1. That's just the point. For women, the delivery is more important than the punchline. The right kind of Alpha guy can probably start 5 different jokes, never get to the punchline of any of them, and still have the girls fawning all over him.
2. From the mouseover comment, it looks like our geek mouse started right into an extremely dirty joke as an opener. Certainly some guys can get away with that, but a tubby nerd with glasses, a Halo shirt and bad skin can't just open a conversation like that without giving off a creepy vibe.
Alpha's joke is automatically funny because the mere presence of an alpha makes women all giggly, and they just need a little nudge to move over to hysterical laughter. No matter how stupid the nudge.
Gamma doesn't start from that place, so just telling a joke doesn't work. No matter how objectively funny it might be. Joke is like sex, it needs foreplay.
It seems that this was a rather obvious conclusion from last week. Waiting a full week for it was pretty lame. If one is limited to 3 frames, the artist should consider releasing 3x a week
Sad part is everything is fixable about geek mouse. Get contact or laser surgery if you have money. Go to the gym. Buy a short not about video games. Get some topicals for acne or go on accurate. Humor can be learned.
Indyguy, it means she is uncomfortable because either she wants to kick you in the balls (and this is not always bad) or she thinks you may be creepy and just wants to get away from you (she will be moving away from you when she does this) and is just trying to get you to stop talking to her.
If she says in in a kind of panting voice, you may or may not be funny but you are hot.
Ok, it makes sense. However, I would have liked to see a frame with an Alpha saying something stupid and everyone laughing then seeing this guy doing it and everyone running away.
Also, just curious, why is the strip more about the guy mouse then a crazy girl mouse? I am honestly confused. I thought by the name it would be about women more. Like a mouse sitting and eating doritos and watching AI and talking to another fat chick about how they are so glad they do not have to oppress themselves and lose weight like the stupid girls on that show. Something like that.
Sort of on topic, how should I take it if I woman says "You're funny" with a lilt but doesn't actually laugh.
In David DeAngelo's terminology, you should be asking yourself, was it cocky and funny or was it goofy. Both will get you social points, but the former makes you win sexual points and the latter makes you lose them. Which takes you towards Gamma-land. This is only good if you started from omega and don't aim high, or if it was a female coworker and you primarily want to avoid complicating your life.
I have a suspicion there's attraction there, but who knows. She's a co-worker. Were I smart, I would want to avoid complications regardless. But I'm not that smart.
The comment could probably go either way, it was an odd observation more than a joke.
It's just odd. She initiates conversation, especially if I get busy and don't make an effort to come say hi.
The one girl that does laugh too hard at things I say, I really don't want.
That said, the concept of "Approach Anxiety" seems completely foreign to the little fat mouse guy, which means if he keeps it and pays attention up he'll be drowning in pussy.
Ok, it makes sense. However, I would have liked to see a frame with an Alpha saying something stupid and everyone laughing then seeing this guy doing it and everyone running away.
As you said, it's in the last column.
I might be overanalyzing this, but knowing Vox, probably not, as he tends to think everything through in surprising detail. Notice the body language and placement of the Alpha vs. our Delta mouse.
I also feel that all the humor was cashed in already in the previous strip. A comic strip is a difficult format because you need to have a payoff in every three panels, and at the same time you have to take the story forward.
You'll easily write yourself into a corner, where you have to do something because you previously alluded to it, but there is no way to add further comedy into the strip where you do it. A novel or short story doesn't have that problem.
That mouse is no delta. No way, no how. He's 100% pure Igammadon, straight out of the Creepacious Period.
He could have all the "Body Language" in the world, and his body would still be speaking the equivalent of Taco Bell odors in morse code right up the pedestal.
The only girls who will go for that guy, regardless of his "approach" is a "harem"/clan of internet slugs who can accept his worship as his "favored" one while assuming that his equal is one of the other ladies from the group.
He's not going to touch mid-rank delta (either figurative or literal) until he takes a long look in the mirror and understands exactly where he is.
Considering that I'm now breaking down panels of an internet comic, I believe that I have somehow fallen from my comfortable delta perch into the crawlspace below omega's house.
Gammas pedestalize and/or hate women, and rationalize their loser behavior. We haven't seen that in the character, just general cluelessness and earnest desire to improve. Delta.
Appearance is problematic, but take the same overweight guy with a ponytail, dress him in black leather, give him a motorcycle, and make him a heavy metal guitarist and you might just have an alpha.
