The Digital Strips Podcast (Digital Strips)
Bring the 5% of webcomics worth reading to the rest of the world. The Digital Strips blog provides coverage of the webcomic community with news and commentary from our crack team of reporters. It consists of reviews of webcomics, with the occasional interview, round-table discussions, and general advice on how to create and run a webcomic.

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March 2024
S M T W T F S
     
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Syndication

We've got a bit of news about KC Green that should continue his plans for Internet comic supremacy accordingly, this time claiming the Comics Kingdom as his own with a new home for Funny Online Animals! Once we've paid our proper respects, it's time to hide our superpowers, lest they get us killed, in Velinxi's harsh reality fantasy story, Countdown to Countdown. Which flower would you be, and why is that almost certainly a terrible decision, no matter which one you choose? Listen to our review and then read the comic to find out for yourself!

Direct download: ds-641-final.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 5:03pm EDT

Journey with us into the mountains along with an underprepared leader, her helpful, kind daughter, and some wily, innocent young girls. Melanie Gillman's As The Crow Flies examines nature as a means of discovery and exploration, using the setting as a character in this coming-of-age story that's both sweet and tense. Hear our thoughts on this tale that's representative of experiences wildly different than our own and why we found even more value in its lessons as a result.

Direct download: ds-640-final.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 12:17pm EDT

Travel back in time with us in the name of love! Also, be reincarnated with us, also in the name of love. In Honey and Venom by Kurzz, a goddess and her priestess can never be separated, not by time or space, especially when true love is possibly on the line. This bubbly, fun story is sure to capture your heart and wow your fashion sense, leaving you rooting for destined love even more than a shocked Midnight Cartooner is now!

Direct download: ds-638-final.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:26am EDT

It's not the Pound Puppies gritty reboot that Jason was hoping for, but Pound by Tony Karnowski Orlando Caicedo is all about fighting, metahumans, and MORE FIGHTING. In a world where fights could be around every corner, Leo Guerrero must be ready to go all day every day while trying to help his brother survive another day from his deteriorating disease. Ring the bell and step between the ropes to go a few rounds with this fun, rough romp!

Direct download: ds-637-final.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 2:54pm EDT

The world of Richard Macrae's Silverback is full of superheroes and supervillains, and is lacking in evidence as to which is which. It's a throwback to the Silver Age while also being full of tropes, cliches, and loads of fun. While we wish the site it lives on were more modern, you shouldn't miss this wild, evil ride!

Direct download: ds-636-final.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:10pm EDT

Alex Norris' Webcomic Name will have you saying oh no over and over, but in a good way! It's a comic that dwells on the negative and depressing elements of life, but with such joy and whimsy that you won't get lost in just how meaningless life really is. It also abstracts forms to both fascinating and terrifying effect and must be read to be believed!

Direct download: ds-635-final.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:50am EDT

It can be hard to stick to the point and really cut to the heart of a matter, but Matthew Wills does just that with SWORDS, his love letter to all things sharp and pointy. While Jason gets a bit less of a kick out of the running gag than Steve does, both guys appreciate the dedication to the gag and the ability to get so much humor out of such a narrow subject. Unsheathe your best weapon and prepare to take on the gauntlet of sword-based puns and jokes with us!

Direct download: ds-634-final.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 3:54pm EDT

Brin and Sven are lazy bounty hunters who need to pay rent, so they go looking for trouble and find more than they bargained for! Along the way, the leads of Eric Lide's Station Square meet Nem, Grinder, Edwin, Davan, Shade, Gazzo, Mad AND Vlad the Swine, Sunhild, Ardent, and other characters that sound like Muppets. It's a shonen comic that gets better with age and features a fight longer than many marriages last these days. Get off the couch and don't miss it!

Direct download: ds-633-final.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 3:32pm EDT

In Vainglorious, Hammer (yes, his name is Hammer) wants to run away from his problems and responsibilities, but then Rei, a former dragon cursed with a human form, falls into his lap (almost literally) and the two become instant friends. Well no, not really, and that's where the greatness of this comic comes from. Creator Kelly Bull (Sketches) takes us on a journey that is both fantastic and fun, with plenty of hilarious facial expressions and bombastic fantasy along the way.

Direct download: ds-632-final.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 2:25pm EDT

It's time for a new quest, and Basri and Hector, the titular Elf & Warrior from the comic by AC Stuart and Victor Rosas II, are looking for new members to join them in search of adventure and fame. Are you a mimic with an insatiable need to be full? How about a sentient tree stump with a dark side? Anyone call for a pug/goblin race with relationship issues? Sign up here today, because based on the hijinks in this comic, everyone will be considered and most will make the cut!

