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Webcomic Wednesday: Loading Artist

May 22, 2013 by

Hello and welcome to Webcomic Wednesday! Each week I take a look at a webcomic and let you know what I think about it. During my brief break I came across many new webcomics, so this week I’m taking a look at another local NZ artist, Gregor Czaykowski (pronounced cha-cow-ski), and his creation Loading Artist

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I had a chance to listen to Gregor talk at a panel last weekend at Chromacon about building a webcomic. It takes a lot of spare time, and a lot of energy drinks apparently. His comic, Loading Artist is a labour of love – it’s what he does when he isn’t making money, and it’s more than a joke a week affair.

He mentioned at the panel that at times the comic reflected his day-to-day life, and it shows. Jokes about depression, loneliness, and life in general make this comic both sobering and a better read. While it still has the usual weekly webcomic fare – like a duck upset at being fed white bread instead of wholegrain, at times Gregor turns the camera on himself, which has a very powerful effect.

If you want to check out Loading Artist, and you should, it’s here. Not only will it make you laugh, it’ll make you think. Not a lot of traditional webcomics do that nowadays.

Have any webcomics you want me to check out? Let me know on my twitter @Pipes815, or send me a message via our contact form.

Filed Under: Webcomics

Moving On Up: Moth City Now On Thrillbent

May 15, 2013 by

Remember Moth City? That webcomic that had made good use of the digital space which I adored. Do you also remember Insufferable, Mark Waid’s own webcomic which I also enjoyed? Well now they both have something in common; you can now find Tim Gibson’s Moth City over at Thrillbent.

Thrillbent, from the minds of Mark Waid and John Rogers, is an online home for a wide range of webcomics, all maintaining a pretty high standard, which makes Moth City‘s home a no-brainer really.

Moth City is a great read, and this can only mean good things for this small, New Zealand based creator. It’ll be interesting to see where it goes next.

Tim Gibson also made up a small trailer for the release, which you can view below:

You can now check out Moth City here at its new home.

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Webcomic Wednesday – Hark! A Vagrant

April 24, 2013 by

Hello and welcome to Webcomic Wednesday! Each week I take a look at a webcomic and let you know what I think about it. This week I’m checking out one that you probably all have read, but I’m going to tell you about it anyway. It’s Hark! A Vagrant, courtesy of mastermind Kate Beaton.

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Hark! A Vagrant has been a favourite of mine for some time now. Beaton often takes famous literature or events, and makes it her own. It’s brilliant – in a space where webcomics too often rely on video games, movies or comic books, Hark! A Vagrant takes Jane Austen, Shakespeare and Jacques Cousteau for a spin. It’s wholly original and unique.

That’s not to say that she doesn’t delve into more traditional territory – in fact those are some of my favourite. The Aquaman one above or Sexy Batman  always make me smile.

Beaton seems to take on a more literal approach when she tackles characters. In the blurb of her Aquaman comic, she points out that this man who talks to fish and lives in dark caves shouldn’t be anything but crazy. It’s incredibly amusing because it just makes sense.

If you want to check out this comic you can do so here. There really isn’t much more I can say other than it is truly fantastic. We need more comics based on historical events.

Have any webcomics you want me to check out? Let me know on my twitter @Pipes815, or send me a message via our contact form.

Filed Under: Webcomics

Webcomic Wednesday – Insufferable

April 17, 2013 by

Hello and welcome to Webcomic Wednesday! Each week I take a look at a webcomic and let you know what I think about it. This week I’m checking out a web series known as Insufferable, courtesy of a lesser known team known as Mark Waid and Peter Krause.

I’m kidding. It’s freaking Mark Waid.

insufferable

Insufferable is the story of a superhero father-son team, Nocturnus and Galahad, who go their separate ways after a falling out. Where Nocturnus goes into hiding, essentially killing his alter-ego, Galahad uses his status as a hero to begin a celebrity career – or as the comic blurb states, an “arrogant ungrateful douchebag”.

While there are clear ties to a Batman/Robin relationship, Insufferable stands out in the execution. While admittedly Jarod Culver’s Galahad is a bit of a twat, John Culver’s Nocturnus is hardly unaccountable for either. It’s a case of bad parenting versus bad child, and it takes the Bruce Wayne/Damian Wayne dynamic and runs in the other direction.

