Let's talk about webcomics!

Do you know what depresses me? No, no, don't guess; I'm about to tell you. What depresses me is that most of the time, when you hear webcomics mentioned in polite conversation--which is rarely!--the most constructive thing anyone can think to say is "Oh yeah, I read that one webcomic...QPDC, or whatever?"* The subject then tends to be promptly dropped.

(((* XKCD, guys. XKCD. I'm not necessarily recommending that you read it, but how hard is it to remember four letters?)))

This would lead one to suspect that webcomics are an extremely niche form of entertainment, popular with the archetypical "fat male nerd on the internet" crowd and pretty much no one else. And yeah, some webcomics--probably a lot of webcomics--play to those particular cheap seats.

However, dismissing webcomics as a whole as an inconsequential art form with cult appeal at best is a huge mistake. The internet, after all, is a vast place. Thanks to the multitude of people with the means to scan or digitally draw artwork, and the equal multitude of sites that provide some sort of free blogging or image-posting service, there are more active webcomics online than even the most efficient of enthusiasts could enumerate. These comics cover a staggeringly vast spectrum of genres, artistic ability, and whatever else you care to name; in that respect, webcomics resemble any other variety of popular entertainment.

You can find webcomics that cater to pretty much any interest, whether it be angsty postmodernism or, well, disturbing secret fetishes (this is the internet). So obviously, there are more people creating and reading webcomics than the aforementioned fat male nerds on the internet--but that doesn't mean that they aren't still a total niche interest, right?

Wrong! Totally incorrect. I hate you for even asking, okay?

I hate to break it to you, but you've probably encountered--and enjoyed!!--some insanely popular webcomics whilst doing whatever it is people do on the internet (porn and facebook). Webcomics have grown in readership to the point where an impressive amount of creators have been able to quit their day jobs and live solely off of the profits from merchandising and publishing deals.

Wait, you ask, publishing deals? Yes, I reply, stroking my goatee in smug response, publishing deals. Print collections for a bunch of popular webcomics can be found pretty readily at your local bookstore (or library, I guess, but apparently we're killing the libraries so let's just go with "bookstore" for now). You've almost definitely seen 'em around. Don't quote me on this, but I'm pretty sure good old internet stalwart/heaping pile of shit Megatokyo was a big trendsetter in the webcomic-publishing movement--you can even find that shit at Barnes and Noble, yo!

Note: you should never, under any circumstances, buy Megatokyo.

There are thankfully even more options nowadays, and you can buy actually-good-stuff like American Elf in book form at Barnes and Noble AND read it online (if I were a worse person, this is where I would veer off into a discussion of the pros and cons of internet v. physical distribution, but that is a post for another time)!!

The last aspect of webcomics you should take into account is the mainstream success--we're talking beyond even considerable internet popularity, here!--that webcomic creators can sometimes achieve. I'd say that the best example of this is Kate Beaton. Beaton initially gained recognition for Hark! A Vagrant, a historical/literary/occasionally biographical webcomic that managed to attract a sizable fanbase. This internet fame eventually translated into real-world prominence, and today Beaton has published two collections, been interviewed all over the place, done a couple of strips for the New Yorker, and gone on a pretty successful book tour (full disclosure: I went to see her and she was great oh my god).

Obviously--and if it isn't obvious by now, I give up on writing--webcomics have a good deal of influence on popular culture, and not just the parts of popular culture that can be found online. In an era when most people are having a grand old time forecasting the death of the print industry, one could even predict that webcomics, far from being print comics' nerdy bastard brother, are in fact its child (awkward familial metaphor! 10 points!), destined to overtake print as more and more people seek their entertainment in primarily digital forms.

So what can you do to be part of the FUTURE? Well, you can read some awesome webcomics. It turns out you're in luck--I have impeccable taste and lots of recommendations for you all. If you like interesting stories told well, or just disturbing and absurdist humor, then by all means continue reading.

