Comments on: The Great Outdoor Fight – Webcomics And Slices Of Life

By: hanna

hanna — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:42:14 +0000

Cerebus was one of my favorite comics. I loved the brooding, black and white artwork. I’m going to check out Achewood also.

By: Journalista - the news weblog of The Comics Journal » Blog Archive » Dec. 1, 2008: I already hate the holiday music

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:06:34 +0000

[...] [Review] The Great Outdoor Fight Link: Andrew Hickey [...]

By: Joy of Webcomics: Deep-Fried Turkey Edition « The Webcomic Overlook

Joy of Webcomics: Deep-Fried Turkey Edition « The Webcomic Overlook — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 21:43:05 +0000

[...] Andrew Hickey reviews Achewood’s Great Outdoor Fight: Mr. Hickey is well grounded in the language of traditional print comic, so it’s quite interesting to see him compare Achewood to some of Dave Sims’ works. Xaviar Xerexes interviews Nicole Chartland of Fey Winds: This is a very genial interview that managed to get me excited about reading Fey Winds (and derailing my planned review schedule). The art, she is eye-catching. Expect a review for the manga-esque humor fantasy up this week or the next. [...]

By: Andrew Hickey

Andrew Hickey — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:55:45 +0000

Xian, have I ever steered you wrong before? ;) You thought just the same about Cerebus and Catch-22…

By: xian

xian — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:44:44 +0000

I was dubious about Achewood being the #1 webcomic, but then I read it and now my work day is (I predict) down the toilet. Thanks!

By: Andrew Hickey

Andrew Hickey — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 20:33:02 +0000

Actually, I have – in fact, I started reading it because there was an advert for it in a comic I read that was a spot-on parody of the print ads for Van Dyke Parks’ Song Cycle (the album cover I’ve included in my banner at the top now). I loved it, but I’ve not read it for a while. But yes, that is an exception to the general rule…

By: Gavin Robinson

Gavin Robinson — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 10:11:41 +0000

have you looked at Scary Go Round? It’s really good and not very geeky.

http://www.scarygoround.com/

(I am “typing” this by voice because I’ve got RSI!)

By: Andrew Hickey

Andrew Hickey — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 22:23:22 +0000

Oh, I know there are webcomics out there that don’t follow that pattern – many of them. I did one myself for a while, Dumb Angel, that was a non-fiction work, (gave it up because I didn’t have the time for the very intensive illustration involved once I was working full-time) so I know they exist.

I was talking specifically about webcomics that have some level of financial success and recognition. If you look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_self_sufficient_webcomics , the only ones on there with which I’m familiar that aren’t at least a little like my (admittedly exaggerated) stereotype are American Elf (and even that has Elf in its very title ;) ) and Achewood. It’s possible that some of the others aren’t like that as well, but I’ve read at least a few strips of 17 or so of them, and they’re all definitely geared toward a ‘geek’ demographic. Doesn’t mean they’re not good (XKCD, for example, is as good as anything out there) but they *are* definitely geekish.

I’ll check those links out when I get a chance. Thanks…

By: Strabo

Strabo — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 20:35:27 +0000

Very interesting review! I’m not really familiar with Achewood but based on such a glowing recommendation I think I will check it out.

I was also intrigued by your discussion of comics as a medium. I think you make an interesting distinction between serialized and self contained comics, and between story arcs vs. gag a day. However, I would respectfully disagree with your assessment of the state of the webcomics community having mostly to do with “geek” or “gamer” culture. I think that may very well have been the case five years ago, but I think comics on the internet have come a long way from that recently. You should check out the eyeskream collective or daisy owl, or something along those lines.
http://www.eyeskream.com
http://www.daisyowl.com

Great blog, keep it up!