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Some genuinely funny people -- get this -- actually swear as part of normal conversation. And for them to censor themselves once they get infront of an audience/pen/typewriter is equivalent to talking down to me, so far as I'm concerned. To dismiss it as a 'crutch' is really, really silly.
Edit: beaten to the PA punch.
Foul language is fine as long as it used well and not just thrown around for the sake of having it in there.
Bill Cosby - Never swears, has some of the most hilarious material on the earth.
Chris Rock - Swears moderately, but is capable of doing an entire segment without swears. Still has hilarious material.
Lewis Black - Constantly swears, also has some of the most hilarious material on the planet.
All three are funny, it's just a matter of your preference, really. Everyone has posted some good input on the issue. If your comic doesn't have swears, then you should stay with that. Each of the comics I listed above turned their life's silly situations into a comedy routine. Bringing out the hilarity of everyday life is always good. Most of the really good comics have always done that.
I love it. It plays on their ranting psychosis, the insults getting more and more pointless in the heat of the moment.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew
http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2003/20030804l.gif
Quote:
My question is, most people find my funny in real life (like the 'joke character') but I'm having a hard time converting that into 'funny comics'. Now I think our comics are good and some are obviously better than others but I feel I could be funnier.
What do you recommend? Is there a mood to get into or something?
I'm not really good at making jokes either. If I tried a "four panels, here's a joke!" format, I would kill myself. So instead of worrying about how to come up with jokes, I just created somewhat off-beat characters and assumed that they would occasionally do something funny. My comic is story based though, so I don't think this would work out for you.
For you I would say keep up with the news. If it is a gaming comic, you'll find several things every week to get ideas from. Its much easier to be funny in response to something than it is to create, and if you find yourself stuck without topics,just stretch a few out.
If they just say "meh" then they won't keep coming.Quote:
I could have 10,000 hits a day but if they all come and go 'meh' and leave then I am being fooled.
You know?
He was the first person that came to mind when I first started reading this thread. The man's act is ssqueaky clean, yet he is one of the funniest people alive.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tones
I hate to be the dick of this thread. But comic timing and funny can't really be learned.
I mean I guess it could, but it would involved the infulence of someone funnier.
The best advice I can give you is go out a lot and try to find humor in everyday situations. I personally find it works to find the one little detail about a normal situation that seems out of place, then make a HUGE deal about it.
That or I just blatantly steal from my much funnier friends.
P.S. Swears aren't always funny but a perfectly timed fuck can be...
http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2003/20030528l.gif
Thats classic right there, classic.
I don't believe that really. I think everyone can be and write funny.
But being funny in rea life is different than converting that same funny-ness into a comic. It's hard when you only have 3-4 panels to get a joke across.
I like doing the comic and I like our characters. I think we will get an audience and of course the internet is a big place.
I'm currently looking into finding some affiliates myself. I think that will help get our name out quite a bit.
No I agree. Like I said timing etc, hard thing to do. But there are people who just can't get it, y'know? I'm not saying your that person by any stretch I'm just saying, if your not naturally funny its hard man, hard.
Anyway I gave you a good suggestion, influence man, influence.
See, now both of those PA comics posted are absolutely retarded. This is probably PA's finest moment (though there are many other strips damn close):
http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2000/20000505l.jpg