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Post by sapientcoffee on Nov 30, 2013 9:17:13 GMT
The evolution of the artwork has been a lot of fun to see. With so many pages to pick from, I'll snatch up one to look at. This page is just cool to look at. Check out the central panel. Annie skooched up onto Kat's bed, kicking off her shoe with her toes. Her holding Kat's crossed feet in her lap. So damn adorable! And it ends on a comical note. This is only three pages after she sets her hair on fire in front of the Court assembly while accepting the position of Forest Medium. I picked that one as a simple indoor scene because I love how the colors really set the mood. I won't start linking all the great pages because that would go on forever. There are loads of great outdoor pages too, forest and cityscape of the court, that just blow me away! We also seem to have a pretty awesome fanbase here. It's nice to find a reasonably civil forum. Last thing first. I think it helps to have a strong core group of regular posters, they set the tone for the forums. Also, the majority of our threads are per comic with only a few wandering into outside issues, and since we're all here because we like GKC, it's a focus we can agree on. While I wish Tom was around a bit more, I remember when Jeph got pissed at the Questionable Content forums and posted hard porn everywhere, so...I prefer Tom's style. Now back to the comic! I picked it up from when it was featured in Girl Genius (in the dawn of the internet, I read Dominic Deegan [which was featured on the same pages] which was how I found out about Girl Genius) (now that I look back on those pages, I found a LOT of comics through that spread, thanks Foglios!) (Ye gods and little fishes, that was back in 2007.)I liked Tom's sense of humor and dedication and attention to detail, but I fell for the comic here, because the sequence of sweater, bag, pull out hair is a fantastic detail. My interest was captured by the big stuff - good art, neat story, but the details are what get me to tell other people to read this. Also, Jan and Cookie Monster. I hope we get to see them again.
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Post by GK Sierra on Nov 30, 2013 9:57:27 GMT
In my mind, I like to imagine that the early art was the world as Antimony saw it at that age, and that as she grew it became more complex.
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Post by snipertom on Nov 30, 2013 11:06:13 GMT
In my mind, I like to imagine that the early art was the world as Antimony saw it at that age, and that as she grew it became more complex. I believe that's the case. Just think... back then she would have been watching Hey Arnold. Now she (and Kat and Paz) are watching ANIME. I have the softest spot for the art around the page 350-500 period. Just that lovely thick line linework. Rawr.
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fishtie
Full Member
...I've learned to be amazed first and ask questions later.
Posts: 114
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Post by fishtie on Nov 30, 2013 11:56:25 GMT
I think one of the major (among many) reasons I love GK is how it so seamlessly blends the neurotically abnormal with the crushingly mundane. It even allows these two extremes to exist together in a way that seems so natural and logical. I think it's the subtle touches at times that really do the trick.
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chaosvii
Junior Member
I absolutely did not expect this!
Posts: 84
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Post by chaosvii on Nov 30, 2013 17:49:59 GMT
I think one of the major (among many) reasons I love GK is how it so seamlessly blends the neurotically abnormal with the crushingly mundane. It even allows these two extremes to exist together in a way that seems so natural and logical. I think it's the subtle touches at times that really do the trick. And more than that, Tom also respects the clear conflicts that might arise from these two matters being in the same place, as well as showing ways that the conflicts that you might expect are ironically easy to resolve without any tears.
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Post by znntqkumxh on Nov 30, 2013 20:44:16 GMT
You know... I forgot my reasons. O,O I found it what feels like ages ago, in one of my webcomic finding expeditions. From a batch of hundreds of candidates Gunnerkrigg Court was the only one I stuck with for a longer time. Since then it's become a part of my weeks and I don't reflect over why I like it, I just do. I'm a pretty stupid fella in case you can't tell! (in the dawn of the internet, I read Dominic Deegan [which was featured on the same pages] which was how I found out about Girl Genius) (now that I look back on those pages, I found a LOT of comics through that spread, thanks Foglios!) (Ye gods and little fishes, that was back in 2007.)Hahaha, I remember reading Dominic Deegan. Was one of my first webcomics. Wonder if it's still going on... The first one I read was Sluggy Freelance though, aaah, the 90's!
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Post by Corvo on Nov 30, 2013 21:26:32 GMT
Since then it's become a part of my weeks and I don't reflect over why I like it, I just do. I'm a pretty stupid fella in case you can't tell! And yet, you may be the wisest of us.
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chaosvii
Junior Member
I absolutely did not expect this!
