God and America hates cartoons, and so should you!

patach · #1 06-05-2001, 10:59 PM

I just had a discussion with a "not helpful" rater of one of my articles about cartooning on epinions. It appears that she say that cartoons should only be for kids because usually adult oriented cartoons and comics have a bad "satanic" influence on our children.

As a cartoonist, I can easily say that cartoons and comics, though back in the 1930s-50s had reputations for not just kids, but adults also, the present time outlook at cartoons and comics now is very demeaning. As to say that "all cartoons have to be for kids" is like saying "all books, tv shows, and videogames should be for kids". It also seems like America is the only country with this opinion in cartoons and comics. Other countries, including Japan, Canada, UK, Taiwan, and France... have more respect towards cartoons as a normal medium of entertainment than a medium for kids. What is your opinion on this stereotype that America is giving cartoons and comics?

**pluckyduck** · #2 06-05-2001, 11:07 PM

Oh, ignore her.

You can't help but run across people like that in life.

Comic books are indeed an art/literary form (rather cool the way comics combine both art and literature!). What's to debate there, seriously?

Personally, I'm much more into cartoons. I kind of have a thing for Johnny Bravo.

Andrea

Grouch · #3 06-06-2001, 01:23 AM

Okay here's the no-duh statement of the evening: Artistic expression can take many forms. Raffi and Pavarotti could both sing "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall," and each would sing it in a way that would be more appropriate to their intended audiences. Raffi would probably sing "99 Bottles of Sarsaparilla on the Wall" while Mr. Pavarotti would, perhaps sing it with beer lyrics (this I gotta hear!). The point is--and perhaps I'm floundering here--both artists sing the same (similar) song through different means.

The same with comics/cartoons/animation. For every Family Circus there's an R. Crumb. I wouldn't dream of suggesting that just because someone chooses artistic expression through a particular medium that the message is inherently "satanic." Parents have every right to disallow their children to not read R. Crumb, but they don't have a right to disallow R. Crumb to practice his art.

I am, in fact, a brand-spanking-new convert to the graphic novel form. Reading The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay got me all oogly-googly about the comic book form. And recent discussions elsewhere in this forum prompted me to visit Barnes & Noble last night and purchase Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth.

bupkiss · #4 06-06-2001, 02:59 AM

I'm sorry, but claiming that an artistic medium is solely for kids and therefore every cartoonist or comic artist should cater to a child audience is quite possibly one of the most idiotic things I've ever heard (or read, :p). The only issue I see here worth discussing is the number of sheer whackos coming out of the Epinions wordwork. Plus, it's really freaking scary that there are individuals who would censor and/or ban anything and everything "objectionable" because they don't get it.

teskue · #5 06-06-2001, 05:31 AM

What a load of crap! (I hope I can say that in here.) But, give me my Digijmon any day. I decide what my child watches. And, he doesn't even get to watch all cartoons on TV. I don't need people making choices for me. I like good adult cartoons once in awhile.