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How Comic Fans & Shops Are Stereotyped
brumgrunt writes "Why do TV shows, such as 30 Rock, The Simpsons, Heroes, and Everybody Loves Raymond, persist in so ferevently stereotyping comic book fans and stores? Den of Geek has pulled together eight examples, with video evidence to back them up ..." Minus one point for doubling up on Malcolm in the Middle. Plus 10 points for referencing Spaced, which I hope you all have seen.
Wost... article... ever.
It may be a stereotype but if you walk into most comic book/anime stores and look around at the people in them, the vast majority will match up to the stereotype.
Why do TV shows, such as 30 Rock, The Simpsons, Heroes and Everyone Loves Raymond, persist in so ferevently [sic] stereotyping comic book fans and stores?
Well, the article didn't help me answering that question, it just illustrated the stereotype.
... even when they've become your boss. Other stereotypes hurt: i.e. "Math is hard."
... although perhaps there's not much to break down.
My guess would be (1) because it's funny and (2) even someone like myself who spent tons of time in a comic book store get a kick out of it. A lot of other stereotypes like hair brained teenage cheerleader will catch you a lot of criticism in the media. Those geeks you make fun of in high school? The ones that are hyper obsessive with social disorders that spend more time in their room reading than anywhere else? Those are the people running a lot of stuff today. So I guess it's ok to make fun of them all you want
I do wish this article had broken down the social stigma it has associated with it though
My work here is dung.
Folks get stereotyped on television? You don't say?
I've never seen athletes stereotyped as bumbling morons.
I have never seen good looking women stereotyped as airheads.
I have never seen Christians stereotyped as clueless and out of touch.
I have never seen factory workers stereotyped as beer guzzling, bowling addicted rubes.
I have never seen Southerners stereotyped as trailer trash.
I have never seen rich folks stereotyped as constantly stepping on and using others.
Comic book folks are the only ones stereotyped on TV. Call your congressman.
See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
U.S. Manga Obscenity Conviction Roils Comics World
In an obscenity first, a U.S. comic book collector has pleaded guilty to importing and possessing Japanese manga books depicting illustrations of child sex abuse and bestiality.
Christopher Handley, described by his lawyer as a "prolific collector" of manga, pleaded guilty last week to mailing obscene matter, and to "possession of obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children." Three other counts were dropped in a plea deal with prosecutors.
The 39-year-old office worker was charged under the 2003 Protect Act, which outlaws cartoons, drawings, sculptures or paintings depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, and which lack "serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value." Handley's guilty plea makes him the first to be convicted under that law for possessing cartoon art, without any evidence that he also collected or viewed genuine child pornography. He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
Keep that cartoon coochie identifyably 18!
"Speaking the Truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act." -- George Orwell
AFAIK, I'm still banned from the Laughing Dragon in Dallas because when I was 12 years old, I suggested that I liked DBZ better than Akira.
Oh, that's how you remember it, eh? Well I was there when it happened. Some little 12 year old trotting about the room saying "DBZ is better than A-queer-a, DBZ is better ..." ad infinitum.
*squints eyes*
That ban saved your life.
My work here is dung.
Thing is, most of the Simpsons writers are geeks and nerds. That's why the show's so full of pop-culture and science in-jokes. The League of Extraordinary Freelancers, for crying out loud. It's not "us versus them", it's self-denigrating humour.
No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?
Sometimes, "Stereotypes are a real time saver," as The Onion put it. Growing up, Lee's Comics in Palo Alto, CA was my neighborhood comic book store. Working there from the early 90's, there was a guy named Jeremy. I remember vividly the day Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons was introduced (or shall I say, First Appearance). When I watched that episode, me and every other kid within a ten mile radius said, "Jeremy!"
After school the next day, me and my friends went in, ran to Jeremy and said, "Hey Jeremy, did you watch the Simpsons last night?" "Yes," he said groaning, and obviously tired of the question. Why was he tired? Because Jeremy looked exactly like Comic Book Guy - Beard, receding hairline, big rotund body always wrapped in shorts and t-shirts. Only difference was that Jeremy wore glasses.
Jeremy, Real Life Comic Book Guy, wherever you are now, I salute you. You were a huge impact on the lives of many kids in the 94306 zip code.
Child exploitation depicted in Manga is no more ok than person on person violence depicted in literally any TV show is. The fact is that in the United States we get very crazy about certain types of inhuman, unethical or immoral behavior and totally ignore others.
Since I'm not willing to ban the depiction of all human violence, I find it unethical to ban the depiction of (however monstrous) human lust. How about you? Do you feel that the depiction or examination of a depiction of any immoral act is cause for legal recourse?
[Ego]out
You've never been around small children for extended periods of time, have you?
Children by nature are extremely selfish. Parents have to work hard to get little kids to share. Seriously, try working at a daycare or something with kids from 2-4 years old. They tend to start getting better and more civil around 4 years old. Definitely a lot easier to reason with at that age, you simply can't reason with a 2-year old.
In my experience (I volunteered once a week at a daycare for about 6 years), those children who do share well at an early age have either been actively taught that by their parents from day 1, or they have a timid or mousey personality. In the case of timid children, they tend to have things demanded from them and taken rather than actively sharing with the other children.
Kids may play reasonably well together, but they certainly don't share well naturally. It's an unnatural thing that must be taught.
Security is mostly a superstition... Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. - Helen Keller