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Mike's Webcomic Reviews
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Since this complete in a single volume I'll just post my review:
Dreamless is the story of two people living worlds apart, one in America and one in Japan, who see through each other minds instead of dreaming when they sleep. The story of the bond they form is very touching, well told and amazingly illustrated. The painted style artwork gives a great feel and resonates well with the atmosphere of the story. The WWII era setting adds a nice layer to things.
My only criticism is that there are a lot of details that I wanted explored more and thus the story could've been much longer, but what's here is great and leaving the reader wishing there was more while still telling a complete story isn't that much of a negative. The story doesn't unfold the way I thought it would (or would've myself) but again that's not really a negative.
Dreamless is original, imaginative and thoroughly engaging. Highly recommended.
Mod
General thoughts pulled from the below review:
Self described as "a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language," xkcd is a wildly popular comic that uses stick figure art and revels in "nerd humor." The best way to get a feel for whether you'll enjoy it is to visit the website and peruse for a while. While at times it can get too obscure and can be a bit hit and miss, in general it's highly entertaining and one of my favorite webcomics.
Full review of print compilation:
xkcd:volume 0
Ok, good for a start. More reviews to follow.
Mod
One more for today:
Questionable Content
General thoughts pulled from review of Volume 1 below:
Questionable Content is the story of a twenty-something indie music fan, the quirky friends that surround him, and his pet psychotic robot. The plot varies from slice of life comedy to more serious drama (usually still with comedy). Far more entertaining than I'm making it sound, QC is one of the best webcomics I've read.
...
The artist is continually refining and improving his style, so the quality in the earliest strips might seem poor compared to what it will become.
Note since I've read more after writing the above and am caught up now: QC is a LONG comic - the two printed volumes are only about 1/4 of it and it's still going strong. There have been ups and downs and sections (and characters) I didn't care for, but overall it's still extremely good and worth reading through.
My full reviews (all spoiler free, but of course reviews for later volumes might spoil events in earlier ones):
Vol. 1
Vol. 2
Mod
minus (intentionally uncapitalized) would be a typical slice of life story, except that the titular character is a young girl that can change reality at her every whim. Her "adventures" have a surreal touch pervading them and her age appropriate lack of comprehension of long-term consequences makes her actions just as often horrific as endearing. minus's world doesn't always make sense, but it's a wonderful place to visit all the same.
The art is beautiful. It's painted in mostly subdued tones but with a full palette of varying colors and compliments the whimsical, dreamlike atmosphere of the comic perfectly.
minus is complete and ran for about 130 strips.
Mod
Note: Book 1 (strips #1-163) of Erfworld is also available at the Order of the Stick website.
Since that is all I've read so far I'll just post my review:
Erfworld is a fantasy universe that an obsessive roleplaying gamer is summoned to in order to provide strategic advice to an army down to their last stronghold. If that makes it sound overly serious in tone I apologize, as most of the time it's anything but. The humor takes some time to get used to - everything in Erfworld is heavy with parody and ridiculousness. But that's where a lot of the genius comes in. The forth wall is twisted and the inhabitants of Erfworld are aware of the rules they exist by. Troops are governed by their movements, attack, etc stats and openly discuss strategy, command and goals in these terms. It provides the reader an interesting way to follow developments, plots and battle sequences and gives the kidnapped gamer, Parson Gotti, a point of reference and a "system" to try to exploit.
The Battle for Gobwin Knob follows both sides of the conflict, as well as opportunistic neutral parties, suspected traitors, and various forces with their own motivations. It's a well layered tale that balances levity from the absurd with some of the real effects and choices of commanding living (and undead) creatures in battle. Looking forward to reading more.
Mod
FreakAngels is written by well known comic book author Warren Ellis. It is dark and graphic at times - as posted on the site, recommended for mature audiences. It is a complete, overarching story spanning six print trade paperbacks worth of comics and really must be read from the beginning.
Overall thoughts on the series: FreakAngels was amazing. I was so enthralled I finished it in two days. It turned out close to how I predicted, but not in the way I expected. There were turns and twists I didn't necessarily want, but they were done carefully and everything was consistent and fit the world, the story and the characters. The art is excellent throughout (although be warned, quite gruesome at times).
Reviews of individual volumes (written during second read through):
Vol 1.
Mod
Surviving the World is a bit different - it's a photocomic of the author with things written/drawn on a blackboard. It varies from giving advice to "explaining" life's mysteries with graphs and charts to simply making observations, often with unique insight that can be humorous and cutting at the same time. The humor can get quite dark, as the first comic will show, but it's not always (and I personally don't mind the dark humor).
It's been going a very long while (close to 1500 strips). Combine this with the "joke a day" nature of the comic and it becomes very hit or miss. But on average I enjoy it and at it's best it's laugh out loud hilarious. I'd recommend new readers play with the random comic button for a while to see if they like, as there's no need to read in order.
