That it is!

KANG #45
Synopsis: Kang Kanonizing Kombat Kontinuity Kontinues with Kano!
With Cage out of the picture, Sonya and Kano are left alone to face the four pronged assault of the man-dragon - Goro! Endurance match!
I like them odds!

Kang #44: 3/5

Kang 45: 3/5

Heh. I like this kind of joke. For some reason, I always laugh at it. 4/5

Kang #45 2.5/5

For those who NEVER in their entire tenure(if you don't know what it means, look it up) as members of the MKO community been to the IRC chatroom, Mick and I have discussed this and have come as close to an agreement as humanly possible before calling it an agreement that this edition of Kang certainly deserved that score(Mick did make the point of nemesis giving it a higher score and I blamed it on the holiday season). In any case, this message is clearly for those who I am 100% certain will question this score with every extent of the rules and regulations that the Moderators(oh how we love them....) have imposed upon us. And as such This can be considered the response to the questions that have yet to be asked.


I'm Genku, that's my point, and I'm sticking to it.

What exactly are you on about? Your comics suck. You obviously can't take critisism very well can you? And your jokes aren't getting any better either. Wait...that must be because they never change...

What are you on about? I asked you to tack on a score out of five!
You're so freaking touchy and fickle and adversarially obsessed; it's impossible to take you seriously!

I just want people commenting to post an 'outta five!'
Stop being paranoid, you spiteful maniac!

Or alternatively, if you want to spur some kind of reactionary vendetta, enclose an X/5 score, so I can at least take something from that. Legitimate criticism, or not.



Yeah, this kinda surprised me, like Genku said.
I thought 44 was much better than 45.

I'd agree that the Goro thing has probably dragged on a little long, which doesn't help matters, but I also just think... Eh, Kano swapping sides.
It was maybe a little bit more involving than forty-four in the set-up, but it didn't pay-off for me. I also feel like it's probably a gag that's been done a million times before.
It's just there for consistency's sake.

KANG #46
Synopsis: Alright, it's pretty much a down hill ride from here as we approach the konclusion to the MK tournament, folks!
In the throneroom, the forgettable hero of our story, Liu Kang, continues his battle against the sinister sorceror - Shang Tsung!
Apparently evenly matched, does Kang have something up his sleeve to prevail?
Kanonizing the Kombat Kontinuity through Kang!

Kang #45: Rated 3.2

Lol, Sektor_Rulz. You're silly. End.

What?

45: 0/5

There is an on-going story here, lest we forget.

I think Kang's always read better in immediate succession, but moreso from now onward they're instalments. There's no quick-gag structure anymore, as far as I can recall.
This is much more classic comic strip storytelling now, so they at least make sense within their own context, but paste together for more of an on-going story.

The gags are much more throwaway now. The kind of thing you'd see in more traditional storytelling, as comedy relief. Mostly Rayden and Johnny Cage with a few 'background' gags.
Otherwise, this is about wrapping up the MK tournament as the spine that held this series of Kang together.

Part of that just comes from the natural progression of the material, but it might have also been an attempt to at least entertain a compromise between humor and straight laced stuff. These were probably done around the first couple of pages of this thread, where there was more discussion about what does and doesn't work.

You will even see me go a little outside the standard MK graphic box.
Although, there's a much more specific example of that in Khristmas Kang, which has a special Nemesis316 'homage.'


So If, "What?," is an actual question, I might have dropped a half-answer in here somewhere.

I haven't wanted to explain every detail of every strip, because I think ]{0MBAT highlighted how much better things sit when they're self-explanatory, but something like the Scorpion/Noob strip probably works better if you don't think it's a 'random zombie,' and if you're aware there's an on-going continuity here. Which I know some people have been unaware of, probably for coming in late.

This one's probably less mystifying because Kang #44 was very recent, but it draws on several things.

As far as assumed canonical fights, there isn't a lot to go on for the first MK.
You sort of have Liu Kang going straight to fighting Shang Tsung, and something about Sonya/Kano/Cage fighting Goro. That might have been switched up or tweaked since, but that was what you had originally (along with Sub-Zero/Scorpion).

I've kind of tried to fit those sorts of things into this light hearted story, with a few tweaks. Shaolin Monks presented a flatter scenario, so I didn't draw on that, but I did at least take the reference of the throne room being located directly above Goro's lair.
So, that's how you get the MK3 style break through of Cage into the throne room, albeit with dodgy effects.

This is also an attempt to better put together the fact that Goro, Sonya and Kano 'disappear' after the tournament, but Cage escapes with the others -- even though he was there fighting Goro.

