What are the most experimental webcomics you've ever seen?

[joezabel]

Neal started a thread at http://www.livejournal.com/users/nvonflue/65902.html about this, and I just wanted to take up the subject here. As to what experimental means, it's up to you (and by all means explain it if you want to.) Share!

[nvonflue]

I kept meaning to bring this disscusion over here (where it has the chance of being seen by more than 8 people)
Thanks, Joe!

For the record, here's the kind of stuff I was looking for:

Flash experimentation and non-linear storytelling like:
E-merl's Sixgun
Colin White's 48 Vignettes About Everything
Infinte canvas experimenting like:
Jasen Lex's Aweful Science Faire
And things that are both (or more) like:
Patrick Farley's Spiders

(I'd even drop my own comic The jerk In there, but that'd be wrong of me, wouldn't it?)

So, seriously. the most experimental? And if it's got a keen in the URL, I'm gonna cry... (just kidding, keeners)
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Neal
ape-law
vonflueart
webcomicsexaminer

[Joe Zabel at Work]

Somebody else on your list added http://www.comingupforair.net/comics/ojingogo.html
and I have to agree that it's a compelling comic and very experimental. (I wrote more about this on your blog, Neal, if you want to check back there.)

[Erik the Hack]

Whenever I am asked this question, I always think instantly of When I Am King. Now that project really pushed the boundaries of web comic storytelling (IMO)!
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[Steve Hogan]

I thought the late lamented LEISURE TOWN was pretty unique.
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[Guest]

Unfortunately, I've heard that Leisuretown was pulled from the web and isn't available anywhere.

[Alexander D.]

Really, just about anyting by Merlin. Sixgun was his first big splash, but he's done a number of interesting things since then. The Mr. Nile experiement wasn't really a narrative, but rather an experimental essay on the possibilities of webcomics -- in webcomic form, of course. And the currently running The Nile Journals on Serialier is a constant narrative experiment.
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TwentySevenLetters.com
Gingerbread houses

[ChaosBurnFlame]

TO be honest... possibly my own "Point Guardian" is what I'd consider experimental (www.pointguardian.com) . The art's sorta rickittey, the whole thing is essentially an old story I've been working on from my youth being drawn and laid out daily. The comic's primary existance is to BE an experiment, IE a reason for me to draw everyday and gradually improve my art and storytelling. The subject matter is also one that is hardly used for webcomics: a superhero story that's not a parody or filled with all that anti-hero-ness of the 90's.

[stinkywigfiddle]

Roughies is sort of surealist, and I like it. Not sure how "experimental" it is. I guess it could be experimental because it's not your average comic strip.
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Head Doctor Productions

[Lord Emsworth]

Most interesting discussion, so hope there's no objection if a new poster and mere reader chimes in.

In the technical sense, and possibly in terms of its humor as well, the fairly obscure Toonbots by Michael Roberts is highly experimental. It attempts to code strips through XML and Perl and other technical thingummies which, as an English major, I can only comprehend parts of. Though clip art is used for several recurring characters, notably assorted dead communists, the code specifies direction, panel layout, font colors, everything else. Just examine the code included with each strip. It's something else. Even several of the characters are "drawn" in this way, though thus far this has only worked for a dot, a square box, two stick figures, and most impressively, BoxJam's giant head. Naturally, no backgrounds are included (beyond early experiments with different colors for no particular reason). Panel sizes and layouts vary considerably, as the creator is not limited in any way, not even by the length of paper or whatnot, though anymore, size is generally kept to an easily viewable level without too much scrolling.

In some ways sort of the webcomic equivalent of a Beckett play, only with more pop cultural references and generally much stranger (though it seldom succumbs to "weird for weirdness sake"), the strip seldom sustains narratives beyond strange conversations between the cast, or attempts at Seussian poetry, or fourth wall breaking (the author's voice deefending his many frequent hiatuses in text), and so forth. The intentionally overly intellectual, pretentious, florid blurbs are quite delightful at times.

Definitely an odd duck and not to many tastes, and *extremely* inconsistent updating, with breaks between strips lasting from a mere 10 or 11 days to nine months, (probably has about 10 regular readers, including self, because of this). Still, it's well worth a look, I'd say, and can never be accused of being too "mainstream."

Also, I really hope one of these days Michael will find time to tinker with the Toon-O-Matic, the program he created to generate the comics, to make a more user friendly version available as sharware, as was promised long ago (it *can* be used, but only by those with the time, energy, and expertise).

[joezabel]

Lord,

Thanks, that was a nicely-written assessment of Toonbots (which does indeed seem to be an interesting strip!)

You should consider writing for us. Our guidelines are at http://webcomicsreview.com/examiner/about.html#guidelines

Best,

Joe Zabel, editor

[Guest]

have you seen invisible forces?

[Ghastly]

I saw a webcomic that was doing research into nanotube technology using buckminsterfullerine. I thought that was pretty experimental until some otaku told me Fred Gallagher just discovered the cure for cancer and is working on making it a pocky flavour.
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Ghastly
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Ghastly's Ghastly Comic

[Stolle Author]

Fascinating indeed.
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[Guest]

1/0 was a pretty interesting experiment in narrative/fiction.