"The Race: Part 5" Discussion

[Domovoi]

Merely referencing something does not make a comic good.

This, with a vengeance.

[Meagen]

This being a Joss Whedon production, we can safely assume the more likeable of the two got killed.

[Dobblesworth]

How fitting for a week of Firefly Fanboi Fapping from Randall, that it ends with a typo... (should be 'cancelled'). Now can people move on with their lives and delete the countless vandalism that has no doubt been added to the wikipedia pages for Firefail/Serenilol and anything in-between?

[dennisw]

hmm i'm definately joining that LJ group.. What could be better that more captain tightpants in no pants??
anyway even if the final battle was cancelled i'm sure, due to enormous pressure from fans, Randal will create a graphic novel to complete the saga.

There's always the full-length feature film option - a la Serenity.

How fitting for a week of Firefly Fanboi Fapping from Randall, that it ends with a typo... (should be 'cancelled'). Now can people move on with their lives and delete the countless vandalism that has no doubt been added to the wikipedia pages for Firefail/Serenilol and anything in-between?

It's that whole "pond" issue again. The author of the strip being from the one-ell side and all.

[Shmuel]

How fitting for a week of Firefly Fanboi Fapping from Randall, that it ends with a typo... (should be 'cancelled').

FAIL.

"Canceled" and "cancelled" are equally valid spellings, though the one-l version is more common in the U.S., and the two-l spelling is more common in the U.K. Try looking it up first next time.

[Meowgan]

The last panel will be great for making xkcd slightly worse.

I am willing to donate knitting to the cause of final electric skateboard battle.

[Xbehave]

I had to sit through an entire week of horribly contrived references of Randall's Fireflay Fantasy Fanfic for this to be the ending? Fitting, given the quality of the rest of the series... but seriously... fuck that shit.

Seriously‽ if you don't like it GTFO, nobody made you read xkcd this week. Those of us who enjoyed it, enjoyed it a lot. If you didn't like it on Monday you were free to fuck off till next Monday, its free you suo-SHEE!

Slightly disappointed at the lack of Saffron, maybe i just have a thing for read-headed shiong-mung duh kwong-runs

[Killa B]

Okay, this one was pretty funny. I started cracking up about the "behind you" lines.

[BCMM]

I registered just to point out that Fillion said "Bwah!" when surprised.

[Jsty]

All I'm saying, is I can't wait for the day I hear Summer Glau say "Get out of my head, Randall!"

[a Person]

Fox is totally going to be confused by this. "Wait...we didn't cancel anything this time?! Why are they complaining?!"

Because we do want them to cancel something: Fox "News"

[haliblix]

I had to sit through an entire week of horribly contrived references of Randall's Fireflay Fantasy Fanfic for this to be the ending? Fitting, given the quality of the rest of the series... but seriously... fuck that shit.

Yes, how horrible it must have been to have wasted up to 2 long and agonizing minutes to read something for free on the internet. Imagine all the other things you could have done with that time lost...

That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed xkcd this week. I couldn't help myself but to go back and watch all the Firefly episodes all over again.

[Willl]

Thank god, it's finally over.

Glad it's not just me. I tried to enjoy it. I really did. But romance? No. Sarcasm? No. Math? No. Language? No. I didn't even bother checking Thursday's.

[BioTube]

What's with all the hate? It's free entertainment - take it or leave it.

[katadams]

To those discussing politics (Both sides): PBBBBT! I FFFFART in your general direction!

On to the relevant issue in this thread. I love Nathan's reaction to being yanked off the board. I'll also note a player in the Changeling game I'm part of has a character based loosely on Mal. Next time I'm in an argument with him, the words "Bring it, captain Tightpants" will be used XD

*insert bi-partisan political rabble-rousing here*

[SirMustapha]

Seriously‽ if you don't like it GTFO, nobody made you read xkcd this week.

May I? May I? Let me prepare my powers, wait, let me remember the quote properly... oh, yes, here it is!

.

.

.

Does that button say "POST REPLY" or "KISS THE AUTHOR'S ASS"?

Thank you!

[Homncruse]

May I? May I? Let me prepare my powers, wait, let me remember the quote properly... oh, yes, here it is!

Does that button say "POST REPLY" or "KISS THE AUTHOR'S ASS"?

