Short and Sweet: Isolation

Short and Sweet: Isolation

by Red

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by Sean

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by Energy

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by Orion

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tags:


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13.1%
468 points
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tags: isolation, short and sweet, short and sweet 2020


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11.7%
418 points
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by Coatl

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by Dechado

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tags: what the fuck


by Monday

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Critiques & Comments
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Snowy
Artist
243 comments
# 20   Posted: Dec 12 2020, 01:37 AM
I really only have compliments to give out, sorry! Great work to everyone's comics!

Red: I loved the chalk-like quality of this comic! It's very soothing and a pretty style, I'd love to see more comics in it. The ending was very sweet, I loved it!

Sean: The screentoning was a neat touch to add contrast, and I really liked the texture for the page that you used! Even seeing how isolated the protagonist is, the ending adds another level of how alone they are. Great work!

Nothin: I liked how you showed the passage of time on this, and the door disappearing at the end was an interesting take of the theme! The final page was definitely the most on theme I feel, with just a wide open sky and the character just sitting there.

Cy: I really love your use of texture and the different style you tried here. While I expected the outcome of the comic, it didn't make it any less tragic and saddening to see it come true. I really hope you keep experimenting with comics like this!

Sorry, I do have to get this off my chest, re: Arts' comment-
Spoiler: ShowHide
Arts, I think it's really impersonal to have critiqued the comic the way you have and to completely ignore that different people deal with this sort of issue in very different ways. The theme was "isolation," and I feel like there would have been little narrative sense to show the repercussions or backlash of suicide, and they might not have mattered to the character (as Cy confirmed). I'm glad that you're in a better place now, Cy!


Boogi: I'm not overly clear on the ending of this comic, but I like that you seemed to take "isolation" as not a negative theme but a more positive one! Your comics are always interesting to read, and you try out a lot of new styles, which is fun to see!

Justarhymes: Omg this was disgusting XD. I got a great feeling of claustrophobia just from the first page and was expecting some great ol' angst or delving into the claustrophobia, but got grossed out instead, thank you haha. The extra details in the office building made the scene a lot more interesting, nice work.

Decha: The art you've got for this is very cute, but I do think you missed the theme of isolation. The interaction the two had at the end was adorable though. : )

Monday: Please, I almost fell for this joke *yet again.* I love the monochrome tones of your comic, and the lore that you've inserted into it. I was a bit confused on some aspects, but I think it fit the theme and still really enjoyed your comic!

TheCydork
Artist
606 comments
# 19   Posted: Dec 11 2020, 09:14 PM
Thank you to everyone for the comments so far! Had to respond to this though because it's uhhh very personal aha

@ArtsandGoodies

Trigger warning for suicide, depression and a ramble im prob gonna regret rip: ShowHide

ARTSANDGOODIES
"As someone who has in the past attempted to kill myself in the exact way and went as far as swallowing pills, this didn't really capture the experience of suicide well. It just comes off as way to peaceful and while I only have my own experiences to take from, them having no kind of internal instincts kick in when it happens makes it feel not that real.
There is also the other important part that this doesn't capture is that we don't see the true tragedy of the suicide. The tragedy comes from us seeing reasons for the character to live and the character not being able to see those till it's too late. Stuff like a loving family, caring friends, or some other small thing. Suicide is tragic because the person is in such a dark place they can't see any of those things. As fucked up as it sounds when we don't see any of these things in a story we aren't given a reason to root for them to not kill themselves, when we have those it makes the suicide a lot more tragic and closer to the tragedy of real life suicide. this story feels like a picturebook version of suicide rather than an actual suicide attempt."

This comic was based off my own personal experience with depression and suicide attempts. We talked in DMs about this and I'm honestly a little hurt that you'd post this kind of comment while knowing that? We're not all going to go through things the same way. I would totally understand you not personally relating since our experiences are different, but after saying so yourself, you still go on to criticise based on yours alone. It was my specific experience that informed the comic being written in the way it was.

