A Trend?

[yakksoho]

It seems to me that for the last 2 years the strips have been more based on dialogue, jokes and one-liners when before there were more complex character situations. <br><br>Ozy and Millie just seem to talk now, often there's not even a setting or background for them. They don't just play anymore or do something silly together the way kids do. Does anyone else notice this trend?

[Tom Flapwell]

That "trend" seems to have gone on longer than two years. True complexity (as I see it) was never all that common in O&M, and we still have plenty of arcs that demand conflict resolution. But you may be right. With the present website layout and DCS's comments, I can tell that he's found greater comfort in simplicity. It's one reason he made children the stars in the first place. I don't know if his professed ADD or his dalliance with Zen and Buddhism are significant factors.

[Muninn]

You could see it as David's attempts to tell more with less.<br><br>Or you could say that most of the major character development has been done. But this is very open ended, you can add, change and expand traits considerably, so new development isn't an imposibility.

[yakksoho]

While children in general promote "simpler" plots or dialogues isn't it so that the irony of their professed "simplicity" is really more complex/insightful that that of the bumbling adults in the real world? It is probably accurate to say that most comics attempt on at least some level, albeit unconsciously at times, to parallel our own lives, to ridicule the ridiculous and glorify the little things. Even more seriously-themed comics (Prince Valiant) seem to attempt this. <br><br>So while I did not mean to imply that the comics are simpler in a bad way, I do agree with the comment of children aggregating a trend of simplicity (especially in dialogue). I meant more that the characters themselves seem to have changed and in the same current of change the content of the strip has reflected this as being more dialogue-centric, often focusing on one-liners or a compelling irony versus a more playful atmosphere as promoted by earlier strips (c.f., 1999-2002 esp.).<br><br>Obviously the characters evolve independent of their universe over time (as the artist evolves) but I'm curious if the change in tone and personality are strip-inclusive; that is to say, is it comparable to an "aging" principle. To use another comic as an example, Mike Doonesbury's daughter Alex has changed in character greatly in her life, as she ages in real time. Although most comics do not actually age, in O&M's case the characters have developed maturity over time. Does this reflect maturity of the artist or are the characters actually changing? It seems to me the former but it is so open to interpretation that I felt compelled to discuss it..

[Blue Blur]

Hoo boy, another aging topic. This is gonna be fun...

[yakksoho]

<!--emo&:wag:--><img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... ailwag.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tailwag.gif' /><!--endemo-->

[Muninn]

<!--QuoteBegin-yakksoho+Dec 18 2005, 02:54 PM--> <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'><b>Quote:</b> (yakksoho @ Dec 18 2005, 02:54 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> Does this reflect maturity of the artist or are the characters actually changing? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table> <!--QuoteEEnd--><br> Well it all depends on the artist since the characters are his to define, change and grow.

[norsenerd]

I woudl put my money on the proposition that Mr. Simpson is maturing. I also belvie that <i>he</i> ages in real time.

[DesertFoxCat]

<!--QuoteBegin-norsenerd+Dec 19 2005, 09:18 PM--> <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'><b>Quote:</b> (norsenerd @ Dec 19 2005, 09:18 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> <i>he</i> ages in real time. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table> <!--QuoteEEnd--><br> That poor lad <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... ns/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo-->