Gelotology

Gelotology (n) is the scientific study of humor. Gelotology, the comic, explores the humor of science. Dave and Becky find themselves among some of the strangest demonstrations, experiments, and researchers the science expo has to offer.

I've really liked Gelotology since it first debuted, and I was already a fan of Vickie's first comic, Used Books. Gelotology is almost the complete opposite of UB, however, and that suits this comic perfectly!

Art 4/5 - Vickie has modified her art for this comic, using a new coloring approach that works extremely well. Her lineart has also improved and she is trying some new directions artistically that work very well. It's just the right style for this comic and it's pretty cute, too. In a nutshell, I'm impressed!

Story/Concept 5/5 - This is a comedic "gag" strip. It changes from day to day, has an open-ended cast of characters, not really any regulars because it's situational. More than that, it's smart and it really is funny!

Overall 5/5 - I don't give high praise like this often, but in this case, I think it really is deserved. Readers of UB have known Vickie can be funny when she's not focused on the nitty gritty of mystery and crime drama. But this comic shows she can harness that humor and fuse it with an enhanced art style that really pulls it all together! Everyone may not agree with me, but that's fine. I stand by my review.

Well done, Vickie!

One of the funniest gag comics I've read in a while. Gelotology follows in the footsteps of xkcd by using intellectually themed humour. The focus is largely on science gags, but with a few mathematical and historical giggles thrown in too.
The three panel format works remarkably well, and the jokes and comic timing are good enough that usedbooks never needs to throw in extra panels. Occasionally there's a deeper message about environmentalism etc. but the comic never becomes preachy, and maintains a light touch.

The art is simple, but works fine for a gag strip. In places the digital inking is just a little stiff perhaps, because of the lack of line weight variation, but ultimately I'd say that's just me nitpicking for something to criticise. The colours are clean and smooth, and the art is always clear and easy to make out.

There's not really a lot more I can say. If you like original humour with a bit of science geekery, I would strongly recommend this comic. I laughed out loud at quite a few of the strips.

Thanks, guys!

You made me Google "xkcd." (I don't follow many webcomics outside of DD. Heh.) What a fun comic! Thanks for the comparison.

My comic inspiration has probably been The Far Side. It was the first comic I ever read as a kid, and I have always been exposed to that more than anything. (My parents are science teachers, and I majored in Biology. There was not a single office in the College of Science that lacked a Far Side cartoon on the door.) But I'm sure I have other influences too -- T-shirts, TV, etc.

To me this comic seems very much in the spirit of The Far Side. It's got the same sort of simple layouts and science jokes, and like The Far Side sometimes I'm just not knowledgeable enough to get the joke which is why I'll often read this comic with an open tab of Wikipedia. The drawing style is simple but reads very clearly and for the purpose of getting the gag across it's perfect.

From a reader's point of view, I love this comic. It's nothing like it, but it reminds me of Beakman's World, simply because it educates me at the same time it entertains me. I can't get enough of it.
I love that Vicky (the author) talks a lot about the issue's topic in her author's note, answering all the questions I have in mind right after reading the strip. It's one of those comics that you start reading the actual comic page and end up reading all the user comments just to find out a little more.

As for the art, although it fits perfectly the mood and the coloring of Vicky is always good, the character's anatomy is not my favorite. For me, it isn't there just yet (not the style in general, just the anatomy). The character design and personality, on the other hand, it's great. I love them and they are perfect for the comic's mood.
What caught my attention about the style is that I understand perfectly the actions, and the composition of each panel is superior to a lot of past things I've seen from Vicky. Working with only three panels is quite a challenge and I bet it taught her a lot about composition and planning, which shows.

In conclusion, it's funny, educating, and looks cute. I look forward for "getting my fix" of Gelotology every week.

Pffft learning.

Actually I like this comic from what little I've read so far. I like it more than xkcd which is in this vain.. but this is much better. I guess stick figures just aren't my preference.

Here is my review...

The art style is simple and rather clear. I did not have any trouble following any of the art in the stories. At times the art places the people in awkward poses which seem difficult or odd, but this is a minor gripe.

