Drawing a Blank

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September 23rd, 2009

Drawing a Blank

Tim Wow. This was maybe the most frustrating comic to make in 2P START!’s existence. The problem with Scribblenauts is that when a game has no limitations, the joke could be ANYTHING. Of course that’s no guarantee that it’s funny OR that it’s unique. We had dozens of ideas, but they all felt too vague, specific, easy, unfunny, or philosophical to follow through on. In the end, this seemed the most fitting. Now I just need to find what’s missing for me…some sleep.

RayPretty interesting night, to say the least. Here are a couple ideas I couldn’t help but throw together afterwards just for kicks. Bonus 1 | Bonus 2 You’ll hear plenty more on the next podcast.

UPDATE: Thanks for all the feedback guys. We decided to put all 3 jokes together as the main comic since the bonus comics are proving quite popular. This way they don’t get lost in the shuffle over time…


75 Comments

  1. Keja says:

    This made me chuckle… I can’t wait to get this game. Also, I’m rising from the grave

    • Keja says:

      I have to apologise for my briefness before, I wasn’t supposed to be browsing 2P Start! at the time, so I had to be quick before I was caught by my oppressors.

      I only started reading the comics a few months back, but since then no other webcomic has meant as much to me. With great ideas come great comics, and this week, to me, is no exception. I particularly enjoyed bonus comic 1, which I’m sure is a reference to that indiana jones move

  2. Adam says:

    Great stuff once again guys. Love the look of this comic, if only the real scribblnauts looked this good!

    Surprised you didn’t make a joke about maxwell jumping off to his death though thanks to the poor controls.

    Oh and please check out http://www.casuallyhardcore.net for some awesome video game clothing!

  3. Kvb says:

    So the lack of a punchline is the punchline?
    DOES NOT COMPUTE!

    This comic is very exploitable. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a few fan-submissions.

  4. blaster says:

    Maybe I should listen to podacst after reading the comic.
    Somwhow I saw Scribblenauts comics coming.

  5. Supersonic24 says:

    lol! This comic used to be mediocre…

  6. The Gastronomic Gamer says:

    I actually liked the first bonus more than the real comic.

  7. GX Echidna says:

    Delightfully clever, and the bonus comics were great too.

    I think you’ve earned that gold star for solving the comic in three unique ways.

  8. randomperson says:

    the controls are so dumb i mean you cant use the control pad to move no configure in world 1 I had to fight the megadolon i killed him but i tried a jet pack but, it lost control so I fell in the water and it short circuited.

    anyways great comic as usual.

  9. Mikallein says:

    When i read this i LOL’d, so good job.i did however like the Indy comic beter,infact they were all good. So keep the GOOD comics comin and no one gets hurt SEE? jk

  10. Darsfog says:

    I think the first bonus comic is better IMO.

  11. Rokai says:

    I think the Sun is missing.

  12. Snifit says:

    Good comic guys. I too kinda thought the first bonus comic was funnier but the one without a punch line made me laugh too. It just seems like you guys have been using a lot of anti-humor recently.

  13. Tacos says:

    Bonus 1 was solid, but taking a jab at Indy and the KOTCS is way too easy. So kudos to your final choice.

  14. tustin2121 says:

    Love this comic(s)! I’ve been playing Scribblenauts a lot recently because it is just the most fun thing I have ever played on the DS, despite it’s simplicity in concept! 😀

    The main comic points out one of the few flaws in the game: sometimes the hint and puzzle is just WAY TOO vague. I’ve run into a couple like that. But then there is that puzzle where the hint is “WRITE THE ANSWER” and you write “ANSWER” and win! 😀 😀 This comic embodies a lot of that. 🙂

    Also, nothing can survive a nuke. And a tidal wave is just the same.

  15. BvrBoy says:

    +1 Awesomesauce.

    Loved the comic guys. Bonus #3 was my favorite.

  16. bobipine says:

    Nice comic, haven’t played scribblenauts, but heard about it enought to understand this week’s comic.

    The main comic is good, while it can be viewed in differents angles, either, a punchline is hard to find for those game, or it’s just the easy way out by ”summoning” a punchline (would probably be a lot of random internet inside jokes i.e. Over 9000!!!!!!, oh brother, so I heard you like mudkips? Can I haz cheeseburg?…. you know them

    the bonus panels are as good as the main comic, especially the ”survive”

    …..hope this comic isn’t the ”test our readers” because I would be ban form this site

    • bobipine says:

      Forgot to had ”Rouge” to the internet jokes list, just wondering why she’s named after a color right now…

  17. BadnikHunter says:

    Hah, pretty clever. And considering we pretty much got 3 comics this week is pretty awesome. But how does a refrigerator save him from a nuke-type-thing?

