A relatively recent (circa A.D. 2000)
Internet culture phenomenon, sprite comics are online
comic strips featuring sprites ripped from various video games, usually older (pre-32-bit) systems such as the
Nintendo Entertainment System or the
Sega Genesis. I have theorized that this process is used for one of several reasons:
1. The author is making a fan comic based on his favorite video game, but does not want to subject purists to his interpretations of the game's characters, and thus draw too many flames.
2. The author is actually an okay artist, but too damn lazy to do art by himself.
3. The author has no artistic talent whatsoever.
Not that I'm knocking it or anything, there are actualy a lot of sprite comics that are pretty good. Examples of sprite comics include:
Captain SNES (http://captainsnes.keenspace.com/)
8-Bit Theater (http://www.nuklearpower.com/comic/)
Bob and George (http://www.bobandgeorge.com/)
Oldskooled (http://oldskooled.disflux.net/)
Chicanery (http://www.lylat.net/chicanery/), a truly bizzare example
The above theoretical list of "reasons" to make a sprite comic is entirely in jest, rather like one of David Letterman's top ten lists, only not really funny. There might be lots of reason someone makes a sprite comic, none the least of which is an admiration of the collage style. Happy now, dTaylorSingletary?