Not so wild? What is this about? Well, since eventually I will run out of my old wild reviews, I think it's time to got a bit more in depth with some of these comics. You know, actually REVIEW them for a change. Yeah, yeah, I know. Anyway, I'm only going to do the ones I actively read, so this list will be much shorter. And I'm going in order so the first comic is:
SLUGGY FREELANCE
Sluggy was the first true webcomic I started reading, and I never stopped. I like this comic, I like it a lot. I like it so much that it is the last comic I read every day, and has been since I finished my 2 week archive dive (2 weeks because of a 56k modem). So what makes it so good to me? Well, let me try to relate it.
CHARACTERS
I suppose it's cliche to say that a good comic has good characters, but I'm not afraid of cliches. Sluggy has some very well done characters. The core characters of Torg and Riff play off well each other and grew from their more archetypal origins into reasonably complex yet still fun characters. Perhaps only secondary comes the female stars of the comic, Zoey and Gwynn who have stories at least as complex as the guys. And all this from a basic premise that simply threw them together for giggles.
Past them come the various secondary characters from Bun Bun the far to violent rabbit to Oasis the undying. The cast is so large, in fact, that it's almost impossible to keep track of them all, their comings and going and their own stories. While they are not, of course, as followed or detailed as the main cast, they are at least recognizable and can add a great deal to the story.
But don't think they started this way. Sluggy is a 13 YEAR old comic, and much of this development came over these long years. Many characters have fallen by the wayside in that time, and many more were resurrected in much more potent forms as the years went by. Such is the long development of the comic. Despite this, the characters always seem to maintain more than a hint of Sluggy's origins as a gag a day strip.
STORY
This is a funny comic. It was born as one and continues to be one, despite the more serious dramatic moments. Pete Abrams is one of the few artists I've seen that can so perfectly balance the hilarious and dramatic within the confines of a single storyline, or even a single strip in many cases. Even as the comic explores the depths of personal depression, the destruction of entire worlds, or just the death of a single character, there's always a joke lurking nearby.
The stories aren't super wonderful, but just pretty damn good, and have gotten better as time has gone on. The early ones were just set ups for a string of jokes (or worse, puns!) to fill out strips. Later they did get deeper and more meaningful, delving into the characters. Generally, they've been well done and actually damn good. The issues start building up as the comic generates more and more backstory, and again, keeping track of past characters and plots can be nearly overwhelming.
Which isn't to say their haven't been slip ups. Oceans Unmoving is a storyline that failed as a Sluggy story. Not because it was a bad story, it was actually pretty good, but it wasn't Sluggy Freelance. It was a failure because it didn't include any of the regular cast (outside of Bun Bun and Bun Bun, which you'll have to read to understand) and contained a more fantastic premise than had been attempted before, but mostly it relied on building a new group of characters and readers felt lost without Torg or Riff running around.
To his credit, Abrams picked up and this and ended the story as soon as possible and drew the readers back with the old cast in new clothes and new adventures. I think had Oceans Unmoving been established as a separate comic from Sluggy Freelance itself, it would still be going on today, but as a part of Sluggy Freelance, it just didn't work.
ART
A lot of comics start with crappy are and get better as time goes on, and Sluggy is no exception. That said, even the early strips aren't that bad, especially for a web comic. The characters were identifiable and well proportioned, which is odd praise but considering other comics at similar stages, it's actually high praise.
Yet the art didn't really come into it's own until probably the story Fire and Rain, which also happened to be around the time the comic broke away from the old newspaper comic conventions when it came to layout and schedule. Today the art is still comic art, but much more detailed and full. Strips no longer stick to a 3 or 4 panels, but get as large as they need to be to convey the story, show the art, or tell the joke.
I really rather enjoy the art, but it's not the best art I've seen for a comic. It is more than serviceable though, adding that extra layer of realism most comics need to feel great.
OVERALL
Have I mentioned I really like Sluggy Freelance? Because I do, and it stands out to me as one of the better comics on the net today. Which isn't to say it's the best. There are more than frequent moments when the comic falls to the filler gods or updates are delayed for random reasons (not that they aren't good reasons, they're just all over the map). The stories sometimes don't quite hit their marks and again, the sheer size of the backstory is bound to bury even the die hard fans.
But when Sluggy gets it right, it gets it VERY right. Other comics might have better art and stories, but Sluggy is a force of greatness at that moment that is hard to beat. It would be nicer if the updates were a bit more steady though. I say go read it, but get ready for a long read.
Well, that's the first long review. Like it? I hope so, because I'll be doing more in the future. Until next week kiddies.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
First Anniversary!
Well, it's been a full year, and one day, since I started this blog.
It really did start as a birthday gift for myself, to see if I could do it and keep it up, and I'm glad to say I did. If I hadn't gotten a steady job, I think I could have maintained the twice a week thing, maybe, but at the same time, I think I prefer doing this once a week. Easier on me that way.
