Scary Go Round: Difference between revisions
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; Looks, Brains and Everything: While trying to investigate a [[murder]], '''Shelley''', the protagonist, becomes murdered herself. Later, after becoming raised from the dead as a [[zombie]], the chapter follows her being undead, with a bit of [[brain]]-eating. |
; Looks, Brains and Everything: While trying to investigate a [[murder]], '''Shelley''', the protagonist, becomes murdered herself. Later, after becoming raised from the dead as a [[zombie]], the chapter follows her being undead, with a bit of [[brain]]-eating. |
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; Where the Dumb things are: '''Amy''', '''Tessa''' and '''Rachel''' wind up in a new [[universe]], having come through a [[fourth dimension|four-dimensional]] portal. The chapter follows Tessa and Rachel's trying to kidnap Amy so they can |
; Where the Dumb things are: '''Amy''', '''Tessa''' and '''Rachel''' wind up in a new [[universe]], having come through a [[fourth dimension|four-dimensional]] portal. The chapter follows Tessa and Rachel's trying to kidnap Amy so they can get paid for the painting job they did for her father. |
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; Ballad of the Man: '''Ryan''' finally meets his lady, '''Natalie'''. However, his elderly landlady and her associates do not think much of her, believing that she is a [[succubus]], and arrange to have her killed in an [[explosion]]. |
; Ballad of the Man: '''Ryan''' finally meets his lady, '''Natalie'''. However, his elderly landlady and her associates do not think much of her, believing that she is a [[succubus]], and arrange to have her killed in an [[explosion]]. |
Revision as of 05:38, 24 July 2006
Scary Go Round | |
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File:Scarygoround.gif | |
Author(s) | John Allison |
Website | http://www.scarygoround.com |
Current status/schedule | Monday through Friday |
Launch date | 2002-06-04 [1] |
Genre(s) | Paranormal, Espionage, Britain |
Scary Go Round is a webcomic set in the fictional town of Tackleford, England, and written by John Allison. Scary Go Round is a highly respected member of the webcomic community and was named one of the best webcomics of 2004 by The Webcomics Examiner.
Scary Go Round started on June 4, 2002, roughly following on from Allison's previous comic, Bobbins. It features bizarre happenings, strange creatures, parallel universes, zombies, time travel, and more recently, reincarnation. Initially set as the lives of the barmaids Tessa and Rachel, it has evolved more into the story of Shelley Winters and her many adventures, especially since Tessa and Rachel disappeared from the webcomic after an ill-judged deal with the Devil. Amy Chilton, one of the core characters to succeed Tessa and Rachel, has successfully made the transition from the author's 17-year-old scribblings, through the hand drawn Bobbins era, and into the computer-generated Scary Go Round seen every weekday, all without aging a day. Shelley, another of the characters who made the transition from Bobbins, also features heavily throughout the webcomic.
Attributes
The comic's fans appreciate it for its quirky, morbid sense of humor, which shows especially in the way the characters speak.
The story is usually split into chapters, though some stories happen outside of the chapter format; these are known as "The Scary-Go-Round Chronicles". Each chapter stars a few choice characters from the huge cast, and the art is ever evolving. John Allison also somehow finds time to return to his hand-drawn roots, with Shelley Winters' Scare-o-deleria updated sporadically.
From its inception in 2002 to August 2005, Scary-Go-Round was computer-drawn, and received numerous accolades for its distinctive and constantly evolving styles; Allison drew the main comic by hand for a period of two and a half months, then returned to the computer because the time taken to draw each comic was "spiralling out of control". Allison quotes "soothsayers" as assuring him that hand-drawn comics will return "in some form, at a later date".
Characters
Major characters
- Shelley Winters
- The red-headed, green-eyed protagonist of Scary Go Round. Likes polite speech and adventuring. Got murdered; became a zombie; returned to life; got murdered again; kick-boxed way back. Gets into trouble often. Original character based on the Bobbins webcomic.
- Fallon Young
- A sleek, sexy secret agent and all 'round girl-spy. Although very incompetent at her job, she always manages to achieve her objective... y'know, if you tilt your head to the side and look hard. Really hard. Fallon is Shelley Winters's best friend and roommate. May or may not be dead. Originated as a HiFi store owner in Bobbins
- Ryan Beckwith
- A lovable fool and heir to the King of Tramps. Best friend to Shelley Winters and Tim Jones. Once dated Fallon Young. Always drawn with messy hair and a five-o'clock shadow. Also dislikes showers, fearing he will drown under them.
- Amy Chilton
- A blonde- and purple-haired, tattooed art student. Roommate and best friend to Shelley Winters and Fallon Young. The spoiled daughter of Professor Len Pickering. Dislikes work and showers.
- Tim Jones
- A prolific inventor and friend to Ryan Beckwith and Shelley Winters. Employed Amy Chilton as his inventor assistant. Is currently the mayor of Tackleford and employs Ryan Beckwith as his assistant.
