This Week in Webcomics

Press Release: Intervention '11

2011-07-20T10:04:00.003-04:00

Hi, everybody. I received the following press release last week about Intervention, an internet culture convention, and it looked like an interesting con. I'm a big fan of the internet, not just for webcomics but for all sorts of information and cool things, and the guest list for Intervention includes such awesome online cartooning humans as Dave Reddick, Steve Napierski, T. Campbell, and Chris

F CHORDS IS BACK

2011-05-09T19:41:00.004-04:00

We interrupt your regularly scheduled me-not-blogging-about-webcomics to bring you this important announcement: FCHORDS FCHORDS FCHORDS.F Chords is back and more frequent than ever. Kris Straub's strip about two studio musicians who play radio advertising jingles by day and dream of rock stardom by night has found a special place in my heart, and I am jazzed out of my mind that it is updating

Sketch Comedy

2011-02-07T00:29:00.005-05:00

So there's this great new webcomic. It's called Sketch Comedy, and it's by me.I suppose this has been a long time coming, but I've wanted to get back to doing a comic regularly. You probably could have guessed it, between the illustrations, the comic-form TWIW posts and finally the more-or-less monthly updates for the past half-year or so. Much as I like blogging about comics, the creators are

All I Want for Christmas is Webcomics, 3: I Got All Types of Crazy Crap

2010-12-22T09:45:00.005-05:00

Okay, so it's December 22nd. Holiday shipping deadlines are passing left and right. Topatoco can't even guarantee delivery by December 25th if you shell out the hundred bucks for next-day air! It's too late to order any of the sweet comic anthologies or tongue-in-cheek t-shirts that your favorite webcomics blogger recommended, and that little turd still hasn't written his promised third

All I Want for Christmas is Webcomics, 2: Give a Shirt

2010-12-10T17:44:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the second installment of TWIW's Holiday Gift-Giving Special Feature. Today I am here to share holiday gift ideas that you can wear.To purchase any of these fine garments, simply click on the corresponding picture, and be magically transported to its online store via the power of hyperlinks. The first shirt on our list comes courtesy of Alexandra Douglass, contributing artist for MS

All I Want for Christmas is Webcomics, 1: Book 'em, Danno

2010-12-07T06:04:00.000-05:00

Ah, my oft-neglected blog. I remember you! You're about webcomics.Obviously, TWIW hasn't seen a lot of recent activity. Apart from my work on my new webcomic Sketch Comedy (GO VISIT MY WEBCOMIC), there's the usual business of the holidays that keeps us all crazy. I don't expect I have to sell you on the concept, but in my opinion, there's no better time of year to buy merch from your favorite

Robert Gryfft Reviews MS Paint Adventures

2010-10-22T07:30:00.001-04:00

Hi, everyone. Long time no see.Sorry I haven't had much to post lately--I've been working on a handful of different projects, so the blog has kind of gotten short shrift. But I, like everyone and his brother, have been reading MSPaint Adventures lately, and so has fellow blogger Robert Gryfft of Air Theremin. Gryfft is a screaming raving fan of MSPA, and he has graciously allowed me to share

Tweet Dreams

2010-08-26T08:09:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, Book of Biff creator Chris Hallbeck posted the following on Twitter:This morning I woke up from a dream about twitter. #whatdoesitmeanAnd sure enough, after reading that, I myself dreamed about Twitter last night. I dreamed about retweeting a Theater Hopper strip for Wednesday's Pick of the Day; I forget exactly what the joke was, but in classic form, TH cartoonist Tom Brazelton was

Review: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: the Movie

2010-08-16T06:43:00.009-04:00

Scott Pilgrim is making some noise.At a Glance:Scott Pilgrim vs. the WorldCast: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ellen Wong, Kieran CulkinDirector: Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead)112 minsPG-13TWIW rates: 4/5Bryan Lee O'Malley's graphic novel recently released its sixth and final volume, concluding the story of young-adult slacker Scott Pilgrim's battle for the heart of Ramona

The Weekly Wrap-up with Wes Molebash

2010-07-28T08:03:00.000-04:00

If I were giving out some kind of award for building community, I would probably award it to Wes Molebash for what he's done with his latest comic, Max vs. Max. Several times a week, he posts a question to start some conversation, such as "What are the signs of a 'bad' webcomic?" or "Is it OK to read your Bible while sitting on the toilet?" People get talking, interaction happens. It's simple

Heck Yes, Space Archaeology

2010-07-23T20:07:00.004-04:00

It's no secret to long-time readers of this blog that my favorite part of CAD is the "Ethan McManus: Space Archaeologist" side-series. In these alternate-universe adventures, the fate and decisions of Harrison-Fordian hero Ethan McManus are placed in the hands of the internet at large. In every storyline, there is action, humor, and horrible gut-splattering disaster. And it's tremendous fun.On

The Ultimate Crossover

2010-07-20T19:49:00.003-04:00

'nuff said.