When I read that the theme was "Isolation", I immediately thought of my first term at university. I had gone overseas from Malaysia to the UK to study. I was in a new country, and had pretty much no contact with any friends at home because we had either drifted apart, or they were too busy dealing with their own problems to worry about me. I was living alone for the first time ever, and had barely even been alone before at all due to helicopter parents who refused to let me out of their sight. My accommodation had no heating or potable water. I'd already been suffering from depression for years prior, which my parents either ignored or chastised me for. My mum would regularly scream things at me like "what did I do in my past life to be punished with you", "this is why everybody hates you", etc etc. The one time I couldn't take it anymore and broke down in public, my dad told me to stop because it made my mum feel bad. That's the background we're dealing with here. At least at the time, I wasn't receiving any love that I just wasn't seeing. I'm glad that you had love that you were able to see afterwards, but I didn't. I was so alone. When I tried to reach out I was only hurt. I remember calling the suicide hotline and being put on hold until the timer ran out 5 times in a row, and thinking to myself, you're right. The universe truly wants you dead.

If you'll notice, this comic is in the first person. I'm drawing from the headspace I had back then. You're not supposed to have a reason to root for the character to live. Because at least when I wanted to die, I didn't want anything stopping me. Everything pointed to a reason I should do it, even the tiniest, trivial things like a Kinder egg shattering or the dead flowers featured here. Again, I'm glad your instincts kicked in, but if your anxiety isn't very high, that doesn't always happen. At the time, I didn't fear death at all. Which was terrifying, as someone who had used to fear it so much it triggered panic attacks on a nightly basis, and who's anxiety is back to very high, if not higher, nowadays. I wasn't trying to write a cautionary tale or bring awareness, I was just trying to get my feelings on paper in a way that was cathartic but not painful enough to resurrect the ideation.

To anyone who reads this btw, thank you and please don't worry about me now. I still have ups and downs but in the following years I found a boyfriend, mended some friendships, joined Void which has given me a sort of goal, my parents have had a few talks with therapists themselves and seem to understand a lot more now. I'm on medication too. I stated all this for context, the character isn't me, just a conduit for the feelings surrounding me 3-4 years ago.

Rose
Web Dev
1180 comments
# 18   Posted: Dec 11 2020, 08:12 PM
Speed crits:

Red: Very beautiful, very powerful. Excellent use of value to create atmosphere and visual balance. I love the gold borders as a way to really solidify this as a solid visual entry. Also mad props for telling such a sweet and cute story via silent comic!

Sean: No crit for you! But I liked the comic :)

Nothin: Very simple, yet effective comic. I love how you showed the passage of time on page 2, but I think you could have made it feel even more emotional by showing signs of aging on your character or something like that. I felt the message of this comic more in my mind than in my heart, and would have loved a more visceral feeling from it. That said, it's a great concept that I connect with as an ambivert who goes through periods of wanting to be away from people and needing to be around people. I don't know if that was your message per se, but I enjoyed it nonetheless!

Cy: As someone who has felt this isolated and depressed and was essentially saved by the dog my therapist pressed me to adopt, I both appreciate this story and am not sure why it didn't evoke more emotions in me. I think the story is told in somewhat of a surface-level way where we're reading the words of this person, but not feeling their feelings. I imagine this is what it feels like for someone who's never had depression to hear someone with depression talk about how they feel. I would have liked you to get a bit more experimental in the visual language you used to make me as the reader feel the same way your character was feeling. I know that's a big ask, but hopefully it helps anyway. All that said, I love the brushes you used, and thought all the art was very beautiful. I love the natural feel it all had.

Boogi: I never know what to expect from you, and this is no different. Your art looks very scribbly, but for the most part I can still make out what's happening, and you're still able to create a good visual balance. Story wise, this might be a bit too abstract for me. I think it's really interesting that instead of ending with a car crash, you left it kind of vague whether the driver was still asleep or whether he ended up safely somewhere and is awake. I'm not sure if this comic feels like it's _about_ isolation so much as the driver is just alone the whole time, but it was an interesting read nonetheless.

