LAUSR

ABSTRACT This article examines how a sense of community is evinced among readers of the satirical Malaysian webcomic Covidball Z, in which the author Ernest Ng uses satire to give voice to common responses and experiences around which his readers can gather for moments of levity, as a group, united in their ridicule of their leaders and themselves. Ng’s comic opens up a space of sharing where netizens can see their worries and fears represented, while also allowing them, through Facebook, to take part in wider discussions. The analysis of the comic and of the comments by Ng’s readers argues that building or supporting community is a significant part of satire as a form of commentary. Ng’s political satire is calibrated to allow himself and his readers to respond to and critique the Malaysian situation, while shielding themselves from prosecution, within a community enabled by the network society.