It's no secret that I'm a fan of comic books. Ever since I was a small child, I have been a fan of a variety of super heroes. However, my love of them came not from comics themselves, but from the television series they were in. I remember well watching the old Superman cartoons, an old video with some of The Fantastic Four, and the 90's Spider-Man and X-men cartoons as well. But I'd never picked up a single comic. This trend continued for a long while, while my interest in the heroes remained kindled through TV and later film. Until, that is, Iron Man hit theaters. It was upon seeing that movie that I decided I would make an effort to start reading comics. I've had limited success, given how few places there were to purchase comics in my old hometown. But I have managed to finally get into the hobby a bit, and I've found a place to buy the comics from that feels comfortable enough that I like going in. I'm hardly an extensive reader, due to a lack of funds as well as simple ignorance; I don't know what's good and what's not. It's not as though that's all that shocking. There's dozens upon dozens of different books out there, each with their own creative team, and it's hard to figure out which ones are good based solely on the cover. I have a general knowledge of a lot of the books, as far as what the main characters are like, but I've no idea how good the writing is, or what is currently going on in most series. It can be overwhelming, to become a new reader, when you go into a shop and see a massive wall filled to the bursting with comics featuring characters you've never heard of, multiple different titles about the same character, and trying to find a book that you can actually pick up, read, and understand what's going on without having to research the comic's history.
Fortunately for me, Marvel has started their "Marvel NOW" initiative, wherein they've restarted a bunch of titles, but without wiping away the history of some of them. A lot of the titles didn't seem interesting, but a few did, and thus I picked them up and began reading. Here now, are my thoughts concerning the books I picked up.
Deadpool, issues #1-3. Deadpool was one of the first books of the NOW movement, and started back in November. The first thing I had heard about the series, prior to its start was that they were switching to a completely different creative team. I had read a few issues of the old Deadpool series, as well as heard its praises sung by many people, and so I was of course a little upset when I found out that such a wonderful team was being replaced. When I read the first issue, it seemed like my fears were grounded. The dialogue didn't seem to flow quite naturally, and the puns seemed terribly forced. Not only that, but the art, while good, wasn't as good as I had seen from the previous book. However, I'd already bought the second issue anyway, so I felt I may as well read it. I'm very glad that I did. It seems like the writing managed to find the proper flow, and began to feel natural, which included some good humor (as any Deadpool book needs). The only problem I have with the series thus far is that Deadpool's signature little yellow boxes are gone, which is a shame. However, one of his inner voices has been replaced by Ben Franklin, so I can't complain too much. Issue three continued the trend set by two, and I was pleased to see that. I look forward to receiving future issues, as I was given the wonderful gift of a subscription to Deadpool by my beloved.
Thor: God of Thunder. Thor's been one of those heroes that has always intrigued me, mainly because of the fact that he's based on one of my favorite mythological figures. I'd never been able to get into the series though, because it felt... off somehow. I read a description of what was going to be happening in the God of Thunder series, and found myself interested enough to actually pick up the first issue. When I opened to the first page, I read of an account of Thor tracking down and defeating a troll that had been harassing a viking village, followed by the celebration of its death. It was wonderful, everything I'd hoped for when I picked the book up, and the rest of the story didn't disappoint. The writing was engaging, telling an interesting story with good pacing so that I never felt a single page drag or move too quickly. The artwork was likewise great, fitting the style of the writing superbly. My only complaint is that I didn't pick up the other issue that was available at the time, because I definitely want to see where the story goes.
Thunderbolts. The Thunderbolts is a superhero team that I know next to nothing about. If you had told me a year ago that I'd be picking up an issue of it, I'd be asking why. But when I saw the lineup they had for the series, I was more than a little intrigued. Deadpool, Venom (Flash Thompson), Red Hulk, The Punisher, and Elektra all on the same team? That struck me as more than a little odd. Elektra and the Punisher had never really interested me all that much. Red Hulk I was only mildly interested in. But I'd been reading the Venom series that had Flash paired up with the symbiote, and I'd thoroughly enjoyed the few issues I'd managed to acquire. Deadpool has always been one of those characters that seemed like he couldn't be part of a team for any length of time. So, I had to pick the first issue up, just to see what it was about. I then found out that the writer for the series was the same one as for the old Deadpool series, which pleased me, and made me want the book more. I was pleased with the book, but not as thoroughly as I was hoping. The pacing of the whole thing was kind of slow, and it focused mostly upon General Ross (Red Hulk) and Punisher, but I feel that the slow start may be a bit necessary. I'm certainly still interested, enough to pick up the next issue when I get the chance.
I'm looking forward to the next chance I get to walk into the comic shop and pick up my desired titles. If anyone has any recommendations, by all means, leave a comment. I'm always happy to hear suggestions from people about things I may like.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Friday, November 9, 2012
Arrapha!
*dusts off the old blog* Well, it certainly has been awhile since I've gotten to do this. I've been very busy lately, but I finally have time as well as a sense of purpose enough to do a post.
Many of you are aware that a few months ago, I moved into a new apartment complex. Not too long after moving in, my love and I became acquainted with our neighbor, Amon26 (as he is known upon the internet). We learned that he was a game designer/artist, and an all around cool guy, who we became fast friends with. He's currently working on his latest game, a horror/comedy game called Arrapha. I thought it might be fun to sit him down for an interview, in order to get some answers about the game, and share the answers with my readership, as a way of helping to spread word about the game.
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As was mentioned in the interview, Amon is currently trying to raise funds for Arrapha, via IndieGoGo. If you are interested in donating to have the game funded, or are interested in additional information, check it out here.
Expect more frequent updates from me in the future. Until then, may your days be ever nerdy.
Many of you are aware that a few months ago, I moved into a new apartment complex. Not too long after moving in, my love and I became acquainted with our neighbor, Amon26 (as he is known upon the internet). We learned that he was a game designer/artist, and an all around cool guy, who we became fast friends with. He's currently working on his latest game, a horror/comedy game called Arrapha. I thought it might be fun to sit him down for an interview, in order to get some answers about the game, and share the answers with my readership, as a way of helping to spread word about the game.
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Me: What is Arrapha?
Amon 26: I guess it’s my attempt to take the stuff I really liked as
I grew up and mix it with the stuff that’s come along since, the better methods of storytelling and the
attitude, and see how far I could take that and make a game that I would want
to play.
M: Where did the idea come from?
A: It actually started off as a discussion between Jessica and
I about The Addams Family, about Gomez and Morticia and how odd it is that
they’re bound together. We thought how it’d be fun to trade characters that were
really different from each other. A kind of John Q Everyman, and a very cold
and ruthless villainess. And I decided
just for fun, I should draw the hero. And then, just for fun, I should draw the
bad guy. And then, just for fun, I should make the engine for it. And then I
realized well, I’m making a game, I may as well go for it. It was too much fun
to do down the road.
M: So Keith is inspired by Gomez Adams, anyone else?
A: James Dean, Indiana Jones, Ash from Army of Darkness. We
wanted a guy who shoots first and asks questions later. A guy who always lands
on his feet, even if he really doesn’t know where he’s landed. The whole,
immovable object meets an unstoppable force kinda thing.
