In Print: MegaTokyo

MartyJG writes "Freg Gallagher certainly has a talent for announcing things with a maximum of words - the summary of his latest rant on Megatokyo however, is that his webcomic is about to get a dead-tree hardcopy version produced by some nice people at Studio Ironcat. The first volume is going to be 120 pages, with additional off-line-only content. The announcement also includes a new webserver on order, and new merchandise soon to be available with the help of ThinkGeek. All the background on the announcement is in the current MT Piro rant and their very official-looking Press Release."

Comments

Webcomics suck without exception

[Anonymous Coward]

Except for Space Moose, that is.

I guess that explains something

[jred]

I've been a Megatokyo fan for a bit, but here lately I've been seriously considering deleting the bookmark. I mean, I understand having a life other than the comic. I can handle the occasional DPD (dead piro day), or even DPW. But the comic seriously has not moved plotwise in months. It's gotten to the point of being ridiculous. Anyway, I guess that's what's been taking all his time away from the webcomic, he's been working on the dead-tree comic. More power to him. I won't follow along, though. I'll be reading Exploitation Now...

Re:I guess that explains something

[cjpez]

Hm, well I'll disagree here, 'cause I think the plot's been moving along rather nicely as of late. Sure, last week was kind of a wash because he spent most of it preparing for / recovering from Otakon (or however that's spelled), and it's not like the occaional DPD or SGD strip is too painful. If it really does piss you off enough, why don't you just try out dailystrips, a wicked-cool perl script which'll go out and download all your favorite strips and present 'em all on a single HTML page for you. I read about twenty strips and it only takes me a minute or two each morning to go through 'em, because I only have to click on one link. And since it's Perl, it'll even run on those heathen Operating Systems out there. :)

Re:I guess that explains something

[mstyne]

I have to agree. I was an MT devotee for a while, but got tired of no new material. I realize I wasn't paying for it, didn't buy an t-shirts or anything... but I started reading MT because it was funny/interesting/fresh .. a few weeks of sketches and no story was enough to make me decide I wasn't into it. Penny Arcade on the other hand...

Re:I guess that explains something

[Lord Omlette]

The ridiculous number of webcomics that miss their published schedule and make no attempt to make up for it YET still ask for donations reminds me alot of Dragon Tails which, I believe, hasn't missed an update (daily) in 3 years, and regularly (maybe once a month?) provides slashdot inspired jokes.

Re:I guess that explains something

[CynicTheHedgehog]

Great. Delete it. Piro doesn't need to hear your whining anyway. One less person accessing the server means faster access times for me.

Seriously, I don't see how people find the nerve to complain about the frequency of updates on something someone is doing for free. It irritates me to no end, and I'm not even the target of criticism. Give it a rest.

I wish you people would stop creating undue stress for webcomic artists like Piro. If you keep doing it they're going to pack it up and leave, which ruins it for people who don't mind taking 10 seconds out of their busy days to check for an update.

Re:I guess that explains something

[cjpez]

Heh. Well, sure, here you go: http://thag/strips. But that's not going to do you much good, because it's behind a firewall you can't get through (or, I suppose, possibly you could if you could find some holes in security, but now we're getting silly). Also, the dailystrips author suggests that you don't put the strips up in any publicly-accessible format, as comic authors tend to get a little tetchy about people reproducing their work all over the place. :)

Re:I guess that explains something

[cjpez]

No less useful than a curt post saying, "No, actually I can't give you that link." Or would you like me to set it up on some random, public server just so that I can make your life easier for some reason? And we seem to have a different opinion of "mindless chatter." I thought the tidbit about not putting the strips on a public server had at least some bearing on the matter at hand. Whatever.

Re:I guess that explains something

[cjpez]

Hm. Well, obviously we've got differing ideas as to what's garbage, then. Again, whatever. Just a discussion forum. Later . . .

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:Karma Burn...

[zaren]

Well, beyond Megatokyo being in heavy rotation in the banner ads...

