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 | |  Did I link enough webcomics, you think?
Posted on Thursday 9Jun05, at 12:01 am. | | |
I'm desperately trying to figure out how the idea for today's comic came to my mind. I think I had to come up with some strategy that is essentially Lain. I think I came up with this anyone. If Kyle had something to do with this idea...well, that's all possible, but chucking shoes at zombies really does not sound like a Kyle idea.
I'd like to hit on a subject that a million other people have already played off of. I'm only adding two cents to what is already a glorious treasure trove of cash money, but I want to get this out.
Sold Out Comic was an idea based on the death of the age of innocence of the webcomic. I do not mean Exploitation Now and Sexy Losers or even Ghastly's Ghastly Comic. Oh no, we're not talking about DEPRAVED webcomics. We're talking about the death of something far more serious. We're talking about the death of the of fun webcomics, and the beginning of webcomics as a business venture.
This all began with KeenSpot. Once upon a time, KeenSpot was the glorious area of the internet where all the really good comics came to call home. They boasted free advertisement amongst their various comics! They also boasted that the artists themselves would not have to worry about hosting, advertisement, book deals, and all that wonderful business related stuff.
However, problems began. Deadlines were set that obviously were never meant to be established in the first place. Now, obviously, in a cooperation of the magnitude of KeenSpot, things like this are going to happen obviously. A lack of payment is going to happen from time to time. I'm not placing the blame here solely on the profoundly unfunny man who runs it. But, he needs to understand, he's created a need for cash amongst his artists. They've looked over at Sluggy Freelance and MegaTokyo and wanted what they had. The ability to do what they love to do for a living.
Suddenly, you see webcomics pulling out of the land of milk and honey. The forming of Blank Label Comics marked a landslide in this area. No longer must comics depend upon shoddy marketing campaigns and requests for donation. They can thrive on their own, thanks to the wonderful power of the internet. God Bless them for it.
This all came at a price though. We lost a little piece of ourselves in the whole shaky process. The artists are AFRAID to miss updates. Afraid of losing that precious revenue. When you stop doing something for fun, and doing it to live off of, you lose that creative spark. They can't take breaks anymore to refill their juices. Most people can't be constantly creative, and the webcomic community has this insatiable lust for more more more. They tend to not understand when a webcomic goes on hiatus. They say their author has become lazy! They stop realizing that the author is just burnt out and needs some time to chill.
This has all come together to create the nasty, unsightly mess we have today. Ladies and Gentleman, a giant battle for your attention is going on out there. Every webcomic wants YOU to see their site. They want YOU to click their ads. They want YOU to buy their merchandise! In this battle the real loss is the happy go lucky “holy crap, you mean we don't have to go through the newspaper anymore?!” days.
Of course, all markets mature, and maybe all we're seeing now is what happens when this vital sector to the Internet matures. One can only wonder how the recent explosion of webtoons is going to play into this as well. What it all boils down to is...how does the artist really feel about it?
What I think is that, KeenSpot should see itself for what it is now. It is a breeding grounds for new comics. KeenSpace comics eventually grow and show how good they are, and they move in to KeenSpot. KeenSpot comics grow and mature, and when they're capable of living on their own, they say bye to daddy KeenSpot. This isn't some kind of divorce, it's moving on. The current state of the webcomic venture demands this sort of flexability.
Hey, maybe we're coming in to the golden age of webcomics even. The day when they graduate from doing webcomics entirely. Hell, Penny Arcade is moving on up, what with their PAX and whatnot. I do not doubt that eventually they will drop out of comicing entirely and work purely on the things that interest them.
So, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe webcomics are just going to eventually evolve into their own sector, and this is just the crazy awkward between phase. But, to the artists out there...don't forget, this is a labor of love. If you have forgotten that you are doing this for fun, then you've lost something.
Take a month's vacation, and see what your fans say then. | |
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| |  That Last Thing Kite Said?
Posted on Thursday 9Jun05, at 12:12 am. | | |
It was entirely designed to WIPE OUT our competition. In a JIFFY. | |
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| | For all intensive purposes
Posted on Sunday 12Jun05, at 9:46 am. by vigi4x | |
I went back and read some of the old comics b/c of the link on--you guessed it--Bob and George...and your rants have tended to be funnier than the comics.
I don't know what this means, but...it means something. | |
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I came here from BnG, and this comic is frick'n awesome! Keep it up! | |
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© Hite & Shaezer.
Applicable material © DG
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