Internet Comics

[Dogface]

MSPA = Homestuck + Problem Sleuth

Also technically Jailbreak and Bard Quest, which were earlier projects but frequently referenced in the later stuff. Fun fact: Andrew Hussie is also responsible for the Star Trek: TNG cutups on the jandrewedits channel... which are also referenced in Homestuck. I like to think this places them in the same universe and bizarro Picard will make a cameo at some point.

[subbes]

Larp Trek: The crew of the Enterprise take on their greatest challenge yet -- an out-of-service holodeck -- by exploring an ancient Earth custom Geordi calls a "role-playing game".

Or the v pleasant Prequel, run in a similar fashion to Homestuck but there are Elder Scrolls and it is funnier.

[tegan]

There's all the other webcomics, and then there's Homestuck.

I'm not sure where I'd even begin to explain it,

I usually use the phrase "extradimensional Jumanji from hell."

Homestuck is impressive to me from the standpoint of its format. I'm sure that Scott McCloud would be cry tears of joy if he looked at the ways that Hussie's used the nature of the internet to shape the way he does comics. The musical team is fantastic, too; and Hussie is a legitimately funny guy who can write pretty consistently amusing dialogue and is good at sneaking foreshadowing into his work (or, more likely, retroactively making things seem more important than they actually are). But from a writing standpoint, I really can't stand the Lost-style bullshit that Hussie is constantly pulling. In particular I dislike that every time it seems like an arc is going to resolve itself, he instead introduces an entirely new group of characters to dick around with until they seem close to a resolution (at which point the process repeats itself until you have unfinished stories within unfinished stories like some kind of matryoshka doll of half-baked ideas). It's been ages since I read the comic, but it felt like he was just perpetually stalling for time.

Sweet Bro and Hella Jeff is still awesome though. That hardcover book was seriously tempting, especially once I realized that the title on the spine is deliberately left autocorrected so the book looks like it's about "Sweet Bro and Helpful Jeff."

So has anyone else been following Cucumber Quest? It's by Gigi Digi, also known as Hiimdaisy, best known for a series of

. It's basically like watching a playthrough of a very cute, self-aware RPG. Kind of like a Paper Mario comic.

[Luftmensch]

Don't forget Tails Gets Trolled. It gets pretty epic.

[Dogface]

Don't forget Tails Gets Trolled. It gets pretty epic.

I'd prefer to forget it, actually.

Oh god, what's happening. Why can't I forget. It's my.. brain.. what have you done!?!

I usually use the phrase "extradimensional Jumanji from hell."

Hah! Keeping that.

[Dogface]

Just read all of Nimona. Brilliant stuff!

[Luftmensch]

It was mentioned briefly in this thread, but Hitmen for Destiny is a pretty incredible comic. The art's kind of offputting at first, but once you can get past the simple MSPaint art and slow start, it turns into a huge incredible story with interwoven stories and some really clever fantasy science. Also, it's totally finished. It's 587 pages long, so it'll keep you occupied for a while, but you don't have to wait for updates.

[subbes]

Don't forget Tails Gets Trolled. It gets pretty epic.

(POINTS AT AVATAR.)

[Luftmensch]

Eat More Bikes

[tegan]

I've been reading Blaster Nation since it started. I can't really put my finger on why I like it, so maybe I'm a bit of an apologist. I think it might have something to do with the characters all being post-college kids who just got out of that part of their life where they were the kind of horrible nerds that define themselves solely by the media they like and are starting to feel a bit guilty about it (see: this strip or this story arc). I can definitely relate to that. But the point is, the new story arc is about Rinnie. And she's my favourite.

[Tanukitsune]

I can't describe how hilarious I find this specific comic... It's absurdly brilliant!

[Luftmensch]

I'm trying to decide if the current Sinfest arc is about. Is it about two characters with deep emotional preconceptions about the world clashing against each other? Or is it about how boys are dumb? I'm hoping for something smart and funny to develop, because one of the great strengths of Sinfest has always been empathetically personifying cultural symbols, but there have been a few too many straw dudebros for me to be optimistic.

[Twig]

Or the v pleasant Prequel, run in a similar fashion to Homestuck but there are Elder Scrolls and it is funnier.

I really like Prequel! Could never get into MSPA.

