Top 10 Best Comic Strips of All Time
Comic strips have been a part of daily life for generations, bringing humor, wit, and sharp social commentary to newspapers and online platforms alike. From clever wordplay to absurd humor, from heartfelt moments to biting satire, these strips have shaped the way we experience storytelling in a few short panels.
In my humble opinion, those who vote for anything other than Calvin and Hobbes have probably never delved very deeply into the wonderful world Bill Watterson created in this comic strip. It stands alone and far above any other comic strip as a pure work of art.
I loved the comics when I was 6. I loved the comics when I was 10. I loved the comics when I was 15. Now, at 22, I have immense joy experiencing them all over again with my wife, who is seeing them for the first time. They range from silly and hilarious to unusually heavy and deeply thought-provoking.
I saw myself in the strips in different (and often the same) ways throughout each of my numerous re-readings of the collection over the last 16 years. Calvin and Hobbes is pure magic, and I am ever grateful to the wizard Bill Watterson for sharing his gift with the world.
Garfield is a comic strip cat, created by Jim Davis in 1978. Garfield is well-known in many countries and has appeared in over 2.500 newspapers. He has also had 2 live-action movies, 3 CGI-movies and two animated TV shows, Garfield and Friends (1988-1994) and The Garfield Show (2008-2014)... read more This is the greatest comic strip in the world. Nothing is comparable to this great comic strip that inspires joy and gives life meaning. It teaches you all sorts of amazing life lessons like sarcasm and humor, as you watch the journey of a wonderful cat in the greatest house on earth.
It helps with everything. It gets you in the holiday spirit, makes Mondays worth it, and makes even the most depressed person laugh. Garfield, you're the greatest. Can't believe it's below Calvin and Hobbes, which is good but not even close to Garfield.
Peanuts reflected political satire in the mid-fifties, had a Family Circus-like theme in its earliest years, was truly believable and iconic in the late '50s and throughout the '60s and early '70s (not to mention the many sledding disaster strips that would later be reworked into Calvin and Hobbes), and was there just to brighten your face through the rest of the strip's run.
In all aspects, it had weirdness like The Far Side, political satire like Pogo and Doonesbury, spontaneity and meaning like Calvin and Hobbes, and has influenced every comic strip there is, in some way.
Big Nate is an American comic strip written and illustrated by Lincoln Peirce. The strip is about a boy named Nate Wright, a rebellious and energetic sixth-grader, and his classmates and teachers. Nate is portrayed as a boy with little interest in studies or conforming to standards, which often leads him to detention.
Some of the staff at the school include Mrs. Godfrey (Nate's social studies teacher and chief faculty nemesis), art teacher Mr. Rosa, Principal Nichols, Mrs. Shipulski, and Mrs. Czerwicki. Nate's best friends include Francis Pope and Teddy Ortiz. In recent strips, they formed a garage band named Enslave the Mollusk, which appears to have broken up.
Rat is my favorite. I like this one I read a while ago about Stevie Sheep. He wrote a children's book.
"Stevie Sheep was tired of his daily sheep life. He rebelled against the sheep and went to live in the woods. Instead of sheep noises, he made the opposite, which, coincidentally, sounded like a vulnerable dying sheep."
Then you see a picture of a wolf licking his lips: "Lesson: don't make noises like a dying sheep in the woods at night, kids."
I laugh every day because of this strip. What makes it unique is that Stephan Pastis puts himself into the comic. Not only that, but he makes himself a loser, too. It's hilarious.
I love the Crocs and Rat the most. This is by far the funniest comic strip out there.
One of the greatest strips of all time. A great mix of family comedy, pop culture, science, and nerd culture. The Foxes are hands down my favorite comic family.
A lot of the strips on this list could be amusing, but FoxTrot was FUNNY. I really think that it helped shape my sense of humor.
I just got the ENTIRE series of books for this strip and am loving every minute of it. I love the story where the dad quits his job to try day trading stocks on the internet, and I love all the jokes. Jason is such a funny character, too!
Whether it be the genius child who can't open a door, the visual concept of a cannibal cow, or a deer with a target for a birthmark, The Far Side never failed to allow us to laugh at the absurdities of our own lives and feel a little better for it.
We are living in a world full of constant annoyances and irritations. The Far Side manages to transform our constant troubles into pure heaven, and it does this because it is genius.
The Far Side makes me laugh because it's full of random stuff that no one but Gary Larson can think up. For example, chicken invasions, janitors running tests on old apple cores, and other crazy stuff.
