JEFBOT.141_The Last Arcade
Drawing this strip was a true labor of love for me. I probably could’ve gotten away with doing the strip in 4-5 panels, but I really wanted to show all those old video games to build up the emotion in jefbot. Plus, the panels were just fun to draw. Researching the artwork for those cabinets really took me back to a time when there was nothing more exciting than spending an afternoon in an arcade. I still get excited when I hear a few bars from the soundtrack of games like Moon Patrol and Donkey Kong, and I can still identify almost any game from the eighties from hearing just one or two sound effects. Nowadays, arcades exist virtually, accessible through your computer or home game console, but even though there’s a sense of community and a lot of fun to be had with friends online, it’s just not the same.
Merf. Am I the only one who can’t see the strip? *confuzzled*
I can’t either…
No strip for me either.
JEFBOT!!!!!
What the heck you did?! NO ONE CAN SEE THE STRIP!!!!!!!!!
*sigh*
Don’t tell us you loaded the psd file again… I’m NOT gonna install SAFARI in my machine. You better fix this or else I’ll find a way to kick you (no hugs attached this time).
Bwuahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaa!!
can’t see it either
and Im soooooo curious about it
Gah!! no Jefbot for the day, my friday is ruined!!!
What a great opportunity for you all to go read SubCulture until JEFBOT gets things a-working!
yep, no strip.
He’s asleep guys, he was up all night working on it. I’m sure he’ll get around to it when he wakes up sometime this afternoon.
I no can see it either
If you have safari on your computer you can see it. He uploaded it in mac format again. XD
hey guys, yeah, was sleeping but mombot called to tell me that no one could see the strip. not sure what happened this time – it was a jpeg (not a psd, like before), and i could see it on my mac, but… *guh*. might have to buy a PC netbook so i can check these things out. anyway, i just republished and reuploaded it and it now seems to be okay. weird. my apologies! going back to bed.
Nostalgia… reminds me of Hawaii, when Jefbot’s grandpa took him to the arcade in tiny Waianae… pure euphoria! (Oh, and also gave him a pocketful of quarters!)
i remember that! it was at the Fun Factory arcade – that was my first time seeing the regular Tron game, too. a cherished memory.
So your mom woke you up to tell you your webcomic was down. Go Mom!
yeah, that’s why she’s on the payroll, douggerel.
Hmm… why does the girllook slightly different (shiny hair?)
And we don’t even know her name!
she took off her headband in panel 2, revealing her lustrous, shiny hair, Trevory! as for her name, i didn’t really mean for it to be a secret, she and jefbot just haven’t introduced themselves to each other yet.
Figures, as soon as Kevin chimes in to try to steal viewers for our own strip, Jeff gets a whiff and it’s working again!
heheh. eagle-eyed mombot to the rescue, Stan!
Awesome page. I used to love the arcade. Hey check out my comic let me know what you think. I’m just startin’ out.
thanks, cyberdog. checked out your strip – looks cool, man!
Oh yeah, the art is great! All that research really paid off. *nodnod*
Welcome to Nostalgia.com where you can relive your past… except now you can be one of the cool kids since you’ve lived through it as a nerd already.
thanks for the kudos on the art, Foxmouse. and yeah, if i could relive my past, i think i’d still take the nerdy route – it’s way more fun than being cool.
My god man, just seeing the panel of ‘Discs of Tron’ I got a full-on truckload of nostalgia. Takes me waaaay back, thank you. *tear*
glad we can share a tear, Das Twig. man, i’d love to play that game in an arcade again.
Seeing Disks of Tron really takes me back. My dad used to love that game so much he would take me the arcade, give me a few dollars, then spend the entire time playing that game. Took me years before I finally got a chance to play it! *GRIN*
your dad, Tim!!? ugh, now my warm feelings of nostalgia have turned into the chill of old age.
if you feel like having the game all to yourself again or want to give your dad a gift, Tron 2.0: Killer App for the Game Boy Advance has Discs of Tron packed into it!
Aww! Heh thanks, Mombot! This strip takes me back to when I used to play in the arcades myself. You outdid yourself with this one, Jeff! Awesome awesome job. The only concern I have going through my mind at the moment is, Abraxas and where he may be and what he might get into. (As far as getting into stuff in the arcade.)
I would actually love to see how you put all of this together, Jeff. It would be interesting to see the process of an idea playing out to finished product of your webcomic. Again, awesome job on this strip! Hope ya had sweet dreams, oh and *hands Jefbot a tissue*
hey, i dig the new avatar, Spanky! i’m really happy you dig the strip (it took a long time to draw!). and yes, Abraxas is lurking around the place, hopefully not getting paint on the vintage arcade cabinets.
and about your interest in seeing how i put the strips together – i’ve been thinking about doing a Ustream broadcast, but probably not until i can do these strips within a couple of hours. maybe editing some footage together would be more logical?
