Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Panda Wars (as predicted here two days ago)

Panda Wars: Part one

Hey guys, I have a few minutes in between leaving work and going to get a grill for the new house. Full review later but I wanted to get the new thread up

*Update* Phillies FTW!

Art - I really liked the drawing of the cameraman in panel 2 and the heli-RV in panel 4 (which is a cool concept). Nothing really much good or bad otherwise as Walt is drawn without any deficit and the shading is ok.


Story - Uh oh I smell I a diatribe from Scott coming on . . . (to be continued later)
And to prove my point I refer you to panels 1-3 as he is pegged as the ultimate delusional environmentalist. From the lines "there is a hole in my black embittered heart" and "return them to China where they can die naturally from loss of habitat" you can tell Scott doesn't plane like the guy and it takes the caricature away from being comical to just vitriolic. (Hey if the guy is named one of the 50 people who can save the planet by The Guardian he can't be that bad.)

From a practical standpoint, who the hell really knows who this guy is? I only recognized him as "the bearded dude from Whale Wars" and if Animal planet wasn't running consistent ads Id be SOL for the WHOLE arc. The show pulled in an average rating of .7, or 946,000 people a week and really how many of those people watch the show? That is the true definition of inside baseball, seeing as I had to look up Paul Watson for about 5 minutes on Wiki to see who the heck he is.

From a storyline standpoint I don't like the order of the strips as why did they break in and THEN film the segment for Panda Wars show? It seems very out of order. And to avoid the "reviewing a daily strip with a story arc" trap I'm guessing they kidnapped Brent (maybe to be SAVED by the panda?) and that will make it fall into place, but anything outside of that would make no sense

BTW Check out the Blackest Night storyline in the Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps comics. I really didn't get into comic until 2 years ago with the Sinestro Corps war and if you like comics with an epic feel (plus raising of the dead and addressing the repeated "resurrections" of superheroes in DC at least) I believe this is going to be a very good arc. It is a shame that this will likely be the last superhero movie that COULD be made because an extensive amount of technology would be needed to do all the light constructs on an epic scale without making the character look foolish or movie too expensive. Of the DC properties it would be nice to see a GL and/or a Flash movie, IMHO.

79 comments:

TheOriginalJes said...

Now that I know that Scott see's Whale Wars like I do, I think I'm going to like this.

Jai said...

As I've said, I'm not familiar with the show (Beyond the concept)... but I have a hard time imagining that the last three strips parodying "Whale Wars" has brought a huge smile to anyone's face. It would be funny to see a video of someone just enjoying the shit out of -- in particular -- Come To My Window and Night Shift, because the repeated "OHH LOOK IT'S THE GUY FROM WHAAAALE WAAARS AHAHA" gag at the end of each couldn't possibly be strong enough to merit that kind of response from someone. Although, this is the internet. I should know better than to question what "anyone" might enjoy to an seemingly-impossible degree.

Panda Wars: Part One is definitely better, as a comedic piece, than the first two. But I couldn't get any enjoyment out of the final two panels, which contain the punchline. I'd like to know if it's because I don't know more than a paragraph's worth about Whale Wars.

I'd also like to know what that thing on the cameraman's camera is. Does Kurtz know what it is? I doubt it! If you Google Image search for "cameraman", the sixth image is this silhouette which has obviously been traced over and mildly edited for today's panel 2. I've gotta say, Kurtz did a good job of adding highlights to the cameraman... but either the POV we're seeing panel 2 from is something so unexpected and unusual that I can't envision it, or the proportions of Walt Paulson and his cameraman have been drawn (Heh, well, "drawn" in one case) thoughtlessly. I'm gonna go ahead and go to town on this one, since the last time I didn't like the point-of-view and proportions the case was mildly defensible.

Panel 2 is just bad, and I don't say so because the obvious trace-over art causes me to be outraged -- it really doesn't, for some reason (Possibly because it's just a silhouette. I don't LIKE it, but I don't much care. Because I expected this to be the answer to my "What is up with the camera thingy, and why isn't the camera guy pointing it at Walt" question). I say this because the cameraman is clearly facing due right (Although the highlights of his body do incline him gently away from the 4th wall, it's not enough), while Walt is only barely canted towards the camera. Yet, presumably, he hasn't moved from his panel 1 position -- where he's fully facing the camera. Sorry.

