RITA'S CXLVI: What's a Sweetheart Like You Doin' in a Dump Like This?

[Kees_L]

Yeah, there was a lot of really lame stuff that followed in the wake of R&S.
It's kinda like all the rape, murder, misery and self-important horseshit that infected comics in the wake of 'Watchmen' and 'Dark Knight Returns'.
A bunch of dills who learned all the wrong lessons from groundbreaking stuff.

Yeah, and it's still in cartoons even these days. I watched Spongebob with my nephew and just couldn't do it. Screaming and bug eyes and gross green gunk from sickness everywhere. No no no no.

I seem to agree, but I do see the merit to any smut-humor or such, like as if Ren And Stimpy (totally forgot about those!) simply shouldn't get aimed at little kids. And any smut should get translated or toned into something kid-friendly since that would always be doable.

Like Spongebob can say "I'm sil-lyyyyyy!" *blink* *blink* or either he could say:

"I'm such a goddamn dick-faaaaace, with cheese on top - like I'm a smegmatic fucking porahyl > grunt mode < Pore-Bearer pantsy-style... Bipolar" *twirl*

Kid-targeting should be seen as a conscious choice, not some half baked marketing strategy of combining adultness into daytime television somehow for the sake of higher ratings.


And likewise I could see how some comics could and should be kept kid-friendly, but not any of it just like that. I personally could see a main Batman or such title as getting kept designatedly kid-friendly. Especially if there would also be designated non-kid-friendly stuff around.

Because just like it being kid-friendly, comics and also cartoons or animation can be quite swell for more or even entirely adult-targeted stuff. It always has, both for comics as stemming straight from (adult) magazines, as well as animation or cooty adulty imaginative cinema.

Once I heard someone claim that the Fritz The Cat movie was basically Robert Crumb hijacking the children's medium of cartoons for his own demented filth. Which just isn't reasonable a thing to claim, since cartoons have never been purely and solely a children's thing per se. Not animated cartoons and not political or satiric cartoons.

So audiences and catering them will just never be a one-dimensional or totally forge-able thing I'd think. Not for comics, not for books and not for cartoons or even daytime TV. Stuff will be to fit audiences well when it would, or either not if it wouldn't.

As if satirical humour, or full-fleshed irony, or super action-oriented or throbbingly graphic stuff might be best suiting a bit of age to any audience or demographic I'd feel. Like if Batman or some hero would need to be fierce in a militant or tongue-in-cheek or existentially conscious way - bam, some age or "prior corruption" to the innocent eyes would be needed, like some calluses to the peephole peepers might be warranted, if only for the content conveyment to succeed?

[Winslow]

Oops, I forgot this part.

Happy Anniversary BPD and Doug Strange!

Jared. sorry about your allergycalypse. I do agree with Jeffrey Kramer, I know that my own allergies are highly stress related.

Me too.

Heh. That kind of move deserves a burning package of poo outside the guy's doorstep.

So say we all.

Good Morning.

Just felt like posting a pic of my little guy, Teddy....

Cute.

Did we already have a post a pic of your pet day? Who cares ... pets are always cool to look at. Here's our dog, Foxy.

[Jeff Brady]

Belated condolences to Puma & Pip.

Jared H: Sorry about the black cloud, man.

[Puma]

I don't like being around people when I am down, so I'll probably see you fuckers in a few days. My husband is taking Monday & Tuesday off this week, so that I can take Sunday off, and have two actual days off in a row. Which hasn't happened in a very long time. I am sure two days away from my shit ass boss, and having four days of help with the boys, will turn things around, and I'll be back more annoying than ever. Can't fucking wait.

Happy anniversary and kick Depression right in the fork!


Love the pet pics!

[JDogindy]

Once I heard someone claim that the Fritz The Cat movie was basically Robert Crumb hijacking the children's medium of cartoons for his own demented filth. Which just isn't reasonable a thing to claim, since cartoons have never been purely and solely a children's thing per se. Not animated cartoons and not political or satiric cartoons.

I always thought this was strange. I mean, parents often show children cartoons when they are little as a means for entertainment, but in the early days of animation, they were more geared for adults because they were made for theatrical showings as shorts before the main feature as they were developed. Hell, one of my favorite Warner Brothers cartoons featured domestic violence and an alcoholic ("Punch Trunk").

So audiences and catering them will just never be a one-dimensional or totally forge-able thing I'd think. Not for comics, not for books and not for cartoons or even daytime TV. Stuff will be to fit audiences well when it would, or either not if it wouldn't.

As if satirical humour, or full-fleshed irony, or super action-oriented or throbbingly graphic stuff might be best suiting a bit of age to any audience or demographic I'd feel. Like if Batman or some hero would need to be fierce in a militant or tongue-in-cheek or existentially conscious way - bam, some age or "prior corruption" to the innocent eyes would be needed, like some calluses to the peephole peepers might be warranted, if only for the content conveyment to succeed?

