February 23rd, 2009
Lil Formers #136: Fandom
SHORTPACKED REVENGE!!!
Okay so not so much revenge, as a little nod. This is about as mean as I am willing to be, heh. I actually had this strip planned anyways and just dropped David in there. Anyways, this is prety much how a lot of fandom seems in my experience from working at Dreamwave and UDON. The folks ragging on your comics online are the same ones lining up at your booth at SDCC so, it’s all kinda silly.
I used Jeph Loeb since he’s a popular writer who gets a lot of flack online. I actually had the chance to help out in a minor way on one of his comics, and he’s an uber nice guy 
February 23rd, 2009 at 12:55 am
Bravo sir!, Bravo. Nicely done.
February 23rd, 2009 at 1:17 am
Good. I though I was the only one.
February 23rd, 2009 at 1:24 am
I’ve enjoyed Loeb’s Hulk stuff. And his other work with McGuiness. And With Tim Sale.
I don’t read any Ultimate comics, so I can’t comment on Ultimatum.
February 23rd, 2009 at 1:24 am
Uhh… there’s a Red Hulk now? WTF!
February 23rd, 2009 at 1:28 am
Honestly… kind of lame.
Even ignoring the Willis addition.
February 23rd, 2009 at 2:19 am
When will comic book nerds learn that piracy was invented to steal bad comics not good ones?
February 23rd, 2009 at 3:27 am
A lot of the Loeb hate is justified. The man wrote a year long mystery but the solution ended up not making any sense.
Whatever else you should try to do with a year long big event mystery, you should try to have a good explanation as to whodunnit. If you can’t pull that off, you’ve pretty much failed.
Similarly, if you write a year long mystery and your main character, a guy known as “The World’s Greatest Detective” doesn’t solve it, you’ve probably ****** up.
February 23rd, 2009 at 4:01 am
Kudos for the restrained toon revenge, you could have turned the strip into a right old bitching contest.
February 23rd, 2009 at 4:12 am
Yeah, good work. Thanks for not perpetuating this any longer than it has to be.
February 23rd, 2009 at 4:16 am
dude I meet Jeph Loeb, he was like the nicest guy. He gave me the greatest advise on my writing and spent like a hour talking to me and my friend on the industry and the ins and outs. Plus he signed my long halloween posters and Batman ghosts one shot. I have nothing but love for the man, Plus keep in mind that editor have the last say on projects, so anything that goes to press is their fault. i the end aren’t we all just trying to make a living!?!
February 23rd, 2009 at 4:45 am
Wow, just wikied him, and he co-wrote commando, greatest 80’s movie of super-relevant one-liners of all time.
Such as when he throws a pipe, filled with steam at a bad guy, which pins him to the wall, and steam comes out of the pipe. ‘Let off some steam’.
Drops a bad guy off a cliff. ‘What did you do with the bad guy, arnie?’ ‘I let him go,.’
awesome stuff.
February 23rd, 2009 at 5:02 am
@Adam
I’m sure he is a very nice guy, just like Rob Liefeld, but you have to judge his work on its own merits. He’d probably make a much better editor than writer. His editors do bear some of the blame but he still wrote it. I don’t begrudge him for trying to make a living, I just wish he could write a comic that justifies him being one of the most popular writers today.
February 23rd, 2009 at 5:37 am
Should have gone with Short Fused instead of Short Packaged. But I’m glad you decided not to go below the belt with this one.
February 23rd, 2009 at 5:39 am
Good job! Proud of ya! But if he misbehaves again, he does deserve a smackdown!
February 23rd, 2009 at 6:56 am
I DEMAND YOU TO REMAKE THIS STRIP AND USE GRANT MORRISON INSTEAD! THE MAN SPLIT INTERNET IN HALF IN HIS EVERY BOOK!
pretty please? with sugar on top?
February 23rd, 2009 at 7:09 am
Nice
Matt can you do a Starscream strip just as ou did one with Megs and Prime please
February 23rd, 2009 at 8:56 am
Fantastic!
February 23rd, 2009 at 9:48 am
Why is it you almost always draw comic writers as balding? Fact of the business or artistic liscensing?
