Webcomics I Like
A collection of some of my favorite webcomics I've read over the years, finished and WIP. Links will send you to the first page as to avoid spoilers.
Still going
A Ghost Story
Maxine owns a not-quite-legal ghost exterminating business in a world where coming back from the dead is quite common. Jack is there too. Together they wrangle evil spirits, try to keep up with the bills, and get in trouble with the law. A Lot.
Why I like it: It’s got some of the best dialogue and character writing I’ve seen in a webcomic. The characters are all assholes, but they’re all funny assholes. Lots of care is put into little details that give you a greater understanding of the characters and how they work/think without it being spoon-fed to you. Sometimes the page layouts can be hard to follow (especially in earlier pages) but it’s getting better. Best read in bigger chunks, but update by update reading still provides laughs.
Sleepless Domain
After a terrible accident, Magical Girl Alchemical Water is determined to find the shadowy figure that destroyed her team, and stop it at all costs. Can she do it before her city is destroyed? I sure hope so!
Why I like it: A “Dark Magical Girl” story written with more maturity than everything from the post PPMM boom. There’s a big focus on how people react to trauma, and how important it is to talk to people when you’re suffering. The underlying mystery of why the town is sealed away and how the magical girl powers work is interesting and well paced, and there’s tons of fun magical girl outfits and a fun variety of abilities on display.
Court of Roses
A band of travelling bards is tasked with solving the murder of a beloved count. On the way they'll meet a bunch of colorful characters and battle their personal demons, metaphorically and literally.
Why I like it: It’s a solid D&D-esque fantasy adventure with colorful lore that gives it a unique flavor. The focus on bards also means that more conventional methods of problem solving don’t always work, and the creative solutions are fun. The characters are cute and have good rapport, but there’s an undercurrent of tension that keeps it from being all fluff. Also nice to see a comic with dwarves that doesn’t wimp out on giving the ladies beards.
Star Trip
Jas makes a deal with a shapeshifting alien to visit every habitable planet in the galaxy, but it doesn't go like she'd hoped. Unfortunately the way back is closed off for the next year.
Why I like it: The main pull of the comic is the relationship between Jas and Khut. It’s complex and messy, and while the two slowly become friends the trauma both of them have endured makes it hard. Khut's attitude especially throws a wrench in what would be a fun and exciting trip around the galaxy. The colors used in the later half of the comic are a treat for the eyes, and there’s a large variety of alien designs and landscapes, helping the world feel bigger than could be explored in such a personal story. There’s also a mid comic twist that shakes up the formula and punches you in the gut.
Completed
O Human Star
Alastair Sterling died 16 years ago. Now he's back in a robotic copy of his original body. Together with his old partner Brendan and Brendan's daughter Sulla he tries to find out who brought him back, and why.
Why I Like it: GOD this comic. DAMN. Have you ever found a comic and feel like it was made for you? That’s how O Human Star is for me. I went in expecting a deliciously bittersweet relationship between older men, and got so much more. It’s a great exploration of identity, nature vs. nurture, and second chances. The comic regularly switches between 16 years ago and the present, but with Blue's great character designs and thematic coloring you'll never be confused. Late game revelations will completely change your perspective of every major event.
The Last Cowboy
Humanity is on the verge of extinction after first contact with aliens made giving birth a dangerous gamble. Will history repeat itself with the discovery of a new species? Or will a group of researchers who track them from afar be able to save the day?
Why I like it: Another comic stuffed to the brim with plot points that feel specifically catered to my interests. Without spoiling anything, there's a lot of stuff about how people react to the expectations placed on them, and how those reactions can hurt others. Individual character’s arcs are structured in a way that is both satisfying and doesn’t feel bloated. The alien designs are diverse and all of them are appealing, including their version of Greys. The original website is being taken down, so I’m linking to the pay what you want itch.io page instead.
He is a Good Boy
Crange the acorn is a selfish lazy bastard who only cares about himself. When the tree he calls home is on its deathbed, he goes on a quest to save it. And then things go terribly, horribly wrong.
Why I like it: The humor gets extremely dark and sometimes crass, but it’s never boring. Crange is an interesting character and despite his faults it’s hard not to root for him. For most of the run the comic is episodic, with Crange going to new places, meeting wacky characters and narrowly avoiding his demise. You might even forget there’s an overarching story until it comes back to smack you in the face. And boy, when the plot kicks in fully, you’re in for a wild ride. My only complaint is the ending feels abrupt, even if it is thematically appropriate. HiaGB is about the journey, not the destination.
Gunshow Comics
An assortment of comics from KC Green. It’s also the birthplace of the infamous “This is Fine” meme and the Anime Club.
Why I Like it: This is the earliest KC Green work you can find on the internet in one place, since Horribleville and anything before it (have I really been reading his comics since high school? damn…) have been deleted. It’s seven-ish years of one-off ideas, recurring characters, and a few larger stories in between like Graveyard Quest. This freestyle approach gave KC the freedom to experiment a lot, and the rapid changes in art style and tone could be offputting to some people. I still think it's worth a look, if only to see the origin of a bunch of memes and reaction images.
BACK
Abigail is back from the dead and has been tasked with bringing about the end of the world. She's not very good at it.
Why I like it: It’s a grand adventure, written for all ages with beautiful art and hilarious characters. Abigail and her “sidekick” Daniel have great rapport, and the fights are exciting and always feel fresh. It’s some of my favorite of KC Green’s writing, his signature humor shines even when the story gets more serious. Anthony Clark’s art fits the tone so well, and he gives the fight scenes a sense of fluidity that KC probably wouldn’t have been able to produce on his own. I especially love the thick outlines and heavy atmosphere of the early pages.
Vattu
A nomad child named Vattu is given to the empire as a form of payment, and soon gets wrapped up in a plot to dethrone the current King.
Why I like it: It’s a dense story of political intrigue with heavy themes of colonialism and inequality. In the wrong hands something like this could feel preachy or over the top, but Evan Dahm’s world and the characters that live in it are fully realized creations, making the comic feel grounded despite how fantastical it is. If the thousand page archive is a bit too intimidating for you, give Rice Boy a try first. It’s set in the same world, but it’s shorter and lighter in tone.
Hitmen for Destiny
Anette finds a creature dying in an alleyway and the next day a sword is on her doorstep. It's all thanks to the hitmen who make sure written prophecies go as planned. There's only six more prophecies about her, what could go wrong?
Why I like it: Look. If you click on the link to the first page and are turned off it’s okay. It’s a big jump from the highly esteemed, award winning comic Vattu, to this. I get it. But you’ll be missing out on some of the most creative slapstick and writing the internet has to offer. Those who find joy in the absurd will have a fantastic time. It’s fast paced and the rules are always changing, but nothing ever feels out of place. The simple artstyle keeps the huge amount of blood and dismemberment from feeling gross. It’s also a rare instance of a “little white lies building on top of each other until they collapse” plot point that I actually enjoyed.
Hiatus/Cancelled comics
Cucumber Quest
The character and location design was fantastic, the humor was great, and the story played on a lot of generic rpg character tropes in fun and interesting ways. It was a little too ambitious unfortunately: getting a little past the halfway point after ten years. GGDG plans to write an ending for the comic in a illustrated script format, but there's been no word on progress for several years.
Never Satisfied
It had lovely art and a large cast of great characters. Focused on themes of class divide and abuse. The plot was written off the cuff and created too many loose ends that couldn't be wrapped up properly, so the author dropped it.