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Web Comic Review #2 - Wapsi Square

Web and Digital Comics David Doub - Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - 20:15

Title: Wapsi Square

Review:

Note - The first review is mine and the second is from my sidekick

First Review

Pros –
The biggest thing I noticed about Wapsi Square is that the art really showed a mark improvement from the beginning is the art. At the beginning it was a very loose unsure style, but over time it because into a more detailed and fleshed out style. And even better it’s unique and can be recognized as the artists own style.

Cons –
Way too many Titties and Ass jokes. Way too many. Titties, titties, titties, ass, ass, ass, titties, and ass. A lot of the humor seems to revolve around juvenile sexual humor and innuendo. And that type of humor only seems to confuse me more about the comic as it goes through a directional shift. At the beginning of the comic, is all about sight gags, simple humor, and "You had to be there" jokes. Then the comic start taking a shift toward a much darker bent with a lot of personal angst and some weird mystical stuff. It’s fairly clear in the beginning that the creator didn't have a firm grasp on his plotting, so it was simple gag strip stuff and latter he tries to throw in new elements. Problem is that he didn't really incorporate it well. The creator had all the subtlety and finesses of a brick hitting you in the head. The comic had a certain story logic to it, and the creator starts to ignore the setting he created to make it fit plot ideas he comes up with latter.

Is this comic PVP with more breasts or a rambling episode of Dawson's Creek? The creator really needs to get a handle on what he wants to do with the comic and do it.

Final Verdict –
After reading the majority of Wapsi Square, I’d have to say I’m totally indifferent to it. While I like the art, the story and humor is flat so I’m really neutral on it.

Suggestion –
It seems like the creator is trying to fit too much into one webcomic (which I’m starting to notice is a trend among webcomics). So my suggestion would be that creator make 2 (or 3) comics and each of them have their own different and unique strengths. As it is now, he has one comic that is a meandering mess.

Second Review

Art -

The art of Wapsi Square is confident and skillful, Paul Taylor really knows his stuff.. Character designs are all distinctive and designed in a unique looking cartoon style. Most of the archives are black and white with occasional color, though in the last year I've noticed that Taylor has branched out into screen tones quite a bit.

Really there's nothing bad I can say about the art, I think it looks fantastic.

Writing -

Wapsi Square is an ongoing real to life story with some fantastical elements (such as a mexican god of beverage that the main character Monica discovers early on.) Paul Taylor has a nice grasp of sequential art and leaves each strip at the cusp of a new plot twist. There's a lot of webtoonists out there that could learn from this guy.

On the negative side I'm not estatic about the current Muse storyline. The three Muses are likable enough but I'm not really into supernatural atonement stories. At the moment I find the Tomboy Rachel and her struggle to try to help Monica deal with her demons, much more interesting then Monica herself.

But I'm confident this will change in due time. Wapsi Square is strongest when the characters are seeking and most often missing opportunities to fall in love and it will turn back to that eventually.

Overall -

Wapsi Square is an enjoyable comic, though perhaps not for everyone (lots of boob jokes). I would recommend reading this daily as there is always something new going on.

-Wrong

Related links:

Wapsi Square

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