I want to thank everyone (which is about 3 people, I think) who read it, and even those few of you who actually left comments. Hell, I even got one of the artists to comment, that makes me feel pretty good (of course, his comic was ending at the time, sigh).
So what's the future of this? Well, I don't know. I'm looking at changing up the color scheme a bit, maybe I'll even start, you know, advertising it or something. Maybe. I do intend to have a new batch of reviews before the end of the year. Maybe before Halloween even, wouldn't that be neat? Yeah.
Of course, once I run out of old reviews to post, I'll have to get even more creative with recycling old updates. Or maybe I'll go in a different direction and expand out the scope of the blog. I've thought about it at least. We'll see. In the mean time, there will be more reviews, more articles and more whatever. Thanks for reading this thing, and I hope I can keep it going for another year.
Until next time kiddies.
It really did start as a birthday gift for myself, to see if I could do it and keep it up, and I'm glad to say I did. If I hadn't gotten a steady job, I think I could have maintained the twice a week thing, maybe, but at the same time, I think I prefer doing this once a week. Easier on me that way.
I want to thank everyone (which is about 3 people, I think) who read it, and even those few of you who actually left comments. Hell, I even got one of the artists to comment, that makes me feel pretty good (of course, his comic was ending at the time, sigh).
So what's the future of this? Well, I don't know. I'm looking at changing up the color scheme a bit, maybe I'll even start, you know, advertising it or something. Maybe. I do intend to have a new batch of reviews before the end of the year. Maybe before Halloween even, wouldn't that be neat? Yeah.
Of course, once I run out of old reviews to post, I'll have to get even more creative with recycling old updates. Or maybe I'll go in a different direction and expand out the scope of the blog. I've thought about it at least. We'll see. In the mean time, there will be more reviews, more articles and more whatever. Thanks for reading this thing, and I hope I can keep it going for another year.
Until next time kiddies.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Wild Webcomic Review 116 - 120
Another batch of old reviews for you to read. Which means I have no new ideas for articles. Heh.
January 22, 2007
116. No 4th Wall to Break - And we end this session with a dead comic. If you hadn't noticed, I do review those, and this is one that probably shouldn't have died. It's not as bad as Jeremy in that respect (died, again, so young), but still sad to see it go. Oh, and it's the third stick figure comic. Not as obscure in it's humor as Cynide and Happiness, and actually a little higher on the art scale (it even has *gasp* characters!). It's almost not a stick figure comic at all. And there's no 4th wall either, they are all very aware of the fact they're in a comic, and they don't care. Enjoyable at the very least.
TODAY - Gone, this time thanks to a computer glitch. Better than just being forgotten or something.
February 12, 2007
117. Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal - It wants to be the next PLiF. It wants to be it DESPERATELY. And it actually comes pretty damn close. A lot closer than Edible Dirt, that's for damn sure. It doesn't quite get there though. Yeah, it's that funny, weird humor we've all come to expect from these kinds of comics, but it just never seems to go far enough. And you get to see the back of many, many people's heads.
TODAY - And you still see a lot of back of people's heads, but the strip has changed up the formula a bit and now does a lot more stuff. It's better than when I initially reviewed it and I still read it.
118. No Rest for the Wicked - A lot of comics try to play up some fairy tale element in them at some point. Few do it from day one and only this one does it in half as much detail. I can tell the artist loves fairy tales and is very well read about them. It makes the comic a wonderful treat if you know the stories behind them, and it all seems to, well, work. The updates seem a bit sporatic, but I'm willing to wait if it can maintain this quality.
TODAY - Hasn't updated since October of last year. Yes, the comic has really lengthy gaps between updates, but this one is huge. I somehow doubt it will be coming back, but I'll check it through October, then it goes in the dead bin.
119. Kawaii Not - It's formulatic, silly, cute, and insults Japophiles everywhere. I like it. It's not anything fancy, don't expect that, and some of the jokes fall flat, but for a quick diversion, it does the job well. Not much else to say about it.
TODAY - Still doesn't stray from the formula, and I still read it for the simple humor. Again, not much esle to say.
120. Edwitch - There's a witch, living in a house on the edge of a cliff overlooking a city. Sounds like a weird fairy tale story setup, yes? It's not. It's more down to Earth than that. Really, it seems to be more about the main character working against her own nature. Its kind of interesting that way, and it's odd too. Worth watching, for sure.
TODAY - Dead and gone. It died (and was announced dead) some time ago, but I'm surprised it vanished. Kind of a bummer, the story was just starting to heat up, but at least the artist was nice enough to tell people the comic had come to an end. I like that.
Well, that's it for this week. You know, I keep thinking there's something special about next week, but I can't put my finger on it. Oh well, I'll remember eventually, until next time kiddies.
