Oculama

Artwork - Really really loose drawing, lots of repetitive panels and minimal shading. Not a lot of tone to convey emotion or world. Simple panels with minimal art.
Writing - Didn't really feel like there was effort put to highlight the opponent, there's maybe a little at the beginning to show how threatening washbourne is but outside of that she sits there and is read fortunes. Feels like this interaction could have been had with any of the different characters. Last page gets a little too real for silly monkey competition. Think the idea of people writing what they know is interesting but this sort of call out feels unjustified and unwarranted for people having fun on the internet.
Entertainment - There was a little bit of mystery and was kinda intrigued to see how these characters interact at the start but peters out and doesn't really go anywhere. Stakes seem low and characters don't really feel effected by having interacted with each other.

A really tense game of cards!!! Made chimpanthree really spooky and intense. Love how you made them slink over the chair in their first introduction. Fucking hairless apes are scary and spooky and you captured that really well! Especially with their fucked up faces and expressions. Felt like you were able to set up chimp being a weird freaky pervert which made the suddenness of the ending feel justified! Really like what you did with showing both these characters and their interactions!!
Breakdown of scores -
artwork - have a lot of physicality and and character even for a more loose style of linework. Loose bgs and shading that work but would of liked a little more structure. Varied panel makeup and structure make for a fun read
writing - really like how you've characterized the monkeys, maybe a bit of a sudden ending
entertainment - still really tense and i really enjoy seeing these two freaky apes interact! Had time for both characters to shine and really enjoyed that the stakes felt high

Simple and sweet, the grays and linework do a lot here to establish a rough, sanded texture to the world. It's a perfect fit for the characters and their conflict, as the whole comic has a sort of terrible grit to it. The plot is basic in a very good way: Wretchidy pointedly dismissing and refusing any calls for destiny or meaning to the point of violence, as Chimpanthree tries again and again to assert control. The cosmic being unable to change a truly mundane terribleness is a great little arc.

What a fun little experiment. The characters feel somewhat tilted here, shifted to fit the story more than their original depictions, but the formatting does a good job of keeping you entertained nonetheless. It's a very strong showing of how pacing can affect a comic, as little detail and tidbits of knowledge slip by piece by piece. The ending seems to be very personal but feels a bit pointed and out of left field, rather than anything the comic was actually building towards But otherwise, it was quite the ride.

There's a joke about monkeys playing cards in here somewhere.

The visuals aren't too bad here. You got a good grasp of layouts, paneling and pacing. You know your stuff when it comes to getting the story across with the images. Having the text done well helps alot too.
Though the actual lineart is a little rough; there's some sketchiness and broken lines that I assume is just cause of time. The shading also gives that away. Alot of its just grays thrown up there that dont really add much volume to the figures. Maybe more solid shadows could have helped that.
The story's alright. Classic western scene of cheats playing cards. Chimpanthree trying to get into Wretchidy's head with his pesky attempts at introspection. I don't really think Chimpanthree's personality or expressions really felt like they fit but the profile gave you next to nothing to work with except socks and cards so filling those blanks in was inevitable. I did like how you had the characters speak in jargon, what with all the dagummits and tarnations. It gives a bit of authenticity to the characters and world.

Wild that people thought you were me for a bit.

This was different than what I expected but I wasn't sure what to expect from the mysterious - rolling into town.
The artwork is really simple in what feels like an intentional way, very few stray lines and everything sits in the rigid panel structure that serves this simple but inward looking story.
I do like how you were able to take this mean old monkey lady with a two sentence bio and make a story that actually gets into her past and and what (allegedly) killing your husband could lead into a cycle of anger and guilt and how falling into old unhealthy habits can stagnate us.
There is not really any death in this death match. Wretchidy seemingly surviving might break the rules of the match. Unless the metaphorical death blow was aimed at something else. The death could also mean a new beginning; perhaps realizing that being stuck in a loop of constant output to satisfy a restricting ruleset with little introspection is what's keeping us from growing and by only breaking out of it can we really make anything truly satisfying to sculpt.
I did like his little socks tho.

Wretchidy you foul old biddy! This comic was enjoyable, a good sandwich breaded by two good bits that made me laugh (2 items of clothing and the explosive end). The art feels rushed but still with a knowledgeable hand behind it, prioritizing the right things and making it very readable.

I think the way you used Chimpanthree's card gimmick to reveal things for Wretchidy going forward was a clever move, and as mentioned before I got some giggles out of this one. I think there could've been a bit more to the death as funny as just blasting him cause shes pissed off goes. I feel conflicted about how Chimpanthree is portrayed here. I think his overall course of action is fine but the way he comes off is questionable. Westerns have a sort of archetype for a mystic character that could've been used or for how he seems portrayed in his bio, he should be a more jolly sort. This would also help cement how horrible Wretchidy is, instead she is seen as more of (anti) hero than a heel, as this version of Chimpanthree seems worse than her. Shes mean but she's not the one continually prodding personally and in-depth, Three is so it feels like he gets his when she shoots just off and shoots him. Regardless, good job Rex!

