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Psychic powers are more believable than something ignoring the square cube law.

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Executive Summary of a few webcomics Bob 2011/02/04(Fri)14:34 No. 12921 ID: 252e1b

This is a selection of representative web-comics which are self-sustaining. It is by no means comprehensive. A larger list is available on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_self-sufficient_webcomics but it is perfunctory at best. All comics, unless otherwise mentioned, use advertising to supplement their income.

Achewood

http://achewood.com/

The comic follows the life of the cats Ray and Roast Beef. The stuffed animals Mr. Bear, Lyle the lion, Téodor the bear, and Philippe the otter are also major characters, and frequently get their own story arcs. The setting is a contemporary parody of American life. The comic’s latest story arc featured Téodor being abducted late at night by Nice Pete, the local serial killer/psychopath, to act out Nice Pete’s idea of what juvenile high school pranks are. The jokes are often outrageously dirty or obtuse, and the comic is in no way appropriate for children. Jokes tend to be situational, with few puns. Some violence, lots of sexual humor and toilet humor. Achewood uses multiple formats to develop the characters; main characters all have their own blogs that are maintained by the author, written from their perspectives.

The comic is updated weekly, and is grayscale with twelve or more panels per update. Earlier story arcs were done in the traditional three panel, but the author moved away from that as his stories grew more complicated. Mixed media methods are sometimes used, with photos inserted into the comic. Merchandising includes: monthly subscription for extra features (text updates, photos, previews of the comic in progress, e-books and other features), yearly subscription for two years of mixed-format archives and other content, graphic novels (won 2007 Time Magazine’s #1 spot for the Top Ten Graphic Novels), related books (a cookbook purportedly authored by the strip characters), original artwork in acrylic (via e-bay auction and private commission), and a “tip jar” with special mention for donators. Achewood does not sell advertising space.

Daisy Owl

http://www.daisyowl.com/

The comic follows the life and times of a talking owl, his two adopted human children (Daisy and Cooper), and family friend Steve (a talking bear who works for a honey company). The comic’s last story arc featured Steve and Owl rescuing Daisy and Cooper from a secret school on the moon. Jokes are family appropriate, clean humor, cartoon levels of violence.

The comic was updated twice a week, grayscale three to nine panels with occasional larger format comics in color. The artist retired the series after two years to pursue other things. Merchandising includes: posters, t-shirts, and songs.

Schlock Mercenary

http://www.schlockmercenary.com/

The comic follows the title character, Schlock, through his career working for the Mercenary company “Tagon’s Toughs.” The setting is in the far future, when energy is literally too cheap to meter, and space travel is common. The comic’s latest story arc features the Toughs dealing with the ramifications of learning that they had their memories altered at the hands of a near-totalitarian government. Jokes tend to use many puns and some toilet humor. Lots of violence, some graphic scenes but nothing that could be called gory is shown (it is implied often though). The main character, being an alien, likes to eat his enemies when possible. Skeletons are shown. Death is not always permanent, with one character having died and been revived or cloned at least five times thus far. Sex is implied but not shown, some censored nudity (privates always hidden somehow by scenery).

This comic is on-going and is updated daily. The comic is in full color, and normally uses a four panel format with a large format update on Sundays. Merchandising includes: iPhone application for viewing the comic (with bonus features like high resolution panels and a three day lead on the web published comic), books (six volumes of the comic series itself, a couple of rpg books, and a children’s book), original prints (all related to the comic), tchotchkes like magnets and figurines, commissioned art, comic art originals, and desktop wallpapers. The comic has been going ten and a half years now, with the artist showing a marked improvement over that period.

Erfworld

http://www.erfworld.com/

The comic follows the adventures of Parson Gotti (an anagram for “protagonist”) as he copes with being transported into a world that is modeled after a giant war game. Parson’s assigned role is that of “Perfect Warlord,” and while he does his assigned job a great deal of time is spent exploring the mechanics and physics of the strange world he’s a part of. Jokes tend to be subtle and often rely on symbolism. The latest story arc features the main character taking action to rescue a large collection of strategically valuable spell casters and assorted leaders from a bad situation they were placed in by an unexpected turn of bad fortune in their latest campaign. Lots of violence, some implied sex.

