COMIC & BLOG
iTUNES FEED
EMAIL JOEL
Recommended For Ages Youngling to Padawan
That actually was my name in KOTOR. Call me a heretic but I didn’t enjoy it. Turn based combat just doesn’t make any sense to me. The story was enthralling (certainly better than the prequels) but the game play fell flat for me.
Two toys debuted at CES ‘09 that let you get all levitatey with your brain powers. Despite actually carrying the Jedi seal of approval, the Force Trainer seems the weaker of the two. My money is on the Mattel Mind Flex. Instead of just using your brain waves to float a ping pong ball to different heights, you have to navigate it through a series of obstacles.
I’m sure any kid (or adult) that gets one of these will be bored with it after a week. At that point the kids will start trying to levitate other things with it, like hamsters, bullets, poison or medical waste. Adults will (if they haven’t already) find a way to have sex with it. You just can’t say “ping pong balls” and “plastic tube” without conjuring images of deviant acts. You can? Well I can’t. I’m terrible.
UPDATE:
For any new readers that don’t know, Josh is gay. If I use the word “gay” in a comic, I actually mean “homosexual.” I know it’s hard to believe that a COMIC on the INTERNET could actually say “gay” without meaning “lame” or “LOL!!111FAGZ,” but that is indeed the case with HE.
I should also probably mention that Eli is a Mexican.
Tags: gaming, gay, scifi, star wars, the force, toys, video games
Related posts
January 14th, 2009 at 9:41 am
I have a problem with the toy in question, it seems like it would give a lot of kids false hope
January 14th, 2009 at 9:51 am
FIRST! I love Dark WyngDuck!!!
January 14th, 2009 at 10:00 am
Darque Wyngduk! Awesome!! Although it took me a few times reading that panel. I kept reading the Y as a U and Wungduk just didn't make any sense.
January 14th, 2009 at 10:10 am
2nd…ouch.
January 14th, 2009 at 10:12 am
I was first when I posted… stupid slow connection.
January 14th, 2009 at 10:26 am
Great. Amazing. Fantastic. Loved it! It's the male trance vibrator.
January 14th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Like the Playschool John Edwards Dead Pet communicator.
January 14th, 2009 at 10:41 am
"Snarf says he misses you and the magic porcelin water bowl."
January 14th, 2009 at 10:41 am
"Snarf says he misses you and the magic porcelain water bowl."
January 14th, 2009 at 10:57 am
I love this! My roommates and I just saw a DVD of Darkwing Duck episodes last week (sadly, not as good as I remembered it).
Joel seriously needs some moisturizer.
I love seeing the evolution of the comic–Josh and Eli's expressions are so animated. Great work, sir. Great freakin' work.
January 14th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Truly excellent art in this one, especially if you did that lettering yourself (which I kinda doubt, but still, awesome).
Edit: just really noticed Eli's expression in panel dos. Excellente.
January 14th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
“How is that not a gay sex toy?” Ha! Awesome.
January 14th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Speaking of modding gadgets, I bet the Force Trainer could be modded into a mind controlled bong, it already looks the part.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:59 am
We moved back to the States from Puerto Rico before I turned four, and I can distinctly remember an extremely vivid dream I had where my friends and I were running around our communal front yards with lightsabers. I was chanting to myself, "Please let it be real, please let it be real, please let it be real…" before I opened my eyes.
It wasn't real. =(
January 15th, 2009 at 4:38 am
[waking with a start] Did someone say "gay sex toy?"
Of course, now folks googling that phrase will end up at this comic. Could be a good thing, though.
January 15th, 2009 at 4:39 am
The dark side is bad for the complexion.
Very bad.
January 15th, 2009 at 4:40 am
Mind-controlled gay sex bong. On a houndstooth-patterned background.
January 15th, 2009 at 4:45 am
It's all fun and games until someone loses all their limbs. And slips into a pool of lava. And catches fire.
I will second (third, fourth, whatever) that the artwork is excellent in this.
