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XKCD Author's Unpublished Book Remains a Best-Seller For 5 Months

Posted by samzenpus on from the big-before-it-was-big dept.

destinyland writes Tuesday is the official release date for the newest book from the geeky cartoonist behind XKCD — yet it's already become one of Amazon's best-selling books. Thanks to a hefty pre-order discount, one blogger notes that it's appeared on Amazon's list of hardcover best-sellers since the book was first announced in March, and this weekend it remains in the top 10. Randall Munroe recently announced personal appearances beginning this week throughout the U.S. (including Cambridge, New York, Seattle, and the San Francisco Bay Area) — as well as a Google Hangout on Friday, September 12. Just two weeks ago he was also awarded the Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story — and now many of his appearances are already sold out.

41 of 169 comments (clear)

  1. Insert obligatory XKCD here by johnsnails · · Score: 5, Funny

    Insert obligatory XKCD here

    1. Re:Insert obligatory XKCD here by Kohenkatz · · Score: 4, Funny

      http://imgs.xkcd.com/store/tou...

    2. Re:Insert obligatory XKCD here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      here

    3. Re:Insert obligatory XKCD here by johnsnails · · Score: 2, Funny

      Which is it? :P

    4. Re:Insert obligatory XKCD here by Kohenkatz · · Score: 2

      That's because I only posted the raw image. The links all went to http://blog.xkcd.com/2014/07/2...

    5. Re:Insert obligatory XKCD here by johnsnails · · Score: 2

      We have used it in addition with some indesign (or was it PS?) feature to get really nice detailed points of a country that we then used for state selection of a country. That has worked particularly well. But other then that I dont really like it.

  2. Ummm.... by Savage-Rabbit · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Just thought I'd express my opinion that Randall Munroe is a genius. The amount of work he puts into some of his comics really makes him unique.

    Unrecognized command. Type "help" for assistance.
    guest@xkcd:/$ help
    That would be cheating!

    Pure UNIX!

    --
    Only to idiots, are orders laws.
    -- Henning von Tresckow
    1. Re:Ummm.... by johnsnails · · Score: 3, Informative

      Thats pretty cool. Just did a
      sudo shutdown -r now

    2. Re:Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Yeah well, I disrespectfully disagree. Randall Munroe is giant asshole with a rabid following of brainless morons. He only seems smart to you because you're so incredibly stupid.

      You have issues... Fortunately for you one of them can be fixed by washing your mouth out with soap....

    3. Re:Ummm.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yeah well, I disrespectfully disagree. Randall Munroe is giant asshole with a rabid following of brainless morons. He only seems smart to you because you're so incredibly stupid.

      Both you and grandparent are wrong.

      Randal Munroe is evidence that if you draw stick figures for long enough you will eventually gain recognition.

      In other words you are pissed at the fact that in these kinds of comics it's content that matters and not so much how good you are at drawing?

    4. Re:Ummm.... by swillden · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Randal Munroe is evidence that if you draw stick figures for long enough you will eventually gain recognition.

      Sure, as long as your stick figures are saying and doing incredibly witty things.

      Actually, Munroe's success is really surprising to me in spite of the brilliance of his work, because so much of what he draws is accessible to a relatively narrow audience. Not all of it, not even the majority. But there's enough that is only understandable to people who know more than most about computers, mathematics, physics, etc., that none of the non-geeks I know really like it.

      --
      Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
    5. Re:Ummm.... by swillden · · Score: 2

      Actually, Munroe's success is really surprising to me in spite of the brilliance of his work, because so much of what he draws is accessible to a relatively narrow audience. Not all of it, not even the majority.

      I should have qualified this to point out I'm talking about his comics, more than What If. HIs What If series is very accessible, by design.

      --
      Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
    6. Re:Ummm.... by time_lords_almanac · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The comics are supposed to be for amusement. Yes, Science/Logic are used for that effect, but XKCD isn't trying to be a peer reviewed journal. They don't need to accurate as long as they are accurate enough to achieve a humorous effect. I thought 1235 was quite amusing. The XKCD Sucks critique on 1235 is weak, at best. Being smug is part of the humour. He even says the comic is good for the most part but complained the caption text was on the bottom. I have absolutely no idea what difference that's supposed to make. I get that everybody has a different sense of humour but I don't see comments like that as worthwhile critiques.

    7. Re:Ummm.... by jeffb+(2.718) · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I have a different theory. His comic appeal to people who merely believe themselves to be above average.

      ...but it can't appeal to people who really are above average, because it doesn't appeal to you! Right?

      So, can you recommend any webcomics that appeal to people who bolster their own sense of superiority by accusing others of feeling superior, and then mocking them for it? Maybe something with "Projection" in the title...

    8. Re:Ummm.... by lgw · · Score: 4, Funny

      I'm sure there's an XKCD on that.

