Just a few quick words on the typrewriter one: Basically it amused me. Obviously it is not realistic at all (you know, he would probably notice at some point that reddit.com did not magically appear on a screen in front of him) and I don't like that the joke in the alt-text is the same as the point of the comic, but I will admit that I am a sucker for the www.fivethirtyeight.com reference...oh well. On the whole, well above average, I would say.
This one, on the other hand, made me think some thoughts. Beret Dude has been seen by my count six times before -he was being very interested in squirrels, kayaking, hanging from a tree, (with his hat stapled to his head) thinking he was going to a bakery, thinking he was in a bakery, and then being inexplicably quiet as a bartender. And now here is he again, being Totally Wacky! and also destructive. So I guess the idea is he is just a crazy and energetic new character? It feels, like the nth Debian reference in there, a little forced. "Say hello to Beret Man! His thing is that he has ENERGY! and he's insane. And that is all. He is SO FUNNY. I will probably put him on a shirt soon." Is this a new character we can count on seeing frequently? If so, I hope he becomes less...single minded and flat.
In any case, the best staple related xkcd will always be #262. Read the alt-text.
And of course, move the Megan Count up to 5.
also, why is the "yes" at the end coming from above? The best I can come up with is that the man has been stapled to the ceiling but that seems unlikely to me.
In any case, the best staple related xkcd will always be #262. Read the alt-text.
And of course, move the Megan Count up to 5.
also, why is the "yes" at the end coming from above? The best I can come up with is that the man has been stapled to the ceiling but that seems unlikely to me.
Pretty sure you have it right, stapled to the ceiling. That was my thought.
ReplyDeleteThe typewriter one would have been so much better if one of the sites was a porn site. Man.
ReplyDeleteI didn't see that coming. You really liked 477 (at least a bit)? It should be on your list over xkcd comics which blurs the line between computers and real life and most comics on that list feels far more fresh and inspired than this comic does anyway.
ReplyDeleteBeret dude has been seen in 167 and 209 as well as in those comics you listed. Those two comics really shows who he is. He is IHMO the best recurring character in xkcd besides black hat, even though I agree that he has been a bit disapointing lately. I much prefer seeing beret dude running around enjoying life's small joys like stapling your friend to the ceiling, rather than seeing him thinking that he is in a bakery when he isn't. I would say 478 is a step in the right direction again even if it's not a great comic.
Jay, you are so very right. If the last one had been some horribly embarrassing website it would be great. Or it could have been the site in the alt-text.
ReplyDeleteM- I don't think it's a real life/computer comic. It's more just habits from one keyboard transferring to another keyboard. Now, if he deliberately designed a typewriter that brought up a new piece of paper when you hit ctrl-t and you could flip back and forth between the pages, that would be closer to those other comics.
I'll add those other comics Beret Man is in to my post. How many recurring characters are there besides Beret Man and Mr. Hat? I guess there was Mrs. Hat. But that's all that jumps to mind. I think he's pretty annoying and jumps too much from semi-meaningful to totally ADD.
I liked 477 too. It riffs on a habit many of us Internet-savvy folks probably have without simply copy-pasting popular memes. Bonus points for using "decent" sites and not going for obscure sites for the sake of it. It also looks like Randall's learned since past captioned strips and put his explanation at the BOTTOM of the panel - Check Plus for him!
ReplyDelete478: Randall's either basing comics on someone's kid (his?), or he has one of "those friends" who everyone dreads hanging out with but Randall admires him because "he thinks outside the box and the world can't keep up with him and someone should put his ideas in a comic!"
Unless, of course, Randall IS that person.