This was my exact train of thought when I checked today’s strip. At least, after I got past “I don’t remember any of the Roomies! strips looking this good…” bit.
Great art, specially considering the short notice. Maybe you should reserve 15 minutes of each day and just redraw the whole thing. =P
Anyway, punting side by side like this it is even more impressive how you got better. In the old art I can barely understand there suppose to be a truck there.
In the immortal words of Can’t-remember-its-name commenter on Tumblr : “your first Damn You Willis is always the worst.
Now be prepared for the many, many ones to come.
The awesome redrawn art fits perfectly with the weird sense of dread I had reading the past few strips. I’m still catching up on the Roomies! archive, so I only really know Dumbiverse Ruth, but liking that version of the character and vaguely knowing that this was coming was still enough to make me go all “oh no, oh no, oh no” and mentally brace for impact.
Part of me wants to note that, seeing as how everyone was nagging about yesterday’s comic’s art being kinda hard to understand, maybe it deserved the redraw.
The rest of me wants to say, screw you, first part of me! This redraw is AWESOME and beautiful and tragic and perfect.
That link wasn’t there when I checked the original comic at 12:Something-or-other on the 18th, and I’ll admit, I didn’t scroll down to see that link at any point in the subsequent days. So, easy mistake on my part.
Thanks so much for that clarification art! So . . . just curious, do you plan to replace the original with that? Or, when you replace this redraw with the original art, do you plan to perma-link these two redrawn strips somewhere?
You know, I never really got into Ruth’s character when I read through this part. I feel like it could have had a bit more build-up, like the death of another character who I won’t spoil for anyone, but hey whatcanyoudo.
God… damnit! I’m reading through both this and Dumbing of Age at the same time. Couldn’t even press next page until I’ve deduced if she lives or dies after this… it’s easier this way then actually seeing it before you know how it will end. This is… really fucking sad. Right in the feels. Oh, and now I know someone else is going to die too! WHO IS IT?! I DEMAND TO KNOW!! EASE MY SUFFERING!!
Also Ruth/Billie didn’t even have sex on-screen. I can’t stop reading for today on this note. Crap darn-it!
Jeez.
…Jeez.
……jeez.
Okay, the redraw enhances this one hugely, not only because of the readability and the impact coming across a lot clearer, but also because her expression is a lot more intense. It doesn’t look like she’s leering across at the reader, this is full-on determination.
In the original, Ruth has a very odd expression but I kind of like it- with the dialogue, it makes me think of an emotionally repressed naval captain deciding to go kamikazi with his burning ship in some old war movie.
Interesting coincidence that this would show up on my birthday. Not sure whether to be sad about what’s going on in the strip, or happy about the new art…
Eh, not everyone’s from the US. Or cares about real, long dead people. There’s enough of those stretched over recorded history.
Now characters that we invested in and are seeing right now? Those are much more important then some dead people we never knew from nearly a century ago.
(Note: Not being facetious, just pointing out that’s pretty damn normal for humans – priority is always given to people/things we are close to.)
I like the redraw very muchly, but keeping in with my last couple of postings (because hey, I found this clip, and it expresses my feelings on this whole arc pretty spectacularly):
(which I was sitting on for a couple days, at least. because seriously, if you’re going to have that critical an analysis of Ruth’s role in the story and your own self-exorcism, you kind of have to call out how she was murdered by the incarnation of your biggest fixation.)
Alright then, I guess the truck is Megatron and Danny is Hot Rod. Which is why no one likes Danny too much and he has no tact.
That is, assuming Ruth is Optimus (taking the hit for him and all), even though I’m pretty sure I read an essay making an excellent point about how she’s Megatron in DoA.
No regrets… Yeah, that’d be a wonderful, and horrible world.
I’d have laughed if she accidently killed Danny while trying to save him. But of course not.
Looking at that crash, it’s still surprising Danny got out completely unscathed.
well Ruth hit the rear passenger side, so Danny wouldn’t have been in mush danger of getting smashed
~much
*sigh* I haven’t ever done this before, but:
DAMN YOU WILLIS.
Whoa, new strip appeared while I was typing that.
(Awesome new art doesn’t get you out of the DAMN YOU.)
I only saw it because I habitually look at the prior comic to make sure I didn’t miss any.
D= holy dang
Yeah, I think someone needs to post this through the next two or three strips. Because if ever it needed to be said….
oooh redraw! looks nice.
Also sorta more depressing now that the details are clearer.
