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#1

Arts and Leisure / Review: Francis the comic stri...

Last post by GeorgeT - Today at 08:40:56 AM

 






They say that no press is bad press. The idea is: 1. Someone says something bad about your product. 2. This brings awareness about your product to people who would, otherwise, not hear of it. 3. People, after hearing of your product, are more likely to consume it.



So, if no press is bad press, why should I review a comic that I can't recommend? The answer is simple. The positive things that I mention about the comics should be emulated. The negative things that I mention about the comics should be avoided. This way, I encourage the creation of better Catholic comics. With the end goal of creating better Catholics. Also, error should be addressed and I don't see anyone else addressing it. At least not in a meaningful way.



That being said, on with the review!



I can't remember which one I saw first. I remember seeing Jason Bach's Catholic comics posted on Facebook many years ago. It was the famous St. Valentine's Day comic he made. I think it was around the same time that I saw Francis the comic strip by Pat Marrin posted on the Catholic Illustrators Guild site. I remember Marrin said that he planned to draw upon Pope Francis' Angelus addresses in future comics.



It's hard for me to know what to think of these comics. On one hand, as a Catholic cartoonist, it's always nice to see other Catholics making comics. On the other hand, I'm not so sure these are the kinds of comics I want to see.



Jason Bach is very good at promoting himself. But, I also find the way that Bach presents his comics troubling. He makes statements like: "If you read a Catholic comic this year, I probably made it." He also makes titles like: "The Ultimate Catholic Comic Book" for a book containing his comics. Promotion like this leaves a bad taste in your mouth. I understand that it might be good marketing in the secular world to do this. However, when you present yourself as Catholic to a Catholic audience, claims such as this require at least a sliver of humility. So, an example of a better statement is: "I make Catholic comics! You've probably seen them!" And an example of a better title is: "The Catholic Comics Anthology." The options are limitless!



As far as craft goes, I appreciate Jason Bach's comics. They have a nice hand drawn quality. I see a good amount of Berkeley Brethed's style (Bloom County, Outland) employed. Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes) is an influence Bach mentioned in an interview. When color comes in, it adds a nice dimension to the line art. The coloring appears to be watercolor, or at least a facsimile of watercolor. Bach's background is not an art background. That is to say, he has no formal art training. I recall him saying that he never intended to be a cartoonist.





The writing is standard gag cartoon material, but with a Catholic dimension. The content is problematic at times. Using The Blessed Mother as a character in a comic and scripting new material for her is always problematic. I mean, she only spoke three times in the Gospels. Why is she speaking six times in your comic?




Things like this happen frequently these days. I think it's because Catholic comics don't have much to guide them. Catholic comics of yore, like Treasure Chest, had editorial oversight from priests and religious. That rarely exists, now. We're all sitting on our own.



The other problem, in our current era, is that, even if you do have editorial oversight by clergy, the orthodoxy of said clergy may be questionable. Many priests and religious are poorly formed. The advice they give is often bad advice. So, in this kind of environment, material that is not particularly blasphemous, but may be "offensive to pious ears," gets through. For those not familiar, the expression "offensive to pious ears" or "piarum aurium offensiva" refers to when "...verbal expression is such as [to] shock the Catholic sense and delicacy of faith." (Catholic Encyclopedia ). This is the same problem I see in the comic called"Tomics." But that's the subject for another article.



Besides using The Blessed Mother as a scripted character, Bach's comic on the canonization of John XXIII is an example of problematic content. The idea of John Paul II and John XXIII sitting in a bar in Heaven talking about governing Christ's Church in terms of rock music is concerning. It depicts a completely worldly conception of Heaven. It depicts these popes, having attained the beatific vision, speaking in completely secular terms. I understand poking fun at the idea of a rock star Pope, but did it have to take place in Heaven? This doesn't even address the moral crisis that many went through, trying to square Francis' canonizations with 2000 years Church history. It's a tasteless depiction of Heaven addressing a subject that needs delicate and precise treatment.



A third example of troubling content in Bach's comics is a strip about Francis and the media distorting his message. In this comic, Francis asks for no anchovies when ordering a pizza. Word of mouth and media distortion ends up creating a story that reports that Francis thinks anchovies are evil. The progression of the writing works well, the punchline connects perfectly. The message? Francis is just misunderstood. Which implies, in parable form, that any kind of sensational message that Francis espouses is just media distortion. I'm not sure when in Francis' papacy the creation of this comic occurred. History proves that the idea that Francis' sensational messages are just media distortion is false. 



Pat Marrin, maker of Francis, the comic strip, has a similar problem. To lump these guys together might seem unfair. The problems stand, though. I figure Bach just makes his mistakes through lack of knowledge. I get the idea that Pat Marrin knows what he's doing.