This comic is on-going and updated twice a week. The comic is full color, full page format. The story is told with a combination of comics and text updates written by the comic’s writer. Merchandising includes iPhone application for viewing the comic, one book, subscription for extra features (watching the comic being drawn in real-time sessions, wallpapers, other features), tchotchkes like badges and post cards, and commissioned art. After the first book, the comic switched artists. The comic has run since 2006.

Questionable Content

http://questionablecontent.net/

This comic is about a circle of twenty-something hipsters and the situations their youth and neurotic behaviors get them into. The main character, Marten, plays the straight man to the other characters. The setting is a contemporary east coast metropolitan area near a university. The latest story arc is about Marten breaking up with his girlfriend because she was overly jealous and insecure about their relationship, and how he has to re-arrange his entire routine because they have so many friends in common. Some cartoony violence, lots of dirty jokes and puns, some post-coital bedroom scenes (blankets drawn up, no explicit nudity but lots of pillow talk).

This comic is on-going and updated five times a week. The comic is full color, four panel format with occasional filler strips for days when an emergency comes up in the artist’s personal life. Filler strips are of “Yelling Bird,” a finch in a single pose that acts as the avatar of the artist’s frustration with himself. Merchandising includes: t-shirts with original designs (some featured in the comic itself), prints, a book with re-done art of the earlier strips, a “Yelling Bird” plushie, “Pintesize” water bottle, prints, and a tote bag. The comic has run since 2003, with the artist showing a marked improvement over the course of the strip’s run.

Penny Arcade

http://www.penny-arcade.com/

This comic is about two self-professed gamer nerds, Tycho and Gabe, and their adventures. The comic is equal parts commentary about video games and video game businesses, and video game players. The setting is a contemporary metropolitan area. Story arcs are short and are frequently peppered with stand-alone strips. The latest story arc is about Gabe becoming a full-fledged dungeon master for Dungeons and Dragons games. Lots of cartoony violence, lots of dirty jokes and puns, no nudity, some very tasteless jokes (including an ongoing controversy about a joke that involved a reference to a peasant being “raped by dickwolves”). Latest reader contest: “dickerdooles” (cookies shaped like male members, judged by the artist and writer of the comic for being funny).

The comic is on-going and updated three times a week. The comic is in full color three-panel format, with one panel sketches during important conventions. Merchandising includes: t-shirts, prints, hoodies, coffee mugs, albums, spin-off video games, licensed character appearances in other games, books (6 volumes of the comic), posters, DVDs of a spin-off cartoon, figurines, a card game, and a baseball cap. The comic has run since 1998, with both the artist and the writer showing marked improvement over the course of the strip’s run. The authors are active and have organized their own convention for showcasing new games, and help run a charity for children’s hospitals.

XKCD

http://xkcd.com/

This comic features a rotating cast of stick figures who have different adventures. There are very few story arcs; most comics are stand alone math or science jokes, sometimes very esoteric and involved. The author has coded hidden messages in the comic on several occasions, encoding GPS co-ordinates for fans to show up at. The jokes are mostly clean, though usually are too complicated for children to understand.

The comic is on-going and is updated three times a week. The comic is in black and white, with downright crude art. Merchandising includes: a book of the first 600 comics, signed prints, posters, mouse pads, shirts, ties, hoodies, stickers, USB flash drives, and badges. The comic has run since 2005.

MS Paint Adventures

http://www.mspaintadventures.com/

A collection of webcomics presented in single panel format, with reader input largely determining the characters’ actions for the next panel. On average, 6 panels per day are presented. The ongoing story, Homestuck, focuses on four main characters: John, Rose, Dave, and Jade, all 13 year old children working on solving a fully immersive game that drew them into a personal world with its own logic and physics, and which brought about the end of their home world somehow. Important updates use Flash animation and extensive music tracks, while less important updates are posted as animated or static GIFs. Time travel figures heavily into the storyline, with several characters being directly involved in creating self-fulfilling prophecies. The jokes are puns, situational humor, and verbal sparring between characters. Crude humor abounds, with almost all characters being fond of making the kinds of crude jokes a 13 year old would make.

