I’m not sure who the intended audience is for Shooting War. It does have a couple levels of appeal – pimply 16 year old boys come to mind. Some drinking, drug references, graphically enhanced breasts, things that go ‘boom’ and the nasty guys get their due. I liked it. I don’t think I’d pay for it, but it would be an amusing way to kill time in a dentist office or airport.
More than anything, I found myself chuckling a lot: “History needs you. Global needs you. And we got great dental.” The Dan Rather cameo – “what’s the frequency Kenneth?” The oblique reference to Monty Python’s Life of Brian – “Abu, respectfully, it was the Iraqi People’s Front for the Defense of Islam.” Terrorists fretting over the set dressings before the televised beheading, and the comments from Global (read “Fox News”) executives: “Nice technique. All in the wrists.” Also note the Apocalypse Now reference in chapter 3, page 3.
It doesn’t have the gravitas of many of our readings this semester, but sometimes a comic is just a comic – not a graphic novel. Funny, interesting to read, some suspense, but in the end, more like fast food. No nutrition, but tastes okay.
The format reinforces my impressions. I’ve never been a big fan of reading on-line – there are too many distractions to give the material my full time and attention. That’s what’s nice about Shooting War – it’s a pleasant diversion between writing papers, answering emails and grading homework, etc., but you can’t put it on your shelf and easily pull it down when you want to browse on occasion.
Tim,
While I would agree that this text lacks the gravitas of some of the other pieces we’ve read this semester, I think calling it “just a comic” as opposed to a graphic novel doesn’t fit. To me, Shooting War incorporates many aspects of novels and fiction and fulfills an obligation to audiences that may desire anti-corporate messages and satire.
I think it’s fitting that you mention Life of Brian, as Shooting War often takes on a satiric tone, overplaying media conglomorates, corporations, and the role of journalists. Dan Rather becomes an ultra-hip correspondent who fist pounds Jimmy and also seems to fight the powers that be. News corporations and terrorists seem equally concerned with sets and their image as they try to get their messages to the masses in this world turned upside down.
I think this makes this text appeal to certain niches, and as you say, not everyone can relate to a drinking, drug-abusing, narcissist like Jimmy. It seems this book was written with younger generations used to instant media (hence the frequent live stream data that overlays the panels), globalization, and alternative lifestyles. Of course that doesn’t guarantee quality. And that’s one problem I had with the web version of this comic.
Written in installments, Shooting War does have the elements of plot that most stories rely on, but it feels incomplete. The actual book version features a lot more stories, and a much fuller ending that helps reinforce notions of the cost of war (the Colonel gets radiation poisoning, dies), and the way media works (Jimmy gets fired without notice from Global, has another moment with Dan Rather, who gives him his missing memory cards, and Jimmy goes rebel blogger in the right place at the right time again, but this time tied to CNN).
In this way, I think the novel offers a fuller story with the postmodern notions that permeate the online edition better developed and wrapped up.
Like Jimmy’s blog, I think the audience for shooting war is relatively small. But the literary elements are there if you can stand looking through a relatively flat and self-obsessed character, and in the end, if it’s the type of thing you like to read, I think it can offer a whole lot.
Maybe like fast food, it’s easy to obtain and devoid of nutrition, but also takes a while to digest the different elements that make for an entire meal–whether it’s good for you or not.