Mod
Little Dee is the story of a lost, largely mute girl named Dee who is taken in and raised by a bear, a dog and a vulture (who are all quite loquacious). Honestly, if that description alone isn't enough to entice you to check it out it might not be your cup of tea, as things just get more absurd from there. :)
Topics range from "quiet" home life moments in their cave to rap battles with an anthropomorphic anarchist librarians, and cover EVERYTHING in between. Obviously some weird tangential stories are better than others, but the strip is largely funny and the responsible Ted (bear), dimwitted Blake (dog) and mean spirited Vachel (vulture) all care about and protect Dee in their own way. Not that she really needs protecting most of the time...
Little Dee ran six days a week for nearly six years. Shortly after it finished in 2010 it began rerunning from the beginning, though the original archive is still available. The comics mostly followed a "gag-a-day" structure, but a week's (or month's) strips were usually thematically related. I remember the yearly Halloween strips and Vachel's schoolteacher attempts being high points.
I almost bought an Anarchist Librarian sweatshirt once but I haven't read this one yet. It sounds good.
Mod
Mod
MAoH is my Secret Santa webcomic for Sept. I had seen the name mentioned by a few people but hadn't checked it out and didn't know anything about it going in. I'm thrilled it got moved to the top of my reading list because it's pretty awesome.
MAoH is done comic book style, down to being separated into issues that are approximately the same length as a "normal" comic. There are only four so far, which amounts to about 100 pages so I was able to read through it all fairly quickly. Of course now I'm left waiting for more...
The story focuses on sixth grade superheroes and the adults that they put up with. The comic is still setting things up in some ways, but there's already a lot of action, plot advancement and character development (for a couple of characters, anyway).
I'm not going to get into details to avoid spoilers, but I will say MAoH is extremely well written. The characters feel distinct, the pacing is spot on and the dialog is great. It would be easy to make Simon unlikable, but instead he comes across as an endearing kind of obnoxious, which is no small accomplishment.
The art is likewise very strong, has a nice style and compliments the story.
Overall a great read. Thank you Santa. :)
Mod
Edit 9/23/12: caught up and added thoughts on the second "volume."
Lackadaisy: Volume #1:
Set in St. Louis during the prohibition era and featuring a cast of amazingly realized anthropomorphic cats, Lackadaisy follows an eccentric cast of characters trying to help the widow of the owner of a once popular speakeasy protect it from various rivals trying to put it down for good.
Lackadaisy is a hilarious, action packed ride. There are high stakes, escalating violence and suspicious happenings, but it's all balanced by just the right touch of humor (largely do to the manically incompetent Rocky and the bubbly force of nature Ivy). Things are clearly just beginning in this volume, but it still does well as it's own story.
Which brings us to the art - incredible barely does it justice. Butler has presented painstakingly researched settings, striking characters and well staged action all in a fantastic sepia like tone and a style that really evokes the intended period and feel. It's easily some of the best comic art I've ever seen.
Overall Lackadaisy is a great comic and an easy recommendation. For all the action this volume actually felt a little slow plot-wise, but that's only because the stage is being set for whatever grand adventure we're in store for. I'm looking forward to it.
Volume 2 (incomplete and only available online at this point):
Amazing so far. While the pace is still slowish, it is not to the detriment of the comic and there are some very strong plot developments here. The characterizations continue to be realistic and extraordinarily well done. Some "bit players" from vol 1 hint at being more important than they were at first glance, and we get a nice flashback to Atlus's days that fills in some background.
The art continues to be exquisite. I fully expect to run out of adjectives to describe it as I continue to write about the comic and gush about the art.
Closing observation: Ivy rocks. minor spoiler: (view spoiler)
Mod
Rice Boy is a surreal, gradually unfolding adventure about a strange world, its remarkable denizens, and a mysterious prophecy. That basic description may sound cliche, but Rice Boy fully transcends its familiar components, largely due to the amazing atmosphere Dahm establishes.
The comic has a fantastically unique, subdued feel to it. I've seen very few artists whose style alone conveys emotion, but little touches and a cohesive feel gives the art itself a sense of melancholy. Dahm isn't afraid to spend panels on simple traveling, which is done so carefully it feels natural instead of slowing things down and really lets the art shine. Add in strikingly designed characters (including the tiny, stark white, armless and legless Rice Boy himself) and incredibly imaginative settings and this is easily one of the most visually impressive comics I've ever read.
The story is quite odd at times, but has a strong, well developed core and is thoroughly engaging overall. I became invested in the characters' fates, enjoyed the twists and looked forward to discovering how everything would turn out. A little drift in focus and a couple small side things keep me from giving this full marks, but make no mistake - Rice Boy is a truly wonderful comic and well worth reading.
