Muddle through Muddlecreek
I could go on about this comic’s incredible use of cutting edge humor, incredible art and hysterically funny gags, you know. I could, but I’d be lying. I am convinced after reading it that “Muddle Creek” is aptly named, primarily because you have to muddle THROUGH it to try and finish the never-ending archives.
With all apologies necessary to any fans and especially to the author, I have to say that this comic can be summed up in one word - DULL. I began at the first comic and after about 3 weeks worth of slow jokes, obvious jokes, boring jokes, and then ones that were worse, I literally said, out loud, “Does it get any better?” and jumped ahead to the later comics. Sad to say, it didn’t. The art is bland, the conversations stilted and predictable, and the cast is pretty much the same assortment you’d see in something like Dilbert.
I don’t know what power Bloom County had over the world, but it seems like an inordinate number of webcomics are trying hard to cash in on their style, rather than going their own direction. This one, unfortunately, is no exception.
I finally gave up more out of a sense of self-preservation than anything else, and came here to write the review.
If you like a comic that tries hard to be Doonesbury or Bloom County, then read it. Note that I said “tries hard.” It seems to be yet another attempt at a socially conscious, hard hitting comic that when all is said and done should be bottled and sold as a cure for insomnia. However, on a positive note I saw nothing that would make me warn people away from it or make it non-family friendly, though. So I give it 2 stars.
And that’s my opinion.
The Doctor 
Rating: 
Muddle Creek
http://muddlecreek.com/
by Jerry Benedict
Reviewed by The Doctor
(3 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)
Loading …
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URL
August 23rd, 2008 at 12:50 am
Wait a minute. Did you apologize?
Seriously, Muddle Creek also reminded me of Dilbert as I read it. Kind of strange, huh? I can see that better in retrospect because of the poses, expressions and character shapes.
Kind of an interesting thing to keep my eye open for. Thanks for pointing that out.
August 23rd, 2008 at 7:45 am
Of course I apologized. Even though the comic wasn’t that impressive to me, I also acknowledge that it is, mainly, because of personal taste rather than glaring deficiencies or horrid writing/stories.
And yes - I also saw the Dilbert/Bloom County similarities right off.
Even I, The Doctor, the definite article, you might say, am not without feeling
September 4th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Well, maybe you’ll like my strip in a future regeneration, Doctor… maybe in Your Peter Davidson incarnation. Jon Pertwee would have liked it, I think
Thanks for reading through it, anyway. I work very hard to make my little bland, dull, and unfunny comic with stilted dialogue. I make no effort to be socially conscious with the strip - I just stand on a soapbox.
A few points: I despise Doonesbury, Second, I didn’t like Bloom county, and third I don’t read Dilbert. I’m more influenced by Krazy Kat & Peanuts. I’m not a cutting edge kind of guy, but it sounds like you realize that already (and rub it in).
Cheers!
September 4th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Well, at least you didn’t take offense to my review!
September 4th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Nah… not at all. It’s not your cup of tea, and I don’t take it personally. Not everybody will like my strip. I have fun doing it, and if someone likes it, cool. I’m gonna keep doing it anyway. It’s a shame you guys spent so much time reading the early stuff. I don’t even like my strip until I reach strip #50.
September 4th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
And you know, when all is said and done, that’s the attitude that I believe artists SHOULD have instead of either slamming the person who didn’t like their work, taking the tack of not paying any attention at all because “you can’t criticize my work, being an inferior mortal,” or, in a worst case scenario, dangling themselves from the nearest tree branch because “no one understood.” Human beings have diverse tastes; some people will like and enjoy some things, and some won’t. That, to me, is inherent in the risk, if you will, of someone hanging their work out for all to see and comment on. I may be TOTALLY off base in how I interpreted your comic - and that’s really why it’s only my opinion when all is said and done.
To you I said kudos for having a healthy self-image and, basically, shrugging and going on
September 5th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
And kudos to you for allowing me to respond!
Thank you, Doctor… I’ve been a graphic artist for many years, and you can’t survive in that field unless you get a thick skin. I appreciate that you were specific in your criticisms… there’s a whole school of reviewing that gets off on just saying “this sucks”, and doesn’t qualify it. At any rate… I appreciate that you all took the time to read it… and I was frankly surprised that someone even reviewed it!
September 5th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Well…if THIS keeps up, I’m going to ruin my dastardly and nefarious reputation!
And as for the “this sucks” school of reviewing - that to me is more just wanting to knock people down instead of offering criticism designed to possibly make it better or help the artist see it in a different light. I give no credit to “reviews” of the aforementioned type.