Archive - Oct 2007
Slashdotted On Wikipedia Webcomic Story
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on October 31, 2007 - 22:36
The site fell down a couple times yesterday, but it wasn't until this evening that I realized it was probably due to a Slashdotting today. All due to Slashdot running a story on the recent Wikinews story on the neverending webcomics versus wikipedia discussion (Part of that post pointed back to Comixtalk).Â
I guess I'll take some comfort in the fact that the Liquidweb VPS the site runs on managed to get back up.Â
Halloween Webcomics
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on October 31, 2007 - 15:59
Post your links to Halloween-inspired webcomics to this thread - yours or others!
There's no new activity in Fright Night land this year, but feel free to survey the scary stories of years gone by. For new ghostly webcomics check out Halloween Stories at Jon Morris' Oucopo blog. Jon is the creator of the web/comic Jeremy and has organized previous ghouly comic projects.
Oh and check out this cool carving into a pumpkin of Schlock from Schlock Mercenary. That is pretty cool!
October 30th
Subculture
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on October 30, 2007 - 21:22
One in a continuing series of books I picked up at this year's Small Press Expo -- a brief plug for Subculture#1 which does a nice job of capturing a variety of socially maladjusted comic book fanboys. It doesn't venture too far from the stereotypes of geekdom in this first issue -- in fact it amps them up tossing a "hot chick who likes comics" into the mix, automatically flummoxing males left and right... That probably sounds more negative than I mean to - regardless of my description it's a pretty funny book and the art is a good match - a bit cartoony but just a bit. Stan Yan has some chops.
Moreover the creators seemed like decent dudes and I checked out the previews of issues 2-4 at their Comicspace site (there's a preview of issue #1 here) which looked pretty promising -- not sure if I'm going to run out and buy them, but if it was online I'd definitely add it to my reading queue.
Tuesday Talk Of The Tubes
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on October 30, 2007 - 13:35
INTERVIEWS
- FLEEN scores an interview with Aaron Diaz, creator of Dresden Codak creator on his decision to quit his job and become a full-time webcomicker, merchandise, and what it’s like leaping into the unknown.
ZUDAMANIA
- Zuda said it was going "live" today but so far... no webcomics to be found on the site.
- Webware profiles Zuda. (Not much "new" in this piece but if you've missed the recent hype about it's launch today...)
Justify My Hype
- Check out the wordless comic Washed Ashore by Kid Nemo. Cute.
- Also been meaning to plug the students n' sorcery webcomic AEther. Good stuff - check it out.
- In your mind's browser... clear your cache. Funny bit from The Joy Of Tech.
- Wonderella usually cracks me up but this one goes out of its way to go one more unexpected left turn to hilarity...
- From the archives: Teaching Baby Paranoia explains how government jobs are made...
- So I married a werewolf... Ryan Estrada has a funny one-shot comic up.
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 BLOGS
- Hey, play Team Fortress 2 at the Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal server (80smachine.homeip.net port 27015).
- Top 87 "bad predictions" about the future. The humor potential is enormous...
- The blog Webcomics Asylum wants you to draw their mascot "Chimpy".
- Tom Spurgeon has 5 good stories about comics - a nice essay from Tom on appreciating some of what the current era of comics does have.
CONTEST
- Karas the Revelation - come on who wants to be winner #3?
Next Round of BSC Webcomic Idol
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on October 30, 2007 - 08:19
Well we have the five contestants who survived to the second round of BSC Webcomic Idol:
Voting goes all week - only one of these entrants will get eliminated in this round. I'll try to have some comments up on them during the week (I may be channeling my inner-Simon Cowell or my inner-Paula Abdul, we'll have to see...)
October 29th
Josh Roberts - Joey Manley Joint Venture
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on October 30, 2007 - 01:38
This is a big deal and should lead to an even bigger and better platform for independent webcomic creators - more details (of course) at Talk About Comics here.
The full "press release" is after the jump...
The Phrase That Plays
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on October 29, 2007 - 08:37
It's time to post a comment with the phrase that pays to be our 2nd winner of a copy of the DVD of Karas the Revelation...
October 28th
New Updates to Faith Erin Hicks' Ice
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on October 28, 2007 - 12:09
Faith Erin Hicks has posted 6 more pages to her tale of post-apocalyptic (post-global warming?) England: Ice. I've been a huge fan of this project and really wish it updated more frequently but I'll take it when it comes. If you haven't read it at all sit down and read the whole thing. You won't be disappointed.
October 27th
A Decade of PvP
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on October 27, 2007 - 12:22
Comic Book Resources interviews Scott Kurtz about a decade of making the web/comic PvP.
BSC Webcomics Idol 2.0 First Round Almost-Results
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on October 27, 2007 - 12:07
This was the first week of voting for the BSC Webcomics Idol 2.0 contest. I'm not sure if voting is still open today or whether it closed yesterday (but since I was just able to vote I suspect it'll continue through tonight). The contest eliminates the 5 lowest vote-getters in this round -- pretty brutal!
Right now the webcomics clearly in the elimination zone are:
- Gun Baby (1%)
- Fear, My Dear (1%)
- WitchHound (4%)
- Dead of Summer (7%)
However, it's neck and neck between two comics as to who goes and who stays:
- Bear and Kitten (11%)
- Shi Long Pang (11%)
Four other webcomics don't look like they're in any danger this week:
- Templar, Arizona (19%)
- Lucid TV (17%)
- Grumps (16%)
- Simulated Comic Product (14%)
I just read Shi Long Pang all the way through - it's a somewhat anachronistic take on a shaolin monk in the time of war with the Qing dynasty. At times it gets too talky for it's own good (although smartly creator Ben Costa does stuff some of the facts into footnotes instead of trying to fit it all into exposition in his characters' mouths) but it's well-paced, interesting (heck even educational!), even funny and the art is very good. Costa has enough talent to shift styles as needed and is very good with integrating picture, words and speech bubbles.
I liked Bear and Kitten sometimes too although it's far less ambitious and misfires as often as its humor hits. Still it has some strong moments and the art really grew on me as I read the archives. Comparing these two is completely apples and oranges of course and hopefully they both find some new readers through this contest.