Yes, it is extremely nerdy to analyze 3 panels of a 'net cartoon. Vox must be having a good laugh about it all, but as I'm an inveterate insomniac, and there's not that much interesting on the web anymore, what the hell?
The women flee from him before letting him finish the joke.
A delta would be tolerated long enough to finish, and would probably get a gently derisive, "I don't get it," or "You are goofy." They might even laugh, if he's lucky, or say "Oh, that's cute!" And the delta would not exactly know why it went that way, but would likely accept it for what it was.
This mouse is pedestalizing them by making such a concerted effort to please them, and then is baffled when his goddesses literally turn tail.
Ponytail, kwikie mart soda, shorts, halo shirt. In combination, those almost 95% assure gammadom, and his behavior seals it. He is certain that there are "step-by-step" instructions to womankind. A delta knows that isn't exactly true (i.e. knows women aren't linear, rational matrices to be "decoded"), but just isn't necessarily brilliant at navigating the emotional landscape of women.
If Halomouse is your model for delta I think your targets need to be recalibrated.
This guy's on his own island: I think when he meets the Rationalization Hamster in naked abandon, face to face, instead of finally being struck by the objective reality (that she is rapacious, voracious, fat, crazy, empowered at the expense of the weak and not a person, but a living flaw), he's going to fall madly in love with her!
I could be wrong, and you could be right. He's not Steamboat Willie, I'll say that much.
I wouldn't go quite that far. The beginnings of any new comic almost always suck. Just look at the first panels of xkcd.
The important thing is to understand that this is a difficult format, and approach it with the effort it requires. Entire plotlines may have to be abandoned simply because they can't produce a joke in every strip.
A graphic novel would give more freedom, but this is not it.
I gotta agree with the haters on this one. The quality of this project reflects poorly on your brand.
At what point have I ever given any indication that I give even the smallest of flying rodent's posteriors about "my brand"?
I know what I'm doing and I have no doubt Hypergamouse will be approached by the syndicates within 18 months. It's already better than many mainstream strips and we're just learning what works and what doesn't work.
For example, this week we learned why four panels is the standard. Doing it in three panels broke the timing.
I take back what I said. I think the comic will become excellent very quickly, but I'm kind of a bastard these days. (You inspired my username, ad rem. I trust you got the joke.)
To master comic writing, you need to focus on meter and facial expressions (your partner in crime is very good, by the way). The first panel here is excellent. The third panel failed, as you mentioned, due to timing.
I know it's not your first time to the dance. To observe great meter in action, I advise studying Tycho Brahe of Penny Arcade. Skip the first couple of years and the most recent year.
At what point have I ever given any indication that I give even the smallest of flying rodent's posteriors about "my brand"?
Is the answer somewhere in the question? Maybe I should take a step back and read it again X-P.
42 comments:
I wanted to hear the punchline.
Uh,dude, you already did.....
The punchline is, the comic isn't funny.
there needs to be an apology in there. Deltas are always apologizing.
Well I'm sorry but I just don't get it. (sic)
Sort of on topic, how should I take it if I woman says "You're funny" with a lilt but doesn't actually laugh.
I actually find it a little annoying, like JD found Mandy Moore when she did that in Scrubs.
But it's certainly not annoying enough that I'd ditch MM if I was doing her.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
I wanted to hear the punchline.
1. That's just the point. For women, the delivery is more important than the punchline. The right kind of Alpha guy can probably start 5 different jokes, never get to the punchline of any of them, and still have the girls fawning all over him.
2. From the mouseover comment, it looks like our geek mouse started right into an extremely dirty joke as an opener. Certainly some guys can get away with that, but a tubby nerd with glasses, a Halo shirt and bad skin can't just open a conversation like that without giving off a creepy vibe.
I can't get past Geek Mouse's horribly unfit figure. PAIN
(A killer sense of humor can trump being overweight, though, if you have to choose one or the other.)
Alpha's joke is automatically funny because the mere presence of an alpha makes women all giggly, and they just need a little nudge to move over to hysterical laughter. No matter how stupid the nudge.
Gamma doesn't start from that place, so just telling a joke doesn't work. No matter how objectively funny it might be. Joke is like sex, it needs foreplay.
It seems that this was a rather obvious conclusion from last week. Waiting a full week for it was pretty lame. If one is limited to 3 frames, the artist should consider releasing 3x a week
Haters gonna hate.
