Ctrl+Alt+Del

Infobox comic strip
title = Ctrl+Alt+Del


caption = The cover of the DVD release of the first season of the series.
author = Tim Buckley
url = [http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com]
rss =
status = Updates every Monday, Wednesday, Friday (Saturday updates suspended since May 2008) [ [http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/news.php?i=1622 Ctrl+Alt+Del ] ] [ [http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/news.php?i=1623 Ctrl+Alt+Del ] ]
began = October 23 2002
ended =
genre = Video game, Humor, Comedy-drama
ratings =

"Ctrl+Alt+Del" (CAD) is a gaming-related webcomic and animated series written by Tim Buckley. The name of the comic refers to the Windows command Control-Alt-Delete. It premiered on October 23 2002, and is currently updated every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, although Saturday updates are on hiatus starting May 10 2008. The comic's focus has gradually shifted away from single strip gags towards longer story arcs and greater continuity. Buckley makes a living from Ctrl+Alt+Del, placing him in a small group of web comic artists devoted to their comics full-time. [ [http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6485953.html?nid=2789 Web Comic Creators Take Charge - 10/2/2007 2:24:00 PM - Publishers Weekly ] ] [ [http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=1&cId=3145208 Will Strip For Games: Gaming Comics Online from 1UP.com ] ] As of 2005, Ctrl+Alt+Del attracts more than 300,000 readers to its website each day.(December 18, 2005). "Business People". "The Union Leader" Pg. D10] Beginning June 2008, a number of smaller, humour themed daily strips entitled "CAD Sillies" begun running on the news feeds, although they were soon given their own section on the site.

Main characters

Ethan "(2002-present)"

Ethan Ryan MacManus, a 25-year-old of Irish descent, [ [http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/comic.php?d=20030711 Ctrl+Alt+Del "Well Done"] ] is a game fanatic, a recovering Everquest addict, and an amateur artist. His often nonsensical, off-beat, or even moronic antics are the focus of the comic and the source of many of its plotlines. Ethan currently works at GameHaven, a video game store, as a clerk.

Ethan is also described as the creator of Winter-een-mas, a seven-day celebration of video games,Mertes, Micah (January 29, 2008). "Happy Winter-een-mas! OK, get back to playing". "Lincoln Journal Star" Pg. 1D] and founder of the Church of Gaming.

Lucas "(2002-present)"

At 26 years of age, Lucas Davidowicz is portrayed as more level-headed and down to earth than Ethan. He is something of a slacker, prepared to enjoy a good video game over actual work. Cynical and sarcastic, Lucas is a programmer and works at a computer store, where he offers technical assistance.

Lilah "(2003-present)"

Lilah Monroe defied Ethan's preconceived notion that girls (or at least, cute ones) don't play video games, [ [http://www.cad-comic.com/comic.php?d=20030115 Ctrl+Alt+Del ] ] after which they began dating. Lilah is 25 and formerly worked as a secretary, but is now working as a professional gamer. She is currently engaged to Ethan, and was pregnant with his child, but miscarried after three and a half months. [ [http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/comic.php?d=20080602 Ctrl+Alt+Del ] ]

Zeke "(2003-present)"

Zeke (short for Ezekiel), formerly known as the "Xbot", is a creation of Ethan's - a sentient, Xbox/Xbox 360-based android.

CAD Premium

In late 2005, CAD Premium was announced. For a monthly or yearly fee, fans are able to access exclusive "members only" content, such as wallpapers and strips, as well as the flagship of CAD Premium: "Ctrl+Alt+Del: The Animated Series," which made its debut in February 2006.

While CAD Premium is a subscription service, Buckley has made it clear that the comic will remain free [http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/news.php?i=946#948] , and that although the episodes have now come to DVD, they are being offered at a discount to subscribers. [http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/news.php?i=1362]

"Ctrl+Alt+Del: The Animated Series"

Episodes are released at the beginning of each month.All 12 episodes from the first season have been released. Among the extras on the DVD release is an FAQ session with the artist.

In January 2008, it was announced that the Animated Series would return for a second season of 12 episodes, beginning in March of the same year. [ [http://www.cad-comic.com/news.php?i=1546 Ctrl+Alt+Del ] ]

Books

Collections

* Insert Coin: Ctrl+Alt+Del Volume One
* Press Start: Ctrl+Alt+Del Volume Two
* Critical System Failure: Ctrl+Alt+Del Volume Three

These books feature comics found online, along with commentary and bonus material exclusive to the book.