Direct download: ds-631-final.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 4:09pm EDT

In the world of Jason Clarke's Black & Blue, nobody is having a good time, and yet somehow, in a Tarantino-esque fashion, he is able to create a comic that is very enjoyable to read. After a bit of news about one of Chris Grine's properties being set for a big-screen turn, we delve into the seedy underworld that surrounds both humans and robots alike, and try to figure out just why this girl's disembodied head is so darned special.

Direct download: ds-630-final.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:45pm EDT

From Peanuts to Calvin and Hobbes and with a dash of Foxtrot thrown in, kids in comics have a great new entry in the entertaining space with Tauhid Bondia's Crabgrass. Kevin and Miles have a strong blood brother's bond that can't be broken, which is helpful since teachers, parents, bullies, and siblings are all trying to tear them down. It's all ages fun that joins some amazing comics about friendship and the stupid things kids do from time to time and is noteworthy all on its own.

Direct download: ds-629-final.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 3:35pm EDT

Float out and float on, bro, become one with the ocean, but keep your body above water, lest you be bitten by a seaghost and find yourself forever alone and damned. See, chill? Claire K. Niebergall's Phantomarine is equal parts sweet and fun mixed with dread and impending doom. It's a combination that works surprisingly well, buoyed by a great cast that includes a wise and brave undead princess, a precocious seabitten boy, and the cutest ghost dog you've ever seen. Surfs up, now GET OUT OF THE WATER!

Direct download: ds-628-final.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:52pm EDT

Grab your leathers, give them an outrageously fun and devastating name, and meet us in the ring to go a round or two with Jack McGee's Star Impact. We love this diverse, colorful cast of characters, whose inspiration springs from boxing tales like Punch-Out! and will dazzle you with fast and frantic artwork that makes you feel like you're right in the fight (of which there are a LOT).

Direct download: ds-627-final.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:54am EDT

Relive the painful, fun days of high school with the sweet and humorous 2 Slices by RJ Morel. Daisuke and Mamoru make for a delightful pair who are learning about themselves and each other while they work to help Dai get the girl he pines after. The journey this goal takes them both, as well as a cadre of friends and acquaintances, on is one you'll want to join.

Direct download: ds-626-final.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:18pm EDT

Countless takes on the RPG genre have shown us that infusing a custom-made adventure with humor is almost always a hit. The world of Malcolm "ME_T" Thulin's The Weekly Roll is full of gut-busting moments inspired by a cast of characters you will simultaneously want to grab a beer with and stay as far from as humanly possible.

Direct download: ds-625-final.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:29pm EDT

We've pulled you off the streets and introduced you to The Society for Arcane Scientists and Mr. Hyde and I hope your stay is full of adventure and ingenuity! Sabrina Cotungo's The Glass Scientists has captured our many successes and fiery failures and I think you'll agree that it's extremely dangerous for you to remain here. Can we retreat into Hyde's mind prison for safety? Oh, and stay out of Dr. Frankenstein's quarters, she's a bit of a pill, that one.

Direct download: ds-624-final.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 3:33pm EDT

The world of Gato Iberico's Fireweed Moors appears to be full of mystery. We can't wait to get the answer to questions like why do you have a cat head and are those magical birds forming that portal to who knows where? While you wait for those answers, and more, listen to our review to understand why we're excited to read more!

Direct download: ds-623-final.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 11:11pm EDT

Before greeting 2021 with (mostly) open arms, we look back to an amazing year in webcomics. We remember great works like Realm of Owls, Under the Lion, Extra Fabulous Comics, Ten Earth Shattering Blows, Plum, Live With Yourself, Scurry, Knucklejelly, Urban Animal, Patrik the Vampire, Alice and the Nightmare, Lunar Baboon, and many others. Celebrate with us before we permanently put that garbage fire of a year in the rear view.

Direct download: ds-622-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:42pm EDT

On literally the last day of this god-awful year, we bring you a bounty of very, very good things with our final GOOD PULL of 2020. Listen to us gush about Marc Lapierre's Second Extinction companion comic, the ethereal Frenchness of Yatuu, Danielle Corsetto's sweet ode to her hometown, Elephant Town, the best-in-class Johnny Wander story, Barbarous, and gut-busting weirdness on the 'Gram courtesy of KC Green and his Funny Online Animals. Read something good and send 2020 off in style!

Direct download: ds-621-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:36pm EDT

After a tangent towards fighting games that Jason sincerely regrets, the guys get down to the seriously cute business of Leigh Davis' Jailbird! The titular bird, along with many other friends they meet along the way, travels to the Temple of Daisies for reasons that still aren't quite clear to any of the many characters we've thus far met. What is obvious, however, is the joy you'll have reading about this eclectic, fun group and their individual quests to find what was once lost.

Direct download: ds-620-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:31pm EDT

Noir or not, the world of M. Lee Lunsford's Speak of the Devil can be a dangerous one for wisps and balisks alike (and yes, that entire sentence confuses the heck out of Jason). But you'll want to take a dive in after you hear our review about the complex character relationships and stunning artwork.

