Webcomic Naylor, what the hell are you doing?
In my review of Naylor's previous creation, Better Days, I said "For better or worse, it's the creator baring his soul." And so is Original Life, and it is undeniably a step down. Better Days was not always pleasnt, but it had a real story to tell. Every chapter had a beginning, a middle, an end and most importantly, a point. But Original Life?
This comic lacks any kind of structure. Gag-a-day strips are alternated with arcs, arcs are suddenly abandoned, only to be picked up again a year later or never at all and any serious treatment of a topic will sooner or later devolve into inappropriate jokes. Lacking the narrative structure that Better Days had, this comic feels like Naylor throws whatever comes up to him on the screen, without any censors other than to hold back blatantly pornographic content for his "pornfolios".
It's a mess, and nothing exemplifies this better than the muffin arc. Give that the comic only updates twice a week, it went by glacially slow. And even foregoing for a moment the objection that children are unable to moralise in this way, this story is beyond Mood Whiplash. Is it supposed to be a serious treatment of a comedic subject or a comedic treatment of a serious subject? I have no idea, so all it manages to be is monumentally stupid.
I'm sorry if this review is coming across as disjointed, but that's only because I'm trying to wrap my head around this baffling, disjointed comic, which is currently in the middle of a fitness arc and apparently playing a rape attempt for laughs. At least Better Days treated it with the seriousness it deserves.
Webcomic Friendly, Funny and Intelligent.
Original Life is a funny Webcomic by any standards. The humor is light and friendly, centered around childhood and family life with the occasional Author Filibuster and whimsical foray into the absurd. It does not take itself too seriously, and neither should you. Read it for your own enjoyment rather than in the interest of one political agenda or another hunting Unfortunate Implications, for that is not how it is meant to be read.
While it deliberately lacks the narrative ambition of its parent series, it explores more general themes that most people can relate and aspire to, generously peppered with solid(and not at all overzealous as some would have you believe) philosophy, Aesops and heartwarming moments between intelligent, well-written characters who love each other and try to enjoy life as best they can, which is the overall message of the comic.
The author of Original Life has a sizable Hatedom which has unfortunately resulted in a lot of radical and sometimes unfair reviews and judgements, but the series is genuinely funny, accessible, lighthearted and intelligently written, and is certainly worth a read from anyone looking for a laugh and a good Slice of Life story, with charming and adorable art to sweeten the deal.
Enjoy.