Analog and D+Pad

Analog and D+Pad is a comic book written by Tim Buckley with art by Zack Finfrock based on the Ctrl+Alt+Del characters, but set in a parallel universe where Ethan and Lucas are the superheroes Analog and D+Pad, respectively. [ [http://cad-comic.com/news.php?i=1254 Ctrl+Alt+Del ] ] [ [http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/index.php/issue1cover Ctrl+Alt+Del ] ]

Reception

Video game journalist Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw of Zero Punctuation has criticized Ctrl+Alt+Del on a few occasions. Croshaw briefly displayed a CAD comic in his review of Mass Effect, comparing the game's abundance of dialogue to that of some webcomics [citeweb| url = http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/18-Mass-Effect | title = Zero Punctuation on Mass Effect | publisher = Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw |month=December | year=2007| accessdate = 2007-12-19] . Later, Croshaw presented a critical analysis of Ctrl+Alt+Del on his personal website "Fully Ramblomatic", where he said he feels that the strip has slow comic pacing, excessive use of dialogue, and a static art style. [citeweb| url = http://www.fullyramblomatic.com/archive/20080103-0710.htm | title = 23/3/08: You Cad | publisher = Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw |month=March | year=2008| accessdate = 2008-07-31] A following Zero Punctuation episode about , while addressing what he feels are inappropriately abrupt shifts in comic genre and tone, he appears to make reference to a Ctrl+Alt+Del storyline in which Lilah miscarries. [citeweb| url = http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/108-Webcomics | title = Zero Punctuation on Webcomics | publisher = Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw |month=July | year=2008| accessdate = 2008-07-02]

In an interview with Joystiq on August 29, 2008, when asked about Ctrl+Alt+Del's miscarriage storyline, Jerry Holkins of Penny Arcade stated "...I think [it] was the first horseman of the Apocalypse." [cite web |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/02/pax-2008-the-penny-arcade-interview/ |title=PAX 2008: The Penny Arcade Interview |last=Miller |first=Ross |work=Joystiq |date=2008-09-02 |publisher=Weblogs, Inc.]

Events, interviews and public appearances

Digital Overload is a yearly LAN party hosted by Ctrl+Alt+Del. Run since 2006 [citeweb| url = http://www.thinkcomputers.org/index.php?x=articles&id=35&page=1| title = Welcome to Digital Overload!| publisher = ThinkComputers|author = Alex Billington|date=2006-03-14| accessdate = 2007-11-21] , it is held in Providence, Rhode Island, and is jointly organized by Ni Networks. [citeweb|url = http://www.digital-overload.com/index.php?Module=Info| publisher = |title = Digital Overload - info|accessdate = 2007-11-21]

There was an interview with Tim Buckley on CBSNews.com. [ [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/03/tech/gamecore/main677960.shtml A Q&A On Violence With Tim Buckley Of Gaming Comic Ctrl+Alt+Del] CBSNews.com.]

In October 2006, Tim Buckley gave a lecture at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute [ [http://news.rpiscrews.us/update.do?artcenterkey=1774 Around Campus for the Week of Oct. 16, 2006] Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.] [ [http://cad-comic.com/news.php?i=1225 Sans tweed jacket] Ctrl+Alt+Del News for 2008-10-4] in Troy, New York.

Other publishing

"Ctrl+Alt+Del" is a featured comic on Game Revolution. [ [http://www.gamerevolution.com/comic/index.php?comic=ctrl_alt_del Game Revolution Comics - CTRL ALT DEL ] ]

Twelve issues of the City of Heroes comic book featured a comic strip by Ctrl+Alt+Del creator Tim Buckley, called Underwear On The Outside. [City of Heroes comic book] [ [http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/news.php?i=563 Ctrl+Alt+Del ] ]

EQuinox, the official Everquest 2 magazine, includes Ctrl+Alt+Del comic strips. [ [http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/news.php?i=1503 Ctrl+Alt+Del ] ]

In 2007, Ctrl+Alt+Del partnered with 2K Games/Firaxis Games to produce a series of comics for Sid Meier's Civilization Daydreams. [ [http://www.civilization.com/daydreams/ Sid Meier's Civilization Daydreams ] ] [ [http://www.cad-comic.com/news.php?i=1447 Ctrl+Alt+Del ] ] [ [http://planetcivilization.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Articles.Detail&id=31 Civilization Daydreams: Beyond the Sword Indeed - Planet Civilization ] ]

References

Bibliography

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External links

* [http://www.cad-comic.com/ Ctrl+Alt+Del]
* [http://www.cad-series.com/ Ctrl+Alt+Del: The Animated Series]
* [http://www.absath.com/ Tim Buckley's Journal]
* [http://www.wintereenmas.com/ Official Winter-een-mas site]
* [http://www.comixpedia.org/index.php?title=Ctrl_Alt_Del Ctrl+Alt+Del article at Comixpedia]
* [http://www.churchofgaming.com/ The Church of Gaming]