The Order of the Stick thread
 

Because I want to talk about new Order of the Stick episodes but I do not necessarily want to do it on the GiantITP forum. (Having this thread double as the all-purpose OOTS discussion thread is fine too.) I guess here we're gonna link new updates as they come out. As far as posting spoilers is concerned, assume everyone's read the whole thing up to and including the latest episode, but if there is a big plot twist try not to blab it out right away.

New comic is up, # 573.

So... Jesus but Belkar looks like shit. Not only that but he seems to be even more deranged than usual in a decidedly more manic way. I firmly believe it's all his own fault and he deserves every bit of it but this is actually genuinely worrying.

Its actually up? there was a massive dry spell for some reason, atleast a good week without an update.

Good. I am so anxious to see that little freak meet his end.

I enjoy the comic immensly, but I found Belkar's antics...so overly done. Mind you I was the same with Black Mage and Richard so maybe I am not the best person to ask on that.

Belkar is very much a "chaotic evil just because I can" type of character. Black Mage is really just more pathetic than anything else.

Also on a non-story note regarding my reaction to messed up Belkar, I just realized it takes some serious talent to evoke that using only stick figures and simple shapes. Outstanding work, Mr. Burlew.

I've been in love with Order of the Stick for a long time. Once the second big story arc started introducing Miko and the paladins I couldn't stop reading, and that ass needs to stop being lazy and provide scheduled thrice-weekly updates.

The death of Miko was one of the most mind-blowing moments in comicry I've seen in a long time, especially with how much the moment carried over with just his box-circle-and-lines stick figures.

Something about Belkar's sadism-maniac expression puts me off though; I thought that he would get sicker until he was incapable of hurting people, but it seems like the pain is driving him crazy.

This is what you said on the subject...
This is what he said on the subject moths ago...

Like I said.

Lazy.

...Huh?
I'm pretty sure everything that was previously quoted suggested, you know, anything but laziness.
I mean I suppose there's always the distinct possibility that The Giant is simply lying, but we really have no right to make that determination based on anything he's said. Furthermore, Order of the Stick is such a huge webcomic that I'd imagine plenty of people who know The Giant personally do read the comic and visit the forums, so you'd think if The Giant was lying out of his ass, there'd be plenty of opportunities for people "in the know" to call him out on it. A serious medical condition isn't something you make up out of the blue and then expect your friends and family to feel perfectly comfortable with carrying on.

I've always been of the perspective that Order of the Stick is a phenomenal free webcomic and, as such, I'd much rather read a randomized schedule of OoTS updates then subject myself to daily updates of crap like (today's) Dominic Deegan. (Note: There was a time, long ago, when I used to believe DD kicked ass. That time has long since passed.)
In fact, I generally tend to find that the less orderly a comic strip's updating schedule is, the better it tends to be. I don't want a guy writing a new strip to his series unless he's been properly damned inspired with the best possible idea to maximize that strip's potential.
A rigid schedule can sometimes interfere with that. For example, I adore 8-Bit Theater (why else would I be here?) But I've often suspected Brian of a few subpar updates due to sheer lack of inspiration -- he's on a tight schedule, an idea doesn't come to him in time, so he bullshits his way out of it. Mind you, every webcomic author does this, even The Giant (not discriminating against Mr. Clevinger, whose webcomics are 80% awesome.) OoTS just does this porportionately less, because The Giant no longer forces updates out of his ass when he faces a bout of writer's block. In my opinion, that's a good thing. The webcomic itself is free after all -- so what "right" do I have as a reader to demand an update? I'll enjoy it whenever it comes.

I'm just saying that it seems unusually odd that Rich Burlew managed to get thrice-a-week updates for an extremely long period of time and only occasionally had to call in sick from work, then more recently the updates have slowed to "Whenever" due to 'an illness he's always had'.

Plus the guy took an entire hiatus after the Sapphire Guard was overrun for like two months. For, what? A vacation? And why is he being so secretive about this illness he seems to have?

I dunno, he could be sick with the One Week Monthly Flu but it seems very strange and I'm skeptical that the lack of updates has less to do with the illness and more to do with "Hey I don't have to have a full-time job!" Even if he does have a medical condition I could see his drive to do the comic lessening since it practically pays for itself. And what are we going to do, not read it? We'll wait for the updates whenever so why should he worry?

I could be totally wrong but I'm getting very exhausted with completely awesome comics not updating for one reason or another. Like Scott from VG Cats just being a lazy ass, or Gone with the Blast Wave not updating because he doesn't care, etc. OOTS is so fantastic that it annoys me further.

What's funny to me is I've heard this used as a euphemism for a woman's period...


Dude, guys. I figured it out.

RICH BURLEW IS SECRETLY A WOMAN.

Ontopic: I like OotS, even with the sporadic updates and such. Entrancing story line, surprisingly deep and emotion-evoking for stick figures. Love the DnD jokes, etc.