With mainstream comics publishers finally catching up with
the digital revolution after years spent either denying its existence or hoping
to God it would go away so they could hold onto their old, outdated publishing
models, I notice that some professionals and fans alike are now grouping
webcomics alongside digital distribution as some sort of wild frontier that’s
only now being explored in a meaningful way. On the contrary; while the process
of distributing comics on the web for purchase through sites like Comixology
and iTunes might still be in its infancy, webcomics have been going strong for
years thanks to the hard work and dedication of some very talented and daring creators.
If you’re anything like me, though, and still find part of
yourself clinging to some notion that a “real” comic is the type stapled
together in 22-page bunches and sold at specialty stores on Wednesdays, it can
be easy to generalize and dismiss all webcomics as being gag-based, single-page
strips similar to the type you’d find in a daily newspaper. Having spent a good
chunk of the past month exploring the world of webcomics for myself, I can tell
you that this is not the case. If you look in the right places, you’ll find that
webcomics can and do offer everything a print comic has to offer and, in many ways, more.
The purpose of this post is to
recommend three webcomics that will help traditional, brick-and-mortar print
fans take the plunge into the vast world of entertaining webcomics out there –
to soften the transition, so to speak. All three of these serialized webcomics
are written by A-list print comics creators (and thus offer the safety-net of a creator you
trust), designed similarly to print comics
and are, most importantly, absolutely free. And while they might not showcase all
the groundbreaking innovations being made in webcomics these days, they do
demonstrate just how effective this new medium can be when it comes to serialized
storytelling. Try one or all of these recommendations out, and you’ll probably
find yourself a little more open-minded about web-based comics.
FreakAngels by Warren Ellis and Paul Duffield
Launched in February 2008 and running straight until August
2011, Ellis and Duffield’s first venture into webcomics was backed by Avatar
Press and serialized over 144 “episodes” composed of six pages a piece. The
story is set in a post-apocalyptic, steam-punk future London and follows eleven telepathic
teenagers – modeled after John Wydnam’s Midwich Cuckooss – as they attempt to
survive in the harsh environment they may or may not have caused. If you’re a
fan of Ellis’ brand of sci-fi, you’ll love this, as it
combines his sensibilities with the type of day-to-day survival drama found in
The Walking Dead.
This is definitely my favorite of the webcomics on this
list, and it’s the only one of the three that’s complete as of the time of this
writing. It’s the perfect place to start, as you'll have the freedom to dive in
and keep on reading until you reach the very end. That’s exactly what I did, as
I devoured Ellis and Duffield's epic in the span of a couple days. Check it out at the link above or here.
Lady Sabre and the Pirates of Ineffable Aether by Greg Rucka
and Rick Burchett
Longtime collaborators Rucka and Burchett (Gotham Central, The Batman and Robin Adventures, Queen & Country) took the webcomic plunge in July 2011,
delivering a wild, steampunk adventure filled with pirates, cowboys, airships, tons
of swashbuckling action and a whole lot more fun, over-the-top stuff. Starring
one of Rucka’s typically awesome, bad-ass female protagonists, this pulp-style
adventure saga is set in a strange, steampunk world similar to an Age of
Enlightenment-era Europe but far weirder, more
magical and fantastical. You can feel Rucka and Burchett channeling their love
for the pulps as they keep the action coming week in and week out, delivering
new pages every Monday and Thursday. They’ve been going strong for over a year
now, so there’s plenty to sink your teeth into already, and plenty more to come
if you catch up. Read more about it here if you want, or just dive in with the
first installment.
Insufferable by Mark Waid and Peter Krause
From the same team that brought you Irredeemable, Waid and Krause’ Insufferable
is another warped take on a familiar superhero archetype. Following their exploration
of a Superman analog turned horribly evil in Irredeemable, Insufferable
wonders what it would be like if a Batman and Robin-like duo who had a falling
out years ago – imagine if Bruce and Dick’s break-up leading to Grayson’s graduation
to Nightwing was far, far uglier – were forced to reunite despite their
differences. In this case, the drama comes from the former sidekick being an
insufferable (get it?) jerk, a set-up that delivers a good deal of laughs as
well.
This is by far the most experimental comic of the bunch, as
Waid and Krause are both pushing the envelope at every turn, really trying to explore
the unique strengths of telling a serialized story through a digital medium. If
you dug Scott McLoud’s Reinventing Comics, you’ll love watching Insufferable experiment with the form.
Even better, Insufferable is the first
of many titles coming down the pipeline from Thrillbent, a new webcomic
initiative from Waid and writer/producer John Rogers dedicated to delivering
free webcomics from top-tier creators. Thrillbent clearly has a ton of exciting
stuff in the works, and Insufferable
is just the tip of the iceberg. Give it a try here, and keep an eye on
Thrillbent for more bold new webcomics.
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So there are my recommendations. If you’re interested in
webcomics but hesitant to dive into the unfamiliar and vast world of web-based comic
serials kicking around the net, give one of these three a chance. Read them on
your iPad on the train, at home on your desktop, or at work when your boss isn’t
looking. They’re all free, and they’re all damn entertaining. If you like what
you read, hopefully you’ll be convinced to try out webcomics work from creators
you don’t already know.
That’s it for tonight. I’ll be revisiting this topic often
on this blog, recommending more webcomics and talking about the exciting
innovations the net is bringing to the comics medium.
Hope you enjoyed it, and as always, spread the word about
the blog to your friends.
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