Penny Arcade -- How the hell is this so popular?

[Tony Schiavone]

This comic--and the business they created--remain utterly fascinating to me, because I cannot for the life of me tell why it is popular. Has been, or continues to be.

The comic is not really funny, reading the accompanying comments is like banging a nail slowly into your knee, I don't know anyone who like their merchandise or characters, and yet somehow they happen to still be in business and employ people?

As far as I can tell, they have only accomplished three things, which they have spectacularly overachieved on:

1. Have an artist who is good at drawing in the sort of style that is popular at the time on kiddie pop tune TV
2. Hired a Korean MBA, because they had literally no idea what or how omg Money?! Business?!? He then saw a way to ride the early internet wave and make a charity Child's Play (a good thing).
3. At the zenith of their popularity, got enough people who would make them have their own con so they can be in it.

So other than two self-sustaining separate enterprises, what and how the hell do they still drive in customers?

[Charlar]

This comic--and the business they created--remain utterly fascinating to me, because I cannot for the life of me tell why it is popular. Has been, or continues to be.

The comic is not really funny, reading the accompanying comments is like banging a nail slowly into your knee, I don't know anyone who like their merchandise or characters, and yet somehow they happen to still be in business and employ people?

As far as I can tell, they have only accomplished three things, which they have spectacularly overachieved on:

1. Have an artist who is good at drawing in the sort of style that is popular at the time on kiddie pop tune TV
2. Hired a Korean MBA, because they had literally no idea what or how omg Money?! Business?!? He then saw a way to ride the early internet wave and make a charity Child's Play (a good thing).
3. At the zenith of their popularity, got enough people who would make them have their own con so they can be in it.

So other than two self-sustaining separate enterprises, what and how the hell do they still drive in customers?

Probably because people have shit taste

[VoiceOfReasonPast]

Webcomics are a lot like internet nobodies in that they can attract a sizable following despite being utter garbage and tend to rarely if ever improve their craft.

[Liar Revealed]

Friends dragged me to a PAX in Seattle. I didn't and still don't understand the whole thing.
It was really crowded and I didn't like it. Also there were security thugs everywhere yelling at everyone and treating people like cattle. Although maybe it's necessary with this demographic.

EDT: They did have a room with a vintage video arcade. That was awesome, a real nostalgia trip.

[mad bum]

Because MUH NERD CULTURE.

Penny Arcade is the AVGN of web comics, it only stays relevant because of status quo.

[Keith Chegwin]

Maybe it was funny in the beginning, I dunno, but it seems to me that it's sort of like SA in that it only stays around because it's been around for so long already

[Guest]

I played the first Penny Arcade game. The dialogue was so bland and unfunny that after I was done with the first game I just had to look through their comic collection and I couldn't find a single funny one after like browsing through 300.

Ok there was one funny one that really nailed it but was also the controversal one and they went back to being shit again after a media blowback apparently.

[rabidtictac]

Webcomics are a lot like internet nobodies in that they can attract a sizable following despite being utter garbage and tend to rarely if ever improve their craft.

This is the most succinct way to describe webcomics in general and shit like Penny Arcade or MegaTokyo specifically.

It's not good.
It's not funny.
The art sucks.
It's not interesting.
The creators are usually SJWs or cucks.

Webcomics.txt

[Kugelfisch]

Just like Garfield of which only the edits are funny, B^U that gave us Loss edits and the path to Internet Nobodydom, PA is only good for dickwolves and the bald edits.

[VoiceOfReasonPast]

A good portion of the creators are also sick fucks who use their webcomic to indulge in their fetish and/or make money off of other sick fucks and their fetishes.