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Ghosted
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Uploaded November 21, 2020
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Rose's avatar
Rose
All-Rounder
4 years ago
[spoiler=4:00am]Your last comment made me start to understand why your comics lately haven't quite hit the spot for me. I should mention that I'm 100% on board with C+F having incredibly mundane conversations while executing heinous crimes, and the pointless violence does win some nostalgia points for me. That said, if your goal is to make your characters as irreverent and offensive as possible because that was something VOID did Back in the Day, I think it's time to evolve with the times. People on VOID today have seen offensive shit for years, and indie comics have made it possible for people to make the most heinous shit off of VOID for a long time. So there really is no comic that could only exist on VOID anymore. In other words, being offensive and nasty isn't enough to impress or entertain people anymore. Like I said, what really makes your C+F comics shine is the juxtaposition of mundane conversations and hyperviolence; keep that. If you're trying to get people to choose sides in the arguments C+F are having, I think you need to either update your references to things people are arguing about now, or you need to go ham on making controversial opinions seem reasonable. Look at people arguing in favor of lesser-known superheroes who deserve more attention, for example. Part of the issue is just choosing arguments your audience will care about, which can be hit and miss, especially if you're not spending a lot of time talking to other members of the community. I think people can still appreciate the absurdity, but if you want people to try to side with one of your characters, you need more reader buy-in. That said, like I mentioned earlier, people have become desensitized to violence and shit like that. People these days are either going to laugh at how absurd the situation is, or be grossed out by the entire comic. I'm not sure anyone is going to agree with Clock or Friction and feel weird about it because of what they're doing. So I'd say focus less on trying to win people over to their side, and more on making people get so caught up in the argument that they forget for a second that what these two are doing is actually super fucked up. For me, that's what really makes these comics shine. Art-wise, I think people pretty much already covered any issues here. I love the gritty feel, which perfectly matches your writing. If anything, maybe you could work on making your speech bubbles a little easier to read? The font can be a bit of an eyestrain. But not much else to critique here.[/spoiler] MrPrI'm not sure where to start with this comic. I enjoyed seeing a bit of Doannah's backstory here, and I had fun with how blasé Clock and Friction were about everything. I feel like you really missed the mark on their characterization, which is funny because it's pretty easy to figure out their behavior: they argue with each other like best friends argue, and they do tons of horrible crime. They seemed way too soft and empathetic in your comic, willing to help Doannah out when they found out her tragic backstory. If it were me, I would have ended with them dumping Old Doannah for being ugly and worn out and going back in time to get with young Doannah. Those two don't care about anyone but themselves, and you could have done more to show that. Art-wise, I felt like you super dropped the ball with your backgrounds. I had no idea where anything was during this entire comic. Everything was so blurry and empty, you might as well not had any backgrounds. I really want to see you focus on wide shots and establishing shots that do a better job of grounding us in where the characters are in relation to the background. I get that part of it was just vaguely "in the time stream," and it makes sense for that to be blurry and confusing, but the rest of it should have been much clearer. You also seem to rely on a lot of close-ups where your characters are filling most of the panel, which gives me the impression that the camera is following way too close to the characters. That wasn't always the case, of course, but just zooming out a bit, adding establishing details to the backgrounds, and making the backgrounds clearer, would all help a lot. PS—I laughed out lout at "our dicks are gonna get so, sooooo hard" on page 3. It's just such an absurd thing to say in any context XD
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TheCydork's avatar
TheCydork
All-Rounder
4 years ago
There’s no need to be mocking. I understood the comic was going to be NSFW and am fine with seeing NSFW content. Just think about how somebody new to your comics might see this battle on the front page, with a title that doesn’t have “NSFW” or “smut” in it, and click it only to be greeted with a pornographic pinup in the thumbs. You’re not warning people of NSFW by using NSFW thumbnails , because they are still being exposed to to that kind of content without warning. There are people who are uncomfortable with sexual content, and also literal children on the site. I personally don’t get why given the site is supposedly 18+, but that doesn’t change the fact that they’re here and I know several are currently active, one as young as 14. This isn’t old Void anymore. You’ve been back about a year now, idk how you haven’t picked up on the different environment by now. So just be considerate and spoiler your shit, dude.
