Bully! Number 2
Wherever Are They Now, you wonder? Megan went to beauty school. Athena makes comics on the internet. Everybody wins.
Since we’re on the topic of adolescence and meanness, it seems like a good time to bring up “American Teen.” It’s a new documentary by Nanette Burstein that captures senior year for a group of kids in Warsaw, Indiana. You may have done a double take if you saw the posters (I did). They’re clever, with the cast looking all Breakfast Club-y. (The same goes for this recent JC Penny commercial. WTF, does all art/rebellion ultimately end up in clothing commercials?)
The documentary style of “American Teen” is most definitely not reflexive (i.e., you don’t see the camera crew, or how being the subject of a documentary effected these kids throughout the year), so if you are a documentary stickler you may find the format annoying. For instance, each kid is featured in a fantastical animated sequence, and the narrative in many ways follows that of a traditional fiction film. However, these are of course still real kids, and there is no denying the “realness” in many of the moments that Burstein captures. For instance, an unbearably awkward break-up between a band geek and his cheating girlfriend, throughout which she texts on her phone and he rubs his greasy head on the table. It helps too that the subjects are young and vulnerable and therefore a lot more willing to open up to Burstein’s camera than, say, some Republicans hanging out with Michael Moore.
My nighttime retainer is hurting my mouth. More bully/nerd stuff Friday!
August 13th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
I love your expression in the bottom left panel.
August 14th, 2008 at 12:35 am
I can totally relate to your plight. I too was the outcast in my elementary school and high school years. Stuff like that can leave a nasty scar. Like you said, you get to post comics on the internet…Megan probably ended up in some Great Clips somewhere..guess who wins out.:)
I can’t stand that Penny’s commercial. Obviously the idiot who thought that one up couldn’t even begin to understand what that movie was supposed to be about. I hate it when corporations bastardize quality movies and music…ah, well…I must be getting old..
August 14th, 2008 at 1:01 am
Oh baby, wait til next month when we compare notes: the ONLY reason I survived childhood was that whenever I had to deal with someone’s bullshit, I immortalized the moment in a comic so it would come back to haunt their sorry asses one day. We win.
August 14th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
I’m really glad you commented on that face, Chris, because I totally laughed out loud about it when I drew it, which is pretty lame.
Jon: that Penny’s commercial is SO FUCKING ANNOYING. I’m glad you agree.
Hannah, YES. My happiness about living with you continues to increase. We will exchange bitter comics to our hearts’ content.
August 17th, 2008 at 11:28 pm
RE: JC Penny commercial::
“haha liek oh em gee high school is the shiznit and and we’re all so rebellious and sharply dressed! (except for that fuck-o who was brown-bagging it– what a tool!!!!lololol!)”
Oh, commercials.
August 25th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
My favorite part of the JC Penny commercial is how their version of the “freak” girl (Ally Sheedy in the original) is this preppy girl in a pink dress, who gets a “makeover” from this other girl (even though she already looks super girly) to make the jock guy like her.