Introduction
Ctrl-Random is a humorous webcomic without very many unifying plots or themes. In fact, one of the only constants in the comic are its two main characters - the nameless hero and his ninja buddy. They, along with a handful of recurring props, frequent the comic's panels to trade erratic wisecracks and insults. The jokes can be about anything and everything. They also often change direction radically in mid-comic bouts of sheer and hilarious absurdity.
The Positive Aspects
"Random" is a word that is often used by webcomic artists to describe what they think is "funny" -- which very often include things the rest of us don't. It's rare to find a comic that actually lives up to the true definition of "random", as in "having no specific pattern, purpose, or objective." Ctrl-Random is exactly that - a comic about nothing that falls around readers like pieces of confetti dropped at a New Year's party. While an occasional piece might hit you in the eye and make you say 'ouch,' for the most part it's an oddly pleasant experience. The humour in the comic tends to be one-shot stand alone jokes, though as the series progresses there are a few recurring themes. Shlikith doesn't bother to explain every recurring theme and joke, however, giving the strip an underlying subtlety and caustic humour that is quite enjoyable. One thing is for certain, this comic is refreshingly original. Characters are simply designed, and movements and expressions give the jokes more impact because of the comic's minimalistic style. Because the design is so simple, Ctrl-Random manages to cleverly avoid the 'Penny Arcade Clone' pitfall that many other "random" comics often get trapped in. Though there is no plot continuity in the comic, the characters also begin to grow on you, particularly the antics of the clueless ninja. Shlikith also gets praise for being one of the growing number of artists to capitalize on Smack Jeeves' template customization abilities to make a unique-looking site; the pages are like a zoo, and can be a lot of fun to meander around finding hidden jewels, essays and jokes.
The Criticisms
Ctrl-Random is not a traditional comic in any sense of the word; readers looking for plot continuity, political correctness, consistent themes or even named characters might be disappointed or even angered. Because the comic is pretty much whatever Shlikith feels like throwing down on any particular day, within the framework of jokes there are hits and misses; a few less insider jokes would probably make the comic more enjoyable for a casual reader. Also, while the simplistic style really does give character motions more impact and humour, the crisp shapes are unnecessarily pixellated, and contrast poorly with hand-drawn text and props. The lack of background isn't necessarily a detractor in the style that this comic is drawn in, but the plain, unchanging white can get slightly boring after a while. Finally, while the site is customized extensively, link colour choices are poor, making some of the links hard to read; also, whether or not the added charm of all the moving doo-hickies scattered throughout the page are worth the distraction they make from the comic itself is debatable.
The Conclusion
Ctrl-Random is definitely not a superstar hit comedy comic, and never will be. Its humour might be too obscure and haphazard for the average browser. Still, there's a blunt honesty to the comic that I enjoy greatly. Shlikith isn't making this comic for you or me, he's doing it for himself, and that comes through in the end in a very positive, gutsy way; a way that many comics these days are lacking. While readers might have a hard time getting attached to Ctrl-Random at first glance, once it latches onto you, you'll probably find yourself enjoying it quite a bit.
- Enkida
