"The Belfry" Internet Comic Archive Is Down

 

Around mid-October, the Internet comic archive known as "The Belfry" (https://new.belfrycomics.net/) went offline, clicks on the link showing only a blank page. There was no panic at first as it's gone down for a few days before.  Then people in a few comic forums began commenting it wasn't coming back, some wondering if it was related to a widespread incident online in which AI bots exposed weaknesses in a great many websites. 

The Belfry had been around since the later 1990s, and had links to hundreds of online comics, including inactive ones.  It was one of the largest online comic lists, if not the largest. 

 

The internet archive has a record of it you can access (here). 

 

Bixyl Shuftan 

Five More Online Comics, Past and Present

 

 As kids, most of us enjoyed reading the "funny pages" and the comic strips in them. As grownups, we can still love a good comic, and in the age of the Internet we can find some online. Internet comics have one advantage over those in the newspaper, we have a LOT more to chose from and we can go back and read previous strips. The Newser was recently asked to write about a discontinued comic, so here's a look at that and four other comics past and present.

Read the reviews in Extra.

 

SL Video: "Comics Made in Second Life - Diavkha"

 

 (Click here if the video does not play)

 

 By Draxtor Despres for Linden Lab on May 9, "Meet Diavkha, a set designer and storyteller who has taken their passion for world-building to the next level by creating a unique and immersive series of comics using Second Life."

 

 Read more on the Linden blog (here).

Second Life Destinations: The Zenescope Metaverse comes to Second Life

Created in an exclusive partnership with the acclaimed comic book publisher Zenescope, the all-new Zenescope Metaverse is bursting with magic and mystery. In this week’s “Second Life Destinations” video, Zenescope co-founder Ralph Tedesco gives an exclusive “first look” at this exciting new virtual world experience. 

Immerse yourself and discover the many secrets hidden across this vast Second Life region offering dark and twisted games and experiences inspired by the Zenescope universe. In partnership with Epik, visitors can snag limited edition collectibles inspired by heroes, villains, and Zenescope favorites such as Cinderella (a.k.a. “Cindy, the serial killer princess”), Belle, the Mad Hatter, and more.

This huge region is so highly detailed that it might just take several visits to see everything. Start your journey in the wide courtyard where you can connect with others before exploring. As you traverse this enchanted realm of flowing brooks and glistening flowers, keep an eye out for hidden locations and easter eggs referencing some of Zenescope’s most iconic tales. 

Meet new friends as you wind your way through the Hedge Maze and discover games that you can play together like the whimsical Goblin Golf. Don’t miss the special quest to score the ultimate prize -- but beware of the Jabberwocky, among other fantastical creatures.

Experience storytelling and comic books in a whole new way at the Zenescope Metaverse -- check it out exclusively in Second Life. 

Video production credits: Draxtor Despress
 

Five Past Online Comics

 

A number of  us love a good cartoon strip, and for some of us that includes online comics. But no serial comic strip lasts forever. Real life may force the artist to stop due to growing family and job requirements or other reasons. The artist may decide to end the strip while it's still good, or perhaps they've concluded their tale. And of course the artist (or the writer) may pass away. In this story for today, yours truly describes five comics that are no longer updating for various reasons.
 
Read the story in Extra.
 

Top Five Webcomics of the Sunweaver/Angels Community

 

So what does a Second Life resident do when not going about Second Life, or perhaps do when taking a short break from clubbing or exploring or listening to a science discussion? One activity some do is browse Internet comics, either check up the latest on a favorite strip or browse one they just came across. Among them is Nydia Tungsten, whom decided to see which were the favorites of the others in her community in Second Life, the Sunweavers/Angels. So what were the results?

Read Nydia's story in Extra.

Online Comics: Five Longtime Running Strips

With the Coronavirus quarantines, more people than ever are looking for their entertainment online. Some are turning to cable TV and Netflix. Others are hitting up Youtube more than ever. And more people than ever are playing online games. But this is not all that can be done over the computer. Since the start of the World Wide Web, artists have been putting pictures up. And it wasn't long before artists began putting up online cartoons, not just one-shot pictures but serial strips that were regularly updated. There are thousands to read, but here's a look at five that have been going for years (and have large archives so those bored by having to stay at home can keep themselves occupied for a while).

Read the story in Extra.

Image Credit: Freefall

April Fools In And Out of Second Life At A Glance

The April Fools joke article that we at the Newser pulled last Monday got a bit of chatter. Some loved it, "Hilarious!" Many just gave a chuckle or "laughing out loud." And some didn't like it, "Bix. Yur courting getting murdered here." Thank you all for the comments. For those who loved it, we'll try to be just as funny next year. For those who didn't like it, well, feel free to offer suggestions.

But this wasn't the only April Fools joke around, even in Second Life. Nydia Tungsten made an announcement that she would soon be doing a special calendar, but instead of her usual 12 pictures of anthro females it would be of the new Yinglet avatars. There were a few chuckles, and there were a few asking what a Yinglet was, but everyone quickly realized it was a joke. Marianne McCann of Bay City told me she'd made a joke announcement of leaving Second Life in a group IM chat. Draxtor Despress posted on his Twitter that he was leaving Sansar, followed later by "April Fool."


In the past, Linden Lab had done a couple jokes such as the "Rick Roll" and their parody of the "Mayhem" insurance commercials. But not this year.

