I don't know if there is already a thread, but I was wondering what genres you all like! I personally like fantasy and sci-fi best (I also like making my own comics in these genres), but I do sometimes like comics that don't fit into either of those. What about all of you?

I think I lean toward detective comics or gag strips. Often, it's hard to follow what's going on in the detective ones.

To be quite honest, I don't have a real specific genre I'm partial to. If it's good, then I read it. Although, I usually gravitate towards more comedic types.

Action/comedy and that can be linked up with anything like the fighing genre, magic girl, super hero, scifi, fantasy, teen drama it doesn't matter as long as the action is good and the humor works I'll typically* enjoy it.

*EEN's typically might not match the typically of others.

I don't care, as long as it has naked women.

Checking my "favorites" list, I follow quite a variety of genres. I'm not keen on fantasy, sci-fi, or superheroes, but I have a few exceptions. I don't read romance or parodies at all. In webcomics, genre doesn't matter much to me as long as it isn't gory, profane, full of sex, or too dark or serious in mood.

In terms of print or professional stuff, I stick to well-paced adventures with fair amounts of comedic parts. I also enjoy mystery and police/crime drama, but I don't like it "dark." I like gag strips with clever humor to them.

I like pretty much anything which can combine a well-written story with accomplished artwork. If it also has some degree of intelligence and can make me laugh from time to time, then it's likely to be way up there among my favourites!

Whether the genre happens to be SciFi, fantasy, historical, romance, crime or anything else is pretty irrelevant.

I'll pretty much try anything if the artwork is good and clean but slice-of-life and drama are my favorites.

I've pretty much given up on traditional fantasies being good anymore, shame because they have some of the most amazing artists.

I'll entertain anything as long as it draws me in. As for favourites, non-traditional fantasy, science-fiction, strange horror and steampunk are up there right at the top of my list. It needs to have a reasonable level of art and a well told story.

I am so with you there Skullbie, on traditional fantasy.

Definately Science-Fiction

I'd suggest what you really mean is you are sick of Tolkien/D&D formula fantasy. Unless you are saying you are sick of Beowulf and King Arther. For example I think you would be hard pressed to point out a fantasy comic with traditional elves rather then their modernized Tolkien influenced counter parts or Pre-Dracula style vampires.

I don't the idea of genres. So I tend to go for things that are mixed, stretch the boundaries, or, the rarest and the best, are completely unclassifiable. If a work fits snuggly into a genre, then it's unlikely that I'll look at it unless it's highly recommended by someone I trust.

Honestly you lost me a bit there, but i'm tired of elves in general and the whole quest plotline. (No offense to you since your signature says quest on it and i haven't read it) But i mean inverloch, drow tales, fantasy realms, undertow, few winds, etc. The art is breathtaking in every one of them- then you read the trope ridden plot and just sigh in disappointment.

But fantasy like Roza, fungus grotto, gunnerkrig, and phoenix requiem are what i gladly read in it's place. Giving a good twist to the fantasy that's not something i've seen time and time again is what i look forward to.

Drow tales and its ilk which you so aptly lumped together are all based off or influenced on D&D's style, tone and tropes and by extention Tolkien which while I like Tolkien has rather been tapped out by copy cats. They are all set in these high fantasy worlds very much like D&D settings.

Where as Phoenix Requiem and the others you listed off are all set in original worlds without drawing on the "Monster Compendium Vol X" for their ideas and instead going back to actual myth and original stories with modern twists. Likewise they are not set in a far off fantasy world that is basically a magic sprinkled dark ages england but less over used times and place.

Traditional fantasy would invoke things like Oberon, Odin, Avalon, Grendal and the like and would do so in a style consistent with the old myths and legends. Comics featuing spider worshiping elves are based on novels written in the 80s and there is nothing traditional about them.

Labeling D&D inspired fantasy as traditional would be like calling Twilight's Vampires classical.

Hate my comic if you must, but please don't put the rich tradition of classic fantasy in the same vein as formula fantasy stories like R.A. Salvator knock offs and dime a dozen RPG games clones. Fantasy realms isn't anymore traditional fantasy then Eragon is. Keep in mind also it is less the genre the the writers who flood it, after all the Pricess Bride is fantasy quest story too just a well written one with heart and character instead of dragons and dungeons.

Okay...

Is this what you were trying to say, 'Modern fantasy'? Because 'd&d inspired' and 'tolkien-esque' are totally lost on me. @_@

Anyways i see now, i had always classified beowolf/odin/norse/greek legends as mythology or historical though, i thought 'traditional fantasy' was the straight forward plot about the quest/elves/hero avenging his dead parents/serious babe finding out she's a lost lineage/ etc.

Action, adventure, dramas. Pretty much in any kind of genre. I never was good at this whole labeling genres thing though. I just like reading good stories.

In comics... then I don't purely look for good story and good art. I also want good action sequences, because I'm half-studying sequential art when I read comics.

So I like shonen action (action with kung fu or wire fu, not just American-style trading-of-punches). I also like good historical fantasy genres with art styles that's more European. A lot of American art (such as art descended from 90's Image) really annoy me these days.

Yes, D&D/Tolkien style fantasy is really boring. I mean, really really. I'm almost ok with elves, but I am sick to death of Medieval England. Why does every D&D world look like Medieval England (with random Feudal Japanese cultural elements thrown in)? Medieval England is a blip in the spectrum of World History, in time, in influence, in size, in significance, in aesthetics, in... sigh.

