Advanced Placement

Author notes

You Are What You Eat

apcomic

on Jan. 17, 2008

Today’s comic is where “Of Mice and Friends” really takes off. This is one of those comics that I really enjoyed drawing and writing. There are some comics that I finish, and I just can’t help but smile. Even though this was a comic I had to spend a little more time drawing, I was quite proud of the final product. Also, I cannot help but thank my mom, because she was the one that came up with the title.

In this comic, DJ lists off the names of the mice, and some of you might find Gatsby a misplaced name among the list of tragic heroes. While there might be some debate as to whether or not Gatsby is a tragic hero, I find him a tragic hero by definition. He had a tragic flaw, which led to his downfall and his reversal of fortune. This has always been my stand on Gatsby, and I don’t plan on moving anytime soon.

Finally, I am furious at television. After American Idol this week (yes, I watch American Idol), Fox decided to premiere their new show, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?. The concept of the show is that contestants are asked questions from elementary school texts books for a chance to win $1 million. Sure, the concept sounds interesting, but the execution is horrible!

They divide the categories into “grade level”, with questions supposedly pulled from an elementary school text book. This would all be fine, if the questions were age appropriate. For instance, for a 1st grade spelling question, they asked how many “e”s are in the phrase “Pledge of Allegiance.” This is supposed to be a first grade question, a time when children are JUST STARTING TO READ, and the pull a question like that?! My mother taught first grade and I have helped out in these classes, and this question is ridiculous. I wouldn’t mind this so much if they didn’t add these labels for the sheer point of making people look like idiots.

*sigh*

Maybe I am just really bitter because Fox would put this show on, yet cancel Arrested Development and Futurama for a quiz show that just works to make the world look stupid. Maybe I really love the show (considering I just spent two entire paragraphs ranting about it), but I highly doubt that one.

DJ