I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole of another amazing online comic. It’s called Awful Hospital and it’s kind of brilliant. It was featured on Geek and Sundry recently which was testimony enough to make me check it out. It drew me in pretty quickly because of the bright, vibrant visuals and the unique (to me) set up.

Stylistically, it’s got a The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy vibe going on – as smartly pointed out by Matthew Charles over at Geek and Sundry. It is, frankly, a pretty gross comic – at first glance it just looks a little crazy pants. If a comic full of blood, guts, spleens and snot is not your cup of tea – well, I don’t blame you – that sounds like terrible tea. But somehow Jonathan Wojcik, the creator of the comic, manages to make the ickiest things seem pretty darn funny. And perhaps more importantly – the story his comic is telling is good enough to keep me interested between the ewwwwws.

I love the overall layout of the web comic and how it feels so immersive – through stylistic choices and added elements, Wojcik makes you feel like you are actually a part of the story as you are reading it – with titles that look like old text based computer games where you have to type in your desired action ; and social media-esque dialogue that sort of makes it look like you are reading a Facebook conversation between a green lady and a spinal column. Within the main body of the comic is a plethora of detail that you can take in with lots of small moments of brilliance in addition to the humor that can easily be enjoyed at a glance.

I’m only about 50 comics into the story, out of almost 400 to date so the comic is neither brand spanking new nor so old as to be intimidating to try to get caught up with. A nice place to join in.

Can’t get enough? You can follow Dr. Phage on twitter, too!

What’s your favorite web comic?

XKCD

• Been around since: 1545 comics ago
• I love it because: Aside from being an incredibly smart comic known for uber-geeky references that sometimes go over my head (luckily my Engineer husband can usually explain those to me), this comic is filled with tiny pockets of all the feels – and reading it feels like you’ve been let in on all the best inside jokes.
• Pro tip: Don’t forget to read the hover text.

Sluggy Freelance

• Been around since: 1997 – and yes, you should probably go back to the beginning and start there.
• I love it because: Pete Abrams is a master story teller. Aside from just having a handful of characters that you will fall in love with (trust), Sluggy is filled to the brim with adventure and intrigue. Fans of science fiction, fantasy, love stories, talking animals, Evil Santa Claus, books of magic and more will want to be in on this one.
• Pro tip: I realize that 17 years of comics is a lot to take on. Check out the new viewers guide before really diving in.

Unshelved

• Been around since: 2002 – this is one you can jump into from current date or go through the archives and gorge yourself on all the comic goodness.
• I love it because: I’m kinnnnd of a book nerd and that makes this comic everything in my opinion, but even if you don’t harbor secret fantasies about working in a library (or actually do work in a library- lucky) this comic is just plain old funny.
• Pro tip: Check out their book reviews!

Not Invented Here

• Been around since: 2009 so it’s basically a baby. You’re welcome.
• I love it because: It’s kind of like hanging out at my husband’s work without actually having to do that. I was basically born and bred in this lifestyle of computer geek culture – my dad and my husband might as well be main characters in this comic strip, so it’s basically home.
• Pro tip: Savvy readers will note that Bill Barnes is the illustrator for both Unshelved and NIH.

Buttersafe

• Been around since: 2007 but I’ll confess, I’ve never gone back through the archives. I’ve been reading Buttersafe for about a year now.
• I love it because: Buttersafe has the ability to be quietly brilliant. Sometimes you almost don’t notice the joke until the very last second and then it blows your mind. Quietly.
• Pro tip: No tip for this one, just enjoy.

Seasonal Depression

• Been around since: late 2009
• I love it because: Maritsa Patrinos, the creater of this comic is kind of brilliant. I love the frenetic feel of this comic and also just the truth. This is a comic I think a lot of us can relate to.
• Pro tip: Her comics are rarely a “quick read” – wait until you have time to legitimately read and enjoy them or it won’t be nearly as fun.

2 Kinds of People

• Been around since: March 2015
• I love it because: A newcomer to the block, this comic is kind of the polar opposite of Seasonal Depression. These comics are usually short and to the point and the illustrations are sleek and gorgeously simplistic.
• Pro tip: The author of this comic has a pretty strong Twitter presence.

So what comic is your favorite?

Share your suggestions in the comments section!