The comic is on-going and is updated six times a day. The comic is in black and white with some color, and with fully animated strips every couple of weeks. Merchandising includes: t-shirts, prints, and music albums. The comic has run since 2006.

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>>	4812df.jpg Aqua Spirit Blossom 4812df Bob 2011/02/04(Fri)14:35 No. 12922 ID: 4812df This is cool and all but why

>>	252e1b.jpg Rain Cream 252e1b Bob 2011/02/04(Fri)14:37 No. 12923 ID: 252e1b >>12922 If one studies successful cases, one can integrate the lessons learned from them to turn a profit.

>>	15b51b.jpg Lilac Rain Dancer 15b51b Bob 2011/02/04(Fri)14:39 No. 12924 ID: 15b51b >>12922 Why not? This is a board. You post things.

>>	4812df.jpg Aqua Spirit Blossom 4812df Bob 2011/02/04(Fri)15:16 No. 12925 ID: 4812df But but I mean Don't we all know about webcrumbles

Bob 2011/02/04(Fri)15:51 No. 12928 ID: 15b51b

>If one studies successful cases, one can integrate the lessons learned from them to turn a profit.
Any insights so far? I mean, what the heck do Penny Arcade, XKCD, and Achewood have in common, apart from abstract positive traits like "good writing" or "quality"? (And Schlock Mercenary gets by without those two OH BURN)

Dirtbag 2011/02/04(Fri)16:00 No. 12930 ID: e3f578

This idea would be better if instead of being goddamn summaries, we rip on the goddamn webcomics.

Of course there's that bad webcomics wiki that does that at http://badwebcomics.wikidot.com/, but man do I love a good ripping. How about we rip shit on good webcomics too, they all got flaws.

Man, that Penny Arcade comic sure does always require you to read the newspost associated with the current comic , doesn't it?

>>	2563d4.jpg Cherry Milk 2563d4 Bob 2011/02/04(Fri)16:30 No. 12932 ID: 2563d4 I cannot possibly see what you hope to achieve from this other than to demonstrate that you are an idiot.

Bob 2011/02/04(Fri)20:41 No. 12943 ID: 252e1b

>>12928

xkcd does it with completely shit art, too. The major lessons are that marketing merchandise related to the comic is the best way to actually make money, and that the best way to get an audience is to follow a frequent and fairly strict update schedule. Of the comics I listed here, the one with the slowest schedule is Achewood, and its updates are often 12 to 16 panel monsters.

Schlock Mercenary has the strictest update schedule, with Tayler having never missed an update since he started the strip in June of 2000. Aside from Daisy Owl and xkcd, it is the comic with content most appropriate for people who decry moral turpitude. It's got a lot of action, on a grand scale, often resembling the adventure serials of Tayler's childhood. Simply put, questionable art and story or no, it succeeds by dint of being reliable and entertaining without being outright shocking to mid-western American values.

>>	28e94e.jpg Ice Pouncer 28e94e Bob 2011/02/04(Fri)20:44 No. 12944 ID: 28e94e >>12943 This, basically

Cruxador 2011/02/04(Fri)21:11 No. 12945 ID: 693d88

>>12943
I really am not convinced that it's PG-style content limitations are a significant contributer to its success.
It has passable full-color art, decent characters who are different enough to be memorable, a setting which, though generally unremarkable, is often given to parodies and exaggerations of modern life, and fairly engaging story arcs. In other words, no crippling flaws, and a few decent things to read for.

It updates every day, so it maintains a solid userbase, those who read it never go for so long without update that they become disinclined to check for updates. And each update is small, so keeping up to date is trivial.

>>	8211e6.jpg Queen Silver Cake 8211e6 Bob 2011/02/04(Fri)22:55 No. 12947 ID: 8211e6 >>12932 I am noticing that you seem to be complaining at someone in almost every third non-quest thread I see. Why are you doing this.

