Gusto's Achewood vs. xkcd September CHALLENGE

[Gusto]

It has become increasingly apparent to me that the fanbases for Achewood and xkcd seem to be pretty mutually exclusive. Certainly I've been an Achewood fan for nearly 9 months now, and I've never been able to get into xkcd that much.

HOWEVER.

I don't think I'm ready to give up on xkcd without giving it a fair chance. So here's what I'm proposing:

I've added xkcd to my daily-checked Webcomics Bookmarks folder. It will remain there until [at least] the end of September. For the next month, hopefully every time either xkcd or Achewood updates, I'll post in this thread with my feelings on that particular strip. I will TRY MY BEST to not be biased, and as far as I know, there's no real xkcd backstory I need to catch up on.

By the end of the month, I hope to be able to determine whether or not I can be a fan of BOTH strips, or whether they are just destined to be enemies forever.

 

[Shegokigo]

My question is, how can you find Achewood funny at all?

 

[Gusto]

SEPTEMBER 1

xkcd: Time Travel

Eh.

I get the joke, but I didn't laugh or even smile. In fact, I was a little disappointed, because it's this kinda lame time travel joke that I originally suspected to be symptomatic of xkcd's archive, and I was kinda hopeful that I would be pleasantly surprised.

Eh.

 

[twitchmoss]

i like xkcd AND achewood...¬_¬

 

[Anubinomicon]

i like xkcd AND achewood...¬_¬

this

 

[Gusto]

Huh.

Weird.

SO MUCH FOR MY CRACKPOT THEORY

 

[Charlie Don't Surf]

This isn't fair to Achewood, since even the most ardent fans are kind of lukewarm on this weird, shitty type of latest storyline that is 80% not good and 20% heavily relies on you knowing the characters.

edit: and XKCD 9/1 is not funny

 

[ElJuski]

My question is, how can you find Achewood funny at all?

It's quite simple: Achewood is one of the best characterized, funniest comics that delves consistently into the pop-culture spectrum. It's an absurdist existentialist wonderland. Obviously geared to the more literary and abstract minded, but accessible to anyone with a decent bit of time on their hands to jump the learning curve.

What Achewood DOESN'T do, is ply for easiest common denominator jokes, about like, bagels, or something. Onstad's craft is about nailing his characters, making them breathe in world ten-times fucked up and wonky.

---------- Post added at 04:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:21 PM ----------

This isn't fair to Achewood, since even the most ardent fans are kind of lukewarm on this weird, shitty type of latest storyline that is 80% not good and 20% heavily relies on you knowing the characters.

edit: and XKCD 9/1 is not funny

Psssssssshhhhh...I've been loving the Sapphic erotica! And I am eagerly anticipating what's going down with Cartiledge Head.

 

[Shegokigo]

It's quite simple: Achewood is one of the best characterized, funniest comics that delves consistently into the pop-culture spectrum. It's an absurdist existentialist wonderland. Obviously geared to the more literary and abstract minded, but accessible to anyone with a decent bit of time on their hands to jump the learning curve.

What Achewood DOESN'T do, is ply for easiest common denominator jokes, about like, bagels, or something. Onstad's craft is about nailing his characters, making them breathe in world ten-times fucked up and wonky.

Yet I read through months and months of the archive and just sat there with a ":tumbleweed:" look on my face the entire time.... Also, "best characterized"? Really?

 

[ElJuski]

Oh hell yes, really.

That, and, as much as I know about you, I can see how you wouldn't like it. Not meaning as an insult, but Achewood is never gonna have 100% FUCK YES rating. Nothing ever does.

 

[Shegokigo]

Oh hell yes, really.

That, and, as much as I know about you, I can see how you wouldn't like it. Not meaning as an insult, but Achewood is never gonna have 100% FUCK YES rating. Nothing ever does.

I dunno, LICD, LFG and OotS never seem to let me down.... Life of Riley was also great with amazing characterization.

 

[Charlie Don't Surf]

Also, "best characterized"? Really?

Yes, there are distinct characters an not just interchangeable stick figures

 

[Shegokigo]

Also, "best characterized"? Really?

Yes, there are distinct characters an not just interchangeable stick figures[/QUOTE]
That quote wasn't meant to compare it to XKCD. I just meant that from the archives I read, I didn't see any character growth to speak of or anything really "new" in the "original character" department.

 

[Covar]

be sure to read the alt text on xkcd.

 

[ElJuski]

I mean, those comics are fine, and whatever.

Also, it depends on how deep you read. I always recommend newcomers to start at "The Party", because that's where the storylines, character development etc. got the ball rolling.

Reading the old stuff is like watching the Tracey Ulman Simpson shorts. They can be funny, but it doesn't even begin to describe the brilliant writing that comes later.

---------- Post added at 04:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:56 PM ----------

also, my line about "or whatever" wasn't meant to be an insult; from what I read of those comics they're funny. I still think they pale in comparison to Achewood.

In the words of the Dude: "Well that's like, your opinion, and stuff."

---------- Post added at 04:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:57 PM ----------

Also the alt text did about as much for me as the regular text for the 9/1

 

[Shegokigo]

I mean, those comics are fine, and whatever.

Also, it depends on how deep you read. I always recommend newcomers to start at "The Party", because that's where the storylines, character development etc. got the ball rolling.

