Webcomics in Print: The Bravest Warriors and a Grumpy Cat

by Andrea Purcell

Are you glued to your computer screen reading webcomics? Looking for an excuse to get out of the house? Have no fear, your favorite webcomics may already be at your local comic shop! Webcomics are more popular than ever, and comic publishers are taking notice. As an introduction to new creators and fun characters, they are bringing fans to comics and invading comic book stores. From fantasy to comedy with a detour through the strange and surreal, these digital stories are unique looks at what small press creators are making. 

There’s a bit of everything online and we’ve endeavored to bring you the best of what’s available. From superheroes to fantasy, horror and slice of life, webcomics are a unique medium where the only uniting factor is being on the Internet. We’ve listed a few below, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg. There really is something for everyone in the wide world of webcomics.

Get your dose of Internet goodness in December’s PREVIEWS with plenty of webcomics ready to pre-order and coming to a comic shop near you. Bring home some of the Frederator family with the 3A Bravest Warrior figures, have fun with a very cranky cat in Grumpy Cat and Pokey, and explore a clockwork city full of hidden secrets in Hinges.

Are You Kitten Me Right Meow?

Grumpy Cat is the queen of the Internet and her popularity just keeps growing! Her face has been on everything from plush toys to a Christmas special, and now she’s taking over the world of comics with an all-new mini-series. Follow the cuddly curmudgeon and her eternally cheerful brother in Grumpy Cat and Pokey (DEC151213) from Dynamite Entertainment. This series is full of cantankerous escapades and stuffed to the brim with plenty of sass. As Pokey dreams up wild adventures to fill his day, his sister does everything she can to rain on his parade. If you can’t get enough of Grumpy’s internet antics, this new mini-series is purr-fect for cat lovers of all ages. You can see more of the real-life Grumpy and Pokey at http://www.grumpycats.com/

What is Best in Life?

Madeleine Flores has taken the best of Adventure Time, the feel of classic tabletop roleplaying games, and mixed in some manga-styled flair and out popped Help Us! Great Warrior volume 1 (DEC151109), featuring an all new story just for BOOM! Studios. This Tumblr darling has grown a huge online following and the six-issue collection is a great place to start reading the misadventures of the Great Warrior who loves to beat up the bad guys ... right after her nap. The Great Warrior must defend her village from evildoers, fight off an invasion of demons, and watch out for witches that turn everyone into hunks. Never taking itself too seriously, Help Us! Great Warrior is perfect for fans of Lumberjanes and anyone who likes reading about ladies that kick butt. You can see more of Madeleine Flores’ art and the original webcomic of Help Us! Great Warrior at http://helpusgreatwarrior.tumblr.com/

Put A Little Fence Around It!

Don’t drop those sugar peas, Catbug and his Bravest Warrior buddies Chris and Beth are here! Part of the Cartoon Hangover webseries lineup, the Bravest Warriors are coming out of the Internet and into your home with these high quality 3A X Frederator figures. At over eleven inches tall Chris Kirkman (APR158475), the leader fighting against a future he will do everything to avoid, will take charge on any shelf where he’s placed. Beth Tezuka (APR158474) is no slouch either, coming in at just over ten inches this fearless warrior with an undying love of butter lettuce will make a kick-butt addition to any collection. Of course you can’t forget the heart of the team, the fan favorite and eternally quotable sidekick Catbug (AUG158790)! At just four inches Catbug is the perfect size to put anywhere you need a friend to eat soft tacos with. You can watch Bravest Warriors on the Cartoon Hangover YouTube channel.

Just Like Clockwork

The beautiful and heart-rending webcomic Hinges (DEC150630) adds a second volume to shelves thanks to Image Comics. Meredith McClaren’s story of Orio and Bauble is an immersive and a well-crafted fantasy where the art does most of the talking. With only a limited palate, McClaren breathes life into the world of Hinges with murky grays and browns and trains readers to look for the light in this world the same way her characters do. Taking cues from the styles of stuffed animals, clockwork figurines, marionettes, and shadow puppets this world is populated with unique and wonderfully crafted characters. The second volume delves into the action as wayward traveler Abernathy joins the story and Bauble is separated from Orio. Hinges currently updates on Mondays and Fridays and you can read the comic at http://hingescomic.blogspot.com/

The New Atomic Age

A robot that punches other robots, and also punches monsters and dinosaurs; is there really anything else you need in a webcomic? Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener don’t think so and their highly successful series Atomic Robo backs up the facts. IDW Publishing is re-collecting all of the pulp style goodness in hardcover volumes stuffed to the brim with crazy robot fun. The second collection, Atomic Robo The Crystals are Integral (DEC150521), consists of the fourth, fifth, and sixth volumes of the long running series. Every volume can be read as a standalone story and read in any order, making it perfect for first-time readers or long-time fans. Robo has plenty of wild adventures in this collection as he fights off an invasion for the Vampire Dimension, faces off with kaiju in Tokyo, and battles Dr. Dinosaur. Jammed full of more zany escapades then you can shake a humanoid automaton at, you should be reading Atomic Robo! See all of Robo’s adventures at http://www.atomic-robo.com/