Good ol' Frigg Akerfeldt-Brown. To me, the style looks way more American-comic-like than manga-like, otherwise Frigg would have tiny circles for flailing arms, eyes half the size of her head that were completely white, and a popping plus-sign like mark for a popping vein.
I get Gravedust’s thing against them all being brought back from the dead, but does he have a problem with faster-than-normal healing, too? Seems like an odd thing for the “cleric” of the group to be opposed to.
I think his major problem in this scenario is “handling dangerous, probably smelly, potentially highly reactive, and mostly unlabeled chemicals”, which I feel would be quite justified, Mystic or not.
That and, if you’ve ever played a game where you have to be the healer, it can get pretty stressed.
Kind of…remarkable that they didn’t need any healing DURING the boss fight though, only after.
Then again, if they didn’t require healing during the fight and had another of their party members aka Gravedust not fighting maybe this is just more trash instead of a boss or even miniboss.
The dungeon never starts with the boss. It starts with Cannon Fodder. If you have this much trouble slaying the wallmart greeters then that’s a sure sign you’re not quite ready for this dungeon yet.
I don’t think GD is a cleric. He’s more of a spiritualist of some kind (mystic, eh?) whose link to the spirit world allowed him to resurrect the party (that one time) but otherwise no more a healer than any guy with a medkit.
He almost seems to be a divine version of the arcane archer or a “spirit ranger”.
Yeah, Gravy doesn’t really fit any established labels. He’s got all sorts of spirit powers, and he’s a good archer, so it makes sense that he can augment his shots with spirit magic. But since his powers are essentially directing spirits to certain tasks, healing is completely irrelevant.
What give you the impression he’s the healer? That’s Syr’Nj’s job. His real specialty is divination and buffs. He’s more of a shammie than a cleric. (Though the Mystic class is just way too weird and groundbreaking to fit traditional RPG molds.)
I know he’s not the healer, it’s just that if anybody in the group is a magic classed based on faith, it’s Gravedust. Not all clerics are healers. I played a cleric who never once broke out the healing magic because we had a druid who healed like nobody’s business.
What’s so “manga” about Frigg’s extreme expressions? They don’t look like the same type of extreme expressions that I’ve seen in manga. So I think “cartoony” would be a better word. (Doesn’t third panel show a typical Peanuts-expression?) And I don’t have a problem with a bit of that. Such as in this page, for instance.
I find it somewhat ironic, that you have an anime character as an icon, Catbus. (Not that I don’t love the ground Hayao Miyazaki walks on.)
I am sort of in-between. I view it the same way I view anime in general. I don’t mind it so long as it’s used like exclamation points. Exclamation points can really display the inherent excitement of a notation, but overuse mostly just seems out of place and silly. Not saying this is either, but this particular page /is/ heavy on the warped expressions. Five all in all. Then again, maybe a silly reprieve is exactly what the artist is going for. Whose to say. But them.
I think that’s a pretty decent sampling from the various genres and art styles. It’s last minute so it’s not perfect. Anyway, fill me in on the similarities you’re seeing. Which ones of these do you think match best? Feel free to bring in some examples of your own. I’m interested in what you’re seeing here.
You caught us, Catbus. I give so much of a fuck about what you think about the apparent “mangafication” of our comic now that I will order John to stop drawing in a way that offends you, my most valuable and favorite fan.
Please forgive us for offending your delicate artistic sensibilities, Catbus. If there’s any way I can make up for the time you spent reading a comic on the Internet for free, please let me know.
I… I don’t know what I would do if you stopped reading the comic, shut the fuck up, and left forever. I’d be crushed.
I was about to say (before I got to Phil’s reply) that I don’t think it looks particularly manga (though I’m not very familiar with the style thereof).
Saw this coming. It seems there’s a critique about the ‘manga’ on each page and i was wondering how long before someone from ‘crew’ decided to comment on it. I think catbus just doesn’t like the stretched faces with lack of definition in the teeth area because that particular affect was not a part of Erika’s style. Personally, I dig bringing back a little of the silliness to a comic that has been shown to be serious and funny.
Obviously, it was better when Erica was drawing people’s faces as a smiley face in a circle in the background. obviously
Me, I’m a big fan of the fact that the artists in this comic have the freedom of art direction. Constrain your artist, and they’ll produce substandard work, get annoyed or burn out. (or all three.)
P.S. Panel 1 has some very nice composition in it.
Thing is, those expressions are basically boilerplate. They’re stapled onto the characters. Say what you will about Erica’s background work (I found it charming) but up against her subtly and line quality this don’t look so good. I think our current artist can do better if he’s willing to push himself in that department, has the time, and is interested, but it’s foolish to pretend that this is better or even comparable.
If people are upset and emote a bunch over it well … welcome to the Internet.
Guys, this page is meant to be silly. As a funny/serious comic GA alternates between the two. Since sepia world was super cereal this is supposed to be a little break, the fun/action bit that quite a few people have been asking for mind you.
Just put things into perspective and it’ll all be fine. I’d be the first one to rage if I actually believed GA was permanently adopting Peanuts influences or “manga” ones or whatever.
The style adapts to the situation and the intended effect, it’s artistic license. It was pretty ridiculous that the burst firing golem couldn’t hit Byron out in the open (don’t care how fast he was running) for so long but the page was obviously meant to be silly and make one laugh so ride with it.
