Because I’m never one to shy away from calling myself to task (it’s healthy!) and writing a Top 10 BEST SuperFogeys moments would be incredibly self-serving, here are my picks for the Top 10 WORST SuperFogeys Moments (excluding SuperFogeys Origins–that’s a whole different list). We’re talking bad strips, embarrassing creative choices, mistakes, bad art, etc. This is the stuff I look back on and wish I could do differently.
WARNING! Spoilers ahead. If you haven’t read Chapters 1-12 of SuperFogeys, then I suggest coming back to this list once you have!
10. The Rocky Marriage of Words and Pictures – SF 319, “The Plans of Dr. Klein, Pt. 2 ‘Isn’t Everybody?'” – Pure comics, for me, are when the marriage of words and pictures is so tight that you can’t understand the story fully if you remove one from the other. Ostensibly, this strip is a good example of that, but the narration comes off as awkward and hard-to-follow. I think it would have helped a lot if I’d just had Dr. Klein say Spy Gal’s name out right at some point, but I was too busy being precious about it. I’m an idiot.
9. Hey, Why is His Leg Moving!? – SF 144 “Jerry Wakes Up” – Jerry, at this point in the story, is supposed to be paralyzed. But look at his leg in the second panel. Of course, we know from later revelations that his paralysis was faked, but that’s not what I was thinking when I drew it. I just drew what was funny to me, without any thought for continuity. Now, it reads as a clue. Very few of you picked up on my error, but it’s still an error. I’m LUCKY it works now in context. (And just to be clear… yes, I knew even then that Jerry wasn’t really paralyzed, but I’d never have dropped a clue THAT BIG intentionally.)
8. Mommy, What is Spy Gal DOING? – SF 108, “Spy Gal Will Protect Jerry” – This is especially unfortunate because I think the intended joke is pretty funny. Spy Gal gets hit in the head, Spy Gal falls. But, because of the WAY she falls and how I framed it, some readers concluded a sexual act was involved. Jerry’s line in the last panel didn’t help matters. Oops.
7. BFFAC: Best Friends for a Chapter! – SF 118 – “Spy Gal vs. Star Maiden” – This is actually one of my favorite strips. It’s sweet and touching and funny and sad all at once. After a lifetime of animosity, Spy Gal and Star Maiden make amends and become best friends. Sort of. With the exception of a bit of interaction in chapter 5, the friendship is never revisited. Sweet as it is, the strip is all set up with almost no payoff.
6. Big Moment, Drab Colors – SF 273, “All Is Revealed” – Is there a bigger or more important moment in SuperFogeys history? Not so far. If I or anyone else was ever to make a Top 10 BEST Moments list, I can’t imagine this strip wouldn’t be on it. And yet… this is the strip that really made me regret the color scheme I chose for Dr. Klein’s office. It didn’t serve the big reveal well and what should be a big, exciting moment doesn’t look it at all. I should have done more to jazz up the art. Visually, this falls flat. And that kind of hurts.
5. Why Zoom Out When You Can Zoom In? – SF 33, “Why Walk When You Can Fly?” – Perhaps the worst panel-to-panel storytelling I’ve ever done. It’s almost incomprehensible what’s happening in this strip. Would have solved a lot of problems if I’d simply zoomed out the camera some so you could actually, I dunno, see what was going on.
4. That… That Doesn’t Look Right – SF 240, “ZAP!” – The “death” of Tom. I was really going for something cool with the last panel. And the next-to-last panel. And all the other panels. But it didn’t work. Artistically, this strip just falls down. The all-digital treatment of the final panel doesn’t agree with the hand drawn previous panels and the staging is just horrible. Another big moment that didn’t get its proper due.
3. Spy Gal and Captain Spectacular Talk… Annnnd That’s Pretty Much It – SF Chapter 8, “The Captain and the Spy” – That’s right, I’m callin’ out a whole chapter. It’s only 7 strips, but still… This short chapter was created as a response to some (accurate) criticism that there wasn’t enough meat on the Cap-Spy Gal relationship bones. So, for 7 strips, I had them talk to each other. It felt brilliant when I did it and there’s some important stuff going on, but ultimately two people talking is not enough happening for one chapter. It would have been much more effective if I’d had them facing down a threat together–even a minor one–while working out their issues. A missed opportunity.
2. Why Draw When You Can Cut and Paste? – SF 23, “The Incontinent Duo” – Not only is this strip kind of gross (actually, much of Chapter One is–I traded on the vagaries of old age much more in the beginning), but there’s not a single line of original artwork in this strip. I was so ashamed after putting out this strip that I rededicated myself to art quality and improvement. Want to know why SF art got so much better over the years? Look no further than this strip.
