Star Power VI: Shooting Stars (VORP VORP VORP)

[Celestia]

Otherwise, I would say that if people cheer for the villain then the protagonist is probably blander then overcooked oatmeal and just as likable.

That is one possibility, but it's not the only possibility. In society, there are all sorts of things people cannot do, things people will not do, things that defy basic ethics and morality. Yet, it is difficult to truly escape animalistic urges. That's why people find solace in violent entertainment: it's catharsis. Rooting for villains is the same. It's a way for people to vicariously enjoy the things that they can never do in real life. Entertainment is escapism.

[Kato]

Anyway, yeah, I see now that it was just trolling, but I just don't get why people need to be emotionally involved in the story. Sure, the hero sucks, but that doesn't mean we have to start rooting for the villain.

I feel emotional investment is an important part of the story. I will follow very few media if I don't give a **** about anyone involved. Granted, it can be someone else than the hero or villain but I need someone I like.

[Vinyadan]

The problem with Billy was that he was setting out to do something much more difficult than Danica. Danica's just too powerful. We have seen her destroy starships with her bare hands. Billy was going to take on this abomination of power, although that all odds were staked against him. And then he once again had to overcome the odds by getting out of space jail.
So it's normal to root for him, or to have expectations. It's clear that the story wanted him to be awesome. Which didn't really happen, he was one of the many underpowered, fumbling, obsessed-for-no-reason enemies Danica had to face. However, if you are in the mood of the story, you can skip over these details and read the story the way it was meant to be read (which doesn't mean that it achieves to be what it was meant to be).


Anyway, Chief is clearly on drugs
http://www.starpowercomic.com/comic/2015-01-05/
And what the hell is that talking thing in panel 3?

[Welf]

What do you guys think of this blog post? Is it okay for people to cheer for antagonists? For villains? To try to justify the villains' actions?

I always thought the better written a villain is the more people will cheer for them, even if they are objectively evil. The only way to reduce that effect is to have them do comically evil acts, often out of character, making their characterization worse. BHB killing his AI ship did establish that he was a ruthless psychopath; but it also established that he throws away important assets and hurts himself in the long run. You know, that he's a bit of an idiot.

[Elanasaurus]

There could be other reasons besides the characters to enjoy the story, i.e. exciting plot, interesting premise, lots of funnies, etc., but maybe that isn't the case here.

And Redcloak from OOtS is generally considered to be a good character, but I don't think anyone's rooting for him.

EDIT:Oh, and the many-armed thing is this.

[Honest Tiefling]

That is one possibility, but it's not the only possibility. In society, there are all sorts of things people cannot do, things people will not do, things that defy basic ethics and morality. Yet, it is difficult to truly escape animalistic urges. That's why people find solace in violent entertainment: it's catharsis. Rooting for villains is the same. It's a way for people to vicariously enjoy the things that they can never do in real life. Entertainment is escapism.

I won't disagree with that, but I think another possibility, especially for a web comic people are following to mock, is that the author sets up the villain to be incompetent or to fail. But since people are often frustrated or annoyed at the author for giving the hero a free pass to victory and moral superiority, why not root for the villain? Immersion is broken, so why not root for the guy who has to work for everything?

The same way that if a video game TELLS the player to care about something without really convincing the player, they're more inclined to light it on fire because humans are weird like that.

[Elanasaurus]

I won't disagree with that, but I think another possibility, especially for a web comic people are following to mock, is that the author sets up the villain to be incompetent or to fail. But since people are often frustrated or annoyed at the author for giving the hero a free pass to victory and moral superiority, why not root for the villain? Immersion is broken, so why not root for the guy who has to work for everything?

The same way that if a video game TELLS the player to care about something without really convincing the player, they're more inclined to light it on fire because humans are weird like that.

Oh, I see.

Wait— you guys are STILL mocking this guy? After 11 years? Looks like his work is enduring the test of time quite well.

[PraetorDragoon]

Oh, I see.

Wait— you guys are STILL mocking this guy? After 11 years? Looks like his work is enduring the test of time quite well.

Maltak broke everyone.

[Vinyadan]

EDIT:Oh, and the many-armed thing is this.

Compare that page with this

[Celestia]

...Is this page supposed to look like a vagina?

[Kato]

...Is this page supposed to look like a vagina?

I... Think it could be an eye? Or... Or... Well, there's no ****oris, but that's not saying much. I don't know!

[Vinyadan]

To me, it looks like glossy paper.

[Welf]

...Is this page supposed to look like a vagina?

I hope so. I like them!

