A lot of us grew up reading our favorite comic strips in the newspaper every day.
You probably know the classics like Peanuts, Calvin and Hobbes, The Far Side, and Garfield. And you may even pick up the funnies section every once in a while just for old time’s sake.
Yet like most newspapers, many popular comics today are now online.
Comic strips are experiencing something of an online Renaissance these days with thousands of indie artists publishing their own comics online or on social media and building an audience.
This has given rise to the term “webcomics,” a new phenomenon of comic strips that are based completely online.
Whether you’re looking to get into webcomics yourself or if you just want a good laugh and to look at some cool art, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite comics from around the Internet all into this one post.
Shenanigansen, or Shen, is the mastermind behind Owl Turd Comix which started back in 2013.
The subject matter varies quite a bit in these comics, touching on a wide range of topics like fandoms, life as a millennial, identity, and life inspiration. Shen publishes comics on the main website and many are also available elsewhere online.
Drawn in Photoshop, the cartooning is simple yet expressive and features both humans and animals as characters. Along with many metaphorical comparisons and items being brought to life to make a point.
This is perhaps one of the few comics that almost everyone can relate to.
Loading Artist is a real and funny take on confidence, depression, life, and some random jokes.
The creator Gregor has been running the comic for quite a few years now. We actually got a great interview with him a little while back touching on his experience with the comic.
Read through the archives and you’ll find hilarious comics featuring inanimate objects like talking salt and pepper, along with simple, stylized human figures in absurd situations.
Cartoonist Gregor Czaykowski is a master at capturing intense emotions with minimal lines. The dramatic facial expressions are our favorite! We’d describe this as “Facepalm-inducing humor with a lot of charm.”
xkcd calls itself a “A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language.”
It’s hard to put it any better than that.
The artist worked on robots for NASA before starting xkcd, and it shows. A lot of the humor is math and science related, so if you’re into stats jokes and technology you’ll feel very at home here.
And no, the name isn’t an acronym. It’s just a random mishmash of letters that forms an impossible-to-pronounce word. That fact alone should give you a good idea of this comic’s offbeat yet enjoyable humor.
The art style is very simple using black and white stick figures. It’s text-heavy but very engaging. If you’re into math, science, and technology, this is the webcomic for you. In fact you’ve probably heard of it before, but maybe check up on the newest releases!
This webcomic is the definition of random, sometimes edging on slightly disturbing.
If that statement entices you, definitely check this one out.
These brightly-colored, globular characters are surprisingly relatable and you might find yourself nodding in between eye-rolling and snorts of laughter, thinking to yourself “I’ve been there.” (For example, this one in particular. Right?!)
Also, make sure to hover your mouse over the left side of the white space below each comic for a hidden bonus panel!
While super funny, this strip is slightly NSFW.
The humor style ranges from mildly off-color puns to “okay, this is getting little real” and is sometimes depressing and disturbing in the best way.
Doesn’t make sense? Check it out. You’ll understand.
The artist known only as “Zach,” includes everything from fully colored, polished comics to quick photographed sketches. Subjects range from ridiculous to relatable with everything in- between and sometimes both at once.
Read the text on the artist’s Patreon button for a good summary of his humor.
This webcomic features a very minimalist art style and what we’d describe as “unexpected facepalm” humor.
Chris, the artist, creates a wide variety of characters such as animals, insects, humanoids, even food and other inanimate objects.
A fun read with some very charming points.
This is a site run by several different artists working in their own cartoon style.
The slightly inappropriate, Adult Swim-esque humor ranges from poignant, political, or philosophical to silly and lighthearted.
At the end of the day nothing out there is quite like Toonhole. And maybe that’s why this comic is just so lovable.
Unlike most of the other comics on this list this one sometimes has a bit of continuity and storyline.
It’s definitely not for everyone. But super enjoyable if you’re into it.
It’s kind of like the weird Nickelodeon cartoons your parents wouldn’t let you watch.
Drawn by KC Green, some of these comics might remind you of drawing in your notebook during class in high school. There are some storylines(for example, one plot involves office workers who try to eat the devil to get his powers) and there are plenty of standalones as well.
Again it’s not for everyone but Gunshow has a dedicated fanbase who can’t get enough. It’s a little hard to jump into due to the continuous storyline so it’s worth starting from the beginning.
Created by Ryan and Laura Harby, the subject matter of this webcomic is based on humanity, pop culture, cats, and food. All good things.
The art style is simple and almost geometric. Fun to look at and certainly fun to read.
This well-known strip has made the internet rounds for years, so there’s a good chance you’ve seen one of these C&H comics.
