Scott Kurtz, the man behind the webcomic phenomenon known as PVP had a new years surprise for his readers. Yesterday, with the help of Kristofer Straub the creator of Checkerboard Nightmare and Starslip Crisis, Kurtz posted the first “PVP Alive” an animated short featuring the PVP gang.
According to the announcement, Kurtz is planning on this being a continuing project.
Unlike the animated version of guest strip by Chris Giarrusso I mentioned a few weeks ago, PVP Alive is not an animated version of an existing strip, but rather all new material. It’s also not animation in the sense that you normally think of it, but rather consists of voice dubbing over a sequence of images, which Struab refers to as Blamimation.
I’m sure some people are going to compare Blamimation to more traditional animation available on the web like Homestar Runner or the forthcoming CAD animated series. Since I don’t PVP Alive is meant to be taken on that level (I could be wrong though), I don’t think such comparisons should be made.
The pilot episode shows Skull the troll, voiced by Kurtz himself, calling Brent, as done my Straub, for help getting to sleep.
One concerned raised on Kurtz’s forum was that hearing voices the voices of the characters conflicting with the voices that readers have in their head for the characters. I’ll admit, Kurtz sounds nothing like I imagine Skull does, but as far as I’m concerned that’s okay. The kid who plays Ron in the Harry Potter movies doesn’t look like I imagine him when I read the books. I can still enjoy both versions of the story.
I’m excited about this new project. I’ve always loved PVP and like to see Kurtz, or any webcomic creator, trying something different. I’m sure the kinks will be worked out in time.
Already commented on this… I think that Kurtz needs to get some more professional-sounding voice actors to do these parts. The giggling and bare-bones animation (if you can call it that) left me sorely disappointed. Kurtz can do far better. We didn\’t need to see a rush-job that looks like something thrown together at the last second.
Robert A. Howard
I think you\’re missing the point of the whole thing, Robert.
You\’re looking at this as us producing an animated feature. Which we\’re not.
We\’re doing radio skits, really. Improved radio skits accompanied by static images.
It was a fun off the cuff thing. You\’re scrutinizing it too seriously.
I\’ve been a reader of PvP for years, and I think you need to knock off this thing you have with Buckley. It\’s really turning me off from your strip, especially when you keep falling short.
-Eric
Exactly. That is the only problem I have with these movies. The voices don\’t really go along with the characters. In my mind, Skull sounds more like Bill Fagerbakke.
In the latest one, it sounds like Scott and his friend were just fooling around with different lines for the same footage! Scott appears to like really elongated conversations when it comes to voicing, sort of like how Seth MacFarlane does.
Nevermind! Just read Scott\’s comment here! Please don\’t maize me!
You guys are way too harsh on this. I thought it was really funny and a very cool addition to the comic. It was cute, fast, certainly funny. Kudos to Scott for trying new ideas out while still keeping his quality strip going at the same time.
Maybe he should spend that energy getting his strip out before 6pm? 😉