Is a comic a joke?

[Vapor_Eyes]

I love jokes and comics equally. I’ve noticed the “jokes” thread here has become increasingly dominated by comics. I think they are two distinct entities and should have separate threads. There’s a lot of great comics in the jokes thread that I can’t “like” on principle alone. A joke is something you can express using words alone without images. A comic relies on images to tell a story or “joke”. Am I the only pedantic asshole here?

 

[blackstone]

I'm just thinking Cartoons, comic strips and jokes traditionally appeared in the same section of some publications.
I think it was called the Funnies section sometimes.
But I get ya.

There’s a lot of great comics in the jokes thread that I can’t “like” on principle alone..................
..................Am I the only pedantic asshole here?

This point struck a chord with me and highlights a situation with the "like" button, it's so funny having to make up your mind about "like" sometimes and the reasons for it being denied.
Sometimes one wrong word/brand/vape can tip the balance!!

 

[ClearBlueLou]

To me a comic is either a titled periodical, as in comic book, or an entertainer whose main thing is making people laugh (as opposed to a comedian, who mostly just tells jokes).

Then there’re cartoons. Not the animated stuff I love so much, from Bug Bunny to Invader Zim to Beanie & Cecil to Ren & Stimpy, but editorial cartoons, political cartoons, the New Yorker and old Playboy cartoons: mostly single-panel, they are frequently jokes, or absurd nonsequiture, or wry observation or pointed jab, but always funny.

And just because that’s too much already, there are the “funny pages” which print comic strips that are typically multi-panel and are usually more elaborate jokes, more thoroughly wry, etc.

Sorry...I’m much more fun in person

 

[Ramahs]

I may be wrong, but I'm under the impression that the day we can completely objectively define what a joke "is" will be the end of jokes.

 

[little maggie]

I'm not sure what you mean by a comic. A short piece in the newspaper? Would Alan Moore's Watchmen be a comic? I don't find most of Moore's work very jokelike.

 

[arb]

Is a comic a joke?.....................see marvel.

 

[just_the_flu]

I love jokes and comics equally. I’ve noticed the “jokes” thread here has become increasingly dominated by comics.

...i would say if the comic's intent is for humour than it's considered a joke imo...


...taken from wikipedia so take it for what it's worth... "Comics is a medium used to express ideas by images, often combined with text or other visual information. " (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comics)

 

[Tranquility]

...i would say if the comic's intent is for humour than it's considered a joke imo...

So, it's like gender?

 

[macbill]

A joke is not the same as a cartoon panel. But they both can make you laugh. I like laughing a lot, whether by verbal (written) or visual (panel). We had a cartoon thread but it was closed due to overtly political cartoons that caused friction. I like both jokes and cartoon panels, but I will go with the flow.

 

[Alexis]

I think we could maybe say that the joke lies within the comic. It is merely a format to express, demonstrate. I used to make amazing humour drawing birthday cards for friends. I used the Beano albums and comic books. I would flick through, and my (back then) excellent imagination would be firing at 1000 Watts.

It took me almost seconds to pick an image which inspired a joke I could tailor personally to the individual, copy it identically, then neatly write my own captions in.

I was a genius at doing this, so imaginatively and with brillliant, usually quite derogatory humour.

Damn, I can't find them now. I photocopied my creations because the humour was amazing, so original. If I can think where they went I will show a few examples here or elsewhere.

 

[Whisper]

I just like to laugh, no mater the journey.

 

[arb]

So, it's like gender?

 

[Vapor_Eyes]

I'm not sure what you mean by a comic. A short piece in the newspaper? Would Alan Moore's Watchmen be a comic? I don't find most of Moore's work very jokelike.

Comics are creative works that combine images and words to convey an idea, a narrative, joke, etc. There are many different formats to comics, like the editorial cartoon, comic strip, comic book. Humor is not an integral part of the medium. Even words aren’t essential.

Contrast that to a joke which relies on words and words alone with humor being an essential ingredient.

I guess what I was really asking is “is a humorous comic strip” a joke. While it may make you laugh, I don’t consider it a joke per se. but I guess you could consider it a subgenre of jokes that rely on images.

I think @Ramahs had a great point. I was inspired by the “is a quesadilla a sandwich” thread and thought this would be a fun lighthearted examination of humor and jokes. But I found out that analyzing humor is actually kind of serious and not that fun or interesting. Not what I expected but it seems obvious in hindsight.

I think we could maybe say that the joke lies within the comic.

That was beautifully worded, I really like that perspective!

 

[arb]

Well shit..........is physical comedy aka Ricky on a slope a joke or a visual comic?

 

[Hippie]

No - comics tell jokes

The characters that some comics portray can be jokes in themselves but they're playing a roll like actors so the comic is not the joke in this case either.

If a comic messes up in real life tho, they can qualify as being a joke in my opinion

 

[just_the_flu]

So, it's like gender?

...funniest thing ive heard all year, i dont need to finish the rest

 

[ClearBlueLou]

I may be wrong, but I'm under the impression that the day we can completely objectively define what a joke "is" will be the end of jokes.

The map is not the territory. The map can’t affect the territory.

 

[Ramahs]

The map is not the territory. The map can’t affect the territory.

Bad analogy (imho). Your map is mapping something physical, that can be meticulously verified.
Whereas a joke is an abstract concept that constantly evolves.

I'd see a joke more in the realm of art, and in the same way that no one can just define what is or isn't art.

 

[ClearBlueLou]

I’m saying a true definition of ‘joke’ wouldn’t kill *jokes*. IMO

 

[Vapor_Eyes]

I'd see a joke more in the realm of art, and in the same way that no one can just define what is or isn't art.

I agree and disagree. I struggled with “liking” your original post because I agree analyzing humor kills it, but I do believe there is an objective definition for a joke.

I also agree art is much more ambiguous. And I agree a joke is artistic. So how do I disagree then? Well, a joke is an art “form”. It is within art itself, like a joke in a comic strip. And like different forms it has an objective definition, like a painting, song, sculpture, film, poem, play, etc.

It may not be possible to objectively define any given statement as a joke, because everyone may not be able to see the humor in an anti-joke, like some may not be able to see the beauty in a bunch of seemingly random shapes and colors in an abstract painting. But I believe it is possible to define a specific form of art objectively, for example: jokes, songs, paintings, etc.

 

[arb]

Be in a group of serious people.........deadpan serious gain the floor and say"poop".





3\4 of the room will find that shit funny,humorous,silly,amusing........is that a joke?

 

[Alexis]

is that a joke?

Good question, which has just clarified in my mind one important aspect of the definition of a joke- it is intentional! Sure dimwits (or should we say, "lucky" people) can find humour in antything, but that doesn't make it a joke.

And jokes can be pretty serious too, as statements for example. But again, to qualify, with intention and there has to be humour of course, even if only a slight touch of sarcasm.
So it can be immediately and compellingly obvious that you are joking.

I like the slightly more obscure, teasing humour myself, where you aim to play a brief trick on the mind (not your own lol), catch it out, make it temporarily think/assume one thing, and go through a rapid process of ping-pong realisations to "get" the joke.

The longer this takes, the more stops along the way, the less control the (victim haha) has over everything until everything clicks and it all comes back. The better and warmer the humour, the more completely positive can be the mental and emotional effect, a great therapy.

So to me that was always what humour was about- that magic where reality is escaped for a moment. Just a brilliant second away is like a holiday at times, such is the power of humour.

Now, I only have one more thing to say..... ()

 

[Ramahs]

I'm enjoying reading this little etymological discussion