Comic Book Resources

Ka-Baam!!, the Austin-based comedy sketch group that uses comic book artists to draw the superhero characters improved by the comedians, is casting for comic book artists for this year’s performances!

Er…did you mean “improvised”? Or maybe “performed”?

“Improved” doesn’t make a lot of sense there.

I dunno, I think I could make Crime Mime even better.

It actually makes perfect sense… Your reading the word wrong. Improv is the abbreviation of Improvisation, and since shows like “Who’s Line Is It Anyway?” have become so popular, the word Improv is actually just about it’s own word. I’d even let somebody use it in Scrabble.

And since Improv is a verb, as well as a noun, Improv-ed is also a word.

But I’m not a scientist. Just an evil genius.

Improv is the abbreviation of Improvisation, and since shows like “Who’s Line Is It Anyway?” have become so popular, the word Improv is actually just about it’s own word. I’d even let somebody use it in Scrabble.

That’s big of you, but it’s still not an actual word. The proper past tense verb in this instance is “improvised.”

But Improv comics don’t preform “improvised” the preform “improv”. Which is just about it’s own genre within comedy.

I understand when read, the word looks like improve, but going back to old school english class “context clues” the word makes perfect sense.

Couple of quick notes.

First, a big thanks to Brian for putting this up. We sold out virtually every show last year and made a couple different top 10 lists in Austin last year. We had some great artists like Kristen Hogan, Rob Osbourne, and Paul Maybury as guests.

Improv is the right word. That’s what we do.

That said, we’re an improv show, not a “sketch group”.

I’ve already had some hits on this, but don’t let that deter anyone. Just so you know, doing art for Ka-Baam shows does not pay. However, you are encouraged to bring work to display before the show and to promote anything you want. It’s also a great time, a cool artistic thing to be part of, and you can bring a guest.

I tried to tell em…

I sent you an e-mail, about the show. I’m interested in helping out if I can.

The show sounds like an awesome idea. I look forward to it.

Your reading the word wrong

I suppose I read that wrong, as well, Chris.

But, I get your meaning, regarding “improved”. “Improv’d” or your “improv-ed” would avoid any misunderstanding, though.

When they give me the keys to the dictionary, I’ll put in “improvved.” I guess.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/improv

Improv is the noun in common usage, but improvised is the past tense verb.

If you talk to many improvisers though, they’ll most likely say improvved.

By the way, it’s interesting how this thread has transformed into people trying to outdo each other with grammar/spelling corrections. Or as someone else put it, an “internet comment nerd-off”.

Superheroes! Improv! Guest artists!

I had described as to a friend as a smartass internet correction…

And yes, I will continue the nerd off by saying, yes Apodaca, Improv is a noun because it is something. Improv is a veb because it is also something you do. Like I said a bit ago…

Anyways, in light of trying to get things back where they started, I’ll do a little improv of my own.

This show sounds like a blast, I don’t care if I draw or not, I’d like to come watch you guys preform.

That’s why I specifically said “past tense verb”.

I just think “improvved” looks and sounds bad. And most of the improvisers (why not improvvers?) I’ve known say improvised.

And actually, I don’t think “improv” works as a present-tense verb, either. The shortening functions in noun form because, like you said, it refers to its own genre of performance, but on-stage improvisation as a verb is something that’s not limited to improv shows. Actors regularly improvise in their performances, whether it be for the purpose of adding a little danger to the moment or tackling a moment that can’t really be scripted. But in order for improv to be a verb, we’d have to define it as a certain type of improvisation. Improv (the noun) is a certain type of comedy, but improv (the verb) is a broadly applied action.

Using lots of words doesn’t make it right…

Improv is still something you do… so sticking -isation, or -ise, at the end dosn’t change the base word…

I don’t know any Improvers… But I seem them on tv… and they always call themselves Improv comics…

If I were creating the business from the ground up, and we were dubbed Improvisation Comedians, I’d quit my job or pleasantly suggest we try calling ourselves Improv Comics…

And unless were going to classify it as an irregular verb, there’s only one way to make it past tense, and thats by adding an -ed…

–Chris
…nerd-off pro…

Nothing like a bare knuckle grammar fight that goes over my head to make me feel like I wasted my time getting that English degree even more!

That’s hilarious Brad…

To be honest, I sucked in English… I Googled most of my arguments and smashed them with personal knowledge… But that’s how the internet works.

Personally, if I was going to try and write the past tense of improv, I’d probably write it as improv’d. It’s still bastardizing the language, but it’s probably the closest you’re going to get to being both contextually correct and also unambiguous.