Byrobot Review

Byrobot by Byron Hussie

Byrobot falls in the category of comics that I describe as purposefully simplistic. These comics focus on breaking down the comic to the roots. Works in this category usually consist of individual pages that are three to four panels of very sketchy artwork. In fact in my interview with Byron Hussie, he confesses that he doesn't spend very much time on the comic. It shows but honestly the comic works because of that simplicity. This ironic negligence that has caused other similar comics to strike it big - ie Toothpaste For Dinner, xkcd, Explosm (to a lesser extent) and so on.

The art as I said is very simplistic. A primal force that breaks humor to the basics. Sketches. That same term that we use for short bits of comedy. Not always full formed.

The writing for the current comics either come from the readers in the form of loose ideas or from the mind of Hussie himself, a seemingly chaotic world of loose associations and references. The jokes themselves often lack a true punchline.

Besides the fan submissions and the family connections (to Andrew Hussie of MS Paint Adventures) the comic lacks the big draw it needs to stake its claim in the genre. Possibly multiple daily updates, maybe alternate comics or maybe figuring a way to allow people to post comments on the comic themselves

As it stands now it is good for a laugh or for a moment but it lacks completion. Still as a new comic with a long background of older material it may just find that missing piece. B-

Next week I review City of Reality, a webcomic that uses Flash well!

Byron Hussie Interview

The Koltreg Blog presents an interview (chat style) with Byron Hussie of Byrobot. Come back Friday for a review and Tuesdays for Interview type stuff.

Koltreg: Indeed. This interview is setting Koltreg Blog history. The Kol-Byro-Intro-Show.

Byron Hussie: Huge. Huge.

Koltreg: Massive.

Byron Hussie: Shall we?

Koltreg: Oh, we already are. But lets get down to the business. How would you describe your comic?

Byron Hussie: not very well drawn

Koltreg: Haha.

How would you describe it so people would want to read it?

Byron Hussie: I'm not much of a salesman but you know, I'll take an idea and do something that maybe you wouldn't expect. Lots of bait and switch and non-punchline punchlines. Also maybe it's kind of cute?

Koltreg: In a way.

Koltreg: It reminds me a lot of your brothers older stuff.

Koltreg: Manimals and such.

Byron Hussie: Humanimals

Koltreg: Yeah.

Byron Hussie: Yeah, we have been drawing comics like this for years. He used to do them on a website called "Team Special Olympics." He'd do kind of tossed off stuff like I do called scriblettes. Then he had another tier where he'd work a little harder on the artwork called "blurbs." And then occasionally he'd do really detailed expansive stuff like whistles. I basically can only do the scriblette type stuff. I have not worked very hard on my art. But yeah we have been doing this kind of crap since we were children.

Koltreg: I have a brother so I understand that whole competitive relations and interest thing.

What would you say are your favorite webcomics right now?

Byron Hussie: Achewood is probably my all time favorite. I also like Jeffrey Rowland's stuff, Wigu and Overcompensating. I like KC Green because I kinda see his stuff as what I would do if I was better Same with White Ninja and uhhh Dr. McNinja is classic. MSPaint Aventures is good too.

Koltreg: I do see a lot of similarities between some of the comics you are mentioning, KC Green and White Ninja. The humor and the art and such.

Byron Hussie: White ninja i think has kind of a similar backstory, two dudes just drawing little comics to amuse themselves for years. Then eventually putting it online. KC probably too although I don't really know what's going on with him.

Koltreg: Oh, I thought the creator was the third Hussie brother.

Byron Hussie: White Ninja?

Koltreg: Yeah

Byron Hussie: Nah no relation there I'm afraid. Just two Hussie bros. It would be kind of weird if there were a third. I wonder what that guy would be like.

Koltreg: Probably living in an attic.

Byron Hussie: Or maybe a sister. I wonder what it's like to have a sister. I have a step sister but it's not quite the same

Koltreg: I have a sister. Its mostly annoying.

Byron Hussie: Is she attractive?

Koltreg: No. She's like, 15.

Byron Hussie: Oh ok, probably a deal breaker.

Koltreg: Yeah. The whole unattractive and underage thing going for her.

Byron Hussie: I dunno i mean you probably aren't being objective, maybe she is a real beauty.

