Applegeeks
Applegeeks is a webcomic drawn by Mohammad "Hawk" Haque and written by Ananth Panagariya. Emily Adamo used to be credited on the site as editor, but she was not credited explicitly on the actual comic art. The comic's format shifts between gag-a-day material to mild spurts of continuity, often dealing with material related to technological accomplishments (with unforeseen results), quasi-romantic unease, or situational comedic moments between the characters.
When it started, Applegeeks was often compared to another popular webcomic, Mac Hall, written by Matt Boyd and drawn by Ian McConville. However, both comics have since taken different directions in art and humor. Artistically, McConville has moved into a painted, cell-shaded style, while Haque has gone with a more traditional inked look and anime inspired coloring. In writing, Boyd continues to represent college dorm humour with the occasional video game reference, while Panagariya has produced humor based on technological blunders and lasting character relationships.
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Characters
Current characters
- Hawk – Main protagonist, tech buff, and Apple geek.
- Jayce Wilder – Secondary protagonist, currently dating Alice Fox, and general goofball.
- Alice Fox – Primary female cast member, currently dating Jayce Wilder, and is often the voice of reason.
- Gina McQuarrie – Female model, strongly independent individual, and known for insomniac behaviour.
- Eve – A female robot built with Apple aesthetic design sensibilities in mind, has an uncommon hatred for PC's and incredible strength
- Mr. Squirrely – The squirrel with mysterious powers and the ability to communicate with Hawk. Possibly a delusion brought on by Hawks' Ramadan fasting.
Retired characters
- Naku – Originally a member of Applegeeks, Naku's real-life inspiration went on to other projects. As such, her character was retired. She was a tech geek and attractive gamer girl during her tenure in the comic.
- Mario "Frost" Linares – Supporting cast member who makes the odd appearance and was often the voice of reason when Alice isn't around. He has disappeared from the comics without explanation.
Story Arcs
Several important story arcs, subplots, and running gags have cropped up in Applegeeks. A tentative list is provided below:
- The romance of Jayce Wilder and Alice Fox. The two were childhood friends and despite early troubles expressing their feelings, both are currently engaged in dating. Ongoing subplot.
- Nudity on Jayce's campus. Apparently a good number of students participate in a tradition which requires many members of the dorm go about in the buff. Jayce has since brought this practise to a halt (at least in his own quarters).
- The Shotgun Game. Essentially, the game calls for all concerned individuals to drop their pants (but not undergarments) and attempt to dash for a waiting car. This has often made the driver pull away at an extremely hurried pace. Even if he or she knows the people with the pants down.
- Jayce torturing Hawk during Ramadan. Ramadan is a Muslim holiday which calls for fasting. Hawk follows this tradition and during it, Jayce often teases him by eating immense portions of food. Mr. Squirrely's first appearance is during one of Hawk's fasts.
- Captain Power. No relation at all to the late 1980's show of the same name, nor to the toy line. Captain Power is a superhero alterego (re: delusion) of Hawk's, who wears a Power symbol bandana down over his eyes.
- Eve's Creation. Eve was constructed from the remains of an Apple robot. The Apple robot was originally supposed to function as a toaster, but by some miracle became a transforming mechanoid. After its subsequent destruction by Tim Buckley's X-Bot, it was reconstructed as Eve, a feminine, humanoid robot.
Artistic Directions
The comic has undergone several subtle changes over its development. Initially, it was drawn in a looser, hand-drawn fashion with nondescript backgrounds and softer colour tones. This style was very similar to the one Ian McConville at Mac Hall was using around the same time, and as a result fans drew a great many comparisons between the two artists. Issue 17 however saw Applegeeks take a stylistic change, adopting a softer, more brushed look, with thick ink work and a warmer pastel pallete. This lasted until issue 21, at which point Haque reverted to his earlier artistic choices, albeit with a cleaner feel.
Around issue 35, the comic started to look more polished, with brighter highlights and sleeker lines. Onwards from 35, Haque has continued to develop this sleek, shiny appearance in the comic, lending itself quite well to the establishment of such characters as Eve, who being artificial requires a slightly sharper, more technological look than the human cast.
Book
Reportedly, Applegeeks will be released in book form after the authors graduate from University of Maryland, College Park. However, the details are far from concrete, and Mohammad Haque has stated in the web-site's news posts that the book is a remote possibility at this point in time.
External links
Categories: Web comics