Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is preparing to enter the fray

by Griffin McElroy { Nov 7th 2009 at 11:00PM }

Camelbak hydration pack? Check. Bear mace? Check. Economy-sized package of adult diapers? Check. No, we're not planning an excursion into the Alaskan wilderness -- we're preparing to wade into the tumultuous warzone known as the holiday shopping season. It's a six-week-long test of will and endurance, punctuated by intense capitalistic bloodbaths such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Fuschia Wednesday. Oh, man, you don't know about Fuschia Wednesday? We'd tell you all about it, but we'd hate to add to the competition. Fine, we'll give you a hint: Pottery Barn. Oh, no! We've said too much!

As we attempt to figure out how to finance these euphoria-inducing shopping sprees, check out our seven favorite gaming-related webcomics of this past week, which we've posted below. You can vote for your favorite in the poll after the jump, then tell us what strips we might have missed out on in the comments section!

The Price of Loyalty (Penny Arcade)
The Bomb (Digital Unrest)
Poke Graph (The Ninja Ken)
Powers of Ten (2P Start)
Stealth (Brawl in the Family)
Short Fuse (Monday Night Crew)
Stained (Dipswitch)

Tags: webcomic

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Nov 7th 2009 11:04PM

Went with Penny Arcade.
Torchlight deserves the attention, and it was actually kinda funny.
Not *haha* funny, but *hehe* funny.

The Ninja Ken was just stupid..
Brawl in the Family was pretty good.

SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Nov 7th 2009 11:09PM

Oh, and I'm glad this didn't end up being 'different links to the same comic about MW2' unlike when GTAIV launched.

Have to say, I'm kinda disappointed with what I've played of MW2 so far.
Don't ask how I got it. It's a secret........... website.

Solace @ Nov 7th 2009 11:38PM

yeah I saw your comment "BFBC 2 > MW 2" and after watching a few multiplayer videos of BFBC 2 it looks much better than MW 2 also much more realistic. I really want that beta now but doesnt help that I wont get it because of problems i had with a gamestop... not just one gamestop either.. had to do with me preordering stuff for codes and canceling them hehe and other things

Aaroniero Arruruerie @ Nov 7th 2009 11:42PM

Is Amazon giving the Beta codes as well?

SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Nov 7th 2009 11:55PM

Solace noticed me :o
Yea, the multiplayer videos of BFBC2 alone have me WAY more excited. That and the fact that DICE is a very competent studio. They currently have the opportunity to pick up all of the slack left by Infinity Ward in their mistakes with MW2.

I've always been drawn more towards the Battlefield series anyways.

Sly @ Nov 8th 2009 12:04AM

solace, COD never went for realism. especially not multiplayer. so saying something is more realistic isn't really saying much.

Solace @ Nov 8th 2009 12:16AM

well this CoD is called Modern Warfare so I always though it should have been realistic because of the name. CoD 4 was the first one I ever played and I was left bored after a few weeks with the multiplayer, not everyone was on the same ground and it felt like perks helped more than skill. I'm a long time Socom fan and realism is what I got for I guess so I was left disappointed with CoD 4 but that's also my own fault I suppose I had no prior knowledge of the game and bought it in 2008 when I got my PS3 in the summer around the same time. My little brother's getting the MW2 so I'll still end up trophy whoring it and forgetting about the multiplayer mostly, spec-ops is my only online interest.

SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Nov 8th 2009 12:26AM

I would rather pick up SOCOM: Confrontation again than spend any money on a copy of Modern Warfare 2.

Actually, buying SOCOM again sounds like a pretty rad idea.

Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith @ Nov 8th 2009 12:30AM

I sold my copy a few weeks back. I never really got into it, and I only bought it because it was cheaper to buy the bundle with the headset than to buy the headset separately.

I can see why people like it, though. Looked like high production values.

