Hello, and welcome to Webcomics Wednesday! Talking animals have been a popular idea even since before Aesop wrote his fables thousands of years ago. But for all that tradition, new stories about our furry (and feathered, and scaly…) friends are showing up every day. Below are only a few of the many great webcomics featuring all kinds of talking animals, many of which are all too human.
For those of you new to Webcomics Wednesday, this is a weekly tradition where we choose five webcomics centered around a certain theme. They are chosen and presented in no particular order based on art, story and appeal. This week’s feature is talking animals, and there’s something for everyone!
Comic: 21st Century Fox
Creator: Scott Kellogg
In our words: Meet Jack Black. According to the site, Jack is “a traveling engineer, roaming from one assignment to the next, repairing equipment for TLATech in his high powered 2066 Thunderbird. Intelligent and hardworking, if a bit shy and naive. He knows more about handling machines than he does people. Cars especially.” Oh, and did we mention that Jack is also a fox? While this quirky webcomic started back in 1998, it’s still alive and active, with new stories constantly popping up as Jack tries to befriend the lovely but shy Jenny Curtis. Will she open herself up to him? Read this futuristic romantic comedy to find out!
Comic: 100% Cat
Creator: Isabel Marks
In our words: This sweet webcomic is told in the style of Japanese Shojo manga, manga directed to girls. It takes place in a high school boarding school, following the ups and downs of a group of friends. It would make for a delightful read even if the characters were human, but the fact that they’re all cats makes it stand out that much more with a snazzy zing about it that most such comics don’t have.
Comic: Bat’s in the Belfrey
Creators: Eric and Sarah Alexander
In their own words: I wanted to use anthropomorphic characters, having always enjoyed anthro comic books and characters, so I began thinking up my primary cast. I wanted to pick something a little off the beaten path, rather than use the species of animals that are usually featured. The idea of a bat came to mind, since bats are one of my wife’s favorite animals. A reindeer counterpart came next since I thought it was a bit unusual that female reindeer actually have antlers. So, with that kernel of a story, the rest began falling into place.
In our words: Greta and Wes have an unusual relationship as neighbors in this fun webcomic. Greta is a reindeer, which means that, yes, she’s a girl with antlers. She can also make her nose glow red. Wes is a bat who just moved out of his cave, and who can make his wings magically disappear when he doesn’t use them. Bat’s in the Belfrey is a comic that has evolved in many ways. It’s been both black and white and colored, both a small strip at a time or an all-out graphic novel. But throughout all those changes it’s remained fun and creative.
Comic: Coyote
Creator: Mel. White
In his own words: Welcome to the Pleistocene, when people were fuzzy, tasty edible animals had fangs and horns and scales and were the size of large cars, and Coyotes fell off things, avoided work, and generally got into trouble. But what else would you expect of a Coyote?
In our words: Coyote is fun and wild, filled with the flair of Native American beauty and all the adventures of the Old West. And, of course, coyotes. This comic manages to be fun and witty while recounting the adventures of a very lazy coyote who would sooner not do things the hard way.
Comic: Altermeta
Creator: Casey Young
In his own words: Altermeta is about a group of teenage outcasts that are just dealing with the boredom of small town life however they can. Well.. that and fight ninjas. It’s just simple, stupid fun and a view of the world seen through their eyes. The world: It’s called Cavris, it’s not unlike Earth that’s set in a late 1980’s, early 90’s time period. It has many of the same ups and downs as Earth. Any details that differ are shown through the comic and the characters. The people are called kuvrahks, they’re not unlike anthropomorphic dragons. They’re just like humans as far as their strengths and faults go, only they’re dragon in nature with an alien-like twist to their biology. It’s as simple as that.
In our words: Finally, the one we’ve all been waiting for: dragons! This webcomic takes place on another planet that has anthropomorphic dragons instead of people. And not only that, but these are teenage dragons. How can a comic like that not be brilliant? Or at least… highly entertaining?
I hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s selection of webcomics featuring animals that are all too human. These new chapters in an ancient tradition keep stories new and fresh all the time. Please come back next week for another Webcomics Wednesday. In the meantime, tell us if we missed anything in this week’s selection. What webcomics do you read? Is there something that we haven’t featured yet that we should? Let us know!
