Just got SOD! Other prequels?

[Canisius]

I started reading OOTS at #410. Loved gobbling up the previous strips when I discovered the comic. Now I'm getting that same experience again - zipping through a bunch of strips in short order. Just awesome. And fwiw, the grey-scale color scheme makes it seem more like a flashback. But without the wavy lines and harp arpeggios.

It looks like there are other prequels, but I had trouble locating them at Ookadook. "On the Origins of PCs" is mentioned in the forward, but are there other collections that lay outside the online strip?

Thanks for any info. Rich, you're awesome.

[NerdyKris]

Here's the list of books, from the shop link on the left. (http://www.giantitp.com/Shop.html)
All books are in stock, by the way. The individual description pages haven't been updated since the Kickstarter put everything back in print.

As for Origin of PCs, it's okay. Not on par with SOD, but it was a nice extended intro to the strip.
Dragon Tails isn't a prequel. It's completely seperate from the main comic. It's not even in universe, except for the bookend scenes for the Stick Tales. But it's still good.

There is supposedly a third prequel planned according to the commentary in one of the books, but what it would be about is anyone's guess.

[Nimrod's Son]

There is supposedly a third prequel planned according to the commentary in one of the books, but what it would be about is anyone's guess.
...Although if there's been a better guess than "The Linear Guild, incorporating Tarquin", then I've yet to read it.

[skim172]

Origin of PCs is very much unlike SoD - it's not very dramatic or really all that plot-related. Origin of PCs is a collection of a few lighthearted tales about what each character was doing before the adventure started. Since they're all pretty much just some guys who happened to tag along with Roy, and more about Roy's (and Eugene's) backstory is revealed in SoD, it doesn't get too deep into story. It's a fun little read, but fairly insignificant compared to Start of Darkness.

I hadn't heard about another prequel book. I'm a little mystified as to what it might be about. I suppose it might be a continuation of some threads from SoD (other stories in the SoD timeline with SoD characters, for example) or maybe a story involving Tarquin or the Linear Guild. But those would seem to be largely independent plotlines, not necessarily adding anything vital to the main story - which is okay, but stretches the concept of "prequel" a little.


Maybe a prequel about the Order of the Scribble? We know so little about them and their grand adventures. And they've clearly played a major role in setting up the current plot.

... Though I imagine any major secrets about the Gate and the Snarl would have to be revealed in the main strip first before a prequel was published spoiling all that.

[Nimrod's Son]

Maybe a prequel about the Order of the Scribble? We know so little about them and their grand adventures. And they've clearly played a major role in setting up the current plot.
Rich has said before that the Scribble's story will be told in the main comic, which won't as it stands leave anything over for a prequel. I wouldn't rule out seeing unrelated bonus strips or short stories about them, but it doesn't sound like a full book is ever going to happen.

[BroomGuys]

...Although if there's been a better guess than "The Linear Guild, incorporating Tarquin", then I've yet to read it.

Origin story for the Holey Brotherhood.

[137beth]

Origin story for the Holey Brotherhood.

Nope, Baron Pineapple is really more deserving.

[Emanick]

Rich has said before that the Scribble's story will be told in the main comic, which won't as it stands leave anything over for a prequel. I wouldn't rule out seeing unrelated bonus strips or short stories about them, but it doesn't sound like a full book is ever going to happen.

Can you link me to a post stating that? I keep up with the forum and the Index of The Giant's Comments pretty well, and I don't remember ever seeing anything of the sort.

I'm pretty invested in the idea of seeing the Scribblers' story told in print, so I have a stake in you being wrong somehow. No offense. :smalltongue:

[Nimrod's Son]

I'm pretty invested in the idea of seeing the Scribblers' story told in print, so I have a stake in you being wrong somehow. No offense. :smalltongue:
I'm not sure I see your worry here. :smallconfused: Is it important that they have a book all to themselves? Because I'm pretty sure ALL the online strips will be collected in print at some point.

EDIT: Anyway, it doesn't seem to be in the Index yet and with the forum search down the chances of finding it through Google (when all I've got to go on are keywords like "giant", "scribble", "backstory" and "prequel") are pretty much zero. Unless anyone else has got a link, you'll just have to take my word for it.

[Emanick]

I'm not sure I see your worry here. :smallconfused: Is it important that they have a book all to themselves? Because I'm pretty sure ALL the online strips will be collected in print at some point.

Maybe I phrased that poorly. Yes, I'd love to see a whole book about their adventures, hence my interest in seeing them "in print." It sounds much more interesting to me than seeing the pre-adventures of Tarquin & co. plus the coalescing Linear Guild.

Tarquin and his crew are simply coasting when we see them, without anything particularly visionary in mind for the immediate future, and none of the original Linear Guild members are particularly fascinating characters. In my opinion, it would be much more fascinating to watch the dynamics of the Scribblers as they come together, save the world and then fall apart as a team at the very climax of their mission. That's the sort of truly pathos-laced tale that would be worth telling in full.