February 23rd, 2009 at 10:18 am
“Why is it you almost always draw comic writers as balding? Fact of the business or artistic liscensing?”
Perhaps accuracy, seeing as Jeph’s balding.
I’ve no problem with Jeph, personally. But maybe because I’ve only read his work with Tim Sale, which I’ve always enjoyed. His Ultimate stuff just makes me blink, but seeing as Mark Millar pushed the limits already, pushing them further just makes me eyeroll. I’m not one of those full of vim and fire about his Marvel work.
You have put the finger on the pulse, though, of how people react online and how they do face to face. People have internet personas and will rant and rave. Then if the focus of their ire turns up, they’ll be as nice as pie. Not sure what’s better - that or just being a cranky bugger 24/7.
February 23rd, 2009 at 12:58 pm
I was a bit concerned about what this “revenge” would look like. I’m kind of pleased to see it’s just a bit of teasing.
February 23rd, 2009 at 2:16 pm
I think I’d find this funnier if I DIDN’T recognize Willis there, on account’a how it doesn’t really make any sense with him in it.
February 23rd, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Oh MY…
Jeph were good writer.
But, for the new fans, are only a old freak guy.
I have 30 years old, and I like his old stories.
February 23rd, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Short Package is good webcomix.
Do you Know Mega-Tokyo?
February 23rd, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Ryan
February 23rd, 2009 at 1:24 am
Uhh… there’s a Red Hulk now? WTF!
It’s a answer of Marvel for the War of the Rings from DC^^
Have until now
Hulk Green, Lrey, Light Green and Red. and Blue Hulk, for the Uni-Power
Lately
Orange, Black, and Pulple XD
February 23rd, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Honestly, as good as Loeb WAS, he’s lost a few steps since his son died. and I really lost a lot of respect for him after what he pulled at a convention last year. at a memorial for the late great Mike Turner, he got on stage and started talking about his late son. DISRESPECT! It wasn’t a memorial for his son, it was Mike’s. Don’t whine for attention!
Plus he ruined Heroes. But the strip itself is SO TRUE! I’ve seen so many fanboys do that!
February 23rd, 2009 at 5:17 pm
LOL!!! Oh this is priceless. If this is on your DA I’m gonna so fav this.
February 23rd, 2009 at 5:23 pm
hahaha, this is a great one!
February 23rd, 2009 at 6:34 pm
Good point on how some people just switch mood depending if they are hidded by a “mask” or not. Anyway for comics, in truth they are not worst than past, and often the authors, expecially of american comics with long history like marvels or DC, face lot of restriction and problems, last but not least that they foten lose sight of what secondary character they coudl actually use that has not actually be used and/or killed by someone else at the same time Example “what do you mean that i cannot use thor…daaaamn…ok plan B let’s pull out a clone”
February 23rd, 2009 at 8:14 pm
Bravo. Balls in his court now. Willis always comes off a little bitchy or gushing fan boy about some random thing. He devoted a few weeks to some new obscure toy called Skeleflex and preached it’s love. Ok a single comic is fine. Heck one every once in a while is fine too. But 3-4 strips in a row is kinda annoying.
I expect to see him post a bitchy retort in a few days…
February 23rd, 2009 at 8:21 pm
This is a good point on how hypocritical fans always are sometimes.
February 23rd, 2009 at 8:28 pm
I wonder the same thing everyday I see somebody complain about someone , once they meet the guy they immediately put a smile and act shy and friendly. I guess they can’t believe they are close to someone famous they forget their grudge.
February 23rd, 2009 at 9:03 pm
Matt you’re handling the bumps of success like a true professional. I just wish some of your fans were as level headed as you.
Keep crank’n em out..
February 24th, 2009 at 1:53 am
Too be fair, Loeb’s Hulk (and Wolverine) runs (and Ultimatum) weren’t very ejoyable for alot of readers (although im sure some people liked them), but Id still want his autograph. Id at least have the sense to get him to sign Dark Victory, Long Halloween, Daredevil: Yellow, or any other of his work that didnt suck though. (parts of Hush? He is a fairly inconsistent fellow.)
