Broken Frontier

Girl Genius remains one of the most visible webcomics on the Net, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Originally a periodical print comic, GG moved to the web in 2005, and if that weren’t enough, a novel is in the works.

One of Girl Genius’ most compelling features is the one of the most energetic and vibrant worlds in fantasy webcomics to date.

“A fair amount of it is ‘OK, we have this particular situation happening - what things could have caused this, what could have brought it to this point (without being completely implausible),’” explains Alice Bentley, the webmaster of the Girl Genius site. “Having it be things that are fun to draw is also essential.”

For Bentley, much of the success of Girl Genius draws from the strength and experience of its creators – Phil and Kaja Foglio. “Phil has decades of experience writing and creating characters, and has produced literally thousands of them between his various storylines,” said Bentley. “Kaja contributes an irreplaceable sense of liveliness and depth as well as making sure the overall character design could be kept consistent over the length of the story and the probable multiple media formats that Girl Genius may be adapted to.”

In addition to two wins from the Web Cartoonists Choice Awards, Girl Genius has also garnered two Eisner nominations and a Squiddy Award. “We’re always surprised by the attention Girl Genius receives.”

For future webcomic creators, Bentley does have some candid advice for those looking to follow in the footsteps of the Foglios. “Rule One: Don't Suck. Do what you want to do and the audience will follow (as long as you don't break Rule One),” she says. “Write your story - figure out how it's going to end before you get started. Keep your update schedule.”

Girl Genius updates every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.