Learn From Webcomics

Today’s Teacher: Andrew Dobson

Today’s Lesson: Perspective

Perspective is an artist’s most important tool. It adds depth, realism, and character to things that would otherwise seem flat or lifeless. In writing, it also keeps you from being this guy right here.

This comic was released on July 27, 2012, only seven days after a shooting in Aurora, Colorado left 12 people dead and 58 injured, including a three-month old baby. The Aurora shooting took place in a theater showing a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises, and had more victims than any prior mass shooting in the United States.  In other words, the shooting is a big deal.

A big deal that Dobson cares about less than about his ability to review a movie without mentioning it even in passing only a week later. Here, I’ve drawn a venn diagram.

So, this man has drawn a comic, and a very long comic at that, about him exploding at a strawman for expecting him to acknowledge a recent tragedy. How dare the internet expect him to care about a recent mass murder? After all, it isn’t the movie’s fault that a gunman entered the theatre and opened fire on the crowd! So, people should just learn to be able to think about and talk about the movie without thinking about what that theatre full of people went through, and the sooner the better, because Dobson really wants to talk about a Batman movie without having to think about all that unpleasantness.

The worst thing about this comic is the anger. Dobson is completely enraged, not that someone could do such a callous thing to other human beings, but that people expect him to care about it. He likens it to the Titanic, because thinking about something that happened literally one hundred years ago is exactly the same as thinking about an incident in which many of the victims are still in the hospital. He likens it to an actor making a bad movie, because someone making something that isn’t entertaining for whatever reason is just like a crowd of happy people being ambushed with an assault weapon.

Oh also in his comments he made a whole lot more offensive comparisons. Let’s take a look!

You liked Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade? Be sure to mention that River Phoenix died!
You loved The Dark Knight? Don’t forget that Heath Ledger died too!
Talking about the Spiderman trilogy? Be sure to mention the American flag and emo Parker!
You love Disney movies? Oh be sure to mention all the untrue “subliminal messages” they insert into everything!
You like the Ps3? Don’t forget to mention the internet blackout and lack of games!
You love Simpsons? Be sure to give a shout out to Family Guy and South Park too!
You love Zelda games? Keep reminding everyone about those god-awful CD-i games no one bought!
You like Star Wars? Be sure to point out the prequels sucked and remind everyone about Jar-Jar!

These are all things that he considers equivalent to the biggest mass shooting ever to take place on American soil.

Look, okay, admittedly this is less of a lesson and more of a rant at this point, so let’s get educational.

Learn some perspective. Now, I’m not saying that you can’t say anything but the most important thing you have to say, nor am I saying that there’s no place in media for irreverence, because you all know those are absurd premises. This is a lot like Lesson Four, however, in that you need to understand that there’s a right and a wrong way to talk about serious issues that have had enormous impacts on people’s lives. If you’re going to challenge that, by all means, challenge it. If you want to write about sensitive topics, then do it, but don’t avert your eyes from their seriousness, and for heaven’s sake do it for a damn reason. Don’t throw a tantrum because you feel like other people’s responses to something have inconvenienced you.

Frankly, anyone who wants to review The Dark Knight Rises can. As a piece of film, it can and should be criticized. But, this comic wasn’t a review of the film; hell, it wasn’t even about the film. It wasn’t about the shooting, either, if you can believe that. It was about the fact that a tragedy connected with the film is overshadowing it.

You have the right to say whatever you want as a writer. That’s what free speech is, and if you publish, that’s what freedom of the press is, too.

But, today’s lesson should serve as a reminder that you should always ask yourself if it’s a good idea.

Today’s Homework: Damn, I don’t know. Have a moment of silence or something. Recognize that your desire to review a movie is less important than the fact that people were murdered in cold blood while they were out enjoying a movie with friends and family.

edit: Damn I’m rusty.