M: How ‘bout Runira?
A: We got the idea of her of course from Morticia, and we also
got a lot of ideas from her from Malificent, along with some of the wardrobe of
Marilyn Manson, along with some people Jessica and I know, who are just larger
and life, but you really don’t want to be on their bad side. We wanted to make
a Count Dracula, who was more… not charming, but more complex. Someone who
wants to do more than just drink blood for all eternity. Her control is exact
and unwavering. Anyone who thinks differently is destroyed immediately. So,
Keith is kind of a fly in her ointment.
M: What’s your process for creating the artwork?
A: Even though it’s digital, I do a lot of stuff by hand. I
grew up doing a lot of drawing, I don’t really use a whole lot of scanners, or
anything like that. I’ll start with a rough sketch and usually take a photograph
and rotoscope over that. Sometimes I’ll start digitally. It all depends on what
works best for the idea.
M: Are there any artists whose work influences your own?
A: A whole bunch of them. Ralph Stedman, a guy who really has
no idea how to draw, but draws in ways nobody ever thought to try. Katsuhiro
Ottomo. Then, lemme see… when I try to think about my inspirations, I can’t. I
grew up with the people who did a lot of the old Nintendo games. Ninja Gaiden,
Castlevania and all that. I grew up saying I was going to make the next
Megaman. I grew up with the Disney cartoons like Tale Spin, Darkwing Duck, and
Gargoyles.
M: What is your favorite kind of pie?
A: Apple Pie. I love Apple pie.
M: There are opportunities in the game where you get to ride a
giant chainsaw. Are there going to be other such opportunities to do amazingly
cool things?
A: Yes, yes there are, but I haven’t done them yet. I don’t
want to commit to them until they’re done. I don’t want to say “you’ll be able
to blah blah blah, blah blah blah blah” and then when the game comes out say
“oh yeah, sorry but I wasn’t able to do that.”
M: You’re currently trying to raise money to fund Arrapha. Have
you considered dragon slaying? I hear it’s quite lucrative.
A: Um… I did but I took an arrow to the knee. If it wasn’t for
the arrow related injury, I’d be all over that.
M:How did you get into making games?
A:Acci- well not accident. Um… fun. This is really what I
enjoy, and I’ve really been a feverish game player since I was seven years old.
It came to the point I decided I should stop talking about making a game, and
not be afraid of how bad it could be or how it could fail. It ended up being a
game called All of Our Friends are Dead, and I put it out and said “here it is,
I’m sure you’ve played better.” And it started getting attention, I started
getting emails from people saying “do you have another in you?” “where have you
been?” And it just kept going. I really enjoy entertaining people, and making
games is something that I just decided to try and do it. And people haven’t
gotten sick of it yet.
M: Do you have any plans for once Arrapha’s done?
A: I have a whole bunch of different games I’ve been wanting to
do, and a bunch of different ideas. And there’s a few unfinished projects I
have floating around that I feel strongly about. But it all depends on if
there’s a big enough pull, a big enough audience, and if I have the time and
energy to finish it. But, right now I’m just focusing on finishing Arrapha, and
whatever life presents me with, I’ll deal with it.
Expect more frequent updates from me in the future. Until then, may your days be ever nerdy.
Monday, September 24, 2012
ArtPrize 2012
When I first moved to Grand Rapids last year, I had to face the terrible realization that things had changed in the four years that had passed between when I first applied to KCAD and when I finally started. The major construction of the highway and medical institution a stone's throw from the school had been completed, the school had been heavily remodeled, and apparently, some sort of international art competition had become a big boon to the city.
I speak of none other than ArtPrize. As I said, when I first applied to Kendall, ArtPrize had not yet been conceived (or at least, not implemented). So last year, when everybody was talking about it, I was very much confused. The confusion increased when I walked outside one day to crowds of people walking along the streets, taking in the sites of pieces of artwork, both large and small, overt and subtle. As a budding artist, I thought that, in the spirit of the season, I'd share my musings on the event.
First, the background. ArtPrize was started in 2009 and is probably the largest publicly voted on art competition in the world. It brings people from all over, both to compete and to take in the three-week event. All mediums are represented and the pieces are displayed all throughout the downtown area. Every venue has different pieces, usually ones that match the area's style (for example, a local gaming shop has a sculpture of a [I believe] Warhammer game piece that is about a foot and a half tall). At the end of the competition, the artist of the piece judged best is awarded $250,000, with other prize money being awarded to the other nine artists from the top ten. In 2010, they also established a jury that votes on the pieces as well, with the jurors picks receiving prize money as well ($20,000 for the top one is what I've heard for this year).
Now, onto my negative criticism. While I certainly think that this is a great way to expose the public to art, I'm not fond of the voting. Most people know absolutely nothing about art, and only know what they like. They have little to no appreciation for the talent, time or effort put into a piece of artwork, and they simply judge it based on how cool something is. I am, of course, speaking generally. I am aware that the event does in fact attract many people who have studied art, either professionally or as a hobby. But the event also attracts a lot of people who are ignorant of such things, not to mention the residents of Grand Rapids itself. That much prize money should be awarded to a truly exceptional artist, one who has created a breathtakingly masterful piece. But unfortunately, the public tends to vote towards the flashy and sensational.
However, for all that I've said against it, I do love this event. First of all, it's a great opportunity to see some very impressive artwork, even without making an effort to take in the event. I was walking to buy some supplies today, and passed a rather nice dragon sculpture made from what looked like scrap metal. Unlike say going to a museum, you don't have to go to a specific place, pay a fee, and keep your voice down as you admire the artwork. You can take it in by walking around town, enjoying the crisp autumn air, while listening to the sounds of the crowds and maybe even strike up a conversation with somebody new about a particular piece. Secondly, as I briefly mentioned, it's an opportunity for the general public to get some exposure to artwork. Art museums are an excellent way to get exposed to art, but they do have faults (most of which I mentioned above), and they also have a somewhat pretentious sort of aura. It can be intimidating to go to a museum for the first time (even if you are an artist). Finally, it's a wonderful thing, to see a city embracing art like this. My art department in high school never really got all that much recognition, nor did it at community college. I never heard people get excited about seeing artwork, save for in my art classes (and even then, it was a fairly uncommon occurrence). It makes me hopeful that one day, my artwork will be appreciated in a similar way.
If you have an opportunity, I highly recommend checking out the event. If not this year, then perhaps some other year. Or even just try to find some quality images of the pieces online. The official website has images of the pieces ( http://www.artprize.org/entries ).
I speak of none other than ArtPrize. As I said, when I first applied to Kendall, ArtPrize had not yet been conceived (or at least, not implemented). So last year, when everybody was talking about it, I was very much confused. The confusion increased when I walked outside one day to crowds of people walking along the streets, taking in the sites of pieces of artwork, both large and small, overt and subtle. As a budding artist, I thought that, in the spirit of the season, I'd share my musings on the event.
