285 Reviews -- April 1st Issue!

[Nut]

Short Stories

[glow=blue,2,300]The Secret Diary of Danner Carnahan[/glow]
Squee, it’s another one! <3 I adored Jeran’s diary last year, and I was thrilled when I saw this among the short stories. I even went back and read Jeran’s diary again. I find it funniest when I’m reading the two at the same time, alternating between entries and comparing the consistencies.

This was, again, hilarious. XDD Jeran’s diary is still my favorite, but it was awesome to see Danner’s take on things. I loved the jokes about the Citadel’s name change (Kasspers? XD). And the part where Danner denies having screamed like a girl was just funny. XD

“Attack the Citadel?” I said, figuring it was the only obvious solution.
Jeran paused for a moment, appearing to be deep in thought. “Attack the Citadel!” he declared, and they all congratulated him on his genius. I think I’m missing something here.

XDD Poor Danner.

Another hilarious diary story, Nim. Can I now start looking forward to reading, say, Lisha’s secret diary next year? >.>

[glow=blue,2,300]The Secret Diary of Laurana Rose – READ IT AND DIE![/glow]
Congratulations on your first piece! ^^ Secret diaries seem to be popular this issue. I like the… threatening afternote in the title. It makes me want to read the story. Don’t you love reverse psychology?

I love Laurana’s over-enthusiastic personality; it’s what makes this more than just a journal of lab changes. It’s fun to see her reactions to everything. The way she’d change her name based on her gender was just… great. XD And I love the entry she made when she turned back into a girl… *snicker* It was also fun to see how excited she got about Glowing.

I think I’ve scared Markie off the whole lab ray idea with my recent gender escapade. But, as I told him, he would make such a CUTE little girl... Bwahahaha! Oh, I’m a nasty creature.

XD I can so picture someone teasing her brother with that…

I love what happened when he finally got zapped at the end. XD

[glow=blue,2,300]The Elderly Delinquents: Rumble at Roo Oaks[/glow]
*blink* You know, I’ve been seeing this picture all week and I never realized you wrote the story attached to it. Congratulations on getting the picture on the news page! And, it’s great to see you writing for the Times again. ^^

Roo Oaks makes me think of Meepit Oaks… mm, sanitorium. Oh, retirement home. Nevermind.

I love how the story focuses on the elderly in these realistic situations, with the men arguing with their wives. The part where they give their actual arguments for not listening to the women was great. XD And the Interrupting Kau was… just hilarious. He has an interesting job… I don’t think I’d much like being followed around all day and mooed at, either.

I love how it ends without really having resolved anything, yet feeling suitably complete… it just shows what a normal day in their life is like nowadays.

[glow=blue,2,300]Smelly Protests[/glow]
The opening description of the war was fun to read, though a bit chaotic at times. I enjoyed the first paragraph, though. I wonder about the wisdom of Fyora going out in the midst of it all… Madness indeed.

Illusen, the kindest Faerie in Neopia, had taken up arms, specifically against the Water Faeries.

Nuuu! Illusen! Why have you betrayed me? ;-;

She would need a disguise. And perfume. Lots of perfume.

*snicker*

I like how Well saw right through Smelly’s disguise. And the attack pea line was fun. XD The story was fast-paced and you kept things interesting. Very nicely done.

[glow=blue,2,300]Welcome to Monday[/glow]
The title intrigued me, and when I read the first paragraph, I was hooked. Your use of viewpoint in this story is really excellent; I barely even noticed it was second person while I was reading. We all like to laugh at others’ bad luck, but in this case you’ve made us the unlucky person, and made it feel like someone else. How very devious of you.

I like your theories on the meanings of the days of the week, even if they’re not true… *snickers at Count Von Roo*

The dismal tone of the main character is amusing, and reading about Neopian ironies (Fruit Dancing Natives With Cards, anyone?) is always fun. XD

Their fur went from smoky toasty just-got-hit-with-a-lightning-bolt black to a much softer, more pleasant punched-in-the-face-by-the-Ghost-Lupe dark grey!

*snicker*

The usage of capitals wore on me a bit, but it emphasized the character’s sarcastic, miserable tone. That tone was what gave the story a lot of its humor, and it held true all the way to the end. The end, which might have annoyed me in another story, just fit this piece perfectly. XD

[glow=blue,2,300]A Negg Tale[/glow]
The idea that there’s more than one Negg Faerie is interesting. The idea that there’s a pack of them down on Mystery Island raising Neggs… *mind twists*

This was an entertaining story. The plot doesn’t stand out very much, but the characters balance each other out and the humor is nice. Lorissa’s such a fun character. …The Hannah and snowbeast incident was just priceless. XD

[glow=blue,2,300]Peas and Carrots: A Soupy Situation[/glow]
That was a very cute and amusing story. I love the Zebie… *snicker* And the part about the Baby Pteri was funny, although I can’t figure out how the soup could have gotten into it in the first place, aside from the Pteri egg being cooked in it.