- Hugo Rodriguez
- A dark-skinned immigrant sandwich shop owner and good friend to many of the cast. Righteous in nature and quick to act, a good friend to have in a fight. Comes from Latin America; his past is unknown. He owns a sandwich shop which he used to run, but after running for mayor of Tackleford with Tim and being assaulted in the process, he began working with a nephew who is a music producer. Friend to Ryan Beckwith, apparently based upon the real-life underground cartoonist who shares his name.
- Riley Beckwith
- The current fiancee of Tim Jones and sister of Ryan Beckwith (making her an heir to the King of Tramps as well). Much classier than Ryan, she is blond, thin, and attractive. She may have been abducted by aliens at one point.
- Tessa Davies
- A journalism student and best friend of Rachel. Tall, sensible, and intelligent, and occasionally quite fond of alcohol.
- Rachel Dukakis-Monteforte
- Heir to a wealthy biscuit family's fortune, a journalism student and best friend of Tessa. She hates Shelley and is described by Allison as "wicked." She was thrown off a bridge by a biker gang as retribution for trying to hurt Shelley, but rescued by a creature bearing a suspicious resemblance to The Devil and given the chance to continue living if she signed a contract pledging her allegiance to him.
- Professor Len Pickering
- An eccentric journalism professor at Tackleford University. Teaches Tessa and Rachel, and father of Amy. Given to enthusiastic, though often not well-thought-out, schemes of various kinds (such as trying to raise an illegal lynch mob to dispense 'justice' when a student had been mistakenly accused of murdering Amy), and to having conversations with a pet guinea pig named Cecil.
Minor characters
- Pa Beckwith
- Father to Ryan Beckwith and Riley Beckwith. A recluse and former King of the tramps. Has recently made amends with his daughter and son.
- The Boy
- Son of "The Father" and "The Mother" and a Junior inventor and dreamer. Is a friend of Erin Winters, Shelley's younger sister. Lives with The Mother and The Father. Fond of Dark Esther. No one has said his real name (assuming that it is not "The Boy").
- Erin Winters
- The younger sister of Shelley Winters. Thinks her older sister is ridiculous. Is quite serious. A friend of The Boy. Currently up to no good with Dark Esther.
- Esther de Groot, AKA "Dark Esther"
- Friend of Erin Winters, and a goth and Marilyn Manson fan. She was friends with Big Lindsay and Sarah, but has since become too happy to be accepted by the goths.
- Roxy Postlethwaite
- Popular girl at the high school Esther and Erin attend. Brainwashed by a cult leader, she became a "white goth" and formed a band with Big Lindsay and Sarah.
- Big Lindsay
- A particularly tall and heavyset high school girl who was friends with Esther, and is a goth like her.
- Sarah
- A short, black-haired goth girl who is friends with Big Lindsay.
- Paul Milford
- A friend of The Boy. Likes to think that he is successful with women. Is not as successful as he believes.
- Oggy
- A gentle giant of a student who is a hall monitor at the school Erin and Esther attend. Enjoys music and science.
- Mayor James Mayor
- The former Mayor of the city and ex-boss of Shelley Winters. He is easily confused and bedazzled.
- Natalie Durand
- Ryan Beckwith's former girlfriend. She speaks with a French accent. She was killed (exploded) by old meddling ladies who believed she was an instrument of evil. She currently acts as the assistant to Death.
- Bob Crowley
- Based on Aleister Crowley, Bob is the "wickedest man in the world". He was dead, but was summoned by teachers attempting to perform a dark ritual, and has taken over the school that the high school characters attend.
- Friend Bat
- Ryan's bat friend that he meets just before meeting with Natalie for the first time. He seems to understand Ryan's words and is less of a pet than a companion.
Various Creatures
The Scary Go Round universe is populated with many creatures and odd happenings. Some of these creatures include:
- Portuguese Man-o-war
- An arrogant blob who lives in the ocean. Enemy of Shelley Winters, and humanity.
- Goblins
- Goblins populate Tackleford. They live like people, but are unseen by people. Often up to mischief. Magical.
- Death
- Comes to you when you die. To see what should be done.
- Krakkagar
- Shiny black beetle-type creature with red, glowing eyes. Has weakness for sugar.
Notable Chapters
- Looks, Brains and Everything
- While trying to investigate a murder, Shelley, the protagonist, becomes murdered herself. Later, after becoming raised from the dead as a zombie, the chapter follows her being undead, with a bit of brain-eating.
- Where the Dumb things are
- Amy, Tessa and Rachel wind up in a new universe, having come through a four-dimensional portal. The chapter follows Tessa and Rachel's trying to kidnap Amy so they can get paid for the painting job they did for her father.
- Ballad of the Man
- Ryan finally meets his lady, Natalie. However, his elderly landlady and her associates do not think much of her, believing that she is a succubus, and arrange to have her killed in an explosion.
- Count My Toes
- Rachel convinces a local gang that a woman they are looking for has dyed her hair orange and now looks exactly like Shelley, leading to the latter's tragic (and gruesome) death. While waiting in line to get into Heaven, Shelley meets the recently deceased Natalie, who shows her the ropes in purgatory.