This was my exact train of thought when I checked today’s strip. At least, after I got past “I don’t remember any of the Roomies! strips looking this good…” bit.
Damnit, the new art is like a punch through old wounds.
You should probably redraw everyone’s deaths and only those moments.
I like your thought process.
I feel spoiled.
Nice redraw!
Seeing this still hurts after many years.
People in the comments were talking about new art so I scrolled up and the new art was there and I was not prepared.
itswalky.com/d/19990318.html
I’m having three conflicting emotions right now.
The sadist in me is like “it’s hilarious that everyone as asking you to redraw this to induce a retcon and then you did half of that.”
The purist in me is like “NO WILLIS WHAT IS THIS MADNESS WHERE’S YOUR SHITTY 14-YEAR-OLD ART”
And the sane, rational person in me is like “oo pretty but also really depressing.”
Oh THAT’s what was happening, I get it now. –feels dumb–
Nice redraw.
Although the old art was fine, don’t be too hard on yourself.
He’s a Witch! Burn him!
Great art, specially considering the short notice. Maybe you should reserve 15 minutes of each day and just redraw the whole thing. =P
Anyway, punting side by side like this it is even more impressive how you got better. In the old art I can barely understand there suppose to be a truck there.
+1
+2
The redraw simultaneously makes me very happy and exceedingly, overwhelmingly sad.
So, pretty normal for a Willis comic, I suppose…
Y’know, that truck driver has got to be confused as hell right about now.
The new strip is looking pretty damn badass. I’d be interested to see whatever your original commentary for this strip was
It was Dinobot’s monologue from Code of Hero. The one right before he takes on the Predacons.
Exactly…”simultaneously happy at the new arts clarity, and yet overwhelmingly sad; brought it all back with a double whammy”.
I will join the earlier poster in saying, I never have done this before, and now I will do it.
Damn you Willis.
In the immortal words of Can’t-remember-its-name commenter on Tumblr : “your first Damn You Willis is always the worst.
Now be prepared for the many, many ones to come.
I may have actually gasped to see the redraw.
If ever a moment deserved a sudden fifteen years’ progress art shift, this one certainly earned it.
Ladies and gentlemen, Cerebus Syndrome and Wham Strip all in one. Complete with literal wham.
Ruuuuth. (I knew this was coming even on my first readthrough, but still. Sad.)
David,
In one shot, you show how 15 years of practice can make a difference.
Totally, brutally, awesome, man.
Holy fucking shit. I was not prepared for the modern art when I loaded up this page.
Just. Damn.
Daaaaayyymn.
It’s so clear! And so depressing.
I hope in the Shortpacked present we learn that Joe modeled Supercar’s personality as well as her look after Ruth. So that, in some way, she lives on.
The Strip where Roomies Pulled the Drama Tag: Now in HD!
(Gives me chills, man.)
Yeeep. Welcome to the land of DRAMA.
Brace yourselves for deserved angst.
That is one heck of a good speed painting, Willis. Bravo.
The awesome redrawn art fits perfectly with the weird sense of dread I had reading the past few strips. I’m still catching up on the Roomies! archive, so I only really know Dumbiverse Ruth, but liking that version of the character and vaguely knowing that this was coming was still enough to make me go all “oh no, oh no, oh no” and mentally brace for impact.
Part of me wants to note that, seeing as how everyone was nagging about yesterday’s comic’s art being kinda hard to understand, maybe it deserved the redraw.
The rest of me wants to say, screw you, first part of me! This redraw is AWESOME and beautiful and tragic and perfect.
All of me wants to say DAMN YOU WILLIS!!
It was redrawn: http://itswalky.tumblr.com/post/64368599054/is-todays-roomies-rerun-as-impenetrable-as
He just didn’t link to it on this page.
It’s on the frontpage in the news, just below the comic.
My bad, I didn’t notice it. My only excuse is that I always come instantly to the comment section on bringbackroomies.
Ah, see? He DOES spoil us!!
That link wasn’t there when I checked the original comic at 12:Something-or-other on the 18th, and I’ll admit, I didn’t scroll down to see that link at any point in the subsequent days. So, easy mistake on my part.
Thanks so much for that clarification art! So . . . just curious, do you plan to replace the original with that? Or, when you replace this redraw with the original art, do you plan to perma-link these two redrawn strips somewhere?
You know, I never really got into Ruth’s character when I read through this part. I feel like it could have had a bit more build-up, like the death of another character who I won’t spoil for anyone, but hey whatcanyoudo.
I think that if anything, it could be considered more potent for those who are reading DOA.
