The Absorbascon: Blogging in The Holiday Spirit

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Blogging in The Holiday Spirit

Well, you clearly have a snarky algorithm that's all your own. That must explain your great popularity. What justifies your presumption in judging me (or motivates your apparent need to do so), however, I cannot fathom.

Scipio

P.S. As for the delay, that's due to the fact that I don't read your blog any more, it seems, than you read mine. That's probably for the best.

-----Original Message-----
From: Greg Morrow [mailto:dr.elmo@whiterose.org]
Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 10:13 AM
To: scipio.garling@verizon.net
Subject: Re: your own snarky algorithm

4.5. Generally low-wattage flame. Points off for the grammatical mistake

in the second sentence. Small upmark for the superior tone in the

assumption that I've never read your site, but that's called back by the

delay in your own response.

Thanks for reading!

Greg

Scipio wondered aloud:

>Lame Listmaking

> by Greg

>

>Via James Nicoll, the

>Top Ten

>Lamest Superheroes of All Time.

>

>There is nothing insightful in the list, which is generated by essentially

>the same snarky algorithm that determines the content on Ironic Age sites

>like the Absorbascon and Chris's Invincible Super-Blog. I'm not saying

>that Vibe's not worth ridiculing; I'm saying that there's nothing

>surprising or insightful in doing so.

>

>My list would include characters like Skateman, Badrock, and Night

>Thrasher, or maybe Rage, and my list isn't surprising or insightful, either.

>Posted by dr.elmo@whiterose.org Greg at November 16, 2006 2:35 PM

>| TrackBack

> If you had ever actually read my site, you would know that I champion Vibe

>specifically. It seems you mistaken that I operate by the same "snarky

>algorithm", and I resent your statement that I do.

>Perhaps your own "snarky algorithm" needs improvement...

> Scipio.

17 comments:

Marc Burkhardt said...: For what its worth, I defended your blog and Chris Sims' against that snark thing about a month or so ago.

It's like that old Simpsons gag, where people are so "ironic" these days that nobody knows if they're sarcastic or not.; 12/19/2006 11:47 AM
Dorian said...: Chris Sims is not being snarky. He's wholly sincere in his love of crappy comics.

And I've never gotten an impression of insincerity in Scipio's likes and dislikes either.

But then, I'm often accused of being serious when I'm joking, and of joking when I'm being serious, so I can relate a bit.; 12/19/2006 12:25 PM
Anonymous said...: My comic book blog bookmark folder is a fairly limited collection of links and there is a reason the Asorbascon is inevitably the first one I visit during my daily procrastinations and that is because I find it refreshingly free of irony and so-called snark.

Our host, Mr. Garling, strikes me not only as utterly sincere in the causes he chooses to champion, lampoon or openly deride, but it is also to his credit that he is able to do so with a wit that is entirely his own and which makes his blog unique amongst a multitude.

The Absorbascon stands out because its general tone indicates that its author actually enjoys and--dare it be said?--loves the comic book medium, which is rare in a forum where much more time is spent in lamentation than celebration. At other blogs I often find myself wondering why that person chooses to write about comics, when it is apparent that they seem to hate them with the same passion and fury I personally reserve for genocide and Martin Lawrence movies.

And, as the recent Outsiders week proved, even on those rare occasions when the Absrobascon does go negative, it does so in a literate and thoroughly entertaining way.

But that's just me. I actually enjoy reading the bulk of the comics I pick up each week, so I'm clearly an uninformed idiot who has no true appreciation of the medium or the people who labor to document it.; 12/19/2006 1:59 PM
Scipio said...: "the same passion and fury I personally reserve for genocide and Martin Lawrence movies."

BWAHAHAHA!

Thanks, Allan.; 12/19/2006 2:50 PM
Rob S. said...: Hey, Nothing But Trouble is a stone riot.

Can't stand up for the rest of the ouvre, though...; 12/19/2006 3:36 PM
Ragnell said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 12/19/2006 3:51 PM
Ragnell said...: I hate to call up the memory, but this sounds like the same complaint as from that guy from last year about Hal Jordan posts. Remember the one who couldn't tell you liked the character because you kept posting the pictures of them being hit on the head?
Are these guys really so bitter
they can't make fun of things and still profess affection for them without assuming its sarcasm? I feel bad for them.

At least it puts me in perspective on the bitterness scale. I'm not nearly so bad as I thought.; 12/19/2006 3:54 PM
Rob S. said...: That's the one, Jeff. I crack up just thinking about Tim Robbins trying to stamp out his foot on fire.; 12/19/2006 4:03 PM
Anonymous said...: DRAMA!

Not Golden Age Starman-level drama though.; 12/19/2006 4:48 PM
Bully said...: This sounds like (but isn't) the guy who thought I hated Daredevil because I poked fun at the inconsistent portrayal of his radar sense.

Puh-leeze! Daredevil has horns. I have horns. We're this close. I love that scrappy fighter like a brother.; 12/19/2006 5:25 PM
T said...: This is where the "Ironic Age" comment was made:
http://www.whiterose.org/howlingcurmudgeons/archives/010054.html

And even though he posts a link for it in the entry, I'll just post the link to the list he's referring to anyway:

http://www.popcultureaddict.com/comicbooks/lamestsuperheroes.htm; 12/19/2006 7:53 PM
Scipio said...: "Are these guys really so bitter
they can't make fun of things and still profess affection for them without assuming its sarcasm? "

Bitter? No. I think the word you need there, Ragnell, is "simple".; 12/19/2006 8:24 PM
Anonymous said...: I wonder, do you ever worry about pissing off potential or current Big Monkey customers? Or do you just hope enough Big Monkey customers like Devon?

You have every right to express your opinions in whatever public forum you choose, of course. I'm simply curious.; 12/19/2006 11:09 PM
Scipio said...: Actually, I'd just be shocked any customers actually read this blog... .; 12/20/2006 2:39 AM
SallyP said...: Oh Scipio, you can be as snarky as you like. It IS possible to love a character and still mock them. I love Hal Jordan, but he has to be one of the world's biggest idiots.; 12/20/2006 10:43 AM
Scipio said...: Per story...?; 12/20/2006 7:08 PM
Devon Sanders said...: I have a fan!; 12/21/2006 7:01 PM