Webcomic / Loserz

Eric Approves.

A webcomic by Erik Schoenek. Started in 2001, went on indefinite hiatus in 2007. Found here. (NOTE: This archive only contains the comics published until October 2004)

A sequel comic called Quarter-Life Crisis (set nine years later) is also on indefinite hiatus and is found here. (Dead Link)

The protagonists are three high school kids on a school in Michigan:

• Ben Winchester, a somewhat weird, but generally nice guy.
• Eric Remington, a typical nerd, fan of Star Wars, Star Trek, Comic Books, Tabletop Games, Lord of the Rings, Video Games, and so on.
• Jodie Beretta, fun-loving bisexual, who's in a lasting platonic friendship with the two boys.

Not to be confused with Sexy Losers.

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Contains examples of:

• Actually Pretty Funny: Ben's father is laughing about "dingle-choad".
• The Alleged Car: Eric's. In a two-part joke, the car broke down and when Eric and Jodie got to a mechanic, he told Eric that literally every breakable part in the car was broken, and fixing it would cost every dime he had, and the soul of his firstborn... to get it running for 5 minutes.
• Alt Text: Quarter Life Crisis has hover text on each strip.
• April Fools' Day: The author occasionally appears as a hyper-stylized version of himself. On two separate occasions, it's for a The Rant about the Final Fantasy VII fanbase and their obsession with Aeris' original name.
• Arms and Armor Theme Naming: The protagonists are all named after guns: Benjamin Winchester, Jodie Beretta and Eric Remington.
• Art Evolution: Black and White to Colored with Large Lips to the current style.
• Author Guest Spot: Occasionally, usually to either break the fourth wall or deliver a mini-Author Tract.
• Best Years of Your Life: The class ring makers want you to think so. Jody strongly disagrees.
  Jody: I could just barf!
• Better than Sex: According to Jodie, Spider-Man 2 is even better than the best sex she had.
• Brain Bleach: Ben imagines purging his thoughts with a gasoline fire.
• Breaking the Fourth Wall: The latest instance being Ben telling the readers (and the forum) not to make a fuss about his love life, Jodie and Eric don't know who he's talking to.
• Burger Fool: Ben, and eventually Jodie, work at a local chicken fast food restaurant named "Cock In A Box". They also briefly had jobs at another burger place, but Ben got both of them fired after less than five minutes at the job because he told one of the customers Jodie had given the manager a handjob in the stock room to get the job, and he probably spooged all over the meat.
• Canis Latinicus: Jodie is a "sluttus maximus". Yes, "slutta maxima" should be... closer to correct.
• Cardboard Pal: With Ben gone on a family vacation and Eric spending most of his time with Alice, Jody briefly goes insane and creates New Ben and New Eric, a pair of crude dummies she has tea parties with.
• Cluster F-Bomb: Jodie, when the school cafeteria ran out of coffee. The reason was that at least four people cut ahead of her in line, disregarding her because of her social status, and completely justifying her anger. Of course, the clerk didnt see that happen.
  Clerk: If you wanted coffee, you should have gotten here earlier!
  Jodie: Oh look, a fork!!
• Comically Missing the Point: In Quarter Life Crisis #6, Ben is lying naked in bed with his girlfriend Lisa when Jodie walks in to ask him how to beat a part in a video game. He answers her and she walks back out. Ben doesn't get why Lisa is bewildered.
  Lisa: Did... did your sexy roommate just walk in on us to ask for advice about a videogame?
  Ben: Well I've beaten it before.
• Cuteness Proximity: Gus. Jodie is reduced to nigh incomprehensibility in the face of his sheer adorableness and even Jodie's mother degenerates into Baby Talk.
• Did You Just Have Sex?: Jodie is immediately able to sense that Eric lost his virginity to Alice the night before.
  Jodie: GASP! You got laid, didn't you?!
  Eric: How do you DO that?!
• Disappeared Dad: Jodie's, though it's something of a subversion - Jodie's mother became pregnant from a one-night stand in Vegas where she was so drunk that she didn't even remember the guy's name. She never saw him after, and it was two weeks later at home that she discovered she was pregnant, much too late to even attempt to locate him, so he didn't disappear - he was never even there to begin with at all. It's here.
