I’m an active RSS subscriber, using Google Reader to keep up with some one hundred differnent feeds, and of those hundred I have about fifteen to twenty web comics that I follow.  (I actively add and remove feeds based on the creators’ upkeep and my reaction to the content.)  I took some time and thought about all the comics I read (in the feed reader and elsewhere) and I came up with my top ten web comics, which I’ve listed here for you.

Some of these aren’t for everyone, which is to say they may not be work safe (NWS), and may cover material with which you’re unfamiliar.  Don’t be alarmed.  Find a quiet spot in your home and read through some of their previous entries until you get what’s going on.

Honorable Mention to Decorum .  I enjoyed some chuckles from this comic, but it hasn’t been updated in a while, so I can’t rank it.  Hopefully the author will return when school starts up in the Fall.

10.PennyArcade! — One of two on the list that makes any attempt to actually draw a comic that doesn’t involve stick figures.  These guys lean heavily toward the gaming community, so a lot of their stuff doesn’t make sense if you don’t follow the geeked-out gamer crowd’s love for role playing.  The artists/writers are creative, and maintain a blog that often helps explain what is going on in the comic.

9. Indexed — If ever a real world were to exist, Jessica Hagy would be the one to provide the social commentary.  Her comics are clear, direct, short, and spot on.  A mathematician’s true love.  They also love her over at the freakonomics blog .

8. Buttersafe — I won’t try to explain this one, you’ll just have to check it out.  I will say that it gets a lower ranking because it’s only updated twice a week (Tuesday and Thursday) even though there are two contributors.  Just a little left of bizarre.

7. Manic Deranged & Pictures for Sad Children — I don’t like throwing in a tie, but I want to get both these comics on the list.  Sometimes they’re both too far out there to make you laugh, even if you get the joke.  (It’s just nice to know there are some creative and crazy people out there.)  These are questionable for work, but not if you work with people who won’t get the jokes.

6. The WAREHOUSE — This is right in there with those ranked number seven, except it’s just a tad more clever and the posts are regular.  You can count on them to show up, and if I had to count laughs, I’d say this one has made me chuckle more often, so it’s earned its spot here.

5. Savage Chickens — Long time favorite.  Drawn on standard-size post-it note paper.  (He’s in there with Hugh MacLeod – business cards, and Jessica Hagy – Index Cards.  Maybe one day I’ll finally get my napkin-art up and running.)  Completely work safe, and posted everyday.  Worth a spot in your feed reader.

4. A Softer World — I can never tell if this one is real.  It’s neither full-blown art drawings nor stick figures.  No. It’s photography with words.  Very well put together, and shockingly frightening.  This one isn’t afraid to write the words so many others think but never share.

3. Cyanide and Happiness — This is not one you can show at work.  EVER.  It’s actually the only one on the list blocked at my day job.  Which is to say, it goes out of its way to be offensive and crude.  I won’t try to explain it, you’ll just have to click through.

2. Questionable Content — This is the other comic on the list that draws anything more than a few stick lines and loose colors.  It’s also the only comic on the list that actually has a story line.  Strange.  It’s better than PennyArcade! (obviously).  I still need to read some of the older posts to catch up with the full story, but I’ve been reading long enough to get most of the jokes.  (This one requires more effort on your part than all the others.)

And, of course, it goes without saying

1. xkcd.com — "A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language."  Let’s not forget physics and computer science.  The only stick-figure comic that requires my having to visit wikipedia on occasion to get a punchline.  It’s as educational as it is humorous.

Any comics I’m missing?  What’s your favorite?

Laughter Ahead, Leave Your Milk At The Door was first posted to justinll.com on July 2, 2008.