My opinion so far of Erfworld is that it isn't a comic that caters to my interests or experiences. Yeah, it might be funny to someone else, but then again so are jokes told in Russian. Yet if you tell me jokes in Russian, I'll smile nervously while others laugh and not understand what's funny.
Orly, now that I know what it means, is funny. But if I'm going to have to look up every phrase or do research to figure out what's going on, then it robs the comic of the humor.
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New Terminator movie = Awesome!
Heh, the ORLY and YARLY part was about the only thing I've been able to "get" so far, and that's just because it was apparently really funny a few years ago and people on IRC that I talked with thought it was funny.
The storylines don't bother me, nor the many characters. That kind of stuff will work itself out eventually, as the story unfolds. It's like watching the pilot or the first few episodes of a new TV series. If it has a large cast, then there's going to be a period of getting-to-know them and figuring out their role and interests.
Actually for me, the storyline is the only thing that makes much sense to me. Person A (Plaid, with arkinhammer & croakamancer) is fighting for survival against person B (Ansom & that blonde chick on a peep). I can follow that.
What I can't follow is all the references or why they're funny. Hoffa/Livingston is a good example. I'm familiar with Hoffa's disappearance and Livingston's reveal. I suppose it's amusing to use the names as command words. But is that really funny? Is it supposed to be funny? Was the author trying to say something about the comic world or the real world, or Hoffa or Livingston or something else?
To me, it's not, yet I read here that it sent some people rolling on the floor. If that's the part of the comic that was supposed to be funny, like a peep being a vicious monster ("MWARG!") or a fast flier (52 move/turn), then I have to say I'm just not getting it.
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New Terminator movie = Awesome!
To me, it's not, yet I read here that it sent some people rolling on the floor. If that's the part of the comic that was supposed to be funny, like a peep being a vicious monster ("MWARG!") or a fast flier (52 move/turn), then I have to say I'm just not getting it.
I laughed at the Hoffa/Livingstone joke. Despite this I did not get the Key Lime Pie reference or find the Orly funny. What does this mean? Simply that the comic is firing off jokes on a number of different levels. The Orly was about as base a joke as you can get, the internet equivalent of a fart joke, while the tchotchkes is something that not everyone, or most, would pick up on. Different jokes on different levels.
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The Omnians were a God-fearing people. They had a great deal to fear. -Terry Pratchett
With the exception of "Orly", which I don't really find funny, I have no idea what you guys are talking about. And I won't have the patience to see how the different plotlines are going to come together if it doesn't draw me in soon.
Key lime pie was just to have him blurt out a random phrase in his head; its funny because it's a horribly random thing to experience when your brain's shot. It's kind of like a farside joke I read where the brain surgeon said "Hey barry! Look what he does when I poke this nerve!"
________ The Big Bang Theory Dicussion
Is it just me, or is anyone else having problems deciphering who says what?
If I have to re-read something twice, or even three times to get it, then I think there's a big miss going on.
Don't get me wrong. I want to like Erfworld. I really do. And there are some aspects that have already drawn me in. But this "talking bubble without an obvious speaker" problem has appeared in several strips now.
Hoping that it's just me...
__________________ "That's what you get when you let a guy pick out your clothes..."
Bubbles that are not pointing to a character who said them only appear in dialogues and usually with one side clearly visible, so it's clearly the other one's. The only exception is narration bubbles and they are easy recognizable too...
Visually, I find the comic stunning to say the least. But the dialog leaves me feeling like I was just watching Perfect Hair Forever. And that show just doesn't make sense to me no matter how I try to parse it... probably because I don't do drugs. Hmmmm...
Bubbles that are not pointing to a character who said them only appear in dialogues and usually with one side clearly visible, so it's clearly the other one's. The only exception is narration bubbles and they are easy recognizable too...
DOH!!
Thank you. It all seems so painfully obvious now.
Going back to re-read the strips with this in mind.
__________________ "That's what you get when you let a guy pick out your clothes..."
I get the jokes, like Elvis, and can deal with the owls. The peep bit is amusing and whatever the henchmen are doing to each other is... promising. I feel Wanda's pain, I've had bosses like that.
I can see the work, thought, and talent that's been put into the comic. The background and detail work is great. I can see the plot lines being put into place, the characters have lots of potential. The comic is technically excellent.
The BESM, mitten-hands, and Ws in the speech are killing it for me.
It does make me want to fire up Master of Magic again and go rummage some old game bins for others tho. So that's a plus.
__________________ Niven's Laws, #5
If you've nothing to say, say it any way you like. Stylistic innovations, contorted story lines or none, exotic or genderless pronouns, internal inconsistencies, the recipe for preparing your lover as a cannibal banquet: feel free. If what you have to say is important and/or difficult to follow, use the simplest language possible. If the reader doesn't get it then, let it not be your fault.