Thank you!

You're forgetting the fundamental flaw in all this debate over whether the series sucked: if you REALLY didn't care for the strip, you wouldn't have bothered to comment. Clearly you cared at least a little.

I loved the series. It wasn't the funniest, but it was a fun read. I could've used more cameos though - Jayne, Simon, Jayne, Wash, Jayne, Shepherd, Jayne... Of course, as an extension to the blurring of realism between fiction and reality,

Spoiler:

I might excuse the absence of Wash and Shepherd - Fanboy probably would've freaked out at seeing dead people

.

[Roivas]

"Let this be our final battle"

Nice work on the Master's of the Universe quote. I hope that's what it is anyhow, or I just proved to have read too much into that line, or watched the live action He-Man movie too often.

[SirMustapha]

You're forgetting the fundamental flaw in all this debate over whether the series sucked: if you REALLY didn't care for the strip, you wouldn't have bothered to comment. Clearly you cared at least a little.

I dunno, I'm not talking about not caring about the strip. Either way, I care more than enough for xkcd as a whole to be bothered by this particular series. For a fact, Randall owns xkcd, he does whatever he wants with it, it's his right. But why do some think that means people aren't allowed to express any negative opinions? Sheesh, people, if you enjoyed the series, try being a little more confident and stop getting all fussy with the criticisms. It even looks like the fans are going to fall into an identity crisis because of this...

[Katieesq]

Whatever guys, this series of strips is just a thinly veiled attempt for Randall Munroe to have an electric skateboard race with Nathan Fillion at this year's Comic Con. Though I only have anecdotal evidence, Fillion is known to be gracious towards his fans, and putting out the strip now gives him enough time to get acquainted with an electric skateboard so as not to embarrass himself. You'd think long time readers would be hip to his machinations by now.

/conspiracy theory

And I humbly request we all collectively get over defensiveness over Firefly. Some people like Firefly. Some people don't. Hell, some people haven't even seen Firefly. None of those conditions makes your love of Firefly more or less valid.

[BlueEyedGreen]

Hahaha, Summer Glau's character was inspired. And the fact that she won was priceless. That was a good little story.

[SummerGlauFan]

This was great! Epic win to Randall!

If he ever does race Nathan, someone needs to get it on video.

[Kalos]

Seriously‽ if you don't like it GTFO, nobody made you read xkcd this week. Those of us who enjoyed it, enjoyed it a lot. If you didn't like it on Monday you were free to fuck off till next Monday, its free you suo-SHEE!

Slightly disappointed at the lack of Saffron, maybe i just have a thing for read-headed shiong-mung duh kwong-runs

If you don't like it, GTFO, nobody made you read my post.

The ending was (more or less) the exact same thing of "then he woke up, it was all a dream" but with a Firefly reference, and that's ignoring that most of the character interactions didn't make any sense whatsoever in order to pepper in more Firefly references.

[MuToiD_MaN]

It finally occurred me midway through the last comic that I was basically reading Firefly fanfiction where the author inserts himself into the story. Based on that "Geek Heirarchy" flowchart, that's pretty down there.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BGrfTE7rwvU/R ... artbig.gif

Just sayin'

[saraid]

You're forgetting the fundamental flaw in all this debate over whether the series sucked: if you REALLY didn't care for the strip, you wouldn't have bothered to comment. Clearly you cared at least a little.

I dunno, I'm not talking about not caring about the strip. Either way, I care more than enough for xkcd as a whole to be bothered by this particular series. For a fact, Randall owns xkcd, he does whatever he wants with it, it's his right. But why do some think that means people aren't allowed to express any negative opinions? Sheesh, people, if you enjoyed the series, try being a little more confident and stop getting all fussy with the criticisms. It even looks like the fans are going to fall into an identity crisis because of this...

It's my party and I can nerdrage if I want to. Rage if I want to. Hate if I want to.

[kittens]

I know XKCD has really been going downhill lately, but damn, this week was a fucking trainwreck.

[Xbehave]

Dear god who did i read your spoiler i cant unremember that Wuh de tyen ah!!! (still not see the movie)

Does that button say "POST REPLY" or "KISS THE AUTHOR'S ASS"?

