Thursday, October 15, 2009

Webcomics: The Best of the Best

(Photo courtesy of survivingtheworld)


Have you ever read a webcomic? Odds are you have at least heard of them. According to webcomics editor T. Campbell, American middle-class college students make up a large portion of the webcomic reader community. If you haven't read a webcomic, that's okay too. Whether you are looking to get into the world of webcomics or if you are an old-time reader, check out these Jada-approved comics:
  • Questionable Content by Jeph Jacques -- This was the first webcomic I ever read. Contrary to its title, the comic is pretty SFW (Safe For Work). While I don't read it anymore, the story lines are always intriguing and the artistry is impeccable. If you start from the beginning, seeing his style slowly transition into his current sophisticated design is fascinating. The website is updated every weekday so for those of you who constantly press Refresh to see if a site has new content, this is the webcomic for you.
  • Acid Zen Wonder Paint by Stephen Heintz -- His stick figures say it all. There's no plot, there are no characters, just funny lines and expressions from the mouths of stick figures. His commentary is usually unrelated but just as funny, if not more so at times. He rarely updates anymore so I suggest going through the archives if you are looking for a good laugh.
  • The Perry Bible Fellowship by Nicholas Gurewitch -- Gurwitch's artistic range is incredible with every comic in a different but distinctive style. Some strips contain slight nudity so it's probably NSFW (Not Safe For Work) or class. He doesn't update very much but he has a substantial list of old strips to peruse.
  • White Ninja by Scott Evan and Kent Earle -- White Ninja is a cute, naive guy wearing a ninja costume. Most of the strips end in non sequiturs so if you enjoy random comedy, this might be the webcomic for you.
  • Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal by Zach Weiner -- This might be my favorite webcomic. It's usually just one scene with funny, contradicting text below but occasionally he will employ a standard four-box comic model. Characters are not reoccurring and there is no plot. Warning: advertisements on the sidebar can be graphic. Refresh if you see anything that bothers you.
  • Surviving the World by Dante Shepherd -- I am not 100% sure if this qualifies as a webcomic since it isn't drawn but it is funny nonetheless. The author, who has a Masters in Philosophy, uses each strip to teach his readers a daily life lesson. This comic's target audience is college students so I'm sure you'll get a kick out of it.
I hope this helped open the doors to the realm of webcomics. There are so many different styles that you can pick one that suits your humor and aesthetics pretty easily. If none of the preceding ones intrigue you, my friends and family recommend xkcd, Dinosaur Comics, and Cyanide and Happiness. Read away!

Jada

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