I like it so far. I'm getting most of the jokes, and the comic looks GORGEOUS. While the "w"s in the names of some creatures like "Twolls" and "dwagons" bothers me, I think its just part of the premise of a tactical RPG (I'm assuming, with all the 'end the turn' and 'move' references) in a cutesy little world.
What I can't follow is all the references or why they're funny. Hoffa/Livingston is a good example. I'm familiar with Hoffa's disappearance and Livingston's reveal. I suppose it's amusing to use the names as command words. But is that really funny? Is it supposed to be funny? Was the author trying to say something about the comic world or the real world, or Hoffa or Livingston or something else?
To me, it's not, yet I read here that it sent some people rolling on the floor. If that's the part of the comic that was supposed to be funny, like a peep being a vicious monster ("MWARG!") or a fast flier (52 move/turn), then I have to say I'm just not getting it.
I've said this before, but I don't actually find much of it laugh out loud funny. What I do find is that there's an almost constant stream of witty / clever / amusing / surreal / fun details and references that keep me amused in a very satisfying way while I'm watching the story unwind. Obviously YMMV for any number of reasons - you may not get the references, you may not share the sense of humour or you might just want punchlines and rofls from your comics.
Btw, look: it's an "I don't like Erfworld / oh, I do like Erfworld" thread being conducted in a civilized manner. Woohoo, go us!
I was on the fence until the "heavy backup" the general sent out. I was half expecting some crazy looking soldiers, but not giant stuffed bears and an elephant.
The art really is amazing and it leaves one wanting more. The only problem is if that's a good thing or a bad thing...
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"Yes, I am shaking in my omnipotent boots at their new outfits. I am helpless against the powers of fashion."
I get the jokes, like Elvis, and can deal with the owls. The peep bit is amusing and whatever the henchmen are doing to each other is... promising. I feel Wanda's pain, I've had bosses like that.
I can see the work, thought, and talent that's been put into the comic. The background and detail work is great. I can see the plot lines being put into place, the characters have lots of potential. The comic is technically excellent.
The BESM, mitten-hands, and Ws in the speech are killing it for me.
Most of what you said is me as well. I find myself wanting to like it, I think the people behind it are talented and I think it has potential and so I'm trying very hard not to give up on it.
But...
With that said, I'm finding it very difficult to stay interested. What's killing it for me is the storyline. Honestly, I do not consider myself a stupid person or someone who needs her hand held while more 'in the know' people explain it to me, but I can't seem to follow this story. I can get the basics but I feel like there's no flow... or continuity. I'm sure it does and I'm missing something but if that's the case then I'm probably always going to be missing it.
On the flip side, what's keeping me here (aside from what was mentioned in the quote) is the humor that always seems to catch me off guard. I love that. Weird how I can't seem to grasp the overall story (which I think should be obvious) but I can get the humor that others say they can't see. *shrug*
Anyway, I'll stick around for a while yet but these are my feelings so far.
Last edited by Mitheria : 12-31-2006 at 02:18 AM.
Reason: Forgot 2nd half
With that said, I'm finding it very difficult to stay interested. What's killing it for me is the storyline. Honestly, I do not consider myself a stupid person or someone who needs her hand held while more 'in the know' people explain it to me, but I can't seem to follow this story. I can get the basics but I feel like there's no flow... or continuity. I'm sure it does and I'm missing something but if that's the case then I'm probably always going to be missing it.
Well there is no real flow as yet. In film terms we're still at the point where the director is introducing us to all the different characters before pulling all the strands together.
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The Omnians were a God-fearing people. They had a great deal to fear. -Terry Pratchett
I read erfworld in between OOTS, when I have nothing better to do. I most likely wouldn't read it if I had to go to a different website for it. Right now, it doesn't really tickle me on, although the art is great. The orly-joke was the only thing I enjoyed so far, and I felt really sorry when those got owned by those pesky monsters. So far they were the only really enjoyable aspects of this comic and now they are most likely dead.
Well there is no real flow as yet. In film terms we're still at the point where the director is introducing us to all the different characters before pulling all the strands together.
True, and I think that's half of it for me. I think maybe I just don't know the characters well enough yet. That's why I'm not giving up yet
In my opinion, the jokes feel forced. I like the X-mancers, they feel original, and as thought they flow, but the ORLY and WTFBBQ stuff just feels forced. Of course, it is either that, or we are just on a particular part where these specific trained creatures speak in internet. I plan on waiting till about 30 before I say if I like it or not.
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My opinion so far
"That's what you get when you let a guy pick out your clothes..."
fan club.
