Comics in Category : Controversy

Rage Against The Machine

Rage Against The Machine

Strip Info

Title
Rage Against The Machine
Date
January 22, 2023
Tags
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Transcript

Panel 1 : Int. Kevin’s Apartment – Day
Caption: 20 years ago…

Past Kevin sits at his drafting table, drawing comics. Behind him, a time portal opens and a desperate Future Kevin leans out.

Future Kevin
Hey! I’m YOU from the future! Don’t post our artwork online!
Panel 2 : Int. Kevin’s Apartment – Continuous

Future Kevin continues

Future Kevin
In the future, companies will train A.I. to mimic our style without our consent!
Panel 3 : Int. Kevin’s Apartment – Continuous

Future Kevin continues.

Future Kevin
Then, any talentless hack can make comics just like ours!

Past Kevin looks down skeptically at his work.

Panel 4 : Int. Kevin’s Apartment – Continuous

Past Kevin raises his eyebrows.

Past Kevin
…Like ours, but funny?
Future Kevin
IT’S INFURIATING!

The Problem with A.I. Art

The Problem with A.I. Art

Strip Info

Title
The Problem with A.I. Art
Date
December 11, 2022
Tags
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Transcript

Panel 1 : Int. Startup Office – Day

Kevin stands at the desk of an engineer in the office of an A.I. startup. Hands on hips and frowning, he wears a shirt that says “Reject AI Art.”

Engineer
O.K. sir, I searched our A.I. training database for your artwork and found no results.
Kevin (indignant)
Good!
Panel 2 : Startup Office – Continuous

The engineer bends over, adjusting his glasses to better read the screen.

Engineer
Oh wait- there’s a note. It says: “This artist’s work was found to be of insufficient quality for training…”
Panel 3 : Int. Startup Office – Continuous

The engineer continues reading as Kevin’s face falls.

Engineer
“…Including this artist’s work, even as an example of a negative output, would degrade the quality of the algorithm…”
Panel 4 : Startup Office – Continuous

The engineer continues reading as Kevin puts up a hand in protest.

Engineer
“Hashtag crappy, hashtag hack-“
Kevin (interrupting)
O.K. Y-you can stop reading now.

Keyboard Generals

Keyboard Generals

Transcript

Panel 1 : Int. The Situation Room – Day

A stressed US President hunches over a large conference table in The Situation Room. Seated around the table are military generals, advisers, and policy leaders. On the table are laptops and papers with sensitive military information. The President motions to a round, bald-headed man wearing wraparound sunglasses and a Bored Ape Yacht Club t-shirt standing beside him. The guy throws up the devil horns sign.

“Gentlemen, this is a very precarious international situation, Which is why I brought in @callofdoody69 for his expert opinion.”

The Tale of Climate Policy – Part 2

The Tale of Climate Policy – Part 2

Strip Info

Title
The Tale of Climate Policy – Part 2
Date
September 5, 2021
Tags
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Transcript

Panel 1 : Ext. Castle – Day

A storybook king stands atop his castle, addressing his subjects below. Behind him, flames and a great plume of smoke waft skywards.

King
Good news! I have a plan to end the wildfiles ravaging our kingdom…
Panel 2 : Ext. Castle – Continuous

The crowd below cheers.

Crowd
Huzzah!
Panel 3 : Ext. Castle – Continuous

The king continues

King
…over the next thirty years!
Panel 4 : Int. Bedroom – Night

A modern-day child lays in their bed, looking confused.

Little Boy
Wait- Why thirty years? The forest is on fire now!

Sitting at the foot of the bed, the mother scowls at the bedtime story she’s reading.

Mom
Because the king and all his rich friends will be dead by then.

The Kingdom That Almost Won

The Kingdom That Almost Won

Strip Info

Title
The Kingdom That Almost Won
Date
August 1, 2021
Tags
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Notes

This comic went crazy viral (go figure). Here’s my Twitter thread examining the spread.