Justin: COME ON MAN WTF. This is so gross XD. I love how you took such a serious subject and made it sort of a tragic comedy. I don't really have anything to say in terms of things to improve on. I guess the art felt a little simple, maybe hastily done? But it didn't feel unfinished, and the style works really well with this combination of humor and existential horror you've created. I'm so glad you joined this XD

Decha: My one good takeaway from this was that it's cute. I love the characters, and I love how it ended. I don't care for the blurry and undetailed backgrounds, and would have loved to see inks instead of pencil sketches. Still, it was a cute read.

Monday: I love how you're able to turn just a few shades of color into something that looks so detailed. I also love how much lore you add to every comic you make, even if you never have time to explain the lore. It _can_ make your stories hard to follow, but I love the mystery of it. My biggest issue with your comics in general is that your dialogue lacks punctuation and often reads as run-on sentences. Make sure you're breaking up dialogue in ways that feel natural to the way people talk, as wall as clearly separating distinct thoughts from each other. I think I heard you ran out of time for the end of this, but personally I'm absolutely in love with the sharp left turn you took from this deep, mysterious lore to a simple joke. I'm totally on board with this.

Well done everyone! I'm proud of you for finishing what you had in the time you were given! Keep up the good work!

ArtsandGoodies
Artist
566 comments
# 17   Posted: Dec 11 2020, 07:24 PM
Red: This is just a very pretty journey, i love the hints of gold in this one. This also has a nice chalk like texture to the white lines which is also cool.

Sean: this is a really cool gritty landscape. while the overall brush used for this has a nice effect I would like to see a bit of balance with either cleaner lines or some much smaller lines.

Nothin: I love the simple story of this and how it can be interrupted for like using coping mechanisms. Short and sweet, great job with this.

Cy:
Trigger warning: ShowHide
 As someone who has in the past attempted to kill myself in the exact way and went as far as swallowing pills, this didn't really capture the experience of suicide well. It just comes off as way to peaceful and while I only have my own experiences to take from, them having no kind of internal instincts kick in when it happens makes it feel not that real.
There is also the other important part that this doesn't capture is that we don't see the true tragedy of the suicide. The tragedy comes from us seeing reasons for the character to live and the character not being able to see those till it's too late. Stuff like a loving family, caring friends, or some other small thing. Suicide is tragic because the person is in such a dark place they can't see any of those things. As fucked up as it sounds when we don't see any of these things in a story we aren't given a reason to root for them to not kill themselves, when we have those it makes the suicide a lot more tragic and closer to the tragedy of real life suicide. this story feels like a picturebook version of suicide rather than an actual suicide attempt.
With all that out of the way this art style is great and you should definitly do more comics in this style.

boogidi: I love how wild you are with your stories. I like how you took isolation to a more hopeful place. Your art is also getting better and I like the style. You should work on making the solid black parts more solid and having more of those spot blacks in there. You should also try to add some points of erased lines and white spots being empty of lines, this will help give the eye something quicker to focus on and make the all the lines feel more organized.

Justar: This was silly and rediculous. while it's not my personal type of humor i respect you going all the way with it.

Decha: this was cute and fluffy.

Monday: I love your sense of humor and subtle absurdist jokes. the top line of page 3 had me dyeing of laughter. the final page was a bit messy and i had trouble understanding it at first but this is still overall really well done.

Flutterbyes
Artist
299 comments
# 16   Posted: Dec 11 2020, 06:20 PM
Red: I really love the feeling of atmosphere, of just enough realism to communicate a frightening world, but enough cartooniness to communicate wonder, fear, and a general sense of wordless solitude.

