Umm... possible new comic.

Cloakable · Post by **Cloakable** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 9:42 am

Hi, I'm thinking of starting a new comic, but I've come accross a slight problem, my scripts are good, but my artwork sucks, so I've decided to go the sprite comic path. Now the problem. I cannot find any sprites. If anyone could send me some Star Wars related sprites, I would be very gratefull. Also any other Sci-Fi sprites would be usefull. Thanks in advance.

Jaster! · Post by **Jaster!** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 9:49 am

NO SPRITES. NO NO NO.

If you're going to do Sprites AT LEAST get a rom and emulator and rip and edit the stuff yourself so you can have decent matching backgrounds and the full cast of characters and poses. Even then, I'm gonna suggest against it, as if you actually do have a decent story, the sprites will probably MURDER IT.

I'm going to recommend you just try to learn to draw. It doesn't have to look like a masterpiece to get a story across. In fact a lot of things that look like masterpieces are freaking boring, when it comes to the actual story. Your art can't be THAT horrible, and with practice it can only get better. Maybe try learning to draw some before you jump into a long-term project? Just a suggestion. That's all I can really say without having seen your art or your story.

Just... just think about it before dooming yourself to sprite-hood.

Jeffy · Post by **Jeffy** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 9:56 am

yeah, if you're gonna do a sprite comic at least make the damn things yourself, of course, i'm against your comic in the first place since it seems that with you wanting Star Wars related sprites specifically, you're at least to some degree ripping off someone elses general idea to make Star Wars fan-fiction type stuff

Faub · Post by **Faub** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 10:09 am

I dunno. Starbored turned out pretty well for being a Star Wars rip off. Of course, Mr. Bob diversified quite a bit and threw in Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, X-Files, the GodFather and a giant, blue, invisible penguin.

Rkolter · Post by **Rkolter** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 10:11 am

I've seen exactly two good sprite comics.

There are about a bajillion sprite comics out there.

2/bajillion = .000000000000000000 ... 00001% chance your comic will be any good (YarpsDat can verify my math).

Please don't take the sprite comic path; in addition to possibly infringing on copyrights, your story just won't get the treatment you want it to get, unless the treatment you're hoping for is "scathing criticism and virtual vivisection of your comic, personal habits, hygene, spelling, and comparison of your ancestry and parentage with those of lemmings."

Sortelli · Post by **Sortelli** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 11:06 am

Yeah, if you do a sprite comic, the worst of the worst will still look down on you. I can't even think of a place to get Star Wars sprites, and if there were such a place it would mean that someone else has already beaten you to it.

War · Post by **War** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 11:13 am

Well there was that Yoda game. But using sprites from that would make a bad comic even worse.

Jaster! · Post by **Jaster!** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 11:34 am

There were several SNES Star Wars based games. They were freaking hard, and good luck finding a rom of any of them. Finding a character sheet for more than one or two characters will be even harder.

I reiterate: Learn to draw, please, for the love of... everything!

K-Dawg · Post by **K-Dawg** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 11:36 am

I have one of those star wars games laying somewhere in my house. Never passed it to this day.

Phalanx · Post by **Phalanx** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 11:57 am

faub wrote:I dunno. Starbored turned out pretty well for being a Star Wars rip off. Of course, Mr. Bob diversified quite a bit and threw in Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, X-Files, the GodFather and a giant, blue, invisible penguin.

Parody. The key word here is parody.

Star Bored works because Bob is a good storyteller has a good sense of humour to go with it.

Plus, the fact that the whole forum was slaughtered not too long ago is a testament that Bob can draw, and draw well.

I don't want to sound snotty, but sprite comics are... well... I wouldn't do a sprite comic if I were you. Like the others said: not only are they copyright and the inherent distaste involved; you're also going to spend a lot of time doing something that you can't really be proud of at the end, because it won't be fully yours.

If it's the story that you really want to tell, You might as well just write fanfiction and be done with it. Or if you're really really lucky, maybe you can find an artist to draw for you. Don't get your hopes up though.. they're an endangered species.