• Dreaming of Things to Come: Parodied here when Jodie dreams that she failed every single question on a test, she now has to flunk out of school and become a prostitute, and the teacher transforms into a monster. She wakes up, only to realize she slept through the test and actually did fail all the questions. The other two things probably didn't really happen though.
• Early-Installment Weirdness: In this case it means: Ben didn't always act like he was struck with Hollywood Tourette's when around girls.
  • Also, the author originally played around a lot with the art style and comic design before settling on the style he'd use until the comics Art Shift in 2005. The strip was originally very stylized, and the characters looked much slimmer than they later would. There's also the very out of place "BEN" introduction strip, which was intended to be the first of three mini-storylines that would introduce the characters to new readers, but only Ben's was ever made.
• Everything's Deader with Zombies: They all like videogames with zombies, and then there's this strip.
• The Exit Is That Way: When Alice and Eric meet up at the spring dance, Ben attempts to make a smooth exit to give them some alone time, only to smack face-first into a wall.
  Ben: *with a bruised face* There's a wall there.
  Eric: Thanks for the heads up.
• Extreme Omnisexual: Jodie has a very active sex life, including both men and women. Heck she'd even do Belldandy if it was possible.
• Fat Bastard: Averted with Eric who is a bit overweight, but nice. Played straight with a one-shot character parodying the "obesity epidemic".
• Flipping the Bird: "See this finger? It says fuck you!"
• Freudian Excuse: The reason Carrie is such a horrendous, elitist bitch is because of her parents who are strict bordering on the abusive. She genuinely believes in the social stratification of high school because her competitive parents have taught her that the world works the same and "losers" just drag you down.
• Frivolous Lawsuit: The first strip, where Ben and Eric are calling around different lawyer firms looking for one willing to take their case about a bag of chips not containing the advertised amount.
• Funny Animal: Max and Cecil, a fox and porcupine based on Calvin and Hobbes who appear in the main comic a couple of times while having their own occasional side story.
• Funny Spoon: Of course, being under the influence of coffee helps appreciating spoons.
• Gamer Chick: Jodie likes Video Games and even Dungeons & Dragons too.
• Girl on Girl Is Hot:
  • Jodie and Alice get into a brawl over Eric while at the movies because Alice (Eric's girlfriend) didn't trust Jodie (Eric's best female friend) one bit. Before Eric breaks the fight up, this trope is in full play, including a couple of movie theater workers grabbing some popcorn.
  • When Jodie confesses to Ben that she's had sex with Jesse, his response is that he doesn't know whether to get really angry or go jerk off for about five hours.
  • In this strip, Jodie plans to purposely invoke this trope at a party by making out with girls to get the attention of a guy.
    Eric: So are we gonna go watch or what?
    Ben: Of course we are!
• God (and Jesus too) are used in a handful of random gags.
  Jesus: Disco Jesus does not date boys!
• A Good, Old-Fashioned Paint Watching: While on his involuntary family vacation, Ben bitterly complains about all the fun his friends must be having without him. Cut to Eric and Jody literally staring at a wall.
  Jody: This wall is amazing!
• Hitler Ate Sugar: The anti-marijuana movement's main argument is that Hitler smoked pot with Satan.
• Human Popsicle: A recurring gag about the notoriously fickle weather in Michigan which switches from summer heat to glacial freezing seemingly at whim.
• Ignore the Fanservice: Ben unconsciously ignored a hot girl hitting on him, but it was because he was staring at Jess's butt, so it's also Distracted by the Sexy.
• I Have to Go Iron My Dog: The girls Ben and Eric ask out eventually stop using likely excuses and just blurt out the first thing that comes to mind, such as "have to wash my eyeballs" and "Judgement Day is upon us that night". Also, when Alice flirts with him, Eric answers with "I have to go assassinate a monkey".