The golems are supposed to be like sentinels though, and sentinels are fucking useless. I would be astounded if they could hit a moving target under any circumstances.
Thank you. This is the point I was trying to make.
Erica’s art created a world. That world wasn’t like anything I see in any other webcomic. It was unique, distinctive, and engaging. And most of the time, John is pretty good at re-creating that world. But when, for example, he employs facial expressions like Syr’nj’s kawaii-face in the first panel, or Frigg’s mouth-bigger-than-her-face in the last one, it clashes. It takes the comic in a different, less internally consistent direction. It breaks the spell. It’s not part of this world, as previously established. Like suddenly hearing “Yakety Sax” when the Nazgul start chasing Frodo.
So you can bark at me all you like for criticizing a free webcomic, but what I’m telling you is, you’ve created an experience that strikes a chord with a lot of readers, and lately, my experience (I can’t speak for others) is being diminished by what I perceive as an increasing number of dissonant notes. People don’t criticize what they don’t care about; they just walk.
P.S. Yeah, I like Miyazaki a lot, but I watch it when I’m in the mood to watch something made for 8-year-olds.
Gawdz…
I know sometimes I feel like I’m walking through a graveyard and talking to the dead with my comments… but I really hope your ridiculous trail of “manga” complaints comes to a stop soon.
I’ve got far less issue with the Waltrips’ Camp-Mode than I do with your ridiculous misinterpretation of it.
I mean seriously… since when has any exaggerated manga ever bothered with noses, for instance? And yet look… noses.
I know it’s your site and not really my place to say this, but please don’t feed the trolls.
I mean, what else can you call someone beating a dead issue in to the ground while using an avatar that screams hypocrisy?
I’m sorry for my previous outburst. There was absolutely no need for me to be so harsh. That’s not really the kind of person I want to be. I promise to keep my temper curbed in the future.
We all follow the comic and see you in the comments section and the forum. We know you’re not that kind of person. I had assumed you were just having a bad day or something.
Phil, you just said what I had been thinking. Hopefully that’ll scare him off. The endless whining and self-entitlement was starting to get on my nerves.
Hope today turns out better for you. You have a decent sized fanbase who will enjoy this work no matter what.
Sorry to bother you again with being “smart”. But you have all right to strike back at people who strike at you. And this guy was being an ass. You tolerated him for too long, and he deserved to be put in place. People need to be taught a lesson sometimes, if they are acting badly. Otherwise they will believe that that is the good thing to do, since it is supported. Also, you are a form of authority here, deserve some respect, and your word weigh more, so it is the best if you put the guy in place personally. Alright… this is just the net, nothing serious happens here. No harm was done except to his thoughts which were out of place anyways. Also… the comment was brilliant if simple.
You may not have handled it the way you wanted to, but I support your actions. I hate it when people get angry about something because it doesn’t look like it used to. I’ll admit, I liked Erica’s art better, but John does a great job. I read this for the plot, characters, and comedy. As long as I can tell what’s happening in the artwork, they could be stick figures for all I care. If somebody can’t handle an art change and is getting on your case about it frequently, they need to be shown that something is wrong with what he’s doing. Hopefully he knows you were being sarcastic in that first post so that next comic he doesn’t call you out as breaking your word and brags about being your most valued fan.
Still not sure why you apologised… but your classic festival of snark is something I shall remember fondly every time I come back through the archives.
Being awesome is not something to be sorry for. =p
You had to know they were gonna come after you for dissenting. I don’t mind the eyes or the action sequences doing the “manga” thing, but I’ve commented before about the mouths and teeth. They look flat and poorly done, that they cheapen the entire page. I never thought I’d notice the absence of lips, gums, or the curvature of teeth, but there it is.
It’s John’s style to pick though. He’s the artist, after all. Just please… please don’t do the crazy-mouth-wider-than-Frigg’s-head thing again.
The Godfather of Manga, Osamu Tezuka, was heavily inspired by the art of Disney. All art and artists influence each other. Even if an artist decides to totally reject what has come before them, that’s an influence in and of itself.
I completely agree, but since I stopped reading the comic when it all went “Lost”, I don’t have a right to complain. :)
I think it’s the rest of the art being so absolutely gorgeous that make these simplification (and it does look more like Peanuts) standing out more crass.
That’s an excellent point. And I’m sure it’d even be relevant too when applied to some other comic that doesn’t have humor.
‘Cause Frigg is funny as hell.
I’d complain about how that’s insulting to the artist, but…Lackadaisy is just so gorgeous. Pointing there seems less like an insult and more a reminder that there’s always an up.
Lackadaisy IS gorgeous, and while it’s not stylistically where GA is going, the concepts in that article regarding facial expressions have merit for any style.
And really folks, when you look at John’s body of work, you’ll notice a lot of Robotech. The parallels to manga in this incarnation of GA are obvious.
Still, I can’t remember how I got linked to that comic before, but it IS beautifully drawn, and it’s not even what I’d usually read, but I enjoyed it. Still, I prefer for Guilded Age to have its own feel. I mean, if I wanted a different art style, I’d read a different comic, and I’m actually digging the “gonzo” style that’s apparent in the faces of Best and Frigg.
Why the heck people are complaining about the art? The art is gorgeous since the beginning and Erica walking out didn’t changed it. Give John a break, he does his work very well and never failed to give us the pages in proper time.
