Interesting. I'm not quite sure I follow the connection to Lassie, though. Do you mean that I deal a lot in repetition and consistent setups?
I'm trying to incorporate at least some of the doodle feel into the comics. Like the backgrounds, and the props. It's a little hard to doodle FM and MS because of those damn fuzzy lines.
Interesting. I'm not quite sure I follow the connection to Lassie, though. Do you mean that I deal a lot in repetition and consistent setups?
Flying Man can understand Mr. Stinky even though, to the audience, Mr. Stinky doesn't appear to be saying anything intelligent/anything at all. Flying Man translates and spells it out for the viewer and the story progresses.
Interesting. I'm not quite sure I follow the connection to Lassie, though. Do you mean that I deal a lot in repetition and consistent setups?
Flying Man can understand Mr. Stinky even though, to the audience, Mr. Stinky doesn't appear to be saying anything intelligent/anything at all. Flying Man translates and spells it out for the viewer and the story progresses.
Thanks - I see the connection now. There's an important pose I have yet to introduce to the comic that involves Flying Man sitting on Mr. Stinky's back and pressing his face into him, to "hear" what is being said.
And what exactly is so boring about Mr. Stinky that isn't boring about Bob or Joe? It's just a name. An odd name. Would you like him better if his name was Persimmons?
Bob or Joe are boring, but they are real names. You can use that sort of thing to your advantage (like highlighting the boring normality of a character) though thats an old joke too. Mr. Stinky is kinda like what a kid might name a dirty teddy bear, It sorta adds to the weird kids show vibe you have going. Its like watching a really monotonous episode of blues clues.
Here, all I really know is 1) The flying man uses formal, patronizing speech patterns. 2) Mr. Stinky does not talk but can manipulate the world in a manner that I can apparently never witness. 3) there is indoors and outdoors.
When I think about it, its like if you took out all the interesting parts of HomestarRunner. Its all the bright, digital images without any true character development or setting. I cant remember if HomestarRunner really broke the 4th wall, outside of slight interaction and strongbad talking directly to the viewer during emails, but it had plenty of random characters that didn't really talk, and expressions were extremely limited. It even has the childlike nature to it.
Bob or Joe are boring, but they are real names. You can use that sort of thing to your advantage (like highlighting the boring normality of a character) though thats an old joke too. Mr. Stinky is kinda like what a kid might name a dirty teddy bear, It sorta adds to the weird kids show vibe you have going. Its like watching a really monotonous episode of blues clues.
You know, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I actually LIKE what you said about the name, and the "weird kids show vibe" - because really, that's at least partly true. It is kind of a weird kids show, I guess.
If that's what you want, but that doesn't really address the rest of my point. The kids vibe isn't actually the issue. If you've never watched any HomestarRunner, I recommend it. Hopefully you'll see what I mean.
Persimmons would actually be a better name. Mr. Stinky sounds like an insult on the playground in kindergarten.
I really can't budge on this, though. He's a bone, his name is Mr. Stinky, and he's an established character. It's odd, yes. Not the most creative name in the world. But I think it works.
MetalbourneInside a cluster b personalityRegistered Userregular
edited October 2009
It was kind of...
Meh.
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MustangArbiter of Unpopular OpinionsRegistered Userregular
edited October 2009
To be honest I find the whole strip completely annoying. It kinda reminds me of that talking turd that used to (or still does) appear on South Park, which always seemed pretty stupid to me. I guess it comes down to personal taste and I don't mean to be a dick but I find nothing funny about this. Sorry.
this isn't exactly The Simpsons we're talking about here. how many readers do you have? a handful of people say "Mr Stinky" is a bad name. I don't really care, but you've got no one saying "I love Mr. Stinky."
look, I know you're position. when I was younger and I thought "olol I make webcomic," I didn't want to think that anyone's criticisms of anything I did mattered, because it was how I wanted it and I thought it was good. we all have that issue at some point.
so either, one, you look at the overwhelming opinion that many people have of your comic (and I know you posted this on other forums), or you continue you try to defend something that no one agrees with. I can't blame you, sometimes I'm the same way, but from an outside viewpoint, this is how things are going down.
now if some people came up in here and said "now, hold up here, you're out of line srsizzy, you're out of line everyone else, this is why I like it," then I wouldn't be as vocal about this.
and no, your most recent comic was not funny to me at all. it's just a random thing. "look, I shoot rainbows out of my face!" indeed, I drew a picture of rainbows coming out of someone's face with that exact caption, and I found it quite hilarious, as would people who know me, but most people aren't going to find that funny out of context or not on some awesome hilarious picture with awesome hilarious characters.