Oh, and the RV is also taken from GIS (8th result for "RV"), but has had more creative liberties taken with it instead of an obvious flat-out tracing. I'm cool with that, until such time as I feel we should be expecting Scott Kurtz's versions of real objects -- you know, original artwork? -- as opposed to him using GIS as a heavy-handed guideline (Or a lifeline, depending on how closely he sticks to what he finds. Using it as a lifeline is not respectable at all, speaking as an artist).

Scott said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Scott said...

One more thing, Jai...

For the record I also google image searched and copy/pasted the Animal Planet logo.

And I always re-use the same panels. I never redraw those, so you can't count the panels as part of the art.

Also, I don't hand letter. I use fonts. another cheat from a lazy artist. When will I learn?

Unknown said...

Quickly coming to the defense of photorefs: they're completely acceptable. Encouraged, in fact. Their use should be commended. They're not as good as drawing from life, of course, but unless Scott lives next to an RV dealership, one could hardly expect him to find one from real life to draw.

Unknown said...

I do have a question though: was the RV with a helicopter on top supposed to be the the million-dollar sweet helipad? A regular RV couldn't hold the weight of a helicopter, I'm sure. Or is he stupid and putting the copter on the RV in lieu of the sweet helipad? And what did the competent crew he could supposedly hire in that case say about that? Or is he corrupt and pocketed the money and running a panda rescue mission without a sweet pad or competent crew?

Brett Schiller (Sage) said...

Now Now Now, like I said before let's be civil with everything. I don't mind sarcasm at all but the only thing worse than a flame war is a cursing flame war.

From Scott:
Oh Jai,

you've foiled me again. You've deftly pointed out how bad I am at art because I use google image search for referencing important things like....RVs.

The humanity.

Jai said...

Oh dear! That's not gentlemanly at all! Perhaps there's a misunderstanding?

I didn't say (Or imply) that using photographs as references was bad, at all! And expecting someone to only draw from references seen in real life is silly.

However, I am fairly against tracing. To do so takes someone else's work and passes it off as your own. Which using someone else's logo (As their logo) does not apply to in the least -- nor does copying your own work (Not even, gasp, big empty squares), or using fonts (Few people make those themselves), or using reference material. What I hope to see from your strip is originality and effort, and tracing is at the opposite end of each of those scales. It is unfortunate that you feel that makes me an asshole, Kurtz.

Jai said...

Hm, quoting myself here (Regarding tracing): "To do so takes someone else's work and passes it off as your own." I should add that it is possible to create this effect unintentionally, and I certainly can't claim that Kurtz has done it with some outlandish, mustache-twirling malicious intent. That, too, would just be silly. But tracing DOES pass off something that ISN'T your own work AS your own work -- and I don't see why someone who has become very well known for creating an illustrated strip should be bothering with it. I don't see a need for said artist to get extremely irritated that the proof of his dipping in the shallow end of the pool got brought up. Is it not a valid point of discussion? So sorry! When I said, earlier, that the alterations to the tracings were good... I was not being sarcastic. They ARE good, and certainly help each of the tracings come to life and fit in better with the PVP world. Kurtz HAS artistic chops, and veteran ones at that. He's been tilling the internet's soil with graphite plows and watering rows of originality with digital ink for years. And THAT is why I'm disappointed to find this kind of thing, and -- hell -- why PVPMMS exists. And I have difficulty believing that Kurtz is unable to understand that disappointment. Perhaps he's just upset because he's mildly disappointed in himself as well? That would be human, although it's unfair to try passing judgement on that kind of thing. It's kind of an asshole thing to do, because whether I'm right or wrong it's probably only going to rile him to say that kind of shit.

I still want to know what that camera attachment is (And the other questions from the comment I made to the previous PVPMMS post).

R.W.McGee said...

To understand these strips requires, I think, some working knowledge of the show 'Whale Wars.'