Koltreg: Well, I'm pretty sure women aren't objects. Except for washer women.

Byron Hussie: Interesting theory, next question!

Koltreg: What do you do when not creating comics?

Byron Hussie: Which is most of the time. I think I've put in maybe 2 hours in the last two weeks actually making comics. I could probably be doing 2 per day. I have a job at a financial consulting firm.

Koltreg: Ah. Making the money feel better?

Byron Hussie: Just doing stuff with financial data, not very glamorous but they give me all this money that I can use to buy food with. And other things.

Koltreg: Horses?

Byron Hussie: Not that much. I don't know how much horses cost ... probably at least a grand. And then you have to stable them which is like getting a second apartment I imagine.

Koltreg: So you find it hard to pony up for them?

Byron Hussie: Yes, neigh impossible.

Koltreg: Yeah, installion a stable is pretty expensive.

Byron Hussie: Um. whatever floats your oats?

Koltreg: I see what glue mean?

Byron Hussie: Dude, not funny.

Koltreg: :(

Byron Hussie: I mean um...not filly? Just kidding it was funny. Its funny when horses die and are made into glue.

Koltreg: It must be a sticky situation for their riders but moving on would probably be best.

Byron Hussie: Other than the job and the 2 hours of webcomicking I don't actually do that much because having a job takes up almost all of your time and is basically terrible.

Koltreg: Yeah. With all that compensation and such. An atrocity.

Byron Hussie: I mean, I feel like the universe owes me that without my having to work for it. The universe doesn't seem to feel the same way.

Koltreg: So, what can we expect to see in the future of the comic?

Byron Hussie: I intend to expand my production er.... increase since I'm basically doing all requests right now. It doesn't give me much room to work on some of the series I have. Serieses?

Koltreg: Seriouses?

Byron Hussie: I'd like to produce maybe like 10 comics per week and have some way the readers can toggle between the daily random strip and whatever series i am working on. I also at some point am going to go back and add alt text to all of my old strips because that lets you do an extra meta joke. Everyone loves that kind of thing. Also "comment on this strip" would be fun. Very web 2.0.

Koltreg: You could go secret Web 5.0. Let people post comments on the comics themselves.

Byron Hussie: That would be really metaphysical.

Koltreg: Eventually posting nothing and letting the reader imagine the comics.

Byron Hussie: That would be very PoMo, maybe PoPoMo.

Koltreg: PoPoMoTro

Byron Hussie: Yes, not sure what the tro is there.

Koltreg: Troll

Byron Hussie: Hmm, not sure what that means in this or any context.

Koltreg: Troll as in work the audience to your amusement. Trolling forums and such.

Byron Hussie: I am familiar with the concept. Are you suggesting that my comics are kind of like trolling the reader?

Koltreg: No, but if you were to post a blank page that filled up with comments over the comic. Post Post Modern Trolling.

Byron Hussie: I'm a pretty good troll, check this out.

Creationism is real.

How does that make you feel?

Koltreg: :O

Byron Hussie: More like Evo-lie-tion.

Koltreg: My mind sir, has been blown.

Byron Hussie: God Bless the Men and Women in our Armed Services. Freedom Ain't Free!

Koltreg: :O

Byron Hussie: Next question?

Koltreg: If you could play a game of pool with any two famous people, who would they be?

Byron Hussie: I'm really bad at pool. I dunno let me think.

Is Cokie Roberts still alive?

Koltreg: They don't need to still be alive

Byron Hussie: Ok well nevermind her anyway.

Koltreg: She is by the way.

Byron Hussie: Did you just wiki her

Koltreg: Yeah

Byron Hussie: Hard question. How about Robert Downey Jr and Morton Downy Jr. Morton Downey Jr loved smoking so much that it killed him.

Koltreg: Sounds like an interesting game.

Byron Hussie: That is rare, right.

Koltreg: That pretty much wraps up my questions as well.

Byron Hussie: Oh ok. Cool, thanks for interviewing me. I hope it was enlightening

Koltreg: It was.

Byron Hussie: Cool well i'm actually gonna go draw some comics. I did 2 already tonight. One is called "Give me back my eagles."

Koltreg: Well, have a good evening then and keep up the good work and I look forward to the updates.