Webcomic recommendations

[Marble-faced Bristle Tyrant]

Seven years ago, this subforum had a thread about webcomics. I recently looked at it and wwoooooowwwwww has the landscape of webcomics changed in the meantime. In the interest of helping to create "a more vibrant off-topic section", here's about a dozen of the ones I read now: some old long-runners, some newer. Pretty much all of them are graphic novels meant to be read archivally, but I still find value in reading them update-by-update.

This list is mostly science fiction and fantasy. Sorry about that.

The Adventures of Dr. McNinja by Christopher Hastings, colors by Anthony Clark
About a doctor who is also a ninja. He has to deal with disapproving parents, live raptors, ridiculous diseases, and even more ridiculous villains. Now is a great time to read Dr. McNinja because the comic will be ending sometime next year. I recently reread the archive, and every aspect-- the art, the humor, the use of violence, everything-- has improved over the comic's run. I guess that's true for most webcomics, but I particularly felt like singling out Dr. McNinja.

Girl Genius by Phil and Kaja Foglio, colors by Cheyenne Wright
Mad scientists rule the world... badly. Three-time Hugo winner. Parody of pulpy adventure stories that takes place in an alternate-history steampunk Europe, deals with lots of political intrigue. Used to be my absolute favorite back in the day, before I found other long-form stories to obsess over. I've been rereading part of its archive and I'd forgotten how funny it is. Has a lot of dark humor stemming from things like unethical experimentation. Reeeeeally fanservicey art, anatomy is off sometimes, colors get good after volume five or so.
Also, you know that genderflipped Betty and Veronica thing Twilight had going on? Well, Girl Genius has that, but awesome.

Gunnerkrigg Court by Tom Siddell
Kinda like a cross between Harry Potter and Girl Genius. Takes place at a science-focused school/industrial complex next door to a magical forest. Various strange happenings turn out to relate to the conflict between the two locations, and the main characters have to mediate between them.
(I'm not particularly satisfied with this description; maybe check out the tvtropes article intro?)

Dumbing of Age by David Willis
Culture clash ensues for a bunch of freshman college students, especially for the homeschooled main character. Basically a retooling of Willis's old college newspaper strip Roomies!, with a more critical look at how the world works (as opposed to "if you ever drink beer you will become an alcoholic and someone will die").
... Okay, that description came across more serious than I intended. I swear it's a fun comic when it's not dealing with weighty issues (like it is as of the time of this writing). Has multiple instances of college girls getting into fistfights with adult men.
Willis also used to make It's Walky! (where you can see his sensibilities evolve and art improve) and Shortpacked! (about people who work in a toy store). Dumbing of Age uses alternate versions of the characters from those previous comics.

Back by KC Green, art by Anthony Clark
A sort of blend of western and high fantasy. About the adventures an undead woman gets into on her way to cause the end of the world. Green has described it as a way to see what's the most ridiculous thing he can make Clark draw. Seriously, all the bosses so far have been based on bodily functions.
Green used to make the gag-a-day Gunshow. "The Anime Club" strips from that series are a must-read.
He also makes He is a Good Boy, which... is pretty dark and depressing. Check it out if you like cartoony gore.

Apothecia by Taz Muir, art by Shelby Cragg
This one's finished and a short read! The heartwarming tale of a girl who finds an evil fungus alien in the woods. This is now an excellent time for me to complain about Tumblr webcomic layouts. They are all terrible! In this particular case, page 1 of the comic is page n (91 here) of the site, meaning that the urls change every time a new post is added. Also available at Tapastic, though I'm not sure if that's better.
Cragg currently works on Neo Kosmos with Amber Rogers. It's about three human kids who have been raised in isolation by aliens, like an experiment. The story just (literally, as I write this) moved out of the introductory section and is finally starting to get interesting.

[Marble-faced Bristle Tyrant]

part 2

Helvetica by Jones Wiedle
Skeleton boy has to get his (after)life together. Seems to have some sort of hard-boiled mystery brewing. Updates infrequently and is only in the second chapter, since Wiedle can't work on it full-time yet. Still a fun concept about the afterlife, though. This comic was the inspiration for the skeletons in Undertale, which is a video game that you should play.

