What a year 2018 was for Digital Strips! With dozens of new and returning Webcomics featured in the show, and of course the massive milestone of hitting FIVE HUNDRED EPISODES in March of last year, it has been a long, loving look at this medium which only continues to get better and better.
As Steve and Jason highlighted in their 2018 retrospective podcast last week, many of those dozens of Webcomics were particular standouts, with several making it to our fearless hosts’ personal pull lists and others eliciting vows to return and catch up on their ever-growing backlogs. Some, like Mary Cagle’s ‘Sleepless Domain’, have even reinvigorated the show’s very obsession with comics on the web.
Likewise, the DS Blog crew (okay, it’s just me) has been following the recommendations of the show, finding Webcomics of our own to read and examine, and fall in love with. Today, we’re going to look at a few of the Webcomics that topped our lists for 2018, and some that we can’t wait to follow into this new year.
Sleepless Domain
The aforementioned comic by Mary Cagle was Steve’s pick for 2018, being exactly what he was looking for to reinvest himself into the world of Webcomics and all it can offer!
Nothing Special
Don’t let the title of this one fool you! Katie Cook’s (yes, cutesy) brilliant webcomic about a young girl who turns out to be quite special indeed, you’ll also be hooked by the comic’s brilliant and engaging style, writing, and characters.
Space Boy
Steve McCranie’s interstellar epic was high on Steve and Jason’s watch list throughout 2018—and mine, too! I’ve kept up with this one every week through 2018, and next to one I’ll mention later was the breakout favourite of the year. Go read it, it’s great!
Deathbulge
Although it hasn’t updated as much recently, owing to the creator (Dan Martin) working to turn the comic into an RPG video game (yes, really!), this was another standout for Jason who enjoyed its sharp humour, clever writing and well-executed punchlines.
A Problem Like Jamal
One of Steve’s picks for the year, this webcomic by Tauhid Bondia made it to the top of his list due to it’s excellent exploration of important themes and it’s unique perspectives.
Apocalyptic Horseplay
Although this one didn’t make Jason’s list, it sure made Steve’s and Mine! Another which I have kept up with through to the present, this story by Boredman about the four horsemen of the apocalypse (and, lately, what became of their horses after their ‘retirement’) is a well-crafted read with an excellent visual style.
The Sword Interval
Although the podcast crew noted it way back in 2016, this crossed my own radar for the first time last year, and ties Space Boy for top spot on my personal 2018 list. Ben Fleuter’s tale of humanity’s struggle for life amidst a post-apocalyptic magical and monstrous dystopia is just incredible, and is certain to be the subject of one or more worldbuilding articles here on the site in 2019.
Tales of the Unusual
Still recently on my mind after Halloween, Seongdae Oh’s creepy series of short comics makes my top list for 2018 due to the sheer pants-dampening discomfort it brought me when I CONSUMED it’s archives! Seongdae has great skill at building tension, even through the language barriers of translation, and his art style is creepy as heck to boot.
So there you have it! The not-quite-exhaustive list of our top Webcomics for 2018. Were there any mentioned on the podcast or the Blog that you’ve been keeping up with? How does your own personal list stack up to the one we have here? We’d love you to drop a note here in the comments and tell us—or you can always reach us on Twitter or on the Facebook Page.
Until next time, here’s looking to a bright 2019 full of Webcomics and many, many hours illuminated by our screens. And while you’re reading, remember—don’t eat the clickbait!
