I have been away! I have not been reading or writing anything! I have been working my ass off though!
Sorry for the lack of posts -- I can see that the comments are keeping some of us busy...
Anyway, I'll return to a normal schedule soon -- Monday at the latest!
71 comments:
Hooray, new post! No more of this 122 comments things.
Goddamnit, I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate that child in these later strips. HAAAAAATE him.
By which I mean Kurtz is doing a DAMN GOOD JOB. I SEETHE with hatred for a fictional character intended to be hated. Thumbs up, Mr. Scott.
Here's a copy/paste from the previous comment section:
*** BREAKING NEWS *** BREAKING NEWS *** BREAKING NEWS ***
Okay... so, with people having mentioned on plenty of occasions that they'd like to discuss comics other than just PvP, and with FSM being absent the last few days, I've gone ahead and registered a domain and started a forum:
http://www.webcomicsforum.com/
For now it's pretty bare bones, but functional. Only a few subforums, and the default style.
If it takes off and people start posting there regularly, I'm thinking we can add lots of subforums covering many other webcomics.
I'm also thinking FSM could be the moderator of the PvP forum, should he want to.
So, whatcha folks say? Good idea, or am I wasting my time?
hnm: yup, right on target. Looking forward to seeing this kid die. He's drawn well (in both senses).
I'll say again that I am increasingly impressed with the effort Kurtz has made towards improving his craft.
"I'll say again that I am increasingly impressed with the effort Kurtz has made towards improving his craft."
Hmm, I might have agreed if it wasn't for yesterday's strip - "Busy Day" - where Kurtz was a little heavy with some of the lines (panels 2 & 4 in particular and Skull in the last panel to a lesser extent). I guess it comes from each panel obviously being 'new art' rather than copy/pasted frames but it was quite distracting.
Kittens 'n Bits: Holy crap holy crap! A differently-shaded background?! Surely a good sign that SK is putting more effort into PVP! And the strips are still entirely devoid of "mitten-hands".
I must say that I don't understand the final line of dialogue. It looks like the kid is about to hurl the kitten over the fence... so why would the dog start running, and why would Skull & Kid want to jump the fence when that pitbull is on the other side of it? It seems to make absolutely no sense.
Oh, and since Skull abandoned his own kitty-cat and we have no idea why, his statement about pet responsibility feels unkindly ironic. "Kids! Don't do what I do."
Gotta say, I'm loving everything about PVP recently...
However this new strip, thursdays, the 26th.. Good strip overall, enjoying the art, love the backgrounds in panel one and four, however with the grey in the back of one and four, it only serves to accent the complete lack of background in panel two, making panel two looking bland by comparrison (though my mind first thought it looked unfinnished)
Although, I look again and see something else. Perhaps it won't look so bizaare in print, as the gradient fade in panel 3 is a result of the image transparancy and is part of the mainpage background, not actually in the comic. Making two beautifully illustrated background filled panels bookending simple clean linework.
http://www.pvponline.com/comics/pvp20080627.gif
The kid dies.
Holy carp. Kurtz is actually getting strips done ahead of time?
I don't get it. Virtually every crticism we've made about the strip from the beginning has been incorporated into PvP. Backgrounds, character development, finishing storylines, varied character poses, switching up panel layouts, stockpiling future strips, and so on.
Why the eff would Kurtz stop reading? He's obviously listened and it's improved his work. God only knows with these sensitive artist types.
He's stopped reading because of people like sage and jw mcgee or whatever the fuck his name is. Nitpickers with nothing to say but a million ways to say it. Why *would* he keep reading is a better point?
There are maybe three intelligent posters on this "blog." The rest are nitpicking. Sometimes even Fake Scott nitpicks. It's not worth it. It goes beyond criticism into something useless and destructive. Kurtz picked what he thought was valid and as such, this blog has outlived its usefulness.
Either ditch 80% of the commentators, anyone who has responded to Paul for example, or turn off comments all-together, and you *might* have a blog that is useful again. With the creation of a webcomics criticism forum, quite possibly the worst idea ever, I doubt this will ever be useful again.