I guess primarily Action and comedy. So When there's a good action-comedy, I'm totally there. Good Example: 'Deadpool'

I like fantasy a lot. But I don't think I've ever really found a good Fantasy comic. I know there's the comic version of the Legend of Drizz't but I've already read all the novels so I'm not interested in that.

Mystery stories are good too, but the problem is finding one that's well written enough that you don't get confused or bored.

I don't have specific preference. But I'm a sucker for comics with deep storyline and amusing characters. I actually don't mind reading comics with silly storyline or bad artworks. But for comics that have a deep storyline, I will occasionally come back to reread them. I usually prefer reading comics with original characters.

to misquote a certain movie

"genres? we don't need no stinkin' genres"

In other words, I don't really care about genres. If it's good, I'll read it. If it isn't, I'll stop and go to the next thing.

- - - - -
As for the whole fantasy thing. How about instead of "traditional" we could use common/typical fantasy? Cause that's what it is.
Recently a comic called "Monte Cook's Ptolus: City by the Spire" fell into my hands. And damn, is it... eh. Well, let's say it's VERY D&D (checked later and the guy who wrote it does write rpg stuff for life). Dwarf/thief, Elf/wizard, and a city where the sewers connect to various secret catacombs.
Imagine you go down the sewers, open some locked doors, enter some strange tunnels where you're attacked by a bunch of reanimated skeletons and a dead-but-not-dead wizard and finally you emerge in... someone's storage room.

"Oh, honey, what's this doors here?"
"Oh, don't worry about it, it's just where an evil undead wizard is resting. Best we leave them in peace and forget about it, afterall, no one would survive going through there."

Oh yeah, and there was a healing potion too, haha.

- - - - -

Since I'm at printed comics (and still affected by this particular title), Poison Elves was much better. While from one side it came from the whole "rpg inspired dark ages lookalike", it also did certain things totally differently. For example the origin of Elves, according to the legends of this world, they're actually coming from Trolls. When the "good" god created life, the "evil" one created Trolls to destroy it. The good god took a third of them and threw them into hell, where they burned for so long that most of their evil was burned out and thus they emerged to defend life. But, since htey come from Trolls, they're not flawless themselves. Their culture is quite militaristic and they mostly cut off themselves from humans, they have feuds and personal vendettas and are willing to get their hands dirty for the greater good (for example elven council cooperating with an assassin guild).

So, while on one side you have good vs evil, the good ain't as good as it should be. Oh, and you have guns popping up too, limited usage of electricity, etc.

Hmm, yeah, got carried away, haha.

The proper term is high fantasy. It's used to describe the genre birthed by JRR Tolkien, where mythological beings such as elves and dwarves form functional human-like societies much as different nations/tribes do.

And yes, the kind of tropes which slip into a story when the author is using his D&D experiences as a template.... it happens unconsciously I'm sure, and it's beyond idiotic. It only works when the author means to be comedic about it.

As for Poison Elves... never read it, because I couldn't get past the art. Ugh. I think it's as famous as it is because it got into the first car of the 'edgy goth elves' train. Alongside the edgy goth vampires.

Low fantasy, high fantasy, epic fantasy, sword and sorcery fantasy, surreal fantasy, sex fantasy, it doesn't matter to me. If it's a good piece of work, I'll read it.

I'll read stuff with goth vampires, boy love, drama, romance, anything, as long as it's good enough to hold my attention. The genre is irrelevant.

Mlia: Well I prefer not to call it high fantasy simply because there is a growing division between the type of stuff from author's like George RR Martin and the stuff from your typical D&D type of fantasy even though technically both could be called High Fantasy.

Skulbie: Well we seem to be miscommunicating. ^_^() Sufficed to say I largely agree with your analysis I just disagree with some of the labels you used to express it. The reason I don't use the term modern fantasy is because that is typically applied to fantasy set in the modern day (or close to it) like Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

I think it laid the tracks for the "edgy goth elves" train, if anything.

What's wrong with the art? (otherthan the early issues which are... well, not that great).

I thought buffy was 'supernatural'? Cursed fantasy sub-genre labels! Needlessly complicated like fantasy city and town names(the weasand city of dlairianorf and the wyvern butcrackus tavern in the realm of harblsnarf~~~)


I think i'm just going to make up terms like 'cookie-cutter fantasy' and 'drow fantasy where everyone has names like oryl'l-gyl and rindom-aposto'phee'.

Just because some people make some boring crap doesn't mean that anything with any similar elements will also automatically be boring crap. That's pretty shallow -_-

And I should know. I'm a shallow guy.

Very true, but the problem is in an over saturated genre people don't want to sort through all the crap to get to few gems. It is like sprite comics. There are some great sprite comics out there but most people just don't want to give them a chance because the ratio of lame/awesome is just way to high for most people. Oh sure they might read it if you give it to them on a silver platter and sing its praises but they are just to warry to look for them on their own.

And I should know I did a sprite comic.

Gag daily comics. I really like the humourous comics the most because they make me laugh and they always-not always-surprise me. Like Garfeild or a drunkduck comic, Been Better. "I'm a funny guy."

Action, Horror, Scifi and Fantasy, HAS to be violent and dark comedy

There's some pretty good daily gag comics out there. But with a lot of the older stuff, you can't help but feel like it's the same joke done over and over again. Garfield, Blonde, Family Circus, and Dennis the Menace to name a few. These strips have been going on for years and years. Sometimes it feels like they've run their course. Maybe, it's because most of their jokes aren't taken from current events? They're mostly character based gags that have been done to death, so they tend to grow stale.

Do you think I'm wrong in that?