So Cole is all by himself for thanksgiving while his estranging wife takes their kids elsewhere, and he's happy? Perhaps even giddy, given his expression in panel three. I...really?
I will say I like Max's new look via the art upgrade.
Thanksgiving Day Update: This didn't click with me until I saw today's strip, but since when does Brent own a house?
And Cole is officially the asshole of the century. Who celebrates ditching their kids on Thanksgiving??? At least I suppose Cole being a jack-ass is now consistent for the character.
Ok, yeah. I've been on SK's side for a long time, and even as the "token gay guy" of my social circle I wasn't offended by yesterday's strip... But this strip irks me.
Cole isn't the most mature person in the world. That's a given. I don't fault him for that. But this goes beyond being immature into being an asshat. He's having marital problems anyways and he's letting his wife spend thanksgiving at her parents without him, and happily packing the kids off too, just to fight some petty feud with Brent? Remember the old thanksgiving strips? The PVP gang came together for them - happily. This is just... eerie.
Between this and Something Positive, two of my favorite comics are taking a turn for the worse with their current story arcs.
Are we being set up to find out that Cole is the only genuine gay man between himself, Brent and Max? Because, geez... rocky marriage, a strange and instant desire to spend Thanksgiving alone with a man he'd always hated until he learned Max "is gay", this bizarre (And, honestly, fairly gay) crossing of "Let's coddle the gay man" swords... man. Cole must be totally homosexual.
It's funny that SK is defending his work by claiming bi-sexuality or something, though. I hope that works out well for him.
Oh and 25 more days until PVPMMS 1st anniversary. Either Kurtz reveals himself as FSM or the site continues as is. Either way great site and great discussions (most of the time), dont forget to wear party hats!
Ha just read the whole "forum-gate" post and just had to laugh. The basic reason for the canceling of the forums without a recreation is that it spun out of a site devoted to sorely the support of PVP to a forum with pop culture (isn't PVP a pop culture website?) that devolved into cliques inside jokes and mean words. Can I see a show of hands for people who COME HERE for that very reason to talk about PVP without all the bullshit that goes along with offering an opinion on the quality of a PVP strip? We may devolve into some of the forum bullshit that is usually seen but MOST (not all to be fair) is usually from a certain catalysis *cough* Scott and Kurtz posters *cough* Generally when the strip is good or solid there's not a lot of activity (you can only say good job a certain amount of ways) and when they are not their is opinions, a little discussion and usually that days strip discussion dies.
Unless of course someone calls you a PVP apologist. DAMN YOU RW!!!! ;)
Also, on a more selfish note IM NOT LONGER BANNED! I cannot be banned from something that no longer exists :). At least all those smug asshats (there were only 5-10 but they were professional smug asshats) from the PVP forum have to actually step outside into the light now.
Sooo... the posts that SK had up previously about the forum wash are gone, replaced with a somewhat more diplomatic one today. It pretends that the old ones were never there, and that the forums were only deleted today. Huh. It kind of amuses me that there's nowhere in particular for the community to rally and say that that isn't the truth, heh.
I guess the feedback suggested that people didn't like being told they were losing the forums because they'd messed it up so the blog post got retconned into this new "I love you guys, you're great, I'm so lucky!" version.
Folks we have late breaking developments and I do have to take the blamme for something. I made a decision too early, even before the end of the year and this is my mea culpa
Via a Twitter post: Despite everything I still believe my fans are good at heart.
Ah with all the condesending attitude distilled to one sentence and pretensious attitude to heep a judgement to a part of an audience that you screwed and then saw a backlash? MMMM it is beautiful
The Winner and NEW 2008 Douche of the Year award: Scott Kurtz! Please pick up the golden applicator from FSM house and have Quical track him down or you for original artwork that you will likely charge for.
This maybe a stretch, but this storyline really made me think of the episode of The Simpsons where Homer is having an imagined fight with John, the gay clerk, over Bart's manhood. Except in this case, the jokes are played out and there is a severe lack of Moe.
Episode 15, Season 8 - Homer's Phobia for Simpsons fans and source junkies.
"seating arrangments" The strip's art was very good throughout as the background, table and characters were well drawn. Ok 99% of it was well drawn as Jade's father must have a disease that makes his eye's bulge out. This wouldn't be a problem if she was shocked at the current situation but from her body language and the pacing of the words its more indignation/tiring of the boys behavior. A few months to a year ago she had the half-closed sarcastic look on her face now it looks like Miranda is poking her in the back with a spike (no sex jokes, im proud of myself)
Also, where the hel is the door that Max used. In real time strip 2-3 prob to 5-10 seconds at most so their was either a door RIGHT behind him or he SPRINTED out the door for him to be "gone" that quickly
Obvious joke: Max got tired of this story arc took and just walked out on it. I wish i could too (thank you thank you try the veal folks.)
