General Web-Comic talk

Justice4243 · 2012-06-27 16:11:22

You know the drill by now...

Anyone reading Manly Guys Doing Manly Things?

...anyone a little sick of the ark?

Don't get me wrong, it's still entertaining. But do you REALLY need to devote an entire ark of the comic (and the longest one in the comics history, at that) to attacking everything you don't like about J-RPGs and bishonen video game character?

Tachyon · 2012-06-27 17:04:52

It doesn't feel long at all if you read it all in one go. I don't really follow it avidly so I didn't really notice, but now you mention it, it has been a fairly long arc, yeah.

Corporal Forsythe · 2012-06-27 17:10:35

The only two webcomics I really keep up with are Penny Arcade (mostly for the quality of Gabe's art and composition) and Terminal Lance. About twice a year I'll catch up on Lackadaisy which is, as far as I'm concerned, the best webcomic on the internet bar none.

One that I ran across by chance that resonated with me is http://veeblesaurus.com/. I like everything about it. It updates as sporadically as mine, unfortunately.

Tachyon · 2012-06-27 17:19:14

I follow Gunnerkrigg Court, MS Paint Adventures and xkcd as they update. I check Lackadaisy (which is excellent) and Brawl in the Family from time to time.

Now and then I catch up with other comics on a whim (e.g. Manly Guys Doing Manly Things, Romantically Apocalyptic, Penny Arcade) but I don't really follow them with any regularity. GC, MSPA and Lackadaisy are the ones that I enjoy the most.

Obā-san · 2012-06-27 17:19:57

Corporal_Forsythe said:
Lackadaisy which is, as far as I'm concerned, the best webcomic on the internet bar none.

Amen.

Obā-san · 2012-06-27 17:21:54

SMBC is great too.

Tachyon · 2012-06-27 17:42:33

SMBC is kinda hit and miss for me, but there are a lot of them, meaning that there are a lot of great ones.

The problem with political humour, which SMBC dabbles in, is that when I don't agree (or even sometimes when I do, actually) it can be kind of irritating to me. SMBC gets kind of obnoxious at times, IMO. To a lesser extent, xkcd does as well.

Justice4243 · 2012-06-27 17:45:29

It doesn't feel long at all if you read it all in one go. I don't really follow it avidly so I didn't really notice, but now you mention it, it has been a fairly long arc, yeah.

It's not so much the length of the ark, but the content.

Now, stuff like Mr. Fish learning Hyperbeam is just excellent, but I'm finding the constant jabs against the bishonen look and attacks on J-RPGs a bit hit or miss.

I keep up with Penny Arcade, Lackadaisy, Johnny Wander, Gunshow, PvP, Dr. McNinja, Gunnerkrigg Court, Girl Genius, Dragon Ball Z: Multiverse, The Dreadful, Goblins, Romantically Apocalyptic, and Looking For Group.

Justice4243 · 2012-06-27 17:46:37

Fouria G said:
SMBC is kinda hit and miss for me, but there are a lot of them, meaning that there are a lot of great ones.

The problem with political humour, which SMBC dabbles in, is that when I don't agree (or even sometimes when I do, actually) it can be kind of irritating to me. SMBC gets kind of obnoxious at times, IMO. To a lesser extent, xkcd does as well.

Mostly yes-quote.

I don't think XKCD bugs me so much, but it still doesn't keep me interested so that I check up on it. I usually catch up every few months.

Salix Babylonika · 2012-06-27 18:07:55

I have recently caught up with Eerie Cuties (which I can guarantee none of you care about) and Spinnerette.

Tachyon · 2012-06-27 18:12:30

I read some of Eerie Cuties one time, but it wasn't really my thing. That was a long time ago, so it's probably a lot longer now.

Princess Alice · 2012-06-27 18:13:50

SMBC and Lackadaisy are the only webcomics I actively follow at the moment...I should pick up some others, though.

I've been meaning to catch up on Gunnerkrigg Court but I keep forgetting about it.