• Immediate Self-Contradiction: In this strip, Jodie plans to make out with girls at a party to get the attention of a guy.
  Ben: Sheesh, women, they think they've got us all figured out, like we're some brainless fools who do nothing but listen to our dicks.
  Eric: So are we gonna go watch or what?
  Ben: Of course we are!
• The Ingenue: Ben's little brother. Though Ben rather thinks of him as an Annoying Younger Sibling.
• Jesus Was Way Cool: The pro-marijuana movements main argument is that Jesus smoked pot with a visual hallucination.
• Left Hanging: When the comic went on indefinite, and likely permanent hiatus, we never find out how Jodie dealt with her accidental relationship with Jesse, nor how the characters eventually graduated and went off to college. Quarter-Life Crisis, set almost a decade later, provided almost no resolutions, and in fact introduced MORE unanswered questions, such as Adam having a daughter, and Eric becoming estranged from Ben and Jodie thanks to his demanding girlfriend.
• Life Embellished: Mostly Slice of Life, but then suddenly the characters watch movies together with Yoda, or do something else you don't see in Real Life.
• Living Emotional Crutch: Jodie doesn't take it well if she doesn't have her friends around.
• Lonely Doll Girl: Happens in this comic and the few proceeding it in this comic, with a slight touch of craziness from isolation.
• Mad Scientist: Eric has his moments, most notably during the "Water Fight" arc where he's offscreen for most of it, only to appear during the climax, having constructed an impressive Water Gun Machine Rig... which promptly explodes in a watery mushroom cloud when he tries firing it. That's what happens when you skip the testing phase.
• Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex: Jodi wonders how awkward it had to be for Superman to have sex as a teen, especially if the girl wanted to get spanked - even Eric's hat is appalled at the idea.
• Mean Boss: Eric's boss at the restaurant he works at. Another co-worker describes him as a mean and imposing ogre. Eric protests, and says he's more like a caveman.
  • Even worse with the junior manager whenever he's left in charge, and becomes drunk with power in minutes.
• Media Watchdog: One storyline revolves around Ben's mother becoming concerned about violence in video games after seeing a report on TV. Ben, of course, makes it worse by joking that the game he's currently playing is called "Set Your Family On Fire While They Sleep".
• Morton's Fork: At first, Carrie is uncomfortable after learning one of her closest friends was a lesbian, paranoid about having been covertly checked out. Upon learning that she hadn't...
  Carrie: Why the hell not?? I'm totally hot!
• Mushroom Samba: On extra-strength coffee.
• My Eyes Are Up Here: "Yeah. And so is your hair. What's your point?"
• Never Gets Fat: Ben, who's self-conscious about his scrawny frame, laments how he can't seem to gain any weight no matter how much crap he eats, which understandably infuriates the mildly overweight Eric.
• Noodle Implements: A tutu, big coconuts, bear fur suits (to be worn without pants) and the key element is a little plush bear of doom...
• Not Helping Your Case: That's not the way to convince your mom that videogames don't make you violent.
• Not a Morning Person: Eric. At one point he puts a bowl of cereal on his head, pours milk on his cap and walks into the closet.
  Eric: Who put all these coats out here?
• Obfuscating Stupidity: Adam's very good at psychology, but prefers to hide it. "Bitches like to think they can outsmart you."
• Oh No You Didn't: This strip is titled "Oh no she didn't!" and describes this trope pretty well.
• Once Done, Never Forgotten: Played with here.
• One of the Boys: Jodie for the two guys.
• Online Alias: Ben is "zombiejuiceYUM". Jodie is "p0rnstar6912".
• Open-Minded Parent: Surprisingly, Carrie's mother
• Operation: Jealousy: One girl (name's Carla) thinks this is the case. Here.
• Orphaned Series: Neither Loserz nor Quarter-Life Crisis ever got any sort of resolution.
• Parental Obliviousness: Jodie's mom seems like this, but it turns out she isn't quite as oblivious as she seems, she just doesn't care. The other parents to some extent, too.
• Pass the Popcorn: When Alice and Jodie get into a fight at the local cineplex, the clerks only eat popcorn and watch.
