posted by Chris on July 28, 2008 10:00 AM in Comics
rstevens is awesome. There's a really insightful interview up on Wired with the webcomic mastermind, discussing why he quit his syndicated newspaper gig and focused solely on the Internet.
For me, I like to talk to people, I like to mail things out, it's better for me to farm, like an intelligent, organic farmer, a smaller audience of acquaintances and fans than it is for me to go mass-market with a lot of people who really wish I wasn't there.
It's a great read for anyone who is still stuck in the "omg I must be published on paper to have any real cred as a cartoonist" mode.
Oh! Also we have an old interview with rstevens if you'd like to download it here.
[link via Wired]
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posted by Chris on October 25, 2007 10:09 AM in Comics, Games, Geek Culture
Those crazy forum communities! Over at Truth and Beauty Bombs, there is an epic thread in the making where forum members are creating horrible gamer comics from a basic template. Most of these are really bitingly funny and sarcastic, poking fun at Penny Arcade, Ctrl Alt Del, PvP and others. I think this one is my favorite.
I like to think that the gaming community can laugh at themselves, but from what I know of the web comic community, they are going to be pissed. Only goths take themselves more seriously than web comic artists.
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posted by Chris on October 13, 2007 9:26 AM in Comics, Games, Geek Culture
Check out this old article I found lying around. Originally published in 2004 on Comixpedia (now ComixTalk), it's interesting to see what still remains the same in gaming webcomics today. It's also interesting to see how horribly dry of a writer I was back then. I also like how I am constantly quoting Tycho and not even referencing the fact that I interviewed him for this. Hilarious. Enjoy.
The mere mention of video games often evokes images of a solitary white ball bouncing between two vertically moving white paddles, with that distinctive Pong sound. Maybe it evokes images of a large gorilla hurling barrels at unsuspecting Italian men instead. No matter what you think of when you think video games, it is undeniable that games as a whole have affected our culture over the last 20 years. In the late 1970s, games like Pong revolutionized arcades, and in the 1980s, Nintendo revolutionized our living rooms with Super Mario Bros. Our generation grew up with names like Atari, Nintendo and Sega. The culture of video games has boomed in the past 5 years with the recent console wars between Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony. With the increase of video game fans came an increase in people writing and drawing about their favorite video hobby: enter Gaming Webcomics, a genre that is not so easily classified. What are Gaming Webcomics, what are they all about, and where are they going?<
Gaming webcomics can be defined as any webcomic (or print comic for that matter) that is based either on the hobby of playing video games, or comments on the culture surrounding video games and their players. While there are a couple of contenders out there for the "biggest" gaming comic, the first one most people think of is Penny Arcade. With an estimated fan base of over 150,000 people, Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik (Tycho and Gabe, respectively) have carved their names into the annals of not only webcomic history, but nerd history as being two of the most well-known gamers around.
Since the first strip was published in 1998, Gabe and Tycho have steadily climbed to the top of the webcomic scene and helped influence gaming as a culture. Sites get "wanged" – choked with too much referral traffic – after being linked from Penny Arcade. Games have Penny Arcade cheat codes ("pnyarcade" in Star Wars Jedi Starfighter for the XBOX gives you everything in the game, you can even play with a cardboard tube in the new Legacy of Kain game, which is a Penny Arcade reference the their character Cardboard Tube Samurai).
Tycho remains ever humble when asked about this influence, stating that "...Legacy of Kain's 'Tube Reaver' mode – was both a huge surprise and a terrific honor, but it's not terribly common. We think of ourselves as having a parasitic relationship with the gaming industry, we don't think of ourselves as parallel to it like a media outlet might be. We think of ourselves as extremely fortunate fanboys who, on occasion, produce something of value to our holy pantheon." Penny Arcade has also influenced people's lives, with their recent Child's Play toy drive for the Seattle Children's Hospital, where they succeeded in putting together over $120,000 worth of toys and money.
Next in line popularity-wise would be Scott Kurtz' PvP (Player versus Player). Kurtz not only commands a large readership online, but now Image Comics prints PvP monthly. In paper form! Real Life by Greg Dean has influenced a specific video game, Final Fantasy XI: Online – Real Life readers clogged the servers in the first couple days after finding out that Greg played. All of these examples show that gaming comics have a much larger readership than your typical every day webcomic, but why? What makes gaming comics so appealing to web surfers? When asked, Tycho from Penny Arcade agreed: "…it makes sense that gamers are going to be online anyhow, and are therefore present in large numbers online."
Gaming webcomics also seem to have an odd demographic: isolated readers who do not read any other genre of webcomics. Readers of Penny Arcade may only read Penny Arcade because it talks about their favorite games, and that reader may not even be familiar with the term "webcomic". A reader of PvP may have picked up the physical comic book at their local comic shop and wanted to check out the online version. It's almost as if gaming comics are in their own little world, completely oblivious to more classic story-based strips. This is not really a bad thing, but it doesn't do anything for the current webcomic community. Gaming comics tend to link to other gaming comics, hardly ever introducing readers to new genres. Readers typically aren't usually interested in stories or comics on the web, just comics that talk about their hobby.