Sean: In a ruined landscape, clinging to the first thing that resembles company. I'm conflicted. I feel like this comic was maybe a little too up close and personal before the reveal, but I understand it's to show a life that's familiar enough while not showing the nuclear winter. I think you could have pulled it off without being that close. The smudgy grittiness suits the dirty atmosphere.

Nothin: This looks like it's ready to print. So clean and simple, with the graphics getting right to the point while using copy and paste in a way that serves the storytelling.

Cy: I've been really conflicted about the subject of this and I haven't been sure what to say other than, yeah. That is what it is I guess. This all came together very nicely visually. You really do good work with creatures and compositions.

Boogidi: This is an eerie dream/nightmare. It pulled me in. When the art lent itself to the horror, it really fit, but there were parts where I wasn't sure if the art was winking at me to not take it too seriously? I love combining dread and humor, but I feel like this sort of story needs to be played super straight.

Justarhymes: .... oh my god.This comic knows what kind of comic it is, and it's that kind of comic. I think the visual thing you have going is great except you probably could bring in a few different hatching brushes, maybe layer or vary your hatching so it looks less regular (or like hair).

Dechado: Aw, that was indeed short and sweet. I can envision it with the visuals of space and galaxies as these interplanetary critters find each other.

Monday: Wow, it's amazing what kind of a set piece you're describing (but also implying, covering large stretches of time, implying a world we don't see, etc.), while also jumping from moment, dealing with such things as eternity.... and then ending in Updog. I kind of feel like that punchline needed just a little more rendering to really bring it home. Also, I love your painterly rendering, but sometimes I didn't catch onto the continuity between panels.

snager
Artist
415 comments
# 15   Posted: Dec 11 2020, 06:09 PM
Pretty great work, you guys! Cy's was especially resolved, sad as it was. But Monday's is the most culturally significant. Red's little snail is the cutest.

Kozispoon
Artist
1211 comments
# 14   Posted: Dec 11 2020, 01:21 AM
This was such a great bunch of comics (and Sean you are KILLING ME with the no crits, I have THOUGHTS, but I will refrain!)

BOOGIDIBZDO- I'll echo what everyone else has said. Your work IS manic and bizarre, but this felt the most grounded story from you- at least at the start. But even the unconventional route it takes still feels grounded in some sort of walkabout dreamscape deal that I was intrigued to see go further than it did

CY- I really enjoyed the look and technical execution of this comic. Whatever effects and tricks you're trying, please do again. It was such an unexpected style that took me by surprise. The content not so much. I think if I'd read this first I may of thought differently, but in a weird way it felt expected by way of the theme.

DECHADO- I can't tell if this was unfinished or another bout of trying something experimental as well. Also this felt more like thematic of companionship than isolation.

JUSTARHYMES- Gosh this was my favorite with just how unexpected and ridiculous it was. I actually laughed out loud at the conclusion the elevator guy got to and the resulting gag was as gross as it should be XD Also this is so random, but I think its a nice nod to making a panel look interesting by adding paintings/canvas on the walls of this office/building.

MONDAY- A great concept at the start. I didn't expect this fantasy route of a magic user punished for all eternity. I don't understand how them growing excited explaining to nobody about their magic counts as a tantrum that sets them on fire. I wanted to see actual anger over their isolation. Kicking books they've probably already read a dozen times her first year of captivity, left with nothing new, no fresh knowledge for a thirsty mind. I'd hoped to see the theme of isolation explored by the degeneration of someone who needs so much knowledge starved for it, but this didn't do that. It I felt meandered off theme and that left me wanting.

NOTHIN- The very essence of the challenge. Short and sweet.

RED- this was beautifully rendered. Children's storybook level caliber. Granted, having a bedtime story about a snail would be weird, yet this comic made them look almost fantasy and ethereal especially with the moonlight. This felt experimental and I'm into it. I hope you keep exploring this.

