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| 14 OCT 2004 at 7:59pm |
Lucien21Guild Master
Posts : 4876
Joined: 9 JUL 2003
Location: 0
Status : Offline | The Dork Tower is quite funny
Dilbert of Course
and The Juniper Crescent
Dear Diary, My teenage angst bullsh*t now has a bodycount.
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| 14 OCT 2004 at 8:16pm |
| Deleted User | I'm going to come off really cruel and nihilistic, here - partly because I'm finding some of my storyboard tough going and am a seething hotbed of frustration. Please understand I'm only targeting a select few, although I'd rather not name names... it goes without saying I enjoy Steve's work for example, so that can be crossed right off the list...
I find a lot of these comics extremely naíve in both writing and art style. I spend a good deal of my time dealing with scripts both good and bad, and am required by my work to be able to draw a variety of different styles and am thus quite specialised in what I do. I'm also trained to be very, very picky with my own work and that of others... so try to see where I'm coming from here, if you can!
I'm convinced that the overall story arc and "cliffhanger" element of a lot of webcomics is what keeps them going. Certainly I wouldn't want to hire a good few of them at all as artists nor writers, although I believe the best truly have tapped into the right stream of conciousness - by luck or judgement I've no idea.
I highly applaud the fact that many of them do so well, although there is a large group that do well through using easy jokes or specific proven themes. I also feel that a lof of them do well because, simply, there isn't that much better out there in order to take their place - those that are better are usually published or snapped up very quickly by papers.
There as such appears to be a stream of internet webcomics which have developed a reasonably sized cult following - although I'm absolutely positive that this has nothing to do with whether they are "good" or not.
I've yet to really read a true, true great - although I'd be very lucky to as true greats are very rare. I've seen some brilliant stuff, but the majority is utter pap or gets off on its own niché to the extent of being a running joke that goes on to long.
It'd be wonderful to happen along the next Garfield, HeroBear or Calvin and Hobbes, although that'd be really too much to ask as it is. I'm just pointing out my own frustration at some of the easy successes out there that, despite an evident passion by the writers and/or artists, isn't totally justified.
/end rant.
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| 14 OCT 2004 at 10:14pm |
mszvPrivate Detective
Posts : 751
Joined: 12 OCT 2002
Status : Online | Hi,
Dilbert's not a web comic, though you may be able to find it on the web. The creator is in lots of papers (at least in the US), and he's published books - he's very successful. I enjoy Dilbert, and think it's a great comic.
For an online comic, I like reallifecomics, quite a lot - http://www.reallifecomics.com . I'm not sure how well some of his regionalism translates, though I think that all the comics he does on games and sci-fi stuff translates to a wider audience. I think he did pretty well at the big US comics convention in Los Angeles. He reminds me of my youth (20s, post college or university), though my youth was diferent from his youth! Oddly enough, he also reminds me a bit of Doonesbury (perhaps the best comic of all time, in my opinion). His protagonist (a personna of himself, though it's never really you in another media) reminds me a bit of Mike Doonebury - that same "everyman" quality to him. There's a genuine sweetness about the comic, something I like a lot. I'm hoping that Greg makes it, and his comic is successful.
Oh - should warm you - access is slow sometimes.
Regards, mszv
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| 15 OCT 2004 at 6:07am |
SarahJourneyman
Posts : 913
Joined: 13 JUL 2004
Status : Offline | Penny Arcade
PvPonline
Still busy being a mom &&
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| 15 OCT 2004 at 5:54pm |
karemanSorcerer Apprentice
Posts : 321
Joined: 10 JAN 2003
Status : Online | User Friendly (http://www.userfriendly.org/static/)
About a software company, with some very good comments about technical support over the phone.
Reality Check (http://comics.com/comics/reality/index.html)
A bit uneven, but the best ones are fantastic.
Pondus (http://www.start.no/pondus/)
Norways most popular comic. In Norwegian, obviously, but the drawings are so good some of the strips work well without understanding the text.
Feel free to ignore this post.
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| 15 OCT 2004 at 10:27pm |
AndromusGuild Master
Posts : 5538
Joined: 6 NOV 2002
Status : Offline | Megatokyo and 8 Bit Theater (Nuklear Power I too read regularly. I also follow Secret of Mana Theater, a flash animation series based on the popular RPG. I had no clue the characters were that dysfunctional when I played it!
