[Mr_Canada]

Sad to see Filibuster go. While I didn't always agree with the comics themes, I found myself agreeing on them on the more important matters.

My main issue though was that you didn't update enough.
I always made sure I didn't miss a single cartoon.

We'll miss you JJ.

[ridenrain]

Quote:

An Artist Who Will Be Missed
April 13, 2009 · By Matthew Campbell

Sad news came this weekend as British Columbia Japan-based political cartoonist JJ McCullough has announced an indefinite retirement from his Filibuster Cartoons site. The site has been a personal pleasure to read for years and I only wish JJ the best. As one who took a retirement from all things political for a while, I can certainly understand the relief that comes with leaving the sandbox to the kids but hope that Filibuster will be back again one day. For readers who never knew the awesome work of JJ, treat yourself to his archives from the past decade!

http://www.thepolitic.com/archives/2009 ... be-missed/

[Scape]

Good luck with your endeavors.

[Gedca]

Wow, I've been visiting the site weekly since at least the leadup to the Iraq War. I'm going to miss the webcomic.

[GenericHito]

I look around me, read the news, absorb fiction, learn about humans, and perhaps foolishly classify them. I see people who are swept along by ideas greater than their awareness. They believe they are acting within their own will, but are ultimately the product of the situation. If someone were to replace them, the results would be roughly the same.

Then, I see the opposite. Those who use their minds and their ability and refine both. Those who think and are aware of the world and its conventions. They create and inform and ultimately contribute to the manifestation that is human achievement. Have someone stand in for such a person and the discrepancy would be glaring, the original would be sorely missed.

I don't know why your comic was not popular, but I believe that you have the creativity, diligence, and insight to create something that is, and if you ever decide to do so, I look forward to seeing it.

Good bye JJ.

[JJ]

What a touching sentiment, Hito. Thank you so much for the beautiful words.

And thanks to everyone else. My inbox has been flooded (for once) with well-wishes. Thanks to this forum especially, you guys have served as a constant reminder that not only is my comic actually read on a frequent basis by actual humans, those humans are often sophisticated, intelligent people, too.

[OntarioJeremy]

2000 people isn't "not a lot". For example:
If 2000 people gave you a dollar, you could buy several televisions.
If 2000 people punched you in the head, you'd probably incur severe brain damage.
If 2000 people stood in a line-up,there's a good chance they'd block traffic.
If 2000 people died in a bus crash, it would be mentioned on CNN.
If 2000 people got food poisoning at a restaurant in Mexico, the local health inspector would "find" several envelopes full of money three days later.
If 2000 people lived in a village, the village would be about the size of Lakefield, Ontario.
If 2000 people watched an art-house film detailng the "immigrant expeience" in New Brunswick, the director would consider it a "Commercial success".

[Psudo]

I think JJ's point is that if 2000 people visit your website per day it will not be mentioned on CNN.

I once ran a semi-successful website, so I can somewhat relate with JJ's views. I put about 2,000 hours of work into it and got a few hundred people who paid enough attention to register, though only about two dozen regulars. I halfheartedly consider reopening the site from time to time, but I can't convince myself it's worth it. It's nice to be the center of a small, cult following, but if it's not substantial in a greater sense it's hard to believe it's worth it.

Having said that, I'd much rather JJ's comic achieved success than that old project of mine. It's the better creation.

[Nominal]

Filibuster Cartoons has been near the top of my most visited websites list for as long as Firefox has had a top websites list. One of your first comics I saw was Upon the Stair. That--along with your website's name--had me hooked.

I will be back, and I hope that in some form, you will too.

[Xenterex]

I find it quite sad that I shortly after I find this comic, that this announcement soon follows. I admire the work you've down here over the years JJ, and in particular the perspective you've had in regards to these issues. I'll see what I can do over the years to replicate myself to offer worthwhile site traffic in the future.

[Invader_Tak]

I've been checking in on your comic for sometime now and it's a pity how things turned out. I lie not when I say that I checked in on your website everyday just to see if anything new was posted! Hope things get better for you and that you survive your culture shock from Japan's weirdness, I've heard horror stories from expats about adapting to such a place...

[Tylahedras]

I just wanted to say I've been coming here for two years now and I've really enjoyed your work. I signed up for an account, but don't tend to post in the forums because what's there to argue about if I think you're mostly right on?

I have noticed that you make some attempt to not be right wing (though you do tend to lean that way a bit) which, not being a dem or repub, is something I appreciated. Also being an American I did appreciate that I was getting some kind of news as relates to Canada. The country being a non-issue in US politics / newsrooms outside of the obligingly Canada's health care is better from the left. Anyway's thanks for the good memories and laughs over the years and best of luck with whatever projects you endeavor to do in the future.

[guy8214]

I am greatly sadden that you are leaving. You were the one who inspired me to draw political cartoons at my university. You were able to touch my life through your art work and commentary. I hope that means something to you. Honestly, I draw for my own sake, not for other people's.

Impress yourself rather than impress other people. You are your own hardest critic.

I hope you reconsider continuing someday. I'll be waiting.
-Guy

[npramsey]

I've been reading since...2002, I think? I'm pretty sure I found you through a VG Cats crossover, and have been stopping by on my daily rounds ever since.

I signed up for the forums just now to thank you for all those years of free entertainment. Your hard work on this cartoon was enough for me to take a little time out of every day, for seven years. I don't know if you feel unappreciated because of the small reader base, but there has been no shortage love for your work. You always struck me as the friendly sort of artist who would take more interest in the names of your readers than their numbers.

Filibuster has always been your cartoon, and I never had a sense that you sold out to snare a particular audience. Your emphasis on North American politics, written in Canada, with readers primarily from the United States, gave you a refreshing cross-border openness. True, your appeal may have been limited for heavily nationalistic readers in both countries, but it is absolutely necessary to have this sort of discourse across borders.

Also, you seem to have a right-leaning moderate stance on many topics. Its hard to be in the middle when people on the extremes tend to be heard more. If you make up your own mind on each issure (rather than mold into a pre-assigned set of beliefs) every reader is bound to come accross a topic that they disagree on. I think people are more comfortable hearing from fellow extremists, so they never have to be exposed to the opposing point of view. For a moderate to speak out in such an environment without compromise, I think that is a brave thing. I think that approach limited your mass appeal, but is necessary for someone to do.

I realize that artists, by nature, have a self-punishing perfectionist streak, but do try to be happy with what you've accomplished. To have a political cartoon cited so often in popular culture is no small feat.

[GrayAnderson]

As someone who never commented on these forums (or at least if I did, it was on another account and many years ago) before but who checked Filibuster with great regularity (at least 2-3 times per week) over the last four and a half years, this really is a shame. JJ, you always did a good job making points that hit both sides over the head. I liked the fact that you'd comment on all sides when they were being stupid, be they Tory or Liberal, Republican or Democrat, American or Canadian.

I don't know why you didn't build up the following you'd hoped for. The comic was a truly enjoyable one, one of the few I've been able to keep interested in. Your caricatures always amused me (partially because they were spot-on so often), and the commentary was rich. Your art has improved over the years, too.

I hope you come back to Filibuster. As it stands, I'll keep checking the site for those other updates (to the lists and whatnot). I've gotta say, though: You got me interested in Canadian politics, and you always gave me a good laugh even when you were poking fun at a candidate I liked.

Good luck in Japan, and keep us informed on what you're doing over there. All the best.