Dueling Analogs

Dueling Analogs
Author(s)	Steve Napierski
Website	duelinganalogs.com
Current status / schedule	Monday & Thursday
Launch date	November 17, 2005
Genre(s)	Video games, Parody, Gag-a-day

Dueling Analogs (a pun on the Dual Analog Controller) is a webcomic by Steve Napierski (also the creator of The Outer Circle). The website was launched on November 17, 2005, and new comics are posted every Monday and Thursday. Dueling Analogs is a gaming comic and as such most of the comics take place in the universe of the games discussed. There are few ongoing stories or plotlines as all of the comics are self-encapsulated (one exception is the trial of King Bowser^[1]); however, there are repeated themes such as 'Rejected Mega Man Villains',^[2] 'Games that I am glad were never made'^[3] and 'What if...?'.^[4] Dueling Analogs is also a founding member of a webcomic group of gaming comics.^[5] The comic came to prominence in the webcomic community after the "So Dark the Contra of Man" strip.^[6]

Tagline

Dueling Analogs is a color semi-weekly webcomic that lampoons the characters, culture and subtext of modern gaming culture

Characters

• Harvey – Harvey is the voice of Dueling Analogs. Whenever the comic needs to talk directly to the audience about a topic, Harvey is there. Harvey's design is modeled after the look of its creator from his high school years. This is in contrast to the character Steve from The Outer Circle which was modeled after a more recent look of the creator.

First Appearance: 2005-11-29, strip 4.

• Mario – Though not created by Steve Napierski, Mario has appeared in so many Dueling Analogs strips that he is considered a regular member of the comics cast.

First Appearance: 2005-12-01, strip 5.

• Jeremy the Sony PR Gnome – The voice of Sony. Jeremy acts as the counterpoint to the voice of Harvey’s pro-Nintendo views. Could possibly be a parody of the gnome from Amélie or the gnome feature in the Travelocity commercials: Where is my Gnome?.

First Appearance: 2006-07-31, strip 76.

• Xed Box – If Microsoft had a spokesperson in Dueling Analogs, Xed Box would be it. Unfortunately, Xed Box is nothing more than a box with a crudely drawn "X" on it.

First Appearance: 2006-08-16, strip 81.

• Jon Shelf American – Jon Shelf American is what's considered Dueling Analogs` stereotypical gamer (introvert, unsociable and still living at home with his mother). Name based on George Liquor American created by John Kricfalusi.

First Appearance: 2007-01-15, strip 130.

Harvey	Mario	Jeremy the Sony PR Gnome	Xed Box	John Shelf American

Parodies

Dueling Analogs has featured such games as Final Fantasy VII,^[7] The Smurfs,^[8] Mega Man,^[2] Karnov,^[9] Super Smash Brothers^[10] and Final Fantasy X-2.^[11]

Awards and nominations

Dueling Analogs has been nominated for two Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards

• 2006: Outstanding Gaming Comic, Outstanding Web Design

Dueling Analogs has been voted best gaming webcomic of the week by the readers of Joystiq on nine occasions: May 23, 2006,^[12] June 3, 2006,^[13] June 24, 2006,^[14] February 13, 2007,^[15] March 27, 2007,^[16] May 22, 2007,^[17] October 23, 2007,^[18] April 23, 2008,^[19] May 29, 2008^[20]

Notables

• Dueling Analogs is a featured webcomic on Game Revolution.^[21]
• Dueling Analogs was a monthly comic in Hardcore Gamer Magazine^[22] from June through November 2007 .

Reviews

• Article about Dueling Analogs on Destructoid^[23]
• BBC Article about webcomics^[24]
• Article on 411mania discussing gaming webcomics^[25]
• Dueling Analogs Konami Code comic^[26] was mentioned in a Tech Republic article.^[27]
• Dueling Analogs Living Achievements Vicariously comic^[28] was mentioned in a 411mania article.^[29]

Interviews

• Interview with Steve Napierski^[30] on Joystiq.
• Author Steve Napierski, was interviewed in Zoinks! Magazine^[31] about Dueling Analogs and his other comic, The Outer Circle in October 2006.

External links

• Dueling Analogs website
• Dueling Analogs on Gamer Revolution
• Steve Napierski's MySpace Page
• Steve Napierski's ComicSpace Page

References

1. "So long, King Bowser (Part I)". Dueling Analogs. February 26, 2007. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
2. "Rejected Mega Man Villains I". Dueling Analogs. November 22, 2005. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
3. "Games that I am glad were never made". Dueling Analogs. January 5, 2006. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
4. "What if Rich Burlew". Dueling Analogs. October 18, 2006. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
5. http://www.gamerspairofdice.com Gamers Pair of Dice
6. Roberts, James (2008-02-03), Dueling Analogs Creator Steve Napierski, LANGaming.net, retrieved 2008-03-07
7. "Farewell Aeris... Aerith". Dueling Analogs. November 24, 2005. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
8. "The Real Reason Why Smurfs Are Blue". Dueling Analogs. July 10, 2006. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
9. "Karnov Goes to School". Dueling Analogs. January 31, 2006. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
10. "Super Smashed Bros. Brawl". Dueling Analogs. July 5, 2006. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
11. "Wakka, Wakka, Wakka". Dueling Analogs. December 22, 2005. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
12. Miller, Ross (May 23, 2006). "So Dark the Contra of Man". Joystiq. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
13. Miller, Ross (June 7, 2006). "Readers pick best webcomic (May 29 – June 3)". Joystiq. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
14. Miller, Ross (June 27, 2006). "Readers pick best webcomics (June 18 – 24, 2006)". Joystiq. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
15. Miller, Ross (February 13, 2007). "Readers pick best webcomic: 95% almost brand new!". Joystiq. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
16. Miller, Ross (March 27, 2007). "Readers pick best webcomic: Living Achievements Vicariously". Joystiq. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
17. Miller, Ross (May 22, 2007). "Readers pick best webcomic: Wii and my shadow". Joystiq. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
18. Miller, Ross (October 23, 2007). "Readers pick best webcomic: And now you know ...". Joystiq. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
19. Miller, Ross (April 23, 2008). "Readers pick best webcomic: Square peg, round hole". Joystiq. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
20. Miller, Ross (May 29, 2008). "Readers pick best webcomic: Million Dollar Arcade". Joystiq. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
21. "Game Revolution Comics – Dueling Analogs". Gamerevolution.com. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
22. http://www.hardcoregamer.com/ Hardcore Gamer Magazine
23. "Friday Comic Intermission: Dueling Analogs. Destructoid offers reviews, previews, trailers, cheats, and more". Destructoid.com. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
24. "collective – webslinky #082: gaming humour". BBC. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
25. "Games – Working Title 08.30.07: Working Spotlight- Web Comics". 411mania.com. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
26. "So Dark the Contra of Man". Dueling Analogs. May 17, 2006. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
27. Garmon, Jay (March 6, 2007). "Geek Trivia: The cheat goes on". Articles.techrepublic.com.com. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
28. "Living Achievements Vicariously". Dueling Analogs. March 21, 2007. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
29. "Games – Working Title 06.07.07: Gaming's Little Complaints – Achievement Points". 411mania.com. November 10, 2011. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
30. Miller, Ross (February 2, 2007). "profile: Dueling Analogs' Steve Napierski". Joystiq. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
31. Zoinks! Magazine