Ted Rall and Steve Brodner
Dear Ted:
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StumbleUponAll right, I could understand that you'd hate the test-ban treaty for the GOP's reasons, but to say that we can't put the nuke genie back in the bottle because we act badly in groups and that all pacts as a rule fail sounds like circa-1952 cold-warrior rant. The facts don't support that. Nukes have been around since 1945, and since the World War II, not one has been fired in anger. That's an amazing record for a species that can be counted on for the worst behavior all the time. The treaty didn't alone arrange for that. It was a part of humanity's desire to step back from the brink and cool the madness. Unless that idea has salience in the future, we can kiss our sweet planet good-bye. It'll be a bit of bad news cartoonists won't be able to draw about. Instead of trashing this treaty because it doesn't do everything, we ought to be working on how to go further in the direction of international control of all nukes. Einstein said that humanity doesn't have a prayer without the advent of a world federal government. The whole process of killing the Earth (which is our big issue every news cycle, regardless of what the suits tell us) won't be brought to heel without strong international agreements ... and I'm not referring to Mercedes and Chrysler. Who will lead this movement? Will they be successful? How far will they get before we see we're really doomed? We'll find out deep in the next century. It really will be crunch time. A time of desperate political upheaval, calling for a focused and educated world population. But let's leave that to the kids and enjoy our happy fin de siècle with Jesse Ventura, Rudy Giuliani and his Blessed Virgin Mary, and JonBenet Ramsey (still dead, huh?).
Ted, you seem itching to get down to cases on the subject of cartoons and satire. OK, Spiegelman aside, whom do you love and whom do you hate? And why?
By the way, do you want to hear my Phil Harris theory of politics?
Peace now,
Steve
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The Fraymaster adds:
Some reactions from readers:
Steve asks if the whole hoo-ha over at the Brooklyn museum is about captions... And the answer is, of course it is.
I have yet to see anyone substantially refute Tom Wolfe's theory, back in The Painted Word, that today's art has devolved into being illustrations for the catalog. Take away the catalog, and there's no there there. One or the other of the fellows cited Serrano's Piss Christ--it's the perfect example. I doubt many people have seen it in person--it's a huge 6-foot-by-4-foot (or so) chibachrome--and more than anything else comes across as a modern chiaroscuro photo-mural. It's reverent. Right up until you read the title, and figure out just how Serrano got those gorgeous tawny reds and burnt umbers. But it's only the title--or the catalog--that fills you in.
The whole Virgin Mary thing is much the same--I doubt there's any way to tell just how the image was made, elephant dung or not, except through the catalog. To be sure, I haven't actually seen it (this summer I've been seeing the Van Gogh, Sargent, Ingres, and Diego Rivera exhibitions as I travel), but that's my bet... Though I'll cheerfully defer to a real live witness.
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Dear Ted,
I agree wholeheartedly with you in regards to the death of the comic strip, and glad to see someone else who views the Peanuts as melancholy. As a former illustrator (I know--do not call me bitter just yet) I think that the entire world of illustration is a rotting cadaver. Working now as a web designer I can't help but feel sympathy for my friends who valiantly try to establish careers in this former occupation. Many believe photography has killed the illustrator, and to some extent I agree, but I think the true blame falls upon the state of art education within our country.
Art schools have become a haven for the untalented and unimaginative, upper-middle-class would-be rebels more concerned with looking the part than being. Instructors, often failed artists themselves, so afraid of offending these cash cows offer no realistic criticism or advice. Since "all art is good art," students who would have been laughed out of my 2nd grade arts and crafts class are encouraged to pursue their "style." After graduating art school, it took me 2 years to enjoy drawing again....and I am not alone. Keep up the good work my brother!
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People always feel that to say things like, "theater is dead," or, now, "the comic strip is dead" raises them to the level of philosopher. So, when someone has some silly stuff to say to seemingly back up such an impossible phrase, they get excited and say it all over the place and as loud as they can.
The comic strip isn't dead. New and great cartoonist will come in great forms no one can predict and, therefore, it's amazingly arrogant to predict the death of an art form. The Internet provides all sorts of new room for artists (this includes cartoonists) to work and spread around their wares.
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Hey Ted Rall,
Yeah, your comic strips are great, but you made a big mistake in your blanket dismissal of all the comics in the comics page (save Peanuts). Your glaring omission: Mutts by Patrick McDonnell. This guy can DRAW! His comics are funny, sweet, and compassionate without being treacly--no mean feat. What's more, he takes a strong and unapologetic stand on animal rights, which takes guts in a nation of necrophages.
McDonnell's a genius. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go pray with Johnny Hart.
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What do you guys think of Tom Toles? His cartoons single-handedly got me through the Reagan/Bush years.
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I think it's a bit too early to say the comic strip is dead. I think Robotman, Non Sequetor, and Mutts are some of the great comics in the papers, but for the rest I don't bother. It seems true that, in newspapers at least, comics are resorting to simple puns.
However, on the Internet the art of the comic strip is still alive. Some of the best, in my opinion anyway, are Ozy and Millie and Freefall, which are genuinely funny and entertaining. While the newspaper comics may be reverting to single unfunny puns, the Internet may be a place where the art of the comic strip is still living.
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--Michael Brus (10/14)