Gaming comics can best be classified into three basic genres: Story-based, Political Commentary, and Sprite. No, not that Sprite. Political Commentary would include comics like Penny Arcade. Penny Arcade has always been the type of comic strip that you can't read straight through: you have to stop at every strip and read the newspost that goes along with each. Usually the strip for the day is about something in the news regarding gamers, or a new game that just came out. Very rarely does Penny Arcade stray from this formula. Like all artists, however, Tycho and Gabe need to stretch every once in a while and do storylines with continuity. Penny Arcade has received a lot of criticism about this, as readers who stumble upon the site for the first time aren't really sure how to approach the comic. Some readers go to the website thinking it will be your typical comic strip read left-to-right, and see a disjointed series of inside jokes and lengthy commentaries on seemingly random subjects. Some people have accused Penny Arcade of a severe lack of humor because of this. Political humor tends to be very topical, and a reader needs to take this into account when reading strips like Penny Arcade.
Story-based comics include strips like Real Life, Mac Hall or PvP. Although they involve video games and their culture, they are not restricted to just commenting on them. PvP is about a group of people who work for a gaming magazine, offering many different storyline possibilities. Mac Hall is hardly about gaming anymore, focusing more on the relationships between characters going to college and their everyday lives. Real Life tends to be more focused, centering on one game or concept and running with it for a week or two.
The last type of gaming comic is one of the most conflicted sub-genres of webcomics ever. Sprite comics are comics that are made using "sprites" from video games. That can include characters, backgrounds, text and other elements. Some people hate sprite comics for their apparent lack of originality; creators taking screen shots from video games and putting them into a comic strip isn't exactly brilliant at first glance. Some sprite comics, such as 8-bit Theatre, have often proved haters wrong by taking characters from a single video game ( Final Fantasy for the NES ) and making them into well-fleshed out characters in consistently funny situations. Other sprite comics are created with 100% original art. Even if a sprite comic isn't about video games, it is usually considered a gaming comic by default, just for the way it is created and what it references. <
Gaming comics continue to rise in popularity, even as gaming terms such as "l33t" and "wang" become more and more passé. KeenSpace is filled to the brim with gaming comics, and even direct rip-offs of current gaming comics (approximately 76 are listed as "Gaming" not counting the "Sprite" comics). Gaming comics seem to be sticking to their own genre, never straying, and therefore neither helping nor hindering the current webcomic community. Will they continue to exist as separate entities, or will gaming webcomics and traditional webcomics one day be walking off into the sunset holding hands?
A few possible ways might be to have already existing gaming webcomics expand into other genres, away from gaming. On this note Tycho from Penny Arcade says, "Topically, we certainly deal with videogames more than we do any other subject. Calling us a 'Gaming Comic' seems fair. We have certainly covered topics as diverse as Duck Cocks or radioactive arachnids, but videogames are our passion, and the work we do more often than not reflects that." Which shows that gaming comics can spread their wings, so to speak. Another way to bring all genres together is to have more collective events, like Comixpedia's Fright Night, and invite as many comic artists from each genre as possible. Once we all know each other, then the linking starts to occur. Then, after all of that, we can all get together in one big webcomic group hug.
Aww… hugs.
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posted by Chris on October 7, 2007 2:01 PM in Comics, Geek Culture
I have been wanting a new tattoo for some time, having already taken care of my geeky video game tattoo craving a couple years ago. I have been a huge fan of the webcomic Achewood since it first started, and as luck would have it, Ximena from The Urban Soul in Portland, OR has been offering free Achewood tattoos in her shop as a promotion! This sounded like something crazy to do. I am a fan of crazy. Qais and I hopped in the car and took a road trip, and while he came back with a sore hand and smelling faintly of nachos, I came back with this sweet-ass tat of the shirt design "What we need more of is science". Because you know what? We do. It's true. Thanks, Ximena! You are the awesomest.
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posted by Chris on September 24, 2007 11:32 PM in Comics
Some people have asked "Hey, Chris did a webcomic? Where can I see such a thing!" and I am here to bring you something so completely amazing it makes birds sing and children laugh, the scent of freshly baked bread wafts by your nostrils just hearing the name The Necronomicon.
I originally started doing a webcomic around 2001. It was horrible. It still exists online, too. I later remade this horrible comic in a less horrible fashion around 2004, which I am now going to republish here on The Weekly Geek. I am going to give you a little backstory with each strip as well!
The fonts are small. The humor lacks punchlines. Remember, I am not creating this now but showing you, the adoring Weekly Geek public, what it is like to stare into the eyes of madness. I mean... make a webcomic. Cheers, and enjoy the first strip from The Necronomicon.