1. The Strip No One Ever Reads Twice – SF 196, “Like the Walls of Jericho (If You Could Ride His Rocket) – Why is this number one? Because if there’s one SF strip I would remove from the record if I could, this is the one. Embarrassing on almost every level. The first–and only–song lyrics I have ever written, and also just about the worst lyrics anyone has ever written. From the unintentional double entendre in the chorus to the “rap” sections, this is a travesty. So much so that I bet those of you that go archive digging skip over this one. It’s one saving grace is that it does not feature any of the regular characters. So why did I do it? Well, I like to challenge myself. Only way to find out what you’re good at. Was it worth it? In retrospect, probably not.
And there you go! The Top 10 Worst Moments in SuperFogeys history! Agree? Disagree? Have some additions? Sound off below!
Written by : Brock Heasley
kjhsdf sdkjhf kjhsdf sdjhsd fkjhsdf sdjhf sdfkjhsd f sdfhjsd sdfsdf sdfjhksdf
10. – I didn’t think that was that bad. I haven’t yet realized what you mean yet though. Dr. Rocket got it right, though. But to me, in my mind, that also means that he figured out – maybe – that Dr. Klein is Jerry. But, then again, he wasn’t there to witness what Klein is talking about. How did he figure out it was Spy Gal? I’m not sure. Maybe that’s what you meant, Brock?
9. – I actually thought that that was one of my most favorite hilarious parts of the comic. I loved it! Jerry so excited that he’s moving his leg like a dog! I didn’t see it as a problem, but you’re right. He was supposed to be paralyzed from the waste down. I thought that just meant his legs were too weak to walk or could no longer support his weight. I never caught on and, like you said, no one else did either, apparently. It seems that Spy Gal and no one else caught on either, which is backed up as credible since none of the readers caught on – or you, until later 😉 – apparently either. I’m glad it’s in there because it’s hilarious. Sloppy, yes. But fortunate since it ties in. I’m saying that it was a mistake on Jerry’s part. He was caught off guard and was excited to get the attention from Spy Gal.
8. – Ummmm… NEVER saw that before. I was thinking more along the lines of “Why doesn’t Jerry stand up for Spy Gal who just got knocked unconcious?” Um. My mind has now been violated. lol
7. – This wasn’t a problem for me and needed no pay off. See, I didn’t see this as a start of them being “best friends.” Instead I saw that Spy Gal’s hug was because she saw that Star’s mind was SO far gone that there was no possible way to be upset or mad at her or hold the past against her. She wasn’t Star Maiden anymore. She was someone else. It broke Spy Gal’s heart. She gave her the hug out of compassion, which also showed that Spy Gal made the decision to, against every fiber of her body, forgive Star Maiden out of compassion due to Star’s current state of mind. Star saying that they would be “best of girlfriends” wasn’t a decision made out of a lucid state of mind, but, although sincere, simply how Star’s brain worked during that period of time. The hug from Spy Gal wasn’t her answering “yes” to being friends, but out of compassion, and finally leaving the past in the past. Whether or not they really would become “best of girlfriends” wasn’t, to me, based on the desire of Star in this one strip or the hug from Spy Gal, but based on whether or not they actually each put up and effort to get to know one another and become friends for real, and working on that friendship. We didn’t see that happen. So I see Star as, in her own mind, believing they are best of girlfriends but not realizing that friends aren’t made overnight but is a continuous relationship that is built over a long period of time. Such is the thought of children. When I was a child I thought that people were good or best friends at the simple instance that they decided to be friends. Later in life I realized that becoming close friends is something that doesn’t happen over night and is based on the continual effort of both people over a much longer expansion of time. In that thought, yes, there is no pay off. I don’t see this as hurting this one strip though. It simply shows that Spy Gal and the ever-so-out-of-it Star Maiden didn’t take the time to really build that friendship, if any friendship ever existed. But Spy Gal has found some healing because she has, in this strip, chosen to forgive Star Maiden out of compassion and can no longer hold those feelings against her. To me, like I said earlier, this strip wasn’t about them becoming friends, but about forgiveness, compassion, and healing on the part of Spy Gal. This strip was Spy Gal letting go of the past and embracing the future.
6. True. Hey, hope you can move the comments over to the new site. This is the most interesting strip to show people’s reactions. Of all time. In SF, anyway. Okay. Moving on.