Posted on Ghosted battle

4:00am's avatar
4:00am
All-Rounder
4 years ago
https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/void-storage/comics/6870-1/CLOCKNFRICTIONWH5.jpg Helis: Thanks? Cab: ...Good warning... Footini: Y'know, thank you for showing up, you commented twice, you thought about it and came back.. The fact that you did so, would have made this feel like a win even if I lost. You see, part of my idea of the "charm" of Clock& Friction is that you're supposed to get caught in their conversations and pick a side and yet feel a little strange for agreeing with someone who would perform the acts that they do. So, if you picked a side I achieved one of my comic goals...thanks Chia-"Cat woman would win."-Feb 14 2011 "Have fun sleeping on rocks with hobbits...." Heaven Bat : Well I tried, it could have been better, true. It could always be better. ..But I'm glad I made this attempt. I didn't mean to bore you. I am actually ALWAYS attempting humor with these guys, sometimes I make a couple people laugh sometimes I bomb..... often times I BOMB...But those people that really get these absurd tales make my day and I'm glad if they enjoyed it. If they still exist....here. since people have talked about it ,yeah they DON'T talk about what they're doing whilst they're doing it...I think that's a silly and annoying trait.... and I'm always trying to convey that they're best friends who debate each other (like the only people who "get/can stand one another.") they don't need to go over the plan in order to perform it. I'll do some reading on comedy writing and try to punch up the absurdity of the conversations.. thank you. Kozicloud: Thanks for speaking directly to me and not around me. I had a friend once who was deeply into Quentin Tarantino, he pointed out that people don't talk about what they're doing, they talk about whatever else they're thinking about....Unless the task requires very heavy concentration. So the idea edges towards that and my trying to convey a closeness between Clock & Friction. All that and I have them ignore a lot of circumstance to convey that they are Nihilistic. I'll split up the bubbles more that's a good observation. as for "Donnette" disappearing: (is there a reason you're calling Doannah Donette? are you pointing out that I spelled it wrong? since in the comic they say Doanna and it's "Doannah" or is it like a fancy way of saying Donut, what is that?) : She's supposed to vanish by the way side in order for her to have "Ghosted" them. Like a Lure into a trap she's not the main part...but I can see how that's a negative for a reader. In the end I'm not really telling Doannah's story, I'm telling Clock & Friction's. There is more to them than a pop culture debate, and you saying this proves its time to show a little more than that. Been working towards it slowly with these guys, trying to figure out how to link and loop the parts that I want. this part of the concept is also that Clock& Friction are supposed to be steadfast characters, by the time you've met them they've already gone through the life changing event that makes them "them". So Last time I'll Ask.. Can we battle Clock and Friction vs Dashiram?? Please ?? I'll show more of their goals in that battle.... FluffamusPrime: Thank You That's the perfect distillation of how I wanted it to feel. "Before I go into crits, 4:00am, you should really give warning for this kind of stuff rather than slapping it straight in the thumbnails :/ " Before I go Into responses Cydork ,I'd Like to point out, that if you understood this was NSFW from the thumbnails , then the thumbnails did their job. :/ You read all of Clock and Friction to see if there was a hook or something redeemable but couldn't find anything...and you read this???Hahahaha.. You read all of these and you're still like IS IT SAFE TO READ THIS AT WORK???? HAHHAHAHAHAHH.... Also: I'm of the time where it was uncomfortable to read Void comics at work. Like, if you're comfortable reading or explaining this at work is it even a good Void comic? Cydork: I don't know what you're looking for here, but I didn't write a whole lot of promises in Clock and Friction's Bio... I promised they Love Comix. .Drugs.. Sex.. And Debauchery....I think I hit the target a few times honestly....maybe you're just not my audience...but I think you are.... I think you're train wreck hooked. like, you look at these like "fuck these comics." but you wanna see how the bodies get stacked... After the