First, the background. ArtPrize was started in 2009 and is probably the largest publicly voted on art competition in the world. It brings people from all over, both to compete and to take in the three-week event. All mediums are represented and the pieces are displayed all throughout the downtown area. Every venue has different pieces, usually ones that match the area's style (for example, a local gaming shop has a sculpture of a [I believe] Warhammer game piece that is about a foot and a half tall). At the end of the competition, the artist of the piece judged best is awarded $250,000, with other prize money being awarded to the other nine artists from the top ten. In 2010, they also established a jury that votes on the pieces as well, with the jurors picks receiving prize money as well ($20,000 for the top one is what I've heard for this year).
Now, onto my negative criticism. While I certainly think that this is a great way to expose the public to art, I'm not fond of the voting. Most people know absolutely nothing about art, and only know what they like. They have little to no appreciation for the talent, time or effort put into a piece of artwork, and they simply judge it based on how cool something is. I am, of course, speaking generally. I am aware that the event does in fact attract many people who have studied art, either professionally or as a hobby. But the event also attracts a lot of people who are ignorant of such things, not to mention the residents of Grand Rapids itself. That much prize money should be awarded to a truly exceptional artist, one who has created a breathtakingly masterful piece. But unfortunately, the public tends to vote towards the flashy and sensational.
However, for all that I've said against it, I do love this event. First of all, it's a great opportunity to see some very impressive artwork, even without making an effort to take in the event. I was walking to buy some supplies today, and passed a rather nice dragon sculpture made from what looked like scrap metal. Unlike say going to a museum, you don't have to go to a specific place, pay a fee, and keep your voice down as you admire the artwork. You can take it in by walking around town, enjoying the crisp autumn air, while listening to the sounds of the crowds and maybe even strike up a conversation with somebody new about a particular piece. Secondly, as I briefly mentioned, it's an opportunity for the general public to get some exposure to artwork. Art museums are an excellent way to get exposed to art, but they do have faults (most of which I mentioned above), and they also have a somewhat pretentious sort of aura. It can be intimidating to go to a museum for the first time (even if you are an artist). Finally, it's a wonderful thing, to see a city embracing art like this. My art department in high school never really got all that much recognition, nor did it at community college. I never heard people get excited about seeing artwork, save for in my art classes (and even then, it was a fairly uncommon occurrence). It makes me hopeful that one day, my artwork will be appreciated in a similar way.
If you have an opportunity, I highly recommend checking out the event. If not this year, then perhaps some other year. Or even just try to find some quality images of the pieces online. The official website has images of the pieces ( http://www.artprize.org/entries ).
Friday, September 14, 2012
A Gray and Ashen Road
One of the classes I'm taking this semester is 21st Century Literature. The idea of the class, which studies contemporary literature and attempts to find samples that will go down as especially great novels of the era, intrigued me. We've just finished our first book, and I thought it would be good to share my thoughts on this 'future classic.'
The Road, by Cormac McCarthy, is a fiction novel set in a post-apocalyptic version of our world. It centers around the journey of a man and his son towards the coast. I'm going to be very blunt. I did not like the book, and not because I'm not a fan of post-apocalypse. The novel has a great many things which I do not enjoy in a book, and also a number of things which make one wonder why the book has received such praise (including winning a Pulitzer). And yet, at the same time, there's... something contained within the pages which makes it seem like more. Much more.
To begin, the overall tone of the book is very, very bleak. This is not unexpected from a novel about a post-apocalyptic setting, but it's one of the things that tends to sour me on the genre. There is almost no life in the world McCarthy has created, and almost no color either. Gray and ashen are two of the most frequently used words in the book. One of the recurring elements within the book is the black and white concept of good guys and bad guys. This only adds to the bleakness because aside from the man and the boy (they're not given names, simply referred to as "the man" and "the boy") there don't seem to be any good guys, and even their designation as good guys seems to be questionable.
Then there is the language. The book I was reading before The Road was The Fellowship of the Ring. Now, anyone familiar with Tolkein could certainly understand why phrases like "long-winded" and "tediously descriptive" could be used to describe his writing. Cormac McCarthy is on the opposite end of the spectrum. The writing is sparse, bare-boned, and dry as the ashen landscape is describes. I found it very difficult to get a picture in my head as to how things looked throughout most of the book. McCarthy also eschews certain "necessary" elements of the English language, such as punctuation. I don't believe I found a single comma in the entire book. The sentences are often brief, sometimes even fragments. Narrative and dialogue switch seamlessly without quotation marks. The language is hard to read, and it can easily put someone off the book entirely.
There are other things which make me dislike the book, but they are mostly specifics, and I don't want to leave any spoilers floating around. But even though I dislike the book, there is a certain something about it which makes it seem... well, rather good. There are a few passages which make it obvious that McCarthy is in fact a good writer, in spite of his seemingly weak grasp of proper English. I truly wish I could pinpoint exactly what it is about the book that makes it seem to stand out, but if I could do that, I imagine I could make a fine career as a literature professor or critic. There is just a certain quality which it has, and other novels such as The Great Gatsby and Of Mice and Men possess. I wouldn't necessarily recommend the book to people, but nor can I say it's a bad book. I think that it is in fact a good book, but just not for me.
In other literary news, I'm taking a break from reading The Fellowship of the Ring. I'm going to finish it, but as I've been having a hard time reading things lately, I think I need something a bit lighter to read (especially after The Road). To that end, I picked up a new book, Dead Iron by Devon Monk. I'm not terribly far into it, but I have to say it's quite enjoyable so far. It is a gritty western/steampunk novel. The writing is very similar to that of Jim Butcher, so I'm finding it to be an easy, comfortable read. Expect a more thorough review once I've finished it.
Finally, I am eagerly awaiting the next book in The Dresden Files, Cold Days, which is due out November 27th. I've been a big fan of The Dresden Files for about six years now, and Jim Butcher continues to make the series a worthwhile read. If you're fond of modern-day fantasy with a touch or two of mystery mixed with a healthy dose of humor, then I highly recommend the series.
The Road, by Cormac McCarthy, is a fiction novel set in a post-apocalyptic version of our world. It centers around the journey of a man and his son towards the coast. I'm going to be very blunt. I did not like the book, and not because I'm not a fan of post-apocalypse. The novel has a great many things which I do not enjoy in a book, and also a number of things which make one wonder why the book has received such praise (including winning a Pulitzer). And yet, at the same time, there's... something contained within the pages which makes it seem like more. Much more.
To begin, the overall tone of the book is very, very bleak. This is not unexpected from a novel about a post-apocalyptic setting, but it's one of the things that tends to sour me on the genre. There is almost no life in the world McCarthy has created, and almost no color either. Gray and ashen are two of the most frequently used words in the book. One of the recurring elements within the book is the black and white concept of good guys and bad guys. This only adds to the bleakness because aside from the man and the boy (they're not given names, simply referred to as "the man" and "the boy") there don't seem to be any good guys, and even their designation as good guys seems to be questionable.