February 24th, 2009 at 2:25 am
Yeah, this strip was enjoyable. Very well done for making it light and relevant to the content of the site. =D
February 24th, 2009 at 2:43 am
Well, i’m just glad you took this maturely, Now we can put this behind and look foward to the future
February 24th, 2009 at 3:13 am
I’ve got mixed feelings about Loeb. I love his Batman stuff. But Red Hulk and his Ultimates runs sucked. Ultimatium is okay at best. And I agree that the editors do need to shoulder some blame. But he did write it.
I’ve also met him. Back in 1999 at Wizard World Chicago. He was talking with Chris Bachelo and I was curious on how to pronounce Bachelo’s name. He told me. Jeph smiled and jokingly told me how to pronounce his. Being the smartass, I gushed saying I loved his daughter Lisa’s music. He laughed.
Btw, I enjoyed the strip too.
February 24th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
Well, I’m sure Loeb is a very nice guy…
But his writing as of late has been very VERY BAD.
February 25th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Thanks for putting in that whining fanboy. Man, he irritates me. His comic consists of him hating other fanboys for having a different opinion than him and not blindly swallowing all of the crap Hasbro hands them.
LilFormers, on the other hand, is actually funny. Keep it up, Matt!
February 25th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Also Matt actually comments on the strips and explains reasons behind them. Willis will ramble about his newest toy or the hamsters. That is fine and dandy, but explain the strip while you are at it man..
February 26th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
You absolutely DESTROYED Willis, Matt. Excellent job!!!
Now put him and his ilk out of buisness.
February 26th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
They hate because they love.
February 26th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Shortpacked got owned LOL Willis is nothing but a whiny fanboy
February 27th, 2009 at 1:14 am
that willis is a big phony
a big fat phony!
February 27th, 2009 at 10:25 am
Im not sure what all this is about really…but good show…I guess.
Love the avatars!
February 27th, 2009 at 10:48 am
ok, looked at shortpacked…found the original slight. was this precipitated by anything? Like did he just rail on you for just not likeing eveything transformer? I mean, I love Animated, but just cause we differ there that doesnt mean I dont find Lil Formers gut-bustingly hilarious. That wasnt cool. Shame on him.
February 27th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Man, people are silly. “Destroyed him?” Even Matt doesn’t intend for it to come off that way. I mean, this is no reflection on Willis at all. It’s a pretty standard fanboy joke, featuring a caricature of Willis simply because he was involved in a brouhaha recently, and not because the subject of the strip actually reflects his attitude in any way (because it really, realy doesn’t.)
February 28th, 2009 at 7:03 am
that jeph loeb looks a tid bit like picard from the gargoyles strip.
March 1st, 2009 at 4:14 pm
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! i get it! only NERDS read short packed! nice hidden trik!
March 2nd, 2009 at 5:17 pm
I’ve liked Loeb’s work in the past, but most of his recent work since returning to Marvel hasn’t been enjoyable for me. Fallen Son was pretty good, but I dropped Ultimates 3 when it seemed he was taking dialogue direct from pro-wrestling characters and Ultimatum after I realised he hasn’t read an Ultimate comic before, and that the Marvel editors obviously couldn’t be bothered to do their jobs. I don’t want to encourage the idea of Red Hulk, so am steering well clear on that one.
March 2nd, 2009 at 8:14 pm
The only guy who will never get autographs is Joe Quesada. I hope One More Day comes back to bite him in the ass.
March 3rd, 2009 at 8:21 am
Don’t really get it.
I mean, I hate the Bayformer Movie and All hail Megatron. And if I went to a convention, and saw Michael Bay, Roberto Orci or Shane McCarthy - I’d simply ignore them. And would not ask for their signature anywhere, seeing as I do not like their work.
Of course I’d behave like Willis if that was Simon Furman signing autographs… then again I’m an Advocate of Furmanism, so it’s not like I ever said anything bad about the guy.
And frankly, Shortpacked was right. LilFormers gets unfunnier (is there even a word like that?) by the month. I used to check this page weekly. Now I just glance here every 2 months.
