Homestuck

Homestuck is a webcomic created by Andrew Hussie as part of the MSPA (MS Paint Adventures) project. It began publishing on April 13, 2009, on mspaintadventures.com, and concluded in 2016. The work is notable for its multimedia approach, combining traditional sequential art with animated GIFs, Flash animations, interactive elements, music, and embedded minigames.

The narrative follows four human teenagers—John Egbert, Rose Lalonde, Dave Strider, and Jade Harley—who, while playing the cosmic role-playing game Sburb, trigger events that lead to the destruction of Earth and the creation of a vast multiverse. As the story expands, it introduces a large cast of characters, including trolls from the planet Alternia, who participate in parallel and intersecting quests. The plot blends science fantasy, comedy, coming-of-age themes, and metafiction, often shifting between chat log dialogue, illustrated panels, and cinematic sequences.

Format and structure: Homestuck is subdivided into acts with intermissions and updates that imitate a continuously evolving webcomic. Its storytelling is known for non-linear, self-referential elements, heavy use of online culture and memes, in-universe journals, and experimental media. The work explores themes such as friendship, destiny, mortality, and the nature of storytelling itself.

Reception and legacy: Homestuck developed a large, dedicated fanbase and influenced later webcomics and online storytelling, contributing to internet culture and fan-created content. It is widely regarded for its ambitious scope and multimedia ambition, though its dense lore and complex pacing have been points of critique. The original run ended in 2016, with additional related material appearing afterward.