Webcomics that I read
Sluggy Freelance. One of the longest-running webcomics still going, I’ve been reading this for ten years or so. Pete Abrams has continued to improve as an artist and storyteller and, while the level of drama has steadily increased, it’s mixed with some of the funniest absurd humour and downright awful punnage available. Heading for it’s 12th birthday, the archives are huge; daily updates mean there’s somewhere above 4000 comics there. If you read them at an average speed of one per minute, it’d take nearly three whole days. So if you’re new, it’s quite an investment of time and energy to get acquainted. Definitely worth it, anyway. I mean, what else were you going to do with your weekend?
The Order of the Stick. The geekiest webcomic that I read. It’s a comedic fantasy based around Dungeons and Dragons. The art style is distinctive, with characters represented as stick figures. Suprisingly, it works well and looks better than lots of comics that use more traditional artwork. Like lots of webcomics, the early humour has given way to more dramatic storytelling. Fortunately it remains funny, even if you do have to have a passable knowledge of the RPG in question to get some of the jokes.
Gunnerkrigg Court. One of the best looking webcomics I’ve ever seen. The style has evolved as the comic has developed. It started dramatic and continues that way with occasional touches of humour. It’s set in a very unusual school and blends everyday emotional themes with some of the most original fantasy I’ve seen in any medium. I look forward to every update.
Basic Instructions. Simple premise: Each comic tells you how to do stuff in four panels. But it’s really funny. The art is comprised of tracings of photos, but it serves the purpose.
Wondermark. With it’s distinctive use of period illustrations, snark and dark humour, Wondermark’s strips are consistently funny. No ongoing storylines or characters, just enjoyable jocularity twice weekly.