I’ve posted about Ctrl+Alt+Del (CAD) a few times in the past – it was even my blog of the week – but I have little time at the moment to try out some new software, or review a web application so I’m just going to post again about my favourite web comic. My parents have been away since Friday and are until Tuesday so I have a reduced amount of time to do this. Let’s go.

CAD is a gaming-related web comic (and animated series) written and created by Tim Buckley. It went live on the 23rd October 2002 and is updated every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The comic is mainly centred around video games but the humour in the comic is sometimes about other things such as the long running gag around arrows. The comic features long running story lines but also can be random at many times. The comic isn’t always about the main characters, some are set around one particular video game, others around other little sketches featuring other reoccurring characters. Whatever the comic is about, the graphics are great and the humour will have you laughing at each frame.

Main Characters

There are two main characters that have been in the comic since it went live in 2002. These are Ethan MacManus and Lucas Davidowicz. Since 2002, they’ve undergone major graphical enhancements, Ethan has got engaged and Lucas has had many bad experiences with girls – just some of the changes in the comic.

Ethan is a crazy character and a fanatic of video games at the age of 25 and is either inciting or engaged in trouble in every strip he’s featured in. His antics have resulted in many story lines and many laughs. On Valentines day this year, Ethan finally proposed to the recurring character Lilah – also a game fanatic – by, what could more appropriate than, getting the 7 tops scores on an arcade video game and making them spell “LIL” “AH_” “WIL” “YOU” “MAR” “RY_” “ME_”. In the comic, Ethan works at a gaming store but how he has managed to keep his job is beyond me (though he has gone through quite a few jobs) and his antics there are amusing. He always finds a way to pre-order the latest game or grab the latest games console by any means and even when he doesn’t always have the money to do so. Ethan is a rather odd character but one you can love, pity and laugh at all in the same strip.

Lucas is the more level-headed main character but apart from being totally serious he’s also sarcastic and cynical. He tries to keep one step ahead of Ethan and always tries to bring a sense of reality to the story line. Lucas is a programmer currently and has worked at the customer service desk at two stores since the start of the comic. Because of this, he has developed a distaste for ignorant people and often provides his customers with a dose of harsh truth when they act so. He often calls 911 in advance when he suspects that Ethan is going to do something silly. The comments that Lucas makes are often a reality check for the other characters and usually the sarcastic comments are taken literally by Ethan which always makes for a good comic and a laugh. He’s laid back and will choose a video game over work if he can.

Reoccuring Characters

Besides the two main characters above, there’s also some other characters that have been starring in the comic for some time now. I mentioned Lilah – Ethan’s fiancée – earlier but there’s also some other characters that are just as funny, just as exciting and just as crazy as the two mentioned above.

Scott has been in the comic since 2002 and is an avid web designer and Linux user. He brings a pet penguin into the equation, called Ted, which is always funny to see when it is interacting with Ethan – Ethan is always trying to capture and kill Ted, yet is always outsmarted. Scott is intelligent, relaxed, mysterious and practises meditation here and there. He’s been working on a rather secret project in his room which is guarded by an electrified metal door (which is only activated when Ethan is snooping around). Scott is a funny character and brings passive humour to the comic particularly inciting laughs with his use of silence. Although he turned up rather mysteriously, Scott keeps himself to himself and usually stays in his room with Ted, tinkering on his project.

Zeke is a humanoid robot that Ethan originally made out of an Xbox games console. Recently, Zeke suffered an accident and Ethan had to repair him by using parts from the new Xbox 360. Zeke walks, talks, thinks and used to play Halo: Combat Evolved until Ethan decided to handicap his skills because he was getting too good at it. Unusually, Zeke has a crush on Ethan’s GameCube which he wants turned into a female robot. Zeke has been in the comic since 2003 and has been mischievous. Since that time he’s malfunctioned severely and attempted to kill all the other characters. He was eventually stopped but not before he had burned down Ethan and Lilah’s apartments. Zeke provides a much needed dose of humanity as he strives to become more human but in the process become annoyed at the whole of humanity.

Lilah Monroe is the rare type of girl that you only hear about in dodgy chat rooms or on digg. She smashed Ethan’s preconceptions that cute girls don’t play video games; let alone are good at them. She’s smart, attractive and started dating Ethan only recently. Lilah brought a long running gag to the comic in that every time she entered a video game store, she is drooled over (not literally) by men who cannot believe that girls play video games – a misconception in real life. She is an avid video gamer and recently entered a gaming tounrament and came a respectable place, at first to the dismay of Ethan. Lilah tries to bring a taste of sense to Ethan although usually this isn’t the case. If only Lilah existed in real life…

Comic Impressions

I’ve been reading Ctrl+Alt+Del for a while now and have gone through all the comics that Tim has done and they’re interesting and funny as hell to view. I’ve said it before but it is my favourite web comic (out of the 3 I read). The comic has 5 very different and very distinct characters which means it appeals to a lot of people. It has long term plot lines, inside jokes, one time gags and a distinct style which all group together to create a fantastic read and something I really look forward to reading four times a week.

With the introduction of the animated series in February this year, CAD has made its mark and established itself as one of the most read and most anticipated comics on the world wide web. Tim Buckley has always stated that the comic will remain free while the Premium service is subscription based – it is something people can do to support their favourite comic’s author. I haven’t seen the animated series but the trailer was enough for me to gain interest in it. The comic has also brought about another phenomenon called ‘Winter-een-mas‘. You may have heard of it even if you have never read CAD. Winter-een-mas is the Christmas for video games. It’s celebrated every January of each year but the official dates are from the 25th through 31st of January and we’re encouraged to thank the game companies. Each year Ethan declares himself king of the holiday and hilarity ensues. If only it were a real holiday…

Final Thoughts

Everything I’ve said has already been said. It’s a great comic and something that will brighten up your day. You like some characters, feel sorry for them, sometimes hate them but that’s the point. Buckley has created something for everyone and has crafted humour, wit, sarcasm and graphical expertise into what we see. Check it out and add it to your RSS feeds. What comics do you read and why do you read them?