Web Comics

by random icsf committee, February 2001

This isn't about the graphic-novels type of comics you'll find in the icsf library, or the comics you buy from shops - these are comic strips done by people who you've probably never heard of, that get put up on websites for the world to see.

Here are some which certain members of the icsf committee have been known to haunt:

 Penny Arcade

Link submitted by Jakob on 2002-04-11

Contents include - Humour

Subjects include - Software, Computer Equipment, Computer Games, Web comics, Computing

The first one is always free... This is a often bad-tempered, always hilarious webcomic by gamers, for gamers. Gabe and Tycho are my heroes and love Star Wars; what more need I say?

These people scare me and entertain me in equal measure... this webcomic is arguably the best around, and every strip since *whenever* is still available for the high of bandwidth.
Good web design, constantly freshened by the talent of Gabe and the coding skillz of everyone's favourite gothic webmistress, Emma

This site has more wang than any other.

 User Friendly

Link submitted by Sulkyblue on 2002-04-18

Contents include - Humour

Subjects include - Computing, Entertainment, Web comics, Online

A daily online comic strip about a group of sysadmins. Very slick and very funny. You don't have to be a sysadmin to understand, although it probably helps.
By geeks, for geeks.

The techies' comic. It has been reprinted in 3 books so far - the first two from O'Reilly, then the third from Plan 9. Set at an ISP (if you don't know what that stands for, then don't bother reading it), it deals with the various staff, the Dust Puppy, and an AI. This has an archive going back to the very first strip (November 17, 1997), so be warned that you could get sucked in and spend hours going through it :)

 chopping block

Link submitted by Alia on 2002-10-23

Contents include - Humour, Artwork

Subjects include - Web comics

Serial killers are people too.

Sort of like Fred, if Fred were a hockey mask wearing serial Killer. Archive goes back to 25/07/00

 Dragon Tails

Link submitted by Alia on 2002-10-23

Contents include - Humour, Images

Subjects include - Web comics

At first glance, this is just a cutesy-dragon cartoon. But actually, the guy has a wicked sense of humour. The daily rant can be entertaining as well ;)

Cute.
Just Cute.

 Sluggy

Link submitted by Alia on 2002-10-23

Contents include - Artwork, Humour

Subjects include - Web comics

Worship the comic.

This is an excellent daily comic, with good artwork and an ongoing storyline. It doesn't just go for gags, as the plot often gets centre stage. The story has included various sci-fi related parodies and some techy humour. If you have the time, it's well worth reading from the beginning! Sluggy comics are available in book form from specialist publisher Plan 9, who deal with this particular niche market. We have books 1-7 in the library if you prefer to read it offline ;) Archive back to the very first strip (25th August 1997).
Occasionally they do animations, but in general it's just a simple image each day.

 General Protection Fault

Link submitted by Alia on 2002-10-23

Contents include - Artwork, Humour

Subjects include - Web comics

'nother comic - not sure what to make of this one

In a similar vein to Userfriendly, GPF plots the life of a group of geeks working for a small programming house. Good fun with some great characters and lovely arcs. Archive dates back to 02/11/98
Archive dates back to 02/11/98

 Bruno the Bandit

Link submitted by Sulkyblue on 2003-01-07

Contents include - Artwork

Subjects include - Web comics

Entertaining comic with style rather similar to the first book of Cerebus. Archive back to 20th July 1998.
Updated 3 times a week.

 Kevin and Kell

Link submitted by Sulkyblue on 2003-01-07

Contents include - Humour, Artwork

Subjects include - Web comics

A cutesy but fun 'furries' comic (anthromorphic animals). Sortta like a sit-com with wolves. Archive back to 4th September 1995.

 SSDD

Link submitted by Sulkyblue on 2003-01-07

Contents include - Humour, Artwork

Subjects include - Web comics

Written and drawn by a British student, SSDD's art isn't the best but it's infused with a huge amount of black humour. Great fun and a twice weekly! Be warned - quasi-adult content Archive back to 27th September 1998.

 Goats

Link submitted by Sulkyblue on 2003-01-07

Contents include - Humour, Artwork

Subjects include - Web comics

Weird but strangely compelling. Archive back to 1st April 1997.

 After Y2K

Link submitted by Sulkyblue on 2003-01-07

Contents include - Humour, Artwork

Subjects include - Web comics

A peek into a parallel universe where the Y2K bug hit hard and civilisation crashed. Some nice artwork, many geek cameos and much in the way of Techno Talking Babes.
Archive dates back to 07/02/99

Tubes Rock!!!!
As do the Techo Talking Tube Twins

Paper Comics

Some popular comic strips from dead tree media that also have homes on the web.

 Garfield and Friends

Link submitted by Alia on 2002-10-23

Contents include - Humour, Artwork

Subjects include - Web comics, Comics

It allegedly chronicles a cat, although as someone else commented he is really a person in a cat-suit, in that he doesn't behave like an ordinary cat. This tends towards slapstick humour, with quite a few custard pies.
This has an archive that goes back at least a month, and each new strip is up to date.

 Calvin and Hobbes

Link submitted by Alia on 2002-10-23

Contents include - Humour, Artwork

Subjects include - Web comics, Comics

Wanna tiger!

The adventures of a six-year old boy, and his toy tiger who may or may not be alive. This is quite a charming view of childhood, with idyllic summer holidays. It also offers some interesting insights into adult life (e.g. pollution) through a child's eyes.
This has an archive going back to the first strip (November 18, 1985), and each "new" strip is exactly eleven years old.

 Dilbert

Link submitted by John Kirk on 2002-12-02

Contents include - Humour

Subjects include - Entertainment, Web comics, Online

An engineer who has to deal with poor management at his company. This is mainly aimed at anyone who works for large companies, i.e. business humour.
This has a 30-day archive, and the website has strips a week after they're published in the daily papers in America. I'm not sure how that equates to England (if any papers carry the strip); PC Pro has one Sunday strip per month, which are quite old.

All images © respective webpages.