Cool

[Com2Kid]

I remember when Megatokyo was first opening, and I still on occasion listen to Kim Justice

I have not read the comic in around a year, (I left off in the point where the dude was just starting to working in the store as a mascot) but from what I remember it was Kick Ass. :-D Just got bored waiting for the story line to come along, heh, I gotta check it out again one of these days before it goes titsup.com ^_^

Dead trees?

[evilviper]

a dead-tree hardcopy version

Just once, just once I'd like to see a live tree hardcopy version of something.

this is frontpage /. news?

[Dynedain]

Ok, does Megatokyo have that large of a following here @ /. ??

Because amongst other webcomics:
Goats Is currently at Comicon putting out a second book.
Achewood is finishing up the polishing touches on a book.
Cat and Girl has a book going out.
As do a whole slew of others. Why don't they get mentioned??

Re:this is frontpage /. news?

[Com2Kid]

I have heard of Penny Arcade and PvPonline;

Neither of which is nearly as adorable as MegaTokyo has been at times, nor nearly as empathetic to Nerds as a whole. I mean sure Penny Arcade is kick ass in a "Well FUCK them all!" kind of a way, but MegaTokyo captures the whole entire "Well gee that sucks" aspect of being a Nerd.

Re:Karma Burn...

[Cid Highwind]

But it does not look like "news for the nerds".

I disagree. It may not be "news for linux geeks", but most of Megatokyo's fans are nerds. Thus, news regarding Megatokyo is "news for nerds".

Megatokyo? Nah....

[Dark Lord Seth]

I loved MT for ages, but recently it all went to hell IMHO when the "storyline" got too drawn out and some comics (those things between the "Dead Piro Days") weren't even funny, just part of a (boring) storyline which is the main storyline in any "respected" soap series on TV, namely; "Does she love me/Will I be able to bone her eventually?". It gets old and tiring up to the point where even Largo isn't funny anymore. He's been ranting about zombies for month now in-comic and really, isn't it time for a change and go back to the small stories that actually oozed wit and humour?

Sadly, I have seen this happening to other comics as well. Anyone remember GPF? (The comic, that is. Put down that Windows developer right now before you break something!) It used to be funny, I read it all the way from the start to the end and then religious started following it because it too had loads of simple jokes. Look at it right now, it's nothing but pure and utter online filth that ended up in a overdrawn B-moviesque storyline. And I'm not even going to mention the total irrelevance of MT to Slashdot or question why it ended up on the front page.

And this is a call to comic artists: Notice the ARTIST bit. It means you can draw better then most of us, it doesn't mean that you can also think up of a decent storyline. Don't get illusions of grandeur, fooling yourself that you're capable of writing a novel in comic form. Thank you.

Steps of his soapbox...

Re:Megatokyo? Nah....

[The Raven]

You said:

just part of a (boring) storyline which is the main storyline in any "respected" soap series on TV, namely; "Does she love me/Will I be able to bone her eventually?".

Well, you're free to have that opinion. However, I would like to point out that Piro, and hence the storyline, are heavily influenced by Shoujo (sp!?) manga... ie, japanese girly comics. Like Love Hina. Which have plots VERY like Megatokyo. I happen to think they're cool... you don't. That's nice.

But don't act all surprised about it... it's normal for the style of comic Piro is creating.

As for its relevance... webcomics are a geek thing. Megatokyo is one of THE biggest webcomics, period. He is just as relevant as news about a new anime release by a popular anime director or something... it is news for nerds.

Re:Megatokyo? Nah....

[BJH]

Bzzzt! You lose...

Love Hina is actually a shounen manga, aimed at young males between the ages of 12 and 18.

Seinen manga would be series from magazines such as 'Young Magazine' or 'Young Jump'.

(Clue: Love Hina is currently running in Shounen Magazine.)

Re:Megatokyo? Nah....