[subbes]

Has String Theory been mentioned? Start at the beginning, but don't be dissuaded by the art because it gets much better much faster.

 

Also Paranatural.  Earthbound meets Persona with that very Tumblr-esque language.

 

Oblig:  Gunnerkrigg Court.  

[jeremywc]

I'm trying to decide if the current Sinfest arc is about. Is it about two characters with deep emotional preconceptions about the world clashing against each other? Or is it about how boys are dumb? I'm hoping for something smart and funny to develop, because one of the great strengths of Sinfest has always been empathetically personifying cultural symbols, but there have been a few too many straw dudebros for me to be optimistic.

 

I think it might be about you. ZING!

[Twig]

Has String Theory been mentioned? Start at the beginning, but don't be dissuaded by the art because it gets much better much faster.

 

Also Paranatural.  Earthbound meets Persona with that very Tumblr-esque language.

 

Oblig:  Gunnerkrigg Court.  

Nice! I like all three of those, been reading 'em for a while. Paranatural in particular is one of those I rank very highly. Art so dynamic and fun! U:

I REALLY SHOULD GO THROUGH MY LIST OF WEBCOMICS AND PRUNE THAT SHIT. I READ WAY TOO MANY.

 

In the meantime, here's two I like.

 

Namesake. It's one of those "the stories are real" kinda things, but this one has a nice twist from the norm in focusing on Oz as its first example.

 

False Positive. It's a bunch of short stories (in comic form), usually horror or surreal in theme, sometimes just weird for the sake of weird.

[TopGhost]

I recently started reading Ava's Deamon and I really like the art. The only downside is that it only updates once a week with about 7 single frames of the comic so the story is just moving at a snail's pace.

[TychoCelchuuu]

False Positive. It's a bunch of short stories (in comic form), usually horror or surreal in theme, sometimes just weird for the sake of weird.

I'm really enjoying these! Thanks for the link.

[vimes]

I recently started reading Ava's Deamon and I really like the art. The only downside is that it only updates once a week with about 7 single frames of the comic so the story is just moving at a snail's pace.

I've got a strong intuition the story is going to be weak, but the color treatment - that makes it look like a color script - and the art is really amazing.

[Twig]

I'm really enjoying these! Thanks for the link.

Yeah!

 

I also love Ava's Demon for the art, but the story seems pretty typical. Nothin' wrong with that, though, unless it turns bad!

[tegan]

I've been reading Spinnerette recently. I read it a few years ago back when it was still young and I felt like it was just kind of a middling superhero parody with too many cheesecake jokes, but it turns out it's gotten much better since then, even if it still has the occasional boob joke. I'm starting to make predictions about the plot and everything.

 

...Of course, I'd be lying if I said I'm not a little soft on it because it has a Canadian superhero team and

the main character is in a very cute blossoming lesbian relationship with the most interesting character.

[Tanukitsune]

Oh man, Spinenerette has been on my "To read" list for a while.... I almost forgot about it! 

 

Speaking of cheesecake comics, Keenspot has gotten a metric ton of them since the last I visited them. They are hilariously cheesy! I don't what people think when I read comics with scantly clad women, those are the comics that tend to have the most stupid awesome terrible great cheesy things happening in them.

 

Except Sharky, which is cheesy in a much less stupid and embarrassing way, it's just very 90's?

[Twig]

The only comic I can read on Keenspot (and I've given quite a few of them a long chance before eventually giving up) is Skullkickers.

 

Skullkickers is fantastic, and doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not.

 

http://skullkickers.keenspot.com/d/20120106.html

 

(Actually the page that literally just came out today has me a little worried. But at the same time, do I even really care, as long as I get more skull-kicking with that RAD ART? Not sure I do.)

[tegan]

Oh man, Spinenerette has been on my "To read" list for a while.... I almost forgot about it! 

 

Seriously, it's surprisingly good.

The one thing that's bugging me: Spinny and Mecha Maid are currently hanging out with a Canadian superhero team. They're pretty awesome, but the obligatory Francophone member speaks France French instead of Canadian French. As someone from the heart of Chiac country, it's really throwing me off.

[Reyturner]

The works of Joan Cornella are like what would happen if the Perry Bible Fellowship went off its meds.