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One of the most interesting things to come out of the Over Readers Spring Survey was hearing about the other webcomics you guys read regularly. This week, I’ll be counting down the Top 5 most popular webcomics, according to my readership. Maybe your favs will be here, or maybe you’ll find a new comic worth checking out. Let’s get to it!
#5: Least I Could Do
Least I Could Do, a daily strip By Ryan Sohmer and Lar Desouza was the 5th most mentioned webcomic by Over readers. I’ll admit, I’m not a regular LICD reader, but I’ve heard its praises sung enough to know I probably should be. With very strong full color art and consistently strong writing (from what I’ve read) it’s not surprising this strip is so popular.
Here’s one thing I really like about this strip…Their storyline focused archives. For a strip that’s been around as long as LICD, this is a great way for new readers to test the waters.
Do you read LICD? If so, sing its praises and convince me I should be a regular reader too.
#4: XKCD
This one was a bit of a surprise at number four. Now, I knew XKCD , titled “A Webcomic of Romance, Sarcasm, Math and Language” was popular, but on it’s face, this thrice weekly humor strip is about as far as it can get from an online graphic novel like Over.
XKCD is a bit of a lightning rod among webcartoonists, many of whom blast XKCD‘s Randall Monroe‘s crude stick figure drawings as hardly comics at all. (To a certain extent, I see their fury. Kind of sucks to slave for hours trying to perfect anatomy or perpective in your panels, while Randall seemingly slaps down a few lines, calls it a day, and then gets 100 times the amount of hits on his site that you do.) But Randall’s strip succeeds because he has an incredibly unique voice and he’s the best at what he does…math geek humor. And on the internet, guess what? There’s a whole hell of a lot of people who get jazzed about math.
Randall’s found his niche, and delivers a comic they want to read. The fact that it’s not beautifully rendered simply doesn’t matter.
Are you an XKCD fan? Sing its praises or challenge my assessment.
#3: Girls With Slingshots
GWS by Danielle Corsetto clocks in at numero tres in our countdown of the most read webcomics by readers of Over. Slingshots, a daily strip about two girls, a bar, and a talking cactus is consistently funny and never one to shy away from taboo subjects and things that make you go hmmm. (ex. Can lesbians get STDs from one another?) I’ve sung this comic’s praises on this site enough already ( here and here) so I’m not going to go on about this comic. (But if you’re a big fan, feel free to sing its praises in the comments thread.)
I’m glad this one made the top five, though, because GWS is one of the few websites on which I’ve made a concentrated effort to advertise Over. I wonder if there might be a few regular readers who found my comic through Danielle’s site. And if that’s the case, well, that means those ad dollars weren’t wasted.
#2: Red String
The second most read comic among Over readers is a longform romance comic called Red String. Red String bills itself as “A Story Exploring All Forms of Love, Because No Matter What Love is Good.” Ok…I can concede to that. (Except for when love stinks, love hurts, love sucks, etc. of course.)
I’ve never been much of a manga fan, but I know there are plenty of diehards out there. And Red String gets a ton of traffic, so people must be digging on it. It’s also been around for almost seven years so you gotta respect that.
Any Red String readers want to tell me what I’m missing by not being a regular reader?
And the #1 most read webcomic among Over Readers is…
#1: Questionable Content
I’ll admit it. This is another webcomic I am not reading. But jeez, I must be the only one, because Questionable Content received far and away the most mentions in my survey. J. Jacques‘ QC is a webcomic “that is ostensibly about romance, indie rock, little robots, and the problems people have.” A little vague, granted, but it’s been around for seven years, and apparently that’s plenty enough time to have a detailed Wikipedia page.
The overwhelming endorsement of this comic by my readers has certainly put it on my radar. And from what I’ve read of it, QC is a funny and beautiful rendered strip.
So, what’s the deal, guys? Surprised at #1? Tell me why QC deserves to be king of the hill. Was there a comic you’re surprised didn’t crack the Top Five list? Chime in.
Oh, and by the way…Over is back on Monday! See, I told you time would fly! In prep, you might want to re-read “The Warrior Princess Gwen Sequence” to get ready for what happens next.
Best,
Tyler
The coloring and artwork in LICD is certainly eye-catching and distinctive. Easily the comic’s best quality.
The writing is…well…how much do you like American Pie? Because it’s pretty much 80% that.
I don’t particularly read Girls With Slingshots, but everywhere I go, people are raving about it. Maybe I should take a gander and read it before its finished, like what I did with Anders Loves Maria (which was a great read).
Lar does an excellent job with LICD and his other strip Looking For Group. His style is so distinctive and eye pleasing that it really makes the puberty-inspired script of LICD better.
I think I found Over thru GWS
Red String does cover the points where love sucks, love is painful… It’s not your typical manga, despite the style. I think Over and Red String have a lot in common. All about… relationships, breaking up, still having to see the person you care for. Fate is a big theme through the whole thing. Give it a try.
LICD – Fantastic art and a wonderful cast of colorful characters wins me over (I’m surprised it’s number five, really). The art style is unique and dynamic and while it’s a lot of potty humor where the writing can seemingly be done by any thirteen-year-old boy, when a storyline truly develops, it’s gripping in a slice-of-life sense. Friends showing up after years of being away, new relationships, questioning where one’s life is headed, marriage and more.
GWS – Again, a notable art style and sometimes lacking the substance story wise, you’re still always interested in what’s going on. From trying to find a job with only an English Degree to learning to cope with friends and their new girlfriends that just rub you the wrong way at first; it’s a great comic that covers some strange, some normal and some just plain WTF things with a sense of humor and a talking cactus! What’s not to love?
Red String – The manga style art can’t be ignored, but don’t let it turn you away! Even if you’re not a fan, it’s still pleasing to the eye and comes with a story that packs a punch. Possibly reminding you of your first love, high school, and just how little we control while trying to handle it all. It’s based heavily with the theme of fate (people being tied to each other with the ‘red string’ of fate or something along those lines) and has that slightly whismsical touch that leaves you feeling every up and down the characters do.
Really appreciate the analysis, guys. Looks like I need to give these comics a closer look. Thanks! Tune back tomorrow for #1!
Red String was the first webcomic I ever read. Been following it for five years now and I absolutely love it. The relationships feel so real and Gina creates characters that you really learn to love or hate, which can be hard to do in a medium like this. DEFINITELY read it.
XKCD is the only other comic mentioned that I regularly read, and I kind of agree with you that it doesn’t feel like much of a comic. But I think what draws people in to XKCD is the dialogue, it’s always witty and never fails to be something completely nerd-tastic or just plain silly. I enjoy it for that effect more than anything, it’s a nice little antidote every so often but not one that I follow religiously (whereas Red String, Over, and a couple of other comics are on my daily hit list).
And NO ONE mentions Questionable Content in these comics?
QC is amazing – it takes the oh-so-very-real with the patently absurd and marries it brilliantly together. The characters are loveable and easy to relate to. The storylines are often sweet, if not hilarious. I’m trying really, really hard to do this comic justice and I can’t say things right. ><
It's amazing.