Well when ever I'm writting I think what I'm doing now is the best comic I've EVER read....but when I'm not ego tripping I'd say Girl Genius .

Girl Genius looks kind of interesting, but the I find the art style a bit off putting. They all look freaky, like they're faces are made of play-dough.

Yeah, I tried and tried to get into reading that a couple of years back because its adds looked really awesome but I just couldn't get into it... It just seemed a bit lame. -_-

Maybe that's my problem though, not the comic? I dunno.

--------------------
For me:
"A Modest Destiny" will always hold a special place in me heart.

harkovast
Girl Genius looks kind of interesting, but the I find the art style a bit off putting. They all look freaky, like they're faces are made of play-dough.

Well look art is subjective so there is no right or wrong opinion simply either art works for you or it doesn’t, but I will say it seems a shame to me if you are so influenced by the DC/Marvel style of comic art that something more from the Dr. Seuss style of drawing doesn’t connect with you it seems a shame to me ‘cause I personally have gotten a lot of enjoyment from the art and I wish you could see it through my eyes.

@Ozoneocean: How are did you get into it? I'd really read the first two volumes before judging it. If you did so, well then you are right it is probably just not your thing. For me it really kicked it into high gear once the main characters started traveling around but since then it has been great.

I think you do me a disservice there Nic!
I never said I was particularly influenced by the DC/marvel comic style, you are putting words in my mouth.
If you look at my comic, it is done in a hand drawn, coloured with pencils, which I don't think screams DC/Marvel.
Its not that I am only interested in one art style as you seem to be implying, its just that that particular one looks ugly to me. It isn't horrendous, I can see why some people might like it, but to me it just looks mushy.

I also find the title a bit lame- Girl Genius. It sounds a bit like "Wow, can you believe it? A genius who is a GIRL? Who even knew that was possible?"
Though maybe I am jumping to conclusions.

Finally I tried advertising on it and can a poor click return rate. Maybe it makes me a bad person, but when my adverts on something dont work, I get resentful!

Evil Emperor Nick
@Ozoneocean: How are did you get into it? I'd really read the first two volumes before judging it.

Eh, I didn't like it enough to give it that much time.
Now, Charby The Vampirate is a much better comic. ^____^

And Cwens Quest too in that it draws you into the story each time you just glance at a page of it, Any page. :)

@harkovast
Perhaps I do, however what you draw and what your preconceptions, tastes and opinions are on other people's art are not inherently related. After all people who can't draw still enjoy things other then stick figure and sprite comics because that is what the draw.

If you are truely offended then I withdraw my statement. I have no interest in further disagreeing over subjective opinions.

@Ozoneocean: If I do disservice to Harkovast then surely you flatter my sir. (Don't stop though.)

You are okay nick, I wasn't very offended anyway!
Though objectively speaking, Girl Genius totally sucks.
(Kidding!!)

Evil Emperor Nick
Well when ever I'm writting I think what I'm doing now is the best comic I've EVER read....but when I'm not ego tripping I'd say Girl Genius .

should you count a comic that started as a print comic and moved to the internet?
i wonder what the right dynamics there are?

that said the Foglios are one of the best comic teams out there.

I don't wanna derail this topic too much... but along the lines of this topic, I pose a question.

How come whenever I visit other webcomics, some of them have a links page with a heading along the lines of "Other Comics You Should Be Reading", and they always end up linking to the SAME 6-8 webcomics. The list usually follows along the lines of something like this.

PENNY ARCADE
XKCD
DINOSAUR COMICS
PVP
DR. MCNINJA
GIRL GENIUS

and MAYBE they"ll list one I've never heard of. I understand some of them are friends with the creators of these other highly popular webcomics, so they are cross promoting in that way.

But I've seen this type of list on completely new webcomics as well. Why? Is there truly nothing more interesting or good in regards to webcomics on the internet that people feel are worthy of sharing with others.

Just thought I'd ask, as it always bugs me when I see lists like that. Not taking anything away from those comics, they've earned their accolades. But introduce me to some new stuff that I may be interested in. :)

Zaymac, maybe those are just the best ones?
Though the fact that list is missing MSPaint adventure and Order of the Stick is criminal!

It is always tough for a new comer to crack the top list of comics everyone knows, but just look at the front page of DD. Bad guy high just got to the number 2 spot! How is that for unexpected?

Keep in mind a big barrier to most new comics is the fact they are new. Before you can blow peoples mind with character development and plots twist etc. You need to lay down the ground work. Rome wasn't built in a day and great web comics start off as nothing more than good ideas. It takes a lot of development for a web comic to become great.

Let me put this another what are the most popular graphic novels? Usually it goes something like Kingdom Come, Marvels, Age of Apocalypse, Batman Year One, the Dark Knight Strike Back, The Killing Joke etc. etc.