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BRO LET ME GET REAL WITH YOU AND SAY THAT MY FINGERS ARE PREPPED AND HOT LIKE THE SURFACE OF THE SUN TO BRING RADICAL BEATS SO SMOOTH THE SHIT WILL BE MEDICINAL-GRADE TRIPNASTY MAKING ALL BRAINWAVES ROLL ON THE SURFACE OF A BALLS-FEISTY NEURAL RAINBOW CRACKA-LACKIN' YOUR PERCEPTION OF THE HERE-NOW SPACE-TIME SITUATION THAT ALL OF LIFE BE JAMMED UP IN THROUGH THE UNIVERSAL FLOW BEATS
most people coming on here with webcomics stop trying to defend their "artistic vision" when a huge number of people shoot them down. it's a lesson you either learn or you don't. it sucks, it feels shitty, and we all have to go through it in life, but if you can't take rejection in stride and grow from it, you're just wasting your own time.
srsizzy on
BRO LET ME GET REAL WITH YOU AND SAY THAT MY FINGERS ARE PREPPED AND HOT LIKE THE SURFACE OF THE SUN TO BRING RADICAL BEATS SO SMOOTH THE SHIT WILL BE MEDICINAL-GRADE TRIPNASTY MAKING ALL BRAINWAVES ROLL ON THE SURFACE OF A BALLS-FEISTY NEURAL RAINBOW CRACKA-LACKIN' YOUR PERCEPTION OF THE HERE-NOW SPACE-TIME SITUATION THAT ALL OF LIFE BE JAMMED UP IN THROUGH THE UNIVERSAL FLOW BEATS
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MetalbourneInside a cluster b personalityRegistered Userregular
honestly, the phrase 'polishing a turd' comes to mind.
I'm starting to agree.
It might be better to give up on this idea and do something with two characters that have faces and can talk.
And I'm usually the first one to say that art doesn't matter in a comic, but after seeing your doodles, you really really should be hand-drawing your strips.
Yeah, you're saying the humor is lacking, and the aesthetic is all that's really there.
In the archives, are there any strips where you think the humor works? I need something to base this on, so I can think things through.
You mean, for your comics? Not really. I mean, the ketchup party is the closest I can think of. It establishes the joke from a more understandable place (ketchup and off brand snobbery) and has a very clear result for Persimmons reaction (A black eye for the flying man) You'd benefit a little by letting your defenses and presumptions drop. Being 24 strips in doesn't mean major things cant change, or that major changes are automatically abandoning your core concept.
If you mean homestar, its a cartoon, not a strip. I can dig up some examples.
wait, 24 comics is your big archival impediment to changing things up? Dude, I've sneezed more comics than that.
Check out all the top webcomics. 90% of them were radically and repeatedly altered in both art and content for the first year or two, and at least 60% keep evolving throughout the entire span of the comic. Growth is part of art.
NappuccinoSurveyor of Things and StuffRegistered Userregular
edited October 2009
If nothing else, you could also file this away as an experiment you learned from. As everyone else has said, your doodles have great style and life to them and would be perfect for the comic medium.
Do that and start working on your writing without limiting yourself so greatly to "awkwardman who can fly and silent dogbone who does random things"
After awhile even you will get tired of that scenario
Okay - I will say I am not going to abandon this comic. But having said that, I'm not going to stick to the same thing over and over again. So, I started with two characters, and one doesn't talk. And they don't change poses. Or expressions. But that doesn't mean that's ALL I'm going to do with it.
I know most everyone in AC doesn't like it. And maybe you never will. But I'm going to try to make this thing the best it possibly can be while still retaining at least the core of what I want to do.