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| 15 OCT 2004 at 10:41pm |
The Terror of the Wolf part 3Schattenjger
Posts : 2391
Joined: 11 OCT 2002
Status : Online | Just http://www.vgcats.com/
Although if we're counting flash... There's this girl in my class, very young, and obviously had quite a sheltered upbringing, likes nice delicate things. She wears pink, and I've actually heard her say "Oh, how awful" when someone else in class was playing Street Fighter on emulator. She's very squeamish, like a flower.
So I showed her an episode of Happy Tree Friends [smiley=devil_smiley_grintail.gif]
[url=http://www.justadventure.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1136331866/0#0]GAMES FOR TRADE!![/url]
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| 17 OCT 2004 at 3:03pm |
TinklePitIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 74
Joined: 31 JUL 2004
Status : Offline | There are about a dozen web comics which I follow closely. But my favorite are the three by Ralph Hayes, Jr. Their descriptions may sound cliche, but they are done very well. The characters are well developed, the story lines well thought out and you will NEED to know what happens next.
Under the Lemon Tree (resently renamed to Goblin Hollow) - A middle aged, single, maintenance "engineer" comes home one day to find that his subconcious has materialized into the form of six little "friends." And they are here to help him.
Nip and Tuck - Two good ol' boys from the hills livin' the Appalacian high life. They may talk funny, but they ain't no dummies.
Tales of the Questor - Poor little Quentyn just doesn't seem to be good at anything. He dreams of the questors of old and days of glory, but seems doomed to a life on the farm. Until one day...
I would suggest starting with Under the Lemeon Tree http://utlt.keenspace.com/ and linking to the other two from there. These are all story based, so the first thing you will want to do is ignore the comic in front of you and jump to the first one. It will take you twelve strips each to decide if you like them.
Then, on the other side of the world, is Jack at http://www.pholph.com/
Jack is dark. It examines our inner daemons and contemplates the crap dished out by a screwed up world. Much of the action takes place in Hell.
Jack is not Goth. It is not silly. It is not preachy. It is not gratuitous. It is not for kids.
Jack is for the emotionally mature. It WILL make you think about subjects you might have been avoiding. You WILL need to know what happens next.
Again, ignore the current comic and jump to the first. The link is a sentance right under the title and above the comic. The first story is the last thoughts of an unborn baby as it dies inside his mother who has just been murdered.
All four of these comics have moved me emotionally and are deffinately upper tier. If I were writing reviews for them, they would all get an "A".
Google search
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| 17 OCT 2004 at 8:07pm |
SusanGuild Master
Posts : 5485
Joined: 13 OCT 2002
Location: 0
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By mszv (14 OCT 2004 10:14pm)
Dilbert's not a web comic, though you may be able to find it on the web. The creator is in lots of papers (at least in the US), and he's published books - he's very successful. I enjoy Dilbert, and think it's a great comic.
Ditto
I predict my life out of college will resemble the Dilbert cartoons. And the more classes I take, the more sense that comic makes.)
I miss my Bubba: 1986 - 2006.
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| 17 OCT 2004 at 11:39pm |
AndromusGuild Master
Posts : 5538
Joined: 6 NOV 2002
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Wolfboy (15 OCT 2004 10:41pm)
Just http://www.vgcats.com/
Although if we're counting flash... There's this girl in my class, very young, and obviously had quite a sheltered upbringing, likes nice delicate things. She wears pink, and I've actually heard her say "Oh, how awful" when someone else in class was playing Street Fighter on emulator. She's very squeamish, like a flower.
So I showed her an episode of Happy Tree Friends [smiley=devil_smiley_grintail.gif]
Shame on you! Well, at least you helped her put Street Fighter into perspective.
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| 18 OCT 2004 at 3:11am |
SarahJourneyman
Posts : 913
Joined: 13 JUL 2004
Status : Offline | One thing I enjoy is looking at how particular artists comic drawing evolve through the years. I read Penny Arcade and I could see that the characters look more older now then in 1999.
Still busy being a mom &&
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| 18 OCT 2004 at 3:39am |
SusanGuild Master
Posts : 5485
Joined: 13 OCT 2002
Location: 0
Status : Offline | Dane & Joe
I miss my Bubba: 1986 - 2006.
