3/20: Week in Review

I don't know if it's just me, but it's seemed like a slow week for webcomics. There've been some strips of interest, to be sure, but in all honesty, I can't summon up my usual enthusiasm today. Maybe it has genuinely been a dry spell, if only for the comics I regularly read. Maybe it's just my mood. Maybe it's that everybody and his webcomic mother has something to say about the Sci-Fi Channel changing its name of "SyFy." Look, I appreciate that webcomics provide a unique opportunity to provide timely and immediate commentary, but seriously! The name itself is the joke, and humor-wise, there's not a lot that a comic can add to that.

But enough grousing. Let's get to the good stuff.

Creating a webcomic presents several opportunities beyond just immediate news commentary. It also affords the creator a chance to draw humorous fan art and excuse it as "fair use and parody." In Tuesday's Shortpacked!, David Willis takes ample advantage of this opportunity, with hilarious results for any Super Mario Bros. fan (and who isn't a Super Mario Bros. fan?). Princess Daisy's expressions and the Shyguys' creepy letter are both particularly great.

With this past Monday's installment, Nobody Scores! delivered a rare gem. NS consistently provides sharp humor and great artwork, but it also consistently provides blood-spattering cartoon violence and enough F-bombs to level a small censorship board. In contrast, Monday's update "Nobody Scores with The Big Entrance!" is the Nobody Scores! comic you could show your mom. Jane upstages Sara at a semi-formal party by bringing...shall we say, a surprise guest. I don't want to give it away. Go see for yourself.

On a more serious note, Penny and Aggie this week has dealt with the aftermath of its titular characters' cooperative sabotage of Karen's popsicle party. Karen's been taken down a peg or two, and when Aggie's longstanding crush Marshall wants to apologize for misjudging the situation, Aggie makes what I would consider a surprisingly mature move.

There's probably a lot inside of Aggie telling her to set aside all the things that have come between her and Marshall and work on repairing their friendship, now that he shows signs of wanting to make amends. There's probably a lot inside of Aggie hoping for more than just friendship, too. But she recognizes the need for some distance from such an emotionally-charged situation, and she says as much. And as much as I'd like to see things work out with her and Marshall, I gotta say: smart kid.

One last note before I call it a wrap for this week. I'd like to congratulate Brock Heasley, creator of The Superfogeys, for the completion of his 200th strip this week. Truly nice job, Brock--the art looks great, and it's been improving since strip #1. Kudos!

And that's all I've got for this week. As always, if you've got a few remarks or a particularly good strip from this week to share, don't hesitate to drop a comment. Have a good weekend, and I'll see you right back here, next Friday if not sooner. Adios!