January 15th, 2009 at 4:58 am
…and then gets ziplocked inside a cybernetic S&M suit.
January 15th, 2009 at 5:03 am
aaaaaannnnnd we're back with the gay sex toys again.
January 15th, 2009 at 12:22 am
[Darque Wyngduk] *I* Am Your Father!
[Eli] THAT’s not TRUE! THAT’s…likely to be genetically impossible? Unless…
[Darque Wyngduk] *I* &%$#ed Your Mother!
[Eli] NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
January 15th, 2009 at 6:31 am
[Darque Wyngduk] *I* Am Your Father!
[Eli] That's not true! That's…highly unlikely…unless…
[Darque Wyngduk] *I* %$@#ed Your Mother!
[Eli] NOOOOOOOOOOOO-*gasp*-OOOOOOOOO!
January 15th, 2009 at 6:40 am
i can kill you with my brain…
January 15th, 2009 at 6:53 am
Now somethin' about that is just downright unsettlin'.
January 15th, 2009 at 6:56 am
Aloe vera use you must!
January 15th, 2009 at 7:01 am
is a slow connection leading to an insult such as joel's considered a "slow burn"? something to ponder…
January 15th, 2009 at 7:31 am
Yep. Our Joel's a uniter
January 15th, 2009 at 7:38 am
Him and his gay sex toy?
*adds to the Google count*
January 15th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
aaaaaannnnnd THAT'S the comic i should have done.
January 15th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
You act like we ever left them.
January 15th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
<insert joke here about quoteguy having a brain to kill with>? Rudimentary at best, but meh. It totally beats a mom joke *coughs and scrolls up*
January 15th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Of course, I meant, "Dark side bad for the complexion is. Hrm."
January 15th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
"HijiNKS ENSUE: Fulfilling All Your Gay Sex Toy Needs Since 2009!"
January 15th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
True. Anything–properly used–can be a gay sex toy.
Anything _and_ anyone, that is.
January 15th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
LET'S GET DANGEROUS!
January 15th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
"Moisten or soak, there is no dry!"
January 15th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Hey, with the hour when I wrote that, not my A material, but I squeezed in:
- Mom/mum joke
- Darth Pussy/Mannekin joke
and even an "I am your father!" joke.
At worst, a C-.
January 15th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
In what way Gay Sex Toy does KOTOR Gay Sex Toy have turn-based Gay Sexy Toy combat? It's Gay Sex Toy real-time Gay Sex Toy with pause Gay Sex Toy! DuhhhGAYSEXTOY!!!
January 15th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Oh and Darque Wyngduk FTW
January 15th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
I've been following this comic for about three months now, but I'm not after today.
If you're going to do gay jokes, there is one all-important thing you must know: be funny and all is forgiven. "That's gay! Der her her!" isn't clever or interesting, reveals nothing about your characters except that they're idiots (which is where a large majority of your jokes originate anyways), and perhaps most importantly, it's boring – which is even more offensive than slanging around idiotic gay jokes in the first place.
Good luck with your comic.
January 15th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
"The Old Republic is a series of Force Tubes."
January 15th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Dude, that was sooooo gay, Der her her!
January 15th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
Josh is gay. Was that not clear. Not "Gay" as in "LAMEGAYINTERNETLOL!!!111." But "Gay" as in "a homosexual." I agree ""That's gay! Der her her!" isn't funny and thats why there has never been such a joke in this comic.
Seems like you are the one jumping to internet stereotypes. Was it so improbable that one of my characters is actually gay? Re-read the comic with that in mind and it might make more sense. Its still a dumb joke, but its not offensive.
Also, if you enjoy something for 3 months, then you misconstrue or misinterpret one installment, how is that a reason to give up on it? Do as you will, but that doesnt speak much for you tolerance level. I might read an article in Wired that I dont agree with from time to time but Im not canceling my subscription. Thats a pretty knee jerk reaction.
