webcomicgeek

The winner of 07’s competition is Aaron Diaz for Hob. I’ve been a huge fan of Dresden Kodak for some time. Not only is Diaz’s art top notch but is backed up by some great writing. I’m still amazed that a comic that regularly name drops the likes of Niels Bohr and their discoveries can be so funny. This is fresh, inventive stuff and its great to see a story developing. While Diaz’s previous stories seemed to have thematic links and the brilliant Kimiko they lacked coherence until know. I’m loving this story and the depth that it’s adding to familiar characters.

Best Artist goes to Joe Infurnari for The Process. His art is truly spectacular and seems to go from strength to strength as the project develops. I don’t think I can add anymore to what I’ve said previously in my rather gushing review. However, it was the spectacular image on page 14 of chapter 2 that clinched it. The idea behind this comic nearly clinched a second award and along with Rebecca Sugar’s Pug Davis, made judging the originality and invention award really difficult.

Evan Dahm wins the award for Most Originality and Invention with his comic Rice Boy. Dahm has crafted a beautiful and weirdly fascinating world for his protagonist, populated by some of the most original characters I’ve come across in some time. This beautiful and touching story was just pipped at the post for the best writing award.

Which goes To Klio and SPQR Blues once again. This is the second year in a row as Best Writer for Klio but I’m completely sucked in by the complexity and consistency of the writing. The winning quality has to be the fact that Klio captures mundane everyday Roman life and yet breathes an epic feeling into the character’s lives. Whats more Klio makes this authentic feeling seem effortless in the writing when it probably takes a huge amount of knowledge to make it work.

Best Webcomic of the Year: Hob by Aaron Diaz

Best Writing: Klio for SPQR Blues

Best Artist: Joe Infurnari for The Process

Award for Originality and Invention: Evan Dahm for Rice Boy.

Honourable mentions go to all of the nominees but especially Nicholas Gurewitch who manages make laugh every time and Jenny Romanchuk as I’m a big fan of her work.

Rebecca Sugar’s Pug Davis is a great riff on classic American pulp Space opera. The eponymous hero is one of the most memorable and striking I’ve come across in some time. Add in to the mix The Blouse, Pug’s camp sidekick and you have one of comic’s great odd couples. The interplay between the characters is great and their developing friendship is fun to watch as it spasmodically comes to life.

The true star of the title is Sugar’s artwork. Each page has a fluid elegance and an organic quality which creates a real sense of movement. I love the strangeness of the characters both human and alien. The vengeful shape-changing villain in Issue 2 ‘Pug v’s Blouse‘ has got to be one of my favourites so far.

The art work is accompanied by some great writing and this is most prominent in the dialogue, which seems to flow effortlessly. Another stand out moment for me is in issue 1, when The Blouse overhears the customers in the diner exchanging stories about Pug’s achievements.

I love this comic and its a pleasure to read a title that has artwork to match its writing credentials. Good stuff.

Nicholas Gurewitch is clearly an insane genius. PBF is often surreal, sometimes disturbing but always funny take on anything and everything. It’s also one of the few traditional three panel comics amongst the nominees. I can’t recommend this comic highly enough. I bought the hardback collection ‘The Trial of Colonel Sweeto and other stories‘,which is worth every penny, as it helps support a great artist and a twisted comic mind. Get your copy today, if your unsure, the print format works just as well as on the web and it looks absolutley gorgeous with its sweet based lynch mob on the cover. Check it out for yourself and decide whether your Pro Skub or Anti Skub.

Joe Infurnari’s The Process made the shortlist as a result of the gorgeous artwork and the brilliant concept.

Infurnari’s artwork is truly spectacular, he not only conjures up a weird fantasy world but also visualises the creative process at work.

This comic truly is a masterpiece of layout design. Each page is a work of art and some pages take on the complexity of a modernist mandala. Sprays of colour and complex interweaving of images that I have only ever seen successfully realised in Blade of the Immortal, until now. While Hiroaki uses his technique for the occasional center piece, Infurnari treats us to visual spectaculars far more regularly.

