Worn out by webcomics.

Bustertheclown · Post by **Bustertheclown** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 3:25 am

I'm sure there's been about a hundred thousand threads just like this, including those that spawned "how not to run a webcomic". However, times change, trends change, and I haven't seen anything recently regarding the subject. Probably because I've been away from a computer for six months...

Anyway, what kind of things are we tired of seeing lately, when we go in search of new comics to read? Personally, I'm tired of the word "random". "Random" isn't an adjective that should be adjected towards roughly 99% of the comics that the word is adjecting. In fact, when seen in the description of a webcomic, the word has lost all meaning within my brain. It's just a little colloquial black hole sitting in the middle of a statement, bending the light away from every word that comes after it.

Also, I'm tired of seeing little arrows with notes attached pointing out very obvious graphical elements, like giant swords or cut bunnies, or boobs. I blame Jhonen Vasquez and humor-oriented manga for this bit. It stopped being cute around 1999.

Pet peeves, anyone?

Hallonpress · Post by **Hallonpress** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 3:55 am

How about comics that have been drawn in a forced "manga" style by someone who hasn't learned to draw yet?

Drawing eyes and hair is that particular way just makes bad art worse, IMHO. It's like skipping the basics (how does eyes and hair REALLY look?) and go directly to specifics. I don't like that in "real" japanese manga either.

Though I was pretty much the same at one point.

Joel Fagin · Post by **Joel Fagin** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 4:04 am

hallonpress wrote:How about comics that have been drawn in a forced "manga" style by someone who hasn't learned to draw yet?

I agree with your point but a quick look at the comic evolution thread shows just how valuable a stepping stone that can be. It gets you drawing if nothing else.

- Joel Fagin

Sortelli · Post by **Sortelli** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 4:20 am

Random comics do tend to be surprisingly predictable.

Ataraxia · Post by **Ataraxia** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 4:52 am

bustertheclown wrote:search of new comics to read? Personally, I'm tired of the word "random". "Random" isn't an adjective that should be adjected towards roughly 99% of the comics that the word is adjecting.

I'm guilty of this one, so I thought I should reply. I describe my comic as a "random anthology" in the banner for a number of reasons. First, there's no real connection between most of the stories other than the fact that they were written and illustrated by me. So, the anthology is random in the sense of lacking an overall direction or plan.

Second, I also program roguelike
games, and have done a lot of work with random plot generators for them. So, I picked the word "random" as kind of a personal codeword/tip of the hat to my buddies on rec.games.roguelike.development.

Originally I used the phrase "a random anthology" in my pitch at the various link sites, but I wasn't getting many hits. Recently I've started updating my pitches regularly based on the current story being shown and this has been far more successful.

As for my banner... if only the word "random" were the least of its problems. I didn't realize that random was such an overused word in webcomics.

Sortelli · Post by **Sortelli** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 5:52 am

The ones that abuse the word "random" are the guys who think being ridiculous makes up for their lack of talent. Those are the bad copy paste/MS paint comics full of nonsense words and low on logic. It's charming sometimes, but usually those comics are all pretty much the same thing. Your comic strikes me as very different from that.

Joel Fagin · Post by **Joel Fagin** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 6:23 am

"It's very easy to be silly but harder to be funny."

- Joel Fagin

Hilarioushenry · Post by **Hilarioushenry** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 6:26 am

I definitely have to agree with the copy and paste ms paint comics thing.

Vorticus · Post by **Vorticus** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:17 am

Joel Fagin wrote:"It's very easy to be silly but harder to be funny."

- Joel Fagin

I concur most heartily on this. I ran a silly webcomic daily for 2 years and it was very hard to be funny every day.

Killbert-Robby · Post by **Killbert-Robby** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:42 am

hilarioushenry wrote:I definitely have to agree with the copy and paste ms paint comics thing.

Indeed. A friend of mine wants me to host his comics that are exactly like that. But they're un-funny South Park sprites... and I can't tell him no T_T

Jim North · Post by **Jim North** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:44 am

Killbert-Robby wrote:But they're un-funny South Park sprites... and I can't tell him no T_T

Of course you can. It's for the good of all humanity.

Stinkywigfiddle · Post by **Stinkywigfiddle** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:45 am

Sortelli wrote:Random comics do tend to be surprisingly predictable.

"And then everybody died."
Wow, didn't see that coming.

Sorcery101 · Post by **Sorcery101** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 8:00 am

Personally I avoid comics with the words "random" or "epic" in the decription.

