New Webcomic by Scott "Understanding Comics" McCloud by CaptBaggytrousers

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

New Webcomic by Scott "Understanding Comics" McCloud

POSTED BY: CAPTBAGGYTROUSERS
UPDATED: Saturday, July 5, 2003 12:42
SHORT URL:
VIEWED: 6177
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Tuesday, July 1, 2003 11:07 AM

Hey All,

Scott McCloud, author of Understanding Comics and Reinventing Comics as well as my old favoite Zot! has just posted a new webcomic, The Right Number, on his site

http://scottmccloud.com/

This time out he is taking a step into the future by accepting micropayments on a per-view basis.

It's a great story from the man who truly understands comics. I would urge everyone to head over and partake of the free sample. Good stuff.

History repeats the old conceits

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Tuesday, July 1, 2003 11:23 AM

SARAHETC

Shiny. I only just discovered him in Computer Gaming World, but he's cool. I even found his Sims stuff is funny, even tho I really dislike the game.

I'm trying to stuff a lot of comics stuff and graphic novel stuff into my head. Somebody want to tell me where to start with Neil Gaiman. For instance, how to spell it properly.

Sarah

I'm a dying breed who still believes, haunted by American dreams. ---Neko Case

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Tuesday, July 1, 2003 12:10 PM

CAPTBAGGYTROUSERS

Oh boy, where to start?

Okay, you have to understand as I answer that I am raised on and steeped in comics of every description. I love a wide range of comics, but mainstream comics, I hate to say it, are just a minefield for the new reader and generally too much of an investment of time and cash. That said, there are a ton of great books anyone can pick up and enjoy.

For sheer, untouchable genius in the comics form:
Acme Novelty Library by Chris Ware (Jimmy Corrigan, a collection is now available in paperback).

Eightball by Daniel G. Clowes (several paperbacks available, 20th Century Eightball, David Boring and the superior-to-the-movie Ghost World. The most recent issue, now more than a year old, is an incredible stand alone.)

Love and Rockets by Los Bros. Hernandez (also collected in several books. Interconnected stories, but most can be read on their own)

For the best crafted stories: Almost anything by Alan Moore, most recently his America's Best Comics line (slightly tongue-in-cheek as Moore is British), including the excellent Promethea and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (remember: all he has to do with the movie is he took the check. The book is actually wonderful). His older works include Watchmen and V for Vendetta, both good. Pretty much anything which says "Alan Moore" across the top is a good bet.

A series called Fray drawn by Karl Moline and written by some unknown named Joss Whedon, of which seven of eight issues have been produced to date.

A book called Astro City by Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson: A great take on superheroes, but more than that, on their effect on the normal citizens of the title city.

If you wanted to dip a toe into the murky waters of the mainstream, I would recommend The Ultimates, a modern reinvention of some old Marvel Comics characters. Have no worries; you don't need to know anything about them before hand. The first compilation, Superhuman, tells you all you need to know.

If you enjoyed the X-Men movies try a compilation called E is for Extinction by Grant Morrison and various artists.

Gaiman deserves all the praise he received for Sandman, and many other works.

Agh, so many good comics. Also, Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics as a great history of the medium and a peek at what it can do and where it might go.

Even if none of these are your cup of tea exactly, there will be something for you. Enjoy!

History repeats the old conceits

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Tuesday, July 1, 2003 12:22 PM

SARAHETC

Quote:
Originally posted by CaptBaggytrousers:
Oh boy, where to start?

For sheer, untouchable genius in the comics form:
Acme Novelty Library by Chris Ware (Jimmy Corrigan, a collection is now available in paperback).

Eightball by Daniel G. Clowes (several paperbacks available, 20th Century Eightball, David Boring and the superior-to-the-movie Ghost World. The most recent issue, now more than a year old, is an incredible stand alone.)

Is Jimmy Corrigan the smartest boy on earth? My boss is heavy into cool books, so I get tips from him. In fact, I have a couple of his issues of Eightball on my desk right now.

That and Flaming Carrot comics and Reid Somebody or Other, the world's most sarcastic milkman.

I'll try some of this and get back to you.

