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Ctrl+Alt+Del (webcomic)

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This article is about Ctrl+Alt+Del, the webcomic. For other uses of the term, see Control-Alt-Delete (disambiguation).
Ctrl+Alt+Del
File:CADs1DVD.jpg
The cover of the DVD release of the first season of the series.
Author(s)Tim Buckley
Websitehttp://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com
Current status/scheduleUpdates every Monday, Wednesday, Friday (Saturday updates suspended since May 2008)[1][2]
Launch dateOctober 23 2002
Genre(s)Video game, Humor, Comedy-drama

Ctrl+Alt+Del (CAD) is a gaming-related webcomic and animated series written by Tim Buckley. The name of the comic refers to the Windows command Control-Alt-Delete. It premiered on October 23 2002, and is currently updated every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, although Tim Buckley has put Saturday updates on hiatus starting May 10. The comic's focus has gradually shifted away from single strip gags towards longer story arcs and greater continuity. Tim Buckley makes a living from Ctrl+Alt+Del, placing him in a very small group of web comic artists devoted to their creations full-time.[3][4] As of 2005, Ctrl+Alt+Del attracts more than 300,000 readers to its website each day.[5]

Main characters

Ethan and Lucas

The following characters appear frequently in the webcomic.

Ethan (2002-present)

Ethan Ryan MacManus, a 25-year-old of Irish descent,[6] is a game fanatic, a recovering Everquest addict, and an amateur artist. His often nonsensical, off-beat, or even moronic antics are the focus of the comic and the source of many of its plotlines. Ethan currently works at GameHaven, a video game store, as a clerk.

Ethan is also described as the creator of Winter-een-mas, a seven-day celebration of video games,[7] and founder of the Church of Gaming.

Lucas (2002-present)

At 26 years of age, Lucas Davidowicz is portrayed as more level-headed and down to earth than Ethan. He is something of a slacker, prepared to enjoy a good video game over actual work. Cynical and sarcastic, Lucas is a programmer and works at a computer store, where he offers technical assistance.

Lilah (2003-present)

Lilah Monroe defied Ethan's preconceived notion that girls (or at least, cute ones) don't play video games,[8] after which they began dating. Lilah is 25 and formerly worked as a secretary, but is now working as a professional gamer. She is currently engaged to Ethan, and was pregnant with his child, but miscarried after three and a half months.[9]

Zeke (2003-present)

Zeke (short for Ezekiel), formerly known as the "Xbot", is a creation of Ethan's - a sentient, Xbox/Xbox 360-based android.

CAD Sillies

In June 2008, Buckley began making small 3 panel black and white comics which he called "Sillies". Sillies are similar to a daily strip in their format and are supplemented by a larger more detailed "Sunday strip" styled comic on regular update days. The sillies are not connected by a plot and involve mostly gaming-related humor. Several characters appear in the sillies that do not appear in the regular comic; including Tim Buckley (the author), his friend and business-partner Pierre, and Death.

CAD Premium

In late 2005, CAD Premium was announced. For a monthly or yearly fee, fans are able to access exclusive "members only" content, such as wallpapers and strips, as well as the flagship of CAD Premium: Ctrl+Alt+Del: The Animated Series, which made its debut in February 2006.

While CAD Premium is a subscription service, Buckley has made it clear that the comic will remain free, and that although the episodes have now come to DVD, they are being offered at a discount to subscribers.

Ctrl+Alt+Del: The Animated Series

Main article: List of Ctrl+Alt+Del: The Animated Series episodes

Episodes are released at the beginning of each month. All 12 episodes from the first season have been released. Among the extras on the DVD release is an FAQ session with the artist.

In January 2008, it was announced that the Animated Series would return for a second season of 12 episodes, beginning in March of the same year.[10]

Books

File:AnalogandDPad1.jpg
Analog and D+Pad #1 (February 2007). Cover art by Zack Finfrock.

Collections

  • Insert Coin: Ctrl+Alt+Del Volume One
  • Press Start: Ctrl+Alt+Del Volume Two
  • Critical System Failure: Ctrl+Alt+Del Volume Three

These books feature comics found online, along with commentary and bonus material exclusive to the book.