Yeah, I hope that one gets a modern redraw too, for maximum emotional whammy. Of course, I guess maybe this is the best Willis could do…
God… damnit! I’m reading through both this and Dumbing of Age at the same time. Couldn’t even press next page until I’ve deduced if she lives or dies after this… it’s easier this way then actually seeing it before you know how it will end. This is… really fucking sad. Right in the feels. Oh, and now I know someone else is going to die too! WHO IS IT?! I DEMAND TO KNOW!! EASE MY SUFFERING!!
Also Ruth/Billie didn’t even have sex on-screen.
I can’t stop reading for today on this note. Crap darn-it!
Jeez.
…Jeez.
……jeez.
Okay, the redraw enhances this one hugely, not only because of the readability and the impact coming across a lot clearer, but also because her expression is a lot more intense. It doesn’t look like she’s leering across at the reader, this is full-on determination.
I refuse to believe this was drawn in 15 minutes. I WON’T BELIEVE IT! GRAAAAAH *throws graphics tablet out of the window*
Gah… new art makes this scene… a whole lot better actually. I can tell what’s going on without having to read any dialogue.
Man. Optimus Prime’s blue repaint sure is a dick!
Dammit, Willis! The new art makes Ruth’s death even MORE painful!
My God! I finally understand what happened in that strip!! I never understood why she had to die, now I do. Thanks
Ok, seriously dude.
You ARE amazing!
Wow. Just . . . wow. About many things at once. (This is my first time through Roomies . . . )
To have a Ruth grav here, my first time posting in the Roomies comments, under this strip, is bitter irony.
In the original, Ruth has a very odd expression but I kind of like it- with the dialogue, it makes me think of an emotionally repressed naval captain deciding to go kamikazi with his burning ship in some old war movie.
This color strip details have a huge impact in comparison to the other ones, both literally and figuratively.
This is marvelous…and depressing…I don’t know what to say…uh, Damn You Willis?
Interesting coincidence that this would show up on my birthday. Not sure whether to be sad about what’s going on in the strip, or happy about the new art…
*sobs in corner*
A day that will live in infamy.
Yes this is a pain that will linger
Did you just compare the death of a fictional character to Pearl Harbor?
If you knew how this event affected the rest of the Walkyverse, you’d understand.
It’s pretty much their D-day.
D-day =/= Pearl Harbour
Like not even remotely close
Yeah…my mind mixed the two up.
I did mean to compare it to Pearl Harbor though.
I do know how this effects the rest of the Walkyverse. I possess more information on the Walkyverse than anyone could possibly require.
That doesn’t make your comment better.
Eh, not everyone’s from the US. Or cares about real, long dead people. There’s enough of those stretched over recorded history.
Now characters that we invested in and are seeing right now? Those are much more important then some dead people we never knew from nearly a century ago.
(Note: Not being facetious, just pointing out that’s pretty damn normal for humans – priority is always given to people/things we are close to.)
…and now I understand the physics of the collision a lot clearer, which makes Ruth’s sacrifice (and her heroics) much more obvious.
Good job, David.
I like the redraw very muchly, but keeping in with my last couple of postings (because hey, I found this clip, and it expresses my feelings on this whole arc pretty spectacularly):
Html? No, apparently not:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07So_lJQyqw
Give him an hour and he’ll recreate the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
A variation: Damn, Willis…
(15 minutes? I give up, forever)
Admit it, you just did this to give the truck a color model and circumvent OPTIMUS PRIME KILLED RUTH jokes
(which I was sitting on for a couple days, at least. because seriously, if you’re going to have that critical an analysis of Ruth’s role in the story and your own self-exorcism, you kind of have to call out how she was murdered by the incarnation of your biggest fixation.)
Here’s this as well… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl9oGXs9mkM
Alright then, I guess the truck is Megatron and Danny is Hot Rod. Which is why no one likes Danny too much and he has no tact.
That is, assuming Ruth is Optimus (taking the hit for him and all), even though I’m pretty sure I read an essay making an excellent point about how she’s Megatron in DoA.
In case anyone really wants to see the original, and is confused about the ‘original one’ link not working, go here: http://www.joyceandwalky.com/d/19990318.html
Noooo
So long, Ruth. See you in the other universe…
Please don’t let this be a fixed point.
The Original was
Originally posted:
March 18, 1999
No offense to 1999 Willis, but this scene really deserves better art than he can draw.
Here’s the original, now that the old archive is gone.
Is that half a tag falling out of the time machine?