Rice Boy is apparently just the first webcomic Dahm has set in this world (called Overside). I will definitely be looking into the others.
Mod
Meant as a affectionate parody of the over-the-top, campy (and sexist) pulp novels and comics of the 50s, Lesbian Pirates mashes common elements from that genre together and twists them up for a comedic tribute.
It manages to capture the feel of the tribute material well, including artistic touches including well used limited colors and "dotted" shading techniques. The comic is light, absurd and fully summarized in the title. To an extent it accomplishes exactly what it intends to.
The problem for me is I didn't find it all that funny. Another issue I think is that this feels like it could have actually been published in the 50s. On one hand you could call that a success, but on the other a parody needs to go beyond its target. Those pulp stories are essentially self-parodies if read today, which leaves little room for exaggeration or proper lampooning. So we end up with humor that never really gets beyond the title.
There's nothing wrong with "I Was Kidnapped by Lesbian Pirates from Outer Space" in idea nor execution, but it doesn't stand out at all either. Ok as a tribute that captures the silliness, absurdity and amusement of old pulp stories, but falls short as a parody and isn't particularly memorable.
Mike wrote: "Lackadaisy"Jut caught up with this one. Gorgeous art! And the setting's excellent, too. My husband, when he took a look, was impressed by the art and the genuine references to the St Louis area (he's from the area).
Just not sure as I sped my way though where vol 2 started?
But put it on my RSS and looking forward to more!
Mod
The detail, effort and research the author puts in really shows. It's additionally impressive to hear that it feels authentic to someone who's lived there.
This is the first comic of vol 2. (view spoiler)
From what I hear updates are few and far between, but quality is worth waiting for and I'm also anxiously awaiting more. :)
Mod
The Abominable Charles Christopher is an unusual strip, and takes a while to really get going. Anthropomorphic animals and the titular Charles share "screen time" in several tangentially related gradually unfolding plotlines of drastically varying tone and substance.
This made it a very uneven read for me. I really loved the more serious main plotlines and characters (Charles, Vivol and Moon Bear, Luga, Gilgamesh) and both the humor and drama that arose from them. But the pacing drove me a little nuts. I didn't like the secondary humor strips (drunk bad husband bird, Cedar Forest Players, the shrink, etc) nearly as much as the above stuff so lost some interest whenever it switched over.
Which was quite often. As a very detailed, rich webcomic the author clearly puts a lot of effort and care into the strip. It's understandable that after say, a month of working on heavy themes that he would want to lighten things up a bit. But it's a weekly strip, which that means every time the plot got serious it went no more than three-four pages before interjected humor and sidetracking. Again, perfectly understandable from a production point of view, but purely from a reader's perspective I found it very jarring.
The art is fantastic. Great style and masterful use of the black and white medium. Again, I feel it really shines in the more serious and dramatic strips.
Overall while The Abominable Charles Christopher is a mixed bag for me, the good is so great I still heartily recommend it and will definitely keep reading myself.
Mod
My Goodreads review of Vol 1 has my general thoughts on the strip, so copied from there:
I didn't realize Bad Machinery was a spin-off of sorts before reading, so I am reviewing this without any familiarity with Scary Go Round.
Bad Machinery uses a combination of "long form" and "gag-a-day" structures to tell the story of six elementary school detectives who get involved in strange happenings in a stranger town. The comic has long running storylines divided into cases, but each strip generally has a gag setup to it with a punchline. The main character groups of three girls and three boys often get involved in the cases from different (although equally absurd) angles. The cast is fleshed out with a variety of colorful, memorable beings.
Bad Machinery was a weird read for me. I feel like I should have enjoyed it a lot more than I did.
I like several of the main and supporting characters, I find the light-hearted school kids mystery concept interesting, and I find the humor mostly amusing. The art isn't amazing but isn't bad either. But something just isn't clicking. It might be just a touch too off the wall and/or unfocused for my tastes, by that seems like a cop out since I enjoy some pretty strange stories.
Can't really explain it - as I mentioned most of the pieces seem fine, but it's somehow coming together as less than the sum of it's parts for me. I finished the second case as well and had the same feeling. Good characters and humor; slightly better than the first case; but kind of meh when all was said and done.
There's enough good points for me to recommend checking it out yourself, but personally I found Bad Machinery to be lacking something. I'll probably try some more in the future, but I'm not in a rush.
Mod
The Fox Sister opens with a rather ominous definition regarding a Korean fox demon and a scene that gives a glimpse of what torments main character Yun Hee. She searches to put that that torment to rest, while dealing with day to day inconveniences like the persistent young American who her dog has taken a liking to.
