Comics and Suchlike!

[The Evil Overlordess]

Since we nearly had ourselves a civil war when we brought 'em up in the books thread, I thought the time was ripe for a 'comics and suchlike' thread, including manga, graphic novels, and perhaps even webcomics. (I think there *was* a thread about that once, but it's okay to consolidate, yes? Yes.)

Soo...

I used some of my Christmas money ("Yes, dad, of course I'll buy clothing") to go on my yearly manga binge. 'Azumnaga Daioh,' while having absolutely no plot and few attempts at making sense, is absolutely hilarious. Canela didn't seem to find it funny. (Plebe. ^^) It can be fun to indulge in random, high-schooly humor.

I also got volumes one and two of Sakura Taisen, at the instruction of the ASW. MA, if you ever come on, I think you may like it. It's got really pretty art and character depth. Whee.

So there's my awkward first post of the thread. I'll let Canela blather to y'all about the 'Sandman' series. She's a new comic dork and needs training viz the blathering end. Hahah.

[Canela]

Haha, yes, I was in shock at finding myself buying a comic-I'm a Book Snob, or I was, I'm quickly getting over it thanks to the brilliance that is Neil Gaiman. I've read his graphic novels in public twice, now, which is something I'd never have done a few weeks ago. (Sorry if that sounds patronizing. I was a Book Snob, as I said. I'm recovering.)

Azumanga Daioh was okay, just seemed a bit empty. TEO says I'm gonna be exactly like Miss Yukari when I'm an English teacher.

Sandman is, I tell you, bleeding awesome. It's dark and disturbing and creepy and altogether wonderful. I love how some tiny detail that doesn't seem at all important when it's mentioned will be huge later, or an insignificant character becomes important later-Unity being Rose's grandmother, for example. I've only read the first two, but I'm already alarmed that I only have eight to go. I'm trying to limit myself to one new volume a month, or I'll end up blowing my next paycheck all at once...

I'm working through 'Gossamer Commons,' on Ahrar's reccomendation. I'm really enjoying it, it's got a lot of things I love in stories: Intelligent humor, pop culture references, starving artists, strong friendships, original use of traditional folklore elements. I like that neither side, the humans or the faeries, are 'good' or 'bad' but that they both have their obligations and that conflict stems from that.

ETA: Newly converted comic dork that I may be, I recently found out that Pride and Prejudice has been done as a comic. I just find that so wrong.

[Kirukelgyr]

*raises hand* They did a Count of Monte Cristo one too, MA says. *frowns* I do not approve of people making other people's books into their own creations without the say-so of the author. Even if Mr. Dumas deserves what's coming...

Furball has an Iromote Kitty pin her friend gave her, TEO. If she even spelled it right.

It might sound silly, but Furball likes Rurouni Kenshin. Hanya and Gein are TeH AwSuM. Even when Furball doesn't spell Hanya's name right.

[Oz]

Hell yeah, Canela!

I checked out the first volume of The Sandman about a week ago and instantly felt the comic-nerd of my childhood rearing it's ugly head. It was a battle of epic proportions between my comic-nerd and my I-don't-want-to-spend-twenty-bucks-on-something-I-can-read-in-one-sitting-cheapskate.

Luckily, the cheapskate won and told my comic-nerd self that I could come into B. Dalton's at anytime and just read them in there.

As far as manga goes, the only one I've ever read is Gantz. Gantz is awesome, but I have a feeling that I'm probably the only person here who would like it. You see, the plot behind this manga is that a bunch of people are transported to a room with this giant black ball in it, after they die. They're given a second chance at life, but only if they participate in something called a "Hunt", where they have to go after some weird type of creature and kill it.

It's gory as all hell and the storyline is often really dark and twisted. You never know who is going to live and who is going to die. And when people die, they die in very awful and gruesome ways. You'd think that something like this would get old after awhile, but the writer of the manga is so good at getting you attached to these people that you are constantly surprised and a little hurt whenever somebody dies.

The main character too, is also an awesome example of really great character development. At the beginning, he's just this stupid, horny coward that you almost love to hate. However, as the story goes on, he becomes a great leader and does some crazy kick-ass stuff that'll have you looking at the page for half a minute just staring at it in awe.

But, like I said, this manga is really adult. For example, in the first hunt, one of the characters is a girl who tried to commit suicide while taking a bath. So she shows up in the 'black ball room' completely naked. One of the other guys who died was a Yakuza member and tries to rape her. Luckily, one of the main characters comes to her rescue, but the whole manga is filled with a mixture of good and horrible people thrown together into these 'hunts'. So you see some really f*cked up sh*t. (haha, edit that out, BWE profanity filter!)

As for webcomics, I'll just let Ahrar take the stage with that one. Anyone that I'd suggest he already knows about.

Oh! And another cool thing? An artist buddy of mine from a different site wants to do a graphic novel of the first couple of chapters of my NaNo project. So if he ever does anything, I'll be sure to put a link up in here.

[Quites]

Heh. Guess I'm handling the internet comics angle around here, huh?
Okay, this is Quites' Webcomics 101.

eyeballingit.blogspot.com/2005/12/teh-list.html

This link is a list and analysis of all the strips that I am currently reading/have finished reading.

Several notes follow, since it's a rather large list to slog through.

One that is left out of that list (since I just read it recently) is 1/0.

