Striking Jimilarities

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 04:54:44 GMT

AND TO ALL, A GOOD JIM!

NEW STAN AND RICH OMG YOU GUYS

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:23:12 GMT

SERIOUS BUISNESS

CLICK LINKY, GET STRIPPY

ALSO MAKE SURE TO CLICK ON MY WAY COOL ADS SO I MAKE MONEY! DID YOU REMEMBER THE MONEY?!?! DON'T FORGET THE MONEY!!!!

Googlenomics

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 23:39:01 GMT

Google Ads is having me advertise Pen suppliers and Drupal website support on my website.

That's so cute.

THIS PAPER WILL KILL YOU UNTIL YOU DIE

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:50:50 GMT

Okay I have three more pages and then I stop writing. 12 pages. No more. Never more. Kill me. This is so hard and I don't know if I'm being accurate and it's due tonight OH LORD MY BRAIN

My chest is tight and my blood reeks of adrenaline. I haven't washed my hair in four or five days, but I haven't sweat too much so that's not a huge deal I guess

Writing about postmodern artwork and why previous art theories failed to address its merits is really crushing. The material is fun, but enormously difficult, since everything is so abstract and I've had to create the philosophical content myself, rather than reference other dudes.

But three pages. Three stupid, moron pages. Then I am done. Sorry doc, but this is destroying me. I can't do 15 pages of this. I'll be stabbing a spoon into my hands before that happens.(WILL PROBABLY HAPPEN. KEEP SPOONS AWAY PLEASE)

Penny ArKant

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:21:02 GMT

Tycho just used the phrase "a priori" in a penny arcade news update.

C:

Woodward contra Simpson

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:41:28 GMT

I've put up a criticism of D.C. Simpson's latest comic series on Planet Jim. It basically talks about hack work in general, my displeasure with her creative decisions lately, and what she looks like when she makes these decisions.

Nope, I'm not even going to be passive-aggressive about it and say "I DON'T HATE HER BLAH BLAH". The article isn't about hating anybody. It's about more than that. Read it and tell me what you think.

try again AHAHAHAHAHAAA

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:29:50 GMT

WHAAAAAAAT

holy shit aAAAAHHHh

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:56:30 GMT

http://www.facebook.com/2012lisasimpson?ref=pymk

EDIT: Balls, link failed. Trying again.

I did not end up dressing like a girl

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:02:35 GMT

But I did finish my new comic! Read it and weep, you weepy jerks!

OH YEAH I HAVE A FORUM NOW PEOPLE yep yep, yep

Enjoy feasting on meat flesh in amounts overwhelming, my corpulent comrades!

depression + booze =

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:07:40 GMT

aaaaaaaah fuck depression

fuck

fuuuuuuuuck

it burns

sex

ahhhhhh

maybe I should dress up as a girl for shits and giggles
but transvestism is so sexualized now
can't a dude pull an Ed Wood without people thinking he will kill them
or rape them
or rape and kill them

so unfair

fuck
sex
want fuck

it is sad
just the saddest thing
EvilJim, what is the saddest thing?
Okay small child, I will tell you
The saddest thing is a man who is doing okay in so many parts of his life
Except one
The one that actually makes him feel good
Nooooooo!

at least a nerdy ass faggot reference will cheer me up

god I am pathetic

Brutal is as brutal does.

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 20:59:30 GMT

So apparently there is some controversy over Tim Schafer's latest game, Brutal Legend. Certain people are having trouble with the "stage battle" portions of the game, wherein you lead a bunch of dudes to attack other dudes while your dude carves his way to the objective (usually a big dude). You do this by harvesting "fan geysers", which provide you with the means to create more dudes. And you can team up with specific dudeotypes to pull off combo moves, while at the same time playing timed challenges on your dude's guitar to either help your dudes or hinder the enemy's dudes. Sounds pretty wild, dude.

Unfortunately, up to this point, this is pretty much the opposite of how this kind game is supposed to be played. In most real-time strategy games, you have total control over every single dude, and you click the mouse on a place in the map, and they go to that place, and attack whatever bad dude you click on. But in Brutal Legend, you're more of an armchair commando; scouting the area by flying up, then landing down, making dudes, securing waypoints until you have enough dudes to distract the bad dudes, and then taking down the boss dude. Kind of like Dynasty Warriors, but with way more combos and a bigger set of dudeotypes.