I'm being intentionally vague and in trying not to spoil the plot probably not doing it justice. I liked this comic a lot. The overarching story is very interesting and the characters engaging. It's a dark, sometimes quite violent comic, but rightfully so for the story and the balance of lighter moments and touches of humor are just right. The art has a nice style and the coloring is particularly excellent.
The Fox Sister is early in the third chapter (about 35 pages a chapter) so it is pretty easy to get caught up. Overall it's a very strong read and I highly recommend it.
Mod
Intended six issue miniseries.
The short version - very neat alternate history combining steampunk and paranormal elements. Mostly laying groundwork so far, but still maintains a decent pace and is off to a great start. Good artwork and several interesting characters.
Looking forward to more. :)
Long version - my full review of chapter 1, including comments regarding having read one of the tie-in novellas first.
Edit 12/15/13: My review of chapter 2. Short version - strong follow up to chapter 1, with a lot of great character conflicts as well as tense action and intrigue.
Edit 9/10/14: Review of chapter 3. Still going strong.
Mod
Gunnerkrigg Court follows Antimony Carver and her new best friend Kat during school at the titular school, which isn't exactly a normal place. It's starts a little off, but evens out quickly and becomes a masterful blend of humor, intrigue and atmosphere. Looking forward to reading more.
Edit 1/2/14: Read volume 3. Incredible. Raises the bar on a comic that was already fantastic. The developments here are just non-stop, very emotional and perfectly done. Really interested in where we go from here. Link to full review below.
Edit 1/12/15: Read volume 4 (link to review) and the side story. Annie in the Forest is a very nice black and white interlude featuring Annie's summer living in the forest.
Will add reviews of individual volumes as I read them:
Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4
Mod
Thoughts after 5-6 issues:
Beatrice has all the normal seventeen year old worries: her-not-so-secret crush, paying attention in class, her close yet annoying cousin, and the vivid lifelike dreams of being in the middle of the Revolutionary War and in love with a handsome soldier...
Bea's life gets more and more complicated as she becomes more involved and obsessed with events in her "fantasy world." The concept is great and the time shifting is a very neat hook. The art is very good and conveys each time period and the appropriate atmosphere very well.
Unfortunately I just couldn't get that into the story and characters. There's interesting tidbits and a lot of potential, but for me it gets overshadowed by teen melodrama and characters that overwhelm the story instead of nurturing it. I don't necessarily mind romance based stories, but I tend not to care for ones that center around a love triangle and The Dreamer just doesn't do enough to make me want to continue through it all to find out what's going on.
If the "negatives" I mentioned don't deter you this is an easy recommendation, as even though I didn't end up liking it I can recognize the quality of The Dreamer. On the other hand if, like me, you're hoping for something that fully capitalizes on its potential and transcends elements you don't usually enjoy you're unlikely to find it here.
Mod
This is a 16 page complete webcomic about a girl named Emily visiting her recently departed Grandmother's house and finding the truth behind the fairy tales she had been told. At this length it of course isn't terribly complex or deep, but it does tell a full story that is a nice twist on common fairy tale cliches.
The art is quite nice, done in tight pencil work and containing an impressive amount of detail in the backgrounds.
The author's comments below each strip add a lot of context to the comic and insight into its production.
So nothing mind-blowing but a well done little fairy tale variation.
Mod
Here we have a short, relatively straightforward comic. The story is very simple plot-wise, but incredibly touching and deep all the same. It's about growing up, heartbreak, art, and a lot more, resonate. Further details would be a disservice.
The art is incredibly gorgeous. It conveys delicate, heart-wrenching emotions brilliantly through subtle touches and the finest use of coloring and shading I've ever seen.
1000 Words is a fantastic, resonant look at a hard subject that distills it's tale down to exactly what's needed and features absolutely phenomenal art.
Mod
Paranatural is the story of a thirteen year old named Max, life in his new town / at his new school, the curiously named "Activity Club" and some very strange happenings.
Chapter 1:
Max and his sister are moved to "idyllic" Mayview so their father can pursue his "lifelong dream" of owning a convenience store. Max is seeing strange things around Mayview and the halls of his school, but it may be something going on with him, rather than the town. Luckily he's not alone...
"Chapter 1" is more like a volume at a hefty 70 pages. It provides a great introduction to Max's character while hinting at the backbone of the overarching story. There's also a large and nicely developed supporting cast, each distinct enough to make an impression. The humor is pitch perfect and carries things along at a nice pace.
It's really interesting to see the art develop, as a few strips ate the beginning are mostly black and white with some single color accents. Shortly though it goes full color and the coloring is absolutely gorgeous.
Great stuff overall. Looking forward to more.
---
Chapter 2 to follow
Mod
Hemlock is a black and white webcomic about a witch named Lumi. She lives in a friendly giant snail's shell and is about to cross paths with a young man named Tristan who dreams of a more academic life than that of a farmer's son.