• Perverse Sexual Lust: In-series, on Belldandy. "Back off whore! She's mine!"
• Pet the Dog: Carrie's normally cold and elitist mother turns out to be accepting of Jesse's homosexuality after she comes out, since she believes being openly gay requires a lot of strength. For all her other faults, homophobia isn't one of them.
• Picture Day: How to avoid your parents sending your pic to everyone.
• Precision F-Strike: Jessie on Carrie, with a precision C strike.
• Porn Stash: Jodie has one on her computer. Including yaoi. Ben has one too (without yaoi, obviously).
• Precocious Crush: Ben's little brother on Jodie.
• Really Gets Around: Jodie, of course.
  • Also, Roxy Harden.
• Ridiculous Procrastinator: Ben.
• Right Behind Me: here
• Ring-Ring-CRUNCH!: When Ben wakes up before his alarm goes off, he can't bring himself to drag himself out of his warm bed and prepare for a miserable day at school, so he slowly drifts back to sleep... only to abruptly get woken back up by the shrieking alarm.
  News Caster: A small object was observed leaving Earth's orbit at about 6:30 AM today. No word from NASA as for yet
• Running Gag: Eric's hat changes its wording in every single panel, except when he looks at it. Though Ben notices it just fine.
  • Ben yelling "CHOKE ON MY BONER!" when he gets nervous around a hot girl.
    • Odd because the first time he shouts this because he keeps thinking to himself to "not choke" and "don't be boner", and somehow the two phrases crash dramatically in his brain
• Scare 'Em Straight: Parodied.
• Scary Stinging Swarm: During the second summer vacation arc when Ben's family is camping, Ben is harassed by bees twice. The second time a hive falls in his lap while he's dozing in a hammock.
  Ben: FUCK! Bees!!
  Ben's Mom: Language!
• Serious Business: The right choice of macaroni with cheese!
• Shaving Is Science: Parodied here.
• Sidetracked by the Gold Saucer: Erik (the author). invoked
• Speak in Unison: Here, for example. And here.
• Special Snowflake Syndrome: Ben wants to play an Elven Barbarian. "His name is Glorfinmad!"
• Spell My Name With An S: Mentioning the Aeris-Aerith controversy
• Spork: Here, it's an eyefork.
• Stalker with a Crush: Female example. "I spend all of my time with them, I swear I'll be with them forever *sob*, I hide in their bushes..."
• Stuffed into a Locker: Reversed in one case, where a locker was stuffed into a person
• Super-Deformed: Occasionally with the characters, played straight with the author himself.
• Take That!: Several, one instance is towards the film version of House Of The Dead.
  • And then one at the forums.
• The Talk: Much to Ben's horror, his dad finally decides to have it with him after he notices him kissing Roxy during the Family Vacation arc.
  Ben: JUMP INTO THE FIRE! END IT QUICKLY!!
• Terrible Interviewees Montage: This strip is a reverse example.
• Theme Naming: The three main characters' last names are all gun makers.
• Token Minority: Alice. There are other black students around but she's the only one in the actual cast.
• Twice Shy: Played with Alice and Eric, who already got together, but broke up. See here.
• The Unseen: Eric's parents never appear in the comic, the closest is one of them speaking off-screen in an early strip. Ben's mom calls them about her concern with violent video games at one point and thinks she's talking to his dad, but its actually just Eric pretending to be him.
• Why Did You Make Me Hit You?: Played horrifyingly straight with Jodie and her asshole jock boyfriend when he smacks her to "calm her down" after she very understandably becomes furious about his lying and manipulation. He doesn't get any further as Jody pays him back by stuffing a school locker where he'll have a hard time opening it
• Wouldn't Hit a Girl: Played with. When a guilt-ridden (for having sex with Jess) Jodie demands that Ben punch her, he eventually hits her with a light tap, saying that's how little he's angry with her. Subverted afterward when she confesses to kissing her and Ben lunges at her in fury. Before that, he plays up the Double Standard for all it's worth. Jodie asks him "What would you do if it was Eric who slept with her?". Ben immediately goes into a trance-like state and launches Eric across the room with one punch without turning around or even looking at him.

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