[Celestia]

I hope so. I like them!

No disagreements here.

[Honest Tiefling]

I... Think it could be an eye? Or... Or... Well, there's no ****oris, but that's not saying much. I don't know!

If I had to guess, it is meant to represent a third eye, which is often depicted as being vertical. Maybe it is mean to symbolize rebirth?

I'm not so sure about glowing vayjayjays. That seems tacky.

[Celestia]

Wow. That is one cavernous vagina.

[Vinyadan]

Posted by Mookie

For basically the whole of my art career I have failed to practice. Drawing comics IS my practice. I do it a lot and there’s a lot of repetition and I’m pretty critical of my work so it kinda works out, but it’s not really practice. I don’t spend the time sitting down and doing studies of hands, or really any kind of sketching. I don’t experiment much with styles or techniques. I’ve got deadlines so at best I refine the techniques I already know. Admittedly, it’s done pretty well for me. Over the last 14 years of comicing, I’ve gotten pretty good at this whole art thing. But I can’t help but wonder…

How much better would I be today if I had spent some of that decade and a half actually practicing?

Thankfully, it is never too late to get good at a thing, and I have so many things I want to get good(er) at.

[Elanasaurus]

Thankfully, it is never too late to get good at a thing, and I have so many things I want to get good(er) at.

Too true.

But that's true for all of us, too.

[Celestia]

Over the last 14 years of comicing, I’ve gotten pretty good at this whole art thing.

*laughs hysterically*

[PraetorDragoon]

How much better would I be today if I had spent some of that decade and a half actually practicing?

The great mystery of the ages.

[Kantaki]

*laughs hysterically*

The great mystery of the ages.

Well, to be fair, letting someone else do the work is a pretty clever workaround.

And it seems Hymn has some kind of god-complex/cult thing going on.

Time to blow up the planet entire friggin solar system I guess?
I mean, just look how creepy he looks in that outfit.

[Vinyadan]

So that's the new colorist, Rebecca McConnell.

https://www.rebeccamcconnell.com/

[Celestia]

Well, to be fair, letting someone else do the work is a pretty clever workaround.

It certainly is. The early chapters may have had some wonky propotions here and there, but I haven't had any complaints about the art in forever. Garth is way too good for Mookie.

And this new colorist looks even better than both of them. Mookie certainly has an ability to attract talent. If he could just recruit a good writer, then maybe this comic could start turning around! Lol

[guttering flame]

Is Mookie rw Elan?

[Elanasaurus]

Posted by Mookie

For basically the whole of my art career I have failed to practice. Drawing comics IS my practice. I do it a lot and there’s a lot of repetition and I’m pretty critical of my work so it kinda works out, but it’s not really practice. I don’t spend the time sitting down and doing studies of hands, or really any kind of sketching. I don’t experiment much with styles or techniques. I’ve got deadlines so at best I refine the techniques I already know. Admittedly, it’s done pretty well for me. Over the last 14 years of comicing, I’ve gotten pretty good at this whole art thing. But I can’t help but wonder…

How much better would I be today if I had spent some of that decade and a half actually practicing?

Thankfully, it is never too late to get good at a thing, and I have so many things I want to get good(er) at.

Hey.

Waaitaminute.

That was posted by Garth.

You troll, you.

[Vinyadan]

Hey.

Waaitaminute.

That was posted by Garth.

You troll, you.

Aaaargh

It would have fit him so well

And I can't even claim that the RSS doesn't show the author, because it definitely does.

Although it does talk about competitive shooting, which doesn't sound very Mookiesque. And I believe that Garth once wrote that, at one time, he had been about to join the armed forces.

Yes Garth, I'd unironically say that you got the whole art thing down.

[Celestia]

Is Mookie rw Elan?

I prefer to think of him as web comic Ed Wood.

Hey.

Waaitaminute.

That was posted by Garth.

You troll, you.

Ooooooh. That makes more sense. Yeah, Garth is definitely good at art. He could probably go professional if he wanted to. Unless he already has? I don't know much about him.

[Welf]

Ooooooh. That makes more sense. Yeah, Garth is definitely good at art. He could probably go professional if he wanted to. Unless he already has? I don't know much about him.

I thought he already is a professional? He works full time as artist and it pays the bills.

[Celestia]

I thought he already is a professional? He works full time as artist and it pays the bills.

Like I said, I don't know much about him. *shrug*

[random11]

Update

No.
No, no.
No, no, no, no, NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

The one thing I was afraid of, the ultimate combination of coincidence and incompetence was revealed.