10 Must-read Comics From Tapas

Disclaimer: I'm not sponsored by Tapas or its comic artists. I'm just gushing about them

While mindlessly scrolling through my phone one day out of boredom, I came across a rather funny, slice of life comic that had several pages. After reading and relating to it, I wanted to know where I could read its entirety. The link I clicked on took me to a website called Tapas, where many artists and comic book creators go to release their work and gain an audience with their unique and creative perspectives. Comics ranged from Comedy, Romance, Horror, Gaming, Fantasy, and even Fan Art. I began to go to Tapas on the regular to find a new comic that I would enjoy and would brighten my day. I've collected a list of my personal favorites that you can take a gander at yourselves. Keep in mind, my taste, of course, can vary from yours, as I tend to enjoy the comedy and slice of life genre more so than the others, but don't let that stop you from venturing out to new comics that you will enjoy more.

10. Cassandra Calin Comics

A good, slice of life comic following the story of Cassandra Calin, a regular young woman living in Canada and her relatability in life. I enjoy her comics due to being a woman of curly hair myself and the impossibilities of taming and making it look good, and I relate to being an artist who's trying to keep her head above water within the 'starving artist community. She also gives insight to girls who are going through the same issues, such as the expectations vs reality of fashion, make-up, school, relationships, and becoming an adult. If you find yourself being able to relate to it and enjoy a good chuckle with others who share your experience, I highly recommend her comics! 

9. Cat's Cafe

A rather feel-good, cute comic about an anthropomorphic cat who opens a cafe and serves all sorts of animals going through personal issues. Along the way, he hires a bunny with social anxiety, meets a penguin with a concerning but hilarious caffeine addiction, a violent-tended kiwi, a cool axolotl who encourages others to be themselves, and learns some sign language for a deaf fox customer. What I like about this story is not only its adorable style and pure-hearted characters, but how they're not afraid to tackle real issues such as depression, anxiety, and identity. If you need a personal pick-me-up, this comic is a way to go, even if sometimes, it can be a bit corny. 

8. The Pigeon Gazette

Another slice of life, comedic comic about an Asian-American woman named Jane who tells about her life through her comics. Different from Cassandra, she also includes her own personal 'superhero' named Pigeon Girl and her antics to save the day. It also includes what goes on inside her head, similar to Inside Out. Through this comic, you'll understand the rather strange yet hilarious origins of why it's called the Pigeon Gazette and her life as an artist and living in an Asian family. I enjoy it, because, again, I can relate to it as an artist myself, but Jane has a unique drawing style and hilarious expressions that I can't help but love.

7. Unfamiliar

Going more into a continuous story, we have Unfamiliar. This is a uniquely drawn comic about a 'kitchen' witch who is adjusting to her life in a new town, while also trying to exorcise all the ghosts living in her house. Along the way, she befriends another witch who is unconfident in her own magic, a siren who wants to not attract any more attention, an overworked girl who is cursed, and an old detective trying to solve her best friend's murder. What I love about this comic is how it goes in different directions and does tropes you'd never expect. For instance, I never heard of a witch whose magic only revolves around food. Similar to Stranger Things, where you don't expect a character to make a return or to not be in the spotlight as much, this is where this series shines, as it doesn't always focus on the main characters, but also gives side characters their own arcs. It's a refreshing view and an interesting story to boot! 

6. GamerCat

I'm not much of a gamer, and therefore, gaming comics don't really appeal to me as I may have no idea what they would be about. However, GamerCat is a rather easy and cute approach simply about a cat whose owner is an avid Gamer and enjoys them himself. It talks about the common problems some gamers may face, such as new releases and side quests that sometimes go over my head, but this comic makes it incredibly enjoyable. GamerCat also gains new gamercats to play with along the way who have their own unique and likable personalities, such as his new little brother named Glitch, a rather tough cat named Sweets, and a potential love interest named Pixel. However, games and gaming topics aren't the only themes this series covers, as they can also quote memes and vines for nostalgic views, sweet side stories relating to Glitch's mother, and mishaps and touching stories involving his owner. The creator is currently on pause at the moment, but there are plenty of comics to read and enjoy!

5. Long Exposure

A unique spin on the usual bully and victim type of story. It circles around the life of a new senior 'nerd' named Jonah and his old bully named Mitch. It starts off as them being paired off into a science project, but as they're talking about research while off in the woods, they come across a secret laboratory and get exposed to a chemical that instantly gives them unique powers. Now, they must hide from that agency that's constantly trying to capture them, while in the meantime learning more about each other and even falling in love. What I love about this comic is how realistic they make the characters. No one is an absolute saint and makes mistakes, and you get a further look into individuals what society calls "trailer trash", and how it's built them into what they are. It's also not afraid to speak about issues such as bullying, toxic relationships, domestic abuse, drug use, and homophobia. While I enjoyed the plot and the development of the two characters and their budding romance, I'll admit that the ending is a bit anti-climatic and could have been drawn out a bit further, but that's just a personal take. Take a look for yourself and see why it's so good!

4. Erma

If the movie The Ring has given you a specific trauma of wells and girls with long, black hair like it has with me, this comic will quell your fears. It centers around the life of a half-yokai/half-human girl named Erma, whose daily life is constantly filled with the ups and downs of spooky, supernatural elements, such as other horror movie icons appearing in her life, dealing with her supernatural powers such as floating and crawling on walls, and overall trying to fit in with others in her class. While it sounds like another day-to-day comic, I was pleasantly surprised at how many arcs this comic series had, such as an interesting story about an underground society of rat people and Erma learning her Yokai roots with her family in Japan. I also enjoyed the nostalgic feel of old movies making an appearance and how Erma would interact with them. If this comic is more of your taste, I highly recommend it!

3. Shen Comix

Yet again, another slice of life sort of comic, but hear me out. Shen's comix takes a unique spin on the category that I haven't seen in other comics. He has an eccentric and philosophical sense of humor that will have you further think about things while also putting a smile on your face. Along with his daily discussions, he also talks about childhood memories and personifies emotions and experiences, such as life, love, depression, Type A and Type B personalities, and even certain years and how horrible they've been. He also has little side stories such as "The little firefighter" and his adventures with Cthulhu. Shen talks about subjects you may have never considered before and takes his humor in unexpected ways. As of now, he is no longer updating on tapas, but you can find the continuity on gocomics.com. 

2. Litterbox Comics

This is for all the moms out there who are dealing with toddlers and babies on a daily. This comic focuses on an anthropomorphic cat mom and dealing with her two young boys while holding onto what's left of her sanity. While I'm not a mother, I have two little nephews who act very similar to her boys and how my sister, Mom, and I handle them from day to day. It's amazing how accurate it is dealing with young children, with its ups and downs and funny experiences gained along the way. She also adds humor that many cat owners will also be able to relate to.

1.Sarah Scribbles            

And finally, the comic that got me into Tapas to begin with. Sarah Scribbles is once again a slice-of-life comic, however, you never forget the comic that got you into this website. Just like Cassandra Calin, Sarah talks about the tales of getting older and being an artist. She also speaks truths about what it's like being an introvert, dealing with women's issues, and trying to survive everyday life. She has other characters such as her bunny, who usually gives her advice and tries to guide her in the right direction, her boyfriend, who shows how true love is still real and you can find good men out there, and a uterus, who follows her around to remind her of the dreadful things women have to go through during the time of the month. It's one of the most popular comics on tapas for a good reason, and for every update, I'll be there to read it. 

Overall, tapas is a great website filled with interesting stories. I highly recommend the site and hope you enjoy what they have to offer.