NARRATIVEChris, Lisa, Hetal, Sean

Templates vs. Genres(Death match!! … Or not.)

“Templates” are essentially concept formats for

storytelling. They are the how when you write a web

comic. Design style of the comic tends to be much more

related to a comics template than its genre. Overall:

HOW the story is told.

“Genres” are categories of subject matter within the web

comic. There are common ways to write certain genres,

but it’s the stuff in the comic that defines the genre,

rather than the concept like a template. Overall: WHAT is

in the story.

There is some overlap between the templates and

genres, and one does not necessarily have to use just

one template and one genre when writing a web comic.

Templates• Fantasy

• Horror

• Fan fiction

-Sprite

-Parody

• Gag per day

• Gaming

• Historical

• Meta

• Sci-Fi

• Slice of Life

What is That?•Fantasy- Depicted in an imaginary world full of magic, the possible paranormal, and adventure. Most fantasy comics are very distilled from a Lord of the Rings-esque template

-Example: Gunnerkrigg Court , Looking for Group (Ehh)

•Horror- Meant to be scary or terrible. Relies on the build up of dread, terror, horror for effect. Possibly overlaps with other genres like fantasy or sci-fi. Can be funny at some points.

-Example: Vigil (BAD), Evil Diva

Sci-Fi – Enhanced technology, Alternate universe type of plot that may include aliens. Also includes supernatural

-Example: Crimson Dark(BAD), Abstract Gender

•Gag per Day – specific type of comedy where each day’s comic builds up to just one gag.

- Example: Anime News Nina (BAD), xkcd, Cyanide & Happiness

•Slice of Life – Characters going through their everyday life but only select parts of their lives are shown.

- Example: Questionable Content (GOOD), Venus Envy (Ehh)

What is That Again?• Fan Fiction – in homage to a work of any media adored by the creator. Possibly set in the work’s

universe and/or using characters from the work.

Example: We Built This Town {bad)

• Cut and Paste - Recycle images already used, whether the artist created them or they are borrowed.

Notably, sprite comics include little iconic characters hijacked from video games or other already

known media. Common for those who cannot draw well and love media characters too much to use a

new character.

Example: Pokemon-X, Bob and George

• Gaming- Either based off of playing a video game or tabletop RPG, or set up like a game. Think of a

game set in the world of Residence Evil or Settlers of Catan. In the most general use of the template, a

game might only be referenced.

Example: Brawl in the Family, VG Cats, Nintendo Super Squad (bad)

• Parody- Makes fun of another work or genre. Either affectionately or in mocking.

Example: Order of the Stick (on D&D)

• Historical – Using characters or eras from somewhere in the past.

Example: Goodbye Chains

• Meta – Thinking about web comics. Possibly parodies the web comic itself or the tropes common to a

web comic.

Example: hello earthling (bad)

Now for a little “eye candy!”Crimson Dark SciFi (BAD)Gunnerkrigg Court- Fantasy (GOOD)

Also sci-fi with a dash of slice of life

Anime News Nina – Gag per Day (BAD)Note the ridiculousness of the concept.

Seriously.

Look! More Eye-Candy!

Vigil- Horror

(But it’s not very

scary or good)

Pokemon-X

Cut and Paste Sprite

Comic

Clever jokes and dialogue

in context.

We’ll Make Your Eyes Explode

Goodbye Chains- Historical

A Wild Western. The dialogue is all nice

and Westerny. Also note the rating at

the top.

We Built This Town- Fanfiction

Honestly, this one scares us a

little. Someone made a comic

about adventures in an Animal

Crossing setting.

The result is a little ridiculous.

Meta: hello earthling

• “nina” (unrelated to News Nina) is breaking the fourth wall here.

• She has poked fun at “a design flaw”.

• The result? It’s… not that funny. This just makes the art (not our department)more distracting. Overall… BAD!

• Also happens to be a cut-and-paste comic. Obviously.

Parody: Order of the Stick• If you know Dungeons &

Dragons, you can understand why it is not a good idea to shout out how badly you did on a “Move Silently” check

• The characters don’t have to be as realistic if it’s for exaggeration purposes. Elan, here, is showing his lack of tact in a game of tact.

• Characters in this comic are exaggerations of character types. Roy is the lawful good leader, Haley is the money-obsessed “neutral good-ish” rogue, etc.

• There’s a little cut and paste, but it’s not as obvious. Also is fan fiction, fantasy, and gaming

Gaming: Brawl in the Family

• This gaming comic is all about the characters in the Super Smash Bros. game. Kirby is usually the focus in this one.

• Okay, so the art is a little scary, but I dare you not to laugh out loud at the ridiculousness of the situation.

• Since the art is so casual, it’s okay if the joke is a silly one-off gag. But it’s a clever joke, too. Of course you’re expecting Kirby to ride Yoshi, especially since Kirby talked to Mario and everyone rides Yoshi. Irony is chief.

• Overall… good!

Genres!• Remember: Similar idea to a template but basically what

the actual story is about, versus a template being a structure for the storytelling

• Gaming (Subject matter involves gaming)• Ex: Penny Arcade

• Horror (Subject matter involves scary situations)• Ex: the Veil

• Political Satire (Pokes fun at the political world)• Ex: Untelivised

• Religion/Spirituality (Deals with these heavy issues)• Ex: Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

• Science Fiction or Fantasy (Content includes unrealistic settings or beings)• Ex: Roswell, Texas (Sci Fi), The Wotch (fantasy)

• Alternative/Experimental (Doesn’t quite fit in a category. The name really says it all)• Ex: Perry Bible Fellowship, A Softer World

The only page that Anyone

actually bothers to look at.

Perry Bible Fellowship-

Alternate/Experimental

Penny Arcade- Gaming

The Veil- Horror

Another Page You’d Like to Look At

Untelivised- Political Satire

Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal-

Religion/Spirituality

Roswell, Texas- Sci-Fi

Our common favorites!

• Action-adventure

• Detective/police drama/crime

• One-panel-gags

• Romance

• GLBT

Action Adventure:

Sword of the Savage Samurai

• Ogres, demons, magic, etc

characteristic of the genre

• Well illustrated

• Conveys a strong sense of

movement, using the dialogue

and sound effect positioning to

enhance this

• Exciting, both visually and in

the action

Detective/Police Drama/Crime

“Police Battles Without Living

Witnesses”

Gritty, Dark atmosphere

Excellent illustrations

Clever use of panels

Strong characters and narrative,

which are essential to this kind

of genre

GLBT—

Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender

• “Why Me”

• A good example of the

genre, because it deals

with, but also transcends

issues of sexuality

• Unique concept and

execution

• Blends comedy and

complex issues

One-Panel Gags

“Jumpy”

• Funny and irreverent

• Random

• Succeeds because of the

unique brand of humor

• Must be able to

communicate the joke

very clearly, because of

one panel restriction

Romance

Mr. Love in Da Club

• Bad example of a very, very

common genre

• Not romantic, funny, or

entertaining

• Very hard to read

• Panels do not flow well, and It

generates confusion, instead of

interest

Good Web Comic Writers…

• Choose a target audience and keep them in mind

• Write in a way that does not undermine their art. The art

should not take away from the writing either.

• At least appear to enjoy what they do

• Consistency is valued; justify any and all genre shifts.

• Catch readers’ attention and then keep them for longer

• Don’t cuss out their critics…

Other web comics:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Webcomics

Webcomicsnation.com

Guide on how to write/make web comics:

www.between-

worlds.com/tutorials/comic_webcomic_basics.shtml

Guides on how to write in general from Orson Scott

Card:

http://www.hattrack.com/writingclass/index.shtml

Resources