Chapter 1:
I was uncertain about Hemlock at the start but got drawn in fairly quickly. The atmosphere and tone is really well done. Lumi's quasi-boredom at times and Tristan's distress combine to make the introductory stuff quite interesting. There's a great balance here between setting the stage and moving things along and a lot of intriguing things are foreshadowed for the future. At 80+ pages it's also a nicely complete story in it's own right in addition to being the first part of a longer tale.
The art's a little too dark and abstract in a couple of places, but is very good overall with a unique, well executed style. The character designs are excellent, particularly Lumi and Tristan. The author is very good at conveying emotion through facial expressions and body language.
A good start overall with a lot of potential going forward.
Chapter 2:
** This section contains no spoilers for Hemlock 2 but will have a couple for chapter 1. **
Hemlock continues the everyday adventures of the quiet witch Lumi and her new familiar Tristan, the three eyed frog. It took me a little bit to get into chapter 1 but I ended up really enjoying it. Here that momentum is kept and the story is intriguing and compelling from start to finish. We get a lot of information about Lumi's past and present, including things about her last familiar, her husband, and other witches. Everything is logically connected, well layered, and nicely paced. Like chapter 1 what's here is a complete tale on it's own but sets up future developments and plotlines.
The thing I like most about the comic is how well formed and interesting the characters and world are. Lumi and Tristan are terrific leads and really make me want to read more about them.
The art continues to be quite good. Appropriately dark but very detailed and incredible as far as expressions and body language. As I mentioned above the author is great at conveying emotions of the characters and situations.
Hemlock is shaping up to be an excellent comic and still has a ton of potential going forward.
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Chapter 3
** This section contains no spoilers for Hemlock 3 but will have them for previous chapters. **
This chapter of Hemlock feels different, as it's both shorter and more focused on a single story than before. The combined effect makes it feel even shorter than it is (still a very respectable 46 pages). There's a brief flashback to open, then the remainder of the chapter features Tristan's cousin Kolya looking for some answers regarding Tristan's death. It doesn't feature the slice of life feel Hemlock has established nor provide a lot of information, but it's still a nice character tale that follows up on the status of Tristan's family and drops some tantalizing hints about future story progression.
Though a bit of a departure to the established and not quite as strong as the first two chapters this installment of Hemlock is still a good entry in the series that fleshes out a supporting character and adds to the overall mythos being built.
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Chapter 4
While I think it's great that the author allows each chapter to vary in length as needed, it is nice to be back to a longer installment after the (relatively) short chapter 3. There's a wonderful amount of information and development, including glimpses of Lumi's past, Simo's plots, and the third son of Baba Yaga. But the true treat is Lumi and Tristan going to visit Sindri. Their relationships are weird, complex, and carefully conveyed through natural sounding dialog and the slide-of-life feel that seems so at odds with the subject material yet works beautifully. Subtle touches in both art and plotting add depth and resonance to Lumi's dilemmas and help to thoroughly engage the reader.
My favorite chapter yet of this gloriously unique story of a witch and her familiar.
Mod
Digger is a black and white comic about a wombat who takes a wrong turn into a patch of dead air and ends up tunneling a VERY far way from home. She simply calls herself Digger and reacts reasonably well to the odd adventure of magic, god statues and strange creatures she's stumbled upon.
The world mythology is quite interesting, with a lot of unusual things being thrown at our "hero" that yet coalesce into something that feels fully formed and connected. There's a very strong narrative voice here and the pacing and cadence of the dialog is great. The main character has a respectful yet no-nonsense attitude that makes her instantly endearing, and she's surrounded by a small but well developed supporting cast. Despite including anthropomorphous animals, gods and other creatures the characters all feel quite "real" and resonate well.
These first two chapters are largely set up but contain a fair number of mini-adventures and convey a ton of information in an easily processed way.
The art is very good. It's mostly done in stark black and white, with crisp details and line work.
Digger's journey into an unusual world is off to an intriguing start. Looking forward to more.
Mod
Review based on ch 1-3:
Next Town Over is a sorcery and steampunk infused Western featuring the pale, obsessed bounty hunter Vane chasing the flamboyant wanted outlaw Hunter. It's set up as a serial following their conflict from town to town with small glimpses of their connected past here and there. It's interesting, beautiful and imaginative, but does have some story issues.
I really wish there was more to the overarching story and/or any reason to actually like Vane at this point. Following an ineffectual bounty hunter who doesn't care about collateral damage chasing a charming scoundrel who kills at a whim isn't really engrossing stuff in the long run. There needs to be more character development to anchor the leads with the readers and some side stuff to show Vane's competence. The encounters are exciting and seem tense, but by definition the series setup of Vane constantly crossing paths with Hunter in each town means she's also constantly failing. The world is interesting, I've enjoyed the action but the story itself is far from compelling at this point.