Phloosh took Sophie’s clothes… 0_o The surprise of that scene was funny, but I don’t know why he took her clothes and locked her up instead of just turning her into a zombie. I don’t think I want to know, either… (unless she turned out to be too tough for him? Working with potions all day must keep her on guard against mysterious soups…)

The description of Char’s position in his friendship was very nicely done at the beginning, though it didn’t seem to play as much of a role during the excitement of finding zombies and avoiding soup. Still, it was a nice touch, and I could relate to Char’s situation.

[Nut]

Comics

[glow=blue,2,300]Pointless Nonsense – Faerie Wars[/glow]
Heehee, that’s a cute comic, and the faeries look really cute. ^^ I like how the Kacheek freezes up when he hears Blaze’s threat. XD

As far as criticism goes, I’m not sure what I can say that hasn’t been said already. I’ll agree with Huntress about the wave (I actually did think she was jumping when I first read the comic… ^^, and I’ll agree with Nimras about the Acara’s expression (it’s the way the eyes are tilted inwards, I think… that generally gives the impression of anger. If you don’t want them to look angry, you can have eyebrows that point up a little, rather than eyebrows that follow the eyes like they do here).

Well looks really sweet. Ooh, glowy ball of blue light. @_@ I think the battle in the last panel looks a tiny bit odd, what with Well being covered by a huge blocky flame… I would’ve liked to see some sort of little reaction from her (like maybe leaning away a bit), a visual acknowledgement that she’s getting engulfed in fire, although I understand you’d want her to seem indifferent to it. Hehe, a long time indeed… classic punchline. ^^

[glow=blue,2,300]Knick Knack – Faerie Wars[/glow]
The aaart. @_@ Those pictures of the faeries are awesome—the poses are perfect. Like someone else said, they could easily be posters. Blaze is my favorite; I love the summoning-fire pose. It’s nice how Well looks so calm while the waves close in, and Nychta has that perfect moving-in-for-the-kill look. I could just stare at those images for a while. The Kougra’s so cute, too. ^^

The joke is cute, and so true. XD I love how it looks so cool and breezy in the last panel, compared with the first where everything looks still. It emphasizes the effect, especially after the three pictures of the other faeries using their powers to the fullest. And it still looks calming even though the palm trees make it clear that it’s more than just a breeze. Lovely, really.

[glow=blue,2,300]The Not-So-Sweet Smell of Failure[/glow]
I like how you draw the faeries. ^^ Smelly’s poses are great, even if her proportions are kind of off. I love how she tiptoes over to the booth, and the way she’s leaning against it in the last panel. I like all the props in the scene, with the towers and the well and the booth—the way they’re arranged gives a nice impression of space.

Hehe, it’s a coincidence that both your comic and Goosh’s story involve Smelly trying to pull one over Well… and failing. XD You’d think she’d know better by now. I like how Well is just sitting there and not even looking at Smelly, as if she’s been through this before. Although, it would’ve been nice if her expression had changed between the first and last panel, or at least given an indicator that she was speaking in the last one.

All in all, an amusing comic, though. ^^

[glow=blue,2,300]Shiny: Faerie Wars[/glow]
Ahh, you used the coffee shop idea! XD The art here is really gorgeous. @_@ I love your style. :3 This comic is so vibrantly colored, and the black outlines are well-defined; together it produces an effect of… well, stained glass is the first thought that comes to my mind, but I’m sure there’s a better term. It just has that quality of keeping the colors separate from each other. The choice of colors for the table and wallpaper are good, too. It’s a nice contrast, yet isn’t obtrusive.