>>	2563d4.jpg Cherry Milk 2563d4 Bob 2011/02/05(Sat)11:53 No. 12967 ID: 2563d4 >>12947 Because I am running out of tolerance. I probably need to ragequit the non-/quest/ boards for a while.

>>	8211e6.jpg Queen Silver Cake 8211e6 Bob 2011/02/05(Sat)12:38 No. 12968 ID: 8211e6 >>12967 Perhaps that will help.

>>	0ddc3f.jpg Purple Dawn Soft 0ddc3f Bob 2011/02/15(Tue)06:10 No. 13267 ID: 0ddc3f >>12967 How about you ragequit being a big gay baby instead?

>>	2563d4.jpg Cherry Milk 2563d4 Bob 2011/02/15(Tue)06:38 No. 13268 ID: 2563d4 >>13267 You necro'd for that? Man, and people though I was mad.

>>	0ddc3f.jpg Purple Dawn Soft 0ddc3f Bob 2011/02/15(Tue)08:24 No. 13272 ID: 0ddc3f >>13268 Posting in a thread on the first page doesn't really count, especially since it's only been ten days since the last post. You might have realized this if you weren't such a big, gay baby.

Bob 2011/02/15(Tue)13:35 No. 13276 ID: 3aac9b

LISTEN UP FURRIES:

Your silly little excuses regarding your artwork do not hold water. Yes, I know there aren't really anthropomorphs; I don't care. A bipedal creature can have a tail. It can look like a dog. It can have pointy ears atop its head. None of that shit is out of the reach of evolution to create.

However, no bipedal creature could ever walk solely on the toes of its feet. They would be forced to carry so much weight that the creature would be hobbled within months. Same thing with your unguligrade horses. This is due to the pounds per square inch load capacity on each foot. A quadripedal creature can be digitigrade, because it has four feet. Cut that in half and you effectively double the weight load per foot. It doesn't make sense from a bio-engineering sense, and could not conceivably work in the real world without some massive fucking modifications to an animal's internal bone structure, not limited to, but probably including reducing bone size and weight, changing the shape of an animal's spine, and much more. Just put them on the balls of their feet already. It's stupid.

Spare me your obnoxious bitching.

>>	a41aaf.jpg Chocolate Belle a41aaf Bob 2011/02/15(Tue)15:49 No. 13277 ID: a41aaf >>13276 One word: Theropods.

>>	28e94e.jpg Ice Pouncer 28e94e Bob 2011/02/15(Tue)16:03 No. 13278 ID: 28e94e >>13276 lol, u mad and you don't even have your facts right.

>>	e3f578.jpg Harmony Desire e3f578 Dirtbag 2011/02/15(Tue)16:33 No. 13279 ID: e3f578 You can't prove shit that furries can evolve naturally. Also, they don't listen, they never listen.

>>	d677cc.jpg Grey Coconut Buzzer d677cc Typo !TEEDashxDA 2011/02/15(Tue)21:57 No. 13288 ID: d677cc >>13276 >Just put them on the balls of their feet already. I'm just gonna assume that you don't know where the balls of one's feet are or something because otherwise you don't really make any sense.

Bob 2011/02/16(Wed)15:08 No. 13317 ID: f7166d

>>13277
You know, I don't think this is a good argument. Nothing since then has had that sort of leg structure as the theropod dinosaurs, and we don't really know how they stood, walked or ran. It had to have been less efficient, certainly, and they also clearly didn't stand up like a person but with weird digitigrade legs. They also all had air-filled bones.

The poster himself said that you'd need lighter bones and a reworked spine. All of them have that.

Bob 2011/02/17(Thu)14:49 No. 13353 ID: a41aaf

>>13317
>spine
As long as the centre of mass is over the hips, then the spine orientation makes no difference.
>we don't really know how they stood, walked or ran
Actually, we do have a damn good idea of how they walked: http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/~polsen/nbcp/padian_olsen_89_sm.pdf
>bone porosity
Point, though that's more due to the massive size than requirements on limb strength.