Ataraxia · Post by **Ataraxia** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 8:04 am

Sortelli wrote:Your comic strikes me as very different from that.

Thanks, but if that's what people think of when they see the word "random", they won't come to my site to find out that I'm different.

Killbert-Robby wrote:Indeed. A friend of mine wants me to host his comics that are exactly like that. But they're un-funny South Park sprites... and I can't tell him no T_T

Can't you tell him to apply for his own comicgenesis site, then? That seems to be a nice diplomatic solution... He feels like you're helping him promote his stuff, and you don't have to post his crappy comics yourself.

...

I'll add a new one. I'm personally tired of webcomics with elves. Elves elves elves. Elves all the time. Non-elves tripping over themselves because the elves in the comic are so lovely and wonderful. Anime-style long-eared elves, Tolkien-style short-eared elves, Elmore-style scantily clad elves. Dark elves. Golden elves. Bishounen elves. Elves that score so high on the Original Fiction Mary Sue Litmus Test that they cause a stack overflow. Elves who quite obviously represent the ultimate fantasy genre sexual fantasy of their creators. Too many freakin' elves, and too many poorly written freakin' elves.

Of course, there's going to be an elf in the second installment of Western University, so maybe I shouldn't complain too loudly...

Killbert-Robby · Post by **Killbert-Robby** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 8:25 am

@ Stink + Ata : Yeah, I told him no, and told him how to set up an account and all, but he just refuses. Its annoying...

Legendary · Post by **Legendary** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 8:32 am

ataraxia wrote: I'll add a new one. I'm personally tired of webcomics with elves. Elves elves elves. Elves all the time. Non-elves tripping over themselves because the elves in the comic are so lovely and wonderful. Anime-style long-eared elves, Tolkien-style short-eared elves, Elmore-style scantily clad elves. Dark elves. Golden elves. Bishounen elves. Elves that score so high on the Original Fiction Mary Sue Litmus Test that they cause a stack overflow. Elves who quite obviously represent the ultimate fantasy genre sexual fantasy of their creators. Too many freakin' elves, and too many poorly written freakin' elves.

Of course, there's going to be an elf in the second installment of Western University, so maybe I shouldn't complain too loudly...

On the other hand, though, there are elves that are so evil and bad, and elves as a whole are an evil, selfish race with close to no redeeming qualities.

What ticks me off is when all the members of some fantasy race read as if they're the same person. Elves, orcs, goblins and dwarfs are particularly susceptible to this.

Jim North · Post by **Jim North** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 8:33 am

OBS wrote:But perhaps the worst thing to do draw everything with MS paint. I don't care if you can do realistic and detailed crap with it with a steady hand and a mouse, you're still using a programme that 14 year old boys use to enlarge (and make naked) the scantily clad breasts of a female character from some popular videogame. Get on with it and do like everyone else.

I'm actually having a difficult time telling whether you're joking with this part or not.

Hallonpress · Post by **Hallonpress** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 8:37 am

Joel Fagin wrote:
hallonpress wrote:How about comics that have been drawn in a forced "manga" style by someone who hasn't learned to draw yet?
I agree with your point but a quick look at the comic evolution thread shows just how valuable a stepping stone that can be. It gets you drawing if nothing else.

- Joel Fagin

Very true. And I can very much relate to it.

Still, I would rather not read comics like that. Does that make me evil?

Ataraxia · Post by **Ataraxia** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 8:55 am

Legendary wrote:What ticks me off is when all the members of some fantasy race read as if they're the same person. Elves, orcs, goblins and dwarfs are particularly susceptible to this.

Agreed. The same thing happens in science fiction- it's amazing how many alien races there are in which absolutely everybody dedicates themselves to a single job (warrior, merchant, scientist).

Doublemint · Post by **Doublemint** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:01 am

Joel Fagin wrote:"It's very easy to be silly but harder to be funny."

- Joel Fagin

Very true. Speaking as someone who does a new/young comic, I've consciously designed my strip not to be silly or wacky in its humor. I feel like it, in the long run, someone reading through my archive might get tired of such "random" comedy and stop reading. I also don't think I have the qualities to consistently bring the funny with that style of humor. Recently, though, I've been pondering what tone I want to express in my comic and just how whimsical I want to be. I don't know who it'll turn out, though I am aiming to stay grounded in reality.

I also agree the author insertions are almost always a bad idea. Breaking the 4th wall is a tired trope, though not as offensive as an self-insert.

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