Many webcomics have been influenced by video games and video game culture.
Background
editWebcomics frequently poke fun at video game logic, the video game industry, and stereotypical behavior of gamers. The earliest video game webcomic was Polymer City Chronicles, which started in 1995. However, 1998's PvP is seen as the origin of the genre, influencing various webcomics following it.[1] Low-quality video game webcomics were particularly common in the mid-2000s, often featuring author stand-ins with poor dialogue and unrealistic relationships.[2] A common trope in video game webcomics is to have the main characters sit on a couch, talking about the game they are playing.
It is common for webcomics to exclusively use in-game art and speech bubbles, such as in sprite comics. The term gamics has been proposed by Nathan Ciprick in 2004 to refer to webcomics that consist entirely of video game graphics. Despite the fact that video game graphics are generally copyrighted, owners of the intellectual properties used have traditionally been tolerant.[3]
Webcomics set in a video game world
edit| Title | Creator | Run | Based on | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8-Bit Theater | Brian Clevinger | 2001–2010 | Various Nintendo Entertainment System games, including Final Fantasy, Metroid and River City Ransom. | [1][4] |
| Awkward Zombie | Katie Tiedrich | 2006– | Various, most notably Super Smash Bros. | [4] |
| Bob and George | David Anez | 2000–2007 | Mega Man | |
| Brawl in the Family | Matthew Taranto | 2008–2014 | Super Smash Bros. | |
| Concerned | Christopher C. Livingston | 2005–2006 | Half-Life 2 | [3] |
| Dueling Analogs | Steve Napierski | 2005–2018 | Various | [4][5] |
| Super Effective | Scott Ramsoomair | 2008–2018 | Pokémon |
Webcomics about video games
edit| Title | Creator | Run | Style | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ctrl+Alt+Del | Tim Buckley | 2002– | "Gamer on a couch" comic | [1][4] |
| GU Comics | Woody Hearn | 2000– | [4] | |
| Megatokyo | Fred Gallagher and Rodney Caston | 2000– | Follows the adventures of a manga and video game fan in Tokyo, Japan. | [6] |
| Penny Arcade | Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik | 1998– | "Gamer on a couch" comic | [1][4] |
| Polymer City Chronicles | Chris Morrison | 1995–2007 | [1] | |
| PvP | Scott Kurtz | 1998– | Follows a fictional video game magazine company and its employees. | [1][4] |
| VG Cats | Scott Ramsoomair | 2001– | "Gamer on a couch" comic in which the characters frequently take on the role of their player character. | [1][4] |
Webcomics inspired by video games
edit| Title | Creator | Run | Inspiration | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cucumber Quest | Gigi D.G. | 2011– | Adventure webcomic influenced by Kirby and Paper Mario. | [7] |
| MS Paint Adventures | Andrew Hussie | 2007– | Webcomics on MSPaintAdventures are inspired by interactive fiction and role-playing video games, having started out as a "mock adventure game". The latest webcomic, Homestuck, follows a group of four kids playing a reality-changing video game. | [8][9] |
Other
edit
ShiftyLook, a former subsidiary of Namco Bandai, focused on reviving various Namco video game franchises between 2011 and 2014. The company originally did this through English language webcomics.[11] ShiftyLook has released webcomics based on Dig Dug,[12] Dragon Spirit, Klonoa, and various other video games.[10]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g Maragos, Nick (2005-11-07). "Will Strip for Games". 1UP. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved December 24, 2009.
- ^ Hathaway, Jay (2017-06-29). "Terrible mid-2000 gaming comics are being revived on Twitter". The Daily Dot.
- ^ a b Sapieha, Chad (2006-04-04). "Games + Comics = Gamics". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 2006-06-15.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Good, Owen (2009-07-19). "Sunday Comics". Kotaku.
- ^ Aziz, Hamza (2007-01-19). "Friday Comic Intermission: Dueling Analogs". Destructoid.
- ^ Hodgman, John (July 18, 2004). "Chronicle Comics; No More Wascally Wabbits". The New York Times. Retrieved April 11, 2006.
- ^ Davis, Lauren (2016-06-10). "First Second Is Publishing the Hilarious and Stunning Webcomic Epic Cucumber Quest". io9.
- ^ Weiler, Lance (January 25, 2009). "How Problem Sleuth Turns a Comic Into a Game". Culture Hacker. WorkBook Project. Archived from the original on November 30, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
- ^ Lauren Rae Orsini (August 2, 2012). "Inside the strange, brave new world of Homestuck". The Daily Dot. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- ^ a b Johnston, Rich (2012-07-14). "ShiftyLook Moves Into Cartoons – Bravoman, Jim Zub, Scott Kurtz And More". Bleeding Cool.
- ^ Gera, Emily (2014-03-10). "Namco High studio ShiftyLook is shutting its doors". Polygon.
- ^ Goellner, Caleb (2012-05-09). "Shiftylook Celebrating 30 Years of 'Dig Dug' With Anniversary Webcomic Collaboration". ComicsAlliance. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08.