Webcomic Book Club Full Reviews of Kid Radd by Dan Miller

Art: The sprites may not be that detailed, but "Kid Radd" does a great job with the animation, especially when the creator gets into more detailed work. He also does a good job with the facial expressions, even though he doesn't have a lot to work with. Plus, it's all original. You hear that? ALL of it. Well, except for one Goomba and an invincibility star, but those were intentional. Characters: Very good designs. Radd is obviously an 80s child who's out of place, while Bogey and Sheena actually have some common sense. It's a very nice balance, and provides a lot of humor. At the same time, Radd quickly starts to learn that things are NOT the same outside of his own game-and even Bogey and Sheena have to adapt. Dr. Amp is interesting as a crazy old professor, while G. I. Guy provides a helpful-but unsettling-source of power. And Crystal, Gnarl and Kobayashi provides villains of every stripe-the serious, the wild card and the comic relief. The only character that hasn't worked out would be Julie, who doesn't get much development-she's tied to Dr. Amp, and thus hasn't had much screen time. While other characters can begin to learn more about themselves, Julie is stuck as an obsessive beegirl. Story: Intrigue, betrayal, death-"Kid Radd" doesn't play nice with its characters, and that's a good thing. The humor rarely disappears, but even the silliest characters can get downright serious at times-however, this doesn't happen at the drop of a hat. Crystal's ambition is nicely justified, and the troubles of adjusting to 'real life' have been nicely handled. I do worry about the current story, though, since I think it could bog down if the creator isn't careful. Writing: Very good. I really found myself caring for the characters, and I had no problem distinguishing who was speaking, even when it was just two text boxes and no one was visible. The twists and turns haven't come out of nowhere, but they're also unpredictable-just the mixture I like. Top-notch writing. Overall: I really love Kid Radd. It's the best sprite comic out there (Though Captain SNES is, in my opinion, a close second for writing), and it also shows that sprites do NOT have to be recolors and small edits. They can be entirely original and look just as good. Plus the animation is astounding. I give it 9 out of 10. Review by Benor Sat Apr 03 2004 01:53 PM

"Ooooh! Its that time again! Its time to play some of our old 8-bit ROMs, and review 'Kid Radd', a Sprite comic that isn't a sprite comic." "Ok, Kid Radd is the comic about an 8-bit character named Radd, and his 'life' inside the game, Kid Radd, and later his life outside the game when he's freed from the ROM. Got all that so far? Good, because from there, it goes on an interesting ride of action and adventure as our hero tries to survive, explore new video games, fight unskilled ninjas, meet computer viruses, and a bunch of other things that are totally trippy." Artwork: "Sure, it may only be made of sprites, but there's a lot of love that's gone into making the assorted sprites. Except for a few sprite images that were imported into the comic to give it a nostalgia feel such as some of the items and monsters from Super Mario Brothers, everything is done by the comic's creator." "Some of the characters you can see the influence from. The crazy Dr. Amp has a definant 'Dr. Wily' feel to him, even if only in they seem to ride around in hover vehicles. Still, the characters a pleasure to see. Its pretty easy to tell the main characters apart from each other. No one really looks the same (unless they're standing next to a copy of themselves or happen to be one of the MANY similiar sprite monsters from a particular game)." "Also, the addition of movement in the comic makes this comic groove quite well. It really makes the comic look a bit different than other comics that add animation to their comics. In Kid Radd, the animation really does help grab your attention and BLAST you with a Mega Radd blast that'll have you seeing stars. Ok, some of the animated backgrounds were hard to stare at, like the Tetris-like blocks that flickered. Oh man, those things were giving me a headache. Dizzy." "Still, even with that, it totally rocks, artistically, and for a comic using Sprites, thats hard to do. Plus, I've never seen a sprite comic ever use the 'Matrix' 360-spinning pan-shot before, and I have to say that was a SUPER cool effect. Dooka." Characters: "The characters in the game are varied, and all seem to have their own ideas and thoughts to deal with. Sure, some of those characters are just following their coded programming, but all of the characters have some sort of motivation." "Its really different to see a sprite character contemplating life and fighting and existance. And its probably a good change too." Plot & Writing "Without a good plot, most sprite comics flounder and die. This one doesn't, as its powered by a story of Radd and his friends as they go through quite unusual situations. And without writing, such a plot would flounder. This doesn't happen because of wonderful comedic moments which help the comic make you laugh as well as possibly dumbfound you in its obsurdness. Its funny funny stuff with a good compelling story. The comic just makes you want to know what's next, and usually that is answered with something that will just make you laugh." "Expect a lot of 80s jokes, and Sprite game jokes, and video game jokes, and internet jokes, and... well, a lot of jokes. But its all good!" Overall: "After the first 20 comics, I had ALREADY added this to my MUST READ comic list. Yes, this comic now is comic 65 in my list of comics I read. The humor is top notched, the story great, the characters memorable, the villians silly, the animation extraordianry... If you like comics in the least bit, then you should probably give this comic a good look." "Really, this has to be my new all-time fav sprite comic for the simple fact that isn't really a sprite comic at all (and its exceptionally great). Its a comic with its own sprites, and a great sense of humor. Yes, I even rate this comic higher than the almighty 8-Bit Theater. 8-Bit Theater is good, but there's something very refreshing about Kid Radd that I love. Maybe its the humor, or the animation, or just the whole concept. But its a comic you should be reading. No... really. I mean now. You... Reader... Go... Read Comic..." Score: 8-Bits out of 8-Bits (or 10 out of 10 for the non-video game players out there) Review by Salen Stormwing Wed Mar 31 2004 12:57 AM

