Bob and George

[Roy_D_Mylote]

I want to discuss what is considered to be the first sprite comic ever. Specifically, would it really be thought of as so great, and would it be so popular, if it hadn't been first? I mean, the backgrounds are utterly simple, the storylines are horribly twisted and off, and the jokes are, most of the time, unfunny.

Does anyone else agree with me?

(prepares for the hanging)

[Zesty]

I want to discuss what is considered to be the first sprite comic ever. Specifically, would it really be thought of as so great, and would it be so popular, if it hadn't been first? I mean, the backgrounds are utterly simple, the storylines are horribly twisted and off, and the jokes are, most of the time, unfunny.

Does anyone else agree with me?

(prepares for the hanging)

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j221/talentless-scribbles/Emote%20Pics/killhim.jpg

In all seriousness, I agree with you. It's really, REALLY hit and miss. I eventually lost interest and stopped reading it a few years ago. However, it does garner some respect for being the first, I suppose.

It just seemed to eventually sort of to turn in and become more for the community surrounding it, which is generally a real turn-off to me. I liked ClanBOB back when it was around, but that's about the only comic like that I could keep interest in.

[[ray.z]]

Uhh ... BnG wasn't the first sprite comic. It was only the first one to become so insanely popular.

[FenrisWolf]

I find Bob and George funny. Sure, it's not as good as it used to be, but it's still amusing. For some reason, it seems to strike the balance of humor and plot that's so rare these days, let alone with intelligence.

[Skyshot]

I like the plot, but probably for the reason other people hate it -- it's extremely complicated.

Sometimes the jokes are good, often they're not, but as long as it's free and has those quality subcomics and fancomics, it's worth it.

Also, am I the only one who thinks the strip would be better if he worked on that freakin' blurb of his? I mean, "Hello, I am Dave Anez. I will now explain the joke in today's strip, along with tomorrow's joke, and maybe the day after that's joke."

As for the backgrounds, on occasions they're more elaborate. He probably could benefit from more detail, but I chalk it up to it being his "style." He'd have a hard time moving to more graphics-intense backgrounds now, simply because of style departure.

[Jagos]

That and no free time with his new work.

Seriously, I read BnG for the fan comics alone. So you have something for almost everyone.

[[ray.z]]

Yeh I get kinda annoyed too with his little blog entry - it keeps on trying to puch the joke, especially on the days when it isn't that funny.

Moreover, I hate it when he complains about doing the comic. It's kinda sad I think.

[Roy_D_Mylote]

It's kinda whiney. It isn't his job, he could quit if he wants to, people would understand.

UPDATE: Looks like he listened to Skyshot with today's blurb. "I'm not going to say anything about today's comic, okay?".

[Mac]

What he lacks in graphics and what not, he does a good thing by allowing other people to have their own Sprite comics on his site. Also he is quite good at making animated ones which I like the most.

[Skyshot]

I saw that too, Roy. One wonders if he has inserted himself into our midst...

...or if I'm just full of myself and like to think I'm influential....he does a good thing by allowing other people to have their own Sprite comics on his site.Speaking of which, what's happened to them? Did they all just coincidentally not update today or something?

[Corporate Evil]

A lot of the stuff this year hasn't been as good as it used to be. I mean this current storyline, I have no idea what the hell is happening. He's getting far too complicated for me to care anymore.

The subcomics rock though.

[Meister]

Goddammit, that "Copyright infringement" line was the best joke in months, and now he stretched it out to two comics and totally ruined it. That right there is what's wrong with the comic.

[Fifthfiend]

As concerns Bob and George, I can say only this:

At least it's not Megatokyo.

That's probably about as far as I can go.

[Sky Warrior Bob]

A lot of the stuff this year hasn't been as good as it used to be. I mean this current storyline, I have no idea what the hell is happening. He's getting far too complicated for me to care anymore.

The subcomics rock though.

Fan Comics are also good. Of course, I don't really understand the difference between Fan Comics & Sub Comics.

SWB

[DFM]

At least it's not Megatokyo.


Yeah, but you can say that about shitting dicknipple comics, too.

[Solid Snake]

Bob and George was good for a little while, I really actually enjoyed most of the plot arcs around, oh, maybe 2003? It's definitely lost quite a bit of its luster since.

But then again, I've been under the impression that 8-Bit Theater has been going downhill in quality too a bit recently. 8BT is still better these days than Bob and George, but only because BnG has been around longer and seems to have used up nearly all of its jokes. 8BT shows signs of life here and there, but when you have flat characters that don't develop or mature, you're still essentially stuck doing the same gags over and over again, and losing a bit of the originality each time.

Honestly I'm hoping 8BT isn't much longer than 1000 strips, because it's losing its luster fast, and its nearing a point where it should be reaching a climax.

You see, Roy? There you thought you were going to be hanged, and I saved your ass by saying something that's gotta be twenty times more controversial.

[Fifthfiend]

Yeah, but you can say that about shitting dicknipple comics, too.