From a technical standpoint, I think SK still has a tendency to overcrowd his panels. The previous comment had me looking back at the strip, and I never saw Max in panel 1 until Sage asked where he'd gone. The over-the-shoulder shot can be dramatic if used appropriately, but you need to take care that you don't lose the person whose shoulder you're shooting over, which happened (at least for me) in this panel. (I also agree with Sage that Jade looks too bug-eyed in the last panel.)
ObGrammarNitpick: In panel 3, the first "Max" should be set off by a comma in Cole's speech bubble. But this one really is a nitpick. :)
To not just be a total jerk: Very good art in today's comic as the background and characters were all well drawn (even the turtleneck/scarf) Very well detailed and Kurtz has done a great job of takinghis characters from a blank white slate to a background where you know where the hell they are
The story . . . its a middle strip, meant to get the plot from A to B nothing funny at all (not bad it is what it is) and i think everyone would agree with that.
Sorry, but I can't accept the same excuses as you and I think the story is terrible. It's actually gone 'sub-soap', a time where strip-with-a-gag is a distant memory and even an interesting strip is fairly rare.
This prolonged exploration into what leads Cole's dislike of Max, is as far as I can tell, skilfully destroying one of the strip's dynamics. Whether it'll be replaced with something as interesting or simply recover with a trite 'as if it never happened' styled reset, I don't know. I just wish the road to finding out wasn't so boring.
It's odd. This general motive for their dislike of Max has always been apparent, even if there is the added irritance of the fatuous way that he goes about being cheerful. It's like Kurtz suddenly panicked and thought "oh God, what if nobody understands my deep subtlety? I have to make it absolutely explicit."
I suppose there's the development of Cole's desire to be a better person, but it seems a clumsy and tacky way of going about it.
I think it's also a little disappointing that Cole is so entirely self-aware of how much of a douche he is and why.
I mean, who could have such an epiphany about themselves and not be so shocked about it when it first hits?
And, if it isn't just hitting Cole now, that means he's been comfortable enough with himself to not do anything about it until Max needed some sort of companionship and reached out to Cole and Brent.
I don't think Cole ever had any illusions of why he hated Max, he just wasn't ready to admit it to himself. Honestly, while it might NOT change anything (Max will still be better, and Cole will still hate him for it) at least the "teh gayness" angle seems to have been derailed, or at least left ambiguous.
While today's script wasn't "funny", I still think it was decent: when the arc started I thought "ok, how is he going to give us a surprise ending? Either he's going to be gay or he isn't. It's hard to surprise us when there's only two options". He took a third option, and while this week's strips have definitely been disappointing, at least today's wasn't entirely predictable.
We were given a situation nobody really cared about, smoothed out a bump that made PvP occasionally funny and handed a conclusion that I'm sure SK thinks is 'clever' but given it wasn't exactly a hot-topic in the first place, now seems contrived and a cop-out.
Barring Max returning, kicking down the door and planting one on Cole, this whole arc has been the very definition of 'weak'.
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.
43 comments:
Panel 2: "Your spending Thanksgiving at your house with your wife and kids."
"You're", not "your"! Every week it seems like there's at least one or two of these pointless grammatical errors.
And Cole is officially the asshole of the century. Who celebrates ditching their kids on Thanksgiving??? At least I suppose Cole being a jack-ass is now consistent for the character.
Ok, yeah. I've been on SK's side for a long time, and even as the "token gay guy" of my social circle I wasn't offended by yesterday's strip... But this strip irks me.
Cole isn't the most mature person in the world. That's a given. I don't fault him for that. But this goes beyond being immature into being an asshat. He's having marital problems anyways and he's letting his wife spend thanksgiving at her parents without him, and happily packing the kids off too, just to fight some petty feud with Brent? Remember the old thanksgiving strips? The PVP gang came together for them - happily. This is just... eerie.
Between this and Something Positive, two of my favorite comics are taking a turn for the worse with their current story arcs.