Then there is the language. The book I was reading before The Road was The Fellowship of the Ring. Now, anyone familiar with Tolkein could certainly understand why phrases like "long-winded" and "tediously descriptive" could be used to describe his writing. Cormac McCarthy is on the opposite end of the spectrum. The writing is sparse, bare-boned, and dry as the ashen landscape is describes. I found it very difficult to get a picture in my head as to how things looked throughout most of the book. McCarthy also eschews certain "necessary" elements of the English language, such as punctuation. I don't believe I found a single comma in the entire book. The sentences are often brief, sometimes even fragments. Narrative and dialogue switch seamlessly without quotation marks. The language is hard to read, and it can easily put someone off the book entirely.
There are other things which make me dislike the book, but they are mostly specifics, and I don't want to leave any spoilers floating around. But even though I dislike the book, there is a certain something about it which makes it seem... well, rather good. There are a few passages which make it obvious that McCarthy is in fact a good writer, in spite of his seemingly weak grasp of proper English. I truly wish I could pinpoint exactly what it is about the book that makes it seem to stand out, but if I could do that, I imagine I could make a fine career as a literature professor or critic. There is just a certain quality which it has, and other novels such as The Great Gatsby and Of Mice and Men possess. I wouldn't necessarily recommend the book to people, but nor can I say it's a bad book. I think that it is in fact a good book, but just not for me.
In other literary news, I'm taking a break from reading The Fellowship of the Ring. I'm going to finish it, but as I've been having a hard time reading things lately, I think I need something a bit lighter to read (especially after The Road). To that end, I picked up a new book, Dead Iron by Devon Monk. I'm not terribly far into it, but I have to say it's quite enjoyable so far. It is a gritty western/steampunk novel. The writing is very similar to that of Jim Butcher, so I'm finding it to be an easy, comfortable read. Expect a more thorough review once I've finished it.
Finally, I am eagerly awaiting the next book in The Dresden Files, Cold Days, which is due out November 27th. I've been a big fan of The Dresden Files for about six years now, and Jim Butcher continues to make the series a worthwhile read. If you're fond of modern-day fantasy with a touch or two of mystery mixed with a healthy dose of humor, then I highly recommend the series.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Smooth
Earlier in the week, I decoded to splurge and get the second of the Transformers in the first wave of the new series. This bot was none other than the legendary Autobot, Jazz.
Jazz (Fall of Cybertron)
"AUTOBOT JAZZ is gifted with a flair for flexible thinking and improvisation, making him the ideal special operations commander for the AUTOBOTS. OPTIMUS PRIME entrusts him with the most sensitive missions, counting on his keen mind and natural leadership to accomplish even the most dangerous objectives, no matter what."
Strength - 6
Intelligence - 8
Speed - 8
Endurance - 6
Rank - 8
Courage - 8
Fireblast - 5
Skill - 8
Though I have few memories of the original series, I do remember Jazz. His unique voice certainly tended to stick in one's mind, but I also remember him being one of the cooler Autobots (which is saying something, given my preference for the Decepticons. From what I remember, the above information about him being special operations commander sounds right, but mostly what I (and I'm guessing everyone) remember about Jazz is his affinity with Earth pop culture. Unlike with Shockwave, this isn't the first time they've made a Jazz figure in a long while. In 2010, another version of Jazz was released, one more closely modeled after the original. I was actually very fond of that particular one, but the one opportunity I had to buy it (for the MSRP or close enough to it to consider it that is) I passed. I regretted that, so I chose not to pass up this opportunity.
The articulation on Jazz is pretty good. Legs have a good range of movement, as do the arms, though the shoulders for some reason lock at a certain point somewhere about half-way of raising the arms up. One thing I like about Jazz moreso than Shockwave is that his head turns. It may seem like a minor thing, but when you're trying to pose the figure, this can offer a much greater variety in the number of poses you can put them in. The figure is pretty well-balanced, despite his overly-large upper body. Over all, he has a pretty good articulation, better than Shockwave's by a good amount.
Now then, onto design. The vehicle mode is, instead of the classic car, a Cybertronian racer (since all these bots are based on the Transformers before they awakened on Earth). It's still quite obviously a car that was designed for speed, but it's very much unlike an ordinary car. The robot mode is, likewise, distinct. For people familiar with Jazz, they would be able to recognize it. But they'd also notice some key differences. The chest and forearms are much bulkier than other versions, and the head and face are also quite different, including the color (the classic black has been replaced by a navy blue). For some reason, the robot form's ankles have what look like a tire as the joint for each one, which makes little sense as the four wheels of the vehicle are all on the upper body. I think they could have done something a bit different with that, maybe even just make it look like a foot and put a ball-joint there instead of the awkward wheel-joint. There's also the problem of his hand being obviously visible from behind when he's in car-mode. I don't think it would have been that difficult to figure out a less obvious way to conceal the hands. Overall, the design of the vehicle and robot forms aren't bad, but I feel they're not quite as good as some of the other figures I've seen, nor as bad.
Finally, the transformation. It's pretty darned simplistic, only taking a couple seconds. Pretty much just fold the arms and legs back and you're done. They've changed the difficulty scale that they put on the box. In the previous series, it went from one to five, with five being the most difficult. Now, they're rated from zero to three. Jazz is rated at a two, but honestly, it seemed simpler than that. It seemed on the old scale to be somewhere between a two and a three.
Overall, I'm pleased with the figure, though the one thing that really bothers me is the size. He's smaller than the previous series of bots by about a head (the exception being The Seekers, who were about this size). It's kinda bothersome, but I suppose Jazz would be smaller by a bit than Optimus or Megatron. I just hope the others are a bit larger, especially since these are supposed to be "deluxe" sized figures.
Jazz (Fall of Cybertron)
"AUTOBOT JAZZ is gifted with a flair for flexible thinking and improvisation, making him the ideal special operations commander for the AUTOBOTS. OPTIMUS PRIME entrusts him with the most sensitive missions, counting on his keen mind and natural leadership to accomplish even the most dangerous objectives, no matter what."
Strength - 6
Intelligence - 8
Speed - 8
Endurance - 6
Rank - 8
Courage - 8
Fireblast - 5
Skill - 8
Though I have few memories of the original series, I do remember Jazz. His unique voice certainly tended to stick in one's mind, but I also remember him being one of the cooler Autobots (which is saying something, given my preference for the Decepticons. From what I remember, the above information about him being special operations commander sounds right, but mostly what I (and I'm guessing everyone) remember about Jazz is his affinity with Earth pop culture. Unlike with Shockwave, this isn't the first time they've made a Jazz figure in a long while. In 2010, another version of Jazz was released, one more closely modeled after the original. I was actually very fond of that particular one, but the one opportunity I had to buy it (for the MSRP or close enough to it to consider it that is) I passed. I regretted that, so I chose not to pass up this opportunity.
The articulation on Jazz is pretty good. Legs have a good range of movement, as do the arms, though the shoulders for some reason lock at a certain point somewhere about half-way of raising the arms up. One thing I like about Jazz moreso than Shockwave is that his head turns. It may seem like a minor thing, but when you're trying to pose the figure, this can offer a much greater variety in the number of poses you can put them in. The figure is pretty well-balanced, despite his overly-large upper body. Over all, he has a pretty good articulation, better than Shockwave's by a good amount.
