The most recommended webcomic books

Who picked these books? Meet our 13 experts.

13 authors created a book list connected to webcomi, and here are their favorite webcomi books.
When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

What type of webcomi book?

Loading...
Loading...
Shuffle

Book cover of What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions

Ben Forta Author Of Captain Code: Unleash Your Coding Superpower with Python

From my list on when you really need to get away, without actually getting away.

Why am I passionate about this?

I read and write lots and love doing so. So when I need a break, the last thing I want is another book, right? Wrong! I take a break with books, and I love fun books that are an escape from the normal day-to-day, ones that won’t lull you to sleep, ones that end too quickly. It’s a sickness, I know, and I’ll deal with it as soon as I have worked through this pile of books on my desk.

Ben's book list on when you really need to get away, without actually getting away

Ben Forta Why did Ben love this book?

Randall Munroe is the creator of the online comic xkcd. He’s a really funny guy who also happens to be crazy smart and knowledgeable about, well, just about anything science and tech, it seems.

In this book, he tackles critical questions, like how fast can you hit a speed bump while driving and live, and if there was a robot apocalypse, how long would humanity last? You see? Really critical questions.

This is more a grab it off the shelf, put your feet up, pick a random page, and have fun type of read rather than a cover-to-cover read (although, confession, I did, more than once), and it’s a whole lot of really smart fun.

By Randall Munroe,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked What If? as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER

From the creator of the wildly popular xkcd.com, hilarious and informative answers to important questions you probably never thought to ask.

Millions visit xkcd.com each week to read Randall Munroe's iconic webcomic. Fans ask him a lot of strange questions: How fast can you hit a speed bump, driving, and live? When (if ever) did the sun go down on the British Empire? When will Facebook contain more profiles of dead people than living? How many humans would a T Rex rampaging through New York need to eat a day?

In pursuit of answers,…


Book cover of False Knees

Jimmy Craig Author Of Are You Gonna Eat That? The Essential Collection of They Can Talk Comics

From my list on webcomics that are even better in print.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a comic fan first, then a comic creator. I grew up on the classics—Calvin and Hobbes and The Far Side and excitedly watched as new comics popped up online. I love comic strips and have rows of collections lining my bookshelves. The coolest part of starting my own series has been becoming a member of a cartoonist community that I have always been a huge fan of.  

Jimmy's book list on webcomics that are even better in print

Jimmy Craig Why did Jimmy love this book?

Joshua has a really unique sense of humor that’s accompanied by absolutely stunning art.

The comics are really worth admiring in print, not to get lost amongst the sea of online ‘content’.

Both Joshua and I write comics that give readers a glimpse into the animal kingdom and I love seeing how our interpretations of the same world can differ, through our comedic voices and art… and yes, his work is art.

By Joshua Barkman,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked False Knees as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Based on Joshua Barkman's popular webcomic by the same name, False Knees is animal humor taken to a very absurd, darkly delightful place.

In Barkman's debut print collection, False Knees fans will find old favorites along with an abundance of all-new material. Featuring creatures found in the author's native Ontario, this always sharp, sometimes head-scratchingly bizarre collection of comics offers a view into the secret, surprisingly insightful world of blue jays, squirrels, geese, wolves, and rabbits.


Book cover of Space Boy Omnibus Volume 1

Charline Davis Author Of Rowtu: The New Horizon

From Charline's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Dog lover Artist Dreamer Classical singer

Charline's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Charline Davis Why did Charline love this book?

Space Boy is the most thoughtful, character-driven comic I have ever read! Perfect for both children and adults, this story intimately reflects the everyday pains, joys, and friendships of life all through a futuristic Sci-Fi setting.

This book, along with the rest of the series, has truly become one of my all-time favorites! So relatable and healing for anyone who has been through traumas such as moving, loss, and PTSD. And all done in an extremely sensitive and deft manner. The best thing is, it is available as a free webcomic as well as in print—although I absolutely adore the physical copies! 

By Stephen McCranie,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Space Boy Omnibus Volume 1 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

Stephen McCraine’s Space Boy volumes 1-3 in one book!

To Amy, everyone has a flavor. When her dad loses his job on their remote deep space mining colony, Amy and her family are forced to start a new life back on Earth.

Emerging from a cryotube after a 30 year voyage, Amy awakes to find herself in a strange land of heavy gravity, weird people, and an endless blue sky. High school seems difficult at first, but Amy is soon able to settle into a comfortable group of friends that help make the transition easier. But one of Amy’s classmates…


Book cover of The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo

Joshua Hauke Author Of Doom's Day Camp

From my list on monster loving middle grade reads.

Why am I passionate about this?

