Fantasy is a beloved genre across all forms of media, and that goes for webcomics as well. Fantasy can come in many forms, ranging from genre hallmarks, including knights and magic, to mundane settings peppered with the strange and unusual. This collection of free online fantasy comics is some of the best fantasy storytelling you can explore. Whether you are in the mood for high fantasy or urban fantasy, these comics will keep you reading page after page.
10. Guilded Age
Guilded Age is an excellent example of comics that draw heavy inspiration from games like Dungeons and Dragons. The comic is the hard work of writers T Campbell and Phil Kahn, with art by John Waltrip and earlier art from Squirrel Girl’s Erica Henderson.
Without getting into spoilers, the comic follows the adventures of the Peace-Makers, a band of heroes hired by the Kingdom of Gastonia who defend the world of Arkerra from the Savage Races. However, not everything is as it seems, and a higher power may be at play. Guilded Age’s plot is fascinating as it blends two perspectives: one of a fantasy world and one that is decidedly less fantastic, and the exciting interplay between them.
While many comics evoke MMO gaming themes, few are as good as Guilded Age at echoing hallmarks of the genre while maintaining a fresh approach. Guilded Age deftly balances fantasy adventuring with wit and comedy. The comic is also complete, so waiting for updates is unnecessary.
9. Lore Olympus
Lore Olympus is a comic by Rachel Smythe available on Webtoon that borrows heavily from Greek mythology, which is always a fine choice for fantasy storytelling. The comic is also among the most popular webcomics on the platform, spanning over 200 long-form updates.
Lore Olympus is an adaptation of The Taking of Persephone but modernizes the story and mythological figures involved. For fans of the video game Hades, a lot will be familiar here. It is a stylish take on a legendary tale that injects modern concepts into a dramatic classical romance.
Between fascinating spins of mythological figures and stunning, iconic art, Lore Olympus is an easy contender for the best of the fantasy genre. Be sure to add this one to your bookmarks.
8. Daughter of the Lilies
Daughter of the Lilies is another brilliantly illustrated fantasy comic that evokes themes and imagery familiar to fantasy fans but very much does its own thing, which is immensely appreciated. The comic is created by writer and artist Meg Syverud, with assistance from colorist Jessica ‘Yoko’ Weaver.
The comic begins by following a mysterious mage named Thistle, a figure who hides her face to protect herself and others from an overwhelming power and her tragic past. However, when she joins a small band of mercenaries in need of money, she opens up to them, and the revelations are surprising - as are the relationships she begins to form.
Syverud’s art style is excellent, blending fantasy epic with more rounded, cutesy characters who convey great emotion. Daughter of the Lilies has a suggested PG13 and explores themes of love and acceptance, notably surrounding Thistle, who shines as a protagonist.
7. Skin Deep
Skin Deep is an excellent example of the benefits and intrigue of urban fantasy, a genre where the fantastic meets a setting with more mundane and grounded elements. Skin Deep is the creation of artist and writer Kory Bing who has charmingly illustrated a unique spin on hybridity themes.
The comic borrows from an assortment of mythology, folklore, and other inspirations. Many of the characters are mythical and folkloric entities such as griffins, satyrs, and sphinxes - and in what could be a nod to Bill Willingham’s Fables, use magic to disguise themselves among the humans. The story’s initial focus is on Michelle, a sphinx who learns of her nonhuman nature as a college student.
Skin Deep has had an impressive run and achieved several printed volumes. The comic also has a fascinating cast of hybrid mythical beings and average folks, enriching the setting. The comic is also still updating, so there is plenty to enjoy.
6. How to Be a Werewolf
How to Be a Werewolf is another excellent example of urban fantasy from author Shawn Lenore. The comic started in 2015 and has been going since. With gorgeous artwork and a compelling protagonist, the comic explores themes of lycanthropy in a fun way and builds an exciting community of wolfish figures.
The comic follows Malaya Walters, bitten by a werewolf during a childhood camping trip. She has grown up keeping her nature mostly under control. She also grew up thinking she was one of the only of her kind. However, one day, working at the family coffee shop, she realizes she is part of a larger werewolf community and has much to learn.