Kid Radd! All right! Awesome! Gnarly! Dope! Groovy! Neato! In all seriousness, though, I really like this comic. It's about time I reviewed something I really enjoyed. Story This is the story of a video game character named Kid Radd. He lived inside a Nintendo game. All he ever did was take directions from the player who ordered him to kill. One day, though, his game was emulated on the internet, giving him sudden freedom of will. When he, along with all of the other characters from his game travel from the game to the internet, they realize that thngs are more dangerous and complicated outside of the game than they realize. Art The great thing about this comic is that it's a sprite comic, but it doesn't fall into the tired cliche of ripping sprites from other video games. Rather, most of the sprites are entirely original and made for the comic. Another great thing about this comic is that many strips are action-packed, making use of Flash to show cool fight scenes and chase scenes. The animation here is very well-done. This keeps the strip amazingly fresh. Characters Another great thing about this comic is that all of the two-dimensional characters in this comic have surprisingly well-defined personalities. One thing that runs through all of the characters, though, is the fact that they all used to live in a video game in the past. Some have adjusted better to the outside world than others, and all of them have personal conflicts, whether those conflicts are about shedding the behavior that their programming gave them, or deciding whether they should be loyal to the moderators (which seem to be working for a good cause) or to themselves. It's another cool thing to see how all of these characters with differing personalities and powers form different games interact with each other. Radd, the titular main character was used to being pushed around by his player and doing nothing else. When he comes to the internet, he's very naive and doesn't know what to do. His personality does grow, however, and as he learns about the world around him he sheds the personae that he was so used to having in his game. The other characters from his game go through the same kind of experiences as he does. Plot The big plot point is about how video game characters are both influenced by their emotions and by their programming and how they cope with mismatched powers and abilities. Many of the characters deal with this differently. Some are upset with the powers and personality that their programming allows. Others desperately don't want to let go of them. At first the plot is about Radd in his game. Then it's about Radd getting used to the outside world. Then it takes a sinister turn when Crystal, a high-ranking member of the moderators (who free characters from their games), decides she should be able to control the programming of all of the other characters. The plot is paced fast enough so it never gets boring, and I actually want to see more. Since you know this is supposed to be a video game world, the sprites and animation actually immerse you more in the comic. Perhaps the most powerful moment for me was when Radd and his girlfriend Sheena were trapped in a dying video game, as indicated by the classic "flashing screen of death" that you've no doubt experienced from your Nintendo. It brought back all the feelings of frustration and despair from the time when that kind of thing happened to me. The tone of the comic changes continuously between comedy and drama (although it leans more on the comedy side), but both are actually quite strong. The drama makes you care for the characters, while the comedy (which pokes fun at both the characters and the inherent illogic in many video games) made me laugh quite a few times. Overall This is a great comic. It's engaging, funny, fast-paced and action-packed. I would recommend this to anyone who has ever played a Nintendo game, likes emulation, has a sense of humor, and a relatively fast connection. Righteous! Review by Cobra Wed Mar 31 2004 12:32 AM

