Gunnerkrigg Court is an Urban Fantasy/Science Fiction webcomic by Tom Siddell about a strange young girl attending an equally strange school. The intricate story is deeply rooted in world mythology, but has a strong focus on science (chemistry and robotics, most prominently) as well.

As Antimony Carver begins classes at the eponymous U.K. Boarding School, she soon notices that strange events are afoot: a shadow creature follows her every footstep; a robot calls her "Mommy"; a Rogat Orjak smashes in the dormitory roof; odd birds, ticking like clockwork, stand guard in out-of-the-way places. Stranger still, in the midst of all this, Annie remains calm and polite to a fault. It turns out she's got a very good excuse for it.

Meanwhile, Annie befriends the technically-minded Katerina Donlan, whose parents both teach at the Court. The two serve as foils for one another: Kat's energetic, outgoing personality plays off Annie's initial reserve, catalyzing much of their character development.

Kat soon gets roped into Annie's investigations of the Court's mysteries, but every answer they receive only raises more questions: about the school, about their fellow students, about the woods just across the river, and about their own parents. Soon, they start stumbling upon creatures and intricate symbols from all possible mythologies - as well as plain old science - topped off by the Mesoamerican trickster God Coyote, who has his own designs for Antimony and the school premises. Throughout all this, Annie and Kat uncover the story of a truly frightening ghost woman, whose portrait is worshipped by Gunnerkrigg's crew of golem robots and who seems to be the key to some of the school's greatest mysteries.

Each chapter is a self-contained Story Arc. However, after several chapters, connections begin appearing between seemingly unrelated plot threads — but the exact nature of their convergence remains tantalizingly (or frustratingly) unclear for now. Though the story draws on some dark childhood fears, there is more than enough optimism (both innocent and realistic) to offset it.

You really should start from the beginning. Don't be put off by the style - the comic's art evolves quickly.

The comic is also being published in hardcover form. So far, the volumes include:

• Gunnerkrigg Court: Orientation (January 2009) collects the first 14 chapters.
• Gunnerkrigg Court: Research (March 2010) collects chapters 15 - 22, plus the City Face bonus comic.
• Gunnerkrigg Court: Reason (scheduled for summer 2011) collects chapters 23 - 31.