So I spent some time over the extended every-religion-you-can-shake-a-stick-at’s holy season getting caught up on the webcomic at Russell’s Teapot. The name of the website from a quote by Bertrand Russell:

If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time.

… so it’s not a surprise that the site is generally oriented to those who are (shall we say) unconvinced by theistic philosophies. Just as unsurprising, the webcomic features Jesus as a main character. Much like Shabot 6000, the focus at Russell’s Teapot is on what Binkley would have called the sneaky inconsistencies (and outright idiocies) inherent in religion(s). Okay, a lot of it probably counts as the same sort of impertinent questions that got me smacked back in Sunday school, but even the faithful (with a sense of humor) ought to enjoy the issues raised.

The art is the same sort of deceptively simple (yet expressive) stick figures that you find in strips like Order of the Stick. Curiously, following the navigation from “Start” to “End” results in strips that are progressively less polished and wobblier; given the focus on religion, an archive navigation that moves forward by reverting back to ever older and more primitive material makes for a surprisingly subtle commentary on rational thought. Either that, or they use the buttons in a sense that’s backwards from the usual convention.

Of note, the creator of the webcomic (and the contributor(s) to the other sections) is not named, so I can’t tell you even if it’s a he or she that’s drawin’ the doodles. In any case, new comics on Monday, pretty brief archive, and worth a look.

So here I am, slightly rocking like a weather phenomenon. I sat down today and read the entire archive of Minus. It was one of the most refreshing, enjoyable reads that I’ve had in quite a while.

The strip is done by Ryan Armand, who makes time to carefully and delicately paint and ink each strip onto a 15×20″ illustration board. He says that he likes to think that he is illustrating a comic strip for a newspaper in the early 20th century. To me this is an interesting creative choice, since a number of comics are set in present day or the salaciously tempting future.

The main character in all of the strips is Minus; a quiet, creative little girl who just might have some magic up her sleeves. I instantly liked her, probably because she carries herself with a sweet innocence that is hard to come by anymore. The comic itself feels like it was created in the mind of a child, and each strip is the product of Minus’s wild imagination.

There is no one continuous plot line. It is mainly little Minus getting into mischief and trouble. There are a few strips that are connected together, but these are usually three to four strips at best.

No matter if there is a storyline or not, there is an undeniable sense of whimsy and fairy tale-ness within Minus. It is difficult for me to put into words the thoughts this comic invokes.

The best way to get my point across is for you to close your eyes for a moment and think about your favorite childhood moment. Can you feel the sun on your arms? Can you feel the warm breeze as you climb that tree to get a better view?

That is what Minus recreates in an astounding little girl, who just wants to have fun being young.

It’s turning into BLC Week around here: books by Howard Tayler, Kris Straub and Dave Kellett have arrived at my homestead in the past few days, which will have to be read and reviewed (big ups to Kellett who charged $4.25 for shipping/handling, and spent $4.05 of it on postage … you can’t get unskilled immigrant labor to do as much handling as he did for $0.20!). Interview soon with Straub and Scott Kurtz regarding the PvP animated series. And Paul Southworth went and got hisself invited to speak at Vericon, on the hallowed campus of Harvard University, along with such luminaries as R Stevens, Jeff Rowland, and Shaenon Garrity (who is mysteriously missing from the Vericon speakers page). Good times for the BLC crew.

But we’re here today to talk about Evan (no last name, sorry), who’s five days into being a webcartoonist. Normally, we at Fleen wait until there’s a bit more of an archive before we profile a new strip, but there won’t necessarily be a lot more strips, because Evan is only going to be a webcartoonist for one month.

As the second in a series of month-long challenges (in November, he ate $1.00 of food per day), Evan has set himself a goal:

For the month of December, I’m drawing a web comic every day. I’m not an artist, never wanted to be one, and have never drawn anything more complicated than a smiley face in my life. Still, I’ve always enjoyed comics, so this is my chance to try my own.

Each drawing is occompanied by a short description of what I was thinking while I was drawing it. I’m a pretty firm believer that over explaining a joke is the fastest way to ruin it, so read the comic first (click to enlarge) and then click on the comments section to read my thoughts.

For a self-described ‘not an artist’, Evan’s doing better than expected; he started off looking a bit like John Callahan (although presumably with a full complement of motor control), and by Day 4, he’s already as visually polished as, say, Scott Adams.

Lots of webcomics were started on a whim, out of malice, or a sense of boredom (possibly all three), so you can’t really say that Evan’s in bad company. We’ll check back on at the end of the month to find out if the cartooning bug bit, or if he’s going to move onto a new temporary hobby (maybe future ‘for a month’ reports could feature cartoons of the wacky misadventures?). In the meantime, check out Cartoonist for a Month to see how his skills evolve.

And on the off chance that they don’t, he’s convinced his friends Rob, Erin, and Tim to play along; at present, Erin’s in the lead (she’s already picked a theme — true life at a credit union).

Some quick notes from the BLC front, where it’s Real Life‘s 7th anniversary, Ugly Hill has one of those sweet, sweet lines that’s pure distilled Funny, and Howard Tayler has declared Sheldon‘s “mission accomplished!”