This guy has a problem with this, because the game suggested to him that it's the micro-managing type of strategy, and not the macro-managing type I just described. So because he tried to split his army up and control each single group of dudes, he got out-duded by the enemy. So THIS dude, who created the game, wrote an article that says "Dude, this is a new thing, so you should try it in this new way." But the comic dude said "DUDE! YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO TELL ME THIS WHEN THE TUTORIALS IN THE GAME LEAD YOU TO BELIEVE YOU CAN STILL DO THINGS IN THE OLD WAY! >8C GEEZ!"

So I'm thinking that we have a little misundudestanding. Yes, maybe the game's instructions could've been a little clearer on how you should structure your dudes. But still, the comic dude's complaints are pretty un-dude. He sounds more like a dude who's pissed that the game doesn't give him the satisfaction of doing things the old way, and feels that the game focuses on atmosphere and theme to the exclusion of everything else. Okay, he might have a point. But at least the Tim dude gave people advice on how to play this new thing he's come up with, and didn't just stick his fingers into his ears and hum "Iron Man". So far, the comic dude is the only credible dude who's got a problem with the game's battles. The only major complaint I've heard from other dudes is "The voices get repetitive." I'm not suggesting they've got their heads on straighter, but at least they're not mixing semantics over what genre they're playing.

Let me give you an example. If someone gave you a hammer and asked you what it was for, you'd likely answer that it was for driving nails into things. This makes sense, because it's the most productive utility for a hammer. Now, imagine that same person handed you a steak, and asked you to use the hammer on the steak. But because you're used to driving nails into things with the hammer, you drive a nail through the steak with it. Now the steak is inedible, and nobody wants to come to your barbeques anymore. But if that same person then says, "No, that's not what I meant, I meant POUND the steak with the hammer, to tenderize it", you'd reply "Ohhhhhh", pry the nail out of the steak, and proceed to pound it. Now the meat is less chewy and cooks faster. A new way to use a hammer! Brilliant!

Miscommunication can lead to problems like this. Brutal Legend provides you with the trappings of a real-time strategy game, and expects you to use these trappings in a different way than you're used to. Sure, it's the responsiblity of the creator to make these expectations clear, but claiming that it's "unfair" for the game to expect these things from you sounds more like a petulant whine than an incisive criticism. Dude.

lol tea party fags

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 23:38:58 GMT

LOL

Final Fantasy Belt Count

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:59:39 GMT

Firion: 1
Onion Knight: 1
Cecil (Dark): 1
Cecil (Light): 0
Bartz: 1 (w/2 sashes)
Terra: 6 (sashes w/brooch)
Cloud: 1 (back harness)
Squall: 3
Zidane: 1 (3 counting dagger straps fashioned from belts)
Tidus: 1
LULU: approx. 30 (visible) D:
Vaan: 3
Lightning: 3

God you guys what is it with all the belts

Catharsis

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:02:36 GMT

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/8/26/

If you like Terry Gilliam

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 06:02:35 GMT

Watch this, right now

Movie Quiz Balalalala

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 01:00:52 GMT

- X what you Completed
- O what you haven't finished/saw sizable portions
- Bold what you loved
- Strike for what you disliked/hated
- Leave unchanged if neutral

Classic Disney
--------------
[X] 101 Dalmatians (1961)
[X] Alice in Wonderland (1951) (Tim Burton's attempts to fuck it up only make me look upon it with fondness, Crispin Glover notwithstanding)
[ ] Bambi (1942) (CAN'T TAKE IT, MAN)
[X] Cinderella (1950)
[X] Dumbo (1941)
[X] Fantasia (1940) (Genius, although I kinda hate the idea of taking music and foisting your artistic vision upon it. But music videos do it everyday so :P)
[X] Lady and the Tramp (1955) (my niece loved this one)
[X] Mary Poppins (1964) (this one too)
[X] Peter Pan (1953)
[X] Pinocchio (1940) (Probably the darkest movie Disney ever made)
[O] Sleeping Beauty (1959)
[X] Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) (Still looks amazing to this day)
[ ] Song of the South (1946)

What, no [X] Fun and Fancy Free? I loved that one.