Once again, the internet ruins a good thing. Congrats!
anon 5:01pm...
In response to complaint, I have this. "WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"
OKay, sure sometimes there are nit picks. This isn't true for every comment from every user. Most of the time we DO nit pick, it's because it something slight that, pointed out now, will stop him from repeating these mistakes or get the punch line out clearer.
It's like in some of the college classes. I think "Damn, this English teacher is strict." But this is because finding and fixing a mistake we might not think a problem NOW helps spot this problem if it continues or get worse.
Also, that anon comment reminded me of when Scott first had his fits here.
And last, but not least, you're obviously enough of a reader to have read Paul's comments and our responses, so YOU find some reason to come here and read all the comments.
In response to something worth it.
"Hmm, I might have agreed if it wasn't for yesterday's strip - "Busy Day" - where Kurtz was a little heavy with some of the lines (panels 2 & 4 in particular and Skull in the last panel to a lesser extent)."
I notice he makes these line width errors a lot. While they can be really distracting and just make certain nasty nuances of SK's art more noticeable, the turkey leg that was Cole's arm for instance, I'm okay with them.
Mind you, I STILL don't like them. I'm OCD, it drives me crazy. BUT, I think that these lines are part of a problem with SK getting used to his new tablet. He got one at that wedding party he held for the wedding arc, and I think it's going to take a while to really get a hang with it.
BUT, if he doesn't start really getting on it, it MAY get out of hand. Here's to hoping, hm?
That was an amusing post anonymous. You named two of the most prolific posters here, and two of the most interesting. I suppose the 20% who you think should remain are the anonymous boot-lickers?
If you're going to call out people who actually post under names, perhaps you might summon up the courage to register one of your own?
No, probably not.
Rube.
God bless Kurtz. I wrote on the BradMakesmeSad blog that yesterdays strip reminded me of Calvin and Hobbes...and tomorrow, a Calvin and Hobbes wagon ride!
Making me look good buddy!
a@ ti chan
I believe the kid wanted to break into the place but the pit bull was there. The kitten served as a distraction (i.e. getting ripped apeart) while the kid did whatever he wanted. Kurtz did a good job making the kid evil
Also: http://www.pvponline.com/2008/05/15/the-greater-good/
Skull had to leave suddenly and he told his friends to take care of Scratch for him. Since they were good friends its not exactly "abadoning" Scratch. Plus hes an evil genuis! he can handle himself :).
@ 5:01pm anonymus (thanks ti chan for the idea of how to post at anonymus posters)
I find your comments funny because:
1) 2-3 months ago I was seen as the apologist for PVP and now i nitpick it to death.
2) even though i got it off to a rough start I respect Paul and actually enjoyed having our little acronym fight and was ecstatic that an artist took time ourt to answer a few questions. We may argue again, but hell hes nice guy, who has good alligator humor
3) I don't see you offering any examples of my "nitpicks" Hell i dont even really comment on artwork because I have no experience in being an artist. If you are talking about my last "where is skull?" comment about "bad day" It stuck out he wasn't there because he was chasing him in all the other strips. But if (like another poster suggested) the kid lost him hey thats cool, I didn't say the strip sucked
4) the last month I've enjoyed 90% of the strips and the other 10% were average not horrible. Not exactly a negative pesron when it comes to PVP
@ 540 anonymus
Thank you for the comment I appreciate it even though i have had some serious "flails" on here over the past month and i try to comment on things I think im strong in (story and text) and not on things i don't know (art).
Plus that anonymus poster should be called Garth. We had a evil version of Scott post a few months ago whom he said wasnt him. And we all the know the evil brother of Michael Knight from Knight Rider was . . . . Garth (cue evil mustache music)
@ RW
Yep, and that was a good reference by Scott to use and it was a funny comparison as the kid dies unlike Calvin and Hobbes where they are bruised but ok :).
The question I have did the kid die from the fall, Skull landing on him (hilarious if he did) or both.
Finally, (and theres the carpal tunnel syndrome) does anyone feel bad that they were happy the kid died? NAAAAH! Kurtz did a good job making a hateable character with no redeming qualities as the casket made me chuckle instead of make me sad.
