TANTRUM PRETZEL

http://www.tantrumpretzel.com

This is a little hard to comment on. On one hand, you wonder if it truly qualifies as a webcomic, on the other, all the ingredients are indeed there: words, pictures, and an installment format.
So that aside, the archive contains many single-thought, diary-type pieces of artwork that have a nice watercolor flavor to them. There's even the occasional piece of writing to accompany the images which range from caption to short story.
It is artsy, it is fartsy, it's what happens when coffee shop doodles make it to cyberspace.
Just don't say, "I don't get it." 'Cause I'm sure he's heard it all before.

I've encountered few Christian webcomics as I've Googled my way across the web, and they've tended to be (with only one or two exceptions) pretty bland. I'm not sure why this is, maybe because most webcomics are lacking and if you're trying to isolate a common point of interest (that isn't gaming mind you) you're bound to log off disappointed.
Maybe it's because only those comics that really get a rise out of the reader will earn the precious bookmark click, and the best way to stand out is to outdo the loudmouth down the way.
Pewsitters, I'm happy to say, is one of the exceptions.
Matt produces an 'apartment's eye view' strip from the perspective of a small cast of Bible college kids without coming across like he's on a mission to tackle you with the Gospel. Though, the message is there.
The stories are relevant no matter who you are and the heart is there without coming across as sappy.
He handles the modern speak of the pre-30's creature without all the aggressive l33t speak that seems to be working hard to establish itself as a new language.
The navigation gets frustrating, but that's the extent of my criticism.
Overall, it's good.

A basic 'cast vs. life' strip, except that this cast consists of people who work in the gaming industry, and what makes a better hook than that these days?
The writer makes good use of the competition between electronic and 'table top' games, among other subjects avid gamers will find comfortably familiar.
You are still left to wonder why one of the main characters is a dragon of some sort, but it isn't really that much of a distraction.

Though technically not a 'web-comic', or even just a comic on the web, the pages of the book they offer is well worth a look. You'll find them in the gallery: http://www.fudebakudo.com/en/gallery.html
This is a well thought out satire of the martial arts from someone who's obviously seen it from the inside.
The site itself also has many other features in the same spirit of the comics.
For those of you who took 2 weeks of TKD 10 years ago... this one's for you!

I once talked with a local band named "Morning Wood" and asked the obvious question: "Why did you pick that name?" They replied, "'Cause everyone remembers it."
"Clown Samurai" is a title that just begs a click, and if you don't click, you'll itch for the rest of the day wondering what kind of comic it was. Well, let me tell you...
It's a pretty good mob-thriller-contract-killer kinda story with lots of what you want in that kind of story.
The dialogue is smart, the scenerios are well thought out, the characters are realistic... it's a quality comic.
What surprised me was the handling of "clown" and "samurai." Both elements are presented as serious interests of the writer. The Hagakure (The Book of the Samurai) is quoted at appropriate moments as a philosophy that is important to the main character, and his clowning career is explained as just that, a job with it's own ins and outs.
What you might expect to just be a gimmick is truly a source of good material.
But, I wouldn't have even read enough to find all this out had it not been for its distinctive look. Think Frank Miller, think Mike Mignola. Now, sometimes you can get lost if you're not paying attention because of the stylistic feel of the panels, but it wasn't a big problem.

This artist is definitely worth taking a look at.
He has some animation clips that are more than just technical accomplishment, they have heart.
There's also lots of illustration throughout his site showcasing a solid talent like we all wanted to have when we grew up.
Having said all this, we must consider the comic itself.
It's not a bad thing to be extremely random, you can take as much (or little) as you please and not feel required to stick around while a rambling art-teest finishes his endless thought. None of that here. But, I bring it up because the art is a heavy spectacle that far outweighs the writing.
This has all the indications of a 'diary comic', and those are hard to get addicted to.
Check it out for the art and the hip-hop atmosphere straight out of NYC itself, but you may have to seek your stories elsewhere.

I would imagine that most people think the same thing when reading these: these turtles aren't very ninja-like!
And maybe as a daily comic strip that's how it should be. Though you could easily imagine a more adventure based strip for the TMNT, but would anyone read it? There have been unsuccessful attempts with other popular superheros.
But, this seems like TMNT for primetime. "Turtle Roommates", as opposed to "Ninja" turtles.
Unfortunately, this strip fails the first test right away: it isn't funny. Now, that's not to say that you don't enjoy watching the characters interact, but there's really nothing to keep you coming back.
Now, I understand that these strips are a bit dated (the last one in from '96), and that the artist/writer doesn't consider himself a good gag-writer, but we still have to weigh this on the right scales.
The artwork tells the story with a bit of style, but the turtles we see are best compared to the old cartoon cast. Next to any other set of turtles (i.e. old comics or new show) and they seem quite underwhelming (Splinter looks suspiciously like Wile E. Coyote).
These comics are collected on the main TMNT site (which Dan is also webmaster of) and they include a very informative 'how to' section.
The navigation of the comics themselves is a bit confusing, but if you keep clicking you'll find quite a few.
I would like to see a larger archive of these for a more complete picture.

Moe is a classic, unchanging, just-a-guy character in a big crazy world, and so his adventures begin with the everyday and end up in outlandish scenarios that leave you trying to remember how you got there.

The art is simple, but I never found myself asking 'what am I looking at.'
The story does tend to have a basic direction, though it gets often sidetracked.

It's good, read it.

First comic:
http://www.firmanproductions.com/comikaze/comics/archive_page.php?comicID=1

From the geek files:
Hardcore Nonsense is a gaming-themed sitcomic with occasional lapses of story.
Mostly it's the everyday report from a guy just like you.
If you're into RPG, Everquest, and the effect it can have on your life, bills, and significant other, then this one's for you.

First comic:
http://nonsense.spiderspawn.com/?comic_id=0

Imaginative, skillfully rendered, unpredictable, innocent and fun. In the tradition of Bill Watterson and Charles Schultz.
Really, all keywords aside, Zita is a quality comic that wins because it lacks the overkill of all the ambitious comics out there thrusting characters and worlds on you in place of good-hearted people that you can actually relate with.
Put simply: it tells a good story with good artwork.
Everyone take notes.