Completed 10/13 (plus 1)
Saw parts of 1/13

Disney's Dark Age (aw c'mon, it wasn't that bad)
-----------------
[X] The Aristocats (1970)
[X] The Black Cauldron (1985) (dragged in spots but fucking owned overall)
[ ] The Fox and the Hound (1981)
[ ] The Great Mouse Detective (1986)
[X] The Jungle Book (1967)
[X] The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
[X] Oliver and Company (1986)
[X] Pete's Dragon (1977)
[X] Rescuers, The (1977)
[X] Robin Hood (1973) (responsible for a generation of man-children in animal costumes with dick flaps)
[X] The Sword In The Stone (1963)

Completed 9/11

The Disney Renaissance
----------------------
[X] Aladdin (1992) (I loved this one)
[X] Beauty and the Beast (1991)
[X] A Goofy Movie (1995) (haha I had the soundtrack to this. my brother hated the 80'sness of the songs, so I played it often)
[X] Hercules (1997)
[X] Hunchback of Notre Dame, The (1996) (really liked this one, too bad Americans hated it because CATHOLIC)
[X] The Lion King (1994)
[X] The Little Mermaid (1989) (first movie I ever saw in a theatre)
[X] Mulan (1998)
[X] Pocahontas (1995)
[X] The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
[ ] Tarzan (1999)

Completed 10/11

Disney's Modern Age
-------------------
[ ] Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
[ ] Bolt (2008)
[ ] Brother Bear (2003)
[ ] Chicken Little (2005)
[ ] Dinosaur (2000)
[O] Emperor's New Groove, The (2000) (my brother loves this one. I should get around to seeing it all)
[ ] Fantasia 2000 (2000)
[ ] Home on the Range (2004)
[ ] Lilo & Stitch (2002)
[ ] Meet the Robinsons (2007)
[ ] Treasure Planet (2002)

Completed 0/11
Saw parts of 1/11 (the new stuff doesn't really connect with me)

Disney Sequels
--------------
[X] The Return of Jafar (1994)
~~[O] Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996)~~ (not even Robin Williams could make this less boring)
[X] Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin (1997)
[ ] Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997)
[ ] Belle's Magical World (1998)
[ ] Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World (1998)
[ ] The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998)
[ ] Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving (1999)
[ ] The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (2000)
[ ] Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (2001)
[ ] Cinderella II: Dreams Come True (2002)
[ ] The Hunchback of Notre Dame II (2002)
[ ] Return to Never Land (2002)
[ ] Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year (2002)
[ ] 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure (2003)
[ ] Atlantis: Milo's Return (2003)
[ ] Stitch! The Movie (2003)
[ ] The Lion King 1½ (2004)
[ ] Winnie the Pooh: Springtime with Roo (2004)
[ ] Mulan II (2005)
[ ] Tarzan II (2005)
[ ] Kronk's New Groove (2005)
[ ] Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch (2005)
[ ] Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie (2005)
[ ] Leroy & Stitch (2006)
[ ] Brother Bear 2 (2006)
[ ] Bambi II (2006)
[ ] The Fox and the Hound 2 (2006)
[ ] Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams (2007)
[ ] Cinderella III: A Twist in Time (2007)
[ ] The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning (2008)
[ ] Tinker Bell (2008)

Completed 2/32
Seen parts of 1/32

Pixar
-----
[X] A Bug's Life (1998)
[ ] Cars (2006) (looked kind of cool but never got around to it)
[O] Finding Nemo (2003) (aw man I need to see this)
[X] The Incredibles (2004) (Brad Bird owns)
[ ] Monsters Inc. (2001)
[ ] Ratatouille (2007)
[X] Toy Story (1995)
[ ] Toy Story 2 (1999)
[ ] Wall-E (2008)

Completed 3/9
Saw parts of 1/9

Don Bluth
---------
[X] All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989)
[O] An American Tail (1986)
~~[X] An American Tail: Fieval Goes West~~ (NEVER AGAIN.)
~~[O] Anastasia (1997)~~ (historical tragedy gets raped by song-and-dance numbers. I don't think so, Don. You need to take things a little more seriously. It's not a joke. IT'S NOT A JOKE, DOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNN DX)
[O] The Land Before Time (1988) (barely remember it as a kid, saw the ending several years ago on TV. was okay I guess. :I)
[ ] The Pebble and the Penguin (1995)
[X] Rock-a-Doodle (1991) (I loved the madness of it as a kid, but nowadays I can see how bad it really was)
[X] The Secret of NIMH (1982) (Don Bluth could have eaten people in his spare time and it wouldn't make this movie any less awesome)
[ ] Thumbelina (1994)
[O] Titan AE (2000) (ehhhhhh no thanks)
[ ] A Troll in Central Park (1994)

They left out the Woodshed Cat one, but it was only a short so I guess it's not a big deal.