What the hell is this?!(positive) this took me off guard as it's a very different style than the picture originally sent in for your character. I must say the commitment to the eight panel pages and very intentionally minimalist style is interesting. It's hard to give a high art rating to as you've displayed more skill before but the readability and dedication to the style tells of clear intention. Haven't seen a comic that looks like this in my OCT communities before that I can think of. Reminds me of Scott McClouds "Making Comics" when he is using most simplistic and clear images to convey what he's talking about

As for the writing, I must start by saying two things.
First, this is a death tournament! We need death!!!
Second, I feel Wretchidy could be worse here. She's made to be a mean old bitch as it were, and though she is a bit mean, I feel she works around too fast. I think you have a good idea and good working of "why is a person this way" and head towards Fixing It. However I can't help but feel that there was a better way to end this that worked more in theme with the character of Wretchidy and the tournament in general.

With that out of the way, talking about this comic outside of the characters and the tournament, HOO BOY do I like it, this is the kinda shit I love. A look through the psychology of a character using analogy, abstraction and classic symbolism. This comic certainly brought me up to some higher planes(if only there was a word for all this hmm). The references to things that the reader can also experience in the moment(I DID need to relax my tongue and have been doing so constantly this week thinking of this comic), drawing them in to the story and helping them relate to rancid Wretchidy. The way you talk about being addicted to misery, and being afraid to set new goals, only staying in the confines of what you know is some more heady stuff than we usually see in these comics. The final page also feels like a great triple meaning, where it's speaking of Wretchidy making a mean persona of herself that explains her deeper intentions/actions. It makes me think of how when we as artists make a character or a comic, it holds our own thoughts and ideas on the world around us. How characters we make even if made to be intentionally not like us, reveal what we think of us, or a character made to be rotten reveals what we find rotten. Finally, it also speaks to me of OCT's, these comics made within set boundaries for fun, but only a step on the way to making fully realized solo pieces of comic art. Maybe that's just me but one thing can be said for sure:
You have done your job Gadfly. I am thinking

I'm sorry to say, this comic feels mean. I know you were handed a rough deal, and I understand that the thesis of your character is quite mean, but the writing itself feels mean-spirited -- perhaps this statement comes as a reflection of your opponent's comic, where Chimpanthree is revealed as a quite benevolent being, but portraying him as a malicious sort of being feels antithetical to his character. To that same end: what thoughts went into portraying Wretchidy this way, compared to any other way? They do play off each other quite well, and your writing isn't terrible, but I wonder if you accomplished what you set out to do with Wretchidy in this comic, she appears almost heroic in comparison to Chimpanthree.

This is such a different comic to all the rest of them, I really dig the style. It's super deliberate and you use colours really well to convey vibes. Personally I'm a huge fan of the esoteric, and I think you really nailed the fortune-telling aspect of the story. It feels right, and the reactions from Wretchidy are appropriate, both within the scale of the story as well as for conveying her character. You've written the metaphors into Chimpanthree's dialogue really well in a way that I think evokes all the "right" feelings, both for Wretchidy within the comic, as well as the reader outside of the comic. You demonstrate well how this moral or philosophical defeat would eliminate your opponent from this metatextual contest.

The simple art style really works in this comic, it makes everything feel clean and easy to follow. The happy chimp is a charming character, and I love how expressive and fun he is throughout the story. The use of different colors to highlight various parts of the plot is a great touch, helping to differentiate the shifts in tone and mood. It’s an enjoyable read that brings both joy and creativity to the table.

The art style wasn’t my favorite, it felt a bit too rough and didn’t quite grab me. The story also lost me when Wretchidy just kills Chimpanthree for no real reason. It felt unnecessary and didn’t really add anything besides some hatred for her. The pacing was off, and it didn’t really hold my attention or leave much of an impact. I was hoping for more, but it just didn’t come together in the end.

Rissole – Wretchidy is one scary old woman! The kill might’ve felt abrupt, but honestly, it fits her style perfectly - sudden and brutal. I’m not sure if it was a deliberate choice, but Chimpantree looked noticeably less rotund in your style, which actually made him seem more menacing. And that last card - Wheel of Fortune reversed - was pure irony. Wild how he didn’t see that coming. Or maybe he misread it? I’d lean toward the latter, which adds a nice layer of intrigue to the whole story. Nicely done!

