Webcomic Books

[Dork Lord]

We all know the books that are out are full of all kinds of awesomeness, and I apologize in advance if this is a question that has been asked before, but are there any plans on releasing a book or books containing the strips that are here on the site? I'd love to get my wife into reading OOTS and I think she'd enjoy it, but she hates reading comics online. I know it may be a long shot, but I thought it may be worth asking. I know I'd buy them.

[Random832]

We all know the books that are out are full of all kinds of awesomeness, and I apologize in advance if this is a question that has been asked before, but are there any plans on releasing a book or books containing the strips that are here on the site? I'd love to get my wife into reading OOTS and I think she'd enjoy it, but she hates reading comics online. I know it may be a long shot, but I thought it may be worth asking. I know I'd buy them.

Uh.... isn't that what all but two of the books are, plus bonus content?

[ilcane87]

You can find all the information you seek on this page:

http://www.giantitp.com/Shop.html (click the book titles for details)

[Zevox]

Uh, yeah, that's what 3 of the books are. Dungeon Crawlin' Fools, No Cure for the Paladin Blues, and War and XPs collectively contain the first 480 or so strips, plus some bonus material. Presumably, there will be more as the strip goes on.

Zevox

[abishur]

Presumably, there will be more as the strip goes on.

Zevox

Gotta admit, as each strip loads I wonder to myself, "Will this be the 'rounding it all up' page in the next book" and "I wonder if Rich has already started compiling the next book?" Dark L it is so worth owning the books and getting to read a little extra into the mind of the author. Absolute blast.

[Tadpole]

OMG ha ha ha ha ha ha !!!1 :smallbiggrin:

I just got it... War and XPs

ha hah ah ahaha

[Trebuchet]

I started with the books. Warn your wife, if she reads them, she will soon be online four times a day seeing if there is another strip. Is there an OOTS 12-step program?

[Starscream]

Is there an OOTS 12-step program?

Sort of. There's a 12 level PRC you can take called "Addict in the Playground".

[[TS] Shadow]

Your wife will love it, I assure you. If my girl friends can get into OotS without knowing anything about D&D, your wife will too.

[Lissou]

Just be careful that she doesn't read the commentary until after she's done reading the strips themselves. It has some major spoilers if you haven't been reading the strip online.

[Liwen]

OMG ha ha ha ha ha ha !!!1 :smallbiggrin:

I just got it... War and XPs

ha hah ah ahaha

:smallconfused: Could you elaborate on that. I don't get it. I always believed that title referred to the big war and the personal experience gained by some of the characters in the strips contained in that book. Like Elan when he actually got some lasting libido with a girl and said girl learning to avoid splitting her mind into dozens of mental constructs.

[Dalenthas]

It's a pun on War and Peace, a famous novel. Similarly, On the Origin of PCs is a pun on the Origin of Species, by Charles Darwin.

[Liwen]

My 'Detect puns' supernatural ability must be broken. I didn't get the pun on 'On the Origin of the PCs' either :smalleek:

[Ancalagon]

Just be careful that she doesn't read the commentary until after she's done reading the strips themselves. It has some major spoilers if you haven't been reading the strip online.

That's the most stupid thing in those books, yes. I wish the comments for a chapter would be found at the end of that chapter, not at the beginning. That REALLY should change for the next books, you sadly cannot just read them "front to end" the way they are now...

[SPoD]

That's the most stupid thing in those books, yes. I wish the comments for a chapter would be found at the end of that chapter, not at the beginning. That REALLY should change for the next books, you sadly cannot just read them "front to end" the way they are now...

You shouldn't be reading author commentary AT ALL until you've read the comics, any more than you would listen to part of the director's commentary on a DVD before finishing the movie. It seems pretty obvious to me.

[Obrysii]

Dark L it is so worth owning the books and getting to read a little extra into the mind of the author. Absolute blast.

I have to say, reading them before work (sitting in the car, waiting for the right time before I go in and punch in) definitely helps deal with retail folks.

[Tricia]

My 'Detect puns' supernatural ability must be broken. I didn't get the pun on 'On the Origin of the PCs' either :smalleek:On the Origin of the Species by Charles Darwin

[SPoD]

And for anyone who missed it, Start of Darkness is a pun on Joseph Conrad's 19th-century novella Heart of Darkness.

[NerfTW]

My 'Detect puns' supernatural ability must be broken. I didn't get the pun on 'On the Origin of the PCs' either :smalleek:

Say "species" and "PCs". Get it? Pee- Cees.

War and XPs. Same thing. War and Ex-Pees. War and Peace.

[Ancalagon]

You shouldn't be reading author commentary AT ALL until you've read the comics, any more than you would listen to part of the director's commentary on a DVD before finishing the movie. It seems pretty obvious to me.