I'm not really viewing them as jokes per-se, so I haven't been looking for a punch-line...as setup, however, they are starting to drag...so I'm glad it looks like something is finally about to happen.

No comment on the art, other than to say over the past year I think Scott has pushed himself in the art department, and it tends to range from clear and serviceable in the daily strips to really excellent when he does the Binwin Bronzebottom stuff and Ombudsmen. My problems with PvP at this point are pretty much exclusively with the storytelling aspect.

TheOriginalJes said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
TheOriginalJes said...

Jai, the Whale Wars aspect is just a much an inside joke as any other pop-culture reference. It's nice that you can acknowledge that you don't know the subject matter, but please, just leave it at that.

Your insistance that it isn't funny is just as annoying as when someone has something bad to say about Batman/LOLBat and having never read a Batman graphic novel. Just because "you" don't get it, doesn't make it "not funny".

I suggest you just go watch an episode. It'll only cost you an hour.

Brett Schiller (Sage) said...

I understand I'm not going to say it sucks because I dont watch Whale Wars, but I had to research the guys to find out who he was.

The Doctor Who stuff was good, but I've never seen it before, so some of the nuance is lost for me and I don't get some of the jokes. No Scott's fault in terms of Doctor Who but Whale Wars is even less widely known and making fun of PAul Watson seems odd.

But we'll wait and see

TheOriginalJes said...

The interaction of satirical mediums help to make something more well-known.

Or is this not "The Best PVP-Enhancing Prosthetic Around".

Jai said...

@ TheOriginalJes:

So, are you saying that you found the first two Walt Paulson strips to be hilarious? Or are you only finding what I said about them annoying because I admitted I don't know much about Whale Wars? Because the punchline in both couldn't possibly have so much to do with insider knowledge of Whale Wars that it changes from "LOOK THERE'S AN UNEXPECTED CHARACTER AT THE END" to... something funny. It seems more like your response is aimed at what Sage thinks of bringing up a Whale Wars story (Which, incidentally, is not at all what I think. I don't think he has a valid point).

And can you explain what the two sentences in your last message have to do with each other? :/

TheOriginalJes said...

The first two strips were a build-up. Major laughs aren't required.

As for my last two sentences, they don't need an explanation. They're pretty straight-forward.

Here, enjoy a Whale Wars clip.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-spilman/whale-wars---eco-terroris_b_211993.html

Brett Schiller (Sage) said...

@OriginalJes
If you ask the creator no, if u ask the Time blogger, he would say yes, to the "best PVP enhancing . . ."

:)

Jai said...

God, I'm thick. Why did I have to go and make it obvious that I didn't even come close to catching the PVPMMS joke!

TheOriginalJes said...

The last panel in Panda Wars: Part Two gives new meaning to running off at the mouth. And, it seems to be a progressive condition, based upon the previous panel.

Otherwise, things seem to be progressing it a steadily safe and predictable rate. Which isn't too bad, considering that PVP has been solidly built upon a stereotypical sit-com format for some time.

But, I'm missing the stink bomb, the preferred weapon of the bio-terrorist. ;) We could probably see the end of this arc by Friday.

Unless, Scott's friend Jason Salsbury (apologies if I misspelled that) decides to bring the Pet Professional out of retirement. A dead panda would make for a very un-PVP punchline, though.

Still need to see some bamboo. For natural habitat, and all.

A Nonny Mouse said...

I thought they were already making a Green Lantern movie...

TheOriginalJes said...

Part Three: The panda's hand really jumps out as awkward.

That's all I really notice, today. Everything else is as expected.

Jai said...

It's not too awkward, even though the panda's body is prone instead of upright. That's still probably the most comfortable of holding yourself up, because placing your hands in any other direction will start pulling the skin from the tips of your fingernails. Also, we could assume the panda has claws and is using them.

And I watch the hell out of Ninja Warrior, so I'm not just blowing smoke rings with my butt.

Unless you mean the panda's hand is "awkward" because it shouldn't be human-shaped. Because that is pretty darn awkward.

rdy said...

"Unless you mean the panda's hand is "awkward" because it shouldn't be human-shaped. Because that is pretty darn awkward."

