''Dueling Analogs'' (a pun on the
Dual Analog Controller
The Dual Analog Controller (SCPH-1150 in Japan, SCPH-1180 in the United States, and SCPH-1180e in Europe) is Sony's first handheld analog controller for the PlayStation, and the predecessor to the DualShock. Its first official analog controller ...
) is a
webcomic
Webcomics (also known as online comics or Internet comics) are comics published on a website or mobile app. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers, or comic books.
Webcomics can be co ...
by Steve Napierski (also the creator o
''The Outer Circle''. The website was launched on November 17, 2005, and new comics were posted every Monday and Thursday. ''Dueling Analogs'' is a gaming comic and as such most of the comics take place in the universe of the games discussed. There are few ongoing stories or plotlines as all of the comics are self-encapsulated (one exception is the trial of King Bowser); however, there are repeated themes such as 'Rejected Mega Man Villains',
'Games that I am glad were never made' and 'What if...?'. ''Dueling Analogs'' is also a founding member of a webcomic group of gaming comics. The comic came to prominence in the webcomic community after the "So Dark the Contra of Man" strip.
On July 31, 2018 Napierski announced that he was no longer going to update the website.
Tagline
''Dueling Analogs'' is a color semi-weekly webcomic that lampoons the characters, culture and subtext of modern gaming culture
Characters
*Harvey – Harvey is the voice of ''Dueling Analogs''. Whenever the comic needs to talk directly to the audience about a topic, Harvey is there. Harvey's design is modeled after the look of its creator from his high school years. This is in contrast to the character Steve from ''The Outer Circle'' which was modeled after a more recent look of the creator.
::''First Appearance'': 2005-11-29
strip 4
*
Mario
is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creat ...
– Though not created by Steve Napierski,
Mario
is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creat ...
has appeared in so many ''Dueling Analogs'' strips that he is considered a regular member of the comics cast.
::''First Appearance'': 2005-12-01
strip 5
*Jeremy the Sony PR Gnome – The voice of
Sony
, commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...
. Jeremy acts as the counterpoint to the voice of Harvey’s pro-
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
views. Could possibly be a parody of the gnome from
Amélie
''Amélie'' (also known as ''Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain''; ; en, The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Poulain, italic=yes) is a 2001 French-language romantic comedy film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Written by Jeunet with Guillaume L ...
or the gnome feature in the
Travelocity
Travelocity.com is an online travel agency owned by Expedia Group. It has 12.4 million monthly unique visitors, making it the third most popular website owned by Expedia Group, after Expedia.com and Hotels.com.
One of the pioneers of web-based di ...
commercials: ''
Where is my Gnome?''.
::''First Appearance'': 2006-07-31
strip 76
*Xed Box – If
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...
had a spokesperson in ''Dueling Analogs'', Xed Box would be it. Unfortunately, Xed Box is nothing more than a box with a crudely drawn "X" on it.
::''First Appearance'': 2006-08-16
strip 81
*Jon Shelf American – Jon Shelf American is what's considered ''Dueling Analogs`'' stereotypical gamer (introvert, unsociable and still living at home with his mother). Name based on
George Liquor American created by
John Kricfalusi
Michael John Kricfalusi ( ; born September 9, 1955), known professionally as John K., is a Canadian illustrator, blogger, voice actor and former animator. He is the creator of the animated television series ''The Ren & Stimpy Show'', which was ...
.
::''First Appearance'': 2007-01-15
strip 130
Parodies
''Dueling Analogs'' has featured such games as
Final Fantasy VII
is a 1997 role-playing video game developed by Square for the PlayStation console. It is the seventh main installment in the ''Final Fantasy'' series. Published in Japan by Square, it was released in other regions by Sony Computer Entertai ...
,
The Smurfs
''The Smurfs'' (french: Les Schtroumpfs; nl, De Smurfen) is a Belgian comic franchise centered on a fictional colony of small, blue, humanoid creatures who live in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest. ''The Smurfs'' was first created and in ...
