PC Gamer editor slams Penny Arcade in same issue as cover story

TheGameguru wrote:

Two things..

Sounds like the PA guys have some more growing up to do..

The fact that they have a character named "fruit f*cker" was a pretty good indicator.

Doug wrote:

I mean, really, he writes like a idiot, has he always done that?!

Yes, really, which is why my head almost exploded when I heard he was being made the "Boss".

The best part of this thread is the Lolcat picture. Which is ironic because Garfield is a cat, but isn't funny, but Lolcats are almost always funny. But if Garfield was an Lolcat would he be funny?

I like Penny Arcade, I think they are good because they understand the industry and know how to combine mainstream comedy with the esoteric trappings of our hobby. They aren't always gold, but i'd say 80% of their comics are. Like todays Halo Teabagging strip.

Think about it for a second. It's brilliant!

His column is basically a challenge to PA fans to prove they're as prolific as they like to believe. If they buy a lot of issues, Greg wins because he sold a bunch of magazines. If they don't buy a lot of issues, Greg wins because he can shove those numbers in the face of anyone discussing PA's popularity. All of this outrage and linking just serves to spread the publicity of the challenge to PA fans, so it behooved him to make the column as snarky as he could. And we've played right into his evil plans!

IMAGE(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/245/454788074_0db394c771_o.jpg)

You know... the fact that this thread is longer than 4 replies really shows just how popular PA is. It also shows that people have now taken online comics to such a level in their lives that they are willing to defend it as a philosopher might argue Carl Jung or a scientist would argue discoveries from Tesla or Pasteur. Have online comics really taken such a huge importance in the lives of the online community that a simple editorial could instigate such a huge reaction? There is more importance in satire based around video games than there is based around politics. Personally the satire around politics is a bit more meaningful to me but I never see any serious banter on them. I find the whole thing rather disturbing.

Put me in the "it's just an opinion, get over it" crowd.

Also, Garfield isn't that bad. Where did all the sudden Garfield-bashing come from? Calvin and Hobbes has been the same 7 jokes over and over again too, you know. I don't like lasagna, though. Stupid cat.

Quintin_Stone wrote:
TheGameguru wrote:

Two things..

Sounds like the PA guys have some more growing up to do..

The fact that they have a character named "fruit f*cker" was a pretty good indicator. ;)

nahh..completely different type of growing up.

dejanzie wrote:

Put me in the "it's just an opinion, get over it" crowd.

Also, Garfield isn't that bad. Where did all the sudden Garfield-bashing come from?

I agree, i like both garfield and get fuzzy and they both have dud comics... i guess there's no love for fat cats, only dumb dogs.

TheGameguru wrote:
Quintin_Stone wrote:
TheGameguru wrote:

Two things..

Sounds like the PA guys have some more growing up to do..

The fact that they have a character named "fruit f*cker" was a pretty good indicator. ;)

nahh..completely different type of growing up.

Is this a Blink-182 "I guess this is growing up" thing, or a Dirty Work "You fellas have a lot of growing up to do! Ridiculous!" kind of thing?

"You know what hurts the most?"

dejanzie wrote:

Garfield isn't that bad. Where did all the sudden Garfield-bashing come from? Calvin and Hobbes has been the same 7 jokes over and over again too, you know. I don't like lasagna, though. Stupid cat.

I could totally go for lasagna and a nap right now. Also: thought bubbles.

dejanzie wrote:

Put me in the "it's just an opinion, get over it" crowd.

Also, Garfield isn't that bad. Where did all the sudden Garfield-bashing come from? Calvin and Hobbes has been the same 7 jokes over and over again too, you know. I don't like lasagna, though. Stupid cat.

Man, you did not just compare Calvin & Hobbes to Garfield. You are dead to me man, DEAD. For one thing, Watterson had the sense to quit while he was still on top. Secondly, Garfield has never, even when it was at its best, come close to being as funny, touching and poignant as Calvin & Hobbes.

As for the hullabaloo about the editorial: yeah, it's badly written, but its point is fairly spot on. I have a lot of respect for what the guys have accomplished, and I like most things about P-A except the strip itself, which is often only held together by Gabe's art. Kurtz just threw a hissy-fit about something completely inconsequential, and not for the first time.

Calvin and Hobbes was much more than a "pet with human qualities" comic, I gotta go with Alien here. Dej, you're off the Chistmas card list. Sorry, hater.

The article was so poorly written that I thought it was a joke. I took it as satire (since Penny Arcade's game is on the damn cover of the magazine) until I started reading the thread. Now I'm lost and confused.