Sage:
I must agree. While at first, i really, REALLY wanted to dislike Paul Southworth (by the way, why did we drop his nickname, fellows?), talking to him in stead of screaming insults at him made me grudgingly like him.
An for that, I have started reading his comic. SEE WHAT YOUR SARCASTIC ASSHOLE ATTITUDE GOT YOU?! FANS!
As to tomm supposed comic, I will withhold comments until it's up. Who knows, he might not like it now that it's leaked.
@ ti chan
Scott posted it early on his discussion page
THEN I LIED! Ummm... It's okay, though I don't love it. It's an unexpected end, I suppose. I would have loved it better if the child had SOME kind of personality trait he liked.
But that's because I'm a horrible person inside. I KILL PRETTY THINGS! Like butterflies. MWHAHAHA.
*moves away from Ti chan*
Um does anyone want to change sports and sit next to ti chan!?
:)
..I...I didn't want the kid to DIE. D:
Man, and here I was just hoping for a sound thrashing or something.
Also SAGE, you are a horrible person. D:
..I jest.
Meh I may be. Im justing waiting for the internet to deem me so.
Remember folks - any criticism you don't agree with is nit-picking and any you do agree with are valid and well-considered observations. It's the law.
Anonymus i believe ur nitpickin the difference between nitpicking and valid criticism
Rub a couple of brain cells together, Sage, he made a valid and well-considered observation regarding the difference between nitpicking and valid criticism.
Let's Go Exploring: Well, we instantly lost the grey backgrounds (Maybe they'll be back), but the important thing is that this strip is intensly dark. And hilarious. It's hilarious despite all the people that guessed the kid would die. It's hilarious. Not because the kid was awful, not because the kid deserved it or anything like that. It's hilarious because I keep imagining the situation in my mind and it keeps cracking me up - one guy says "It's too steep", they go down the hill anyway, the other screams "It IS too steep!" as the situation proves too much to handle, and we cut to the casket shot. I love that kind of humor! Oh, man.
Complaints? Sure, I got 'em. It's obvious that the shadow/hill edge bit has been copied and pasted for the middle three panels, and it doesn't help signify the progressive worsening of the situation by remaining static. I am also not a fan of the third panel's huge dirt/dust cloud - it's too much, and it's too anchored to the wagon and not at all to the ground. And as far as the hillside goes, it looks like the edge goes only to where the shadow is - and then in the fourth panel, there are rocks or something (Sorry, I'm forced to assume because they don't really look like anything - not even the dust clouds. There's some fiddly bits lying around in the first panel, as well) sitting pretty high above that "edge". So I'm really sad that the differently-shaded backgrounds didn't come back for a repeat performance, to help show the extent of the hillside. Anyway, other than that stuff, this strip is perfect. Funniest strip I've seen in a LONG time, despite the perceived cruelty of KILLING the child for a laugh. That can't be helped, although it wouldn't have hurt to have cut back on the number of "This kid is evil and nasty" strips that otherwise went absolutely nowhere.
*Pulls in jai*
"Jai i have a secret."
I was kidding in that comment. Critiquing someone critiquing my criquing is absurd = funny to me.
Good try at an insult though, ill try rubbing the cells together sheesh
criquing = critiquing btw
"Tiny coffin" always kills.
First time commenter but I have to say, I think the facial expressions on the kid have been fantastic.
My two favorites: the evil calculating look on his face in 'Busy Day' when he tells Skull they should take a long nap, and the happy content look on his face in panel 2 of 'Kittens 'n Bits'. He sure is happy with his new kitty (and a few panels later we found out why!).
Jai, can you post the link to your webcomic? I'd like to read it.
Just read through the whole comment thread. See? I knew most of you had senses of humor! All you had to do was unclench your critique-holes for a second!
If only everyone on the internet could just relax their sphincters a little bit, we'd all be a lot happier.
And regular :)
eating oatmeal is important too.
