Books are almost always better than the movies made from them, because there are things books do well and things movies do well, but usually those things don't overlap: the same with comics and animation.

Let's say that life is this square of the sidewalk. We are born at this crack and we die at that crack. Now we find ourselves somewhere inside the square and in the process of walking outside of it. Suddenly, we realize our time in here is fleeting. Is our quick experience here pointless? Does anything we say or do in here really matter? Have we done anything important? Have we been happy? Have we made the most of these precious few footsteps?

Oh look, yet another Christmas TV special! How touching to have the meaning of Christmas brought to us by cola, fast food, and beer... Who'd have ever guessed that product consumption, popular entertainment, and spirituality would mix so harmoniously?

If you've got more ambiguous characters or stock stereotypes, the plastic comes through and they don't work as well.

I asked mom if I was a gifted child. She said they certainly wouldn't have paid for me.

Hey Susie Derkins, is that your face, or is a 'possum stuck in your collar?

But for my own example, I'd never believe one little kid could have so much brains!