The only way nerd mouse is getting into that conversation is with an iron pipe (not a euphamism for something else).
From the mouseover comment, it looks like our geek mouse started right into an extremely dirty joke as an opener.
No, that's just a meta joke.
It seems that this was a rather obvious conclusion from last week.
Do you really think I'm that predictable? Really?
Sad part is everything is fixable about geek mouse.
Get contact or laser surgery if you have money. Go to the gym. Buy a short not about video games. Get some topicals for acne or go on accurate. Humor can be learned.
Do you really think I'm that predictable? Really?
I stand corrected. I will wait patiently through another pointless couple of weeks of character development until your real point comes out.
Looking forward to it.
Shirt, Accutane
Darn it, didn't go through.
Indyguy, it means she is uncomfortable because either she wants to kick you in the balls (and this is not always bad) or she thinks you may be creepy and just wants to get away from you (she will be moving away from you when she does this) and is just trying to get you to stop talking to her.
If she says in in a kind of panting voice, you may or may not be funny but you are hot.
LOL. You are welcome :)
Carlotta
Ok, it makes sense. However, I would have liked to see a frame with an Alpha saying something stupid and everyone laughing then seeing this guy doing it and everyone running away.
Also, just curious, why is the strip more about the guy mouse then a crazy girl mouse? I am honestly confused. I thought by the name it would be about women more. Like a mouse sitting and eating doritos and watching AI and talking to another fat chick about how they are so glad they do not have to oppress themselves and lose weight like the stupid girls on that show. Something like that.
LOL. Carlotta
"I don't expect you to agree. I don't even expect you to understand."
Just saw this, I guess I have my answer ;)
Carlotta
Alright, I scrolled back. It IS in the last frame.
I stand corrected and terribly short memoried.
Carlotta
Sort of on topic, how should I take it if I woman says "You're funny" with a lilt but doesn't actually laugh.
In David DeAngelo's terminology, you should be asking yourself, was it cocky and funny or was it goofy. Both will get you social points, but the former makes you win sexual points and the latter makes you lose them. Which takes you towards Gamma-land. This is only good if you started from omega and don't aim high, or if it was a female coworker and you primarily want to avoid complicating your life.
I have a suspicion there's attraction there, but who knows. She's a co-worker. Were I smart, I would want to avoid complications regardless. But I'm not that smart.
The comment could probably go either way, it was an odd observation more than a joke.
It's just odd. She initiates conversation, especially if I get busy and don't make an effort to come say hi.
The one girl that does laugh too hard at things I say, I really don't want.
That, of course, figures.
That said, the concept of "Approach Anxiety" seems completely foreign to the little fat mouse guy, which means if he keeps it and pays attention up he'll be drowning in pussy.
indyguy77,
"It's just odd. She initiates conversation, especially if I get busy and don't make an effort to come say hi.
The one girl that does laugh too hard at things I say, I really don't want."
There is a time honored way to find a solution to your problem. Which one has bigger boobs?
Now go for her. See how easy that was.
boobs ftw
Now see, Josh... I figured for sure that was YOU @ 1:38PM.
Ok, it makes sense. However, I would have liked to see a frame with an Alpha saying something stupid and everyone laughing then seeing this guy doing it and everyone running away.
As you said, it's in the last column.
I might be overanalyzing this, but knowing Vox, probably not, as he tends to think everything through in surprising detail. Notice the body language and placement of the Alpha vs. our Delta mouse.
Am I right, Vox?
I also feel that all the humor was cashed in already in the previous strip. A comic strip is a difficult format because you need to have a payoff in every three panels, and at the same time you have to take the story forward.
You'll easily write yourself into a corner, where you have to do something because you previously alluded to it, but there is no way to add further comedy into the strip where you do it. A novel or short story doesn't have that problem.
rycamor -
That mouse is no delta. No way, no how. He's 100% pure Igammadon, straight out of the Creepacious Period.
He could have all the "Body Language" in the world, and his body would still be speaking the equivalent of Taco Bell odors in morse code right up the pedestal.
The only girls who will go for that guy, regardless of his "approach" is a "harem"/clan of internet slugs who can accept his worship as his "favored" one while assuming that his equal is one of the other ladies from the group.
He's not going to touch mid-rank delta (either figurative or literal) until he takes a long look in the mirror and understands exactly where he is.