Rivana
Artist
367 comments
# 13   Posted: Dec 10 2020, 08:01 AM
Red - This is such a beautiful homage to your pet snails! I love the chalkboard/pencilled effect that gives it the traditional look. I could almost feel the texturing in my hand. The gold accents compliments everything. Wow, really blown away.

Sean - Ah you got me at post-apocalyptic theme! At least that's what this one feels like. You drive the theme of the competition home with your piece and your gritty style really shines here. I really felt the isolation.

Nothin - at first glance this looks like a nice and simple comic but the more I mull about it, the more I realize its deeper meaning. As someone who is also an introvert, I love being left alone. In peace and quiet. But after awhile, it does get lonely despite the 'serenity' our environment offers us. At least that's what  I got from this. Amazing job.

Cy - very dark and riveting. I do like that this comic incites some emotions in me (negative or positive) and that's what art is all about. It's also nice that you transitioned from light gray to  dark gray/blacks at the end to emphasize the overall despair and loneliness the character felt.

Boo - this style is a bit different than your usual and I kinda like it. Your unique storytelling and style is definitely what sets you apart from everyone else in this site. Your comic offered Hope and Determination despite the feeling of being trapped. I liked it.

Justarhymes - The odd one out! Oh gosh, I did get a lringelaugh at this. I still laugh at potty humor and your comic was so unexpected and entertaining.

Decha - Cute feel good story. Too bad it seems unfinished. I love the way you drew the characters though. Really adorable.

Monday - I am always blown away by your art and fantastical way of story telling. I got a bit lost a bit though but that's probably just my smooth brain talking. Anyhow, I did enjoy the comic but I feel like with all the storytelling elements  you introduced here, it needs some sort of continuation. I do love where you're going with this and your art is such a treat to look at.

Well done everyone!

Footini
Artist
359 comments
# 12   Posted: Dec 9 2020, 10:01 PM
short and sweet crits
Red- love the grays, and the golds, one of the most visually beautiful comics here.  
Sean- gutpunch of a story.  very nice use of the theme
Nothin- cool premise, very relatable.  This one hit home.
Cy- dang man, heavy and poignant. not many could tackle that subject with the respect you do.
Boogidibizdo-  interesting abstract story.  Kept reading it over and over just to soak it in.  One of my faves.
Justin- We've all been there man.  One of the funniest comics i've seen for a while
Decha- Cute and wholesome.  One of the few uplifting comics here.
Monday- Most interesting use of the theme.  Feels like an old myth.  the Best punchline of all.

Camel
Artist
151 comments
# 11   Posted: Dec 9 2020, 03:40 PM
Red - Such a lush and enchanting visual style you’ve brought for this comic. The grayscale values are absolutely perfect, the comic was really beautifully detailed but also very readable, which can be a tough balance to make. The gold panels are quite pleasant although the drop shadow was a little inconsistent, I think it would’ve worked better as a specific color rather than a transparent layer, and as well I personally wouldn’t have a drop shadow cast on the interior of a panel, it adds a dimension of depth between the panel borders and the panel image that i don’t think is necessary.  The night is always easier to get through with a friend.

Sean - A post apocalyptic setting is very apt for this tournaments theme, I quite like how the reality of the situation slowly dawns on the reader as opposed to just being dumped in their lap. That first page had great panel discipline for a 9 panel grid comic, each row had a very good flow.

Nothin -In many ways isolation and relaxation are just two sides of the same coin. Really great use of panels to show the elongation of time. I think having the character say “this is lonely” is telling rather than showing, because your change to a darker color palette and your character’s anxious body language communicate that already.

Cy - Very bleak, very powerful. There is a matter-of-factness to the drawing style that makes this comic a lot more resonant and gritty. The character trying to appreciate their isolation by focusing on the positive aspects but being unable to is a really good touch, it makes this comic a lot more honest instead of just being a doom-spiral. There could be some more details in the drawing to communicate this character’s mental state - on page 3 we see that there room is a bit messy, but it could be pushed to more than just a couple bowls on the ground. That bottom panel on page 1, maybe one of the mailboxes is stuffed with letters, showing how little the character is connecting with the outside world.

