Comments on: More examples: TMI?

By: Cat Bohannon

Cat Bohannon — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:04:59 +0000

I vote for iteration #2. In #3, though leaving more room for the visual fun of your cast of characters, the notion of a meme (or whatever you’d like to call it) being transmitted (though altered) from vector-head to vector-head is pretty lost. In the first, the constancy of a “color” category only slightly shifting loses the sense of there being anything in particular being transmitted from one mind to the other, while the flower in #2 gives a constant “something.”

I mean, unless you’re totally going for the ultra-permeable hoo-hah of deconstructionism. That stuff makes my brain dribble out of my ears after a while (I rather like the idea that we could, in fact, convey ideas to one another… that there is *something* constant in language, despite how shifty it is, and despite the cultural difference jag you highlight in #3). But you don’t really strike me as a deconstruction gal, anyway.

By: Snertly

Snertly — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:34:57 +0000

Interesting stuff. Topmost is my favorite, because it seems to say more with less. But, while similar, the three seem to say different things. #3 seems to be about an idea (the flower) being communicated accurately across cultures. #2 seems to be more about how the same idea appears different based on the mindset (colored field) holding it. #1 immediately reminded me of the whispers game, also called rumors, where what’s being communicated changes a little bit with each iteration until the ending message is a scarcely recognizable rendition of the initial message.

(You can thank the WSJ for this drive by comment.) Thanks for sharing.

By: Mark G Williams

Mark G Williams — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:58:47 +0000

Love the one saying we all think the same throughout history, we just color it different. See also Ed Keinholz’ “Hospital Bed”

By: gordon

gordon — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:08:35 +0000

First one is most efficient. I like the second one, but you know what a romantic I am.

By: Tom Saettel

Tom Saettel — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:30:09 +0000

TOP! clearest, simplest communication of the idea. I suppose you are close to the 2nd for the Asian reference/nod. 3rd tmi, idea not central.
Nina, I love everything about you: your beautiful Sita; your clear but layered expression visually and verbally; your courage; energy; your foul mouth. Bless you. T.

By: Rich Baldwin

Rich Baldwin — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:10:46 +0000

The problem with the first one is: It’s creepy. It might be about sharing information, but it might also be about making us cogs in a machine.

The flowers don’t fix that though: they’re almost creepier because the flowers never change from person to person. If the information morphed somewhat from mind to mind, that would demonstrate the individual creativity of each person affecting the meme.

Of course if you *want* us to imagine shiny happy brain control then you’re in good shape, and I’d stick with image one.

By: Chris Battle

Chris Battle — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:34:43 +0000

Personally, I don’t think gradients mix well with simple ink/vector line art, at least not in this fashion. When trying to convey a message in graphic terms, best to keep things simple and direct.

By: Anthony Siarkiewicz

Anthony Siarkiewicz — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:12:37 +0000

I agree the first one is graphically the strongest but it doesn’t say “what” is being communicated. The second one is more of a complete sentence but falls apart graphically. So, I would agree with the above comment to change the flower so it reads better. Your character is flat the flower should be flat, not at the ¾ angle and not shaded. Also, I like how the “word bubble” goes into the head in 1 and 2, but I prefer the detailed characters in 3. So, I’d put them closer together, lose the lower half of the body, use the simple flower and see what that yields. May be too busy? I would have to see it.

By: Scott Ellington

Scott Ellington — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:31:57 +0000

“Bird Flew!” is the meme that is apprehended by each link in the circular chain of listeners until the originator of the phrase is treated for H1N1; drastic, preemptive authoritative action.

The meme remains the same, kinda, but there are very human consequences for the mini-culture of the chain of participants.

Like Lulu, I see “Telephone”, also the loaded implication of an 8-petaled lotus, and that viral/meme thing always seems to smack of pathology in consumer-cultured automata.

Culture is strenuous work that flows from the agency of caring people. “Consumer culture” is mostly an oxymoron and an obsoleting 20th century neologism. These panels you’re presenting are all wonderful examples of collective experiments in making meaning.

Number One on the other page.

By: Erin

Erin — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:19:08 +0000

I’m surprised so many people like the 1st one best, since the 3rd is by far my favorite. Guess I’m in the minority here. But I just like the cute, warm, funny tone of the 3rd best. I think the message is perfectly clear in all 3 versions, it’s just more fun in the 3rd.