Salix Babylonika · 2012-06-27 18:29:01

Fouria G said:
I read some of Eerie Cuties one time, but it wasn't really my thing. That was a long time ago, so it's probably a lot longer now.

It doesn't seem to update very often. I went through the whole thing in an hour or two.

DickGrabrod · 2012-06-27 19:15:52

Achewood: A treasure trove of creativity and surreal humor. Far as I'm concerned, the best webcomic.

xkcd: Pretentious borefest.

SMBC: Was once very funny, is now still funny, but also bogged down by those weird parables he keeps doing.

Salix Babylonika · 2012-06-27 19:19:33

DickGrabrod said:
xkcd: Pretentious borefest.

I don't understand this complaint about xkcd.

Pretentious I guess I can get if you're one of those people who considers making jokes about anything but bodily functions pretentious, but how is it boring?

DickGrabrod · 2012-06-27 20:04:24

^ You're talking to a guy who reads Achewood. That's not the kind of pretentious I'm talking about.

The vibe I pick up from xkcd is generally one of elitism. Most of the people depicted in the comic are basically foolish, socially incompetent 20-somethings (even if you can't really see their age, that's the impression you get), which I imagine Randall Munroe has had to interact with a lot of as a programmer and as a webcomic author. I see the majority of the comic as an expression of contempt for that strata of people (maybe less so early on), and I just can't identify with that mindset.

Salix Babylonika · 2012-06-27 22:22:34

DickGrabrod said:
The vibe I pick up from xkcd is generally one of elitism. Most of the people depicted in the comic are basically foolish, socially incompetent 20-somethings (even if you can't really see their age, that's the impression you get), which I imagine Randall Munroe has had to interact with a lot of as a programmer and as a webcomic author. I see the majority of the comic as an expression of contempt for that strata of people (maybe less so early on), and I just can't identify with that mindset.

Not seeing it, really.

He does take digs at people a lot but I don't think they're really meant to be taken seriously. There's also stuff like the "We can make it Saturday forever" comic.

Imipolex G · 2012-06-27 22:23:28

I'm with Grabrod on this one. I can't read xkcd because I always get this "this guy thinks he knows everything" kind of vibe from it.

Of course, that plagues webcomics generally.

Salix Babylonika · 2012-06-27 22:25:02

I dunno.

Maybe I'm just giving the author way too much credit, but I can't really take a chart of different map projections, with each one given a caption about what it says about your personality all that seriously, to give an example.

Corporal Forsythe · 2012-06-27 22:46:05

I can't get into xkcd. Hell, I'm a math major too. It's just when I go to read funnies, wanna see cartooning, real kind. The whole "hey, stick figures being assholes with math" certainly has its appeal (especially at my math department where printouts of it cover the wall) but not with me.

Imipolex G · 2012-06-27 22:52:20

Well, that's the other thing. Stick figures. In a visual medium, I would really prefer to see, y'know, actual good art.

Corporal Forsythe · 2012-06-27 23:15:12

Oh, definitely that. Visuals should take absolute precedence over the dialogue in every single way. I believe that comics should be fun to look at and read, not be locked in a battle of who has to carry the narrative and who compliments it.

Salix Babylonika · 2012-06-27 23:23:39

I was under the impression that the comic is in stick figures specifically because you're supposed to be focused on what's being said.

Whether or not that works is a matter of opinion, of course.

Corporal Forsythe · 2012-06-27 23:25:42

Well, he does know enough to have a cadence about his setup and delivery for his comics. Too, too many have no clue how to do this

DickGrabrod · 2012-06-27 23:59:34

>focused on what's being said

That webcomic Subnormality has amazingly detailed and colorful art, and half of it is hidden by giant rambling text boxes.

It's a crapshoot, basically.

Obā-san · 2012-06-28 00:28:31

The thing is, xkcd is really kinda... average. It's AVERAGE HUMOUR spiced up with KNOWLEDGE SO IT IS FUNNY NOW.