Boogi - Your manic, expressive drawing style is complimented very well by this dreamlike, bizarre metaphorical story. I love a comic that doesn’t really hold your hand and just makes you figure it out. There’s a very interesting Sisyphean angle to this comic, one that I didn’t see coming - a conventional reading would be that this rich guy abandons his new car (his wealth) in order to find true meaning upon the road “where the vehicle can’t go” , However i got the feeling from that last panel that instead of being a road to true meaning, it’s an endless, spiraling road to nowhere, and that giant END panel gives no catharsis. Is it saying that sacrificing all your wealth is not a panacea, and rather reveals a true emptiness inside? Very compelling stuff.

Justarhymes- I fuckin cackled like a hyena the first time i read this, and on subsequent readings. God damn it’s funny. The expressions really sell the comic as well, just make the leadup to that punchline that much funnier. And I’d like to imagine that he was trapped for only 15 minutes.

Dechado - Cute and sweet, with some nice expressions. Try going for some more inkwork next time.

Monday - Your style is impeccable as always, I feel like as time goes on you keep improving this style, things are getting sharper and more readable. I’m not sure if this story takes place in a pre-existing world of your creation, although it does feel like it, there’s some very compelling world building here. That being said, the ending was disappointing, I was really quite intrigued by what you were setting up. If you’re down to the wire, you should opt for an open ending, rather than an impulse joke.

Flytee
Community Manager
352 comments
# 10   Posted: Dec 7 2020, 02:45 AM
Damn, what a fantastic batch of comics. I love how different they all are, Entervoid could make one hell of an anthology. No crits I'm just going to gush~

Red- Your art is so pretty, I love all the textures and moody lighting, I couldn't help but linger on these pages and take in all the little details and brush strokes. This very much reminded me of a glossy picture book.
I have to admit I am a sucker of interesting lil critters, so I adored your approach to the topic, I think you got a sense of isolation (and danger) across really well.

Sean- Oooh I loved this- firstly the art style and story worked so well together, giving this whole comic a really solid vibe. I loved the scratchy, heavy linework and all the texture you added over the page. The page layout and beats of the story are also really strong, I kept trying to think of what it reminded me of, then It hit me, it reminds me a lot of David Aja's work on Hawkeye (especially that first page) - anyway yeah, I loved this comic.

Nothin- This might be an odd thing to say, but this is the type of comic that I could see blowing up on social media- the simple but appealing art style really clearly gets the horrifying message across. I think this sensation of dread and loneliness is something a lot of people can relate to, especially during these stressful times where it can be tempting to push people away. (uh-oh am I projecting? Lmao) Very effective comic, nicely done.

Cy- My dude, why did you have to rip my heart out like that? You monster! Yeah, this was super bleak and depressing, but I know that's what you were going for so mission accomplished! Sad subject matter aside your art here is strong, whenever you to monochromatic comics your linework really does sing, I especially loved how creepy and foreboding the forest looked.

Boogie- Your comics are never dull Boogie! You have one of the most unique styles and approaches to storytelling I've seen, I'm never 100% sure on whats a joke or serious, but I'm here for the ride anyway.

JUSTARHYMES- If someone told me this joke I'd probably just say "Eww gross" and move on- but honestly your build-up and execution of the punchline made me laugh so hard. You're fantastic at drawing expressions and nailing comedic timing, this was a really great comic.

DECHADO- Well you certainly amped up the "sweet" part of this event. That was adorable, your style was so nice and soft here as well. This was a nice wholesome addition to the batch, very enjoyable.

Monday- Your art is gorgeous, you're very good at sculpting a setting and characters with a few brushstrokes as possible. When I look at your art it honestly feels like witchcraft haha. For me, the most enjoyable part of this comic was the appealing character designs and the strong atmosphere you established through your art. This was a very pretty comic.