This storyline is fucking god-awful and retarded.
what do you expect from the 2008 Douche of the year award winner? (Cole not the artist)
Are we being set up to find out that Cole is the only genuine gay man between himself, Brent and Max? Because, geez... rocky marriage, a strange and instant desire to spend Thanksgiving alone with a man he'd always hated until he learned Max "is gay", this bizarre (And, honestly, fairly gay) crossing of "Let's coddle the gay man" swords... man. Cole must be totally homosexual.
It's funny that SK is defending his work by claiming bi-sexuality or something, though. I hope that works out well for him.
So Kurtz has deleted the halfpixel forums just like he deleted the comments section.
Seems like a great way to show his fans his appreciation for their support. =\
And "surprisingly", this time, not all his received emails were to tell him how he's always right. Wonders never cease.
Oh and 25 more days until PVPMMS
1st anniversary. Either Kurtz reveals himself as FSM or the site continues as is. Either way great site and great discussions (most of the time), dont forget to wear party hats!
Ha just read the whole "forum-gate" post and just had to laugh. The basic reason for the canceling of the forums without a recreation is that it spun out of a site devoted to sorely the support of PVP to a forum with pop culture (isn't PVP a pop culture website?) that devolved into cliques inside jokes and mean words. Can I see a show of hands for people who COME HERE for that very reason to talk about PVP without all the bullshit that goes along with offering an opinion on the quality of a PVP strip? We may devolve into some of the forum bullshit that is usually seen but MOST (not all to be fair) is usually from a certain catalysis *cough* Scott and Kurtz posters *cough* Generally when the strip is good or solid there's not a lot of activity (you can only say good job a certain amount of ways) and when they are not their is opinions, a little discussion and usually that days strip discussion dies.
Unless of course someone calls you a PVP apologist. DAMN YOU RW!!!! ;)
Also, on a more selfish note IM NOT LONGER BANNED! I cannot be banned from something that no longer exists :). At least all those smug asshats (there were only 5-10 but they were professional smug asshats) from the PVP forum have to actually step outside into the light now.
It's all a dream. Cole wakes up in Friday's strip, just before he gets a big smooch from Max.
I also think it's kind of dumb that this is - essentially - the same joke as yesterday: the two boys trying to "impress" max.
I hate filler strips.
Sooo... the posts that SK had up previously about the forum wash are gone, replaced with a somewhat more diplomatic one today. It pretends that the old ones were never there, and that the forums were only deleted today. Huh. It kind of amuses me that there's nowhere in particular for the community to rally and say that that isn't the truth, heh.
I guess the feedback suggested that people didn't like being told they were losing the forums because they'd messed it up so the blog post got retconned into this new "I love you guys, you're great, I'm so lucky!" version.
Actually, everyone's over here, and now they all realize what a shitcock Kurtz is: http://www.halforum.com/viewforum.php?f=2&st=0&sk=t&sd=d&start=35
Folks we have late breaking developments and I do have to take the blamme for something. I made a decision too early, even before the end of the year and this is my mea culpa
Via a Twitter post:
Despite everything I still believe my fans are good at heart.
Ah with all the condesending attitude distilled to one sentence and pretensious attitude to heep a judgement to a part of an audience that you screwed and then saw a backlash? MMMM it is beautiful
The Winner and NEW 2008 Douche of the Year award: Scott Kurtz! Please pick up the golden applicator from FSM house and have Quical track him down or you for original artwork that you will likely charge for.
Every one give him a hand!
HMM HMM -- Happy Thanksgiving, guys!!
Oh yes. By the way, I'm glad that SK chose to leave at least one character skeptical about Max being gay. It keeps me interested.
This maybe a stretch, but this storyline really made me think of the episode of The Simpsons where Homer is having an imagined fight with John, the gay clerk, over Bart's manhood. Except in this case, the jokes are played out and there is a severe lack of Moe.
Episode 15, Season 8 - Homer's Phobia for Simpsons fans and source junkies.
"seating arrangments"
The strip's art was very good throughout as the background, table and characters were well drawn. Ok 99% of it was well drawn as Jade's father must have a disease that makes his eye's bulge out. This wouldn't be a problem if she was shocked at the current situation but from her body language and the pacing of the words its more indignation/tiring of the boys behavior. A few months to a year ago she had the half-closed sarcastic look on her face now it looks like Miranda is poking her in the back with a spike (no sex jokes, im proud of myself)
Also, where the hel is the door that Max used. In real time strip 2-3 prob to 5-10 seconds at most so their was either a door RIGHT behind him or he SPRINTED out the door for him to be "gone" that quickly
Obvious joke: Max got tired of this story arc took and just walked out on it. I wish i could too (thank you thank you try the veal folks.)