RECOMMENDED GAG-A-DAY WEBCOMICS:

(these are probably the easiest form of webcomic to digest--single, standalone strips, much like those found in newspapers. Primarily humorous, and in my experience tending more towards the "geeky" side of things than some other forms of webcomic)

• Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal--In recent years, this strip has grown in overt nerdiness, but it has remained consistently funny. If you don't like math/science/existentialism jokes, just start reading from the beginning.
• Hark! A Vagrant--mentioned above. Although a lot of the strips center around historical figures or classic literature, the strips are generally pretty funny even if you have no idea what Beaton is talking about.
• Left-Handed Toons--The art is maybe not much to write home about, but if you are a fan of weird, lighthearted humor, then this is your comic right here.
• Pictures for Sad Children--on that note, if you are a fan of extremely weird and not at ALL lighthearted humor, boy have I got a comic for you! It's not completely comprised of standalone strips--there are some short plotlines scattered throughout--but for the most part it fits most effectively into this category. This is totally my favorite webcomic. Fair warning.
• Scenes from a Multiverse--This strip is written by the creator of Goats, a very popular webcomic that I actually don't really like at all. Imagine my surprise when I realized that SfaM is pretty awesome. It can be a little dorky/lowbrow at times, but the art is bright and fun, the concept is cool, and the strips are frequently hilarious! Worth an archive trawl just to find the bunny strips.
• Gunshow--Gunshow is hilarious and frequently horrifying. As with PfSC, there are some independent plotlines within the archives, but unlike PfSC, these plotlines do not make you want to cry (usually). The art is also distinctive and great.

RECOMMENDED SLICE-OF-LIFE WEBCOMICS:

(these comics have established characters and plotlines, but the focus tends to be on character interaction and humor rather than story arc. Frequently, there is at least a bit of an autobiographical edge to these strips)

• Octopus Pie--With an art style that somewhat evokes Scott Pilgrim but is entirely awesome in its own right, Octopus Pie is just plain fun to look at. It is also incredibly fun to read, and at various times will have you laughing hysterically and clutching at your sad, broken heart. It centers around protagonist Eve Ning, her roommate, and their various friends and coworkers, and is divided into short chapters that make the reading process 100 times less likely to give you a headache.
• Johnny Wander--Johnny Wander is a webcomic about webcomic artists, basically, which sounds annoying but is actually really great. Most of the strips concern the two creators (who are totally together--awwww!) and their group of friends/roommates/fellow totally rad artists, and every now and then there will be a small fictional story that is generally gorgeously drawn. Funny, sweet, and low-key.
• Questionable Content--Now, I'm not sure I really recommend QC as such, but it is one of the most popular slice-of-life webcomics, and was definitely pretty good for a couple of years. At the very least you should click between the first and most recent strips and marvel at how much the art has improved. Creator Jeph Jacques also supports himself entirely off of profits from running QC, which is pretty cool! Gosh!

RECOMMENDED PLOT-HEAVY WEBCOMICS:

(Like a cross between mythology-heavy television shows and the serialized comic books of old [and new, for that matter]!!! This is where I should point out that I am a huge nerd and thus most of the ones I read are pretty silly. They are uniformly entertaining, though, so shut up and thank me jeez)

• Gunnerkrigg Court--every time I try to summarize this comic I make it sound like Harry Potter, so I'm not even going to try. Let's just say that it has a very interesting story full of, you know, mystery and stuff, and is currently ongoing. The art is lovely and moody and frequently influenced by some pretty cool mythology!
• Bad Machinery--everything that John Allison writes is perfect. If you really want to challenge yourself, read Scary-Go-Round, the precursor to BM--but you don't have to! BM is a charmingly weird comic about a group of British kids who sometimes solve supernatural mysteries and mostly argue. It is notable both for its art, which is really fantastic but not to the point of distracting one from the actual goings-on of the plot, and its dialogue, which is comparable to that of Joss Whedon in the sense that no children actually talk like the kids in BM do and yet it still seems totally believable.
• Breakfast of the Gods--This is so stupid and so, so epic. In the classical sense. Also it is complete, so no waiting around for updates.
• Doctor McNinja--It took me literally two years to read this comic because I thought the first chapter was stupid. It kind of is, but if you forge onwards, this turns into one of the more hilarious comics in existence, and the art looks like it belongs in a real-people comic book, even! Actually, real-people comic book art is mostly shitty these days, so ignore that. I don't want to spoil any of the plotlines. They are all great.
• Friends With Boys--This is no epic, but it's charming nonetheless. FWB will eventually end up as a legitimate graphic novel, but the author is posting it online first. The art--as is most of these plot-heavy comics, I guess--is superb, and while it's not action-heavy, the characters and the various mysteries lurking in the background should be enough to keep anyone satisfied.
• Monster Pulse--this comic is a pretty new one, but the unique art and concept already guarantee its status as a worthwhile read. It has a pretty simple sensibility, though, so don't come here for scathing wit and convoluted plot machinations.

So happy reading, you guys!! If I forgot to attach a link to anything or made any heinous typing errors, let me know. Also, if you have any awesome comics you think I should add to my recommendations, send me a link and I'll tell you why you're wrong (no, actually, i will probably check them out).