Look at the first strip in this arc. His hands go from 'human' to 'stumps-with-claws' and back again over the space of a single strip.

Unknown said...

I just wanted to let you know that they pretty much have decided on the actor for the in the plans green lantern movie. It is Ryan Reynolds as hal jordan doing jordans orging story. So frickin dissappointed. check darkhorizons.com for full story.

Unknown said...

orgin*

A Nonny Mouse said...

Darn, I hoped that you meant "orgying story." It's a story I was previously unaware of, but would have surely entertained.

Unknown said...

yes the problem with the orgying story is that alfred huxley still retains all rights to the use of the literary device. Many hopeful writers thought that those rights would be void after he died but turns out the courts upheld them on the notion that Huxley simply made the best one and all other attempts would be cheap imitations. as a side note and little known fact this is actually what caused Stephen King to get itno horror, His original ptitle and plot for The Long Walk was actually The Long Orgy.

rdy said...

Since Justin Timberlake was also in the running, I'm happy anyone other than him got the job.

Jai said...

But I wanted Reynolds to be Deadpool in a Deadpool movie! Surely he can't do both? Maybe he can. He was already Deadpool for a little bit, after all... and if that didn't stop him from being cast as Green Lantern, then being Green Lantern shouldn't stop him from being cast as Deadpool again.

But, really, a Deadpool movie would interest me quite a bit more.

A Nonny Mouse said...

Maybe Reynolds decided it would be preferable to show off his pretty face instead of scarring it up and then covering it with a mask.

What makes him so desirable for the part of Deadpool, though? The aforementioned scarring makes facial appearance irrelevant, and surely there are plenty of people with the appropriate build who would be capable of filling the part.

As for the Green Lantern orgying story- it's a shame, but I guess that's the world of intellectual properties for you.

Unknown said...

Reynolds is perfect for Deadpool for two reasons:

1. Comedic timing and personality

2. Love for the character

A Deadpool movie is in the works, and Reynolds is heavily involved in all aspects of it.

Russ said...

Remember Scott went on a tirade because someone "copied" his generic-looking panda for an eats-shoots-and-leaves gag?

Plagiarism is plagiarism. If it's fair use for Scott to copy something off of google, it's fair use for someone to draw a panda that looks a bit like his.

Jai said...

Yeah, absolutely. Thanks for commenting.

Bad Felling: The joke is pretty good, if not exactly stellar when you consider the two characters involved are both masters of spinning the truth (Or masters of "trying to"). The artwork is solid stuff, with a couple of exceptions: First, in panel 2 the giant's woolly tunic has been shaded much more sloppily with a bunch of missed cleanup work when compared to the same garb in the first panel (Then, in panel 3, the tunic loses the dappled shading effect entirely as Kurtz must have been fed up with the effort it took or running short on time by then). Secondly, the village is extremely small. I'm talking "forest sprite"-scaled, or maybe "uncommonly large ant"-scaled. Binwin, the DWARF character, would never be able to get inside of an entire house from panel 3. It's easy to tell, because the frost giant is the same size in panel 3 as he is in panel 1. If this wasn't supposed to be a town of "normal"-sized people, then an indication of such in the last bit of dialog would have been nice. I can ignore that the "town" is only comprised of three structures, because the giant is unlikely to have died yet from a broken toe (Although those suck, and I feel compelled to enforce the idea that broken toes SUCK because I just snapped one under a door last night) and will probably summarily destroy whatever bits of the town are off-panel. Oh, and there is also some white stuff being thrown about randomly in panel 3 and around the foot in panel 2... which isn't snow, because the snow is colored. Panel 4 makes me think it's somehow ALL "breath fog", although that doesn't make any sense (But some of it clearly IS, so... my educated guess is that the remainder is "accidentally uncolored snow").

The joke is also losing some "freshness" points since any inventive adventurer would be drooling at the thought of an entire town's worth of loot now being available to them -- not just whatever reward the town was going to give.

I love that the giant's belt buckle is probably an adventurer's shield.

rdy said...

Noticed the scale thing too. Couldn't understand what that stuff under the giant was meant to be because of the size disparity until I read the last panel.