Ava's Demon by Michelle Czajkowski
The main character is possessed by an alien warlord and they go on a journey to find her fellow warriors and seek revenge and stuff. Has really awesome glowy artwork and neat character designs. Had an absolutely HORRIFYING update around last Thanksgiving/my birthday before it went on a hiatus so Czajkowski can work on print editions. Regular updates should be starting back up soonish.
One of the bosses in Undertale was designed by Czajkowski.

Cucumber Quest by Gigi D.G.
Another comic with top-notch color use, wow! Adorable bunny people go on a journey to save the world from the bad guys, who... oh my gosh, just read it. A parody of roleplaying video games and adventure anime, but in a way that I think should be accessible to people unfamiliar with those things. It bears repeating that the colors are absolutely incredible, especially when the bosses are around. It's also really, really funny.
Gigi did some in-game and promotional art for Undertale. This post is actually an Undertale recommendation post.

Paranatural by Zack Morrison
Preteen ghostbusters. The most recent addition to my webcomics folder! A parody like Cucumber Quest, except this one mainly involves schoolchildren. This is one of those works where every character is the best character (ditto for most of the titles here tbh). Special mention goes to what has got to be the best schoolyard bully ever. The facial expressions are definitely my favorite thing about the art, especially those wall-eyed looks. As I write this, it is wrapping up a most epic dodgeball game and I am flipping out in anticipation for the finale.
... And yeah, the main characters punch ghosts and there are shadowy conspiracies and other important plot stuff.

(I put this one last so that people can skip over my rambling)
Homestuck by Andrew Hussie et al
About a bunch of kids who play a video game that more or less causes the apocalypse. That fact is what got me through the introductory parts, which can seem a bit aimless and were written through audience interaction to emulate text-based adventure games. Homestuck is kind of inaccessible due to this, in addition to things like its length and complicated story (time travel, a bajillion characters, etc). What I really enjoy about Hussie's writing is how he gives all the characters unique voices (and that's not even counting the obnoxious typing styles some characters have... which, again, makes the comic a bit inaccessible for some).
While it's usually called a comic, Homestuck is really more like a multimedia epistolary novel, with most of the story told through instant message conversations. Many of the more dramatic or important events are shown in short movies, and other parts are told via mini walkaround video games. There's an entire team of contract artists (including some listed above) and musicians (including Toby Fox... who made Undertale) who create assets for the comic.
Anyway, bottom line is that Homestuck might be difficult to get through, but I found it a pretty rewarding read. Currently in the midst of another hiatus, it should be ending either this year or the next. The final update has been delayed by what I can only describe as "shenanigans".

Hussie's previous comic, Problem Sleuth, is complete and was entirely written via audience commands. It's about a bunch of hard-boiled dudes trying to get out of their labyrinthine office building.
Another good one by Hussie is And It Don't Stop, which is about fighting robots that are powered by rap.

[Hyrdofluoric_Acid]

http://existentialcomics.com Get good at Philosophy!

[Good Goblin Housekeeping]

+1 to Dr McNinjA

[AKKOLADE]

Cucumber Quest by Gigi D.G.
Another comic with top-notch color use, wow! Adorable bunny people go on a journey to save the world from the bad guys, who... oh my gosh, just read it. A parody of roleplaying video games and adventure anime, but in a way that I think should be accessible to people unfamiliar with those things. It bears repeating that the colors are absolutely incredible, especially when the bosses are around. It's also really, really funny.
Gigi did some in-game and promotional art for Undertale. This post is actually an Undertale recommendation post.

https://twitter.com/gigideegee/status/6 ... 2805007363

[Muriel Axon]

I like Gunnerkrigg Court (see right), though it lacks the virtuosic artistry of the (sadly now-defunct) Gunnerfood Court. I've also been impressed by Ava's Demon and Cucumber Quest, though I haven't kept up with them at all.

Other recommendations: The Calvino-inspired HERO and the mid-American supernatural webcomic Wilde Life. There are a others I find charming that are too dweeby to mention.

My sister highly recommends Rice Boy, which I haven't read.

