Saturday, September 22, 2007

Heaven's Gate


Is it a telling sign that this tract is named after one of the biggest box office flops in film history? It doesn't help, that's for sure.

Published by ATS and drawn by Ron Wheeler, this cartoon tract aims for the market currently dominated by Jack Chick. In it, a man stands before God at Heaven's Gate, and finds out (surprise, surprise) that he isn't good enough to get in. He argues with God, God acts like a pompous jerk, then he dispatches the guy to Hell with a wave of his hand. And he says, "See ya." If any one image can define the impression I get of God from these things, that is it.

The cartoons are nice, and very colourful. You never see God's face, just like on The Simpsons. What's up with that? Honestly, I've never understood this reluctance of cartoonists and animators to show the Lord's features. Gary Larson never had any problem with it when he did The Far Side.



But I digress. The poor guy tries to prove his worthiness to enter Heaven, but the Lord ain't buyin' it. "See-ya!" sayeth the Lord (I can't get over that!) as the man plunges down into the flames below.

Only he doesn't. Turns out he was dreaming - yes, it was all just a dream, worst cop-out ever - but it's not over yet. A Bible drops from Heaven onto the guy's noggin, and falls open at exactly the right series of quotes to tell him how to be Saved. "Wow!" he says after reading each line.

Wow, indeed. Such was my reaction at the thought that anybody would want to worship a faceless God who is so cavalier with human souls. Still, this tract has more going for it than most. It holds interest, thanks to the colourful cartoons, and there is little to be offended about. It might actually convert a few people, and I might actually have liked it if it weren't for the "See ya" bit. Oh yeah, and the whole 'do as we say or burn in Hell' message. But that's in almost every tract.

That's it for this review. See ya... ahem. Goodbye.

Likely to Convert - 3
Artwork - 8
Ability to Hold Interest - 8
Unintentional Hilarity - 2
Level of Disturbing or Offensive Content - 1

2 comments:

Elizabeth McQuern said...

I don't think God would endorse this sort of propaganda. If that's not too presumptuous on my part.

Timothy Carter said...

Not at all, Elizabeth. You are right on the money. Thanks for dropping by!