All the best,
Joel
January 15th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
But on a more serious note, this comic is reflective of real life. The conversation contained therein reminds me so much of me and my friends (as do most of the comics on this site) that it is scary. Joel isn't even using the word gay in the way that you are implying. He didn't say the toy was gay in the slang sense of meaning stupid, silly, or effeminate. He was saying that the the new force toy reminds him of a homosexual's erotic device, hence, gay sex toy. If you can't see that comparison as a valid one, then I believe your problems run much deeper than an under-developed sense of humor.
January 15th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Darn, you beat me by a minute!
January 15th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
HAH!
January 15th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
i had those same dreams but they generally involved levitating. being a kid is a constant string of disappointments.
January 15th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
actually is wasnt FUN until AFTER that happened.
January 15th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Im the terror that flaps in the night.
January 15th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
I probably got the terminology wrong, but you know what I mean. I want to fight in a game. Not pull up my list of possible actions, string them into a combo then hit "go" and hope that it works out. Its just boring to me that way.
January 15th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
that's it. Im cutting of your pony tail. You're a Jedi now.
January 15th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
*proceeds to go emo, force choke his girlfriend and get his arms and legs lopped off by his mentor*
January 15th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
My point exactly. Some people are gay and some of those gay people use sex toys. How else am I supposed to make that point? Im certainly not going to tip toe around subject matter to keep from offending people. I think it's more offensive to assume that "gay" is an insult. Im not Eminem (is that even a relevant reference any more?).
January 15th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
I feel you. That was more of an excuse to get you gay sex toy hits than anything else. I guess I'm just idiotic and boring (Re: Ryan) like that. Also, I like that your comment AV gives the impression of being yelled at every time you post.
January 15th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
i'm pretty sure, in the last 3 months, the fact that Josh is gay has come up more than once.
just sayin'.
January 15th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
Heheheh!
January 15th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
Love the update. However, when you say Eli is Mexican, are you saying that he loves tacos? Because, as a fellow taco-lover, I would find that offensive.
January 15th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Gay sex toy shenanigans aside, am I the only one strangely attracted to cartoonJoel sans beard?
January 15th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
I for one have never been offended by any "gay" jokes. In fact there is quite a history of humor pointed at gays in the comic thats made me do that stupid seal-bark laugh I never let anyone see.
January 15th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
I don't know if there's that much humor pointed at gays in general as much as humor pointed at Josh in particular.
January 15th, 2009 at 10:03 pm
Bingo!
January 15th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
Just wondering… if it was gay in the derogatory 'that was so gay' way, how would 'gay sex toy' even make sense? I mean, if I know my offensive slang, 'gay' in that way is stupid or bad. So it's a stupid sex toy? Horrible sex toy? Wouldn't like a rusted torn coke can be like that instead?
January 15th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
<insert joke about you being the only one attracted to Joel in any form here>
January 15th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
In the sentence, "Some people are gay and some of those gay people use sex toys," the second "some" means 100%, right? Otherwise the sentence doesn't make sense.
January 15th, 2009 at 11:49 pm
Yeah, the rest of us like Josh. Especially if he's being invaded by tubes or tentacles or whatever.
January 16th, 2009 at 12:01 am
Yeah, there was that Josh/tentacle porn/Spore moment a few weeks back.
January 16th, 2009 at 12:12 am
So much diversity!
January 16th, 2009 at 12:16 am
A classic moment, that one!
January 16th, 2009 at 12:18 am
I was trying to be… something something. EVERYONE uses sex toys. If they dont, they are missing out on fun times.
January 16th, 2009 at 1:09 am
Was just being silly. No fussing at you intended.
January 16th, 2009 at 4:21 am
To be fair, I was merely attacking Joel out of spite, not declaring my love for Josh, heh.
January 16th, 2009 at 4:51 am
Ah, an Eli man, then. <grin>
January 16th, 2009 at 5:30 am
Eli is like me, only actually Latin. I'd rather not do myself
January 16th, 2009 at 5:38 am
I kinda like Joel over Josh, actually. Bald men don't do anything for me.