A lot of people start comics for the wrong reasons. The most common delusion is that they think starting a comic will gain them instant popularity. I think almost everyone here will tell you this is not a good reason, because in most cases, it doesn't turn out that way.

But starting a comic to improve your art is a good reason as any. Why not try it?

Christwriter · Post by **Christwriter** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 12:02 pm

If you want to improve your art, there are several exelent books you can use that detail comic drawing. I have three books that I use for refference when I draw...one book on drawing comic figures, one on drawing MALE comic figures and one professional artist's book on drawing dynamic figures realistically that makes an exelent refference for anatomy.

Just try it...you might find dramatic improvement.

CW

Orion · Post by **Orion** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 12:06 pm

Personally, I have no problem with sprite comics. A lot of them are crappy but I think thats the author's problem not the sprites. I know at least 4 or 5 good (as in top quality) sprite comics and several decent ones, which are at least as good or better than many other non-sprite comics.

Of course if you're trying to make a story based comic rather than a humor comic then you might be in trouble, or you might not depending on how good the writing is.

MixedMyth · Post by **MixedMyth** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 12:18 pm

In the end, the style needs to fit the story. There needs to be context. For example, 8 Bit Theater works as a sprite comic because the subject matter IS a game, and therefore it's done in the style of the game the sprites are from- Final Fantasy. But like other before me, I'd advise against using sprites as an 'easy way out.' It doesn't sound like they'd really fit with the style that you're looking for.

Sortelli · Post by **Sortelli** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 12:24 pm

'Xactly. The most bewildering sprite comics, to me, are the "serious" ones.

I mean... what's with that? /Seinfeld voice

Iamausername · Post by **Iamausername** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 12:34 pm

Cloakable wrote:Hi, I'm thinking of starting a new comic, but I've come accross a slight problem, my scripts are good, but my artwork sucks, so I've decided to go the sprite comic path. Now the problem. I cannot find any sprites. If anyone could send me some Star Wars related sprites, I would be very gratefull. Also any other Sci-Fi sprites would be usefull. Thanks in advance.

i think this and this are all you need to look at to realise "my artwork sucks" is not a good reason to not draw it by hand.

if you do, it is a FACT that your art will improve dramatically.[/url]

MixedMyth · Post by **MixedMyth** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 12:38 pm

Heh heh. And let us not forget Adventurers!. I love the comic, but just take a look at some of the early ones.

CodeGuy · Post by **CodeGuy** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 1:12 pm

There's only one sprite comic that I've liked at all, and it *needs* to be sprite based. The whole theme of a comic is about a certain game, so the story fits the art.

If you're doing sprites just because it is easier, you're really just hurting yourself.

There are tons of comics where the art improved over time. Sometimes not even much time. http://www.nukees.com improved very rapidly as you can see in his archives.

I know I'm pretty much repeating what other people have already said, but it's true. Drawing is part of comics, so if you don't want to draw, then maybe you should consider doing something else. Learning to draw is very rewarding, however. My art is still not very good, but it has improved a lot since I started my comic 3 months ago. There's something really wonderful about being able to look at a comic and realize that this is the best work you've ever done.

War · Post by **War** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 1:46 pm

Pretty much all comic artists look back at their early stuff and go "ugh" I expect.
I certainly do.

Mr.Bob · Post by **Mr.Bob** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 1:53 pm

Well unless you're a certain fellow with a similar name as mine and its p***** of course!

(Wahey. I can't stop talking about it!)

Faub · Post by **Faub** » Fri Feb 06, 2004 2:05 pm

Phalanx: "rip off" was a followup to Jeffy Weffy's post "...you're at least to some degree ripping off someone elses general idea..." Just a continuation of a theme. We all know Mr. Bob can draw and write. 8)

"p-stars" == Mr. Bob? Must be a rhyming scheme I haven't heard of.

Comic Genesis Forums

Umm... possible new comic.

Umm... possible new comic.

Re: Umm... possible new comic.