      --
      Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
    9. Re:Ummm.... by I'm+New+Around+Here · · Score: 5, Funny

      And somehow you manage to find a way to feel superior to both.

      --
      If you think I voted for Trump because of this post, you're wrong. I voted for Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party. Again.
    10. Re:Ummm.... by Urkki · · Score: 2

      He only seems smart to you because you're so incredibly stupid.

      Note that "smart" and "genius" are two different things. Also "smart" does not necessarily mean "intelligent". The comics he creates regularly are very smart, and to regularly create smart comics requires genius of some kind.

      And if you don't think many XKCD "strips" are rather smart... what are you doing at a "New for Nerd" website?

    11. Re:Ummm.... by swillden · · Score: 4, Insightful

      His comic appeal to people who merely believe themselves to be above average.

      Bah.

      It's got nothing to do with intelligence, or even knowledge in a general sense. It's that his comics so often rely on specialized knowledge. For example, a couple of my favorite strips are the "sudo" strip and the "Bobby Tables" strip. The former is only understandable to someone who has at least a passing acquaintance with *nix system administration, and the latter requires some knowledge of SQL and SQL injection attacks. Neither of those things is hard to understand. They don't require great intelligence. But they're not generally known. And to people who require an explanation, they're not funny (I have t-shirts of both, and I have never gotten so much as a chuckle from anyone to whom I have to explain the basis for the jokes).

      You'll note, of course, that I'm not actually addressing your real point, which is a snarky argument that only people who like to feel themselves smarter or more knowledgeable than most would enjoy the strip. That's because it's not worth addressing.

      --
      Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
    12. Re:Ummm.... by narcc · · Score: 2

      I haven't found one.

      What makes you laugh at things merely because you recognize them?

      --
      Required reading for internet skeptics
    13. Re: Ummm.... by narcc · · Score: 2

      More like an invitation to like-minded individuals. There's a lot of group-think on Slashdot and XKCD is, inexplicably, a darling to many users here. Some people feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts and opinions when they know that they're not alone.

      --
      Required reading for internet skeptics
    14. Re:Ummm.... by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The "sudo make me a sandwich" one? Just not funny

      ... to you.

      I "get" the "joke", it's just not even a little bit funny

      ... to you.

      The "Bobby Tables" strip also isn't funny

      ... to you.

      I did notice. I don't blame you. Reality is very difficult to face.

      And apparently subjective opinion is a very difficult concept for you to grasp.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    15. Re:Ummm.... by serviscope_minor · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Wow, did I strike a nerve!

      Not really no. The downmod as flaimbait is entirely fair.

      You don't like XKCD (or apparently any other webcomic) and that's fine, you have different tastes to some people here.

      However, youre using that mere difference of opinion to hurl unwarranted and unjistified insults at people who do like it. In other words you're baiting people to flame you by insulting them over nothing more than a difference of taste.

      That's not striking a nerve and doen't justify your actions, it's slashdot's moderation system working exactly as designed.

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.
    16. Re:Ummm.... by serviscope_minor · · Score: 4, Informative

      Name one.

      You really want to do this?

      http://news.slashdot.org/comme...

      You said:

      I have a different theory. His comic appeal to people who merely believe themselves to be above average. Like the 'Big Ban Theory' or the bad joke that is new 'Cosmos' series. Presumably a show for 'geeks' that has broad consumer appeal because everyone wants to believe that they're smarter than the people around them.

      You're accusing people of ego stroking. That's simply throwing insults.

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.
    17. Re:Ummm.... by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 4, Interesting

      You missed this bit:

      No I didn't. It's funny (to me) not solely because I know what SQL injection is, since there's nothing inherently funny (to me) about SQL injection. It's the setting, the "characters" (such as they are), the conversation. "Little Bobby Tables, we call him," for example, is (to me) an amusingly colloquial interjection in itself, ironic in what would probably otherwise be a dry analysis of SQL injection, as is her stereotypically mom-like admonishment.

      Just don't expect everyone to agree with you.

      I don't. That's why I don't go around saying "this isn't funny" as if it's an objective fact and getting all uppity because other people like things I don't*.

      -

      *except for Jersey Shore, because that is just shit.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
  3. Gateway drug by lucm · · Score: 2

    Dilbert -> XKCD -> Red Meat -> Plastic Brick Automaton -> obscene graffiti in the bathroom of a rest area in Idaho.

    --
    lucm, indeed.
    1. Re:Gateway drug by the+eric+conspiracy · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Far Side >> all of the above.

    2. Re:Gateway drug by alci63 · · Score: 2

      ArrayOutOfBoundException !