I love the pacing. The comic starts as a calm scene and then builds up into a tense battle. The little panel where the two pets look around was a great addition. I love how Glare doesn’t even look up as she fires the beam at Nychta at the same time as she confirms that she’s Glare, as if being herself requires her to shoot Nychta. XD The characters’ reactions to each other are just perfectly timed. I love Glare’s pose and expression in the last panel. And the joke was classic. XD

I thought the word balloons were easy enough to follow, but they did seem to take up a lot of space for the size of the type. There’s an awful lot of space between the lines; if the text had been more compact, the balloons might have fit into the panels a little easier. But overall, this was a fabulous comic. ^_^

[glow=blue,2,300]Meow?[/glow]
That was indeed a subtle Faerie Wars joke. x3 It was quite an amusing one, though I didn’t get it until I read the afternote and realized that you were referencing the plot. I’m not sure the joke would be so easy to understand if you weren’t familiar with the plot. :/

The art is really lovely, colorful and clean. The texture on the dirt and grass is nice; it makes it sink out of focus a bit so that you concentrate on the characters. Though it does have the side effect of making the pond look almost like it’s lying on top of the grass, since the pond matches the style of the other garden decorations. I like how you drew all of those plants and trees individually. ^^

The Koi’s sudden exclamation at the end is great. I love how he looks like he’s exerting all his energy to deliver the message… XD

[Nut]

Continued Series

[glow=blue,2,300]Illusen’s Bad Hair Day: Part Three[/glow]
Haha, that was an amusing end to a cute series. ^^

Now, all she had to do was find Trevor, escape Jhudora’s lair before the jelly consumed them all, buy Herbal Shampoo, and attend her public event in less than 3 hours.

It’s the last one that throws a wrench into the works…

To him, it tasted like cherries after they’ve been stepped on a few hundred times.

*blink* I don’t think I want to know what that kind of cherries tastes like.

A shop full of Illusen fans… creepy. o.o

“Deal,” the Xweetok said. “Let’s start the super mega extreme questions of doom!”
“...of doom?” Trevor gulped nervously.

*snicker*

There was also some dirt that was smeared all around his pelt, but he had done it.

… He smeared dirt on his pelt? *reads next sentence* Oh, nevermind. My mind reads sentences in odd ways; the connection of those two thoughts confused me for a moment.

“And just so you know, it’s not water, it’s Achyfi; a lot of it.”

*chokes* XDD Just the thing she wanted to hear…

The last line was great, although considering how Jhudora’s prank on Illusen Day worked out, I wonder how well Illusen will fare…

[glow=blue,2,300]The Mirror of Memories: Part Ten[/glow]

Or, who knows, maybe he's actually a really good guy; he just likes to kidnap babies and threaten people.

*snerk* They’re all misunderstood, I tell you!

"NEVER!" I shouted, tilting my head back and throwing my arms up. "MWAHAHAHAHA!" Hey, I'd always wanted to do that.

Who hasn’t?

This chapter contained a bit more humor than the previous ones (or maybe that’s just me finding odd things amusing). I was really not expecting Cel to be a Baby Quiggle. XD It completely changed my idea of Cel, since up to this point I’d been imagining him as a scary, dark villain. The end of this chapter looks quite promising. I’m curious to see what’ll happen next.

[glow=blue,2,300]Catching Up: Part Eight[/glow]
Ohh, excitement. The taste of action here was a nice refresher. I do hope this event doesn’t cause tension between Lillian and Patricia… it wasn’t all Patricia’s fault. Poor faeries. Hopefully they’ll be more used to flying around each other by the time the gala comes around.

On the bright side, though, Lillian and Patricia are probably both going to be more cautious with their racers from now on.

[glow=blue,2,300]Another Hero’s Journey: Part Twelve[/glow]
Aww… the ending is so sweet. ^_^ The letter was lovely, so sweet and touching. Ehehe… Mipsy’s introduction to this series of stories should be interesting. At least it wasn’t Talinia…

Aww, Andrea and Reuben would be so cute together. ^^ *brick’d* Reuben’s feelings about the ending were bittersweet and very touching. I felt sorry for him, not having gotten to see his little brother. But he really does seem to fit better with his home and mother in Trestin than in a cave.

Aw, Rohane is spreading the love of writing… How sweet.

This chapter was a very sweet, moving ending to a lovely series. Although not every chapter was action-packed, there was so much character development in this series, and so many new characters, it was enjoyable to read. Although this series is over, I can see a lot more stories about this world of characters coming up.

[costaricangirl]

nut said:

Short Stories

[glow=blue,2,300]Peas and Carrots: A Soupy Situation[/glow]
That was a very cute and amusing story. I love the Zebie… *snicker* And the part about the Baby Pteri was funny, although I can’t figure out how the soup could have gotten into it in the first place, aside from the Pteri egg being cooked in it.

