Dah-dah-dah-DUM, snap snap.. witty, grotesque humor

Dah-dah-dah-DUM, snap, snap... witty, grotesque humor, my favorite, The Addams Family. Nothing like ignoring your better conscience and laughing at satirical things that you know your neighbor would scold you for. The Addams Family beautify and satirically illustrates that a socially inverted 'American Family'. While bringing attention to the over oppressive expectations of gender roles, stereotypes and social dislocation, we also get a good laugh...

Here are some of my fav comic strips from the 1938 panels:

                          

Adaption: Charles Addams was the man with the hand behind the comics of The Addams Family. We were first introduced to the cynical, grotesque characters in single panel comic series featured in The New Yorker in 1938. The single panels were adapted to The Addams Family fantasy/comedy sitcom series in 1964. From there the Addams appeared throughout other mediums including books to video game. In 1991 we finally see The Addams Family adapted into a movie. The film does a fantastic job of carrying out Charles Addams original idea of the Addams Family while poking fun at societies norms.

 "Unhappy Darling?"

"Oh yes. Yes completely!"

Ideology: Ideologies towards gender roles, class roles, and domesticity of "The American Family, were very popular post Great Depression and post wars. Society seeked outlets to come closer to the 'picture perfect' family as everyone began to piece there domestic lives back together. In both mediums the neighbors portrays the majority of society as white middle class and illustrate their rejection to the uncommon and the expected conformations of society. The Addams Family comically challenges and amuses the ones who could be seen as the outsiders from society. It creates a sense of being and importance that kinda just tells the rest of society to f*** off and keep to themselves while the Addams stay bothered by any challenges.

Genre: The Addams Family comic panels were nonetheless classified as grotesque, fantasy, dark comedy. In 1964, The Addams Family television show began on ABC for tow series. The adaptation of the TV series furthered the social satire and subtly acknowledged the ideological roles in society. The popular genre of fantasy comedies flourished in the time between the original comic and the film. The character names were also given during this period by Charles Addams himself. Lynn Spigal argues, that the genre of fantastical comedies in the 1960s gave, "security and stability" to the victims of societies conflicts: gender roles, stereotypes, and social dislocation (Make Room for TV 2). In 1991 The Addams Family film was released, carrying on the dark comedy genre. 

Social History:

Comic ran 1938-1988: Post Great Depression. Society was drawn to the dark humor to ope with the tough past. Between these years television became commercially manufactured, which played a huge role in the television adaptation of further developing the characters. The technology of television and the production of television shows painted the picture for the audience to see how things are supposed to be and what is normal/expected of them.

The movie came out in 1991: The Gulf War is waged and the Cold Wars ends. Societies roles are more developed by now and persist in conforming to expected behaviors.