It doesn’t matter if the clips don’t give you the full movie experience. They give you the full clip experience. Sometimes they’re better than the movie.
As I’ve spent the past few weeks catching up on Nancy (apologies to anyone still getting alerted for random comments on older strips), I’ve found it fascinating to watch Olivia’s art style evolve over a relatively short period. If you compare the character models to what they were when she first started, there are many subtle but significant differences.
In general, she (and/or the colorist) have also simplified/reduced. Compared to earlier scripts there is a lot less use different angles and she’s leaned into just treating 2 dimensions like 2 dimensions rather than trying tricks to make things more 3D and “realistic” (as realistic as these characters could ever be drawn). As others have pointed out, I think her lack of horizons, for example, is a choice rather than a mistake.
Even the lettering (or font) she uses has changed over time.
I’m not sold yet on the style changes (though the gags are consistently A+) but, on an objective level, it lends some credibility to the idea that cartoonists usually take 2-3 years to figure out the compromise among what they want to see on the page vs what they want to draw every day vs what “works.”
You could compare this to the radical design evolution in the first couple of years of “Garfield” or several years on “Peanuts,” “Beetle Bailey,” etc. (examples of strips that looked very different at the end of the artist’s tenure from the beginning; not necessarily strips I think are good or personally enjoy). However, I was either not alive or far too young to appreciate those at the time—this was my first chance to notice it in (almost) real time and it’s been very interesting.
wesleylscott1 over 2 years ago
Watching Lyle in action is about as exciting as watching wood grain paneling.
some idiot from R'lyeh Premium Member over 2 years ago
I have a sneaking suspicion I’m actually a Lyle.
Decepticomic over 2 years ago
“Decepticomic, but it’s just comments where he lazily parodies the thing happening in the strip of the day.”
HEY! I mean— ………Fair.
Kip Williams over 2 years ago
With a couple of weeks of this, we’d be able to play a pretty good game of four-card Lyle.
willie_mctell over 2 years ago
It doesn’t matter if the clips don’t give you the full movie experience. They give you the full clip experience. Sometimes they’re better than the movie.
Ninette over 2 years ago
Previews and coming attractions I loved, clips and trailers I hated.
Diamonds&Roses Premium Member over 2 years ago
I really don’t like what they’ve done with Lyle’s character. At this point, he’s really become nothing more than a snobby/pretentious jerk.
Phaedrusnyc over 2 years ago
As I’ve spent the past few weeks catching up on Nancy (apologies to anyone still getting alerted for random comments on older strips), I’ve found it fascinating to watch Olivia’s art style evolve over a relatively short period. If you compare the character models to what they were when she first started, there are many subtle but significant differences.
In general, she (and/or the colorist) have also simplified/reduced. Compared to earlier scripts there is a lot less use different angles and she’s leaned into just treating 2 dimensions like 2 dimensions rather than trying tricks to make things more 3D and “realistic” (as realistic as these characters could ever be drawn). As others have pointed out, I think her lack of horizons, for example, is a choice rather than a mistake.
Even the lettering (or font) she uses has changed over time.
I’m not sold yet on the style changes (though the gags are consistently A+) but, on an objective level, it lends some credibility to the idea that cartoonists usually take 2-3 years to figure out the compromise among what they want to see on the page vs what they want to draw every day vs what “works.”
You could compare this to the radical design evolution in the first couple of years of “Garfield” or several years on “Peanuts,” “Beetle Bailey,” etc. (examples of strips that looked very different at the end of the artist’s tenure from the beginning; not necessarily strips I think are good or personally enjoy). However, I was either not alive or far too young to appreciate those at the time—this was my first chance to notice it in (almost) real time and it’s been very interesting.