Downer - I just don't get it
- Thread starter SemperJase
- Start date
Alzrius
The EN World kitten
Olive said:
Given the choice between the two, I'd take B&Q for one reason: B&Q takes up less space.
I have no antipathy for Downer, but I'd shed no tears if it was dropped. Part of it for me is the artwork. The comic, while it has some humor, does try to maintain some semblance of the dramatic, and having artwork that makes it's characters so goofy-looking just ruins that for me. It's too incongruous to reconcile.
Likewise, the multi-issue plot needs to be laid clearly, because I (and I suspect most readers) don't normally/regularly pull out several issues to read up on the last few months all at once. As it is now, I have only a vague sense of what is happening, and find myself not at all involved in the characters or plotline.
In a D&D magazine, I just find it not engaging me at all. Quite honestly the only thing I'd like to see from Downer would be if there was a plot synopsis, stats for the characters, and info on any new spells/monsters/whatever that it has/will introduce(d) - anything besides that from the comic just isn't serving my interests in the magazine. If they need to run a comic, they need to either have one whose multi-issue format is easy to follow, or have it be non-linear.
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Kastil
Explorer
Downer used to make a little sense to me but now I'm not sure what the 'plot' of the whole thing is anymore. It reminds me of missing a gaming session then trying to catch up the next week. It only succeeds in thoroughtly annnoying the hell out of me!
On a lighter note, that Order of the Stick was just hilarious! Thanks PirateCat!
On a lighter note, that Order of the Stick was just hilarious! Thanks PirateCat!
francisca said:
First things first. I like Downer, and won't be dropping it. It's a fast-paced story that could probably have benefitted from a slower, more deliberate start, but I'm committed to the idea of color serialized comics in Dungeon. We all fondly remember Wormy, and lots of other folks loved SnarfQuest or even Robinson's War or Libram X. I appreciate that Downer is not to everyone's taste, but I like where Kyle's going with the story, and think that the feature has a lot of potential. We'll be doing a "story so far" article in an upcoming issue, probably #114.
In any event, the strip is ending its first big story arc. Look for more digestible installments once Downer has dealt with the trouble in Oubliette.
As for business ethics. Super Unicorn is essentially a code word for freelance work by me, Dungeon art director Sean Glenn, and former Polyhedron (now Undefeated) art director Kyle Hunter. It's not an incorporated company, and is more a lark than anything else.
The pittance paid for Downer goes straight to Kyle, as it would to any other artist we work with. Kyle's proximity and his willingness to work for absolutely scandalous rates ensures that he'll be in the magazine as long as he wants to be, and as long as Sean and I continue to enjoy the strips.
That said, it's always nice to see a thread on the magazine, even if the comments are not always positive. I'll keep the constructive criticsm in this thread in mind when working to improve the magazine.
Thanks for it,
--Erik Mona
Editor-in-Chief
Dungeon Magazine
Squire James
Explorer
Well, I find Downer to be... well... a downer. It's like I'm reading a strip that alternates between 2 magazines without telling me what the other magazine is. I'm sure there's a magazine lying around somewhere telling me who the *%&% the Needleman is and why I should care, but I can't find it.
Wormy was good because the writer didn't mind taking the time to develop his characters. Downer is written in such a way that a main character can die each month and almost nobody would care or even notice. To be fair, I view the Song of Fire and Ice the same way, so maybe I'm just an old fogey who likes his comics done with more than just purple and black.
Wormy was good because the writer didn't mind taking the time to develop his characters. Downer is written in such a way that a main character can die each month and almost nobody would care or even notice. To be fair, I view the Song of Fire and Ice the same way, so maybe I'm just an old fogey who likes his comics done with more than just purple and black.
I appreciate your candor, Erik. Nonetheless, I throw my lot in with those who don't like Downer. However, Downer in and of itself is not enough to make me even consider dropping my subscription to Dungeon.
On the other hand, Downer has some appeal. My 11 year old kid reads Downer first.
On the other hand, Downer has some appeal. My 11 year old kid reads Downer first.
Joshua Randall
Legend
As long as we're bashing the magazines, can I get some more hate for the truly awful fiction in Dragon? Or should I start a new thread for that?
(Dang, where is my trusty friend
when I need him....)
But back on topic: I also find Downer a waste of color ink. But it's easy enough to skip over. If I only have to skip 2 pages of a magazine, I consider that a damn good return on my investment.
(Dang, where is my trusty friend
when I need him....)But back on topic: I also find Downer a waste of color ink. But it's easy enough to skip over. If I only have to skip 2 pages of a magazine, I consider that a damn good return on my investment.
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