Top 5 Web Comics by Female Comic Creators

Web comics like Penny Arcade by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins -- or Gabe and Tycho to their fans -- have long been popular online. Packed with video game references, slick graphics, and out-of-this world, "Boys Will Be Boys" situations, these comics rocket up the charts with male and female audiences alike.

There is more to web comics, however, than its primarily male-populated "big boys." The following five comics offer a "softer and gentler" side of the web. Running the gamut from autobiographical tales to high-octane science fiction adventures, these comics by and about women are sure to entertain any audience.

1. Girls with Slingshots by Danielle Corsetto

A bubbly, self-confident woman with huge "assets," a cranky, sarcastic waif just looking for love, and a talking cactus? Sounds like a recipe for success.

Girls with Slingshots follows the (mis)adventures of two gorgeous twenty-somethings, Jamie and Hazel, as they drink and love too much. This online comic is a humorous look at how young ladies deal with life's very real problems: objectification, looking for work fresh out of college, friendship, and relationships (or lack thereof).

Throughout the comic's trials and tribulations, Jamie's and Hazel's strong friendship pulls them through. The hilarious hijinks of Pedro, the potted cactus that only speaks when Hazel drinks, and Hazel's strong reactions to the situations she deals with, adds a dash of humor to what could otherwise be a serious online comic series.

Danielle's fresh writing and strong line art only add to the enjoyment of this wonderful web comic. Even better, Girls with Slingshots boasts an extensive archive of online comics with clear improvement to the art and writing over time. It updates five times a week.

2. Scene Language by Corey Marie Parkhill

Corey Marie Parkhill may have cultivated her fanbase with her semi-autobiographical Sit 'n' Spin and Life's So Rad web comics, but she's outdone herself with Scene Language. This online comic follows four roommates as they navigate the indie rock scene in a small town in Michigan.

The characters are extremely familiar and real: you may feel like you've met Kate the 'zine writer, Garrett the neurotic post-collegiate, Charlie the recently-single female beautician, and Isaac the musician before. This is partially because the characters seem influenced by Parkhill's discontinued autobiographical comics, and partially because there are real-life indie scenesters like these scattered throughout the United States.

Scene Language as an online comic especially excels at capturing the relationship between the characters. The sexual tension between Garrett and Charlie can be so real the audience cringes; the friendship between Charlie and Kate so casual and warm the reader thinks back to his or her own best bud.

The comic art is also shows marked improvement from Parkhill's previous online comics; she has grown by leaps and bounds even within Scene Language's artistic landscape. The comic style is unique, utilizing a trendy, washed-out palette and heavy use of texture and toner. Scene Language updates five times a week.

3. Octopus Pie by Meredith Gran

A relative newcomer, Octopus Pie has nevertheless grabbed attention due to its clean, black and white art and zany storyline forwarded by Meredith Gran. This web comic is like the Odd Couple for two, female twenty-somethings, featuring a pair of roommates trying to learn to get along in the Big Apple despite the fact they could not be more different.

Eve Ning is a responsible, cranky college graduate who works at a health food store and doesn't get out much. Hanna Thompson is a pot-smoking free spirit who ironically visits Times Square with her shaggy significant other.

When Eve's live-in boyfriend breaks up with her, her mom jumps the gun and invites Hanna, an old pre-schoolmate, to move in. The web comic follows the attempts of the pair to live together without killing each other. Surprisingly, they start to learn a few lessons from each other as well... Eve seems to have loosened up slightly during the online comic's short run, and Hanna is realizing what the cold, hard world has to offer.

The high-octane characters and high-contrast art go well together; the comic's zany antics never cease to entertain. Octopus Pie updates three times a week.

4. Random Assembly by Samantha Allen

This autobiographical online comic shows marked improvement over its impressively long life-cycle. Random Assembly follows the real-life adventures of Samantha Allen (code named "Noodles") as she attends college, gets engaged, gets single, grows up, gets a job, and moves in with her newest flame.

Although there are large gaps where some important episodes in Samantha's life occur, Random Assembly's upbeat tone and Allen's propensity for pointing out the craziness of everyday life makes this web comic a winner.

The art also shows marked improvement, progressing from stiff, flat figures to loose line art full of movement and cell-shaded color. Random Assembly updates sporadically.

5. I Was Kidnapped by Lesbian Pirates from Outer Space by Megan Rose Gedris

Drawn in Lesb-O-Vision by Megan Rose Gedris, I Was Kidnapped offers a fresh take on the classic female "buddy" comic. Instead of looking for love, the comic's main character, Susan, is interested only in work -- until she gets kidnapped by an all-female gang of vicious space pirates who just happen to be lesbians.

Done as a gorgeous, full-page spread in class pulp comic style, I Was Kidnapped follows the gang of pirates as they get into multiple zany misadventures with the law. Written and drawn in a tongue-and-cheek style, this comic examines classic misconceptions about lesbians and has a lot of fun doing it.

I Was Kidnapped updates sporadically, but frequently. If you like this online comic, be sure to take a peek at Yu+Me:Dream, Gedris' classic comic about lesbian relationships in high school.