scathing review of "what had happened was.... I realized all you were asking me was WHY, WHY THIS?!!?? So years ago (throw in the customary "i'm old bla bla" everyone is obsessed with.) Before he was considered too Toxic Wei Ingnan ..ingan....i can't spell it right WEI Wei created a forum post in like 2009 I think , this post challenging all of the artists of Void to create characters that Broke the comics code. There was a comprehensive list of acts they'd have to perform in order to break the code...basically create characters.. that couldn't exist anywhere but Void.. and a sketch book you never show to anyone.. I thought about it for a while and I made these guys....it's a comic about people who choose the opposite of altruism, instead deciding to do the selfish or apathetic thing, helping only themselves in any situation. if you don't like them that's fine. Technically you are correct...but that's why I'm drawing on Void ...I'm Practicing ..here. I'm working out ideas for angles and stories and working on my speed and details and depth and panel spacing. Anatomy is a life long struggle for me. This is all practice to me. maybe I'll try out another character for a while IDK. Thanks for reading. Monday: K..........Can I battle Agent Black next October or No? Mr Pr1993 Excellent Work you did the one thing I've always been afraid of where I don't play with time deeply enough but my opponent does...(great, now I have to use time travel all the time)your story was a lighthearted fun ride and it ended really well. thank you for the battle it was a lot of fun
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Batty's avatar
Batty
All-Rounder
4 years ago
4am: Art quality-wise, this is pretty god. Nice lines, nice colors, etc. Content wise, though... not a huge fan, sorry
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Footini's avatar
Footini
All-Rounder
4 years ago
Btw, Gandalf's better
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Kozispoon's avatar
Kozispoon
All-Rounder
4 years ago
4AM- It's always great to see an old schooler come back and battle because the content is always chock full of throwbacks and nostalgia. I dug all the cameos of void characters of yesteryear, and the fact they were all dead to inform and easter egg the reveal at the end. Oddly enough I dug the debate Clock and Friction were having had nothing to do with the actions they were engaging in? It gave me Tarantino Vibes where his characters tend to engage in off topic debates. I will agree that it could've been better handled. There was alot to say that was packed into too few panels. You really needed to either shorten the argument or add more pages to make room for it. As it stands it just felt crowded and edged out Donette from even mattering by the end. I don't know what the true aim or intention was, but if it was to make the most offputting and unsexy smut battle, you succeeded. XD The eating of Donette's head aside, the intentional (or maybe unintentional??) unflattering depiction of her body and the act itself I think kind of went hand in hand with the grisly business of Donette literally losing her head. It's a comic that makes you squirm and wince, but maybe that was the goal. Does it visually give a nod to them being evil? I'm not so sure. I will echo that I wish there was more to your characters than a pop culture debate. They havent been around for a hot minute, and now that they're back, all I know is that they got beef with TV wizards. I wanna know THEM. What's going on in their heads, what their goals are, if any. MRPR- As always, kudos for submitting a fully completed comic, but For a five week battle, I think your art quality is not only rushed, but a surprising step back from the progress I saw you climbing. Your backgrounds are gone, there is nowhere to orient the eye as the reader to figure out where they are, whats happened or why Donette is making demands to be sent back. Back where? What happened? I'll also second and third the tragic backstory of your character felt like a punchline with no punch. she tells such a chilling tale of woe and disfigurement, but she currently looks fine. I was waiting for the joke to be that despite being beautiful, she acts like she's still hideouts to behold. Sort of like a super model retiring from the limelight because they have a hangnail. The fact this was placed straight and Clock and Friction, alleged super villain's, actually had pity for her, just all felt out of touch.
