Get your daily dose of Schlock in a concentrated, dead-tree edition! Pre-orders are open for "The Sharp End of the Stick", which encompasses what I happen to think is one of the best story lines from the 12+ year run of Howard Tayler's epical web comic Schlock Mercenary. I'm writing this post to try and win my own, personal, dead-tree fix of Schlock. Why, no - I don't have any shame. Why do you even have to ask? I mean, it's Schlock Mercenary.
What do you mean, you don't read it?
Wait... you've never even heard of it?!?
Yes, the early artwork is... crude. Much in the same way that a tree limb wielded as a club is crude. It gets the job done, though, and the artwork quickly improves, as does the story line. Which, much like the previously mentioned club, is quite capable of scrambling your brain and make you go "Whoa."
Don't believe me? Schlock's been nominated for four Hugo awards. Count 'em, four.
Yeah, thought so. Meanwhile, Schlock's hanging out with the likes of "The Forever War", "Gateway", "Ender's Game", "Cryoburn", "American Gods" and "Anathem".
Just saying'.
Over time, the art and story line have improved dramatically. To continue the weapon metaphor, by the time you reach the modern era, both have been through several tech upgrades. Howard quickly moves from that tree-limb club through various mace-like weapons until you reach the point at which Schlock is more of a hyper-velocity KEW than that rude club.
Yes, I am comparing reading Schlock Mercenary to being on the receiving end of a chunk of rock moving at a good percentage of the speed of light. If you think that's a bit over the top, I'll direct you to Maxim 37:
How many have you been nominated for?
Just saying'.
Over time, the art and story line have improved dramatically. To continue the weapon metaphor, by the time you reach the modern era, both have been through several tech upgrades. Howard quickly moves from that tree-limb club through various mace-like weapons until you reach the point at which Schlock is more of a hyper-velocity KEW than that rude club.
Yes, I am comparing reading Schlock Mercenary to being on the receiving end of a chunk of rock moving at a good percentage of the speed of light. If you think that's a bit over the top, I'll direct you to Maxim 37:
There is no 'overkill.' There is only 'open fire' and 'I need to reload.'
Howard Tayler opened fire June 12th, 2000. For more than a decade, he has repeatedly, consistently, and accurately managed to deliver his payload on-target: a top-notch SF story that rivals some of the best fiction you can get your hot little hands on, and which will make you chuckle, guffaw, laugh out load and often have you sitting on the edge of your seat, reading just one more strip before you... oh, crud, it's 4:30 in the morning? WHERE DID MY TIME GO?!?
Yeah. It's that good.
Yeah. It's that good.
1 comment:
You won! Email schlockmercenary@gmail.com with a mailing address and your preference for a back-of-the-book sketch!
Thanks for blogging!
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