I really don't mean to be overly critical here, but there seems to be a huge body of sprite comics here. And by sprite comics I mean poorly written cut and paste jobs apparently plotted by 12 year olds who forgot to take their Ritalin. If you're sprite comic doesn't fall into those categories, I'm not talking about you.
I just cannot imagine that the world needs another comic with Mario Bros characters making fart jokes.
Speaking of which, why don't spriters get sued?

RabbitMaster
why don't spriters get sued?

Simply put, it's not worth the game companies' time.

I really don't mean to be overly critical here, but there seems to be a huge body of sprite comics here.

Drunkduck is a multi-comical society. Any type of comic is welcome here. :)

kyupol

I really don't mean to be overly critical here, but there seems to be a huge body of sprite comics here.

Drunkduck is a multi-comical society. Any type of comic is welcome here. :)

Indeed. All comics are welcome but that doesn't mean all comics are enjoyed or respected. Sprite comics are a personal choice, and while I encourage everyone to try their hand at original art, I can't call myself a decent human being if I force someone or berate them for a choice they've made especially when it's simple as simple as a comic.

Now original pixel art comics, where the creator makes their own sprites, are fine in my book.

Allow me to remind everyone that I was very specific in my criticism of sprites. I hate to see anything poorly done.

kyupol
Drunkduck is a multi-comical society.

Hah. Cool buzzword. I may have to start using that.

I agree. I don't like to bash other comic styles, but I just can't get into sprite comics. They all look the same. But if you like them, then more power to you. :/

I don't really like the look of sprites, or the fact that most of them are not original art, but I think it's kind of interesting when people make their own sprites.

I dunno, it's not really my style in general. D:

Contrary to what most people think of sprites, I actually think they look nice, but there's so little you can do with them. Ofttimes a sprite comic relies solely on it's writing to deliver the humor, and it's way too easy for someone to hack together something pretty crappy. I have seen some nice ones though.

Original sprites, however, rock just as impressively as any other comic art I've seen. It takes some skill to make nice-looking sprites.

Quick edit: Sorry, but to RabbitMaster: Do you know what sort of people say "I don't mean to be overly critical"? Usually the same sort that are. No offense meant.

I've only seen a rare few of sprite comics that are good. Usually, those are the ones that have original sprites, but at the same time, an original story.

...

You know, something not along the lines of "Mario save Peach".

I'm firmly in the camp of "If it works for you, great. But it's not for me. Not even a little."

People are going to enjoy what they enjoy and that's fine. As long as they're not hurting themselves or others, then I don't begrudge them that.

The problem is that I can't find anything about copy/paste Sprite comics to recommend. They don't forward the art form and are often confusing and unoriginal. And ugly. Holy crud, they're ugly.

For me, it's also a problem of respect. I can't respect something created almost entirely on the bones of something else someone created. There are people here on DD who put hours into crafting a single page. To then see something like that compete for space with a digital nostalgia stroke anchored on a joke that only those with intimate knowledge of the super-secret, hidden bonus room behind the third cactus in the desert level of Super Mario I-don't-care-which-number-and/or-iteration...well, that makes me a bit angry. Just a bit.

In the end, Sprites aren't really worth the energy it takes to hate them. They're just so obviously awful and worthless that railing against them is a bit like telling the drowning man there's a flood.

But, again, to each his own. This is just what I think of Sprites. If you like them, I don't think less of you. I just think you're flippin' crazy.

(And if you create your own sprites? Sorry, still looks ugly. I mean, good for you, but it still looks ugly. That's okay, there's plenty of hand-drawn comics on DD that don't look like all that either. I'm just sayin' they at least have a fightin' chance.)

With me, the issue with sprite comics isn't so much the art, but the writing that usually comes with them. Even a stick figure comic can be saved by good writing, but most stolen-sprite comics just read like "funny" fanfiction. If you're going to suck, fine, but at least have the originality to suck with your own characters.

I like sprites. I like making sprites. But then again I like doing that because I can use them in making a game. I've ripped thousands of sprites in my day but would never make a comic out of them.

They are just SO not the medium for good story telling. I mean it's even silly in the new Mega Man ZX games to see these sprites in the story parts. But that is much more tolerable.
You beat the games to see the full big pictures and such in the endings.

My biggest gripe is that a good comic is posted on the recently updated spot and then bumped down by 7 sprite comics.

And don't get me started on the people that trick me by not labelling their comic as a sprite comic.

The only decent one I have found so far is Mystery Sprite Theater . It has the right idea =P

Quick edit: Sorry, but to RabbitMaster: Do you know what sort of people say "I don't mean to be overly critical"? Usually the same sort that are. No offense meant.

None taken, that is certainly usually the case. I was trying to approach it from the angle of encouraging original artwork and well-thought out story lines, but I guess I didn't make that clear enough.

Brock
The problem is that I can't find anything about copy/paste Sprite comics to recommend. They don't forward the art form and are often confusing and unoriginal. And ugly. Holy crud, they're ugly.

