Today I wanted to post a list of top 10 worst comics according to fan opinion. You did deliver, but I don’t have that much to work with. I got ten comics with one vote and two comics with two votes. I don’t blame any of my fans; I should’ve probably done this when I had a bigger fanbase.
I’ll do something a little different. I’ll remove the two oldest comics from the list (since I was just starting out) and talk about the remaining ten. I’ll arrange them by age and number of votes. The fans weren’t asked what they didn’t like about the comics. They didn’t say anything, so I’ll have to speculate. If I get anything wrong, feel free to correct me. Let’s start with the earliest comic that only got one vote.
Comic 26: The Great Question
I can see a lot of mistakes that I used to make: the head is too small compared to the body, the arms are too short, the letters are messy and too big, I’m using hyphens to split words (which I wouldn’t need to do if I made the letters smaller), etc.
However, all of that was standard for early Dim & Bright. What’s so special about this comic that landed it on the list? Maybe it’s because it’s a joke about religion. Say what you want about it, but you can’t deny the fact that it’s important to a lot of people. Making fun of any religion, even if there’s no malice behind it, is bound to net you some backlash.
Comic 43: Bilingual Beggar
This comic has a backstory. When I was in college, I had to explain a few phrases as homework. There was a phrase that I just couldn’t find a definition for, no matter how many online dictionaries I checked. The only website that had it was Urban Dictionary. Unlike other dictionaries, UD doesn’t take itself seriously; it’s a lot more goofy and casual. On its own, that’s not a bad thing; I just didn’t think it was a good idea to use it for homework. I had no other choice, though.
What I went through is not exactly a universal experience. I know a lot of people complain about relatable humor (and there are certainly ways to do it wrong), but jokes hits harder when they’re about a situation you can relate to. I need to keep in mind that I’m not making comics just for myself; I’m making them for an audience.
Comic 316: Spaghetti Damn It!
It’s another religion joke. I could just copy and paste what I said about “The Great Question”, but I have more things to talk about.
First of all, Hope is acting out of character. Yes, she’s pretty religious, but aside from this comic, she never acted like a Bible thumper. Hell, I even defied some stereotypes about religious people; I said Hope wasn’t homophobic because Jesus told us to love everyone. If you can’t see her doing something like this, I understand.
Second of all, this is a “both sides bad” comic. I’ve made plenty of them. A lot of people don’t like those kinds of comics. They just don’t want to be compared to their political opponents. To be perfectly honest, I have grievances with both the left and the right, or at least their crazier members. I could go into more detail, but this section is already long enough.
Sometimes, I wonder if my webcomic would be more successful if I picked one side and made comics just for them. But I’d be a sell-out if I did that. Once again, I’m stuck between two sides.
Comic 319: Just not in the Cards
This comic has an embarassing mistake. I was too lazy to draw the chairs behind Bright Side and Bobby, even though it wouldn’t have taken me that much time. I just told myself, “The characters are big enough to cover them.”
Another reason why this comic ended up on the list might be because I didn’t convey the joke well enough. Bright Side is supposed to literally and figuratively play the victim card. Maybe the joke would’ve been more clear if he said something like, “Stop trying to ruin my fun, you rules lawyer!”
Comic 430: Punch from across the Pond
As you may have noticed, the rivalry between America and Europe is a common joke on the internet. That could be the reason why a fan didn’t like this comic; they’re tired of the joke. And considering the current events, it’s not stopping any time soon. The design of the American guy might also be the reason. Do you think the mullet and the handlebar mustache are too on the nose?
Funny story, Večernji List is one of the biggest newspapers in Croatia. They have a website where they post news and I sometimes go there to stay current. During the election season in America, there was a poll that asked Croats who they would vote for, Donald Trump or Kamala Harris. Trump was winning. I suppose we’re not that different from you, Americans.
Comic 494: Heart Defense
Admittedly, I got a little lazy with this comic again. I should’ve put more tools and machine parts on the table to show that Wanda was working on upgrading TX2. I could’ve also made the joke more clear. TX2 was talking about energy drinks. Yes, they can give you a temporary energy boost, but drinking too much can give you a heart attack, especially if you have a weak heart.
There’s a balance you want to strike when you’re writing dialogue. You can’t write so little that nobody knows what you’re talking about, but you also can’t bog the comic down with too many words. I’ve gone into both extremes in the past.
Comic 537: Everyone’s a Loser
This one may have ended up on the list because of the description. I interpreted the Star Trek quote as: “No matter how much you prepare, you will fail sometimes. You can’t do anything to prevent it; it’s just something you have to be ready for.” Some people weren’t happy about it. It’s one of those lessons that nobody wants to hear, even if it is true.
I also added a joke interpretation that went, “The system is rigged against you. Cheat as much as you can.” People were on board with that one; the first half more than the second.
Comic 561: No Revolution Needed
To be honest, even I don’t like this comic. I’m glad that I experimented with different angles, but the joke is pretty weak. The fact that this is a New Year comic makes it even worse; I draw a comic about a day that comes once a year and I waste it on this? It barely has anything to do with New Year anyway. Brad Joke could’ve bragged about wiping his ass and the joke would make just as much sense.
Those are all the comics that got only one vote. Now it’s time for the comics that got two.
Comic 23: Quell your Quips
We’re going back to the past again. Even by old comic standards, this one doesn’t work. Why are all those people huddled together like that? There’s so much space in front of them. Are they doing this just to piss me off? Maybe this comic is funnier if you interpret it like that. Nevertheless, I should’ve either drawn more people or shown the moment from different distance or a different angle.
Even though two people didn’t like this comic, I still have a soft spot for it. When I first posted it, my aunt contacted me a told me that she showed it to her daughter (the girl whose hand I’m holding). My cousin understood the joke. I guess I should’ve given her more credit.
Comic 137: Not a Good Position
In this comic, I tried to do the classic “character slams into a wall/floor so hard that they leave an imprint” gag. I admit, I poorly conveyed it. It looks like… I don’t even know what. That’s how bad it looks. I should’ve also put a few visible injuries on Double Tap, just to make the situation more convincing. I know slapstick has a reputation of being “kiddie humor”, but it still takes skill and effort to get it right.
And that’s ten comics. I don’t know how I would order them; like I said, they all got either one or two votes. And just to be clear, these were all just speculations, not actual reasons. I said it twice, now you have no excuse if you missed it. The ten best comics list is coming next Wednesday!