Speaking of politics, not many webcomics do; oh, sure, there will be the occasional injection of such, but a full-bore, long-term, story-oriented (as opposed to what’s happening in the world today?) approach, not so much. One webcomic that devotes itself pretty much exclusively to political ideas is A Girl And Her Fed, of which we’ve spoken previously.

Recently, AGAHF introduced a most unique character, Mr Speedy. Yep, a hyperconservative, genetically-engineered, mutant koala. And may I add that some subset of “hyperconservative, genetically-engineered mutant koala” would make a great name for a band?

Anyhoo, AGAHF creator Brooke “Otter” Spangler is looking to support the strip by doing some pretty cool projects; these side stories are not integral to the overall plot, but are intended to fill in background details. She sent me her first, Speedy’s Story, which tells the tale of exactly how you create a hyperconservative, genetically-engineered, mutant koala (for those of you with free time this weekend). It’s not quite merchandise, since it’s a PDF that you’re getting; it’s less ephemeral than “bonus art” or “wallpaper”, though. Here’s the deal from Spangler herself:

I’ve promised AGAHF’s readers that I won’t hold any information hostage in these stories … This character’s backstory is irrelevant to the central plot – he’s a genetically-engineered koala bear, plain and simple. However, if someone wanted to know the origins of the character, they could either take me out to dinner for a good, long conversation over drinks, or they could purchase the PDF. Five bucks is certainly the cheaper option.

The story is nicely done, and it looks great; if you like AGAHF even a little, give up 1.32 fancy-ass drinks at Starbucks this week and check out Speedy’s story. Or for a few dollars more, you can get a printed copy with an extra page (which is still a bargain compared to what the drinks would likely cost). And whatever you do, don’t let a koala get at your email password, if you know what’s good for you.

Editor’s note: This is the first of the Fleen Guest Reviews; this came about because Scott Thornton suggested that we review some particular comics in under-represented genres, and he seemed enthusiastic enough about it that we suggested that he write ’em up himself.

Scott, by the way, is an Australian malcontent living in Melbourne. Aged 25, he began his interest in sequential art via TinTin and illustrated zines and likes to focus on genre fiction webcomics. He is currently working on the weekly webcomic blog, Zhi, which is some good reading. Want to join in the fun? Throw us a suggestion, we’ll ask you to send us some copy; just like the Op-Ed page, if it doesn’t require too much fixin’ we’ll run it.

Webmanga has traditionally gotten a bad rap from the mainstream webcomic community (case in point: look at Combustible Orange‘s characterisation of Fred Gallagher as a sex-crazed pervoid). If all you read is slice of life webcomics, every otaku is a possible bishie-obsessed stalker. If you’re unsure about manga then Daniel Kim’s Clone Manga is an expose of his talent, it comprises a smorgasbord of his short stories. Most of them have a bent towards the supernatural and fantastical and from the site the reader can slowly digest them at their leisure.

Kim’s art isn’t ultra smooth or slick and it’s more ma! ngaesque or manga influenced with a more realistic use of scale and softer linework. It’s a haze of black and white, and likewise the various narratives within the confines of Clone Manga are fantastical shadowy meanderings of the human condition. Thus, it’s a westernised translation of manga and for the beginner this makes it an informative entry point into what looks like esoteric madness.

If you’re looking for standout stories then, frankly, Paper Eleven is the centrepiece of Kim’s website; it’s a convoluted and lovely exposition of a classic fairytale that pieces together slowly. Likewise, Penny Tribute is another example of Kim’s reissuing of the western fantastical within Clone Manga’s mangaesque atmosphere; it takes place in a menagerie of characters in a forbidding castle. However, if you’re tired of all the emo, here’s a lighter touch in Tomoyo42’s Room, both in artwork and doujinshi style silliness.

Still, if all you’re after is a quick gag during your lunch break or you speak L33T as a second language then you won’t find what you want here. If you’re after new visions of sequential art, then this is a good place to start your examination of the art that dare not speak its name within the webcomic pixelsphere.

Fleen thanks Scott Thornton for his contribution. Read his blog!

I’m continuing on my Koala Wallop review-athon with I am a Rocket Builder by Ben Shur. The comic is actually comprised of five separate comics; A Cave, An Old House, A Large Tree, A Tiny Shack, and The City.

All of them have been somewhat developed, except for A Cave. An Old House is a story about a small bird who is captured by The Pocket Witch. It is an interactive comic, with the last panel usually animated. And when I say interactive, I mean you can spur animations with you cursor. It’s a fun read, and I would like to see how this little bird ties in with the other storylines.

There is only one comic so far for A Large Tree.**Edit** There is more than one comic strip for A Large Tree, which can be found here. It is about a young bird couple, Brad and Janet. We see Brad telling Janet that he is going into the army to be able to afford a family. Then he drops on his knobby-bird knee and begins to propose to his dear Janet, but right then disaster strikes! What happens next, you ask? Only time and Ben Shur can tell.