Most of the comic’s run is in grey tones, and it looks beautiful; however, the comic adds a little extra something when it transitions to color later. While firmly in the fantasy genre, How to Be a Werewolf also presents some gory horror themes, skewing the comic toward mature readers.
5. Vattu
Vattu is a comic that is best defined as epic in scale and ran from 2010 to 2022 over four volumes. Created by the prolific Evan Dahm, Vattu is just one part of a larger world known as Overside, featuring the comics Rice Boy and Order of Tales. But Vattu is incredibly accessible and a great way to enter the larger connected setting.
The comic follows a nomadic hunter-gatherer named Vattu, who is eventually taken to a foreign nation as a slave and experiences the world in new and challenging ways. She explores different aspects of a more urban environment among various characters. The comic spans four volumes, each growing increasingly epic in scale.
Vattu is quite tonally similar to Jeff Smith’s iconic Bone, featuring strangers in a strange land involved in increasingly complex machinations. The comic is also gorgeously illustrated with a real sense of texture.
4. Wilde Life
Wilde Life is another impressive comic in the urban fantasy genre and among the best out there. Written and illustrated by Pascalle Lepas, the comic launched in 2014 and is updated with interpersonal intrigue and supernatural mystery weekly.
Wilde Life begins with the protagonist, Oscar, encountering the ghost of a mathematician who died in the 1940s. If that wasn’t weird enough, Oscar also meets a werewolf - and it doesn’t stop there. Now Oscar is involved in a much larger, stranger world with frighteningly fantastical elements.
Oscar’s supernatural adventures include fascinating elements of Native American mythology, intriguing mysteries, and developing relationships and challenges among a well-written cast. Wilde Life is also gorgeous, thanks to Lepas’ strong style and brilliant coloring.
3. The Thief of Tales
At nearly 300 pages, The Thief of Tales is a visual treat with a compelling fantasy story that has continued to go strong since 2016. The comic is a collaboration of Guillaume Bonnet and Eve Bolt, with Bonnet handling the art duties.
Opening with an exciting chase on horseback, the comic creates immediate intrigue and mystery surrounding its protagonist, Nevhna. Soon enough, she encounters a mysterious creature with a desire for stories, and Nevhna just happens to have an intriguing book of tales with her. Soon enough, she makes a deal - an escape through the forest in exchange for stories.
The world of The Thief of Tales features fascinating designs that create a sense of culture and identity among different groups. The characters are expressive, and the semi-anthology format is a novel approach among the comics on the list.
2. Ten Earth Shattering Blows
Launched in 2017, Ten Earth Shattering Blows is an epic fantasy adventure that evokes classics of the sword and sandals genre with shades of Conan’s Cimmeria. The comic is for mature readers due to violence and nudity, but it helps to evoke a world of fantastic savagery of pulp literature. The comic is the creation of Tommaso Devitofrancesco.
The comic follows a noblewoman, Landabella, who travels a desert escorted by a warrior to kill an evil witch. However, such a task is not easily achieved in a world ravaged by beasts, slavers, and unforgiving landscapes.
Gorgeously illustrated, Ten Earth Shattering Blows features a richly realized setting full of entertaining pulp aesthetics. It is especially worth mentioning the brilliant establishing shots full of depth and scale that few other online comics manage to achieve.
1. Gunnerkrigg Court
Tom Siddell’s Gunnerkrigg Court is a comic that has been around for a while and continues to intrigue and delight, thanks to a skillful blend of genres, themes, and characters. The comic first began in 2005 and has undergone several eras of visual changes reflecting increasingly complex stories and character dynamics.
Gunnerkrigg Court is a science fantasy comic set in a strange academy where science, magic, and mythology collide. The award-winning series tells the story of Antimony Carver, who finds herself pulled between the intrigue of the titular school and the nearby woodlands. The series draws heavily from themes of science, alchemy, and the natural world.
If you are looking for a free online comic to keep you occupied for a long while, Gunnerkrigg Court is an excellent choice as it is nearing 3000 pages as of chapter 91. The comic is a treat, as readers can witness a style developed over so many years and chapters, resulting in one of the best fantasy webcomics around.
