Interesting example, the visual aspects of the Penny Arcade characters have definitely been exaggerated over time, but the writing of the characters has been to

Interesting example, the visual aspects of the Penny Arcade characters have definitely been exaggerated over time, but the writing of the characters has been toned-back I think. Artwork: Some of this is Flanderization pure and simple, but I think some of it is that Mike's progression as an artist has allowed that to happen. In the early days if things were so exaggerated, it would have been sloppy; but as he's improved as an artist he has an increasing ability to exaggerate things and have it be stylized rather than sloppy. And so he utilizes that stylization to have the characters better emote. Writing: I think there are 3 parts to this. I think part of that is that they let more of their true selves through to the characters, and easing up on the invented personas. I think as the characters develop more "real" personas they don't have to lean as much on the initial defining traits of the characters. I think they've mellowed as they've grown up; once they were uber-hard-core and could spend 16 hours in a raid; now they have children and responsibilities (or put more in terms of the comic: These days there's a place in the comic for more casual gaming that did not exist in the early comic).