Maybe you'll still think it's a turd. But it'll be the shiniest fucking turd you've ever seen. But in all seriousness, even if someone hates it, I at least want them to think "well, he made it look kinda good."
I haven't made any new strips since this thread took off. That's because when I do, I want to make sure I've made at least a few intentional changes that take things in a better direction. And then, I'll review, and try to do that again. You know, there might even be a story eventually.
I know you guys are trying to help, and I don't mean to be a stubborn pain in the ass.
EDIT: 35 strips, with only 24 posted. And there are definitely going to be more than two characters. God, even I couldn't keep this up forever with just those two. I'd be doing jokes about toilet paper and cottage cheese and eraser shavings before three months were out.
Eh, I got all my flaming and trolling out of the way when I was younger, and now I only bring in the rudeness if someone brings it first in a big way. I got some of that on another forum - one of the guys over there was definitely a bitter fucker. Not even remotely constructive.
EDIT: And I deal with a lot of passive-aggressive drama at work, so I really try to let it all roll off my back.
MetalbourneInside a cluster b personalityRegistered Userregular
edited October 2009
Okay, then, do a one-shot comic strip. Draw four panels of sequential hilarity and post it here. Hand draw it and use some original. I want to see what you're capable of if you're not confined to the style you've set for yourself.
Two things I wanted to share with you guys. First, a guest strip I did for Polk that he liked and posted on his site:
And second, a "fan comic" from one of the guys on the C&H forum, after my thread turned into a bash-fest. It was meant as an insult, but for some reason I found it so funny it had me literally in tears for ten minutes last night:
I think the fact that you found that funny is probably why I don't get the humour of your comics. It's a bit like trying to connect an iPod wirelessly to a potato. Neither of these things are strictly bad but they don't really connect in any way whatsoever.
I really don't know why I found it so funny, but for some reason it just hit me in such a way that I was completely incapacitated. It was mostly panels 2 and 3.
I didn't think I would ever tell somebody that he lacks the subtlety of fucking POLKSTER, but alas- here I am.
but I think the complaint with shit like "mr. stinky" and your attempt at the polkster humor and completely dropping the ball on it shows me that you really do have the sense of humor of a middle school boy.
There's a way shit, dick, and fart jokes work. There's also a way that "cute and childish, yet crude" works. You're trying both and failing at both.
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MetalbourneInside a cluster b personalityRegistered Userregular
Posts
BARK!
"What Farmer Johnsons fallen in the well again?!"
BARK!
"He's broken his leg AND it's started raining!" etc...
I saw your sketches in the Doodle Thread. They are better than this. It makes me think you are lazy.
I'm trying to incorporate at least some of the doodle feel into the comics. Like the backgrounds, and the props. It's a little hard to doodle FM and MS because of those damn fuzzy lines.
Flying Man can understand Mr. Stinky even though, to the audience, Mr. Stinky doesn't appear to be saying anything intelligent/anything at all. Flying Man translates and spells it out for the viewer and the story progresses.
Thanks - I see the connection now. There's an important pose I have yet to introduce to the comic that involves Flying Man sitting on Mr. Stinky's back and pressing his face into him, to "hear" what is being said.
And what exactly is so boring about Mr. Stinky that isn't boring about Bob or Joe? It's just a name. An odd name. Would you like him better if his name was Persimmons?
Here, all I really know is 1) The flying man uses formal, patronizing speech patterns. 2) Mr. Stinky does not talk but can manipulate the world in a manner that I can apparently never witness. 3) there is indoors and outdoors.
When I think about it, its like if you took out all the interesting parts of HomestarRunner. Its all the bright, digital images without any true character development or setting. I cant remember if HomestarRunner really broke the 4th wall, outside of slight interaction and strongbad talking directly to the viewer during emails, but it had plenty of random characters that didn't really talk, and expressions were extremely limited. It even has the childlike nature to it.
You know, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I actually LIKE what you said about the name, and the "weird kids show vibe" - because really, that's at least partly true. It is kind of a weird kids show, I guess.
In the archives, are there any strips where you think the humor works? I need something to base this on, so I can think things through.
