This gun's bullets will only pierce the flesh of your TRUE LOVE!
August 18, 2012 5:28 AM Subscribe
The webcomic A Lesson is Learned but the Damage is Irreversible published a total of 41 strips over the course of two years – but each strip was a masterpiece, visually stunning and weirdly hilarious. It hasn't been updated since 2006 (author Dale Beran writes a new comic with similarly methodical updates), but recently its creators confirmed a new strip is on the way. Artist David Hellman (also known for his work on gorgeous video game Braid) has been sharing sketches of the new strip, and last week shared a video on Facebook showing the process of developing the new strip's layout.
"How did it taste, sir?"
"What?"
"The milkshake... flavored with everything..."
"Oh. There are essentially two points of view. One is that such an accident mixes the sublime with the profane - invites the pig into the parlor, so to speak – and without any way to exclude those bitter tastes (or those sweet but of contrasting qualities) we get an abomination. An unrefined, grotesque sludge.
"The other view, which I am wont to favor – is that the collision of so many sensations at once drifts over the body like light through a kaleidoscope. Beautiful because it is simplified... just as what is fulsome to us up close weaves itself into a delicate and well-wrought pattern when we gain some distance from our affairs and encompass more and more of the world in our view."
"How did it taste, sir?"
"What?"
"The milkshake... flavored with everything..."
"Oh. There are essentially two points of view. One is that such an accident mixes the sublime with the profane - invites the pig into the parlor, so to speak – and without any way to exclude those bitter tastes (or those sweet but of contrasting qualities) we get an abomination. An unrefined, grotesque sludge.
"The other view, which I am wont to favor – is that the collision of so many sensations at once drifts over the body like light through a kaleidoscope. Beautiful because it is simplified... just as what is fulsome to us up close weaves itself into a delicate and well-wrought pattern when we gain some distance from our affairs and encompass more and more of the world in our view."
(burns things into REPTILES)
This was/is one of my favourite webcomics, the equivalent of a band who only manage to hang together long enough for an album or two.
I've recently discovered Another Tower which seems to draw a great deal of influence from it.
posted by solarion at 6:20 AM on August 18, 2012
This was/is one of my favourite webcomics, the equivalent of a band who only manage to hang together long enough for an album or two.
I've recently discovered Another Tower which seems to draw a great deal of influence from it.
posted by solarion at 6:20 AM on August 18, 2012
I have only read two, but they were both brilliant. Good post.
posted by milarepa at 7:27 AM on August 18, 2012
posted by milarepa at 7:27 AM on August 18, 2012
I read the first 3 and I don't get it.
posted by Bonzai at 8:44 AM on August 18, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by Bonzai at 8:44 AM on August 18, 2012 [4 favorites]
This seems to have existed before its time. It's beautiful, and it's funny. I like it. Thanks.
posted by Arquimedez Pozo at 8:56 AM on August 18, 2012
posted by Arquimedez Pozo at 8:56 AM on August 18, 2012
Ooh, yeah. This is one of my favourite comics, and I always go through the archives once a year or so. Fantastic to hear that a new strip is on the way.
posted by tickingclock at 9:21 AM on August 18, 2012
posted by tickingclock at 9:21 AM on August 18, 2012
EEEEEEEEEEEE NEW ALiL!!! S2
This one and this one are still my favorites (although I love love love every single strip). This is still my favorite webcomic. ALiL had the best webcomic community, too.
If you're also an ALiL turbonerd, you may enjoy The Secret Knots. It's less absurdist, but has a similar sense of strange, delicate beauty.
Dake Beran also has a to-be-published novel, and the linked to Nerds of Paradise is pure loveliness. I've especially liked the Time Picnickers storyline.
Also Dresden Codak's homage was pretty on target.
posted by byanyothername at 9:25 AM on August 18, 2012 [2 favorites]
This one and this one are still my favorites (although I love love love every single strip). This is still my favorite webcomic. ALiL had the best webcomic community, too.
If you're also an ALiL turbonerd, you may enjoy The Secret Knots. It's less absurdist, but has a similar sense of strange, delicate beauty.
Dake Beran also has a to-be-published novel, and the linked to Nerds of Paradise is pure loveliness. I've especially liked the Time Picnickers storyline.
Also Dresden Codak's homage was pretty on target.
posted by byanyothername at 9:25 AM on August 18, 2012 [2 favorites]
I am offended that no one has linked to the best one yet.
posted by shakespeherian at 11:27 AM on August 18, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 11:27 AM on August 18, 2012 [3 favorites]
I have been waiting a long time to be able to use the line, "No, I'm sorry, my new boyfriend is made of ethereal flame." Probably I still have a ways to go.
posted by en forme de poire at 11:44 AM on August 18, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by en forme de poire at 11:44 AM on August 18, 2012 [2 favorites]
I read the first 3 and I don't get it.
The first three are also the worst.
Just reading these now for the first time. Thank you. It really does start a slow transformation in to something pretty wonderful with the fourth one.
posted by regicide is good for you at 1:38 PM on August 18, 2012
The first three are also the worst.
Just reading these now for the first time. Thank you. It really does start a slow transformation in to something pretty wonderful with the fourth one.
posted by regicide is good for you at 1:38 PM on August 18, 2012
This is so good. I can't believe I'd never seen this.
This! Wow.
posted by spanishbombs at 2:31 PM on August 18, 2012
This! Wow.
posted by spanishbombs at 2:31 PM on August 18, 2012
You are wrong, this is the best one.
This will be decided in the traditional way.
Picnicking on a nearby field
staring at the clouds.
We will choose based on the shapes that flow by
and if not, maybe then just depending on the way we feel.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 2:09 AM on August 19, 2012 [2 favorites]
This will be decided in the traditional way.
Picnicking on a nearby field
staring at the clouds.
We will choose based on the shapes that flow by
and if not, maybe then just depending on the way we feel.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 2:09 AM on August 19, 2012 [2 favorites]
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CLOUDBALL!
posted by helicomatic at 5:58 AM on August 18, 2012