Multiplex Celebrates 5th Anniversary

2010-07-15T07:06:00.007-04:00

This week marks the 5th year of Gordon McAlpin's movie-theater comic Multiplex, and Multiplex is celebrating with a week of daily updates. In addition to its usual Monday and Thursday updates, it's bringing guest strips and guest art (today's update even includes a poetic ode written by a Multiplex fan!). You can check out this week's guest updates in the guest strip section.There will be a

The Pick of the Day

2010-07-12T06:04:00.000-04:00

As long-time readers of this blog know, in my Twitter feed I have a "Webcomics Pick of the Day" as a semi-regular feature. Some weeks I have more to share than others, but in the past week or two I feel that we've had some particularly tweet-worthy picks.Thus, it's time for a special #pickoftheday edition of...In this post-fourth-of-July strip, Greg Dean of Real Life offers a useful lesson on

TGT Webcomics Interviews Snakehead Games

2010-06-28T07:11:00.006-04:00

http://tgtwebcomics.com/podcast/ep106-snakeheadgamesHey, guys. I just wanted to cue you in to this interview between Kurt Sasso of TGT Webcomics and Colin Ferguson of Snakehead Games. Snakehead, which creates in-browser MMO games such as Star Pirates and Spy Battle, has previously run custom ad campaigns with Starslip, Real Life, and other high-profile webcomics. Additionally, Tauhid Bondia of

Internet Dating, Webcomics-style

2010-06-23T06:59:00.002-04:00

Interesting. Looks like both Multiplex and Max vs. Max are making forays into the realm of digital dating disasters for their protagonists. Great minds think alike?

Review: The Adventures of Ace Hoyle

2010-06-21T06:20:00.001-04:00

I have only played poker for money once in my life. This past winter, a friend invited me to a $10-buy-in poker night with a bunch of people I'd never met. It was good fun, and I ended up taking first place, through a mixture of luck, skill, and being a stranger to everyone so that nobody knew my tells. I've never watched more than a round of professional tournament poker, and all my knowledge

Review: Exploded View

2010-06-13T06:45:00.001-04:00

Let's talk about science fiction comics.No, we're not going to talk about Starslip. And much as I love to talk about Jump Leads, no, we're not going to talk about that either. We're not talking about Marooned (we've already done that) or Moon Town (though perhaps we should).No, today we're going to talk about Cloudscape Comics' latest comic anthology, Exploded View.Cloudscape is a collective of

The Triumphant Return of Nobody Scores

2010-06-07T05:44:00.001-04:00

So, you've been reading this blog for awhile. You know I've got my comics that I particularly like to rave about: comics like Blank It, Max vs. Max, and to a lesser extent, Z'Nuff Dr. McNinja. You know that high on my list of "ravers" is Brandon Bolt's little comic that suffers, Nobody Scores.Or...maybe you don't. That's cool too. Nobody Scores--for the non-knowers among you--is a comic in

Blank It Presents: Something Completely Different

2010-05-23T14:15:00.000-04:00

Hey, y'all. Today I wanted to talk about something new that's happening with one of my favorite comics.If you follow this blog at all, you know I'm a big fan of Blank It. Its witty wordplay, dynamic and freewheeling storytelling, and general absurdist awesomeness led me to review it and interview the creators in a comic. It's like Waiting for Godot: the Manga--except that doesn't sound nearly

C2E2: Part 3 of Is He Seriously Still Talking About This?

2010-05-01T18:02:00.000-04:00

Hi again. C2E2 was two weeks ago, but I still have things to say about it. It was such a dense weekend that I feel I would run out of time for saying before I ran out of things to say about it. If that makes any sense.So, here it is, Saturday afternoon, and I wanted to post some more about my C2E2 experiences and the cartoonists I talked to.Of course, even though I focused primarily on

C2E2: Part 2 of X, where X = (However Many of These I End Up Doing)

2010-04-20T20:53:00.006-04:00

Meeting Chris Hallbeck of The Book of Biff for the first timeOur conversation more or less went like this.When you are a cartoonist, you talk to people by putting together words and pictures. Most of our talking happens with noises we make from our mouths, so cartooning is kind of an unusual way to talk. Some cartoonists are equally at home talking with noises or with silly pictures,

C2E2: Part 1 of Man I Don't Even Know How Many

2010-04-19T21:30:00.008-04:00

Joe Dunn and Phil Chan discuss their college-story comic Matriculated in contrast to their gag-format works (Joe Loves Crappy Movies and Another Videogame Webcomic):I spent the majority of C2E2 conversing with webcomic creators about their craft, their stuff, and all things webcomics. This is a bit of an actual conversation with Joe Dunn and Phil Chan, writer-and-artist team behind countless

Back from C2E2

2010-04-18T23:23:00.003-04:00

Well, after a busy weekend of conventioning in Chicago (and a 5-hour drive home), I'm back from C2E2. It's 11:25 and I've got work tomorrow morning, but I just wanted to say it was a great time and it's given me a lot to think about. I'll hit you with some more posts as this week progresses about the people I met, the conversations I had, and the cool things that went down. But for now I've

April Fool Me Twice, Shame on April Me

2010-04-02T11:11:00.006-04:00

If you're looking for a catalog of even more April Foolery, allow me to share with you this little postscript:Courtesy of David Willis from Shortpacked: webcomics involved in the April Fool's Silent Comics thingEben07 delivers an April Fool's roundup not just for webcomics, but for the internet in generalHappy Easter, everyone. In all likelihood, I will see you next week!

