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[iconmaster]

The last Penny Arcade comic to depict its main characters, Gabe and Tycho, occupying the same space was back in March:

Breaking The Law - Penny Arcade

Videogaming-related online strip by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins. Includes news and commentary.

www.penny-arcade.com

Shortly thereafter, COVID happened and PA decided to do the socially responsible thing:

Bellwether - Penny Arcade

Videogaming-related online strip by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins. Includes news and commentary.

www.penny-arcade.com

Since then, its main characters have been resolutely kept apart except for two ambiguous instances, one of which involves a mirror universe not our own:

Then Again - Penny Arcade

Videogaming-related online strip by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins. Includes news and commentary.

www.penny-arcade.com

This has now been going on for over four months. I don't know what the reopening situation is in Washington state, but surely it's at least possible for a couple of friends to get together for games at this point. And of course, Gabe and Tycho can't catch anything, being comic characters occupying a world where COVID doesn't have to exist if its creators don't want it to.

Jerry Holkins, Mike Krahulik:

It's time to reopen Penny Arcade.

 

[-Arcadia-]

I don't know.

On one hand, write and be inspired from what you know, right?

On the other, this just smacks of virtue signaling, lol. I hope it's the first.

 

[Robot Carnival]

man, I had not read PA for a while. thanks for reminding me to catch up.

as for the social distancing thing, I'm fine with it. they have a pretty big fan base and they would have to take responsibility for making the example on the proper behavior during these times, so I'm fine with what they're doing with the comics. plus it adds to the immersion in a way I guess.

 

[AV]

It was a neat little idea at the time to endorse the idea of distancing when it was most crucial, but you're right, we're long past the point where two friends can't just hang out and play games together.

 

[epicnemesis]

I miss the days of old where they fought the mob to defend the virtues of dickwolves.

 

[Miles708]

You all should be social distancing already.
We could be in an introvert utopia right now, but no...

 

[Nymphae]

I can't stand the art style anymore, he started out horrible, developed a really nice and unique style, then just went overboard with it, they look ridiculous now

 

[V2Tommy]

I can't stand the art style anymore, he started out horrible, developed a really nice and unique style, then just went overboard with it, they look ridiculous now

Exactly. It's gotten so grotesque over the years. It went from rough to stylish and then... whatever this new stuff is.

 

[teezzy]

I'm stunned PA is still around. Good for them. Must be hard to keep it interesting at this point.

 

[Shouta]

Wow, I haven't seen P-A in a while and now that I have, I kinda wish I hadn't. The technical aspects of his drawing has gotten a lot better but the style is kinda ugly.

 

[Mossybrew]

I still enjoy PA after many years. Feel like I kinda grew up with these dudes.

 

[TheMan]

I can't stand the art style anymore, he started out horrible, developed a really nice and unique style, then just went overboard with it, they look ridiculous now

wowza, same here. Looks terribad. Content is only meh as well.

 

[Paltheos]

Seems fine. We are still in the middle of a pandemic.

 

[Nymphae]

Imagine if they actually drew themselves instead of these super childish idealized versions of themselves. Gabe literally looks like a toddler half the time.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

still waiting for those bells

 

[Tesseract]

 

[DKehoe]

Imagine if they actually drew themselves instead of these super childish idealized versions of themselves. Gabe literally looks like a toddler half the time.

Always found it really weird that in real life they go by the names of the characters. Especially since those characters look nothing like them.

 

[Rentahamster]

I can't stand the art style anymore, he started out horrible, developed a really nice and unique style, then just went overboard with it, they look ridiculous now

Yup. I love that his art evolves and he's clearly gotten better over the years, but the current aesthetic looks odd to me. At least they don't have strawberries for noses anymore.

 

[Nymphae]

Always found it really weird that in real life they go by the names of the characters. Especially since those characters look nothing like them.

They do?

 

[DKehoe]

They do?

Yeh, like people refer to the two actual people as Gabe and Tycho despite them being called Jerry and Mike. It's strange.

On their twitter accounts (here and here) they go by those names rather than their actual ones.

 

[Rentahamster]

Yeh, like people refer to the two actual people as Gabe and Tycho despite them being called Jerry and Mike. It's strange.

On their twitter accounts (here and here) they go by those names rather than their actual ones.

What's so strange about using a handle on the interwebs?

 

[DKehoe]

What's so strange about using a handle on the interwebs?

I see your point, there's people like Notch who do the same. So I guess that isn't so unusual. But the names also being those of characters they write does add an extra layer to it. Particularly since the characters aren't directly them. It'd be kinda like if Stan Lee had started going by the name Spider-Man.

 

[Benjamin_MFF]

I think it's neat that they are encouraging social distancing with their characters in their comic. It sets a social standard that it's okay to take time apart and wait till we have recovered from Covid-19.

 

[Rentahamster]

I see your point, there's people like Notch who do the same. So I guess that isn't so unusual. But the names also being those of characters they write does add an extra layer to it. Particularly since the characters aren't directly them. It'd be kinda like if Stan Lee had started going by the name Spider-Man.

The characters they write were always supposed to be avatars of themselves, though. That's not like Spiderman.

 

[ManaByte]

Imagine if they actually drew themselves instead of these super childish idealized versions of themselves. Gabe literally looks like a toddler half the time.

 

[Thaedolus]

My mom gave me shit after looking in my search history and seeing the comic where they made fun of the size of the OG Xbox controller and said something about hammering nails into their dicks.

...that’s probably around the last time I read them, wtf happened to the art style?

 

[Zato]

What a weird thing to get upset about, they don't exist mate ..... seek help.

 

[iconmaster]

What a weird thing to get upset about, they don't exist mate ..... seek help.

You are my help.

 

[Goro Majima]

Always thought Penny Arcade was at its best when they were snarky and Gabe and Tycho hated each other.

Since they became dads they have mellowed out a whole hell of a lot.

 

[Rentahamster]

Always thought Penny Arcade was at its best when they were snarky and Gabe and Tycho hated each other.

Since they became dads they have mellowed out a whole hell of a lot.

Edgelords don't make for good parents, generally speaking. Evolve or die, Headmaster Yoda.

 

[Tesseract]

Edgelords don't make for good parents, generally speaking. Evolve or die, Headmaster Yoda.

das true

 

[Tesseract]

i'd like to think you can keep your edge as a father without careening toward the abyss and ruining your family

maybe you cannot, i've got no children and might be outta my limit

 

[Rentahamster]

i'd like to think you can keep your edge as a father without careening toward the abyss and ruining your family

maybe you cannot, i've got no children and might be outta my limit

True, skillfull entertainers can keep their real personality separate from their entertainment personas and switch between both when the situation applies. Seeing as how Gabe and Tycho's cartoon avatars are supposed to be a romanticized, satirized, caricatured, humorous slice of life take on their real lives, it's a little more intertwined. If their real lives evolve from angsty 90s gamer geek into modern gamer dad, that will inevitably reflect in their art.

 

[Thaedolus]

i'd like to think you can keep your edge as a father without careening toward the abyss and ruining your family

maybe you cannot, i've got no children and might be outta my limit

My kid isn't 2 yet and was parroting my angry f-bombs at another driver cutting me off when pulling my trailer the other day...adjustments must be made

 

[iconmaster]

Holy crap. Consider my goat ungotten!

Approximate - Penny Arcade

Videogaming-related online strip by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins. Includes news and commentary.

www.penny-arcade.com

I'm not saying it's due to the fact that I tweeted the authors a week ago, but I did tweet the authors a week ago:

 

[Thaedolus]

But why do they still look like they’re trying to take giant rock hard shits in every panel