The art is incredible. From coloring to character designs to panel layout. It's likely enough by itself to keep me reading to see if more of the comic's potential starts to get realized in the story.
Next Town Over is decent overall with phenomenal art and a story that will hopefully get deeper at some point.
Mod
My head hurts. I like the world of Dresden Codak and was excited to dive in after enjoying The Distinctly Essential Dresden Codak Primer (my review here), but Tomorrow Girl lost me somewhere. I have a high tolerance for weird and random, but despite some good ideas there's a disconnect here and I couldn't get all that into (nor really follow) what was happening. I'll likely try again sometime, but who knows it that will go any better.
One the flip side, the art is absolutely GORGEOUS. There are a variety of styles employed in the different stories throughout the book and there are done very well. The visual atmosphere is powerful and consistent even through the style changes. There's a rounded feel to the designs and strong use of color that really works and gives a unique feel.
Overall I found the substance of the comic a bit disappointing, but the art itself makes it worth a look.
Note: The printed edition has incredibly high production values. It's a beautiful oversized hardcover with very high quality paper and printing.
Mod
Sonja is a sceptic living in a tourist trap for supernatural enthusiasts built on her late father's insistence that he'd seen a lizard-man come from the local bubbling lake. When her cat Victuals goes missing she's the only one looking for a reasonable explanation. But when he reappears with the ability to speak reality starts to tilt...
reMIND is quite interesting and I'm glad I didn't know much more than the above going in. Looking now the website description (and the book descriptions) give away a little too much in my opinion. You may want to avoid them if you can.
The story is extremely odd but fairly well developed and very engaging despite it's off the wall premise and mythology. I got caught up in Sonja and Victuals' strange world quickly and pulled along by my curiosity to see how everything unfolds. I did feel it lost momentum as things went on and that volume 2 isn't quite as good as volume 1.
There's nothing overly wrong with the progression or conclusion but it doesn't fully capitalize on its established potential either. I found some things felt forced and/or contrived. Some of the choices also made the story seem almost like a prologue (to my knowledge reMIND is self contained and there is no sequel). Don't get me wrong, it's is complete as is, but there are a lot of dangling threads that were unneeded if this is it.
The art is continually fantastic all the way through. There's some really gorgeous stuff and it really creates a great atmosphere for the comic. The style is striking while fitting the story well. The use of color is particularly outstanding. Very unique but doesn't draw attention to itself. Manages to be vivid while using a great subdued palate.
reMIND is a beautiful, compelling read that isn't quite what it could have been but is still definitely worth a look.
Mod
Even knowing going in that Boxer Hockey is about a game in which players wearing boxers hit genetically engineered rubber frogs with bat like objects I still left my first experience with the strip thinking "what on Earth did I just read?!" I don't know what I expected but the beginning is beyond random. About 40 strips in I didn't know what to make of it. There were glimmers of potential here and there, but there wasn't much indication that things were going anywhere and the humor was very strange. Often more uncomfortable (and stupid) than funny, especially in a sequence right around where I originally stopped.
I continued on advice from Kristen who said things improved, and she was 100% right. The second game depicted was much more entertaining than the first, and the plot suddenly got very character driven which tempered the randomness. The comedy's still hit or miss, but not as grating as the early stuff and when it works I laughed quite a bit. The character interactions once the cast gets developed a bit are well done. It goes on hiatus at a rather unfortunate point, as a number of intriguing plot threads are really just starting to come together.
Like a lot of the rest of the comic, the art is hit or miss, but decent overall and supplements the story. The color art anyway - I'm not as much of a fan the couple of times the strip randomly switches to black and white. The artist is good at using the art style for visual impact, particularly during games/practice.
Boxer Hockey was too unfocused and weird for me at the beginning, even for something with so absurd a premise. But it does even out and become something relatively engaging if you can get by the rough start up period and overall strangeness.
Mod
Hinges is currently in the second chapter of volume 2.
Volume 1 and general thoughts:
I started reading Hinges without any foreknowledge, based solely on randomly coming across the wonderfully haunting opening image of the main character, Orio. I wasn't sure what to expect but was very intrigued, and was incredibly impressed as I began her unique tale.
Orio wakes up with no memory in a strange clockwork town called Cobble. While disorienting to Orio it's apparently not unusual as and administrator immediately begins her initiation. Its a wonderful way to start as Orio is in the same limited information state as the reader but with other characters already on hand to provide a little framework we get a nice, seamless introduction to world. It's delightfully imaginative, from it's doll and marionette citizens to the "ODD" companions they all have to the general design of their surroundings. Little hints and details about how Cobble works are unobtrusively given as the comic progresses while the main focus stays firmly on the characters.
