Slow Wave – Jesse Recklaw, and you!

A frequently updated webcomic that engages its readers by having them submit story ideas based on their dreams. A very cool idea with a solid presentation.

NAWLZ – Stu Campbell

Out of everything we refer to as “webcomics,” very few are anything more than paper strips distributed on the internet. Australian Stu Campbell’s NAWLZ is an amazing comic that is tailor-made for the web, utilizing color, animation, sound and unique interactivity – all used in a such a way that is cohesive and dramatically adds to the narrative being presented.

Well worth a look, NAWLZ is a futuristic, Philip K. Dick-esque look at youth subculture.

Cat and Girl – Dorothy Gambrell

Starting with the classic buddy-picture setup of child and anthropomorphic animal sidekick, Cat and Girl departs familiar territory early on and uses its characters to ponder the conditions of contemporary life. Bitter and sarcastic, if not still hopeful, Gambrell writes some very funny satire that is always smart.

Achewood – Chris Onstad

A hilarious and surprisingly complex gag strip surrounding a group of animals. One of those works that defies classification, or even explanation, Achewood needs to be read to fully grasp all that’s at work.

In spite of its simplistic visual style, Achewood is well-regarded for its originality, setting standards for deep artistic new work that is also funny as hell (albeit in a slightly different way than many may be used to).

Hark! A Vagrant – Kate Beaton

Kate Beaton is a young Canadian artist who has quickly become well known in comics circles for her historical comics. Some of the funniest things on the internet, Beaton’s cartoons typically re-enact obscure political events, removing all the pomp and dignity time has given them.

Also really worth checking out is Beaton’s livejournal which she updates regularly with little strips, usually before making their way to the main site. Enjoy.

Meanwhile – Jason Shiga

A choose-your-own adventure style comic from one of the form’s lesser known young visionaries.

BodyWorld – Dash Shaw

Arguably a webcomics masterwork by a young artist who has quickly become the star of art comics. BodyWorld tells what happens to the future suburb of Boney Borough when gonzo botanist Paulie Panther comes to research his book on hallucinogenic plant life. The discovery of a plant that grants telepathic abilities starts to break down the barriers between the self-loathing Paulie’s psyche and the rest of the town.

BodyWorld will be released in printed form this spring, although it seems Dash will leave the comic online as well. This is a long, strange, trippy kind of comic, so be warned. As Shaw describes on his website, “the online version is best if you followed it weekly as it was serialized, or if you want to read it in short bursts online for free.”

Persimmon Cup – Nick Bertozzi

A very interesting comic strip, Persimmon Cup is a Suessical fantasy that is essentially a story about unrequited love across the rigid boundaries of class.

Garo’s forbidden love of Persimmon causes nothing but trouble when he sneaks her a mysterious but dangerous gift. A very different kind of comics, but really engrossing, pulling all the right heart strings.

Anders Loves Maria – Rene Engström

Atypical of the standard webcomics format, Anders Loves Maria is a self-contained story that recently completed its three year run. Slice-of-life style story of a quarter-life couple and their decision to have a baby.

(One of the added joys of reading a long-running webcomic is seeing how the art style evolves. This is a nice example of that.)

Garfield minus Garfield – Dan Walsh

Very clever idea that takes a well-known – yet stale – newspaper strip and injects new life into it. Simply by removing the sarcastic cat from Jim Davis’ Garfield strip, Dan Walsh creates an even funnier, if at times creepy or sad, experience. Sometimes the results are downright profound.