Nimona

There are only a couple of other webcomics that could rival Nimona for my all time favorites, and that top spot is honestly mood-dependent, so let's just say Nimona is one of the finest gifts the internet has every given me. It has pretty much everything I could want in a series: snarky, chaotic evil lady in the lead, brooding UST between the heroic villain and villainous hero, shark jokes. Everything I love all in one beautifully bound volume to I don't have to wear my eyes out reading the screen.

Noelle Stevenson one of my favorite comic artists out there. This story and Lumberjanes showcase her many talents and unique sense of humor along with her distinct art style. That style has a way of being deceptively simple. I look at it and think, “I could draw that.” Then I try and realize that maybe I could draw it, but I could never wield it to convey the amount of emotion and depth of character. They are my favorite noodle-limbed characters. Suck it, Adventure time.

She also does a brilliant job of producing diverse, complex characters without making it feel like a statement piece. The story of Nimona, a shape-shifting henchling to the seemingly villainous Ballister Blackheart, stands on its own, dealing with heavy themes of humanity, loyalty, and the ambiguity of “evil.” The characters are multiple colors, species, and sexual orientations, aspects which serve and deepen them without taking over the story. It's a trick I admire every time I see it done well.

You should read Nimona. It's all online for free. Once you've read it and loved it, you should add this edition to to your shelf to save your eyes and appreciate the glossy, full-color glory.