Solace @ Nov 8th 2009 12:49AM

getting into Socom is difficult for new players, the learning curve is steep. Vets know the maps and strategies on every game mode like myself.

the thing is I never played a FPS before Socom, or any multiplayer shooter. I grew up on the Socom series and I'm still not into FPS games like alot of people today. I can tolerate them but for only so long before I get tired of them. The whole FPS takeover has really disappointed me also. I'd like to see more games like an Uncharted and Metal Gear Solid 4 using 3rd person camera view but developers and publishers follow the money not originality.

Anti-Villian @ Nov 8th 2009 1:28AM

You implying that 3rd person is original, I'm not sure if I get that.

Sly @ Nov 8th 2009 1:53AM

yeah, really. third person shooters are hardly original.

SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Nov 8th 2009 2:03AM

With the current trend of the industry it is obvious that FPS games are much easier to find than TPS games, however most TPS games tend to be a lot more fun than most FPS games.

No, this does not include half-assed inclusion of a "TPS Mode" in your already FPS game.

That is how TPS games may be considered 'original'. However, hardly anything is original these days.

Solace @ Nov 8th 2009 2:28AM

oh I know they're not original sorry I used used bad wording but they're becoming much more uncommon. I'm looking forward to games like Lost Planet 2 but the genre just never caught on I guess. It's a sea of FPS games in the shooters department.

Sly @ Nov 8th 2009 2:29AM

i can only think of 3 fun TPS games off the top of my head. gears of war, MGS4, and warhawk. i can think of countless FPS games though. personal preference and all that.

SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Nov 8th 2009 2:41AM

@Sly

"With the current trend of the industry it is obvious that FPS games are much easier to find than TPS games, however most TPS games tend to be a lot more fun than most FPS games."

You proved my point. It is difficult to find many great TPS games because so few are actually being developed. However the ratio is far greater than that of FPS games.

My list would have included the SOCOM series (which is quite a few games) as well as the Grand Theft Auto series.

Sly @ Nov 8th 2009 3:30AM

my post proved one of your points, but flat out disagreed with another one. the fact that i can only think of 3 TPS games that i like compared to a countless number of FPS games i like goes against your point that TPS games are usually more fun than FPS games.

Anti-Villian @ Nov 8th 2009 4:18AM

Personally I prefer FPS for gunfights and TPS for more platform orientated gameplay. I hold no real preferences, would love to see some more TPS's on the market I loved MGS4 and uncharted.

Nathan-DTS [He is your father] @ Nov 8th 2009 8:44AM

I agree with the TPS conversation that's going on. Uncharted 2 is my favourite game this generation with Gears of war 1 being my favourite 360 exclusive. There's only one FPS I've liked this generation and that's Killzone 2.

Dreaded Fear @ Nov 8th 2009 10:57AM

Wow, more of this stupid which shooter is better argument. The truth is they are very different, but most people here "prefer" Bad Company just to spite Activision, which is funny since it is EA (which used to be the company that over-emotional gamers used to whine about) If you prefer Bad Company and loved it why is it not played as much anymore? It isn't even in the top 10 Xbox Live most played.

Sly @ Nov 8th 2009 11:11AM

oh, wow. how in the world did i forget uncharted?!

kidc @ Nov 7th 2009 11:11PM

In my defense I thought up the graph while I was in a meeting, and doodled it on a sticky note. The guy next to me saw it and thought it was clever. So really, it was his fault for praising me.

Or maybe youre just not pokemaniacal enough.

-kid c

SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Nov 7th 2009 11:15PM

Does putting '-kid c' at the end of your name help you to remember who you are?
You know, sometimes I forget who I am. Maybe I should give it a shot.
*insert emo lyrics here*

Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith @ Nov 8th 2009 12:08AM

I'm going to be nice.

Try harder next time. We're a very jaded group, and it takes either penile humor or something really funny to make us laugh.

Don't give up just yet.

Meta @ Nov 8th 2009 12:11AM

I liked it.

Monica Dickey @ Nov 8th 2009 12:40AM

I like it :)

finnith @ Nov 8th 2009 1:33AM

I thought it was clever too.

Azerael @ Nov 8th 2009 2:24AM

I put "-kid c" in console and my computer started printing hookers.