Completed 4/11
Saw parts of 3/11

Claymation
----------
[O] The Adventures of Mark Twain (1986) (the SATAN part....D:)
[X] Chicken Run (2000) (was p. mediocre but not godawful. plus Great Escape references make anything passable)
~~[X] Corpse Bride (2005)~~ (It's like Tim Burton made Big Fish, had a heart attack and was replaced by a Hot Topic design committee)
[X] James and the Giant Peach (1996)
[X] Nightmare Before Christmas, The (1993) (I still don't get why they make such a big deal about this one. I mean it's clever in parts but it just feels hollow to me :I)
[ ] Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
[ ] Coraline (2009)

Completed 4/7
Saw parts of 1/7

CGI Glut
---------------------
~~[X] Antz (1998)~~ (Dreamworks isn't Disney, and it certainly isn't Pixar)
[O] Happy Feet (2006) (I didn't know Al Gore could vote in the Academy)
[ ] Kung Fu Panda (2008) (wanna see dis)
[ ] Madagascar (2005)
[ ] Monster House (2006)
[ ] Over the Hedge (2006)
[O] Polar Express, The (2004) (oh my God Bob Zemeckis WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY CHILDHOOD)
[X] Shrek (2001)
[X] Shrek 2 (2004)
[ ] Shrek The Third

Completed 3/10
Saw parts of 2/10

Imports
--------
[ ] Arabian Knight (aka The Thief and the Cobbler) (1995)
[ ] The Last Unicorn (1982)
[ ] Light Years
[X] Triplets of Belleville, The (2003) (owns)
[ ] Persepolis (2007)
[ ] Waltz With Bashir (2008)
[ ] Watership Down (1978)
[ ] When the Wind Blows (1988)
[X] Yellow Submarine (1968)

Completed 2/9

Studio Ghibli/Miyazaki
-------------
[ ] Grave of the Fireflies
[ ] Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
[X] Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) (it's so nice)
[X] Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986)
[ ] Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979)
[ ] My Neighbors The Yamadas
[ ] My Neighbor Totoro (1993)
[ ] Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
[ ] Only Yesterday
[ ] Pom Poko (Tanuki War)
[ ] Porco Rosso (1992)
[X] Princess Mononoke (1999)
[X] Cat's Return, The
[X] Spirited Away (2002) (Brilliant)
[ ] Whisper of the Heart

Completed 5/14

Satoshi Kon
-----------
[ ] Millennium Actress (2001)
[ ] Paprika (2006)
[ ] Perfect Blue (1999)
[ ] Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
[ ] Memories - "Magnetic Rose" (1995)

Completed 0/5

Shinkai Makoto
------------
[ ] She and Her Cat (1999)
[ ] Voices of a Distant Star (2001)
[ ] The Place Promised in Our Early Days (2004)
[ ] 5 Centimeters per Second (2007)

Completed 0/4

Other Anime Films
----------------------------------------
[ ] Akira (1989)
[ ] Appleseed
[ ] Appleseed: Ex Machina
[ ] Arcadia of My Youth (U.S. Title - Vengeance of the Space Pirate)
[ ] Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2003)
[ ] The Dagger of Kamui (U.S. Title - Revenge of the Ninja Warrior)
[ ] Dirty Pair: Project Eden
[ ] End of Evangelion
[ ] Fist of the North Star
[ ] Galaxy Express 999
[ ] Ghost in the Shell (1996)
[ ] The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
[ ] Lensman
[ ] Macross: Do You Remember Love (U.S. Title - Clash of the Bionoids)
[ ] Metropolis (2001)
[ ] Neo-Tokyo (IS GOING TO E.X.P.L.O.D.E.)
[ ] Ninja Scroll
[ ] Patlabor the Movie

[ ] The Professional: Golgo 13
[ ] Project A-ko
[ ] Robot Carnival
[ ] Robotech: The Shadow Chronicle
[ ] Silent Mobius
[ ] Space Adventure Cobra
[ ] Steamboy (2004)
[ ] Sword of the Stranger
[ ] Unico and the Island of Magic
[ ] Urotsukidoji: The Movie
[ ] Vampire Hunter D
[ ] Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust
[ ] Wings of Honneamise: Royal Space Force

Completed 0/31

Cartoons For Grown-Ups
----------------------
[ ] American Pop
[X] The Animatrix (2003)
[ ] Beavis & Butthead Do America (1996)
~~[O] Cool World~~ (Good Christ what a crock of ass)
[X] Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001) (Generic as hell, but fun at the time)
[O] Final Fantasy: Advent Children (Generic as hell, not even remotely fun)
[ ] Fire & Ice
[X] Fritz the Cat (1972) (Had flashes of smart, but mostly just cashed in on hippies)
[ ] Heavy Metal (1981)
[ ] Heavy Metal 2000 (2000)
[ ] Hey Good Looking
[ ] Lady Death
[ ] A Scanner Darkly (2006)
[X] South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)
[ ] Street Fight (AKA - Coonskin) (this is one I wanna see)
[ ] Waking Life (2001)