April Fool Me Once, Shame on April You

2010-04-01T08:31:00.012-04:00

It's April Fool's Day, and nobody loves to fool your April like webcomics. April Fool's is a tradition for certain comics, so let's see what brand of frivolity these long-time celebrators of the holiday have foisted upon us this year:Dinosaur Comics teamed up with Nedroid, replacing T-Rex with Reginald and Utahraptor with Beartato in every comic in the Dinosaur Comics archives. The

Convention Adventures, April 2010

2010-03-31T18:02:00.000-04:00

Greetings, internet people.See the announcements about conventions in the sidebar? I'd like to say a few more words about those conventions, because--as the write-up below of my visit to Wes Molebash's exhibition will attest--it is cool to meet other people who are into webcomics in person. I'll be attending two conventions in April, and if you also will be attending these conventions, it would

The Fine Art of Doing a Bunch of Things

2010-03-30T22:25:00.003-04:00

Updates around here have been rather slow, I know. I have taken on a handful of new projects that are keeping me busy when I'm not working my day job, and I continue to work on my plans for the future of this blog. Additionally, doing Borderline Boy strips regularly is a time-consuming endeavor in itself.Blatant plug for my own comic, I know. Figured if I'm updating something regularly and it

Meeting Wes Molebash, Cartoonist and Living Legend

2010-03-15T06:18:00.002-04:00

This past Saturday, I took an hour-and-a-half drive out to Schlegel's Coffee in Chillicothe, OH to see Wes Molebash at his comic exhibition. Wes is best known for his now-completed strip about married life, You'll Have That, and he's done several other comics. For the month of March, Schlegel's Coffee House is showcasing his current project, Max vs. Max, a strip about the personal ups and downs

A New Face Joins Wishtales Publishing

2010-03-08T05:45:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday, my readers. I've got news to share with you today.You may remember Wishtales Publishing, which I mentioned shortly after its launch last September. Wishtales is bringing aboard former Disney cartoonist Eddie Pittman and his comic "Red's Planet." I've come across Red's Planet a couple of times before receiving the press release, and I liked what I saw--Pittman's professional

I Am Cartooning Regularly Again

2010-03-07T16:32:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone. I guess I'll technically be out of hiatus tomorrow, but I wanted to hit you with an announcement real quick. I'm getting back to cartooning regularly, and I'll be droppin' comics over at Borderline-Boy.com once a week at the bare minimum. And I've never intended this blog as a vehicle for self-promotion, so that's all I'll say about that.TWIW has always been about sharing awesome

Snowflakes Collaborates with AHA's Be The Beat Campaign

2010-02-16T06:20:00.003-05:00

You know me. Even when I'm on hiatus, I can't help posting webcomics news.A couple days ago, I received a press release in my inbox regarding the webcomic Snowflakes, an all-ages strip created by the cartooning trifecta of James Ashby, Chris Jones and Zach Weiner. The Snowflakes creators are collaborating with the American Heart Association to promote the Be the Beat cardiac arrest awareness

Press Release: Guigar Celebrates 10 Years of Cartooning

2010-02-14T22:23:00.003-05:00

Hi, everyone. Have a press release celebrating 10 years of cartooning for Brad Guigar, creator of Evil, Inc., and a host of other comic strips both online and offline. Congrats on ten years, Brad--here's to many more!PRESS RELEASEOn Valentine’s Day, as many people celebrated romance, Brad Guigar will raised a toast to a passion that has been a driving force in his life for ten years — daily

Month-Long Hiatus II: Son of Month-Long Hiatus

2010-02-08T19:40:00.004-05:00

Thank you all for your feedback regarding what you want to see from This Week in Webcomics. I am now going to reward you all by going on hiatus again.In all seriousness, I'm taking some more time off from the blog in order to do some thinking and planning about what it will look like in the future. Your feedback has confirmed a number of thoughts and ideas that occurred to me while on my 2009

Thoughts on The Webcomic List Awards

2010-02-07T16:41:00.004-05:00

It's Super Bowl Sunday, but that's not why you come to this blog. You come because, like me, you are way too into webcomics. And today, Super Bowl Sunday, the winners of The Webcomic List Awards have been announced.As I've mentioned before, I was a judge for the Best Black and White Art category, and I did a comic-form presentation for the Best Character award. And first of all, congrats to all

Reader Feedback Time

2010-02-01T05:54:00.002-05:00

So, I'm back from hiatus--but during my hiatus, I had a lot of time to think about the future of This Week in Webcomics. Now, I want to know what you think.What do you think of TWIW? What do you want to see more of? What do you want to see less of? What do you want me to get rid of entirely? Get candid with me. Share any thoughts you have at all. Tell me what new things you want to see in

1/25: Back With a Vengeance

2010-01-25T22:00:00.000-05:00

Max vs. Max: 1/13/10Multiplex: 1/11/10Primordial ooze, y'all! All about the primordial ooze.Edmund Finney's Quest for the Meaning of Life: 1/22/10Penny Arcade: 1/15/10Zap: 1/17/10Co-written/co-illustrated by Jackson Ferrell and Keong ChanAce Pilot appears courtesy of Tenerence N. TijuananaApologies to Andy Milonakis, and to all of my readerssorry

Shadow and Chug do Webcomics (Complete!)

