Crabcake Confidential: The World of Roodie Doodie

The mad science of random ratings continues! Today’s Crabcake Confidential looks at a webcomic review request sent to me some months ago, “The World of Roodie Doodie,” a webcomic written and illustrated by a guy named Roodie Doodie. (But really, isn’t it quite cruel of his parents to name him Roodie if Doodie was already an odd sounding surname?)

“Roodie Doodie” is a gag strip done in vertical style. Its main subjects are spoofs of ninjas, superheroes, Dr. Who, Freddie vs. Jason, and other topics that were clearly catered for obsessive nerds. The antics are acted out by little guys that look like Nutter Butters.

Mmmm…. sweet, savory, peanut buttery Nutter Butters….

Where was I?

Oh, yes, “Roodie Doodie.” After a while, you begin to get the creepy realization that Roodie Doodie (the author) is from England. First of all, there’s a “.uk” address listed at the bottom. But mainly it’s because the characters, including the ones created in America, start talking like a bunch of bloody lorries. There’s nothing wrong with that, but my Yankee sense starts tingling when Roodie Doodie Batman calls Roodie Doodie Superman “Tight git” or, when Roodie Doodie Freddy screams “I’m dying for a slash!” Cor love a duck! (Incidentally, I imagine all the characters being voiced by Yahtzee Croshaw.) If anything, though, I view it as a wonderful way to expand my regionalist American perspective, and for that I thank Mssr. Doodie.

One poll on the site shows that the most popular feature is “Ninjastyle.” It’s the first feature, and I have to say I didn’t find the original phase to be very humorous, which can be summed up by “Two Ninjas engage in competition and the second one gets a ‘Wins‘ quote.” It was too much like an attempt at either exploiting an internet meme, or an attempt at starting one. After a while, though, Mssr. Doodie abandons this pattern and the comic becomes two gentlemen in black pyjamas who do nasty things to each other … a small but welcome improvement.

Personally, my favorite feature was “Jason vs. Freddy,” because you can’t go wrong with two timeless monsters of the 1980′s slasher movies acting like a couple of chuckle-headed mates. The next “Alien Loves Predator“? Perhaps.

“Roodie Doodie” covers ground that’s already been covered several times by other webcomics. But, in the end, it’s also light-hearted, harmless, and usually good for a small chuckle now and then. And hey … superheroes that look like they belong in Steve Oedekirk’s next Thumb project. That’s the mutt’s nuts.

Rating:

Bubble wand