Friday, September 5, 2008

That's all he can stands...or, yet another aborted arc

*sigh* Looks like we're jumping to a new storyline

Prior to  Tuesday's comic (We're all worried about Andy), Brent seemed like the type of nerd who didn't want to admit it in public, but was still comfortable about it around his friends. I guess Kurtz is trying to say that Brent is in denial about being a nerd, but then why would be be running a game? In my mind, here's how this could have been a full length arc:

Monday: Jade is angry at the boys for being nerdy with her while she's working. 
Tuesday: Brent declares himself as a non-nerd with some fringe interests.
Wednesday: Francis goads Brent into running a tabletop game of his own, somehow.
Thursday: The game, part 1.
Friday: Nerd Fight!

Monday: The game, part 2.
Tuesday: The game, part 3. 
Wednesday: Wrap-up, Brent admits he had fun after all.
Thursday: Brent waxing nostalgia, thoughts turn to skull. Which leads us right up to...
Friday: Today's strip.

There, a two week storyline that leads into what can easily be another two week (maybe more) storyline. But enough what could have been'ing, let's talk about today's strip.

Plotwise, there isn't much to say here. Scratch has apparently been glued to that window waiting for Skull to come back and now Kirby's words have kicked him into action? Eh, alright. I wonder if we're going to get a where in the world is Skull montage, with Scratch looking for his "papa". I mean, it's not like he has any idea where Skull actually is, right?

Artwise, the first two panels have Scratch shifting left or right but I didn't even notice until I read someone's comment in FSM's last post. Ditto Kirby's squashed snout in panel three. 

I'm glad we got a double sized strip today though, because the first four alone would've made for a terrible comic. Also, if anyone is curious, Scratch's last line is a quote from Tombstone. Or so google tells me.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think mirroring the shininess effect from Scratch's teary-eyed look on the goggles is a mistake. On a cursory glance, it looks like Scratch is adjusting his eyeballs.

Kurtz also forgets to draw in the window streaks on the third and fourth panels.

R.W.McGee said...

That was just terrible. The first four panels were entirely wasted. The next four were extremely dramatic, but since we couldn't really see shit, it just came across as overblown. (Also no joke, but I'm getting REALLY used to that)

I have zero interest in Skull or Scratch, so I have a feeling PvP next week is not going to be my cup of tea...

Another Whiner said...

Ditto, RW. Well, there are times when I like Scratch, but I definitely don't like Skull. We've managed to avoid all fart jokes for months now! But, no, they'll be back.

But, yeah, my biggest problem with the last "storyline" was how it didn't flow. At all.

Anonymous said...

In general, I don't mind Skull. As long as he brings something besides a fart joke to the table, I'm ok with him.

Scratch on the other hand, has always annoyed me. He's good for a one-off joke every now and again, but his presence as a cast character is unfortunate author appeal.

tim said...

I just deleted a vile comment. It did propose a curious sex act that I may be trying out tonight though.

Another Whiner said...

YOU'RE CENSORING OUR COMMENTS! YOU MUST BE SCOTT KURTZ!

Anonymous said...

FSM said: "Artwise, the first two panels have Scratch shifting left or right but I didn't even notice until I read someone's comment in FSM's last post. Ditto Kirby's squashed snout in panel three."
Scratch doesn't move, Kirby does. Since the second panel is a shot from the outside of the window, Kirby's speech bubble should be coming from the right side.
BTW, what's wrong with Kirby's nose? I don't see a problem.

Brett Schiller (Sage) said...

I do like Skull for 2 reasons 1) He is the most innocent of the characters and when he is outside the world of PVP the sarcasm is decreased (not that i mind the sarcasm, I just like the change of pace) 2) Kurtz knows how to write for him as one of the best arcs was where he was watching the sociopathic kid who was killed (dark but funny)

FSM - and who is to say we can't learn anything from the people who flame this blog :).

Anonymous said...

Scratch doesn't shift left to right. The point of view shifts, to see him from the back and then viewing him from outside the window. He's in the same position the whole time.

PvP, why can't I quit you?

This comic hasn't been funny for a long time, and yet I keep reading on the off chance that I might miss something mildly entertaining. Or not understand some reference that one of the other comics I read makes. Blegh.

Vardulon said...

Isn't Scratch paraphrasing a bible quote out of Revelations? Or was that verse also quoted in Tombstone?

Anonymous said...

NES: Scratch does shift, when the POV changed we should have seen him laying down at the far right of the window to match the outside of view. It's a small continuity error that happens in all comics :)

I'm not minding the storyline so much, it's a good setup for next week.

And yes Kirby's nose in panel 3 is freakishly close to his eyes.

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