Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire, Mk. XXXIII: DeeganBallZ

[Darkmyst]

Originally Posted by Johnny Blade

Also, I say if Mookie needs some money, let's give some to him and start buying his wallpapers. It should provide good fodder for art-related snarking and, honestly, these threads are worth a dollar per month.

Financial woes with DD will do one of two things for Mookie: Either he will attempt to improve his comic/art/writing/etc in the hopes of gaining new fans from which funds can be extracted, or he'll wrap DD up and find something else to do with his life to which he is more suited. Buying wallpapers and/or other items would be viewed as support for the current state and direction of the comic, which I can't see being of benefit to anyone, even Mookie.

[mwchase]

From what I've heard of Wikia's recent actions, all of their wikis come pre-claimed, for the glory of ad money and gaming search rank. So, um, if anybody has any preferences for something, I might weigh in on that. I guess all I'm advocating for is something that gives us full control over the eventual fate of the wiki (in other words, something that isn't inherently hostile to the act of leaving, if we have problems), and, as a corollary, it would be nice if it provided archives/backups in a nice format.

I realize this is preposterously forward-thinking, but it would be a shame if whatever outlet we concoct to try to keep our focus away from hate, itself becomes a source of drama.

So, thing is, I've used various wiki farms, but none of them have left a real impression on me. Everything has seemed pretty much... okay. To ask Fawkes's question, with qualifiers: does anybody here have a strong preference, or any preference, for any wiki farm that fits what I outlined above?

[Kiroth6]

Originally Posted by Johnny Blade

Yeah, okay. I'm in. So, what are you thinking of, beyond wiki?




Also, I say if Mookie needs some money, let's give some to him and start buying his wallpapers. It should provide good fodder for art-related snarking and, honestly, these threads are worth a dollar per month.

Especially given the state of the world right now, I can think of a lot more worthy causes than his comic. The thing that makes the threads enjoyable is the posters, not his comic.

[Trazoi]

Originally Posted by Welf

Depends on the counting. Is it an integral or an absolute value? If it's the latter then yes, because I think were entering the realm of negative plot point. The "roar" counts a half a positive point, since it changed something. Today's strip reverses that and counts as half a negative point, since the roar is now just a minor inconvenience, and the focus is shifted from an actual story to boring relationship stuff.

It's an absolute value. Each strip should either advance the plot, characterisation, or tell a joke. If a strip completely negates the signs of plot or character advancement in earlier strips, then it cancels out the value of the earlier strips.

Basically: If Dominic is still deaf at the end of the week, then that counts for one small step of plot development. If instead this is strung out to the end of the week and then Dom's hearing comes back, with no new plot introduced in the mean time, then that isn't enough plot to count in my book. And I'm outta here.

Re: the new ad banners - that's pretty tacky. I've got nothing against increasing ad revenue but squishing the title up like that does indeed make it look like Mookie is desperate for ad dollars. And yeah, I agree while it's a bit sad it isn't that surprising.

[mwchase]

*disable extension*

*look*

I feel like there's something deeply and unintentionally symbolic about the name of the main character getting shoved off to the side like that.

[Glass Mouse]

On Twitter, Mookie is talking about doing a superhero comic.

That... could work.

[Trazoi]

Originally Posted by Glass Mouse

On Twitter, Mookie is talking about doing a superhero comic.

That... could work.

IMO it's what he should have done years ago.

Only problem is that the stereotypical superhero story is set in a modern metropolis, and that means buildings. Lots and lots of buildings. All the time.

[Glass Mouse]

Originally Posted by Trazoi

Only problem is that the stereotypical superhero story is set in a modern metropolis, and that means buildings. Lots and lots of buildings. All the time.

Tsk, there's no space for buildings behind all the talking heads! You're so silly, Trazoi

[Mewtarthio]

Originally Posted by Trazoi

Only problem is that the stereotypical superhero story is set in a modern metropolis, and that means buildings. Lots and lots of buildings. All the time.