But it's not really.

Obā-san · 2012-06-28 00:30:27

Corporal Forsythe · 2012-06-28 00:45:11

Where she musters the time and patience to put in every detail, I want to know. I wish I could do that with regularity.

Imipolex G · 2012-06-28 00:47:02

Lackadaisy has the most gorgeous artwork. Unfortunately I can't get interested in the story/characters.

Obā-san · 2012-06-28 00:55:31

I identify a lot with Mordecai and Rocky, but whatevs.

Tachyon · 2012-06-28 18:12:08

I know xkcd is kinda dorky but it's still usually amusing to me. And those stick figures can be surprisingly expressive. I mean, obviously it's not great art, but given how regularly it updates, I really don't mind that, especially since Randall occasionally does something like this, which, I can kind of see how some people might find that pretentious, but it must have taken effort, and it's also kind of cool, no? I think so, anyway.

My favourite characters in Lackadaisy are Rocky, Mitzi and Viktor. I wouldn't say I could identify with them as such, but they're interesting characters and entertaining to read about, and I think the story is plenty intriguing and interesting. And yes, the artwork is gorgeous.

Yarrun XIX · 2012-06-28 18:43:16

Concerning XKCD: Randall does occasionally crank up the quality for when the comic requires stunning visuals

I, for one, have been a steady fan of the thing. I'll admit that there have been comics with lackluster humor and preachy messages, but (for me, at least) Randall tends to put out one funny comic per week, which is good enough for me.

Also, this is one of my most favorite comic strips of all time.

Concerning Lackadaisy: Just archive binged it yesterday. It's awesome. Not really much to say on this point.

One-Winged Eagle · 2012-06-28 18:54:00

xkcd is an amusing comic that I like.

It ain't great, but it's good.

Justice4243 · 2012-06-28 18:55:31

OBLIGATORY PENNY ARCADE COMIC:

I do find these cryptic map direction comics pretty funny. These services where useful for a while, but I found a cheap GPS unit works wonders...

Still...

ProfessorGator · 2012-06-28 19:02:20

I haven't been reading many webcomics regularly as of late: just Brawl in the Family and Awkward Zombie. However, I read through part of Lackadaisy today, and I definitely like what I've seen so far. The artwork is indeed really good.

Corporal Forsythe · 2012-06-28 19:06:26

I can't get too mad at that comic hacking on PUAs because they really are complete scum

Obā-san · 2012-06-28 19:14:35

Oooh, Tracy has a tumblr.

Good news.

Bad news.

Justice4243 · 2012-06-29 18:01:36

Corporal_Forsythe, care to translate?

If my research was correct, that's a National Defense Server Ribbon and a Global War on Terror ribbon.

Do these translate to doing "jack shit"?

Corporal Forsythe · 2012-06-29 18:14:25

Pretty much. The National Defense Service medal/ribbon is what you get just for showing up in the Armed Forces during a time of war or conflict, basically. The GWOT ribbon/medal is the same thing, which means you showed up during, well, the GWOT. The reason Abe (the lower ranking Lance Corporal) is laughing is because the Corporal picked up his rank either much sooner than an infantry grunt like Abe here would, and did so even before deploying (which is apparent by Abe's 5 ribbons as opposed to the Corporal's measly two.)

Also, the Corporal is most likely a POG (pronounced with the long o, like in Poe) which means "personnel other than grunt" i.e. non-infantry. Grunts hate POGs as a rule.

Obā-san · 2012-06-29 18:18:38

I never liked pogs either.

Imipolex G · 2012-06-29 18:19:49

Pogs were a puzzle to me.

Justice4243 · 2012-06-29 18:22:03

I can see how Suave Faire (military) warrants it's own skill in GURPS.

Corporal Forsythe · 2012-06-29 23:07:14

Gabe's arms in today's PA are of different sizes, not to say I haven't made the same mistake before

Justice4243 · 2012-06-30 13:36:47

Heh, Nice catch. I wouldn't have noticed.