So, there you go.
A little bit of an explanation. Hopefully anyone unaware of the on-going thought process is a bit more aware of the situation, now.
Even if that isn't the problem here with the 'zero.' Although, that does seem to suggest it was read to be the more usual structured gag strip.

Are you seriously asking for trouble Mick? I'll warn you one more time so watch it.

What made 44 so great was the "I'll be baaaaack" line at the end.

WHY that's so great is because in the John Tobias MK1 comic, Kano is punching Johnny Cage and says: "Say it, Cage! Say the line 'I'll be back!'" Cage responds with a shadow kick, "Sorry pal, that wasn't my movie!" (Of course referring to Arnold Schwarzenegger).

I don't even know if this was the author's intention or not, or even if anyone else saw it from the same perspective as I did, but as a long time MK fan that panel in the strip worked on a lot of different levels; nice work!

I'll keep an eye on it for you, but I'm gonna need at least two drinks breaks...



Hah! That's hilarious!
I'd love to say that's where I was coming from, but it wasn't quite that inspired. Not this time, at least.

It was more just thinking generally about the MK4 ending (where he refers to Arnold -- perhaps a related Tobias-ism?), and just trying to give him really familiar, cheesy action dialogue after he gets his arse kicked.

If we end up doing a third series (interim between MK1 and MKII), there are already a few gags along those lines. Geared more to the MK fan invested in things outside the games.
It's fun, AND educational!

KANG #47
Synopsis: Kang Kontinues!
In Shang Tsung's throne room, the final showdown between sorceror and martial artist rages on! Liu Kang has proven himself a truly worthy warrior, but what nefarious skills has Shang Tsung saved until now?
Canonizing Kombat continuity!

Kang #46: Rated a 0/5
Drop a score out of five, folks.

These are pretty good. I get them...

Thanks!

KANG #48
Synopsis: Kombat Kontinues!
As Shang Tsung unleashes his metamorphing powers, the balance of power turns once more to favour the evil sorceror. Is all hope lost? Is Liu Kang's soul doomed? Was Reptile's prediction way back at the beginning true?
The answers lie here, as we approach tournament's end!

Kang #47: DNR

KANG #49
Synopsis: With Shang Tsung's soul stealing attack interrupted, does Liu Kang have what it takes to save the Earthrealm?
Safe bet?... Yes. Yes he does.
Kanonizing it like it REALLY happened!

Kang #48: DNR

Kang #49: 5/5 in my book, but now to some personal buidness


To those who have a problem with people like Mick posting their works of art on this forum: DON'T FUCKING READ IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just don't see why people like, oh no one in particular...like sektor_rulz has the right to threaten others on the basis that that one particular person hates the author's work and that author kept posting it.

Need proof?!?!?
Fine read this:





That was a response to a post made earlier by Mick-Lucifer regarding an earlier post made by sektor_rulz in which sektor_rulz made his opinions clear that he didn't like the material used in Mick's Kang Comic. in and of itself, the original s_R post giving his opinion was warrented. He didn't like it. a lot of people don't. but to go so far as to threaten Mick just because mick kept on posting?!?!?!? c'mon. I don't care what the exact situation behind it was, the fact remains I interpreted that particular post by sektor_rulz as a threat to Mick-Lucifer and i am intent on either seeing sektor_rulz serverely modded for it, or have it explained to me what exactly s_r can do on this forum

Ummm...You have no idea what I was talking about do you? So first of all, yes I warned him I did not threaten him. As you can see I said "I'll warn you one more time". I did NOT warn him because "he kept on posting" he knows exactly why I did. Direct flaming and deliberately trying to piss me off over and over and over and over. Read the post in which he describes me as a "spiteful maniac". I wouldn't call "spiteful maniac" a flame that is skull worthy but the rest was.

I warned him a tonne of times and ignored it but now he has gone too far so now he gets a skull. I wasn't going to skull him but he pushed me in this thread then after this argument in IRC so as a result he now has one skull point awarded from me. I never said once that I "didn't like the material used in Mick's comics" all I said was that I didn't like the comics because they weren't funny. Please try and read a bit more carefully as you are putting words into my mouth.

Don't bother asking the way he flamed or how he deliberately tried to piss me off because I wont say it's too much type. I've been a Shadow Priest for a very long time now and I'm pretty sure I know the rules of it. I don't think anyone in there right mind would skull someone or warn someone for a pathetic reason as you just described. I know what I am doing and I have PERFECT 100% LEGIT reason for skulling Mick.

Sorry if you misunderstood what was going on. Try and get the full details before making such an accusation.