    3. Re:Gateway drug by used2win32 · · Score: 2

      Far Side = Calvin and Hobbes > XKCD > Cul De Sac > Everything else.
      Honorable Mention: The first several years of "User Friendly"

      --
      Procrastination; I'll think of a sig tomorrow.
  4. right on! by resfilter · · Score: 5, Insightful

    i haven't really read xkcd in a few months, but i do love it.

    his odd medium of stick figures seemed lazy the first time i read his comic, but now it seems almost purpose-picked for the kind of readership he has. it's the comic strip equivalent of a command line interface. no flash, all function.

    slashdot has never motivated me to purchase anything before. i was unaware he was releasing a book. so this is a first, a slashvertisement got me.

    i wish randall the most incredible success in his new book, he deserves to make many millions from it. he seems like the kind of guy that would start xkcd scholorships or something if he became wealthy.

  5. German version is cheaper?! by h3lix · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Okay, so why is the german version cheaper?

    I sense a conspiracy.

    German Version

    English Version

    1. Re:German version is cheaper?! by resfilter · · Score: 4, Funny

      the german version should cost more. making things funny in german is REALLY hard.

    2. Re:German version is cheaper?! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      the german version should cost more. making things funny in german is REALLY hard.

      Fwiw: This isn't an opinionated observation from outsiders, as some might think (and I once thought); the German people seem to be well aware of this characteristic that seems to be "missing" from within their society.

      Years ago, in an interview on German television, Robin Williams was asked what he felt was the cause of Germany's lack of comedians or a comedy scene in general. His response, done in jest, was: "Maybe it's because (you) killed all the people with a sense of humor."

      Ironically, the host took it seriously and reacted as if it was a bit of a revelation — maybe it was — but it was funny also.

  6. I like how... by Bartles · · Score: 2

    ...Cambridge, New York, Seattle, and the San Francisco Bay Area, has now become "throughout the US". And yet Slashdot thinks it can comment on social issues. Are all 4 of those areas in the top ten wealthiest metropolitan areas? Probably pretty close.

    1. Re:I like how... by turkeydance · · Score: 2

      "throughout the US" in PR-speak is a blue state blitz.

  7. Such a really genuine nice guy. by popoutman · · Score: 4, Interesting
    I've had the pleasure to meet Randall for a few days during one of his very rare conference visits, where he was the keynote speaker at our university computer society's computing conference. As I was one of the group organising the conference we had drinks with him and his wife back at the hotel, and chatted until the wee hours. He's a genuine nice guy, and he is someone that intensely protects the privacy of his private life and those close to him, from the weirdness that internet fame can bring.

    He did find it really refreshing to be able to go on a proper touristy roadtrip a few days after the conference was over to see a few of the prettier places in the nearby area and to see those from a local's perspective instead of the standard stereotypical locations, where his wife (who is a really lovely lady and someone I've kept up some contact with since) was able to pursue some of her interests. All this without people fawning over him or being weird around him. I got the impression that the more his internet fame grows, the harder it is for him to lead a normal life and that is something that I hope he is able to work with as the years go by.

    I think it's really cool that he is being recognised for his hard work, and he does work hard that's for sure.

    --
    - This sig deliberately left blank. Nothing to see, move along.
  8. Affiliate link in the submitter's blog by Dzimas · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The summary includes a link to the submitter's blog, with a shortened link -- tinyURL.com/XKCDAuthor -- that expands to an Amazon link with his affiliate code embedded. While I am a huge fan of XKCD, I am not a huge fan of masked links that earn up to 8% for completely unrelated bloggers. Perhaps the summary should be edited to include a direct link to the Amazon product page?

  9. Good Grief by Art3x · · Score: 3, Informative

    Just in case anyone else but me is having a hard time finding out what the book actually is, it's called What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions.

    Slashdot: home of the best comment moderation system and the worst article summaries.

  10. Randall Munroe by jandersen · · Score: 3, Funny

    I looked him upo in Wikipedia and ironically, he is in fact quite thin and has a big, round head...

    1. Re:Randall Munroe by Keyboard+Rage · · Score: 3, Funny

      Hint: Being near-circular in body shape is not the normal human shape. It's called obesity.

      Other hint: Being quite thin and have a big, round head is (or should be) the normal condition of at least 50% of the human population (men + prepubescent children). The remaining 40-something % is (or should be) also quite thin with a big, round head, but often includes two lumps on the chest area. Then, for about 50% of the human population, at certain points in their lives they will sport another, smaller thin object with a round head.

  11. Re:XKCD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    On the sites "About" page is the official answer:

    What does XKCD stand for?

            It's not actually an acronym. It's just a word with no phonetic pronunciation -- a treasured and carefully-guarded point in the space of four-character strings.

  12. Re:XKCD by Sanians · · Score: 2

    Probably just one of the few remaining unregistered four-letter .com domains, from back in the day when there were unregistered four-letter .com domains. They're all taken now. Everybody wants a short domain name, especially the domain squatters.