Posts: 84
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Post by chaosvii on Nov 30, 2013 21:59:21 GMT
(in the dawn of the internet, I read Dominic Deegan [which was featured on the same pages] which was how I found out about Girl Genius) (now that I look back on those pages, I found a LOT of comics through that spread, thanks Foglios!) (Ye gods and little fishes, that was back in 2007.)Hahaha, I remember reading Dominic Deegan. Was one of my first webcomics. Wonder if it's still going on... The first one I read was Sluggy Freelance though, aaah, the 90's! The only thing you need to know about DD these days is that Death is not Zombies, Dominic is behind this plot twist, and there are forums that have well over 20 threads, each containing at least 50 pages, of mocking that comic. You will never need to read that comic to understand how much fun it is.
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Post by snipertom on Dec 1, 2013 1:35:56 GMT
Hahaha, I remember reading Dominic Deegan. Was one of my first webcomics. Wonder if it's still going on... The first one I read was Sluggy Freelance though, aaah, the 90's! The only thing you need to know about DD these days is that Death is not Zombies, Dominic is behind this plot twist, and there are forums that have well over 20 threads, each containing at least 50 pages, of mocking that comic. You will never need to read that comic to understand how much fun it is. I must admit that I've never heard anything *good* about DD.
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chaosvii
Junior Member
I absolutely did not expect this!
Posts: 84
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Post by chaosvii on Dec 1, 2013 20:11:57 GMT
I must admit that I've never heard anything *good* about DD. Yeah well it's better that way. DD is a unique experience for people that grow to have more and more sophisticated tastes for stories whilst finding that the story that they've wasted their life on they have been reading doesn't get much better than Guy that is misunderstood by most for being a nerd, but loved by everyone else that matters, leaves his podunk village of totally not-highschoolers to have adventures that are totally not representative of college and also there are demons but what really matters is bullying.At first it's like I could read all of this, but eventually it becomes Everyone betray me I'm fed up with this worl Wow there are only two compelling antagonists in this entire narrative and one of them is dead! Between the bullying is bad story, the racism is bad story, the additional handfuls of other bullying is bad stories, and the vast imaginative world-building that the author has barely followed up on, the only good things there are to say about DD can easily devolve into backhanded compliments or "this is good but..." type statements. The characterization is promising but it falls flat when it comes to conflicts interacting with pathos, the author doesn't go far enough. The puns are legion humor is passable but falls into hastily executed territory too often. The world is potentially beautiful and the author does try, but it's not deep enough for me. So obviously I write fanfiction incorporate some of his good ideas into my D&D games because it is worth improving upon, and is really easy to translate into D&D games.
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Post by freeformline on Dec 2, 2013 2:40:59 GMT
Yes, I used to really like that one. Never finished it. The various retools made my interest wane; the killing blow came when I fell behind a few months and, upon returning, realized the archives were badly-arranged and that there was consequently no easy way to navigate back to the point I left off. I realized that the work to find where I left off was much greater than I was interested in expending, so I left and didn't look back. Ok, that is another thing I like about Gunnerkrigg Court. The Archive system makes it very easy to navigate. I have had the exact same experience you describe with a few other webcomics (The Intrepid Girlbot, for example) where it is very hard to find your place from four or five months back. GC has things nicely divided by chapters and you can jump pages easily by simply changing the page number in the URL. Compared to many other webcomics, that is a huge plus. Yep, the archives are fantastic! GKC was one of my first webcomics, so I never thought much about how good the archives are until recently, when I found other story-based webcomics whose archives are noting more than a long list of links with page numbers and page titles. I can actually find things here for reasons other than memorizing the plot! As a student of the art, stories, and traditions of various Native groups in North America and a general fan of world mythology, I've really enjoyed Tom's incorporation of the legends and art styles of many cultures. It adds an aspect of interest beyond the story, which is enough to make a good comic on its own. Of course, I also get bugged by imprecise mimicry of some of the art, but if he uses more than ten mythologies in one comic, I think I can tolerate it. It just leaves me with more fun projects to do on the weekend!
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Post by snipertom on Dec 2, 2013 6:15:57 GMT
Also, this:
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Post by warrl on Dec 2, 2013 11:12:46 GMT
Yep, the archives are fantastic! GKC was one of my first webcomics, so I never thought much about how good the archives are until recently, when I found other story-based webcomics whose archives are noting more than a long list of links with page numbers and page titles. Even that is an improvement over those where you can start at the current page and read backward, or start at the first page and read forward, but there's no way to start somewhere in between.
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Post by flowsthead on Dec 2, 2013 20:44:44 GMT
I like it for the lovely characters and the pacing. It's a well paced comic, the humor is nice, but above all Annie and Kat are pretty fantastic, and Jones is one of the best things. There are plenty of things I think could be better, as this isn't my favorite webcomic or anything, but it's really, really good, and that's enough.
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Post by eyemyself on Dec 2, 2013 22:16:43 GMT
Simple answer: Because it is good. Complex answer: Because I can loose myself in it. The art. The writing. The world and character development. The story. The depth and complexity. Everything that has been mentioned here already. It is more than just good, it is brilliant. In my opinion, Tom is a master of his chosen medium and it shows in every detail, from the care that went into the website and the regular updates to the amount of time and effort that must go in to every single page. There are very few comics on the web that hold a candle in quality, and even fewer that update on such a reliable, regular schedule.