January 16th, 2009 at 5:53 am
I'm sensing a market for build-your-own HijiNKS slash fic: take one character from column A, a second from column B, and a movie genre or technology from column C…
January 16th, 2009 at 5:58 am
Awww, c'mon. I'm sure you're good enough, you're smart enough, and gosh darn it, you're…
Sorry. We've been hearing a lot of that up here during the campaign.
January 16th, 2009 at 6:10 am
And here I thought Eli was Cuban.
January 16th, 2009 at 6:30 am
A tasty grilled sammich with ham, pork, mustard, and pickles?
January 16th, 2009 at 8:30 am
If you had in fact been following the comic for three months I think you would have picked up on the fact that not only is Josh gay but that a good portion of the fancy bastards are as well.
In fact if you listen to the podcast the person who most uses the word gay to me lame is actually Josh, the big hairy bear of a bacon loving gay porn camera weilding 100% gay man.
The fact that the use of a word has evolved and been reclaimed from the little sniggering kiddies should be looked on as a good thing.
BTW Do I need to remind you that gay used to mean happy until the damn homos got hold of it.
January 16th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Simply having a gay character does not immunize this comic strip from presenting bad jokes. There is a difference between "tip toeing" around the issue of referencing gay sex toys in a situation where they're clearly not relevant and finding some other way to get to the completely non-sex toy-related punch line.
I sent a (longer) reply email to Joel, but I won't respond here anymore because, as I realized when I emailed him, I've become the annoying person who chimes in to say he doesn't want to read something anymore, and I always hated that guy.
January 16th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
It's kewl, man. Not everyone likes the same stuff. I think the responses you got were more because you did indeed become that guy who storms off but wants to make sure everyone KNOWS you stormed off.
January 16th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
please let that be a double-entendre
January 16th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
While I personally still feel that you're missing the point of the joke (and most of the gay jokes in Joel's awesome comic), I can respect you for voicing your opinion and sticking around to defend yourself, rather than trolling.
Best to you.
January 16th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Hmmm… close. But I wonder, what if there was a Cuban named Reuben? That would make for a confusing sandwich.
January 16th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
"and I always hated that guy."
that explains a lot actually.
January 16th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Kinda reminds me of that Mind Flex controller that some guy made for gaming.
January 16th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Well it is now!
January 17th, 2009 at 12:56 am
uhh… yeah thats totally hand lettering. All me. ALL MEEEEE!
January 17th, 2009 at 12:56 am
Wungduk is funnier.
January 17th, 2009 at 12:58 am
LOL. thats interesting because I AM ALWAYS YELLING!
January 17th, 2009 at 12:59 am
[single tear]
January 17th, 2009 at 1:00 am
Josh and I were talking about how funny it is that HE is the sex appeal of this comic. I wouldnt have it any other way. This is change we can believe in.
January 17th, 2009 at 1:01 am
Equal opportunity stereotyping.
January 17th, 2009 at 8:29 am
heehee!
January 17th, 2009 at 8:33 am
Not that Joel's proud of his lovely hand lettering or anything.
January 17th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
That's your niche–making sexy, geeky people as your protagonists. And since you guys ACTUALLY look like that (more or less cartoonified), it's not a crushing disappointment when you actually meet the inspiration behind the characters (Penny Arcade, anyone?).
September 12th, 2009 at 12:49 am
You sir, win at humor
September 12th, 2009 at 4:43 am
Very true!
September 21st, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Hope it all ended happily…just been going through the last 2 years or so of thsi comic (heh I was bored, and love it so
) and am totally gay…and I LOVE the jokes. No offence here at all…nice to actually have a real live gay man in a comic (that is quite easy on the eyes too 
P.S. I signed up for this!
September 21st, 2009 at 11:48 pm
P.P.S. missed the 'finally' on that, sounds a little less retarded….only slightly though. LOL.
September 22nd, 2009 at 2:06 am
thanks for the support.