During the 90s, the first entertainment source or introduction to superheroes was not through television or theatres, but instead it was comic books. Comic books enjoyed unparalleled popularity during the 1930s to mid- 1940s. It’s not like the sales or craze of print comic books have declined in today’s time. However, if superhero comics manage to sell 10,000 copies per month, they would sell 1.4 million to 1.5 million copies a month in the 90s.
Part of the reason for this is also that we have shifted to digital comics. Digital comics are also super-entertaining, and the creativity and imagination of such comics are often inspirational. Moreover, they are more easily accessible on any device, be it your laptop, tablet, or smartphone. They are proving to be a great alternative to endless and aimless social media scrolling. What more can you ask for? Well, they are also, most of the time, absolutely free! Hence there is no excuse not to give a digital comic book a try. If you aspire to create your own digital comics, there are a few websites that can inspire you to get started:
1. The Wormworld Saga:
The Wormworld Saga is a beautiful digital comic. Daniel Lieske is the author. It is a story about a teen named Jonas Berg, who is an archetypal dreamer who is generally criticized for being lost in his world. During one summer, he slips into a portal to another world. The subsequent chapters are about his adventures. The premise might make you recall Alice in the Wonderland. However, the experiences and the world our lead hero gets to are very different. The illustrations used are magnificent, and the story has some gripping plot twists. The comic currently is at nine chapters that you can explore. It is also available in many languages.
2. Moonbeard:
Moonbeard is created by James Squires, who is an illustrator from New Zealand. He is a delusional comic person, coffee drinker, and a cat owner. If that isn’t enough to paint the picture for you, having a look at his surreal standalone cartoons in Moonbeard would help you understand just what he means by that description. His storytelling often has surprising twists, and they’re worth a browse. These are short comic strips that smart, witty, and often pack an exciting punch to famous tales like Noah and the Ark.
3. Wukrii:
Wukrii is one of the freshest illustrated, fantasy adventure webcomic. It is set in the tropical islands of Wukrii, which is supposed to be a place in Hawaii. The series revolves around a human author as he explores life in these unexplored, untamed, and beautiful islands. The creators explain the comic’s concept as exploring the uneasy and fragile balance between three living species that exist in the Wukrii islands. These three beings are Humans, Wukai(spirit creatures), and Demimon(Half human, Half Wukai). The vibrant color contrast used in these comics is a visual treat for eyes. The storylines are engaging as well.
4. Connie Wonnie:
Suppose you seek the most basic inspiration to create digital-comic strips. In that case, Connie Wonnie is a great website to get inspired from. It is a webcomic blog by Connie Sun, who is a writer and a cartoonist. Her illustrations generally depict the mind and life of the socially awkward, city-dwelling, and single human character with her wise companion, an elephant. The subjects for her comic range from U.S. Democratic Party debate to actual people she has seen on subways. The truth and intimate, honest approach to her comic’s speakers to the reader’s heart.
5. Bird Boy:
Bird boy is a story based on this character named Bali. Bali is a ten-year-old Nuru boy who wishes to prove his worth to his tribe. He gets banned from the ritual ceremony that would make him an adult, and accidentally stumbled upon an important weapon. Now he must flee from a dangerous land of beasts, gods, and men to safeguard the weapon from falling into the evil doers hands. This beautiful comic by Anne Szabla has three volumes so far, so it’s a good read that would surely amaze you with its visuals and storytelling if you want to commit to a good story. You can also take up many inspirations as to how to design your comics or go about storytelling.
6. Necropolis:
Kathryn Wyatt and Jake Wyatt have written and drawn this beautifully illustrated digital comic. It is a fantasy digital comic that is about a girl’s journey for revenge. This digital comic gets updated on Wednesdays and is massively popular for its impressive visuals and engaging story. This comic is a visual treat that can easily par with animated movies and has a rich storyline that keeps the reader engaged.
7. Hyperallergic:
Hyperallergic is an online art-focused magazine. The content on this site ranges from podcasts to reviews. It also has its comic section that is fluffed with new work uploaded frequently by various contributing artists. The comic topics can range from very light topics to hard-hitting satire. Everyone has something to look forward to, and the comic style and storytelling also vary from comic to comic. You can use this site to explore different comic types to understand your niche and style.
8. The Sad Ghost Club:
The sad ghost club is a beautiful digital comic. It has a cult following. Laura Jayne Cox and Lize Meddings run it. This webcomic is entirely dedicated to anyone who has ever felt lost or sad. The creators describe this space as a club for those who don’t think they belong to any other club. They create comics to highlight relatable problems and issues ‘ghosties’ face. They also have successfully branched out to merchandise such as badges, T-shirts, beanies, and bags. This eerie yet relatable ghost club would ensure you have a smile on your face when reading through their contents, as you’d realize you are not alone in this world who faces these problems.
