{{Short description|Webcomic}} {{Infobox comic strip | image = Paranatural Webcomic Logo.png | author = Zack Morrison | url = {{URL|paranatural.net}} | status = Updates Fridays | first = {{Start date|2010|06|30}}<ref name="comicfury">{{cite web |url=http://paranatural.thecomicseries.com/archive |title=Archived copy |website=paranatural.thecomicseries.com |access-date=15 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101214110204/http://paranatural.thecomicseries.com/archive |archive-date=14 December 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> | last = | publisher = Hiveworks Comics LLC | genre = Action, comedy }} '''''Paranatural''''' is a supernatural action/comedy webcomic created by Zack Morrison. The comic has been written and illustrated by Morrison since its debut in 2010, with eight completed chapters and a ninth chapter currently ongoing. Set in the fictional town of Mayview, the comic follows the Activity Club, a group of middle school students who have the ability to interact with the supernatural world.
The comic began on ComicFury and Smackjeeves before later moving to its own site.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Pellegrini|first1=Mark|title=Paranatural (A Webcomic By Zack Morrison) – AiPT!|url=http://www.adventuresinpoortaste.com/2012/11/13/paranatural-a-webcomic-by-zack-morrison/|website=Adventures in Poor Taste|date=2012-11-13}}</ref><ref name="comicfury"/><ref name="smackjeeves">{{Cite web|date=2011-05-31|title=Paranatural :: Comics - The Story Begins|url=http://paranatural.smackjeeves.com/comics/1033313/the-story-begins/|access-date=2021-06-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531215845/http://paranatural.smackjeeves.com/comics/1033313/the-story-begins/|archive-date=2011-05-31}}</ref>
== Synopsis == The comic follows the adventures of Max and the Activity Club throughout their adventures. They fight ghosts and bullies, play hitball, and solve the mysteries of the town.<ref name=CBR>{{cite web|last1=Cruz|first1=Larry|title='Paranatural': It's over 9,000 (spooks)|url=http://www.cbr.com/paranatural-its-over-9000-spooks/|website=Comic Book Resources|date=May 27, 2014}}</ref> thumb|right|Max, the protagonist of ''Paranatural'' The story is told through an omniscient third person, sometimes including guest art or mini-comics. The comic was drawn page by page in a standard panel format, including shifted panels and extraneous movements depending on the activity going on, but was changed to traditional novel-esque story telling with illustrations due to the author's poor health. Morrison also includes alt text on each page (starting with the 24th page of the 1st chapter<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.paranatural.net/comic/chapter-1-page-24|title=Paranatural - Chapter 1 Page 24|website=paranatural.net|access-date=2022-05-22}}</ref>), with a short comment on the page.
Morrison interacts with their readers through the text underneath the pages as well as both their Twitter<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/paranaturalzack|title=Zack Morrison (@paranaturalzack) {{!}} Twitter|website=twitter.com|access-date=2016-11-30}}</ref> and Tumblr<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://firstnamezacklastnamemorrison.tumblr.com/|title=HUMAN RANCH|website=firstnamezacklastnamemorrison.tumblr.com|access-date=2016-11-30|archive-date=2016-11-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128131048/http://firstnamezacklastnamemorrison.tumblr.com/|url-status=dead}}</ref> accounts.
==Reception== ''Comic Book Resources'' has described ''Paranatural'' as "fun, action-packed and visually inventive", with "enjoyable character moments", and compared it to ''Dragon Ball Z''.<ref name=CBR/> PopOptiq considered it to be "brimming with wit and humor",<ref name=Pop>{{cite web|last1=Rico|first1=Elizabeth|title='Paranatural' is witty, humorous, and filled to the brim with spirits|url=http://www.popoptiq.com/paranatural/|website=PopOptiq|date=January 11, 2015}}</ref> while io9 emphasized that there is "a rich story sitting behind all that humor,"<ref name=io9Saturday>{{cite web|last1=Davis|first1=Lauren|title=Saturday Webcomic: Being haunted isn't the weirdest thing about Paranatural's bonkers middle school|url=http://io9.gizmodo.com/saturday-webcomic-being-haunted-isnt-the-weirdest-thin-472687149|website=io9|date=April 13, 2013}}</ref> and recommended it as worthy of an Eisner Award.<ref name=io9Eisner>{{cite web|last1=Davis|first1=Lauren|title=51 Awesome Webcomics The Eisners Have Completely Failed To Recognize|url=http://io9.gizmodo.com/51-awesome-webcomics-the-eisners-have-completely-failed-1563898141|website=io9|date=April 16, 2014}}</ref> ''The Hawkeye'' praised its humor, which it described as "a mix of almost self-aware snark, fun-loving parody, and downright great standalone jokes", its art, which it described as "a mix somewhere between western cartoon and anime", and its cast of characters.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ulmhawkeyeonline.com/?p=18057|website=The Hawkeye|title=Side effects to new age media|last=Doyle|first=Cooper|date=2015-12-01}}</ref> ''Inverse'' praised its "sly use of manga-esque stylistic tropes", remarking that "its characters leap off the screen".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.inverse.com/article/10725-the-9-best-sci-fi-and-fantasy-webcomics-still-running|work=Inverse|title=The 9 Best Sci-Fi and Fantasy Webcomics Still Running|last=Gaudette|first=Emily|date=2016-01-28}}</ref>
''Paranatural'' reached the final round of the Mix March Madness 2014 Webcomics Tournament, a single-elimination tournament between 128 contestants.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comicmix.com/2014/04/14/winners/|website=Comic Mix|title=The Winner(s) of the 2014 Mix March Madness Webcomics Tournament Are…|last=Hauman|first=Glenn|date=2014-04-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comicmix.com/2014/03/11/announcing-mix-march-madness-2014-seeding-round/|website=Comic Mix|title=Announcing the Mix March Madness 2014 Seeding Round!|last=Hauman|first=Glenn|date=2014-03-11}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Hiveworks}}
Category:2010s webcomics Category:2010 webcomic debuts Category:American comedy webcomics Category:Anime and manga inspired webcomics Category:Fantasy webcomics Category:Long-form webcomics Category:Paranormal fiction Category:Parody webcomics