I always used to want to sleep with a nightlight. Then one night my dad said, “what does it matter, if when you close your eyes it’s dark anyway?” That’s when I realized, he was completely right. I'd been vulnerable to monsters this whole time and since none of them had tried to snack on me yet, then that must mean some were friendly… right? The only way to be sure was to learn more about them. So, I did. Here's a list of some of my favorite middle grade books featuring monsters. Because the only thing better than a book about a monster, is a book about kiddos that they scare or befriend.

Joshua's book list on monster loving middle grade reads

Joshua Hauke Why did Joshua love this book?

Margo Maloo is the kid we all wish we knew when we were younger. Especially if there has been a monster sighting in your room, on your block, or in your Grandmother’s kitchen.

She’s an expert on every cryptid you could come across, including a few you haven’t.

One of the things that makes this book so special is that Drew Weing has a knack for making the monsters just as relatable as the kids that fear them. The other is that the illustrations, in this web comic turned graphic novel, paint a vivid picture of layer worlds of human and monster and how they are often stacked right on top of each other.

By Drew Weing,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

Lucky for Charles, Echo City has Margo Maloo, monster mediator. No matter who's causing trouble, Margo knows exactly what to do - the neighbourhood kids say monsters are afraid of her. It's a good thing, because Echo City's trolls, ogres, and ghosts all have one thing in common: they don't like Charles very much. Cartooning powerhouse Drew Weing delivers a breakthrough graphic novel with this first volume of The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo. A favourite within the indie comic's scene, Weing is definitely a talent worthy of greater recognition.


Book cover of Vulnerability Is My Superpower

Jimmy Craig Author Of Are You Gonna Eat That? The Essential Collection of They Can Talk Comics

From my list on webcomics that are even better in print.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a comic fan first, then a comic creator. I grew up on the classics—Calvin and Hobbes and The Far Side and excitedly watched as new comics popped up online. I love comic strips and have rows of collections lining my bookshelves. The coolest part of starting my own series has been becoming a member of a cartoonist community that I have always been a huge fan of.  

Jimmy's book list on webcomics that are even better in print

Jimmy Craig Why did Jimmy love this book?

Vulnerability is My Superpower does something really well that I’ve always struggled to do in my own work—be vulnerable.

Jackie’s autobiographical comics are charming, honest, and a joy to read. I think it’s a brave move to put your life on paper and bare it for the internet, a historically critical bunch, and this collection does it in a beautifully illustrated manner.

I think comics are best read printed on paper instead of on a phone, but this series is especially suited to print, since it reads as a diary of sorts.  

By Jackie Davis,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Vulnerability Is My Superpower as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

By being her anxious, honest, and just plain silly self, Jackie Davis' potato-shaped character proves that, even though opening up to others is scary at first, vulnerability can be a superpower.

Vulnerability Is My Superpower features Jackie Davis's relatable diary comics about self-discovery, mental health, relationships, and childhood. From bouts with anxiety and insecurity to the thrill of simple pleasures like secretly trying on other people's coats at a party, she's figuring things out as she goes along, navigating domestic life with her husband, Pat (aka "the Purple Guy"), and sharing her most embarrassing thoughts and habits so you don't…


Book cover of I Kissed Alice

Heather DiAngelis Author Of Speech and Debacles

From my list on queer YA exploring mental health.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve struggled with mental health for most of my life, as have family members and friends I love. It’s extremely important to me that we normalize discussions of mental health so that we can find the best solutions. Anxiety and depression have been major themes in all of the young adult novels I’ve written; it’s my little way of furthering these conversations with the people who need them. I hope you’ll find these suggestions relatable, enjoyable, and question-inducing!

Heather's book list on queer YA exploring mental health

Heather DiAngelis Why did Heather love this book?

Anna Birch’s I Kissed Alice is an enemies-to-lovers story about two gifted artists, Rhodes and Iliana, at a school for the arts who despise each other in person but fall hard for each other’s online fanfiction personas. Rhodes’s depression and anxiety consume her in the race to win a prestigious scholarship and navigate a complicated dynamic with her alcoholic mother. I found Rhodes’s on-page therapy sessions incredibly refreshing and relatable, something I don’t see enough of in YA fiction. The characters in this story are unlikeable and flawed—extremely so—but for that reason, my heart clenched often at their actions, assumptions, and reactions. Bonus points for the beautiful fanfiction graphics illustrated by Victoria Ying.

By Anna Birch, Victoria Ying (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked I Kissed Alice as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Rhodes and Iliana couldn't be more different, but that's not why they hate each other. Hyper-gifted painter Rhodes has always excelled at the Alabama Fine Arts Academy despite a secret bout of creator's block, while transfer student Iliana tries to outshine everyone with her intense work ethic. But since only one of them can get the coveted Capstone scholarship, and the competition between them grows fierce.
They both escape the pressure on a fanfic site where they are unknowingly collaborating on a webcomic. Their anonymous online identities I-Kissed-Alice and Curious-in-Cheshire begin to fall in love, despite being worst enemies in…


Book cover of Dramacon

Stephen McCranie Author Of Space Boy Volume 1

From my list on graphic YA with slow-burning high school romances.

