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Trenches comic: Thursday Sept. 29, 2011

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Posts

  • WhiskersmgooWhiskersmgoo Registered User regular
    So i just made an account to post this.

    I agree with most of the people on hear that this comic is not as funny as it should be. However I also agree that maybe it's not meant to be funny all the time.

    I'm no web comic expert but I think the main problem is the amount of comic we are getting, 2 strips at 6 panels a week is not sufficient if they want to make a story aswell as being funny, we could get runs of "serious" stuff that just doesn't cut it and we'll lose interest. 3 panels are good when you are doing completley stand alone strips in which everyone is a joke with a punchline. If they are insisting on doing 2 strips a week then they should consider merging panels into longer strips. For example the bar scenes could have been one 6 panel strip as opposed to to 3 panel ones, the firing someone scenes could have been 9 panels instad of 3 sets of 3 panels.

    Now I appreciate these guys have a lot of stuff on their plates but writing a story isn't like the stuff you see on 4th Panel, If they get on a roll then they could easily write months worths of strips in one go. However if they combine strips then not every strip would be seen as a rubbish if it didn't make you laugh, these guys get paid obscene amounts of money to make us laugh in 3 panels, i'm sure they could do that in 6 or 9 just aswell, then it can be just as much about the story and less people will complain about it being "boring" and "unfunny".

    The other problem i have is that Isaac is not a good protaganist, i cant empathise with him and he seems like a dick.

    1. He's way over qualified as is established early on, we'll come back to this later
    2. He gets the boss to stick to something he said whilst intoxicated, he knew the boss was drunk but he still made him give him the job because he said he would. Bear in mind the boss didn't even remember, if i'm too drunk to remember telling you you could have my house and car and could have sex with my wife would you hold me to it?
    3. He gets a guy fired. This ties in with number 1, Isaac could probably get another, better payed job if he spent a bit longer looking. That guy he got fired, this is the only job he could probably get, I bet he doesn't have a flashy convertible. But no, Isaac wants this job, screw anyone else who legitimatley earned the job.

  • Human ShieldHuman Shield Registered User regular
    3. He gets a guy fired. This ties in with number 1, Isaac could probably get another, better payed job if he spent a bit longer looking. That guy he got fired, this is the only job he could probably get, I bet he doesn't have a flashy convertible. But no, Isaac wants this job, screw anyone else who legitimatley earned the job.
    Absolutely. I've been without work before. The first time I got laid off, I was told the standard rule is to expect 1 month of looking for every $10,000 you make. What is it about Isaac that made his need to get RIGHT back to work so desperate that he ruined another man's life? I'm sticking to my theory that we are watching a mirror-universe Isaac. Yesterday's strip with the reflection being all wrong helps solidify this idea for me. I hadn't noticed the hands missing, but if we're looking through the mirror, perhaps in the parallel dimension on the other side of it, the only things that exist are things visible in the mirror. If his hands are in the sink, he wouldn't be able to see their reflection in the mirror, so they don't exist.

    Also worth noting, look at the word balloons. His word balloon is coming from the closer version of him, the one I think is the mirror image. Her word balloon doesn't come from behind him, it comes from her in the mirror (or what I believe to be her real self, as we are looking at her from the other side of the mirror). So it's the mirror version of him doing the talking and the real version of her.

    Another possibility is that this negative/mirror/evil version of Isaac is controlling him. It speaks, and so he speaks. It gets people fired, so he gets people fired.

    I look forward to seeing this theory pan out. I'm predicting the real, good Isaac eventually has to fight off his mirror persona and make amends for his sins.

  • IvarIvar Oslo, NorwayRegistered User regular
    ...wow

  • King RiptorKing Riptor Registered User regular
    Um if you pay attention during the bar chat its pretty clear something happened that's making it impossible for Isaac to get a job in his preferred field.

    Also mirror guy you need some help because wow that is way too specific to be a joke

    I have a podcast now. It's about video games and anime!Find it here.
  • Dark Raven XDark Raven X Laugh hard, run fast, be kindRegistered User regular
    He's Trenches dedicated troll.

    He literally registered to voice his dislike on this comic.

    This is his whole reason to be here.

    Oh brilliant
  • KreutzKreutz Blackwater Park, IARegistered User regular
    edited September 2011
    But on the other hand, his storyline is a step in the right direction. I'd subscribe to that RSS.

    Kreutz on
  • admanbadmanb unionize your workplace Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    People get super serious about three-panel comics.

  • runwiledrunwiled Registered User regular
    admanb wrote:
    People get super serious about three-panel comics.

    People have super-large readerships from three-panel comics and in some cases make super-large money. I'd say they're fairly serious business.

    mpmdoodsig.jpg
  • Human ShieldHuman Shield Registered User regular
    Why I registered had nothing to do with the comic itself, but let's please all try to stay on topic here. My theory is valid until proven otherwise, and is in no way derogatory toward the comic itself, so there's no reason to start calling me names, please.

    on-topic: I had a thought just now: John (the ex-coworker) will become Isaac's antithesis. :-o

  • CambiataCambiata Commander Shepard The likes of which even GAWD has never seenRegistered User regular
    edited September 2011
    Well. I don't know that I would agree that anyone has betrayed a particular seriousness towards this here comic.

    However, I don't know why being serious about comics should be a negative qualifier. One can be serious about film, art, dance, graffitti, video games, etc. but not comics? I've been "serious" about comics for years, and I think it's an art that deserves "serious" attention. I don't think you can look at something like Calvin and Hobbes and say that it is meaningless fluff or has/had no impact on the world.

    Back on topic, I'm still reading The Trenches but it's out of boredom more than anything else.