January 22, 2007
116. No 4th Wall to Break - And we end this session with a dead comic. If you hadn't noticed, I do review those, and this is one that probably shouldn't have died. It's not as bad as Jeremy in that respect (died, again, so young), but still sad to see it go. Oh, and it's the third stick figure comic. Not as obscure in it's humor as Cynide and Happiness, and actually a little higher on the art scale (it even has *gasp* characters!). It's almost not a stick figure comic at all. And there's no 4th wall either, they are all very aware of the fact they're in a comic, and they don't care. Enjoyable at the very least.
TODAY - Gone, this time thanks to a computer glitch. Better than just being forgotten or something.
February 12, 2007
117. Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal - It wants to be the next PLiF. It wants to be it DESPERATELY. And it actually comes pretty damn close. A lot closer than Edible Dirt, that's for damn sure. It doesn't quite get there though. Yeah, it's that funny, weird humor we've all come to expect from these kinds of comics, but it just never seems to go far enough. And you get to see the back of many, many people's heads.
TODAY - And you still see a lot of back of people's heads, but the strip has changed up the formula a bit and now does a lot more stuff. It's better than when I initially reviewed it and I still read it.
118. No Rest for the Wicked - A lot of comics try to play up some fairy tale element in them at some point. Few do it from day one and only this one does it in half as much detail. I can tell the artist loves fairy tales and is very well read about them. It makes the comic a wonderful treat if you know the stories behind them, and it all seems to, well, work. The updates seem a bit sporatic, but I'm willing to wait if it can maintain this quality.
TODAY - Hasn't updated since October of last year. Yes, the comic has really lengthy gaps between updates, but this one is huge. I somehow doubt it will be coming back, but I'll check it through October, then it goes in the dead bin.
119. Kawaii Not - It's formulatic, silly, cute, and insults Japophiles everywhere. I like it. It's not anything fancy, don't expect that, and some of the jokes fall flat, but for a quick diversion, it does the job well. Not much else to say about it.
TODAY - Still doesn't stray from the formula, and I still read it for the simple humor. Again, not much esle to say.
120. Edwitch - There's a witch, living in a house on the edge of a cliff overlooking a city. Sounds like a weird fairy tale story setup, yes? It's not. It's more down to Earth than that. Really, it seems to be more about the main character working against her own nature. Its kind of interesting that way, and it's odd too. Worth watching, for sure.
TODAY - Dead and gone. It died (and was announced dead) some time ago, but I'm surprised it vanished. Kind of a bummer, the story was just starting to heat up, but at least the artist was nice enough to tell people the comic had come to an end. I like that.
Well, that's it for this week. You know, I keep thinking there's something special about next week, but I can't put my finger on it. Oh well, I'll remember eventually, until next time kiddies.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Great Names
I would have to say that the first thing that gets me interested in reading a comic is the title. That's because it's often the first thing I see, and so do many others. A simple forum post with the poster saying I have to read this comic, and then giving me the name and link can spell the difference between me actually reading it, and skipping it.
Now I could go into what makes a good name for a comic, but, um, I've been trying to figure that out since March. Not much luck. So instead, I'll talk about my favorite comic titles, numbered but in no particular order.
1. Kristy Versus the Zombie Army - Whenever I think of a great title for a comic, I always come back to Kristy. Maybe it's the Army of Darkness lover in me, but the very idea of this title thrills me to no end. One person verses an entire army is awesome, but one against an army of zombies? That is EPIC. Sadly, the comic is on extended (and likely permanent) hiatus, but the title still rules.
2. Cleopatra in SPAAAACE! - I'm a bit of a history buff, so "Cleopatra" automatically makes me interested in this comic. The fact that she is in space makes it even more exciting. But the fact that there are FOUR A's in "space" make this title absolutely epic. You just know this is going to be awesome, so much so they needed extra letters to express it. It also reveals that this comic won't ever take itself too seriously, and that can be a big plus.
4. The Adventures of Dr. McNinja - He's a doctor. He's a ninja. He's Irish. These are his adventures. The fact that the comic is at least as awesome as the title makes it even better. I don't think anyone could ever have come up with it outside of the forum where it was created in a sea of names with numbers in it. That takes a level of creativity you don't see very often, and of course, the comic shows it constantly.
5. Nobody Scores! - The entire premise of this comic is summed up in these two words and a bit of punctuation. Seeing such a title compels one to see what exactly it means, and the realization that it means exactly what it says. So few comics can so concisely define themselves, and even fewer can do it in the title. Damn funny comic too.
6. Here There Be Robots - On old maps they used to write "here there be dragons" for regions of the world where no one had gone before. Robots would have been odd to see on those old maps, but they still fit. The play on the old phrase here draws you to it, but it's abhorrently long update periods ruin the fun.