Reading the old stuff is like watching the Tracey Ulman Simpson shorts. They can be funny, but it doesn't even begin to describe the brilliant writing that comes later.

also, my line about "or whatever" wasn't meant to be an insult; from what I read of those comics they're funny. I still think they pale in comparison to Achewood.

In the words of the Dude: "Well that's like, your opinion, and stuff." Also the alt text did about as much for me as the regular text for the 9/1

I can understand about a comic not being good in it's inception, but most comics, even in their rough phases tend to at least keep me interested enough to get to the more fleshed out future versions.

Pale in comparison to Achewood? I'd really like to know how. I'd even be willing to finish the entire archieve of Achewood to see a comic that makes OotS pale in comparison.

 

[Allen who is Quiet]

hey guys, I like the part of this thread where people are arguing about what comic is better based off their subjective tastes

 

[Shegokigo]

Oh? I thought I was bringing into question the characterization main actors of the comics.

 

[Hylian]

I love XKCD but as for Achewood I haven't been able to get into it. I have started reading through the archive and I have read through a few months worth and so far I am not enjoying myself. I just am not finding them very funny.

 

[Allen who is Quiet]

then you were not doing a very good job

 

[Shegokigo]

then you were not doing a very good job

Where exactly did I bring opinion into my post when talking about Achewood's characterization?

 

[ElJuski]

Achewood and OoTS are very different breeds, and yeah, you'll go through Achewood's archives but it's going to be a very uphill battle. I don't think it's much of a stretch at all, but once again, Achewood is very literary-minded and absurd. If you can't read into that (which is a lot of people) or if it's not your thing, then it won't change your mind.

But, personally, it's well worth going through the extended archives. Remember, good characterization doesn't just come from epic battles and romances and adventures. Sometimes the best character development is between the lines, introspective, personal, and at first glance, insignificant.

 

[Allen who is Quiet]

Yet I read through months and months of the archive and just sat there with a ":tumbleweed:"

Pale in comparison to Achewood? I'd really like to know how. I'd even be willing to finish the entire archieve of Achewood to see a comic that makes OotS pale in comparison.

for the parts about characterization, that appears to be more "these comics have (or had) better characterization" rather than "achewood has poor characterization"

 

[ElJuski]

I'll give one example, though it will probably fall on deaf ears--Roast Beef contemplating Molly. That whole arc was awesome. It was Roast Beef at his best--

http://achewood.com/index.php?date=05312007

give or take a few comics before and after. I thought it was a great show of the dynamic between Beef and Molly, not to mention the rest of the guys, like Ray, trying to figure out his role as Best Man.

 

[Gusto]

http://achewood.com/index.php?date=05232007

I preferred the strip from a few days earlier.

---------- Post added at 03:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:20 PM ----------

Hopefully you'll come around.

That's what this whole experiment is about. If nothing else, I just want to have given it a fair shot.

 

[ElJuski]

That's the one I was specifically looking for, but found the other one instead, haha. I mean, and those are just "BIG" moments of character development. Onstad's genius is scene in little things--like "a cute amount of money for a cute little guy"

---------- Post added at 12:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:32 AM ----------

Or, as I was scrolling through the marriage storyline, Phillipe, scared of the new bidet, hoping he's nice enough for it's approval.

 

[Allen who is Quiet]

or the one where Lyle makes Phillipe a clown car that says "here comes a huge fag" every time Phillipe honks the horn

 

[Gusto]

SEPTEMBER 2

xkcd: Anatomy Text

It took me a full minute to even guess at what was happening here, and then a couple read-throughs of the alt text to wrap my head around it.

Even if you're one of the 1% of people who will find this kinda joke funny, it should be a little more obvious what the hell is going on.

At this point, I think it's gonna be a long month...

 

[Allen who is Quiet]

Should have waited until february to do this experiment.

That way, it is only 28 days of mostly bad comics

 

[Gusto]

:O

 

[Allen who is Quiet]

that is a full weekend

a weekend to yourself

and your lady

that you could have had

if you waited

if you only waited

 

[CynicismKills]

As far as webcomics go, I think Achewood is the most subjective when it comes to taste. There's no middle ground with it, it's either you like it or you don't. I used to hate it, but after going through the archives I found I really enjoyed it.

I will also toss in here that I read Devil's Panties, PA, Dr. McNinja and Questionable Content every time they are updated. Different strokes, etc

Also I generally don't enjoy xkcd, maybe 3 of 20 strips I laugh at.

 

[phil]

I like them both! Though I actually don't regularly check either...hmmm.

Really, the correct answer is Dr. Mcninja anyway.


or wonderella

 

[tegid]

Really, the correct answer is Dr. Mcninja anyway.

Listen to Phil, he knows his shit.

Also, I need to repeat it: do read the alt text after reading the comic. Always.

Aaand even though I'm a huge xkcd fan, the last comic did nothing for me either.

 

[Dubyamn]

I mean, those comics are fine, and whatever.

Also, it depends on how deep you read. I always recommend newcomers to start at "The Party", because that's where the storylines, character development etc. got the ball rolling.

Reading the old stuff is like watching the Tracey Ulman Simpson shorts. They can be funny, but it doesn't even begin to describe the brilliant writing that comes later.

I tried awhile ago to get into achewood when Crun started up a thread singing it's praises but I could never get very far into it because I just couldn't get into it.

I'll give the party a shot though since I am always willing to give things a second shot.