From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wapsi Square is a slice of life/fantasy
webcomic set in modern Minneapolis, "a world almost exactly like
the one you want to believe you live in." It also includes multiple
supernatural elements, including a psychic and a god which contrasts its soap opera nature.[1]
The name derives from the Wapsipinicon River.
The story starts following the mundane life of main character
Monica and focuses prominently on her interactions with her
friends. She works as an anthropologist dealing with artefacts for
museum and the strips are mostly of the gag-a-day form. This
changes however with in introduction of the character Topeztecal,
an Aztec deity, and marks the beginning of a change in tone to
longer story arcs involving mythological, forgotten civilisations,
gods and the end of the world.[2]
Paul Taylor, the author and artist, is a founding member of the
Blank
Label Comics collective.
Publication
History
Web
Wapsi Square has been published on the web since September 9,
2001. The entire archive remains on the website and is publicly
accessible.
Wapsi Square has also been collected in paperback format by
author and publisher Paul Taylor as follows.
Graphic
novels
- Wapsi Square 2001-2004
- Wapsi Square: the Timekeeper's Daughter
- Wapsi Square: the Demons in My Back Pocket, foreword
and afterword by Lea Hernandez and a special note from Jess Hickman
(2007)[3]
Sketch
collection
- Wapsi Square's Monica in the Rough (May 14, 2008)
Main
Characters
- Monica, the protagonist; a large-chested anthropologist
employed at a local museum, she's the focus for many events of the
comic.
- Shelly, Monica's long-time friend and an amateur bodybuilder,
employed as a mechanic at her father's garage.
- Katherine, Monica's co-worker at the museum, a spooky woman
with under-developed social skills.
- Tepoztecal, the
Aztec god of pulque and by
extension all alcoholic beverages, currently living with
Monica.
- Jin, one third of the Chimera, an ancient weapon of mass
destruction. She is an enigma in many ways even to those who've
known her for centuries.
- Brandi (Brandilyn Oduya), one third of the Chimera and
all-around level headed person.
- Bud (Acacia Budur), one third of the Chimera. She has an
extradimensional space within her.
- Tina, a local barista. While arguably an undead demon-possessed
monster, she serves good coffee and gives disturbingly accurate
advice to friends and customers.
Awards
Waspi Square won the Outstanding Character (Visual) category in
the 2004 Web Cartoonists'
Choice Awards.[4]
It was nominated for both Outstanding Black & White Art and
Outstanding Character Art in 2005[5]
and again in 2006[6][7]
, but did not win.
The character Monica Villarreal from Wapsi Square was nominated
for and went on to win the 2009 Lulu Award for Best Female
Character.[8][9][10]
References
- ^ Associated Press (October 21, 2007). "'Wapsi Square' debuts".
Thonline.com. http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=177357. Retrieved 29 October
2009.
- ^ Schultz, Christopher (February 16, 2009). "Wapsi Square Review".
WebcomicZ. http://www.webcomicz.com/articles/36/wapsi-square-review.html. Retrieved 29 October
2009.
- ^
Digital Strips Podcast
Blog Posted by daku on Jul 22nd, 2007. Retrieved
Oct-31-2009
- ^ "2004 Results". Web Cartoonists' Choice
Awards. http://www.ccawards.com/2004.htm. Retrieved 29 October
2009.
- ^ "2005 Results". Web Cartoonists' Choice
Awards. http://www.ccawards.com/2005.htm. Retrieved 29 October
2009.
- ^ Walsh, Liz (2006). "Outstanding Black and White
Art(2006)". Web Cartoonists' Choice
Awards. http://ryanestrada.com/wcca/ceremony/blackandwhite.htm. Retrieved 29 October
2009.
- ^ Grug, Edward; McLeod, Jessica (2006). "Outstanding Character Art
(2006)". Web Cartoonists' Choice
Awards. http://ryanestrada.com/wcca/ceremony/characterart.htm. Retrieved 29 October
2009.
- ^
2009 Lulu Award nominees,
Friends of Lulu website, accessed October 30, 2009
- ^
Daily Cartoonist: Lulu Awards
Nominees Announced 10-7-2009 retrieved Oct-31-2009
- ^ "2009 Lulu Award for Best
Female Character: Monica Villarreal". Friends of
Lulu. 2009. http://friendsoflulu.wordpress.com/lulu-awards/2009-lulu-award-for-best-female-character-monica-villarreal/. Retrieved 13 January
2010.
External
links