Twisted Kaiju Theater
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| Twisted Kaiju Theater | |
|---|---|
 Episode 759 from Season 16. |
|
| Author(s) | Sean "Shin-Goji" McGuinness and Howard "Space Hojo" Williams |
| Website | http://www.neomonsterisland.com |
| Update schedule | Updates Monday & Friday with frequent bonus comics and collection updates on Wednesday. |
| Launch date | August 11, 2000 [1] |
| Genre | Comedy/Science-Fiction/Parody/Tribute |
Twisted Kaiju Theater or TKT is a humorous, photo-based webcomic by Sean McGuinness. TKT has been online since August 11th, 2000, updates twice a week, with a frequent bonus updates, and has over 1050 episodes.
McGuinness created his webcomic inspired by a humorous photo comic-strip appearing in Toyfare: The Toy Magazine, Twisted Toyfare Theater. Like these strips, McGuinness poses and takes photos of figurines in his personal vinyl/action figure collection (most of which consist of Godzilla-based kaiju) in bizarre situations, with added dialogue bubbles.
TKT is one of the first photocomics ever produced, and is the longest running. It is a buzzCOMIX Hall of Famer, haven achieved the number one position three months in a row. TKT has also been mentioned by Twisted Toyfare Theater twice[1][2], and has been a guest of honor twice at I-Con at Stoney Brook University in Long Island, NY. For several years it has maintained a steady position in the top 15 of Top Web Comics.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
The webcomic is set in the fictional land mass known as Neo-Monster Island, populated by the various types of kaiju, mecha and aliens. The main characters consist of Shin-Goji and his friends the Toxic Pirates, and are supported by a seemingly endless cast of Godzilla toys. The storyline breaks the fourth wall constantly. Shin-Goji himself produces a webcomic ABOUT TKT called TKT, so the author and cast are viewing themselves. Storylines in the comic have included Shin-Goji's convention visits, a "takeover" by Yahoo!, a quest to reshoot a lost episode, various invasions, and even a journey into Shin-Goji's urinary tract to destroy his kidney stones ala "Fantastic Voyage."
The first few seasons involved random one shot jokes which are running gags or independent of each other. Later, short plots started to form, then longer storylines take place like Legend of the Dark Mask, Epic and Legends. Most of the time the plots are vehicles to deliver political, social, racial or religious satire while involving one or two fight scenes.
[edit] Style
The art of TKT is done by juxtaposing digital photgraphs of vinyl/action figures (mostly kaiju) into backgrounds also primarily generated from photos and photoshopping various effects. This style has alternately been called photocollage, photocomics or fumetti. McGuinness shares his art techniques for TKT with "tutorials" on web photography[3] and specific comic effects. Webcomics that utilize this style or similar techniques include Alien Loves Predator, Insecticomics, Perils of the Bold, and Nukeland Cinema.
While a good many of the figures are articulated, McGuinness must use Photoshop techniques in order to bring many of the characters to life like Shin-Goji and the Toxic Pirates. When the comic first started, the figures were posed against props and backgrounds, photos were taken, and word baloons added. The first comic featured what would become a running gag in the series: the toilet humor of equating lemon sour candies with King Ghidorah excrement [4]. As the comic progressed, more advanced techniques were used to improve the quality of the comic. The figures are now shot against a white background, then superimposed over a different background such as a sprawling cityscape. Special effects like dutch angles, explosions, motion blurs, and wild takes are added to give a more cinematic and dramatic look to the comic.
[edit] Characters
[edit] Toxic Pirates
Since the webcomic is a platform to creatively display McGuinness' vinyl/action figure collection, there are various kaiju, mecha, bionicle, comic and anime characters who make brief or reoccuring appearances within the webcomic. However, the main cast of TKT represents Shin-Goji and his friends, collectively known as the "Toxic Pirates" who are loosely based around McGuinness' own personal circle of friends, all portrayed by Super deformed (SD for short) figurines of Godzilla monsters.
Shin-Goji
Small, loud, opinionated, vulgar, and more often that not insensitive and politically incorrect, Shin-Goji somehow leads the uncharted land mass known as Neo-Monster Island. The webcomic focuses mostly on his antics and the trouble he gets himself into. He works at a popular copy and shipping shop.
