Part Two To The Part Two

Hahaha you didn't ask for it last time and you definitely didn't ask for it this time but here we go! We are talking about comics!

It's been a minute hasn't it? -silence- Well, I guess it hasn't been that long since we talked about Webtoon's BUT it has been a while since we specifically talked about comics. Which is what we are here to talk about. For those of you who might be newly joining us, hi, welcome, I am so glad you are here and let me provide you with some reference. Waaaay back in the beginning of Nerdom, I wrote about the magnificence of webcomics. What they are, how they came to be, and mainly, my favorite platform for reading them. Shortly after that I wrote "The Part Two You Never Asked For", which covered my top five favorite webcomics at the time and other genre recommendations to help get you started if you were interested. Since then, I have written about Webtoon's and their content A LOT, but mainly spotlighting big things the platform was doing. Such as starting some anime adaptations with Crunchyroll, getting some live action series, and so on. But what about the comics?

It has been well over a year since I wrote about my top five. So, how has it changed? Did it change at all? Indeed it has. Well, I have to throw some explanations first. Tower of God and I Love Yoo which held my #1 and #2 spots (respectively) have both been out on extended hiatus' with no announcement of return as of right now. For that reason, and that reason only, I have removed them from my top five am an using only active comics at this time. I still highly recommend both of these comics, I still greatly love these comics and hold their creators in the highest respect and am eagerly waiting their return. But I want to respect that they are on hiatus for personal reasons, wish them well, and continue on. So, without further adieu, here is my top five!

#5) Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe

You should recognize this one. Last year this was in my #3 spot. I want it to be known that it did not drop to #5 because I like it less or that it dropped in quality, no absolutely not, but because the remaining four spots came for my life. This comic still deserves all the praise I gave it a year ago and more. It is beautiful and heart wrenching. The art is incredible and captivating and as I feel the conclusion drawing nearer and nearer, I find myself growing sadder and sadder that this beautiful tale is coming to an end. I want to clarify that no "end" has been announced, I just feel it in my bones.

But enough about that, lets review its stats. Lore Olympus is currently holding a 9.4 rating and has 4.8 million subscribers. More impressively, it has not budged, even a little, from its #1 spot in both Popularity and Genre for over a year. It even has it's own merch line at Hot Topic and it is receiving a physical publication this year. I am so happy for our creator on her immense success and hope that an anime deal could be in its future.

For those who don't know what this comic is about- this story follows a unique take on the love story of Hades and Persephone. It's genre might be romance but there is something there for everyone. This comic has a strong trigger advisory as they handle harder topics but is well balanced with comedic relief. Fall in love with the gods as you take refreshing new journey through Olympus, Earth, Hell, and back again.

Bonus thought: This art is so unique, I said a year ago and I'll say again, I have still never seen anything quite like this. It's stunning and I can't look away.

#4) Cursed Princess Club by Lambcat

You should also recognize this little gem, but not because of my previous top five. It wasn't in my top five last year but it was featured in that article as a genre recommendation (for comedy) and it is also on our home page as this months Pick of the Month for recommended reads. It has climbed it's way up to #4 in my heart because of how enduring and loving it is. This fantastic comic is all about the journey to loving ones self and improving relationships. That sounds heavy for a comedy but that's the magic of it. It is extremely light hearted, funny, and well rounded with a little mystery. Honestly, it's just great.

Stats? Stats. 9.8 rating- SOLID. 1.9 million subscribers- nice! #4 in Popularity and #1 in Comedy! You guys probably aren't as big of geeks as me, so you don't know but this is incredible. A comedy hitting these numbers is insane. To put it in perspective, there is not a single other comedy in the top 30, and it's #4! It has earned every single one of these. Thank you author for making this as brilliant as it is.

What's it about? Gwendolyn, the youngest princess of the pastel kingdom has just overheard that she's ugly. So, what do you do? Go join a club of cursed princesses that are on a mission to teach you to love yourself. Plenty of mystery, adventure, love interests, magic, and laughs. You will not be disappointed.

#3) Room of Swords by Toonimated

Also one of the genre recommendations from last year, also a previous Pick of the Month, and definitely one of the most underrated comics on this whole dang platform! It's wildly unfair that this comic has not gotten the attention it deserves, if I had to blame anything it would probably be this comics first season. Not that the first season isn't good but it is not on par with the rest of the comic and does not have the same energy. The nice thing about that is you never seen anything coming and you get a nice "smacked between the eyes" feel as you go into season two, but the down side is, you lose readers who get too impatient. Obviously, since it's my #3, I highly recommend you read this, and if you do, please make it past the first season, it is so worth it.