Transcript

Panel 1 : Ext. Kingdumb – Day

A medieval knight points at a giant dragon lying on its back in a destroyed village. The knight beckons to nearby villagers.

Knight
Look! The dragon is almost slain! Let us arm ourselves and end its reign of terror!
Panel 2 : Ext. Kingdumb – Continuous

The nearby villagers look at their armor with skepticism.

Villager 1
Wait- What’s this armor made of?
Villager 2
The court jester says it makes you magnetic…

A third villager wears a helmet with visor hanging under his chin.

Villager 3
I can’t breathe in this helmet!
Panel 3 : Ext. Kingdumb – Continuous

The knight looks on in despair as the villagers continue.

Villager 1
Don’t push your pro-armor agenda on us!
Villager 2
The dragon hasn’t eaten anyone -I- know.
Villager 3
We should let the dragon eat us until it gets full.

Meanwhile, the dragon looms over the knight.

Panel 4 : Int. Bedroom – Night

In a modern-day child’s bedroom, a little boy in bed furrows his brow.

Little Boy
I don’t like this story. The people are dumb.

Sitting at the foot of his bed, his mother hunches over a storybook, head in hands.

Mom
-Sigh- I know.

A Second Opinion

A Second Opinion

Strip Info

Title
A Second Opinion
Date
May 2, 2021
Tags
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Transcript

Panel 1 : Int. Hospital Room – Day

A man sits up in a hospital bed, hooked up to an IV drip. He wears wraparound sunglasses. His doctor stands bedside, looking at his clipboard. Next to the doctor stands a short, muscular, bald man wearing the same wraparound sunglasses as the man in the bed.

Doctor
All my tests say you have cancer. But I called in your favorite podcast host for a second opinion.

Tote Bags

Tote Bags

Strip Info

Title
Tote Bags
Date
August 14, 2020
Tags
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Transcript

Panel 1 : Int. Home – Day

Kevin holds a reusable tote bag filled with groceries. A logo printed on the bag reads “NPR.” A green ring-necked parrot sits on a perch behind him.

Bird
Wait, Kevin- haven’t you heard? Tote bags are bad for the environment.
Panel 2 : Int. Home – Continuous

The parrot is now on Kevin’s shoulder. Kevin looks incredulous.

Kevin
What? How?
Bird
Reusable cotton totes take more energy to create than plastic bags.
Panel 3 : Int. Home – Continuous

Kevin looks down at his tote bag as the parrot continues.

Bird
Each new tote has to be reused 20,000 times to break even.
Panel 4 : Int. Home – Continuous

Kevin raises his eyebrows.

Kevin
But… how will people know I support NPR?
Panel 5 : Int. Home – Continuous

The parrot leans in.

Bird
Kevin, you’re a white, middle-aged liberal… we know.

Kevin deadpans to camera.

Opening Up

Opening Up

Strip Info

Title
Opening Up
Date
July 16, 2020
Tags
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Notes

This is probably my most political comic to date. It blew up on Reddit. I think it even made it to the front page. People used the comments as a place to debate COVID-19 lockdown re-opening. The debate got so heated that the moderators of r/funny actually took it down.

Transcript

Panel 1 : Ext. Castle Courtyard – Day

A King addresses a crowd of his subjects from the top of a high wall.

King
My loyal subjects.. I’ve decided to reopen the castle!
Panel 2 : Int. Castle Courtyard – Continuous

From the crowd below, a lowly subject speaks up. Behind him is the main gate of the castle. On the other side of that, a green fog can be seen lingering right over the wall.

Subject
But Your Majesty! The Murder Fog is right outside the gates! We’ll be killed!
Panel 3 : Int. Castle Courtyard – Time

The king motions to a group of three younger people to his left. They look insufferable. Like mideval hipsters.

King
I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I have no choice… Beck and her friends MUST BRUNCH!
Kevin and his bird peering out from behind an email app's icon

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