Direct download: ds-619-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:45pm EDT

What do you get for the person who has everything? Great webcomics! Jason discovered the precocious adorableness of Sedna and brings news of new Gastrophobia comics, while Steve finds out that his co-host still doesn't quite get Order of the Stick and falls in love with his first magical girls story, Sleepless Domain, all over again. It's the most wonderful podcast of the year!

Direct download: ds-618-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:36pm EDT

Purpah's Suitor Armor is a medieval fantasy tale that's got it all: magic, battles, and fairies falling in love with enchanted, soulless suits of armor. Outside of Steve's dislike of lazy secret identities, this is one fun, sweet, adventurous story we can recommend with all our hearts. Which we have, because we're not just magically animated suits of armor.

Direct download: ds-617-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 2:50pm EDT

Chris Grine is the creator behind the quirky adventures Chickenhare and Time Shifters. His latest work, a graphic novel of the young adult adventure series, Animorphs, has brought him a new perspective on working with a known property, dealing with the fandom of that universe, and coming to grips with possibly working on too many things at once. Chris talked with Jason about all of this and more, including his melancholy time at summer camp and why the story of Time Shifters is an incredibly personal one for him.

Direct download: ds-616-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:08pm EDT

Welcome to Wonderland, where humans like us aren't welcome and might even turn into evil creatures ... er, more so than here on Earth. Michelle Krivanek has taken many elements of Alice's classic tale and added more modern elements, with just a hint of a certain boy wizard thrown in. The result is a lore-heavy story called Alice and the Nightmare that has heart (and spade and club and diamond).

Direct download: ds-615-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:51pm EDT

If there's one thing you think of when you hear a podcast by two cis white men, it's magical girls. But dang it, those are some captivating, fun stories to read and Mildred Louis' Agents of the Realm is a great take on the genre, featuring minority characters and fashion that brings a tear to Jason's eye. You'll fall in love with these girls and root them on while reminiscing about your college days at the same time.

Direct download: ds-614-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:27am EDT

They have a massively successful webcomic on the Webtoons platform, two amazing careers in comics already, and a new Kickstarter to bring their Webtoon, Urban Animal, to life in print. Jason talked with both of the creators behind Urban Animal, Justin Jordan and John Amor, about everything from working with the Webtoons platform to their forays into the Zuda Comics contests of over a decade ago.

Direct download: ds-613-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 11:12pm EDT

It's not easy to walk the tightrope between awesome mech action and dramatic familial interactions, but Mike Stamm's The Automan's Daughter does just that. It's equal parts technically-depicted marvels and heartwarming, gut-wrenching actions that threaten to tear a loving family apart. Hear our thoughts on this special comic and learn why the mom is the one you should revere (and fear) the most.

Direct download: ds-612-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:40pm EDT

It's time for another sampling of webcomics goodness with our GOOD PULL for October! We're revisiting dystopia with Ten Earth Shattering Blows, getting a taste of pumpkin spice from bridgedflickered, looking forward to more of Katie Cook's licensed goodies, taking a quick look at Scape, and enjoy a bounty of Abby Howard's good works, including a return of The Last Halloween, just in time for the haunted holiday.

Direct download: ds-611-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:18pm EDT

Some ghosts wake up and wonder where they are. Some ghosts wake up and wonder why they suddenly have extra body parts. It's a weird world in Eliana Falcon's Cosmic Fish, but it's also very beautiful and full of compelling mysteries. The answers are not quickly revealed, but we think you'll find this comic worth spending some time with.

Direct download: ds-610-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:43pm EDT

When it comes to interviewing creative teams, you get lucky if you get the chance to talk with more than one of the esteemed team members. Somehow, Jason was able to convince both Julian Dominguez and Esther Pimentel of Littlelight Asylum to chat with him about the origins of the kid-friendly comic, including the inspiration for some character names that took even Esther by surprise!

Direct download: ds-609-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 11:01pm EDT

Take one part Muppet Babies, one part Beetlejuice, a little mayhem, and shake it all up. The resulting explosion is the madcap fun of Littlelight Asylum. Join the growing cast of youngsters, Headmistress Light, and more in this mostly-kid-friendly tale about some special kids with magical tendencies and the adventures they spring on everyone around them.

Direct download: ds-608-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 5:18pm EDT

This is our first episode of GOOD PULL, where we take time to find some quick hits of things that might have missed your attention otherwise. Steve recalls Kochab, hypes up Dwarf Fortress comic, Losing is Fun, and introduces everyone to Ramshackle. Jason recommends Hannah Templer's GLOW work, updates us on the latest Patrik the Vampire pages, takes a trip to Lake Gary, and posits a theory about Penny Arcade's artwork. Catch it all!

