Web comics - Do you read?

[Master_Craig]

Hey guys.

So... in the future I would like to try and get into the gigantically difficult industry of web comics. I've been working on multiple comic strips which... I may upload later but at this stage I don't think I will. What I would like to know is - do you guys read web comics? For those who do - what web comics do you read and what's your favourite? And what web comics do you dislike?

I read a few web comics. My favourite is Penny Arcade. I've been reading that for about seven years now. I love their humour, Mike "Gabe" Krahulik's evolving art style and their success and growth is really inspiring and motivating for my own work. Not every comic they make is gold but, almost every comic is.

I also read a few others. Dinosaur Comics from time to time (the humour is great), Dr. McNinja (love the drawings, humour and how the story never takes itself seriously) and Cyanide and Happiness (a twisted, guilty pleasure).

In all honesty and no offence to anyone who does enjoy it - I feel the "worst" successful web comic is Ctrl+Alt+Del. I don't like Tim Buckley's art style... it's very static and filled with copy and paste techniques, backgrounds straight from Google and way too much unnecessary dialog, it just makes the whole thing feel cluttered. His punch lines aren't funny and he relies too much on random violence as a "joke". I also feel that his storylines take themselves way too seriously... what used to be a gag comic (which I used to read and enjoy) has become a massive bore and drama fest... to his credit, I've noticed he has been changing his art style and approach, but again - it's the dialog and storylines that I feel let it down the most. I mean... Lilah having a miscarriage, Ethan's X-Box robot going crazy, now Ethan travelling forward in time where his robot has taken over the world and enslaved the human race? REALLY? :/

I used to read VGcats but I stopped because... the guy never updates. I thought he did VGcats as a full time career? I am fond of VGcats but, I wish the guy would update it more often.

MegaTokyo is another comic I dislike, for the same reason as Ctrl+Alt+Del. It started out as a pretty funny gag comic, but then it became an overly dramatic, taking itself too seriously storyline comic that tried to throw a "joke" in every now and then...

What about you guys? What're your thoughts?

 

[Tyrranis]

There's 2 I'm really into at the moment.

Critical Miss and Manly Guys Doing Manly Things.

MattAY also does a webcomic here on GR.

 

[Lien]

The only good thing that came out of CAD is the videogame dude series and maybe this awesome Video retailing the latest story arc.

But enough on hatin' Cad... Cause i also REALLY hate is Least i could do... Brrr... that thing is a blight to the internet. And i can't belive some people high up in the cartoon business actually PRAISE that smug bastard! (though to be honest i like his other work, LFGcomic)

So! how about we share webcomics we like instead of those we hate.
Homestuck a very nerdy webcomic that reads like an interactive videogame. I already made a post about the kick starter but let me tell ya, the story may start with a little boy's birthday... 5 chapter later, it's about 3 dimensions closing in merging and exchanging powers!

Cucumber quest! . You may all know about that one comic series about metal gear and persona 4? Same girl. This time, though, she made a kid friendly story about a kid who becomes the hero of a legend!... cept he doesn't wanna. Even though his sister has all the characteristic of the legend in question, everyone else is just disdain or too dumb to realize what's in front of them ("A GIRL hero? who heard of those? PSSSHAA!")

And then there's Olgaf... huh... ok... I'm not linking the site in this post here. it's a webcomic NOT MADE FOR KIDS! It is not! I repeat IT IS NOT SAFE FOR WORK! And yet... i recommend it for mature readers. Why? it got funny jokes (not all of them about penises), a deep rich lore (some involving the weird tension between a kingdom that back stabs... and a kingdom that butt stabs), a very diverse cast of characters (lots of gays and bi, i warned you!) a convention of cosplayer fan club and to the surprise of everyone, lots of recommendation from high persona comic book artists.
I leave you with one of my favorite (and tame) comic from the site.

I'd post more but i don't want to bore y'all and i'm getting tired, so let me just say PvP, Sinfest, Gunshow and Bruno the bandit (if the guy would actually UPDATE for once instead of teasing us on twitter...)

 

[used44]

Penny Arcade
Chainsawsuit
AwkwardZombie
Broodhollow

 

[Longo_2_guns]

awesome Video retailing the latest story arc.

I was seriously just about to post this.

Anyways, I read Fanboys and Whomp!, aside from a bunch of the ones already mentioned.

 

[Paradox]

I read some of the aforementioned like Penny Arcade, Cyanide and Happiness, and CAD, but my faves are:
HijiNKs Ensue
Joel Watson is a web-comic genius. The strip is about pretty much everything. I dare you to read at least five and not be hooked.