Well, *I* have read the stuff already on the web. But it's still a problem, I think, since, well, I'm used to read stuff instead of just looking at the nice, colourful pictures. :)

[NerfTW]

All of the books warn you in the forward that the commentary has spoilers. And not only just for that section.

And really, it's not like giant spoiler letters that you can't avoid. It's not hard to figure out that you shouldn't read directors commentary before the strip.

[abishur]

All of the books warn you in the forward that the commentary has spoilers. And not only just for that section.

And really, it's not like giant spoiler letters that you can't avoid. It's not hard to figure out that you shouldn't read directors commentary before the strip.

Besides it makes sense for them to be at the beginning. It's so you can enjoy the little tid bits as they come up in the story instead of having to back track and reread the single strip (out of context of the whole quiet often).

At any rate rather they come before or after the chapter, if we've all already read it (which I assumee that anyone reading the commentary would have already read the strips itself, just like anyone watching the director's cut commentary has finished the movie) then it really doesn't matter where it shows up. If you're willing to go back into the chapter and reread what the commentary covers, why wouldn't you be willing to go back at the end of a chapter and read the commentary?

[Dork Lord]

Thanks to everyone for the information. A friend of mine had told me that the books were all new content, so that's where I had gotten that idea. I hope I'll be able to get ahold of the books soon. This really is an awesome webcomic.

[Ancalagon]

Thanks to everyone for the information. A friend of mine had told me that the books were all new content, so that's where I had gotten that idea. I hope I'll be able to get ahold of the books soon. This really is an awesome webcomic.

Also get Start of Darkness. Then, and only then, you will know HOW awesome OotS is... ;)

[abishur]

A friend of mine had told me that the books were all new content, so that's where I had gotten that idea.

ah, well I can see how one might get that impression. "The Start of Darkness (http://apegames.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=OOTS03&Category_Code=)" and "On the Origin of PCs (http://apegames.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=OOTS00&Category_Code=)" are both 100% new content. I would actually suggest buying these first simply because they are all new and shed some interesting light into current events as well as being two whole new stories... well maybe more than 2 but that's besides the point.

[Allan Surgite]

Hey, I've got an slightly-related question that does not require a new topic.

If there any way to get the books from within the United Kingdom? since, as much as I like the online books, I am not paying twice the price (with P&P) to own them.

[ericgrau]

Origin of PCs and Start of Darkness contain spoilers for the main comic. If your wife is new to the strip, she should read the other books first and then the 2 prequels.

Kinda like watching Star Wars episodes 1-3 before empire strikes back, it'd really ruin things (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nibkSe5v1mI#t=2m43.5s). Well maybe it's not that huge but you get the idea.

[abishur]

Hey, I've got an slightly-related question that does not require a new topic.

If there any way to get the books from within the United Kingdom? since, as much as I like the online books, I am not paying twice the price (with P&P) to own them.

Amazon perhaps?

[Dork Lord]

So is "Dungeon Crawlin' Fools" the first book of the site's content?

[Ancalagon]

Hey, I've got an slightly-related question that does not require a new topic.

If there any way to get the books from within the United Kingdom? since, as much as I like the online books, I am not paying twice the price (with P&P) to own them.

It's not "twice the price" if you order from ape-games. (And if you had taken part in the euro, you would benefit from the weak dollar by now! Let that be a lesson to you. :)) Seriously: The shipping is not that cheap but if you buy two or three of the books at once, it's not that heavy anymore... you COULD check comic-stores near you, if you happen to live in a larger city...

[ericgrau]

So is "Dungeon Crawlin' Fools" the first book of the site's content?

Yeup. It is.

[Dork Lord]

Thank you.

[abishur]

So is "Dungeon Crawlin' Fools" the first book of the site's content?

yep. It covers the first 120 strips it covers (up to the end of the first dungeon)

No cure for the paladin blues covers up to Strip 300 (180 strips) It covers up to Roy getting his sword back

War and XPs goes up Strip 484 (184 strips) it covers up the fall of azure city

And all them contain extra/bonus content

[Dork Lord]

Well, DCFs is now paid for and should hopefully be on it's way via Priority Flat Rate Envelope soon (I bought it directly from the site). Again, thanks everyone. :smallsmile:

[Pyro]

Since we're discussing the puns on the print titles, can someone explain "Dungeon Crawlin' Fools," or is it not a parody of any famous book?

[abishur]

Since we're discussing the puns on the print titles, can someone explain "Dungeon Crawlin' Fools," or is it not a parody of any famous book?

