Demonology 101

2025-07-17T01:11:42Z

73.94.132.191: /* Development */

{{Short description|Webcomic by Faith Erin Hicks}}
{{Infobox comic strip
|title= Demonology 101
|image= Demonology101_art.jpg
|caption=
|author= [[Faith Erin Hicks]]
|url= {{URL|faith.rydia.net}}
|rss=
|atom=
|status= Concluded
|syndicate=
|publisher=
|first= {{Start date|1999|08}}
|last= {{End date|2004|06}}
|genre= Fantasy/Drama
|rating=
|preceded by=
|followed by=
}}

'''''Demonology 101''''' (sometimes abbreviated as ''D101'') is a [[webcomic]] written and drawn by [[Faith Erin Hicks]] from August 1999 to June 2004. It tells the story of Raven, a 16-year-old [[demon]] being raised by a human in ordinary human society. Hicks' first public work gained attention as an early story-focused webcomic, and ran for 700 pages before being concluded.

==Development==
Hicks was inspired by ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' in the creation of her first webcomic, alongside [[Jeff Smith (cartoonist)|Jeff Smith]]'s comic ''[[Bone (comics)|Bone]]'' and the ''[[Gabriel Knight]]'' video game series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://faith.rydia.net/faq2.html|website=faith.rydia.net|title=FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS|last=Hicks|first=Faith Erin|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080401012911/http://faith.rydia.net/faq2.html|archive-date=2008-04-01}}</ref> Hicks launched ''Demonology 101'' in August 1999 with its first episode. By 2003, the webcomic consisted of five self-contained stories. Hicks redrew the entirety of Episode 1 in 2002. ''Demonology 101'' is [[manga]]-influenced, and nearly the entire webcomic is rendered in black-and-white with heavy grey shading.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://comixtalk.com/demonology_101_faith_erin_hicks_reviewed_kelly_j_cooper/|work=Comixtalk|title=Demonology 101 by Faith Erin Hicks, Reviewed|last=Cooper|first=Kelly J.|date=2003-03-23}}</ref> Hicks drew her webcomic on [[printer paper]] she took from her parents.<ref name=Beat>{{cite web|url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/wondercon-18-faith-erin-hicks-shares-her-tips-for-becoming-a-cartoonist/|work=[[Comics Beat]]|title=WonderCon '18: Faith Erin Hicks Shares Her Tips for Becoming a Cartoonist|last=Ayres|first=Andrea|date=2018-03-24}}</ref>

Hicks completed ''Demonology 101'' in 2004, after having created 700 pages.<ref name=Beat /> After the conclusion of Episode Five, Hicks also wrote two short character-based stories, as well as a flashback webcomic titled ''A Distant Faith''.

Because there were relatively few story-focused webcomics available in the late 1990s and early 2000s, ''Demonology 101'' very quickly acquired a small readership anticipating its weekly update. Hicks was very critical of her own art, but later said that ''Demonology 101'' "was so important to me. ... it was all mine and that was wonderful."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://comicsalliance.com/faith-erin-hicks-nameless-city-interview/|work=[[ComicsAlliance]]|title=There Is No Greater Thrill Than Making Something That's Yours: An Interview with Faith Erin Hicks|last=de Guzman|first=Jennifer|date=2016-02-25}}</ref>

==Synopsis==
''Demonology 101'' is centered on seemingly "normal" girl named Raven, who is actually a 16-year-old [[demon]] who had been adopted by a human. Raised in isolation, Raven is eager to join the outside world and enrolls in high school. Although Raven is nominally the main character, the supporting cast is well-developed, adding depth to the world and highlighting the themes of the webcomic. The character Raven is mainly concerned with figuring out her own nature and fate, and ''Demonology 101'' largely explores these questions through her family ties and relationships. ''Demonology 101'' also explores the ideas of "good" and "evil" through its complex cast of characters.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sequentialtart.com/reports.php?ID=1626&issue=2002-12-01|work=Sequential Tart|title=Demonology 101|last=Malnassy|first=LK|date=2002-12-01}}</ref>

==Awards==
''Demonology 101'' won two [[Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards]] in 2004, in the categories "Outstanding Dramatic Comic" and "Outstanding Long Form Comic".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ccawards.com/2004.htm|work=[[Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards]]|title=2004 Results|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304064319/http://ccawards.com/2004.htm|archive-date=2016-03-04}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060128011800/http://faith.rydia.net/ ''Demonology 101''], archived on the [[Wayback Machine]]
*[http://www.faitherinhicks.com/webcomics/ Faith Erin Hicks' website]

[[Category:2000s webcomics]]
[[Category:Fantasy webcomics]]
[[Category:Drama webcomics]]
[[Category:Canadian webcomics]]
[[Category:Coming-of-age webcomics]]
[[Category:Long-form webcomics]]
[[Category:Web Cartoonists' Choice Award winners]]
[[Category:1999 webcomic debuts]]
[[Category:1999 establishments in Canada]]
[[Category:Demons in comics]]
[[Category:Works about adoption]]

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Demonology 101