Now for the stats, if for nothing else then to drive my point further. 9.81 Rating, which is great, however it's backed up by 714k followers. There is no reason why this shouldn't be in the millions, and it breaks my heart. It does not place in Popularity, furthering my heartbreak for this golden nugget. It does place 11th in Sci-Fi right now, however, this genre has very limited titles so it is nothing to write home about. However, however, it is on hiatus right now which would result in a lower placement for the time being. I don't want to seem like the numbers mean everything but on platforms like this, the numbers mean A LOT. The numbers determine how the creators are paid and if they are picked up for further seasons, as well as new series in the future, so it is actually incredibly important. Which is why we need to boost these numbers!

This story follows Gyrus, an astronaut who wakes up after crash landing in a strange place but can't find his ship, crew, or captain. What he can find is monsters, shadow creatures and all sorts of beings who want him dead. Eventually, he meets a guy named Kodya, who seems oddly cold towards him. Turns out this isn't the first time they've met. Or the second...or the third...try the 34th time actually. Because when you die here, you start over. Maybe this time they can get it right? This story is thrilling, has me on the edge of my seat and I am DYING waiting for the next season to come out. Use this time to catch up and figure out for yourself who you can trust in the Room of Swords.

#2) Weak Hero by Seopass & Razen

Oh lanta, this one. I have to say my #1 and #2 were NECK AND NECK. I adore this comic. It placed as #4 for me last year. It had just come out and wasn't even two months old and immediately shot to the top of my list. It was also a Pick of the Month despite its heavy violence. I couldn't help it, this is genuinely a master piece. I'm not about to down play the violence, it IS violent, but it is also incredibly well written and honestly feels like a drug. The character development is insane yet feels natural, a perfect example of perfect pacing which is so hard to find. It's unpredictable in the sense that I don't see how this is going to end. All I know is I want to be there every moment of the ride.

It's stats underwhelm me for how incredible I find it. 9.85 rating, that's fair, but it is coupled with only 877k subscribers. I know it will eventually break a million but frankly it's taking longer to get there than I expected. Last year it was labeled as a Drama, which I wrote about that being a mistake and they did end up changing it. My initial recommendation was Thriller, but honestly that was my bad, it belonged in Action and that is exactly where they put it. It is not placed currently in Popularity and at 16th place in Action, but like Room of Swords, it is on hiatus which again results in lower ratings. I am hoping that when it returns we will see it soar.

All I've said so far is it's violent, but what else? Gray, a quiet and beautiful high school boy just wants to study, but some school bullies shooting to be recognized as the biggest and baddest have other ideas for his pretty features. That was their first mistake, their second mistake was not running fast enough because our mysterious lead has quite a few tricks up his sleeve. This comic take you on a wild telling of Korean gangs and the tortured souls that reside within them. Why does Gray know how to fight? What exactly is he fighting for? And is it worth it? The art is hyper realistic and the fight scenes are some of the best, if not the best, that I have ever seen. If you have a weak stomach, this is not for you, but if you're brave enough, give this comic a whirl, it will leave you dizzy.

#1) Purple Hyacinth by Ephemerys & Sophism

I proudly present, my #1. Last year, like Weak Hero, it was brand new and immediately shot up to my #5 spot after only being out for a couple months. But now it's at #1 and here's why: it's brilliant. That's it. But no, seriously, our co-creators have poured so much into this story and it is obvious. The musical scores that go with it are breathtaking, the art is compelling, the story is gripping and I feel like banging my head against the wall every time I finish a chapter and realize I have to wait a whole week for the next one.

What kind of stats does my #1 have? It has a 9.91 rating with 1.1 million subscribers. That is the highest rating of my top five and it is well earned. There really isn't much to complain about this work. In fact I can't think of anything. Even the authors notes are perfection. For reasons I can't understand, it is not placed in Popularity right now but it is #1 in Mystery. Mystery? Last year it was Drama. Yeah, well, they changed it and this is a new genre they created so just roll with it. Honestly, it functions well under either genre so I'm not going to complain.

This story is about Lauren, a cop with an unusual talent for telling when someone is lying. Many years after a horrific terrorist attack that led to her losing her best friend and parents, Lauren still hasn't let go of the hope that justice can still be served. With her uncle and friends concerned for her mental health after a humiliating demotion, she realizes that she might not be able to rely on just the law to bring the answers and justice she's looking for. Due to various circumstances, she now has to put her faith and partnership in the hands of one of the most wanted men in the country, the deadliest assassin- the Purple Hyacinth. Be careful who you trust!

And that's it folks! That is my current Top Five picks for Webtoon. Honestly picking where these were placed was extremely difficult because they are all so very good. I hope you check them out, the genre's are a bit more diverse this year so there should be a little something for everyone. Please enjoy them and go give the creators some love because they have all created something magnificent.

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Thank you so much for joining me for some late night Nerdom. Comics is one of my favorite things on this earth and I love getting to share them and talk about them with you. I hope you're having an amazing week, let's finish up strong! I will see you back on Sunday for The Mess, but in the meantime, stay safe, stay nerdy, and stay messy otaku!