Episode 215 - A guide to Good characters, part 3
Apr 20, 2015
OMG! This is the third part in our long running series of discussing good and bad character traits in webcomics and everything else. Bravo, Tantz and Pit are all along with Banes and I for another go around and doing their best German accents as a tribute to Abt Nhil to start off. As usual we read out some very enlightening contributions and then discuss them jointly afterwards. This Quackcast ran a little long because of it- we had a LOT to say! And do not forget Gunwallace's great musical theme, this time it's for Clint which also happens to be that week's featured comic!
Topics and Show Notes
Topics and Show Notes:
Featured comic:
Clint - http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/Clint/
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Links:
Based on Banes' forum post - http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/forum/topic/176844/
Contributions from:
Gunwallace - http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/Gunwallace/
/>KimLuster - http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/KimLuster
/>Banes - http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/Banes/
/>Bravo1102 - http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/bravo1102/
/>Genejoke - http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/Genejoke/
/>Tupapayon - http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/tupapayon/
/>The Beav - http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/the_beav/
/>Strixvanallen - http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/strixvanallen/
/>TheDeeMan - http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/TheDeeMan/
/>Ozoneocean - http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/ozoneocean/
/>
Special thanks to:
Fantastic theme: Gunwallace - http://www.virtuallycomics.com
/>Expert co-host: Banes - http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/Banes/
/>Authoritative guest: Bravo1102 - http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/bravo1102/
/>Mysterious guest: Tantz Aerine - http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/Brave_Resistance/
/>Ravishing guest: Pit Face - http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/PIT_FACE/
/>
The theme song by Gunwallace this week was for:
Clint - http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/Clint/ by 1rd2th3st.
Episode 214 - Good character, Bad character? Part 2
Apr 12, 2015
Continuing our theme from last week, Bravo1102 joins us to discuss good and bad character creation, along with two very well written characters; PitFace and Tantz Aerine! We use our best silly voices to read out the words of the smart people who had something to say on the subject in question and then we all get together to pick apart and discuss the points they made. Bravo joins us for the first time as a participant and not an interviewee and showcases his excellent and versatile vocal talents! Also- Gunwallace's tune for Joy To The World is especially funky. Please enjoy Quackcast 214!
Episode 213 - What makes a good character? Part one
Apr 6, 2015
After several interesting discussions about Mary Sues, we'd like to talk about characters a little more. We asked people to let us know their thoughts on what makes a well written character VS a poorly written one. People talked about their favourite and least favourite characters in fiction and why they dug or don't dig them… as well as their own characters and how they put them together! Banes and I blather on a lot so this will be a multi-parter as we talk about what makes good characters. And as usual there's the great theme by Gunwallace! This time a classical number for the Adult comic Tina's Story.
Episode 207 - A question of bodyshape part 2
Feb 22, 2015
In Quackcast 207 we talk about bodyshapes in comics again; as a follow up from the chat we had about it in Quackcast 205 we thought we'd let the community weigh in with their thoughts... so Banes and I could get the chance to practice our voices. We wanted to know what others thought about the subject of about bodyshape in comics; Ones that they draw, read, or have just seen and think that it needs commenting upon. These Quackcasts were inspired of course by the images of athletes from the 2002 book "Athlete" by Howard Schatz. The photos show various athletes who're at the top level of their respective sports, it also shows that they have wildly different physical attributes: there IS no one ideal, and there IS no “normal”. This got us to thinking how body shape can define a character as much as facial features, hairstyle, clothing etc. Anyway, people had their say and it was enlightening! Also, Gunwallace's music this week was for FUNK! And funky it was, give it a listen.
Episode 205 - What about bodyshape?
Feb 9, 2015
This week Banes and I were inspired to talk about body shape in the depiction of figures in comics, inspired by some famous images from photographer Howard Schatz's 2002 book, Athlete. In it there are photos of many athletes who're at the peak of their sports and yet their bodyshapes are vastly different, subverting the idea of an "ideal" bodyshape or what it means to be a top athlete or even fit. too often bodyshapes in comics follow a very narrow range, not getting much past what we think of as the current popculture ideal. We all know that idealised model shape is a problem and yet we all still perpetuate it, most of the time you can only tell most "realistic" characters apart by their hairstyle or costume, especially in superhero comics. And that invents a second problem: the myth of the "normal" shaped body as opposed to the ideal- there IS no such thing as normal, and even the ideal is always changing throughout the ages. There's even a lot more to body shape than the famous categories: Mesomorph, Ectomorph, and Endomorph, or Skinny, Pear, Athletic, Hourglass and Apple. We also have a beif mention of how stylised characters (Sponge Bob, Calvin and Hobbes etc) are exaggerations of these shapes and differences.
Episode 203 - The clothescast
Jan 26, 2015
Clothes maketh the man! If that man is a scarecrow... This Quackcast is about drawing clothing. Two esteemed gents from the Drunk Duck repertoire of experts offer their advice on methods for drawing bodies sheathed in garments. Bravo1102 and Ironscarf are two very worldly and experienced men, as they lounged deep in the dark wood panelled cosy confines of the DD private members club, they discussed the tricky subject of convincingly rendering character costumes. Ironscarf traced circles in the air with his custom made talbot pipe, illustrating his descriptions in smoke. Bravo, a fat cigar in one hand, brandy tumbler in the other, chortled into his voluminous beard as he offered counterpoints. It was a lively chat, but for the purposes of this Quackcast Banes and Ozoneocean have re-voiced their parts to protect their privacy: As you're no doubt overly aware, both men are the targets of numerous legions of female stalkers.
Episode 199 - A look back at 2014
Dec 29, 2014
OMG! It's the last Quackcast of 2014! Well Banes and Ozoneocean decide to do a half arse YEAR IN REVIEW! Oh yes, a mighty look back at the year that was 2014... We look over some of the notable Quackcasts and comics that we could recall for the purposes of this particular Quackcast topic at the time when we were recording. Thank goodness for the internet because neither of us can actually remember much of what happened during the year without it. So sit back and tolerate our gala celebrity edition (Ozone and Bases are the celebs), for the year in review! Also, Gunwallace has done a wonderful old timey Jazzy nior theme that YOU WILL LOVE!
Episode 196 - The Sidekick-cast
Nov 30, 2014
The topic of the Quackcast was inspired by Kawaiidaigakusei's Thoughtful newspost article "An Ode to Sidekicks" that examined the varied subject of The Sidekick. She was inspired by Geoff Peterson, the much loved animated skeleton on the Craig Ferguson show and she went on to examine some sidekick types using DD comics as examples. In our Sidekick-cast we cast the net a bit wider. We try and have a chat about all the different types of sidekicks we can think about (and there are a LOT); sidekicks in books, films, comics, talkshows... Heroic sidekicks, villain sidekicks, lackeys, lieutenants, backups, stand-ins, partners and all the various types in between and beyond! We mentions such obvious luminaries such as Dynomutt, Scoobydoo, Scrappy Doo, Dr Watson, Robin, a swathe of Dr Who Companions, and more! Banes is hilarious, Kawaii is insightful, Ozoneocean is opinionated ad boorish.