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Fluffsamasprime's avatar
Fluffsamasprime
All-Rounder
4 years ago
4:00: Reading this was like being on a road trip to your grandma's house while everyone argues around you when suddenly the driver snaps and takes everyone off roading down a cliff. Hell of a ride/ read Mrpr: Man, I wasn't expecting the feels and the tragic back story, but it worked well. After these comics I'm no longer sure how I feel about eating donuts
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TheCydork's avatar
TheCydork
All-Rounder
4 years ago
Before I go into crits, 4:00am, you should really give warning for this kind of stuff rather than slapping it straight in the thumbnails :/ [spoiler=4:00 am] I know these guys are supposed to be villains, but I just found this nasty. I think if there was some kind of reason behind why the act the way they do, if there was an element of fun to the violence they committed, or if they had charm, I’d understand. But they’re just horrible all the time for no reason, and it’s just unpleasant to read. This kind of character isn’t up my alley, but there are loads of other characters on site who are assholes or do fucked up things, but are still enjoyable to read about. I’d recommend reading some of Colbitzer, Remy Naufrage or The Smile’s comics to give you an idea. From a technical standpoint there were a lot of issues too. You attempted a variety of different angles here, which is great, but some of the perspective was still very off. For example page 3, panel 4, the counter and booths are heavily tilted towards the viewer while the floor isn’t, making them look like they’re floating in midair. The large panel on page 6 was also strange - the dumpster was at a tilted angle while the stairs were flat on the ground, and Clock’s legs were very short compared to his body. BaM Animation on YouTube did a very helpful video on drawing in perspective that you might wanna look up. When you’re working with a style that really emphasises muscles and curves, anatomical issues are made that much more obvious, so you should really practice more. I can’t tell if you’ve made Doanna ripped or malnourished, on page 4 the lumps on her abdomen could be ribs poking out or chiselled abs. Her uniform is also drawn in a similar style to Clock’s armour, glued to her body and every outline, but it’s a completely different material. The comic was also pretty text heavy, like on pages 2 and 5. At first glance, it makes me not want to read or just skip over the text. Editing the dialogue down or splitting the text up into more bubbles would help a lot. The animation on the penultimate page was good though.[/spoiler] MrPr “THINGS ARE NOT FINE” got a chuckle out of me. The story was a little hard to follow though due to the sparse backgrounds. The reveal of Doanna’s past was confusing to me too because she doesn’t look deformed currently? She has big lips, but you draw other characters with big lips too and don’t imply they’re deformed. The differently sized eyes don’t come across clearly either. You probably should have kept the scars if you wanted to go with this backstory, or maybe do something like reveal that she covers the scars with her icing? Like makeup? Just a thought.
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Monday's avatar
Monday
All-Rounder
4 years ago
This was like watchinig a 15 minute long trailer of that Grindhouse preview with the Thanksgiving themed murders and some dude goes around committing /straight atrocities/ over the family dinner table. Thank god I watched grindhouse by myself at midnight cause then me and this one girl managed to catch each other playing pocketpool in a California movie theater. MRPR I am reminded of this time my sister walked in on me watching clerks. But it turned out to be a cartoon show clerks. We traded awkward glances and then she left. Anyways the reason I'm not doing value crits this time around is because I needed to crack open this box of halloween candies that was waiting next to the Thanksgiving ingredients but it turned out to be my aunt's supply of amphetamines turned to edibles. Please don't tell Duterte or his death squad will come here and shoot my family.
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Footini's avatar
Footini
All-Rounder
4 years ago
It's always fun to eat out with your friends. That was definitely some wild comix there. And MRPR's side has some pretty good character moments for Doannah. I got sympathy for the donut lady now.
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Cab's avatar
Cab
All-Rounder
4 years ago
Fair warning There's some NSFW pages in these comics, so be prepared.
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Hellis's avatar
Hellis
All-Rounder
4 years ago
Holy shit. Thats some 4:00 stuff I see. I can't wait!
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