I'd be more worried about the gait inefficiencies of digitigrade walking. Plantigrade allows for very low energy passive-dynamics (i.e. if you walk down a slight slope, you are using almost no energy beyond that needed for the first step*). Digitgrade legs rely on continuous antagonistic tension from ligaments. This makes then awesome for energy output (sprinting, leaping, etc), but a bit shit for long term efficient walking. Humans were hunting on the basis of out-enduring their prey long before tool-use arrived.

*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2pAMe_5VeY

>>	9c9de5.jpg Calling Glory 9c9de5 Bob 2011/02/17(Thu)15:10 No. 13354 ID: 9c9de5 File 129798421831.jpg - (14.94KB , 300x444 , ed-wood.jpg ) How about some suspension of disbelief instead?

>>	e3f578.jpg Harmony Desire e3f578 Dirtbag 2011/02/17(Thu)17:52 No. 13369 ID: e3f578 Humans master race We outrun furries, we outclass furries, we outawesome furries Name one Furry that's badass that isn't that weird shinigami from bleach, just one.

>>	28e94e.jpg Ice Pouncer 28e94e Bob 2011/02/17(Thu)18:05 No. 13370 ID: 28e94e >>13369 Tozols are kind of furry

Bob 2011/02/19(Sat)09:15 No. 13409 ID: 68f11f
File 129813570916.jpg - (48.58KB , 500x370 , four-toes-jerboa.jpg )

>>13353
Oh... hai.

The 'humans can and will run you down' aspect shows up in my quest... excellent jumpers... good sprinters. However, God help you being chased by a species that can actually sweat or run a proper marathon without dropping dead (goblins, humans, some ghouls or fae.)

Then again, that aspect isn't likely to be incredibly notable in a civilized setting, once intelligence comes into play you have a lot more options that 'run and chase.'

Although wearing and designing armor also become more an aspect of balance and lightness (don't get hit) rather that 'fuck you I've got a door for a shield let's turtle this shit.'

Bob 2011/02/19(Sat)11:15 No. 13416 ID: 15b51b

>>13276
>copypasta from http://badwebcomics.wikidot.com/shayla-the-pink-mouse
You know, you can totally just stand and walk around on the balls of your feet, when no one's looking. It won't make your knees explode or anything.

>>	98cfd9.jpg Wild Spice Glory 98cfd9 Bob 2011/02/19(Sat)11:35 No. 13417 ID: 98cfd9 >>13416 Not the best method of locomotion though.

>>	2563d4.jpg Cherry Milk 2563d4 Bob 2011/02/19(Sat)11:59 No. 13418 ID: 2563d4 I miss the anonthread. At least the idiotic arguments (eventually) had accompanying kittens.

Dirtbag 2011/02/19(Sat)12:00 No. 13419 ID: e3f578

Goddammit now that digitgrade thing is getting to me now that I'm imagining it. Now that the Luigiian wrote that rant, I realize all it needed is fucking context, otherwise it looks like your standard MAD on the fucking internet. Still weirded out he would say furries are possible in some way through evolution while going on a tirade about feet.

Hey wait, aren't Khajihts and Aragonians from the elder scrolls digigrade? I remember in Morrowind they walked around like they were kicked in the balls all the time. Forgot how they walked in oblivion though.

>>	15b51b.jpg Lilac Rain Dancer 15b51b Bob 2011/02/19(Sat)12:31 No. 13422 ID: 15b51b >>13417 And crawling around on all fours is a pretty shit way to get around. I guess quadrupeds can't exist, then! >>13419 Who? Huh? Whoever he is, apparently he doesn't know where the balls of your feet are.

>>	e3f578.jpg Harmony Desire e3f578 Dirtbag 2011/02/19(Sat)12:37 No. 13423 ID: e3f578 Luigiian is the owner of that badwebcomics site I think, or at least Admin

Bob 2011/02/19(Sat)12:50 No. 13425 ID: 70c94d
File 129814865431.jpg - (52.37KB , 450x300 , 125738434.jpg )

>>13419
>Still weirded out he would say furries are possible in some way through evolution while going on a tirade about feet
>weirded out

Yes, because fur-covered animals beginning to stand on two feet due to evolutional pressure is very abnormal. Oh wait...

