I guess we should include on-line comics.
Here is the list of on-line comics that I have been reading. When jumping to these links, almost all web comics have either a "First" button/Link, or an Archive button/link. Use these to go to the first episode. Be warned, the initial art of these first strips is usually very crude. The stories usually start out rather simple, as well. One of the pleasures of on-line comics is seeing how the artwork and story-telling has evolved.
One problem with web comics is that there is often "Filler" pages that have nothing to do with the story, and you have to skip over them.
Just to reiterate: Remember, stories and artwork have evolved considerably since the first strips in each of these.
SciFi/Fantasy
- Gunnerkrigg Court
*
www.gunnerkrigg.com * I cannot express how good this has gotten. In terms of look and feel, imagine Harry Potter meets "Lost" meets _Mathilda_ meets Gormenghast, but the plot and story are all its own.
- Drive
*
www.drivecomic.com/archive/090815.html * This one goes off on tangents and sometimes has flashbacks that are not labelled as such, but as you go through it, you will see a powerful, coherent story.
- Girl Genius
*
www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php * Steam Punk
* Highly recommended. This is one of those literature level comics. It is a color comic. The apparent lack of color at the start is purposeful. Unlike most on-line comics, the authors started with a strong story and strong art from the start.
- Widdershins
*
www.widdershinscomic.com/wdshn/sleight-of-hand-cover * A very novel take on magic
- Drive
*
www.drivecomic.com/archive/090815.html * This one goes off on tangents and sometimes has flashbacks that are not labelled as such, but as you go through it, you will see a powerful, coherent story.
- Lore Olympus
*
www.webtoons.com/en/romance/lore-olympus/list?title_no=1320&page=1 * A wonderful reimagining of myth. Good romance.
- City of Reality
*
www.cityofreality.com * This web comic actually uses the computer medium in the stories.
* They are presently facing issues on their server.
Comedic/Adventure SciFi
- Schlock Mercenary
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www.schlockmercenary.com/2000-06-12 * Space Opera. Stick with it, in spite of the initial art, stories and jokes. This is an almost Star Wars level SciFi story, now.
- Sluggy Freelance
*
www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/970825 * It is very . . . eclectic . . . however, I need to stress how gripping this comic has become. The original comics were one-shots and silly, but it has evolved into a story on par or past anything else out there. You do need to stay with it for about the first year, though. If Andy Warhol had been a science/computer geek, I think he would have created this kind of comic
- Power Nap
*
www.powernapcomic.com/powernap/ * Think of it as "Inception" meets "Office Space"
- PS238
*
ps238.nodwick.com/ * Action, adventure, superheroes, elementary school!!
* Written by the author of Nodwick. Highly recommended!
Comedic/Adventure Sword and Sorcery:
- Order of the Stick
*
www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0001.html * The story has its roots in Dungeons and Dragons. However, although in-jokes still remain, the comic has evolved into a powerful self-contained epic in its own right. Don't let the minimalist artwork fool you!
- Goblins
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www.goblinscomic.org/ * Again, Dungeon and Dragons based, but it has evolved beyond its in-joke/slap stick origins into a powerful character driven adventure/drama (while keeping a sense of humor)
- Erfworld
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www.erfworld.com/book-1-archive/?px=%2F001.jpg * Hard to categorize. Based on table top gaming, but has developed a level of profoundness. Time Magazine recognized it as one of the top 10 graphic novels of the year.
- Yet Another Fantasy Gamer Comic
*
www.yafgc.net * Dungeons and Dragons from the monster's perspective. Periodic gratuitous T&A, but don't let that dissuade you. There are some great plots.
- Exiern
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exiern.thecomicseries.com/comics/first/#content-start * Silly fantasy. No particular redeeming value beyond being a good parody of Conan style stories. It has recently started to go down hill, taking itself to seriously, however you have to give kudos to an author who can arrange a situation where the fair maiden is saving a dragon from the fire breathing knights,
- The Gods of Arr-Kelaan
*
rubbermalletcomics.wordpress.com/the-gods-of-arr-kelaan/ * . . . Take a creative, artistic, militant atheist; introduce him to Dungeons and Dragons; then ask him to create a comic. This is what you get.
* Unfortunately, the comics are not presently up.
- WTF Comics
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www.wtfcomics.com/smoke/index.html * Silly Fantasy. Just barely moving past its on-line gaming based origin
* Unfortunately, I do not think they are updating, any more. :_(
- Looking For Group
*
www.lfg.co/page/1 * Silly Fantasy. Just barely moving past its on-line gaming based origin
Comedic Fantasy:
- Misfile
*
www.misfile.com/hell-high/2019-08-29 * Manga
- Hellbound Comic
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hellboundarchive.thecomicseries.com/comics/first * Silly fantasy.. No particular redeeming value beyond humor, but it did have some hilarious episodes.
* Sadly, the story has never been finished
- The Wotch
*
www.thewotch.com/?comic=enter-the-wotch * If I were separating, I would put this in Tier II. It started out silly with crude artwork, but has evolved.
Drama Swords and Sorcery:
- Inverloch
*
www.seraph-inn.com/inverloch.html?page=1 * She has 2 other web comics that I have not yet perused. I am on the fence about recommending this
Hahaha But still go back to my SPiderman collection from time to time. When I was growing up in the 90s I was partial to the Peter-Parker Spiderman run and had quite a few. A few years ago, after getting heavily invested in Game of Thrones, and then heavily disappointed at the ending (that's an entire thread for antoher time) I picked up The Hedge Knight and found it to be pretty good.