I’m trying to discern why one would make the comment “not funny” about a web comic. (I see this a lot, so it’s not just you.) If the comic’s purpose isn’t necessarily humor, why would it matter if it’s not funny?
I laud web comics that are entertaining in some way, which usually entails some emotional connection to the content. Don’t you wish you lived in that universe? If a web comic hits some note that resonates with the reader in whatever way, I think it’s done a good job.
Obviously many webcomics have other-than-humorous intent, but I would like to point your attention to the word “comic” and its original meaning… maybe this is why there is a tendency to note that certain comics are not funny, even if we acknowledge that this is not their intended purpose.
At this point, comics are a storytelling medium like novels, movies, or TV. Nobody notes that “certain movies” contain audible dialogue just because films were once silent.
You are correct, but this is irrelevant to the point I was trying to make. The word “movie” is just short for “moving picture” and doesn’t imply “silent” in any way, while the word “comic”, with no other context, means “funny”.
So yes, of course, comics are now storytelling media, but I’m suggesting that our brains are still primed towards comedy upon seeing the word. Just trying to explain why you might “see this a lot”.
Do you think that the sole purpose of web comics is or should be humor?
Er, no...
I’m trying to discern why one would make the comment “not funny” about a web comic. (I see this a lot, so it’s not just you.) If the comic’s purpose isn’t necessarily humor, why would it matter if it’s not funny?
In my experience xkcd usually goes for funny- while occasionally going for “awesome” or “heartbreaking”. This comic isn’t any of those things either.
Is there some feature you laud in web comics that this xkcd possesses?
I laud web comics that are entertaining in some way, which usually entails some emotional connection to the content. Don’t you wish you lived in that universe? If a web comic hits some note that resonates with the reader in whatever way, I think it’s done a good job.
“True”.
Next week I’ll be unveiling my new tautological web comic.
Seriously? The most annoying thing about tautologies is the most annoying thing about tautologies.
Also, you’re too late.
Be sure to construct some tautologies complicated enough to be useful.
Presumably the desired feature is not so much “true” or “true and complicated”, but “useful and non-obviously true”.
Obviously many webcomics have other-than-humorous intent, but I would like to point your attention to the word “comic” and its original meaning… maybe this is why there is a tendency to note that certain comics are not funny, even if we acknowledge that this is not their intended purpose.
At this point, comics are a storytelling medium like novels, movies, or TV. Nobody notes that “certain movies” contain audible dialogue just because films were once silent.
You are correct, but this is irrelevant to the point I was trying to make. The word “movie” is just short for “moving picture” and doesn’t imply “silent” in any way, while the word “comic”, with no other context, means “funny”.
So yes, of course, comics are now storytelling media, but I’m suggesting that our brains are still primed towards comedy upon seeing the word. Just trying to explain why you might “see this a lot”.