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| 18 OCT 2004 at 9:35am |
Jeroen StoutSchattenjger
Posts : 2798
Joined: 14 NOV 2003
Status : Online | Originally Posted By Wolfboy (15 OCT 2004 10:41pm)
Just http://www.vgcats.com/
Although if we're counting flash... There's this girl in my class, very young, and obviously had quite a sheltered upbringing, likes nice delicate things. She wears pink, and I've actually heard her say "Oh, how awful" when someone else in class was playing Street Fighter on emulator. She's very squeamish, like a flower.
So I showed her an episode of Happy Tree Friends [smiley=devil_smiley_grintail.gif]
Marvelous
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| 18 OCT 2004 at 12:11pm |
| Deleted User | Some of these links have a touch of the "furrie" about them. I live in fear.
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| 18 OCT 2004 at 6:33pm |
The Terror of the Wolf part 3Schattenjger
Posts : 2391
Joined: 11 OCT 2002
Status : Online | Originally Posted By SquarejawHero (18 OCT 2004 12:11pm)
Some of these links have a touch of the "furrie" about them. I live in fear.
That'd probably be because they're cartoon/comics, and ever since Warner Bros and Disney, animated animals have become the typical standard in the western world.
[url=http://www.justadventure.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1136331866/0#0]GAMES FOR TRADE!![/url]
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| 18 OCT 2004 at 7:29pm |
| Deleted User | ... uh, dude, you're talking to someone who works in animation?
Seriously, I recognise the style. It's something that I've come across before and it's very particular to Furry art. In fact, I've been in an animation studio that has turned down deliberately Furry themed/styled art pitches on more than one occasion. It's kind of a creepy thing... but it's also a very easy style and not original in the slightest.
Not to say that I haven't seen some excellent examples of the style in terms of technique... uh... drawing technique that is...
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| 18 OCT 2004 at 8:09pm |
ShanyGuild Master
Posts : 3313
Joined: 19 JUN 2003
Status : Online | I only visit two, pretty unknown webcomics-
Phil Like Tacos http://philtaco.keenspace.com/ - cute stick figure comic. Tends to get cliched at times but it has some good moments.
Dub This www.dubthis.net - manga style comic, part running plots, part standalone comics. They take themeslves way too seriously with the running plots, but their standalone ones are pretty funny.
any attempt I had made to follow any other comic has failed. I am currently failing at trying to follow 'ctrl-alt-del', though I am enjoying the random violence of the early strips...
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| 19 OCT 2004 at 2:13pm |
The Terror of the Wolf part 3Schattenjger
Posts : 2391
Joined: 11 OCT 2002
Status : Online | SJH - Nah, that's just because current fashion trends dictate that 'manga' style artwork be prevelant right now. Trust me, once the whole anime-style fad dies down, there'll be a definite resurgance in the 'Mice of Nihm' style. It's classical.
Anyway, seeing as it was obviously VG Cats that you felt nervous around (I'm going to buy one of their 'chocobo in-breeder' tshirts), I'll throw in a few more.
Unfortunatly I don't really read most of these anymore, for one reason or another (boredom, lack of interest, storylines becomming tedious etc).
http://www.nuklearpower.com/ has been mentioned, it hosts 8-Bit Theater. And it looks like they just killed off a main character, too. Not as funny as the bottled pixie in the last VGCats strip, but still good.
http://www.adventurers-comic.com/ started off really good. But lately, over the last few years, it's just become plotline, plotline, plotline. Read some of the old strips when they were still good
http://www.megatokyo.com/ is always good. In fact, I think this one seen print recently.
http://www.rpgworldcomic.com/ does what it says on the tin. It's occasionally amusing.
http://www.brokensaints.com/ is an obvious choice. It's one of the best stories I've seen online, and is due for a DVD release soon. I'm sure you'll all know it already though.
[url=http://www.justadventure.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1136331866/0#0]GAMES FOR TRADE!![/url]
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| 19 OCT 2004 at 4:29pm |
SunspiralSpace Cadet
Posts : 122
Joined: 9 NOV 2002
Status : Online | Mike Luckovich's Political Cartoons
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| 24 OCT 2004 at 12:59am |
PatvsSpace Cadet
Posts : 154
Joined: 4 DEC 2002
Status : Online | SECRET ASIAN MAN
[URL=http://members.chello.nl/pvanscha/]My Homepage (+200 pics)[/URL]&&[URL=http://patvs.kicks-ass.net:8080/]My Live Webcam + Desktop + Sound[/URL]
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