[INFO ABOUT SINTERKLAAS / DYSTOPIET:]

What is Sinterklaas?

"I came across this weird looking webcomic but I don't get what it is about... help me!" Dystopiet is a comic about a Dutch holiday called "Sinterklaas". It is very similar to Christmas in English speaking countries, with both involving old bearded men giving gifts to children. The North American Santa Claus is even originally based on Sinterklaas! Sinterklaas is based on saint Nick, who would perform wonders and give gifts, with help of Zwarte Piet, his servant.

In modern times, the holiday is shaped as follows: At the end of November, Sinterklaas supposedly enters the country on his steamboat with a battalion of "pieten" (his servants/assistants) and a bunch of gifts for every child. They settle in a kind of warehouse, where they prepare all the presents for the fifth of december, on which they will be giving the gifts to the children. They deliver these gifts by traveling roof-by-roof, and entering houses via the chimneys (that is why you never see them walking around on the streets!!!)

• Sinterklaas on Wikipedia
• Guide to Sinterklaas for expats in the Netherlands (iamexpat.nl)

Racism

For a long time Sinterklaas has involved people going blackface in order to dress up as "Zwarte Piet", who served as Sinterklaas' servant. This has continued into the present, with most Sinterklaas-related media only recently (around 2014) changing the appearance of zwarte piet to rather look as if covered in ash and soot, instead of going blackface. When making something about the Sinterklaas holiday, I think this needs to be mentioned in attempt to explain any culture shock experienced by looking up Sinterklaas on Google Images. We're working on it.
If you want to read more about this:

• Zwarte Piet on Wikipedia
• Analysis of why people dismiss that it is racist (& why it really is) (HumanityInAction.org)

What is Dystopiet?

Dystopiet is a comic that intends to make fun of conventions that reside in the media that's made for it. While christmas-themed films and shows are often lovey-dovey and romantic, "Sinterklaas" movies and television shows moreso focus on drama surrounding the organization surrounding the holiday. Sinterklaas and his "Pieten" are faced with ridiculous problems and Grinch-like enemies which threaten to prevent the holiday from occuring. Dystopiet blows up these problems and enemies to make these problems even more catastrophic and enemies life-threatening with absurd characters and a lot of action.