Well, Mookie's comic will defy the stereotypes! He will write a superhero story set in an empty white void where people appear and disappear for no apparent reason! To make up for the lack of collateral building destruction, he'll have hordes of mindless civilians just materialize out of the ether for the sole purpose of being destroyed! It will be the most avant garde thing ever!

[Trazoi]

A story in a white void, you say?
Might have been done before, you say?

(I know, sarcasm and all. But still, one reason why "Wild Edge" drove me round the bend was it wasn't anywhere even close to Blank It.)

I think he should go for a standard superhero setting, but make it dark and dystopian. "In the bleak world of the future, Haze City in cloaked in perpetual smog". Problem solved.

[Glass Mouse]

Originally Posted by Trazoi

A story in a white void, you say?
Might have been done before, you say?

Yay, One Over Zero!

The other one looks cool, too. I'm gonna give it a read, if only because Pony reviews don't already take up enough of my time

[BlackDragonKing]

Originally Posted by Glass Mouse

Well, at least you're wishing bad things on an author for the right reason....

...There's a right reason for wishing personal harm or misery upon an author because you don't enjoy the work you're reading for free for the sake of snarking?

News to me.

[SaintRidley]

Your sarcasm detector seems to be broken, BDK.

[Glass Mouse]

Originally Posted by SaintRidley

Your sarcasm detector seems to be broken, BDK.

Or my sarcasm dispenser is

[BlackDragonKing]

Originally Posted by Glass Mouse

Or my sarcasm dispenser is

Probably my detector, knowing me.

Given how snarky the people I know are, you'd think I'd spring for a better one, but here we are.

[Rappy]

Hmm, I'm not sure what to think of this (admittedly reiterated) news.

On the one hand, Mookie seems to genuinely enjoy comics as much as I do (and then some)...

On the other, well...Mookie.

On the third hand that spontaneously grew for this point, maybe moving away from DD would improve Mookie's work.

[Trazoi]

Sneaky Gate
Future Link - (be a good webcomic reader, view the ads!)

Is that Mookie in the sixth panel?

It's looking bleak, everyone. Four days in and not enough plot, and today foreshadows that there might not be anything tomorrow...

[Zaq]

This would be a weak but not awful joke in another comic. The atmosphere of this one just kind of oppresses everything, though.

Is this his feeble attempt at a lampshade? Or is this his idea of how to show us that Lord Dominus isn't perfect? "Look guys, he's deaf and can't draw! Rock on!" Also, it looks like a Hydralisk in a mask.

[Glass Mouse]

Originally Posted by BlackDragonKing

Probably my detector, knowing me.

Given how snarky the people I know are, you'd think I'd spring for a better one, but here we are.

Don't worry about it. I'd much rather that people defend civility and non-hate, even if it results in my humour going unappreciated

Originally Posted by Trazoi

Sneaky Gate
Future Link - (be a good webcomic reader, view the ads!)

Is that Mookie in the sixth panel?

It's looking bleak, everyone. Four days in and not enough plot, and today foreshadows that there might not be anything tomorrow...

I don't even know what this is. There used to be genuinely funny jokes in DD, but lately, it's just been... bland. Why is this funny? Because he's shouting like a moron? Because he can't draw? Because Luna is gonna say nasty things behind his back? Neither is particularly funny IMO.


Also, PONIES!!!

No, wait, wrong thread.

*scoots*

[Kiroth6]

Seriously!? The Destroyer only temporarily destroyed his hearing. Why is Mookie relying on extraplanar entities to produce sitcom situations?

What's next? The king of Callan reinacts the Quickening resulting in a shortage of chairs at their wedding reception?!

[Trazoi]

Originally Posted by Glass Mouse

I don't even know what this is. There used to be genuinely funny jokes in DD, but lately, it's just been... bland. Why is this funny? Because he's shouting like a moron? Because he can't draw? Because Luna is gonna say nasty things behind his back? Neither is particularly funny IMO.