Okay, a webcomic that I've read that you are reviewing. First of all, Dan Miller has created a webcomic that all gamers can assosiate with. Partially do due to the fact that the spirte artwork is 8 bits. I've noticed that severeal have been displayed is flash format. As Salen has noted. In its unique way Kidd Radd cracks remarks about two dimensions can't interact very well with three dimensions. Gnarl's training of Koybashi shows this. Those shots can be viewed more regulary in the newer comics. Also there is music in some of the comics. I find that a unquite trait that few webcomics have. Aside from the format the characters have a depth despite the limitations of the format. Bogey for example as he displays his cynism also has deep concerns for himselve. The balance between comedy on deep charactar insights is amzaing. For example, the first three frames will be of serious nature and then finish with a joke. A standard layout for many webcomics. What sets that apart is the fact that not only it has the four frame punchline but also that joke is also serious. It sets itself up for one continous monolouge that is both insightful and humorous. Another thing that I've noticed is the general plot. Aside from the Seeing Eye, it appears that this will lead to an almost ultimate fight for the entire internet or fizzle out to where all the sprites return to thier ROMs. It has so many possiblities to be explored. One of which is the variety of possiblities Overall I think that Kidd Radd is one of the most creative webcomics that I've seen. Its witty banter of insighfulness intrugued and led me to make assumptions of the plot as well as the characters. I can't stop ranting about its good points. The downside is the fact that it will most likely not expand beyond the point that it is but a sprite comic and where it can surmont to an eventual anti climax. * breaks out laughing * Wow, that sounded way too forced. Fully and trully Kidd Radd is an awesome webcomic that I enjoy and will continue to read. And here I thought I was going to do that without laughing. Review by Brian V. Conan Tue Mar 30 2004 07:09 PM

A review of Kid Radd by Kajamir the Giant This one has a nostalgic glance to my childhood; a fondly misspent youth in front of a Nintendo entering the Konami cheat code. Graphically, I'm reasonably inclined to 8 bit sprite comics as a whole, such as the well known one bearing that moniker. Kid Radd has that old sprite look, save it's entirely original, animated, and loads very quick! Further, it's flourished occasionally with 80's speak. This adds up to a positive review from this godzilla smurf. Quite gnarly indeed. Kid Radd is just a fun little comic in every way. No ads, no long loads, no cynical Gen-X roommates sitting on a couch... from the animation to the writing content, I had a smile on my face all throughout. I never thought about what would happen if my old video game heros were real and lived to be played, but Kid Radd gives a quirky exploration into this, mixing in light drama elements and fairly crafted humor. That's the idea in a nutshell. Character development isn't too defined, but workable. Yet, that level works for Kid Radd. It could go further in this respect if it wanted, but perhaps only as a spin-off at this time. Kid Radd falls under that 'If'n it ain't broke...' category. Though not something I'd call perfect, I have no outstanding qualms about it either. It rates high in the entertainment versus time spent equation. In video game terms, it has good gameplay even if the graphics are two decades old. Kid Radd is extremely easy to get into. It moves the plot along faster and at a fresher rate than 8-Bit Theater does. It's got a lot of nice features for something looking for a quick enjoyable comic with a little bit of depth, humor, and story all in one. I give Kid Radd an 8 out of 10. Review by Kajamir the Giant Tue Mar 30 2004 05:47 PM

I, personally, have nothing but praise for Kid Radd. Sure, we've all seen the zillion or so sprite comics out there, such as Bob and George, or Captain SNES, and some of them are actually funny. But the vast, vast majority are not. Miller takes a style of art normally attributed to hacks and ripoffs, and turns it to gold. First of all, the sprites are his. Miller may borrow and modify sprites as often as not (Including 'Radd'), but his characters see more than simple palette swaps and two-way poses. They walk, talk, throw stuff, fire energy beams, and the story doesn't suffer to fit what he has. You can tell that if the story needs a new sprite, Miller will make a new sprite to suit it. More and more as the series goes on, Dan adds mini-animations to his comics, all are well done without glaring error. The plot is rock solid. From day 1, there has been a defined sense of story, a progression on Radd's life. It does not wander at all, you never get the impression that Miller is at a loss and making filler comics to pass time and keep on a schedule. The humor is honest and not forced, every character having ample oppritunity to laugh at themselves as well as comical interaction between the characters, especially Radd and his sidekick Bogey. Between 'bouts of humor are serious issues, which flow smoothly and really get one into the mind of the 8-bit personas. My only complaint would be that the plot is occasionally predictable, certain elements become not how but when. Add on the occasional fourth-wall-breaking interaction ('A WINNER IS NONE' 'A ass is you.'), a few classic midi animations as a special treat on occasion, a couple games (such as dress up Sheena), a complete lack of popups, a twist of '80s humor, an artist who doesn't angst or excuse himself, a steady schedule, and you have one of the best webcomics on the 'net, hands down. Review by Re Tue Mar 30 2004 02:58 AM