Please stop fighting over a comic, it's just dumb. Just live with other people's opinions.

And #49 was funny. #48 was... idk.

I just read all of these, they're pretty funny.

Nice take of what happened in MK1.

I like how you combine the John Tobias MK2-comic book ideas (Goro vs Cage/Sonya/Kano) with MKSM-era ideas (Kung Lao disguised as a masked guard); even though those two different interpretations contradicted each other you've come up with a nice blend - with some MK movie stuff thrown in to boot. I don't know how many members can appreciate the variety mixed in, I think it may be lost on some people, but I caught it and nice job. In fact, I caught stuff you didn't even know you did!

I'm pretty sure if you read his post again...



Danke!
Yeah, I think forty-eight lags a little because it's all event, and not much else. Not as one-stop entertaining as the others, but hopefully it all reads pretty well now that it's all laid out.



Cheers!
I'd be interested in the opinions of some of the people who were feeling it wasn't going anywhere early on. I wonder how reading them one after the other might alter that opinion.

I definitely wanted to have something that could sustain a daily readership, but I do think it would probably read much better as a whole.



I think even right from the first MK, the think that attracted me to the games the most was the characters and story. That really takes off in MKII, where I think the story becomes a little clearer within the game itself, and you get a lot more interesting and vivid characters - but right from the beginning: Rayden, Goro... They leap right out!

Hopefully there's at least a little something for every MK fan within the story of Kang, even if that's something as simple as the comedy relief of Johnny Cage. But yeah, I think fans invested in the story and characters will hopefully get a kick out of that, and I'm such a big fan of stories that are willing to refer to themselves, and establish a solid continuity.
So, I've always been relatively interested in mapping the events of the MKs, and I think the first MK is probably one of the best places to do that because it was so vague.

I'd say the Shaolin Monk guys were very smart bridging the gap and working mostly in MKII, because the first game is just so much thinner.
You've got a tournament alluded with something like nine or ten fights, and one of those is Reptile who's a secret bodyguard.
Obviously this is a light hearted strip, and I by no means think I've made an MK bible or anything, but once I realised sprite manipulation could be fun - that was an underlying intention. To try to tell a cohesive story within the MK story, right up to MKA, if I could do it.

I've since seen on the Kombat Pavilion another series that followed the events of MK, and I'm sure there are others. So it's probably not as original as I would've liked, but hopefully my take on it at least makes it a worthwhile contribution.

Thanks for the comments!
Obviously it's always a lot more fun to discuss and read comments that are picking up on everything I'm trying to lay down.

And with that... We wrap up the first MK tournament.
Regular Kang still has up to #52 and then it's twelve days of Khristmas specials, which should be some silly fun. I think the first one's a hoot.
Thank you very much to everyone dropping scores out of five. I encourage you to continue! It's a very convenient one-stop measurement of whether or not it's working.

For anyone who hasn't seen it, The Kombat Pavilion has an update with Kang right up to now.
You can also still find Kang, and a whole range of other silliness at The Hammer, where I'm probably going to be talking more about my "real" comics over the next few months.

But now after fifty straight days, and 208 panels of Kang:
KANG #50
Synopsis: Kung Lao has come to the aid of his Shaolin brother, and swung the balance back in Earthrealm's favour! Victory is almost certainly assured, but one can never underestimate the treachorous sorcerory of Shang Tsung!
Kanonizing Kombat Kontinuity!

Kang #49: Rated a 5/5

KANG #51
Synopsis: Kang Kontinues... Sort of.
The aftermath of the tournament is HERE! What happened to the warriors of the Mortal Kombat tournament? Only Kang kan tell you true kombat kanon based on kontinuity!... Or something.

Kang #50: DNR

KANG #52
Synopsis: Kombat konkludes.
The final chapter of the first tournament is recorded, but will there be a second tournament? Well... Yeah, but maybe not for Kang.
Kanonizing Kombat Kontinuity almost always!

Twelve days of Khristmas #1 (of twelve)
Synopsis: The antics of the Mortal Kombatants have stirred the attentions of warriors from other domains as well. Warriors who aren't too happy with certain similarities between events.
Hilarity ensues.

KANG #51: DNR

OOO! But now the hero is dead! How could you kill Liu KANG?! He's EVERYONE'S favorite MK fighter!

I wonder if he tastes like Turkey. Maybe we can ask Reptile.

I'm pretty sure Liu appears in eleven of the twelve days of Kang Khristmas, so do not be alarmed at all, fair maiden!

When asked just such a question, all Reptile would do was recite poetry about Johnny Cage.

Meeeerrrryyy Christmas!