Completed 4/16
Saw parts of 2/16

Other Animated Movies
-------------------------------
[X] Animal Farm (surprisingly good adaptation, way better than the live action happy-ending crap)
[ ] Animalympics
[ ] Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon The Movie
[O] Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (Mark Hamill's more subdued these days than he used to be, but ohwell)
[X] The Brave Little Toaster (1988) (holy shit I loved this shit out of this shit)
[ ] Bravestarr: The Movie
[O] Care Bears: The Movie
[X] Charlotte's Web (1973) (CHARLOTTE D:)
~~[X] Fern Gully~~ (Mom was on an enviro-kick back in the 90s. Thanks, mom)
[O] G.I. Joe: The Movie (COBRAAAAAA)
[ ] Gobots: Battle of the Rock Lords
[ ] He-Man & She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword
[X] The Hobbit (I secretly loved this one as a kid)
[X] The Iron Giant (1999) (Remember what I said about Brad Bird owning?)
[ ] Justice League: The New Frontier
[ ] Lord of the Rings
[X] Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (1992) (was actually not that bad, but could've been better)
[ ] My Little Pony: The Movie
[ ] Pink Floyd's The Wall (1982)
[X] The Prince of Egypt (1998) (when cartoons act like people the results do not amuse)
[ ] Powerpuff Girls: The Movie
[ ] Quest For Camelot (1999)
[ ] Ringing Bell
[ ] Road to El Dorado, The (2000)
[ ] Rock & Rule (I will find this one day)
~~[X] Space Jam~~ (please kill me.)
[ ] Starchaser: The Legend of Orin
[ ] Superman: Doomsday
[ ] The Swan Princess
[O] Transformers: The Movie (1986) (marginally rad)
[ ] Wizards (1977)
[X] Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) (sick ass movie)
[ ] Wonder Woman
[ ] Balto
[ ] Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
[ ] Once Upon a Forest (1993)

Completed 9/36
Saw parts of 4/36

Extras that weren't on the list
-------------------------------
[ ] Peur[s] de la Nuit (Fear[s] of the Dark)
[ ] Flight of Dragons
[X] Ducktales: Treasure of the Lost Lamp (haha I was addicted to this as a kid)
[ ] Interstella 5555 (the movie made using the soundtrack from Daft Punk's "Aerodynamic")
[ ] Surf's Up!
[O] Fritz the Cat: His Nine Lives (looked grittier, but pretty much just more of the same.)

Completed 1/6
Saw parts of 1/6

GRAND TOTAL
Completed 76/236
Saw parts of getting eaten by mosquitoes, count it yourself D:<

Moich

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:10:04 GMT

Initial reactions to the design have been thoroughly positive, moreso than I expected. Most people don't get the reference, which is rooted in folklore, but random strangers love the design without this foreknowledge, meaning those who do get it will enjoy something extra. If your brand can spread to markets outside the ones that think like you, there is a good chance it will be viable.

A group of characters, bound by a single theme, can become a brand. They don't have to remain a conversation piece or a "bold", "original" work of art. So long as the characters are grafted to products that strengthen their image in the public eye, your integrity will be retained. Branding doesn't have to be the same as selling out.

I am coming to love what I do more and more, and being on holiday has only opened the possibilities even wider.

There will be more updates soon. Stay plugged into fun.

On Holidays 'till August 9th

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:05:49 GMT

Take care, try not to break anything.

Big huge art site journal entry

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 03:27:45 GMT

Check it out. Be warned, it's p. big.

From the Beufort Observer, on the new Cap and Trade Bill

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 04:49:02 GMT

A company, say and electric utility, emits a million tons of carbon dioxide a year. So it must purchase permits for a million tons from the government. But supposed it actually was only producing 900 thousand tons. It could then sell the 100 thousand ton "credits" to another company, such as a new upstart. In effect, the new (cleaner) company would be paying a "fine" to the older (dirtier) company to go into business. Remember, the only way for the system to work (theoretically) is for the government to cap the total amount of emissions for electric utilities.

