So if the previous strip with Mombot showcased how videogames can be used as a learning tool and force for good, then today’s strip reveals how they can have the exact opposite effect when used as a force for misinformation and lies.
As many of you know, Charles Darwin was born 200 years ago last Thursday (February 12, 1809 – 2009) and I just wanted to commemorate that occasion with a strip. I also wanted to draw some Pokémon and explore the theme from the previous strip a bit more, so it all fell together nicely. Check out the Natural History Museum’s Darwin200 site for info about Darwin’s contributions to science and humanity, and events celebrating his birthday.
is this the emperors new clothes episode? I can’t see the strip 🙁 I need my tuesday fix!
I can’t see the strip in neither of my 4 browsers!!!! ;_; What I did wrong this time, jef? I didn’t kidnap Michael like Xinda wanted!! I’ve been good!!!! *cries*
best strip yet. easy and quick to read. not much to look at. great for the busy executive on the go.
I also can’t see the strip. Tried refreshing, using different links, even tried to force it with ‘Show Picture.’ Nothing worked!
I can’t read it either. T_T
I’m with G. Too much “ooh, loook COLORS!” in the usual strip. I’m enjoying this week’s minimal quality. Now is the time on Schprockets vhen ve DAHNCE!
I’m amongst the “can’t see the strip” demographic. 🙁
You seem to have uploaded the PSD graphic by mistake, not the exported JPG. No image for me either.
Me too! Where is it??? Where is the GENIUS?
Love it!!!
Are you taunting us, have we offended you somehow?
GUH. sorry folks! i wasn’t intentionally messing with you guys! i did indeed upload the psd instead of the jpeg by mistake last night (thanks, Jor!). so it looked okay on my mac (safari can see psds, apparently), but nothing else. all should be well now. if there are still probs, let me know. this is why doing the strip at 3 in the morning is sometimes a very bad idea.
woohoo! I just appreciate knowing it wasn’t just me. Love the strip been reading for quite some time.
thanks for reading, KatieBuru! and sorry ’bout the invisible comic this morning – though a “emperor’s new clothes” strip might be kinda funny. hmmm… 😉
That’s actually not a bad way to explain it, you just have to tell the kid that the weaker Pikachu gets rejected by the ladies and later gets killed by some young wannabe alpha Pikachu….
wow, they really sugar-coat the whole pokémon experience in the games and cartoon, don’t they, Rachel M.? who knew the life of a pokémon was so brutal!? 😀
And, this is why no one believes Jefbot’s telling the truth.
sad, but true, Lor.
So funny! I love it! I LOVE the eyes in the last frame! Now who is the Darwin guy??? …and is he REALLY still alive after 200 years?
if death is the way we humans evolve to the next stage of life, then the answer’s yes, funnyshaffer!
Hee, hee! Blurring the truth with children is fun! Also old people.
Very dynamic second panel! Liking the dramatic poses. *nod*
The desire to draw Pokémon is a natural human urge; as natural as breaking all the vases in your house hoping rubies will pop out from the shattered pieces.
thanks, Foxmouse! glad to know we share the same urges. i assume you dig holes in the yard and slice through grass looking for hearts too, right?
Aww this is an awesome strip! I loves it!
i loves it, too(mostly cuz i got to draw pikachu)! thanks, Spanky. 🙂
The only problem with this is that Pikachu doesn’t evolve until you force him to with a lightning stone 😛
*cough*
you’re absolutely right, Shan!!! how could i possibly have forgotten about the thunder stone!? my only excuse is that i haven’t evolved my pikachus since the original pokémon blue, cuz i like pika more than raichu. anyhow, i might have to give you a prize for catching that. thanks, Shan! script has been changed for accuracy.
Now I see it! 🙂
yay! sorry ’bout that, estiveo. 🙂
AWESOME.
Pikachu is my favorite pokémon XD
pikachu’s definitely my #1 too, DaughterJudy. psyduck, gengar, bulbasaur, mamoswine and snorlax are among my other faves.
Finally, someone telling it like it is (darwin=pokemon)
just as some videogame developers have used norse mythology as inspiration, while others have used world war ii or vietnam, the theory of evolution seems to have influenced the developers of pokémon, which just goes to show how significant darwin’s “crazy” theory still is after all these years, Kylej64!
Corrupting young minds again, are we JEFbot? Goooood, goooood… <⁄Darth Sidious>
i consider it my duty, reynard61.
IMPRESSIVE!!!!”insert dark sinister laughter here”
mwah-hah-HAH! thanks, JF3!
Pichu is the cuttest!!!! X3 And Raichu looks cooler than Pikachu XD Thanks for fixing the image, jef. I guess I’ll have to install Safari in my machine then XD
i’ll try and be more careful when uploading images in the future so people won’t have to use safari just to view the strip, Sonitan! 😉 hmm. i guess google chrome and firefox users couldn’t view the other file either, then? or was it just IE users? anyway, yeah, pichu’s pretty cute, but pikachu’s still my fav!
Pikachu! Boy, we’re on the same wavelength a lot recently: http://subculturecomic.com/wp/?p=686
true that, Stan! i almost went with bulbasaur/ivysaur but pikachu was just too cool to pass up. i love your version of the little guy. 😀
hahaha! Pikachu! man, that’s a great way to explain Evolution! it makes so much sense now! Pikachu!
pika pi! i submit that nintendo/game freak should send out free copies of pokémon games to biology classes around the country. or at least pokédex posters for the classrooms. dontcha think, alecho?
Ya know, thats an even better explanation than that my teachers gave me.
Awsome comic dude.
Great comic (as usual) Jefbot! I was so sad when I couldn’t see it yesterday…so this just made my morning! By the way, love your evil expression in the last frame; it just shows you ARE related to Xinda.
Of course mine was supposed to just be Bab’s plush doll, not a Darwinian illustration 😉
HAHAHAHA! Not much of a pokemon fan here, but I love the way it explains darwin.
Darwin was more talented then I thought!
Digging holes is just plain fun, but spin attacking the grass is a necessity. If you don’t colonies of Picori start taking up residence in your yard, then the only way to get rid of them is getting your hands on a Minish Cap and those are so hard to find this time of year. *tisk tisk*
Reminded me of this recent comic:
http://www.johnnywander.com/comic/133
But certainly with a different twist to it.
Enjoyed it, as always.
I think I understand Natural Selection easier than I understand the allure of Pokemon! Evolution I choose you!
Awesome, bot! I love the little boy. He is adorable. I also love how you used Pokemon to explain Darwinism. But more than anything, I LOVE how you are the only web artist on the entire internet who not only knows it’s Darwin’s 200th bday but did a kick-a$$ comic about it. Really great work, man. The little boy’s speech impediment is hysterical, too. Great work as usual.
I LOVE lying to children about things like that.
Good thing they don’t get exposed to me very often.
Omigawd!!!! 3<)b Jeff!! I LOVE this comic xDD I lol’d when I saw the pokemon! I dun understand half of it but… 😀 Awsome comic<333333333 xD
Ah D: The face went boom….. —> d(> 3<)b
https://www.shopincities.com/signup/payment.aspx?g=a271ed7d-9600-41b7-9a69-b10539d0b50c Thanks for that awesome posting. It saved MUCH time 🙂
To quote the Cornfather, “Why are you the enemy of truth?”