I agree with Zaq that today had the makings of a passable four-panel comic, but in eight it falls flat. It didn't need all this blah-blah-blah explanation that we all already know. If the comic instead was edited down to this:

Spoiler

...I'd still think it was a bit weak, but at least wouldn't feel out of place for the average webcomic.

[Zaq]

Crap, I didn't even notice Luna (who is great) saying that the hearing loss is only temporary. I mean, sure, you might say "how should she know?", but then you remember that you're talking about Luna, who is great. She's obviously right. She's so great.

Seriously though? It had to be temporary? We can't have a single lasting consequence?

[Miklus]

How does Luna know the deafness is only temporarily?

I thought only Dom knew all. And Doms mum.

[Khosan]

Damn this is dull.

Yesterday's (which is to say today's) comic was basically useless and could have been condensed down into one or two panels tops.

Today's (tomorrow's) comic is about the same. We don't need the exposition in panels one to three. We were there, we already know what happened, why do you have to explain it to us again? Can we just skip ahead to when stuff is actually supposed to happen?

Get on with it!

[Glass Mouse]

Originally Posted by Trazoi

I agree with Zaq that today had the makings of a passable four-panel comic, but in eight it falls flat. It didn't need all this blah-blah-blah explanation that we all already know. If the comic instead was edited down to this:

Spoiler

...I'd still think it was a bit weak, but at least wouldn't feel out of place for the average webcomic.

Wow, you're right, that is a decent joke.

Alternatively, replace the last panel of your 4-panel thing with today's eighth panel. Also a weak joke, but a lot better than what we got. That way, it even becomes a "take our word for it" joke (instead of right now, where I actually think Dominic's sketch is decent for someone who can't draw).

[Mr. McGician]

I actually thought the joke in this comic was okay. Though it was pretty contrived; why was he sketching the destroyer in the first place? Also, this comic repealed another potential plot point, so that makes it terrible.

Regarding the potential new comic, I think Mookie would be much better at doing a superhero comic, since he seems to enjoy writing about modern concepts and clearly refuses to do the research necessary to create an accurate historical setting.

[mwchase]

I think we should come up with random concepts that this hypothetical superhero comic would use or abuse.

Big O, but with science-based supers instead of mecha: this sounds passable to me, provided he can handle the whole central mystery thing properly.

Supermage, breaking the internal fourth wall (and therefore fighting his own darker and edgier self): while the setting that I'm proposing would be a bit grating, this seems like an idea with some nice potential to be a love-letter to comics kind of thing, told through the medium of gory violence, which sounds like an eerily perfect fit for Mookie.

A rural superhero tries to keep his identity secret in a town where everyone knows your name: potentially interesting, but I'd prefer to see someone else attempt this.

In attempting to write a superhero comic, Mookie accidentally creates a coherent and sensible magic system: EVERYONE GETS HUGGED AND TURNED INTO TANG.

Okay, I'm done channeling my burning rage at my own life into mostly-upbeat comments on the internet. Back to the grind.

[Traab]

Originally Posted by Zaq

Crap, I didn't even notice Luna (who is great) saying that the hearing loss is only temporary. I mean, sure, you might say "how should she know?", but then you remember that you're talking about Luna, who is great. She's obviously right. She's so great.

Seriously though? It had to be temporary? We can't have a single lasting consequence?

Yes, because a toothless, one legged, deaf man would make for an incredible comic.

[Thanqol]

Originally Posted by Traab

Yes, because a toothless, one legged, deaf man would make for an incredible comic.

It totally would. As long as it's about him solving problems with cunning and not about his boring daily life.

[SaintRidley]

Yeah. Mookie, I know you're trying for a joke here. I just can't tell which one you're trying for, so they all kind of fall flat.

A point for trying, though.