Comics 411: The Best Webcomics To Read

Welcome back! I’m Steve Gustafson and if you enjoy discussing anything comic book related, you’ve come to the right place. Each week we cover something in the industry and I always enjoy your input in the comment section below.

Previously on…

  
 
Last week we discussed The Avengers’ Most Unpopular Members. Here’s what some of you had to say:

El Atomico: “I vote for the Black Knight. Not that I didn’t like him, I liked the character quite a bit. But They Never Ever Used Him Ever..”

Dexter Plisskin: “I completely despise the idea of Wolverine and Spider-Man as Avengers.
Logan is one of the Uncanny X-Men (not any of the other mutant groups) and Spidey is an Amazing Friend, period.”

BillyBlaze: “Captain Marvel”

Malcolm Shields: “I actually liked Silverclaw”

Travis Homewood: “Honestly I disagree that Pym was a bad Avenger. I loved him in the early stuff as Giant man. I didn’t care for it when he had power fluctuations and his brief retirements. He and Cap had a decent relationship when he was trapped at 10ft tall. The Yellowjacket stuff is where the writers really started to let him down.”

RAWmachine: “There were just too many incarnation of the Avengers. Which led to watered down groups and bad characters.”

Ken Wood: “I’ve never been a fan of the Avengers. I recently read part one of new Avengers to get some tie into House of M and X-men versus Avengers. I picked up part two but haven’t read it yet. I will say that this has made me want to read and see more of She Hulk, so not really on topic.

I am planning on picking up the Young Avengers at some point but I’m waiting to see if they come down in price a little, they’re expensive right now.

Anyways, most of the Avengers suck except for the ones that are mutants. And She Hulk.”

Wrestling Fan: “The bulk of Dr Druid’s team sucked. That wasn’t the Avengers, that was the Inferior Five. Ambush Bug was a better hero than most of those characters.”

Thank you to everyone who commented!

This week we discuss…

Best Webcomics to Read

With things in a holding pattern in the comic book industry, I wanted to shine a little light on the webcomic world. I’ve tired in the past to showcase some worthy ones here and there but I feel like I’m really missing out on some great, creative work.

It seems like whenever I ask for webcomic recommendations, I’m opened up to a new world and I need to do a better job at spreading the word. Take Ellenate (www.ellenate.com/libary.html). I just got into it this past week and I’m already a fan. Without giving away too much, Ellenate’s overview is:

“As a series of quakes, strike a rocky chain of islands know as Rhime (resting in the southern hemisphere of the world of Marethis), its people begin to evacuate to safety.
The cause of all of this?
Ripple effects of the ever mysterious phenomena referred to as “distortions”. Usually these quakes, no matter their ferocity, go largely ignored. This being due to the fact that they (the distortions), after a number of decades, have become a part of everyday life for the people of Rhime.
But-
As it relates to now, the quakes have started to take their toll on local infrastructure. Built to withstand a number of blows, proper upkeep is still need. This of which, has been severely lacking due to the recent winter season. With all of that in mind, the powers that be, decided not to chance the risk any possible catastrophe by ordering a large scale evacuation of the islands’ outlying settlements.
These occurrences aligning, have made what would have been a typical day, into quite the spectacle.
Perhaps though, there is more to all of this than mere coincidence-
For a number of entities, across Marethis, have locked their sights on a particular island in the region.
The act of idle hands, their pieces set, unbeknownst to the board in which they lay. Differing as night to day, the motives that push, yet destinations the same.
…only time will tell how these events will play out.”

Now, I admit my knowledge of the webcomic field is limited so I’m relying on you, in the comments, to educate me, and others, to the vibrant world out there that awaits us.  I will share a few that have captured my interests and would love to add more to the list.

One of my favorite, quirky, online visits is for Questionable Content. To say it’s about romance and robots doesn’t do it justice. It started on August 1, 2003 and updates five times a week, Monday through Friday. Find it at www.questionablecontent.net.

Can you do a webcomic list and not include www.penny-arcade.com? Penny Arcade first ran back in 1998. Seriously. Back when it wasn’t so cool to write about video games. Written by Jerry Holkins and illustrated by Mike Krahulik, Penny Arcade still matters after all these years. 

Unsounded is a fantasy webcomic from creator Ashley Cope and is a treasure trove of years worth of beautifully drawn comics in the archives, with more than 14 chapters ready to enjoy. Check it out at www.casualvillain.com/Unsounded/comic+index.

Then head to www.girlswithslingshots.com for some pretty solid storylines. Girls with Slingshots by Danielle Corsetto and Laeluu is about two young women named Hazel and Jamie, their friends, and their pets. Oh, and a talking cactus.

The Wormworld Saga at www.wormworldsaga.com is by Daniel Lieske, and stars teenager Jonas Berg. He is the archetypal dreamer, frequently lambasted for being in his own world. One summer, he falls down a portal to another world, and we get to follow his adventures. A mix of several popular themes, the art is spectacular and the writing is top notch. 

How about something for you wrestling fans? www.botchedspot.com comes from artist and writer James Hornsby and has been around since 2008. A great mix of parody of the wrestling world, Botched Spot is good for both fans and non-fans of sports entertainment. 

If you’re looking for a mixed bag to enjoy, check out www.talesofabsurdity.com from Alex Hoffman to be entertained by random postings from such topics as Marvel superheroes, Harry Potter, and so much more. That’s Tales of Absurdity.

Alright, give me your best in the comments below!

That’s all the time I have. See you next week!