You’ll probably recognize this super simple drawing style and an almost modular writing structure. But that’s what makes this comic series awesome.
In fact, there’s even a generate comic page where you can just hit a button to create a random sequence of three panels. It may or may not make sense, but play with this for a while and you’re sure to strike gold at some point.
Or you can waste a very entertaining hour playing with it. Your choice.
Drawn by New Zealand artist James Squires, this webcomic Moonbeard is funny and sometimes depressing.
You’ll love it, you’ll relate hard, but sometimes you’ll be giggling and shaking your head, saying “What did I just read?”
This strip is a one-man show run by the artist know as Idan. It covers lots of topics from technology and geek humor to religion and talking animals.
Drawn in a caricature style, each comic comes with a funny little poem underneath so make sure to scroll down!
The art style is simple enjoy to enjoy and definitely feels like a custom hand-tailored comic.
Here’s another you might have heard of or at least seen around the web.
SMBC is a beloved classic webcomic that stands for “Saturday Morning Breakfast Comics”. Classic name.
These range from longer vertical strips to single panel zingers, from poking fun at politics and religion to delving into poignant and scientific ideas. Lots to enjoy here and lots of variety in SMBC.
From the artist who calls himself Lunarbaboon (a half-human half-space-monkey-creature, obviously), this comic follows a few different imaginative characters and covers topics like depression and childhood.
It’s a great read for parents who are raising young kids or expecting a little one soon.
Still very funny but also some very insightful and introspective ideas to be found here.
This fun comic series features recurring human and non-human characters and their adventures.
Drawn by illustrator Katie Cook, Gronk focuses on an adorable outcast green monster named Gronk and her friend/roommate: a human woman, musician, and awkward homebody named Dale.
You’ll also meet Dale’s dog Harli, Kitty (the cat), and Kitteh (Gronk’s plush cat).
The art style is reminiscent of The Magic School Bus (haven’t seen THAT show in a while have you?) and the humor is cute and charming. Think Lilo and Stitch as awkward grownups.
This Instagram-based comic is all about pastel colors, cute and cuddly humor, and round, marshmallow-like people. And talking animals.
You’ll probably love it if you’re into cute animals and cute writing.
Give her a follow!
Awkward Zombie is a fantasy comic that often uses beloved characters from other sources like Legend of Zelda, Pokemon, and Mario.
Most of them are standalone comics and you can browse titles in the archive.
Pretty fun read if you’re into pop culture and like this style of humor.
Can you believe this strip is entirely drawn in MS Paint? Impressive!
Eat My Paint has a childish quality to it that’s easy to love.
It’s relatable and hits home pretty hard sometimes, then sometimes pulls a complete 180 and goes pretty far out there.
You’ll also see cameos from infamous characters like Mario. Follow the strip on Twitter or keep up with the newest posts on the main comic page.
This strip by Reza Farazmand does some amazing things with minimal linework.
The characters are mostly talking animals, but sometimes people and plants show up too.
It’s the art style that sells this comic paired with some great writing.
This is an excellent choice when you can’t fall asleep and just want to scroll through something amusing on your phone for a while.
Here’s a fun comic strip that features simple, rounded characters, random humans, and a coloring style reminiscent of crayons.
The strips range from single panel shorts to longer stories, all of which are incredibly entertaining. And the humor is so on point.
As the name implies, this comic is about a doctor…who is also a cat.
Or a cat who is also a doctor. However you want to look at it.
It actually features lots of cats in jobs who aren’t that great at them. Because they’re cats. You get it.
This is one of those comics where you’re constantly wondering where on earth the artists gets their ideas.
Nothing Suspicious is actually drawn by two artists, Dylan Young and Ryan Selvy, and is super easy to binge and consume in one sitting.
These short strips range from random humor to pop culture references to “grown-ups only.”
Drawn by Nathan Bulmer, this strip is comprised of witty observations, puns, and just some of the most random stuff you’ve seen today.
The website is really basic and the art style is also pretty darn simple. But a great comic is entertaining regardless of style: this one is no exception.
Alex Hoffman includes a mixed bag of subject matter in this comic such as Harry Potter, Marvel superheroes, puns, and random stuff that just can’t be categorized.
Most great comics have plenty of that, right? Well so does Tales of Absurdity.
Here’s another webcomic that follows a storyline with recurring characters that you’ll fall in love with.
This comic by Meredith Gran and Valerie Halla follows the adventures and mishaps of two Brooklyn women.
Make sure to go back to the beginning or just click the “Latest storyline” button, which is pretty darn convenient and makes consuming a breeze.
Speaking of comics with storylines, Girls with Slingshots by Danielle Corsetto and Laeluu is about two young women named Hazel and Jamie, their friends, and their pets.