[Douglas]

Maybe I phrased that poorly. Yes, I'd love to see a whole book about their adventures, hence my interest in seeing them "in print." It sounds much more interesting to me than seeing the pre-adventures of Tarquin & co. plus the coalescing Linear Guild.

Tarquin and his crew are simply coasting when we see them, without anything particularly visionary in mind for the immediate future, and none of the original Linear Guild members are particularly fascinating characters. In my opinion, it would be much more fascinating to watch the dynamics of the Scribblers as they come together, save the world and then fall apart as a team at the very climax of their mission. That's the sort of truly pathos-laced tale that would be worth telling in full.
It's worth telling in full, but it will also have a high impact on the main story. Thus, it will be told in the online strips, and will see print in one of the compilation books.

Ah, finally found the reference. From the transcript of the Geekademia interview in the Index of the Giant's Comments:

5G: The Possibility of an Order of the Scribble Prequel Book

Jesse: Do you think you may do a prequel book about the Order of the Scribble someday, or is that not something you're sure about?

Rich: I wouldn't rule it out, but I don't currently have any plans to and I wouldn't know what I would do with it. I think the main thrust of their story needs to be included in the online strip. You need to know exactly what happened all that time ago that made them so angry at each other in order to understand the main story. So therefore I wouldn't want to shunt it to a side book. When it needs to be told, it needs to be front and center, and then once it's been told, it'll influence what people think about the characters after that.

So I wouldn't want it to be. . . I had told much of the story, much of the things that Redcloak revealed to Tsukiko in the recent strip about how he was tricking Xykon was already known by people who had read Start of Darkness. But it didn't sort of change what was going to happen next for them to have known it separately. But anything about the Order of the Scribble isn't really like that. It's important in a way that would change things, and therefore it can't be let out of the bag early. But by the same token, I wouldn't object to writing a story of them just fighting Baron Pineapple, or something like that. Certainly wouldn't have any problems with that, but I think the main conflict between them is gonna be in the main comic at some point.

[Nimrod's Son]

That's the sort of truly pathos-laced tale that would be worth telling in full.
Perhaps, but it doesn't sound like Rich has ever planned the Scribble's story in that much detail, and the parts he has planned are intended for inclusion in the main comic, so they'd be redundant rather than revelatory when shown in context of a full prequel story.

The way I see it, we have three main groups in this story, and we've already had prequels about two of them; the Linear Guild getting their own prequel balances things out nicely.

EDIT: And thanks to douglas for digging that quote out; it never occurred to me that it was from that interview.

[skim172]

Perhaps, but it doesn't sound like Rich has ever planned the Scribble's story in that much detail, and the parts he has planned are intended for inclusion in the main comic, so they'd be redundant rather than revelatory when shown in context of a full prequel story.

The way I see it, we have three main groups in this story, and we've already had prequels about two of them; the Linear Guild getting their own prequel balances things out nicely.

I disagree - I don't really see the Linear Guild as a "main group." More like a secondary antagonist, along the lines of the IFCC - major impact on the story, but I'm nowhere near as invested in them as I am in the Order or Team Evil.

But maybe it's just because I don't like the LG or Tarkers that much. I think a light compilation of backstories similar to Origin of PCs might be an interesting direction.

The thing is, what made SoD so great, beside its fantastic story and character development, is that it answered a crucial unknown that was a major piece of the plot: what is the motive? Who are these bad guys and why are they the way they are? That's a question you want to know and Rich did an amazing job answering that question in a way that felt neither trite nor tacked-on (too many of these 'villain's perspective' stories end up making them into some sort of gritty antihero in an incredibly unoriginal way). I'm not sure that kind of burning question exists for any of the other factions.

You don't have to answer those questions in a prequel, of course - you can just create a story that more or less stands alone that uses the same characters ("Scribblers vs. Baron Pineapple"). But - maybe this is selfish - I really want to see a prequel of the quality and the meaningfulness of SoD. If there is an avenue for it.

Which is why I brought up the Scribblers - I really, really, want to know what happened between them that made them hate each other so, and what's truly going on with the rifts. But in all likelihood, that question will be answered in the main strip. I suppose the Giant might first reveal it in the main strip, and then later produce a prequel expanding upon those questions. Like the way George Lucas didn't produce a prequel until after he ran out of money to use as toilet paper we learned Vader is Luke's father.


Although, now that I think about it, there is a gap in the LG record that could provide fertile ground for some development - the break between Tarquin and Nale. We know Nale rebelled, but there is room for a story on just how it played out. An epic story about Machiavellian conspiracies, deceptions, and machinations... hmmm .... maybe I'm not as against an LG prequel as I thought.

[NerdyKris]

...Although if there's been a better guess than "The Linear Guild, incorporating Tarquin", then I've yet to read it.

Agreed. After he ruled out the Scribble book, which as pointed out would need to be in the online comic anyways, it's the only real option left.

[Rakoa]

Guys, its obviously going to be a prequel book all about Wizard Guy.

