Webcomic Weekly Special: Hourly Comic Day

by Richard Bruton

Every year, every single year, Hourly Comic Book Day happens on 1 February. It’s been going on for a long time now. So why is that every single year — Every. Single. Year — I manage to forget about it? But late or not, there’s some great comic-making going on for Hourly Comics Day…

This year I did have a few excuses, more than the usual one of ‘I just forgot it’ anyway. We were over in the homeland doing family stuff and were travelling the first week of February. Then both of us managed to finally catch Covid when we got back. So let’s just say most of February has gone like this… packing, travelling, more travelling, unpacking, washing, sore throats, slight cold, full-blown flu-like stuff, staying in bed drowning in mucus and aching all over, Covid. So I reckon that’s not too bad an excuse this year for managing to only cover this Hourly Comics Day thing until three weeks after the fact.

As for what Hourly Comics Day is, the whole things wonderfully simple. It all started in 2006 with John Campbell, the simple idea of making 1 February a day where comic makers, illustrators, and those who just fancy taking part, decide to draw something every hour they’re awake – mostly it’s an account of the day, a slice of life thing. But it usually throws up plenty of great artwork, which is why I try to cover it, often late, never quite this late dammit.

So, as a special Webcomic Weekly, where I try to show you some great, great comics to be found online, here’s just a small selection of this year’s Hourly Comic Day delights.

One of the absolute stars of Hourly Comic Day is Lucy Knisley, whose work every year just blows others away. You can read all her HCD pieces here at her site. Here’s a little of this year…

Boum (Samantha Leriche-Gionet) does it differently this year:

‘Hey there! Long time no see! I’m back here again to post comics all throughout the day, one every hour or so. I decided to do it differently this year and make comics about my very recent trip to Angoulême, France, for the International Comics Festival (I just came back on Monday, still jetlagged!). I figured it was a good way to immortalize some funny anecdotes that happened there. It was my first time in Angoulême, so… enjoy and check back often!’