The Four Color Media Monitor

Since I sometimes pay attention to what writer Jim Zub goes about saying, I noticed he posted this:

Don't give some stand off-ish author you've never heard of oxygen to feed their troll fire. They're looking for viral fame by kicking hornet's nests that have been kicked a hundred times before.

Walk away and let them shake their fist at their own boring reflection.

— Jim Zub (@JimZub) January 16, 2021

They don't want or need to be convinced of anything.
Proof doesn't matter. Anecdotes don't matter.

They're baiting you and you're giving them the validation they need to justify their yawn-inducing opinion.

— Jim Zub (@JimZub) January 16, 2021

You want to dunk on major authors and influencers?

Not really my speed, but I can see the appeal in a "this celebrity is a complete ass-hat" kind of way.

Gnashing your teeth/rending your shirt over someone with a couple thousand followers who is hunting for clicks? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

— Jim Zub (@JimZub) January 17, 2021

I have no idea what this is about, or comes in response to. Obviously, I can only guess. What I do know is that, if it had anything to do with people like Richard Meyer, then any and all PC advocates in the industry who opposed him, openly or otherwise, shouldn't have done that if they really had such a problem with his commentary on venomous politics flooding the mainstream US industry. It's thanks in part to their antagonism that Meyer made as much crowdfunding dough as he did for his Jawbreakers GN, yet they refused to come to terms with this? Why are they never able to consider?

It's also possible he might be referring to Stephanie Cooke, who's also a Canadian resident as he is, and apart from her membership in the Whisper Network, is otherwise a nobody with only a handful of writings to show for herself, which should all be boycotted. Somebody like her, who whines about Boom Studios crowdfunding a Power Rangers comic when she has a criminal charge in Minnesota, is not somebody to be provided with anything Zub speaks of.

Zub also had more to say that's worth noting, responding to a post by writer Bryan Edward Hill:

So much entertainment analysis could be wiped away if they reported a simple truth-

"Quality is more important than genre and audiences respond to well written/well acted characters"

but instead they focus on the superficial - horror/sci-fi/fantasy/western is 'hot' or 'dead'. https://t.co/w1cjpIdvC8

— Jim Zub (@JimZub) January 19, 2021

Very true. Though considering how jarringly violent Game of Thrones is, I'd rather not use that as an example, since it's pretty close to the overused horror genre itself. Maybe too close. Here's some more:

The Queen's Gambit is compelling because it's well written/well directed/well acted.

Entertainment news asks if chess is the new hot thing.

Rinse and repeat.

— Jim Zub (@JimZub) January 19, 2021

Yes, I love sword & sorcery and superheroes, but with so much great content available I don't have any reason to stick with poorly done fantasy or capes comics/movies/TV/games. I'll keep hunting for something compelling, even if it's in a genre I don't normally gravitate to.

— Jim Zub (@JimZub) January 19, 2021

I wouldn't have watched Queen's Gambit or played Hades if friends/peers weren't singing their praises.

If you are enjoying something, let people know. It can have a HUGE ripple effect, especially on indie projects.

— Jim Zub (@JimZub) January 19, 2021

Sure, but my point is you can say that about any genre

Good stories make good, compelling entertainment. https://t.co/fs54eQoh0P

— Jim Zub (@JimZub) January 19, 2021

Yes, so long as you do it well, then it doesn't even matter if it's "unoriginal", so long as the end result is entertaining. And it should be. Nor should it matter whether a superhero tale has a character flawed to the brim, or adversaries with the most ultra-elaborate powers. What matters, again, is the merit in how well written any of this is. Because it's possible to write a story with flawed heroes and ultra-powerful villains that turns out to be extremely boring, and sloppily written because the writers have no clue how to combine all that together into excitement, let alone something that can make you think. Which certainly describes the chaotic situation today at the Big Two.

Labels: politics, sales