Ten Best: Webcomics

Let's face it: newspaper comics just aren't what they used to be. Granted, it's not as if they're a cultural wasteland or anything - Zits, Dilbert, Get Fuzzy, Non Sequitur and what's left of Foxtrot all have at least occasional flashes of genius - but formats for comics have gotten much more strict (read: confining and small) since the days of Krazy Kat and the like. Add that to the fact that the two greatest cartoonists of the 90s - the aesthetic groundbreaker Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes), and the king of absurdity Gary Larson (The Far Side) - have left the scene, and you get a comics page that is dominated by the likes of Cathy, Mutts, Beetle Bailey, and the once-funny Garfield: rigid, formulaic strips that substitute an "Aack!" or a fourth wall sarcastic glance for a joke.

If the rise of webcomics is any indication, a generation accustomed to Internet use agrees with me. The Internet's freedom to self-publish breaks down many of the boundaries that newspaper comics function within.

Webcomics have several advantages over their print-based counterparts, most of which can be summed up in two categories: form and content. The form (ie: graphical elements, size, presentation and even animation) is restricted only by bandwidth and the cartoonist's imagination and skill, and the content (ie: subject matter and dialogue) is entirely up to the comic's creator. Content's non-restriction also enables more niche humor to be published, and many webcomics devoted to nerds or videogames or what have you have enjoyed much success online. However, this virtually unlimited freedom does have one major drawback: the vast majority of webcomics suck.

Oh sure, there's a fair share of gems out there (hence this list), but even some of the more popular comics (Ctrl+Alt+Delete, just to name one of many) are terrible. Having an editor may mean that you can't publish everything, but it also means that you can't publish just anything. How, then, can you expect to successfully navigate the hostile deserts of webcomicdom to find the sweet oases of good comics? Simple; just read this list.

First, however, I have a couple of disclaimers. These are not the only good webcomics out there. Some readers may be unhappy that a couple of their favorites (mostly I am thinking of Penny Arcade) didn't make the list, but that doesn't mean I am consigning them to the Internet dumpheap. Since most of you (wink) have good taste, it most likely it means that I find the humor just a little bit too specific or inconsistent. The other disclaimer is that the tearing down of content restrictions means that most of the comics on this list have at least some content that could be deemed offensive, be it swearing, sexual humor, etc. There are a couple that are perhaps more offensive than the others here, and I will point those out, but be forewarned that webcomics are, in general, not for those who can't stand language or suggestiveness. OK, enough of this; on to the list!

In order to better describe the types of humor you might encounter in these comics, I have arbitrarily set up a genre classification system for them (yes, I know that there are other kinds, but no "soap opera" or biographical strips will be appearing on this list). A "storyline" comic is a comic in which the humor is derived from the cast of characters and an ongoing story arc of their predicaments. "Punchline" comics are obviously more traditional. "Situational" comics are ones in which the joke is in the set-up and the setting rather than a defined punchline, and "surrealist" comics are those in which the humor is derived from sheer weirdness or shock value.

10. Thinkin' Lincoln
Author: Miles Grover
Style: surrealist, punch-line

Thinkin' Lincoln is a comic about the daily adventures of a group of historical figures' anachronistic talking heads. While many historical and not-so-historical figures appear frequently throughout the comic, Thinkin' Lincoln's main focus is reserved for Abraham Lincoln, a simplistic and overenthusiastic nitwit, George Washington, Abe's snide rival, and Queen Elizabeth II, a kind of motherly figure for the other characters. The comic is also frequently visited by the likes of Freud, Darwin, Otto Von Bismark, Poe and other weirder characters like Skeleton Shakespeare and Zombie Mark Twain (both exactly what they sound like).

While a lot of the humor is derived merely from these famous characters spouting clearly uncharacteristic dialogue, Grover often goes one step further and invokes the true historical facts about these people, creating a humorous mishmash.

Recommended for: history buffs, people who like Monty Python
Favorites: http://www.thinkin-lincoln.com/index.php?strip_id=261, http://www.thinkin-lincoln.com/index.php?strip_id=876, http://www.thinkin-lincoln.com/index.php?strip_id=838

9. Terror Island
Authors: Ben Heaton and Lewis Powell
Style: storyline, surrealist

Terror Island has probably the weirdest premise of the comics on this list. It is a photocomic dealing primarily with the struggles of two roommates who are both determined to get the other one to buy groceries. Also, almost all of the characters are played by pieces from popular board games. While this probably doesn't sound like a premise that could keep a comic afloat, the subplots and arcs become pretty complex and surprisingly hilarious. My favorite character is Jame, so named because he thinks that "James" is plural.

Recommended for: Fans of deadpan, Demetri Martin style comedy
Favorites: You've got to read this one from the beginning to grasp the humor. Since the comic came to a close after strip 300, it shouldn't be that hard to finish.