Seriously, look at the internet! There aren’t many free 3 post per week webcomics with artwork of such quality, manga or not.
Seconded. I know a decent number of comics that post with similar consistency and artistic quality, but every one of them is winning awards on a regular basis (Girl Genius, for instance).
I *love* Girl Genius and all, but, well, the artwork, especially the facial expressions, can be a bit… Off, at times. But that’s just the comic’s style. Just like I noticed that John tends to use exaggeration to a bit of comedic effect, and, most of the time, I personally think it works.
I hope I don’t offend anyone, but the new art direction just isn’t doing it for me. The original artist had a great style– the pages looked almost painted. When the current artist started, it was different, but I still liked it. The past few pages (and it’s really just been the past few!), the art seems to be… I’m not sure of the best term… Caricature-ish?
Please, Picard, you Star Trek folk have weak methods of torture. Agony booth? Please. Now, if you really wanted him to suffer, you’d tie him up Clockwork Orange style and make him watch this:
Well, Wargle, at least the problem you have with it is a matter of taste. You’re not standing up on a soapbox and screaming “OMG THIS IS TEH SUCK”. Sounds like it’s just a matter of taste, I guess. I think the caricature-style art style shouldn’t be something for you to worry about, though, because John only breaks it out to accompany humorous segments. My advice is to wait a week or two before deciding to drop this from your reading list, especially if you liked John’s earlier pages.
High level warriors should be able to fist out their armors, since there is no time to take it to the blacksmith during long dungeon crawls…
Hell, why not?
Now time came for me to whine a little more. It is the second time, that the party members are acting as if some other members wouldn’t exist. First, we heard nothing about Bandit. I didn’t liked her, but as a member, the Guild should care about her fate… Now, Frigg is being seriously hurt, Syr’ng and Gravedust simply walked past her. I always love a good laugh and comedy, but this somehow seem a little too off to me… Could you explain this to me? Especially this Bandit mystery… did they spoke about her off screen?
When you’re staring down an existential crisis after being brought back from the dead to stop the fantasy equivilent of world war three with naught but your own abilities, the missing party member is certainly an issue, and a source of worry, but not necessarily the very first concern on your list. You take a moment, establish that she doesn’t seem to have been buried with you, and wasn’t in the afterlife, but her death was indeed witnessed. Take note of the curious nature of this situation, ask the mystic to be prepared to lay her wandering spirit to rest, and then get back to the matter at hand.
As far as Frigg goes, she’s Frigg. I don’t think anyone in the party genuinely believes she feels pain or sustains damage. I mean, she’s Frigg. You’ve seen her. What more is there to say beyond her name?
Plus, althought the rest of the party was killed, her ebody was trisected, which means she might not eb able to come back. after all, the rest of the party remained mostly whole throughout the fight.
I hate to say it, but Bandit might just plain be perma-dead…
Well, thanks guys. I am half convinced, that this thing isn’t off, or maybe I am overreacting.
Gangler… now that you put it this way, probably I would do the same in the same god-forsaken situation.
Wow, but the fallout in this thread is harsh in it’s potential. I can’t help but feel a little bit like lines were drawn upstairs over the art thing. I took Catbus’s comment to be tongue-in-cheek and responded accordingly. I also put up my own opinion and critique, which I assume I am free to do. I am an artist as well, and I value honest critique and suggestions like gold. I can only assume John does as well. (Though I could of course be wrong.)
My issue here isn’t the explosive reaction to Catbus’ post, (Hey Phil, I’ve had days like that too, we all have. You both do what amounts to charity and it is appreciated) or even the art style and direction in general. It’s the white knight tinge of aggression I’m seeing towards people commenting on the art and their feelings about it.
I /love/ Johns work, I love watching it progress and evolve. I don’t think there is a right or wrong way he could take it. But if honest critique and art feedback is unwelcome without gaining the ire of people posing as protectors? Then I will kindly shut my trap and back off. I am capable of enjoying the finely written and drawn comic with or without commenting, but I rather like to speak up every now and then. And the art’s evolution is a core interest of mine.
Eh, that’s just how it goes. You walk into a zelda forum and star badmouthing the zelda franchise you get some strong negative reactions. You walk into a fetish chatroom and start calling the fetish a disgusting perversion, people don’t respond kindly. You walk into a star wars convention and start praising the inherent superiority of star wars once again, the reactions are expected.
By the very nature of having a community and/or location dedicated to the discussion of a particular item or topic, most people are fans. Not only that, but any and all of the overly crazy diehard fans are pretty much guaranteed to be there. As such, the environment becomes one that isn’t overly open to criticism, baring unique circumstances mostly involving change. Bringing a criticism to the table in such a setting becomes a fine art, a delicate game. One must phrase it in such a way as to emphasize that they too are a fan, and the product as a whole is awesome, but that there is a single aspect of it that they do not personally enjoy.
Notice the vastly different reactions between WargleBargle’s post, and Catbus. Though it sounds Catbus might be a repeat offender. I don’t read the comments of every update, so I don’t know, but that would certainly further alter the context that the one reads the comment in.
Ideally that’s not how it would be, but it’s not exactly unpredictable. Just about every facet of the situation dictates that it would be so.
John has been gracious in the comments, and he’s doing an admirable job. Phil’s response to Catbus, while disturbing, was apologized for. I believe he understands the connotations for that outburst. That’s all you can ask at this point.