[scrain]

Well... Love Hina's actually been over for months... but you're right, it still ran in Shounen. =)

Webcomics I read

[jfedor]

• Dilbert
• User Friendly
• Sinfest
• Penny Arcade
• MegaTokyo
• Real Life
• PvP

-jfedor

I still like MegaTokyo...

[DragonPup]

...but since Largo basically left the comic, you can really feel the difference. I miss that drunken l33t d00d who can dance(I saw him dancing on the last day of Akon this year).

thinkgeek

[Lord Omlette]

I checked all links, where is the Thinkgeek related stuff?

Re:thinkgeek

[moonboy]

"...and new merchandise soon to be available with the help of ThinkGeek."

Re:thinkgeek

[Lord Omlette]

Does that mean Thinkgeek will be selling all the stuff? Or do they have different stuff from the previously available stuff? So anxious!

Re:thinkgeek

[scrain]

TG will have new stuff and remix version of the old stuff that was on Cafepress. And you'll be able to get shirts in colors other than white and grey. =)

Dreaming Away.

[The_Shadows]

You mean you'll be reading Exploitation Now for a few more weeks or months, right? I mean, you can't be reading it for much longer. It's dying. Not in a bad way, but the fact is that as we're Dreaming Away in Act 4, Poe is Ending It All.

I, personally, have been reading EN since practically the beginning. It's been impressive to see Poe's style evolve, along with the EN characters and storyline. I was actually saddened by ****'s (in case anyone decides to start reading, I won't spoil it for ya) murder last week. I know that I'll be sad to see EN go, but Poe is, so far, doing an excellent job at bringing about the end.

I'll be one of the first to visit his new comic, Errant Story (domain already registered), when EN ends. I really hope that Poe puts all of EN into a book when the series ends. I'd be more than willing to lay down $20-$25 for a hardbacked EN collection.

More OnTopic, Congrats to Piro. I'll be buying a MT book when it's released. I certainly can't complain about the $8.95 price. I still want Gabe and Tycho to make a PA Year Two book. While MT is decidedly excellent PA is, IMHO, the best web comic out there.

Re:Dreaming Away.

[neuromortis]

No offense, but if you think PA is the best web comic out there you need to look around a bit. The art is good, but the jokes are usually pretty flat. Most of the humor comes from the rants. "Real Life", "Mac Hall", "It's Walky". . .they all top PA in jokes, and "It's Walky" and "Mac Hall" -- especially "Mac Hall" -- surpass it in art. (Though "Mac Hall" only updates twice a week.)

Re:Dreaming Away.

[The_Shadows]

Affirmative. I enjoy all three, as a matter of fact (and read too damn many others:). Real Life is very solid, the humor is wonderful. Greg's art style is Adobe Illustrator, and it's not amazing, but it get's the job done and is enjoyable. I'd like to see the occasional hand though.:) I think it's right up there with PA, and would love a RL book. It's Walky is great, but I don't care as much for Willis' art style as I do Gabe's. *shrugs*

Mac Hall, OTOH, I agree, is better in both art and humor, but I was put off on it for a long time this year when it was updated once a week at best. I think it's great and all, and I appreciate all Ian does for it, but part of what I appreciate about PA is that without fail on MWF I get a new PA. I know Ian has the same problems that the rest of us do (like work and classes getting in the way), and I respect that, and I hope he can keep his new schedule into the next school year.

And who said we don't count rants for humor? :-)

I almost always save PA for last when I read comics (and follow the link off RL), because they both almost always brighten my day. Lately, I'm saving Exploitation Now for last, since it is wraping up and, as I said before, Poe is doing a spectacular job.

Anyway, that's just my opinion(TM). You're entitled to your own, unless you live in China. Then you're part of the hive-mind. :)

Later.

I have to say

[The_Shadows]

I'm a big fan of MT, and congrats to Piro on the book.

But seriously, can we mod this story down as Offtopic?

Re:I have to say

[digitalsushi]

But seriously, can we mod this story down as Offtopic?