Direct download: ds-607-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:31pm EDT

It's no secret that the life of a princess isn't always a great one, but in the world of Hannah Templer's Cosmoknights, things are so bad that two adventurers have taken to freeing them of their captivity through an elaborate, loosely-regulated sport. It's a great basis for a fun story and the characters you meet will ensure you want to keep reading until you're begging for another chapter.

Direct download: ds-606-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:32pm EDT

Patrik the Vampire is a case of what you see is what you get, and what you see is an undead guy who's willing to cut loose and murder a person or two just as much as he'd like to sit at home on the couch and learn to sew from his elderly gal pal. Bree Paulsen brings us this man-of-the-ages in a unique and touching story that we absolutely loved in the previous episode. Here, Jason sits down with Bree to discover the origins of the titular vamp and get her take on the vampire/monster genre and why funny can sometimes be the better way to go.

Direct download: ds-605-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:49pm EDT

Finally, an episode you can really sink your teeth into! After Steve and Jason hash out the details on Fangr, their new dating app for vampires, they invite you in to listen to their review of Bree Paulsen's Patrik the Vampire. At times both full of slapstick and heart, Patrik is a story that can do it all, and while jumping from timeline to timeline, no less. Listen to the review and then read the whole, engrossing story thus far.

Direct download: ds-604-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:18pm EDT

J. Alice Bown's Damsels Don't Wear Glasses is a compelling read, with visuals that compliment and amplify a fun, kinetic story. Jason called across the pond to have a chat with Alice, learning about her process and experiences creating a webcomics for over a decade and how it's shaped her abilities from writing to encompassing everything needed to tell a good and convincing comic story.

Direct download: ds-603-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:40pm EDT

It's time to save the world from ... something, and we've got our psychic blades ready to ... do something, I guess? We don't feel incredibly motivated to fight evil after reading J. Alice Bown's Damsels Don't Wear Glasses, but we certainly dig the vibe that Lave and company are putting out into the world. The comic has a visual style all its own that shows a clear delineation between the "real" world and the magical one. Get off the couch and don't sleep through this one!

Direct download: ds-602-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:44pm EDT

The first episode on the other side of our first 600 takes a look at Urban Animal, a comic on Webtoons from a talented team who took inspiration from everything from Filipino folklore to Buffy the Vampire Slayer and created a great tale of teenagers transforming into animals. Jason prefers John Hughes-type lame parents to the cool mom and dad in this comic, but Steve is just concerned the libido of a wolf might be more than a young man/chimera can handle.

Direct download: ds-601-complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 11:15pm EDT

It's time for another milestone! Steve and Jason are celebrating the 600th episode of the first, and best, webcomics podcast on the planet and you're invited to the party! After Jason talks about a handy summary of the story on Tiger, Tiger to catch you up before the next chapter begins and a syndication deal for Brian Anderson's Dog Eat Doug, the guys take a walk down memory lane, recalling everything from the first comic they ever read for the site to what the future holds for the show.

Direct download: DS600Complete2.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:57pm EDT

When magic is present in any given webcomic world, you can bet that Steve will be grinning from ear to ear, partly because he loves it, and partly because he understands it better than Jason. This is true of the simple but fantastic Tistow by Elli Puukangas and Mark Thomas. Come for the possibly murderous wisp rats, stay for many, many people with loose morals.

Direct download: DS599Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:27pm EDT

Did you know that Gary Larson got a digital tablet and decided to pass this pandemic by with a return to The Far Side, the wildly popular comic strip that many of proudly wore on T-shirts in the 90's? Then go read the new strips, we'll wait. Now that you're back, you can listen to our confused but effusive thoughts on Broken, a comic by Kristina Caruso that inspired a great discussion about the art of comics and webcomics standards some of us might take for granted. The comic itself is exceptional, and worth a read, after you listen to our review.

Direct download: DS598Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 1:44pm EDT

As kids, we sometimes feared the dark (in Jason's case, childhood continues). Manek D'Silva's Bonabyl tells us that maybe we were right to fear it all along, and maybe even still. Follow along with us as we explore the world with Miro and Vick, discovering once and for all what those bumps in the night are all about.

Direct download: DS597Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:34pm EDT

The stars of Tracy MacLauchlan and Yesenia Carrero's Gemini Journey are like an odd couple, but not THAT Odd Couple. One is vivacious, the other dour, and that difference makes for some fun and dangerous situations! Also, one of them drives Jason INSANE. Listen in to see which one it is along with why the guys describe the comic as Tiny Kitten Teeth by way of H.P. Lovecraft and how the structure of comics on Webtoons is going to drive both guys crazy before too long.