Now then, onto design. The vehicle mode is, instead of the classic car, a Cybertronian racer (since all these bots are based on the Transformers before they awakened on Earth). It's still quite obviously a car that was designed for speed, but it's very much unlike an ordinary car. The robot mode is, likewise, distinct. For people familiar with Jazz, they would be able to recognize it. But they'd also notice some key differences. The chest and forearms are much bulkier than other versions, and the head and face are also quite different, including the color (the classic black has been replaced by a navy blue). For some reason, the robot form's ankles have what look like a tire as the joint for each one, which makes little sense as the four wheels of the vehicle are all on the upper body. I think they could have done something a bit different with that, maybe even just make it look like a foot and put a ball-joint there instead of the awkward wheel-joint. There's also the problem of his hand being obviously visible from behind when he's in car-mode. I don't think it would have been that difficult to figure out a less obvious way to conceal the hands. Overall, the design of the vehicle and robot forms aren't bad, but I feel they're not quite as good as some of the other figures I've seen, nor as bad.
Finally, the transformation. It's pretty darned simplistic, only taking a couple seconds. Pretty much just fold the arms and legs back and you're done. They've changed the difficulty scale that they put on the box. In the previous series, it went from one to five, with five being the most difficult. Now, they're rated from zero to three. Jazz is rated at a two, but honestly, it seemed simpler than that. It seemed on the old scale to be somewhere between a two and a three.
Overall, I'm pleased with the figure, though the one thing that really bothers me is the size. He's smaller than the previous series of bots by about a head (the exception being The Seekers, who were about this size). It's kinda bothersome, but I suppose Jazz would be smaller by a bit than Optimus or Megatron. I just hope the others are a bit larger, especially since these are supposed to be "deluxe" sized figures.
Friday, August 31, 2012
More than meets the eye
For the people that know me, it's no secret that I've been a Transformers fan since I was but a wee lad. I grew up with the Generation 1 series, which was just the coolest thing ever when I was that age. My appreciation for the franchise has remained to this day. In recent years, I've begun collecting some of the newer toys they've been releasing (staying far away from the blasphemies that had anything to do with the movies). Today, I obtained one of the figures from the new line, which is based upon the video game The Fall of Cybertron. I've been eagerly awaiting this series since I first saw the pictures released at various conventions. They're doing a lot of really cool things in the series that are throwbacks to the originals. They are bringing back the combiners (sadly, they decided to do the Combaticons instead of the Constructicons, but still cool), they are releasing Blaster and Soundwave figures that have the minicons able to be stored inside them, and they are making figures for bots that haven't been seen in about a decade (in a visually appealing form, at least) including Starscream, Ultra Magnus, and Grimlock.
Being the complete nerd that I am, I have decided that I will periodically (i.e, whenever I get a new one) be doing in-depth reviews of the figures. I'll look a bit at the character of the bot and give some background, then look at the aspects of the figure including articulation, design (both robot and vehicle modes), and complexity of Transformation. So without further ado...
Shockwave (Fall of Cybertron)
"SHOCKWAVE may appear to be loyal to MEGATRON, but in reality he serves only one master - pure logic. Behind his emotionless face rests the mind of a brilliant strategist and mathematician. He calculates constantly, and enforces his solutions through the precise application of the vast power of his laser cannon."
Strength - 8
Intelligence - 10
Speed - 5
Endurance - 7
Rank - 8
Courage - 6
Fireblast - 10
Skill - 6
I'll be honest, I don't ever remember Shockwave from the cartoon when I was young. I don't ever recall hearing about him until the third movie was coming out. At that point I decided to look up this bot and realized that he did exist in the earliest Transformer media, but I just didn't remember him at all. Like with a lot of Transformers, there's a lot of contradicting representations of him early on. In the Marvel comics, he was apparently quite powerful and sought to overthrow Megatron. In the animated series however, he was rather weak (which makes little sense given that Megatron left him in charge of Cybertron while he was gone) and completely loyal to Megatron. The version from the Marvel comics seems to have struck more of a chord with the fans, possibly because of the animated version's similarities to Soundwave (in personality and name of course, they look nothing alike). For whatever reason though, Shockwave's coldly logical idea of supplanting Megatron has stuck with the character, as well as his great power. Now, onto talking about the figure.
The articulation is not bad. The legs and the arms have several joints, and are also able to be twisted, giving him a wide range of possible poses. The downside however, is the lack of articulation in the torso and head. There is no waist swivel point, nor one for the neck, meaning that he cannot turn to face something without turning his whole body (a rather important short-coming, given that his cycloptic eye has a lower visual range than any of the other Transformers). Still there are some decent poses you can put him in while maintaining the figure's balance.
The design for both vehicle and robot mode are interesting. His robot form has only a single eye, which is very unusual, given that most bots have a more traditional two-eyed visage, or at least have a hint at something close like Soundwave. His body is formed of all rough sides and sharp angles, which seems to be a consistent design among this generation of Decepticons (while the Autobots have a much more rounded and smooth look). He has a seemingly disproportionally large torso compared to his legs, and yet it doesn't seem to make him imbalanced at all which is nice. The deep violet color of his body also fits in with the Decepticon color scheme (which Megatron never seems to fit with, oddly enough). His vehicle mode is a Cybertronian mobile artillery cannon, which bears a striking resemblance to one of Galvatron's ships from the original animated movie. Overall, the design of both vehicle and robot are distinctly alien, unlike some of the other Transformers whose form resembles in at least some ways vehicles or figures we are familiar with. This makes Shockwave seem a bit more intimidating and dangerous than other bots.
Finally, the difficulty of transformation. I've been pretty good about being able to figure out a lot of the transformations of the bots in my collection, but this one stumped me, and I had to peek at the directions to figure it out. Turns out his shoulders moved in a way I hadn't seen, and were preventing any of the rest of the transformation from happening. But, once I got that, the rest was cake. It's a pretty quick transformation to go through, only like 5 real steps.
Overall, it's a pretty neat Transformer. My only real complaints are the lack of torso and head movement, and that the foremost part of his laser cannon keeps falling off. So far, this series is living up to my expectations. I'm looking forward to my next acquisition, Jazz.
Being the complete nerd that I am, I have decided that I will periodically (i.e, whenever I get a new one) be doing in-depth reviews of the figures. I'll look a bit at the character of the bot and give some background, then look at the aspects of the figure including articulation, design (both robot and vehicle modes), and complexity of Transformation. So without further ado...
Shockwave (Fall of Cybertron)
"SHOCKWAVE may appear to be loyal to MEGATRON, but in reality he serves only one master - pure logic. Behind his emotionless face rests the mind of a brilliant strategist and mathematician. He calculates constantly, and enforces his solutions through the precise application of the vast power of his laser cannon."
