knowledge/experience too. Just HAVING the facts about something doesnt mean you can grasp a secondary concept related to it. You may need more knowledge/experience to do that.

 

[Greatshield17]

Interesting, thanks for the insight on that.

 

[Greatshield17]

Episode 1 has long-since been commissioned, but it’s taking forever for the artist to finish; hopefully it won’t be too much longer.