2010-01-15T05:51:00.008-05:00

Cheesequake: 01/03/2010Shredded Moose is on HiatusDueling Analogs, 12/29/2009Little Gamers: 12/28/2009Shadow: SHUT UP! You wanna die!?">GG Guys: 12/25/2009Co-written by Jackson Ferrell and Eli Parker; illustrated by Jackson FerrellShadow and Chug appear courtesy of Powerup Comics and Unwinder's Tall Comics

Nicholas Ivan Ladendorf gets Political

2010-01-02T01:18:00.003-05:00

This may be of interest to the politically-minded among you: here we have a politician who is also a cartoonist. Progressive candidate Nicholas Ivan Ladendorf is running for the house seat in Missouri's 7th district, and he's chosen to communicate his platform in the form of several comics displayed on his website. The art is sharp, simple and stylized green-on-white, and it makes good use of

Max vs. Max, a new strip from Wes Molebash

2009-12-25T09:34:00.006-05:00

Merry Christmas, everyone. For Christmas, I wish to give you a gift: the gift of information.Specifically, I wish to inform you of Wes Molebash's latest comic offering, Max vs. Max, a strip about being your own worst enemy. The main character Max grapples with faith, insecurity, and guilt feelings in the wake of his recent divorce, and with help from friends and family, he tries to make sense

Can't Catch a Break

2009-12-11T05:15:00.002-05:00

Continued from the previous installmentAnd of course everybody knows who Brent Sienna is

The Webcomic List Awards

2009-12-07T09:08:00.000-05:00

Hi, everyone. Once again I break my hiatus to drop a tiny item of news for you.As you may or may not know, The Webcomic List (www.thewebcomiclist.com) is having its first annual Webcomic List Awards. The awards are an opportunity to recognize good comics that have excelled in a wide spectrum of different areas, and for that reason alone I'm pretty jazzed to be a part of them. This coming

Superfogeys: Revelations are in Store

2009-12-04T16:22:00.001-05:00

2010 looks to be an ambitious year for The Superfogeys. SF creator Brock Heasley writes, "In many ways, I've been waiting since 2006 to tell the stories I'm gonna tell in 2010. Longtime readers, your patience will be rewarded." As I've noted before, Superfogeys is a quality comic that hits all across the comedy-drama spectrum, and it executes its retired-superheroes premise with creativity and

Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T19:52:00.003-05:00

Hi, everyone. I just wanted to take a moment to wish you a happy Thanksgiving and to do a Thanksgiving blog post.First, I am thankful for Jesus Christ. I'm thankful for the forgiveness and grace that God has shown me.I'm thankful also for my family. I'm thankful that my parents were able to come visit me and my brother for Thanksgiving, and I'm thankful for my brother. I'm thankful that we

Press Release: Haunted Goes to Print

2009-11-20T08:00:00.010-05:00

As I take my hiatus for the holiday season, looking over the webcomics-related emails in my inbox, I begin to realize: receiving a press release is like receiving a blogpost already halfway written for you.Here is a press release concerning Joshua Smeaton's comic Haunted.Haunted, the Xeric-winning web comic by Joshua Smeaton, makes its graphic novel debut. It is currently available for preorder

We Interrupt Your Regularly-Scheduled Hiatus to Bring You a Publishing Studio

2009-11-12T06:10:00.005-05:00

So, the blog may be on hiatus. But the other day I got an email with some webcomic news worth mentioning, so I figured it was worth taking fifteen minutes and compromising my principles to bring you this newspost.Tom Dell’Aringa (Marooned) and Steve Ogden (Moon Town) have launched their own indie comic publishing group: Wishtales Publishing Studio.Tom's the one who emailed me. I took a look at

Life, the Universe, and Webcomics

2009-11-09T06:08:00.008-05:00

Hi, everyone. Today I've got a couple of reflections on comics to share, and an announcement to make. I was reading through Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics the other day, the section where he talks about the universal relatability of a simplified human face rather than a detailed one. And I've been thinking a bit about relatability in comics in general.Why do we like comics in the first

11/2: Week in Review

2009-11-02T05:10:00.000-05:00

Welcome back, everyone. I hope you had a good weekend, and now it's time to start your week with webcomics. In the tradition of This Week in Webcomics tradition, let's look over the past week and see what's been good.In Monday's Real Life strip, what starts as an exchange between nerd couple Greg and Liz turns into an exploration of the different forms of geekery. It goes on to expose the face

Product Review: Theater Hopper, Books 1 and 2

2009-10-26T05:41:00.026-04:00

About a month ago, Tom Brazelton's movie-themed webcomic Theater Hopper had a fire sale to raise funds for producing its third book. I decided to take advantage of the sale and purchase myself the first two print collections, Theater Hopper: Year One and Year Two.For those unfamiliar with it, Theater Hopper is Tom Brazelton's movie-themed webcomic starring exaggerated versions of himself, his