With the sole exception of Batman Year One all those comics rely on your prior established knowledge of the characters. They can go right into a great story because you already know Superman, Batman, Spider-man etc. They can start off with a great story because they don't have to waste time establishing the premise and back story. You couldn't tell these stories without the back issues having already laid the ground work. I'd argue even Batman Year One stands on the shoulder of those who came before by using the expectations they set to surprise you with many elements of year one which are so different from what you've come to expect even though unlike the others it could be read on its own without prior knowledge of Batman.

Web comics don't have that. They have to lay all their own ground work, consequently established comics like Girl Genius have a huge advantage over newer comics that only have a hundred to two hundred pages on the web and given the dropout and hiatus rate for web comics that is hard to do. This is the sort of list you’ll see change from year to year as more comics mature.

There are also other factors in the web circle with knock out a lot of potentially great comics. Take for example Zebra Girl. I really like Zebra Girl but I’m not going to put it on this list because it only updates like 6 times a year. Does that hold it back from being a great comic? Yes frankly. The fact that the story is almost frozen up until recently really DOES have a negative impact on the comic. Meanwhile Girl Genius updates three days a week without fail. That makes a huge difference when you are reading it page by page. Zebra Girl loses all its momentum an dramatic impact between updates. Girl genius doesn’t because it updates a regularly.

There are other factors but I’ll just also finish which the student factor. A lot of comics kind of sucked when they started. The authors were not as polished, the art was really rough or the original premise didn’t work etc. etc. Most web comics grow into greatness, but they always carry that opening as a ball and chain which new readers have to get over so they can get “to the good stuff”. Girl Genius and many of those comics didn’t have factor. Sure Girl Genius might have had a slow opening, but it started off professional and has kept the look and tone consistent and that is a huge factor which push these comics into the great category where as others are trapped in the “good” arena. Why don’t these comics go on to do new series? Well typically once they finish their first committed series they get out. Most people start web comics are high school or college students and by the time they get good enough to be a real contender they go out and get a job and suddenly don’t feel the need to work on a comic anymore. The exceptions of course are those few people who climb to the top and manage to make their comic their job and learn all the other parts of the trade like merchandizing and self promotion most amateurs are clueless on. I know that is hard but it is really true, most people get out just when they are good enough to start something serious.

That my friend, is why these comics are on the top of almost every list even though there are many other comics out there with great art, writing and style.

If there was any doubt at all that Homestuck is the greatest webcomic ever its surely gone now that John wields not only an umbrella made of razor blades but two pogo hammers and THE TELESCOPIC SASSACRUSHER all At once.

harkovast
Zaymac, maybe those are just the best ones?

lol!

In which alternative universe?

Good one Hark :)



EEN makes a good point. There are really CRAP-loads of great comics out there and more every day, but most aren't going to go on for that long and that consistently because most of their creators have lives. The few on that little top list (and others) got there through circumstance, luck, promotion, and of course: very hard work and insane dedication.

Anyone at all can make a fantastic comic, but are you dedicated enough to sacrifice most of your life to it? If you are then your fantastic comic will start the long climb towards that list. If not, then muddle along with it happily and enjoy your independence from your comic ;)

ozoneocean
Anyone at all can make a fantastic comic

That's not true. Not everyone has the talent either artistically or in writing/wit, and no amount of hard work or dedication will make them fantastic.

But you're right that there are a LOT of people with the talent but without the time or the dedication to rise to the top.

usedbooks
That's not true. Not everyone has the talent either artistically or in writing/wit, and no amount of hard work or dedication will make them fantastic.

I think some of the most popular comics prove you wrong ^_~

Okay... they are not FANTASTIC... but since they are so popular I guess popularity and the masses dictates that they are?

usedbooks

ozoneocean
Anyone at all can make a fantastic comic

That's not true. Not everyone has the talent either artistically or in writing/wit, and no amount of hard work or dedication will make them fantastic.

But you're right that there are a LOT of people with the talent but without the time or the dedication to rise to the top.

UB I could not disagree with you more. It has been my experience that art and writing have more to do with hard won skills the natural talent. Obviously everyone has limitations in life but hard work and dedication are exactly what greatness in comics are about. "Talent" after all is an extremely relative term in creative fields where one persons garbage is million dollar art. If you find your nitch and keep at it 'talent' doesn't mean much. Sure you won't ever be good at everything, but I've yet to meet someone without a disability who couldn't find some style where they clicked if only they applied themselves. Anyway we are getting way off subject here.

Evil Emperor Nick
UB I could not disagree with you more.

lol! I think you'll find that your post agrees much more with mine than Used Books' ;)
Her point is the preeminence of "talent" in the equation, in addition to hard work, mine is that success is mainly hard work and dedication if you're already good at what you're doing, with no mention of "talent". I don't really believe in "talent".

sin titulo

My favorite webcomic (and the only webcomic I had the attention span to finish) was Rice Boy.

I only read web comics on this site, so I'd have to say MAG ISA. It hasn't been finished yet, so check it out now.

1/0 was the first webcomic I thought was decent enough to read the whole way through.

My current favorite webcomic is Nature of Nature's Art. http://nofna.com/