Basic Instructions
Scott Meyer conveys advice and knowledge in the form of subtle (mostly) jokes and witty remarks, all set to black and white photo-drawn panels. If you read Cracked, you've probably seen a few of these.

Questionable Content
If you want an equal mix of drama and indie humor, look no further than this long running series from Jeph Jacques. Read a few of these and you'll end up heading to the archives to learn how these characters became who they are.

 

[GiftedMonkey]

Some ones I like:

Questionable Content. The last few strips are NOT representative of the typical comic because the artist stabbed himself in the hand and needed to get some guest strips done while he went in for surgery. Over the last seven or so years I've been reading the comic, it has become less a slice-of-life, romance, and indie-rock/hipster culture comic, to more of a slice-of-life, romance, anime/sci-fi culture. Oh well. I still read it 5 days a week.

XKCD. You probably know this one. Randall Munroe's comic about science, math, and general geekiness. Updates M,W,F, and I admit, usually at least one of them goes whooosh right over my head. Usually condescending toward those who don't share (or understand) the cartoonist's views, but I guess that's part of the charm.

Overcompensating. I sometimes forget about this one, read a bunch of old strips and then vow to keep up with it. Characters include Weedmaster P, who once met Chester Cheeto in hell, and Joanna, an undead cat.

Some ones I don't like

Subnormality. When this one is good its great, but most of the time there are just TOO MANY FUCKING WORDS IN EVERY PANEL WHICH RENDER IT UNREADABLE. Also, too Canadian. Think angsty-but-clueless jabs at George W. Bush and "ISN'T NICKLEBACK JUST THE WORST?" type jokes.

Hipster Hitler. Just no. A great example on how NOT to make a webcomic. Crappy art, pun-based humor. The whole comic exists as a vehicle to sell crappy t-shirts.

 

[Affen]

I don't follow any actively, but usually when I see a good comic strip somewhere I go to read more on the site.

Plastick Brick Automaton formerly known as Lego Robot. Interesting fellow, with weird ideas. Simple ms-paint comics with questionable content.

Gone WIth The Blastwave was a fun read. I really enjoy the artstyle

Also earlier mentioned Awkward Zombie and Whomp! are usually good.

 

[Lien]

Some ones I don't like

Subnormality. When this one is good its great, but most of the time there are just TOO MANY FUCKING WORDS IN EVERY PANEL WHICH RENDER IT UNREADABLE. Also, too Canadian. Think angsty-but-clueless jabs at George W. Bush and "ISN'T NICKLEBACK JUST THE WORST?" type jokes.

Hey i understand why this isn't your cup of tea, and like you said this comic (which is one of my all time favorite) isn't intended for people who do not want to read a long text format. Like the author said in his 5 years anniversary comic "I thank you for reading these five years and I DO MEAN READING!" Also... Nickleback sucks... and IT'S STILL ON THE FREAKIN' RADIO!
But in no way abnormality should be in a bad webcomic list. The art is incredible, the author puts so much details in the smallest object like putting a headliner on a newspaper on the floor, his (human) cast are incredibly diverse and each got their own flaws they are trying to overcome on their own, each of his subject are carefully thought and debated (every time the sphinx is in the picture, you know it's gonna be a jab against society) and when he makes a "metaphor diagram" page, you know he puts waaaay to much fun in it.
I highly recommend it to people who like comics... and books.

Back on topic, i am so proud of GR here, everyone here posted at least one comic i enjoy!
*Everyone who posted previously here gets +5 Lien respect points!*

 

[Bretimus_v2]

Most of what Used said and The Oatmeal and Hark a Vagrant.

 

[Master_Craig]

Wow, that's some pretty awesome web comics... I checked a few of 'em out and most of 'em are really good. I'm really fond of the art styles.

Especially that "Men doing Manly Things" - the art style is great.

And... sorry to bash on CAD again but, that "Strangle" video is hilarious.

 

[used44]

The latesr Broodhollow is amazing. Everybody should go read it from the beginning. There are only a few dozen comics, it's still the first chapter.

http://broodhollow.chainsawsuit.com/chapters/

 

[Eyebrowsbv31]

www.threepanelsoul.com

 

[danielrbischoff]

Whaaaaa?!?!

 

[FrozenBacon]

I like dresden codak but that guy updates like 4 times a year and he also caught the "Lets make my webcomic serious!" bug a few years ago. It is still decent, but I prefer his earlier comics that were more focused on the humor.

I also read XKCD every now and again. I don't like them as much as dresden codak but he updates enough to keep me entertained.

 

[Master_Craig]

I've been checking out all the web comics you guys mentioned... "research" I like to call it. They're all very good though.

I quite like the Critical Miss series on TheEscapist, as Tyrannis showed.