Direct download: DS596Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:14pm EDT

Year in Hereafter by Mikael Hankonen introduces us to a sweet, practical family before confirming that, yes, there are forces of evil in the world that you absolutely want to avoid. Running afoul of these entities takes our boys, Veeti and Mikael (no relation) on a journey you absolutely must take with them into worlds unknown. But please, leave your smartphone behind. Trust us.

Direct download: DS595Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:35pm EDT

You'd think a fellow who trains mythic and fantastic creatures would have a higher status than a white collar schmoe with friends named Garth and Kevin, but that's exactly where Ulrick, the titular character of Mythic Creature Trainer by Rene Pfitzner, lives. But will he be any help when the invading orcs arrive? Read the comic and listen to our review to find out (not really, we don't know yet, but read and listen anyways).

Direct download: DS594Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:22pm EDT

After Jason lays out his reboot of Old Yeller (the twist is that the dog shoots his owner), it's time to travel to the fun, fanciful, and frightening world of Knucklejelly! Creator Benjamin Hall has weaved together a story of both heartache and adventure, full of monsters and ... well, more monsters. Though it's a comic that would probably be better served outside the restrictive confines of the Webtoons platform, it's got a charm and joy all to itself that comes through no matter where you read it. Make sure that you do!

Direct download: DS593Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:56pm EDT

Eldrick is the wussy chosen one of Crookshaw Creative's Helm. After the guys talk about comics news, including Star Power coming to a somewhat abrupt end and a new life for PvP, they delve into the excellently-produced but thus-far soulless fantasy comic that's all about following someone else's dreams.

Direct download: DS592Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:54pm EDT

Return with us to the world of mice, cats, fantastic, epic battles, and missing humans. In Mac Smith's Scurry, danger awaits around every corner and just when you think you're safe, your fellow rodents are waiting to take your place. It's wild, it's dangerous, and it's a thrill you have to read for yourself. Hear our take on this adventurously tiny tale and then go check it out!

Direct download: DS591Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:08pm EDT

When several characters take center stage in a comic, how do you know which one is the focus? Look to the fanart, says Jason, webcomics supergenius. That advice might help when reading Star Prichard's Castoff, a tale about journeys, mysteries, and the mysterious journey that our three intrepid adventurers undertake. It's one that's worth taking, so listen to our review and get prepared for what's ahead.

Direct download: DS590Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:16pm EDT

He's Toivo, he's very insecure about his position in life, and he's also a wildly powerful wizard. What could go wrong? The answer is a lot, just so much wrongness, and those stories are contained in Kay Rossbach's Ingress Adventuring Company. Hear our gushing good words about this outstanding comic and then go read the whole thing for yourself!

Direct download: DS589Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:35am EDT

It's not every day that a cute alien girl crash lands in your backyard and changes your life, possibly for good, but Kade certainly treats it that way in Pookie Senpai's Down to Earth. Steve is convinced this comic is plotted like a sitcom, explaining why he's not a huge fan and Jason doesn't buy that he never set foot in a Hot Topic. Stay up late, go to the store, and listen to our review!

Direct download: DS588Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:37pm EDT

Sure, we looked at this comic back in episode 562, but maybe that was actually another version of us and this is brand new? We're back with Shen's (and Megan McKay's and Dave Mercier's) Live With Yourself! and it's just as fun and insane as we (or our other selves) remembered. Jason really enjoyed getting to know all the characters that Steve had already made friends with months ago. Join them and make these loveable weirdos your friends, too!

Direct download: DS587Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:55pm EDT

We're diving back into the fanciful and fun world of fruit stacking competitions with Sam Kim's Plum! When last we reviewed this delightfully unique comic, the fun was plentiful and the fruit was flying. Hear our joy as we read on and meet even more colorful teams and learn their creative techniques in this bizarrely cute take on ... sports? Gonna go with sports.

Direct download: DS586Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:40pm EDT

There's no feeling like flying down a steep hill at high speeds on your sweet bike. It's even better when you literally can't lose a race or look anything other than a super rad dude. That's the story of Wind Breaker, which follows a mysterious guy with a beat-up bike and the students and other figures that surround him. Hear our voyeuristic views on this exciting world and then catch the virus of competition and read it for yourself.

Direct download: DS585Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:53pm EDT

Ever think you could get a bunch of friends together and bounce around the galaxy, having adventures and maybe saving a life or two? Temerity by Jemma Young and Chad Hardin is a Guardians of the Galaxy-like romp that turns zeroes into heroes, with a fantasy bend to the sci-fi that lends to a flavor all its own. See what we thought about this fast-paced adventure and then get on the train early with us!

Direct download: DS584Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:43pm EDT

Welcome to the wasteland! It's terrible! Seriously, don't go. If you're not terribly lucky or disfigured in some way, you're doomed. But Nuclearpasta's Ten Earth Shattering Blows makes it seem like so much darn fun, you'll want to join the party and ride a lizard to almost-certain doom. Hear us gush about the ridiculous ride this comic takes you on and then join in yourself!

