VG Cats (Video Game Cats) is a webcomic written and drawn by CanadianScott Ramsoomair. Published once a week on its own website, it features the adventures of a pair of anthropomorphiccats, 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") [2], although the first comic is internally dated 2001-09-01.
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:
LeoLeo 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, he has shown signs of a deeper intelligence, or at least marginal quantities of common sense. His alter ego is known as "Briefs Boy" and used to be Pantsman's sidekick, he has the video of the orgy scene of Requiem for a Dream and wants to make it with Aeris. Introduced: 2001-09-09, strip 1.
File:Aeris.gifAerisAeris, 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. As seen in the VGcats animated series she is of legal age, and lives in Canada City, Canada. Introduced: 2001-09-04, strip 2.
File:Krug.gifKrugKrug, 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
File:Johnny Evilguy.gifJohnny EvilguyJohnny 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
File:Dr. Hobo.gifDr. FG HoboThe 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
File:Ternaldo.gif TernaldoTernaldo, 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
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[8] in order to poke fun at their shortcomings. Microsoft's Xbox has been a target on numerous occasions for this [9]. Occasionally, strips focus on subjects unrelated to gaming, such as cell phones, Anime[10][11] or the comic's Canadian origin.[12]
Ramsoomair is best known for his extremely vibrant and exquisite use of color in all his comics, to the extent of winning best use of color in the 2005 Web Cartoonists' Awards (see below). The general appearance of the characters in many respects however have changed greatly over the years. One could almost interpret that they are getting more youthful as the comic progressed, as their height and other physical properties have been reduced. Sometimes this actually is the case [13] Two examples: [14], [15]
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.
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 2mod, 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.
When employees at Maxis saw the VG Cats comic that parodiedSpore they responded by remaking the comic using the in game models for all of the aliens. The Maxis version can be found here.
It is very possible that Aeris and Leo had, have, or are going to have some sort of relationship in future comics [16]
Ramsoomair is known to be rude but hilarious during interviews [17]
Ramsoomair claims to hate all of his comics (since he spends so much time looking at them.)