5. You mean, zoom out to see the whole room and know they are sitting there to play Bingo with a bunch of other fogies (has it ever occurred to you that “SuperFogeys” is misspelled? lol. But I like it that way)? Or because of the last panel? I have to admit that, when Cap levitated upward, I didn’t understand what was going on at first. It was the dialogue that clarified it for me.
4. Unfortunately, I have always realized that about the final panel and have always agreed. The final panel … is good because it’s mysterious and makes us want to know what happened, but is all digital but … fails for all the reasons you’ve already stated. The rest are simply okay. I kind of liked the halftone of the flashback, but it was different because all other flash backs were not in halftone.
3. Eh. I agree. But it was nice to break up the action of the last chapter and begin the next. Honestly, whether you handled it well or not, this chapter was necessary. It showed Cap dealing with losing Tom as well. If this chapter didn’t exist, there’d be a giant problem in how Cap was acting in the next two chapters. We needed to see the effects of losing his son. We needed to see him grieve. We needed Cap to be human and not robotic or empty. And, yes, it helped Spy Gal and Cap flesh out their relationship for the reader as well. I always wanted to know why Swifty and Star were spying on them, though. I haven’t read the chapter in a while, however. Also, I created the … fourth chapter, I believe, titled “Poetry with Stripes” … of my SuperMilo webcomic to introduce the main characters a bit more (I was also tired of SuperMilo’s bad attitude and needed to focus on someone else). I love the chapter but I now regret it simply because I realized later that it was cheap. It was just like your webspace chapter. Except worse. It would have been better to gradual let the readers get to know the characters themselves with better writing than spoon feed them with character profiles appearing in the webcomic itself. So, your complaints about this chapter remind me of my own chapter 4. At the end, it could have been done SO much better.
2. I agree. I did the same in my SuperMilo webcomic. However, am I above cut and paste anymore? Nope. I’d do it again to help me get the comic out on time (which hasn’t happened in YEARS). But only, and I say BUT ONLY, if the artwork is recent. And decent. Otherwise I’d redraw everything. Maybe a flashback? But honestly I’d like to retry my hand at redrawing an earlier moment in the story. I got the comic out on time SO much more often when I cut and paste. But, yes, you’re right. I stopped cutting and pasting because it was too cheap and I need to grow as an artist. Good for us, Brock. Good for us. lol. Glad you were more disciplined and dedicated than me though, ha ha.
1. Um. No. lol. Okay, you’re right. I never want to read that one again. Don’t think so, anyway… Ride Dr. Rocket’s … rocket? No. No, Brock. No. Um. No. How could you have NOT realized the double entendre instantly as you were writing it? I’m sorry. lol. I try NOT to think that way. I try to keep my mind out of the gutter. Though when I go bowling my ball always go there’s despite. The ball into the gutter, not my mind, but I’m joking. It happens sometimes, especially when we try not to. It’s the sin nature, maybe? But, yes. I instantly read it as double entendre. Did I hold it against you? No. I didn’t know what you were thinking. I assumed you didn’t realize it. I guess I was right. I was disturbed though. Mentally. lol. Disturbed. Very, very disturbed. But, you got me a while back on my own SF guest strip, so touche, eh? I never – NEVER – thought of Swifty … you know. Tasting the SPU. Got me good, but I just rolled with it, lol.
Okay. It’s official. I now have to get some singers together, maybe Asian, and have an MP3 or maybe even music video put together of Captain Emo and The Healer singing THIS song. Just for you, Brock. It’ll be my Christmas gift to you. 😉 LOL
Wow, thanks for the in depth analysis, man! I’ll respond to number ten. For me, it was just a case of it reading awkwardly. Just didn’t flow right. I think two or three more strips of Dr. Klein telling his story might have helped. As for how Dr. Rocket figured out it was Spy Gal… remember, there’s a whole ‘nother strip before that one and, also, Dr. Rocket is a pretty smart guy. There’s enough contextual clues in the narration for a smart person to figure it out.
Oh, I agree! I’ve always wondered if he figured out that Jerry is Klein is Thirdman is Jerry or not. Dr. Rocket is smart. Real smart. I don’t see any possibility that it could have eluded him. But whether or not that’s the case it’s a surprise for later that we’ll just have to wait for. Right, Brock? 🙂
This was neat to see what your thoughts were on these. Now here’s mine on one in particular. #3 in you list. “Spy Gal and Captain Spectacular Talk….”. I can sort of see your thoughts on why this one was a let down to you, but as a reader I say this one is definitely not a let down. I thouroughly enjoyed this one during the story arc. We got a glimpse of a defeated and deflated Captain Spectacular, and we saw the love that Spy Gal had for him come out through this as well. She was able to empathize with him when he asked her about her feelings about “The Cape of Wrath”. I don’t feel personally these emotions could have been brought out if you’d had them in action somewhere discussing things. The setting fit the mood for the the situation they had just gone through with the “death” of Tom.
