Thank our alien overlords it’s Friday! Let’s celebrate another week of existence, which is constantly threatened by the rash of mutant cyborg uprisings, with things we’ve found online, quickly stuffed into our pockets and sprinted away.
The Daily Puppy — BREAKING NEWS, DOGS ARE THE BEST, MORE AT 11. Or right now, if you visit this site.
The Big Feminist BUT — how many times have you heard “I’m not a feminist, but” or “I’m a feminist, but”? Chances are the next words made you want to froth at the mouth. The Big Feminist BUT is a comics anthology focusing on feminism and not-feminism; women, men and everyone in between; responsibilities, critiques and every modern issue regarding gender and sex you can think of. While the collection is in print, you can still read sample pages here.
Utopia — A short interactive fiction game made in Twine, Utopia plops you into different landscapes with each click. Dreamy, pixelated gifs loop themselves endlessly as instrumentals grasp at your eardrums, pulling you into the visuals until the words underneath became your narrative. The white text glows and reading it feels like when you close your eyes they’ll be etched inside your head. At the end, the author recommends reading Thomas Moore’s Utopia, but I reckon this immersive experience is good enough on its own.
Whomp! — Ronnie takes self-deprecating to all new lows with Whomp! Hell, he practically makes it self-defecating. Starring an exaggerated version of himself, Ronnie posts hilarious gag-a-day strips where he ignores societal conventions of hygiene, maturity and interaction. This may not sound particularly innovative, but Ronnie manages to do what many self-insert webcomics can’t. He’s made himself into a punchline that not only resonates with audiences who also consider themselves anxious husky neckbeards, he does it unabashedly, sincerely, and without putting anyone else down. His female roommate never becomes attracted to him, his references to anime aren’t smug elitist chitchat, but genuine liking of the genre mixed with the social ineptitude to talk about anything else. Ronnie’s self-awareness of his neckbeard status and decision to draw Whomp! as a realistic depiction rather than a power fantasy is well worth reading.
Rainy Mood — I don’t know about you, but I love a good downpour. The heavens spilling everything they’ve got, puddles forming in potholes and worms dancing everywhere you step! Or, maybe snuggling inside with a cozy cup of tea while the sloshing takes place sounds better. Replicate the rain with Rainy Mood, a site that comes with all of the sounds and sights of a storm without any of the wetness!
While this isn’t online, if you’re in Toronto on the weekend check out the Indie Arts Market tomorrow! Running in the Gladstone Hotel, vendors like Static Zine, Little Brother Magazine, Arkane Books and many more will be there. Admission is free before 11, so check in early!