Webcomics Update: Art Reflecting Life

Haven't really done a webcomics-related post in a long time, just because I'm trying to keep this blog on topic. Then I started wondering what the topic was again, and that had me confused. Now I'm ok, though, and realized that if I'm going to comment about culture in any effective way, webcomics are certainly on topic. Not all the time, of course, but some times.

One comic I read faithfully is Ctrl+Alt+Del. It's a comic you either love or hate, it seems, and I've enjoyed it, though I've wondered sometimes where the funny was. The latest plotline has main characters Ethan and Lilah awaiting the birth of their first child and planning their marriage, all at the same time. Ethan is a bit (understatement) immature, and is often distracted, so it's been funny. And without commenting on the order of operations (pregnancy then marriage), it's been an interesting read.

Today, a curve ball was thrown.

Spoilers here. Read the comic first.

The entire storyline has been focusing on two different issues. First, we see Lilah's maternal instincts. She is, after all, a pro gamer -- she actually enters tournaments and makes money playing Halo 3 and things like that. She's shifting into mother mode, and it's been an interesting direction for her character to go in. But second, we've seen Ethan being ... Ethan. Not the most responsible guy, not the most focused. He's goofy. And he's worried about what kind of father he's going to be. Just when you think he's starting to realize what it all means, it goes away.

Today's comic was a gut-shot. Never saw it coming, and I was stunned enough to put off mowing the lawn to write this about it. The fact that nobody is really saying anything makes the impact that much bigger -- it's a lot like the way Sluggy Freelance's Pete Abrams sometimes uses a splash of red in a black and white comic (for those who don't read Sluggy, think Frank Miller's Sin City instead).

Comics today reflect real life. We don't always like that -- from what Tim Buckley has written at his blog, he's expecting some upset email about this strip. People don't like the idea that their "gaming comic" talks about things other than gaming. But as Tim said, the comic is about gamers. They have lives outside of gaming, and those lives are important. And interesting. And bad things often happen.

PvP had something similar happen. In the midst of a wedding, a happy time, the strip lost a long-time character, and a fan favorite. And there is denial, and outcry. People don't like life invading their entertainment.

But even webcomics are art, and one of the purposes of art is to hold a mirror up to life. And life isn't always pretty, or happy, or good. And I, for one, look forward to seeing how these characters deal with the curve ball that their creators have thrown them.

Sometimes, the Creator throws curve balls to His creation, just to see if we know how to respond. Not because He doesn't know -- He does. But it's one thing for us to think we know how to react to temptation and trial, and another thing entirely to actually be faced with a problem and react to it the way we're supposed to. Abraham's an example of that. We face bad situations all the time -- our faith is shown in how we respond to that trial.

(And don't worry -- I'll probably have something on PvP's current teenage-premarital-sex plotline sometime soon. I'm waiting to see how Kurtz deals with it.)

Freebie Alert

TWO things to share here. First, one of my favorite Christian bands, downhere, is offering their last album for free. Go to their site, enter your name and email (they've had mine for a year or more and I've never gotten any spam from them. They're good people and you can trust them with your email address). Then get your free copy of Wide Eyed and Mystified.

Second, it's time for Christianaudio.com's monthly giveaway. This month, you get an audio copy of Pilgrim's Progress. Follow this link and enter the promo code JUN2008 when you check out.

Of course, if you follow me on Twitter, you already knew about this stuff. See, Twitter really is good for something -- when it's working, anyway.

June 6, 1944

Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!

You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have
striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The
hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.
In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on
other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war
machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of
Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well
equipped and battle hardened. He will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of
1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats,
in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their
strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home
Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions
of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men.
The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to
Victory!

I have full confidence in your courage and devotion to duty and skill in
battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!

Good luck! And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great
and noble undertaking.

From General Dwight D. Eisenhower to the soldiers and sailors leaving for the beaches of Normandy 64 years ago this morning. May we never forget the sacrifice these men made in the name of liberty.

D-Day casualties are estimated at 8,443 (according to this site).

King James Onlies at the SBC??

I'm not at the Convention this year (just like last year, and the year before, and ...), but now I really wish I was. I'm enjoying the live and semi-live coverage I'm getting from bloggers (and Ed Stetzer live-Twittering the event), and it really makes me wish I was there.

Especially when I read of a proposed resolution like this one (hat tip to Wes Kenney at SBC Today): "A motion to forbid the use of the Holman Christian Standard Bible on the platform of the convention, as it asserts that the Bible contains verses that should not be there."

I have questions about this resolution (and I'm not sure if the actual resolution is available anywhere online, since it wasn't proposed beforehand). Are they saying that the HCSB has extra verses, or are they saying that the HCSB is saying that some verses in the Bible shouldn't be there? If the latter, is this aproblem with the footnotes? My NKJV often says that "Older manuscripts do not include this verse" or something similar in the footnotes -- is the NKJV out as well??

I DO, however, like the resolution to charge online students the same as residence students at SBC seminaries.

Podcampin'

This Saturday, I'll be making the trek all the way to Hilliard, Ohio (just outside Columbus, about an hour and a half away) for the very first Podcamp Ohio. A full day of New Media geekery.

I'll probably be doing some Twittering about what's going on, so you should probably follow me if you want to know what's going on there.

I'm looking forward to it. I don't get to go to the New Media Expo (other side of the country, may as well be the other side of the world right now), so it will be great to interact with other podcasters. And who knows -- next year, I may do a session of my own.