8. Unwinder's Tall Comics
Author: Eli Parker, alias Parker Wilson
Style: situational

Unwinder is a kid (possibly alien?) from Minnesota who is an over-the-top-satire of the pop culture saturated indie guy. Everything he does is a conscious effort to appear cool and different (that is, everything that doesn't involve harassing his friend Barbecue Sauce). While Parker usually sets his sights on self-congratulating preeners, no cultural bastion is safe from his pen, be it corny science fiction novels, gossip tabloids, or Tag body spray. However, the most distinctive feature of this comic is its height. It is, as the name suggests, a very tall comic.

While there is a kind of demented genius behind much of this comic, it loses points for an inconsistent update schedule (I know, I know, Eli, you have an actual job) and the fact that some comics are just so completely out of left field that they're less funny than confusing. Still, however, a solid comic (and he updates it more frequently than he sent The Column his newspaper comics, so there's that too).

Recommended for: people who have indie friends or who know a lot about pop culture
Favorites: http://tallcomics.com/index.php?strip_id=6, http://tallcomics.com/index.php?strip_id=32 (really, anytime he writes script treatments are completely worthwhile), http://tallcomics.com/index.php?strip_id=25

7. Achewood
Author: Chris Onstad
Style: surrealist, storyline

WARNING: This strip is one of a couple wherein the humor can become entirely inappropriate, and if you are unwilling to sift, then this comic is definitely not for you (in fact, if you are not willing to sift, do not even go to the comic that is on the main page at the time of posting). However, if you are willing to sift, Achewood will certainly yield some gems.

Achewood is a comic about a large friend/acquaintance group of animals and other creatures/robots/etc (many of whom were originally stuffed animals, although it is unclear whether that is still canon or not) who embark on sundry adventures and absurd exploits. The backlog for this comic is immense, and it's probably best if you start reading from the beginning.

The highlight of this strip is its ability to evoke hilarity from complete and utter absurdity. Many times, I have finished laughing at a strip only to wonder how Onstad even thought to combine the strange pairings of dialogue, characters and setting. And it's not just a giant Python skit either. Most of the main characters are very well developed and even have motivation behind their actions (some of them even have in-character blogs loosely maintained by Onstad). If you don't mind a rotten apple every so often, this is definitely a strip to check out.

Recommended for: fans of the Douglas Adams style of developed absurdity
Favorites: It would take me far too long to search through the backlogs for my favorites, and I haven't even read the whole comic. I would recommend starting at (or at least toward) the beginning.

6. Pictures for Sad Children
Author: John Campell
Style: surrealist, situational

This is an odd comic that the author describes as being "about a bad feeling you get when you are feeling good, or a good feeling you get when you are feeling bad." It's (almost) all in greyscale, with no caps and sometimes no obvious punchline. That being said, it's sometimes hit and miss, but when it's good, it's pretty darn funny.

PFSC started out mainly as a comic about a ghost named Paul, although the character and his storyline have mostly been abandoned in favor of short, unrelated storylines or one-offs. When the comic is at its best, it points out weird ways of seeing everyday things or just revels in absurd situations. When it's not at its best, it can be boring or offensive, so be forewarned. However, the good here definitely outweighs the bad.

Recommended for: people who are too introspective
Favorites: http://picturesforsadchildren.com/index.php?comicID=28 (this is in the middle of a storyline, but I love it), http://picturesforsadchildren.com/index.php?comicID=237, http://picturesforsadchildren.com/index.php?comicID=257

5. Perry Bible Fellowship
Author: Nicholas Gurewitch
Style: surrealist

Once again, be forewarned: this is far and away the most offensive comic I have linked to. You absolutely should not browse this website if you are not OK with viewing some things that will offend you. That being said, it is also occasionally genius and frequently hilarious.

Gurewitch draws and writes (well, drew and wrote; the comic is essentially defunct now) the comic in a variety of different styles and about a variety of things, all intended to shock or surprise the reader into laughter. His range and ability to mesh different ideas is usually quite impressive, unless it is offensive (which, as I said, it can be, and even then it still can be pretty funny).

Recommended for: fans of The Onion (particularly the news videos) and Monty Python
Favorites: http://www.pbfcomics.com/?cid=PBF210-Wishing_Well.gif, http://www.pbfcomics.com/?cid=PBF149-Svens_Revenge.jpg, http://www.pbfcomics.com/?cid=PBF084-No_Survivors.gif (shock value on display here)

4. Daisy Owl
Author: Ben Driscoll
Style: storyline, situational

Daisy Owl is a year-old comic dealing with the daily lives of an owl named Mr. Owl, his two (human) kids Daisy and Cooper, and Mr. Owl's polar bear friend Steve. These four frequently interact with other members of their weird universe, including Steve's grizzly bear brother, a magician who does very little actual magic and the giant queen bee in the honey research lab in which Steve and Mr. Owl are sometimes employed.