7. Blip - One word, and that word is something that shows up and goes away again. Or sticks around and cannot be easily accounted for. Either way, that word makes me go "damn, wish I thought of that title." Simple, elegant, and attractive. Plus it's easy to write and thus needs no abbreviation.
8. Anne Frank Conquers the Moon Nazis - Yeah, you read that right. Nazi's, the moon and Anne Frank. If the comic wasn't dead, I'd be checking it constantly to see if it was updated JUST for the title. The comic itself (what there is of it) is great, but lacks the moon Nazis of the title. Disappointing, I know, but at least you get the title.
9. Teddy Bear Trauma - Not the teddy bear! Cute things being tortured in horrible ways always attracts, especially from people who love cute things (no one knows why. . ). Teddy Bear Trauma does not disappoint on this end, and the title is what really drew me to it.
10. Jet Packs and Time Machines - Mixing the two is like mixing peanut butter and chocolate: Only good things can happen. At least until they try making other styles besides regular Resses (white chocolate? Seriously?). The combo is great here, but sadly it updates once every 6 months or so, but the title sounds great and what there is of the comic is equally awesome.
So that's just a few of my favorite titles. One day I'll try to define why they're so damn good, but right now, let's just go with these are them. Until next time kiddies.
Now I could go into what makes a good name for a comic, but, um, I've been trying to figure that out since March. Not much luck. So instead, I'll talk about my favorite comic titles, numbered but in no particular order.
1. Kristy Versus the Zombie Army - Whenever I think of a great title for a comic, I always come back to Kristy. Maybe it's the Army of Darkness lover in me, but the very idea of this title thrills me to no end. One person verses an entire army is awesome, but one against an army of zombies? That is EPIC. Sadly, the comic is on extended (and likely permanent) hiatus, but the title still rules.
2. Cleopatra in SPAAAACE! - I'm a bit of a history buff, so "Cleopatra" automatically makes me interested in this comic. The fact that she is in space makes it even more exciting. But the fact that there are FOUR A's in "space" make this title absolutely epic. You just know this is going to be awesome, so much so they needed extra letters to express it. It also reveals that this comic won't ever take itself too seriously, and that can be a big plus.
4. The Adventures of Dr. McNinja - He's a doctor. He's a ninja. He's Irish. These are his adventures. The fact that the comic is at least as awesome as the title makes it even better. I don't think anyone could ever have come up with it outside of the forum where it was created in a sea of names with numbers in it. That takes a level of creativity you don't see very often, and of course, the comic shows it constantly.
5. Nobody Scores! - The entire premise of this comic is summed up in these two words and a bit of punctuation. Seeing such a title compels one to see what exactly it means, and the realization that it means exactly what it says. So few comics can so concisely define themselves, and even fewer can do it in the title. Damn funny comic too.
6. Here There Be Robots - On old maps they used to write "here there be dragons" for regions of the world where no one had gone before. Robots would have been odd to see on those old maps, but they still fit. The play on the old phrase here draws you to it, but it's abhorrently long update periods ruin the fun.
7. Blip - One word, and that word is something that shows up and goes away again. Or sticks around and cannot be easily accounted for. Either way, that word makes me go "damn, wish I thought of that title." Simple, elegant, and attractive. Plus it's easy to write and thus needs no abbreviation.
8. Anne Frank Conquers the Moon Nazis - Yeah, you read that right. Nazi's, the moon and Anne Frank. If the comic wasn't dead, I'd be checking it constantly to see if it was updated JUST for the title. The comic itself (what there is of it) is great, but lacks the moon Nazis of the title. Disappointing, I know, but at least you get the title.
9. Teddy Bear Trauma - Not the teddy bear! Cute things being tortured in horrible ways always attracts, especially from people who love cute things (no one knows why. . ). Teddy Bear Trauma does not disappoint on this end, and the title is what really drew me to it.
10. Jet Packs and Time Machines - Mixing the two is like mixing peanut butter and chocolate: Only good things can happen. At least until they try making other styles besides regular Resses (white chocolate? Seriously?). The combo is great here, but sadly it updates once every 6 months or so, but the title sounds great and what there is of the comic is equally awesome.
So that's just a few of my favorite titles. One day I'll try to define why they're so damn good, but right now, let's just go with these are them. Until next time kiddies.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Wild Webcomic Review 111 - 115
Back for another batch of old reviews. Hope you don't mind.
January 22, 2007
111. The Adventures of Dr. McNinja - Holy crap is this a funny comic. The concept is ridiculous, but the execution is so spot on that you can't help but crack up into fits of laughter. Everything is well done, and it is about as damn perfect as you can get. Why have I not read this comic sooner? WHAT IN GOD'S NAME IS WRONG WITH ME? Or you for that matter? HAVEN'T YOU CLICKED THE LINK BY NOW?!