When I was in school, we had to critique eachother’s art once a week. There were very strict rules about engaging other people’s opinions of a piece. One girl white-knighted for her friend’s prints and went after another girl for being critical. She was asked to go home early.
Even if Catbus came off a little dickish, he’s not a troll. I’ve seen him here before. Vilifying him will only make others withhold honest constructive criticism and hurt the comic and the community in the long run. When you white knight, even with the best intentions, consider the bigger picture. You don’t have to, but understand it’s a selfish thing to do.
Almost everyone here chose to follow this web comic because they like it. They take the time to comment because they care, even if their comments are critical. They care enough to point out what they don’t like and how it can change for the better in their opinion. Shouting down people’s opinions on the internet is one thing, but shouting down people’s opinions for art is another. Art is entirely subjective, there is no other way to talk about it! The very worst thing a creative person can do is to not be open to criticism, or neglect to create an environment where one can freely express their opinion.
What I’m trying to say is that yes, this is the internet. This was bound to happen. It’s unfortunate that Phil said what he did. But this is also a chance for us to resolve to be better than the average internet forum.
Going forward, I hope even just a few of us remember this situation before posting. As the comic becomes more successful, the community will need to set a good example for future readers. Otherwise, don’t be surprised if the comments become a soulless circlejerk like DeviantArt :(
Pffft. What Phil said wasn’t unfortunate… unless you mean the point where he apologised for it. His original remark to Catbus was hilarious, badass and entirely warranted… if a little soft. The subsequent apology was just kinda lame.
I see Frigg’s been working on her diplomacy!
Looks like she may have rolled a 19 or 20.
Frigg just got the Best of him.
yes, but she cant salve all her problems this way
True, but it’s forgivable in this case; she looks like she needs some pretty unguent care.
Some of these puns might be potion it.
Oh chem on. Don’t you think they’re punny?
Anyway it’s good to see that their solution worked. They just needed to make use of their mixture of different skills.
I think these componds are unstable, radioactive even.
If they do anything too hasty, it might blow up in their faces.
We’ll have to see how things go, the situation remains fluid.
I thought it would be Syr’nj and Byron, but it turns out Syr’nj and Gravedust have such chemistry together!
He’s certainly been a rather good assistant. Flask not what your artificer can do for you, but what you can do for your artificer.
Still, I don’t care for her astringent tone. I mean, she was vine in the end.
I think Gravedust gave him the stinging salve on poultice.
What gave you vat idea?
Balm down, everyone!
Ooh baby, I’m hot just like an oven
I need some lovin’
And baby, I can’t hold it much longer
It’s getting stronger and stronger
And when I get that feeling
I want sexual healing
Sexual healing, oh baby
Makes me feel so fine
Hey, Byron, glad to see you back to full sentience.
I like this Frigg. Let’s find a way to keep her like this.
Psssht, MANGA-like expressions. You kids and your MANGA. Frigg’s definitely pulling a Charlie Brown AAUGH! in panel 3. http://casualhardcore.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/charlie-brown-argh.jpg This comic’s art style is nothing but a Schultz rip-off! >_>
<_<
Good ol' Frigg Akerfeldt-Brown. To me, the style looks way more American-comic-like than manga-like, otherwise Frigg would have tiny circles for flailing arms, eyes half the size of her head that were completely white, and a popping plus-sign like mark for a popping vein.
I take it you never read Fans…
The juxtaposition of Looney Tunes style drawings with a dead serious storyline is something you never EVER get used to.
For once it’s the Crusader, not the Berserker, who’s flattened.
Isn’t it…Byronic? Don’cha think?
I see what you did there.
Byronic… Isn’t that one of the types of satire?
More a style of dress. Byron was essentially THE hipster indie douchebag of the Romantic Period
Frigg the Berserker?
After that golem kill, I think she leveled up or something. She seems awesomer. And able to relocate har own leg, by the looks of it.
Gravedust better be gentle…
Putting a dislocated limb back into alignment can be done by oneself, it’s just painful before it snaps back.
Happened to me all the time when I was a kid due to silly medical conditions.
Yay, Frigg!
I get Gravedust’s thing against them all being brought back from the dead, but does he have a problem with faster-than-normal healing, too? Seems like an odd thing for the “cleric” of the group to be opposed to.
I think his major problem in this scenario is “handling dangerous, probably smelly, potentially highly reactive, and mostly unlabeled chemicals”, which I feel would be quite justified, Mystic or not.
That and, if you’ve ever played a game where you have to be the healer, it can get pretty stressed.
Kind of…remarkable that they didn’t need any healing DURING the boss fight though, only after.
Then again, if they didn’t require healing during the fight and had another of their party members aka Gravedust not fighting maybe this is just more trash instead of a boss or even miniboss.
The dungeon never starts with the boss. It starts with Cannon Fodder. If you have this much trouble slaying the wallmart greeters then that’s a sure sign you’re not quite ready for this dungeon yet.
Personally I find that the greeters at Walmart are the MOST intimidating of all their employees.
They can see right through stealth, and are immune to flanking attacks.
Not that I’ve tried. It’s just what I hear.
I don’t think GD is a cleric. He’s more of a spiritualist of some kind (mystic, eh?) whose link to the spirit world allowed him to resurrect the party (that one time) but otherwise no more a healer than any guy with a medkit.