Direct download: DS583Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:10pm EDT

Brave the Spiderforest with us once again to discover a tropey tale of daring do and daring don'ts. James Nelson's Monster Lands follows a set of heroes, most of whom are just barely scraping by in that category. But when the rest of the world sucks so much, how else is a good-hearted person/elf/dwarf/whatever supposed to make a living?

Direct download: DS582Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:29pm EDT

It's largely NSFW, it's Perry Bible Fellowship-esque, and it's not apologizing for any of it's jokes. It has no qualms with killing both the boy and the grandmother, questioning Jesus' water-based powers, and slapping a d___ on a unicorn. It's Zach Stafford's Extra Fabulous Comics and you must now read it.

Direct download: DS581Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:06am EDT

Once we get around the idea of childhood Steve really wanting a cool old man friend, it's time to talk about characters. Specifically, a comic with many, many characters to keep track of. O Sarilho also has plenty of lore and mystery to keep things going as well, including just what is in the satellite that came crashing back to Earth and how many of the multitude of soliders we just met will it claim? Listen to our thoughts on it and then give it a read for yourself!

Direct download: DS580Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 11:41pm EDT

The combination of Witches Get Stitches and 666 Bistro from demon-centric creator Laura Graves is one that at once creeps you out and draws you in. Though we agree the color palette could stand to add a few colors and shades, the detail is amazing and the action in particular is bound to get you out of your seat in preparation for a massive kaiju battle to break out. ... wait what

Direct download: DS579Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 3:59pm EDT

While looking at a portfolio site for a comic review is outside our normal process, sometimes a creator is just so good, we can't turn it down. Lee Gatlin is one such creator. Who knew that combining poop/fart jokes with beloved fantasy/sci-fi characters would be right up our alley? But that's also selling this timeless, mostly all-ages comic work way too short. Do yourself a favor and spend a few unfortunately short moments pouring over the offerings on Lee's site and hope along with us that more is coming some day.

Direct download: DS578Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:38pm EDT

Fantastical worlds with fearsome dragons, kings and queens of valor, and knights showing off their cunning and bravery are plentiful but welcome escapes from our everyday lives. The Stoop Gallants is ... like that. Kind of. But the characters of yore are more akin to burnout dudes who accidentally become necromancers and nosy bards who just can't stay out of everyone's business. Your mileage may vary with the mundane fantasy in this comic, but mindless zombie companions are always funny and we can all at least agree on that.

Direct download: DS577Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 11:07pm EDT

Raise your hand if you're fatigued by superhero stuff. Ok, put your hands down, because WE DON'T CARE! Folklore has a unique twist on a worn and well-traveled genre that's well worth checking out. After hearing about their greatest fears (mummies vs. the darkness, FIGHT) and a quick news update about a series option for Gunnerkrigg Court, the guys offer their opinions on this highly-kinetic story.

Direct download: DS576Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:06am EDT

The world of Zoul is a complex and messy one, full of vast technological advances and grounding references to many places we ourselves know and love. Creator Maria Valentina presents this lush, detailed world in both English and Spanish, sometimes with mixed results. Hear our full thoughts in this episode and then check it out in one of the many ways she has made possible!

Direct download: DS575Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:13am EDT

We're returning to an old format for a good old fashioned Horizons Watch! These comics are young and hungry for your time and attention. Check out our thoughts on the delightfully dour Jack Of All Grades and the molecularly specific Under the Lion.

Direct download: DS574Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:13am EDT

If you like deep dives on a society of owls that explores the silly nuances of their government, currency, entertainment, and more, then plant yourself in front of a computing device and absorb the dry, Monty Python-esque wit of Realm of Owls. It even features a URL that can be read as a near-expletive!

Direct download: DS573Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:17am EDT

The promise of the afterlife is just too enticing, so we're dying and coming back to life with Don Juan Mancha III's Purgatory. But just what is going on in this life after life? Is it worth living in again? And why do we still have to go to work?

Direct download: DS572Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:09am EDT

For this brave new decade, we're looking at a comic we all wish was real life: living that role-playing life as our real life. Three brave(?) souls do just that in Myisha Haynes' The Substitutes. Jason found it to be a little confusing but Steve is confident he's just a moron. Have a listen to their thoughts and then give it a look to judge for yourself!

Direct download: DS571Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:22am EDT

After we give credit where it’s due for Everblue (check out the review in Episode 568), it’s time to jump in the Wayback Machine and travel back to 2011, when Magnolia Pearl was just starting out on a little creature comic called Monster Pulse. We’re back, eight years later, to check in on Bina, Ayo, and the whole gang to see who’s still around and what monsters they have to check out. Join us!