Once again, the cartooning is not bad. It reminds me a little of European cartooning. The line work is loose, but not sketchy. The colors are either painted watercolor or watercolor analog. The style of the writing and the lettering bring to mind Doonesbury by Gary Trudeau.



I was not excited about Francis the comic strip when it came out, but I was interested to see how it progressed. The initial goal of mostly profiling Francis' Angelus addresses was an ok goal. Editing out parts of the addresses with bad theology or UN propaganda, a cartoonist could make a solid comic. The problem is, this didn't happen. The comic ended up being pure Francis propaganda. Instead of focusing on the positive and orthodox messages of Francis and skipping the other messages, Marrin includes and defends the problematic messages of Francis. For example, when Archbishop Vigano exposed the Cardinal McCarrick cover up, Marrin included Vigano in the comic. Vigano is "Vinegar-o" in the comic. He is a villain for trying to protect young people from predators.



Marrin includes other characters in the comics. I guess the Francis material runs dry, at times. So, we get promotion of women's ordination from a Muslim woman. A concept that doesn't make much sense. Or leftist commentary on US politics by a "simple Franiscan." But, what's less simple than political commentary?



It's tempting to get the idea that Francis is impeccable in this comic. That is to say, instead just being infallible when speaking on faith and morals from the chair of Peter, everything the Pope says is infallible. I'm not sure how this did not apply to the previous 265 Popes with which the cartoonist did not agree. Maybe declaring papal impeccability when you happen to agree the Pope is just a convenient position.





If you're interested in reading Francis, the comic strip, The National Catholic Reporter publishes it here. What's that publication all about? The National Catholic Reporter has a long history of promoting the heresy of Modernism. The heresy in the magazine is so bad that the diocese took notice. The diocese asked The National Catholic Reporter to take the word "Catholic" out of its name. The National Catholic Reporter did not obey. It's not hard to see why Francis the comic strip finds a nice home in this publication



If you want to see the recent work of Jason Bach, you might not have much luck. You can't find much past 2022. Unless I'm just looking in the wrong places. I recall that he planned to pursue some theology degree. Maybe he's working on that and not making comics much, anymore. His website is still active, with a copyright for 2018.



So, how would one fix these comics? Humility. Present your comics with humility. Be humble enough to know that the angels and saints are not your playthings. There are some things that must never become the object of humor.



Also, be humble enough to realize not everything Francis says or does is worth emulating. Be humble enough to submit your will to the teachings and examples of Christ and His Church. Be humble enough to read the writings of Pope Saint Pius X, and so many other Popes, against Modernism. Be humble enough to apply these teachings to your life. And, after that, figure out how to make a good Catholic comic.



These cartoonists have visual talent.





They just need to write like Catholics.



-George Tautkus

The Tautkus Studio






https://catcomicsreview.blogspot.com/

#2

General Catholic Discussion / Re: A Vatican in Chaos

Last post by Santantonio - Today at 08:29:59 AM

Dissapointed that two eligible "conservative" cardinal-electors won't be going for health reasons.

I still have some doubt that Parolin, if he is the first to be voted on, can hit the 89 before they move on from him.

#3

General Catholic Discussion / Re: Why didn't Bergoglio visit...

Last post by Santantonio - Today at 08:24:12 AM

I have no difficulty with the mainstream reasons accorded.

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/why-pope-francis-never-visited-homeland-argentina-during-his-12-year-papacy-8233097
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=pope+francis+was+supposed+to+visit+argentina&t=chromentp&ia=web

#4

General Catholic Discussion / Re: Pope Francis has passed on...

Last post by Santantonio - Today at 08:17:43 AM

Bergoglio fell into a coma that he lingered in for some hours while his heart failed after the stroke which caused the coma. It seems likely he may have passed before the official time.

#5

General Catholic Discussion / Call for Masses for Papal Elec...

Last post by Miriam_M - Today at 08:03:35 AM

Posted by Peter K this morning on Rorate:

IMPORTANT: Worldwide Spiritual Bouquet for the Election of a Holy Pope

With the death of Pope Francis and upcoming conclave to elect the next Supreme Pontiff, the organizers of Missae pro Missa ("Masses for the Mass") hereby announce our third -- and perhaps most important -- campaign: a worldwide spiritual bouquet imploring God for a holy pope as the next Successor of St. Peter.

As with the earlier two campaigns, launched in 2023 and 2024 for the preservation of the Traditional Latin Mass, there are four ways to participate:

1. Request Masses to be said "for a holy pope" (e.g., through a parish, religious order, or another group). Or if you're a priest, celebrate Masses for this intention.

