Gloomverse

URL: gloomverse.smackjeeves.com
Creator/s: "Loverofpiggies"
Run: 10/11-current
Schedule: Mondays
Section/s: Ch. 2

Website: The site's super-colorful and happy-looking like the comic, and it's a presentation that certainly fits. The rotating banner at the top's a cool touch, too, giving readers a slightly different introduction to the site each time they visit.

The character page is done well, with brief and relevant descriptions. And the "mystery" characters below foreshadow future events in the story, which is a nice touch.

This webcomic has some cool merch and a color print version. It's a good way for a dedicated reader to support the creator.

Writing: Despite the bubbly aesthetics, all the characters in this comic are conceited, awful people, with the notable exception of Assistant, who seems grounded and mature compared to the rest of the cast. Those who've read Jhonen Vasquez's stuff (or seen his show) will pick up on some influences, and the "one sane person alone in a nightmare world of horrible people" shtick is one of them. Wallis is clearly the worst offender in the comic, being unabashadly arrogant, and while he's supposed to be an awesome magician, he actually sucks at it. And even though he sucks, he gets to gloat the whole time because his brother, Harold, sucks even more. And the Mooching Hobo's just as bad, trying to get sympathy while selling out his friend for a piece of candy. Of those three, Harold's probably the most likable, as while he's rather vain and constantly steals from people, it seems a bit unfair that he's homeless while his brother lives in a mansion. And you've gotta feel a little bad for Harold when his brother calls him a loser.

The creator's great at setting up gags, often utilizing the characters' brashness and over-the-top facial expressions. The awkward silent panel on this page is a particularly funny moment, and some other gags that stood out to me are the store scene, Lemon Head's surprise entrance, and the goofy moment when the brothers meet. The dialogue and plot are capably handled as well, and even the more serious moments towards the end of the chapter are done skillfully enough.

The fight scene is choreographed very well, although I'm a little disappointed it isn't longer. I'm also particularly interested in the characters' magical abilities, and I would've probably liked to see more instances of magic being used.

Lastly, I'm confused why Wallis keeps calling Harold "Gloom," when Gloom is Wallis' last name as well. It seems very strange to refer to a sibling by their last name.

Art: I expected the glaring colors would "seriously hurt my eyes," but by the end of the chapter I felt pretty used to them. The super-colorful look is really different, and it's kinda like Adventure Time but more intense. (There's a Finn cameo in one of the pages I linked.) It also helps that the creator does the backgrounds and the characters in different styles, and the scenes never go so far as those awful Lisa Frank pictures. I wouldn't be surprised if some readers are agitated by the comic's intense coloring, though.

As I noted above, a lot of the comic's humor works well because of the characters' ridiculous poses and facial expressions, and the creator's great at conveying mood and personality without needing a lot of detail. The wiggly arms (more Adventure Time influence) and Harold's floating arms and hands add to the characters being absurd and fluid. The outfits are also terrific, and I never got tired of looking at the magicians' bizarre get-ups and Assistant's multicolored dreadlocks. I'm also consistently amused at how Harold always has a candy cane loosely dangling from his mouth. I also like how the lettering changes size and color often to emphasize certain absurd moments.

The one area that I think needs work is the backgrounds, and while I noticed some detail here and there in the city scenes, the setting generally seems deserted and unrealistic. The bland rectangular buildings are part of the comic's silliness, sure, but it seems like the city's completely abandoned aside from the main characters and the store clerk, which I don't think is the creator's intent. Wouldn't there be some spectators around noticing a fight scene and a magic cloud flying through the city? And since Wallis is "the most famous magician in the world," wouldn't someone recognize him, especially with his bizarre outfit? And what do ordinary civilians think of magicians -- are they loved, feared, envied, or ridiculed? In any case, I would think twice before putting the characters in a heavily populated area and not factoring in the presence of other people.

Overall: This comic's a great read if the coloring doesn't bother your eyes too much. The creator cleverly adds bits and pieces from her various influences while creatively presenting a concept and designs that are pretty unique. It's definitely one of the funniest comics I've read lately, and despite the goofiness, I'm fairly interested in what happens with the plot, especially with the ominous Cake Girl character being introduced at the end of the chapter.

4.5/5