VG Cats

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VG Cats (Video Game Cats) is a webcomic written and drawn by Canadian Scott Ramsoomair. Published once a week on its own website, it features the adventures of a pair of anthropomorphic cats, who often play the roles of characters in popular video games that are parodied in the strip. Strips are usually presented in a large format and in full color. The first strip was supposedly published on 2001-09-09 (which Ramsoomair has declared to be the "worst timing ever") [link], although the first comic is internally dated 2001-09-01.

Contents

1 Characters
2 Themes
3 Awards
4 Print version
5 Video game adaptation attempts
6 See also
7 Trivia
8 External links

Characters

VG Cats is not a storyline-based comic. Nonetheless, there are quite a few characters that are staples of the comic. Recurring characters in VG Cats include:

Leo

Leo Leonardo, a male cat with grey fur, enthusiastic but credulous. He is perpetually happy, despite his tendency of getting hurt. Named after one of the author's cats. Leo is typically the more foolhardy of the two cats. While he usually projects a general air of idiocy (which typically results in Aeris' wrath), he has shown signs of a deeper intelligence, or at least marginal quantities of common sense. He is a Nintendo fanboy, and used to hate the Xbox. He also severely dislikes MMORPGs, preferring shooting games. His alter ego is known as "Briefs Boy" and used to be Pantsman's sidekick. Introduced: 2001-09-09, [strip 1].

Aeris

Aeris, a female cat with pink fur, also named after one of the author's cats. Though easily the most sensible character, she has a quick temper and little patience for the foolishness that surrounds her, and is almost always upset with the other characters. Almost always the unsuccessful voice of reason, she enjoys writing yaoi fanfiction and MMORPGs, despite her dislike for social activities. Aeris doesn't seem to be good at fighting games and gets irritated when Leo beats her. She is also left-handed. Introduced: 2001-09-04, [strip 2] (The comic supposedly started 5 days later, but this is the date attributed to strip 2).

Krug

Krug, Lord of the Unpleasant, a horned red demon of limited intelligence and a childlike demeanor. He can be violent at times, and tends to talk in third person. His alter ego is Dr. Van Kruglor, and is the archnemesis of Pantsman. Introduced: [strip 26]

Pantsman

Pantsman, the alter ego of the author, is an incompetent superhero who conceals his identity by wearing pants and sometimes underpants on his head. He likes watching Law & Order, loathes , and is something of an outcast among other superheros, as he egged Batman's car and urinated in the reflecting pool owned by the Justice League.  Introduced: [Strip 37]

Johnny Evilguy

Johnny Evilguy, a greedy and unscrupulous antagonist named after an example character in the Neverwinter Nights scenario creation guide. He usually appears as a shop owner, in various circumstances, often trying to rid himself of a surplus of testicle-based produce. Introduced: [Strip 52]

Dr. FG Hobo

The late Dr. FG Hobo, an alley-dwelling lunatic given to telling absurd, rambling stories. He tends to speak with a drunken slur. Ramsoomair announced that Dr. Hobo is gone for good, but later the news post concerning this was edited, leading to speculation that Dr. Hobo might one day return. Introduced: [Strip 64]; Finale: [Strip 183]

Major Payne

Major Payne, possibly the most perverted character in VG Cats. Generally seen wearing a green beret and a massive leather bondage suit with a humongous phallic protrusion. Believed to have a dendency to enjoy sadomasochistic sex, and was likely dishonorably discharged from the rank of 'Major' for being so. Introduced: [strip 69].

Ternaldo

Ternaldo, a collectible card game fan oblivious to the finer points of social interaction. He mostly resembles a Galka from Final Fantasy XI. Ternaldo is often used to represent the ubiquitous newbie or neophyte in gaming circles, someone who is overenthusiastic and completely clueless. Introduced: [Strip 90]

Themes

VG Cats has no particular ongoing plot, although multipart strips occasionally appear. Most strips feature the characters acting out strange or humorous situations in various video games. Metal Gear Solid [link], Ragnarok Online [link], Star Wars/LucasArts-related games [link], Final Fantasy [link], and The Legend of Zelda [link] are favorite targets.

Despite the cute characters, the humor in VG Cats is known to be quite mature and intentionally offensive. Jokes frequently center around acts of extreme, graphic violence, sexual perversions, or scatological humor.

Other strips satirize video game developers or other real-world companies. One recurring theme involves anthropomorphizing video game consoles [link] in order to poke fun at their shortcomings. Microsoft's Xbox has been a target on numerous occasions for this [link]. Occasionally, strips focus on subjects unrelated to gaming, such as cell phones, Anime [link][link] or the comic's Canadian origin.[link]

The comic occasionally alludes to the Homestar Runner web cartoons and Monty Python.

Awards

VG Cats has been nominated for several Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards, winning 2 awards in 2005.

2003: Outstanding Anthropomorphic Comic
2004: Outstanding Character (Visual), Outstanding Use of Color, Outstanding Anthropomorphic Comic, Outstanding Gaming Comic
2005: Winner: Outstanding use of color, Outstanding comedic comic, Outstanding short form comic, Winner: Outstanding Gaming Comic. Honorable mention: Character Art & Artist.
2006 (ongoing): Outstanding Anthropomorphic Comic, Outstanding Gaming Comic

Print version

This article or section contains information regarding scheduled, forthcoming or expected .
It may contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change dramatically as the product release approaches and more information becomes available.

Ramsoomair has stated in his [Comixpedia interview] that the VG Cats book won't be out until the holiday season.

Video game adaptation attempts

Many people have tried making a game based on the webcomic, including Ramsoomair. He abandoned the project, but others have tried to make the comic into a game. The most recent attempts have been a Flash game, a Half-Life 2 mod, and a 2D side-scrolling game. There have been a few completed projects, including a 2D platform / shooter hybrid game.

Ramsoomair has said several times that he is working on a project other than the print comics, and hinted in a recent interview with Comixpedia that several fans have done it before.

A Dr. Hobo inspired character is in the MMORPG Kingdom of Loathing.

Trivia

When employees at Maxis saw the VG Cats comic that [parodied] Spore they responded by remaking the comic using the in game models for all of the aliens. The Maxis version can be found [here].

External links

[VG Cats web site]
[RSS]
[PSP version]
[VG Cats the Animated Series] [(Alternate Source)]
[VG Cats: The Game web site] [(Alternate Source)]
article at Comixpedia, a webcomic wiki
[Comixpedia interviews Ramsoomair]

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