I think there is a difference between kissing the author's ass and getting annoyed at idiots who feel entitled to criticize something they get for free. Its obvious that some people don't enjoy some comics, but there is a difference between saying

Totally didn't find that funny, hope Randall gets back to to mr black hat soon

and

I know XKCD has really been going downhill lately, but damn, this week was a fucking trainwreck.

You will notice how character A has expressed his dislike of the current comic without sounding like a twat, yet kittens^H^H^H character B has come across as some 12y/o from 4chan.

There is also a sutbtle line between

Oh god that was so funny, randall is so great

and

If you don't like what you saw nobody cares, how about you get back to fscking your mother

the second isn't really being a fan-boy its just being offensive to people i can't stand!

[ThemePark]

You're forgetting the fundamental flaw in all this debate over whether the series sucked: if you REALLY didn't care for the strip, you wouldn't have bothered to comment. Clearly you cared at least a little.

I dunno, I'm not talking about not caring about the strip. Either way, I care more than enough for xkcd as a whole to be bothered by this particular series. For a fact, Randall owns xkcd, he does whatever he wants with it, it's his right. But why do some think that means people aren't allowed to express any negative opinions? Sheesh, people, if you enjoyed the series, try being a little more confident and stop getting all fussy with the criticisms. It even looks like the fans are going to fall into an identity crisis because of this...

It's my party and I can nerdrage if I want to. Rage if I want to. Hate if I want to.

You would nerdrage too, if this week's XKCD comics happened to yoooooooooooooooooooooooou.

[Angelbaka]

I feel this is appropriate....
And I Quote:

Arguing on the internet is like competing in the Special Olympics: even if you win, you're still a F$$king retard.

Now that that's said, why to I get the feeling Randall will make a comic about Fanboy and Fillion punching each other in the face and both falling over unconscious? Maybe it's just a very fitting end...

*MXKCDSW comic senses tingling...*

[Troger64]

Is it just me or does it look like a tiny hang glider runs into the back of the stickmans head?

[Durandal]

Okay.

Please realize that 'you can't criticize it because it's free' is not a valid argument. By that reasoning, you shouldn't be able to criticize most art, because it's (usually) freely available for viewing on the internet, or if nothing else at a local art gallery/on television/at the library (you do pay for television, but you also pay for internet yes?). You certainly don't have to own something in order to criticize it, merely have rights to view it. Additionally, praise is a form of criticism, as criticism does not necessarily require that the commentary be negative.

Seriously, without negative commentary what would this thread be? Pretty much a circle-jerk of fanboys who love anything with the name xkcd or firefly on it (and especially some combination thereof). Which is fun for the fanboys I suppose, but after a while you gotta move on to a more stimulating form of discussion, like I don't know, debating the comic's merits and faults. Note that 'merits' and 'faults' are separated by 'and'. Implying that they both exist.

Moving on.

Just because someone happens to not enjoy this particular series doesn't mean they should 'GTFO' and stop reading it. All forms of art that are produced over time have their ups and downs (see: every TV show ever made [yes, even Firefly]). I enjoy perhaps 1 in every 6 comics that I read here nowadays, and for me that is an acceptable ratio to keep on checking them.

[SpringLoaded12]

Summer Glau's popularity went down 33% this week on imdb.

Ouch. Bad episode of Chronicles? Random drug/sex scandal? Although that doesn't sound like Summer Glau to me at all...

Now, see, what actually happened was that in the middle of the fight, Sean Maher got shot for the 3rd time and everyone freaked out and went to help him, so the fight was never concluded.

[Xbehave]

Seriously, without negative commentary what would this thread be? Pretty much a circle-jerk of fanboys who love anything with the name xkcd or firefly on it (and especially some combination thereof). Which is fun for the fanboys I suppose, but after a while you gotta move on to a more stimulating form of discussion, like I don't know, debating the comic's merits and faults. Note that 'merits' and 'faults' are separated by 'and'. Implying that they both exist.

I think the keyword is discus its faults, saying "this comic sux", is the equivalent of walking into the Tate modern and saying modern art sucks, in other words being a dick. I go to a lot of art shows with art that isn't all that impressive (a couple of my flatmates are at art school), however
1) I would never go up to an artist and say "that sucks"
2) If I don't like a piece and I'm talking to somebody about it, i wont say "that sucks", I'll explain why i think it sucks
These are called manners, just because your on the internet doesn't mean you shouldn't have any!

