Wigan’s cartoon mural - when is it too far?

[Jughead]

Wigan unveiled the below prior to tonight’s game, showing their history in cartoon form, seemingly as part of their anniversary year;

Now, I will say it looks quite good and seems to capture Wigan’s long history and I’m sure Wigan fans will enjoy it and I’m sure they could sell copies of merchandise. 

However, I had a bit of a zoom in to take a closer look at it and…

…yeah, that. Now, I’m all for the rivalry in the derby (as long as it doesn’t get silly) and there’s various other parts of the mural dedicated to historic moments in the rivalry with Saints, which are completely fine, but that, that’s not on, in my opinion. It’s shocked me that it’s there and somebody has signed it off and that somebody has thought it was worth celebrating in the first places. 

Edited June 24, 2022 by Jughead

[Dave T]

Yes, that lacks class and is misguided imo. 

Particularly as the player on the receiving end suffered serious injury. 

[Dunbar]

There are a few other images of biff... including McDermott elbowing Sironen.  I wouldn't have signed it off but I guess it can be justified as a history of the club... the good the bad and the ugly.

[meast]

I'm expecting Baz and Tez to take over our ears with shouts of SHOOOOTTTTTT!

It's not exactly in the best taste is it?

[Just Browny]

Tbh there's plenty on there I find offensive. I suppose it's their wall though.

[DI Keith Fowler]

Mark Calderwood's hairline is particularly well done.

 

[Man of Kent]

Slightly poor taste but thankfully we still live in a free society where we are able to offend lawfully. Just.

Edited June 24, 2022 by Man of Kent

[Futtocks]

13 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Slightly poor taste but thankfully we still live in a free society where we are able to offend lawfully. Just.

True, but I'm not a fan of the artwork, either that particular part or the overall style.

[WN83]

It surprised me when I saw it but ultimately it’s a picture trying to incorporate 150 years worth of Wigan RL history and whilst that moment isn’t anything to be proud of, it will undoubtedly be something that will be spoken about for as long as the games still being played. The easy thing would be to avoid the moment and scratch it out but they’ve included it and I’d like to think they’ve done it from a place of acknowledging a low moment in our recent past. It isn’t a moment us as fans celebrate because realistically it cost us a game I think we’d have won pretty comfortably with 13 on the field. 

[Henson Park Old Firm]

No different to watching violent movies on TV and then dressing up as the characters at Halloween.

[gingerjon]

Bit of background

https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2022/06/24/qa-the-man-behind-mishmash/

And if you google Alex Bennett then you can find a few equivalents he's already done in soccer.

[Mr Frisky]

10 hours ago, Jughead said:

Wigan unveiled the below prior to tonight’s game, showing their history in cartoon form, seemingly as part of their anniversary year;

Now, I will say it looks quite good and seems to capture Wigan’s long history and I’m sure Wigan fans will enjoy it and I’m sure they could sell copies of merchandise. 

However, I had a bit of a zoom in to take a closer look at it and…

…yeah, that. Now, I’m all for the rivalry in the derby (as long as it doesn’t get silly) and there’s various other parts of the mural dedicated to historic moments in the rivalry with Saints, which are completely fine, but that, that’s not on, in my opinion. It’s shocked me that it’s there and somebody has signed it off and that somebody has thought it was worth celebrating in the first places. 

Possibly, but History has to capture the good and the bad. That incident is one of the most famous in recent RL history - you can watch it on YouTube at anytime so I think it should be included to show RL is not all fast skills and amazing trys.

Edited June 25, 2022 by Mr Frisky

[Jughead]

16 minutes ago, Mr Frisky said:

Possibly, but History has to capture the good and the bad. That incident is one of the most famous in recent RL history - you can watch it on YouTube at anytime so I think it should be included to show RL is not all fast skills and amazing trys.

It’s a moment that effectively ended someone’s career and left him with long term health issues. Whether you can watch it on YouTube or not, I think it’s in poor taste and shouldn’t be there. Obviously, Wigan’s history will have had its low points, like any club, but there’s very few, if any, depicted within that mural (the biggest upset in a Challenge Cup Final and losing on the hooter to Saints in a Grand Final not included, for example) so it really doesn’t look good at all on the artist or the club that this moment has been immortalised. 

