The Homestuck Pilot Has Been Released!
As the Homestuck memes would say, "UPDATE"
I feel better knowing I'm not the only one completely confused by Homestuck. Despite receiving a crash course from a friend, reading the comic adaptation, and watching the new animated pilot, I haven't been able to understand this multimedia project. A webcomic/video game/Flash animation hodgepodge, Homestuck now has an animated adaptation. The announcement surprised long-time fans and newcomers. You can watch the pilot here on YouTube.
Created by Andrew Hussie, Homestuck is a webcomic that evolved into an interactive adventure, adding Adobe Flash animation and games to an MS Paint style. The comic ran from 2009 to 2016, but the impact has not waned since. Avid readers can dive into several sequels that premiered in 2019, along with Viz Media graphic novels, and now this animated adaptation.
The story starts with John Egbert, an ordinary teen, trying to locate a video game package of the latest Sburb. It's a birthday gift, and he wants to play it, because enough people, including his friend Dave, hate it. Installing the game and playing it with his friends somehow triggers an apocalypse, so they have to finish Sburb to save the world.
Video game developer Toby Fox (of UNDERTALE fame) joined the crew as a composer, working as the music leader. He posted a recap in his latest newsletter, thanking the Homestuck crew for building his career. Fox was surprised that the Homestuck creators asked him to participate in the animated adaptation, more so that they didn't want him to compose; he voices protagonist John Egbert in the animated pilot instead.
YouTube comments confirm two opinions about the animation from Vivziepop's studio Spindlehorse Animation: the pilot is a perfect adaptation of the original comic/game, and most people have no idea what is happening.
Adapting Video Game Tropes to Animation
The big problem with adapting Homestuck isn't just the confusing narrative but also translating its interactive nature. Because reader suggestions caused the narrative to spiral, the comic blew up in more ways than one. You can't have someone put a random suggestion in a YouTube video or go down multiple paths, and even with multiple paths, the creators can't adapt every suggestion, if any at all.
Why can't viewer suggestions happen? Due to the inherent lead-time for animation, creating an episode can take 8-10 weeks, according to Pigeon Studio. Script rewrites and post-production edits could double that time, in theory. How would one even handle the copyright of crediting different fans for the ideas?
Thankfully, the pilot is aware of this deficiency and corrects it with parody. Protagonist John Egbert keeps yelling at the narrator to cut it out with the dramatic prose and refuses to look at the title in the sky. He can handle a boss battle with his dad over cake, but not-so-much the meta nature of his world. A red box with his video game matters more than a meteor heading towards Earth, and he doesn't question how Dave can reach out through the phone to grab his face. The fourth wall disintegrates in a matter of minutes.
There is some help in terms of accessibility for the new or confused viewers. Since not every Undertale or Deltarune fan necessarily knows Homestuck, they would be watching for the same reason I am, for Fox's performance. As a result, the animators weave a narrative that we can follow in the pilot, a character with actions to complete and conflicts in their way.
Spindlehorse also shows it doesn't just draw demons and damned souls; the style emulates the original MS Paint Homestuck while adding the fluidity that Flash Animation can't provide. I must admit I'm impressed after watching both Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss.
Is it Worth Continuing to Watch?
Homestuck is a huge beast to dive into with its narrative and fandom. YouTuber RPGMonger talked about the Homestuck fans and their "complicated history." An outsider may compare the comic to Frankenstein's monster, albeit born out of love rather than a need for science.
Still, many of those fans are now adults. Andrew Hussie and his crew have grown. We're all more mature now and willing to try new (or in this case, old-ish) stories. Experimenting with media is what makes video games, animation, and the lines in between them great.
You can also tell Spindlehorse loves the original comic and wants to adapt it correctly. I'm going to continue giving them a chance and see what the next "UPDATE" will b.