Strength - 8
Intelligence - 10
Speed - 5
Endurance - 7
Rank - 8
Courage - 6
Fireblast - 10
Skill - 6
I'll be honest, I don't ever remember Shockwave from the cartoon when I was young. I don't ever recall hearing about him until the third movie was coming out. At that point I decided to look up this bot and realized that he did exist in the earliest Transformer media, but I just didn't remember him at all. Like with a lot of Transformers, there's a lot of contradicting representations of him early on. In the Marvel comics, he was apparently quite powerful and sought to overthrow Megatron. In the animated series however, he was rather weak (which makes little sense given that Megatron left him in charge of Cybertron while he was gone) and completely loyal to Megatron. The version from the Marvel comics seems to have struck more of a chord with the fans, possibly because of the animated version's similarities to Soundwave (in personality and name of course, they look nothing alike). For whatever reason though, Shockwave's coldly logical idea of supplanting Megatron has stuck with the character, as well as his great power. Now, onto talking about the figure.
The articulation is not bad. The legs and the arms have several joints, and are also able to be twisted, giving him a wide range of possible poses. The downside however, is the lack of articulation in the torso and head. There is no waist swivel point, nor one for the neck, meaning that he cannot turn to face something without turning his whole body (a rather important short-coming, given that his cycloptic eye has a lower visual range than any of the other Transformers). Still there are some decent poses you can put him in while maintaining the figure's balance.
The design for both vehicle and robot mode are interesting. His robot form has only a single eye, which is very unusual, given that most bots have a more traditional two-eyed visage, or at least have a hint at something close like Soundwave. His body is formed of all rough sides and sharp angles, which seems to be a consistent design among this generation of Decepticons (while the Autobots have a much more rounded and smooth look). He has a seemingly disproportionally large torso compared to his legs, and yet it doesn't seem to make him imbalanced at all which is nice. The deep violet color of his body also fits in with the Decepticon color scheme (which Megatron never seems to fit with, oddly enough). His vehicle mode is a Cybertronian mobile artillery cannon, which bears a striking resemblance to one of Galvatron's ships from the original animated movie. Overall, the design of both vehicle and robot are distinctly alien, unlike some of the other Transformers whose form resembles in at least some ways vehicles or figures we are familiar with. This makes Shockwave seem a bit more intimidating and dangerous than other bots.
Finally, the difficulty of transformation. I've been pretty good about being able to figure out a lot of the transformations of the bots in my collection, but this one stumped me, and I had to peek at the directions to figure it out. Turns out his shoulders moved in a way I hadn't seen, and were preventing any of the rest of the transformation from happening. But, once I got that, the rest was cake. It's a pretty quick transformation to go through, only like 5 real steps.
Overall, it's a pretty neat Transformer. My only real complaints are the lack of torso and head movement, and that the foremost part of his laser cannon keeps falling off. So far, this series is living up to my expectations. I'm looking forward to my next acquisition, Jazz.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Comics, on the internet? Inconceivable!
I've been reading comics ever since I was little. I started out reading the Sonic the Hedgehog comics by Archie, but soon discovered the joys of print comics, including the wonderful Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson. I've branched out since then, but because I don't get the paper, and I can't seem to find a good comic book store around here, most of the comics I read are webcomics. I thought I'd share my favorite webcomics with people.
Order of the Stick
OotS is written and drawn by Rich Burlew. It is a stick figure comic about an adventuring party going through a D&D campaign. Much of the comic's humor comes from referencing the rules of D&D (in the beginning at least), as well as poking fun at common fantasy tropes. I've been reading the comic since I was in high school, and the quality has only improved. The updates are irregular, but they're always worth the wait. giantitp.com is where you'll find it.
Erfworld
A webcomic that was originally hosted on giantitp.com with OotS, but now has it's own web space. I had a hard time getting into the comic, but when I did, I was hooked. It's a rather interesting story about a man from our world who gets trapped within a turn based strategy game. Much of the humor is derived from pop culture references in our world which none of the inhabitants of the game world understand. Erfworld is written by Rob Balder, the art for book 2 is done by Xin Ye, and book 1's art was done by Jamie Noguchi. There's no set update schedule, beyond two postings a week (one text entry, one comic page). Check out erfworld.com for this amusing story.
Least I Could Do
LICD is part of the Blind Ferret Entertainment (BFE) family of comics I read. It is written by Ryan Sohmer, with art (currently) by Lar deSouza. This highly entertaining comic follows the life of Rayne Summers, an individual who is, in almost every way, awesome. It's hard to say more beyond that, as the stories are quite varied. But the comic is truly funny, with some very sweet moments thrown in every now and then when you least expect them. This comic can be found at leasticoulddo.com and updates daily.
Looking For Group
LFG is the second comic in the BFE family which I read, though it was the one I started with. Again, it is written by Ryan Sohmer with art by Lar deSouza, and they continue with their hilarious work, but in a different genre. LFG takes place in a fantasy world that resembles Azeroth in some aspects. Updates on Mondays and Thursdays. I'm not sure of what else to say, other than to go check it out at lfgcomic.com.
The Gutters
This is the last comic I read from the BFE group. Once again, it is written by Ryan Sohmer, but the artist is different with every issue. Gutters follows the comic book industry (both the real life stuff and also what happens between the pages) and appropriately has art done by the artists of the comic book industry. New pages every Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the-gutters.com.
Menage a 3
Menage a 3 is a NSFW comic in the Pixie Trix comics family. It follows the life of a man named Gary, who is a nerd, and his roommates Zii and DiDi. The art is done by Gisele Lagace, with the writing being done by Gisele and Dave Zero. The humor is mainly sexually driven, with lots of innuendos, but there's also some good slapstick. Updated every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at ma3comic.com.
Eerie Cuties
EC is the second in the Pixie Trix family. Very different from MA3, even though it has the same creative team (Giz and Dave). The story is set at a high school for monsters (vampires, succubi etc), primarily following Nina Delacroix, a young vampire who eats chocolate instead of drinking blood. It's a sweet, funny comic that I always look forward to. New pages every Monday and Wednesday at eeriescuties.com.
Magick Chicks
MC is a spinoff from EC, and the last in the Pixie Trix line. It follows a trio of witches who are transferred from the monster school mentioned above, to a new academy as part of a punishment for something that happened in EC. The story is by Giz and Dave again, but the art is currently being done by Cassandra Wedeking. I recommend that if you decide to read this to read EC alongside it (and vice versa) as there have been several corssovers. Updated every Tuesday and Friday at magickchicks.com
Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire
Dominic Deegan has been running strong for over 10 years now. I've only been reading for about 5 years. The story and art are both done by Michael Terracciano (aka Mookie). The story follows a seer by the name of Dominic Deegan through the various bizarre and often deadly adventures he finds himself hurled into. The story started out being very humor driven, but has since evolved into something deeper, (though it still does have a fair amount of humor, particularly bad puns). The update schedule has fluctuated over the years, but it's currently running Monday through Friday over on dominic-deegan.com.
Goblins: Life Through Their Eyes
Goblins is a spin on the usual D&D adventuring party based comics. Instead of being about a random assortment of race/class combinations, it follows the adventures of a group of goblins. The comic is made by Tarol Hunt and Danielle Stephens. It's a fairly long-running story, with some interesting artwork. There is some humor, but it's not especially comedic. There are some moments of intense violence and gore, but it's nothing too extreme. Updates scheduled for Tuesdays and Fridays on goblinscomic.com.
