1. Written by Guest, on 25-02-2005 20:07
Actually, I make webcomics not for the drawing or for the story, but because it's fun, and because my friends enjoy it. I hope you do too. I'm not saying this to be defensive or anything, I realize you get out of something what you put into it. 
 
Thank you very much for the professional review, it's good to know what opinions of the comic are outside of those of my friends. Even if it was a very unfavorable one. Oh, and thanks for the unprofessional review too ;) 
-Dougan

2. Written by Guest, on 25-02-2005 21:37
I'm thinking neither my reviews nor comics are particularly professional. They're the webcomics version of tough love, only completely unfair and inadequate. 
 
Like you said, I do this for entertainment, mine and a really small audience of other comic creators along with a couple of friends and family. I try to make my strips, blogs and reviews humorous but don't often succeed. I don't claim to be any better at comics than any of the people submitting their work. If I did, I probably wouldn't be doing reviews at all. I'd be doing paid work as a cartoonist. Out of the deal you get a link, a couple hundred extra visitors and hopefully an emotional reaction of some sort. 
 
I've gotten a couple of angry letters lately from people who aren't happy with their reviews and I invite those people who have sent me private letters to air their grievences publically, here. I warn people up front: These are the completely biased views of a cartoonist and his characters, one who's particularly rude and cruel. It's not an even playing field and isn't intended to be. 
 
There are a couple of places to get real critiques of your comic-work, but this is not one of them. I'm thinking of Talk About Comics and The Pencil Jack Forums, even the folks in the forums at Buzz Comix are a pretty friendly and helpful lot.  
 
Beyond that, you need to wait for your work to get noticed by the folks at Comixpedia 
or The Webcomics Examiner, but it's got to be pretty damn good work to get their attention. That's a good thing, I think, something to shoot for. Hell, my work's never been reviewed or gotten much of a mention in either one. 
 
I thought I might actually use the submission process here to troll for new strips to review on the big stage over at The Webcomics Examiner who I write for from time to time. There have been a couple of great ones I've discovered through this little setup (Off the top of my head, I'm thinking of Tart). I've realized, though, that this space ought to be for fun and that's what it'll stay. I'll keep reviewing stuff if you keep submitting it. I can only guarantee that all reviews will be completely unfair and inadequate and I invite you to let me know just how unfair and inadequate they really are. 
 
-Bob Stevenson 
 
 

3. Written by Guest, on 25-02-2005 23:10
I'm not incredibly interested in a lot of critiques for the comic, one of the reasons I submitted Dumb Stuff to you is because of your unique way of reviewing things. Thanks for the advice, though, those places should be good for getting my more serious comics out there.

4. Written by Guest, on 25-02-2005 23:13
Cool and good luck. 
 
-Bob Stevenson

5. Written by Guest, on 25-02-2005 23:38
I've been thinking about this a bit, this style of review. The way I see it, Dumb Stuff, as much as I didn't really enjoy it all that much, ended up leading me to an interesting punchline. It's like the constraints art school put on students with an assignment. They force you to find something to do within it. The strips submitted are my constraint. So far, I've reviewed every single thing sent to me. It's a fun little game I've created for myself, a time-consuming one, but a fun one.  
 
There even seem to be some people who enjoy it. In fact, there are far more comments and viewers for the strips I pan than the strips I like. Bad news sells the papers I guess.  
 
-Bob Stevenson

6. Written by Guest, on 26-02-2005 01:40
I'd have to say that since dumb stuff is full of a lot of inside jokes and things that are funny only to our incredibly warped and wrong senses of humor, it probably won't appeal to many more than my friends and I. But then again, i think torching babies under the excuse of having eaten subway is incredibly funny. 
 
-Dougan's friend

7. Written by Guest, on 26-02-2005 01:49
-Must be some group of friends.

8. Written by Guest, on 26-02-2005 02:28
Is it wrong to be rooting for a Penis + Dumb Stuff cage match? 
 
To be on-topic for a moment:  
I found the NAME of the Baby Burning one to be the most surreal part.  
-Jared

9. Written by Guest, on 26-02-2005 02:36
Heh. Who to root for?

10. Written by Guest, on 26-02-2005 02:51
Doesn't matter. We all lose.

11. Written by Guest, on 26-02-2005 02:55
Haven't we already?

12. Written by Guest, on 26-02-2005 21:16
My only regret was that the Dumb Stuff review wasn't on HB #69. 
-Dougan

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