Also, Sage, I think Jai was joking as well, seeing as he referenced the anon poster when he emphasized 'valid' and 'well considered'
@RW
Meh the rub a few brain cells seemed a solid attempt at a dig, but not a successful one. If he didn't add that I wouldn't have seen it as an attempt at getting my goat (which is securely safe in a well hidden compound :) )
@paul
Um isn't the majority of what the internet is used for, at least from my observations, about people with "relaxed sphincters"? :)
The last thing I wanted to do, ever in my life, was to inspire even a tangential Goatse reference.
I am so... so sorry.
You should be ashamed of yourself.
Compared to the comments on YouTube and /4chan/ I think we're pretty tame.
I have to say, today's strip was amusing, but also kind of disappointing.
This is not a pay-off. You don't score points by introducing a character that everybody hates, then killing them off.
But at least he nipped this in the bud, and we won't have to endure another week of that psychotic little monster, unless he comes back as a ghost like Ricky Turtle (we hardly knew ye).
I wonder if this will have any lasting effect on Skull. Would he feel guilty for not being able to help him? Will he get a chewed out by his superiors? Will it be a black mark on his record?
Or will he write it off, because "It's only a comic strip?"
@sage - Wasn't talking about you with the 'Remember folks...' line, just laughing at the idiots who complain about nitpicking (yet commend 'constructive criticism'). It all subjective so people trying dissect the strip to their own ideals and yet berating others for doing the same is just lunacy.
Re: the new strip - in this mythical organisation, what is the punishment, do you think, for killing your charge?
@10:18 anonymus
I know, mine was a lame attempt at a joke. As an act of contrition I will place this carnivorous earwig into my ear
OHMY GOD THE PAIN! :)
Today's (Friday's) strip is BRILLIANT!!
I HATED that kid!!
Yesss!!!
Way to go, Scott!
P.S. (Somber) - While the outcome of today's strip is unfortunate. Any and all children reading are advised to always wear appropriate safety gear. Also, please be aware that at no time were actual children harmed (presumably) during the making of this strip. Radio Flyer (R) and all other manufacturer's of little red wagons accept no liability towards physical, mental, emotional, or just plain humorous damages incurred by viewing, re-creating, or re-enacting of this strip. Any similarities between this strip, characters, or scenarios may be intentional; but are still damned funny.
I will get your goat yet, Sage. You may think he's safe, but he's not. Seriously, man, I was only playing along with your response to the "valid criticism vs. nitpicking" comment.
Why do i feel like my goat is in the raptor pen from Jurassic park? :)
No hard feelings Jai your one of the good ones
@anon 10:10
I have to agree. I was rather disappointed in SK, not for killing the kid, but for making the child too easy to hate. He couldn't have done a better job if he made the kid a serial killer. The kid had NO redeeming qualities, so his death was expected and wanted.
I would have been more impressed if he left him alive, or made the kid likable. SIMPLY because then there would be SOME feeling in the comic, and it would be the Star Trek equivalent of a red shirt...
The comic isn't about that kid, the comic is about Skull. If the kid had redeemable qualities then we'd all be here going "God Damn, who cares what Skull's doing, lets get back to the other characters!"
The way it was done, it was funny, we got to see a little of the antics that Skull is getting up to, and now we get to move on, instead of adding a new character who would make the worst plush ever.
you know whats really funny? it was the kid's first ride with skull. so it was probably skulls added weight that gave the wagon the velocity to be fatal. either that or skull crushed him... either way skull is responsible. hes gone soft at the kid watching game!
That was sort of my take on it as well - essentially Skull killed a kid.
Skull killed the kid, he gets kicked out/fired, and he goes back to PVP because he has no where else to go.
Fake Scott McCloud really loves Achewood (top right)
"Skull killed the kid, he gets kicked out/fired, and he goes back to PVP because he has no where else to go."
Who'd have thought killing children would work out so well for Skull, if he does.
