Shock Value

[Lightknight]

Let me get this straight, if I've read this correctly you honestly believe that Grey and Cory are purposely tanking their successful comic as some sort of pseudo-promotion of their new comic?

I mean, this wasn't my favourite CM, but come on.

I'm talking about the last few weeks, not today's specifically but as a series of direct attempts to rile up their standard audience. People against school shooting [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/comicsandcosplay/comics/critical-miss/13596-New-Xbox-One-Controller-Comic] Their attempt to offend has grown significantly beyond anything I recall in the past. This is why I'm asking if this range of offense is typical. I've heard of some pretty legendary pieces they've run that got people all hot and bothered but from what I understand, there is usually a buffering between them.

Its called having a sense of humor.

Also, this one wasnt about school shooting, or about people against school shooting, in the last panel for the joke to work ("I'm running out of things to get pierced, Dave") it had to be them doing something shocking to drive the point of the rest of the comic home. It doesnt matter what it is and in no way is it about standing against something, it could be a variety of things as long as it was something that could be considered shocking (and as most comments in here show, this isnt even shocking in a webcomic, we are already like the dad in the comic).

So yeah, it seems like the lack of sense of humor blurs the point of the actual joke, something that also recently happened with Pillars of Eternity where the joke was at the expense of the "Hero in bed" and yet some people thought that the transgender was the one being mocked.

For sure, it is just a joke. You know it and I know it.

My theory (now disregarded) was regarding the reception of the larger audience that seems to take vocal offense at anything that's offensive. I couldn't care less if the comic literally was about school shootings. They're artists and it's their prerogative. Something being a joke about any group of people doesn't discredit it's legitimacy. Being included in jokes really just makes you part of the group depending on whether or not there is also mutual respect when it isn't a joke.

But people taking offense about something? So fucking what? I'm sure you'll agree with that sentiment and the commonly posted meme below.

http://www.titaniumteddybear.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/stephen-fry-on-being-offended.jpg

So please understand. My theory wasn't by any means to say that the writers and artists are doing anything wrong. Far from it. Just theorizing about the business behind such things in light of how they may make the general reader feel. It all could have happened organically as part of the creative process or it could have any one of several motivations behind it. We'd never know unless they tell us and artists don't really owe us a single explanation about anything.

 

[Tarfeather]

Wow, that is some really great artwork for the dad. Clashes fantastically with the inane things he's saying, well done! (No irony, that's what makes the joke funny for me)

 

[Lightspeaker]

You know, not to go all doom and gloom or anything, but suppose a certain trilby wearing content creator on this site wanted to go independent.

I would assume that Yahtzee owns ZP, since IIRC he ran it before he was a part of The Escapist.

To be honest I'd almost say its not worth the Escapist owning the rights to ZP. Because ZP basically IS Yahtzee. So if Yahtzee were to leave I'm not sure that having the rights to the show would do them any good at all; I don't think they can just replace the content creator in that particular case.

 

[Tarfeather]

To be honest I'd almost say its not worth the Escapist owning the rights to ZP. Because ZP basically IS Yahtzee. So if Yahtzee were to leave I'm not sure that having the rights to the show would do them any good at all; I don't think they can just replace the content creator in that particular case.

It's more about whether he could leave the Escapist and continue ZP. Generally that seems to be why The Escapist reserves the rights to anything: So the valuable/iconic content creators can't just leave the site and make profits off their iconic stuff (which did admittedly get promoted and supported by the escapist) elsewhere.

 

[Toilet]

Three japanese ladies shitting into the mouth of a fourth puts that newfa-friend off his breakfast?

Guess he's never been to /d/.

That's the least it takes for me to get a half chub.

 

[Kerethos]

Won't lie, I laughed. I'm a terrible human being, please don't shoot me

 

[SweetShark]

"I am from The Internet My Boy" is maybe one of the greatest quote I ever heared recently.
All the future parents around the world must memorise this to use it to their children.

 

[Ohlookit'sMatty]

Man, this one got dark at the end, & if you're running out of placces to get pierced you're just nothing thinking creatively enough

-M

 

[JamesStone]

I found this unironically funny.

Nothing more to say really, just thought I'd say something different for once

 

[Lazule]

LOL! This is the darkest blackest humor comic you will ever see in Critical Miss. Nice hahahahahahahah.

 

[Eggsnham]

And thus, I awaken from my hibernation:

Was funny. Don't even care about the sociopolitical implications, it made me laugh, as is most often the point with humor.

 

[Edl01]

That's...um. That's...it's...something.

I guess I get the joke...kinda.

What's this about again?

I think it's about a theory (or a fact, I dunno) that teens do many things to shock and/or get attention of their parents.

Actually I'm pretty sure the comic is mocking the fact that because of how much time we on the Escapist have spent on the internet we are no longer offended by the final panel. It's quite Meta.
Ironically I think people who are offended have kinda missed the joke...