If there’s one thing we’ve learned from our years on the Internet, it’s that there’s no aspect of comics that can’t be broken down and quantified in a single definitive list, preferably in amounts of five or ten. And since there’s no more definitive authority than ComicsAlliance, we’re taking it upon ourselves to compile Top Five lists of everything you could ever want to know about comics.

In the 100-plus years that comic strips have served to brighten up newspapers, there have been various different genres to populate the pages of the comics section: adventure, soap opera, puzzles, Ripley's Believe It or Not, and so on. But there's a reason that section gets called the funny pages. No genre has dominated newspaper comics quite like the gag-a-day humor format. This video counts down five of the funniest, cleverest, and best drawn humor comics in newspaper history.

Show notes:

  • You can check out the companion to this video that counts down the five best adventure-themed strips here.
  • This list is focusing on specifically gag-a-day style strips where humor is the focus. If you're looking for funny strips where the focus is extended continuity adventures, we'll have to do a different list for them.
  • I couldn't quite find a spot on this list for King Aroo, but King Aroo is awesome and you should check it out.
  • The comic in number five is one of the most underrated comic strips of all time, and you owe it to yourself to give it a look.
  • You can get the entirety of number four in a two volume set here.
  • Hey, so, are you ready to be endlessly delighted? Click here and then add number three to cart. And then check out, etc. You know the drill.
  • Buy this buy this buy this buy this buy this (it's number two on the list).
  • My whole career as a top five counter downer has been leading up to this, when I give you this link to buy my favorite comic strip of all time.

 

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