There’s also a talking cactus.
The usual “comics with storylines” rules apply here: For best results, start from the beginning.
These strips are much longer and explore everything from deep thinking pop culture characters to talking forks.
You’ll find an interesting art style coupled with a unique writing format that keeps you engaged the whole way through.
Again, these comics are lengthier so they’re not one-off jokes or short quips. Settle down and read through a few to see what you think.
This is another comic with a cast of characters and a storyline that sucks you in.
Check out their “new readers” page to meet the characters and read the strip from the beginning. This story revolves around relationships and the antics of the narcissistic main character, Rayne.
It’s all talking animals over here, hence the title.
These animals have lives and problems and agendas like humans, and can even talk to humans. You might get a vibe kinda like The Far Side, which is a really great thing to be honest.
4amShower is a cute, feel-good comic mostly about animals.
Easy to read, easy to skim, and definitely a nice time waster for your Friday afternoon.
Here’s a unique webcomic created by the artist Raph.
It’s nerdy, witty, and pessimistically funny. Some personal favorite strips are when Raph puts a new twist on old expressions and jokes.
The art style is also easy to look at which is always a plus.
Created by Joe Holtby, this comic is fun, relatable, and full of random humor that catches you off guard with clever wordplay.
Not to mention the name here is just fun by itself. That’s a good sign.
This is pretty much what it sounds like: a comic about dinosaurs, except these dinosaurs talk about technology and complex theoretical questions. You know, like regular dinosaur stuff.
Often these comics reuse the same drawings and fill in the content with thought-provoking text.
Somehow the repetition of the same panels makes this even funnier.
This is randomness in a four panel strip.
Just about everything is in squares, as promised, unless things get a little meta. Which they do from time to time.
Pro tip: hold your mouse over each comic for a bonus!
The humor of this strip tends towards the random and mildly disturbing.
Ironically, the three word phrase “Three Word Phrase” doesn’t seem to have much bearing here. But that doesn’t mean much in the world of webcomics.
If you’re in the mood to laugh out loud definitely check out this strip.
Blastwave is unusual for a webcomic since this is comprised of intricate digital paintings about soldiers in a war.
Even more interesting, it’s still surprisingly funny.
Not everyone likes these kinds of fully-rendered comics but it’s worth checking out if you’re into the subject matter.
Now here’s a true family-friendly comic drawn by Kadi Fedoruk that looks like something you’d find in a beloved children’s book.
The comic follows the adventures of a princess named Tammy and her magical world.
A fun read if you’re looking more for storyline-based comics with a clear artistic vision.
Speaking of artistic vision we’ve got Pepper & Carrot as another storyline-heavy comic.
Drawn by David Revoy, this beautifully illustrated comic is also reminiscent of children’s books. This episodic comic is about a girl and her cat friend in the world of Hereva.
David creates this comic using 100% open source software like Krita and free brushes. This is a big selling point for his artwork and you can learn more about his process on Patreon.
This is an episodic comic about a sassy superhero named Wonderella and her friends.
The website is super easy to browse and the comic itself has a very nice style to it. Easy to skim at a distance and not too much text per panel.
Dumbing of Age also has a continuing storyline and follows a few college freshman girls and their friends at Indiana University.
The story gets into some pretty heavy stuff like religion, abuse, and depression, yet it’s still a great read and well worth checking out. Especially if you’re in the same age group: there’s plenty of stuff here you might relate to.
These strips are quick and funny, and some come with additional commentary by the author with his thoughts about the comic or where he got the inspiration for that particular strip.
The jokes are super relatable, poking fun at small issues and thoughts most of us have from time to time.
And each comic is quick enough that it’s easy to consume with just a few seconds of down time.
You never know what you’re going to get with Murder Cake.
Sometimes it’s pop culture, and sometimes it’s unexpected, off-color jokes, but it’s always funny.
The art style is incredibly lovable and it’s one of the biggest selling points for this comic series.
Now here’s a comic that is kind of in the genre of “lighthearted yet depressing,” or maybe “depressing yet lighthearted.” We’re not sure which, but it’s certainly entertaining.
Some of the comics are hit & miss depending on the audience. I could see this being more of a niche comic series but it’s still worth checking out to see what you think.
Created by Elizabeth Pich and Jonathan Kunz, this comic is relatable, ridiculous, and random. Is that like the three R’s of comics? If it isn’t, it should be.
And with a punny name you know this has some good jokes waiting inside.
So pop some popcorn and spend time exploring a handful of webcomics from this list. You might just get inspired to create your own, but if you find some comics you like then you’ll have a great way to burn a little time on those slow workdays.