Cartridge is a webcomic about nerds and the things they love. It currently updates every Monday and Friday.

That's a tough question, really. You see, the term "gaming comic" is usually used to describe comics that exlusively make jokes about video games, and Cartridge is much more than that. Cartridge is about nerds and the nerd lifestyle. Video games fall under that description, but so do many other things. So yes, in a sense Cartridge is a gaming comic, but I don't really feel that's a fair representation of the comic's subject matter.

Short answer: Because one of the more unique elements of the comic is a demon sealed inside an old video game cartridge, who has the power to turn obsessions into reality. Long answer: For two years before I started Cartridge, I worked on an earlier version of the comic which was called Cartridge Comics. It was a grab-bag of pop culture parodies, since the artistic talent behind it was too young to settle on a set cast. Over time, however, I took an old discarded idea for a set cast and wrote a story behind them, adding elements like the Cartridge demon to make the title tie in a little better. I did eventually reboot the comic, but since the title now fits better than it ever did, I simply dropped "comics" from the title. I hope to eventually change the URL to cartridge.com, but it's been taken for about four years, so I've learned to be content with this one.

Neither. Jerry is simply a character that happens to smoke marijuana. His drug use has had both positive and negative effects on his life, and there's no way to tell for sure that his life would be any better or worse if he had never gotten into drugs. I do support the legalization of marijuana, but I don't want to use the comic as a soapbox for my stance on the issue.

No. Sorry, but I used to do link exchanges and it resuled in tons of requests from horrible sprite comics that continued to update for about 2 weeks after we made the exchange. Of course, if you really want a link, just send me a guest comic or some fan art, and I'll be more than happy to feature it on the site, along with a link to your homepage.

Jerry

Jerry is a freelance concept artist. He has lived in several different countries throughout his life, and adapting to many different cultures has left Jerry with a muddled idea of acceptable behavior. Jerry often finds himself distracted by his vices, most notably women, pot, and alcahol. The oldest of the group, there is little Jerry hasn't seen, and there are many secrets to his past.

Evan

Evan is a nerd in denial who tends to question himself at every turn. The most insecure of the group, Evan doesn't like to jump into a situation without thinking, though he is often pushed into action by his best friend Milton. Evan often wishes he could be something important, which causes him to give in to frequent daydreaming. Despite his wishes for greater things in life, Evan still finds himself stuck in a crappy job that pays him barely enough to pay for his bills and his collection of Star Wars memorabilia.

Milton

Milton is a professional blogger and website designer who makes his living running several blogs about news and reviews of comic books, movies, video games, and television shows. He has a tendency to lose his temper and boss others around, but when confronted with real danger, usually proves himself to be somewhat of a coward. Milton is a proud Trekkie, and takes his nerd lifestyle far more seriously than his friends. Despite his immature behavior, Milton is an incredibly talented code monkey who enjoys making websites and flash applications in his free time.

Cartridge

This old video game cartridge does not contain a video game, but an ancient demon. A danger to even touch, this cartridge seems to have the ability to manipulate the actions of those who come in contact with it.

The Cartridge Demon

The cartridge demon appears to be permanently sealed inside the prison of an old video game cartridge. His powers are dictated by the hosts he possesses. When possessing an inanimate object, the object comes to life. When possessing a person, his powers are based around that person's obsessions. While he can possess people, he is still sealed inside the cartridge, which forces him to keep the cartridge close to his host body. If the two are seperated by a distance greater than a few feet, he will lose control of his host. The demon was sealed in his prison by Jerry, and for that he wants nothing more than revenge against his foe.

Dona

Jerry's old friend and love interest. Dona hooked up Jerry with his first job in the video game industry, which started him in his career as a writer.

Peter / Emo-Spider

Peter, a.k.a. Emo-Spider, was an average young man working in a clothing store until one day he was bitten by a spider that had been charged with the power of emo music. With his spider powers, Peter attempts to save the world as Emo-Spider, but is usually distracted by his habit of complaining about his life in his various blogs.

Chad

Peter's co-worker. Chad is a quiet goth who is obsessed with death and violence.

Ashley

College student who worked at Pixels and Panels, the local comic book store. She hated nerds, and working in a store that forces her to interact with them only increased her hatred. Now deceased, she was last scene as a zombie, decaptitated by Evan's lightsaber.

Ken

Ken was Jerry's boss and an independent film director. His family passed down to him a scroll that held an ancient demon, but not being the religious sort, he packed it away in his attic and eventually forgot about it. Current whereabouts unknown.

Patrick

Jerry's occasional smoking buddy. Somewhat irresponsible and reckless. Last seen as a zombie, impaled by a hookah.