,
Mega Man
''Mega Man'', known as in Japan, is a Japanese science fiction video game franchise created by Capcom, starring a series of robot characters each known by the moniker "Mega Man (character), Mega Man". Mega Man (video game), The original game w ...
,
Karnov
is a platform game released in arcades in 1987. A Nintendo Entertainment System port followed. Players take control of the title character Jinborov Karnovski, or "Karnov" for short. Karnov is a strongman popularly illustrated as being from an un ...
,
Super Smash Brothers
''Super Smash Bros.'' is a crossover fighting game series published by Nintendo. The series was created by Masahiro Sakurai, who has directed every game in the series. The series is known for its unique gameplay objective which differs from ...
and
Final Fantasy X-2
is a 2003 role-playing video game developed and published by Square (video game company), Square for the PlayStation 2. Unlike most ''Final Fantasy'' games, which use self-contained stories and characters, ''X-2'' continues the story of ''Fin ...
.
Awards and nominations
''Dueling Analogs'' has been nominated for two
Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards
The Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards (WCCA) were annual awards in which established webcartoonists nominated and selected outstanding webcomics. The awards were held between 2001 and 2008, were mentioned in a ''The New York Times'' column on webco ...
*
2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
: Outstanding Gaming Comic, Outstanding Web Design
''Dueling Analogs'' has been voted best gaming webcomic of the week by the readers of ''
Joystiq
''Joystiq'' was a video gaming blog founded in June 2004 as part of the Weblogs, Inc. family of weblogs, now owned by AOL. It was AOL's primary video game blog, with sister blogs dealing with MMORPG gaming in general and the popular MMORPG ''W ...
'' on nine occasions: May 23, 2006, June 3, 2006, June 24, 2006, February 13, 2007, March 27, 2007, May 22, 2007, October 23, 2007, April 23, 2008, May 29, 2008
Notables
*''Dueling Analogs'' is a featured webcomic on
Game Revolution
''GameRevolution'' (formerly ''Game-Revolution'') is a gaming website created in 1996. Based in Berkeley, California, the site includes reviews, previews, a gaming download area, cheats, and a merchandise store, as well as webcomics, screenshots ...
.
*''Dueling Analogs'' was a monthly comic in Hardcore Gamer Magazine from June through November 2007 .
Reviews
* Article about ''Dueling Analogs'' on Destructoid
* BBC Article about webcomics
* Article on 411mania discussing
gaming
Gaming may refer to:
Games and sports
The act of playing games, as in:
* Legalized gambling, playing games of chance for money, often referred to in law as "gaming"
* Playing a role-playing game, in which players assume fictional roles
* Playing ...
webcomics
* ''Dueling Analogs''
Konami Code
The Konami Code ( ja, コナミコマンド, ''Konami Komando'', "Konami command"), also commonly referred to as the Contra Code and sometimes the 30 Lives code, is a cheat code that appears in many Konami video games, as well as some non-Konam ...
comic was mentioned in a Tech Republic article.
* ''Dueling Analogs'' Living Achievements Vicariously comic was mentioned in a
411mania
This is a list of professional wrestling websites. Online websites who focus mostly or exclusively on professional wrestling.
News websites
Historical websites
Sales websites
Comedy websites
See also
* Dirt sheet
* List of professional wre ...
article.
Interviews
* Interview with Steve Napierski on
Joystiq
''Joystiq'' was a video gaming blog founded in June 2004 as part of the Weblogs, Inc. family of weblogs, now owned by AOL. It was AOL's primary video game blog, with sister blogs dealing with MMORPG gaming in general and the popular MMORPG ''W ...
.
* Author Steve Napierski, was interviewed in Zoinks! Magazine
''Zoinks! Magazine''
about ''Dueling Analogs'' and his other comic, ''The Outer Circle'' in October 2006.
References
External links
* {{official website, http://www.duelinganalogs.com/
''Dueling Analogs'' on Gamer Revolution
Steve Napierski's MySpace Page
Steve Napierski's ComicSpace Page
Video game webcomics
Gag-a-day comics
2005 webcomic debuts
2000s webcomics