THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)
Comic Discussion => QUESTIONABLE CONTENT => Topic started by: Is it cold in here? on 26 Jan 2010, 20:12
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Starting at the beginning doesn't give you a good feeling for what the strip is about.
Jeph once identified the comics around 1155 as being representative.
I nominate the strips beginning with 336, when Raven holds up a metaphorical mirror to Faye. The story line there keeps cutting to other characters who are also being developed.
What would be your pick?
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I first found the strip when QC, XKCD, And Dinosaur comics did the April fool's thing in '08. That was #1111.
Then I read through the whole archive that weekend.
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Yeah, it's kinda funny - if you start at #1, you're hooked in. And there's not a lot of down-time between arcs or stories, and you don't lose interest because things are overly complicated (sorry about that, "Pablo Wapsi" Taylor).
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I started the week before 666 and devoured the archive in a weekend. I'm not an indie music snob, but I really didn't mind the fact that the comic was, supposedly, an indie music snob strip.
It was always slice of life. It just so happened that it focused on indie hipsters, and the fact that they were hipsters wasn't the focus, but instead a fact of who they were, made it both enjoyable and understandable. I didn't have to know the musicians to understand the jokes.
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It may seem daunting, but it really is best to start at number one. Not only do you get to see where Faye and Marten meet, you also get to see Jeph's progression as an artist and storywriter. Problem is that once you get to the end you cannot read to your heart's content :cry:
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Now that I think about it, the best way to get a sense of the strip is to click on the "random" button, read a few strips afterwards (and, perhaps in a few cases, before to get context), then do it again and jump to another section.
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Number one is the way to go, I think.
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OK, I looked at #1 a few years ago and just couldn't get into it. Quit after a dozen strips, I couldn't take the indie stuff - "If that's all it's gonna be, it's not worth it".
Several months later, forgetting I had already looked at it, I followed the link from another webcomic, and saw Hanners sledding. There was something really compelling about it, and I did something that I do with a lot of magazines and comics -- I started reading it backwards.
I think it's because I'm left-handed, but I've always been more comfortable paging through something backwards. Anyway, I found it absolutely fascinating to watch the storyline unfolding (is that the right term for going through something backwards? Maybe it's de-folding, or refolding...), seeing where characters and situations came from. After a few hundred, I also notice that the art was devolving a little bit. At the same time I was following the current daily strip forward.
A few hundred more, and I finally went back to #1 and read the rest forward. I couldn't believe I had quit on it so early! When I met myself in the middle, I kept going. It took damn near 3 weeks to get through it all, and I got next to no work done at the time.
But everyone I "sell" it to, I tell them to start at the beginning and to give it a few strips. Don't be afraid of the references, I tell them, it's not the whole comic. Pintsize, of course, is the hook for some people. But yeah, the random button works too, just hit it until you find something that makes you giggle - one of the riffing pages, or maybe a standalone robot joke. Whatever works for you!
More comics need Random buttons.
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I had this problem recently, actually. I was recommending the comic to a friend of mine, but I couldn't tell him where to start, other than from strip one. There are just so many characters entering and leaving the strip, and so much has gone on, it is in my opinion best to just start from square one.
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Plus, if you don't start from the beginning, you won't know who Sara is...
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Plus, if you don't start from the beginning, you won't know who Sara is...
We do not speak of those who were eaten by the allosaurus, lest the beasties come back and we have to give it another sacrifice :-P
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start at the beginning you cunts
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I can tell you where I started...
The Traveler's Respite had a post about the latest Questionable Content, and I looked at it. Spent the next three days going over all the past comics after that. It was the "Morning After" when faye paused in her panic attack to "...admire that fine, fine ass."
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I first found the strip when QC, XKCD, And Dinosaur comics did the April fool's thing in '08. That was #1111.
Then I read through the whole archive that weekend.
So did I, but I saw it when it was still #1110. Next I read the whole archive, after a while I forgot about Marten and Dora being together, so that I didn't knew who Marten would choose.
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It may seem daunting, but it really is best to start at number one. Not only do you get to see where Faye and Marten meet, you also get to see Jeph's progression as an artist and storywriter.
And a QC archive-trawl isn't that daunting. I've done it more than once. It's not like Sluggy Freelance...
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This is where I started: http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=380 (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=380)
If the banter doesn't hook you, wait a couple strips and the booty shorts will. :wink:
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It may seem daunting, but it really is best to start at number one. Not only do you get to see where Faye and Marten meet, you also get to see Jeph's progression as an artist and storywriter.
And a QC archive-trawl isn't that daunting. I've done it more than once. It's not like Sluggy Freelance...
I've trawled sluggy several times, but not in two or three years.
I should.
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Incidentally, my dad has been nagging me about 'that thing you're always reading' lately and having me spell out 'questionablecontent.net' at least ten times for him. Now I see he's also browsing with the Random button.
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At the beginning.
But, I suppose reading a few more recent strips to get a good idea of the strip couldn't hurt. Although, it's more fun to start at #1 and watch the art progress along with the story arcs.
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http://www.schlockmercenary.com/d/20000612.html , probably.
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The first QC I ever saw was this one (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1341)! Happy times!
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Wow, what a place to start - must've been fairly confusing! Did you go right back to #1 from there, or just back up a few to try and figure out what was going on?
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I first found the strip when QC, XKCD, And Dinosaur comics did the April fool's thing in '08. That was #1111.
