by Andy Bartsch, reporter

There are several webcomics that have a unique spin on the format, but one of the more impressive ones that I’ve come across is Collin “Skipperwing” Byrd’s The Crimson Fly. What makes this weekly comic strip stand out among others? Well, the fact that it’s animated!
While there’s not much to the story of TCF, the artwork alone is very impressive and stylistic. Even in motionless, static panels (which you can see here) you can still see the motion intended in the artwork. With the exception of the Fly’s crimson hood, the color palette is dark, but used in a way to perhaps fool the reader that the comic is in black and white. When going through the strip a second time, I saw that wasn’t the case at all. The cityscape in the background has a very cool combination of dark blues and grays while the color of the negative space can change depending on the current mood of the story.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much to the story of The Crimson Fly. I’ve read strips #1-55 and from what I saw, our hero has no real backstory to speak of. However, what semblance of story there is, isn’t bad at all. The Crimson Fly is a likable character and has noble intentions. The character itself is a clear parody of Marvel’s Spider-man. From the design, to the powers, attitude, personality, the fact he usually messes up when he tries to save the day, it’s very Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, and that’s alright by me.
Overall, The Crimson Fly is very enjoyable. The humor, artwork, and animation are where it’s at. Despite the lack of an overall story arc, I look forward to seeing more of The Crimson Fly’s adventures in the future!

The Crimson Fly is available in several formats. The best place to read the strip is at Collin Byrd’s Blogspot. For those of you who aren’t into clicking over and over again, Byrd has compiled his strips into animated YouTube videos here (https://www.youtube.com/user/SkipperWing), which is great for when you want to admire the Fly’s sick fight scenes and Byrd’s impressive animation skills.

Rating:

ComicsOnline gives The Crimson Fly 4 crime-fighting vigilantes out of 5.

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