Just because someone happens to not enjoy this particular series doesn't mean they should 'GTFO' and stop reading it.

Not enjoying it is fine, I'm sure plenty of people didn't enjoy it,

I never watched this series...I feel starved for a programming joke. Or science. Or relationships. I'd even take language.

This entire series is really disappointing. Just waiting it out to the end, I guess. There are still, thankfully, other webcomics out there for which the "nerd" factor still outweighs bland pop culture references.

It wasn't even the rude idiots saying "that sucks" that pissed me off (although they are dicks for just saying "that sucks" with no justification), It was the needlessly offensive morons that provoked my rage

... but seriously... fuck that shit.

I know XKCD has really been going downhill lately, but damn, this week was a fucking trainwreck.

[Hammer]

The off-topic torture argument has been cleared out of this thread. Please don't feed the trolls, k? Removing a troll post is a lot easier than removing a troll post and the 30 replies/accusations of trolling that refer to it. Also, if you'd like to not spend any more pages calling each other morons and idiots, that would be ok too.

[mrbaggins]

...You people who dislike it...why are you even reading xkcd if you haven't seen or don't like Firefly or Serenity? (No, don't answer that, but seriously, Firefly is awesome.)

I'm answering anyway. So there.

Merely referencing something does not make a comic good. I love Serenity and Firefly. There's some good strips with references, including 311 and 561.
I also like pencils, but that doesn't mean if a strip is drawn concerning pencils that it will automatically be good.

Also, 5 strips about Mr. Fillion, and no mention of that horrible flop, Drive, or the actually pretty good, currently running Castle? There's some serious comic material there.

Or Dr Horrible. That stuff is pure awesome after about half way through. Hadn't heard of Castle. Investigating now.

[Baxter]

Epic finish. Clearly, it's up to fanfic writers to recreate those last few panels.

Surely you mean "other fanfic writers".

[mikekearn]

I generally loathe going onto Facebook, but I did so anyway just to join the group. It already has hundreds of members. I don't know why I'm stunned, as previous xkcd-inspired events should have trained me better, and yet I am.

I personally loved the whole thing. I am a great fan of Firefly and Serenity, and dearly regret that the series was canceled. Damn Fox and their inability to differentiate between good shows and crap shows. (People often talk about all the good shows Fox has canceled, but they have also canceled a ridiculous amount of terrible shows. That is the problem - they just seem to not know which is which anymore.)

[milN]

Bah, I think xkcd should stay away from story lines. It doesn't work out..

[LTK]

This could have been good, I guess. But it was bad. It may well have been the worst xkcd I have ever read.

(Also: *high-fives milN for registering only for the purpose of commenting on this comic*)

[Durandal]

It wasn't even the rude idiots saying "that sucks" that pissed me off (although they are dicks for just saying "that sucks" with no justification), It was the needlessly offensive morons that provoked my rage.

On the other side, we have people saying 'EPIC WIN' with no justification. Explain how that is different.

Anyway, there were a multitude of reasons why I didn't like this series. The first comic didn't have any attempt at a punchline. It just sort of existed to inform us of what is happening. It should have been the first few panels of a longer comic. The rest of them consisted of Randall justifying transposing Firefly to real life by making the actors act exactly like their characters. There were a couple attempts at humor, but most of them just fell flat (see: the cringe-worthy last panel of comic 3). The fourth comic didn't offer much except for Summer Glau acting strange (RANDOMNESS LAWL), and Randall displaying a fairly creepy view of the cast, which was supposed to be funny I guess. The final comic included some attempts at humor, but mostly served to set up what is a fairly lame punchline for coming after a five-part series, which you guys then set up a facebook group about. I'm not sure why - your membership in it basically amounts to saying Gee Willikers I READ XKCD TOO!

The overarching reason for my dislike is that Randall appears to be trying to cash in on the so-called 'life imitates xkcd' phenomenon in order to meet the cast and do something nerdy with them, thus reinforcing his nerd deity-like status with certain people. Needless to say I hope it does not work; this is one spectacle that need not be re-enacted, especially in real life.