He almost seems to be a divine version of the arcane archer or a “spirit ranger”.
Jedi Archer?
Yeah, Gravy doesn’t really fit any established labels. He’s got all sorts of spirit powers, and he’s a good archer, so it makes sense that he can augment his shots with spirit magic. But since his powers are essentially directing spirits to certain tasks, healing is completely irrelevant.
What give you the impression he’s the healer? That’s Syr’Nj’s job. His real specialty is divination and buffs. He’s more of a shammie than a cleric. (Though the Mystic class is just way too weird and groundbreaking to fit traditional RPG molds.)
I know he’s not the healer, it’s just that if anybody in the group is a magic classed based on faith, it’s Gravedust. Not all clerics are healers. I played a cleric who never once broke out the healing magic because we had a druid who healed like nobody’s business.
Being the solution to problems you are also the cause of insures you’re never left with nothing to do.
It looks like Frigg is “hurting” for attention.
Aww, look at the two love birds. Obvious to Frigg shoving Best into possible boulders and pain.
Jesus H. Frozen Christ on a Stick, we’re going from lame manga style during action scenes to lame manga style during non-action scenes.
You’re doing this just to bug me now, aren’t you?
I likes the arts of this page!
What’s so “manga” about Frigg’s extreme expressions? They don’t look like the same type of extreme expressions that I’ve seen in manga. So I think “cartoony” would be a better word. (Doesn’t third panel show a typical Peanuts-expression?) And I don’t have a problem with a bit of that. Such as in this page, for instance.
I’ll confess. I’ve been slipping the artist a few bucks on the sly to slide this kind of thing in just to piss you off. Glad to know it’s workin!
I find it somewhat ironic, that you have an anime character as an icon, Catbus. (Not that I don’t love the ground Hayao Miyazaki walks on.)
I am sort of in-between. I view it the same way I view anime in general. I don’t mind it so long as it’s used like exclamation points. Exclamation points can really display the inherent excitement of a notation, but overuse mostly just seems out of place and silly. Not saying this is either, but this particular page /is/ heavy on the warped expressions. Five all in all. Then again, maybe a silly reprieve is exactly what the artist is going for. Whose to say. But them.
http://www.mangafox.com/manga/xxxholic/v04/c023/2.html
http://manga.animea.net/dragon-ball-chapter-463-page-1.html
http://manga.animea.net/death-note-chapter-21-page-9.html
http://manga.animea.net/berserk-chapter-14-page-25.html
http://manga.animea.net/pita-ten-chapter-all-page-6.html
http://manga.animea.net/pokemon-adventures-chapter-59-page-3.html
I think that’s a pretty decent sampling from the various genres and art styles. It’s last minute so it’s not perfect. Anyway, fill me in on the similarities you’re seeing. Which ones of these do you think match best? Feel free to bring in some examples of your own. I’m interested in what you’re seeing here.
You caught us, Catbus. I give so much of a fuck about what you think about the apparent “mangafication” of our comic now that I will order John to stop drawing in a way that offends you, my most valuable and favorite fan.
Please forgive us for offending your delicate artistic sensibilities, Catbus. If there’s any way I can make up for the time you spent reading a comic on the Internet for free, please let me know.
I… I don’t know what I would do if you stopped reading the comic, shut the fuck up, and left forever. I’d be crushed.
…yow.
I was about to say (before I got to Phil’s reply) that I don’t think it looks particularly manga (though I’m not very familiar with the style thereof).
But, um, yow.
Healing salve?
It’s not manga style. It’s not remotely manga style. It is using some techniques you use in manga.
Mangafication…. Mangafication… Mangaficaaaaaaation….
Ooo! Just had a childhood flashback to Disneyland!
Saw this coming. It seems there’s a critique about the ‘manga’ on each page and i was wondering how long before someone from ‘crew’ decided to comment on it. I think catbus just doesn’t like the stretched faces with lack of definition in the teeth area because that particular affect was not a part of Erika’s style. Personally, I dig bringing back a little of the silliness to a comic that has been shown to be serious and funny.
Obviously, it was better when Erica was drawing people’s faces as a smiley face in a circle in the background. obviously
Me, I’m a big fan of the fact that the artists in this comic have the freedom of art direction. Constrain your artist, and they’ll produce substandard work, get annoyed or burn out. (or all three.)
P.S. Panel 1 has some very nice composition in it.
Thing is, those expressions are basically boilerplate. They’re stapled onto the characters. Say what you will about Erica’s background work (I found it charming) but up against her subtly and line quality this don’t look so good. I think our current artist can do better if he’s willing to push himself in that department, has the time, and is interested, but it’s foolish to pretend that this is better or even comparable.
If people are upset and emote a bunch over it well … welcome to the Internet.
Guys, this page is meant to be silly. As a funny/serious comic GA alternates between the two. Since sepia world was super cereal this is supposed to be a little break, the fun/action bit that quite a few people have been asking for mind you.
Just put things into perspective and it’ll all be fine. I’d be the first one to rage if I actually believed GA was permanently adopting Peanuts influences or “manga” ones or whatever.
The style adapts to the situation and the intended effect, it’s artistic license. It was pretty ridiculous that the burst firing golem couldn’t hit Byron out in the open (don’t care how fast he was running) for so long but the page was obviously meant to be silly and make one laugh so ride with it.
