Life's Funny

If there is a single, undeniable fact about life, this would be it. Life is naturally funny. How often we seem to overlook this fact. How often we forget to laugh a little, even when it may hurt or feel wrong somehow. I once had a very good friend tell me,

"Don't take life too seriously, after all, you're not getting out of it alive."

Morbid isn't it? But at the same time oddly funny. That's the point.

Comedy is often referred to as the lowest form of art. However, in my view, the point of art is to either evoke an emotion or provoke a thought. Good comedy does both. The comic is even sometimes better at explaining life to us than the deepest novels, plays, essays or poems.

Like I said, life's funny.

Plus, the comic does something else! He evokes an emotion that makes us feel good! Laughter, after all, is a part of the human experience that should be taken very seriously.

Now, because I couldn't resist the bad pun, I'd like to illustrate what I mean about the comic artist, through the use of... comics!



Bill Watterson is one of my favorite comic artists. He has the ability to make his comics work on many levels to appeal to whatever a person may look for in it. There's always the punchline at the end but usually there are deep thoughts and conclusions to be drawn from his comic if one takes the time to dwell on it.



As a man in the public eye - or rather - a man putting "stuff" in front of said public eye, he could use his position and his humor to address issues that he felt were important to himself and the world.



He could show off the deepest thoughts of his being. Pay close attention to Calvin's description of his sculpture.



Or the comic artist can simply show off his skill at poetry. Read the comic, then read it again and notice how perfectly the poem flows with the different panels creating pauses in the poem.



And all the time the comic artist is showing something basic and primal about human nature in a humorous manner.

Now in stark contrast, another favorite artist of mine is Tatsuya Ishida. Although he was inspired by Watterson's work in Calvin and Hobbes His style of comedy is quite different, relying on the basis of human nature that is offensive or now considered unacceptable for much of his humor. Still, he manages to express himself and human nature quite well - in some ways better than Watterson himself since he isn't bound by a syndicate to publish his work, he can say whatever he feels like.

Whether it be about self pity or passing wishes of nonexistance



Or about the stark contrast between ideals and actions.



What amazes me most about the comic artist is the ability to relate to each of us in a way that can make us laugh. Sometimes it may amaze us in it's simple profoundness



Or in it's ability to show us ourselves.



For those of you who keep up with my blog. This comic was written approximately 2 months after my Inner Peace posting... and it still amazes me how exactly that last comic hits the mark.

Thanks for reading and remember: Don't take life too seriously or you'll never have time to stop and laugh