Comments on: The Damage Cartoons Cause…? http://www.chewingpencils.com/2006/08/18/the-damage-cartoons-cause/ Helping to turn a drawing hobby into a cartooning profession Sun, 07 Sep 2008 02:58:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Matt Glover http://www.chewingpencils.com/2006/08/18/the-damage-cartoons-cause/#comment-85 Matt Glover Tue, 05 Sep 2006 05:55:00 +0000 http://www.chewingpencils.com/2006/08/18/the-damage-cartoons-cause/#comment-85 You're right Gerry. I don't think we can help but stereotype people for our work. Afterall, cartooning is about using pictorial/symbollic images to portray a message. If we don't use the right image, then nobody will know what we are trying to say. Having said that, the symbols we use might need to be changed as the climate of our culture changes. I was intersted to read today that Peter Jackson is remaking the 'Dambusters' movie, but is facing a problem about how to portray the pet dog. In the book and original movie (I think), the dog was called 'nigger'. Even though it's a word and not a picture, that term still conjures up all sorts of things that aren't helpful... Thanks, once again, for your thoughts. You’re right Gerry.

I don’t think we can help but stereotype people for our work. Afterall, cartooning is about using pictorial/symbollic images to portray a message. If we don’t use the right image, then nobody will know what we are trying to say.

Having said that, the symbols we use might need to be changed as the climate of our culture changes. I was intersted to read today that Peter Jackson is remaking the ‘Dambusters’ movie, but is facing a problem about how to portray the pet dog. In the book and original movie (I think), the dog was called ‘nigger’. Even though it’s a word and not a picture, that term still conjures up all sorts of things that aren’t helpful…

Thanks, once again, for your thoughts.

]]> By: Gerry Mooney http://www.chewingpencils.com/2006/08/18/the-damage-cartoons-cause/#comment-81 Gerry Mooney Fri, 01 Sep 2006 21:30:11 +0000 http://www.chewingpencils.com/2006/08/18/the-damage-cartoons-cause/#comment-81 Matt- this is a very interesting topic and because of a particular instance of stereotyping that comes to mind, I think the concept of "cartoon" needs to be expanded to accommodate other visual forms. I'm sure you've seen the original "Raiders of the Lost Ark". Remember the scene where Indiana Jones confronts a sword-swinging, robed Egyptian? And Indiana Jones rolled his eyes and shot him dead? Remember how the audience laughed? I believe they were laughing at a cartoon stereotype even though it was a movie. Matt- this is a very interesting topic and because of a particular instance of stereotyping that comes to mind, I think the concept of “cartoon” needs to be expanded to accommodate other visual forms.

I’m sure you’ve seen the original “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. Remember the scene where Indiana Jones confronts a sword-swinging, robed Egyptian? And Indiana Jones rolled his eyes and shot him dead?

Remember how the audience laughed? I believe they were laughing at a cartoon stereotype even though it was a movie.

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