No, you can still make everyone “smart enough” as long as they have different values, motivations, priorities, and goals. Plenty of room for character conflict, and no one needs to be holding the Idiot Ball.
Complaining about fictional characters being stupid doesn’t amuse me unless it’s done in the form of an essay explaining why every value the character holds is wrong. Preferably, addressed to the character in question.
“Oh my God, Dorothy values school over romance, and doesn’t want to string Danny along? Better write her a comment explaining why she’s a horrible human being. She reads the comments, right?”
I think a major part of this is that people believe that, if something is depicted ina work of fiction, then it is promoted as “right.” THis is a major source of the Moral Guardian backlash against everything from Harry Potter on up – “The bad guy said that there’s no good or evil, so the movie teaches it!”
So, when someone in a Willis comic makes a stupid decision, a lot of people think, “Oh, no! Since Joyce did it, then David Willis is trying to promote it as the right decision! I must post and SAVE THE READERS FROM HIS VILLAINY!”
At the end of the day, it was just pointing out that a story full of smart people making sensible decisions doesn’t make for good drama or comedy. It lampshades the existence of comic drama and situational comedy in the first place.
Also, is there good and evil? Can such a polarized dichotomy actually exist in the real world? Just to throw in my little philosophical piece.
with a title such as dumbing of age it is easier to assume that Willis is saying that every thing these characters do is exceedingly stupid and should never be done.
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I think this comic is too smart for me.
That buff and charming version of Walky needs to be made into an avatar. Certainly so.
Where’s Stoolie?!
Stoolie had to leave. His home planet needed him.
that rocks.
Ha! I guess it’s true – make everyone smart enough, and you get a boring plot with no conflict.
Unless you have dumb antagonists! Then they wouldn’t have to do the right thing. Awesome.
I think that was the impetus behind the first “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” cartoon.
Okay, I’ve never actually had the chance to see it, so I’m deriving this entirely from “Turtles Forever,” but…
Were the good guys even smart? Or were they just less dumb than the bad guys?
The latter!
No, you can still make everyone “smart enough” as long as they have different values, motivations, priorities, and goals. Plenty of room for character conflict, and no one needs to be holding the Idiot Ball.
Complaining about fictional characters being stupid doesn’t amuse me unless it’s done in the form of an essay explaining why every value the character holds is wrong. Preferably, addressed to the character in question.
“Oh my God, Dorothy values school over romance, and doesn’t want to string Danny along? Better write her a comment explaining why she’s a horrible human being. She reads the comments, right?”
“Yes, I knew I would you appreciate it.” GREATEST QUOTE EVER.
Hah. Those are the kind of mistakes that happen when you proof-read at 5 AM. I’m not sure I should correct it or not.
This is the first time a webcomic has ever reminded me of how dumb I can be.
I… love this comic, I really do.
*gives the thumbs up to this comic when he is through laughing*
I refuse to let the impossibility of negative page views spoil my enjoyment of this comic.
I think a major part of this is that people believe that, if something is depicted ina work of fiction, then it is promoted as “right.” THis is a major source of the Moral Guardian backlash against everything from Harry Potter on up – “The bad guy said that there’s no good or evil, so the movie teaches it!”
So, when someone in a Willis comic makes a stupid decision, a lot of people think, “Oh, no! Since Joyce did it, then David Willis is trying to promote it as the right decision! I must post and SAVE THE READERS FROM HIS VILLAINY!”
…wait…. this means that DAVIS WILLIS IS ENCOURAGING COVERING UP RAPE ATTEMPTS. D:
*throws hands up in the air*
THANK! YOU!
At the end of the day, it was just pointing out that a story full of smart people making sensible decisions doesn’t make for good drama or comedy. It lampshades the existence of comic drama and situational comedy in the first place.
Also, is there good and evil? Can such a polarized dichotomy actually exist in the real world? Just to throw in my little philosophical piece.
with a title such as dumbing of age it is easier to assume that Willis is saying that every thing these characters do is exceedingly stupid and should never be done.
Willis looks like Velma Dinkley in the last panel. Just sayin’.
For some reason, reading Joyce’s line, all I could hear was Sandra Bullock from Demolition Man (after getting dressed down by Sly outside Taco Bell).
Smart people apparently also speak in very stilted, expositionary dialog.
I’d read it just for that. :p
And they like to workout, too! Oh, that might be because exercise IS smart. I fail at smart 🙁