Dork Tower
Dork Tower was introduced to me by the pages of Dragon magazine (which is sadly no longer running). The comic is created by John Kovalic, whose artwork graces the cards of the games Munchkin (and all variations thereof) and Apples to Apples. There isn't really any sort of overarching storyline. It's really much more like a newspaper comic strip in that each one is self-contained with occasional story arcs that go for several strips. It has some very funny gamer humor (mostly tabletop), but also touches on other aspects of nerd culture. dorktower.com is the place to find it.
Manly Guys Doing Manly Things
Manly Guys is a wonderfully humorous comic about various manly men from pop culture (movies, games, TV, comics) after they've finished their stint as the hero/villain and trying to readjust back into normal life. Well... some of it is. Most of it is about the head of the agency in charge of doing that, Commander Badass. The comic is created by Coelasquid and updates every Monday at thepunchlineismachismo.com
Penny Arcade
Shockingly, I only started reading Penny Arcade about a year ago, even though this is one of the longest running and most successful webcomics around. I was turned onto the comic by listening to the D&D podcasts featuring the creators, Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik. The comic is very funny, exploring primarily video games, but also branching into other aspects of pop culture. If you haven't heard about this yet, I recommend checking it out at penny-arcade.com.
Twice Blessed
A fairly new webcomic that I have no recollection of how I discovered. It is yet another of the adventuring party type comics that I enjoy reading. It's hard to say more, given how young it is, but the characters are certainly interesting, and I am enjoying the artwork. The creative team features Michael Haneline as the writer, Genevieve Gauss as the lead artist, and Joanna Materek doing colors. Take a look and see what you think at twiceblessedcomic.com
Snow By Night
This is another recent one I've found. The story revolves around a pair of thieves, Blaise and Jassart, and is set in the incredibly interesting colonial fantasy world of Corthis. More than anything else, I am intrigued by the world itself, though the story and artwork are also quite enjoyable. The creative team consists of Eric Menge (author and letterer), Brittany Michel (penciler and inker), Natalie Baaklini (colorist and artist for one of the mini-arcs), Diane Hazlett (webmaster), and Amy Menge (editor and author of one of the mini-arcs). I highly recommend checking them out at snowbynight.com.
Go Get A Roomie
Roomie is a very NSFW comic about a very adorable girl by the name of Roomie, and her very wild adventures. She is joined in these adventures by Lazy Tyke (Lillian) and a cast of very interesting supporting characters. Lots of dirty humor to be found within. It is updated Monday through Friday at gogetaroomie.com.
Spinnerette
Spinnerette is a superhero comic about a girl who is given spider powers in a very Peter Parker-ish manner. The comic is written by Krazy Krow, with artwork done by Walter Gomez, Fernando Heinz Furukawa and Rocio Zucchi, and tones by Gonzalo Duarte and Rocio Zucchi. The comic has a very good balance between action, comedy, and sweetness. Also, it has Ben Franklin as a superhero. Check it out at spinnyverse.com.
Oglaf
Oglaf is a very funny webcomic, and is also very NSFW. It features a variety of different characters, most notably Ivan, an apprentice to an evil sorceress. Ivan's the most commonly featured, but there are several others who appear multiple times, and many more who only have one or two appearances. Lots of very dirty humor, but every once in awhile something is produced that's clean. I unfortunately cannot seem to find any names behind the creation of the comic, but nonetheless, check it out every Sunday for a new page (or three) at oglaf.com.
Friendship is Dragons
Friendship is Dragons in is a screencap comic following the series My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (which I am a fan of). All of the screenshots come from the show, but the dialogue is re-written as if what is going on is a session of D&D (with several homebrewed rules, obviously). It is very entertaining, as well as creatively done. The comic is done by Newbiespud and updates Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at friendshipisdragons.thecomicseries.com.
Darths & Droids
I mentioned Darths & Droids in my previous entry, but I just wanted to re-state that the Comic Irregulars do a great job with altering the story and making the series entertaining. The comments are also usually as entertaining as the comic, and sometimes post some good GMing advice. I once again recommend checking them out at darthsanddroids.net.
And finally, I have a couple comics to mention that have completed their run, but are still worth checking out.
8 Bit Theater
8 Bit was one of the first webcomics I started reading. It is a sprite comic following much of the plot of Final Fantasy (one of them, I think the first but I don't know) but with plenty of hilarity thrown in. The creator of the comic was Brian Clevinger, who has since gone on to do some really cool stuff such as Atomic Robo. If you haven't read it, check it out at nuklearpower.com.
DM of the Rings
DM of the Rings follows the same premise as Darths & Droids and Friendship is Dragons, only using the Lord of the Rings films. The comic was produced by Shamus Young, and can be found at shamusyoung.com.
Finally, I would just like to say that I have great admiration for all of the artists and writers mentioned above. They do fantastic work in their craft and I sincerely hope they continue to do so for many more years. If any of you are reading, know that you have my thanks for your inspiration and humor.
Order of the Stick
OotS is written and drawn by Rich Burlew. It is a stick figure comic about an adventuring party going through a D&D campaign. Much of the comic's humor comes from referencing the rules of D&D (in the beginning at least), as well as poking fun at common fantasy tropes. I've been reading the comic since I was in high school, and the quality has only improved. The updates are irregular, but they're always worth the wait. giantitp.com is where you'll find it.
Erfworld
A webcomic that was originally hosted on giantitp.com with OotS, but now has it's own web space. I had a hard time getting into the comic, but when I did, I was hooked. It's a rather interesting story about a man from our world who gets trapped within a turn based strategy game. Much of the humor is derived from pop culture references in our world which none of the inhabitants of the game world understand. Erfworld is written by Rob Balder, the art for book 2 is done by Xin Ye, and book 1's art was done by Jamie Noguchi. There's no set update schedule, beyond two postings a week (one text entry, one comic page). Check out erfworld.com for this amusing story.
Least I Could Do
LICD is part of the Blind Ferret Entertainment (BFE) family of comics I read. It is written by Ryan Sohmer, with art (currently) by Lar deSouza. This highly entertaining comic follows the life of Rayne Summers, an individual who is, in almost every way, awesome. It's hard to say more beyond that, as the stories are quite varied. But the comic is truly funny, with some very sweet moments thrown in every now and then when you least expect them. This comic can be found at leasticoulddo.com and updates daily.
Looking For Group
LFG is the second comic in the BFE family which I read, though it was the one I started with. Again, it is written by Ryan Sohmer with art by Lar deSouza, and they continue with their hilarious work, but in a different genre. LFG takes place in a fantasy world that resembles Azeroth in some aspects. Updates on Mondays and Thursdays. I'm not sure of what else to say, other than to go check it out at lfgcomic.com.
The Gutters
This is the last comic I read from the BFE group. Once again, it is written by Ryan Sohmer, but the artist is different with every issue. Gutters follows the comic book industry (both the real life stuff and also what happens between the pages) and appropriately has art done by the artists of the comic book industry. New pages every Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the-gutters.com.
