— This post was expanded with even more comics in November 2018. Happy reading! —
I’ve blogged about my favorite fantasy webcomics before, but I just keep finding more! It’s not my fault! Someone created the internet, and then all these amazing artists and writers came along and filled it up with webcomics (and cats). So here’s another round of the fantasy webcomics that have eaten both my time and the battery power on my tablet. Happy reading!
Before we jump in, though, here’s a helpful webcomics reading tip: many creators sell PDFs or hard copies too! That can be an easier for long stories and lets you read without an internet connection. So if you get sucked in, but all the clicking gets tiring, check around the site for buying options.
Some of these comics may be on hiatus or abandoned. I don’t remove webcomics from my posts for that reason, though, because some people don’t mind reading a comic without an end, and also, sometimes creators come back to webcomics after extended absences.
Digger by Ursula Vernon
A PERFECT fantasy adventure about a female atheist wombat who meets a statue that speaks for the god Ganesha, a priest living with mental illness, and a solitary artist. It’s an amazing story about the strength of women that also includes wonderful male characters. It’s one of the funniest comics I’ve read. C-Man says it’s one of the best books he’s ever read, not even just one of the best graphic novels. If you’re at all intrigued by stories about fantasy, adventure, religion, or culture, you have to pick this up. Digger the wombat, Murai the traumatized priest, and Ed the exiled hyena painter are some of my new favorite characters in comics.
Full Circle by Taneka Stotts and Christianne Goudreau, colored by Genue Revuelta
What it’s about: “Full Circle is a fantasy/adventure webcomic that follows Elsa and Rhadi on their adventures through the world of Ves. One wants to go home while the other wants to be anywhere but.”
Why I love it: For “sucking in the reader” I give these folks an A+. Everybody has wings but this one guy, who often locks himself in his room doing magic and hearing voices. We know from the very first page that something bad happens to his younger sister. Is it connected to his magic experiments? Why doesn’t he have wings? Whose voice is he hearing? So! Many! Questions! The art is clear and pretty, and the lettering is quite skillful. The cast is diverse. A solid start that has me curious to see what’s next!
Knights Errant by Jennifer Doyle
What it’s about: “Wilfrid is on a quest. A quest for what, you ask? Wil won’t say, but being imprisoned in a city under siege has brought any progress to a sudden, grinding halt. Luckily for Wilfrid, there’s a prison guard on their side. Unluckily for the prison guard, and everyone else who has the misfortune of meeting this enigmatic vagrant, they’ll soon discover the bloody nature of Wilfrid’s quest…”
Why I love it: I am so into the oppressive feudal government intrigue and rebellion conspiracy vibe here! I look forward to some serious mayhem as the series unfolds. The muted color palette is gorgeous, and Doyle is skilled at bringing a character to life in just a few actions and lines of dialogue. Fans of diversity, I’d suggest that Wilfrid (pictured above) is a POC, though I’m not sure yet how race works in this world. There’s also plenty of queer rep.
Sfeer Theory by Jayd “Chira” Aït-Kaci and Alex “Muun” Singer
What it’s about: “It’s the eighteenth century of the Imperial Calender and the Empire of Warassa is at its peak. Spanning a full continent, and experiencing a new mastery of the magic known as the principles of Sfeer Theory, one might go so far as to call Warassa the center of the world. However, prosperity comes at a cost. Day by day, tensions rise at the borders of the Empire, which may soon be bound for war. Not that Luca Valentino knows that last part. A lab technician at the Empire’s premier school, Uitspan Academy, Luca desires only to live quietly to further educate himself in the nature of Sfeer Theory. This may not be so simple, for as he learns more about the magic around him, he finds himself entangled in a great mystery, one which may involve the whole of the world as he knows it…”
Why I love it: It’s just so gorgeous. The body language is so well drawn. The colors are muted and rich. I love the panels which highlight just one thing, such as a hand or a pair of feet skidding to a stop in the snow. The political conspiracy drama is engrossing. I was fascinated by the magic system as well, especially as Luca’s talent is revealed. This would make an amazing feature length animated movie! I’ve just realized that the first two parts are available as ebooks, so I’ll be picking those up shortly so it’s easier to re-read.
The Substitutes by Myisha Haynes
What it’s about: “What happens when three roommates accidentally acquire powerful magic weapons destined for someone else? What happens when the aforementioned “someone elses” fall from grace and public favor in the aftermath? What happens when you’ve suddenly found yourself as the hero to someone else’s story…?”
Why I love it: Intensely detailed, beautiful art. A fantasy world that’s not a replica of European history. A diverse cast. A mysterious intro. This is a new webcomic and I can’t wait to read more.
Vattu by Evan Dahm
What it’s about: “Vattu is a story following a member of a nomadic tribe caught in the midst of a massive clash of cultures.”
Why I love it: Dahm says he does long-form storytelling, and he means it. This is epic fantasy, in an a immense world, with a large cast that Dahm introduces incrementally so the reader has time to learn everyone. I usually need to bond with at least one character to like a book, and I’m not sure that I have in Vattu, and yet I’m still reading. I’m just so fascinated by all the cultures clashing, the political intrigue, and what’s going to happen to everyone. There are many strong female characters, and I appreciate that so much as well.
White Noise by Adrien Lee a.k.a. thephooka
What it’s about: “In the early 1900s, the nation of Aetheri came out of its long interdimensional isolation and revealed to the humans of the Symphony Archipelago that they were not alone in the multiverse. Things swiftly got ugly after that. In the early 1990s, Aetheri’s leadership changed, and in the Archipelago, a tiny broken family of half-siblings banded together in the face of the bile and hate that was boiling up between the humans and the non-humans. In the early 2000s, that family was split apart. Hawk Press and his sister Liya Kiski both begin a long and exhaustive journey towards understanding the difference between friend and enemy–and between the family you’re given, and the family you make.”
Why I love it: The long conflict between humans and non-humans here feels so heavy. You don’t really know who to trust, although definitely don’t trust the reports on the radio. Hawk’s and Liya’s stories are both interesting, so you’re not just waiting to see if they can reunite somehow. It’s pretty complex, so I’m currently re-reading it to make sure I have all the players straight in my head. It’s possibly even better the second time around.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE…
Here are a few more webcomics I haven’t had time to write up my own thoughts about, but I love them just as much as the ones above. Maybe you will too!
Grassblades by Anna Landin
What it’s about: “The wandering swordsman Masahiro, on the road to somewhere, finds himself caught up in the tangle of lives crossing his path. Much as he would like to keep his distance, the world has a way of insistently getting in his way. The anchor-weights of the past hold him back just as they pull him relentlessly forward, and there are shadows slowly catching up. This is a story about journeys, about vengeance, redemption, and all the small things that we can’t seem to leave behind.”
The Lost Oracle by Lho
What it’s about: “A fantasy story about a girl, raised in the abandoned ruins of Blue Gold City. She is the lost oracle. But she’s about to be found.”
Mana by Priya Huq
What it’s about: “When young khandati (swordsperson) Samudra finally has her dream, it is about the ocean: a sight she has never seen. Tradition holds that she must quest to find it, but those who leave the mountains are not allowed to return.”
And those are my latest favorite fantasy webcomics! If you have any suggestions, please leave them in the comments – and thanks for sharing this post on social media or with friends, so more people can find these great books!