... wait, they have those?

[Roy_D_Mylote]

Exalt unto Solid Snake. Also, I have the rope and the torch, who has the pitchfork?

[Kurosen]

Oh, please. The point of 8BT is that the characters are one-dimensional and that it's "always the same thing." It's part of the parody. Have you ever played FF1? That first fight against Imps is remarkably like the last fight against Chaos and it takes entirely too long to get from the one to the other.

Any perceived drop in "originality" has always struck me as more of an over-estimation of initial originality. Some people take a few years of constant repetition to figure this out :P

If you want characters with a bit more depth who change over time, then buy my book (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0595325114/ref=ase_nuklearpower-20/002-5552088-6202459?v=glance&s=books). :)

[Corporate Evil]

Fan Comics are also good. Of course, I don't really understand the difference between Fan Comics & Sub Comics.

SWB

The subcomics are actually good? In my opinion, none of the current fancomics are that entertaining. I suppose being a subcomic just means you're so popular, Anez will never get rid of you until he goes down.

Although, they are slow to delete old fancomics that don't update for months.

[Solid Snake]

Oh, please. The point of 8BT is that the characters are one-dimensional and that it's "always the same thing." It's part of the parody. Have you ever played FF1? That first fight against Imps is remarkably like the last fight against Chaos and it takes entirely too long to get from the one to the other.

Owch. The one thing I was hoping against was getting an ass-beating straight from a pissed-off author himself.

Look, I love 8-Bit Theater, and I love its linearity, and honestly, I don't think the comic would have been nearly as good if Thief and Black Mage and Fighter actually grew or 'matured' as characters in the context of the plot. 8BT is the webcomic equivalent of Seinfeld; it's a comic-strip that's largely features the characters doing nothing or accomplishing nothing, and making the same kinds of mistakes, and therein lies the vast potential of its humor.

Nonetheless, though, I still feel my point is valid. Just like with Seinfeld, eventually the fact of the matter is you run out of original avenues with which to take the characters, and suddenly the comics just decrease a bit in the hilarity avenue, if only because the "Fighter is stupid" and the "Red Mage takes things way too seriously" and the "Black Mage likes to kill things" jokes become predictable. Were they any less predictable in Comic 200? Well, no, but you had more gags at your disposal to catch us off-guard, and more circumstances and character interactions you could proffer that hadn't been done before.

My critique of 8BT has nothing to do with "wanting" more characters with "more depth." I like the 8BT characters fine and dandy just as flat, static and one-dimensional as they are. But with any static character, the drawback is that the storyline's going to get old faster, because there's no concievable way you can grow out of the mold you've cast him into from the very first strip. You can't change or even subtly alter the fundamental dynamics between Fighter or BM, or BM and White Mage. So the same thing plays over and over again, and by comic 725, the humor loses some of its original value.

Whether or not the humor is intended to be "the same old" down the stretch is irrelevant to my stated desire, which is that 8BT last no more than 1000 episodes if at all possible; I'm certainly not the author so I actually have no say in anything, nor would I ever claim to, but I just foresee the humor growing staler and staler, and at this juncture I'm awaiting a climax that hopefully will come sooner rather than later. Because I can't envision 400 more strips of the "same old" and the comic staying fresh, vibrant, dynamic.

If you want characters with a bit more depth who change over time, then buy my book (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0595325114/ref=ase_nuklearpower-20/002-5552088-6202459?v=glance&s=books). :)

Already own it. And coincidentally, though I do sincerely enjoy both, I actually like 8BT more than Nuklear Age, perhaps because of the linearity and static elements of the characters and the plotlines.

In conclusion: I never said static, one-dimensional characters were bad. I would never have read past Strip 150 of 8BT if I felt that way. I just say that static, one-dimensional characters and plotlines aren't condusive to a webcomic maintaining its humor for years and years on end. And I feel that Bob and George, which has already run out of gags long before 8BT will, is pretty much a living, breathing example of this dynamic.

[Kurosen]

The one thing I was hoping against was getting an ass-beating straight from a pissed-off author himself.

Ass-beating? Pissed-off? You must be reading some other post :P

I just say that static, one-dimensional characters and plotlines aren't condusive to a webcomic maintaining its humor for years and years on end.

I can't speak about B&G as I haven't read it for years. Though a large part of the problem seems to be that it's simply too big. Too many games, too many characters from the games, too many new characters, too many sidestories, too many convoluted time travel subplots.

By comparison, 8BT has four Fiends and an end boss. Two of the Fiends are down, the third is on the way. True, there's new material thrown in there between everything, but there's a lot of pruning as well.

Think of B&G as regular Spider-Man continuity. Odds are, any particular chunk ranges from inoffensive to entertaining. Taken as a whole, however, it's a convoluted mess.

By comparison, 8BT would be more like Ultimate Spider-Man.

[Roy_D_Mylote]

And gods know, Ultimate ANYTHING is better than Non-Ultimate ANYTHING.