Batty
Global Moderator
252 comments
# 9   Posted: Dec 6 2020, 02:16 AM
Red: YOOO I really love the gold borders, what a neat touch. Gave it a sort of ethereal quality, which I think is what pushed the rather simplistic story to a whole nother level. The rough texture of the brush also helped, as did the light touches of gold color on otherwise grayscale art. Really impressive job on using essentially spot blacks as well. Honestly I don't have much to critique on this because despite its simplicity, it doesn't really feel like it's missing anything. It tells the story it was meant to, nothing more, nothing less.

Sean: The gritty textures on the brush and the halftones and colors in general I think do a really good job of setting up this environment. I'm honestly surprised we didn't get more comics along this vein, so I'm really glad that someone did an apocalypse story, and tbh I'm glad it was you because you managed to give it a sort of bittersweet vibe? It's definitely sad and I feel for the protag so much, but their cheerfulness--even if it's forced or just an attempt to make themself feel better--ends up being weirdly reassuring? You could have easily made them be (justifiably) mopey and depressed, but I appreciate that you didn't tbh.

Nothin: Honestly I think out of all of the comics, yours sold the horror of isolation the best. The slow twist from enjoying the peace to the absolute loneliness mixed with the sudden fear of not being able to find the exit? *chef's kiss* I think the simplistic style really worked in your favor too tbh.

Cy: Meanwhile, I think yours was the most feelsy. Really dark themes and boy howdy you didn't pull any punches. The inkwash was really nice and I LOVE the style you chose to depict the protag in--I also really like the fact that you chose a thylacine (I believe?) for the protag. Feels very fitting.

Boogi: Man I always feel like I'm just a little out of reach from understanding your comics XD This one though I felt like I almost grasped, just... not quite. I wish you had been able to either put some color in this or else had been able to do more full spot blacks; as is, some of the hatched shading ends up just being a little too busy, and as a result some of the panels just kind of turn into a mass of lines which are hard to discern what's going on. There are some places where I really like the dialogue with the protag narrating his every action--mostly just when he's asleep, because it melds well with the surrealistic nature of what's going on--but for most of the comic I felt like his dialogue was a little too much of just him narrating his actions out loud. It didn't feel natural, and also kind of ended up feeling like you didn't trust the reader enough to put the pieces together on their own.

Justa: Well that certainly was a comic XD; I'm not a huge fan of this kind of humor but you got me to do a sort of horrified 'oh no' chuckle right before the reveal, so good on you! Also the expressions and overall style were both very good and imo worked well for this kind of a comic, lol.

Dechado: Despite the mostly-incomplete nature of this comic, I think you did a pretty good job of conveying the overall message! I wish there had been something in the speech bubble on page 2, or else you had used a different effect to denote shouting, cuz as is it just makes me wonder what they were saying, or if it was important at all. I also think the comic would have benefited from maybe another page of the blue character being alone, to really sell their isolation before the red character shows up--as is, the comic feels like it's more about the relief of ending isolation rather than isolation itself. Also side note I fuckin love the way you drew the red character's paws, hehe.

Monday: It took me a couple readthroughs to get what was going on (and even then I'm not sure I'm entirely clear) but I enjoyed what I think was your take on the theme of isolation--a sort of solitary confinement, in a way. I think at times you got a bit wordy, which I think was a side effect of trying to do a whole lot of worldbuilding in a short amount of space. You've mentioned several times you tend to leave these comics to the last minute and do them in a bit of a rush, and tbh I think I'm starting to see it--your art is fantastic especially for banging these things out so quickly, but I definitely do think in a lot of places it could benefit from a little more time taken on it to refine and clarify things. Some more time spent on tightening up the script and refine some of the looser panels would, I think, have really solidified this comic into being one of the top contenders in the group.

