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March 25, 2007
When Did It Happen?
Soooo...on Thursday Carmen straps on one of Winslow's gizmos to try and fly, today she's trying to stop him. Okay then.
When did it happen? When did Stantis simply quit trying, instead devoting the strip to either Carmen and Winslow spewing Republican talking points or Winslow trying to fly? I think the timing coincides with his surgery last December. Since then it's been a parade of variations on the same theme each and every day: whatever was on Fox News and Rush, or whatever Wile E. Coyote gag Stantis hasn't stolen yet.
While Stantis has always been a Republican lackey, he at least put forward some kind of effort in the past. Kevin the Last Bunny of the Apocalypse or whatever his name was. Dio the Philosopher Wizard. Shelly the Turtle. Granted none of them were very good as characters. Stantis didn't have a clue what to do with Kevin. Dio flip flopped more than Carmen and Winslow combined and never really had a unique voice. Shelly was consistent only because I don't think she ever spoke.
But at least when introducing other characters Stantis was trying something different. I think everyone around Shrubville can agree we kinda liked Winslow's illegal immigrant counterpart from south of the border, even if he was just a chubby rip-off of Snoopy's cousin Spike. But that guy who was dressed like a monk that ran the supposed "church of science" a few weeks ago? Lame beyond lame. Stantis didn't even show the guy's face - where was the obvious "It's really Al Gore!" gag? And the guy just repeated everything Winslow was saying. Way to stretch as an "artist," Stantis.
When CJo first approached me about posting here I saw it as a chance to respond to a neo-con's twisted views of the world. But more and more of my time has been devoted to criticizing Stantis as a comic strip artist - his lack of creativity, originality, and ability to even draw on a third grade level. It would be one thing if Stantis was an amazing talent with the pen, yet had repulsive Republican talking points coming out of the mouths of his characters. But that's not the case.
Let's put it this way: if Stantis devoted every strip to either Winslow trying to fly or complaining about tabloid journalism, it would have been dumped by his editors years ago. But since he's a supposed conservative voice, he stays. It's a terrible commentary on our supposed "liberal" media that he's given a prime slot in the comics section not because of his talent, but because he's a Republican toady who's more than happy to get the Republican's lies out there for everyone to see.
That's why we here at Shrubville are so tired. We're tired of a guy who doesn't even try. We do our best, but after a while it's like pounding your head against the wall. Stantis isn't getting better - he's getting worse. Why his editors don't see that is beyond me. But as long as Stantis has a platform, we're going to try and hold him accountable. We might be tilting at windmills, but at least we're trying.
Comments
Hear, hear!
Posted by: Chris at March 25, 2007 04:31 PM