Where Insufferable truly shines is in its mix of celebrity status and superhero. Galahad tweets, blogs, throws press conferences, and suffers the fallout of it. I’ve never really stopped to think how celebrities handle being insulted after putting themselves on such avenues. It’s interesting stuff, as there are times Galahad seems to be pushing too much to impress his biggest detractors, which in the end only makes them worse.

As for Peter Krause’s art- it’s seriously paid-for-comic material. It’s solid art that really compliments the story, with it’s generic costumes only allowing the reader to make their own connections to other superhero material. It’s a pretty fantastic looking comic.

If you want all the bells and whistles of a paid-for-comic written by one of the best writers out there, without the “pay” part, check out Insufferable  here. Also check out the other stories on the site as well, as some others were also written by Mark Waid. Seriously, you owe it to yourself to check it out – it’s Mark Waid.

Have any webcomics you want me to check out? Let me know on my twitter @Pipes815, or send me a message via our contact form.

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Webcomic Wednesday – Twitter: The Comic

April 3, 2013 by

Hello and welcome to Webcomic Wednesday! Each week I take a look at a webcomic and let you know what I think about it. This week I’m taking a look at Twitter: The Comic, the brainchild of Mike Rosenthal AKA @VectorBelly.

twitter-comic

Oh wow, my sides.

I don’t think I have laughed this hard, in so long.

Twitter: The Comic  is just @VectorBelly and a few other artists taking tweets they have found, and making comics about them. At first glance these tweets just don’t make sense – a girl rubs a popsicle on her face, to attract “horned up bees”, or Mitt Romney mistaking a giraffe for Mexico – but when these artists provide their interpretations of these tweets, it is truly something amazing.

It makes me wonder about the nature of the people who tweet these stories. These people are either comedic geniuses, or completely insane. It’s the not knowing that makes these short stories all the more worth while.

If you want to lose an afternoon, you can check out Twitter: The Comic here. It’s absolutely brilliant and a genius idea, one that I’m surprised didn’t get made sooner. Do yourself a favour and check it out.

Have any webcomics you want me to check out? Let me know on my twitter @Pipes815, or send me a message via our contact form.

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Webcomic Wednesday – MercWorks

March 27, 2013 by

Hello and welcome to Webcomic Wednesday! Each week I take a look at a webcomic and let you know what I think about it. This week I take a break from the serious stuff and looking forward to some much needed levity, I had a look at MercWorks, the brain child of Dave Mercier.

mercworks

I guess MercWorks reminds me a bit of Three Word Phrase. Dave Mercier seems to put his thoughts on the page and let it go. Unlike Ryan Pequin’s somewhat insane ramblings, which often veer into NSFW territory, Mercier seems to be a bit more… consistent, sticking to humour that is somewhat based on life, rather than sophisticated poop jokes . And that’s a good thing.

MercWorks is great – whether Mercier is trying to poke fun at his own insecurity, or if he’s creating comics about how he is running out of ideas for comics, it’s always wonderfully self reflexive. MercWorks actually feels like I’m getting to know Mercier through his work, as he comments on loneliness and the awkwardness of his everyday life. It also sometimes makes me think about myself, which only further makes it hurt so more.

You can check out MercWorks here. My favourites are this one and also this one. Check ’em out!

Have any webcomics you want me to check out? Let me know on my twitter @Pipes815, or send me a message via our contact form.

Filed Under: Review, Webcomics Tagged With: ,

Treated Like Jean Grey

March 17, 2013 by

Some great humour and comic timing from Lauren on her Tumblr blog:

cyclops-jeangrey

If you like it, go tell Lauren so. If you’re an artist / writer and would like us to mention your work, drop us a line.

Filed Under: Humour, Webcomics Tagged With: , ,

Webcomic Wednesday – The Fox Sister

March 13, 2013 by

Hello and welcome to Webcomic Wednesday! Each week I take a look at a webcomic and let you know what I think about it. This week I’m taking a look at a Korean supernatural thriller courtesy of Christina Strain and Jayd Aït-Kaci: The Fox Sister

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The Fox Sister, set in Korea, is probably one of the most impressive looking webcomics I have seen. It’s a beautifully crafted tale of revenge – which in itself is rather contradictory, but Jayd Aït-Kaci’s art is absolutely stunning. Even the more sinister parts of the tale look fantastic, with Jayd Aït-Kaci’s work invoking that of water colour paintings. I cannot recommend it enough on art alone.