Why am I passionate about this?

My name is Stephen McCranie and I'm currently working on Space Boy, a slow-burning high school romance that asks the question, "How do we bridge the gap between us?" I love working in this particular genre because high school is such a formative period for all of us. Also, when a romance burns slowly, the audience gets time to explore the world of the story, which can often be dynamic and lush with detail. And then, when our lovers find each other at long last, it is all the more sweet for having waited.

Stephen's book list on graphic YA with slow-burning high school romances

Stephen McCranie Why did Stephen love this book?

As a cartoonist, the convention scene has always been nostalgic to me, and serves as the perfect backdrop for this slow-burning romance about a guy who cosplays and a girl who writes comics. Manga and anime, love and heartbreak, pocky and ramune, this love story hits all the nerdy notes in just the right way. 

By Svetlana Chmakova,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dramacon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Relive Christie's three-year adventure at the Yatta Anime Convention with this 15th-anniversary edition of Svetlana Chmakova's debut series: Dramacon. All three volumes are compacted into one pocket-sized edition. 

Vol 1 Summary: When amateur writer Christie settles in the artist alley of her first-ever anime convention, she sees it as an opportunity to promote the manga she had started with her artist boyfriend. But when she unexpectedly falls for a mysterious cosplayer, things become complicated. What do you do when you love someone who is going miles away from you in just a couple of days?! Web-comic vet Svetlana Chmakova gives…


Book cover of Welcome to Parenting

Jimmy Craig Author Of Are You Gonna Eat That? The Essential Collection of They Can Talk Comics

From my list on webcomics that are even better in print.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a comic fan first, then a comic creator. I grew up on the classics—Calvin and Hobbes and The Far Side and excitedly watched as new comics popped up online. I love comic strips and have rows of collections lining my bookshelves. The coolest part of starting my own series has been becoming a member of a cartoonist community that I have always been a huge fan of.  

Jimmy's book list on webcomics that are even better in print

Jimmy Craig Why did Jimmy love this book?

If you’re a parent, Fowl Language comics are really relatable, almost too relatable.

I think that a lot of stuff on the internet coasts on just being relatable and nothing else, but Brian doesn’t simply present us with a familiar situation, he makes it funny.

The observation isn’t what’s unique, it’s the unexpected joke and comedic tone that makes Brian’s comics so great.

By Brian Gordon,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Welcome to Parenting as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Fowl Language: Welcome to Parenting is here to let you know that you're not alone. Parenting is hard and often gross. Laughing about it helps. If you liked Toddlers Are A**holes, you'll love Fowl Language!
Parenting can be a magical journey full of bliss and wonder . . . if you're on the right meds. For the rest of us, it's another thing altogether. Fowl Language Comics takes an unvarnished look at the tedium and aggravation of parenting, while never forgetting that the reason we put up with those little jerks is that we love them so damn much. By…


Book cover of O Human Star: Volume 1

Yvesdot Author Of Something's Not Right

From my list on LGBT-friendly SFF you absolutely should read.

Why am I passionate about this?

It took me far too long to realize that I, childhood absorber of all things fantastical, counted as an SFF fan; all the books I saw listed as “popular” or “classic” SFF were cis/het white dude parties. But SFF at its best uses the fantastical as metaphor for the mundane; imagines better (or worse) worlds; does something different, in screaming color! Who can do that better than the books lost on the fringes? To that end, I’ve organized this list based on rough reverse popularity, so if you don’t find something new by the beginning, you’ll almost certainly get it by the end. Happy reading!

Yvesdot's book list on LGBT-friendly SFF you absolutely should read

Yvesdot Why did Yvesdot love this book?

As a friend sputtered to me over a voice call: “I don’t understand. It’s free to read online; where is everybody?!” 

I agree wholeheartedly. O Human Star is that rare breed: a webcomic taken up over a decade ago, thoroughly plotted from the start, executed with masterful grace and gravitas by an author who loved it enough to do it justice. While executing this story of gay and trans self-understanding, Delliquanti themself realized they were trans, so the pronouns in my (signed!!) copies are different based on when they came out. Finding even a well-written cis gay man was hard in 2012, let alone such a deeply loving story about the entire LGBT community—and all that is to say nothing of the robots. Trans robots FTW!

By Blue Delliquanti,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked O Human Star as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Book cover of What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
Book cover of False Knees
Book cover of Space Boy Omnibus Volume 1

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,889

readers submitted
so far, will you?