Thread ""Flaws" is the new "lore"." in forum "Comic Talk and General Discussion *"

Posted at 10:12AM, Dec. 31, 2021

Just something I noticed when trying to find something new for background noise is a ton of shallow critics seems to be latching onto the word "flaw" and its variations like some kind of prize, or an "insta-win" in their one sided argument with a strawman.

Honestly it reminds me when those kind of guys would go "the worldbuilding is deep!" "The lore is so thick!" And, "my the backstory of this kingdom is so rich and chocolately!" when reviewing something "unpopular" like Skyrim, Game of Thrones or Oblivion (hence the heavy quotation) while ignoring stuff like Superhero League of Hoboken or Grey Mouser, all in some attempt to seem more adult or better than the traditional "nerd". Basically the snob in a leather coat instead of a smoking jacket really.

Just something I thought I bring up.

Posted at 2:12PM, Dec. 31, 2021

Most people don't know what they're talking about in general, but especially when they're reading comics. So many people don't even know how to read comics, which I would think would be a fairly fundamental thing that's rather easy to figure out.

It's usually pretty useless to engage people like that since engaging them on their terms just encourages them, and it often will bolster their position – or at least make them more stubborn and self-assured – when you do. It also brings you down to their level by responding to the tone they have set and answering on what is usually a frankly irrelevant attempt at a point.

It feels like, especially these days, most of these same sorts of people you've mentioned are the type to try and make something they like out to be the greatest thing in the world, whether it is or not. (Spoiler, it never is!) I wish more people could just admit when they like something that is fun for them, but it's just not the greatest thing in the world. I've seen it with literally every fad and craze, because the fascination eventually will end; I'm not allowed to say an untoward thing about something that's trending at the moment, but a year or two later, they're almost invariably all over it and moving on to the next thing for the moment.

Just as a personal note, I also can't stand creators heaping on flaws as if it means something or helps characters to develop. It doesn't. It just makes them dysfunctional as people, once you hit a point. But now that there's a fixation on flaw as a term, probably as misapplied as most corporate-speak, I'm sure we'll unfortunately see more of it from the lowest-effort pretentious crowd.

Posted at 5:12PM, Dec. 31, 2021

hushicho wrote:
Most people don't know what they're talking about in general, but especially when they're reading comics. So many people don't even know how to read comics, which I would think would be a fairly fundamental thing that's rather easy to figure out.

It's usually pretty useless to engage people like that since engaging them on their terms just encourages them, and it often will bolster their position – or at least make them more stubborn and self-assured – when you do. It also brings you down to their level by responding to the tone they have set and answering on what is usually a frankly irrelevant attempt at a point.

I wish I had read this a few minutes earlier, because I just got a snide remark, no, it was actually a pretty openly vindictive one, on reddit about who they couldn't understand what I was saying on the subject. I gave a reply trying to "clear it up" for them, but at the end of responding I realized it was just meaningless, unwatched my own post and left the group.

hushicho wrote:

It feels like, especially these days, most of these same sorts of people you've mentioned are the type to try and make something they like out to be the greatest thing in the world, whether it is or not. (Spoiler, it never is!) I wish more people could just admit when they like something that is fun for them, but it's just not the greatest thing in the world. I've seen it with literally every fad and craze, because the fascination eventually will end; I'm not allowed to say an untoward thing about something that's trending at the moment, but a year or two later, they're almost invariably all over it and moving on to the next thing for the moment.

I stopped watching the Critical Drinker when he tried to say the original Star Trek and TNG was always adult, serious, mature and never, ever silly like modern Trek, he said this while showing clips from Star Trek 5..

I really want to tell him about "And the Children shall lead", "Spock's Brain" and that one where the space hippies took over the ship from TOS alone, but I just know, just know he would block me and sick his fans on me and let's be honest it is not worth the effort to stoop so low.

I have a lot of stuff I love and know they have problems, I still love them and just happy they exist like Unnatural or Tiny Toons, kind of off topic but I just wanted to point that out.

hushicho wrote:
Just as a personal note, I also can't stand creators heaping on flaws as if it means something or helps characters to develop. It doesn't. It just makes them dysfunctional as people, once you hit a point. But now that there's a fixation on flaw as a term, probably as misapplied as most corporate-speak, I'm sure we'll unfortunately see more of it from the lowest-effort pretentious crowd.

I hate this, I left fanfiction circles because of this mentality and when I recently tried to rejoin I was was quickly thrown back out of it due to this mentality of "flaws make better characters."

[EDIT: I forgot to apology for the jumble mess I wrote because like I said that comment kind of threw me through a loop, so I am kind of off kilter here.]

Posted at 1:01AM, Jan. 1, 2022

The flaws game is an old one. Used to be take your Mary Sue give her a ton of angst and *poof* no longer a Mary Sue . Right? Right? Huh?

A lot of would be critics not only don't know how to read (or watch) they also have huge problems with narrative structure and suspension of disbelief. Their biggest flaws is often that they've never done anything themselves so can't wrap their head around the creative process.

Really wish there was a grizzled old veteran NCO who came out and smack them up the side of the head and said: If you haven't done it yourself, shut up and watch because you just might learn something.

But that's wisdom no pretentious "I know everything " ever seems to get unless they get their teeth punched in a few times doing real stuff.

Posted at 1:01AM, Jan. 1, 2022

Sounds like another case of ego over passion in the now bygone year of 2021. Its all about flexing those tastebuds rather then simply using them. "It's all in the flaws, baby". Well–no–actually.

People needlessly complicate these things, when it should be crystal clear. In order to have good character arcs and good worldbuilding, good storytelling period, you need (surprise, surprise) good writing. Shocking, I know.

But these people can't make themselves look like they stand out from the common heap with that, so they have to come up with pretentious bullshit to make themselves look like they're on to something really, really special that everyone just have to like or they are bums with no taste who's opinion is invalid.

"Get on my level, bro!" No, thanks. I'll be just fine going back and read Bodycount again, not because the comic is anything special, but because its all entertaining action with one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and I can't get enough of Simon Bisley's beefs and curves. That's just me.