November 14th DRAFT version of 100 Greatest Webcomics List

Re: November 14th DRAFT version of 100 Greatest Webcomics List

by thirtyseven - 12/15/2008 - 18:34

Apart from "Irregular Webcomic!" and "A Softer World" I could not find any other photocomics on your list. (Well, at last any more I could recognise by title...). Yes, I know they are a niche product, there are only very few really good ones out there and photocomics with real actors seem to be even more rare. 

But here are three you should take into consideration! They are the best ones I have found so far – one for each genre: 
Fantasy: Dark Red 
Horror: Night Zero 
and Superheroes: Union of Heroes 

Even if you do not like photocomics in general – you'll have to admit that these three all have really high values concerning how they are produced. By my point of view they are ground-breaking for future generations of photocomics.

Re: November 14th DRAFT version of 100 Greatest Webcomics List

by zephirius - 11/22/2008 - 18:52

I do not get some of your top choices, the art isn't that great, the story is not outstanding and the humour isn't distinguished from anything else. What makes narbonic, achewood, xkcd or most of those top comics so good. I just don't get it. Whereas a funny comic with amazing art, decent character development and an actual plot like Supertron is way down the list. 

Re: November 14th DRAFT version of 100 Greatest Webcomics List

by DAJB - 11/19/2008 - 19:34

Hmmm - I'm not sure what the criteria for this list is supposed to be but, at the moment, I can see a number of titles on that list which seem to be there solely by virtue of their longevity.  I won't name names (people in glass houses and all that!) but there are several comics there which I'd say have become very stale and uninteresting.  Is it right we should still consider them among the "greatest" just because they once happened to be better than the rest of the (then) fairly limited competition?

It's a subjective thing, obviously, but for my money, there are many webcomics better than almost all of those currently on the list but which for some reason are seldom mentioned anywhere.  For example:

The Dreamer.  Excellent artwork and an intriguing adventure story set (mostly) during the American War of Independence.  As a sign of its quality, it has recently been picked up for publication by one of the larger print companies.

Simply Sarah.  One of the very few lesbian themed webcomics which is not angrily feminist, or childishly slapstick.  A very sensitive little romance with consistently high production values and genuinely accessible to all genders and orientations.

Shades.  If there's a rule against suggesting your own comics, I didn't notice it and I apologise for this one immediately!  As the writer, I'm obviously biased as far as the story and dialogue are concerned, so I shan't cite those as reasons (even if I do think they're a notch above some of the other super hero fare out there!) Hey - I admitted I was biased!  The artwork is not by me, however, and I can honestly say that - even if it were not in my own comic - I'd consider it among the best on the web, traditional enough to suit the genre but consciously avoiding the slick high-gloss look of current mainstream output.

Digger.  A fantasy tale of a wombat and her assorted companions.  Considering none of the characters in this are human, it's a testament to the writing that we can so readily empathise with them.

Purgatory.  SciFi story using 3D poser graphics which is superby rendered, with a story that encompasses political intrigue, ground-based warfare and epic space battles.  Periodic releases of supplemental background info reveal a backstory with the kind of depth associated with genre classics such as Dune.

Brat-halla.  The adventures of the Norse Gods during their kindergarten years.  Not just funny - often very witty too.  And the artwork is always pro-quality.

The Surreal Adventures of Edgar Allen Poo.  Some of the most highly individual and yet eerily evocative artwork on the web, with a story of Edgar Allen Poe's alter ego (the Poo of the title) as he journeys through his own nightmarish Wonderland.

Re: November 14th DRAFT version of 100 Greatest Webcomics List

by James Hatton - 11/19/2008 - 02:33

Oh!  And how stupid of me not to recommend someone:

Out of nowhere, I do believe Rosscott's THE SYSTEM (http://www.rosscottinc.com/) is not only new and innovative, but is a nice and natural evolution of the 'minimalist' genre of webcomics.

It is a bit on the young side as far as this list goes, but that doesn't mean it doesn't deserve a looksie and a consideration.

Also Dead of Summer is pretty fantastic as far zombie strips go.

Finally, I must also agree with someone who listed Paradigm Shift by Dirk Tiede.  Not only is he amazingly artistically talented - his comic is an intense action adventure.