9. Botched Spot:
James Hornsby is a fantastic artist who has a great sense of humor. He has been lampooning and parodying professional wrestling culture since 2008. He also has his characters – Rad Bad DeBone and Olav Orlav, which are amazing characters to follow. This comic is based around wrestlers; however, it is written in such a creative way that people who enjoy wrestling and even those who don’t can both enjoy spending endless hours on this website.
10. DeathBulge:
DeathBulge initially started as a comic series about a death metal band. However, Dan, the writer and illustrator, realized that it’s too limiting a niche to stick to. Hence he started drawing whatever he wants to but kept the consistency by using some firm favorite recurring characters. His gamble on change of direction worked as many digital comic readers have developed immense respect and love for this digital comic. The comics are fresh, at times self-deprecating, and witty. If you enjoy realistic and graphical humor, you would love DeathBulge.
11. You’re All Just Jealous of My Jetpack:
Tom Gauld is considered to be an idol among all illustrators and comic fans. He is from London, and he draws regular cartoons for the Guardian newspaper. He has also published many comic books. Though ‘You’re All Just Jealous of My Jetpack’ is originally a printed publication, you can find samples of it on his Tumblr website. You should look at his comics, as the quality and way of storytelling is very fresh and exciting. You would learn something valuable if you take inspiration from his work.
12. Webcomic Name:
Webcomic name is a digital comic that first came around in 2016. Since then, it has established a favorite position for many digital comic readers and followers. Alex Norris never fails to amuse his readers with his extremely naïve artwork, blob-like characters, and simple jokes. Most of his comics are identified by their staple ‘oh no’ punchline. Reading these comic strips would make you laugh, and then you would feel stupid for finding it funny. And that kind of comedy is difficult to achieve. You should check out their comics to get inspired.
13. Elfquest:
This is a digital comic portal that has emerged victorious through immense competition for many years now. There are more than 20 million graphic novels and comics on this portal. It is also considered to be one of the highest running independent graphic novel series in the U.S. Luckily. The site has a free online collection that has over 7000 stories and vintage art. Make sure to check the free stories or even the paid ones if you want to get inspired to create your digital comic.
14. Webtoon:
Webtoon is a digital comic platform. It originated in Korea but eventually branched out to many creators from all over Asia and even the West. Most of their comics have a prominent Asian influence. However, they still manage to offer a diverse range of genres, tones, and styles. You can find comic stories of all genres, such as drama, science fiction, and even sports and romance. Hence it has something for everyone. Moreover, many of their comics are also available in multiple languages that increase their reach and fan base.
15. Study Group Comics:
Study Group Comics had initially started as a magazine. Now they are an eclectic web comic website that hosts one of the most diverse groups of web comics. Their web comics have diversity in their stories, styles, and also creators. They have many short stories with serialized ones too. This website explores creators and ideas you would not see elsewhere. Many new creators aren’t afraid of experimenting—many established publishers, too, who have earned a name for themselves in the indie scene. You can learn a lot about creating your digital comics through this website.
16. Smack Jeeves:
Smack Jeeves, as a digital comic website, is as funny as the name sounds. You can find all genres and styles of comics on this platform. It is an excellent place for people who aren’t sure what mood they are in to read. Plan to design your digital comic. You can take inspiration from the varied different styles of comics they have on their website. When you get exposed to so many comics styles, it helps you identify what you relate to more and what genre you would like to pick up on.
17. Tapas:
Tapas is a dedicated digital comic website that wants to help artists publish their work, gain an audience. They can also turn their work into a revenue system. You would find more graphic novels and manga with a more extended, more intricate storyline from all tones and genres. They don’t lean much towards comic strips. There is also a forum dedicated to artists and viewers to have discussions on art-related subjects. This can be very inspirational for people who aim to create compelling, attractive storytelling graphic novels or digital comics.
These were the 17 inspirational sites to design your digital comic. Take inspiration from these free sources of some of the best comics available on the internet. Understand the different art styles, storytelling, and other aspects of designing the perfect comic and design your comic that best suits your taste. Always keep exploring and working on new ideas. Depending on what you are aiming for, your approach to creating digital comics would differ vastly. No topic cannot be covered through comics. They are not perceived to be a medium of just exploring funny or action content anymore. Comics are a platform to express your views, perspective on some serious matters as well. Graphic novels, at times, work way better to help readers understand what you’re talking about than traditional novels.
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