Juxta
Artist
65 comments
# 8   Posted: Dec 4 2020, 01:46 PM
Red-
What a gorgeous illustration style, WOW. So picture book -esque.  Despite being totally wordless, I loved how you portrayed this snail with its own wants and needs, the ending was so sweet. Very beautiful.

Shaun-
The brush choice gave such a personality to the whole thing. I love all things bittersweet, so this really gripped me at the end. Very nice progression throughout!

Nothin-
The way you portrayed the time from all those panels made my heart race! Very effective in that. The feeling of suddenly being 'locked" in that state was very terrifying but made for a cool effect at the end.

Cy-
So dark and somber, really felt self-contained and I do love how it progressed throughout the narration. Lovely work that properly got me in the feels ;v;.

Boogi-
The way you portrayed movement, expressions, everything in your lines was so neat!! Everything felt surreal throughout the protags journey.


Justarhymes-
Just throwing us straight into the anxiety in the beginning, love it. So bizarre and feels like a true nightmare scenario!

Dechado-
Nothing like a large expanse snow to make one feel isolated! Very nice and sweet story!

Monday-
WOAH. LIKE WOAH!! The choice of colors here is so intense and I love the high contrast look. Love it!

TheCydork
Artist
606 comments
# 7   Posted: Dec 4 2020, 01:51 AM
Wrow these were all really good. Hope work slows down for you soon Ernesto and sorry about the technical default Orion :(

Red - SNAIL! Monotone with gold highlights was such a good combo, and the story was just so pure ;w; I looove how you drew the snail, with its little eye stalks and smile. Also love how the ending calls back to the beginning with the moon in place of the egg. Showed this to my mum too bc she loves snails and she said it was lovely.

Sean - Dude. Holy shit. This is so fucking sad. I think my favourite part is that the character still asks the mannequin whether he can hold her hand, and so tentatively too. The rough look suited the vibe really well, would love to see you use these brushes again when you have more time!

Nothin - Simple and effective. This kinda reminds me of when I get sucked into my coping mechanisms, they’re great at first until you realise you’ve totally cut yourself off from the outside world. Oof.

Boogi - I dig your somewhat cryptic take on the theme! I was pretty excited for the first few pages - a mysterious road that reveals itself to those who are asleep? Is this astral travelling? A dream dimension? But by the end you lost me again :/ The sketchy style was nice, but I think you should have adjusted the darkness or line width as everything felt cluttered and on the same plane.

Justarhymes - What the FUCK. I- no words.

Dechado - The art here was super cute, but I’m not quite sure what’s going on? I can’t tell if they’re floating in space or if you just didn’t draw the backgrounds. I think there was supposed to be some dialogue on the second page you forgot to add too?

Monday - Your power terrifies me. This is really polished for something you banged out in less than a day, holy crap. The story is kinda lost on me, but I’m still gonna admire this art, especially page 3.

Rose
Web Dev
1180 comments
# 6   Posted: Dec 4 2020, 12:14 AM
Just a heads up that one entry only contained two pages and was disqualified. If this person wishes to upload their comic as a BB, they are free to do so.

Monday
Artist
964 comments
# 5   Posted: Dec 4 2020, 12:14 AM
Mines has a lot of violence.

Sean
Artist
382 comments
# 4   Posted: Dec 3 2020, 10:06 PM
Got really loose and tried out some weird ass brushes on these pages. Not looking for any real critique, but I’m stoked to read everyone else’s comix

TheCydork
Artist
606 comments
# 3   Posted: Dec 3 2020, 09:54 PM
I don’t want to spoil mine, but just wanted to give a warning that this comic deals with isolation in relation to depression specifically and might be pretty heavy for those not in a great headspace currently.

justarhymes
Artist
654 comments
# 2   Posted: Dec 3 2020, 07:25 PM
I should get started on this

Sean
Artist
382 comments
# 1   Posted: Nov 27 2020, 03:55 PM
HELL YEAH! LETS GOOOOOOO

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Artist Match
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Ended: Dec 11th, 2020
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