Web cartoons are great. In the genius of XKCD – for instance – an entire generation of nerds have found a (stick-figure, Firefly-quoting) voice. I’m pretty sure everyone reading this site, and everyone who’s ever posted something on the internet ever, identifies with the panel to the right.
But would you imagine that the comics of the interwebs have a dark side? Yes, they do, in the Rush Limbaugh-pantomiming “Day-by-Day.” This artist, Chris Muir, has developed a distinctive style for himself, characterized by repetition of Fox News talking points, a focus on guns, a healthy dose of paleoconservatism, and an overabundance of curviness in all female characters. In case we were ever entertaining doubts on this issue, DbD has proven once and for all that a major current in modern internet conservatism defines itself around sex, guns, and repetition of the party line (other examples come to mind which prove my point equally well – the ads on WorldNetDaily, for one, but let’s stay on topic).
Let it never be said that I don’t appreciate the McCain mocking…
…but even this is so canned, that I have to wonder if Limbaugh and Hannity just found an artist to transcribe their shows. Maybe if the guy spent less time drawing his female characters’ breasts, there’d be time for a little originalism, but hey, we all have priorities.
Which isn’t to say I don’t enjoy the comic. When your opposition research consists partially of reading the funnies, obviously life isn’t so bad.
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I think xkcd is way too overrated. There are other webcomics out there that deserves more the level of attention xkcd is currently enjoying.
Comment by The Devastatingly Handsome Guy Who Dreams of Becoming a Coroner. July 3, 2008 @ 11:16 pmThe comic you linked to is also pretty awesome :-). You’re right that there are other good comics, but I don’t think that makes XKCD overrated.
Comment by Ames July 4, 2008 @ 3:35 pmYou do know that the reason evil conservatives hit all the same points isn’t because Rush, Shaun, and DbD sent us the memo, but rather, we tend to take the same views on a lot of issues. You get that, right? That’s why we are on the same side of the political spectrum.
Comment by xbradtc July 4, 2008 @ 4:16 pmEvery political cartoon is reactive to the news cycle. If the news is talking about something, that’s what the cartoon reflects. Ever read Doonesbury?
I mean, I think that’s partially correct xbradtc but not completely.
Rove’s admitted tactics and how the administration usually worked was to get blurbs out and have everyone say them over and over. It would tend to refocus the dialogue on one point or try to direct the conversation to a specific area and away from others.
Do you then think it’s coincidence that it is then what everyone on the internet starts saying the same thing as well? Using the tag lines?
I’m not saying this is only conservatives, but they’ve been masters of it in recent times.
Comment by oneiroi July 5, 2008 @ 9:45 amYou’ve likely seen this one, but it just reminds me so much of you.
http://xkcd.com/262/
Comment by Gotchaye July 6, 2008 @ 3:30 am