For me, it's also a problem of respect. I can't respect something created almost entirely on the bones of something else someone created. There are people here on DD who put hours into crafting a single page. To then see something like that compete for space with a digital nostalgia stroke anchored on a joke that only those with intimate knowledge of the super-secret, hidden bonus room behind the third cactus in the desert level of Super Mario I-don't-care-which-number-and/or-iteration...well, that makes me a bit angry. Just a bit.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

RabbitMaster
Speaking of which, why don't spriters get sued?

Creative license, or something like that.

I believe the reason that most sprite comics are made is because comics give people some popularity, and we all know how little kids love popularity. But they want it in the quickest way possible, so they resort to pre-made sprites. And of course, they want to use sprites everyone knows, so they'll pick Mario, Sonic, or whatever iconic sprite they can get their cursors on.

So yes, i'm in the camp of the author's thoughts. However, as people have already pointed out, not all sprite comics are bad (you can clearly see I make one myself). It's just the fact that most of them are, in fact, made by lazy people. Which is unfortunate.

Well Valid, let me go on record as saying that yours is one of the better doen ones out there.

I used to read a bunch of sprite comics, but now I've become rather wary of them (down to three). One can only take so many poorly written Megaman comics. To me, a sprite comic can only survive if it has some unique quality to make it stand out enough from all the typical junk whether it be an original story or original sprites (One of my favorite comics happens to be a sprite comic that utilized both [home.att.net]).

Brock
...(And if you create your own sprites? Sorry, still looks ugly. I mean, good for you, but it still looks ugly. That's okay, there's plenty of hand-drawn comics on DD that don't look like all that either. I'm just sayin' they at least have a fightin' chance.)

I was with you until I read this. Sorry man but I gotta disagree. I mean, there are uglier things than original sprites. What about the giant number of stickfigure comics that proliferate? And actually even me saying that is unfair because beauty is, as they say, in the eye of the beholder. But my point is, original sprites often have as much work put into them as most hand-drawn comics.

Steely Gaze
What about the giant number of stickfigure comics that proliferate?

:cry: What's wrong with stick figure comics!?

I don't really have a problem with sprites, as long as they have their own storyline.
I mean if it's like "Peach gots kidnapped! OH NOES!
Mario save her! TEH END LOL!"
or
"I IZ ASH AND I BECUM A POKEMON MASTA LOL!"
Then I hate them.

crocty

Steely Gaze
What about the giant number of stickfigure comics that proliferate?

:cry: What's wrong with stick figure comics!?

I don't really have a problem with sprites, as long as they have their own storyline.
I mean if it's like "Peach gots kidnapped! OH NOES!
Mario save her! TEH END LOL!"
or
"I IZ ASH AND I BECUM A POKEMON MASTA LOL!"
Then I hate them.

Sorry Crocty, I wasn't ragging on stickfigures, but I was trying to point out it's somewhat wrong to say that original sprites are ugly and inferior to regular artwork. Ripped sprites are more than a little cheap, yes, but someone put work into making their own and they shouldn't be dismissed with their lesser cousins.

I don't rag on original sprite comics. Because maybe the author is a sprite genius who makes original sprites that look like they're out of Odin Sphere. In which case that person's sprite comic is better than 50% of all DD comics here.

See, even sprites have matured within the videogame medium. NES Mega Man sprites are no longer good enough. Why would ppl want to see flat pixelated sprites when there are beautifully render sprites where you can't see the pixels, in modern games?

So, I don't understand ppl who still use old pixelated sprites. For example, Arthur King uses SNES (or higher) sprites. They don't look pixelated on the page, so they don't make ppl's eyes hurt.

mlai
See, even sprites have matured within the videogame medium. NES Mega Man sprites are no longer good enough. Why would ppl want to see flat pixelated sprites when there are beautifully render sprites where you can't see the pixels, in modern games?

So, I don't understand ppl who still use old pixelated sprites. For example, Arthur King uses SNES (or higher) sprites. They don't look pixelated on the page, so they don't make ppl's eyes hurt.

It's a combination of retroism, minimalism, and laziness. 8-bit sprites have a certain amount of nostalgia surrounding them, they're very clean, simple looking sprites (when used properly), and it doesn't take much editing to produce a mostly (or completely) original sprite in the same style.

RabbitMaster
12 year olds

RabbitMaster
why don't spriters get sued?

That's just it. Not only that but there is an IMMENSE amount of them. It makes it hard to get them all.

Most sprite comics are made by people who are trying to copy comics like Planet Zebeth or Bob and George, but yet they have no fancy art programs that they have or can even use.

mlai
For example, Arthur King uses SNES (or higher) sprites.

Actually, it's arcade style sprites.

Puff_Of_Smoke
Actually, it's arcade style sprites.

Actually, somebody please correct me if I'm wrong, but Arthur King uses some sprites from various sources but mainly from the SNES version of Capcom's Knights of the Round .

Steely Gaze

Puff_Of_Smoke
Actually, it's arcade style sprites.

Actually, somebody please correct me if I'm wrong, but Arthur King uses some sprites from various sources but mainly from the SNES version of Capcom's Knights of the Round .