I think this one is only funny to people who aren't aware of games like this. Gabe's game is arguably no worse than Cow Clicker. While Cow Clicker was created as a deconstructionist satire to the "Pay me money and I'll let you click more" genre, it was ALSO probably the most successful game that the creator ever made, much to his chagrin. With people paying $20 to get a cow that looked like the original cow, just facing the other direction.

Sadly, Gabe's business model here would probably net him many dollars. If anything, he should consider charging more.

Justice4243 · 2012-06-30 16:35:29

In any case, having seen its corrupting power, Gabriel decided that the time had come to plant a flag in the genre. That is all a joke setup, obviously, but we’re already getting pitches to make the game detailed in the strip, which is sorta like… dudes. I’m not sure you understand this one.

Sadly, I think the joke is on Penny Arcade this time around. Same with Bogost, they both think "He he! We're doing such a great job parodying these games !" Little do they know what it is people will actually pay for.

Justice4243 · 2012-07-03 16:03:48

I feel this pretty accurately describes most people's reaction to Kingdom Hearts. You either love it, or yousort of tangentially aware it exists and there's some sort of Disney Square-Enix shenanigans.

Obviously, the franchise has charmed Gabe since it's debut title.

Yes it’s true, I think Kingdom Hearts is complete shit. I purchased it because Kara is a big Disney fan and I was hoping it would be something we could play together. Early in the game Kara got frustrated with the jumping and passed the controller off to me. At first I tried to enjoy it, but that just wasn’t going to happen. So then I looked at it like a job. I knew it wasn’t going to be fun but I had to finish this game. That lasted for about five or six hours. Eventually it was everything I could do not to break the game in half and throw it in the garbage.
They should change the name from Kingdom Hearts to “Lame jumping puzzles with worlds most fucked up camera hearts.” At least that way people would know what they were getting into. After playing it most of the day on Saturday I finally told Kara that I couldn’t do it anymore. I told her that each minute I spent hopping from one stupid thing to another as the camera swung wildly around behind me was like nails on a chalkboard. She asked if I might give it a try again later and I explained that I would rather die. Oh God, and the Gummi ship. Whose brilliant idea was the fucking Gummi ship!?
“You know Bob, I don’t think our game is shitty enough yet. Instead of just having the player wait while the next poorly conceived level loads, why not make them play a half assed space shooter?”
“I love it! Let’s go get wrecked.”
My recommendation is that Square stick to making the same game over and over again rather than branching out into unfamiliar genres.
-Gabe out

Corporal Forsythe · 2012-07-03 16:21:59

I think I've mentioned before that Kingdom Hearts didn't last 10 minutes in my PS2 before being flung out permanently

Unknown · 2012-07-03 17:47:59

The user and all related content has been deleted.

Corporal Forsythe · 2012-07-04 21:27:53

This is the first time I've really looked at the artwork for the latest Dick Tracy artist team. Everything about this is incredible, especially the inking. It's rare to see a mashup of conservative fundamentals for basic composition and anatomy and pure stylization (Dick Tracy's profile couldn't be done any other way.) None of that screentoning shit here either, the values for the red stripes of the flag are done with single lines from the pen. At least I'm pretty sure this is done with a pen -- if it was done with a brush, it's even more impressive.

Justice4243 · 2012-07-04 21:43:31

That's certainly a some very impressive inking, especially looking at the lines on the stripes.

Yarrun XIX · 2012-07-04 21:58:17

I was going to make a post about exactly what went wrong with the Kingdom Hearts franchise, but I think I'll resist that urge

Anyways, for fans of D&D and/or Order of the Stick, I'd like to suggest Goblins. It's a webcomic about Goblins who want to stop being adventurer fodder, and also about a human warrior and his dwarven cleric going about and adventuring.

To be honest, I've never read the first few comics--I kind of jumped in near the middle. But what I've read is really, really good.

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