What with the end of 2008 just a couple hours away, I thought I’d end the year with a glimpse of a comic of yesteryear, The Call of Whatever. As the name suggests, TCOW is an homage comic based in what’s often referred to as the Cthulhu Mythos, and was a part of the group called “Maritza’s Minions” due to the fact the comic’s creators, Mark and Elizabeth Sherry, were fans of Maritza Campos’s surreal comic College Roomies from Hell (back before CRfH descended into mediocrity and a storyline that failed to jump the shark… in a bad way). Like most of the Minions, the Sherrys comic ran for several years before finally coming to an end.
What made TCOW stand out (outside of its penciled artwork and penciled shading, which was consistent throughout most of the comic’s run) was the fact that the Sherrys took the traditionally horrific aspect of Lovecraftian horror and turned it into a wry and amusing comedy. The main character, Francis Black, found the Necronomicon to be dull and boring, and sent it to his uncle (who naturally enough went promptly insane upon reading the tome). In tracking down the tome after his uncle’s institutionalization, Francis encounters a pair of Star-Spawn of Cthulhu, alien spawn that have octopi heads (complete with tentacles) and (in the case of Phragdrk, or Freddie as he prefers to be called) a wry sense of humor.
The story takes several amusing turns, including Francis being transferred to Tech Support at his old job because a cultist (Greg, who was head of Human Resources where he worked) wanted the Necronomicon for himself and eventually getting the bright idea of creating a “tech support” service for cultists. The story expanded to include stories of some of the cultists (Bob and Joe), several antagonists (including the church of Arkham and a rather intense young lady named Eve who is stalking Joe, though primarily because she’s crushing on him), and even a convoluted story where Nyarlathotep ends up quitting his post as a messenger of the Outer Gods.
Unfortunately, TCOW lasted only around three years. While it accumulated over 300 strips and participated in one crossover (and gathered its fair share of filler comics from outside contributors), a combination of insufficient preparation of the script by Mark, and Elizabeth’s growing dissatisfaction with drawing the comic resulted in the Sherrys ending the strip partway through its run. Fortunately, unlike so many other comics that came to a premature end, TCOW actually managed to wrap up many of its plotlines. The ten-page epilogue (giving a “where are they now?” aspect to the comic’s end) revealed surprises that weren’t even hinted at in the storyline (such as the fact Greg and Eve were siblings). This is a shame, and it also emphasizes my belief that most comics should be mapped out ahead of time.
Given a script and more time to work on the strip, TCOW’s artist may have remained longer, and perhaps not grown dissatisfied with the comic. Likewise, by mapping out the story more, Mark Sherry might have been able to better expand several elements of the story that were only revealed at the end. Despite these issues, TCOW remains a fun comic to read, especially for fans of the Cthulhu mythos who possess a sense of humor and can accept it for the lighthearted glimpse into a genre often devoted to psychological horror.
Megatokyo
Admittingly, this is a problem inherent in visual media, and not just for comics. If characters are in a fairly immobile situation, such as sitting on a sofa playing games or talking, stuck in a car, or even stuck in a cubicle at work, then there’s not really much action for the artist to work with. Of course, character types and personalities can help modify this (such as having a fidgety character, or someone who’ll readily whap someone at a perceived insult or even just joking around), but if the characters are sitting around talking, it’s difficult to avoid the talking head syndrome. But as the latest update for Megatokyo proves, it can be done, and can bring a scene to life in the process.
Fred Gallagher often derides his artistic abilities, perhaps because of his roots as an architect rather than a classical art student (though I don’t know the specifics of his education, Gallagher has admitted to possessing a master’s degree in architecture). I must admit some amusement at his dismissal of his architectural artistic skills; one thing I regretted in the six months I was creating a comic was my own inability to draw decent buildings (or draw at all really). Gallagher has an attention to detail that is both the bane for MT (with the amount of time that goes into each comic) and one of its brightest aspects. Unfortunately for Gallagher, he’s a poster-child for artistic complexity, though he’s been trying to decrease the time spent on each comic.
In comparison, the latest strips with Ping and Ibara Junko flow from panel to panel. Rather than giving us brief photographs of the events, we’re getting a feel of motion without animation. We’re watching them eat and drink, with motions carried through from moment to moment while they talk. This encompasses hand gestures, changes in facial expressions, and body positioning. Even the brief use of CaP found in panels 6 and 8 of this previous strip are disguised through Ping’s motion and a shift in camera angle. It is these touches that help turn a static media into something fluid and living.
It is this eye to detail with the humanistic touches that brings Megatokyo to life, and increases the connection readers feel toward the characters. The characters feel alive, and draw people into the story. People want Ping to find love, and feel bad for Ibara’s embarrassment concerning her dad hitting her up for money at school. This emotional investment is what keeps people coming back even with the erratic update schedule MT is currently going through. Ironically, this attention to detail is one of the very things causing the intermittent update schedule, but when it works, Gallagher slams it out of the park, making the wait more than worth it.
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Posted in Webcomic commentary, Webcomic review
Tagged Complexity in comics, Webcomic design