#1 I’ll have to agree with as far as not noticing. I don’t think I’ve ever looked at that one until now.
#8, I never thought of that way, but I do now. Thanks Brock. 🙂
I agree with with tmcelmurry, Brock! The Spy and the Captain chapter was needed and I didn’t remember until now that they talked about the Cape of Wrath. I honestly agree that this is something that should have been done sitting there and not during an action scene or resolving some sort of like conflict. Not sure what you have in mind though as an alternative, but exploring the emotions and thoughts of the characters here was entirely necessary and the story wouldn’t have worked without it at all.
I don’t have any specific ideas about what I’d do differently with Chapter 8, but I think I could have fit in all the beats I did and more with a bit more action. I’m glad you guys like the Chapter though. Obviously, some very important, necessary things happen there.
I have to think that a tune would have helped #1, but who knows, haha.
I have a tune in my head and you’re right… it does help!
Obviously this is merely countering opinion with some of my own, but such is the process of feedback.
10. The Rocky Marriage of Words and Pictures – SF 319, “The Plans of Dr. Klein, Pt. 2 ‘Isn’t Everybody?’”
Disagree, that worked just fine and Jerry’s “not-quite-with-us” face seals it.
9. Hey, Why is His Leg Moving!? – SF 144 “Jerry Wakes Up” – Jerry, at this point in the story, is supposed to be paralyzed.
Understood, but sometimes really brilliant things are created through mistakes so I don’t think it belongs here either.
8. Mommy, What is Spy Gal DOING? – SF 108, “Spy Gal Will Protect Jerry” – This is especially unfortunate because I think the intended joke is pretty funny.
And with the unfortunate context it makes it even FUNNIER. Again, doesn’t belong here.
7. BFFAC: Best Friends for a Chapter! – SF 118 – “Spy Gal vs. Star Maiden”
“Sweet as it is, the strip is all set up with almost no payoff.”
Agreed, and it’s a pity.
6. Big Moment, Drab Colors – SF 273, “All Is Revealed”
I disagree, I think anything more might have almost over-sold it. I think the Klein-to-Jerry transformation was handled very well. Anything more might have over-done it. If it really bothers you, it would simply be a matter of subtly changing the background via shadows and tint. No, there’s no logical reason why it would but I call them “emotigrounds” because they’re just there for effect and to mimic character emotions. I still use them in Super Temps, and not always to just not have to draw backgrounds either (They work awesome for shouting especially.)
5. Why Zoom Out When You Can Zoom In? – SF 33, “Why Walk When You Can Fly?” –
Agreed.
4. That… That Doesn’t Look Right – SF 240, “ZAP!”
Agreed.
3. Spy Gal and Captain Spectacular Talk… Annnnd That’s Pretty Much It – SF Chapter 8,
Agreed.
2. Why Draw When You Can Cut and Paste? – SF 23, “The Incontinent Duo”
Disagree; that early in the game the joke is fine and sometimes a minimalist style really works. This was one of those moments.
1. The Strip No One Ever Reads Twice – SF 196, “Like the Walls of Jericho (If You Could Ride His Rocket)
Oh my gosh. Yes, it is horrible. But you have to leave it in. Sometimes you need to leave in horrible mistakes just to show how much you’ve grown.
Good points all around, Scott. For the most part, you agree with me. I’m not perfect, that’s for dang sure. And as for number one… y’know you could almost argue it’s SUPPOSED to be horrible. But it’s too horrible to even qualify for that.
Y’know Brock… I wouldn’t blame you if, y’know… took out “The Strip No One Ever Reads Twice”… ‘Cuz, y’know… we wouldn’t notice… because we’ll never read it twice. lol
I pick, I pick. It’s fine. Not really, I lied. So, you know, if you had an epiphany in what to do to fix it or what to replace it with, that’s cool, but otherwise keep it. I agree with Scott. And it’s VERY counterproductive to focus on changing the past instead of working toward the future.
But, most of all, I just love picking with you about this strip. 😉 No big. Just picking. And I think I have read it twice. But not this year. lol
1. As performed by ‘Jefster’! 😀