Cruxador 2011/02/19(Sat)13:07 No. 13427 ID: 8e5432

>>13425
It is actually generally believed that humans lost their fur before assuming a bipedal gait.
This is because pubic hair placement makes no sense with modern human posture, but would for a quadrupedal gait.

Dirtbag 2011/02/19(Sat)13:35 No. 13428 ID: e3f578

>>13425
I meant that the fact he said that furries could actually evolve into existence was weird, of all people, for him to say. Actually it's weird for any person of intelligence to say, but him moreso since he's a webcomic critic that has acknowledged the batshit craziness of things like furries with a few of his other reviews.
I am not good at conveying thoughts and feelings through words. Ugh. Hell, at all.

Bob 2011/02/19(Sat)13:45 No. 13429 ID: 98cfd9

>>13422
>And crawling around on all fours is a pretty shit way to get around. I guess quadrupeds can't exist, then!

For humans? Yes. For normal quadruped animals it's perfectly fine. I do not see the point you are trying to make.

Bob 2011/02/19(Sat)14:17 No. 13433 ID: a41aaf

>>13429
That because an organism that evolved for optimal bipedal plantigrade running efficiency* cannot move effectively in a quadrupedal gait, dues not preclude an organism evolving an efficient quadrupedal gait.
Similarly, if evolutionary pressure existed for organisms that were best met by a bipedal digitigrade gait and enhanced heat retention, then organisms would evolve with said traits. Those evolutionary pressures are unlikely, but plausible.

*As opposed to Neanderthals, which evolved for optimum plantigrade climbing and jumping effectiveness, due to a longer extension of the heelbone where the Achilles Tendon attaches. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2010.11.002

Bob 2011/02/19(Sat)19:00 No. 13451 ID: fcef2c
File 129817083817.png - (116.17KB , 404x800 , 126919889937.png )

The way I see it.'Furries' tend to work best as the result of SCIENCE or Magic. On hand it's just (trans)humanity echoing some it's oldest fantasies and mythology...

>>	fcef2c.jpg Jingling Butterfly fcef2c Bob 2011/02/19(Sat)19:03 No. 13452 ID: fcef2c File 129817099017.jpg - (213.53KB , 622x800 , Judgement_by_silverbobcat.jpg ) ... on the other it's the mythology itself.

>>	8e5432.jpg White Smooth Tart 8e5432 Cruxador 2011/02/19(Sat)19:28 No. 13453 ID: 8e5432 >>13433 That's one queer-ass link you got there.

Bob 2011/02/20(Sun)01:23 No. 13466 ID: 70c94d

>>13427
Thanks for completely missing the point.

It doesn't matter if humans lost their fur or their abbility to swing from tree to tree first.

There was a furry animal, and it developed bipedal locomotion.

"In our world" it was primates. If we look into a mirror we see a shaven ape snout, not a "human" face.

In a fictional universe it could be dogs who developed bidepal lovomotion, which then would have a dog snout (with or without fur).

The way furries are mostly portrayed (e.g. poorly) with their (ab)use of human equipment, human clothes and human culture, it is illogical for them to have a different anatomy (e.g. saying "digitgrade is just the way they developed", because then they would have equpiment and SHOES adapted to their physiology).

However, since most (not all) furry artists are lazy fucks, they just give their artificial abominatioans a human psychology instead of really developing their characters and fictional culture.

>>	70c94d.jpg Jade Sugar 70c94d Bob 2011/02/20(Sun)01:25 No. 13467 ID: 70c94d >>13466 Also, now make fun of me for caring so much although. I'll go and eat a cactus.

>>	8e5432.jpg White Smooth Tart 8e5432 Cruxador 2011/02/20(Sun)01:35 No. 13468 ID: 8e5432 >>13466 I didn't miss your point. Your point just wasn't really wrong, so I didn't need to comment on it.

>>	a41aaf.jpg Chocolate Belle a41aaf Bob 2011/02/20(Sun)03:24 No. 13469 ID: a41aaf >>13453 Yeah, the DOI system is pretty odd. I try not to think about it too much: you types yer numbers, you gets yer paper.

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