Direct download: DS570Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:43am EDT

Families are the worst, right? And we're not even talking about the holidays, but what about when your brother or lazy teenage son lets a sexy bird lady escape from your family's private garden with the golden apple that holds an antidote which would end your family's long reigning fortune? Yeah, that just SUCKS. If you've never experienced that yourself, enjoy our thoughts on The Red King, a comic so full of family drama and angst the bird women leap off the page and fly into your heart.

Direct download: DS569Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:24am EDT

We don't do news items that often any more, but John Allison updates are worthy of our attention! After we get excited about Wicked Things, his upcoming expansion of the Scarymachinerydaysiverse, we take to the skies and give love a chance with the hopeful comic, Michael Sexton's Everblue. Once you see the progress this story and artwork have made in the last decade, you'll agree that it's a must-read comic.

Direct download: DS568Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:21am EDT

Is it a journal comic? Is it a memoir comic? It doesn't matter, because Ryan Made Mistakes is yet another good, good Ryan Estrada comic. Delve into Ryan's sordid past with tales about school shower apprehension and melting clothes, it's all there, laid bare, for you and I to consume and judge. BONUS: Given the subject matter of the comic, we included a small taste of our other show, Today I Learned Nothing, as Jason recounts his own problems with showing off his bits at school.

Direct download: DS567Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:25am EDT

Welcome to Zero Game, where you can earn a second chance at living the life you lost or wasted, but must sit through unbelieveable video game conceits and unnecessary exposition to earn it. Also, in the course of detailing the story of this comic, Steve reminds Jason of the lore behind the vehicular combat game franchise, Twisted Metal, and he is not happy about it.

Direct download: DS566Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:56pm EDT

Are you ready to laugh? Like, seriously LAUGH? Then click through to Neil Kohney's The Other End and let the guffaws begin! His comic, which mostly uses children to give hilarious commentary on everything in our modern society, has biting wit and dark comedy that should have you laughing with each click. If not, you're a robot, and we request that you answer this CAPTCHA to proceed.

Direct download: DS565Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 1:56pm EDT

We're calling back to days of yore with a Horizons Watch-esque episode! Hear our thoughts on the short but excellent comics Threader by Liz Kramer and The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh and Silvester Vitale. Check them both out!

Direct download: DS564Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:07am EDT

Motion comics can be stiff reading experiences, but what happens when they pay homage to a cartoon era that was likewise simple and stilted? Cyko KO! takes a swing at that question with a Webtoons, online-only comic that has plenty of fun hijinx but might be lacking in heart and depth. Listen to our thoughts, turn down your volume, and give the comic a look for yourself.

Direct download: DS563Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:51am EDT

This week features a comic with time travel that's so fun, your nose will bleed! Or your older self might die! But don't worry, he'll come back. Shen, with help from Megan McKay and Dave Mercier, brings us Live With Yourself, a Multiplicity-like with heart and zany, doppelganger-infused hijinx that tells the story of Todd and his three friends, himself, himself, and himself. You don't need more than one of yourself to enjoy this comic, though!

Direct download: DS562Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 10:27am EDT

Plum: it's like Pokemon, except instead of monsters living in balls, it's fruit, and instead of making them fight each other, you stack them. Like, really high. That's the idea behind our comic review this week, Plum! Come for the silly conceit for a story, stay for us brainstorming modern disagreements that could be solved with fruit stacking matches.

Direct download: DS561Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 2:38pm EDT

The world of Ty Dunitz and Jenn Lee's Rising Sand is desolate, hopeless, and treacherous, fully-realized and under-explored. Follow along with a small but lively group of the survivors of this dangerous land and hear why the art style reminds us of a Don Bluth cartoon and how you might need to give this slow-paced but engaging comic some breathing room in between views.

Direct download: DS560Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 2:28pm EDT

Monsters live among us and, as usual, kids are the only ones with enough chill to keep them happy and alive. Drew Weing's The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo will entertain and delight you, even as Steve and Jason use it's immense quality to discuss the days when webcomics weren't necessarily so good. Enjoy both, please!

Direct download: DS559Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 2:02pm EDT

The guys take advantage of a comic still finding its footing in iZiAHZAY's Comic Strips to look back on the early days of webcomics and to explore the origins of a Digital Strips legend.

Direct download: DS558Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 2:31pm EDT

Lee Keegan has taken the wide open, detailed world of Dwarf Fortress and added his own story and characters to it with Bridgedflickered. Jason doesn't pretend to know a thing about it, so Steve leads the way on why all dwarves are so expendable and who comes up with this goofy names. It's a fun ride!

Direct download: DS557Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 1:35pm EDT

Learning can be fun, and Aztec Empire is here to show just that. This expertly crafted comic about history informs just as much as it entertains, with plenty of behind the scenes trappings for those of you who always want a little something extra in their entertainment.