I've enjoyed this weeks strips. The style seemed a lot different from pvp, almost like a different comic strip to focus on Skull and the bastard kid. Been good interplay between skull and the kid, decent writing for the most part and the drawings are decent too. The last panel on Kitten n' Bits really stands out to me. LOVE the Calvin and Hobbes shout out. I honestly haven't laughed out loud at pvp in a long time, I routinely do it with pennyarcade and ctl alt delete and this week has made me laugh again. GREAT departure from the boring and played out wedding story which I really couldn't have cared less about. I'm glad the kid is dead by the way.
Am I the only person who feels bad that the kid died? Sure, he was a little bastard and I hated his guts, but he was also a little kid, and children dying is ALWAYS sad in my book, no matter the circumstances.
I'm not saying Scott should change it or anything, I think it needed to happen in the strip to get things back to status quo. I'm just actually kind of surprised more people don't feel bad about it.
It's hard to tell what Scott wants his strip to be. Is the focus drama and marriage break-ups or imbecilic 'GAYYYY' jokes. The kind of dark humour of dead children doesn't really fit easily in either of those camps.
My Feelings on LOLBAT are here:
http://bradmakesmesad.blogspot.com/
they are concise.
Its a palate cleanser after the tiny coffin :)
He's probably unaware that it looks like he ripped off Captain Mermaid's invisible boatmobile, but that's how it looks.
I mean Mermaidman, not Captain Mermaid.
@ 1:58am anon:
Or maybe Scott meant it as a tribute since he's fairly up to date comic wise.
Or maybe not (I really have no idea what you're talking about).
And These Are My Feelings About LOLBAT...
Meh, I think I'll wait for it to come out on DVD
I think we're forgetting that Mermaid Man totally ripped off Wonder Woman's Invisible Jet, Anonymous.
But that's beside the point. It's not like "invisible bike" is a widely known LOLcat or anything. It's not like he was doing in that panel what he did in every single other panel in the comic. It's pretty clear to anyone he was blatantly plagiarizing a popular children's cartoon, and not riffing on a popular internet meme.
Scott Kurtz should hanged in the street and remembered as a thieving coward.
Exactly what I was thinking, but I was too afraid to bring the full force of my opinion to the fore.
Johnny Ringo doesn't pull his punches.
LOLBAT rocks my socks. You guys are too uptight. I seriously LOL'd at it, as did the coworker I shared it with.
Blatantly ripping off... what are you smoking???
I'm not real impressed with LOLbat. I don't know, it just seemed a little stale for my tastes.
It's trying way to hard to be funny, but not quite there. Like bloggers who forcibly stuff year old meme quotes into every post they make. It just comes out really, really desperate.
Hmm. Lolbat seems very CAD to me. Not just the kind of humour it uses, but the whole concept of an "interlude" away from the regular comic.
The interludes are my least favourite feature of CAD, I hope it doesn't become a regular thing at PvP.
But... it's poking FUN at those exact people. Those people who glom onto internet memes and never let go. I mean, you get that, right? Scott Kurtz is not sincerely proposing that there should be a superhero whose main power is the innate ability to spout catch-phrases and inscrutable web speak.
It's satire. SATIRE.
AUGH
Um, no. It's not satire. Satire would poke fun at the concept in some way...this just combines it with Batman.
I have seen satire sir! And THIS is not it. =)
The entire exercise is pointing out how ludicrous the whole LOLcat meme is by pairing it with a typically serious property like Batman.
SATIRE.
Johnny Ringo is getting upset.
1.the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice, folly, etc.
LOLBat is using irony (the pairing of a somber Batman-like character with silly web trends) to expose the inherent silliness or folly of said internet memes.
Ok, well, you're going to make me go in depth here.
First of all, it is clearly revealed by both costume and the OMGPOW! Sound effect that we are looking at a cross between the Adam West original Batman, and the freaking Tick here...not the Dark Knight. So it fails the irony test on the level that he is combining two 'zany' elements.
It also fails, because the meme we are talking about is about 5 freaking years old...it's gone to ironic and back...there is nothing more to be mined here. Telling us that LOLCATS are ridiculous is not clever satire.
Wow, maybe the next thing he can do is find some way to complain about MySpace in the comic! What witty and timely satire THAT would be!
Post a Comment