Great Comic! RPG World
(Warning - all quotes are paraphrases!)
` Ever played a Final Fantasy game? I haven't, but as a person somewhat familiar with Role-Playing Games, I especially find this one hilarious.
` I'd expect that even if you don't know a thing about RPGs, it's still goofy enough, and I think even the game-related jokes are generally explained well enough to appeal to anyone. Strangely, I'd say the main thing with this comic is having fun with a surreal world, though it's really neck-and-neck with satire.
` It is written by a (surprise, surprise!) video game-playing guy, who I don't think was even in college yet when he started it. (In capitalizing on this, there are 'photographic' segments between game 'disks' about a serious-gamer everyman who desparately needs a life, entitled; 'Jim, the guy who plays RPG-World'.)
` Don't want to see it? Well, you can just read about it I suppose...
` The main 'good' characters are led by the overenthusiastic, clueless Hero, who is called so because he doesn't remember his name - long story. I would imagine that his memory defecit would explain the fact that he doesn't even know what the world 'love' means - or maybe that was more of a brainwashing thing, I'm not sure. The main thing about him is his good intentions, fighting ability, and the pleasure he takes in winning battles.
` Then there's Cherry, who ran away from her people - and eventually right into Hero's path. ('Eventually' actually takes place on the first strip.) Consequently, she is always commenting about the world going crazy, since finding oneself living in an RPG is understandably disorienting and inexplicable. ('Why do we take turns to fight with the monsters?' 'Wait... why is it summer all of a sudden?' 'When's the last time I showered?') At least Hero understands these things perfectly well...
` It isn't long until we meet Lienne/Dianne, whatever her name is, who has a very interesting heritage and is glad to be with the party of heroes instead of making an attempt to be... a harlot. *Ahem.* Another long story. She also learns that she has special powers, such as the ability to summon a teenager that spews pent-up angst strong enough to... or... wait, no. That was Cherry. I don't remember what Lienne/Dianne does, actually.
` Oh, what was the other guy's name... Eikre! No one thinks he's really all that great, although the party has reason to believe that he's... evil in some way. Of course, there is an excellent and very insane explanation why he bears such a striking resemblance to their biggest foe, Galgarion... and why Galgarion's presence can be sensed in the party... Hmmm!
` Later we meet Reka, a purple-haired heroine whose pants are probably held up by the magical powers-that-be in RPG World. (When's the last time I've seen someone like her? Oh yeah, Chrono-Trigger! Another game I haven't played...) Apparently, she lives at sea surrounded by her astounding technology - including two robots she lovingly built, known affectionately as Piddo and Podder-Head. (And she's known affectionately as 'Mom' - awww!) They're really awesome little guys, real sweet, despite the fact that they're made of 'gears' - how that works, I dunno.
` And don't think Ian would forget the little fuzzy characters: One is an equally cute and mute little Dragobo, and the other is a cynical, cigar-smoking mubble named Howard. Yes, that's right; a chokobo and a moogle. But not so loud! You'll infringe on the copyright!
` So anyhow, this ragtag group of heroes - predictably - have good hearts and unclear goals. This is precisely what makes their archenemy, Galgarion, so antsy about them... Now here is a guy who, because he is so pathetic, really fits the role of your fairly laughable, impractical-type of villain. I'm talking, like Dr. Evil. I love it. Making him even goofier, he has an obvious crush on Cherry ('I'll kill them... and... maul the tan-haired girl.').
` And what's funny, Galgarion didn't used to be nearly as evil - it was apparently a mask he acquired, according to Detestai. She's another villain who is noted for her ability to morph partway into a cat-creature. (And when she finds out that she has a hairy back in this state... Oo!) Her henchmen can acheive a full transformation, though they're not that good at anything else - except using up their nine lives. Curiously, Detestai's glasses seem to affect her the same way that Galgy's mask probably affects him...
` Later, we run into yet another evil character, Jeff, who is often mistaken for a girl. ('Who was that? She's hot!') As plot would have it, Jeff and Galgarion are made to work together. Unfortunately, while Galgarion has more of an insecurity problem, Jeff is actually more evil-evil - and thus, they don't get along too well. Terrifically funny spats ensue.
` Anywho, Ian has woven the personal stories of all of these characters - and many more! - into one, huge complex plot, and does it well! I have no idea how one person can do this in a serial fasion with so many characters, and with so much detail and so am thoroughly impressed. Really - it's tough for me to even remember all of my character's names, much less have them part of one big story. Anyhow, that rocks, I like the dialogue, the characters themselves, and while (as with all comic strips) the artwork is kinda weird in the beginning, its super-awesomeness shines through after a bit. It's very RPG-looking, of course, although everyone has pointy cheeks for some reason.
` Since I don't know how to write reviews, I can only give this comic four claws and a fang! In layman's terms, that's like 4 1/2 out of 5.
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