I really want to make this 'review' as humbly as possible. To be honest I wasn't blown away by this strip. I found that at best I would feel that a specific strip was "not bad" (as in the chromosome comic in which the chickens have the highest chromosomes and are thus superior), but at worst I feel the comics jokes fall flat.

I believe that this is simply a case of bad fit. I notice that all the other reviews are positive and I am extremely happy for Vicky in that respect. Simply put, these comics did not make me laugh as much as I have come to expect from web comics. Series such as Perry Bible Fellowship (PBF) have raised the bar and I now have some lofty expectations.

I do appreciate how Vicky does create humor around the academic field. This does give her comic a unique appeal. However, I do not find that to be enough to make the strip consistently funny. Bill Waterson's Calvin and Hobbes definitely has an intellectual humor associated with it and I feel that that strip executes far better.

I feel bad going on about what i don't like about the comic. I simply feel that the internet is inundated with web comics. There is NO shortage of choice.

So long as you have fans (as is evident from this thread) I completely feel that you should continue to write up your strip. I hope I haven't discouraged you but I know that you can learn very little from positive feedback (which is all I've noted in this thread thus far). Perhaps my critiques may give you insights as to how you may reach a greater audience.

I'm not sure exactly how you are suggesting to improve. Simply naming strips you like doesn't help me much, particularly since I never read them and they aren't really in the same realm as my attempts. I am more in tune with Far Side and Natural Selection. (I'm not sure the ones you mentioned have anything to do with science, and that's sort of the point. )

From your critique, I'm not sure how to make my jokes "better," because from what I'm gathering, we just don't have the same sense of humor. That's cool with me. I don't really want to make what others make. They do it better, and it's not "me." (I actually create this mainly for my parents' science teacher friends.)

But definitely thanks for that! I submitted it for review here not with the hopes of garnishing tons of praise. I really wanted to get some honest reactions outside my small (but much appreciated) readership.

I am glad that my drawings are clear, and I know I get lazy on some of the poses. I will put more effort into improving that. -- Oh, and thanks, Locoma, for mentioning that too.

Ha-ha! That's my two-word review.

Anyway, I'm a huge fan of puns--and the more inventive the better in my book--and this strip is full of inventive puns. The writing is sharp and clever, not to mention laugh-out-loud funny. Plus there is a Mark Twain reference, which will always get bonus points in my book. It may also be worth mentioning that I may be a bit prejudiced on the subject matter: I spend my working day editing scientific research articles, so to see scientific topics handled in a fun and goofy way (yet intelligently) is thoroughly enjoyable for me.

The art serves the strip well. It's along the lines of you daily comic strip in the newspaper (only in full color). That's not to say it's always simple, though. Each panel is packed with detail, and a joke never fails because the reader can't identify an object as drawn.

So far, this is probably my favorite series I've read here so far. The writing is good, the jokes are clever, the puns are hilarious, and the art is fun to look at. I'm definitely gonna have to check out some of this writer's other work.

Very interesting read. The dialogue is so witty. The idea is great and it worked out well. You had my attention from the start! All the punch lines have just the right amount of well—punch! The art on the other hand…I honestly must say it just doesn’t match up with the great humor. I know your style is cartoony, but your proportions need working on. All the characters also seem to have the same face shape. Vary it a little so that they are more distinct and unique from one another. Also, the colors are too bright. To see what I’m saying, you may want to stop by this tutorial--- http://nightmarehound.deviantart.com/art/Colour-Tutorial-89870508
Another to help you with your style could be---
http://nightmarehound.deviantart.com/art/How-to-use-Style-tutorial-102294184
You also seem to go into profile/side view when it makes it is not necessary. This look awkward and makes it feel rushed. Put more effort forth so that this doesn’t have to happen. So-great comedy value, but the art could use a little work. Way to go though!

Thanks for the tutorial links!

You're right. I do rush and sketch things (plus "ink" and color) very quickly with very little thought. Just enough to discern the joke. I'll put more effort into it. I know it shows when I actually take time.

I'm glad the jokes hit the mark with a lot of people. That would be a much harder to improve. Heh. But better art is something I can work on.