The golems are supposed to be like sentinels though, and sentinels are fucking useless. I would be astounded if they could hit a moving target under any circumstances.
So what you’re saying is that “ALLANDANT: CHAU L’TROMB THILLIEU CUSC” translates to “Halt, mutant”?
Thank you. This is the point I was trying to make.
Erica’s art created a world. That world wasn’t like anything I see in any other webcomic. It was unique, distinctive, and engaging. And most of the time, John is pretty good at re-creating that world. But when, for example, he employs facial expressions like Syr’nj’s kawaii-face in the first panel, or Frigg’s mouth-bigger-than-her-face in the last one, it clashes. It takes the comic in a different, less internally consistent direction. It breaks the spell. It’s not part of this world, as previously established. Like suddenly hearing “Yakety Sax” when the Nazgul start chasing Frodo.
So you can bark at me all you like for criticizing a free webcomic, but what I’m telling you is, you’ve created an experience that strikes a chord with a lot of readers, and lately, my experience (I can’t speak for others) is being diminished by what I perceive as an increasing number of dissonant notes. People don’t criticize what they don’t care about; they just walk.
P.S. Yeah, I like Miyazaki a lot, but I watch it when I’m in the mood to watch something made for 8-year-olds.
Gawdz…
I know sometimes I feel like I’m walking through a graveyard and talking to the dead with my comments… but I really hope your ridiculous trail of “manga” complaints comes to a stop soon.
I’ve got far less issue with the Waltrips’ Camp-Mode than I do with your ridiculous misinterpretation of it.
I mean seriously… since when has any exaggerated manga ever bothered with noses, for instance? And yet look… noses.
Winning friends and influencing people? Check.
I know it’s your site and not really my place to say this, but please don’t feed the trolls.
I mean, what else can you call someone beating a dead issue in to the ground while using an avatar that screams hypocrisy?
What part of this is mangafied? If anything the art reminds me more of American-style newspaper comics, such as Peanuts.
(Admit it, Frigg could just as well be screaming “BLOCKHEAD!” in that third panel. You cannot unsee it.)
John wants to play with art styles. Let him.
STOP LIKING WHAT I DON’T LIKE.
I’m sorry for my previous outburst. There was absolutely no need for me to be so harsh. That’s not really the kind of person I want to be. I promise to keep my temper curbed in the future.
We all follow the comic and see you in the comments section and the forum. We know you’re not that kind of person. I had assumed you were just having a bad day or something.
Yeah… yeah I was. Still not a good excuse.
Phil, you just said what I had been thinking. Hopefully that’ll scare him off. The endless whining and self-entitlement was starting to get on my nerves.
Hope today turns out better for you. You have a decent sized fanbase who will enjoy this work no matter what.
Sorry to bother you again with being “smart”. But you have all right to strike back at people who strike at you. And this guy was being an ass. You tolerated him for too long, and he deserved to be put in place. People need to be taught a lesson sometimes, if they are acting badly. Otherwise they will believe that that is the good thing to do, since it is supported. Also, you are a form of authority here, deserve some respect, and your word weigh more, so it is the best if you put the guy in place personally. Alright… this is just the net, nothing serious happens here. No harm was done except to his thoughts which were out of place anyways. Also… the comment was brilliant if simple.
You may not have handled it the way you wanted to, but I support your actions. I hate it when people get angry about something because it doesn’t look like it used to. I’ll admit, I liked Erica’s art better, but John does a great job. I read this for the plot, characters, and comedy. As long as I can tell what’s happening in the artwork, they could be stick figures for all I care. If somebody can’t handle an art change and is getting on your case about it frequently, they need to be shown that something is wrong with what he’s doing. Hopefully he knows you were being sarcastic in that first post so that next comic he doesn’t call you out as breaking your word and brags about being your most valued fan.
He/she would have stiff competition with my parents for most valued fans.
Heh… good times…
Still not sure why you apologised… but your classic festival of snark is something I shall remember fondly every time I come back through the archives.
Being awesome is not something to be sorry for. =p
You had to know they were gonna come after you for dissenting. I don’t mind the eyes or the action sequences doing the “manga” thing, but I’ve commented before about the mouths and teeth. They look flat and poorly done, that they cheapen the entire page. I never thought I’d notice the absence of lips, gums, or the curvature of teeth, but there it is.
It’s John’s style to pick though. He’s the artist, after all. Just please… please don’t do the crazy-mouth-wider-than-Frigg’s-head thing again.
The Godfather of Manga, Osamu Tezuka, was heavily inspired by the art of Disney. All art and artists influence each other. Even if an artist decides to totally reject what has come before them, that’s an influence in and of itself.
I just wish he’d stop making bogus “manga” comparisons. Sergio Aragones and Charles Schulz are not Japanese.
What are you talking about? Schulz is a very common Japanese name.
Gold Star.
Frig doesn’t need healing, she needs a can opener.
Can openers don’t work when the can is dented.
Only if you confine your self to conventional opening techniques.
I’ve never liked extreme expressions in non-humor comics–I find them as jarring as badly done fourth wall breaking. But that’s me.
On a completely different note, didn’t Frigg’s plate armor used to cover the insides of her arms as well as the outsides?
They did when Erica was drawing it, but John is drawing more fine details.
I completely agree, but since I stopped reading the comic when it all went “Lost”, I don’t have a right to complain. :)
I think it’s the rest of the art being so absolutely gorgeous that make these simplification (and it does look more like Peanuts) standing out more crass.