I've seen it on an arcade machine.

I know I can't really say much because I started my comic using copy and paste techniques however 99% of the time it was my own original drawings with the occasional picture by somebody else used because it was too difficult for me to draw or it would be easier to understand.

My point is that sprite comics(excusing those that use their own creations) are a waste of space on DrunkDuck. They do not deserve respect and yet there are norammly many 'stolen' sprite comics in the Top 100. For a long time I read 8-bit theatre however I eventually got bored of that because of the storyline(I do not like quest style storylines that take ages to get past a few minutes) and NOT because of the original artwork. Crap like Supah Nario Bros. is so aggravating.

I would think it a great idea for DrunkDuck to actually make a seperate area for sprites. Something like Sprtie Playground for the little 12 year olds. I'm not saying that the really young can't make great comics(I'm only 16 and still have room for improvemnt I'm talking about younger than that). Crocty is the greatest example of young aspiring artists, I read Frank And Vinny all the time and constantly seem him working hard on his artwork. He has the best stickmen I have ever seen. His facial and body expression as well as the storyline make him a great artist and is way better than ALL the spriters I have ever seen.

Anyone can copy the storyline from a video game from the 1980's and use the same artwork, using your own art and storyline is what really makes a good comic.

This rant is not to offend any spriters although maybe it should, this is to encourage them to try their hand at REAL artwork by perhaps creating their own sprites.

I have to admit I'm with most everyone in this thread. There are some good sprite comics around on the internet, but on the whole, the rest (those 1001 Mario/MegaMan/Pokemon) are just uncreative, unoriginal and well, to be frank, unwarranted.
Sure, those thousands of Pokemon strips might amuse the "creator" and a few of his classmates, but after awhile, they stop that strip and start another one, and then another and another. And to be honest, I am sick to death of Pokemon anyway. It had it's day and now it's just like Yu-Gui-oh (or otherwise known as You Gay Ho to serious roleplay gamers and Magic gamers) and the other cartoons created for the sole purpose to shill trading card games.

I agree heartedly, with jurbas that drunkduck should create an area just for sprite "comics" and let them have their own little playground, and let the main site be for those who actually work on their material.
Also, dd should send out little "memos" or warnings to those who mislabel their sprite offerings to try and gain more readers. After the third warning, the mods should then relabel said strip and if the owner tries to falsely set it to something else, remove the strip. Harsh, but, the spriters who do such things would then get the hint about it.
As many posters have commented, it's hard to get noticed when your work gets swamped by samey sprite comics. This is something that the likes of Gabe and Tycho at Penny Arcade, and Scott Kurtz at PVP point out about hosting strips on webcomic hosting sites like here, Comic Genesis, Smack Jeeves, etc. Some would accuse those guys of being elitist as they self-host their work, but they are still correct on that aspect. Webcomics won't be taken seriously when all the good work is buried under a giant mass of cut and paste sprites.

Also, to the point about legality of sprite comics? Well, I know that the owners of Pokemon are highly letigious and would, if they felt warranted, request sites to close down said strips, if they felt the "artist" was financially benfiting from their copyrighted work. It's only the copyright owners good graces that allow these things to happen. But as soon as they feel their copyright is being infringed, then that's when the proverbial sh*t will hit the fan.

Puff_Of_Smoke
Most sprite comics are made by people who are trying to copy comics like Planet Zebeth or Bob and George, but yet they have no fancy art programs that they have or can even use.

Fancy art programs? GIMP is free. MS Paint is not the lowest common denominator anymore.

I dislike sprite comics personally, but I feel they do have a right to create their "stuff", just as I think fanfiction 'authors' have a right to do lousy fanfiction. (Even though I despise fanfiction too!) It could be that the spriter is using sprites as a spring board into real comic creation, or that they are at the peak of their creative mountain and cannot take the next step.

I don't know. I do think there should be a special section designed soley for sprite comics so that they don't steal the "recently updated" slots so often. :D

But I'm all for freedom of artistic expression, just don't expect me to view said expression. :D

I think what ppl may be getting peeved at is the disparity in the average effort required to make a videogame sprite comic update vs a good hand-drawn comic update.

Both in the art involved and in the creativity. Like a penny and a quarter occupying the same shelf space.

I'm personally not into Sprites too much myself and don't read a lot of them...so I may not be the best person for this question. But sprite comics are basically ways for people who can't draw to be able to do some form of fun Doujinshi ( fancomic ) and/or make the gags/story of their choice.
It's like fanfiction. If you're not claiming rights, then you should have the freedom to express the character/s ( at least online ) anyway you'd like.
I really don't think it's a huge deal. If you don't like them don't read them. Simple. And as far the fart jokes go, there are MORE then enough hand drawn comics on drunkduck and everywhere else that make just as crude if not cruder toilet humor then that. So I don't think it's very fair that bad sprite comics are the only ones getting slammed here. I think if you're going to address poor comics or fart jokes in comics, you should address the issue as a whole and not just single it down to one genre of comics. And again, if you don't like sprite comics, don't read them. No one's making you...=/