I agree completely! I'm glad to see that someone's decided to provide an accurate review, rather than simply using the reviews spot as a thinly-veiled to hate on it.
More on-topic, though, I disagree with the criticism of EGS's early ears, but that's mainly because I'm taking this from a rather holistic view. Mainly, the early years of many webcomics are worse than the later years, so considering that, it was fine. Also, I have no problem with joke comics, so I disagree with that other criticism of the early years. But that's just my preferences, so take this comment with a grain of salt if you care mainly about the plot.
I think the comic represents tolerance as a whole. That's why there are elements of gender bending, gay love, furry animals, and all other stuff. I haven't read the entirety of El Goonish Shive from start to finish yet, though I'm reading all sorts of bits and parts throughout, as well as the recent up-to-date stuff. I can recognize that it can be both serious and funny, like teenage high school life that its focused on, and has all sorts of plot elements it weaves.
They're just lucky that Elliot doesn't really exist because he'd be on them faster than Susan can say "Hammer Time". And if they can tolerate stuff like that, tough.
Dan\'s comic has grown up, sadly some reviewers aren\'t mature enough to do the same. I think you answered your own question there. I started read EGS during Painted Black, so I\'ve seen it grow from something rough to something incredibly polished. I\'d wager most people complaining about it started reading it early on, didn\'t like it, and cling to their decisions, refusing to acknowledge that anything has changed.
I mean, just about every review I\'ve seen trashing the comic has talked about Dan\'s furry fetish and how everybody\'s constantly changing sexes. While this was mostly true at the time, neither are all that present anymore. Yes, Ted and Elliot change genders, but Dan uses this to explore their characters, and while Grace (and occasionally others) are furry, it\'s not fetishized anymore. To people who are looking to continue hating this comic, though, that doesn\'t matter. They\'ll click a random strip, see if there\'s a gender-swapped character or someone in a furry state, and confirm that they\'re right.
There\'s probably a bit of Hype Backlash, too. Since the comic has gotten better, they\'re more likely to hear people praising it, but confirmation bias being what it is, this will generally just reinforce the idea that they\'re right and anyone who could actually like this strip must be a pervert who shares Dan\'s fetishes.
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Why is there so much hatred
I'm just going to be honest and say that I love EGS. Part of why I love it is just how much it has improved. At the start EGS had some serious problems, the art was sub-standard, the plots seemed to be built around the jokes, rather then the jokes fitting into the plot. The characters weren't much to look at either, the whole things was basically a gag comic, no real importance placed on the story. I like to think of this as EGS' baby years, the setting up of the world and the frameworks that would support it's later improvements. Next came it's adolescents, the art began to improve while the storytelling grew at a slower rate. Dan tried new ideas and themes, fantasy/science-fiction and bigger emphasis on action. The characters stared growing bit by bit. Now we've hit were it stands now and man has it improved, the art and storytelling has reached pure beauty in my opinion, the focus is now on the characters, their emotions and problems. The action and fantasy elements are still there but now they feel comfortable, they fit really well. The comic has reached what I kind of think as it's adult stage, not that it can't keep improving but it's finally found it's rhythm, the balance it needs between all it's parts to leave behind the, 'awkward teenage years'. But man do some reviewers still hate it.
Not that I've seen on this website, everything I've read is in good taste, even if I don't agree, and thoughtful rather then spewing pure hatred. On other sites, however, some reviewers I've read hate Dan's comic with an unholy passion. Here's some of the things they hate: The gender bending and furry characters (that's the one that produces the most hate spewing), the earlier plot problems, the pacing and speed of new pages. Here's how I view things.
Gender bending/furry, maybe the jokes aren't everyones cup of tea but they aren't offensive, the worst of the sexual humour really isn't all that much. And please, stop saying Dan should keep his fetishes out of the his comic, it doesn't make you sound smart and honestly, like I said, there's nothing particularly offensive in there. Plot/pacing, a fair point, but in it's latest form these problems really aren't there anymore. Updates, have been like clockwork since I started reading.
Dan's comic has grown up, sadly some reviewers aren't mature enough to do the same.