Comics making comeback on web

Most people think comics are relegated solely to fat nerds that live in their parent’s basement and play Dungeons & Dragons all day.

And most of that may be true, but with the rise of this newfangled Internet sensation, comics have made a comeback. They’re not in book form anymore; now cartoonists can deliver content straight to your monitor or smart phone of choice.

Webcomics are great for a lot of reasons, but the biggest reason is — of course — they’re free. As long as you can buy, cheat or steal your way into a computer that has a web browser, you can browse all the comics you want to your heart’s content.

My personal favorite is “Questionable Content,” because it’s hilarious, witty and it references obscure indie bands.

It also has a talking computer named Pintsize who is one of the most obscene and vulgar characters in any cartoon — and it just gives “Questionable Content” all the more depth.

For the fantasy geeks, it doesn’t get much better than “Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire.” It has archmages, different planes of existence and all the normal RPG stuff, but the author is very intelligent with his scripts and keeps you on your toes throughout every storyline. Even if you don’t like fantasy that much, the characters are engaging and have a lot of depth; it’s definitely worth a read.

Gamers should already know about “Penny Arcade” and “Ctrl-Alt-Del,” but for all those who don’t, they’re both about gaming. Both comics have a dry, sarcastic wit and both are exceptionally well drawn — if you have an interest in gaming at all, you should definitely take a look at these two.

For those who just want something offensive that has good production values, look no further than “Least I Could Do.” The star of the cartoon, a man by the name of Rayne Summers, spends all of his time doing nothing but chasing tail and generally making a giant scene for all of his friends. It’s snarky and walks that fine line between being funny and horrible nearly every day, but once again the writing comes into play — all of the characters are deeper than they seem (especially Rayne.)

And, for those who want something just completely out of left field, there’s no safer bet than “Dr. McNinja.” He’s a doctor — who’s also a ninja — and he has a teenage sidekick with a giant handlebar mustache that rides a raptor. His secretary is a giant gorilla, and his best friend is a cloned version of Benjamin Franklin; his entire family is made up of ninjas from Irish descent. Absolutely no part of the comic makes any sense, but that’s what makes it great; it’s like being 10 years old again.

There are obviously plenty of great webcomics that I missed (and plenty that I don’t even know exist), so make sure you let me — and the rest of the Daily Cougar readers — in on your best-kept secret.