Comic Genesis Forums

There we go. A page of responses already. I reckon now's time to actually put my own few bits and pieces into the sauce.

Firstly, I like hearing that there are people actively researching their content and designs and whatnot to lend a level of realism and accuracy that is probably not apparent upon a first reading of the strip. Little details are all important.

Okies. Me.

As mentioned by others, I also believe I've done well in the research and accuracy side of my strip. This is more in an historical/cultural sort of way rather than the specific look of a building or vehicle. Examples of this are the little hints into the previous lives of the spirits in the cemetery and little details hidden in the backgrounds of certain locations and stuff. I also link into this that I enjoy using the strip as a pseudo educational tool. Hopefully School Spirit can also help others understand a little more about the culture it is based in.

Two. I believe I've succeeded in making my characters likeable, even those that aren't really supposed to be. I enjoy working with a cast that doesn't involve any villains. Each character is slowly hinting at their own back stories and how they all link in with each other. Hopefully they're fun as well.

Third, and I think this is my best achievement, the world of the comic. I think I'm succeeding in showing a complete little world for School Spirit to take place in that is unique to this strip. Most strips could easily fit into the worlds of any other strip in their general genre, but I think I'm succeeding in making the School Spirit world somewhat larger than just the school and the cemetery. And hopefully they are locations in this little world that readers can believe in and recognise beyond just 'this is the school' or 'this is the cemetery'. I want them to recognise 'this is the back corner of the classroom' and 'this is the tree beside Wendy's grave'.

Anyway, enough from me. Carry on, you lot!

Cheers.

1:I'm getting really good at coloring my strips, and I've managed to figure out how to avoid the eye-searing colors that some webcomics use.

2: My linework is much better than it was when I started. MUCH better.

3: I can write a story arc that doesn't have to get boring and serious in the middle to tell the story (granted, that's because the story arcs are completely ridiculous).

4: I'd like to think that I've managed to write some genuinely funny strips.

EvilChihuahua wrote:1:I'm getting really good at coloring my strips, and I've managed to figure out how to avoid the eye-searing colors that some webcomics use.

2: My linework is much better than it was when I started. MUCH better.

3: I can write a story arc that doesn't have to get boring and serious in the middle to tell the story (granted, that's because the story arcs are completely ridiculous).

4: I'd like to think that I've managed to write some genuinely funny strips.

I'd definitely agree with the points you raised about your comic. There's definitely improvement and I like the way you color your comic. So yeah, good job.

Hope this doesn't screw up the rules of this thread, but I figured there could be more encouragement thrown in.

I prefer to let others tell me but if I had to say.

Never miss an update.

Create a setting- I've made efforts to weave the world of Gritty City into a character in its self. By showing it through the perspective of different characters, you get to see more of what the place is like.

My inking isn't half bad if I do say so myself.

Dutch! wrote:And hopefully they are locations in this little world that readers can believe in and recognise beyond just 'this is the school' or 'this is the cemetery'. I want them to recognise 'this is the back corner of the classroom' and 'this is the tree beside Wendy's grave'.

You definitely achieve that; there's a very consistent, coherent feel to the School Spirit "world," and it all hangs together in a very realistic-feeling manner.

Hmm...I'm alot better at finding things wrong with my work then things I do well, but I'll give it a shot.

I think I do action scenes pretty well, Ninja John being an action comic, I would hope so.

Looking through my archives, I think my pages are pretty lively, using different angles and layouts, and I try to experiment with different poses when I can.

hilarioushenry wrote:Hope this doesn't screw up the rules of this thread, but I figured there could be more encouragement thrown in.

Nah. There's no real rules in this thread. Take it easy, offer the encouragement you think is deserved. I'm not gonna get snotty with anybody posting on topic, eh?

I am damn proud of our website design. I don't think it could have turned out much better! I'm also much happier with the current shading style than the original one.

1) I believe i got a dinstinctive style: something that's not actual manga/anime, yet has a strong chibi-like resemblance. Guns and vehicles, above other things, are very detailed (though they're "chibified" aswell).

2) A rather original concept.
Not sayign it's somethin never seen before, but there sure ain't that many other comics with a similar subject.

3) Full color and shaded. It's not somethign that makes my comic special (there's countless other comics with far prettier colouring than mine), but it's still a bonus.

I try to experiment with the artwork a lot, so I guess that's my strong point. So far I've used good old pencil and pen, paint, ink, watercolors, enamel, photoshop and illustrator, chalk, crayons, and play dough. People seem to enjoy that, and this way I don't get bored.

Hm, I'm not sure what else sets my comic apart from the others. I'd like to think that the story is strange / imaginative enough to make people curious, but without being confusing to the point where it's just frustrating - but from my position as the all-knowing writer it's hard to tell if I'm balancing this right or not.