I'm gonna go read the latest PA comic. BBL.

I think much of the hullaballo comes not from any Penny Arcade fanboyism, but rather that the editorial seems shockingly unprofessional.

Making those comments in his editorial really calls into question his professional judgement.

I sort of still feel like an editorial opinion represents the opinions that the publication as a whole in some way represents. Oh well. *Shrug*

polq37 wrote:

the editorial seems shockingly unprofessional.

Someone must not be familiar with "The Vede."

The best thing about Garfield has always been the facial expressions, especially Jon's wide-eyed look of disbelief.

But that was me 10 years ago when I read Garfield while on the toilet. Now I've progressed.

EDIT: About a year ago PA started to really suck, and the inside jokes were becoming the #1 comic-driver. Thankfully Mike and Jerry have come off of that stint by starting to do original stuff again that we mere readers can understand. I've come to laugh a lot more now while on lunch... but still not the "General Tso's on the computer screen" laughter that I'm used to.

TheGameguru wrote:

nahh..completely different type of growing up.

Oh grow up!

Alien Love Gardener wrote:

Kurtz just threw a hissy-fit about something completely inconsequential, and not for the first time.

Ain't that the truth.

Vrikk wrote:

but still not the "General Tso's on the computer screen" laughter that I'm used to.

What's worse is that Vrikk doesn't even eat General Tso's!

True, I don't usually. I think it's too sweet and fattening, so I get the vegetable dishes with white rice. Today however a coworker did have an extra piece of General Tso's that I grabbed once he said he was full. Mmmm, sugar.

Calvin and Hobbes had the decency to end on a high note, Garfield is still having whacky adventures with his twin in England.

I supose if someone was still writing a check to me for doing so, I'd keep drawing a cat eating lasagna. Didn't they just make a movie on that strip?

Ye gods, what a bad idea that is.

Wasn't there two films?

Yes, but most humans have repressed them both due to repeated failed SAN checks. The DVD's are covered in a nameless substance, and only the spawn of Shuggoth dare breathe their name.

Tekili-li! Tekili-li!

SwampYankee wrote:

Didn't they just make a movie on that strip? Ye gods, what a bad idea that is.

I had to take my kid to it when it came out. It was not as painful as I expected, but it wasn't any good. If it came down to a choice between the Garfield movie and, say, Smokin Aces, I'd probably have to go with Garfield.

dejanzie wrote:

Calvin and Hobbes has been the same 7 jokes over and over again too, you know.

Are you sure you weren't just getting the same 7 strips in the Belgian newspapers? The idea that Calvin and Hobbes is comparable to Garfield is one I can't get my head around. Literally, my head exploded when I read that. So now I've got no head and I'm typing this out with reflexive action in my muscles, like a chicken running around after its head has been cut off.

I don't recall Garfield ever building snowmen in the form of recreating masterful artworks, or contemplating philosphy while hurtling downhill on a wagon.

And yeah, if satan were to vomit on paper and mail it to hollywood, the resulting screenplay would be named "Smokin' Aces"

I still like Garfield but it's the same old strips forever, I still enjoy it but it's just preference

Though Calvin and Hobbes is great. it's one of the things.

I remember an interview where the creator said that Garfield was so successful because he was so mediocre. Meaning that people didn't hate him, but they didn't love him either. He was just sort of "there", and everyone knew him, but you wouldn't be able to recall a particularly funny strip.

Like a strip for the masses. It seems to work quite well. Same for the movies, I guess.

Mex wrote:

I remember an interview where the creator said that Garfield was so successful because he was so mediocre. Meaning that people didn't hate him, but they didn't love him either. He was just sort of "there", and everyone knew him, but you wouldn't be able to recall a particularly funny strip.

Like a strip for the masses. It seems to work quite well. Same for the movies, I guess.

Well in movie lingo, G Rated = G Money (scroll down to Gabe's post and time marker 11:28).

Vrikk wrote:

True, I don't usually. I think it's too sweet and fattening, so I get the vegetable dishes with white rice. Today however a coworker did have an extra piece of General Tso's that I grabbed once he said he was full. Mmmm, sugar.

I have no idea where you're going for Chinese that General Tso is sweet, but they seriously fail at Chinese food.

On The Vede's editorial, he's being the same childish dick as usual. Kurtz is overreacting to someone attacking webcomics, as usual. Fanbois everywhere are grabbing their pitchforks and torches, as usual. And without the Anti-Fanbois, the Fanbois wouldn't be nearly as funny.

In other words, there's nothing to see here, move along.

Ah Internet. What would we do without you? You certainly do it for the lulz.