My cartoons have been called “retro” and “old school” and that sort of bothers me in a way because I feel like they are being called outdated. But when I thought about it, I realized, the people saying that are younger and they sort of mean my work is not A.I. generated. Thank God. They are so used to seeing generated “fake” stuff that that’s their norm now.
One publication used to pick up my work, without permission and wrote about it calling it “old school.” I put a stop to that – the calling it “old school” and the stealing my work so they could use it for clickbait.
I like to think my “retro” look is original and timeless. And what comics are supposed to look like.
But ironically, it seems now that Gen Z likes retro things now. They are using flip phones and film cameras, VCRs, DVDs and vinyl records. They are fascinated by old technology.
When cleaning out my parents’ house not too long ago, I took a bunch of old cameras home with me – film cameras – movie cameras, all that old stuff. There were so many in the house, I guess they just accumulated over the years. I once had a boss who had shelves along the office walls with old film cameras on them, sort of as art. And I thought I would do that.
I didn’t do that yet, but I had a couple out on a table near my front door and a couple of times when I had workers here, they commented on them – they were fascinated by old kodak Instamatic point and shoot cameras, with the cube flash on top, remember those?
I have a neighbor who is way past Gen Z and she is installing a tv, the first time in years. She had not had tv because she said it distracted her, which I understand, and she also didn’t want to pay for cable, so her new tv is using an antenna now. Talk about retro.
The funny thing is that she called me to ask me where the antenna is on our condo roof. A friend told her that every condo has an attachment to connect to the antenna on the roof.
I had to explain to both of them that it is not 1980 anymore (although I wish it was) and that people use cable tv now or stream, or if they want to use an antenna, they have to attach it to their own tv and have it then attached to the window or something like that. I think.
I’m not sure how she made out. I’ll have to check and see if they got the thing working. Then tell her about a few of my favorite shows she should look into.
Until next time. . .
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