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posted by Chris on September 17, 2007 5:58 PM in Podcast
This week on The Weekly Geek podcast, Chris and Colette hold up the fort to announce the podcastiversary contest winner, discuss the Haloes (hey, it IS being released soon), the glory that is Eternal Sonata, a childhood obsession with LEGO, and a nostalgic throwback to the ol Winamp days. Download it now, fools! Hit the jump for show notes. Also, yes, you have to listen to the podcast to find out the winner of our contest sheesh.
download now
continue reading "Podcast for 09-17-07 | Tiny LEGO Nazis"
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posted by Chris on August 8, 2007 10:20 AM in Geek Culture
I am a huge Achewood fan. For my money, you really can't get better (and dryer) humor on the web, or in print these days. Chris Onstad always blends a perfect mix of character development and hilarious moments, and today's strip is no exception. Here we see millionaire cat Ray Smuckles interfacing with his Japanese bank using a little Dance Dance Revolution action. Brilliant.
If you haven't ever read Achewood, I suggest starting at the beginning and just going all the way through. It might seem a little... unfunny at first, but soldier through. It will be ultimately rewarding, I guarantee it.
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posted by Chris on March 27, 2007 8:41 AM in Geek Culture
Aww, how we've all grown up. Being featured in Time Magazine is quite the step for hometown heroes Penny Arcade. Even if it is a piece written to explain webcomics to your grandma. In this week's Time (April 2nd issue) Lev Grossman does a fairly good job explaining how Penny Arcade started and how it has grown, even featuring a full strip. He also talks about PvP, Achewood (my favorite webcomic, in case you are interested) and Diesel Sweeties, ending on a very acerbic note from Gabe about DS being syndicated to newspapers:
"I don't know why you'd want to rush to get to that cemetery," says Krahulik. "I guess everybody wants their dad to like them, right? They feel like they need that approval. I think we represent the exact opposite of that"
While I applaud R Stevens for his tenacity and the groundbreaking he is doing for those in the webcomics field who actually want to go to dead tree format, I can see Gabe's point. The tides are changing and holding on to the past and tradition may not be the best route. Check out the full article wherever you get those things called "magazines". Also of note: check out the scan up there. Didn't know Gabe drew for PvP! Thanks, Time! Don't you have editors?
Check out some of our interviews with the subjects of this article:
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posted by Chris on February 23, 2007 1:29 PM in Geek Culture
Our pals over at GayGamer announced today that they are going to get into the soul-crushing world of webcomics! If the art is any indication they have a slightly better chance than me, but that all depends on the writing. A webcomic is only as good as its dialog (I'm looking at you, MacHall), and it seems that the ever-brilliant GayGamer staffers are going to be scribing this thing. From the art (pictured) it looks almost as if it is going to be more of a classic story-based comic book than your standard gag-a-day webcomic strip. Which is a nice departure from the norm.
I wish you intrepid homos good luck in your endeavor. May your readers be bountiful, and your joysticks always pointing to the sky.
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posted by Chris on October 4, 2006 10:18 AM in Geek Culture
As you horrible people may or may not know, The Geek and I once did The Weekly Geek on an actual radio station, and back in the day we interviewed a bunch of completely awesome people. These interviews have been uploaded and are well worth a listen. I'll put them on the rss feed and the iTunes feed over time, but if you want to download them now, feel free! Here are The Weekly Geek's interviews, for your listening pleasure.
We have much much more to upload, including a couple years worth of old radio versions of the show, so stay tuned! Tuned to the Internet, I guess.
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posted by Chris on July 25, 2006 9:31 PM in Podcast
In 2005, The Geek and Frodo interviewed a Jeff Rowland over the phone on KCWU FM in Ellensburg, WA. You may know Jeff Rowland as "The Guy Who Made Snakes On A Plane Ridiculously Famous Before It Was Even Released" but that's pretty long to try to say on a regular basis. It is well known that the reclusive billionaire genius is often drunk, always surly, and incredibly profane. This will serve as a record of that fact. Prepare yourselves. Here is the famous interview with Jeff Rowland from Wigu and Overcompensating. Enjoy.
--Frodo
(download it here. mp3 format. It's worth it, trust me.)
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posted by Chris on September 9, 2005 9:46 AM in Podcast
The first podcast-only version of The Weekly Geek is live! Check out The Geek, Frodo and White Mage talking it up like they have never done before. Well, they have done it before, but maybe you have never heard them talking it up. What is "talking it up" anyway? You can download the show here by either subscribing to the RSS feed and using it in the podcasting program of your choice (we recommend iTunes) and either listening to it in your favorite media player, or on your MP3 player. You will most likely need BitTorrent. Never before has The Weekly Geek been so easy to listen to. Here are some show notes for you:
---Frodo
Edit: You can now download a non-bitorrent version of the show here. But I recommend the Torrent!
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rstevens is awesome. There's a really insightful interview up on Wired with the webcomic mastermind, discussing why he quit his syndicated newspaper gig and focused solely on the Internet. 
