Newbie comics are both cursed and blessed by their, well... newness. Spinoffs like Scary Go Round and Lizard taken aside, most webcomics are the author's first steps onto a new shore. Some creators will spend years, even decades developing their creative abilities before jumping onto the Web. Others may be borne of the online community, having yet to earn their artistic "sea legs". Whatever the basis of a webcomicker (and, by extension, their webcomic), we're all evolving, and it's usually most evident in the beginning.

The thousand year war, foreseen and foretold by the fates, has begun. Humans, Dwarves, Elves and most of the other Pangean ruling races are in a great fight against one another. Winner takes all and the ultimate losers get to be erased from existence. Sadly, as in all other wars, the only real victims are the innocents, too weak and weak to fight back.

This is how Yuoma sets up the premise of Twelve Dragons. It obviously borrows from Tolkien, as do many fantasy stories that followed his novels.

Lizard is the professional patriarch of a young family in the state of New Jersey. He has a beautiful wife, a child, and some longtime friends who stay at his place. Like most professionals, Lizard wears a tie, goes to the office five days a week, and enjoys spending time at home. Lizard is also a lime-green, bug-eyed reptile who is -- it should go without saying -- aptly named.

This is the FINAL installment of Comic-Fire! between Eric Millikin and Justin Pierce. Comixpedia would like to say a special thank you to both gentlemen for providing us with excellent examples of their creativity, good humor, and prodigious talent.

The question, in which we think about politics as it applies to the real world... sort of:

Arnold Schwarzenegger is the new governor of California. Does this type of Hollywood showmanship have its place in politics?

Another installment of this month's Comic-Fire! between Eric Millikin and Justin Pierce.

This week it's a debate question for the artists among you. A deeply complex question, one for all of the ages. Well, perhaps the information age anyway. Enjoy.

Political comics have an impact that goes beyond the fiery editorial or the emotionally-charged photograph. The triple threat of humor, visuals, and commentary come together to create work that makes a powerful impression on its reader.

Given the strength of the medium, why don't more webcomics tackle the political cartoon? Most webcomics have their political moments, usually when the comics creator is irritated or inspired by a particular issue and uses his characters as mouthpieces. But few invest in sustained plotlines involved in and characters motivated by politics ala Doonsebury or Boondocks.

In the next several weeks, we'll be looking at a few issues - some near and dear to the hearts of comics-creators everywhere - through the webcomic lens. We invite you, the readers, to vote on which comic persuades you to its point of view. Or, maybe, which makes you laugh harder. Your choice. Enjoy.

For some pulp comic creators, the story just comes naturally. For Christopher Mills, they come supernaturally.

When you think about is, a "Pulp Webcomic" is something of any oxymoron – after all, "pulp" in its basic sense refers to the printed page. However, the term has since evolved into a genre that encapsulates an era of storytelling, an era channeled even today. And, like any story told in the Information Age, pulp comics are no longer bound to bookspines. Supernatural Crime serves as a case-in-point.

These days you'll rarely find a webcomic that fits into just one genre. The concept, art style and tone can all affect the perceived intent of a comic, and most refuse to be pigeon-holed, weaving themselves into eclecticism. Suburi 's Tril0kan is no exception to this, and manga-comedy is its hyphenation of choice. More hyphens will follow...

I AM POKEY. Three words, typed completely in caps, are recognized in the webcomics community as the catchphrase of one of its longest-running cult heroes. It is possibly both the best and worst webcomic to squat on the Web.

Confused? You haven't seen anything yet.

Pokey the Penguin's an institution in some ways. You may gag at the art and puzzle at the gags the first time you see it, yet the comic sits atop the links page of many popular webcomics. What is its secret? In short, who is Pokey?

Since Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream is essentially a play about plays, it has a few things to say about how to set up a story. Eversummer Eve borrows a page from the Bard's tale, and its players make the story approachable – but it's Jones herself who pens an environment more elaborate than any of Shakespeare's stages.

Don't be fooled into thinking you've seen this before, however.