Writing the comic, I became kind of paranoid and thought to myself “I hope people don’t think I’m making fun of cancer.” I’m not. I’m making fun of the “cancer movie” as a trope.
Cancer sucks. That much is clear. I’ve lost people I’ve loved to cancer. It’s not fun. But I kind of roll my eyes at the way Hollywood treats cancer. As if having cancer gives you some kind of wisdom or clarity that will help you resolve your personal shortcomings and interpersonal relationships.
I haven’t seen 50/50 yet, but based off the reviews I’ve read, it seems to do a good job of deflating everything that is serious and self-important about the cancer trope in mainstream entertainment. Frankly, I think that’s a good thing.
Yeah, cancer is scary and should be considered seriously. But it also doesn’t make you a mystical wizard with extra-sensory perception about the fragile nature of our being. It’s more than one thing, you know?
Lemme get off my soapbox and talk about something else for a second. If you follow the Theater Hopper Facebook page, you already know what it is. (So maybe now you’ll click that “Like” button?) But for the rest of you, here it is:
I AM NOW SELLING PRINTS OF ALL MY COMICS!
Here’s how it works…
- Comb the archive for your absolute FAVORITE Theater Hopper comic or comics. Use the search box if you’re having trouble finding it.
- Look at the navigation just below the comic, you’ll see a little dollar sign that says "Buy Print" below it.
- Click on the link and it will take you to a page with the comic in question on it and a PayPal link that you can use to send me money in exchange for goods and/or services.
- Incidentally, you don’t need a PayPal account to purchase a print. You can use a credit card as well.
- I will send you a copy of the comic printed on a sheet of 8.5 x 11" high quality card stock in full-color from the original digital file. It’s gonna look SHARP. And – because I love you – I’m gonna sign it as well.
- I’m going to mail it flat in a reinforced envelope and stamp it "DO NOT BEND" so the Post Office doesn’t muck up your investment.
- When it arrives, you are then free to frame it and admire it longingly.
This is something that I’ve wanted to do for a while and thanks to the magic of Comicpress, is now possible. Big thanks to Philip Hofer for making it possible.
Since this is a new feature, it’s going to take some work to get the kinks out. I think I still have to figure out shipping on this bad boy as well, so bear with me.
But, yeah… I have almost 10 years of comics in the archive and I know you guys have some favorites. I knew it was time to open up the flood gates and make them available to you. So have at them! Order away – and thank you for your support.
Have a great week, everyone!
Finally! A cancer movie for the rest of us!
"For the REST of us??"
Cancer movies are either sentimental weepies like Autumn In New York or formulaic feel-good garbage like The Bucket List.
I prefer a cancer movie with penis jokes and Seth Rogen making an Al Pacino reference, THANKYOUVERYMUCH!
My dad died of cancer a couple of years ago. And it was very sad, and when everyone left me alone at his burial site before he went into the ground I bawled my eyes out.
Then I went and gave my eulogy, which is by far the funniest thing I’ve ever written. And more than one person said to me that out of everyone who spoke, I was the one who best captured my dad’s spirit.
Cancer is sad; life is funny.
Perfectly surmised.
I’m sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing that.
I feel pretty much the same way about cancer movies. They’re basically the same as Holocaust movies these day, made more as awards-bait than anything else (even the sincere ones seem this way, which just makes me feel all the more cynical inside). 50/50 really does a good job of making light of the situation in just the right way, and as a result the more serious parts of the movie actually feel more real (helps that it’s basically the story of what happened to the writer when he got cancer in his 20s). It’s a very funny movie and also a very good one, so I do hope you manage to see it soon.
Meanwhile, I need to debate whether or not to get the 10 Bucks strip in print form (I considered the one where Tom is eaten by Ebert, but that seems almost in bad taste (hah!) these days).
Also, wow it’s been a while since I posted.
There have been two films in the last 6 months that I went to see that I strongly desire to watch again. The first was Crazy, Stupid, Love. The 2nd is 50/50. Tom, you understand exactly what 50/50 is, without having seen it. I hadn’t read reviews I just saw it on a friends recommendation, and what it turned out to be was a movie that was very funny while still being respectful of the subject matter, without falling into too many cliches. The few cliches used felt genuine and real, and I generally didn’t see them coming. See 50/50 Tom, it’s worth the price of admission.
Reading this from the chemo center. I have seen 50/50 and it is great. I saw it at a special screening for young adults with cancer. We had some quibbles– mostly stuff we thought they left out (Reiser was there and told us that there had been more that had been cut for length)- but it was the best cancer movie we “experts” had seen.
That’s really cool that you were at a screening with Reiser.
Best wishes to you during treatment. Give ’em hell!
As a Cancer survior (stage 3 Testicular), I found this movie great and relatable. Although I got some dirty looks from people as they left at the end of the movie. Since there were a few spots where I was the only one in theater laughing or it would be dead quiet, I’d laugh then a few other people would join in. Since some of the moments were you’d have to have gone through it to find humor in it.
Also, From the Chemo Center, Hang in there and stay strong. Yeah, there were a few spots, to I found annoying like I think he should have gotten the “port” sooner than right before his surgery.