BTw, anyone can tell me how come TFW2005 always showcases Matt’s work? Why don’t they put episodes of Shortpacked, VG Cats or other webcomics that deal with TFs on the from page, eh?
March 5th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
I can’t stop laughing. lol so true.
March 6th, 2009 at 2:32 am
sometimes I wonder if I’m not a real Transformer fan. I enjoyed the movie (though it was a typical Bay movie) like the comics, and love TF Animated. I hate Takara exclusive toys (Break anyone?) and nearly all Transformer shows that originate in Japan. I hate the weird mangas and the awful stories (they ARE awful, Decepticon wives and children?? come on!!!) I find Shortpacked boring and unfunny. VG Cats annoying and …furry obsessive. Lil Formers is funny and usually so. Of course this is my opinion. But if I said its my opinion a full moon is very bright, youd find many people that agree with me. I dont agree with Matt’s tastes in TFs, but I think shortpacked making fun of it was low and a sign of poor taste. I know this is the internet, and the idea that we be civil is a moot point, but i can dream.
March 7th, 2009 at 3:45 am
Yeah, the bleedin’ hypocracy makes all fans look bad. Usually, I’d try to avoid those people at conventions that aren’t on the list of people I’m looking to meet.
I agree with Adam Jewer:
Many problems or poor storyline finishes, etc. in comics should be blamed on the editors.
The only thing I really read by Jeph Loeb is “Hush”, and I actually enjoy reading it every time.
March 16th, 2009 at 9:21 am
Feeling the guilt that that’s how the fanboys react when it comes to something new to (insert series here) universe or a new game/movie/comic.
Nice.
March 18th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
While i cannot comment on the Ultimates webcomic, the Red Hulk comic was terrible. It read like a bad fanfiction. The Hulk vs Thor scene was tripe, pure in simple. Perhaps his other works are good, but the Red Hulk stuff….well it hurt to read it.
Regardless, this comic (Lilformers) properly pokes fun at the fandom.
March 25th, 2009 at 2:17 am
Why does it seems like humans have the concept of hypocrisy hardwired into our brains? DX
March 30th, 2009 at 5:40 am
@BB Shocky:
That’s because LilFormers has an exclusivity deal with TFW2005, whereas Shortpacked has an exclusivity deal with TNI/TFans.
Also: yar long time no see.
For me it’s a bit the other way around actually: Lilformers stays funny, Shortpacked has major ups and downs. Clearly not every comic can be as funny as the next - That’s logical Shocky, you off all Shockys should know that. 
I find it odd that Shortpacked complains about Lilformers jokes being made on how good G1 is vs new stuff, considering the amount of jokes Matt made about G1 far exceeds them numerically. Typical selective ignorance attitude from people who want to tarnish people with the GeeWun flame to prove their own superiority though. And hell, if anyone wants to claim fanboy superiority in a sometimes rather arrogant manner, it’s Shortpacked.
March 30th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
I hate o’l walky too. Now it is double personal
March 30th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
NO WILLS! YOU FREAKEN LOYALISTS!
April 1st, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Sorry, i got exited, but his web comic is pretty cool
PS i’m batman, i can breath in space
April 9th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
How ironic. I did that to Micheal Bay.
April 14th, 2009 at 8:51 am
*laughs until head explodes facing the comic on screen*
May 1st, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Really? Someone calls you out for what you are, and the best you can do is retaliate like a spoiled child.
May 5th, 2009 at 7:56 am
May 25th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
hypocrite!
October 14th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
red hulk that actuly makes more sence because when your mad your in RED mode you know volcano mode lol
March 29th, 2010 at 6:47 pm
What Dizgruntled said. At least David had the decency to point out the hipocrisy in his Take That. What YOU do, Matt, is take David and vilify him, making stuff up about him and just generally mudslinging. Grow the hell up and work on your damn webcomic, and DON’T CARE if someone makes fun of you (this, by the way, is standard knowledge for most college-age humans).
Also, Loeb’s post-Superman/Batman work really does suck. Red Hulk: Villain Sue. Ultimates Three/Ultimatum: putrid piles of dog shit.
tl;dr