So here goes the review for a webcomic I read on a daily basis (usually and fittingly alongside my morning cup of coffee): Questionable content (henceforth mentioned as QC) by J. Jacques.
I made the mistake, before the review, to check up on old QC comics – and thus had to read them all over again … You can’t help but to get drawn into the whole QC world once you start reading it.
The one thing you can’t help but notice if you reread the comic from the get-go is how much the art has improved over the years. The first comic (posted 2003) has much cruder graphics – J. Jacques is my hope at the end of the tunnel because he shows that practice can indeed improve your performance. The art in QC now is top notch, and if you look closely you will see single strips where an art improvement has been added (look for the eyes, for instance).
Also, in the very first strip we notice that the QC world differs from ours because we meet Pintsize, who is the Anthro-PC of Marten (the main character in the comic). Basically Anthro-PCs are talking, walking and (un)usually cute computers with personalities. Especially Pintsize is (although endearing) sometimes a real pain in the ass and (very often) a source of hilarity. Later on he is joined by other AnthroPCs like Winslow (who is more an iPod kinda AnthroPC) or Momo-tan (kawaii manga AnthroPC).
The comics themselves are scripted very nicely, and often incredible funny. There is a steady cast of characters (mostly female) that might seem overwhelming when you jump in the middle of the series, but is actually built up over the strips so if you read them chronologically you’ll see that they’re all properly introduced into the series, although almost none of them are normal – and those who seem normal might just have a dominatrix mother, weed-smoking parents or grew up in space. These whacky backgrounds help form the comic to what it is: Thoughtful, funny, witty and Indie.
QC has an active storyline that progresses a lot, and one that puts most television soaps to shame. Many of these storylines feature a slow build up (especially the Faye-Marten relationship)until they are resolved, if they are resolved at all. People get or lose jobs, solve relations or even take guesses at who Pizza Girl might actually be (my bet is on Penny’s twin sister).
Most of the QC action takes place either at the “Coffee of doom” shop (owned by one of the main characters, and several others work there) or in Marten and Faye’s apartment.
The comic itself is safe for work (I’d say no nudity, but let’s face it one must actually say “no nipples” to stay correct), but features some rather rude or sexual implicit language rather often, so it’s probably PG12+. The only problem with the “Safe for work” factor is if you are good at suppressing laughter so your co-workers won’t eye you suspiciously.
- Updates: Daily (mo-fr)
- Safe for work: Yes
- Art: 9/10
- Plot: 9.5/10
- Originality: 9/10
- Overall: 9.5/10
- Fun: 9/10
Whoops, that’s a whole lotta 9’s. Meh – can’t think of anything that’d score below that in QC.
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