When I was in fourth grade my class made blank books, and Ms. Antila's obvious follow-up assignment was to write a story. My friend Don Dike and I decided to collaborate, and worked up an elaborate adventure tale starring our own creations. Writing the books was fun, but reading was more difficult. It turned out that I'd written my character's actions in my book, and Don had written his character into his book, and without the two volumes side-by-side we couldn't make head or tail of the plot.
I'm reminded of this now as I try to follow Twitter "conversations" between people I follow, and those I don't. For example, I follow the creator of the Scott Pilgrim comics, Brian Lee O'Malley. He said he saw The Watchmen, and didn't like it. Well, here's what I saw of his comments:
- i want a moratorium on guys in movies talking like batman or rorschach
- Watchmen: fucking sucks. Will fight you about it. Our fight: less violent than those in the movie, even when I break your ankle w/ my fist
- Everything up to the end of the opening credits: pretty good. After that it was a steep downward curve. Irredeemable by the halfway point.
- @heartfeltrobot a fifth of crack, yes
- @capnallegra now let's have you explain that comment in 140 characters or less
- @capnallegra i think it puts pressure on YOU, my friend. I didn't see Alan Moore's name anywhere on that film
- @capnallegra not if it sucks as bad as Watchmen! ;D
- @capnallegra I'm also not a fan of the original book. Also, did i ever say my book was any better? because it's not any better.
So, if I'm following someone, I'm not in the conversation, right? But, is Twitter the best place to have this conversation? I mean, sure, it's hot right now, but seems like this is an old-fashioned flame war constrained to 140 character briquettes.
Let's put a portion of this into context. radiomaru is O'Malley:
- radiomaru: Watchmen: fucking sucks. Will fight you about it. Our fight: less violent than those in the movie, even when I break your ankle w/ my fist
- capnallegra: If @radiomaru thinks the Watchmen movie was "irredeemable," that's BIG TALK for the film adaptation of his graphic novels, boy howdy.
- radiomaru: @capnallegra now let's have you explain that comment in 140 characters or less
- capnallegra: @radiomaru Almost all fans of Watchmen were happy with the film. You can have your opinion, but it puts pressure on the SP film to be better
- radiomaru: @capnallegra i think it puts pressure on YOU, my friend. I didn't see Alan Moore's name anywhere on that film
- capnallegra: @radiomaru but Dave Gibbons' was as co-creator. You're the sole creator, and your name will be on it (I assume)
- radiomaru: @capnallegra not if it sucks as bad as Watchmen!
- capnallegra: @radiomaru (I do respect you, the Scott Pilgrim series and your opinions. I also want the SP film to be great)
- radiomaru: @capnallegra I'm also not a fan of the original book. Also, did i ever say my book was any better? because it's not any better.
- capnallegra: @radiomaru Ah, that's different. I assumed that you were comparing it to the source material, to which is is more or less true. My apologies
Ok, I admit I'm an eavesdropper here, but isn't that why O'Malley and other public figures have twitter accounts? To build up their "brand," and to get buzz about their projects? But maybe twitter isn't really a conversation? As my own third-grader told me the other day: "Two monologues don't make a dialogue."
By the way, Michael Cera is signed to do the Scott Pilgrim movie.
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