    Cambiata on
    "If you divide the whole world into just enemies and friends, you'll end up destroying everything" --Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind
  • mekman 2mekman 2 a goober Registered User regular
    edited September 2011
    Having been between jobs, out of work, and even fired in a similar fashion, I found it hard to enjoy this episode of the Trenches as well. It's like reading a comic where the characters look like your ex, and the guy she left you for... and they're doin' it.

    mekman 2 on
  • Dark Raven XDark Raven X Laugh hard, run fast, be kindRegistered User regular
    Why I registered had nothing to do with the comic itself, but let's please all try to stay on topic here. My theory is valid until proven otherwise, and is in no way derogatory toward the comic itself, so there's no reason to start calling me names, please.

    on-topic: I had a thought just now: John (the ex-coworker) will become Isaac's antithesis. :-o

    You know anyone can see your post history, right?

    Your entire post history is "Man, I don't like this Trenches comic" - not a single post in any other thread. So yeah. You registered to bash the comic.

    Hey, don't try and hide / deny it. Personally, I think it's a noble goal.

    I have never gone out of my way to seek out and actively participate in something I don't like. Props.

    Oh brilliant
  • Alfred J. KwakAlfred J. Kwak is it because you were insulted when I insulted your hair?Registered User regular
    Running commentary on the other posters in the thread is not part of the remit of this forum.

    huh, this seems to happen with every Trenches thread

  • Dark Raven XDark Raven X Laugh hard, run fast, be kindRegistered User regular
    Gwuh, sorry boss man. He shall not sucker me again. ;D

    Anyway!

    I'm liking Trenches. More for the story submissions than the comic itself, true. But the comic ain't bad.

    Oh brilliant
  • yelahnebyelahneb Number 6 SeattleRegistered User new member
    edited September 2011
    I'm sticking to my theory that we are watching a mirror-universe Isaac. Yesterday's strip with the reflection being all wrong helps solidify this idea for me. I hadn't noticed the hands missing, but if we're looking through the mirror, perhaps in the parallel dimension on the other side of it, the only things that exist are things visible in the mirror. If his hands are in the sink, he wouldn't be able to see their reflection in the mirror, so they don't exist.

    Also worth noting, look at the word balloons. His word balloon is coming from the closer version of him, the one I think is the mirror image. Her word balloon doesn't come from behind him, it comes from her in the mirror (or what I believe to be her real self, as we are looking at her from the other side of the mirror). So it's the mirror version of him doing the talking and the real version of her.

    Another possibility is that this negative/mirror/evil version of Isaac is controlling him. It speaks, and so he speaks. It gets people fired, so he gets people fired.

    I look forward to seeing this theory pan out. I'm predicting the real, good Isaac eventually has to fight off his mirror persona and make amends for his sins.

    This is a fascinating theory, but the simplest explanation for any mystery is always the most likely. In this case, I would say it was just human error - the artist forgot or elected not to draw Isaac's hands in the first panel for whatever reason, and failed to recognize that he should have reversed Isaac's hair in the second panel for continuity's sake (although the "direction" of this character's hair seems to change comic to comic, which in itself is not especially jarring).

    As for the word balloon placement: it seems like the artist chose to make the balloon for Cora originate from her reflection, because having it come from "behind" Isaac (off panel) might have been visually confusing - it could have implied that a third, unseen person in the room was speaking, with Cora standing mute in the doorway.

    yelahneb on
  • RentRent I'm always right Fuckin' deal with itRegistered User regular
    edited September 2011
    He's Trenches dedicated troll.

    He literally registered to voice his dislike on this comic.

    This is his whole reason to be here.

    didn't you register for the sole reason of internet stalkering a porn star that looked like tycho's wife? that's what you did, right?

    pot, meet kettle

    I have never gone out of my way to seek out and actively participate in something I don't like. Props.

    no instead you have the much more noble goal of going out of your way to seek out and actively participate in being a creepy weirdo about things you do like

    pro

    poster

    Rent on
  • Dark Raven XDark Raven X Laugh hard, run fast, be kindRegistered User regular
    ...yeah? Posting about things I do like is sort of the right way to do things.

    I like tits.

    Thus, post about it. And now, I think I may have posted in one or two other threads since then.

    So yeah. Not the same. Not even in the ballpark. Or even the same sport.

    Oh brilliant
  • TubeTube Registered User admin
    WHY ARE YOU STILL POSTING

  • DrezDrez Registered User regular
    I haven't really read Trenches, but I chuckled at this one. *shrug*

    Switch: SW-7690-2320-9238Steam/PSN/Xbox: Drezdar
  • Mc zanyMc zany Registered User regular
    Regarding the story.

    I think the guy got confused. When we were submitting to Sony for a Playstation title we had to provide a complete run through of the game on VHS tape. That was probably what he was testing. If not then then I get suspicious. The way we Dealt with high security situations was to send a tester onsite and test it there. It was a lot more cost effective then paying a dev guy to play it and then pay again for a tester to watch the resulting video.

  • Dark Raven XDark Raven X Laugh hard, run fast, be kindRegistered User regular
    He was testing the VHS, to make sure it recorded OK? :P

    Oh brilliant
  • MuddBuddMuddBudd Registered User regular
    Mc zany wrote:
    Regarding the story.

    I think the guy got confused. When we were submitting to Sony for a Playstation title we had to provide a complete run through of the game on VHS tape. That was probably what he was testing. If not then then I get suspicious. The way we Dealt with high security situations was to send a tester onsite and test it there. It was a lot more cost effective then paying a dev guy to play it and then pay again for a tester to watch the resulting video.

    Not Sony, another company. This is a thing that happened.

    There's no plan, there's no race to be run
    The harder the rain, honey, the sweeter the sun.
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