But yeah, the house with three windows (floors?!) in height at the front of the panel is about the size of Binwin and like you say, he's a Dwarf of all things.

PS. Shouldn't SK have removed the link to the old Crispy Gamer Ding! by now? I mean, as entertaining as some of it was, I doubt linking to a thread of a few hundred comments moaning about how slack you are is what someone would want on their site.

A Nonny Mouse said...

"He was a man-eater when I met him because he was a wild animal."

What the freaking hell?

As for Deadpool, the way he's been written in recent years they'd probably get a more accurate portrayal from Jim Carrey or Rik Mayall.

TheOriginalJes said...

Aside from the technical bits, I think felling giants is always good RPG humor.

As for Part Four, it's starting to feel generic, to me. I'm hoping it's just my mood.

Jai said...

Yeah, pandas are notorious man-eaters in the wild. Very few people come face-to-face with a vicious panda and live to tell about it! Because the pandas EAT them!

I would have sworn that most people, including Kurtz, would know that pandas eat bamboo shoots and leaves, not meat. Even the wild man-killer ones (With questionable understandings of punctuation) that eat, shoot, and leave.

I suppose that doesn't mean that all -- or any -- of the comic strip characters have to know this as well, though. But that's kind of an "out there" defense, and unlikely as a possibility.

David Williamson said...

Wow. This is a pretty hateful caricature. I guess Scott really doesn't like the Whale Wars guy...

Jai said...

I feel that the caricature is starting to lose its connection to the reality as this story continues. What does killing the animal to save human life have to do with the Whale Wars guy? Why is Brent suddenly horrified by the thought of the panda dying? It's like the "Brent suddenly cares deeply about Skull" fiasco (Later revealed to be a reimagining of Brent and Skull's connection) from the paintball arc all over again. It's like Brent and Mr. Whale Wars have suddenly swapped sides over the panda issue, making both characters harder to understand. It's too bad we didn't see the panda maul the guy in a sequence of bizarre, unexpected attacks that imitate how he impossibly appears out of nowhere to maul Brent.

Hey look! The camera doesn't have that crazy attachment I'd never seen before on top of it, anymore!

R.W.McGee said...

This is all so F*ing boring. You know, it's cool to reference pop-culture or whatever, but enough is enough. The Whale Wars guy was maybe good for a two strip gag; tops.

TheOriginalJes said...

If not two strips, then a to-be-continued until better material is written.

TheOriginalJes said...

But, you had to have seen Brent's change-of-heart coming. Remember the awkwardness after Brent knocked out the Panda with and elbow.

A Nonny Mouse said...

Other wild animals include rabbits, moles and mice. Given the revelation that wild=man-eater, I'm going to be worried about being eaten no matter where I go (or possibly, depending on the intention of the usage, be worried about becoming entrapped in a destructive relationship.)

TheOriginalJes said...

...and koalas.

Jai said...

Pandas are bears... and KOALAS are ALSO bears! Better steer clear!

Oh, wait, koalas are actually marsupials. But they throw crazy sex parties, so the other "man-eater" definition might apply!

I bet that Brent would get along much better with the Panda Wars guys if he told them that he literally had sex with a female panda to try and save the species.

hnm said...

Actually, Jai, not to be a spoilsport but pandas are technically classed as carnivores and DO eat meat, fish, etc, when they can get it. They eat MOSTLY bamboo, but that's why they're so damn lazy. They get almost no nutrition from their food.

Also they're huge bears, so no matter how lazy they are, they're still dangerous and do occasionally attack people (see http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/01/09/panda.attack/index.html ).

rdy said...

I think the most disappointing thing about this arc is it hints at a more kinetic story but we're told about the fat, bearded guy's encounter rather than shown. Maybe this 'kill it!' twist will have some action down the line.

So far though, for all it's tease/build-up, it's been a dreary missed opportunity.

Jai said...

You don't mean "omnivore", Hnm? Pandas (And most other bears) belong to the Carnivora order, but aren't "carnivores".

