Welcome back to The Webcomics Weekly! This week, we have “Helvetica,” it’s more than just a font type. A bit of ghostly sex comedy with “Boo! It’s Sex.” As well as the continuing adventures of the “Order of the Stick.” “Sam and Fuzzy” continue to be on the case. And in “Blood Stain” we finally get the name of the strip mentioned, as things get off to a rocky start between Elly and Vlad.
Chapters 41-45
Schedule: currently on hiatus
By Linda Sejic
Reviewed by Michael Mazzacane
This batch of strips features some interesting art and slightly repetitive storytelling choices as Elly begins her first day on the job, hopefully she survives the experience. Honestly, the most surprising thing about the strips is that the sun shines on Vlad’s mad house and how peaceful and normal looking it is.
In each of these five strips, Linda Sejic starts it out with an extra-large panel. This was a nice choice, that set the stage for each strip. In 41 we get a full body view of Elly in bed, with the start of the next strip we get to see the charmingly lit exterior. As Elly and Vlad have their little chat on the stairs, the extra large panel helps to emphasize both the assumed freight of Elly, as Vlad is clearly shown waving a knife about, or add panels within panels to build tension. That uniformity helped give each strip a distinct episodic feel and still tie into the larger narrative.
Sejic in this batch of strip also shows off some nice texturing and coloring. The white lacey brush used on the blanket when mixed with a variety of purples gave things a surprising hint of realisim. The environment read more realistic but Elly’s figure was still very cartooned and traditional. Similar oddly realistic, or at least stylistically asynchronous, was the stains on Vlad’s white coat – which helped give us a strip title name checking the overall title of the series. Both of these textures made for some interesting contrast, it was maybe a tad distracting at times, but it’s the kind of fun style play I like out of digital art.
Some of the story choices for this batch of strips was slightly repetitive as Elly runs through the last 20 or so strips in her head as she tries and fails to sleep. If “Chapter 2” began with these it’d be really effective in-story recap and good for the random reader who picked up here. This isn’t the case. Artistically turning this into increasingly bad dreams, with our first look at the not-Guild Wars 2, was a smart choice. Strip 41 is probably one of the most visually interesting we’ve yet seen, it just read as a tad redundant.
Episodes 64-68
Updates: Tuesdays and Thursdays
Written by Danielle Corsetto
Illustrated by Monica Gallagher
Colored by Mae S. Keller
Reviewed by Elias Rosner
In the spirit of the comic: Warning! This review discusses sex and sexy things (yay!)
“Boo! It’s Sex” continues to tackle the tough topics in a frank, open, respectful and funny manner. This batch of updates deals with proper hygiene and care for vaginas as well as the fallout of an earlier plot point and dating advice for Tara (and by extension, everyone!) as she takes her first steps into dating women. There is so much to love about this series, from its honest, positive and nuanced portrayal of sex and sexy things to its wonderful sense of humor, and while not every episode hits there are quite a few punchlines that elicit a groan rather than a chuckle, they’re all worth reading.
The educational content of the comic is front and center, which can feel a little overwhelming at times, especially in the more information heavy episodes like episode 64. However, those are the episodes that also provide the best jokes, as the inherent absurdity of the way we talk about sex can be placed at the forefront for all of us to see, something Danielle Corsetto touched on in the interview we did with her.
Continued belowWhat really makes this comic work so well are the characters and Gallagher’s portrayal of them. Each one has a distinct personality that shows through their physicality and facial expressions and the spectral nature of Tara means that there are a host of physical gags that she can pull off ala the Genie. Even across just these five episodes, you grow to love these goofballs, seeing their flaws and watching them grow. It’s an invitation into a friend group, with all its problems, but that homey atmosphere is not something that is easy to capture, especially in an educational comic.
All of this comes together to make learning fun again by leaning into the absurd and embarrassing, lamp-shading it, and making it less difficult and awkward to talk about. That’s a tall order but this team is up for the challenge and we are all the better for it.
Pages 90-99
Updates: Sporadically, on hiatus
By J. N. Wiedle
Reviewed by Gustavo S. Lodi
“Helvetica” is a charming story of finding one’s true identity and purpose. It just so happens to do that in an afterlife, filled with curious characters, shady detectives and crazy sidekicks. It follows the story of just one recently deceased young man, the titular Helvetica, as he clings to a mystery to give this new phase of his existence some meaning.