  18. Very cool to have bonus comics to look at. I thought the Indy one was really funny, but only after I’d read the main comic.

  19. Onyx says:

    It’s missing the sun. o.o (I’ve played that game way too much…)

  20. DrOswald says:

    I like this comic because is is both a good joke and a sort of commentary on the scribblenaughts problem. Scribblenaughts if full to the brim with an ambitious concept, amazing potential, and all the parts and more that are needed for a great game, but somehow the developers missed making a real game underneath it all. The greatest lure of scribblenaughts is also its greatest downfall: Scribblenaughts lacks boundaries; it therefore is lacking as a real game. Scribblenaughts is a reminder that great potential and ambitious concept does not necessarily translate into a great product.

    • roadjcat says:

      Yup. Way to hit the nail on the head there.

      I saw the last panel and went, “Wooowww.” That’s kind of like, it’s so stupid it’s funny.

      • DrOswald says:

        I really like stating the obvious. It is a hobby of mine.

        Also, now that I think about it the bonus comics are made funnier in the context of the first comic. Makes it difficult to say which is best.

  21. pcargill says:

    NCG guys, i rose from my grave on the Doritos comic but i never mentioned it, so yah

  22. Dry Bones says:

    Wise fwom youw gwave!

    *stops using Homestar voice*

    Great comic! The artwork was fantastic and I enjoyed all 3 versions.

    I actually TRIED rising from my grave after the “Our First Farewell” podcast. Let me count the ways that I failed:
    1) I sent an email about my grave-rising (should have been a comment).
    2) I mentioned that laughing at podcasts can make bus rides uncomfortable (I later heard another fan say the same thing on a podcast).
    3) I provided a link to a humorous site that I thought Tim and Ray would enjoy (It’s probably old news to them).

    Oh, well. It feels good to be out of the shadows!

  23. Apkinesis says:

    I have to agree with the several other comments that say Bonus 1 was the best out of the three comic versions. The other two just seemed lacking somehow (no pun intended), but I can’t complain for getting three comics!

    As someone else also already mentioned (man, I’m just stealing all kinds of comment ideas today :P), I wouldn’t be surprised to see some fan versions of the comic, especially since the original is so open and exploitable 🙂 *tries thinking of one* Bah, now this is going to be on my mind all day instead of focusing on my exam this afternoon.

  24. Evan says:

    Ray the art looks incredible. More so especially because its so different looking from the usual style for the comics, but you pulled it off beautifully.

    On the writing side, as a webcomicker myself, I can really appreciate the joke in its incredible simplicity and elegance.

    In short: nice comic guys!

    • CKcheeseboy says:

      Yes, this comic was sheer elegance in its simplicity.

      Anybody who gets that reference is officially AWESOME.

      • TheNinjaMouse says:

        Hmm, I’m thinking it’s from an episode of Middleman? Funny show, but I haven’t watched much of it. If that’s not it, maybe it’s from Dr. Horrible.

      • CKcheeseboy says:

        Yes, it’s in most (I believe all but I’m not 100% sure) episodes of Middleman (as is the Wilhelm scream). I loved that show, I wish people freaking watched it so it didn’t get canceled…

  25. RedVinnie says:

    tbh, i really loved all three comics. the bonus two were outstanding though. i was dying at the fridge and frick jokes.

  26. MetaRidleyR27 says:

    Wasn’t a huge fan of the main comic, but I found both the bonus comics pretty clever.

  27. Kyzin says:

    I kinda expected “happiness”, or “self esteem” to be what was missing when I saw his face.
    Though, using his real face, I’d put “sanity.”

    • Kyzin says:

      Oh, or maybe he’s missing “a goal in life.” Or “longterm goals” would be good to. Or even “a plot.”

  28. Jonathan says:

    Bonus comic 1 was defiantly better than the original one.

