El Goonish Shive II - I stand by my ridiculous comic
Last time on EGS, Sarah was busy trying to convince herself inside her head that she should build a vampire deck for the MagicKal Cards tournament (it sort of makes sense in context).
For the new readers, El Goonish Shive is a long-running character-driven action-dramedy with elements of teen life, magical kung fu, gender-switching and all-around silly stuff happening. The art also undergoes a massive improvement since the beginning, so don't be too off put by the dramatic difference in quality at the start. It also shifts between "grey-scale" and color.
Also worthy of note, this is the first time we've had a new thread due to thread length closing the last one, so make your suggestions for a proper title.
Re: El Goonish Shive II - I stand by my ridiculous comic
Nice title!
Also I was thinking. Since this is also supposed to be a way to introduce people of the forum to the comic, and the start of EGS is... offputting, to say the least, we should crowdsource an introduction to the comic. IIRC Dan set up Indiana Elliot and the Temple of Swedish Furniture to sort of be that, but I don't know about that. Personally I started with the Sister II arc, and that worked for me, but it's far from optimal. Maybe a collection of "best moments" (without major spoilers) coupled with a better starting point for new readers? I don't know. Just putting it out there.
Re: El Goonish Shive II - I stand by my ridiculous comic
Quote:
Originally Posted by
The Mormegil
Since this is also supposed to be a way to introduce people of the forum to the comic, and the start of EGS is... offputting, to say the least, we should crowdsource an introduction to the comic.
My instinct is to point new readers at the Hammerchlorians arc. Relatively short, runs the entire emotional gamut, the only major reveal is the France story, recent enough that the art is solid. Gets the tone and style of the comic across.
Thoughts?
Re: El Goonish Shive II - I stand by my ridiculous comic
I think they could start way earlier than that. I feel the artwork is acceptable as early as towards the end of Painted Black, but it might not be smart to start right in there. Still, Grace's birthday party would be totally okay.
Re: El Goonish Shive II - I stand by my ridiculous comic
Quote:
Originally Posted by
theNater
My instinct is to point new readers at the Hammerchlorians arc. Relatively short, runs the entire emotional gamut, the only major reveal is the France story, recent enough that the art is solid. Gets the tone and style of the comic across.
Thoughts?
I actually started at hammerchlorians and read from there to the current part of the comic, and then jumped back, but having looked at "Indiana Elliot and the Temple of Swedish Furniture" I'd say that's a better starting point. The art is still solid, and it recaps the more important parts of the plot up until that point. (If you start at hammerchlorions arc then there's less exposition about what exactly the deal with Ellen and Elliot is). It's also a relatively short arc, and it introduces the lighter more funny part of the comic before the more serious chapter that comes next.
I'm not sure if Sister 2 would be a better or worse starting point. I'll look into it.
Re: El Goonish Shive II - I stand by my ridiculous comic
My thought was to suggest new readers read just Hammerchlorians, then, if they liked that, go immediately back to the Goo. Hammerchlorians is kind of a self-contained EGS microcosm.
If we're looking for a jump-in to bring them straight to current, then I'd think an in-comic recap would be handy. Indiana Elliot and the TOSF has a solid one, and there's a good one in Hidden Genesis(just prior to Sister II). I agree that the art is good enough by Painted Black, but that's definitely not where to throw a new reader in, and I don't recall a good recap between that and Grace's Birthday.
Re: El Goonish Shive II - I stand by my ridiculous comic
Quote:
Originally Posted by
theNater
My thought was to suggest new readers read just Hammerchlorians, then, if they liked that, go immediately back to the Goo. Hammerchlorians is kind of a self-contained EGS microcosm.
If we're looking for a jump-in to bring them straight to current, then I'd think an in-comic recap would be handy. Indiana Elliot and the TOSF has a solid one, and there's a good one in Hidden Genesis(just prior to Sister II). I agree that the art is good enough by Painted Black, but that's definitely not where to throw a new reader in, and I don't recall a good recap between that and Grace's Birthday.
Ya Hammerchlorians has my support as well for a good "intro arc"
Also I think I now side with the people who think that this particular card game segment is dragging on. Its interesting but we don't need an entire week of Sarah talking to herself :smalltongue:
Re: El Goonish Shive II - I stand by my ridiculous comic
I'm not sure why, but I'm thinking that she will end up making a Vampire/Werewolf deck, didn't George mentioned that a Werewolf deck with low-cost fliers was viable? I don't remember Inistrad well, but I'm sure they had some vampires that fit that description.
Re: El Goonish Shive II - I stand by my ridiculous comic
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Silva Stormrage
Also I think I now side with the people who think that this particular card game segment is dragging on. Its interesting but we don't need an entire week of Sarah talking to herself :smalltongue:
I am entirely in favor of a week of Sarah talking to herself. :smalltongue:
For one, she needs more character development, for the third-oldest character. Also, she's adorable.
Re: El Goonish Shive II - I stand by my ridiculous comic
This is dragging on, but... we got sexy vampire Sarah fanservice (something I honestly thought was never gonna happen, what with her policy towards bikinis and all). #worth :smalltongue:
Re: El Goonish Shive II - I stand by my ridiculous comic
Re: Today's comic.
Called it! :smallbiggrin:
Re: El Goonish Shive II - I stand by my ridiculous comic
And that went how we pretty much knew it would. I'm about ready to go back to the real world now.
Re: El Goonish Shive II - I stand by my ridiculous comic
Oh. It's Pandora. Oh dear.
...This has suddenly become far more plot-relevant than I hoped. I just wanted funny card game playing, dammit! :smalltongue:
In all seriousness, I'm wondering whether Sarah is about to get marked; perhaps the ones we saw weren't all already in existence?
Re: El Goonish Shive II - I stand by my ridiculous comic
I would LOVE for Pandora to be there actually for the card game. For what we know about her, she's interested in "things she can't predict", so... a newbie with a broken card in a card game tournament? Would that be enough to pick her interest? I'd love her to just be there for fun.
Re: El Goonish Shive II - I stand by my ridiculous comic
Huh, I am wondering if Luke's ability will detect Pandora at all. It seems possible at least if he has a specific "Detect Immortal Magic" ability. It would be amusing to see him stammer as he sees this massive aura with no source. :smalltongue:
Re: El Goonish Shive II - I stand by my ridiculous comic
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Silva Stormrage
Huh, I am wondering if Luke's ability will detect Pandora at all. It seems possible at least if he has a specific "Detect Immortal Magic" ability. It would be amusing to see him stammer as he sees this massive aura with no source. :smalltongue:
Considering Raven's Statement in this comic about Pandora's magic being undetectable (Even to Raven, an Elf), I'd presume not. Luke can detect magic, for sure, but Immortal magic is probably not included in that.
Probably.