Best Webcomics Ever (This Week) 3.25.12

Welcome back webcomics readers. As is the case almost every week, I've got to praise Lauren Davis for her coverage of online titles, this time it's for her review of The Abaddon and also for her coverage of Fart Party creator Julia Wertz's rehab letters to her fellow artists at the now dissolved collective Pizza Island, which was comprised of some of the best illustrators working today. If you're a huge nerd of the webcomics medium, be sure to read both of the previous links as they provide some great behind-the-scenes material.

The D.I.Y. spirit in independent comics today should renew the hope of anyone dismayed by the direct market industry, the "Big Two," or some vague notion of petty fanboy fever. There are still a handful of major, traditional comic book titles I enjoy, but seeing so many young creators come together, try new models, sometimes failing and sometimes succeeding, all while doing it on a shoe-string budget, or completely free on the Internet -- it's the realization of a true passion for comics, both online and small press print. There has never been a better time to be a comics reader, and if you look hard enough, you can find an overwhelming amount of terrific material, so much that you probably won't have time to read it all.

To add even more delicious helpings to an already abundant plate, this week's picks are...

San Hannibal

A noir set in a city called San Hannibal, California, the series is about private investigator Ira Avery and his search for award-winning photojournalist Savannah Loy. Things are, of course, not always what they seem, and the progressive plot complexity associated with noir is all there. There are hints of Dean Motter's Mister X in the style, and the contrasting black and neon pink colors of the series really set a muted tone for the title, like being in an underground, after-hours night club, justing waiting for a drunken riot to break out.

Ninjasaur

It's about a dinosaur who is a ninja. There's nothing more I need to tell you. It's about DINOSAUR who is a NINJA, alright?!

Hominids

Artist Jordan Kotzebue posted about his series Hominids in the comment section last week in the hope that it would be mentioned someday on here. Today is that day. If you're a fan of works like The Meek, then you'll love this series. I can't wait to see where it leads. And just an FYI, some of the female characters are topless, not in a sexual way, but in a National Geographic sort of way. So, I dunno, maybe some prudes will consider it NSFW. Also, the site can be a little difficult to navigate, so click here to start the first chapter, which is the only one that is in black and white.

Glorious Bounty

Almost like if Johnny Ryan did a more light-hearted take on The Bulletproof Coffin, but set in outer space, Glorious Bounty has the brillant combination of low-brow art, violence, porn jokes and jerk charcaters you can't help but love.

Alpha Flag

Imagine a sort of psychological thriller with sci-fi undertones that's set in the Alaskan wilderness. Now imagine that it's all in your head because you're a crazy person whose consciousness has been scattered across the desolate landscape in which you're trapped. Or did I just blow your frickin' mind?!

Kind of a short run-down this week, sorry for the brevity. Hope you'll check out my previous recommendations, leave a comment with your own, and share with friends. Thanks for reading. See ya next week.