Thankfully Christina Strain’s tale is fantastic as well. Following Cho Yun-Hee as she takes revenge for her sister against a Kumiho – a fox demon that takes the form of a woman before it kills- who has taken her sisters form. It’s a take on Korean myth mixed into a classic thriller as Yun-Hee’s mission of revenge teeters on obsession.

It’s not all doom and gloom in Yun-Hee’s world though as the supporting cast of the story produce much needed levity in the form of her dog Soot Bull, and the new American man in town Alex. Both of these- especially Soot Bull- are well realised and contrast Yun-Hee’s often dark personality, elevating The Fox Sister to depths way beyond a horror comic.

The Fox Sister is updated every Thursday. It’s midway through Chapter 3 and you should definitely check it out here

Have any webcomics you want me to check out? Let me know on my twitter @Pipes815, or send me a message via our contact form.

 

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Webcomic Wednesday: Broodhollow

March 6, 2013 by

Hello and welcome to Webcomic Wednesday! Each week I take a look at a webcomic and let you know what I think about it. This week I’m checking out another horror comic courtesy of Kris Straub: Broodhollow

Broodhollow

Broodhollow is the story of Wadsworth Zane, a highly superstitious, encyclopedia salesman who receives a letter informing him that a distant relative of his has passed away. When he finally reaches the town of Broodhollow, he  starts to succumb to a series of weird occurrences; dreams, visions and hallucinations that lead him to believe that something a bit more sinister is going on in this sleepy town.

Broodhollow draws influences from Lovecraftian horror, with a bit of Twin Peaks mixed in. It has an eccentric cast of characters, each with their own quirks and personality that help to set the tone of the story. Its Lovecraft influences come from the horror, drawing from the human mind as opposed to real life monsters. The constant question of Zane’s sanity, combined with scepticism from his psychoanalyst creates an interesting back and forth for the reader.

Kris Straub’s art style is also a nice touch. The day to day dealings of Wadsworth Zane are cartoony and simple, but not in a bad way – it sets the tone for his daily life, where his interactions are quite unique. When the comic delves into horror, the art style changes to a darker tone that incorporates more detail. It’s not different enough to pull the reader out of the comic, but it’s enough to notice that the events in the horrific parts may not be part of Zane’s world. It’s a subtle way of pointing out that these events may not actually be happening.

You can check out Broodhollow here. It’s an ongoing comic so you should give it a shot. It’s well worth a read.

Have any webcomics you want me to check out? Let me know on my twitter @Pipes815, or send me a message via our contact form.

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Webcomic Wednesday – His Face All Red

February 27, 2013 by

Hello and welcome to Webcomic Wednesday! Each week I take a look at a webcomic and let you know what I think about it. This week I’ve been on a bit of a horror-story kick, so I’m looking at Emily Carroll’s short comic from 2010 His Face All Red.

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I’m a huge fan of horror in any form, and while much of the genre finds itself occupied with gore and violence, the horrors that stick out the most to me play with fear as opposed to shock. Emily Carroll’s His Face All Red not only manages to create feelings of fear and mystery but also rewards the reader’s intelligence in a way that creates a satisfying tale in the short time it occupies.

It’s hard to talk about His Face All Red without spoiling any key plot points and any of the twists, but it follows an unnamed protagonist who is tasked, with the help of his brother, to kill a beast living in the forest beside his town. The story takes twists and turns that are fantastic, and Carroll’s handling of the tale is masterful thanks to her ability to show rather than tell.

Through her art and implied dialogue we learn important character beats without it being outright stated to us, and in the incredibly short form it works to the story’s benefit. The eschewing of any actual violence also lets the imagination do the work, which creates an uncomfortably gothic tale. The art, which at first feels like it won’t service the tale, allows the more horrifying parts to stand out due to its “nice” style, and in the end complements the story well.

His Face All Red is a short one, but it’s a fantastic story. So few stories are able to portray character beats and horror in such little space. You can find it here, and more of Carroll’s work on her site.

Have any webcomics you want me to check out? Let me know on my twitter @Pipes815, or send me a message via our contact form.

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