  29. D3vin says:

    Are we sure we can’t Solve the puzzle by tying an object to an Otter and luring it to me with a fish? Either that or tie a rope to a Pterodactyl. Either one works.
    Maybe we should type in Ncg, and see what we get.
    😉

  30. Narnian says:

    My reaction to the first comic was “…Wait, what?” I feel really stupid. Anyway, enjoyed the comic (once I stopped being an idiot) and particularly the first bonus. Great work 😉

  31. Really great looking artwork, though, I too thought Bonus 1 was the best.

    Also (as I’ve recently discovered):[spoiler]

    – a fedora is in the game
    – you can freeze the nuke in the fridge
    – you can’t freeze an activated nuke in the fridge
    – you can’t hide in the fridge =[[/spoiler]

  32. ultimateDK says:

    Umm…Bonus 1 rocks! But I don’t get how a lack of a punchline makes a punchline. I say Bonus 1 should have been the comic and the comic should have been bonus 1 🙂 Anway, NCsG!

  33. Gadoink says:

    Ha, nice Scribblenauts comic.
    I’m getting the game on Friday, I can’t wait.

  34. Ray says:

    All comments before this post were referring to the comic’s original version, in which only the ‘punchline’ joke was visible. All comments from here on reflect that of the updated version.

    • D3vin says:

      What happened to you Ray? Did you finally catch the ever so contageous “Tim’s Monotone voice virus”?( Tm-mv1)
      Call an ambulance! We are losing him fast!
      I think we lost the only thing that made the podcast great.

  35. steve-ohs says:

    hmm, i saw it before, and i thought it was ok. I did like the bonus comics.
    Now that its updated. I just think it makes the webcomic one really confusing.

  36. MetaRidleyR27 says:

    I definitely like having all three comics together better than separately. The flow’s a little off now, but it gives the comic a bit more substance.

  37. CKcheeseboy says:

    Also, two things I didn’t mention before:

    1. Maxwell’s face looks kind of creepy in the “Hint” panels
    2. Sorry in advance, but I thought of this and had to do it: Tim’s Take Retake

  38. crazyspecialk says:

    Comic was pretty good this week. Not one of my favorites, but still had some chuckles. My favorite is the second one with the fridge.

    Hey Ray! Since your such a huge Sonic nerd fan, I thought you would be really interested in this if you don’t already know about it. I would have let you know sooner, but I only just found out about the site myself, so I’m sorry if you would have liked to buy the statue. However, it is just the first in the line, with tails coming next so I hear. I also heard rumors of Super Sonic at some point as well, so that should be cool.

    Probably no Black Doom or Chip.

    Or Rouge

    • roadjcat says:

      I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if a Rouge figure came along at one point.

      • crazyspecialk says:

        I suppose it is possible, but I wouldn’t count on it anytime soon. Right now they’re only doing characters from the original 16-bit games, so your not gonna see a Rogue statue unless they start a new line with those characters.

  39. Mikallein says:

    Really good idea to put them all together, i think its better that way.

  40. ultimateDK says:

    ooOOoOhhH! Me Likey! Me Likey Alot!

  41. Snifit says:

    From what was once three, now form one.
    2pStart is the Voltron of webcomics

  42. Gadoink says:

    Nice idea to add them all together. Me like.

  43. DrOswald says:

    I might be the only one who thinks this, but I liked the comics separate. I think it works better as three different comics because each is self contained but they enhance each other. Bonus 1 was the best, but it is not as good without the original comic first for context. I think you had it right before.

  44. cwjakesteel says:

    The frick one should have been last, and the refrigerator first.

  45. pcargill says:

    NUCG (nice updated comic guys) much better than the original, however the punchline is no longer missing

  46. Tacos says:

    Not sure how I feel about putting them together. They all work fine separately, but it doesn’t flow very well. It just feels like you had three jokes and wanted them in one place. I preferred the bonus comic method

  47. Benjirino says:

    Hi guys

    Rising from my grave. I’ve been away from the internet for a while and one of the things I missed the most was the fantastic podcasts and my weekly dose of 2P humour (this weeks Scribblenauts on was brilliant). Regardless of the negative comments that seem to have cropped up lately, yours is still one of the most consistently entertaining comics around. I’d love for you guys to get more merch up so that we, as fans, could give something back to you for the hours you’ve put in keeping us laughing.

    Keep up the great work.

    Benji

  48. Madcow says:

    Ohh baby.
    NGC really!
    The art style is stunning and the joke suddle.

    • moonjuice7 says:

      Nice comic guys! (sorry, but it has been so long since i actually spelled it out)
      I really enjoyed the bonus comics. and i like how you put all three together.

  49. Mirby says:

    Great game, great comic.

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