Filthy Assistant @ Nov 8th 2009 2:52AM

I find it intensely depressing your comic made it into the wrapup and mine didn't.

Ghen @ Nov 8th 2009 6:45AM

It made me lol. Stupid jokes are funny too :)

almost XKCD's style of over mathmaticising a subject. (made up a new word, woot!)

Meh @ Nov 8th 2009 8:40AM

Christ, is everyone making webcomics these days?

bongoes Sector 2814 @ Nov 8th 2009 4:55PM

What Ghen said. It reminded me of xkcd.

The Dark Wayne [Planeteer: Power of the Batusi] @ Nov 7th 2009 11:16PM

You know, I have never seen a pottery barn in my entire life.

Solace @ Nov 7th 2009 11:32PM

yeah me neither wtf is a pottery barn anyway?

Sly @ Nov 7th 2009 11:33PM

a furniture store.

Special Agent Steve @ Nov 7th 2009 11:49PM

There's one where I live. I was invited to go there once, so I did to see what's it like.

It was expensive.

Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith @ Nov 8th 2009 12:11AM

Sounds like Tres Amigos...overpriced, yet it's all crap...

Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith @ Nov 8th 2009 12:45AM

I just visited their website...

When I saw a $100 shower curtain...that was all I needed to know.

Discotheque @ Nov 7th 2009 11:16PM

Price of loyalty. Torchlight definitely deserves the attention.

The Artist formerly known as Jesus @ Nov 7th 2009 11:22PM

wow, first time I voted for Digital Unrest

Solace @ Nov 7th 2009 11:27PM

BitF FTW!

Sly @ Nov 7th 2009 11:36PM

ya gotta love mr. game & watch.

Solace @ Nov 7th 2009 11:39PM

and Snake... and Olimar... oh who am I kidding I love Nintendo and all their silly mascots

Sly @ Nov 7th 2009 11:36PM

the bomb for me. i was wondering about that when i saw the leaked killstreak list. that, and i was listening to "tick tick boom" by the hives when i read that comic.

the problem with that killstreak is that you have a small chance of getting it from a care package. so it'll be used every once in a while. if you could only get it when you get 25 kills and when you have that as one of your killstreaks, it would be virtually nonexistent. but a LOT of people are going to use care packages, so i'm a bit nervous.

Shadow Hog @ Nov 7th 2009 11:36PM

2P Start here.

I just can't vote for Penny Arcade. It wins nearly every goddamn week. That being said, this week's PA choice was pretty funny, and I don't really have anything against the comic (I quite enjoy it), it just doesn't seem too fair to the smaller comics that run against it.

LaughingTarget @ Nov 7th 2009 11:44PM

Actually, it doesn't win all that often. 2P Start typically kicks PA's backside in the voting here. Joystiq readers know when something is funny and when something is just a bunch of lame copy/paste press releases with Gabe saying the F word after it.

Mr Khan @ Nov 8th 2009 12:14AM

Aye. Penny Arcade actually usually does rather bad. They've been on a hot streak of late, though i haven't really appreciated (or even understood) most of it.

finnith @ Nov 8th 2009 1:38AM

I actually didn't like the 2P Start comic. The DSi XL is overly large and I get that, now stop with the comments and just don't buy it so it can fade in to irrelevancy like the Game Boy Micro and the N-Gage both did. I did appreciate the creative way in which they said it though. It could've been much worse, it could've been a regular 3-panel comic.

Shadow Hog @ Nov 8th 2009 1:44AM

What, I get downvoted for being somewhat honest? Sheesh. I didn't even say Penny Arcade was BAD... I thought downvoting was for obvious trolls et al, not people just trying to start a genuine discussion. :(

As for Penny Arcade NOT winning that often... could've fooled me, it always seems to be in at least the top three. But, eh, given the evidence, I'll admit I was wrong.

And yeah, it's the execution that made me like 2P Start this week, not so much the punchline.

Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith @ Nov 8th 2009 1:53AM

Don't read too much into the downvote. I'm not sure why it happened either.

I suspect angsty teens.

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