And what delightful characters we're given. The silent Orio is a strong lead, possessing something that makes her immediately endearing. The reader feels for her confusion, admires her determination and cheers her strength. The lovably mischievous Bauble is a source of humor, trouble and mystery in equal measure. Add in several strong yet diverse personalities around them and Hinges has an excellent cast all around.
One of the unusual things about Hinges is the use of numerous sections without dialog. Authors that are confident enough to get out of the way and let the story proceed at its own pace and its own manner make me very happy. When used right it really enhances pacing and impact. One of my favorite manga, A Bride's Tale, is a great example of this and I love it in Hinges too. The plot moves at a perfect pace and good use of this technique is a big reason why.
The art is exquisite. It has a soft feel that occasionally "hardens" a little when tension or danger are present. The subdued color palette helps establish a great atmosphere for the comic and subtly changes in different locations. In general the coloring is among the best I've seen in comics.
Clockwork City is a great start to a comic that has become an instant favorite of mine.
Volume 2 so far:
Hinges is continuing full speed ahead without any loss of momentum and with some surprising and very interesting developments. Not at all where I would have predicted the story went next but it's logical, interesting and wonderfully done.
Now comes the painful waiting...
Mod
As of 2/23/14 Strays is currently a couple pages into the second chapter of volume 3.
Meela is an orphan lupian (wolf-like humans) trying to make her way on her own after her brother's death. A chance encounter with a mute mercenary gives her a reluctant companion for the not-so-safe journeys ahead.
Overal thoughts: I'm enjoying Strays. A nice little adventure comic with interesting characters, some solid plot threads that get deeper and deeper as the comic progresses and good art.
The scenery particularly shines, like in strips such as this one.
Volume 1: Fun start. Nothing terribly deep, but engaging characters in a nicely developed world with a lot of potential.
Volume 2: Plot's picking up. I like the pacing - we're organically learning more about Meela and Feral without slowing down the action or losing momentum. Some extremely intriguing possibilities are being foreshadowed.
Volume 3 (so far): ... and followed up on immediately. Nice, tense reveal to pay off some of the ongoing mysteries. Really well done.
Looking forward to more.
Mod
Quick thoughts (through vol 2 ch 3): Cute comic with a good premise and a nice balance of story and humor. Well paced and reads quick. I love the characterization of Al and Mary. They act and react like real siblings and it anchors the comic wonderfully. The feel changes a little going into volume 2 as the author digs into longer chapters and more complicated plots while keeping things as interesting and fun as ever. Lots of action and twists. Can't wait to see where we go from here.
Mod
Currently on a short hiatus between vol 2 and 3.
Love the premise here and so far so good on the execution. The rules of the universe (and who can break them) are slowly and logically being revealed and Kleya's a compelling, multidimensional lead. There are several interconnected and conflicting plot threads masterfully balanced and conveyed. The art takes some getting used to but really does suit the comic quite well. The little glimpses and hints we get about the "real world" are as fascinating as the main stories unfolding in the online areas.
Mod
This is the second webcomic set in Evam Dahm's Overside (after Rice Boy). They take place centuries apart however and are quite different. While there are some common references nothing is lost by starting with Order of Tales.
Order of Tales follows the tremulous journey of teller Koark, last of a line of collectors and protectors of Overside's stories and legends. Tasked to find a legendary lost story of vast import, Koark will travel far beyond the protected lands of his youth and encounter creatures and power beyond imagination.
If my premise summary sounds cliche (and it does), it's because Dahm draws on classic elements and structure for his epic tale. As with any great adventure it's the uniqueness and depth of the characters and details that make it compelling and worth experiencing.
Order of Tales does have a rather slow and uneven start. It's nice that Dahm is willing to take the time to set up his story properly, but what feels essentially like three or so chapters of deliberately paced prologue before the adventure begins in earnest is a lot to ask. Still, it's all important information, well told overall, and the comic really hits its stride in the middle chapters and never lets up from there on.
There's a small central cast dealing with shifting threats in a tightly plotted adventure that still manages to feel grand and epic. Koark is a different kind of protagonist, and a very interesting one. The bigger picture gradually forms in a logical and organic way, with some great and the careful layers Dahm built through the stories in Koark's custody pay off brilliantly.
To compare to the other Overside comics: I read Rice Boy first, and have not read Vattu yet. Rice Boy is much more accessible to start and is more about the world Rice Boy is drawn into. The coloring strongly highlights the fantastical environments and creatures he encounters. Order of Tales' stark and simple black and white art is much more subdued, placing the weight of the story firmly on Koark. While Rice Boy also has a strong, dramatic story I do think Order's is tighter overall (and thus rated it slightly higher). They are both wonderful, yet diverse, comics.
Overall Koark's is a long journey, but one that's dangerous, wondrous, and well worth taking.
