Another week has gone by, which means it’s time for another blog post. To be honest, this week’s post caught me off guard, and I was unsure what to write about for the past two days (I was also trying really hard to catch up on Tower of God which I’ll have to postpone for now). I tried to reread some completed WEBTOONs, but I don’t have the time to finish them before Friday. So for today, I chose to write about the WEBTOONs that don’t really tell a full story but are more episodic, slice-of-life, and autobiographical in a way. There aren’t too many of these on WEBTOON now, as readers tend to prefer narratives to the short comics that are posted online for laughs. But the three that I will mention here have been a staple of WEBTOON for so long that they have even become part of the advertising on the site.
First up:
Bluechair! Bluechair is the epitome of this genre on WEBTOON. The comic has been running on this site for almost nine years with over a million readers and 500 million views! With over 1000 episodes, Bluechair covers stories of the author’s (Shen’s) life, classic comics with a punchline, random wacky fantasies, quick comic pitches, and some nerdy talk. There have been so many uploads that I’ve lost track of the stories, stopping around when it still had 600 episodes. Bluechair is a great comic to binge if you’re looking for something lighthearted, random, and a fun atmosphere. If you’re interested, you can check it out here along with Shen’s social media links, where he posts other comics with more of a plot that get quite popular.
Next:
As Per Usual! In a similar vein, As Per Usual tells the stories of the life of Dami Lee in comic form, from her thoughts of being a struggling adult, the experiences she’s had, and just about anything that is worth talking about. It is a completed WEBTOON, ending a couple of years ago, and has amassed almost 500,000 readers and over 100 million views. The comics are light, have a simple style, and can be very relatable at times. They have the same random feeling that is common for Internet humor and comics. I’m sure you might’ve even seen some of these panels as memes. If you’re interested in checking out the WEBTOON, you can click here, and if you want to see some more comics from Dami Lee, you can follow her Instagram (or scroll through social media long enough and you’ll find some of her work reposted).
Lastly:
Safely Endangered! Safely Endangered is a little different from the previous two WEBTOONs, as it is less of a slice-of-life and more so of a four-panel comic with a punchline. The series, created by Chris McCoy, began on WEBTOON all the way in 2014 and is still continually updating every Monday and Wednesday, with over a million readers. Safely Endangered centers its premise around Internet humor, references to pop culture, and random situational comedy. The art style is unmistakably unique and simple to be easily recognized and convey the comic’s punchline. Many of the comics have been reposted online on all social platforms, so it is very likely that you have seen one before. I would say that Safely Endangered is a little harder to binge on WEBTOON, and it really shines when you stumble across a comic and fall down the rabbit hole, reading one after another. You can check out Safely Endangered on WEBTOON here or on Twitter and anywhere else on the Internet.
I don’t read comic that often, but these comics became a new start point for me. The fun part is when you open the comics, you unexpectedly see ridiculous characters or something unrealistic, it is a great way to laugh after a stressful day. That’s the magic of comics. I enjoy how describe the webtoon in three different series, showing the variety of comic that pulls the reader along the journey.
I can totally agree with you here that often slice of life comics are difficult to get into. Oftentimes having a solid story is what brings readers in. I can admit that sometimes when I’m exhausted of trying to follow a storyline I always resort to these types of short comics. It is sometimes so fun to just read little mini stories that don’t seem to connect.
I definitely feel like slice of life comics deserve more appreciation. I myself do perfer fantasy and action, but there’s been plenty of books and stories I’ve read that follow a very fun and calming slice of life narrative that I’ve loved. Sometimes its nice to take a step back from the chaos and violence that are common in most fantasy series and just enjoy stories about things that you yourself may experience in real life.
I like that in this blog post you focused on comics that you described as “slice of life”. Its different from other Webtoons you have talked about because the other ones have quite serious storylines that draw you in and keep you interested. Not to say that these comics wouldn’t draw someone in and keep them interested. I feel like these would be perfect for someone looking for a laugh. Great recommendations!