UGH. Another webcomic that panders to the wet dreams of gamers. At least this is actually about GOOD games (ie: the old ones, not this Halo/God of War crap).
BTW I can’t tell if the girl is a beaten-up Keebler elf or that’s just your art style. I understand the “blood” is red paint, but seriously, puberty has not been kind to her face.
well, i dig both the classics and the new games, Zoe-chan, so in this strip you’ll see both. and as far as the “beaten-up Keebler elf” (really??) – i guess that’s just my art style. i happen to think she’s pretty cute.
I love mombot!!!
me too, Pearl!
I love the Donkey Kong machine! This is Jefbot Nirvana
yep, a Donkey Kong machine would definitely be part of my Nirvana, JK!
OMG!!! So worth the wait!! That was amazing. I love the color the content… and the LOVE Story~ Outstanding job!
thanks, Funnyshaffer! not quite a love story just yet.
Your Mpm’s the best and the strip is terrific!!
she is the best! thanks, Mary!!!
Wow! Arcadea (that’s what I’m calling her until you tell us her real name) is even cuter without the headband! If she weren’t a figment of your imagination, I’d be tempted to ask you for her phone number. (Even if I *was* risking perv-dom myself…)
ha! thanks, reynard! embrace your perv-dom!!!
Wow! So many panels! This one is superb, bot. I love that you drew your favorite arcade games from when you were a kid. I can’t believe you remember what they look like. I mean a lot of time has passed since the 60′s.
Kudos on a fantastic double decker, brot!
well, in addition to having the images burned into my brain, I also have access to Google images, Michael.
glad you dug the double decker!!!
No arcade is complete without King of Dragons, X-men, or Teenage Mutans Nija Turtles
all good games, CheddarMan! i’d add Ms. Pac-Man, Star Castle, Dragon’s Lair and Galaga to that list.
hot damn. that girl looks cute ……..woof woof..
cant really connect to the arcade machine though….wasnt an arcadian back then
trying to balance the hotness factor with the coolness factor with her, JF3, so very happy you think she’s cute. and you know, there’s still time for you to convert to being an “arcadian.”
You seem to be a local. There’s a sweet arcade on near Vermont and Santa Monica Blvd. It’s on Vermont across the street from Los Angeles Community College. There’s also a small but nice arcade in Little Tokyo but my directions there would be even more vague..
totally gonna check that arcade near LACC out, raeraethejetplane. thanks for the tip!
The universe should be grateful to Mombot!! Mombot, we’ll make you a shrine! And just for the heck of it: HAPPY MOTHER’s DAY in super advance mode!! XD I know I still got a whole week for it, but I just can just ’cause
I got to admit that I have NO idea of any of these games (well, except for the Kong one). And I do love video games. Nowadays I just play the evil “shoot-the-zombie” ones at my local arcade. Is a good stress reliever when you pretend the zombies represent your evil boss.
*Bwuahahahahahahahahahahahaaha!!*
Oh, and Dance Dance Revolution. I do really love that one (and so does my doctor XD
Oh, and you’re THAT old? XD (I mean, according to the Cornfather’s comment…) XD
Not’s new lady friend has less-smokey eyes in this strip ;_; I loved her very dramatic smokey eyes…
i’m sure mombot will appreciate the happy mother’s day wishes in super advance mode, Sonitan!!! and yeah, i love those zombie-shooting games, too. have you tried “Left 4 Dead” on the XBOX 360 or PC? it’s a zombie game and it’s awesome. definitely worth checking out if you have a machine to run it. oh, and let me know what you think of the “smoky eyes factor” in the next strip!
That nostalgia in the eye thing… contagious? I agree that the are of the arcade excitement has passed, but Xbox Live isn’t a completely soulless substitute.
Let’s play some more Castle Crashers.
it could be contagious, eleventeen – just don’t touch your eyes after handling a video game and you should be okay. and you’re right about XBOX Live. i’m down for more crashing of castles whenever you are!!!
Wow. This is a videogame masterpiece.
thanks, Lor! glad you think so!
have to add that the arcade at the Kitsap Mall has games from the 80′s or so. Don’t remember which ones, but if you ever find yourself up where I live you could maybe even play some of those games just like before. : D
if i’m ever up there, i’ll definitely check out that arcade, emikae!
Awesome strip! I had a Chuck E. Cheese flashback (when they had real games!) of pretending to be Luke Skywalker in my own X-wing! Pole Position was cool too!
For oldies but goodies, don’t forget the arcade at the Redondo Pier – The Redondo Fun Factory! Cheers!