My current job is heavens better than my last one. (Can heavens be used as a term of measurement? The answer is yes.) True, I'm still working in retail, which is only the second rung on the Ladder of Job Satisfaction (the first being the slime-encrusted Rung of Food Service), but at least I'm not working in a fucking HARDWARE STORE. How I ended up in that highly inappropriate element I'll never understand. Now I'm at an outdoors specialty shop, which is just as inappropriate, but at least I've adapted to learning about kayaks better than I have to brass nipples and ballcocks.
I was serious when I said the hardware store fucked.
The cool thing about my new job, though, is that, thanks to a relatively small profile outside of the local community, I get a lot of free time between the few customers that come in. This is free time I can use doing whatever I want, such as writing a post in my blog, like the one I'm writing AT THIS VERY SECOND. I hope that blows your mind, 'cause I know mine certainly just reached an orgasm. But writing stupid drivel with the occasional childish sex joke isn't the extent of the vast options at my disposal. I can utilize my time reading books, practicing drawing, studying my personal interests, or even EXPERIENCING THE HARDCORE SPEED THAT IS NOT DIAL-UP!!!! Yes, my work computer has broadband. And it, unlike my dismal ISP at home, is not dial-up. So it is hard to resist the call of human nature, which demands that I waste hours upon hours of my time exploring the vast reaches of the internet, which veteran (and nonexistent) readers will remember I have previously defined as pr0n and lol.
I like to pretend that I'm doing something that adds to my intellect and experience when I waste these hours, however, and the most appropriate way to facilitate that illusion is to read webcomics. If you don't know what a webcomic is, I think the term is pretty freaking self-explanatory. The medium is a pretty great way for artists to get their art, stories, and voices out there without having to deal with threatening and infinitely more discriminate print publishers; simply put, anyone can put their shit online for anyone to view. Webcomics apparently picked up steam back in the late '90s and early new millennium, especially in the vein of college kids. Since then a number of superb artists have risen in popularity, enough so that a few of them actually make their living off of people viewing their comics for free! All their money is made through their online stores, selling T-shirts and the like. Several comics have even attracted the attention of the real world, and you can easily find paperback versions of titles like Megatokyo and Penny Arcade in your local B&N. It's a completely awesome system that I've dreamed I could be a part of since I encountered the medium. Can you imagine offering your works to the public completely free of charge and have them basically donate money to you through an expression of their appreciation of said work? Sometimes I honestly love the opportunities that the internet offers.
Of course, with the good comes the bad. As previously stated, ANYONE can make a webcomic and this fact presents two negatives. The first is simply that a good number of them lack talent. This is evident nowhere more than in the realm of "sprite comics" which are comics (usually in newspaper funnies format) that simply feature sprites ripped directly from 2D video games. Sprite comics can be good for a chuckle sometimes, but far too often they act as a vessel for cringingly bad humor and panel layout. The second negative is that there are now an intimidating number of webcomics out there, each with its own monstrous archive. It's difficult to find a good webcomic that you know you'll enjoy and whose archive you'll want to dig through to follow the story. And it doesn't help that computer screen isn't the best reading medium (though it does help preserve the trees), and makes you want to cut your time with the comic short to, you know, eat or sleep or something.
So, here is a list (you knew it was inevitable. I bet you're asking yourself why you even bothered to read the last two paragraphs since you KNEW it was going to boil down to a list) of webcomics I've come across. Mostly, they are done in installments, usually one to three times a week, so many of them run like newspaper funnies. Others are actually plot-driven and are formatted more like a normal comic book. Some simply break conventional formats and do things the internet way. You'll understand what that means once you see it in action.
LISTSLISTSLISTSEVERYBODYLIKESLISTS!!!
8-Bit Theatre - Funny how quickly I'm about to take back my earlier statement about sprite comics. 8-Bit is one of the better examples of the style. Based on the world of the original Final Fantasy, Brian Clevinger leads the astoundingly stupid alternate versions of the FF heroes on a quest to vanquish evil. Or steal much money. Or chop up stuff with swords. Or blow stuff up. Something like that. Totally wacky, the comic (as much as I've read of the huge archive) relies heavily on the incompetence of its very one-dimensional cast. Very funny, but as versatile as Clevinger is with the sprites, I can't help feeling that the style is holding the comic back. Oh well, take it as it is.
Chip and Walter and Time Trouble - I fell in love with Jon Gray's art the moment I set eyes on it. Obviously inspired by the likes of Carl Barks and other cartooning icons, his characters are vibrant and flexible and his panel designs are impressive. I wish I could give as much praise for his writing, but the most I can say about as much of these two comics as I've read is that his gags are pretty funny. It'd be nice if his stories weren't so dark - they clash with the bright and chirpy characters.
Megatokyo - A long-running satire on manga/anime and video games. The first few comics are featured like funnies, but this hugely popular comic is famous for the superb character-driven plot, which is currently on its eighth chapter. Just as emotionally jerking as it is funny, Fred Gallagher has created a cast of deep characters in an almost Discworld-esque universe based on pop culture. This is simply a work of genius that, if you have any interest in Japanese-American pop culture, you must read.
Penny Arcade - If you've heard of webcomics, you've heard of Penny Arcade; it's easily the most popular gaming webcomic ever. Intimidated by the wealth of deep information on the happenings in the world of gaming and electronic media, I avoided it for years. I only just started reading it, and, unfortunately, there is no turning back. The two creators, known as Tycho and Gabe, are freaking monsters. Each comic strip is accompanied by at least one huge post, usually by Tycho, detailing current news. Actually, it's more appropriate to say that each newspost is accompanied by a comic, because you often have to read the post to get the joke. And somehow, between seeking out and commenting on obscure newsbits, these two titans find time to play video games of all things!
Sam and Fuzzy - In the dark and bold world of Sam Logan's impressive inking abilities, Sam (main character, not artist) is a slightly wishy-washy guy trying to find the easiest way through life. Unfortunately, this pursuit is made near impossible by his ever-constant companion Fuzzy, a happy-go-lucky teddy bear-like creature with tendencies towards greed, power-mongering, insanity, and the occasional bout of sadism. The pair pretty much speak for themselves, but throw in Logan's unbeatable wit, appreciation for slapstick, and (when he bothers with it) expertise with plot and you've got a real winner.
VG Cats - Sex and violence jokes abound. Good times. If you're experienced in video games, this is another great comic, but I hesitate to call it a satire on games as much as I would a series of craziness with a video game theme. Generally, the idea for a comic strip is for Scott Ramsoomair to throw the main characters, two cats named Leo and Aeris, into the major roles of a selected game then proceed to totally fuck things up for your amusement. Though frequently hilarious, the easily offended should avoid this comic since its wackiness often involves intense violence and sexual references. Any repetitiveness in its jokes are made up for by Ramsoomair's excellence in cartooning and coloring.
I'll probably post more impressions of other webcomics later, just to eat up my time. Which reminds me of how long it's been since I posted a review on any graphic novels. Expect that sometime soon, you nonexistent readers.
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