Webcomic Review: Girl Genius, by Professors Phil and Kaja Foglio
I’ve always loved comics and comic books, but in the last ten years or so the availability of quality comics has declined. All of the superhero comic books I was reading got cancelled, one by one, and I came to realize just how seldom it is to find a funny joke on the newspaper’s funny pages. As things turn out, however, it’s not as grim as it seems, and the internet holds the answer. Webcomics, though they abound in quantities large enough to choke a webhorse, can fill that gap simply through the vast variety available — you’re bound to find something you like. So, today, I bring you one of the cream of the crop of the webcomics that I have discovered: Girl Genius.
Originally a print comic that has since migrated to the web, Girl Genius bills itself as a “gaslamp fantasy†— similar to steampunk, for those more familiar with that term. Three things stand out to me about this comic: first is the artwork which, while slightly cartoony, has a very consistent style that fits the never entirely serious storylines. With the exception of the first “issue†(which is a small portion of the archives at this point), each page is lavishly colored to boot. Second, the world and the characters are very well developed, and the story constantly reveals new details in the process. It’s a unique setting that really drives the story along. Thirdly, mad science. I love mad science, and this has it in spades.
There isn’t much to criticize here. I do occasionally feel like there’s too much going on behind the scenes, and would like to have a bit more backstory available. Also, it only updates three days a week — which is just never quite enough! Perhaps these two complaints go hand in hand. That’s not much to complain about, especially when you take into account the wonderful story filled with talking cats, airships galore, complicated lineages, issues of history and mythology, and a wonderful protagonist coming into her own as a spark, as these “mad scientists†are called.
A really fantastic webcomic. If you don’t like reading comics online, they’ve got collected editions available for sale. Overall, a wonderful adventure-type story sprinkled with just the right blend of humor. I’ll leave you with one warning, however: once you start reading through the archives, you’ll probably get hooked and spend your afternoon clicking the next button to find out what happens next.
Girl Genius, by Profs. Phil and Kaja Foglio, can be found at http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/