10/23: Week in Review

2009-10-23T06:26:00.001-04:00

It's been awhile since I did a bona fide week-in-review Friday post, but this week I ran into some cool webcomic strips I wanted to share, and evidently I've managed to balance writing this post with all the other things I'm up to in my life. I'm sure you're all thrilled out of your minds.Duck and cover, y'all, 'cause it's time forThe Fancy Adventures of Jack CannonHere's your new discovery of

Eben07 Operation Mongoose Review: Follow-up Thoughts

2009-10-21T17:49:00.003-04:00

I have a small addendum to make to Monday's review of Eben07: Operation Mongoose. Through an unidentified source, I was given an exclusive look at the additional content of Operation Mongoose's print edition, and from what I've seen, the extra material in the print edition really adds a lot to the story. The prologue and epilogue provide a context to the story that helps to set the tone more

Review: Eben07: Operation Mongoose

2009-10-19T20:20:00.001-04:00

Gentlemen, behold! Following up from yesterday's post, it is time for the promised review of:The first thing to note is that this chapter is a quick read, at a brief fifteen or so pages. However, it's not necessarily the best intro to the comic--for starters, its focus is not the present-day protagonist Agent Eben07, but rather his grandfather Abel, founder of the ICA. The storyline, told in

An Introduction to Eben07 (Now with More Musings!)

2009-10-18T22:33:00.001-04:00

It's been about a month and a half since I started my full-time job, and lately I've felt unsatisfied about the quality of the posts here at This Week in Webcomics. It's Sunday afternoon, here I am sitting down to write a post, and I can't remember the last weekend where I wasn't putting together something at the last minute. I suppose it's to be expected--I have less time to work on the blog

Congratulations to Doug Wilson and K-9Lives

2009-10-15T20:37:00.004-04:00

A week or two ago, I mentioned Doug Wilson's webcomic and short film, K-9Lives, about a conjoined cat/dog duo. A quick update: "K-9Lives" was nominated for best animation at Marbella International Film Festival alongside "Leonardo" by Pixar artist Jim Capobianco, and "Body" by Zhivko Dimitrov. I decided to see for myself what all the fuss is about, and the animated short is decidedly strange.

This Week in Webcomics: in Comic Form?

2009-10-12T06:00:00.009-04:00

Cameo appearances by:Grrl, Bad Decision Dinosaur: Cat and GirlJoe Dunn: Digital Pimp ComicsAaron: Calamities of Nature

Zombies Are the New Ninjas

2009-10-07T17:48:00.004-04:00

So, this weekend the horror-comedy Zombieland tore up at the box office, and I couldn't help but notice that numerous webcomics are getting in on the zombie craze. To commemorate the zombie-comic epidemic, for the rest of the week the TWIW Pick of the Day will feature only zombie comics! This even includes Saturday.For those not familiar with Pick of the Day, you can find my daily webcomic pick

It's Bullet Points Monday

2009-10-05T08:03:00.011-04:00

Greetings, everyone! This weekend I have been traveling, visiting my parents and a certain friend who lives in Chicago, and with all this travel and people-visiting, I haven't had time to archive-binge a comic from my review list. Thus, it is now time for everyone's favorite blog feature where I deliver a bunch of random links that are somehow related to webcomics:After listening to Andrew

10/4: It's Time For

2009-10-04T18:39:00.005-04:00

Wednesday's Penny Arcade features another appearance of everyone's favorite savior of mankind. It always surprises me that Penny Arcade's depiction of Jesus, if not entirely accurate theologically, is actually fairly reverent.Some people believe that there's no reconciling science and religion. In considering the theological ramifications of the many-worlds hypothesis, however, Rayne from Least

Review: Tuna Carpaccio P.I.

2009-09-28T06:30:00.005-04:00

Tuna Carpaccio is many things. First, it is a dish made by thinly slicing fresh raw tuna and serving it with a savory and often spicy sauce. Second, it is a webcomic by Josh Dunlap and Tony Chavira. Third, it is the main character of said webcomic.It may be still other things. I'll let you know if I discover any more.Albacore Melt Carpaccio, better known as "Tuna," is a private investigator

A Brief Intro to Tuna Carpaccio, P.I.

2009-09-27T22:59:00.003-04:00

Slated for review tomorrow is Tuna Carpaccio P.I., but before I deliver the review, I wanted to make a few opening remarks. When I first heard the title, I imagined a four-panel gag strip starring an anthropomorphic fish detective--a sort of film noir Sherman's Lagoon. Tuna Carpaccio, however, is no such thing.There aren't any anthropomorphic ocean-dwellers, for starters. The entire cast is

It's Interview Friday, Everybody

2009-09-25T06:30:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday, homepeople. So it's Friday, and you read a bunch of webcomics over your morning coffee before starting in on your work. And you're entering data into the database, or you're laying out a PDF, or you're analyzing the inventory report, and you're all, "Man, I wish I could somehow listen to something webcomics-related while performing these mindless tasks!" Because you are way too

Superfogeys, Chapters 4-6

2009-09-21T06:20:00.010-04:00

Tone is tricky business.The usual route is to give your work a single, general consistent tone. This adds an additional level of cohesion and consistency to the work, and you can easily see it in film. Pay close attention to the next movie you see, and it'll quickly become clear what sort of reaction it's trying to evoke from you, regardless of how well it succeeds. Many webcomics take the

Further Poll Results

2009-09-17T21:15:00.004-04:00

And Tuna Carpaccio, P.I. has been slated for review. I'm looking forward to giving it a thoroughly thorough read-down!Thanks for the votes, y'all, and applause to the Eben07 crew for declining their spot in the runnings. A truly noble gesture, and worthy of note.