True. My general argument is more or less the writers either trying to be creative in design or just gushing over tired pop culture references and Britney Spears songs.

[GozertheGozarian]

Today I am thankful for Doug Strange because it is my 9 year marriage anniversary to the greatest man alive. It'll probably be the worst anniversary ever, because I caught the blues, BUT instead of sobbing, I am going to cook a pot roast dinner, make banana bread with maple bourbon butter, and end the day with a fucking blow job, because I am Awesome Rita and depression is my BITCH!

I don't like being around people when I am down, so I'll probably see you fuckers in a few days. My husband is taking Monday & Tuesday off this week, so that I can take Sunday off, and have two actual days off in a row. Which hasn't happened in a very long time. I am sure two days away from my shit ass boss, and having four days of help with the boys, will turn things around, and I'll be back more annoying than ever. Can't fucking wait.

It must be a bad day, you're not pink.

[Kees_L]

Today I am thankful for Doug Strange [...]

Multi-fold response (so consider my head tilted):

A) Feast on your man like celebration! (Koolandthegang style) since it be your man so likely he'd deserve it;

B) The Blues - noooooooooooo...;

C) Yes, bananabread trumps sobbing, like it'd be SPIFFFY - but don't tell it that whilst eating it or there'll be some smudgy 'splosion.

But wait. You get blueses? And you deprive us of your presence for days on end? Something is gonna suck.

Well go paint the town or that Texas of yours (pink?) but hurry the fuckin' dustballs up please.

[Dreadstar]

Today I am thankful for Doug Strange because it is my 9 year marriage anniversary to the greatest man alive. It'll probably be the worst anniversary ever, because I caught the blues, BUT instead of sobbing, I am going to cook a pot roast dinner, make banana bread with maple bourbon butter, and end the day with a fucking blow job, because I am Awesome Rita and depression is my BITCH!

I don't like being around people when I am down, so I'll probably see you fuckers in a few days. My husband is taking Monday & Tuesday off this week, so that I can take Sunday off, and have two actual days off in a row. Which hasn't happened in a very long time. I am sure two days away from my shit ass boss, and having four days of help with the boys, will turn things around, and I'll be back more annoying than ever. Can't fucking wait.

9 years? Jeez. Time flies. Congrats and all that jazz.

[Slam_Bradley]

I picked up the Showcase All-Star Squadron recently, and while it wasn't to Don MacGregor standard, where I was just skipping ANYTHING that wasn't in a voice bubble, and a lot that was, I really feel Roy could've done with a serious editing.

Nobody, but nobody, reached the heights of purple prose like MacGregor. With very limited exceptions I find him almost unreadable. And I'm from that age group. I haven't tried to read Thomas' work in a long time but I didn't have a problem with it at the time.

[Paradox]

Oh, yes, Mac was the poster boy. I kind of liked it at times but would chuckle to myself "Jesus, shaddap, willya!" with most of it. Plus quit covering up all the P. Craig Russell!!!

[Kees_L]

quit covering up all the P. Craig Russell!!!

Sounds like you're blaming three people all at once for standing in front?

Is there a new book out by him 'though? Which you'd be discussing here?

I like P. Craig Russell. A lot. Eventhough his name seems sorta crowded. His business-cards will be pricy I bet. Although his first name I don't even know. Parcifal? Pembroke? Philario?
Must google.

[Paradox]

No, no, Craig early in his career was the artist on MacGregor's Killraven series.

EDIT: And "no-look" I think it's Phillip. Was I right?

EDITED EDIT: Yes! Although too many "l"s.

[Slam_Bradley]

Dox! Kurt has the 12 Days of Christmas thread up on the Classics Board. This one is right up your alley with all the great short-lived 90s books.

[Paradox]

Already saw it, but the last couple of times I went over there and said "Hey, I'm in!" I utterly and completely failed to post a single post.

I've been making a list in private hoping not to be shown out as a bailing turd-head if I didn't show BUT I GUESS THAT PLAN'S ALL THROWN TO THE WINDS NOW!!!!

I'm keeping my #1 pick double-probation-secret and no one will ever ever ever guess what it is.

[Kees_L]

No, no, Craig early in his career was the artist on MacGregor's Killraven series.

EDIT: And "no-look" I think it's Phillip. Was I right?

EDITED EDIT: Yes! Although too many "l"s.

Ah, see, my google expedition brought me to thinking along you being to speak of having not too much textboxes in front of the spiffy Killraven cover, complete with glassy spectre-ish fly-beast amid starry starry space.

Also my google was telling me his full name is Parcifal Craiglaiin Russellbushes. Weird. Playful little Google porkies it must be. Internet got me again, that bastard.