Comments on: Holy Antimony!: a review of Gunnerkrigg Court http://comicfencing.com/2008/08/08/holy-antimony-a-review-of-gunnerkrigg-court/ Let the reviews do battle! Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:02:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: The Doctor http://comicfencing.com/2008/08/08/holy-antimony-a-review-of-gunnerkrigg-court/#comment-630 The Doctor Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:28:21 +0000 http://comicfencing.com/?p=328#comment-630 Absolutely, Larry, and good points all around! Absolutely, Larry, and good points all around!

]]> By: Larry Cruz http://comicfencing.com/2008/08/08/holy-antimony-a-review-of-gunnerkrigg-court/#comment-629 Larry Cruz Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:33:35 +0000 http://comicfencing.com/?p=328#comment-629 <i>Such was the case with Harry Potter. It’s one of the reasons I grew to hate it. Such is also the case with the endless succession of sitcoms like those you mentioned, and also ones like Seinfeld, Friends, and the like. Oh, goody, indeed.</i> Don't forget that this phenomena happens in webcomics, too. When Sly mentioned college roommate sitcoms, my mind immediatly went to all those roommate comics out there. Such was the case with Harry Potter. It’s one of the reasons I grew to hate it. Such is also the case with the endless succession of sitcoms like those you mentioned, and also ones like Seinfeld, Friends, and the like. Oh, goody, indeed.

Don’t forget that this phenomena happens in webcomics, too. When Sly mentioned college roommate sitcoms, my mind immediatly went to all those roommate comics out there.

]]> By: Larry Cruz http://comicfencing.com/2008/08/08/holy-antimony-a-review-of-gunnerkrigg-court/#comment-628 Larry Cruz Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:32:12 +0000 http://comicfencing.com/?p=328#comment-628 I think it's safe to say that all four of the Comic Fencers are Yankees. That's an interesting effect of the British literature that we're exposed to in the States, by the way. Except for Dickens and Kipling novels, most of the exposure we get with regard to boarding schools do include a fantasy element. And even Dickens & Kipling are somewhat magical, since those stories are set in a gaslight world that we're only familiar with in our imagination. Generally, Americans don't wear uniform either. So that imagery of kids in jackets and ties sorta taps into a magical world we were never familiar with. Well, with the exception of Wednesday from the Addams family. I shudder to think what the rest of the world thinks when American media shows junior high and high school kids in designer duds. I'm guessing <i>Clueless</i> didn't resonate much with the Brits? I think it’s safe to say that all four of the Comic Fencers are Yankees. That’s an interesting effect of the British literature that we’re exposed to in the States, by the way. Except for Dickens and Kipling novels, most of the exposure we get with regard to boarding schools do include a fantasy element. And even Dickens & Kipling are somewhat magical, since those stories are set in a gaslight world that we’re only familiar with in our imagination.

Generally, Americans don’t wear uniform either. So that imagery of kids in jackets and ties sorta taps into a magical world we were never familiar with. Well, with the exception of Wednesday from the Addams family.

I shudder to think what the rest of the world thinks when American media shows junior high and high school kids in designer duds. I’m guessing Clueless didn’t resonate much with the Brits?

]]> By: The Doctor http://comicfencing.com/2008/08/08/holy-antimony-a-review-of-gunnerkrigg-court/#comment-626 The Doctor Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:26:15 +0000 http://comicfencing.com/?p=328#comment-626 Your premise may very well be spot on for all the reasons you mentioned, plus one - here in the States we have a penchant for insipid, pointless, repeated-to-death comedy, and once something becomes the "darling" of everyone, it gets driven in your face until it becomes nauseating. Such was the case with Harry Potter. It's one of the reasons I grew to hate it. Such is also the case with the endless succession of sitcoms like those you mentioned, and also ones like Seinfeld, Friends, and the like. Oh, goody, indeed. As a side note, Potter was only a very small part of why I didn't care for the comic, actually. The main ones dealt with my interpretation of the characters (being a writer, myself) and the overall "dark" tone of the comic, which I felt was just too much. (Some dark is ok, and even necessary - this seemed almost to the point of being depressing and/or oppressive) Your premise may very well be spot on for all the reasons you mentioned, plus one - here in the States we have a penchant for insipid, pointless, repeated-to-death comedy, and once something becomes the “darling” of everyone, it gets driven in your face until it becomes nauseating. Such was the case with Harry Potter. It’s one of the reasons I grew to hate it. Such is also the case with the endless succession of sitcoms like those you mentioned, and also ones like Seinfeld, Friends, and the like. Oh, goody, indeed.