Because it's a difficult and laborous task to parse the subject line of each article for your own personal interest, or because you aren't aware that you aren't the center of the universe? In what way is this article offtopic?

Re:I have to say

[scrain]

Maybe no one submitted their release... =)

head won't stop shaking.

[RestiffBard]

why is this news for nerds? um... cause. it just is. I wouldn't even know megatokyo existed but for slashdot. no one else notice that theres a webcomics slashbox? in it are PA and MT and many others. this is news for nerds. if slashdot posted a story about football then I would wonder what the hell was going on. as for the plot of MT. , it is his strip. and I've never known him to proclaim himself grand poobah of webcomics.

Support

[McCart42]

When this book comes out I think I will probably buy it. This and Penny Arcade are the two comics that, when intended to be funny, make me laugh on a consistent basis. And when not funny, Megatokyo is at least very good art. I'll admit the story isn't as fast-paced as many other webcomics, but this is a welcome change at times. I figure Fred needs the support and I appreciate his art...I would definitely like to see more manga webcomics.

Too Little Time

[Kenshin]

Umm... why doesn't Piro, instead, put his efforts into ACTUALLY DOING HIS COMIC?

In the past few months he's done maybe FIVE...

Re:Freg Gallagher: Talented Artist, No Story Skill

[JamesKPolk]

Try reading it more often. The story picked up pace a *lot* right around the time Fred announced he'd be doing the comic solo.

And in particular, Largo was morphed from a drunk weirdo back into an articulate, interesting character (with a cool thing!) that actually speaks to the other people around.

I look forward to buying lots of Megatokyo in print.

if you can't say anything nice...

[cabbey]

...then just shut the fuck up.

Just imagine if ungrateful assholes like you had as open a forum as /. (and the rest of the net in general) back in the days when Picaso, Shakespeare, and Mozart were getting started. Back then you had to be talented to get your words in front of the kind of masses the above tripe was subjected to. Look at any of the big names' really early work, most of it was crap, or at least not up to the level they latter attained. Fred has asperations twoard manga, and a page at a time, even the best manga isn't always funny. Go pickup a good one, pick any page at random and read it, just by itself. Now a couple days later, read the next page... wait a couple days and read another page. You'll very soon note that it's about the same pace as reading MT. If you can't handle that, then don't read the new strips every few days, wait a month or more and come read several of them at the same time.

That's the whole point of the net, it's NOT as much of a meritocracy, you don't have to already be a master in order to put something out there, hell, as you've proven so very well, anyone that can string a sentence together (and even some that can't) can inflict their literary diarrhea on the unsuspecting masses.

That you've not found the humour in the recent stories doesn't suprise me. Fortunately not all the readers of MT are at your level, and even more fortunately, Fred understands this.

Re:Two thoughts on this

[elmegil]

Everyone seems to be missing:

Bruno and Sexy Losers (talk about opposites) and User Friendly. Bruno in particular has several "dead trees" editions available at the moody cow cafe (link on page), and definitely tells a story better paced than MT (not to diss Piro too much, I like MT just fine). Chris Baldwin is a hella nice guy to boot.

Would be more official if it had...

[DarkEdgeX]

The senseless--

####

Which end EVERY press release it seems. (I dunno, there must be some method to the madness, maybe some ancient press software/hardware recognizes #### as the end of the story..)

(This wasn't as funny as I'd thought it would be.)

On a side note, I look forward to a hard copy of the comic-- I just recently began reading it, and have become quite impressed (the story just moves along a lot slower than I wish it would, heh). =)

I'll show it to you when we get back. . .

[Aerog]

Okay, this'll be a fairly random ride today, and probably more than a fair share of ranting. Karma be damned, here goes. . .

Webcomics do not suck, nor are they only for "geeks with no lives and losers". In fact, I'm finding that lately print comics are starting to suck. I rarely laugh anymore if I even bother to read the comics in the paper. Any AC who disagrees can get the balls to identify themselves or shut the hell up.

