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I hope this one doesn’t sound like bitter envy of an unpopular comic artist. I don’t mind YouTubers and streamers playing video games for audiences. It can be an entertaining para-social experience and various Pokémon challenge runs are no exception. More power to anyone who wants to provide online entertainment to others. It’s just a shame that some creative venues are so much harder to promote and/or monetize, and get much less attention, despite often requiring even more time and effort.
But yeah, comics used to be the Nuzlocke medium in the good ol’ days. Quite fittingly, because a Nuzlocke run is supposed to have much more personality than a regular playthrough, turning the Pokémon into characters. No gameplay video can compete with a comic in terms of characters and story, no matter how colorful the commentary. It really feels like the only reason the preferred Nuzlocke medium has shifted was… the ease of creation and consumption. That’s kinda sad to think about.
Oh, but the part about sacrificing Pokémon during runs absolutely is an admonishment, 100%. All Nuzlockes might be perma-death runs, but it doesn’t mean any perma-death run is automatically a Nuzlocke. The crucial component is emotional engagement and suffering. I’ve seen so many self-proclaimed “Nuzlockers” sending teammates to their death without batting an eye – sometimes even having that be part of the plan from the get-go – it’s frankly appalling. The point of a Nuzlocke is to befriend Pokémon you didn’t choose and bond with them. That’s so cool, I’m gonna do it, but with manipulating encounters to get what I want and nonchalantly sacrificing the ones I don’t like. Oh, and while I’m at it, I’ll toss out this bathwater without checking for babies.
Anyway, it’s the 11th anniversary! You know I had to draw Zea for the occasion. Couldn’t fit all the mons, obviously, but these four feel like the “original” or the “classic” team. Probably because they were all Chapter I introductions and Doug didn’t get any more teammates until Chapter IV.
And yes, ugly thumb aside, that is indeed how I hold my tablet pen. As well as any and all other writing utensils. I have been told all my life I’m doing it wrong, but the “correct” way feels unbearably uncomfortable and weird, so I don’t care.
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One nice thing about growing older alongside this comic is that now I could totally support you if you ever choose to go that route again.
Anyways, you’re right and you should say it. A comic like Yonkoma captures the experience that keeps me engaged in a way that I don’t see much in this era of videos and streams. The notes I have on my own nuzlocke are reminiscent of the emotions I felt reading the many comics where characters and stories came first before clearing the game. I guess I’m going on so much about this is because you were able to put to words how I’ve felt recently about the nuzlocke scene (if this doesn’t make sense just let me know).
It makes perfect sense to me! I’m sure many people will say the point of a Nuzlocke is just to make the game harder, but if that was the case, the “nickname Pokémon” rule wouldn’t be there. There is a reason why it has remained a staple of Nuzlockes, even among people who just want the challenge. The emotional investment into the little virtual guys you adventure with is crucial to a Nuzlocke, which is why it makes so much sense to give them personalities, maybe backstories, character arcs, have them interact in various ways etc. Of course none of that can be reflected in the playthrough itself… and thus the playthrough itself feels so lacking.