WP2 :: Cursory Analysis

Savage Chickens is a webcomic that I view daily. Each strip usually consists of one panel sketched onto a classic yellow sticky note, and scanned into the digital realm for legions of viewers to enjoy. In the strip, various chickens interact with other supporting characters (worms, robots, blocks of tofu) while providing commentary and humor on the inconsistencies of life, work, and internet memes. In this installment, a chicken is informed that there is a fire, evidence of which is presented in the form of flames licking at the heels of the informant. Before evacuating the premises, however, the chicken announces that he's "gotta tweet this."

In this simple interchange, cartoonist Doug Savage is able to capture the absurdity of our culture's constant need to stay connected. Social networking and blogging have become integrated into real life at an alarming rate, allowing the need to stay connected to transcend the physical world into the digital. Micro-blogging websites, like Twitter, allow this connectivity to occur in 140 characters or less. Even when faced with a situation like the being in a burning building, updates can be sent that will allow users to communicate.

There are several elements of this comic that make this composition effective. The interaction between the two characters is simple and easy to understand. The setting is established and character development takes place in the 3-inch square panel. The informant chicken is placed on the left side of the frame with his beak open wide to reveal his tongue (?), and his wings up in alarm held perpendicular to the ground. His visual posturing is coupled with leaping flames behind him, and both are indicative of alarm. This visual composition fits perfectly with the text, "FIRE!!! FIRE!!!" that appears in the speech balloon above him. The tweeting chicken is positioned on the right side of the panel. He is situated in front of a desktop computer, evidenced by the CRT monitor and connected keyboard. It would appear that he is seated since the top of his comb is lower than the informants; most users are seated when operating this type of computer. Only one of his wings is visible, and it is positioned above the keyboard. This posturing matches with the text, "Hold on I've gotta tweet this!" which appears in the speech balloon above him.

The comic is obvious hand drawn, but there are still stylistic choices the composer makes that allow the reader to examine typography of the composition. The weight of the informant's text is heavier than that of the tweeter, supporting the urgency of the situation. The composer employs the reader's understanding that a fire is a urgent situation that requires immediate action; there should not be time to "tweet" about it. The urgency of a fire transcends culture and time, evoking the basic human need of survival. It is not necessary for the reader to completely understand what Twitter is or how it works. Similarly, it is not necessary to analyze why the characters, who are both chickens, are speaking, or why they are in a building, or using the computer.