The comic has a charm that rivals most of the best newspaper comics, and each of the main characters has a distinct personality that you could almost imagine inhabiting a close friend. Indeed, that is one of the main draws of the strip: the world of Daisy Owl, minus a few surreal elements like the honey lab and the fact that most of the cast is comprised of anthropomorphous animals, seems very much like our own, only slightly nicer and just a bit exaggerated for comical reasons. If you give this comic a chance (I would recommend reading from the beginning), I'd be willing to bet that you'll soon be taken in by the clever writing and humorously quaint characters.

Recommended for: fans of clever-but-charming newspaper strips
Favorites: http://daisyowl.com/comic/2008-09-29 (no one understands why I enjoy this so much, but I just do, ok?), http://daisyowl.com/comic/2009-06-29 (background: this is from an origin story of the characters. Cooper and Daisy have just crash landed in a rocket outside of Mr. Owl's tree), http://daisyowl.com/comic/2009-05-08

3. Wondermark
Author: David Malki ! (yes, he always includes an exclamation mark after his name)
Style: punchline, surrealist

This is an odd one. The panels are mostly cobbled together from illustrations found in Malki's extensive antique book collection. The humor is almost always derived from the anachronistic juxtaposition of modern-day language onto the old and oftentimes unexplainable illustrations.

This website is fascinating to me because, in addition to being hilarious, Malki is also very clearly intellectual. He occasionally publishes essays on his under-the-comic blog, and he used to publish brilliant and funny critiques of popular newspaper comics, the archives of which are still available on his site here. This is definitely one to check out.

Recommended for: anyone who is able to appreciate jokes both historical and flatulence-related. It's a very broad comic.
Favorites: http://wondermark.com/463/ (make sure to read the alternate panels below this one), http://wondermark.com/218/, http://wondermark.com/508/

2. xkcd
Author: Randall Munroe
Style: situational, punchline

This is the one that started it all for me. I was only vaguely aware of what webcomics were until I clicked on a link to this strip. If you aren't a fan of Orson Scott Card, don't worry: this comic is so great because of its relatability.

While Munroe is a skilled writer who can conjure a ridiculous punchline just as well as the next guy, this strip is at its best when he's making fun of things that we've all subtly or unconsciously observed (and, in some cases, feared) in the world. His best humor comes when he points out things that we've never truly thought about but immediately recognize.

There are also a fair amount of math and computer jokes in this strip, and since I'm not a math buff (nor a huge computer buff), I usually find strips with those themes to be incomprehensible. However, if that's what you're into, you may like this strip even more than my number one choice.

Recommended for: nerds and obsessives of all kinds
Favorites: http://xkcd.com/245/, http://xkcd.com/310/, http://xkcd.com/346/

1. Dinosaur Comics
Author: Ryan North
Style: surrealist, situational, punchline

Dinosaur Comics is a hilariously written comic about the musings and ambitions of a t-rex named T-Rex. He is overly enthusiastic, vain, lazy, lacking in common sense and far too obsessed with the English language, but he is still a pretty good guy. He is joined in every strip by his friends Utahraptor and Dromiceiomimus, who often comment on his outrageous behavior or ideas.

The instantly noticeable quality of Dinosaur Comics is that it is a constrained comic, or one that operates under certain arbitrary artistic parameters. In DC's case, the parameter is that virtually all of the comics use the exact same art in the exact same panel order and formation (minus a few clip art additions in a few strips, and some alternate universe storylines in which the same art is used, only backwards). However, if you think that this approach would limit the creativity or humor in DC, you couldn't be more wrong.

North has published, at the time of writing, 1,511 comics. Minus a few guest comics, every single one of these comics has followed the exact same artistic structure, and the comic still manages to be the most hilarious comic on the World Wide Web. The secret is found in both the vague art and the ingenious writing.

If you look at the panels, you'll notice that any number of things could be going on in them, provided the proper contextual dialogue. Yes, T-Rex appears to be conversing with Utahraptor in the fourth and fifth panels, and he appears to be pretty enthusiastic in all six panels, but if the writer recognizes those artistic boundaries, he can shape the art to fit the dialogue. North is a hilarious writer, and every word that is said by any of the three characters (or by DC's versions of God and the devil, who also speak in the strips from time to time) fits perfectly. The topics DC covers range from philosophical and scientific difficulties to video games to grammar to historical facts to anything in between, all with a hilarious twist. If this doesn't get you laughing, something might be broken.

Recommended for: intellectual fans of absurdity
Favorites: http://www.qwantz.com/index.php?comic=584, http://www.qwantz.com/index.php?comic=1481, http://www.qwantz.com/index.php?comic=1380