TODAY - Still one of the most awesome comics on the net today. NOW IN COLOR! Go read this comic. GO READ IT NOW!
112. Return to Eden - Sometimes you just have to take a chance on a comic, and this one needs it, especially give the massive warning set right at the beginning of the the archive. I imagine if you don't think you'll enjoy it because of that, you'll be wrong. Yeah, it's a little mangany (sometimes a little too much) but it does have an interesting perspective on Heaven and Hell and love and all that crap. Oh, and a bit of action, but not much, so far. If you're willing to go with the flow despite the warning, maybe. If not, well then you probably won't even bother to try. Mores the pitty.
TODAY - The story is on it's last chapter, and it's actually pretty exciting. Oh, it's not action exciting, but "oh shit, the world is ending" exciting. The warning at the beginning of the comic was, in the end, probably unnecessary. Aside from some of the earliest stuff, almost nothing happened later on that required such a warning.
113. Hector! - I like where this comic is going, but figuring out how it got to where it is right now has been an issue. The backstory is, well, limited. That's not a bad thing (and I think it finally explained it, I just didn't get it all). The art style is pretty damn neat, (even when they switch artists and character sets after the first book), the humor is okay, and it might have a more interesting story as the thing goes along (not that it's not interesting, mind you, just I think it'll get deeper). I'll be watching this one for a bit, I think.
TODAY - Died shortly after this review, and I don't think it'll be coming back. I heard somewhere that maybe it moved from the site I found it on, but I see no sign of it. In retrospect, I don't think I'm as impressed with it as I had been, but that may be because it doesn't update.
114. Mango in Dreamland - This comic is probably too young to strictly judge, but it is strange and very, well, Japanese cutesy, if you get the meaning. Bad? Good? Hard to say. Odd, I think would be a good start, considering the main character has magical Kirby powers (the game Kirby), but hasn't even begun to explain why or how this came to be. I'll give you a better judgement after I read it for a bit longer.
TODAY - Died, and a shame too because it was pretty good in the end. Real life, though is always more important than a comic.
115. Gone with the Blastwave - It's like Red vs Blue, only far more violent. They drop a tank on someone for pete's sake! And it was very funny. Oh so very damn funny. Welcome to the end of the world, now go read it.
TODAY - I would love this comic more if it updated more than once every 5 months (okay, it's on a monthly schedule now, apparently). Long periods between updates make it almost intolerable. At least it still updates.
Well, that's enough for this week, see you next time kiddies.
January 22, 2007
111. The Adventures of Dr. McNinja - Holy crap is this a funny comic. The concept is ridiculous, but the execution is so spot on that you can't help but crack up into fits of laughter. Everything is well done, and it is about as damn perfect as you can get. Why have I not read this comic sooner? WHAT IN GOD'S NAME IS WRONG WITH ME? Or you for that matter? HAVEN'T YOU CLICKED THE LINK BY NOW?!
TODAY - Still one of the most awesome comics on the net today. NOW IN COLOR! Go read this comic. GO READ IT NOW!
112. Return to Eden - Sometimes you just have to take a chance on a comic, and this one needs it, especially give the massive warning set right at the beginning of the the archive. I imagine if you don't think you'll enjoy it because of that, you'll be wrong. Yeah, it's a little mangany (sometimes a little too much) but it does have an interesting perspective on Heaven and Hell and love and all that crap. Oh, and a bit of action, but not much, so far. If you're willing to go with the flow despite the warning, maybe. If not, well then you probably won't even bother to try. Mores the pitty.
TODAY - The story is on it's last chapter, and it's actually pretty exciting. Oh, it's not action exciting, but "oh shit, the world is ending" exciting. The warning at the beginning of the comic was, in the end, probably unnecessary. Aside from some of the earliest stuff, almost nothing happened later on that required such a warning.
113. Hector! - I like where this comic is going, but figuring out how it got to where it is right now has been an issue. The backstory is, well, limited. That's not a bad thing (and I think it finally explained it, I just didn't get it all). The art style is pretty damn neat, (even when they switch artists and character sets after the first book), the humor is okay, and it might have a more interesting story as the thing goes along (not that it's not interesting, mind you, just I think it'll get deeper). I'll be watching this one for a bit, I think.
TODAY - Died shortly after this review, and I don't think it'll be coming back. I heard somewhere that maybe it moved from the site I found it on, but I see no sign of it. In retrospect, I don't think I'm as impressed with it as I had been, but that may be because it doesn't update.
114. Mango in Dreamland - This comic is probably too young to strictly judge, but it is strange and very, well, Japanese cutesy, if you get the meaning. Bad? Good? Hard to say. Odd, I think would be a good start, considering the main character has magical Kirby powers (the game Kirby), but hasn't even begun to explain why or how this came to be. I'll give you a better judgement after I read it for a bit longer.