As a side note, Potter was only a very small part of why I didn’t care for the comic, actually. The main ones dealt with my interpretation of the characters (being a writer, myself) and the overall “dark” tone of the comic, which I felt was just too much. (Some dark is ok, and even necessary - this seemed almost to the point of being depressing and/or oppressive)

]]> By: Bengo http://comicfencing.com/2008/08/08/holy-antimony-a-review-of-gunnerkrigg-court/#comment-623 Bengo Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:31:02 +0000 http://comicfencing.com/?p=328#comment-623 Bonus points if you can name the web host where GC got its start. Bonus points if you can name the web host where GC got its start.

]]> By: Bengo http://comicfencing.com/2008/08/08/holy-antimony-a-review-of-gunnerkrigg-court/#comment-622 Bengo Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:29:38 +0000 http://comicfencing.com/?p=328#comment-622 What is the most obscure webcomic that has entered your personal pantheon of favorites? (I say "has entered" because pantheon occupants sometimes depart.) It's hard to measure obscurity, but a nominee for mine would be "Ugly Girl" on ComicGen. Actually, it has a weird URL, I better add it... nanda.comicgenesis.com/ Give her some publicity. The art starts a little shaky then gets great. Anyway, I just offer mine out of fairness. Having heard the famous titles you love, I wonder if you have any lesser known at the moment. What is the most obscure webcomic that has entered your personal pantheon of favorites? (I say “has entered” because pantheon occupants sometimes depart.)

It’s hard to measure obscurity, but a nominee for mine would be “Ugly Girl” on ComicGen. Actually, it has a weird URL, I better add it…
nanda.comicgenesis.com/ Give her some publicity. The art starts a little shaky then gets great.

Anyway, I just offer mine out of fairness. Having heard the famous titles you love, I wonder if you have any lesser known at the moment.

]]> By: Sly Eagle http://comicfencing.com/2008/08/08/holy-antimony-a-review-of-gunnerkrigg-court/#comment-621 Sly Eagle Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:02:19 +0000 http://comicfencing.com/?p=328#comment-621 I think if your first thought when reading this comic is "Harry Potter," then you must be an American. Most people from Britain, and the rest of the Commonwealth (ie, people who swear allegiance to the Queen on England) for that matter, were sent away to boarding school at some point during their life. Naturally, a good portion of youth Brit lit focused on plucky heroes who arrive at these institutions for the first time. Naturally, there's a sense of wonder and grandeur at this new place, but also foreboding. Generally, there are rules that the main character ends up breaking (for noble or sympathetic reasons of course). Always, it's time for some good old-fashioned coming of age. For some reason, these stories usually don't pick up a following in the US. Probably because most Americans <i>do not</i> ever attend boarding schools, so they can't identify with the characters too well. So instead, we get the college dorm situation comedies. Oh, goody. But yes, Rowling doesn't own the boarding school setting. Dickens used it, Kipling used it, C.S. Lewis notably <i>didn't</i> use it, preferring to whisk the kids away <i>from</i> boarding school to a magical land where they were sure to learn a lot more while having a much better time. Read more Brit lit! Whoo! I think if your first thought when reading this comic is “Harry Potter,” then you must be an American. Most people from Britain, and the rest of the Commonwealth (ie, people who swear allegiance to the Queen on England) for that matter, were sent away to boarding school at some point during their life. Naturally, a good portion of youth Brit lit focused on plucky heroes who arrive at these institutions for the first time. Naturally, there’s a sense of wonder and grandeur at this new place, but also foreboding. Generally, there are rules that the main character ends up breaking (for noble or sympathetic reasons of course). Always, it’s time for some good old-fashioned coming of age.

For some reason, these stories usually don’t pick up a following in the US. Probably because most Americans do not ever attend boarding schools, so they can’t identify with the characters too well. So instead, we get the college dorm situation comedies. Oh, goody.

But yes, Rowling doesn’t own the boarding school setting. Dickens used it, Kipling used it, C.S. Lewis notably didn’t use it, preferring to whisk the kids away from boarding school to a magical land where they were sure to learn a lot more while having a much better time. Read more Brit lit! Whoo!

]]> By: The Doctor http://comicfencing.com/2008/08/08/holy-antimony-a-review-of-gunnerkrigg-court/#comment-594 The Doctor Fri, 08 Aug 2008 23:33:17 +0000 http://comicfencing.com/?p=328#comment-594 If I'm invited I'll show up in my scarf and hat - promise! :) If I’m invited I’ll show up in my scarf and hat - promise! :)

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