Direct download: DS556Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 2:26pm EDT

Jason loves romantic comedies and tolerates dumb science. Steve loathes both things. This makes their tandem review of LUFF by Arechan a contentious one, indeed! Listen as they come to a consensus of disbelief and enjoyment for this questionably-nominated comic.

Direct download: DS555Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 3:47pm EDT

The internet is a historical oddity, full of old browsers and search engines that rise to fame in a day and burn out just as quickly. But, did you ever want to see what it looks like if they were all represented by magical anime girls? Then boy howdy, do we have the comic for you! Check out our review of the inscrutable Internet Explorer by Merriweather and Princess Hinghoi and pick your favorite anthropomorphized web browser!

Direct download: DS554Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 1:11pm EDT

This podcast has been around for almost 15 years, so Steve and Jason take a quick look back at some of the episode formats that worked and many others that didn't. After that brief introspection, it's time to get lost on a strange planet with a band of intrepid adventurers in Room of Swords!

Direct download: DS553Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 1:20pm EDT

When the whole world is full of nuclear fallout-induced freaks, are normal people the true weirdos? Grace Mulcahy attempts to answer that question as well as many others we don't quite understand with Larkspur. Join a gang and get in the fight!

Direct download: DS552Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:47pm EDT

Do you like questionable takes on classic cartoon characters? How about horror comics? Anime? If you said yes to all of those things (and more, who the heck are we kidding), then you will love our review of Misterie Krew's Scoob and Shag!

Direct download: DS551Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 2:46pm EDT

After Steve was getting fed up with a certain journal comic (Eisner-winning, even!), Jason decided to find something he would enjoy a bit more. Enter My Giant Nerd Boyfriend. Follow along with Fishball and Boyfriend as they navigate life together, one of them being small, and one of them being ridiculously large. Now available on YouTube as well!

Direct download: DS550Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 2:28pm EDT

After the guys reminisce about podcast days gone by with the John Oliver-laden episodes of The Bugle (the most special of which can be found here), they take a look at the precocious treat that is Phoebe and Her Unicorn by Dana Simpson. It's vibes are all-ages and Calvin and Hobbes-inspired, with enough of an identity to tell a story unique to Phoebe and her unicorn, Marigold Heavenly Nostrils.

Direct download: DS549Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 9:51am EDT

Beacons of hope have it so tough; always getting chased by one tribe or race, being harassed for their blood and/or life to break this curse and that curse. Doesn't a beacon deserve happiness, happiness with a handsome shark prince with sexy teeth? Find out in our review of Wendy Lian Martin's Castle Swimmer.

Direct download: DS548Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 2:29pm EDT

Ever want to learn more about nature and the animals it contains, but were afraid it wouldn't be funny enough? Bird and Moon by Rosemary Mosco has you covered, with enough animal facts to fill an Illustrated Wildlife Treasury and dry humor that would make even the stiffest Brit chuckle.

Direct download: DS547Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 3:06pm EDT

While Steve is out, Jason takes the opportunity to catch up with friend of the show and amazing creator of all things ... well, all things, David Gallaher. Hear David talk about his work on The Only Living Boy, the follow-up, The Only Living Girl, his contribution to the upcoming Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Breakpoint, and why many people are wrong about who the best Green Lantern of all time is.

Direct download: DS546Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 2:08pm EDT

Steve and his family are enjoying Noelle Stevenson's She-Ra and the Princesses of Power and they think you should, too! Meanwhile, Jason brings a comic unlike most others you've read before, where love is just around the corner and even the fearsome Duke of Hell is getting into the act. Listen to the guys review Love Advice from the Great Duke of Hell and then go read that wonderful, weird comic for yourself.

Direct download: DS545Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 1:55pm EDT

In the mood to solve a mystery? Feeling hated even though you are the very best at what you do? Does your privileged, boring life leave you wanting to don a mask and take down your fellow elites, Robin Hood meets Batman-style? Then Dan Schkade's Eisner-nominated Lavender Jack should satisfy whatever comic appetite you have!

Direct download: DS544Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 2:23pm EDT

The gods are angry! Also, horny, hungry, lustful, bored, and horny again. We're trying to keep track of the entire pantheon and shipping so many couples you should call us Amazon in our review of Rachel Smythe's Lore Olympus.

Direct download: DS543Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 2:56pm EDT

After some silly chatter about flip flops, the guys take a peek into the demon-shilling, economy-busting world of botanical curiosities with C.B. McPherson's Bybloemen. Check your feet and stop to smell these flowers!

Direct download: DS542Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 1:54pm EDT

Welcome to the world of Shattered Starlight, where magical girls might just save your life when they're not busy brewing a mean cup of coffee or enjoying some all-night poutine with their cute, cantankerous rabbit friend. It's a story by Nicole Chartrand where anything can happen, but usually doesn't. Listen to our review to see why that's not a bad thing.

Direct download: DS541Complete.mp3
Category:Digital Strips -- posted at: 4:28pm EDT