The figure used is an SD Heisei Godzilla from the Super Collection set, and is also a representation of the author, McGuinness, inserting imself into the comic. Shin-Goji is of Irish descent because McGuinness also is. He does not make an appearance until the second season. [5] Shin-Goji means, literally translated, "True Godzilla." McGuinness chose the name Goji, which is an affectionate, shortened name for Godzilla. The Shin part came from his love of the Street Fighter character Shin-Akuma.
Space Hojo
Space Hojo is Shin-goji's long suffering roomate who does not show up until Season 4.[6] Space Hojo prefers trickery and common sense to keep himself free from the chaos that surrounds him and is usually the result of Shin-Goji's foolishness. Due to a botched Lasik surgery, he was endowed with the ability to shoot laser beams from his eyes.
Space Hojo is characterized by an SD Space Godzilla figure due to its angry and disgruntled look, a trait McGuinness associates with Howard Williams, McGuinness' real life roomate whom Space Hojo is based on. As a result of Williams being African American and being represented by a Space Godzilla figure, the running theme is all Space Godzillas represent black people. Williams has a heavy influence into the development of the comic and many of the controversial strips involving race or racism have been co-written by Williams.[7]
Grendel
Grendel is a friend of Shin-Goji and Space Hojo, he shows up around the end of Season 4 [8]. A member of the Stormtrooper 501st, he is only seen in his traditional armor and helmet. He serves as a bigger lecher than any of the other Toxic Pirates. As ex-military with a love of firepower, he asssociates with C-Ball very well.
The figure that represents him is an SD 1984 Godzilla from the Soushingeki set. The head was cut off and replaced with that of a stormtrooper along with armor. The model was created by real life Grendel, who also helps with some other custom figures, including the more recent Steel Pyramid.
MOGUERA Marius
MOGUERA Marius was originally represented by a High Grade MOGUERA figure in Season 4 [9]. To fit is with the short, super-deformed style of the other Toxic Pirates, he was later associated with an SD MOGUERA from the Soshingeki Collection.
Also a long-suffering victim of Shin-Goji's foolishness, he buries himself in his Taekwondo model painting. His speech is most often reminiscent of Twikki from Buck Rodgers.
C-Ball Sleazeball
C-Ball shows up in Season 6, [10] and is the only married Toxic Pirate. He is the most sarcastic and dangerous of the Toxic Pirates.
He is represented by an SD Hedorah from the Soshingeki set (Though he has said he would rather be represented by a "chainsaw doggie"). Sometimes paranoid, and as a gun-nut, he gets along quite well with Grendel. His name comes from a nickname carried by the real-life C-Ball.
C-Ball has been documented as being able to secrete his own super glue (As mentioned in Epic IX). This ability came into play when C-Ball had to build Mazinger-Z for Shin.
Spidersense
Spidersense is called The Spirit Warrior, a God-loving man who rocks hard to Dokken. An oddity on the sometimes blasphemous island of Twisted Kaiju Theater, watching over Shin-Goji and the others and making sure they don't stray too far. He also plays Mini-Heroes with the Toxic Pirate crew. His figure is a painted in the colors of Spider-Man.
Thor
Thor is the resident manga artist of Neo-Monster Island, having a "special" store of rare artist's ink. Described as "The Manga Fanboy", the character of Thor is represented by a personified (Custom Virus SD)[11], and the butt of many jokes involving the origins of his ink. Thor's daughter makes an apearance as the same but smaller figurine. As a real life artist with published works in Antartic Press and Radio Comix, Thor helped Twisted Kaiju Theater see actual publication.
Son Goharotto
Son Goharotto (Son Go-san for short) is the creator of [saikyopowaa.com saikyopowaa.com], and is a moderator of the forums in Twisted Kaiju Theater. He is most remembered for his renditions of half-naked anthromorphic babes and his temper. He fought Shin-Goji to a stand still when his "Vengance Seal" was activated [12].