[Dave T]

Just now, Jughead said:

It’s a moment that effectively ended someone’s career and left him with long term health issues. Whether you can watch it on YouTube or not, I think it’s in poor taste and shouldn’t be there. Obviously, Wigan’s history will have had its low points, like any club, but there’s very few, if any, depicted within that mural (the biggest upset in a Challenge Cup Final and losing on the hooter to Saints in a Grand Final not included, for example) so it really doesn’t look good at all on the artist or the club that this moment has been immortalised. 

It could have been captured with Flower being shown a red card rather than the assault being shown like a Batman cartoon. 

[Just Browny]

2 minutes ago, Dave T said:

It could have been captured with Flower being shown a red card rather than the assault being shown like a Batman cartoon. 

Or Shaun Wane going mad in the stand as if some sort of injustice had been done.

[JonNgog]

9 hours ago, Man of Kent said:

Slightly poor taste but thankfully we still live in a free society where we are able to offend lawfully. Just.

but why would you want to offend people on a cartoon rugby mural? It’s a horrible image, I genuinely feared for Hohaia’s life the first time I saw that replay. If they had to include the incident, surely an image of Flower being red carded/leaving the pitch would work well enough  

Edited June 25, 2022 by JonNgog

[Man of Kent]

Just now, JonNgog said:

but why would you want to offend people on a cartoon mural? It’s a horrible image, I genuinely feared for Hohaia’s life the first time I saw that replay. If they had to include the incident, surely an image of Flower being red carded/leaving the pitch would work well enough  

It’s a cartoon, chief. Must we find offence in everything?

[JonNgog]

3 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

It’s a cartoon, chief. Must we find offence in everything?

No, but I don’t think it’s a particularly smart idea to celebrate punching an unconscious man’s head into the ground. That’s just me though 

[Dave T]

3 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

It’s a cartoon, chief. Must we find offence in everything?

Must we turn everything into some PC debate? 

Wigan have every right to create a 30ft x 30ft photo of Flower assaulting the Saints player and bring it on as pre-match entertainment to get the crowd going. Doesn't mean people have to like it or think it's a good idea. 

Things can be a rubbish idea without just dismissing their views as them being offended. 

[JonNgog]

46 minutes ago, Mr Frisky said:

Possibly, but History has to capture the good and the bad. That incident is one of the most famous in recent RL history - you can watch it on YouTube at anytime so I think it should be included to show RL is not all fast skills and amazing trys.

Is that mural actually celebrating the good and bad though? Where is Saints 75 Wigan 0, or any other high profile defeats? As far as I can see, the mural is designed to celebrate Wigan’s history, which makes the inclusion of Flower’s punch rather odd

[Man of Kent]

4 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Must we turn everything into some PC debate? 

Bit rich coming from you. 

Edited June 25, 2022 by Man of Kent

[Man of Kent]

3 minutes ago, JonNgog said:

Is that mural actually celebrating the good and bad though? Where is Saints 75 Wigan 0, or any other high profile defeats? As far as I can see, the mural is designed to celebrate Wigan’s history, which makes the inclusion of Flower’s punch rather odd

It’s an iconic image that’s been replayed a zillion times. An ugly, thuggish image but iconic all the same and part of Wigan and RL history.

Evoking it in a carton is in poor taste and a bit naughty - they wouldn’t dare use a photographic image - but ultimately it’s up to them. 

[JonNgog]

3 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

It’s an iconic image that’s been replayed a zillion times. An ugly, thuggish image but iconic all the same and part of Wigan and RL history.

Evoking it in a carton is in poor taste and a bit naughty - they wouldn’t dare use a photographic image - but ultimately it’s up to them. 

So I’m not entirely sure what you are disagreeing with me about. They are free to use an offensive/poor taste image, but I’m not sure why they would want to

[Mr Frisky]

16 minutes ago, JonNgog said:

Is that mural actually celebrating the good and bad though? Where is Saints 75 Wigan 0, or any other high profile defeats? As far as I can see, the mural is designed to celebrate Wigan’s history, which makes the inclusion of Flower’s punch rather odd

Sorry

[Man of Kent]

2 minutes ago, JonNgog said:

So I’m not entirely sure what you are disagreeing with me about. They are free to use an offensive/poor taste image, but I’m not sure why they would want to

It’s part of their history and on an artistic level it was probably fun to draw!