How to Appreciate the Funnies

A highly developed sense of humor sets us apart from most other animals. We're a storytelling species, and graphic representations preceded written language by thousands of years. So it was only a matter of time until someone invented the newspaper comic strip, a daily or weekly appearance of familiar characters in amusing situations. Yes, they're often called "the funnies," but are the comics still funny to modern readers? This depends entirely on who you are and what you expect.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Look for the intentional humor in a comic strip. If you get the artist/author's joke, and if it makes you smile or laugh, then mission accomplished. Now what about the next comic strip? After all, the newspaper editors have collected one or more pages of these things for your amusement.

2. Get familiar with the funny pages of your choice. Subscribe to a newspaper, buy one regularly or view it online. Read the same set of comics daily or weekly. By learning who the characters are and understanding their stories, you'll establish a frame of reference for why certain situations and punch lines are supposed to be funny.

3. Determine the audience that's supposed to laugh at any given comic strip. Is the humor aimed at children, teens, parents or senior citizens? Do the jokes reference college life? Workplace situations? Popular TV shows? If you're not in the target audience, consider this an opportunity to learn what the artist/author expects from that audience.

4. Think about who the artist/author is. Even without research, you'll get a sense of his values and worldview from his work. Where and when does her comic strip take place? What qualities do his characters share? What does she think is funny, sacred or common knowledge?

5. Look for the unintentional humor. You'll see it when the artist/author is coming from a different world than the one you inhabit. And if you're feeling inspired or happen to be wearing your literary critic's hat, why not look at the whole funnies page as a single statement? All kinds of coincidences and cultural themes will become apparent. Reading the paper over breakfast can be a revelation.

6. Most people are happy to read the funnies, set them aside and get on with their day. But dedicated fans and students of the form have been known to collect their favorite strips, or even panels from their favorite strips. These might end up on bulletin boards or refrigerators. You could also scrapbook your favorite moments in the funnies, or work them into art projects.

Tips & Warnings

• Sharing what you see in the funnies might bring mixed results. Everyone's sense of humor is a little different. Be sure that you describe, display or forward your favorite comic strips only to people who will appreciate them.

Resources

• Time line of comic strips
• Semiotic analysis of five popular strips