Only The Wind Knows

I’ve officially graduated from Carnegie Mellon SCS!

Eleven years ago, I was in a game store, playing the beginning of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The Great Deku Tree was a creepy and oppressive dungeon, in the best way. I remember waiting in that dark cavern with those soft pools of mist at your feet, before Gohma, the first boss, emerges..

I was ten.

The box art was spare and plain, so unlike the gaudy covers of other games. And yet it was incredibly evocative. I must have pleaded with my parents to buy the game, but I didn’t own an N64, and there was no special occasion that warranted such a large purchase. Driving home, I clearly remember staring out the window, my mind still filled with that dungeon..

Eventually I did get the N64. Renting the game, I played through Link’s childhood at least four times, and the Forest Temple at least twice. But that’s as far as I was able to get with the limited time I had. For reasons forgotten, I never actually bought Ocarina of Time — until a year ago.

Upon revisiting it, lost was the luster of childhood and the sheer novelty that had once awed a ten-year-old boy.

Still, the Forest Temple was wild and strange, and the Windmill Song sad and sweet, just like I remembered. And today, I finally finished what I had started eleven years ago.

Sheik: A thing that doesn't change with time is a memory of younger days...

I’m a sucker for pretty pictures and a good story. The following webcomic collections are some of the best I’ve seen on the internet:

Gunnerkrigg Court
My absolute favorite webcomic to date. The characters are compelling, the artwork is great, it’s often hilarious, and everything is mysterious in the right way. I read it until some unholy hour the day I discovered it.

Encouragingly, Tom Siddell (the author) has stated that he does have an overarching plan for the story, so it seems unlikely that this webcomic will regress. This is a good thing.

If you do get hooked, note that the first 14 chapters have been published in a book.

Rice Boy
There are two story arcs here: Rice Boy and Order of Tales. Rice Boy’s storyline has already been completed. Its plot isn’t always as cohesive as I’d like, but the visuals are amazingly surreal, and it’s a very enjoyable read. Order of Tales is currently ongoing, and has the same knack for artwork and a potentially stronger storyline.

Mister Bookseller
The artwork and the story are incredibly evocative. The original author’s livejoural is currently suspended, so unfortunately I can only link to some random blog. If the link doesn’t work, just google it.

The Devil And The Monk
The last page gives me shivers.

The Island
Eleanor Davis, the creator, hasn’t updated her site for a long time now. But this little story is a gem.

FLEEP
An intriguing tale.

Vulcan and Vishnu
A nice adventure with no dialogue. Excellent visual storytelling.

The site’s gallery has been revamped, and several new albums have been added.

http://www.onlythewindknows.net/gallery