XKCD image from Wikimedia Commons.

I remember when I was a little kid, and I always looked forward to the Sunday paper because of the comics. Of course, there were comics in the paper every day, but I was only interested in the ones that were in color.

So it strikes me as funny that now, in an age when I only look at comics on the Internet, one of my very favorites is in black and white. Whether you’re waiting to get approved for payday cash advances or goofing off at work, here are 10  great online comics.

1. Toothpaste for Dinner

Yep, it’s black and white, and it’s been one of my favorite online comics for a very long time. Toothpaste for Dinner is always simple line drawings — not even very good ones — but the comics are always clever and often make me laugh. One of these days, I will break down and actually buy one of the T-shirts.

2. XKCD

If you want to know what XKCD means, you’ll have to go to the site and read the “about” section. XKCD describes itself as “a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math and language.” So it appeals to nerds of all kinds. XKCD is usually black and white, also. My how things have changed.

3. The Oatmeal

I love The Oatmeal because it is often about grammar and often directly addresses my personal pet peeves. The one titled “10 words you need to stop misspelling” is truly a masterpiece.

4. Dinosaur Comics

It took me much longer than it should have to realize that Dinosaur Comics is always the same picture and only the text changes. Luckily, the text is clever enough that it’s worth reading every day anyway. This comic also has grammatical themes frequently, but also delves into politics, space travel, etc.

5. Shlock Mercenary

I haven’t been following Schlock Mercenary long, but what I’ve seen so far is pretty funny. It’s “an online comic space opera,” and displays subtle, dry humor. My favorite.

6. Real Life Comics

Real Life Comics is another very funny one, based on everyday annoyances and situations. I can really relate to the ones with the guy playing online video games and talking into a headset. Be careful, this comic has more than 10 years of archives.

7. The Perry Bible Fellowship

Despite what you might think from the name, The Perry Bible Fellowship probably will offend a lot of Christians. If you like blasphemy and satire, check it out. Beware though, dark humor and adult language abounds.

8. Achewood

Achewood is little bit of satire that features a cast of animals. Common themes are hypochondria, organic foods, composting and talking to plants. If you want to know what one man’s version of an alcoholic tiger looks like, check it out.

9. New Adventures of Queen Victoria

The New Adventures of Queen Victoria is another silly, satirical webcomic that generally pokes fun at current events, such as Groundhog Day and iPads.

10. Multiplex

Multiplex is a work-based webcomic that centers on the employees at a movie theater. Recently, one of the characters tried to convince another that the coffee machine is possessed by the devil. Warning: foul language.