The Webcomic Overlook
Recently stumbled upon this thanks to Comixtalk. The most recent review seems to be about VG Cats. The Webcomic Overlook does a pretty good job summarizing some of my own feelings about the comic, and at this point it should be obvious I am not a fan.
So why did I say the reviews seems to be about VGCats?
Well, I got the distinct impression that it’s a shot at many gamers as well. In fact, I felt a little offended by the generalization.
“Gamers like to fight each other over this admittedly trivial division because a) they’re too young to care about politics, or b) they’re old enough to understand politics, but giving a crap severely cuts into gaming time.”
As a gamer, I certainly do not fit this stereo-type as I just play games for fun. I also am quite involved with politics, I just have the good sense to keep my opinions concerning them to myself. While “El Santo” was using generalizations for humor, there should of been an effort to switch off from review mode to stories about gamers. Then again, when my only real point of contention with the review is with observations of a certain subset which in unfortunately belong to, I am willing to give the offer the benefit of the doubt. I’m sure they’re not totally convinced all gamers think the same.
The association with gaming and the lowest rungs of pop-culture seems very prevalent in the review. Mostly by Ransoomair’s comic catering to both these groups.
“For the life of me, I can never understand why kids go to watch Epic Movie or Meet the Spartans. Scott knows. He delivers the same sort of “risque,” pop-culture laden humor. I’m going to have to throw the towel. Hey, I’m a man, and real men admit their failings. I’m an old fogey long out of touch with the youth of America. I can never relate to VG Cats‘ primary audience: excitable pre-teens, easily amused teens, and creepy old men who hang around elementary schools.”
While it’s not really stated aloud that the reviewer thinks gamers enjoy poop-jokes, it’s the distinct impression I get, likely due to the loaded statement of us being, apparently, narrow minded and concerned with the utterly trivial. Maybe I am just in the minority in this regard.
So with a VG Cats review, a comic that isn’t even my own, or one I like, I came out of it a little insulted. Hopefully the author would understand my perspective and would assure me that they don’t believe ALL gamers are utter morons.
That being said, I’ll definitely be checking in on Webcomics overlook, if anything, for decent reviews and rage-inducing generalizations about groups I’m affiliated with.
March 4th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Hey, the writer of the review here. My apologies if the tune of the review sounded a bit offensive. I was actually writing the review as a bit of a gamer myself (though lately it’s been mostly Madden, though I’ve been dabbling in the Sly Cooper trilogy; I’m also a bit of a Final Fantasy fanatic).
The “politics” thing may have been a cheap shot, but that was more of a contention with how rabid some gameplayers can get over the whole console war issue. It was rather me think aloud: “Why can’t they spend their energies on more useful things … like politics?” I mean … it’s just hardware. Kitchen connisseurs don’t get into extended Kitchen-Aid vs. Oster wars. I understand that maybe only 20% of hardcore gamers care about consoles anymore, but that 20% can be pretty obnoxious.
But yes, I did make a generalization about gamers. Guilty.
Now, the second set of quotes wasn’t directed at gamers at all, but rather what I perceive to be VG Cat fans. Or, in a wider spectrum, what in the world the young people of America find funny nowadays. It was partially a snark on Generation Y, partially a snark on myself for being out of touch. I didn’t mean to snark on gamers specifically there.
I will add a little tidbit, which might give a little insight into the review’s madness. Before publishing the review, I edited a line that read “the fact that VG Cats is one of the most read webcomics does no favors to the already low reputation of gamers as smelly, socially inept, misogynistic little trolls.” After a while, I thought that was too harsh, and changed “trolls” to “dorks.” I’m not saying it was much of an improvement, just less harsh.
However, I didn’t set out to write the review as being inflammatory. I was mainly trying to insert some self-deprecating nonsense and maybe a bit of acidy humor, nothing more.
March 4th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
No harm done El Santo. Thanks for being so reasonable.
We’ll keep an eye on what you’re up to. Hopefully you’ll drop by and share your thoughts with us on other issues.
March 7th, 2008 at 2:11 am
[...] didn’t agree with me at all. One of the most interesting responses, though, was posted at the Scienteers blog. The writer agreed with my review, but felt that I was taking some cheap shots against gamers [...]