I really can't budge on this, though. He's a bone, his name is Mr. Stinky, and he's an established character. It's odd, yes. Not the most creative name in the world. But I think it works.
Did anyone read the gold strip? Get a chuckle out of it? Do you like the gold?
Meh.
look, I know you're position. when I was younger and I thought "olol I make webcomic," I didn't want to think that anyone's criticisms of anything I did mattered, because it was how I wanted it and I thought it was good. we all have that issue at some point.
so either, one, you look at the overwhelming opinion that many people have of your comic (and I know you posted this on other forums), or you continue you try to defend something that no one agrees with. I can't blame you, sometimes I'm the same way, but from an outside viewpoint, this is how things are going down.
now if some people came up in here and said "now, hold up here, you're out of line srsizzy, you're out of line everyone else, this is why I like it," then I wouldn't be as vocal about this.
and no, your most recent comic was not funny to me at all. it's just a random thing. "look, I shoot rainbows out of my face!" indeed, I drew a picture of rainbows coming out of someone's face with that exact caption, and I found it quite hilarious, as would people who know me, but most people aren't going to find that funny out of context or not on some awesome hilarious picture with awesome hilarious characters.
I'm starting to agree.
It might be better to give up on this idea and do something with two characters that have faces and can talk.
And I'm usually the first one to say that art doesn't matter in a comic, but after seeing your doodles, you really really should be hand-drawing your strips.
You mean, for your comics? Not really. I mean, the ketchup party is the closest I can think of. It establishes the joke from a more understandable place (ketchup and off brand snobbery) and has a very clear result for Persimmons reaction (A black eye for the flying man) You'd benefit a little by letting your defenses and presumptions drop. Being 24 strips in doesn't mean major things cant change, or that major changes are automatically abandoning your core concept.
If you mean homestar, its a cartoon, not a strip. I can dig up some examples.
edit: sorta beaten to the punch by everyone.
Check out all the top webcomics. 90% of them were radically and repeatedly altered in both art and content for the first year or two, and at least 60% keep evolving throughout the entire span of the comic. Growth is part of art.
Do that and start working on your writing without limiting yourself so greatly to "awkwardman who can fly and silent dogbone who does random things"
After awhile even you will get tired of that scenario
I know most everyone in AC doesn't like it. And maybe you never will. But I'm going to try to make this thing the best it possibly can be while still retaining at least the core of what I want to do.
Maybe you'll still think it's a turd. But it'll be the shiniest fucking turd you've ever seen. But in all seriousness, even if someone hates it, I at least want them to think "well, he made it look kinda good."
I haven't made any new strips since this thread took off. That's because when I do, I want to make sure I've made at least a few intentional changes that take things in a better direction. And then, I'll review, and try to do that again. You know, there might even be a story eventually.
I know you guys are trying to help, and I don't mean to be a stubborn pain in the ass.
EDIT: 35 strips, with only 24 posted. And there are definitely going to be more than two characters. God, even I couldn't keep this up forever with just those two. I'd be doing jokes about toilet paper and cottage cheese and eraser shavings before three months were out.
I don't know if that's a marketable skill or not, mind you.
EDIT: And I deal with a lot of passive-aggressive drama at work, so I really try to let it all roll off my back.
And second, a "fan comic" from one of the guys on the C&H forum, after my thread turned into a bash-fest. It was meant as an insult, but for some reason I found it so funny it had me literally in tears for ten minutes last night:
However once again,
but I think the complaint with shit like "mr. stinky" and your attempt at the polkster humor and completely dropping the ball on it shows me that you really do have the sense of humor of a middle school boy.
There's a way shit, dick, and fart jokes work. There's also a way that "cute and childish, yet crude" works. You're trying both and failing at both.
Hey, speaking of which, what was the name of that comic andrew did making fun of that frat guy? Something about a stoner or something
Anyway, that was one hilarious absurdist comic strip.
but sweet bro and hella jeff is more well known because it is referenced several times in the current MSPA
humanimals is still his most terrifying and strange comic though
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yeah, Cool Dude and Stoner Lou was definitely a thing
it might have even been a joint IP between him an Byron, I can't really remember. But I do still have one of the very first Lil' Cal comics.