Re: November 14th DRAFT version of 100 Greatest Webcomics List

by James Hatton - 11/19/2008 - 02:28

Hey - just wanted to say thanks for considering me one of your 100.  To be on a list with that much friggin talent, not to mention quite a few friends.. I was honored to say the least.

Good luck on the further compiling and thanks again.

James Hatton - inhislikeness.com

Re: November 14th DRAFT version of 100 Greatest Webcomics List

by Steve "The Geek" Shinney - 11/18/2008 - 19:17

Oooh, nice list.

I'm kind of ashamed of myself, there are a ton of strips on hear that either never heard of, or haven't gotten around to reading yet. BAd comics fan, bad!

Still, there is one comic that jumped right to my mind that I think deserves a spot among the top one hundred is Rice Boy  by Evan Dahm. It's really a very under appreciated work. It has very simple art, but it's very well done. Each creature in his world, from main heroes to one panel throw away characters is full of imagination. The story is a classic hero tale that could be used to teach literature students about arcetypes.

Also it's a completed work with a really strong ending, something you dont' see too much of on the webs.

Re: November 14th DRAFT version of 100 Greatest Webcomics List

by Andrew-TLA - 11/17/2008 - 04:17

I say Melonpool deserves a spot in the top twenty. It's one of the trailblazers, having started in 1996. Troop's a master of both the daily and longer Sunday newspaper styles. Artwork's consistently pleasant, humor's generally amusing. All in all, it's a body of work any cartoonist would be proud to have produced. Plus, he drew the Walky characters better than Willis did during their first crossover.

I'd recommend dropping SugarShock! from the list. Yes, it's by Joss Whedon, and as we all know the man can do little wrong. But the fancy navigation bugs me (click the next button at the bottom of the page, the new page slides into view--but I've then got to scroll back up to see the first part of the page, thereby ruining any surprise they may have had). Also, the whole MySpace/Dark Horse site strikes me less as comics for the web as it does advertising the print editions.

Dilbert should be on the list. Adams was one of--if not the very--first cartoonists to adopt the web as a home.

I can't believe Makeshift Miracle hasn't been mentioned yet. Sure, it's been five years since it ended, but I've never seen anyone work with color to set the mood quite like Zubkavitch did.

Re: November 14th DRAFT version of 100 Greatest Webcomics List

by Sean Rickets - 11/16/2008 - 01:52

I did do explain why, sorry  I didn not do at first.

PLEASE explain why you're nominating comics for this list.

by Xaviar Xerexes - 11/15/2008 - 13:49

Please take a second to explain your reasons for any comic you're suggesting.  If you just list a bunch of comics that actually isn't all that helpful.  I mean it's not completely worthless - I don't want to overlook anything and naming comics does help with that, but if no one is explaining what is "great" about the webcomics they propose then there's not much to go on to actually write up this research into an article.

So thanks for comments so far but please -- more comments that explain the greatness of the webcomics you're listing.

Re: November 14th DRAFT version of 100 Greatest Webcomics List

by KimonoStereo - 11/14/2008 - 19:46

 What about nemu*nemu?

http://www.nemu-nemu.com/

Also:

One Swoop Fell - http://oneswoopfell.com/

Calamities of Nature - http://www.calamitiesofnature.com/

KawaiiNot - http://www.kawaiinot.com/

Re: November 14th DRAFT version of 100 Greatest Webcomics List

by Scott Christian Sava - 11/14/2008 - 16:52

Hey...what happened to Dreamland?

Did we get bumped?

:(

Re: November 14th DRAFT version of 100 Greatest Webcomics List

by Ron Phillips - 11/14/2008 - 12:20

Several comics I would have commented on have been listed by other readers. It's a hard list to compile for sure, so kudos for trying.

Two comics I've been enjoying for a while and are on opposite ends of creative style are Bellen by Box Brown and Wondermark by David Malki.

I'm a frequent reader of PVP and I think the purpose of the strip was that it always aspired to be a syndicated strip and therefore follows that model closely. While it's not the best of the best, obviously, it does deserve recognition because of it's longevity and because Kurtz is one of a few on the list who actually makes a living from the strip.

While I consider myself well read, there are several on the list I've never heard of. Are they all still active?