Review: Polkout

2009-09-14T08:32:00.002-04:00

(Guest review by Ari Collins)Polkout is a webcomic with the hyperbole and dirty jokes of Penny Arcade, only without the video games and not as funny. But hey, who is as funny as PA? Not many, I tell you, sir! This is still quite the kneeslapper comic. If you like your humor intentionally and ridiculously offensive, Polkout is the comic for you.Only occasionally does Polkout have anything

Poll Results: You Guys Like Superfogeys

2009-09-08T21:09:00.007-04:00

The masses have spoken! Thanks to Brock Heasley's inundation of the polls with his many readers, Superfogeys has carried the day and earned itself yet another review. To be entirely fair, I have mixed feelings about how fair such tactics are. On the one hand, I hold these polls in order to let you, my readers, choose the comics you want to see reviewed, not complete strangers who only came

Review: Capes 'N' Babes

2009-09-07T15:40:00.000-04:00

Capes 'n' Babes is a strip about a strip mall--specifically, a comic book store in a strip mall. It's a black-and-white strip with occasional color, updated three times a week (MWF), drawn by professional graphic artist Chris Flick.The webcomic centers around Marc, the manager of the titular comics store, Capes 'n' Babes. The store's owner is frequently absent (a fact lampshaded blatantly in

A Schedule Change Announcement

2009-08-31T08:30:00.005-04:00

Hi, everyone. As you are reading this, I'm already at my new full-time job with National Liftgate Parts, learning the ropes and managing product. It's one of many exciting recent developments in my life (another one would be, oh say just for example, being merch guy for the freaking Multiplex Store). Obviously, with so much going on, I won't have nearly so much time to peruse webcomics at my

Slated for Review: Poll Options #1

2009-08-31T08:29:00.002-04:00

Once again, I find myself polling my readers to see what they want to see reviewed. For your consideration:Eben07: Operation MongooseThe Home WorldAddanac CitySuperfogeys, Chapters 4 - 6GalaxionCheck 'em out, drop a vote in the poll at the top of the blog, and look forward to reviews of the comics you want reviewed. Let it never be said I didn't give the peoples what they wanted!

Getting Nifty with Sluggy Freelance

2009-08-28T08:48:00.003-04:00

Welcome back, everyone. Today's post follows up on Wednesday's, in which I shared a Sluggy Freelance experience. Today the ensharening continues, with further reflections on Sluggy Freelance and some of my favorite Sluggy memories.Like I said before, I'm well aware of Sluggy's flaws: a convoluted accumulation of backstory, a rocky transition from high weirdness to epic drama, and artwork that's

Sluggy Freelance: Jackson Gets Personal

2009-08-26T09:19:00.006-04:00

It's Saturday as I start writing this, and I'm sitting here staring at a blank blogpost form. I know I have to write this. It's not that I don't know where to begin; I know where to begin. But sometimes beginning is hard.I'm going to open up in this post, and it's going to get personal. And that can be uncomfortable. I know we're all comic fans here, but still, it can be embarrassing to

8/21: Friday Bullet Points

2009-08-21T09:36:00.006-04:00

If you haven't seen yesterday's comic-form interview with the creators of Blank It, I'd encourage you to hop down an entry and check it out. But now it's time for...The Multiplex Store launches today. This is especially exciting for me because I am the merch guy! If you place an order, I'll be the guy shipping out your t-shirts and stuff to you. Stop by the store and check out the selection--

Comic-Form Interview: Aric and Lemmo (Blank It)

2009-08-20T09:00:00.001-04:00

JACKSON: Customarily, I close out the interview by asking for some recommendations. What comics do you guys keep up with? What are some of your favorites?LEMMO: Girls with Slingshots, Dr. McNinja, Wapsi Square, and check out Joe and Monkey's return from hiatus.ARIC: I love Nedroid, Scary Go Round, Pictures for Sad Children, Hark, a Vagrant!, and Overcompensating the most.Be sure to check out

The Pick-of-the-Day Project

2009-08-17T08:54:00.000-04:00

It's been awhile since I did a genuine, bona fide week-in-review update--and I've got a special feature planned for this Friday, so it'll be longer still--but you can still get my recommendations of the best of the recent best. I update my Twitter with a "Pick of the Day," my favorite strip from my regularly-checked webcomics (and whatever others I may happen to read that day). If you need your

Top Ten: Nobody Scores Comics #1-275

2009-08-14T11:09:00.003-04:00

If you read this blog regularly, you're no stranger to Nobody Scores. While it's not for everyone, its angry, R-rated tales of protracted failure have their own appeal. You have to be a certain sort of person to appreciate the humor, but when you read a Nobody Scores episode, even the most hardened pessimist can't help but think, "At least my life isn't this bad." Plus, the whole thing is one

