It is too easy to characterize the issue as creators vs distributors. There is something oddly different about the case at hand. Pirate Bay/Youtube vs Sony/Via

It is too easy to characterize the issue as creators vs distributors. There is something oddly different about the case at hand. Pirate Bay/Youtube vs Sony/Viacom have one thing in common: content creator doesn't understand new means of distributions, gets angry, sues the platform, pisses the internet off. The Oatmeal acted differently. When he got angry at the new means of distributions, he didn't sue, he didn't even threaten to do it. He accepted the situation, made a funny/angry comment about it (where he didn't lie nor even exaggerate the situation), and went back to his comic drawing business. Is it unfair? probably. But his "moving-on" attitude draws respect. We're all cheering for The Oatmeal because he didn't attack, he got attacked. The internet is generally favorable for artists who don't make a big deal out of freely copying their work. Once they get attacked, at least, the internet always got their back (and as the IndieGoGo campaign showed, those freeloaders are more than willing to spend the big bucks to protect their proteges).