Here's a couple more. Not sure how to place them:

Sequential Art by Philip M Jackson ... love the comic
Looking for Group by Ryan Sohmer and Lar DeSouza
VG Cats by Scott Ramsoomair
Apple Geeks by Mohammad Haque & Ananth Panagariya  ... I like it for the Apple Geeks Lite strip

Re: November 14th DRAFT version of 100 Greatest Webcomics List

by Sean Rickets - 11/14/2008 - 08:41

To add, I think the comic I listed did evolve a bit the genre they are from. PVP, though lasting a long time, is tired same old jokes that I would find in newspaper. The strips I did list add something new and not same old tired ground of popular culure injokes that I mostly do not get from not being native to those things, or native to US

Re: November 14th DRAFT version of 100 Greatest Webcomics List

by John Baird - 11/14/2008 - 02:56

Overall I see the list split into two halves: the bottom 50 should be the comics that are solid, well written, and popular, but don't necessarily innovate on the webcomic model. Dreamland Chronicles falls into this - it's a good comic, but it's certainly not the only strong fantasy comic around. Newer webcomics like Three Panel Soul and Errant Story would also go here as their legacy hasn't been determine yet.

The top 50 should be the innovators, the trail blazers, the influencers. Webcomics from when all the webcomic creators around could fit in a medium sized living room comfortably. Sluggy Freelance, Roomies!, Piled Higher and Deeper, and Goats are just a few that come to mind from that period. I'd also put in newer comics that put twists to the old forumla, like xkcd and Templar.

Copper should be #1. Scott McCloud acknowledges it as one of the best, which is suitable justification in my mind. Fans! should be in the top 10, maybe even #2 - Campbell explored numerous forms and techniques in that comic that makes it a technical and storytelling high water mark.

Penny Arcade, MegaTokyo, and 8-Bit Theater should also be in the top 10 for their pervasive impact by influencing virtually every comic of their genre that followed: gaming, manga-style, and sprites. They weren't the first of their kind on the net, but they had the greatest impact. Kevin & Kell has (I think) the distinction of being both the first furry webcomic and the most influential.

Comics that were the first but didn't have huge impacts - Polymer City Chronicles (the first gaming comic), Where the Buffalo Roam (the first webcomic?), Doctor Fun (the first webcomic?) - should go in the second quarter (25-50). I suggest having Buffalo and Dr. Fun share the same spot since which came first is a matter of dispute.

You might want to consider "body of work" placements - one rank for every webcomic a certain person has done. Otherwise, Willis might get on the list 3 times for Roomies, Walky, and Shortpacked. And by the FSM we don't need his head getting any bigger. XD

Re: November 14th DRAFT version of 100 Greatest Webcomics List

by Anonymous - 11/14/2008 - 02:22

Horribleville/Gun Show instead of Droop/Bee Power for KC's active work.

Absent from the list but worth noting:  Family Man,  The Zombie Hunters, Dead Winter, Last Blood, Sorcery 101

Re: November 14th DRAFT version of 100 Greatest Webcomics List

by Winston Rowntree - 11/13/2008 - 23:25

You're obviously defining "webcomics" as "web-only comics," as there's no comics listed that also have a presence in the print world (except for the PBF and a couple others, actually). I certainly think this stance should be justified before any discussion of the actual comics on the list begins. So: what is your reasoning for this? What is to be gained, if anything, from drawing a distinction between "web-only comics" and "comics that are on the web but also in print?" I ask because i want to know, not because i have already made up my mind as to the value of this stance.

Re: November 14th DRAFT version of 100 Greatest Webcomics List

by Sean Rickets - 11/13/2008 - 21:35

You listed Street Code two times.

I think the Top 25 should include:
Bayou
High Moon
Freak Angels
Girls With Slingshots
Fishtown
Perry Bible Fellowship
XKCD
Achewood
Lackadaisy
Piled Higher and Deeper

I do not like PVP, I do not think it of best quality.

November 14th DRAFT version of 100 Greatest Webcomics List

by Xaviar Xerexes - 11/13/2008 - 21:10

Schlock Mercenary

Goats

Jack

Shortpacked!

Red String

Butterfly

Stuff Sucks

Anders Loves Maria

Nine Planets Without Intelligent Life by Adam Reed

Beaver & Steve

Starslip Crisis

Sheldon

Evil Inc

Greystone Inn

Zip and Lil Bit

Paradigm Shift is written and drawn by Dirk I. Tiede