[edit] Other Characters
Murugu
Murugu is Shin-Goji's Republican girlfriend, whose figure is the green bird of the Suzaku action figure, a villain in the anime YuYu Hakusho. In a recent plot, it is shown her entire relationship was a plot to capture Neomonster Island for Suzaku.
Vorahk
Vorahk is a villain transformed hero on Neomonster Island, who originally was sent to destroy it in Legend of the Dark Mask [13]. He returned later, but was defeated and shown mercy, which changed his outlook of life: destruction. It has been alluded he has Sentinel intelligence, due to the fact he learns and improves from all those who defeat him in the past.
[edit] Villains
George W. Bush
George W. Bush is a parody of the real president, who is crazy about getting oil no matter the cost. He usually breaks out in tears when things don't go his way, and relies on Dick Cheney to help him out of situations.
Dick Cheney
Like George W. Bush, Dick Cheney is a parody of the real man, who reads from the Necronomicon.
[edit] The Kaiju Girls
The Kaiju Girls[14] (also known as K-Girls) are a gallery of females anthropomorphized after the various Toho kaiju. As opposed to some art sites where females are put into Godzilla costumes, McGuinness was the first to commission anthro art of Godzilla costumes. They started when McGuinness wanted to create a poster girl for the site, which was heavily male dominated. Anthro artist Danny Valentini drew the first girl using specifications from McGuinness. G.I.N.A. (Godzilla Inspired Naked Anthromorph, name by MOGUERA Marius) was drawn reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe's Playboy cover, based on the Godzilla 2000 suit. After that each Toho Godzilla monster was envisioned as a Kaiju Girl. There are almost 50 Kaiju Girls including original creations and girls based on characters like Great Mazinger as well as other genres. The galleries are split up into the specific eras of Godzilla movies, as well as original creations, group shots and sprite based art. The galleries range from Rated G to NC-17 for adult situations and nudity.
The Kaiju Girls have been drawn into a few TKT episodes, and models were created by NToonz for other episodes. But when it comes to overall "continuity", any comics that take place with them in it are not considered canon. There are a few fanfics dedicated to the Kaiju Girls which McGuinness decides if they are official to the overall mythos of the kaiju girls or not.
The site draws some controversy for the Kaiju Girls, because of the unregulated adult situations, and from people who find the "furry" genre distasteful. After a conflict with some of the artists who submitted work to his site as gift art, he required all artists to include a disclaimer stating that all fanworks sent to Neo-Monster Island/Twisted Kaiju Theater will be regarded as gifts unless otherwise specified. K-Girls and other such characters will remain the intellectual property of their respective creators. Legal ownership of actual images will be given to Shin-Goji/Sean McGuinness with the provision that creators shall be consulted in the even of use beyond showcasing. Fanworks submitted by the artists and authors will be treated with utmost care and respect. In return, the creators agree that they no longer possess sole interest in the managing of their creations.
It should be noted that McGuinness does not draw the Kaiju Girls. They are gifts and commissions from a series of different artists.
[edit] Archive CDs
McGuinness sells archive CDs of his work at cost. Currently Volume I is for sale which encompasses the first 500 episodes, two CD exclusive cartoons, an exclusive G.I.N.A. picture by manga artist Thor Thorvaldson, and the complete Kaiju Girl archive as of the time the CD was created. A second CD is in the works. The first CD is available on his website[15].
[edit] Availability and Copyright
All strips are available free of charge from the website. McGuinness acknowledges the individual copyrights retained by the vinyl/action figures he personifies and the artists he showcases. McGuinness' work may fall under the fair use doctrine of the United States Copyright Act of 1976.
[edit] References
- ^ Article in March 2002 issue of Toyfare Magazine
- ^ McGuinness' letter in issue #97 of Toyfare Magazine
- ^ Tutorials
- ^ Lemon Sours
- ^ Club Tokyo
- ^ Giant Sequels Attack!
- ^ Darkness!
- ^ Grendel's debut
- ^ Online Survery Part 4
- ^ The Twisted Kaiju
- ^ Thor's debut
- ^ Shin Versus Son! The Seal of Vengeance Breaks!
- ^ Legend of the Dark Mask
- ^ Kaiju Girls
- ^ Archive CD