2. Offer your own hearings of Mass for this intention.

3. Pray rosaries (or undertake other prayers/sacrifices) for this intention.

4. Share this initiative with others.

Please submit your spiritual offerings via the website form. The worldwide totals will be updated daily and displayed on our home page. Our goal is to have one million Masses (requested or heard) and one million rosaries offered for a holy pope by the start of the conclave.
 
The intention "for a holy pope" includes implicitly, of course, that the man elected to the Chair of St. Peter will -- as Bishop Athanasius Schneider writes in his Prayer Imploring for Holy Popes -- "neither fear the powerful of this world nor compromise with the spirit of the age, but preserve, strengthen, and defend the Catholic Faith to the shedding of [his] blood, as well as observe, protect, and faithfully hand on the venerable liturgy of the Roman Church."
 
Specifically, we pray that the new pope may be given the grace to rectify the egregious confusion unfortunately sown under the previous pontificate, especially in the areas of Catholic doctrine, morality, and liturgy:

• By revoking the Abu Dhabi Declaration and clearly reasserting Jesus Christ and His Catholic Church as the only true religion and path to eternal salvation.

• By revoking Amoris Laetitia and Fiducia Supplicans and clearly reaffirming the Church's unchanging teaching on marriage, the family, and sexual morality.

• By revoking Traditionis Custodes and ensuring full freedom for the Traditional Latin Mass to remain a flourishing and normal part of the Church's life.
 
Will it really make a difference? Participants in our earlier campaigns -- encompassing faithful from over 60 countries -- will recall that these spiritual bouquets were launched amid similarly difficult and uncertain times, with rumors swirling of another Vatican crackdown on the "Mass of the Ages." In both cases, no such restrictions emerged.
 
Only God knows the exact effect of so many thousands of Masses and rosaries offered for a singular intention. What we do know, however, is that prayer is the most powerful force on Earth, and the Catholic Mass is the supreme Prayer. Especially at this most critical moment, we renew our faith that the re-presentation of the Sacrifice of Christ offered on behalf of His Mystical Body -- the Catholic Church -- is infinitely more powerful than all the gates of hell seeking to prevail against it.
 
To participate in the spiritual bouquet for a holy pope, please visit: https://www.missaepromissa.com/for-a-holy-pope 

https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/

#6

The Coffee Pot / Re: interesting purchase you m...

Last post by Bernadette - Today at 06:55:00 AM

This wooden jointed doll for my collection. I'll save her for my birthday.

Doll arrived yesterday. I opened it to inspect the condition, and her head came off when I picked her up! I had to bend a wire coat hanger with a pair of pliers, into a long hook, slip it down inside the doll's body, and feel around in there for the loops of elastic. Her clothes are sewn on, so I had to do it by feel. I re-attached the elastic to each leg (which provides the tension), then pulled the loops up through the body, secured them to the hook on the head, and bent the hook closed with the pliers. I'm pretty proud of myself! My first attempt at re-stringing, and she's as good as new now. @Heinrich, I had to communicate with the seller in German, as he doesn't speak English. Thank goodness for Google Translate, otherwise I would have been asking you for help!

#7

General Catholic Discussion / Re: Pope Francis has passed on...

Last post by drummerboy - Today at 05:28:55 AM

They to get a move on. PF's fingers weren't looking to good. Next will be the nose.

It's funny I noticed his hands looking a little weird too, they were stiff and open. The thought that occurred to me was his hands were rejecting the rosary.

It's burning his hands!

#8

The Bookstore / Re: Normandt' Catholic Meditat...

Last post by Normandt - Today at 04:46:39 AM

86. The confusion


There is confusion around Jesus. Instead of looking in each of their hearts, the people openly question themselves and become confused. Some say Jesus is the Messiah, others say no. Another group would like to stop him. They question the guards who come back:
"'Why did you not bring him?' The guards answered: 'Never before has anyone spoken like this one.'" John, chapter 7, verses 45 to 46

The guards come back to some priests and pharisees and say to them, "Never before has anyone spoken like this one!" Let's imagine the Romans, in the drawings of Asterix and Obelix, return to the emperor and say to him: "Ave, Caesar! These Gaul's are too strong!"
Here, the Love of Jesus is too powerful.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: Let's Love God, Normand Thomas

#9

General Catholic Discussion / Re: Pope Francis has passed on...

Last post by Mazzuchelli - Today at 04:08:52 AM

They to get a move on. PF's fingers weren't looking to good. Next will be the nose.

It's funny I noticed his hands looking a little weird too, they were stiff and open. The thought that occurred to me was his hands were rejecting the rosary.

#10

General Catholic Discussion / Re: Why didn't Bergoglio visit...

Last post by diaduit - Today at 03:29:38 AM

This is coming from Archbishop Vigano!!