Sure, it seems that pandas can, technically, eat a human. But even the panda that was just linked to sounds like he's only bitten humans (On three separate occasions, no less)... doesn't much sound like the chewing and swallowing thing was going on. All the evidence I can find shows that pandas just do not eat people. I can't even find an example where a panda has KILLED a person. So I'd say the circumstances under which a panda would kill and eat a man would have to be absolutely extraordinary, involving the panda feeling threatened the whole time... and starving... and the man has bamboo leaves glued all around his body... and he's a mute quadriplegic. Maybe then?

Jai said...

Oops, new strip!

Panda Wars: Part Six: Ahahaha haha hah! Oh, man. Just LOOK at Brent's mangled arms! I was going to bring it up because of Part Four, but now it's just too obvious not to mention. There is just nothing that makes sense about how his wrists (?) are tied and held up in the air like that. And the arms, my god, what's happened to his arms. I'm sorry, it's just terrible. Maybe a Stretch Armstrong doll could pull it off, but even then gravity's going to bring those tied nubs down instead of holding them up in a ridiculously uncomfortable way.

And the panda kicked the doorknob off the door, I suppose. Both sides of it. And the door opened on the wrong side (For the love of god, just horizontally flip the first panel showing the door, man!).

And Brent is sitting on the floor, I guess... or his fallen enemies are piled waist-high? Somewhat over knee-high, if Brent is sitting.

But the panda looks good! Very funny "kicking in the door" pose.

I'm not sure why Brent is explaining himself to the panda, but whatever. Maybe we'll see a videotape recording of what transpired, later.

TheOriginalJes said...

I completely missed the door. I don't know how. Now that you mention it, it's so obvious.

But, I don't see Brent's thumbs at all. I see two ends of the rope.

rdy said...

Another tease strip? Gah.

R.W.McGee said...

He flipped the door hinges. Before he kicks down the door, it is clear that if the Panda turned to face the door the knob would be by his right arm, and thus the hinges by his LEFT.

So, once the door is kicked in...the hinges are by his RIGHT arm.

The doorknob, as previously mentioned, has also mysteriously disappeared.

I also see two pieces of rope, not thumbs, for how Brent is tied...but still, the arms look horrible.

The story continues to have everything interesting occur off camera.

TheOriginalJes said...

This arc is definitely not told from Brent's POV at all.

In that respect, if we're only seeing this unfold from the POV of the direct combatants (as introduced); then Scott's done the right thing by not showing the action.

The real disappointment is that we'll never see it, even as a flashback.

Jai said...

What's going on in here about thumbs? Nobody said the ropes look like thumbs. Is this because I said "nubs"?

A Nonny Mouse said...

You know how rabid animal activists are really easy targets? The funniest thing about this arc is how the comedic ridicule actually managed to fail due to some sort of vitriolic vendetta that the author seems to have.

David Williamson said...

"Stupid Vegans" ? Seriously???

R.W.McGee said...

what a brilliant ending to the strip. Good lord. It's difficult to be simultaneously boring AND offensive, but mission accomplished, I think.

Verdict:
Whether you eat meat or not, don't digest the current PvP story-arc...it's 99% Fluff...and that shit is pure sugar.
http://www.marshmallowfluff.com/

Reader said...

Buh. Is this abrupt ending to the storyline just another example of Kurtz getting bored of a story and bailing before it's done? Or do you think it was planned to end this way all along?

Either way, that's a very unsatisfying ending to the arc.

Unknown said...

Wow, that was weak satire and a weak story arc. I've never seen the whale show, but there's likely plenty to satirize there without falsely suggesting that vegans are fainting all around us. If that was an exaggeration of some truth it might be funny but I see no underlying vein of truth in there.

Time to go back to the drawing board and write up some sharper story lines!

TheOriginalJes said...

I think the fact that this last strip was posted so early in the day is a clear demonstration that this whole arc was supposed to lead up to that last panel/snap shot.

Which would have been much funnier had the Panda attacked Brent in the middle of his high-five.

And, I can't see Brent not taking credit for the victory. After all, there were no witnesses.

I suppose, in Texas (i.e. cattle country), this sort of vegan humor is considered hilarious. F-

This would have been so much better had Skull been released into the wild with or without Panda.