If that wasn’t good enough Infurnari, gives a glimpse into his creative process with detailed comments and rough sketches. It is great to see the artistic process at work and dissected so thoughtfully and reflectively.

If you consider yourself a fan of comics then The Process is a title that demands your attention with a visual insistence and a degree of intellectual playfulness rare in the form.

While I consider the nominees I’ll be posting a series of mini-reviews to give you a flavour of their work.  Better still go check them out, you won’t be disappointed.

Well the Geekies are finally under way. The shortlist is:

Aaron Diaz for Hob,

Meredith Gran for Octopus Pie,

Rebecca Sugar for Pug Davis,

Jenny Romanchuk for The Zombie Hunters,

D.J. Coffman for Hero By Night,

Evan Dahm for Rice Boy,

Nicholas Gurewitch for The Perry Bible Fellowship,

Tom Siddel for Gunnerkrig Court,

David A J Berner and Harsho Mohan Chattoraj for Shades,

Joe Infurnari for The Process,

and Klio for SPQR Blues.

Long term readers will note I haven’t actually gotten around to reviewing all those shortlisted but I can assure you I have avidly read all of the titles. Please comment on who you think should win. Remember the awards are for best art, best writing, most originality and invention and webcomic of the year 2007.

After much deliberation Webcomic of the Year is awarded to I am a rocket builder. It was actually today’s update that clinched it. The surreal humour, the innovative use of flash and the interwoven narrative make this my favourite comic of ‘06. Only this comic could get you wondering about the Lemur uprising of ‘68, it is brilliant.

The award for Best Writer goes to SPQR Blues. This comic remains engaging and intriguing in-spite of (or maybe because of) its daily strip format. Felix is an incredibly sympathetic character and as a reader you’ll really care for him. Also Domitian is certainly one of the more memorable scumbags in the comic world. The greatest achievement here is to weave a fictional character into historical events and make it work.

Best Artist goes to Robert Deas for Unity Rising. I initially critiqued his style way back in my first Instrument of war review but what can I say I’ve seen the light. Deas achieves a great deal of expression and dynamism with a few lines. The art suits his material perfectly and encapsulates the epic feel of his comic. I also feel that he has great composition within individual frames, which are well balanced and draw the eye through the story with pace. Good stuff.

I am a rocket builder picks up a second award for Originality and Invention. The use of Flash is used well to aid the narrative and humour, rather than just being a gimmick. The material is amazingly fresh and inventive as it interweaves four (soon to be five) separate narratives. The characters are intriguing, funny and sympathetic. Where else are you going to interactively follow a deposed sparrow tyrant around the insides of a mutant fish?

Best Webcomic of the Year: I am a Rocket builder

Best Writing: Klio for SPQR Blues

Best Artist: Robert Deas for Unity Rising

Award for Originality and Invention: Cave Monster A.K.A B. Shur for I am a rocket builder

Honourable mentions for Uku by Otto for a great piece of visual storytelling with sumptuous art and Antagonist by Swimming Trunks for great meta textual elements and humour. I’d suggest you check out all of the nominees’ comics and decide for yourself.

The Geekies will be awarded Sunday night. Last chance for you to make your case for your favourite comic.

After a great deal of consideration I’m about ready to name a WebComic of the year.

The ground rules for the competition are fairly straightforward. The webcomic must have been reviewed on this site at least once. Any comic that had been awarded the monthly prize will be granted especial consideration. Also the amount of interest generated from a review will also impact on the decision as will the regularity of updates to the titles in question. There will be awards for Best WebComic, Best Art, Best Writing and Originality and innovation.

There are a number of nominees this year:

Instrument of War and Unity Rising by Robert Deas.

Activities for Rainy Days by Jessica Mcleod.

Antagonist by Swimming Trunks.

Uku by Otto Uhrwerk van Germain.

Withershins by Kelly Michael Kotulak.

SPQR Blues by Klio

I am a rocket builder by Cavemonster.

AlphaShade by by Christopher and Joseph Brudlos.

Dreamwalker Chronicles by Daryl Toh

I’m only sorry I had to narrow down the field so much and leave out so many great comics. If you have an opinion on who should win and why? please leave a comment. Your views will have an impact.