In real life, there were some April Fool joke announcements. Probably the one that got the most chuckles was the one from McDonalds about a burger that was all pickles. One Australian city announced they were getting a drug-sniffing bunny on it's force. Australia's Twitter page made a joke image about a koala being born with leopard spots.

In the world of online comics, two I follow had a couple April Fool strips. In "Freefall," cartoonist Mark Stanley included a number of cameos with characters of several other strips. Those going to "General Protection Fault" found a parody of a default page that basically stated "if you can read this, the webmaster needs to get a clue." "The Belfry," which is a list of online comics, had it's page upside down.

With online games, World of Tanks and World of Warships didn't have the joke games they had in the past. But they did have a couple chuckles. World of Tanks had a joke video about the first tank on the Russian field, the MS-1, with the narrator praising it in ways that a used car salesman would be making notes of. For World of Warships, their April Fool was "Skipper," a matchmaking system to assist in making more compatable teams that was a parody of current dating software, "the socially-alienating swipe-based system behind today's hottest dating apps will be your ticket to the perfect team!" As in previous years, "War Thunder" had another April Fools game: "Earth Thunder." In this special game, players fought air battles in flying saucers shooting energy beams at one another over an abandoned city taken over by the aliens (video). Probably the joke game of War Thunder remembered the most was one of their first, the "My Little Pony" fighters in 2013. Years later, I still hear pony fans say they wish the company would bring it back.

So there's April Fool's 2019 at a glance. Hopefully you the readers had a lot of fun, and we'll be back next year with some

new foolery.

Bixyl Shuftan

Sci-Fi Expo and the Stan Lee Memorial

The Sci-Fi Expo is in town. Located in the Solaris Station sim, this is an event for science-fiction and fantasy fans inworld. One can enjoy the exhibits, do some shopping, find out more about some roleplay groups looking to expand their numbers, and more. The event raises funds for the Relay for Life in Second Life.

While science fiction is usually pretty fun, not all is well at the Expo. Stan Lee, the artistic genius whom help redefine superheroes, passed away on Monday November 12. Unlike the characters of other hero comics at the time which were often as two-dimensional as the paper their stories were printed on, Stan Lee's characters had more personality and had problems their readers could relate to. Spider-Man for instance could whomp the bad guys, but dealt with acne and girl trouble. Eventually, other studios would follow his lead and make their superhuman characters a little more human.

At the Expo, a memorial to Stan Lee was set up. A fitting tribute to an artist whom entertained many in their childhoods, as well as their adulthoods.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Solaris%20Station/93/103/35

Bixyl Shuftan

Cartoon of the Day

Taken at the "Who Wants to be a Superhero" party by Core Charities. While there, Senestro and his Yellow Lanterns were dancing in a circle, while one had a raccoon by her feet.

They never do suspect the raccoon.

By Bixyl Shuftan

Facebook "Bitstrips" No More

Users of Facebook may be familiar with "Bitstrips," cartoons that some used posted on their pages, and would appear on their friends' public feed like other posts. Unfortunately, it seems the Bitsrip fun is over. Someone who was a regular user posted this on her page on April 25.

Yesterday, there were questions out of surprised confusion about the BitStrips situation.. the BitStrips app on Facebook has been stopped and it's over.. to dispel any doubt, and to provide a promised update, here is the picture that greeted me when i tried to access new BitStrips yesterday. sorry, folks.. and thanks for following with me. I hope you got as much enjoyment out of seeing them as i had making them.

But the bitstrip pictures she had already done and saved as pictures were still in her pictures section, as were those done by SL Enquirer editor Lanai Jarrico. The one she did of me as a joke was still on my page.

Bitstrips were created by Jacob Blackstock, whom described himself as having a "lifelong passion" for comics. He came up with the idea for Bitstrips in 2007, and launched it as a mobile app in 2008. With it, people can create "avatars" of themselves, then put them in customized comic-strip scenes on the Bitstrip site to create their own cartoons, with no drawing skill needed, "We kind of saw it as a Youtube for comics." Originally for mobile devices, when the Facebook application was made available in October 2013, the number of users jumped from 2 million to 30 million in a month. Bitsrtips user were at first able to create avatars of their friends, but after Facebook changed it's Terms of Service in regards to privacy, after April 2015 they were no longer able to do so.

Last month, Snapchat bought up Bitmoji, the company that owns Bitstrips, for $100,000. It's possible that the company is integrating the technology in it's own products rather than let it continue as a separate app on Facebook.

No doubt Facebook's bitstrip fans will miss doing the comics. Perhaps They could continue to do so using Second Life and MORPG screenshots using graphics programs.

Sources: Facebook, The Guardian, Techcrunch

Bixyl Shuftan

Cartoon of the Day

Taken at London City. Someone was there in a "Deadpool" avatar, and seeing me approach, took off the hat he was wearing as I was taking pictures. Guess word about me is getting around.

By Bixyl Shuftan

Interview with Greenlantern Excelsior (Hal Jordan)

Second Life is a big place, and the Lindens can't be everywhere at once when it comes to troublemakers such as griefers. Fortunately there's a group which can help residents deal with them, the Green Lanterns. Led by Greenlantern Excelsior (Hal Jordan), they act as a kind of "neighborhood watch," informing the Lab about the griefers so they can be dealt with. Recently I met up with Greenlantern, and he talked a little about his group and what it does.

Read the interview in People.