Considering that I'm now breaking down panels of an internet comic, I believe that I have somehow fallen from my comfortable delta perch into the crawlspace below omega's house.
Don't quit your day job. Whatever that is.
Daniel,
Gammas pedestalize and/or hate women, and rationalize their loser behavior. We haven't seen that in the character, just general cluelessness and earnest desire to improve. Delta.
Appearance is problematic, but take the same overweight guy with a ponytail, dress him in black leather, give him a motorcycle, and make him a heavy metal guitarist and you might just have an alpha.
Yes, it is extremely nerdy to analyze 3 panels of a 'net cartoon. Vox must be having a good laugh about it all, but as I'm an inveterate insomniac, and there's not that much interesting on the web anymore, what the hell?
People who believe in Game hate women too.
"People who believe in Game hate women too."
So the women that notice it works, they're the self-haters?
Like Dr. Sowell hates blacks...
We so need a better class of troll. Although I'm sure I have no idea what that'd look like.
rycamor,
The women flee from him before letting him finish the joke.
A delta would be tolerated long enough to finish, and would probably get a gently derisive, "I don't get it," or "You are goofy." They might even laugh, if he's lucky, or say "Oh, that's cute!" And the delta would not exactly know why it went that way, but would likely accept it for what it was.
This mouse is pedestalizing them by making such a concerted effort to please them, and then is baffled when his goddesses literally turn tail.
Ponytail, kwikie mart soda, shorts, halo shirt. In combination, those almost 95% assure gammadom, and his behavior seals it. He is certain that there are "step-by-step" instructions to womankind. A delta knows that isn't exactly true (i.e. knows women aren't linear, rational matrices to be "decoded"), but just isn't necessarily brilliant at navigating the emotional landscape of women.
If Halomouse is your model for delta I think your targets need to be recalibrated.
This guy's on his own island: I think when he meets the Rationalization Hamster in naked abandon, face to face, instead of finally being struck by the objective reality (that she is rapacious, voracious, fat, crazy, empowered at the expense of the weak and not a person, but a living flaw), he's going to fall madly in love with her!
I could be wrong, and you could be right. He's not Steamboat Willie, I'll say that much.
Good night! This crawlspace is getting cramped.
Plewds. Don't forget the plewds.
I await The All to be revealed.
Anonymous said...
"if he keeps it and pays attention up he'll be drowning in pussy."
March 5, 2012 1:37 PM
For a mouse, that might be a bad thing...
Vox,
I'm a fan of yours, and I gotta agree with the haters on this one. The quality of this project reflects poorly on your brand.
I wouldn't go quite that far. The beginnings of any new comic almost always suck. Just look at the first panels of xkcd.
The important thing is to understand that this is a difficult format, and approach it with the effort it requires. Entire plotlines may have to be abandoned simply because they can't produce a joke in every strip.
A graphic novel would give more freedom, but this is not it.
The first episode of ORDER OF THE STICK was really good. (ducks)
I gotta agree with the haters on this one. The quality of this project reflects poorly on your brand.
At what point have I ever given any indication that I give even the smallest of flying rodent's posteriors about "my brand"?
I know what I'm doing and I have no doubt Hypergamouse will be approached by the syndicates within 18 months. It's already better than many mainstream strips and we're just learning what works and what doesn't work.
For example, this week we learned why four panels is the standard. Doing it in three panels broke the timing.
I take back what I said. I think the comic will become excellent very quickly, but I'm kind of a bastard these days. (You inspired my username, ad rem. I trust you got the joke.)
To master comic writing, you need to focus on meter and facial expressions (your partner in crime is very good, by the way). The first panel here is excellent. The third panel failed, as you mentioned, due to timing.
I know it's not your first time to the dance. To observe great meter in action, I advise studying Tycho Brahe of Penny Arcade. Skip the first couple of years and the most recent year.
At what point have I ever given any indication that I give even the smallest of flying rodent's posteriors about "my brand"?
Is the answer somewhere in the question? Maybe I should take a step back and read it again X-P.
Indyguy,
No argument there, but in spirit OOTS is closer to The Green Mile than to Dilbert.
Markku,
Again, no argument. Many comics also continue to be horrible, as evidenced by print newspapers.
Speaking of print newspapers, why not pursue a little of that freedom you mentioned? (I'm being a bit circumspect here on purpose.)
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