So either one of two things will inevitably happen. Either the government will suppress the number of permits issued or it will increase them. If it suppresses them the environment will, theoretically, get cleaner but the value of the scarcer permits will increase. If, on the other hand, it increases the permits the environment will get dirtier because more pollution will be emitted and the value of the permits will diminish because the supply is higher.

So it is not hard to envision what is going to happen. There will be constant pressure on the government to increase permits, and thus pollution. The pressure will come from companies who want to produce more electricity and thus need more permits. But more permits will reduce the incentive to produce electricity with less pollution. What has already been seen in Europe is that the government will issue more and more permits. They will do so because of the political pressure and also because they need the revenue. They in effect sell pollution and the environment does not get cleaner. In fact, after the system has been in use for several years experience thus far shows that the are more emission than before. But there are also more wealthy companies and individuals.

Bad grammar and spelling aside, how the hell are they going to make this work?

happy Canadianday

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:07:20 GMT

Have an awesome Canada day people

Let's Play from Yours Truly

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:46:22 GMT

I take on Kirby's Dream Course. Or is it that Kirby's Dream Course...takes on ME??? Watch and find out!

what what WHAAAAAAAT

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:00:24 GMT

HOLY ABE VIGODA-SHAPED TORTILLA CRUST WITH A CARROT SHAVING STUCK TO IT BY A LITTLE SMEAR OF SOUR CREAM, STRONG BAD IS BACK!!

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:13:12 GMT

Michael Jackson is dead.

Farrah Fawcett is dead.

Holy shit

More stuff and more stuff

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:08:20 GMT

Probably the worst kind of criticism you can ever give is in the style of "This sucks, you should make THIS." It's so selfish. Why should an artist completely change the way they express themselves to suit your tastes? That should never be the point of criticism. It's just about letting an artist know how their work left you feeling. If you felt patronized by it, say so. If you adore it, say that. If you think the artist can do better, tell them. And if you don't think the artist will put more of themselves into what they do, without some sort of brutal honesty, be brutally honest (without targeting the artist). Say the work is junk. Say some parts went too far, or that others didn't go far enough. Say what you feel.

What really toasts my muffins is that, even if you're careful about not slamming the author, brutal honesty pisses some artists off. It shouldn't, because art isn't made in a vacuum, and opinions give art much of its purpose in the first place. But you encounter people with this problem from time to time.

Dumm Comics is one place where this is prevalent. It's basically 6 animators (with guest artists) making comics, each for a day of the week, from Monday to Saturday. Skadi and 1930 Nightmare Theatre are really good, the latter in particular, and Big Pants Mouse is pretty decent. But with the rest, I just feel like I'm looking at somebody's art class portfolio. I mean, the remaining 3 comics totally ape the style of John Kricfalusi, just with lighter or darker outlines. The humour is either non-existent or LOL RANDUMB UBER GEEKNESS 4 TEH WIN, and the characters are dull and unlikable. It's frustrating to see, because the people drawing have legitimate skill, but they don't seem to care about crafting situations they believe are genuinely funny, or even clever--just excuses to make pop culture reference, show off the Spumco-Brand T&A, or draw exaggerated faces.

It really doesn't bother me that some of the readers lap this stuff up. If they like it, that's fine. But when you say "Man, what is this junk" or "this blows. :\" to a comic where two characters spontaneously engage in a "fishstick duel", whereby they clutch a fishstick, make angry faces, and spout DO NOT WANT nerd memes, the artists shouldn't be playing the victim. They know what they're doing, and they know it's not what they're capable of. Why are they so offended when I attempt to reveal this? And when I do it rather mildly, I might add? Better yet, why does the creator address me personally, in his own comments section, and start insulting me publicly? I never once slammed HIM, I slammed what I perceived to be illustrated mediocrity from someone who can draw, and draw well. Apparently he draws the strip while another guy does the writing, and he mentioned in his DA how criticism of the comic has "demoralized" his writer or somesuch. Honestly, what was that guy expecting?

He even took the opportunity to plug his other cartoon as an example of "more traditional work", which begs the question; why is it so important that I be aware of his other work? Why is he trying to cater to me like this? He's acting more like a maintenance man than an artist, pandering to what the fans and H8ERS want. If you think your comic is great, at least try to defend it; don't try to divert my attention to something you think I'll like. In doing so he makes it clear that he doesn't have faith in his own creation. And that's sad.

So yeah, don't be that guy. Make sure you're devoting your energies to something you know is worthy of your efforts. I don't make any claim that MY work is groundbreaking or worthy of praise; in fact, I expect criticism for what I do. It's not a hard act to follow.