criticism

Ask Chris #303: Guilty Pleasures
Ask Chris #303: Guilty Pleasures
Ask Chris #303: Guilty Pleasures
Q: Do you think there's any value in defining something as a guilty pleasure? If so, what's your comic guilty pleasure? — @ykwilpodcast A: On the one hand, no, I don't. The concept of a "guilty pleasure" has always struck me as a weird way to shield yourself from the knowledge that you like something that's not very good, and that's reductive to both your own tastes and the media that you're consuming. There's very little media in this world that's completely without value, and even when I can judge something to be completely and utterly worthless, that judgment comes from a context and a set of experiences and comparisons that are completely unique to me. Dismissing it as a guilty pleasure isn't just disingenuous, it ignores the idea that art can resonate with you despite its failing. On the other hand, well, it's been 20 years and I still kinda love Gen 13.
Give 'Em Elle: The Supposed Gulf Between Creators & Critics
Give 'Em Elle: The Supposed Gulf Between Creators & Critics
Give 'Em Elle: The Supposed Gulf Between Creators & Critics
Welcome to Give ‘Em Elle, a new weekly column that hopes to bridge the gap between old school comics fandom and the progressive edge of comics culture. This week I’ve been thinking about creators and critics, two groups that are often pitted against one another in the arena of discourse, as though they’re mortal enemies who can never see eye-to-eye, never reconcile.
'If You Don't Like It, Make Your Own' Is a Terrible Argument
'If You Don't Like It, Make Your Own' Is a Terrible Argument
'If You Don't Like It, Make Your Own' Is a Terrible Argument
As someone who makes a living writing and editing for the internet, I've gathered quite a collection of terrible arguments from online commentators, ranging from the perennially awful, 'I don't care about this so you shouldn't either,' to the specifically ignorant, 'How would you feel if they made Black Panther white?' But there's one common argument that combines dull wit with frothy anger to such exhausting effect that it deserves special attention; 'If you don't like it, make your own.' I write about comics, so I'm especially aware of how often the argument is made in response to comics criticism. But I know that it's also used in all other creative fields, from film-making to video game design, and it's an argument without merit in any field. There is the kernel of a good idea behind it; the comic form is open to anyone who wants to make a contribution. But that doesn't mean you have to make comics rather than criticize. If you don't like what you see, there are several good reasons to say so.
A 1966 Newspaper Predicts a Future Where People Find Meaning In Batman
A 1966 Newspaper Predicts a Future Where People Find Meaning In Batman
A 1966 Newspaper Predicts a Future Where People Find Meaning In Batman
With so many magazines, newspapers and books from the past archived online, it can often be fun to go back and check out their predictions for the future and see how they stacked up against what actually happened. Usually, they're pretty far off the mark in ways that are both disappointing (we still haven't gotten those flying cars or personal jetpacks) and relieving (we still haven't had a nucle