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Post by arf on Dec 3, 2013 1:51:55 GMT
Why is GC awesome? It's a well told story about geeky girls. Real girls, not just 'boys with bumps' (if Zimmy can be thought of as being 'for real'!?). I am also impressed by the number of obscure but valid mythological references, and how the artwork rapidly went from passable to good to sublime.
I was put onto GC by someone who has been studiously reading 6 pages a week, at about the time of Microsat 5. I didn't have the same self-control and read the whole thing through in a couple of days. Colleague is still about 70 pages behind (finding out what a charmer Hetty was), so expect him to catch up in 5-6 months.
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lit
Full Member
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Post by lit on Dec 3, 2013 4:49:05 GMT
What stories have you read that feature 'boys with bumps'? Just curious, as I hadn't heard that terminology before.
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Post by Xan on Dec 3, 2013 10:50:59 GMT
GC is awesome, because it is awesome and consistently so. I'm aware that this is a recursive answer, this is intentional.
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Post by quinkgirl on Dec 3, 2013 16:51:19 GMT
GC is awesome, because it is awesome and consistently so. I'm aware that this is a recursive answer, this is intentional. As a side note: thankfully roboxs awesomeness neutralizes boxbots terribleness.
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Rymdljus
Full Member
Beautiful songbird
Posts: 207
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Post by Rymdljus on Dec 4, 2013 10:59:34 GMT
Wow, wonderful thread! ^^ Not much to add.
The very real characters, the extremely cute humor and the unpredictable story that always has more to offer than you think are the real draws for me.
GC is head and shoulders above most comics in existance.
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Post by asyetunnamed on Dec 4, 2013 11:12:57 GMT
I've been viewing this comic for several years (it was recommended on some site). In addition to a lot of the points already listed, I like that the story always seems to be going somewhere (or facing an issue). A lot of the web comics that I have stopped viewing start very well and then (almost) tread water after a few hundred pages. At that point, I may as well stop checking the comic and then blitz it in an hour or two a little while later.
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Post by thshrkpnchr on Dec 4, 2013 11:25:40 GMT
Wow, wonderful thread! ^^ Not much to add. The very real characters, the extremely cute humor and the unpredictable story that always has more to offer than you think are the real draws for me. GC is head and shoulders above most comics in existance. And the art, too! The style is pleasing to my eyes with its colors and simple lines, but it can also get really detailed and colorful (in the treatises and etheric scene). I also like it for the never-missed schedule, and how Tom constantly teases us with the weekend wait! Oh, and the forum, too. This is probably one of the few nicest places of the internet. The members are so enthusiastic, cheerful and well-mannered that I feel the need not to just lurk but join.
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Post by snipertom on Dec 4, 2013 12:05:29 GMT
Wow, wonderful thread! ^^ Not much to add. The very real characters, the extremely cute humor and the unpredictable story that always has more to offer than you think are the real draws for me. GC is head and shoulders above most comics in existance. Now of course I totally need to find YOUR forum and start a similar post! (seriously!!!! I think yours is also one of the best in existence ) Hey so, question, will we ever find out (in another series I guess?) about: Also, are Dores and Elia permanently dead or is that a secret for now? It totally shocked me when Elia died! So much! I didn't accept it for awhile! It was like... grief!
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Rymdljus
Full Member
Beautiful songbird
Posts: 207
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Post by Rymdljus on Dec 4, 2013 12:48:38 GMT
Wow, wonderful thread! ^^ Not much to add. The very real characters, the extremely cute humor and the unpredictable story that always has more to offer than you think are the real draws for me. GC is head and shoulders above most comics in existance. Now of course I totally need to find YOUR forum and start a similar post! (seriously!!!! I think yours is also one of the best in existence ) Hey so, question, will we ever find out (in another series I guess?) about Vandi and Dores' relationship? The thread of doom reminded me of this: fribergthorelli.com/wbk/index.php/page-487/ -> the comments fribergthorelli.com/wbk/index.php/490-497/Oh wow, thanks! I would love to have a forum, but we don't. I don't think we have enough regular readers to warrant a forum, actually. Mostly because we can't keep updates regular at all... Didn't know that either you nor GK Sierra had read it (or had you mentioned it before, and I just forgot? Sorry, I tend to be an airhead ^^ . That's awesome. But if you could spoilertag some of what you wrote, I'd be happy. Just in case. ^^;;;; Can't say much about Vandi and Dores relationship. Whatever might be there is not the focus of the story. People were reading all sorts of things into that particular scene though, that I thought was a bit strange. ^^;;; As for certain characters returning... I would rather not say much about that either!