I've been told that I can get a wide range of motion and expression out of characters that don't even have proper eyes, that my storyline manages to keep a tired old cliche fresh, and most importantly, I manage to make people actually care about a bunch of lines and squiggles on paper.

Jops wrote:1) I believe i got a dinstinctive style: something that's not actual manga/anime, yet has a strong chibi-like resemblance. Guns and vehicles, above other things, are very detailed (though they're "chibified" aswell).

Certainly, one would reckognize your style among hundreds. I think you've been one of the most consistent people here regarding that.

I've been told that I can get a wide range of motion and expression out of characters that don't even have proper eyes, that my storyline manages to keep a tired old cliche fresh, and most importantly, I manage to make people actually care about a bunch of lines and squiggles on paper.

To me the fresh angle is that you use them as archetypes, symbols, it's a story of school social structure in general, and not just of one or two stories set in that social structure. That they are a bunch of lines and squiggles just makes stronger impression that they are supposed to serve as symbols.

Humour most people think is vulgar.

1) keeping my webcomic paced like a real romance novel. All the little interactions between the characters are there.

2) doing it five days a week in color. I'm still suprised I'm managing it.

3) making my supernatural characters strive for small-town normal lives. There is going to be some action coming up, but even then..it's not going to be earth-shattering, save-the-planet kinds of stuff. These folks are trying to blend in and just "be".

- I am good at making things round and friendly

americangothic wrote:2) doing it five days a week in color. I'm still suprised I'm managing it.

That's a pretty amazing thing right there. You put a lot of work into your comic, and it shows.

princess wrote:- I am good at making things round and friendly

Your illustration is fantastic. Your comics are always smart and funny; many other intentionally offensive webcomics are neither. Toy Division always makes me laugh even when it makes me feel like a bad person for doing so. Am I gushing?

What do I do well? Let me think...

1) I think I'm pretty good at showing a disconnect between my character's thoughts and the external world. Most of my characters are delusional in some way, whether that be willful ignorance or outright insanity.

2) I'm willing to try different types of stories.

3) I draw funny animals pretty well.

What do I do poorly? Lots...

1) I don't draw realistic humans or the inside of buildings well (see my current story for a perfect example).

2) My plots are poorly structured. I think this comes from the fact that I started writing very short sequences, so my longer pieces tend to be a series of moments rather than a unified story.

3) Lately I feel that I haven't been polishing my text enough. I should work on the scripts more before I start drawing.

You work with scripts? You're on up on me!

Time to spy on Atraxia!

Well, you do funny animals pretty well, I like your style! I do think however that you aren't "bad" at drawing people..maybe realism isn't your goal, but your style screams "newspaper spread" IMHO.

Anyway, about Meiosis, well, to be honest, I'm not an 'artist'. I find that in D&D terms I'm cross-classing (that is, learning through brute force more than natural talent) and there are people out there who have powers that I cannot even begin to comprehend! ARGH!

None the less, I'm kinda happy with what I've got. Strengths are that comparing the first page to the last, there is some improvement. I hope that my characters are at least distinct (even if you may not know who they are or what they are doing as such!)

I do love my OTT lighting effects as well, my newer frames are really good at it...but they are not uploaded yet!

Oh yeah, and I kinda like my site design, it's like me: Simple and effective.

My obvious weaknesses are that sometimes I can get lazy with drawing..and that I need to work on writing as I seem to be writing in the style of the world's unfunniest gag strip, when the comic isn't comedic.

I enjoy my ability to have a fairly consistant update schedule, and the fact I'm still doing this after so long. Multiple comics with different styles, even.

I think (for the most part) I've got a relatively rounded sense of humor, rather than just wallowing in one type (like potty humor).

Even though my style has been a little stale lately, I always am willing to experiment with my drawing style, and will keep what I like better while throwing out old techniques.

The best thing about my comic(s) is I'm actually willing to accept constructive criticism. 9 times out of 10 it has made my work better, even if the criticism is sometimes a little hard to take.

Well, lesse...

1) Setting. I really try to make sure that my areas are geographically and temporally consistant. I have a 200-year history for my comic's setting, which continues to affect the present. Most of it will probably never be directly mentioned.

2) Writing/Pacing. I like to think that the pacing on my strips is nicely done, and I, at least, find my work funny. I very rarely look back at my strip and think "What the hell was that?"

3) Characters. I like my casts, and I think they're pretty diverse and likeable. What can I say?

My opinion of what is bad about my comic is easy. Art. Seriously, for all that I like to defend the validity of pixel art, I am only marginally competant as a pixel artist. If I actually had an artist crazy enough to be willing to work with me, I would jump on it. However, my insane need for creative control on a story I invent pretty much guarantees that won't happen, and my non-pixeled artistic abilities would earn the scorn of kindergardeners.