Poll Results: Your Reading Habits

2009-08-12T13:05:00.000-04:00

According to poll results, readers enjoy finding new comics and keeping up with their favorites in equal measure. They are markedly less likely to go back and reread a comic that they're up to speed on, but if the poll is indicative, a few webcomic enthusiasts (among whom I would count myself) enjoy going back and checking out older strips and storylines from their favorites. Now you know--and

Review: Marooned

2009-08-07T12:48:00.015-04:00

Webcartoonists, more so than others in the comic industry, have to be jacks of all trades. At a major comic company, a project typically employs a sizable team--a writer, penciler/inker, colorist, letterer, project director, marketer, and more--and a staff member rarely has to fill more than two of these roles. Even the syndicated cartoonist has his editors, helping him polish his strip and

7/6: Bullet Points

2009-08-06T11:26:00.008-04:00

Sometimes it's a good day for webcomics--or at least for the webcomics that you follow. Today gave me more than enough cool material for a week-in-review post, which was convenient, because I'm planning on doing the Marooned review for tomorrow. Gentlemen, behold: entertainment!Terence N. Tijuana gives three gags for the price of one: canceled meetings and time travel paradoxes.This week at The

How You Read Webcomics

2009-08-04T21:38:00.005-04:00

I have a handful of comics that I read regularly; you may well have a good idea of which ones they are, given the frequency with which I mention them. Additionally, I enjoy discovering a new comic and rampaging through the archives, or researching an unfamiliar comic for a review. Sometimes I'll trawl through the archives of a comic I already read regularly, just because it's so much fun to

Superfogeys, Chapter 3

2009-07-31T14:19:00.000-04:00

As I continue my chapter-by-chapter reviews, Brock Heasley's Superfogeys advances well ahead of me. Currently it's looking into the earliest exploits of its now-retired super-protagonists with "Superfogeys: Origins," and I'm still getting caught up on the present. Today we'll see what develops back at the rest home in Chapter 3: "The Techno Shuffle."What Goes Down in Chapter 3Chapter 3's

7/31: Bullet Points

2009-07-31T08:40:00.008-04:00

Today's full-length post will go up later today. But until then: the news goes bang.Penny Arcade locks and loads for Automata. As of this writing, the comic image has not yet gone live, but it should be there by the end of the day.Cat and Girl: Echoing a sentiment from a previous comic, Grrl asks, "Do we need a college degree and a formal education for everything in life?" Cat, in turn, shares

7/24: Week-in-Review in Comic Form #3 (finally!)

2009-07-25T14:48:00.009-04:00

Starslip: Monday, 7/20/09Matriculated: Wednesday, 7/22/09Creep House: Monday, 7/20/09Cat and Girl: Tuesday, 7/21/09Request Comics #85 (date unknown)Request Comics #8Ben Heaton's Tall Comics guest strip Co-written by Jackson Ferrell and Eli Parker; illustrated by Jackson FerrellUnwinder appears courtesy of Unwinder's Tall ComicsAbe Lincoln appears courtesy of Thinkin' Lincoln, or maybe just

Sidenote: a Little News about TWIW

2009-07-23T10:01:00.000-04:00

As you can see from the results of the You-Choose-the-Reviews poll above, readers demand more Superfogeys and Marooned. To what extent this results from Brock Heasley and Tom Dell’Aringa hurling their fans at my site like so many Prinnies, I'm not sure, but their respective comics pulled into the lead early on before news even spread about the poll, so I'm pretty sure this reflects what the

Adventures of the Irrelevant Webcomic Critic: Penny Arcade

2009-07-21T23:26:00.000-04:00

A little over a year ago, shortly before I began this blog, I made a post to my personal blog on the topic of Penny Arcade. The post, titled "The Adventures of the Irrelevant Webcomic Critic," was in a way a precursor to this blog--about that time, I was realizing that if I read so many webcomics, I might as well talk about them with the internet. Here's a slightly-edited excerpt from that post

7/17: Week in Review

2009-07-17T14:16:00.011-04:00

I suppose it was only a matter of time. In light of the flagging economy, businesses are playing it conservative and cutting back, and it was all but a given that we'd see it in webcomics, as three strips from my list of regulars have scaled back their update schedules in some form or another. However, that doesn't explain the confluence--why this week? I majored in English, not Econ, so I

This Guy is Going to Put Me out of a Job

2009-07-15T09:22:00.002-04:00

Webcomics UpdateAs a webcomic blogger, I sometimes find myself beaten at my own game. I'll be considering doing a comic-form update, and then the Webcomic TV guy goes and starts Webcomic TV. Just recently, I was thinking of writing a review of Daisy Owl, and then El Santo of Webcomics Overlook goes and posts a review that pretty much says it all. And now there's this guy, the Webcomics Update

Share Your Story: How Did You Get into Webcomics?

2009-07-13T09:16:00.010-04:00

As you know, I run this blog because I enjoy talking about webcomics--not just to you, but with you. Thus, from time to time I invite you to speak your bit about comics.Today, I'd like to hear how you got into webcomics. What was your first webcomic? How were you introduced to it? When and how did you start following webcomics regularly? Tell me your stories--I'd love to hear 'em.Also, you

Why Web?