The art style by artist Wiedle is influenced by the seminal Lucas Arts game Grim Fandango , with its noir influence worn proudly, but infused with a more modern sensibility, especially when the story calls for a more comedic angle, away from the detective core of the plot.
Helvetica, as well as any other supporting character on this series, is very charismatic, with a couple of defining characteristics being displayed both in action and on how that individual is portrayed. Helvetica, for instance, is tiny and shy, while Steak, one of his after life greeters, is bulk and stoic. It might come across as one-dimensional at times, but it works regardless as the large size of the cast more than compensates for diversity.
Plot-wise, what starts as an exploration of the afterlife, dovetails into an investigation story, which segways onto a romantic comedy. Yes, it might seem jarring in description, but it works remarkably well. Like life itself, “Helvetica” isn’t defined by any of their individual components, but rather by its – often – inconsistent whole.
By introducing chairman characters and a diverse cast, “Helvetica” is always fresh and surprising, with a large world to explore and unafraid to try out different styles in narrative and plot. It uses a sharp comedic timing to tie it all together and make its audience care for the situations these afterlife refugees go through.
Pages 51-55
Updates: Varies
By Rich Burlew
Reviewed by Robbie Pleasant
These five pages are some of the best early “Order of the Stick” moments in terms of character use and sequential storytelling. We begin with Roy and Thog traveling to the Earth Sigil, and the tunnel they travel through carries them through the panels. The reader’s eye naturally follows the flow, even as it goes against a simple left-to-right flow, maintaining the continuity no matter what turns the tunnel takes. At the same time, getting Thog’s internal monologue helps set his voice and lets us see just how child-like his mind is, quickly darkened by how quickly he cuts down the guardian spirit who’s welcoming them.
While Elan, Nale, Durkon, and Hilgya’s story is far less uniquely designed, it’s still a funny moment. Hearing Hilgya invoke Loki’s name with a dramatic off-screen speech, accompanied by the shrieks of the fire monsters, is made all the funnier by the other characters just listening awkwardly as it happens. It also sets a bit of dramatic irony with Durkon, a cleric of Thor, not rolling quite high enough on his Religion check to realize what this means.
Admittedly, the catty fighting between Haley and Sabine does lean a bit much into tired tropes, but even the comic acknowledges this down the line when the characters are more developed. In that sequence, the focus is on the sylph guarding it, who’s simply trying to do her job over the bickering. The way the scene is laid out is also well-designed – the panels are tall and thin, illustrating how the characters are flying up rather than walking forward. (The fact that the sylph only gets turned to stone, rather than cut down like the rest, is a significant story point as well; the way it comes back into play makes it clear how much Rich Burlew has planned everything out).
Continued belowWith what we know about the characters, it’s clear how Nale’s plan relies on playing them. The notes he left manages to trick each of the Order members into touching the sigils, working of Roy’s trustingness and Haley’s paranoia. The gag at the end with a small door appearing after a dramatic rumbling and buildup is a nice touch, working with the simplistic style of the comic for humor.
Lastly, I love the idea of a dungeon hiding away monsters from previous editions of the game. It’s a real treat for longtime D&D players, and it works within the mechanics of the world and the acknowledgement of the game system’s mechanics.
It should go without saying at this point how clever and entertaining a webcomic “Order of the Stick” is. But if these past 50 pages haven’t convinced you of that, these ones certainly will.
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Ninja Mafia Services parts 1-5
Updates: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
By Sam Logan
Reviewed by Dexter Buschetelli
As we return to the current day in the “Sam & Fuzzy” series following the flashback with Fuzzy and Hazel, Dev is presented with more of the origins of N-M-S. Sam claims to have usurped an ancient empire of ninjas, but Dev continues to show doubts, especially after reviewing their old case files and business application.
While this series is fairly weak in its overall story, it still manages to charm through its admittedly juvenile humor. Abusive toaster exorcisms and hippo voyeur ops distract from there being little under the surface, but the levity still makes up for the triviality of its canon.
How far this gaiety can take the strip remains to be seen, as it could be very easy for the content of “Sam and Fuzzy” to wear thin over time. But it’s a good sign that Sam Logan’s opus is still running today after nearly ten years. This intrepid reviewer hopes to see a bit more depth as our column continues, but moments like Aaron’s underpants trick are keeping me hooked, even if I may be wiggling a bit.
