Webcomic Hate

[K-Dawg]

That is why I hate you Komi, you took away the greatest comic the world has ever seen! Give it back or make an empowering comic of your own!

[Yeahduff]

thats not being able to take a hit. so it's all good.

I must admit, if being unable to take criticism (or in Jessalyn Stormheart's case, the mere THREAT of criticism) causes you to shut down your comic, it can only be a good thing for the rest of us.

If we're talking about fifteen year old kids putting out shitty comics for their own enjoyment, I see little point in giving them such a ripping that they can't have fun anymore. As an artist you gotta realize that people might have not-so-nice things to say about your comic, but as a critic you gotta know that if people are quitting because of your reviews, you're doing something wrong.

[Komiyan]

thats not being able to take a hit. so it's all good.

I must admit, if being unable to take criticism (or in Jessalyn Stormheart's case, the mere THREAT of criticism) causes you to shut down your comic, it can only be a good thing for the rest of us.

If we're talking about fifteen year old kids putting out shitty comics for their own enjoyment, I see little point in giving them such a ripping that they can't have fun anymore. As an artist you gotta realize that people might have not-so-nice things to say about your comic, but as a critic you gotta know that if people are quitting because of your reviews, you're doing something wrong.

The reviews on that blog aren't really reviews as such, they're an outpouring of bile. They're in a different box to reviews. A strange, angry, box.

[Yeahduff]

So just an asshole being asshole. OK, then fuck that asshole.

[IVstudios]

It can be really disheartening when you put so much effort into your work only for someone to literally skin it alive and rape the corpse.

David Cross would have some things to say about your use of that word. As long as we are talking about needlessly angry but funny rants.

[Redtech]

I dunno, the idea of having a "rape a character" theme might be sickly amusing.

[Dotty]

So just an asshole being asshole. OK, then fuck that asshole.

This.

I also admired what you said regarding artists and critics. Critics are important to artistic improvement, good critics that is. Ones who just want to trash things for the sake of being an asshole, are just useless wastes of space.

See also, entertainment. I think useless waste of space/airtime is qualifiable for entertainment these days, anyways.

[Tystarr]

I don't appreciate the inconsistent artwork quality in my comic. At first I was just getting a feel for the characters and I kinda still am but thats a lame excuse for some of the horrible inconsistencies in past comics where characters appeared so differently within a few panels. The other thing I don't like about my comic is the way I sometimes execute a joke that should be hilarious but loses some of its luster due to bad framing or timing.
In all the comics aren't so horrible I just need to work on that.

[Guildmaster Van]

The reviews on that blog aren't really reviews as such, they're an outpouring of bile. They're in a different box to reviews. A strange, angry, box.

So just an asshole being asshole. OK, then fuck that asshole.

It would be easier to dismiss John Solomon as simply being an asshole were he not right most of the time.
I never understood why people tend to imply that someone's opinion can be brushed away because they give it in an abrasive manner, especially if they are right in their opinion.

[IVstudios]

The thing is that only about 50% of the reviews on there seem to be accurate, the other 50% are just rants. Which makes it kind of hard to get behind because they operate under the claim that they are not out to do reviews at all, they just want to insult people. So if you say one of there reviews isn't good they just call you dumb because they are not doing reviews, but then they turn around and do a well thought out review.

They're trying to have there cake and eat it too.

[Guildmaster Van]

Wait, so you're frowning on them because the trolls accidentally create reviews?

Anyone who rants on things tends to summarize why and what they are ranting about. These summaries can be very abrupt, or they can be long and thought-out, creating the semblance of a literary review. THEY. ARE. NOT.

YWiBaYSFB is about tearing down people a few pegs. It's about dickslapping the slag that gains popularity because of the internet's capacity to create neverending rings of circlejerking. It's about telling people "Fuck YOU - you're no genius creator!". It's about bringing to light THE HORRIBLE TRUTH THAT THE ONLY REASON MOST WEBCOMICS ARE POPULAR IS BECAUSE THEY CAN CONSTANTLY AND CONSISTANTLY REACH OUT TO THEIR DEMOGRAPH'S LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR, AND THAT 95% OF ALL WEBCOMICS ARE LESS POPULAR VERSIONS OF THIS SAME SHIT.

While I believe the Elders of Zion (The name of Solomon's collective for the unsavvy) are intellectuals in their own right, I believe the intellectualism within their articles is accidental. When you speak the truth you can't help but make sense.

[IVstudios]

Wait, so you're frowning on them because the trolls accidentally create reviews?

It's more that it's just hard to believe that all they want to do is be trolls when they manage to be coherent so often. Which makes it look like they use the troll thing as a way to dole out criticism and ignore getting any back.

Edit: Well, not "ignore" criticism, but call anyone who criticizes them A fucking moron for bothering to criticize a troll and such.

[Tystarr]

Wait, so you're frowning on them because the trolls accidentally create reviews?

Can some one please tell me what the hell is a Troll? And oh yea..Solomon is a hater. Who else would go out their way to diss a popular series and claim it as a "review" when its really just him ranting for some popularity. I was taught growing up if you don't have nothing nice to say don't say nothing at all. Its just really rude and uncalled for.

[Komiyan]

The reviews on that blog aren't really reviews as such, they're an outpouring of bile. They're in a different box to reviews. A strange, angry, box.

So just an asshole being asshole. OK, then fuck that asshole.