2009-07-10T09:15:00.013-04:00

As you may have noticed from my Twitter feed or from the current review request poll, I recently bought copies of Deadpool Classic #1 and #2. Also, I've been picking up graphic novels from the library, such as Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis and K. Thor Jensen's Red Eye Black Eye.I've had print comics on the brain recently, and I've gotten to thinking: creating a print comic is an involved process,

Poll: Review Requestions, Anyone?

2009-07-06T08:51:00.003-04:00

Hello, all. I hope you had a good 4th of July weekend. I hope you also enjoyed this past week's comic-form update. It is democracy that makes this country truly great, and let it never be said that I don't listen to the voice of the masses. As part of my ongoing quest to give the peoples what they want, I would like to know what comic you want me to review next, so please take a moment to

7/4: Week-in-Review, Once Again in Comic Form

2009-07-04T14:18:00.013-04:00

ZING!A Softer World: Tuesday, 6/30/09Slow Wave: Sat., 6/20/09PVP: 6/22 - 6/30(See also: Geeks Next Door @ Dungeon Mastering)The Non-Adventures of Wonderella: Sat., 7/04/09Thinkin' Lincoln: Friday, 7/3/09Thinkin' Lincoln: Tuesday, 6/30/09Chainsawsuit: Monday, 6/29/09Shredded Moose! Oh, the horror! Even NSFW horror sometimes!And that's a wrap for this week's show. Tune in next week for more words

Welcome Back, Me

2009-06-30T11:25:00.006-04:00

Hi, all. As you already know if you've been scoping out my Twitter Feed over there in the sidebar, I have returned from my vacation at the Outer Banks, which was excellent. I don't think a single day went by that I didn't see at least one helicopter. But now I'm back to my usual Pick of the Day and babbling about webcomics.Tune in on Friday for the customary week-in-review. Plus, I'd like to

2009-06-26T18:02:00.002-04:00

Hi! Jen Mau here guest blogging while Jackson's on vacation. As a female, something that I greatly appreciate is an emerging awareness of talented female webcartoonists, and I decided that my update would highlight some of my favorites :)Girls With Slingshots - Danielle knows how to keep it classy with a storyline (started last week) about Hazel's gassy kitty. My favorite from this week combines

Good Journal Comics, Anyone?

2009-06-23T09:08:00.003-04:00

Hi, everyone. Right now I'm at the Outer Banks in North Carolina, enjoying the beach with my family, as you read these words that I typed last week. Automation is a truly magical thing.Anyway...once I come back, I've been thinking about doing a feature on journal comics, and I'm interested to hear from you on the subject. Do you read any journal comics? Is one of your favorite comics a

6/19: Religion Watch

2009-06-19T09:25:00.001-04:00

Hey, everyone. This coming week, I'll be on vacation, but you won't be without new webcomic-related content. Through the power of automated updating, I'll be delivering a small reader-interaction post scheduled for Tuesday, and returning TWIW guest blogger Jen Mau will bring you Friday's regular post. But that's next week in webcomics. This week, I it's time for...1: Shortpacked!, Monday, 6/

Thanks for the Links

2009-06-15T09:15:00.003-04:00

Recently a handful of sites have linked to this blog--sites that are worth visiting in their own right--so I wanted to take a moment and give a few shout outs to a handful of TWIW linkers.Registered Weapon: The guys from RW have been linking to This Week in Webcomics for a long time now. RW is a gritty-humor cop comic; its protagonists are seasoned, hardheaded detective Frank Gorman, and his

6/12: Week in Review

2009-06-12T14:19:00.008-04:00

Delivering the news rapid-fire, Jackson Ferrell brings you(formerly known as Update Boxers and News Briefs, but no one wants to see me in my boxers)Dinosaur Comics ran a guest week this week, featuring the various comic talents of Carly Monardo, Ben Driscoll, Zach Weiner, Michael Firman, and Andrew Hussie. Guest cartoonists' approaches range from innovating within the DC format to saying "Screw

Ctrl+Alt+Del

2009-06-08T10:44:00.000-04:00

Today I want to talk with you about Ctrl+Alt+Del. On this blog, we always talk about what I want to talk about--except when there are guest bloggers. For better or worse, this is pretty much how blogs work.Ctrl+Alt+Del is a popular comic--but it's also an infamous comic. Offline, I've found several fans, from my friend Dave to the guy at the Micro Center customer service desk, but on the

Review: Rice Boy

2009-06-05T16:59:00.001-04:00

It's been a long time in coming, but here it is: the Rice Boy review. It's a rather daunting task, reviewing a work like this, because Rice Boy is a different strain of webcomic. It tells a complete and self-contained story, to begin with; it's evident that comic creator Evan Dahm put a lot of planning into the storyline, from beginning to end, even as a lot of other webcartoonists are content

Interview w/ FF6 Comic Creator @ Coloring Dragons

2009-06-05T10:05:00.000-04:00

Good morning, everyone. Today's post will be going up later today, but in the meantime...remember the Final Fantasy 6 comic? This past week, the website Coloring Dragons published an interview with creator J.E. Simon (AKA Orinocou). The interview provides insight into her ambitious fan project: its aims and motivations, its challenges, her approach to the subject material and characters. It's