I believe he’s used “shallow end of the gene pool” before, although I don’t remember where or when. It’s too Batiukian, there’s no way that’s new. Maybe during one of those Owen arcs with Wedgeman or something.
So let me get this straight. Pete decided to write a balls-out crazy “Mister Sponge” story to attract attention even though he knew it’d annoy and alienate some long-time readers. Then he became angry over the online whackadoodles who told him they were annoyed and alienated. I see. Perhaps his next step might be a series of puff-piece interviews where he could blithely dismiss his critics, followed by a hardbound set of “TAMS: The Other Clone” comics and maybe a book tour or two. Then art would REALLY be imitating life, eh?
What a strange and really boring story. Everything that Pete and his editors said would happen did happen…the end. I assume the guy who wrote it also realized this, so at the last minute he has Pete yell at his editors (who were nothing less than 100% supportive of the whole idea from day one) to create some “conflict” then has him feign surprise upon learning that the plan worked as predicted to give the story a “twist” at the end. And it fails miserably, as is to be expected when you’re filling that precious word balloon space with a bunch of unhinged anti-internet rants instead of, you know, stories and stuff. Nice try though.
Son of Stuck Funky 
So…the moral of the story is “good editors should keep their writers from writing moronic plots that will infuriate the fans”? For once, I agree 100% with Batiuk. Of course if this had been applied to FW, the past ten years would’ve been completely different. If only.
Also, aren’t comic books supposed to sale? Isn’t that literally the point? I have a horrible feeling next week is going to involve Comic Book John pontificating about Art.
Pete, Pete throwing you into the “shallow end of the gene pool” is a upgrade. You were born in Westfield the wading pool of the gene pool.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, pump the brakes, Nellie. Wasn’t it Pete’s idea all along? Now, it was his editors’ idea the entire time?
Good grief. Serious question. Has Tom Batiuk had a stroke recently? I am deadly serious. I cannot explain all this yes-it-is no-it-isn’t stuff otherwise.
Too bad that Pete’s Mothers’ “Mister Sponge” failed
Anyway in America we say someone was “thrown under a bus“, TB.
As much as it sounds like a Batiukism (especially when mixed with the “overboard” metaphor), the phrase “shallow end of the gene pool” dates back to at least 1994, when it was used by Scar in The Lion King. Needless to say, it sounded a lot better coming from Jeremy Irons.
I can’t think of an arc where Batiuk has showed such broad contempt for everybody who isn’t a Delicate Genius Writer. He hates the comic book publishers for (gasp!) wanting to make money off of their product, he hates comics fans for daring to criticize the fruits of DGW’s labors, and he hates the Internet just on basic principle. It just leaves a foul taste in one’s mouth.
Hey all, I’m wondering if the more comic-book savvy among you were aware of the online kerfuffle involving Chris Sims (aka @theisb) who wrote the monthly FunkyWatch column at comicsalliance. I was looking for the latest FunkyWatch installment and discovered he’d been given the boot…a shame.
BC: It’s a totally insane story. It’s almost like something a computer would randomly generate. “I have idea. You like idea? Yes, we like idea. Idea good but fans get mad. OK but money. Good, do. OK, everything good, plan money OK!”. It’s deranged.
TFH–re: Sims, i think it’s still at the level of “voluntary leave of absence.” He may be back but let’s not hold our breath for this month’s installment.
(I actually was reading both of those blogs back then, and i never understood the animosity he seemed to have sometimes–i just assumed it was like wrestling, a big show. But yeah, he and his online buddies would dump all over this gal’s work or blog or whatever, even though a lot of it was about she’d been harrassed while working at DC Comics (at a junior level). Lately Comics Alliance has been pretty “inclusive” and he’s been a vocal supporter of that, but it didn’t really jibe with his earlier online presence.)
Today’s strip still sucks, but it’s the best one this week. At least Pete’s changed his facial expression.
@bad wolf:
I actually spent about half an hour earlier reading a couple articles about the whole thing. It’s crazy. I know the internet makes it really easy to not view someone you’re talking to as an actual person, and it’s easy to get carried away with the attention that you can get when other people jump on the bandwagon with you in attacking someone, but an adult asking another “Going to cry now, girl?” is pretty messed up and just seems like tormenting to me.
So the whole thing is really all about how jealous Batiuk is about how other people’s plot twists make them rich and infamous after all. Also about how bad people are for not simply accepting mush like they’re supposed to. Ah, well. Time for next week’s example of angry ranting about a different sitting duck.
Hey, thanks for the “gene pool” clarifications, badwolf and TheDiva! I knew I’d heard it somewhere before, but I guess it’s not a true Batiukism after all. Pretty close though.
In any event, it’s been pretty sad watching one of the five dozen greatest living comic strip writers taking feeble swings at his online critics (aka 99% of total FW readership) again. While I can totally understand that, I don’t really get his unyielding hatred for the internet itself. It’d be like if FW snarkers said “hey man, the printing industry really sucks man, f*ck those guys for printing FW!”. I mean that would be insane, right?
Maybe he’s trying to pull a “Room 237” thing here with this arc. Perhaps he giving us an elaborate series of clues to subtly inform us that his editors forced him into writing “Lisa’s Story” against his will and continue to force him to enrage his fans by coercing him into cranking out this cockamamie drivel year after ponderous year. Now if we could just go back through all of Act III to see what other clues he might have….no, no. Sorry I even brought it up.
@Epicus Doomus: He’s got no problem with the Internet. What he’s got is the same problem Brooke McEldowney has: people commenting on his work where he can see it. The two of them think that we’re trying to take over authorship or some blasted thing.
This is off topic, but I just have to brag. Not only did I finally crack the comment of the week at the Comics Curmudgeon, but I got the top comment of the week. Huzzah!
Ah, Tommy B is pissed that there are no gatekeepers anymore. In the good ol days, newspapers could print whatever they wanted and Tommy could do whatever he wanted without much risk. Sure, one could write a letter to the editor, but 99% of the time it would be ignored. Likewise, most cities only had access to a few newspapers and so you couldn’t really get your news elsewhere.
That damn Internet, now everyone has a voice. I’m an artist, how dare anyone criticize me!
@TFHackett: Reading those links and some others linked to it gave me more information than I would like about the modern-day comic book writers’ and fans’ world. I’m astonished people can make even a modest living creating superhero comics, and how seriously they feel about the characters and story lines. I have 3 teenaged children who have never in their lives purchased and read a comic book of any type. (Although one does like to read web-comics and some manga books from the library). I can’t see the superhero comic genre surviving without attracting younger readers.
Anyway, I really like reading Funkywatch and hope that returns.
Whoah, is that a throwback Cindy Summers with her funnel cake hairdo up in the header?
Pete shouldn’t worry. His editors have set him up to get a Harvey Award. His fictional one will go nicely with the one Tb has…oh, wait, TB doesn’t have one.
@Rusty – when I saw the image in the header, I thought, “Hey, the long-awaited crossover with B.C. is about to begin!”
@Rusty: I believe it is. That must mean that we’re in for a retcon that makes her a far worse person than she was in Phase One.