[littlebum2002]

There have been some PDF prequels for thee characters of Belkar, O-Chul, Tsusiko, and others. These are being written for those who supported the kickstarter campaign. I believe one or two have been completed so far.

I, at the time, did not understand kickstarter and therefore didn't contribute. I've been kicking myself ever since, especially since after multiple readings of the series, O-Chul has become by far my favorite character. But Rich is supposedly going to print them as part of a book, eventually. At least that's what I've heard, I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

[Rogar Demonblud]

A prequel for the LG would probably also have to deal with Nale taking out several vampires. I find myself hoping they sparkle at some point in the story.

[Red.Tide]

Here's the list of books, from the shop link on the left. (http://www.giantitp.com/Shop.html)There is supposedly a third prequel planned according to the commentary in one of the books, but what it would be about is anyone's guess.

Which book is that commentary in? And where in the book? I forgot about that.

[NerdyKris]

No cure for the Paladin Blues, in the "looking foward" section.


And that's not even counting any additional orginal OOTS books. We already have one of those - On the Origin of PCs - with at least two more planned. One will tell the tale of Xykon, from his life through his death to his undeath, including how he met Redcloak and the creature in the Darkness. The other ... well, that's another year away, I don't think I'm ready to talk about that yet.

This was written in 2006. Start of Darkness didn't come out for a year after that note. Obviously, if it was the Linear Guild, he massively underestimated how much story was left. Not even in terms of updates. It's been 600 strips since the end of NCFTPB. 425 before Tarquin was even introduced.

He might have been referring to Dragon Magazine, which he would have been in talks with at the time, I believe.

[Red.Tide]

He might have been referring to Dragon Magazine, which he would have been in talks with at the time, I believe.

Since he says, "additional original OOTS books" and not, "additional prequels," along with "another year away," I'm pretty sure that's what it was, unfortunately.

[Gift Jeraff]

However, since SSaDT came out, he has said "the number of prequels [he] still ha[s] planned is pretty much fixed in [his] mind, [he] just can't publish them until certain facts have been revealed in-comic so that they aren't massive spoilers for future events." (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=11766389&postcount=194)

Note that he says prequels. A LG/IFCC prequel leading up to Nale getting hired by Xykon and a Tarquin/Malack prequel leading up to the start of their 6-man con? If Tarquin's lumped in with the LG/IFCC, then either a general Sapphire Guard story--starting with Soon forming it and ending with Shojo adopting the Mr. Scruffy act, along the way showing the major paladins/Azurites (I always felt Tsukiko was arrested by paladins) and the era of goblin slaughtering--or something we couldn't possibly predict at this time.

[Goosefarble]

EDIT: Anyway, it doesn't seem to be in the Index yet and with the forum search down the chances of finding it through Google (when all I've got to go on are keywords like "giant", "scribble", "backstory" and "prequel") are pretty much zero. Unless anyone else has got a link, you'll just have to take my word for it.

I think he said it on his podcast interview with Geekademia.

[Red.Tide]

However, since SSaDT came out, he has said "the number of prequels [he] still ha[s] planned is pretty much fixed in [his] mind, [he] just can't publish them until certain facts have been revealed in-comic so that they aren't massive spoilers for future events." (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=11766389&postcount=194)

Note that he says prequels. A LG/IFCC prequel leading up to Nale getting hired by Xykon and a Tarquin/Malack prequel leading up to the start of their 6-man con? If Tarquin's lumped in with the LG/IFCC, then either a general Sapphire Guard story--starting with Soon forming it and ending with Shojo adopting the Mr. Scruffy act, along the way showing the major paladins/Azurites (I always felt Tsukiko was arrested by paladins) and the era of goblin slaughtering--or something we couldn't possibly predict at this time.

Nice! Thanks for the link.

[Nimrod's Son]

Okay, hands up everyone who still thinks there's not much story to be mined in a Linear Guild prequel? :smallamused:

[Tev]

Yep, it does seem now that LC/Tarquin&co. prequel is inevitable now.

[Lord Torath]

A prequel for the LG would probably also have to deal with Nale taking out several vampires. I find myself hoping they sparkle at some point in the story.Gah! Please, the only sparkly vampires I want confronted are those in other worlds (Snips, Snails, and Dragon Tails). Rich's vampires have no need to 'sparkle'.

<grumble grumble Meyers grumble vampires grumble> Honestly, as powerful and weakness-free as vampires are in Twilight (yes, I've read it. My wife made me. But only the first one!), it's hard to believe they haven't taken over 4/5ths of the world ecomony and made Human Ranching as the hot new thing for Venture Captitalists

[NerdyKris]

Okay, hands up everyone who still thinks there's not much story to be mined in a Linear Guild prequel? :smallamused:

*puts hand down from previous time this question was asked* :smallbiggrin:

Oh Nale, you've stolen my heart since the reveal of Thog in the arena. This latest strip just cemented him as a dangerous threat.