Top 5 (or so) webcomics Arrant reads

Posted by ChrisArrant on Saturday, January 27 2007 at 8:00 am

Chris Arrant here, writer of Wednesday’s 1 Way Ticket. ‘ve been a webcomic reader for awhile, but since becoming a webcomicker myself I have engorged myself with the buffet of great webcomics out there. In an effort to document the greatness, I tasked myself with making a list of the top 5. That top 5 grew into a top 6, and a top 7 and so forth… So here’s my favorite webcomics I read that I can think of off the top of my head. Check them out, and report back with what you think — and your favorite webcomics as well!

Multiplex - Gordon McAlpin illustrates the conversations and characters that go on inside a movie theatre. If it weren’t so true, it wouldn’t be so funny. The inter-office romance mixed with the snark movie nerd musings make this a strip up right up my alley.

No Pink Ponies - what McAlpin does for movie theatres, Remy “Eisu” Moktar does for comic books stores. But he does it with a twist with a decidely female owner who pines over a handsome young man at a neighboring comic book store. But far from a romantic comedy reeking of Meg Ryan, Eisu’s strip is permeated with old school comic book lore without getting meta and is a warm comic that every stated comic fan should readd.

Immortal - I’d be lying if I said this comic didn’t make my webcomic amibitions happen. It’s not that I didn’t think about it before, it’s just that Dean (and Act-i-Vate’s) work showed how print-minded comics folk could come to the internet medium without losing themselves in the process. From the tri-colored presentation to the one panel shots, the story and the dialogue (oh, the dialogue)… it really comes out as an unadultered take on a veteran cartoonist doing exactly what he wants to do, how he wants to do it.

Kelly - a sexual drug thriller? I think that’s what I’d call it. Reading Dan Goldman comics makes me sweat — it seems like it’s all in a heat-filled room and things are operating a little different. Goldman’s artwork is emboldened and unafraid, which is two good things to have.

Hebi No Hada - Rami’s doing the kind of comic that makes me jealous. His shaded lines hint at a sublime story, but as he draws you in with his delicate movements it escalates to a mute crescendo. I’m marveled by the story he created, but also the way in which he used the medium of comics to better tell the story.

Zdarskyverse - You know the guy in your friendsgroup known as “the funny one”. I imagine Zdarsky’s not like that — he’s some sort of stealth comedy ninja jumping out of the shadows and blinding you with hysterics. If I may be so bold, probably the best humor cartoonist around. They’re meant to be funny, right?

Butterfly - like I related to Dean recently, Butterfly is the comic that comic nerds want to give to their child relatives. It’s a perfect gateway drug introduction to superheroes. But it also works for the comics nerd himself, providing a layered and loving homage to the structure of the modern american superhero.

American Elf It proports to be a diary comic, but I’m not so sure. It doesn’t need to be. Regardless, it’s a great four panel burst that invites a pause each time a new one appears for me to let it soak in.

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1 Comment

Comment by naremannn

Posted Thursday, May 10, 2007 at 7:27 am

we no need an education

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