This is the one comic strip that inspired the office working class comedy of today! Without this comic strip, I seriously doubt that shows and movies dealing with office situation comedy, such as The Office and Office Space, would ever be the same as we all know it.
Don't let this comic strip make you think that it's only appealing to office workers. Instead, it's for everybody who gets jokes, knows computers, and can relate to work. To me, there was never a single day where Scott Adams failed to make me laugh. That's why Dilbert has still been going strong for over two decades since it began.
This one should definitely be among the top ten. It has numerous things going for it: funny characters, funny situations, concise writing, good drawing style, and good characterizations. It is also the type of comic that should be on the list: a gag-a-day strip that features some good, old-fashioned slapstick humor. This strip does not go to extremes with reality or fantasy. It is in the middle - another plus for this comic strip.
However, it went into a decline in the 1980s after unfortunate complaints about its humor. As a result, it was toned down and became more politically correct.
There are two comics that are a bit too confusing to see, but you may understand which country each strip is made for.
In Britain, Dennis is an anti-hero and a badly behaved schoolboy who completely terrorizes and tortures the Softies, effeminate boys who are the antagonists. Some of his companions, like Jinx and Dodger, are also badly behaved. Their rivals include the Bash Street Kids and other characters. In the end, he is disciplined by his parents with his father's slippers.
In America, Dennis is an innocent troublemaker who often causes disastrous results for his neighbors and the kids around him. Mr. Wilson, an early version of Squidward in this strip, is an innocent neighbor who loves to garden and lives with his wife, Mrs. Wilson. Dennis often tries to do nice things for him, only to have disastrous outcomes.
So, the result is that they're different.
They still exist today, but at least I read the comics on Google.
The Newcomers
Best comic strip ever. Period. End.
Every character in this strip, including the ones that only show up occasionally, is not only quite relatable but very funny. The storylines are still hilarious. Comic strips just do not get better than Bloom County.
Hilarious and clever with great characters, especially Opus who should come out of retirement. How about a movie?
Also, it contributed a great public service warning about the danger of listening to too much Barry Manilow music.
This is truly the best there is. Clever humor, unforgettable characters, and most of all, downright hilarious. Easily my favorite comic strip of all time.
This is the only comic strip that never failed to make me laugh, and that's something.
The lines. The artwork. A good mixture of characters. Us Scandinavians know how to laugh at ourselves.
Sonic the Hedgehog, trademarked as Sonic the Hedgehog, is the title character and protagonist of the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series released by SEGA.
He has since appeared in numerous spin-off comics, seven television shows, an animated OVA, and a live-action movie trilogy.
Archie is an icon! Very historically important to comic history, but he gets way too much hate and way too many bad reboots that try too hard to be dark and edgy! At least the DIC version was a blend between dark and light.
I have probably read every single Archie comic ever made. They are the very best - classic, timeless, and awesome! This should be number 1!
You get a lot for the price with Jumbo Archie strips - tons of comics and good designs. A worthwhile investment.
The Adventures of Tintin is a wonderful comic book series by Herge. Sadly, he died before completing the last book. This series is about a teenager called Tintin, his dog Snowy, and his friend Captain Haddock.
Tintin is a journalist but is rarely seen submitting a story. Instead, he solves crimes and is more of a detective than a journalist. Herge has combined suspense, drama, and humor to make this wonderful series. I would recommend it for children aged 9+.
I know it's corny, but it's still a classic and one of the first comics I ever saw.
I love so many comics in this list, and the top 5 is quite good (except for Pearls Before Swine), but I had to vote for Zits. The author and artist really use everyday situations and family happenings. It deals with teenager-parent problems, and it always ends with a bit of laughter. Sometimes, it isn't funny, but you can feel the depth inside this comic.
As an avid comic strip fan, I have to say that much like Calvin and Hobbes, Zits illustrates the workings of a young mind in a hilarious and truthful way. Parents and children alike can relate to the "ordeals" of Jeremy and his family.
I love Ziggy! It was just so fun to see a normal guy go throughout his day and run through many shenanigans. Also, does anyone else notice that aliens are a recurring theme in Ziggy?
I'm 75 and have always liked the Blondie series, but I think of it more as the Dagwood series and not the Blondie series.
Netflix has several films from the '40s starring Arthur Lake as Dagwood. They will make your day better.
I still love this comic to this day!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American 3D rendered computer animated television series based on the fictional superhero team. It aired on Nickelodeon in the United States from September 29, 2012 to November 12, 2017.