Web comics are a wonderful thing. There are a variety of style that show anywhere from a single comic panel, strip, or full page with a host of topics and plots to choose from. One recent approach to web comics was that of Jim Zub (Skullkickers), Shun Hong Chan, and UDON with their recent web based comic Makeshift Miracle: The Girl From Nowhere, which is now getting collected and will be released in May.

There’s plenty to talk about with the specifics of the story of Makeshift Miracle and the all new hardcover presentation, but before we get into that, I want to tell you why Makeshift Miracle caught my eyes in the first place.

Heist #1: Homeland Insecurity
Written by Brendan McGinley
Pencils and Inks by Andres Ponce
Colors by Rocio Zucchi
Letters by Brendan McGinley
Plot and Edits by Brendan McGinley and Josh Elder
Cover by Andres Ponce and Juan Manuel Tumburus
Release Date: Ongoing

I’ve never reviewed a webcomic before but found it pretty similar to reading digital comics on my tablet. I read Heist#1: Homeland Insecurity twice because I knew that I had missed something on my first go. The comic itself was entertaining and held my attention all the way through. Brandon McGinley has taken the standard hero/villain story and twisted it a bit. I was stunned to see that the art was pencil and ink, it was so cleanly done that it seemed digitally rendered at times. Andres Ponce did a beautiful job and has some serious talent. My only complaint would be that maybe a bit more detailing in the foreground is needed. There were times it seemed a little flat, but really, that’s the only complaint I could come up with here.

Irish-born illustrator Dave McElfatrick of popular Explosm.net web comic Cyanide & Happiness is asking for help in obtaining a work visa to the United States so he can continue working on animated shorts with co-creators Matt Melvin and Rob DenBleyker.

The only problem is that the U.S. doesn’t think C&H is legitimately popular enough to merit the type of visa McElfatrick would need to work in the country, which just seems insane until you realize how ridiculous it would sound trying to explain the humor of some of their comics to your grandma and/or crochety old uncle.

A little background on C&H for all of you who might be unfamiliar with it right off the bat: According to Alexa, Explosm.net is ranked #2,773 most popular website globally and #1,358 most popular in the U.S. America accounts for over 40 percent of the site’s total traffic. Yet, this isn’t sufficient enough to prove that he’s worthy of the visa apparently.

McElfatrick is asking fans who want to help to sign a petition and spread the word about his plight.

Freak Angels
Episode 0001
Written by Warren Ellis
Art by Paul Duffield
Available: Right Now, Bitches!
Price: Free, MutherF*er! Click This!

Ah, webcomics… the red-headed stepchild of the funny book world. Practically anyone can throw one together and set it loose on the wild waves of the interwebs. And maybe it’s that simple fact that has kept the webcomic from finding the love and admiration it so desperately craves. Or maybe it’s the fact that 90% of what’s out there is utter crap. Either way, webcomics are not typically looked upon with fond eyes from the readers of its 4-color printed cousins.

But things may be starting to change. The pendulum might be on a forward swing and webcomics may be finding its web-legs after all. Why? Because people like Warren Ellis are jumping into the game and giving it a level of legitimacy it has not yet seen.

Yes, Warren Ellis, who is currently taking over the writing reigns of Astonishing X-Men for Marvel.

Today marked the launch of Freak Angel, an episodic webcomic that looks and feels more like a printed comic than most other webcomics. Once you also take into account the beautiful artwork by Paul Duffield, it’s no wonder this webcomic is going to stand out. His manga-influenced art, textured background, and washed-out looking colors create an instant mood and atmosphere that is simply stunning.

Webcomics. You know ’em, you love ’em, you read ’em when you should be working on some menial spreadsheet in your cubicle. Most out there are worth browsing through a few of the strips, maybe getting a chuckle or two, and moving on without bothering to bookmark. However, there are a few out there worth bookmarking, following, bugging your friends to read, and cursing the gods that the creators don’t publish on a daily rather than a weekly basis. One of these is a new comic that has been slowly growing since the beginning of this year, Boxcar Astronaut.

Boxcar Astronaut is a weekly, four-panel black and white strip that follows the backyard adventures of Ben, a young sprout who is never without his trusty space helmet. Along for the fun is his trusty dog Diogee, his best friend Devin, and recent acquisition Robot, a real robot from outer space that has become stranded on Earth.

Co-creators Jeff Carter and Marc Lapierre (who is the force behind Madfrog Graphics) have bravely set out to fill a void that has been left in the funnies since 12/31/1995, with adventures geared toward a male audience that fondly remember outdoor missions in cardboard spaceships, roasting ants with magnifying glasses, and playing king of the mountain well into the night. But the strip can still be enjoyed by girlfriends and wives whose significant others refuse to stop doing these things.