Amazing how a Francis/gaming reference never fails to punch up the strip. Nice to get a chuckle out of reading it for the first time since the panda in the wall.
I thought the third panel silhouette was done poorly. Removing the detail of these characters already in close proximity makes them look like they're standing even closer together, like some kind of conjoined twin blob.
Scott could have turned the far right character to face the left one, creating space between the silhouettes and making each one distinct. Up until the third panel, they're both observing a problem (equipment) from the same point (not regulation), whereas in the third panel, the second character offers a defense of Francis' helmet , so it would make sense for him to turn from the previous view of the problem and make his point. The hand could have been used to thumb to the right in Francis' direction.
Also, he should have taken the time to draw some individual fingers on the one character's hand instead of making it look like an oven mit.
Scott's mentioned how using the silhouette saves time and makes a panel look good, but when it only saves time, well...
Does anyone actually read PVP for the art? I know he's trying to improve, but it's still rather bland. Most people's eyes will scan right past those silhouettes without even noticing, so why not just toss them in and save a bit of time?
Yeah, I view PVP primarily for the art, and secondarily for the comedy. (Is there a third reason...? :)) I listen to Scott's Webcomic's Weekly podcast, which is a how-to for webcomics. I'm sure many of the listeners of that podcast also come to PVP to see the art and learn by example, if not also for the comedy.
That aside, I think most comic panels are scanned over quickly in general. People's eyes will flit over a scene quickly, but in that brief moment a lot of information is taken in.
Therefore, I think it's a benefit for the artist to spend time on the art in order to help the reader correctly ascertain what's going on. Generally, I think people look from the dialog to the speaker as they progress through panels. If something distracts a reader from this flow, either the dialog or the art has failed.
In this case, moving my view from the dialog down to the combined silhouette caused a break in the process for me.
Here it is Saturday night and my biggest complaint about the strip is realized again...
Scott only draws the strip the day it is published...
He's currently off to whatever show he and Kris went to, we are stuck with Friday's strip until he gets back. It will then be Monday evening or even Tuesday morning for him to catch up with the strips.
All of the best strips (CAD, Schlock, LFG, UF) are drawn days, weeks, or even a month (Schlock Mercenary) ahead of time. The artist can then take a week off for his anniversary or whatever con of the week he is attending and the strip still gets published on time.
Kurtz just needs to get off his ass and get at least a week ahead on his strips... Then he wouldn't have an evening strip that is sometimes days late.
Kurtz pulled Reggie out of the paint-ball storyline due to complaints by readers about the safety aspect of a blind person playing paint-ball. I'm not sure if that is selling out or not, but it is surely compromising the internal integrity of the strip.
The "safety nut paintball enthusiasts" can kiss Kurtz's ass. Boo-hoo, a Halo helmet isn't approved paintball safety equipment. It's still a helmet (And despite what they've apparently said, I'm pretty sure it WOULD stop a paintball if it's an actual helmet. Since this is PVP, there's no reason to believe that helmet is not DRIPPING with quality construction and was made by the guys who constructed the General Lee and the DeLorean time machine), and this is supposedly a humor strip. And I guess they got Reggie kicked out of the story, although there is nothing in the STRIP about that. People have too many bones in their heads. What does Kurtz care if he's portraying potentially hazardous situations for the sake of farce and laughter? Is he being sponsored by a paintball company or something? Was he finally sued by the family of someone who DIDN'T survive being repeatedly mauled by a panda? What is this nonsense? Take Reggie out because it seems stupid to have a blind guy trying to shooting the opposing team through a forest, if you must - but don't take him out simply because there's an actual rule in paintball against "blind firing" (Although it makes a good joke in and of itself in this situation). There's probably a rule against playing with only a beret and a leotard on, too.
I see that Brent's mask now has his glasses visible under it, and I earned a bite-sized cookie by predicting boys vs. girls-and-Max.
I suppose there's still time before the match starts to see Reggie get written out of the story he was written into. Cole's team seems spectacularly lacking in skill, now. That's weird. In fact, how was Mr. Kurtz planning on filling the other team if he was planning on using Reggie until recently?