Phloosh took Sophie’s clothes… 0_o The surprise of that scene was funny, but I don’t know why he took her clothes and locked her up instead of just turning her into a zombie. I don’t think I want to know, either… (unless she turned out to be too tough for him? Working with potions all day must keep her on guard against mysterious soups…)

The description of Char’s position in his friendship was very nicely done at the beginning, though it didn’t seem to play as much of a role during the excitement of finding zombies and avoiding soup. Still, it was a nice touch, and I could relate to Char’s situation.

Thanks so much for the review, Nut! Very helpful! *nod nod* And as for why Phloosh took Sophie's clothes and how the baby Pteri was infected, no one will eeeeeeeeeeeveeeeeeer know. ;D

[PFA]

nut said:

[glow=blue,2,300]Pointless Nonsense – Faerie Wars[/glow]
Heehee, that’s a cute comic, and the faeries look really cute. ^^ I like how the Kacheek freezes up when he hears Blaze’s threat. XD

As far as criticism goes, I’m not sure what I can say that hasn’t been said already. I’ll agree with Huntress about the wave (I actually did think she was jumping when I first read the comic… ^^, and I’ll agree with Nimras about the Acara’s expression (it’s the way the eyes are tilted inwards, I think… that generally gives the impression of anger. If you don’t want them to look angry, you can have eyebrows that point up a little, rather than eyebrows that follow the eyes like they do here).

Well looks really sweet. Ooh, glowy ball of blue light. @_@ I think the battle in the last panel looks a tiny bit odd, what with Well being covered by a huge blocky flame… I would’ve liked to see some sort of little reaction from her (like maybe leaning away a bit), a visual acknowledgement that she’s getting engulfed in fire, although I understand you’d want her to seem indifferent to it. Hehe, a long time indeed… classic punchline. ^^

Thanks for the review!

Hmm... I should've picked a different color for the wave, or something. >_> And I guess I'll have to do something with those eyebrows...

Yeah, I admit the last panel turned out a little odd... and I like how Well turned out also.

[Belle]

nut said:

[glow=blue,2,300]Faerie Wars: Tactics[/glow]
I really like the image you got for this. I know it’s not a custom, but the Dark Faerie looks so… shiny (and a little like Nychta, too). ^^

Your line about living in a closet for the past few days is just evil. It was nice that you gave a rundown of the story in the beginning. The article on a whole is just full of imaginative information. It’s interesting to read about how the camps differ and their strengths and weaknesses (the battle plan sections were my favorites to read). This is a fabulous reference point and inspiration, really—if only it were a real plot. Ah well.

Your lighthearted tone shows through even in this article of facts, playing on the faeries’ personalities. All in all an interesting article, though it really makes a perfect prank when you’ve read Kitty’s article too. xD

Thanks for the review, Nut. *huggles*

[ohmandoh]

birdy said:

The Not-So-Sweet Smell of Failure by bird_brain312 and manda314

*grins* Yeah, maybe.
Good artwork, and joke. Well done! *runs*

Thanks

nut said:

[glow=blue,2,300]The Not-So-Sweet Smell of Failure[/glow]
I like how you draw the faeries. ^^ Smelly’s poses are great, even if her proportions are kind of off. I love how she tiptoes over to the booth, and the way she’s leaning against it in the last panel. I like all the props in the scene, with the towers and the well and the booth—the way they’re arranged gives a nice impression of space.

Hehe, it’s a coincidence that both your comic and Goosh’s story involve Smelly trying to pull one over Well… and failing. XD You’d think she’d know better by now. I like how Well is just sitting there and not even looking at Smelly, as if she’s been through this before. Although, it would’ve been nice if her expression had changed between the first and last panel, or at least given an indicator that she was speaking in the last one.

All in all, an amusing comic, though. ^^

Thanks. Hehe. The expressions are different and the mouth was a tiny bit open, but shrinking the pics down messed that up. In the last panel, Well has her nose up like she's smelling something bad. Thanks a ton. XD

[Deleted]

Hey, guys, thanks for all the reviews! It's so endearing to hear all these nice things written after having been away so long! Thanks for the support!

[Kat]

nut said:

[glow=blue,2,300]Another Hero’s Journey: Part Twelve[/glow]
Aww… the ending is so sweet. ^_^ The letter was lovely, so sweet and touching. Ehehe… Mipsy’s introduction to this series of stories should be interesting. At least it wasn’t Talinia…

Aww, Andrea and Reuben would be so cute together. ^^ *brick’d* Reuben’s feelings about the ending were bittersweet and very touching. I felt sorry for him, not having gotten to see his little brother. But he really does seem to fit better with his home and mother in Trestin than in a cave.

Aw, Rohane is spreading the love of writing… How sweet.