Plus, Ultimate Ghost Rider would be real cool.

[Heliomance]

Though a large part of the problem seems to be that it's simply too big. Too many games, too many characters from the games, too many new characters, too many sidestories, too many convoluted time travel subplots.

Captain Snes (www.captainsnes.com) works well, despite being a mishmash of an incredibly large number of games.

[Archbio]

"Any perceived drop in "originality" has always struck me as more of an over-estimation of initial originality."

To be fair, you did a good job of simulating depth*. It was fun while it lasted.

As for Bob and George, I've read a little bit of it and what kept me from really enjoying it was a certain impression that it was insisting so much upon its own flaws. The time travel elements were really laboured.

Strangely, I usually love convoluted.

*The author of this message is unclear on the distinction between simulated depth and potential depth.

[Fifthfiend]

By comparison, 8BT would be more like Ultimate Spider-Man.

That is frightfully accurate, and too awful for words to describe.

I can't speak about B&G as I haven't read it for years. Though a large part of the problem seems to be that it's simply too big. Too many games, too many characters from the games, too many new characters, too many sidestories, too many convoluted time travel subplots.

Eh, Sluggy Freelance has probably more convoluted-time-travel-subplots per pound than any other webcomic, and that one does okay.

The problem with B&G is any time it looks like one of those subplots is about to turn into something interesting, it just turns into random-assed nonsensical shit, instead. It's not so much regular continuity Spider-Man as it is just the Clone Saga, over and over again, forever.

I'm certainly not the author so I actually have no say in anything, nor would I ever claim to, but I just foresee the humor growing staler and staler, and at this juncture I'm awaiting a climax that hopefully will come sooner rather than later. Because I can't envision 400 more strips of the "same old" and the comic staying fresh, vibrant, dynamic.

You know what this comic needs, to freshen things up?

Wholesale theft of old Looney Tunes routines.

I mean come on, Black Mage chases Fighter off the edge of a cliff, Fighter zips across to the other side, Black mage realizes he's standing on air and drops haplessly to earth. You can't tell me that wouldn't be great.

And my God, "Thief Season"/"Red Mage Season"? You're sitting on a gold mine, I tells you!

[DFM]

... wait, they have those?

To be fair, they're not covering any ground that Fred hasn't already gone over a thousand times, but shitting dick nipple comics have a scuttlebutt factor you just don't get from megatokyo.

I mean, you can’t go up to a group of people and say “Hey, did you guys see the new Megatokyo?” and realistically expect them to want anything to do with you.

Not like comics about dick nipples.



Dick nipples who shit.

[Fifthfiend]

To be fair, they're not covering any ground that Fred hasn't already gone over a thousand times, but shitting dick nipple comics have a scuttlebutt factor you just don't get from megatokyo.

I mean, you can’t go up to a group of people and say “Hey, did you guys see the new Megatokyo?” and realistically expect them to want anything to do with you.

Not like comics about dick nipples.



Dick nipples who shit.

Just, you know what?

Good luck with all that.

Captain Snes works well, despite being a mishmash of an incredibly large number of games.

Sure, if by "works well" you mean "does a new comic like once every other month."

[Invisible Queen]

I respect B&G for the amount of material produced over the years. I think there's a strip for every single day? Most days, at any rate. From what I know, it's the third biggest of all webcomics - after Sluggy freelance and User friendly - in terms of content. Anyone who's tried their hand on comics knows that the hardest part is simply to keep generating work.

And I think it's funny almost all the time. Explaining your jokes, repeating them, deliberately being unfunny, it's a kind of humor in itself. Very low-brow I suppose, but I don't discriminate.

[Robert Paulson]

Bob and George is an alright comic. It's not one of my favorites, but I still like it. Well, the older storylines anyways. Seems like, the last good storyline was the parody of Megaman 4. After that, B&G just drags on and on and on . . . you get the picture.

Most of the subcomics/fancomics aren't that good, but some of them are actually better than B&G. If you've got nothing better to do, I suggest reading all of Rick O' Shay's Oddball Fancomics, Reploid Hunter Iris, MS Paint Masterpieces and Reality Sucks.

Okay, I'll be honest; none of these comics are gonna replace 8bit Theater as my favorite anytime soon, but if you've got time to kill, remember, you've older B&G and all those subcomics/fancomics I listed.

[Derek]

I don't like it, When it first started, it was good. But know It relies on itself. He thinks the comic is so good, just because it was one of the fist, But now its like he stoped trying.

[Fifthfiend]

Most of the subcomics/fancomics aren't that good, but some of them are actually better than B&G. If you've got nothing better to do, I suggest reading all of Rick O' Shay's Oddball Fancomics, Reploid Hunter Iris, MS Paint Masterpieces and Reality Sucks.

Jailhouse Blues was sweet like candy.

Candy made out of jokes about prison rape

[Derek]

I like the Metroid one and Universal Voyage.