Then I read through the whole archive that weekend.
You came around after me? wtf. I swear I've been seeing your avatar longer than I've been here.
Anyways, a friend told me about the comic when this comic (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1003) was the newest. He had to swear that besides the name and the newest strip, it's not always like that.
Anyways, I read them all over a few days, and I've been reading since. I now have a t3h shirt!
Edit: Oh yes. The topic itself. I would recommend Comic 1, regardless.
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I told my daughter about the comic. She started looking at it a few days later. The first one she saw was This one (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1434).
Same thing, "It's not always like that!"
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You came around after me? wtf. I swear I've been seeing your avatar longer than I've been here.
That's odd because I didn't have an avatar until the Sven/Gina Riversmith strip (which is where it came from.)
Until then I had no avatar or signature or nothing.
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Wow, what a place to start - must've been fairly confusing! Did you go right back to #1 from there, or just back up a few to try and figure out what was going on?
I went right to #1 and for the longest time I thought it was Marten in that strip. When the storyline finally panned out it was a big "Wait, wha---OOOOOOHHHHH" moment. Not my finest hour, I assure you.
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I swear I've been seeing your avatar longer than I've been here.
TEMPORAL ANOMALY ALERT!
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There is the theory of the Möbius, a twist in the fabric of space...
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Somebody send for The Doctor.
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(http://www.firsttvdrama.com/show1/honor/pertwee.jpg)
You called?
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I recommend starting at the beginning - I still reread the entire archive from time to time.
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Definitely start at the beginning; but reassure the new reader that the poop jokes and indie music references lighten up after a bit.
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I have never been OK with either of those things leaving the vernacular of the strip
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... and apparantly they haven't!
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I can definitely say what strip NOT to start with:
504.
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I'd divide the series into four sections:
I. When Marten Met Faye (1 - 499)
II. Faye Has Issues; Dora Nabs Marten (500 - 1067)
III. Faye Hooks Up With Sven (1068 - 1576)
IV. Dora Moves In With Marten and Faye (1577 - )
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So, roughly 500 strip "chapters".
So nothing major for another 500 strips or so? :-(
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(http://www.firsttvdrama.com/show1/honor/pertwee.jpg)
You called?
Pertwee!!!
One of my two favorite Doctors. :)
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So, roughly 500 strip "chapters".
So nothing major for another 500 strips or so? :-(
Thing is, there's a LOT of interesting stuff that happened in chapter two, but trying to break THAT down would drive you batty.
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Pertwee!!!
One of my two favorite Doctors. :)
We're showin' our age, James!
To me Pertwee will always be THE Doctor, simply because I discovered the series in CBC broadcasts back in the 70's, right after he started. When he changed, I had no idea what was going on! I think I actually mourned...
I'll take a stab at the other;
(http://thebadplus.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/07/08/baker.jpg)
My #2. I had that scarf all through 7 years of college...
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Bang on Carl-E
Picked up my taste for Jelly Babies from him :-D
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Nah, you're not old enough...
(http://cassland.org/images/DrWho1.jpg)
But there's never actually been a poor Doctor (unlike James Bond!).
(http://cassland.org/images/Hartnell.jpg)
(http://cassland.org/images/outoforder.jpg)
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Oh, we're old enough.
Just not quite as old as you!
I did enjoy the first Doctor, when I finally saw his episodes, but he wasn't my first Doctor. But yeah, I've never seen a bad one! The most recent one I've seen (10?) is quite good!
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I found QC one day when I was sick and had nothing but free time. I started at #1 and read the whole thing in one sitting, which was up to #1084 IIRC.
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Do not start with 1600 (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1600)!
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I'd agree with that...
I do have a "Strip-by-strip" reference list through the first 1600 strips (not all strips are documented, though), in PDF and in Google Docs format. Anyone who'd be interested, let me know (Use "Questionable Content Strip Summary" as your subject in a PM).
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Well, now that I've got the Summary together, I've put together the (somewhat) complete cast list available as a PDF:
http://bit.ly/QCcastlist (http://bit.ly/QCcastlist)
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OK, that is a frighteningly extensive and impressive bit of work, right there.
You either have way too much time on your hands, or you drink way too much caffeine!
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No, it's worse: I work third shift. :roll: :angel:
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I didn't even get past the first page when I realized that there was a huge story arc I never knew about, and I (thought I had) thoroughly read the entire archive twice! Thanks for the note about Marten drawing him and Dora toasting marshmallows on her back, and double thanks for referencing the comic number. I'm now about fifty panels back and working my way up. You have made my sick day much more enjoyable!
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Jeph is consistent enough with his character development, not to mention his situational development, that one really has to start with #1 to get a proper feel for what's going on (for example, Sara is mentioned much later, can't recall when, but it results in Penelope getting hired), although I'll say that you can get most of it anywhere in the 200-300's, and things pick up a bit.
Not that I'm a fan of indie music (well, maybe Cat Power), but I don't see why the indie refs should bog anyone down. One of the things I like about webcomics is many of their creators don't attempt to appeal to everyone. One of the upshots of this is you can learn all sorts of things if you follow up the things you don't get immediately.
Anyway, I found it absolutely fascinating to watch the storyline unfolding (is that the right term for going through something backwards? Maybe it's de-folding, or refolding...), seeing where characters and situations came from.
Regressing.