Stone of Remembrance

I read web-based comics. I admit it; it’s not the worst habit, and it gives me something to look forward to when I open up the computer in the morning. I thought it would be fun to give some links to the ones I read regularly. Here are five that I really like.

Order of the Stick

One of the longest-running comics, Rich Burlew’s extended parody of D&D is a riot for anyone who has played any sort of roleplaying game. It began as a series of shticks and four-panel jokes, but it has built up a tremendous plot line with real character development. And if you understand the game references, it’s really, really funny.

Schlock Mercenary

I have come late to the Schlock party. I met Howard Tayler at Denver Worldcon in 2008, and spent a few hours talking writing with him and Lawrence Schoen. Since then I’ve become a fan of his work. It comes every day, and like OOTS, has developed from a series of themed jokes to a story. It’s entertaining and clever and well thought out.

Girl Genius

Not much I can say about the comic that hasn’t already been said. A big winner, a fun story, clever and complex and a meme-generator.

Darths & Droids

This is not quite a comic – it’s a series of scenes from the Star Wars movies, with new text written around them based on the conceit that this is a role-playing game for people who know nothing of the movies. The pioneer in this field is DM of the Rings, which did for (or to) the LOTR movies what is being done for (or to) Star Wars. Both turn up the foibles of players and GMs, and show some of the silliness in the movies themselves. Well worth reading.

XKCD

I noted a few days ago that this comic is one that people either get and love or don’t get at all. However, as noted, there is a blog that beats the hell out of it daily, which amuses me but which I don’t read. This is funny for geeks.

I’ve added these, as well as several others, to the blogroll.