Sarah

I'm a dying breed who still believes, haunted by American dreams. ---Neko Case

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Tuesday, July 1, 2003 12:44 PM

BRTICK

Bendis Bendis Bendis....

Keep Flying!

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Tuesday, July 1, 2003 12:51 PM

SUCCATASH

Hey Capt. Baggy T,

Did you like "Chasing Amy?"

"Tracer!"

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Tuesday, July 1, 2003 12:52 PM

CAPTBAGGYTROUSERS

Oh no, please don't think I was trying to snub the Bends. There are about a million and a half great creators I didn't mention. I left out Will Eisner, for crying out loud! (Eisner books include A Contract with God, A Life Force, The Building, and To The Heart of the Storm. Writing and drawing since the late 30s, Eisner is still turning out great work to this day).

Yeah Sarah, it is Jimmy Corrigan: Smartest Kid on Earth. And Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman is a hoot and a half.

Anybody else who wants to give a shout out to good comics, I gleefully invite you to do so.

I had just today heard about McCloud somehow being involved in the Sims. What did he do there?

History repeats the old conceits

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Tuesday, July 1, 2003 12:55 PM

CAPTBAGGYTROUSERS

Quote:
Originally posted by Succatash:
Hey Capt. Baggy T,

Did you like "Chasing Amy?"

"Tracer!"

Your mother's a tracer!

History repeats the old conceits

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Tuesday, July 1, 2003 1:47 PM

SUCCATASH

Dangit Capt., I want to know if you liked the movie. I wasn't calling you a tracer, just quoting from the movie.

EH?

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Tuesday, July 1, 2003 1:48 PM

BRTICK

no no, i don't think that. i just wanted to get his name out there....

Quote:
Originally posted by CaptBaggytrousers:
Oh no, please don't think I was trying to snub the Bends.]

Keep Flying!

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Tuesday, July 1, 2003 2:13 PM

CAPTBAGGYTROUSERS

Hey 'Tash, I did indeed enjoy Chasing Amy. In fact, I was quoting Banky Edwards right back atcha. "Just because a guy reads comics you think he can't start some shit?" Yeah, I enjoy much of Mr. Smith ouvre.

It got the comics subculture relatively correct, except for the part about comics being created by movie stars who own their own creative works and earn enough to live on. Other than that, fairly accurate.

P.S. Although I usually pencil and ink my own work, occasionally I will ink someone else. And I am damn proud to be a tracer!

History repeats the old conceits

http://topshelftvshow.com

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Tuesday, July 1, 2003 2:24 PM

SUCCATASH

Oh damn, I missed the Banky comeback. Doh!

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Tuesday, July 1, 2003 3:31 PM

SERGEANTX

Quote:
That and Flaming Carrot comics and Reid Somebody or Other, the world's most sarcastic milkman

Wow,

I can't believe someone else has read "Reid Fleming: World's Toughest Milkman"! I'm not really into comics but saw that one at a friends house and went out and bought the whole series. Incredibly funny stuff. Everyone should read it. Has sort of an anachronistic tone to it, but the characterization and humor is spot on. Imagine if Clint Eastwood looked like Earnest Borgnine and NEVER had a good day, oh, and was a milkman.

SergeantX

"..and here's to all the dreamers, may our open hearts find rest." -- Nanci Griffith

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Wednesday, July 2, 2003 11:39 AM

STRINGSLINGER

Quote:
I can't believe someone else has read "Reid Fleming: World's Toughest Milkman"!

"No you are Ivan."

Keep Flying

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Wednesday, July 2, 2003 1:06 PM

TRAGICSTORY

OK since this is a webcomic thread (kinda) I have to plug in my favorite not so mainstream comic:

http://www.somethingpositive.net

You'll laugh, cringe and cry!

Start at the first one!
http://www.somethingpositive.net/sp12192001.html

-----------
"Societies are supported by human activity, therefore they are constantly threatened by the human facts of self-intrest and stupidity." --Peter Berger

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Wednesday, July 2, 2003 1:25 PM

CAPTBAGGYTROUSERS

WHOAH! I saw the daily-strip grid, the nice coloring, clean linework and inoffensive-looking characters... And was so delighted by the sickness of it. Wonderful!