I'm gonna say this even at the risk of being proven wrong and sounding like an idiot, but I don't think this was a parody of anything. Just a little head nod toward all us Dungeon Crawlin' fools :smallwink:

[xyzzy]

Since we're discussing the puns on the print titles, can someone explain "Dungeon Crawlin' Fools," or is it not a parody of any famous book?

It's a pun on David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest.

You'd have to read it to get the joke.

Kidding!

Also, since the vast majority of people who read the books are people who've already read the strip online, putting things in the order that lets you notice little details mentioned in the commentary before they come up makes sense. And any time I've lent someone DCF I've just told them not to read the commentary until the end.

[Porthos]

Since we're discussing the puns on the print titles, can someone explain "Dungeon Crawlin' Fools," or is it not a parody of any famous book?

Rich has never really explained it, AFAIK. As near as anyone can figure, Rich didn't start with the Cultural Allusions until he printed On the Origins of PCs.

The closest thing anyone has come up with is "Dungeon Crawling Tools". I.e. the tools one would take on a "Dungeon Crawl". Which more or less works.

So therefore we would have:

Dungeon Crawlin' Fools = Dungeon Crawling Tools
On the Origins of PCs = On the Origins of Species (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species)
No Cure for the Paladin Blues = (No Cure for the) Summertime Blues (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summertime_Blues)
Start of Darkness = Heart of Darkness (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_of_Darkness)
War and XPs = War and Peace (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_and_Peace)

The last one is also pun in respects that it can be read as War and Ex-Peace. Which would be War and More War, I suppose. :smalltongue:

[The_Void]

Question - what does it say on Elan's notice on the front cover of OtOotPCs?

[Ron Miel]

"Will adventure for food"

[Porthos]

Question - what does it say on Elan's notice on the front cover of OtOotPCs?

"Will adventure for food". A parody of the various incarnations of the sign "Will work for food".

[The_Void]

Ah, I see. :smallbiggrin: Thanks.

[shadzar]

I'm gonna say this even at the risk of being proven wrong and sounding like an idiot, but I don't think this was a parody of anything. Just a little head nod toward all us Dungeon Crawlin' fools :smallwink:

Maybe it isn't so clear cut? Considering the strips it contains and what is going on, and what a dungeon crawl is maybe there is a song it realtes to the title of?

Fools Rush In

Tell me honestly that adventures don't just rush in to a dungeon?

[Cleverdan22]

I'd say Porthos has it with DCF. I had always thought it was a very slight parody of phrases like "He's a writin' fool!" or "She's a dancin' fool!" which is kinda old-timely southern slang for good at something.

[ericgrau]

X x'n Fools returns a wide variety of google results for a lot of different things you replace the x's with. It could just be a general terminology.

[Dork Lord]

Shadow;6226922']Your wife will love it, I assure you. If my girl friends can get into OotS without knowing anything about D&D, your wife will too.

Just noticed this comment and I had to respond.

Know about D&D? Heck, she runs our epic 3.5 game! :smallbiggrin:

[[TS] Shadow]

Just noticed this comment and I had to respond.

Know about D&D? Heck, she runs our epic 3.5 game! :smallbiggrin:

Oh...Well, she'll enjoy it more then! I've really got to stop assuming things.

[Dork Lord]

Hehe, no worries at all. :smallwink:

[Elthanir]

Hey, I've got an slightly-related question that does not require a new topic.

If there any way to get the books from within the United Kingdom? since, as much as I like the online books, I am not paying twice the price (with P&P) to own them.
As suggested, you could try Amazon. If you have a decent comic shop anywhere near you, they should be able to get you a copy if they don't have it already. My local, Page 45 had them all on the shelves last time I checked.

[Nimrod's Son]

Hey, I've got an slightly-related question that does not require a new topic.

If there any way to get the books from within the United Kingdom? since, as much as I like the online books, I am not paying twice the price (with P&P) to own them.
If you have a local branch of Forbidden Planet (http://www.forbiddenplanet.co.uk/), try there. The one near me stocks them, and they're cheaper than online.

[Morgan Wick]

Thanks to everyone for the information. A friend of mine had told me that the books were all new content, so that's where I had gotten that idea. I hope I'll be able to get ahold of the books soon. This really is an awesome webcomic.

Where is this friend so we may harvest their organs? And yours too - you know what they say about assuming...

Who would have thought a FAQ question (http://www.giantitp.com/FAQ.html#faq2)that's more out-of-date than most of the others would still be extant?

[Dork Lord]

I just picked up Start of Darkness and Origin of the PCs today at my local comic shop. I was shocked and pleased to discover that they were both well under $20 each. I had been thinking they'd likely be over 20 bucks a piece. To everyone who hasn't picked up those two books, I highly recommend it. New content in two books for around 30 bucks? You can't go wrong with that.