[Santa Claus]

Can't have recommendations for webcomics without including Hark, a vagrant and xkcd. Please bear with the odd phrasing of the following reviews; also note that these don't really address the writers' idiosyncrasies and instead only mention their content:

Hark, a vagrant by Kate Beaton spans a range of topics that include quiz bowl-friendly literature and history (her most recent comic is actually about Young Goodman Brown) as well as silly things like the volleyball scene from Top Gun. She recently put out two new books, Step Aside Pops! (her second anthology) and The Princess and the Pony (which is a children's book), and recently went on a tour for them.

xkcd by Randall Munroe features a lot of science humor, but is also home to a lot of clever jokes and topical references. He also has a spin-off blog called What if? that gives serious answers to silly hypothetical questions, this time all science-themed. For those interested, I recommend using Explain xkcd, which gives details on all his comics, because some of them get really technical (like this one and this one).

[anderson]

If you like bad puns, non sequiturs, or dumb humor in general, then I highly recommend Buttersafe.

[Muriel Axon]

Hark, a vagrant by Kate Beaton spans a range of topics that include quiz bowl-friendly literature and history (her most recent comic is actually about Young Goodman Brown) as well as silly things like the volleyball scene from Top Gun. She recently put out two new books, Step Aside Pops! (her second anthology) and The Princess and the Pony (which is a children's book), and recently went on a tour for them.

I've gotten all kinds of points off of Hark, a Vagrant.

[heterodyne]

So all of the recs so far in this thread are pretty great. I especially wanna get behind Gunnerkrigg Court and Girl Genius, both of which are phenomenal. I'm also gonna throw in theartistisdead.com, which does a bunch of cool things with the form and isn't too long, and The Non-Adventures of Wonderella, which is a p good humor comic. nonadventures.com

[Rufous-capped Thornbill]

Hark, a vagrant by Kate Beaton spans a range of topics that include quiz bowl-friendly literature and history (her most recent comic is actually about Young Goodman Brown) as well as silly things like the volleyball scene from Top Gun. She recently put out two new books, Step Aside Pops! (her second anthology) and The Princess and the Pony (which is a children's book), and recently went on a tour for them.

I've gotten all kinds of points off of Hark, a Vagrant.

So have I. It's a very good comic.

I haven't seen anyone talk about Achewood yet, which is a really great, really silly comic.

[Marble-faced Bristle Tyrant]

I never did get into Achewood (though I should probably try again), but a long time ago I read somewhere that the writing styles of a bunch of other big-name strips were strongly influenced by it.

[AKKOLADE]

The Order of the Stick has had more than its fair share of enjoyable moments, though it's a bear to get into just because of how long it's been going. It starts out as a bunch of jokes about D&D, but becomes its own thing fairly quickly.

Bad Machinery is a really enjoyable take on teenage detectives like The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. Lots of cute moments.

Achewood is GOAT, Cucumber Quest is amazing, Non Adventures of Wonderella is really funny most of the time.

[Habitat_Against_Humanity]

Nothing will ever top the distinct genius of The Perry Bible Fellowship.

[AKKOLADE]

Nothing will ever top the distinct genius of The Perry Bible Fellowship.

Oh yeah, I knew I was forgetting one. This is awesome.

[Marble-faced Bristle Tyrant]

Order of the Stick has legitimately made me tear up a few times in as many years. What's really impressive is how that one big spoilery event that happened a couple years ago was planned a decade before when Burlew first started making the comic-- the first plot point he came up with, in fact.

Another good D&D-type comic is Darths and Droids, a retelling of Star Wars by a group of RPG players. It contains the memorable line, "Jar Jar, you're a genius!"

There's also the similar DM of the Rings, which has been gathering dust in my "To Read" folder for a few years now.

[heterodyne]

Another good D&D-type comic is Darths and Droids, a retelling of Star Wars by a group of RPG players. It contains the memorable line, "Jar Jar, you're a genius!"

Seconded!

[Auks Ran Ova]

I used to read Order of the Stick until someone pointed out that by area it's like 80% word balloons and now I can't get past that.

