Top 5 Gaming Webcomics

Video gaming webcomics are a dime a dozen, but they're not created equal. Anyone with a half-cocked joke about the relationship between Mario and Princess Peach can slap a comic up on the internet, but that doesn't make it any good. The best webcomics out there prove time and again that not only do they have a broad knowledge of the gaming industry and its history, but that they also have fantastic comedic timing. Here's a look at my 5 picks for the best gaming webcomics on the 'net.

Webcomic enthusiasts might notice a few "big names" absent from this list. PvPonline, MegaTokyo and VGCats are very popular gaming webcomics, but they just aren't personal favorites. 8-Bit Theater was also quite popular, but ended in March 2010 after a 9-year run.

Best Gaming Webcomic

#1 Dueling Analogs

Dueling Analogs was created by Steve Napierski back in 2005. This webcomic posts updates twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. Many of the tites and topics of the individual strips involve puns, or mixing elements of different gaming franchises in a funny way. A comic based on Wii bloodbath game MadWorld, for example, featured Mad Magazine mascot Alfred E. Neuman. A recent favorite from Dueling Analogs is this look at what might happen if the Halo and Guitar Hero gaming franchises merged. Be sure to dig through the archives to see the "Rejected Mega Man Villains".

Best Gaming Webcomic

#2 Penny Arcade

Penny Arcade features friends Gabe and Tycho, two buddies and avid gamers with very different personalities. Penny Arcade features a cast of characters beyond the main pair, and also provides a look and commentary at the gaming industry at large. This is among the longest-running comics on the web, having been around since 1998. Penny Arcade's co-creators Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik were two of the first webcomic artists to be able to make a full-time living from their craft, though that number has since swelled as the demand for webcomics and associated merchandise has swelled.

When most people think "gaming webcomic", Penny Arcade is precisely what comes to mind. This has become the most popular of them all, spawning a rabid fan base and branching out in several areas. Penny Arcade has been the source of plenty of merchandise including books, figurines and a collectible card game. They've created an independent video game available for PS3 and Xbox 360, and have their very own annual convention called PAX. The co-creators of Penny Arcade also created a charity called Child's Play, that provides toys and games to children's hospitals during the holiday season.

Best Gaming Webcomic

#3 Little Gamers

Another long-running webcomic, Little Gamers has been going strong since 2000. Created by Christian Fundin and Pontus Madsen, this webcomic updates frequently, but on an irregular schedule. Little Gamers features a distinctive art style, with squat characters designed to look like a cross between Hello Kitty and Bomberman. This webcomic has also made the jump into gaming; a Little Gamers title exists for the Xbox360. Among the cast of characters in Little Gamers are NES and PS - a classic Nintendo and original PlayStation (or PS1) who are in love. This webcomic doesn't focus on games full-time, however - many references are also made to non-gaming-related current events.

Best Gaming Webcomic

#4 Ctrl+Alt+Del

This webcomic focuses primarily on a pair of video game-loving friends, similar to Penny Arcade. The main characters, Ethan and Lucas, are loose representations of Ctrl+Alt+Del creator Tim Buckley and his friend Toby. Ctrl+Alt+Del has been a mainstay of the gaming webcomic landscape since 2003, and other recurring characters such as Ethan's girlfriend Lilah have since been added to the mix. This webcomic updated 3 times per week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Ctrl+Alt+Del is a popular webcomic, but has also endured a lot of hate. Ctrl+Alt+Del has been ridiculed for its artwork's simplicity, and Ctrl+Alt+Del has even been referred to as the worst webcomic ever. Rumors about creator Tim Buckley have swirled on sites like Encyclopedia Dramatica, painting him as a jerk and a criminal among several unsavory claims. Whether those claims are true or not, I still enjoy reading the comic and don't really care about the person behind it (sorry Tim).

Best Gaming Webcomic

#5 2P Start!

2P Start! Is a relatively new webcomic, having only been around since 2007. Co-creators Tim Harding and Ray Hargreaves differentiate 2P Start! from Penny Arcade and other two-character gaming webcomics by using their own names and likenesses for their characters. 2P Start! updates with a new comic each Thursday, but also have a weekly podcast on Mondays. This webcomic is a favorite of gaming blog Joystiq readers, having been voted the webcomic of the week on more than a dozen occasions. This hilarious take on the Tiger Woods saga is among my favorites on the site.

Sources:

Dueling Analogs.

Penny Arcade.

Little Gamers.

Ctrl+Alt+Del.

2P Start!

Wikipedia. "Dueling Analogs.", "Penny Arcade.", "Little Gamers.", "2P Start!".