It would be easier to dismiss John Solomon as simply being an asshole were he not right most of the time.
I never understood why people tend to imply that someone's opinion can be brushed away because they give it in an abrasive manner, especially if they are right in their opinion.

I'm not saying he's an asshole.. Well, wait, he kinda IS, but on his own terms. He knows full well the manner in which he's presenting himself, he knows some people will dismiss it, and he knows he's right, too. I'm ok with that, really, it's entertaining to read and most of the reviews are what I think about those comics, just with my 'tact' switch turned off.

The blog's all but dead anyway, last I heard him mention it was when he said he got bored of it.

[Yeahduff]

The reviews on that blog aren't really reviews as such, they're an outpouring of bile. They're in a different box to reviews. A strange, angry, box.

So just an asshole being asshole. OK, then fuck that asshole.

It would be easier to dismiss John Solomon as simply being an asshole were he not right most of the time.
I never understood why people tend to imply that someone's opinion can be brushed away because they give it in an abrasive manner, especially if they are right in their opinion.

That's simply how it works. Act like a juvenile and people will dismiss you like one, whether you're right or not.

I'm less bothered if these are popular comics being ranted about. I'm not any more interested either.

[Yeahduff]

Also, I'm not so sure I buy the premise that the internet is somehow lacking in vitriol.

[[geoduck]]

Can some one please tell me what the hell is a Troll?

A person who uses the Internet to deliberately stir up people and provoke responses. Doesn't matter if those responses are all "drop dead", it's the attention that matters. It may have originated from the idea of "trolling for fish".

Trolls are also large mythological creatures who lurk under bridges and eat passersby. Most of them do not have Internet access.

[Phalanx]

Most people love feedback. I have had people send me their FREE prints of comic books on the promise I would do one of my Webcomic Find reviews for them.

Constructive criticism is a precious commodity. Mindless ripping is not... it's cheap fun. Kinda watching people suffer in a car crash. It's horrible but you look anyway.

I don't think I've ever written reviews bad enough during my Comixpedia and WF times to destroy that many comics, but I did get a few rabid (and touchy) Inverloch fans send me hate mail because they couldn't bear me criticising the writing.

I suppose it's me being gone for so long, but who the hell is this Solomon?!

[Guildmaster Van]

It's more that it's just hard to believe that all they want to do is be trolls when they manage to be coherent so often. Which makes it look like they use the troll thing as a way to dole out criticism and ignore getting any back.

Like I said, assholes can be intelligent too
If I were one of them I'd probably be writing in a similar style. Only even moar tl;dr

That's simply how it works. Act like a juvenile and people will dismiss you like one, whether you're right or not.

Time for free speech and gonzo to pack it's bags and go home then
Growing up is for people who want to die already.

Can some one please tell me what the hell is a Troll? And oh yea..Solomon is a hater. Who else would go out their way to diss a popular series and claim it as a "review" when its really just him ranting for some popularity. I was taught growing up if you don't have nothing nice to say don't say nothing at all. Its just really rude and uncalled for.

John Solomon didn't do this for the popularity. He did it for the lulz. If Solomon was after popularity he would have used his real alias, and he wouldn't have reacted to people the way he has. We now know his identity as a SA goon, but he purposefully took another name in order to establish anonymity so he could address people without people trying to pick apart his background to question his critic (As they so often do)

Solomon is just doing what he does best - exposing shit for what it is.
Solomon could have gone after a whole host of webcomics and shot them down, but he didn't. He went after those that really did deserve it.

Chugworth Academy, The Wotch, VG Cats, PvP, Ctrl Alt Del, Zap!, God Mode, even Comic Genesis's wannabe comic index among others - the man and his crew consistently pick through crap. Someone had to do it. Someone has to do it. That's why I made this thread to begin with - so we can do it ourselves instead of waiting for some anonymous guy on the internets to do it. Being mean isn't a nice thing, but without predators where would the notion of survival of the fittest be? Having people like Solomon around ensures others learn what not to do and makes people interested in webcomics from an audience's perspective stop and say "Hey, wait, there ARE a few good comics out there..." which sparks up discussions on what makes a comic good. Or in this one - what makes 'em bad.

A person who uses the Internet to deliberately stir up people and provoke responses. Doesn't matter if those responses are all "drop dead", it's the attention that matters. It may have originated from the idea of "trolling for fish".

Troll comes from a misspelling of trawl, actually

I suppose it's me being gone for so long, but who the hell is this Solomon?!

A guy who decided to take a dump on the most overrated comics. His Encyclopedia Dramatica article can explain more and links to his blog.



Anyway, getting back to the actual topic, I was thinking about the use of the Lowest Common Denominator - that means of acquisition by pandering to different crowds.

To put it simply, anyone who appeals to the LCD will achieve an amount of success. This works backwards too - parodying the LCD will also generate an amount of success. This amounts of success will vary, depending on how good the actual product is, but it will nonetheless ensure that success. People who like a certain fandom/meme will inevitably gravitate towards it.

I have a juvenile sense of humor and I tend to fall into the crowd parodying the LCD in some form. Most of the characters in my comic are parodies of one LCD or another. My question is thus - is there a limitation on the LCD's use in parody? What is the line between parody and becoming an LCD through it? Is there an example(s) of this somewhere I could examine?

[Tynan]

I just hate you all!

Yeah I said it! Jealous!?