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In the days of cold, hard newsprint, only people who could draw were successful comic strip authors. In some cases, this resulted in comic strips that had very nice pictures, but weren't all that funny (cough, Blondie). Thankfully, the internet has taught us not to accept an inferior form of comic artistry, but a more flexible one.

Comic strip enthusiasts who want funny but don't care about pretty drawing can have their strips, those who want artistry have theirs, and even those with very specific tastes can find something just right.

The best part about these developments is that they allow you, regardless of any talent as an artist orcomedian, to create your very own comic strip. Depending on what you're going for, you can use one of these four sites to help you do it.

1.MakeBeliefsComix.com

Make a comic strip with help from MakeBeliefsComix.Credit: screenshot / make Beliefs Comix

MakeBeliefsComix.com is a comic strip creator easy enough for children to use, but there are enough options for adults to get a message across, too. Users can choose from 25 characters to fill a two, three, or four-paneled comic strip.

The pre-set options that make the site so easy to use can also be slightly limiting. Your custom comic strips will look pretty generic. There are only about four different expressions for each character. The upside of this is that you can finish a perfectly respectable online comic in about 10 minutes.

The creator, Bill Zimmerman, is the author of numerous books — including Make Beliefs: A Gift For Your Imagination. "My hope is that by giving you a choice of characters with different moods and the chance to write words and thoughts for them," he writes on the site, "you will tap into your creativity and explore new possibilities."

2.Pixton

Make your comic strip, artists.Credit: screenshot / pixton

This is the comic strip creation website for artists.

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The site allows for as much customization as possible without the need to build from scratch. Instead of just choosing the color of a character's shirt, for instance, there are options to adjust the collar, shape, sleeves, and size of the shirt. Instead of relying on preset poses and emotions for each character, users are able to click and drag character limbs into new postures and can customize eyes, ears, noses and hairstyles.

It's also convenient to add images from Flickr or Google images.

Successful comics vie every day for a spot in the prestigious Pixton top 10.

3.ToonDoo

ToonDoo allows you to make your own custom comic book.Credit: screenshot / toondoo

ToonDoo hits the fine balance between creative versatility and user friendliness, ensuring that the final results look sharp. While there's still an extensive library of characters and objects to use in your comic strip, there are also tools to create your own touches. The TraitR tool allows you to create custom characters and DoodleR lets you paint freely. If you want to use your own photos or another image in your comic strip, you can manipulate it through the ImagineR photo tool.

Unlike other comic strip creation sites, there's an option to save your project mid-creation so that you can come back to it later. When you finish a handful of ToonDoos, you can compile a book. It's easy to embed individual cartoons in a website or share them over networks, and you can buy print-quality images of your favorites.

4.Strip Generator

Strip Generator is a comic strip maker that allows for adjustable framesCredit: Screenshot / strip generator

The stoic characters of Strip Generators lend themselves to sarcastic commentary. There's not a whole lot of opportunity to create a personal style — you need to work with what the site gives you — but that doesn't mean you can't be creative. The community-themed galleries are testimony to this.

One unique capability is adjustable frames. If you need a specific cell to be a bit wider or longer, you can just drag the wall. Another stand-out trait is the personal library. When you tweak an image to get it just right, you can save it to use again later.

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Additional reporting by Jack Morse. Original story published in 2010 and updated in 2018.

TopicsComics