TODAY - Died, and a shame too because it was pretty good in the end. Real life, though is always more important than a comic.
115. Gone with the Blastwave - It's like Red vs Blue, only far more violent. They drop a tank on someone for pete's sake! And it was very funny. Oh so very damn funny. Welcome to the end of the world, now go read it.
TODAY - I would love this comic more if it updated more than once every 5 months (okay, it's on a monthly schedule now, apparently). Long periods between updates make it almost intolerable. At least it still updates.
Well, that's enough for this week, see you next time kiddies.
Friday, August 20, 2010
They Call it Filler, Filler. . .
Wow, an article, must be something in the water.
Filler is a concept that I think really took root in the anime crowd. Anime is often based on manga but since anime tends to move faster than it's source material, the studios have to do something until they can go back to the manga's main storyline. This is filler, stuff used until the main story can come back into play. It can be used in other places, including this blog (see last week), but is actually pretty rare outside of anime.
And webcomics. It's actually funny that webcomics use filler because two of their common sources, comic books and newspaper comics, really don't. Comic books either have such a convoluted story that "filler" doesn't actually exist or they just delay publishing until the comic books is finished. Newspaper comics have something similar, called Sunday Comics, but it's less filler and more a second story line in many cases, and if an artist misses a deadline (VERY RARE) they simply run an older strip.
Webcomics, however, are different. There are no set schedules, few webcomic artists actually make a living on their comics, and if they do have a schedule, they usually are running right along the deadline. Thus comes the filler strips, comics that are usually noted as such and do something that is not artist like.
Filler comes in various forms, and I apologize now that I won't be including specific examples. I'd have to dig through a lot of comics to do that, and I really don't have the time or energy to do so. I'll at least point you toward some of the comics I've seen such filler in, if I can remember them.
The most common filler is the art post. Sometimes it's just a sketch, sometimes something more, but always a random image taken from the artist's files. Typically they aren't planned, though Sluggy Freelance has done it more or less consistently on weekends since moving to a five day a week schedule. I actually think this is the best filler of the batch as the artist still gets to put art up, even if it isn't a comic, and it doesn't interrupt or derail an ongoing story.
Sketched pages of the comic are also a form filler, but less common than outright art. A lot of reasons for this, mostly because many artists are perfectionists that would rather post nothing than something incomplete. At the same time, there are those who don't mind, such as the artist for The Meek. After each of his chapters, he posts (very quickly) the rough draft for it. The situations are often very different and worth reading if you get the chance to see them.
At some point, the artist will take more than a day or so off, and instead replace the comic with a sub-comic. Typically this will be in a simpler style (stickman) or just simply be different characters. Getting away from the main story, even in the middle of one, probably acts as a relief valve for the artist, giving them time to organize their thoughts and notes on the next big plot development. And probably helps the readers wind down a bit too. I again point to Sluggy Freelance because he does it most often, though he does make an effort to have the breaks come between storylines, rather than within one.
Guest strips or guest art are the next phase of filler. I often wonder if artists like guest art less for the fact that they don't have to draw anything, and more because of the ego boost it gives them. It's scary though when the guest art is actually better than the original comic, and I wonder if that hurts the ego thing. Still, that's rare enough that it doesn't come up much. The Wotch is running another string of guest strips, though the reason why still evades me.
Question and answer strips fall in around here. I suppose for the artist, Q&A gives them a chance to resolve story problems that the readers may have been having with the comic, but it is still filler as these answers could, and should, come in the main comic itself. Other times, it's not actually Q&A, but more information dump, an attempt on the artist's part to explain things that they know instinctively at this point, but the reader doesn't. Alpha Luna did this, and I consider it the worst part of the comic. I know WHY it was done (there is no room for explination in the action scene that was taking place) but it could have been done in so many other ways. Then, of course, there is Heart Shaped Skull's "Vicious Whispers" segments that are probably the most fun and creative Q&A sessions I've ever seen. I think it helps that the questions cover just about everything, and at the same time resolve certain points of the universe for the main comic without it being so direct.
Filler is something that webcomics have to deal with because they often don't have a team of artists, extremely deep archives or even the ability to branch into alternate storylines. At the same time, filler is NOT all that common in the rest of the world, so webcomic artists would be wise to try to avoid it as much as possible. Build up deep buffers of comcis, and if you must do fillers, at least get creative.
That's my thoughts anyway. See you next time kiddies.
Filler is a concept that I think really took root in the anime crowd. Anime is often based on manga but since anime tends to move faster than it's source material, the studios have to do something until they can go back to the manga's main storyline. This is filler, stuff used until the main story can come back into play. It can be used in other places, including this blog (see last week), but is actually pretty rare outside of anime.
