Archive - Jul 2004 - Article
July 27th
Let There Be Ink: A Fantasy Webcomicking God-play Primer by Catherine Harrell
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The creator of a fantasy webcomic has a surprising amount of power. Without the standard limitations of a real world setting, a story can take off in any direction. The creator sets the course, makes the rules, and somehow brings about the end result. Such creative freedom provides incredible opportunities for the ambitious storyteller.
A fantasy webcartoonist can literally build a universe from scratch, with innovative characters, concepts, situations and worlds.
Damonkey Business by Damonk
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When Our Leading Edge Sliced Through the Fun Jugular
I wanna charge The Tortured Sympathetic AntiHero with Murder of the First Degree.
He's killed all my fun.
Pseudome Studios' Van von Hunter, reviewed by Matt Trepal
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A hero, a sidekick, a quest, and an implacable enemy. What we have here are the ingredients for a classic adventure story, and the creators of Van von Hunter oblige, stirring up an action-laden concoction that satisfies and amuses.
Mad Science and the Art of Comicking: Community Interview with Shaenon Garrity
Shaenon Garrity is the creator of Narbonic, L'il Mel, and More Fun, all published by Modern Tales subscription sites. Garrity’s first strip, Narbonic began in 2000 and features the antic antics of Helen Narbonic, mad scientist extraordinaire. She is widely considered to be not only a true creative talent but also a true thinker, with notable personalities such as Scott McCloud praising her many skills over the years. In the ensuing reader-run interview, Garrity talks about mad science, her experiences with freelancing and comics, and Joey Manley's Evil FactorTM.
Webcomics are from Uranus: Ook Ook Eek Eek!
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I just moved to Canada and so I feel I'm qualified to be objective about American politics when I'm not running around and shouting "Commies! Pinkies!" at the natives here.
July 18th
To Hilarity and Beyond: an interview with Melonpool's Steve Troop
Steve Troop has been zipping across the webcomic cosmos since 1996, making a name for himself online and across the convention circuit with a unique panache and sincere friendliness all his own. Creator of the hilariously funny, 'sci-fi but not quite sci-fi' humor strip Melonpool, Troop is a Genuine Nice GuyTM in addition to being a highly talented cartoonist who dabbles in both animation and puppetry, among other interests. While he considers himself still pretty low-key in the webcomic popularity circles, he is one of those rare cartoonists who has managed to sell his work in print with moderate to decent success.
Prior to heading out to this year's San Diego ComicCon (where he will be sharing a booth with Futurama star voice Billy West, among others!), Troop took the time to sit back and talk with Comixpedia about his work, his puppets, his unique convention booths and marketing tactics, as well as why the comic ended at the end of June... or has it???
REview: Dicebox by Jen Manley Lee
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Dicebox isn't your older brother's science fiction comic. No muscular heroes toting huge laser cannons, piloting light-speed-capable spaceships, rescuing buxom and scantily clad females, thwarting evil empires, and, in general, saving the universe.
When Punchlines Go Bad
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Webcomics are no longer a laughing matter.
I think that's because few people can tell a joke anymore.
July 11th
Yuoma's Twelve Dragons, reviewed by Justin
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The thousand year war, foreseen and foretold by the fates, has begun. Humans, Dwarves, Elves and most of the other Pangean ruling races are in a great fight against one another. Winner takes all and the ultimate losers get to be erased from existence. Sadly, as in all other wars, the only real victims are the innocents, too weak and weak to fight back.
This is how Yuoma sets up the premise of Twelve Dragons. It obviously borrows from Tolkien, as do many fantasy stories that followed his novels.