Hopefully we'll have a few good one-offs and guest strips between now and the end of San Diego.

TheOriginalJes said...

Kudos to Brent for catching some serious air over Panda's head.

Who knew a desk-jockey could leap so high...?

rdy said...

Vegetarians/vegans are weak because they don't eat meat... I know few days ago I likened SKs strips and jokes to trite stand-up comedian fare but I swear, he's now just lifting jokes from them?!

If you described this arc to me beforehand - "Animal activists invade the PvP offices in attempt to first free and then kill the panda!", I doubt I would have predicted this path-of-least-resistance style the strips took.

A Nonny Mouse said...

And we were only just talking about pandas themselves being vegans despite being ill-suited to such diets!

I've been wondering when the last time there has been a panda attack. Have there been any incidents between the last panda story and this one?

TheOriginalJes said...

http://normandogthinks.blogspot.com/2009/01/bloody-panda-attack.html

TheOriginalJes said...

In the first panel, Brent's arms must still be made of rubber.

TheOriginalJes said...

Epilogue: I've decided to forget that Parts Six & Seven ever existed. This is a funny strip. We have the implication that Panda ate Peta. No need for action. No need for explanation.

It's funny. It has good rhythm. It's drawn well enough. And, it has regurgitated humor.

Throw away Six & Seven, and this saves the arc.

Unknown said...

I agree, remove 6 & 7 and the whole thing's OK.

Chris said...

First time posting here.

I honestly have no idea what I've been reading for the past week.

I'm not so much an art critic. I actually really like the style of PVP and don't usually see the "mistakes" that get posted here.

But (and I've thought this for awhile) Scott really needs to find a partner to write for him. It's already pretty rare that his writing/jokes rise above decent, but this entire storyline was abysmally written. I had no idea what I was even reading half the time, and it's clear he didn't do any research/let his personal prejudices guide the writing.

Seriously, find a partner who has some writing chops. Then the comic would be hard to stop.

R.W.McGee said...

That's exactly right, Chris. If the storylines were tight and the dialogue was consistently funny...nobody would waste their time nit-picking an art mistake here or there.

I'm also on the 'Kurtz needs to find himself a writer' bandwagon. He seems to work well with the guys from PA and that other group he podcasts with...so maybe it's just finding the right person.

rdy said...

All those looking forward to the guest strips... :(

TheOriginalJes said...

I'm not, rdy. But, that just means that there's potential to be pleasantly surprised.

I owe a half-apology to Scott Kurtz...

I went to Zoo Atlanta this weekend and saw the pandas. And, until I saw them, I had no idea that pandas had what amount to dexterous fingers on their front paws. I had believed that they had paws like any other bear.

I was somewhat out of line with my crack about the front paws being awkward during the last arc. They only needed claws.

So, Scott, I'm s.

rdy said...

I'm not, rdy. But, that just means that there's potential to be pleasantly surprised.

That's my point. You're not going to be. SKs dumped the usual guest strips in favour of a week of his new style Ding! :(

R.W.McGee said...

'GOO!' ?

TheOriginalJes said...

I read it as guest strips while he's away and Ding! for a week after he's back.

But, your way is better. A week of Ding!, then back to normal. Like a band-aid; the quicker, the better.

I'm not really down on Ding!, though. Just Giacomo. Reading about a bard is more annoying than campaigning with one.

rdy said...

I'd have preferred guest strips, to be honest. The new Ding! isn't really clicking for me and given arcs aren't really SKs strong suit, I can't say I'm looking forward to a week of them.

Jai said...

The writing is fascinatingly poor (Judging by this first one), but I'm impressed that Kurtz has worked ahead of schedule to produce a week of these.

Really, though. "GOO!", the dwarf is unable to tell that there's a dagger in his back after being told "You got a dagger in your back!", and the final punchline is "Okay what's all the commo-GAH!". Hilarious, right?

:(

R.W.McGee said...

I still can't get past 'GOO!' Really, shout that out...try different inflections, pronounce it like a drawn out version of the word 'Go'...nothing helps. It is utterly ridiculous.

A Nonny Mouse said...

Goo!

Ut!

Heh.

harada57 said...
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