Megatokyo is updated fairly regularly. I think Fred's doing the best he can manage what with working as much as he seems to do. Congratulations for making such a successful go of it this far, keep it up.

I will be buying the book, as well as some merchandise, and I hope that many of the rest of the fans will as well. If MT has been nice enough not to go banner-happy or "beg for donations" as IIRC Fred said back in the day, then the least we could do is buy some stuff. 3v1l/l337 shirt? Sure!

This is justifiably newsworthy, considering how many non-keenspot comics do something like this. It's news for nerds. How many nerds don't read at least one webcomic? How many don't read MT?

MT has always had a fairly excellent storyline, and unless the latest comics were written before Rodney left, then you can't really say that it was funnier before he did leave. Lately, every comic with Largo in it has been, IMO, hilariously funny, especially the comic about his "special thing" that "does cool stuff". I'm still laughing at that one.

If you don't like the update schedule, do what many people I know do and read it monthly.
That's enough ranting for today, I'm here all week. Try the veal, it's delicious.

Re:I'll show it to you when we get back. . .

[cthulhubob]

I've hardly ever liked any print comics -- I read stories for the *plot*. Art is good, but it's a bonus, it's not the reason I buy a book. Why spend 3 to 5 dollars on a comic with 5 minutes worth of plot development when 6 dollars will get me a full-length paperback novel?

I've been pleasantly surprised by two print comics though.

First and foremost: Thieves and Kings by Mark Oakley (M'Oak). I give it 10 stars out of five :)
Order the first four trade paperbacks from marsimports.com now now now!! (it's self-published, so give the guy your support!)
The plot is *killer*. I especially like the fact that there's one or two pages in almost every issue that are text only (with a little bit of art around the edge), so you really get your money's worth in plot development. Especially when it's stuff that can't really be described well in comic format. (like one text block that goes into describing the background of a dragon to explain his psychological development. That would have suffered in comic form - it would have been like "just get back to the story!", but as a text insert it adds considerably to the flavor and impact of the character)

Secondly... you've probably had other people recommend it to you already, but they're actually right in this case: Johnny the Homicidal Maniac by Jhonen Vasquez. It takes a little while to get into the main plot, but it creeps me out like an H.P. Lovecraft story when the doughboys start seriously talking and stuff. The advantage of this one is that the story is finished and you can buy it all in one trade paperback (the "Director's Cut").

Looks like there'll be a third print comic I like once dead-tree-MT comes out ;)

Re:Freg Gallagher: Talented Artist, No Story Skill

[Moridineas]

I have to take exception with this--while the actual plot in each comic has perhaps covered more (they got to the beer garden--woo hoo), the rate of comics is still slow. And Largo has morphed from an interesting teacher to some stupid febrile 2-year old it seems to me, who just babbles about zombies and "cool things"

Re:Two thoughts on this

[Moonshadow]

Everything Jake

For the superhero in all of us.

On a side note, first time I read Megatokyo, I came in on one of their "Nani Naze Megatokyo" days.

Talk about confusing.

Re:If you lik

[myc]

sinfest.

nuff said.

Re:At Otakon

[scrain]

The Dubthis party didn't have the beer and women of the Ninjaburger party. And well, if you'd seen how much alcohol was flowing at the midnight MT panel....

Re:Freg Gallagher: Talented Artist, No Story Skill

[Moridineas]

I don't think so. For one, I believe in one of his diary entries Piro talks about how he had never heard of Love Hina before the comic was well underway. Secondly, more action occurrs on one page of the Love Hina manga than 3 weeks of MT.

Re:Two thoughts on this

[cthulhubob]

Slightly off-topic, does anybody know what's wrong with 8-bit Theatre? I haven't been able to reach it in months. :(

I really liked it back when I could read it, but now I check it like once every three weeks and always "No response from www.nuklearpower.com". Very sad.

Doesn't respond to pings or anything. If anybody knows what's up, could you let me know?