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The redoubtable T Campbell (so don’t doubt him unless you’re willing to redoubt as well, Slappy!) dropped some email on me earlier today; let’s share, shall we?

Today sees the launch of One Simple Ad, a simple and original idea, an unprecedented value for advertisers, a unique and intriguing idea for a site, and an unapologetic attempt to keep myself out of the poorhouse.

I would appreciate it if you gave the site a moment of your time and attention, and asked others to do the same.

Done, and done (and, my I say, noble goals on Campbell’s part). My time and attention having been spent, here’s my thoughts:

Interesting idea on an intellectual level: one ad plays on an otherwise empty page, nothing to distract, pure laser-like attention from the viewer on the ad and nothing else, all good things from the perspective of an advertiser. But I don’t get it viscerally; I don’t see the benefit to the person with the eyeballs that are intended to be captured. Campbell’s got an interesting take on the FAQ page:

Who will visit?
People who believe that advertising is an art form in its own right. Andy Warhol showed us that neat things happen when you combine art and commerce in new ways, and Super Bowl commercials have shown us that advertisers respond well when you give them one big chance to make their pitch. I grew up the proud son of an advertising executive, so I appreciate ads at their best, and this site should give people an incentive to create some!

Which, um, yeah. I might be speaking purely for myself, but advertising is what I put up with to get free media, not something I seek out … and I think most people are of like mind. The fact that, in a world of near infinite space on the digital cable converter, there’s no Ads Channel is clue #1. The fact that if you ask 100 people what one gadget in their house, if it broke today, they’d have a new one by tonight, will cause most of them to answer “My TiVo” is clue #2. And I can see the Super Bowl argument kinda, but then Campbell adds in this bit from the T & C:

• Ads should be non-animated image files (GIF, JPG or PNG). [my emphasis]

That’s not a Super Bowl ad, that’s going outside the house at intervals during the Super Bowl and staring at a billboard for 30 — 60 seconds. And nobody’s gonna stare at a billboard that long, even if it’s as brilliantly wrong as the [in]famous Pork the one you love. That’s clue #3.

Anyway, there’s about five ads in the rotation now (four if you discount the fact that one is for Campbell’s own webcomic); they’re … ads. Campbell’s is pretty to look at and all, but nothing that’s going to make me want to come back and hit the refresh button on a daily basis. Unless you’re already reading James Lileks tributes to old ads, I’m afraid that this one’s not likely to capture your imagination.

I received an email through the Fleen contact site from Brad Shur, letting me know that there is a fairly new web comic collective in our midst. The collective is so cleverly titled, Koala Wallop. I’m not sure where Koalas come into play, but I like the name nonetheless.

The collective is comprised of five web comics: Perfect Stars, Dresden Codak, I am a Rocket Builder, Minus, and The Secret Crocodile Adventure Club. I’ve browsed through their sites, and decided to talk about The Secret Crocodile Adventure Club today. I’ll get to the others later this week, if all goes well in Allison Land.

Now on to The Secret Crocodile Adventure Club. With a name like that, I came into this comic with high expectations. It’s a secret club, with adventures. That’s pretty damn hard to pull off. First off, the site is explained as a secret order of crocodiles, which comes with it’s own hierarchy and rules of engagement. Their main enemy is the Michael J. Fox Society to Prevent Parkinson’s Disease. Why? I don’t know. I guess they have something against Michael J.

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Damn, I want a rechargeable dog. I guess the next best thing will be living out all my electronic dog dreams through Hoover the Rechargeable Dog by John Mahood. He emailed us through our nifty contact address and presto!-he gets a review.

I read all of the August archive and sifted through the September back log to get a feel for his style and sense of humor. He draws a newspaper-style comic which is black and white, but also has color-rendered Sunday editions as well. The comic is about a boy named Skip who receives a robot dog for what I believe to be his birthday. He eventually names him Hoover, for the obvious robot-dog reasons.

The comic chronicles the mishaps and mini-adventures one would have with a super-awesome robot dog. The humor is cute, as is the artwork. The characters are memorable and adorable to boot. You can check out this foray into cuteness here. I like real dogs, but Hoover the Rechargeable Dog gives them a run for their delicious milk-bone money.  

For a comic that only has 22 strips under it’s belt, One Liners is really rather funny. Another shocking… shock is that the art is also extremely competent right from the get go. I particularily like the character design. Our antihero is dressed all in black, mask included, with a white brimmed hat. For no reason. No reason other than it looks really cool. Although the supporting cast aren’t dressed like demented super heroes, they are all well formed enough to be memorable in their own right too, even if two of them are called Ashton.

I appreciate that the humour in this strip isn’t going to be for everyone. This strip is brimming with sexual passive aggression, as well as the regular kind. Unusually, it’s just enough to be edgy as well as funny, but not too much as to be over the top and cringe-worthy.

I don’t think I’ve ever recommended a comic to anyone that has less than 50 strips, but this is the exception. If you’re looking for a new comic to read but you don’t want to traul through a few years of archives, One Liners is the one for you.

Unless, of course, it’s not.