Menage a 3
Menage a 3 is a NSFW comic in the Pixie Trix comics family. It follows the life of a man named Gary, who is a nerd, and his roommates Zii and DiDi. The art is done by Gisele Lagace, with the writing being done by Gisele and Dave Zero. The humor is mainly sexually driven, with lots of innuendos, but there's also some good slapstick. Updated every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at ma3comic.com.
Eerie Cuties
EC is the second in the Pixie Trix family. Very different from MA3, even though it has the same creative team (Giz and Dave). The story is set at a high school for monsters (vampires, succubi etc), primarily following Nina Delacroix, a young vampire who eats chocolate instead of drinking blood. It's a sweet, funny comic that I always look forward to. New pages every Monday and Wednesday at eeriescuties.com.
Magick Chicks
MC is a spinoff from EC, and the last in the Pixie Trix line. It follows a trio of witches who are transferred from the monster school mentioned above, to a new academy as part of a punishment for something that happened in EC. The story is by Giz and Dave again, but the art is currently being done by Cassandra Wedeking. I recommend that if you decide to read this to read EC alongside it (and vice versa) as there have been several corssovers. Updated every Tuesday and Friday at magickchicks.com
Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire
Dominic Deegan has been running strong for over 10 years now. I've only been reading for about 5 years. The story and art are both done by Michael Terracciano (aka Mookie). The story follows a seer by the name of Dominic Deegan through the various bizarre and often deadly adventures he finds himself hurled into. The story started out being very humor driven, but has since evolved into something deeper, (though it still does have a fair amount of humor, particularly bad puns). The update schedule has fluctuated over the years, but it's currently running Monday through Friday over on dominic-deegan.com.
Goblins: Life Through Their Eyes
Goblins is a spin on the usual D&D adventuring party based comics. Instead of being about a random assortment of race/class combinations, it follows the adventures of a group of goblins. The comic is made by Tarol Hunt and Danielle Stephens. It's a fairly long-running story, with some interesting artwork. There is some humor, but it's not especially comedic. There are some moments of intense violence and gore, but it's nothing too extreme. Updates scheduled for Tuesdays and Fridays on goblinscomic.com.
Dork Tower
Dork Tower was introduced to me by the pages of Dragon magazine (which is sadly no longer running). The comic is created by John Kovalic, whose artwork graces the cards of the games Munchkin (and all variations thereof) and Apples to Apples. There isn't really any sort of overarching storyline. It's really much more like a newspaper comic strip in that each one is self-contained with occasional story arcs that go for several strips. It has some very funny gamer humor (mostly tabletop), but also touches on other aspects of nerd culture. dorktower.com is the place to find it.
Manly Guys Doing Manly Things
Manly Guys is a wonderfully humorous comic about various manly men from pop culture (movies, games, TV, comics) after they've finished their stint as the hero/villain and trying to readjust back into normal life. Well... some of it is. Most of it is about the head of the agency in charge of doing that, Commander Badass. The comic is created by Coelasquid and updates every Monday at thepunchlineismachismo.com
Penny Arcade
Shockingly, I only started reading Penny Arcade about a year ago, even though this is one of the longest running and most successful webcomics around. I was turned onto the comic by listening to the D&D podcasts featuring the creators, Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik. The comic is very funny, exploring primarily video games, but also branching into other aspects of pop culture. If you haven't heard about this yet, I recommend checking it out at penny-arcade.com.
Twice Blessed
A fairly new webcomic that I have no recollection of how I discovered. It is yet another of the adventuring party type comics that I enjoy reading. It's hard to say more, given how young it is, but the characters are certainly interesting, and I am enjoying the artwork. The creative team features Michael Haneline as the writer, Genevieve Gauss as the lead artist, and Joanna Materek doing colors. Take a look and see what you think at twiceblessedcomic.com
Snow By Night
This is another recent one I've found. The story revolves around a pair of thieves, Blaise and Jassart, and is set in the incredibly interesting colonial fantasy world of Corthis. More than anything else, I am intrigued by the world itself, though the story and artwork are also quite enjoyable. The creative team consists of Eric Menge (author and letterer), Brittany Michel (penciler and inker), Natalie Baaklini (colorist and artist for one of the mini-arcs), Diane Hazlett (webmaster), and Amy Menge (editor and author of one of the mini-arcs). I highly recommend checking them out at snowbynight.com.
Go Get A Roomie
Roomie is a very NSFW comic about a very adorable girl by the name of Roomie, and her very wild adventures. She is joined in these adventures by Lazy Tyke (Lillian) and a cast of very interesting supporting characters. Lots of dirty humor to be found within. It is updated Monday through Friday at gogetaroomie.com.
Spinnerette
Spinnerette is a superhero comic about a girl who is given spider powers in a very Peter Parker-ish manner. The comic is written by Krazy Krow, with artwork done by Walter Gomez, Fernando Heinz Furukawa and Rocio Zucchi, and tones by Gonzalo Duarte and Rocio Zucchi. The comic has a very good balance between action, comedy, and sweetness. Also, it has Ben Franklin as a superhero. Check it out at spinnyverse.com.
Oglaf
Oglaf is a very funny webcomic, and is also very NSFW. It features a variety of different characters, most notably Ivan, an apprentice to an evil sorceress. Ivan's the most commonly featured, but there are several others who appear multiple times, and many more who only have one or two appearances. Lots of very dirty humor, but every once in awhile something is produced that's clean. I unfortunately cannot seem to find any names behind the creation of the comic, but nonetheless, check it out every Sunday for a new page (or three) at oglaf.com.
Friendship is Dragons
Friendship is Dragons in is a screencap comic following the series My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (which I am a fan of). All of the screenshots come from the show, but the dialogue is re-written as if what is going on is a session of D&D (with several homebrewed rules, obviously). It is very entertaining, as well as creatively done. The comic is done by Newbiespud and updates Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at friendshipisdragons.thecomicseries.com.
Darths & Droids
I mentioned Darths & Droids in my previous entry, but I just wanted to re-state that the Comic Irregulars do a great job with altering the story and making the series entertaining. The comments are also usually as entertaining as the comic, and sometimes post some good GMing advice. I once again recommend checking them out at darthsanddroids.net.
And finally, I have a couple comics to mention that have completed their run, but are still worth checking out.
8 Bit Theater
8 Bit was one of the first webcomics I started reading. It is a sprite comic following much of the plot of Final Fantasy (one of them, I think the first but I don't know) but with plenty of hilarity thrown in. The creator of the comic was Brian Clevinger, who has since gone on to do some really cool stuff such as Atomic Robo. If you haven't read it, check it out at nuklearpower.com.
DM of the Rings
DM of the Rings follows the same premise as Darths & Droids and Friendship is Dragons, only using the Lord of the Rings films. The comic was produced by Shamus Young, and can be found at shamusyoung.com.
Finally, I would just like to say that I have great admiration for all of the artists and writers mentioned above. They do fantastic work in their craft and I sincerely hope they continue to do so for many more years. If any of you are reading, know that you have my thanks for your inspiration and humor.
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