Web-comics and the internetz have been a nonsense combo since the 1980's when stick figures were the rage. At least that what first comes to mind. Actually the first web-comics kind of looked like this. Ahh, you can practically smell the Microsoft paint. Good times, good times...
Nowadays practically every artist on the internetz has his own web-comic of questionable quality so it's really hard to find the good ones. Actually, very few web-comic artists can actually live off their work. Thank you for your generous donations people. Of course banner advertising has something to do with it too.
Hell, web-comics have become so popular that even regular people with no storytelling or artistic talent can easily have one. How you ask? Because of sites like this strip generator. Why should all these no-talented people be allowed to have a web-comic you ask? Boy, you sure do ask a lot of questions... The answer is simple - because they contribute to original content or OC and make the internetz one random web-comic strip richer. And that my friends is what keeps the pedobears and cancers at bay.
Now for those readers that have the opinion that a web-comic can't be more than childish jibber-jabber about things no one cares about or simply just can't be artistic or, god forbid, can't be art... well... no cookie for you. Web-comics by definition have a certain stigma associated with them that they inherited from well... regular comics. And the 'web' part just makes it worse. Face it, the first thing that comes to mind when you hear 'comic' is 'superhero' or 'I like turtles" depending on your type of crazy. I'm happy to say that not all web-comics suck, and most web-comics strive to be funny, not artsy or preachy. And I hope it stays that way. I find it very odd that every medium of creativity which does not proclaim itself to be art is generally not recognized as such. It's like the majority of people can't think for themselves. Weird, huh?
This idea by itself is very interesting and you can expect to hear m0ar of it in other posts. But for now, here are the web-comics that I most enjoy, and I hope you will too.
The Order of The Stick is a web-comic for those people who have had the pleasure of spending countless hours tripping in the fantasy worlds of D&D (that's Dungeons and Dragons for you regular people). The world of OOTS operates by D&D rules and makes regular references to RPG cliches. The characters or PC's are basically D&D archetypes and they often acknowledge the absurdity of their existence. The comic starts out very generic - a bunch of adventurers go kill some evil lich bent on world domination... and find treasure! However past that the comic begins to truly unfold with a complicated story arc that rivals any piece of fiction out there. The graphics maybe a little on the simple side, but don't be fooled, stick figures kick ass. You would be surprised just how well you could make a stick figure face show emotion just by drawing a few lines in the right places.Ok, anoth
er fantasy related comic. Looking For Group started as a World of Warcraft spin off and at first it seemed to have little potential beyond witty fantasy references. But it quickly took grew and matured into a story of innocence, betrayal and conflict. Knowledge of gaming preferable, but it's not required to enjoy the humor that this comic brings. Most of it comes from one character - the warlock Richard. He is easily describable as one of the m0st memorable characters to appear in a web-comic to date. In fact he has become his own meme, and his personality will become the stereotype for warlocks everywhere for years to come. P.S check the animation section of the site.
Gunnerkrigg Court. Ah, where to begin? This might be the hardest comic to describe. Even after reading it, I simply can't allow myself to generalize or spoil too much. I can only say that one of the main recurring themes in this web-comic is nature/magic VS technology. However it is presented in such a charming and mysterious way that it is impossible not to fall in love with the story. The characters are amazing and unique and have incredible depth which is rare for a web-comic. And last but definitively not least, I would like to give the art style a mention of worthiness. I find it delightful that as you read on you get to see the artists style evolve and gain complexity. Compare the first page to the last page and you will see what I mean. Definitely worth reading.
Time for a break from fantasy comics. xkcd is a web-comic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. At least that's what it says on the site. I'll give it credit for being totally random at least. But that's not all. xkcd is one of those rare comics that are actually quite profitable. Just check out their store. Also worth mentioning is that the comic was recognized by mainstream media such as The Guardian or the NYT. Not uncommon for xkcd strips to turn into memes which travel around the internetz in various incarnations. One of the most popular web-comics ever. Be part of the group! You know you want to. For further info, check out the website or wiki.
C&H or Cyanide and Happiness is a comic. That pretty much sums it up. It has no plot. It has no regular characters. It has stick figures. And it's pure awesome. 70% humor, 30% irony, an extra 50% of randomness and on top of that, they have Doctor Baby. If you read 5 strips without laughing, congratulations - you're dead inside.Penny Arcade. You should know this. The web-comic has been running for 11,5 years at least. Has become a pop culture icon of its own. Need i say m0ar? Be warned - comic for computer game & fantasy geeks.
There is a saying around teh internetz. Teh internetz is f0ar pr0n. That is also true for web-comics. Relax, i won't post actual pr0n, however here is a humorous comic with a pg-16 rating that seems to be growing in popularity quite rapidly. Presenting - Menage a 3 Maybe it's the nudity? If you liked this, check out it's counterpart - Eerie Cuties. A slightly more parent friendly comic.
A comic for cat lovers - Two Lumps. A must for cat owners or animal lovers (don't take it the wrong way)
I have saved the best for last. DUN DUN! The Phoenix Requiem (awesome name) by award winning web-comic superstar Sarah Ellerton is another story all together. It is one of those shining examples among web-comics that has earned the right to be called a graphic novel. And ultimately that's what it feels like. The story is very slow to unfold. It takes it's time, letting you know the characters & the world they live in first. And that is it's biggest drawback. Most people when looking for web-comics don't want a serious read, so it isn't that big on popularity. But what it lacks in views, it makes up for in critical acclaim. One of it's highpoints is the art design. FANTASTIC. Some strips actually made me stop reading and admire the scenery or wardrobe or whatever happened to be on screen at the time. Definitely not for everybody, but those who will appreciate it will be in for quite a ride. P.S another web-comic illustrated by Sarah Ellerton - Dreamless. Also amazing.-Postall out
EDIT: Forgot to mention one other web-comic. The Unspeakable Vault (of Doom). In a sentance, it's a comic about worshippers getting eaten buy interdimensional gods with a sense of humor. Has some mathematics and physics hum0r too. A must for H.P. Lovecraft fanatics.
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