It’s been almost 10 years since I posted about the webcomics I read. There is a reason for that. Sadly, over the last 20 years, many of the comics I recommended don’t exist anymore. Twenty years is a long time. Authors move on to other projects or lose interest in their work or can’t make it work financially. I don’t begrudge anyone for making a business decision. So, over the last couple of years, rather than write a post about a new comic I’d discover, I’d just add it to my “Sites I Like to Visit” sidebar on the front page of this site. That said, there are four comics that have made me very happy over the last couple of years. They are on the front page sidebar and have been for some time. That is a testament to their longevity and their author’s creativity.
Girls with Slingshots – Of all the comics on this list, this is the only one that is completed, but that shouldn’t stop you from reading it. Created by Danielle Corsetto, Girls with Slingshots focuses on an eclectic group of friends trying to navigate life and all it entails. The comics centers around two friends, Hazel Tellington and Jamie McJack and it doesn’t take long for us to get invested in their lives and the lives of their friends. The comic launched in 2004 and ended in 2015. It is a smart comic that deals with unemployment, disabilities, sexuality and life in general. GWS is in reruns and publishes daily. It remains on my daily read list.
Questionable Content – Created by Jeph Jacques in 2003, Questionable Content is a, in the author’s own words, “… comic strip about friendship, romance, and robots.” And it is the inventive addition of the robots that make this strip worth looking at. From the very beginning of the strip, robots and robotics in all shapes, sizes, personalities and functionalities made this comic special. But it is the humans who make this strip fun. Friends, Marten and Faye are the centerpiece of this strip and we watch as they smartly navigate a world of robots, a sentient space station and relationships. I can not overstate how detailed the world Jeph Jacques has built is. He knows how his robots’ AI minds work and led us on a special, never to be forgotten, journey to recover data from one robot’s mind in particular. The strip publishes Monday through Friday. With more than 5400 strips, Jacques recommends starting with strip #3000 to get the current storyline. Frankly, it doesn’t matter where you start, you will not be disappointed.
Dumbing of Age – Created by David M. Willis in 2010, Dumbing of Age, is a spirited webcomic about college freshmen in the girls wing within a co-ed dorm at Indiana University. Now a caveat. This comic has the same characters in it as Willis’ previous strips, Shortpacked!, Joyce and Walky, It’s Walky and Roomies. I have no problem with his reuse of characters from other stories. Why? Because Willis expertly tells a different story in each one of those strips. Think multiverse and you’ll be fine. In Dumbing of Age, the lead character is Joyce Brown, a homeschooled girl going to college. To his credit, Willis is not afraid to have his characters live a real life. Joyce was roofied at a party. Fortunately, her friends are able to save her from sexual assault. Shockingly, Mike Warner, a fan favorite from other Willis’ multiverses, is killed during a hostage incident. Jennifer Billingsworth developed an alcohol problem leading to her current insecurities. And the Walkerton twins are trouble regardless of what universe they’re in. These freshmen are discovering life is not always easy, but it is always real. Willis’ strips are entertaining and keep you coming back. DOA is published seven days a week.
Pixie and Brutus – This is by far the cutest of all of the strips in this post. Pixie and Brutus, created by Ben Hed, is a strip about a tiny, joyful, female kitten and a male retired military working dog. The kitten, Pixie, is way too trusting of the world around her. Brutus is a very large, muscular built German Shepherd. He is blind in his left eye, suffers from PTSD and is extremely protective of Pixie who considers him her big brother. In a way, Pixie is ‘an emotional support animal’ for Brutus, although he’d never call Pixie that, but we see it. If you’re old enough, the relationship will kind of remind you of the Warner Brothers cartoon series featuring a bulldog named Marc Anthony and a kitten named Pussyfoot/Cleo. Even as Pixie grows up, she still trusts the world will do her no harm. But we know that Brutus will straight up murder anyone who threatens his “sister.” Pixie and Brutus is well worth investing your time in.
[Note: Pixie and Brutus is also published on Instagram under Mr. Hed’s account and is updated much more frequently than the webtoon account I linked to above.]
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If you have other webcomic recommendations for me, please leave the name in the comments and I’ll find them.