And yet…here you are
Yes, isn’t that something!
Totally agree. Of course, G.A. isn’t a non-humor comic, so it’s fine here.
That’s an excellent point. And I’m sure it’d even be relevant too when applied to some other comic that doesn’t have humor.
‘Cause Frigg is funny as hell.
Er hem.
Just saying. Could be useful.
I’d complain about how that’s insulting to the artist, but…Lackadaisy is just so gorgeous. Pointing there seems less like an insult and more a reminder that there’s always an up.
I’m trying to be constructive.
Lackadaisy IS gorgeous, and while it’s not stylistically where GA is going, the concepts in that article regarding facial expressions have merit for any style.
And really folks, when you look at John’s body of work, you’ll notice a lot of Robotech. The parallels to manga in this incarnation of GA are obvious.
Ronald Reagan, self-appointed art-expert.
Still, I can’t remember how I got linked to that comic before, but it IS beautifully drawn, and it’s not even what I’d usually read, but I enjoyed it. Still, I prefer for Guilded Age to have its own feel. I mean, if I wanted a different art style, I’d read a different comic, and I’m actually digging the “gonzo” style that’s apparent in the faces of Best and Frigg.
Why the heck people are complaining about the art? The art is gorgeous since the beginning and Erica walking out didn’t changed it. Give John a break, he does his work very well and never failed to give us the pages in proper time.
Seriously, look at the internet! There aren’t many free 3 post per week webcomics with artwork of such quality, manga or not.
Seconded. I know a decent number of comics that post with similar consistency and artistic quality, but every one of them is winning awards on a regular basis (Girl Genius, for instance).
I *love* Girl Genius and all, but, well, the artwork, especially the facial expressions, can be a bit… Off, at times. But that’s just the comic’s style. Just like I noticed that John tends to use exaggeration to a bit of comedic effect, and, most of the time, I personally think it works.
Keep up the good work, John.
thank you, Naare.
I hope I don’t offend anyone, but the new art direction just isn’t doing it for me. The original artist had a great style– the pages looked almost painted. When the current artist started, it was different, but I still liked it. The past few pages (and it’s really just been the past few!), the art seems to be… I’m not sure of the best term… Caricature-ish?
You have offended me. As punishment you have to watch this entire vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD2LRROpph0 All of it.
I thought Starfleet banned torture.
I will make him PAY for what he’s done!
No, Captain, we’re better than that! Just escort him off the ship.
Pssst…Transporter #6 is malfunctioning. So you know, just make sure you don’t use it.
How about I just send him to the green gas room to wrestle with the Queen.
How is that punishment? She’s hawt.
Please, Picard, you Star Trek folk have weak methods of torture. Agony booth? Please. Now, if you really wanted him to suffer, you’d tie him up Clockwork Orange style and make him watch this:
I suggest ten years in the room full of robots that just scream at you.
Well, Wargle, at least the problem you have with it is a matter of taste. You’re not standing up on a soapbox and screaming “OMG THIS IS TEH SUCK”. Sounds like it’s just a matter of taste, I guess. I think the caricature-style art style shouldn’t be something for you to worry about, though, because John only breaks it out to accompany humorous segments. My advice is to wait a week or two before deciding to drop this from your reading list, especially if you liked John’s earlier pages.
Dang, poor Frigg can’t get any love here! Scrapes and bruises? Syr’nj is on it! Crushed under a giant rock golem? Yeah, whatever…
Is Frigg going to be able to pull out all those dents or will she have to resort to some bondo, fiberglass, and a coat of candy apple paint?
High level warriors should be able to fist out their armors, since there is no time to take it to the blacksmith during long dungeon crawls…
Hell, why not?
“Fist out their armor”? That sounds…kinky…
I liked the moment between Syr and Byron. He’s really back from the woods.
And Frigg is hilarious as always. I don’t see what was so manga about the expressions but oh well.
People mix up “exaggerated expressions” with “manga influence”. Don’t worry about it and just ignore ’em.
I can’t blame Frigg for being pissed, either. I mean, if my act of epic heroism just got completely ignored, I’d be a wee bit miffed too.
The sweetness of that moment is neatly framed by Frigg’s outburst.
Now time came for me to whine a little more. It is the second time, that the party members are acting as if some other members wouldn’t exist. First, we heard nothing about Bandit. I didn’t liked her, but as a member, the Guild should care about her fate… Now, Frigg is being seriously hurt, Syr’ng and Gravedust simply walked past her. I always love a good laugh and comedy, but this somehow seem a little too off to me… Could you explain this to me? Especially this Bandit mystery… did they spoke about her off screen?
They did discuss Bandit’s disappearance (on “screen”). They simply don’t know where she’s gone to and there’s nothing they can do about it atm.
When you’re staring down an existential crisis after being brought back from the dead to stop the fantasy equivilent of world war three with naught but your own abilities, the missing party member is certainly an issue, and a source of worry, but not necessarily the very first concern on your list. You take a moment, establish that she doesn’t seem to have been buried with you, and wasn’t in the afterlife, but her death was indeed witnessed. Take note of the curious nature of this situation, ask the mystic to be prepared to lay her wandering spirit to rest, and then get back to the matter at hand.