And webcomics. It's actually funny that webcomics use filler because two of their common sources, comic books and newspaper comics, really don't. Comic books either have such a convoluted story that "filler" doesn't actually exist or they just delay publishing until the comic books is finished. Newspaper comics have something similar, called Sunday Comics, but it's less filler and more a second story line in many cases, and if an artist misses a deadline (VERY RARE) they simply run an older strip.
Webcomics, however, are different. There are no set schedules, few webcomic artists actually make a living on their comics, and if they do have a schedule, they usually are running right along the deadline. Thus comes the filler strips, comics that are usually noted as such and do something that is not artist like.
Filler comes in various forms, and I apologize now that I won't be including specific examples. I'd have to dig through a lot of comics to do that, and I really don't have the time or energy to do so. I'll at least point you toward some of the comics I've seen such filler in, if I can remember them.
The most common filler is the art post. Sometimes it's just a sketch, sometimes something more, but always a random image taken from the artist's files. Typically they aren't planned, though Sluggy Freelance has done it more or less consistently on weekends since moving to a five day a week schedule. I actually think this is the best filler of the batch as the artist still gets to put art up, even if it isn't a comic, and it doesn't interrupt or derail an ongoing story.
Sketched pages of the comic are also a form filler, but less common than outright art. A lot of reasons for this, mostly because many artists are perfectionists that would rather post nothing than something incomplete. At the same time, there are those who don't mind, such as the artist for The Meek. After each of his chapters, he posts (very quickly) the rough draft for it. The situations are often very different and worth reading if you get the chance to see them.
At some point, the artist will take more than a day or so off, and instead replace the comic with a sub-comic. Typically this will be in a simpler style (stickman) or just simply be different characters. Getting away from the main story, even in the middle of one, probably acts as a relief valve for the artist, giving them time to organize their thoughts and notes on the next big plot development. And probably helps the readers wind down a bit too. I again point to Sluggy Freelance because he does it most often, though he does make an effort to have the breaks come between storylines, rather than within one.
Guest strips or guest art are the next phase of filler. I often wonder if artists like guest art less for the fact that they don't have to draw anything, and more because of the ego boost it gives them. It's scary though when the guest art is actually better than the original comic, and I wonder if that hurts the ego thing. Still, that's rare enough that it doesn't come up much. The Wotch is running another string of guest strips, though the reason why still evades me.
Question and answer strips fall in around here. I suppose for the artist, Q&A gives them a chance to resolve story problems that the readers may have been having with the comic, but it is still filler as these answers could, and should, come in the main comic itself. Other times, it's not actually Q&A, but more information dump, an attempt on the artist's part to explain things that they know instinctively at this point, but the reader doesn't. Alpha Luna did this, and I consider it the worst part of the comic. I know WHY it was done (there is no room for explination in the action scene that was taking place) but it could have been done in so many other ways. Then, of course, there is Heart Shaped Skull's "Vicious Whispers" segments that are probably the most fun and creative Q&A sessions I've ever seen. I think it helps that the questions cover just about everything, and at the same time resolve certain points of the universe for the main comic without it being so direct.
Filler is something that webcomics have to deal with because they often don't have a team of artists, extremely deep archives or even the ability to branch into alternate storylines. At the same time, filler is NOT all that common in the rest of the world, so webcomic artists would be wise to try to avoid it as much as possible. Build up deep buffers of comcis, and if you must do fillers, at least get creative.
That's my thoughts anyway. See you next time kiddies.
Friday, August 13, 2010
I Review a Book - Silver
What? Book review on a webcomic review site? Well honestly, I've been trying to work on an article about comic names since, um, March, and I can't get it to work. So I need something else. Plus, I like this book and I want to expose it to you. So here you go:
Book Review: Silver by Edward Chupack
I've never read Treasure Island. Hell, the most I know about it comes from, of all things, Muppet Treasure Island. So it didn't occur to me that the book named "Silver" was related to it immediately. What attracted me was the black cover with the skull and crossbones. Then I read the tag line:
"My Own Tale, As Written by Me with a Goodly Amount of Murder."
Oh I had to buy this.
This is the purported autobiography of the quintessential pirate, Long John Silver, but if you think this is merely a retelling of the Stevenson's classic, you are very wrong.
The book starts by instantly dropping you into "Talk Like a Pirate Day: The Book." It's not as BAD as you might think, but you instantly know this is a pirate writing about pirate things. To read a book like that is so, different that it instantly hooked me.
The story is just what it says on the cover, the life of Long John Silver, how he got his name, and how he became a pirate to start, a story that began when he was like 12 or so. So yeah, Treasure Island is not going to show up for a LONG while.
