It's the Trend of Creativity
Webcomics, as defined by Wikipedia, are comics published on a website. While some webcomics are published solely on the web or some have embraced the traditional publishing media like in newspapers, magazines, or books, the idea of webcomics are no different that what we are used to with traditional comics: the classic 3-4 horizontal panels we read from left to right, or 4 panels, in top down fashion. But with webcomics, the limitations and similarities end there. They can have 6 or more panels in either left-right or top-down, maybe even more depending on the story of the published story. They call this the infinite canvas.
My article will discuss the webcomics that I've known for around ten years or so. It won't deal with a lot of themes or genres, but these comics have made an impact to my daily, waking life in one way or another.
Let's get started, shall we? And by the way, there's no "TOP 10" or "TOP whatever number of webcomics" for me. It's a matter of reading preference.
Tales From the Pit takes on humor in the MUD. If you get my drift.
Angband - Tales From the Pit
Website: Tales From the Pit
Tales From the Pit is your old-schoolMUD, set in Tolkien's Middle-Earth, specifically Angband, the home of Morgoth and Sauron. Being the forerunner of hack-and-slash and adventure gaming, this text-based story is about the player-character (represented by an @ ) Explorington III, who is sometimes a warrior, sometimes mage, sometimes paladin, depending on how his character was created during the rolling of the (electronic) dice. And why so many character classes? Well, he has this unfortunate habit of dying too many times, only to be reincarnated into another character (a sort of joke for the RNG and the 'player'). His objective (as the games' objective as well) is to reach the bottom of Angband and defeat Sauron and Morgoth. Along the way he meets other non-player characters (incompetent townsfolk in the aboveworld), mythical creatures and monsters (also of Tolkien lore), and sometimes of the divine.
This webcomic officially ended in 2010, yet can still be accessed on its website. There are a lot of humorous scenes here (especially about Sauron and Morgoth), and at times breaking the fourth wall. A must read, if you're one fond of text-based graphics.
JoT deals mostly with Mac-related stuff, but also other tech themes and such.
The Joy of Tech
Website: The Joy of Tech
JoT, created by Nitrozac and Snaggy, concentrates on technology related themes, most prominently on Macs and Mac-related stuff (OS, hardware and such). There's no continuity of story (unless explicitly indicated), and most of the techs in the comics are anthromorphic.
FOXHOUND is the Special Forces group within the US Army that was formed by the legendary Big Boss.
The Last Days of FOXHOUND
Website: The Last Days of FOXHOUND
Last Days of FOXHOUND is essentially about the team Solid Snake joined in the early Metal Gear games prior to Metal Gear Solid. This webcomic deals with their new point man, Liquid Snake, after Solid Snake has left after his last mission for them. Here Liquid is portrayed as incompetent as ever, with his head and brain addled because of some mishap pertaining to an F-16 engine. Even the FOXHOUND members are not given the 'proper' treatment of being in the Special Forces group, as they always bicker with each other and try to one-up one another to the point of killing each other. Believe me, given the chance, they will slice each others' throats.
Last Days of FOXHOUND ended around 2008, weeks before the release of Metal Gear Solid 4 to the world.
If dark, adulterated, and politically-incorrect humor is what you're after, look no further.
Cyanide & Happiness
Website: Cyanide & Happiness
C & H is a webcomic that thrives on its success on its controversial nature. It strips are at times dark, cynical, sarcastic, and offensive, and the themes deal on humors about disabilities, terrorism, murder, necrophilia, suicide, STD, vehicular mishaps (be it accident, murder or manslaughter), and sexual deviancy. The punchline of their comics is not very explicit, and there are several strips that use the awkward silence style.
LICD initially focused on the main character's promiscuity, then shifted to other, "real-world" stuff.
Least I Could Do
Website: Least I Could Do
LICD is about the antics of one Rayne Summers; a promiscuous bachelor who seems to have developed ADHD throughout the years by being sarcastic and cynical to the people around him. The comics first tackled on Rayne's flings with different women in his life, then progressed to some finer points and even tackled current events.
PHD is meant as a humor comic about graduate school life, not to terrify them.
Piled Higher & Deeper
Website: PHD
PhD comics follows the life of several graduate students, the setting in which highly resembles Stanford University. PhD deals with the issues of post-undergraduate student life (research, academe, and such), procrastination (now don't we all?), the complex student-adviser relationship and much more.
If you're a science-oriented guy or just want something simple, XKCD delivers.
xkcd
Website: xkcd
xkcd (which the author admits there's no real meaning behind the four letters that he chose to make the title of his webcomic) deals with "romance, sarcasm, math and language". Topics that deal with the comic vary, from poetry to art, to math and science in-jokes that only a few of us would ever understand. The characters are simply-drawn stick figures, but there have been known to have recurring characters, such as the infamous "black hat" wearing guy.
Sinfest is a satire on religion and other stuff. Don't take it too personally.
Sinfest
Website: Sinfest
Sinfest, one of the oldest webcomics that is still in production, tells several stories of human nature; specifically on addicition (material or otherwise), sexuality, gender roles, and religion. At times pop culture will be parodied one way or another, as there is no overall overarching or continuity of the story within the webcomic itself (though there will be a several-part story, but not so frequent).
What's unique with the comic is that the author uses epigrams to describe either himself or the theme of the webcomic published.
If you're a WoW-junkie and For-the-Horde (scum)...., ehem, excuse me, this comic will tickle you. Unless you're a Forsaken.
Teh Gladiators
Website: Teh Gladiators
Teh Gladiators' story was initially about a rag-tag group of characters who fought in arenas as gladiators. Then things went awry and all that, then they were transported back in time and other unlucky things that kicks their rear-ends hard.
For some reason (ask the authors of the webcomic, not me), the story then focused on another tale, this time about the Horde, specifically the Tauren and such. The authors promised that the new story will be darker than the first, and less humorous.
QC is one of those slice-of-life comics that has its down-to-earth themes and storylines. But at the same time has its quirky moments too.
Questionable Content
Website: Questionable Content
QC started out as a story between two people: Marten and Faye. Initially it was thought that the two, who became roommates, would become a couple. But complications from both of them led from one thing to another. In the process, their circle became bigger as more characters became friends of theirs.
**This article was originally posted, by me, in my Hubpages.
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