Starfighter is a webcomic created by HamletMachine. HamletMachine is a young freelance artist who started the series about three years ago and has since been updating it into a full length comic book. HamletMachine designs and draws all the artwork for the series, as well as creates the intricate story line on her own. The comic is independently run by her and no one else, which includes the merchandise she makes for it as well as the website she runs. Hamlet ships everything out herself directly to her fans who order her product, allowing no need for a support third party. She does not have a large corporation backing her up and she's not sponsored by anything but the money her fans give her when buying her products. Hamlet's webcomic Starfighter is mainly free, she uploads it weekly on her website for anyone to read. Once she finishes a chapter, she puts all into a book that is self published, adds some more goods (fan drawings) that have not been released to the public and sells it for about 14.00$. That does not mean that the now published pages are removed from online. She keeps everything available free for those who wish simply to read her work. Thus, HamletMachine distributes her own work for free via the internet (her website). You can find her work here: starfightercomic.com
Startfighter is set in an undetermined date in the future. The focus is a space station that houses a starfighter fleet, each ship manned by a fighter and a navigator. Navigator Abel is assigned to the infamous fighter Cain, who kicks off their partnership by permanently scarring Abel to mark him as the male's property, then threatening him. The two are forced to work together by circumstance and military command. Abel does his best to be as professional as possible and the perfect navigator to the loose-canon Cain, while entering into a brutal, messy relationship with him even as hints arise that Cain is even more dangerous than he appears.
Starfighter is not for young children under the legal age. It's a comic for 18+, not simply due to the action or the language, but also for the occasional sexual scenes/themes within the webcomic. The series holds "homoerotic" themes, the major being Cain and Abel's relationship. The audience aimed to be more open minded, as well as mature on the subject. The plot is also complex and requires a focued mind to remain understanding of the situation.
This means that Starfighter, although great, is not for everyone. Yet, Starfighter is known for opening the door into acceptance of comic book characters holding openly gay relationships. It is also one of the most well known webcomics out there. This matters because it's finally allowing something other than the generic brand relationship story. It breaks the mold, being a science fiction comic (something that isn't as popular as you think) and holds intricate character relationships. It's a new field of comic books that are free online and can generate little to no need for advertisement to be kept running. Starfighter might not matter as a whole because it is sometimes considered homoerotic fanservice, thus not to be taken seriously by those who don't bother to consider it.
Starfighter is considered an Independent Media source due to it's creation being solely in the hands of a single person: HamletMachine. She only does the packaging and sending of products. She writes and draws the comic, she runs her website. There is no aid from any company or advertisement at all. It's completely independent in every way. Since everything is done by Hamlet, there is no middle man or backers. That's what makes it an independent media. Hamlet is getting a story of hers across the internet without any support other than fans.
Plus, Starfighter is seen as a light at the end of the tunnel for LGBT, as it is a mainstream story containing an openly homosexual couple that isn't frowned upon, simply because of their sexes but rather their abuse.
Nicely done.
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