As far as Frigg goes, she’s Frigg. I don’t think anyone in the party genuinely believes she feels pain or sustains damage. I mean, she’s Frigg. You’ve seen her. What more is there to say beyond her name?
Plus, althought the rest of the party was killed, her ebody was trisected, which means she might not eb able to come back. after all, the rest of the party remained mostly whole throughout the fight.
I hate to say it, but Bandit might just plain be perma-dead…
Well, thanks guys. I am half convinced, that this thing isn’t off, or maybe I am overreacting.
Gangler… now that you put it this way, probably I would do the same in the same god-forsaken situation.
Wow, but the fallout in this thread is harsh in it’s potential. I can’t help but feel a little bit like lines were drawn upstairs over the art thing. I took Catbus’s comment to be tongue-in-cheek and responded accordingly. I also put up my own opinion and critique, which I assume I am free to do. I am an artist as well, and I value honest critique and suggestions like gold. I can only assume John does as well. (Though I could of course be wrong.)
My issue here isn’t the explosive reaction to Catbus’ post, (Hey Phil, I’ve had days like that too, we all have. You both do what amounts to charity and it is appreciated) or even the art style and direction in general. It’s the white knight tinge of aggression I’m seeing towards people commenting on the art and their feelings about it.
I /love/ Johns work, I love watching it progress and evolve. I don’t think there is a right or wrong way he could take it. But if honest critique and art feedback is unwelcome without gaining the ire of people posing as protectors? Then I will kindly shut my trap and back off. I am capable of enjoying the finely written and drawn comic with or without commenting, but I rather like to speak up every now and then. And the art’s evolution is a core interest of mine.
Eh, that’s just how it goes. You walk into a zelda forum and star badmouthing the zelda franchise you get some strong negative reactions. You walk into a fetish chatroom and start calling the fetish a disgusting perversion, people don’t respond kindly. You walk into a star wars convention and start praising the inherent superiority of star wars once again, the reactions are expected.
By the very nature of having a community and/or location dedicated to the discussion of a particular item or topic, most people are fans. Not only that, but any and all of the overly crazy diehard fans are pretty much guaranteed to be there. As such, the environment becomes one that isn’t overly open to criticism, baring unique circumstances mostly involving change. Bringing a criticism to the table in such a setting becomes a fine art, a delicate game. One must phrase it in such a way as to emphasize that they too are a fan, and the product as a whole is awesome, but that there is a single aspect of it that they do not personally enjoy.
Notice the vastly different reactions between WargleBargle’s post, and Catbus. Though it sounds Catbus might be a repeat offender. I don’t read the comments of every update, so I don’t know, but that would certainly further alter the context that the one reads the comment in.
Ideally that’s not how it would be, but it’s not exactly unpredictable. Just about every facet of the situation dictates that it would be so.
Fair enough. I suppose that is the nature of public forum. One cannot address the individual without addressing the forum also. Well said.
John has been gracious in the comments, and he’s doing an admirable job. Phil’s response to Catbus, while disturbing, was apologized for. I believe he understands the connotations for that outburst. That’s all you can ask at this point.
When I was in school, we had to critique eachother’s art once a week. There were very strict rules about engaging other people’s opinions of a piece. One girl white-knighted for her friend’s prints and went after another girl for being critical. She was asked to go home early.
Even if Catbus came off a little dickish, he’s not a troll. I’ve seen him here before. Vilifying him will only make others withhold honest constructive criticism and hurt the comic and the community in the long run. When you white knight, even with the best intentions, consider the bigger picture. You don’t have to, but understand it’s a selfish thing to do.
Almost everyone here chose to follow this web comic because they like it. They take the time to comment because they care, even if their comments are critical. They care enough to point out what they don’t like and how it can change for the better in their opinion. Shouting down people’s opinions on the internet is one thing, but shouting down people’s opinions for art is another. Art is entirely subjective, there is no other way to talk about it! The very worst thing a creative person can do is to not be open to criticism, or neglect to create an environment where one can freely express their opinion.
What I’m trying to say is that yes, this is the internet. This was bound to happen. It’s unfortunate that Phil said what he did. But this is also a chance for us to resolve to be better than the average internet forum.
Going forward, I hope even just a few of us remember this situation before posting. As the comic becomes more successful, the community will need to set a good example for future readers. Otherwise, don’t be surprised if the comments become a soulless circlejerk like DeviantArt :(
Maturity reaching… critical levels…..
Quick, someone reference a popular internet meme!
Yo dawg, I herd you liek mudkips, so we took your car to soviet russie, where mudkips liek you!
orly?
Yarly! You’re the man now dawg! I hope you don’t mind though, we accidentally the carburetor. Is that bad?
That’s so bad! The badness is over nine thousand! I’m so angry that imma chargin my lazers!
I think you’re a pretty cool guy. You charge your lazers and doesn’t afraid of anything.
If I could “Like” this comment, I would.
Pffft. What Phil said wasn’t unfortunate… unless you mean the point where he apologised for it. His original remark to Catbus was hilarious, badass and entirely warranted… if a little soft. The subsequent apology was just kinda lame.
TWU WUV
This page is silly and it has made me giggle
Enough with the boring medieval stuff! When will the sepia world be back? ;)
Hmm. So to get Byron mostly out of his funk all they had to do was throw him to a pair of rampaging golems?
I’ll remember that the next time one of my friends goes emo.
we know ur fine frigg.
ur always fine!