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Post by snipertom on Dec 4, 2013 13:49:45 GMT
Now of course I totally need to find YOUR forum and start a similar post! (seriously!!!! I think yours is also one of the best in existence ) Hey so, question, will we ever find out (in another series I guess?) about: Also, are Dores and Elia permanently dead or is that a secret for now? It totally shocked me when Elia died! So much! I didn't accept it for awhile! It was like... grief! Oh wow, thanks! I would love to have a forum, but we don't. I don't think we have enough regular readers to warrant a forum, actually. Mostly because we can't keep updates regular at all... Didn't know that either you nor GK Sierra had read it (or had you mentioned it before, and I just forgot? Sorry, I tend to be an airhead ^^ . That's awesome. But if you could spoilertag some of what you wrote, I'd be happy. Just in case. ^^;;;; Can't say much about Vandi and Dores relationship. Whatever might be there is not the focus of the story. People were reading all sorts of things into that particular scene though, that I thought was a bit strange. ^^;;; As for certain characters returning... I would rather not say much about that either! Ah crap! Sorry, I've altered it now. Yeah I was of the opinion that even if there were feelings or anything had happened in the past, certainly it was NOT happening on that particular night. For obvious reasons. Also I went back and read that part of the comic tonight and had *realisations* of the current part of the story! Which is good! Were you guys surprised when the last part of the story ended up being longer than you expected?
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Rymdljus
Full Member
Beautiful songbird
Posts: 207
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Post by Rymdljus on Dec 4, 2013 14:32:09 GMT
Ah crap! Sorry, I've altered it now. Yeah I was of the opinion that even if there were feelings or anything had happened in the past, certainly it was NOT happening on that particular night. For obvious reasons. Also I went back and read that part of the comic tonight and had *realisations* of the current part of the story! Which is good! Were you guys surprised when the last part of the story ended up being longer than you expected? No worries, but better safe than sorry. ^^ It is interesting how much reactions you get as soon as you deal with intimacy between people of the same sex, whatever else is going on in the story at the time. I think that page is the second most commented in the comic. In this instance I'm kind of glad we didn't have a forum. Haha, we are constantly surprised at how long WBK is becoming! In the beginning we thought it would be 450 pages. Kind of weird. I'm glad if people are still on board, even though updates are irregular and the story having changed a bit.
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Post by SilverbackRon on Dec 5, 2013 7:23:39 GMT
Oh wow, thanks! I would love to have a forum, but we don't. I don't think we have enough regular readers to warrant a forum, actually. Mostly because we can't keep updates regular at all... Didn't know that either you nor GK Sierra had read it (or had you mentioned it before, and I just forgot? Sorry, I tend to be an airhead ^^ . That's awesome. I just discovered your comic a couple weeks ago and am eagerly awaiting your next update. That is a very cool world you have built and the mystery is killing me now! And if you had a forum I would so be there.
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Post by Señor Goose on Dec 5, 2013 7:27:20 GMT
Oh wow, thanks! I would love to have a forum, but we don't. I don't think we have enough regular readers to warrant a forum, actually. Mostly because we can't keep updates regular at all... Didn't know that either you nor GK Sierra had read it (or had you mentioned it before, and I just forgot? Sorry, I tend to be an airhead ^^ . That's awesome. Yeah, I love it! The storyline is weird, but the art is impressive and the plot keeps me guessing. Why is your update schedule so erratic though? Do you just have other side projects you work on too? I totally understand, I was just curious.
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Rymdljus
Full Member
Beautiful songbird
Posts: 207
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Post by Rymdljus on Dec 5, 2013 8:11:16 GMT
I just discovered your comic a couple weeks ago and am eagerly awaiting your next update. That is a very cool world you have built and the mystery is killing me now! And if you had a forum I would so be there. I've seen you in the comments recently. ^^ Thanks for reading. Yeah, I love it! The storyline is weird, but the art is impressive and the plot keeps me guessing. Why is your update schedule so erratic though? Do you just have other side projects you work on too? I totally understand, I was just curious. Thanks! That is actually a very good question. In the light of Tom's consistent schedule, I can't really justify why we can't get pages done faster than we do... I have a full time job at the moment, and we don't live together anymore, so that slows us down, but still, we're two people, and we spend a LOT of our free time on WBK. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Tom's dedication is insane. Gunnerkrigg and WBK started roughly at the same time and Tom has made almost 500 pages more.
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Post by SilverbackRon on Dec 6, 2013 1:50:33 GMT
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Tom's dedication is insane. Gunnerkrigg and WBK started roughly at the same time and Tom has made almost 500 pages more. Crack the whip! We need more WBK! Wow, this thread turned from why Gunnerkrigg is awesome into why What Birds Know is awesome. They are both incredible for some of the same reasons. Great storytelling, an interesting world of mysteries, and characters worth caring about.
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