Which has the better protagonist: Steven Universe. John is great, but Steven is a lot more compelling of a character.
Which has the better villain: Homestuck. Lord English is my favorite villain in anything, ever. Because like… there’s so much buildup. He’s this indestructible, all-powerful demon. He is “more deadly” than the murder-happy and nigh-omnipotent Bec Noir, but in the words of his own servant:
…the danger he poses is sanctioned by paradox space. It is a known quantity. His very existence in a universe will mean it will inevitably be torn apart. But there are rules to his entry, and his grim procession through paradox space is rather orderly. The present equilibrium has accounted for him, and will continue to.
And then. And then. We meet Caliborn. And he’s just the raw embodiment of determination. He knows what he wants (to murder everyone in existence except for himself) and he is willing to do anything to get there. All the fanfare of LE’s “grim procession” gives way to a horrifying personality.
Which has the better plot: It’s hard to judge at this point because Steven Universe hasn’t finished its story, but for now I’m going to say Homestuck. Even though the finale was kind of lackluster, my overall opinion of the sweeping, epic plot is extremely positive. I like Steven Universe’s plot (especially Season 1B), but it’s nowhere near as ambitious or mind-blowing as Homestuck’s.
Which has better cinematography: Steven Universe. I’m not sure that Homestuck’s gifs and the occasional flash animation count as “cinematography.”
Which one is more fun: I’ll go with Steven Universe, only because my enjoyment of Homestuck really soured with the finale. Both of them are very fun, generally.
Which one makes me think the most: Steven Universe. Homestuck can make you think because the entire comic is a puzzle; to this day, people still debate over what exactly its themes are. Steven Universe has more straightforward themes, but it directly asks a lot of questions that don’t have easy answers.
Which do I watch when I want to relax: Steven Universe. Watching a cartoon is a lot less work than reading a text-heavy webcomic, and Steven Universe’s light, cutesy vibe makes it even more relaxing.
Which do I watch when I want it to consume me: Homestuck. If you’re going in on Homestuck, you have to go all in on Homestuck. It’s why I’ve been putting off Double Death of the Author for so long.
Which is my favorite: Don’t… don’t do me like this. For now I’ll go with Steven Universe, but I guess if the show goes absolutely downhill starting now and has a finale that’s an even bigger letdown than Homestuck’s then I might change my mind. That doesn’t seem very likely, though.