Oh wow, I didn’t expect this at all, and I mean that in the best way. A card-reading therapy session might’ve been exactly what Wretchidy needed to break free from her destructive path. I really liked the uniform panel format; it fits the reflective, introspective tone of the comic nicely. That said, I do wish we had seen how Wretchidy died at the end, it felt like a key moment that was missing. Still, I love how you approached this from such an unexpected angle by exploring the deeper reasons behind Wretchidy’s behavior. How she was once the prey before becoming the predator… that really hit. Great work thinking outside the box!

Never bring a deck of cards to a gunfight! Every frame of Wretchidy is drawn great, she's so lively and full of character. That panel of her blowing Chimpanthree's gourd off is a highlight. The charcoal? brush used to paint in some bg details, i think its better here than not, but i think the values are a bit too light, and the bg details are a tad bit too impressionist. I think working with pure fields of color, a duotone perhaps, will still be time-efficient, but look a bit cleaner, and the charcoal brush should be used more to add texture rather than to draw in details.

This is a really compelling minimal comic here, i think you got some incredible mileage out of a minimal palette, great storytelling through color, clean easy to read art, and fixed panelling. It just goes down smooth, and leaves time for the wonderful layered and complex dialogue to shine, heck this comic is more dialogue than drawing at times. Every panel itself being a playing card that's slowly and methodically being doled out is an inspired choice, that gets high marks from me
Going forward, my only note is to have more line thickness varation to add more depth - usually i'd say add more color depth but i think this color style is really working for me.

Oh this is gonna be a tough vote. You two came at this match in such wildly different directions and the trouble is I greatly enjoyed the difference.
If I had any notes it'd be to up the work of your pencils. You have a such a fun and gritty brush you're working with and alotta white space. Really up those spot blacks, play around with negative space, show and don't tell with what you can do panel to panel.
I'll admit I have no knowledge of tarot, so having such intricately drawn cards and description of what they mean was helpful. Who knows? Maybe the interpretation was in the eye of the card dealer, but it did a great job of upping the tension which built into the explosive end for your opponent. Having an older monkey is such a unique angle to take for this tourney, and the regret? Frustration? Lingering hatred for her dearly departed husband is definitely intruding. Looking forward to learning more!

Comics wise, this was a really eyecatching graphic take on your part I really enjoyed. Your format almost played like something I'd see in the Sunday newspaper funnies, though the subject matter is pretty Doonsebury with its existentialism. I'd usually critique a comic that's just talking heads, but it was clear that was your style and intent for this. A color coded back and forth that I think worked really well aesthically. If there's anything I'd suggest, it'd be to really push the expressions on your talking heads, find unique angle to show them off at. You have a panel where Wretchidy is clearly furious and is yelling out, but expression wise she insn't packing the punch I think you were going for.
Critiques aside, this is one of the more uniquely styled comics we've seen in a tournament. Can't wait to see where you go with it!

I really liked how you handled your opponent. I know what it's like to want to use every aspect of a character sheet in a tournament round and I think it fit together pretty nicely in this comic. While the setting is pretty well understood a little more atmosphere would've really helped bring it out even more, as it is right now things feel like they're taking place outside of any established area if that makes sense. I'm quite invested in this old lady ape, I kinda wanted to see a little more after she killed Chimpanthree, something like a small cliffhanger as I doubt she would just get to walk away from publicly murdering someone for looking at her funny. You made great use of the tarot cards and I hope we see their predictions come into play should you move on!

I think I'm either looking way too into this or this character's design just started to make sense to me, I guess it doesn't really matter either way! The ape that is nearly naked because he has nothing to hide. As for the socks...maybe his grandmother knitted them I dunno. The writing was enjoyable and well done though the ending feels a little random. I'm not gonna say too much in terms of critique for the art, but I did think that it was a cool to have the panels also take the resemblance of cards...I spent way too long trying to say that in a way that didn't make me sound stupid and I don't think it worked...Good read!

A solid entry with a straightforward premise. We get a great sense of the character and what Wretchidy is about, being a grumpy gunslinger. The almost grotesque nature you showcased CHIMPANTHREE was really fun and you did a good job with that. While you did a nice job having rough shading and texture to the pages, some solid greys would have helped it pop that much more. Even still, this was a really good entry. Nice work!

Naturally, you joined this tournament under a pseudonym for whatever reason you chose - however, your comic was quite good. On the whole, this was an intriguing little comic, if not out of the general spirit of the tournament, but that matters only with regards to the competition, not the comic's quality on the whole. It's definitely going to have people talking longer than the tournament itself in some ways due to the esoteric, cerebral, meditative nature of the writing and the comic itself. The art has very simplistic design to it, but that's honestly a great look. I hope you step forward and make sure we know who you are eventually, so credit can be given. Otherwise, great work.