"YOU DESTROYED MY WORLD!" – Kid Radd "Man, you're whiney" – Captain QB "Yeah, he gets that way after the apocalypse" – Bogey It's been a loooong time since we've reviewed a webcomic that's really excited me—one of substantial length that I would have kept reading until the end even it I weren't reviewing it. "Kid Radd" is terrific--funny, fast-paced, brilliantly designed and philosophical in a playful way that really works with the premise. I've read less than a year's worth of strips but I already consider it one of the best webcomics we've covered yet. Just hoping it maintains the quality through the end. I will post a fuller review when I finish the archives, but wanted to spread my enthusiasm early. Review by The Phantom Critic Mon Mar 29 2004 11:30 AM

Offsite Review Summaries

"The art itself is very nicely done sprite art, that looks like it could've come right off a 1980's game screen, only better. It's made up of layered gifs, animated and non; and text. This approach has let Miller fool around with a lot of neat things. Animation is the most obvious one: sometimes little looping animations, sometimes short animated sequences, sometimes miniature movies. Another, less obvious feature is the secret messages." more... Read Full Review by Dani Atkinson at Sequential Tart Tue Jun 01 2004

"The comic's plot started in observing a fictional 8-bit video game of the same name. It then began to rapidly evolve as the characters found themselves not only out of the control of the player and their programming, but in a ROM image on the Internet instead of their original cartridge. The increasingly convoluted plotline developed continuously and consistently since 2002 and the strip ended at its 601st strip on 13th of September 2004. Kid Radd was mainly humorous, with most of the jokes coming from character interaction and the setting. The setting also lent itself to a more serious side, though, with dark introspection and small amounts of angst." more... Read Full Review by Wikipedia contributors at Wikipedia Mon Mar 29 2004

"The most unique part of Kid Radd is the fictional nature of the game. It isn't a sprite comic in the normal sense, wherein characters from pre-existing games are copied and pasted into comics to avoid hand-drawing. Kid Radd is meticulously drawn to appear as if you were seeing an authentic, now-defunct 80's video game." more... Read Full Review by Justin at Comixpedia Sun Jan 04 2004

Visitor Reviews & Comments

Kid Radd is one webcomic I loved, and my only complaint is that I wish it were longer. It had great humor, but isn't off-the-wall about it. It actually has a story, and the characters were awesome. Well, I'm not so good a writer, so I'll leave it at that, but if you've never read it, GO NOW! Review by Kaento Sun Jul 03 2005 09:53 PM

One part gaming, two parts 80s, and three parts of some of the best writing I have seen from a webcomic. That's Kid Radd. This comic keeps humor in stock at all times while providing action through the animated panels and what has to be some of the deepest things EVER uttered by a sprite. The art! As previous reviewers have already mentioned, Dan Miller is amazing with pixels, providing all the emotion you could ever want from a pile of pixels. Any limitations brought on by pixel art have been left in the dust as these characters are brought to life. The action! This isn't your usual platformer! The animated panels dish out all the rear-whooping that a static comic would miss out on, but it's not just the animated panels. The writing, as I will rant about in hte upcoming paragraph, makes sure to deliver all of said rear-whoop as well. The writing! Deep, deep words from something measured in pixels! At the very beginning, we find ourselves laughing at little jokes about Radd's role in his game. All is well and good. By the end, we are awakened to a heavy plot of death, betrayal, lies, and the answers to so many of the deeper questions that can all be summed up with "Why?". In short, I love Kid Radd. It was anything you could possibly want from a sprite comic and then some. For me, the rating is the easiest part: 10 out of 10. Review by EwidgeTheZombie Thu Mar 17 2005 05:04 PM

It's funny, fun, tense, exciting, relaxing, dramatic, romantic, and tragic. It patiently gathers all the cliches of the world into a big basket, takes huge bites out of them, and then spits them in your face. I particularly love the "Earthbound" tie-in. Anyway, I wish this could keep going... maybe a sequel or mid-series extention, but probably not. Rating: (10/0) out of 10. ~joker5 Review by joker5 Wed Sep 15 2004 07:10 PM

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