What really stands out is the sheer realism of the piece. It's historical, rooting itself in history and setting of the period. While I'm not as versed in pirate matters as I could be, it does feel very real, and the impossible never seems to occur. I think the author took pains to make sure that what he wrote didn't seem to be pulled out of his ass, and set up each encounter and event as much as possible.
That said, he takes a great many liberties with the source material. The Treasure Island part of the book is most certainly NOT Stevenson's story, not by a long shot. Oh, they share characters and rough situations, but for the most part it is a completely different story, one that rolls better with the rest of Silver's story. At the same time, it is still the climax of the tale, and maintains it's importance in the grand scheme of things.
But if this were just a simple "autobiography" and retelling of Treasure Ilsand, it likely would only be just decent as a book. What makes it wonderful is that it's actually a mystery book, all built around the search for treasure. The mystery is presented as a series of clues and ciphers Silver sprinkles throughout his telling of his life.
In the end, the mystery is not WHERE the treasure is, but WHAT the treasure is. History buffs will likely catch on quick, but those like myself, likely won't. That doesn't really matter in the end, as Silver walks the reader through the clues step by step, like he's teaching it, and it turns out he is, after a fashion.
And the tag doesn't lie either, Silver kills a ton of people in this book, and speaks on murder and it's commission frequently and with loving detail. Still, none of this ever comes across as superhuman. He's smart as all hell, that's for sure, but often he doesn't seize on certain clues or acts until it's nearly too late. Once he knows, though, he plans quickly and executes just as well. The fact that he is captured at all is a mystery never really detailed beyond a certain point. He's not perfect, that's for sure, and it keeps him very human, and very interesting.
I happened across this book in the bargain section of Barnes and Noble, so if you happen to come across it, I recommend it. I suspect those who have read Treasure Island will be thrilled at the references that can be found, but fans of the original will be disappointed in the reworking of the original piece. For those of us who haven't read it, though, Silver is still damn good and enjoyable.
Next time, something to do with webcomics, I hope.
Book Review: Silver by Edward Chupack
I've never read Treasure Island. Hell, the most I know about it comes from, of all things, Muppet Treasure Island. So it didn't occur to me that the book named "Silver" was related to it immediately. What attracted me was the black cover with the skull and crossbones. Then I read the tag line:
"My Own Tale, As Written by Me with a Goodly Amount of Murder."
Oh I had to buy this.
This is the purported autobiography of the quintessential pirate, Long John Silver, but if you think this is merely a retelling of the Stevenson's classic, you are very wrong.
The book starts by instantly dropping you into "Talk Like a Pirate Day: The Book." It's not as BAD as you might think, but you instantly know this is a pirate writing about pirate things. To read a book like that is so, different that it instantly hooked me.
The story is just what it says on the cover, the life of Long John Silver, how he got his name, and how he became a pirate to start, a story that began when he was like 12 or so. So yeah, Treasure Island is not going to show up for a LONG while.
What really stands out is the sheer realism of the piece. It's historical, rooting itself in history and setting of the period. While I'm not as versed in pirate matters as I could be, it does feel very real, and the impossible never seems to occur. I think the author took pains to make sure that what he wrote didn't seem to be pulled out of his ass, and set up each encounter and event as much as possible.
That said, he takes a great many liberties with the source material. The Treasure Island part of the book is most certainly NOT Stevenson's story, not by a long shot. Oh, they share characters and rough situations, but for the most part it is a completely different story, one that rolls better with the rest of Silver's story. At the same time, it is still the climax of the tale, and maintains it's importance in the grand scheme of things.
But if this were just a simple "autobiography" and retelling of Treasure Ilsand, it likely would only be just decent as a book. What makes it wonderful is that it's actually a mystery book, all built around the search for treasure. The mystery is presented as a series of clues and ciphers Silver sprinkles throughout his telling of his life.
In the end, the mystery is not WHERE the treasure is, but WHAT the treasure is. History buffs will likely catch on quick, but those like myself, likely won't. That doesn't really matter in the end, as Silver walks the reader through the clues step by step, like he's teaching it, and it turns out he is, after a fashion.
And the tag doesn't lie either, Silver kills a ton of people in this book, and speaks on murder and it's commission frequently and with loving detail. Still, none of this ever comes across as superhuman. He's smart as all hell, that's for sure, but often he doesn't seize on certain clues or acts until it's nearly too late. Once he knows, though, he plans quickly and executes just as well. The fact that he is captured at all is a mystery never really detailed beyond a certain point. He's not perfect, that's for sure, and it keeps him very human, and very interesting.
I happened across this book in the bargain section of Barnes and Noble, so if you happen to come across it, I recommend it. I suspect those who have read Treasure Island will be thrilled at the references that can be found, but fans of the original will be disappointed in the reworking of the original piece. For those of us who haven't read it, though, Silver is still damn good and enjoyable.
Next time, something to do with webcomics, I hope.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)