History repeats the old conceits

http://topshelftvshow.com

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Wednesday, July 2, 2003 2:02 PM

SERGEANTX

Quote:
"No you are Ivan."

I thought I told you to shut up!

SergeantX

"..and here's to all the dreamers, may our open hearts find rest." -- Nanci Griffith

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Wednesday, July 2, 2003 2:44 PM

CAPTBAGGYTROUSERS

"THE GREAT AND POWERFUL OZ HAS SPOKEN!"

History repeats the old conceits

http://topshelftvshow.com

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Wednesday, July 2, 2003 4:37 PM

STRINGSLINGER

Quote:
Originally posted by CaptBaggytrousers:
"THE GREAT AND POWERFUL OZ HAS SPOKEN!"

Speaking of great and powerful, there's a comic I would like to recommend:

The Adventures of Petershark, by our very own Captbaggytrousers (a.k.a. Jesse Farrell). As the Firefly: The Animated Series artwork posted in the Blue Sun Room clearly shows, Captbaggytrousers packs a huge amount of expression and detail into a deceptively simple visual style. The characters are alternately larger-than-life and all-too-human. The dialogue is fluid. Issue #1 contains both a retro-futuristic space opera, and a fairly deep character study, all framed seamlessly. The only drawback to this comic is that it is almost impossible to find. I would suggest that you either email the Capn directly at Allmenfearme@aol.com or ask the folks at www.comicopia.com to send you a copy via mail order.

And I'm not just saying this because of the ridiculously huge stacks of money that Captbaggytrousers is paying me. Really.

Keep Flying

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Wednesday, July 2, 2003 9:02 PM

CAPTBAGGYTROUSERS

Aw, shucks! 'Tweren't nothin'.

(And Stringslinger, check's in the mail.)

History repeats the old conceits

http://topshelftvshow.com

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Thursday, July 3, 2003 10:13 AM

SARAHETC

Cap'nBT--

Was reading CGW last night and got to McCloud's page and thought of you. He's writing about motivation and game AI. He wrote:

"When creating characters in software, though, it's easiest to fall back on just two basic motivations. Ally. Enemy. Can you imagine personal ads organized that way? 'Hmm. Let's see... Trying to kill me... trying to kill me...trying to kill me... Hey, here's one: "SWF 24... Bystander."'"

Though you might enjoy that, if you hadn't already seen it.

Sarah

I'm a dying breed who still believes, haunted by American dreams. ---Neko Case

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Thursday, July 3, 2003 11:13 AM

CAPTBAGGYTROUSERS

No, I hadn't seen that! He's good with the analogy, that guy. Where did you read this? I'm not familar with CGW.

History repeats the old conceits

http://topshelftvshow.com

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Thursday, July 3, 2003 12:18 PM

SARAHETC

CGW=Computer Gaming World

He does a montly feature in the vein of "Understanding Gaming."

It's a magazine wholly devoted to pc gaming--I love it!

Sarah

I'm a dying breed who still believes, haunted by American dreams. ---Neko Case

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Thursday, July 3, 2003 3:51 PM

CAPTBAGGYTROUSERS

Oh, thanks for the heads up on that Sarah! I'm one of those backbirths who doesn't do any kind of computer gaming. I never completed Infocom's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and have never learned to love again. I'll definitely have to check the magazine out, though.

History repeats the old conceits

http://topshelftvshow.com

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Saturday, July 5, 2003 12:38 PM

SARAHETC

CapBT--

Was catching up on Penny Arcade (I know, Iknow) and saw this and thought of you and of all of us here, for whom this resonates a little too perfectly.

http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2003-07-04

Sarah

I'm a dying breed who still believes, haunted by American dreams. ---Neko Case

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Saturday, July 5, 2003 12:42 PM

CAPTBAGGYTROUSERS

I laughed very loud and very hard at this. Way, way too much so. Again: I will die alone.

Best laugh I've had all day- thanks, Sarah!

History repeats the old conceits

http://topshelftvshow.com

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