I'm getting tired of almost everyone (Hm... okay, maybe just Cole, Brent, and the two dudes who are officiating a game in the woods for some reason - maybe they own the woods?) wearing paintball masks all of the time, when they've not even been close to starting the game yet. I think they're pretty close now, though.
Why is there a constant outcry for video game references in this comic? I don't get it. The strip hasn't been primarily about video games for a long time. I don't think that's going to change.
I'm not really enjoying the frozen expressions on everyone's faces for the past, oh, bunch of strips. C'mon, there are visible eyeballs and eyebrows - use them! The closest we got to a "facial expression" was when Miranda shut one eye to look down her marker's sights (Oh - the wrong eye, by the way).
"The closest we got to a "facial expression" was when Miranda shut one eye to look down her marker's sights (Oh - the wrong eye, by the way)."
not necessarily the wrong eye. i for one am left eye dominant and close my right eye (you can tell which eye is dominant by pointing at a stationary object in the distance and then closing each eye individually. the eye in which your finger is still pointing at the object is your dominant eye)
Achewood
In my opinion, there is no finer web comic than Achewood. You want subtlety of art and a one-of-a-kind worldview? This is it.
Penny Arcade
The classic. Gabe and Tycho are true pioneers in the world of web comics, and few have done more to expand the reach and influence of the medium. Plus they're funny.
Diesel Sweeties
Like PVP, DS has been coasting for some time. But it is worth reading, nonetheless.
PVP
Yes, I do recommend it; its very popularity is what recommends it. It is the ultimate example that web comics can have mainstream appeal, and shouldn't be disregarded by the industry just because they're web comics.
21 comments:
Yes, a good gamer reference for once, and well done as well. Compared to the last 5 years of comics, A-.
Amazing how a Francis/gaming reference never fails to punch up the strip. Nice to get a chuckle out of reading it for the first time since the panda in the wall.
i don't know, it's alright i guess. i think that it could have been set up better than it was in the third panel.
Fairly pedestrian gag that isn't entirely boring... yep, classic PVP.
I thought the third panel silhouette was done poorly. Removing the detail of these characters already in close proximity makes them look like they're standing even closer together, like some kind of conjoined twin blob.
Scott could have turned the far right character to face the left one, creating space between the silhouettes and making each one distinct. Up until the third panel, they're both observing a problem (equipment) from the same point (not regulation), whereas in the third panel, the second character offers a defense of Francis' helmet , so it would make sense for him to turn from the previous view of the problem and make his point. The hand could have been used to thumb to the right in Francis' direction.
Also, he should have taken the time to draw some individual fingers on the one character's hand instead of making it look like an oven mit.
Scott's mentioned how using the silhouette saves time and makes a panel look good, but when it only saves time, well...
Does anyone actually read PVP for the art? I know he's trying to improve, but it's still rather bland. Most people's eyes will scan right past those silhouettes without even noticing, so why not just toss them in and save a bit of time?
Yeah, I view PVP primarily for the art, and secondarily for the comedy. (Is there a third reason...? :)) I listen to Scott's Webcomic's Weekly podcast, which is a how-to for webcomics. I'm sure many of the listeners of that podcast also come to PVP to see the art and learn by example, if not also for the comedy.
That aside, I think most comic panels are scanned over quickly in general. People's eyes will flit over a scene quickly, but in that brief moment a lot of information is taken in.
Therefore, I think it's a benefit for the artist to spend time on the art in order to help the reader correctly ascertain what's going on. Generally, I think people look from the dialog to the speaker as they progress through panels. If something distracts a reader from this flow, either the dialog or the art has failed.
In this case, moving my view from the dialog down to the combined silhouette caused a break in the process for me.
Here it is Saturday night and my biggest complaint about the strip is realized again...
Scott only draws the strip the day it is published...