From a technical standpoint, I think SK still has a tendency to overcrowd his panels. The previous comment had me looking back at the strip, and I never saw Max in panel 1 until Sage asked where he'd gone. The over-the-shoulder shot can be dramatic if used appropriately, but you need to take care that you don't lose the person whose shoulder you're shooting over, which happened (at least for me) in this panel. (I also agree with Sage that Jade looks too bug-eyed in the last panel.)
ObGrammarNitpick: In panel 3, the first "Max" should be set off by a comma in Cole's speech bubble. But this one really is a nitpick. :)
Btw anyone have a top 3 list for video games to ask for for Christmas?
Im thinking fallout 3 but don't have anything else
Fallout 3 and Rock Band II! Hmm... that's about it for me this year, though.
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia, Chrono Trigger, Mirror's Edge, Left 4 Dead, De Blob.
More than two, but I don't know what systems you have and what types of games you like.
So... could this storyline lead to Max AND Cole being gay? With each other?
I don't know what to think about that.
@Jessica if it DOES lead to Max and Cole being gay together, I might lose all respect I have for SK.
It might lead to Max and Cole being business partners again.
It was nice of Cole to change from a collared shirt to a turtleneck for Max, how cute.
And dinner was at Brent and Jade's house too, so he went back to his house to change! Very cute!
I thought it was a scarf. Not a turtle neck.
Rather hoped this storyline has ended (awkwardly) on Friday. Instead we find it continuing. Awkwardly.
To not just be a total jerk:
Very good art in today's comic as the background and characters were all well drawn (even the turtleneck/scarf) Very well detailed and Kurtz has done a great job of takinghis characters from a blank white slate to a background where you know where the hell they are
The story . . . its a middle strip, meant to get the plot from A to B nothing funny at all (not bad it is what it is) and i think everyone would agree with that.
Sorry, but I can't accept the same excuses as you and I think the story is terrible. It's actually gone 'sub-soap', a time where strip-with-a-gag is a distant memory and even an interesting strip is fairly rare.
This prolonged exploration into what leads Cole's dislike of Max, is as far as I can tell, skilfully destroying one of the strip's dynamics. Whether it'll be replaced with something as interesting or simply recover with a trite 'as if it never happened' styled reset, I don't know. I just wish the road to finding out wasn't so boring.
(THUD)
I don't think I can stick my finger far enough down my throat to simulate the experience of reading 'Talk Turkey'
Remember when PvP was fun? Anybody? This is like freaking CAD reruns now.
It's odd. This general motive for their dislike of Max has always been apparent, even if there is the added irritance of the fatuous way that he goes about being cheerful. It's like Kurtz suddenly panicked and thought "oh God, what if nobody understands my deep subtlety? I have to make it absolutely explicit."
I suppose there's the development of Cole's desire to be a better person, but it seems a clumsy and tacky way of going about it.
I think it's also a little disappointing that Cole is so entirely self-aware of how much of a douche he is and why.
I mean, who could have such an epiphany about themselves and not be so shocked about it when it first hits?
And, if it isn't just hitting Cole now, that means he's been comfortable enough with himself to not do anything about it until Max needed some sort of companionship and reached out to Cole and Brent.
Is that a Texas thing? I just don't get it.
I don't think Cole ever had any illusions of why he hated Max, he just wasn't ready to admit it to himself. Honestly, while it might NOT change anything (Max will still be better, and Cole will still hate him for it) at least the "teh gayness" angle seems to have been derailed, or at least left ambiguous.
Please let tonight's strip be the END. I have never been bored with an entire arc of Scott's until now...
Although I haven't really laughed at a strip since the 'LEVEL UP' with Marcy and Francis.
....starts counting the months....
While today's script wasn't "funny", I still think it was decent: when the arc started I thought "ok, how is he going to give us a surprise ending? Either he's going to be gay or he isn't. It's hard to surprise us when there's only two options". He took a third option, and while this week's strips have definitely been disappointing, at least today's wasn't entirely predictable.
We were given a situation nobody really cared about, smoothed out a bump that made PvP occasionally funny and handed a conclusion that I'm sure SK thinks is 'clever' but given it wasn't exactly a hot-topic in the first place, now seems contrived and a cop-out.
Barring Max returning, kicking down the door and planting one on Cole, this whole arc has been the very definition of 'weak'.
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