Analog and D+Pad

Analog and D+Pad is a comic book written by Tim Buckley with art by Zack Finfrock based on the Ctrl+Alt+Del characters, but set in a parallel universe where Ethan and Lucas are the superheroes Analog and D+Pad, respectively.[11][12]

Criticism

Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw of Zero Punctuation has criticized Ctrl+Alt+Del on a few occasions. A CAD comic was briefly displayed in the review of Mass Effect, comparing the game's abundance of dialogue to that of some webcomics[13]. Later, Croshaw presented a critical analysis of Ctrl+Alt+Del on his personal website Fully Ramblomatic, where he says he feels the strip's slow comic pacing, excessive use of dialogue, and static art style are some of its biggest problems.[14] A following Zero Punctuation episode about video game webcomics, while addressing what he feels are inappropriately abrupt shifts in comic genre and tone, he appears to make reference to a Ctrl+Alt+Del storyline in which Lilah miscarries.[15]

In an interview with Joystiq on August 29, 2008, when asked about Ctrl+Alt+Del's miscarriage storyline, Jerry Holkins of Penny Arcade stated "...I think that miscarriage storyline was the first horseman of the Apocalypse."[16]

Events, interviews and public appearances

Digital Overload is a yearly LAN party hosted by Ctrl+Alt+Del. Run since 2006[17], it is held in Providence, Rhode Island, and is jointly organized by Ni Networks.[18]

There was an interview with Tim Buckley on CBSNews.com.[19]

In October 2006, Tim Buckley gave a lecture at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute[20][21] in Troy, New York.

Other publishing

Ctrl+Alt+Del is a featured comic on Game Revolution.[22]

Twelve issues of the City of Heroes comic book featured a comic strip by Ctrl+Alt+Del creator Tim Buckley, called Underwear On The Outside.[23][24]

EQuinox, the official Everquest 2 magazine, includes Ctrl+Alt+Del comic strips.[25]

In 2007, Ctrl+Alt+Del partnered with 2K Games/Firaxis Games to produce a series of comics for Sid Meier's Civilization Daydreams.[26][27][28]

References

  1. ^ Ctrl+Alt+Del
  2. ^ Ctrl+Alt+Del
  3. ^ Web Comic Creators Take Charge - 10/2/2007 2:24:00 PM - Publishers Weekly
  4. ^ Will Strip For Games: Gaming Comics Online from 1UP.com
  5. ^ (December 18, 2005). "Business People". The Union Leader Pg. D10
  6. ^ Ctrl+Alt+Del "Well Done"
  7. ^ Mertes, Micah (January 29, 2008). "Happy Winter-een-mas! OK, get back to playing". Lincoln Journal Star Pg. 1D
  8. ^ Ctrl+Alt+Del
  9. ^ Ctrl+Alt+Del
  10. ^ Ctrl+Alt+Del
  11. ^ Ctrl+Alt+Del
  12. ^ Ctrl+Alt+Del
  13. ^ "Zero Punctuation on Mass Effect". Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw. 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-19. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  14. ^ "23/3/08: You Cad". Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw. 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-31. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  15. ^ "Zero Punctuation on Webcomics". Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw. 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-02. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  16. ^ Miller, Ross (2008-09-02). "PAX 2008: The Penny Arcade Interview". Joystiq. Weblogs, Inc.
  17. ^ Alex Billington (2006-03-14). "Welcome to Digital Overload!". ThinkComputers. Retrieved 2007-11-21.
  18. ^ "Digital Overload - info". Retrieved 2007-11-21.
  19. ^ A Q&A On Violence With Tim Buckley Of Gaming Comic Ctrl+Alt+Del CBSNews.com.
  20. ^ Around Campus for the Week of Oct. 16, 2006 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
  21. ^ Sans tweed jacket Ctrl+Alt+Del News for 2008-10-4
  22. ^ Game Revolution Comics - CTRL ALT DEL
  23. ^ City of Heroes comic book
  24. ^ Ctrl+Alt+Del
  25. ^ Ctrl+Alt+Del
  26. ^ Sid Meier's Civilization Daydreams
  27. ^ Ctrl+Alt+Del
  28. ^ Civilization Daydreams: Beyond the Sword Indeed - Planet Civilization

Bibliography

  • Buckley, Tim (2004). Insert Coin: Ctrl+Alt+Del Volume 1. Ctrl+Alt+Del Productions. ISBN 0-9764678-0-1.
  • Buckley, Tim (2005). Press Start: Ctrl+Alt+Del Volume 2. Ctrl+Alt+Del Productions. ISBN 0-9764678-1-X.
  • Buckley, Tim (2006). Critical System Failure: Ctrl+Alt+Del Volume 3. Ctrl+Alt+Del Productions. ISBN Unknown.
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