He's currently off to whatever show he and Kris went to, we are stuck with Friday's strip until he gets back. It will then be Monday evening or even Tuesday morning for him to catch up with the strips.
All of the best strips (CAD, Schlock, LFG, UF) are drawn days, weeks, or even a month (Schlock Mercenary) ahead of time. The artist can then take a week off for his anniversary or whatever con of the week he is attending and the strip still gets published on time.
Kurtz just needs to get off his ass and get at least a week ahead on his strips... Then he wouldn't have an evening strip that is sometimes days late.
It looks creepy how the eyes of the characters wearing paintball masks seem to extremely wide open.
I don't know, I kind of think the last panel should have been silent and played as a visual gag.
Who is to say it isnt drawn but didn't get uploaded? fgId like to know how far any of us would get if we had to do a daily strip.
Paul you must have a slow life if the lateness of a webcomic really bother you that much.
I didn't find it all that note-worthy.
But, I'm glad you liked it.
Kurtz pulled Reggie out of the paint-ball storyline due to complaints by readers about the safety aspect of a blind person playing paint-ball. I'm not sure if that is selling out or not, but it is surely compromising the internal integrity of the strip.
Maybe he was being sarcastic...we shall see.
The "safety nut paintball enthusiasts" can kiss Kurtz's ass. Boo-hoo, a Halo helmet isn't approved paintball safety equipment. It's still a helmet (And despite what they've apparently said, I'm pretty sure it WOULD stop a paintball if it's an actual helmet. Since this is PVP, there's no reason to believe that helmet is not DRIPPING with quality construction and was made by the guys who constructed the General Lee and the DeLorean time machine), and this is supposedly a humor strip. And I guess they got Reggie kicked out of the story, although there is nothing in the STRIP about that. People have too many bones in their heads. What does Kurtz care if he's portraying potentially hazardous situations for the sake of farce and laughter? Is he being sponsored by a paintball company or something? Was he finally sued by the family of someone who DIDN'T survive being repeatedly mauled by a panda? What is this nonsense? Take Reggie out because it seems stupid to have a blind guy trying to shooting the opposing team through a forest, if you must - but don't take him out simply because there's an actual rule in paintball against "blind firing" (Although it makes a good joke in and of itself in this situation). There's probably a rule against playing with only a beret and a leotard on, too.
I see that Brent's mask now has his glasses visible under it, and I earned a bite-sized cookie by predicting boys vs. girls-and-Max.
I suppose there's still time before the match starts to see Reggie get written out of the story he was written into. Cole's team seems spectacularly lacking in skill, now. That's weird. In fact, how was Mr. Kurtz planning on filling the other team if he was planning on using Reggie until recently?
I'm getting tired of almost everyone (Hm... okay, maybe just Cole, Brent, and the two dudes who are officiating a game in the woods for some reason - maybe they own the woods?) wearing paintball masks all of the time, when they've not even been close to starting the game yet. I think they're pretty close now, though.
I miss Robbie and Jase.
Kurtz, it's time to shake the potato chip and cupcake crumbs out of the numerous folds in your t-shirt before Kirby tries to eat you.
Why is there a constant outcry for video game references in this comic? I don't get it. The strip hasn't been primarily about video games for a long time. I don't think that's going to change.
I'm not really enjoying the frozen expressions on everyone's faces for the past, oh, bunch of strips. C'mon, there are visible eyeballs and eyebrows - use them! The closest we got to a "facial expression" was when Miranda shut one eye to look down her marker's sights (Oh - the wrong eye, by the way).
It's because Scott's spending all his time working on that Ding comic strip.
"The closest we got to a "facial expression" was when Miranda shut one eye to look down her marker's sights (Oh - the wrong eye, by the way)."
not necessarily the wrong eye. i for one am left eye dominant and close my right eye (you can tell which eye is dominant by pointing at a stationary object in the distance and then closing each eye individually. the eye in which your finger is still pointing at the object is your dominant eye)
Hi guys, I know we usually talk about the comic but I was just wondering what you thought about Scotts recent posts about Gary Gygax.
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