Webcomics in Print: Punk Rock Zombies and YouTube Stars

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 the medium and invading comic book stores. From fantasy to comedy with detours 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.

The Internet is full of great comics, and we’ve pulled the best from March’s PREVIEWS catalog for you. March’s Webcomics in Print column has web series and Kickstarters for fans of all comics, including the wildly successful recent Kickstarter led by Alan Moore and a new series from The Kings of YouTube comedy themselves, SMOSH!

Through the Looking Glass

Gene Ha is bringing his record setting Kickstarter to print, with some help from Dark Horse Comics in Mae #1 (MAR160051). A rough and tumble fantasy adventure, the story begins when Mae’s sister Abbie finds a portal to a wondrous realm and stays there to become their champion and hero. When Abbie returns years later, Mae has no idea where her sister has been or what she had been doing all this time. Abbie tries to tell Mae of the wild adventures she’s gone on, but it’s too crazy to believe until the very monsters she’s been fighting start to cross from their world to ours! Can these two sisters set aside their differences to save both realms from destruction or will they tear these worlds apart? 

Deus ex Machina

Andre Araujo’s dystopian science fiction thriller has finally been collected in print as Titan Comics brings the Final Cut of this hit webcomic series to comic shops in trade paperback of Man Plus (MAR161733). Fans of Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell will connect with Araujo’s complex and intricate world where the line between man and machine grows hazier each day. Technology rules with a heavy hand and cyborg strike teams are commonplace, but will the line finally be crossed where humanity is no longer human? Man Plus is a new and interesting take on the age old question; when will humans become obsolete? You can read the series online at http://manpluscomic.com/

Sheena is a (Zombie) Punk Rocker

The irreverent, headbanging, take no prisoners Toe Tag Riot (MAR161159) is being collected in book form for the first time. Black Mask Comics is giving fans the whole package with the complete four issue mini-series, plus the super limited zero issue and the story published in Alternative Press Magazine. The story of Toe Tag Riot follows a punk band in the early 2000’s cursed to transform into zombies whenever they perform their music, but when the transformation back to human crustpunks starts taking longer and longer they decide to embark on one last cross-country tour. This gory tongue-in-cheek take on the zombie genre took Kickstarter and the internet by storm, and now you can see what all the uproar is about!

Ticket Please

Alan Moore is spearheading a new comic anthology and if the overwhelming success of the recent Kickstarter is any indication, fans will be lining up at comic shops for Cinema Purgatorio #1 (MAR161116).  Published by Avatar Press, Purgatorio will feature some of the best creators on their roster including Garth Ennis, Max Brooks, and Kieron Gillen. This ongoing monthly title will also have Moore teaming up with artist Kevin O’Neil in their first major new project since League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. With black and white art and an emphasis on talent and storytelling, Cinema Purgatorio is helping Alan Moore to push the limit of comics and imagination once again.  

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Dynamite Entertainment are helping The Kings of YouTube Comedy take over comics with an all new mini-series, SMOSH #1 (MAR161320). These intrepid digital stars have over 9 billion views and 38 million combined subscribers on YouTube cementing their status as Internet superstars. Not content to stay online, SMOSH has created multiple chart-topping musical endeavors, top-selling mobile content, and more. Now fans can read all about the adventures of Billy, Paulie, and Stevie and their latest mission to save the day. Don’t miss out; fans of this wildly popular brand of humor will want to get their hands on SMOSH!