Most of the webcomics on my reading list are still there due to a combination of spite and inertia, so I won't drag the thread down with any more tiresome nitpicking. Stuff I would recommend that hasn't come up yet: Chainsawsuit, Married to the Sea, Toothpaste for Dinner, Octopus Pie, It Hurts!!, Living to Death.

Better than any of those, any other strip listed in this thread, or in fact all of them put together, is Achewood; read it and read it now.

[AKKOLADE]

I used to read Order of the Stick until someone pointed out that by area it's like 80% word balloons and now I can't get past that.

dagnabbit

[yeah viv talk nah]

The author (Anthony Clark) isn't updating it as frequently as he used to, but Nedroid is a gold mine.

[Fado Alexandrino]

Don't Shoot the Pianist has great classical music injokes but is rarely updated.

[Auks Ran Ova]

The author (Anthony Clark) isn't updating it as frequently as he used to, but Nedroid is a gold mine.

Oh man, yes, Nedroid is awesome! Definitely recommend.

[The Stately Rhododendron]

Strong Female Protagonist is really fun. It's about a superheroine who decides to quit being a superhero and enroll in NYU. Smart, funny and nicely drawn.

[Sima Guang Hater]

Is megatokyo still read by people

[Good Goblin Housekeeping]

Is megatokyo still read by people

Stop no no no

[Auks Ran Ova]

Is megatokyo still read by people

Hahahahaha

[Pilgrim]

Is megatokyo still a thing? Why is megatokyo still a thing?

[Marble-faced Bristle Tyrant]

Yeesh, at least Dominic Deegan had the decency to end. Can't comment on Terracciano's new project. CAD seems to have rebooted. Which reminds me:

If you're familiar with Half-Life 2, Concerned is a comic that chronicles the adventures of the "concerned citizen" letter writer from the beginning of the game. He basically ruins everything.

If you're at all familiar with Team Fortress 2, Valve has released a ton of funny comics over the years in conjunction with various updates and events in the game. Take it from me: you don't even have to have played before to understand the story of a bunch of crazy people killing each other in the desert. You can work your way from the bottom of the page in chronological order, or just start with the current series which has a convenient summary of the backstory. The more recent issues take advantage of the digital format by revealing only some of a page's panels and dialogue with each click, a presentation that I think is pretty neat. Many of them feature amazing linework from Heather Campbell, whose fan design of the game's announcer was bought by Valve and made official (god I love that story).

[touchpack]

+1 to the recommendations of Gunnerkrigg Court, Ava's Demon (sadly on hiatus until at least next January), Wilde Life, Non-Adventures of Wonderella, Perry Bible Fellowship, and Nedroid.

A few others I enjoy that people haven't mentioned yet:

Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal is comedic genius with DAILY updates! Lots of nerdy jokes that I'm sure other quizbowlers will appreciate.

Captain Stupendous is a completed short (~100 page) comic written by Zach Weiner of SMBC about an incredibly dysfunctional superhero family. A good, quick read for anyone who likes SMBC.

FreakAngels is a completed graphic novel about a flooded post-apocalyptic region of London being run by a group of 12 mysterious young 20-somethings with mysterious powers. Interpersonal drama between the FreakAngels builds up to a climax as they learn more about what their powers are capable of.

Namesake is a graphic novel about a young woman who discovers she can visit other worlds--worlds which have been made famous on Earth through literature. Conflict ensues when multiple organizations attempt to take control over her story. A fun fantasy/adventure comic reminiscent of Inkheart by Cornelia Funke.

Prague Race is a graphic novel about a trio of friends who, after a visit to a strange store, inadvertently stumble upon a world of magic parallel to their own. Character-driven adventure story with lots of humor.


There's also lots of good stuff on Hiveworks, which is a site that gives artists resources and help to turn their comic into a sustainable business. Here are a few other Hiveworks comics I read, but wouldn't highly recommend like the ones above.

[Marble-faced Bristle Tyrant]

Yeah, I'm gonna abandon my wannabe professional reviewer act and say oh my god read cucumber quest read it DO IT NOW

*ahem* It is also a good all-ages comic that isn't dumbed down, so if you have younger siblings at a good enough reading level you should show it to them.