The recommendations that I gave to Canela because they fit into the "urban fantasy" category (however loosely) included: 5ideways, Elsie Hooper, Flatwood, Gossamer Commons, No Rest For The Wicked, and Zebra Girl. (No, I'm not going to link all of them, they're all right there in alphabetical order.) These are not on my list of absolute favorites, but all are good solid comics and interesting in their own ways. (The exception is Zebra Girl, which is probably one of my top ten favorites. Also, it has a very urban fantasy feel, perhaps the most so out of all of them, with the possible exception of Gossamer Commons, which is about life, death, jazz music in upstate New York, and faeries.)

I also suggested Sluggy Freelance (just because it's very cool) and College Roomies From Hell!!! (with a caution to approach it with the right mindset, because it has a rather slow beginning.)

Also, there are a few that I realize I possibly should have included but didn't, such as El Goonish Shive and Landis.

Next comes ones that I just think y'all here at the BWE would particularly like: Irrational Fears, (listed at the bottom, under the completed comics) Little Creature and the Dream Deer (linked because it's not on the other page), and especially Elf Only Inn.

More strips of note (just because they're awesome all around), in case you just need more strips on top of what I've already proposed. RPGWorld, 8-Bit Theater, Ctrl+Alt+Del, Dominic Deegan, General Protection Fault, Questionable Content, Sam and Fuzzy, Schlock Mercenary, Sluggy Freelance (yes, I'm listing it again), Something Positive (which is kinda "rated R"ish, with a good bit of swearing, some sick humor, and adult situations), VG Cats, Zebra Girl (again, repeated), and Elf Only Inn (one repeated FOR A THIRD TIME!!!!!).

Aaaaaaaand... I think that's about it, really. Now, go forth and BE EVIL!
...Er, I mean... read webcomics... Or something...

[The Evil Overlordess]

Pahaha! I actually recognized some of those, Quites! I feel so accomplished.

Little Creature and the Dream Deer was... odd, to say the least. The author/artist's attempt at a 24 hour comic was interesting, even if she failed.

I'm saddened to see that 'When I'm Evil Overlord,' a hysterial 24-hour attempt, isn't hosted on Drunk Duck anymore. It reminded me so much of the BWE.

Charby the Vampirate, though none too sophisticated, is good for a giggle.

A cute, softer comic is 9th Elsewhere. The main character starts off as a whiny, depressed writer-brat but matures as the story line goes on. It's the most fantasy-ish of all the ones I've mentioned, but I love the art, and any of the writers here will recognize bits of the process in this. Things are made out of hot cocoa packets! Umbrellas are conjured! Cows die repeatedly, AND one of the muses is called Dorian Gray-- can you GET any better?

Men in Hats is on hiatus/possibly dead, but still great. It's cynical and quotable (just the very first strip is memorable), and it has ninjas eating tacos.

Scary-Go-Round and its twin, Scarodeleria, are random and good. People die, mysteries are solved, zombies show up, things are hit by lightning, and the mayor is, of course, pretty much incompetent. Someone may steal a teapot at one point, but this is debatable.

(TEO's Obligatory Disclaimer: Some of these I haven't read in a while, namely 9th Elsewhere and Charby. I don't know if they've jumped the shark or not-- if I can use that term with webcomics-- but if they have, sorry for wasting your time. ^^)

[Canela]

I checked out the first volume of The Sandman about a week ago and instantly felt the comic-nerd of my childhood rearing it's ugly head. It was a battle of epic proportions between my comic-nerd and my I-don't-want-to-spend-twenty-bucks-on-something-I-can-read-in-one-sitting-cheapskate.

See, I'm the exact opposite. The first two volumes of 'Sandman' are about 200 pages each, I could get through a 'normal' novel of that length in a couple of days. With comics, I read much more slowly, I find the format hard to get used to.

I read what's been published so far in '5ideways.' It's kind of 'WTF, mate?' at times, but I'm intriuged and I want to know what the hell is going on...

[Kirukelgyr]

*Gasp!* Someone else knows about No Rest For The Wicked! Loffs to joo.

One of my best friends is obsessed with 9th Elswhere. She came up with a chartruse hippo chant.

*being quiet now*

[Quites]

Indeed. NRftW is good stuff. Kinda like "The Brothers Grimm" only... better done. It has the dark and gritty fairy-tale feel to it.
I've been meaning to check 9th Elsewhere again, because I've heard good things but I've never liked it when I tried it...

[Oz]

Awww man...

Now I have a whole crap-load of new stuff to check out. There goes those hours where I used to sleep.

*sigh*

[Canela]

Okay, Canela posts this here as it is the biggest group of webcomic-knowledgeable people she knows of.

Did 'Scary Go Round' used to be a hell of a lot funnier, or is she just sleep deprived? She is re-reading the 'Romania' chapter, and man, if it's not better than what John Allison churns out these days...

[Oz]

Never read 'Scary Go Round' but I could sure as hell say that Dominic Deegan's been going downhill ever since the Erossus storyline.

[Skiv]

I'll make it short and sweet.

V for Vendetta.

Alan Moore and David Lloyd.

Now.

[The Evil Overlordess]

I just bought 'Watchmen,' by Alan Moore. Brilliant thing it is. You rather have to take a comic seriously when it gets an award from Time Magazine and a Hugo. *gleebles*