An example of how NOT to start a comic

ZOMBIE USER 14998 · Post by **ZOMBIE USER 14998** » Sun Dec 28, 2003 10:08 pm

In the original radio version, the Worst Poet was a real-life man that Douglas Adams had known at college, and actually had written poems about dead swans; they even used his real name. The guy got mad, lawyers were pulled out and brandished, and for the TV and book versions, they chaged the WP to a woman with a fictious name. (In the TV version, I believe the pic accompanying "her" entry in the Guide is actually a drawing of Douglas Adams in drag.)

I learned all this from Neil Gaimon's Don't Panic, which is near-essential reading if you're a Hitchhiker's fan. They just came out with a new version, updating the info to include Adam's death.

"Aw... Now I've made myself sad..."
-Futurama

Rkolter · Post by **Rkolter** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 7:02 am

Also, in the books the Hitchhiker's entry on Babel fish includes:

"... went on to prove that black was white, and got killed at the next pedestrian crossing."

In the BBC television series (which I still have on VHS), it said:

"... went on to prove that black was white, and got killed at the next zebra crossing."

What a cop-out.

Warren · Post by **Warren** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 8:06 am

Isn't "Zebra Crossing" British for pedestrian crossing?

LAGtheNoggin · Post by **LAGtheNoggin** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 8:12 am

Sort of, a Zebra crossing is basically zebra painting across the road with two yellow lolly pop lights at each side of the road, pedestrians have right of way on them. Soon as I lay a foot on one the cars have to stop (that's the law anywho, there's still people who just run over your toes

TheGoobla · Post by **TheGoobla** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 8:27 am

How not to end a webcomic.

Warren · Post by **Warren** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 8:43 am

[quote="LAGtheNoggin"]Sort of, a Zebra crossing is basically zebra painting across the road with two yellow lolly pop lights at each side of the road, pedestrians have right of way on them. Soon as I lay a foot on one the cars have to stop (that's the law anywho, there's still people who just run over your toes

ZOMBIE USER 14998 · Post by **ZOMBIE USER 14998** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 11:07 am

Warren wrote:As Americans, that's FAR too confusing. One type of crosswalk, buddy! Although peds have the right-of-way, that's really seen as more of a guideline than a law.

Another Hitchhiker's joke that gets lost in translation appears in the American version of the novel The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, in which Marvin and Zaphod have the following conversation on the phone:

Z: Hey, Marvin! Where are you?

M: I'm down in the car park.

Z: The car park? What are you doing in the car park?

M: Parking cars, what else does one do in a car park?

This was Americanized with "parking lot" replacing "car park". Yes, it's still understandable, but real point of the joke disappears.

Faub · Post by **Faub** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 2:20 pm

And now you understand why Americans don't get British humor.

Rkolter · Post by **Rkolter** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 5:19 am

I remember that line. I got it. I mean really... we don't say car park here, but what else WOULD you do at a car park? Give your car a ride on the swing? Play frisbee with your car? Snuggle up with your car on a moonlit beach while romantic music is playing...?

Phalanx · Post by **Phalanx** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 7:31 am

Back on topic:

Terotrous has made a lot of improvements to the HNTRAC, and we now have our own email address.

As for how not to do a flashback... I have an idea for that...

Chronologically-wise, it might have been a better idea to do : "How not to introduce your characters", but true to the spirit of mucking up, we put in a theme when there's nothing to flash back upon

Are we good or what?

i can't wait for "How not to colour a comic".

I want my grainy art paint-bucketed, with photorealistic backgrounds and lens flares galore!

YarpsDat · Post by **YarpsDat** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 7:34 am

Phalanx wrote: i can't wait for "How not to colour a comic".

I want my grainy art paint-bucketed, with photorealistic backgrounds and lens flares galore!

Don't forget to save as jpg before bucket-filling.
And include some areas where you try to get rid of paper texture by paiting with big white brush.

War · Post by **War** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 5:40 pm

[quote="Warren"][quote="LAGtheNoggin"]Sort of, a Zebra crossing is basically zebra painting across the road with two yellow lolly pop lights at each side of the road, pedestrians have right of way on them. Soon as I lay a foot on one the cars have to stop (that's the law anywho, there's still people who just run over your toes