This chapter was a very sweet, moving ending to a lovely series. Although not every chapter was action-packed, there was so much character development in this series, and so many new characters, it was enjoyable to read. Although this series is over, I can see a lot more stories about this world of characters coming up.

[shadow=purple,left,300]Wasn't Talinia, eh? XDDDDD Kat plots something big and awesome for her in the future. How can I not plot something big and awesome for Rohane's future wife?

Thank you so much for the review, Nut! =D And yes, I'm getting to work right now on the next series after this one. However, when Rohane will return to the series (and whether he will) is still a mystery. *cackles*[/shadow]

[Kat]

[shadow=purple,left,300]I pwn at procrastinating reviews. XD

The Secret Diary of Laurana Rose - READ IT AND DIE! - Reasie

Well, I'm still alive. XD Anyway, I had fun reading this...the fact that Laurana has a lot of short yet utterly random entries was also a plus. And yeah...gender changes...*snicker* The ending was made of pure win.

The Secret Diary of Danner Carnahan - Nimras

I love how Danner AND Jeran have their own little perks deep underneath their tough knight exteriors...what the heck? I had fun reading this, and yes, you're inspiring me to start The Secret Diary of Abigail A. Avinroo. I'm not kidding.

Peas and Carrots: A Soupy Situation - Rose

I would have loved to know how they managed to lock zombie Char and his zombified mom into the closet. There could've been a chase scene or something. ^^; But besides that, this was really entertaining. Phloosh reminds me of Hamsterviel from Lilo and Stitch - they're both tiny but terrible villains who aren't exactly perfect. XDDDD

The Elderly Delinquents: Rumble at Roo Oaks - Sims

DON'T YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I MISS YOUR STORIES?! XD *cough* I love the characters...they're just so entertaining, and the fact that they're grandmas and grandpas just adds to it. You're a comedic genius, Sims. A comedic genius.

A Negg Tale - Ebil

Yup, there sure is no 'I' in faerie. But there's that little straight line with the dot...kidding. XD Haha, poor Wisp and Lorissa. Looks like TNF doesn't follow her own credo...tsk, tsk.

Smelly Protests - Goosher

Good thing Smelly and Julia are friends, otherwise the latter would be demanding lots of payment from the former for the costume AND the perfume. XD Haha, poor Smelly. If the wars stopped, she could probably ask the water faeries to give her a bath. A nice, big, bath. [/shadow]

[Kat]

[shadow=purple,left,300]Sorry...a lot of my reviews will be rather short, as I still have to do reviews for issues 286 and 287.

Catching Up - Fj0rd

CRASH! Couldn't resist. ^^; Anyway, things start climbing up again in this chapter...typical mess-up by the students, teacher has to set things straight...Evea's got a lot on her hands, doesn't she?

The Mirror of Memories - Sytra

The second to the last part...the plot rises before it starts to fall towards the end. 'Kay, the cliffhanger was...cliffy. No other words can describe it. And the plan was win. XD Aina in a Sloth costume = priceless.

Illusen's Bad Hair Day - Ummagine3284

Jhudora gets pwned. What else can I say? XD This was a very satisfying end to a great series, and yes, the ending was really hilarious. It's a good thing everything turned out right in the end...that is, except for Jhudora. *winkwink*[/shadow]

[Kat]

[shadow=purple,left,300]Faerie Wars: Which Side to Choose? - Kitty

Very informative, and gives really in-depth info on the faeries. Although you could've injected some more humor, the article was already entertaining as it is. Poor Fyora. XD

The Dirt on the Earth Faeries - Pyro

I love puns, don't you? ;D Heh, since I rather like Illusen, I give you brownie points for not including her in this article. Looks like the earth faeries (except Illusen) are the new dark faeries, no? I know Storm would agree with me...

A Million Little Unis: The Green Uni Controversy - Brains

Sock, can I have your autograph! ^_^ *cough* I have to admit, I was rather in the dark about this whole GUP thing, but yes, thanks to your article, I can understand it more - and I can say I agree with the whole work-hard-for-painted-pets thing, as I have 3 painted pets (Angel is teh lab rat XD).

Faerie Wars: Tactics - Belle

This + Kitty's article = The Stupid Neopian's Guide to Picking Sides and Plotting Everyone Else's Demise, Especially Those Crazy Faeries Not On Your Side.

What? I couldn't say FW out loud, could I? XD Anyway, informative and entertaining = great article. Wow, I'm into equations now, I see.

...

Phew! *falls over* Is that all? ;D My comic reviews are...somewhere in there. *jerks thumb towards the rest of the thread*[/shadow]