Mod
Decrypting Rita is a unique, highly stylized comic featuring a core set of characters in various realities. I won't go into more detail as spoilers would take away some of the story's impact and intrigue. I really like what I've read so far. Providing information and moving things along are balanced nicely and the fairly quick pace keeps the reader engaged. Finished the first two books (and am close to caught up). Not perfect, but a really good read. Lots of intersecting story lines, compelling ongoing plot threads and neat use of the parallel realities. Interested to see where this all goes.
The visual look is extremely distinctive and striking. It can be hard to follow at times, but those instances don't detract from the story much and overall I love what the artist is trying to do. There are individual color schemes for different realities and the art is defined by blocks of color and shadow. Two of the color schemes are a little close for my tastes but they're different enough to tell apart. More than one reality at a time will often be shown in parallel using pages split into horizontal sections. The overall effect and how it all comes together is quite impressive and easily overcomes the few missteps.
Mod
"How does a hero decide who's worth saving?"
Princess Princess is a cute little webcomic that packs humor, adventure, satire, and a pair of delightfully unique princesses into a 44 page complete story that revels in twisting every fairy tale trope it can find into knots. And it's just plain fun to boot.
Mod
Thoughts through Book1 (strips 1-107):
Starship captain and galactic activist Nogg is left without a crew to help him liberate the meek yet technologically gifted Eebs from their galaxy-wide enslavement. His less-than-brilliant solution: get humans involved.
One of Baldwin's other comics, Little Dee, is an all-time favorite of mine. So I was interested to see what he could do in an extremely different genre and format. To be honest my initial impression wasn't great. The early, "scene setting" strips didn't click well for me and I had a hard time getting into the comic. Thankfully I continued on the advice of someone who'd read farther, as somewhere in the 20's Spacetrawler picks up and never looks back.
The crew is a diverse, well defined collection of nut cases and the dry (and often morbid) humor really works once the comic gets going. The core plot is a solid framework to move things along and Baldwin has a nice touch when it comes to surprises and twists. The balance of the character's personalities, both individually and as a group, is phenomenal. No one feels redundant or like a cipher, and while all too weird and idiosyncratic to be truly likable it's easy to become fond of most of them despite themselves.
After an uneven start Spacetrawler becomes a fun, humorous adventure well worth traveling along with. I haven't read anything quite like it, including Baldwin's other comics. Recommended.
Mod
Thoughts through season 1:
Twenty-Fifth Bam has been trapped alone in darkness his entire life. When the only person who's ever visited him leaves to climb the legendary tower that contains everything anyone desires, Bam's only desire is to follow her up...
Tower of God is a surprisingly fantastic character driven, fantasy adventure. The idea of characters facing tests on each floor of a tower is straight out of video game design, but the carefully crafted plot and wonderfully developed characters prove it's the execution and what's new twists you put on cliched elements and concepts that matters. The mysteries of the tower, its internal political structure and power dynamics, and the tests themselves are all fascinating and compelling. Add in a core collection of diverse, idiosyncratic characters with individual motivations and goals and I found this comic impossible to stop reading.
The art is of equal quality and suits the story well. The unique elements of the webtoon format are used perfectly to accentuate the story, from striking panel layouts to the flow created by the vertical presentation. I also loved the general art style and great use of color.
There are a couple of small translation issues/typos, such as often using "dart" instead of "drat" and "lever" instead of "level," but they weren't bad enough nor frequent enough to really detract from the experience.
This is a phenomenal start for Tower of God, and with some major twists to finish season 1 I'm extremely eager to read more. Highly recommended.
Mod
This is a deliberately paced comic but it's done wonderfully and really allows the atmosphere to build around Jonas' adventure. The art is incredible. Beautiful use of color vividly brings both Wormworld and Jonas' everyday existence to life.
Webcomic Wonderland
Books mentioned in this topic
The Distinctly Essential Dresden Codak Primer (other topics)Lackadaisy: Volume #1 (other topics)
OotS focuses on a Dungeons and Dragons adventuring party that is self aware of the rules governing their universe. The premise allows a lot of forth wall twisting for humorous effect while we follow our heroes' battles against evil. D&D familiarity would help get some of the humor, particularly early on, but it's not necessary to enjoy the comic.
OotS is one of my all time favorites - it really blends humor, drama and adventure perfectly and has become epic in scale as it's progessed.
My full reviews (all spoiler free, but of course reviews for later volumes might spoil events in earlier ones):
Vol. 1: Dungeon Crawling Fools
Vol. 2: No Cure for the Paladin Blues
Vol. 3: War and XPs
Vol. 0: On Origin of PCs - print only
Vol. -1: Start of Darkness - print only
Vol. 4: Don't Split the Party
Side stuff:
Snips, Snails, and Dragon Tales - print only