Going back into Print vs. Online

Hyung Sun Kim · Post by **Hyung Sun Kim** » Tue Jul 31, 2001 7:59 pm

Hey guys,
I'm just another illustrator who drew some comic books back when...
I'm currently, on my free time, working on my own little webcomic.

In 1998, I worked on this comic called Gun Team (the penciler/ inker).
It never went anywhere, but I got an offer over the weekend from the writer/ creator to finish it. He found someone willing to publish it, Committed Comics.

Only thing is, they are more of a creator's co-op. Meaning that I'd get paid only after the book shows any profit. So with the current state of the market, this totally unknown manga-ish comic would earn me... squat.

Since the whole point of working for other people is a steady paycheck, the question is: Why should I wasted any more time on someone else's shit when I'm busy with my own? Especially since both will make $0.00.

I personally think the print market for anything other then the superhero B.S. is dead and the future of comics, as a personal form of expression, will be the web. Whether anybody can make a living off it is the only real question left.

Am I being too bullish? Should I just finish the damn thing? It wouldn't kill me... Anybody still go into comic book stores anymore? ('cause I don't.)

ragtag · Post by **ragtag** » Wed Aug 01, 2001 10:04 am

I guess you know the answer to that one yourself. Do you feel like you want to do this other comics or is it something you feel you should do, but would rather work on your own stuff. If you can't make up your mind you could always try <A HREF="http://www.ragtag.net/comix/pilllow/pillow.pdf">The Pillow Method</A> .

I don't think the print market is dead for anything other than superhero B.S. Superheros by their very nature are hard to kill, but once they are dead (wishfull thinking) we might see a revival of other types/genres of printed comics and graphic novels (I kind of dislike that term...comic books would work just as fine). Look at the online comix, much more variety there.

And yes, I still go to comic book stores and a tiny little comic book library we have around here.

Ragnar

p.s. To those of you who were offended by me wanting superheros dead....well, it would be enough that they were beaten to a pulp, so there would be more space for a variety of genres on the comics market...including somewhat battered superheros.

Tim Mallos · Post by **Tim Mallos** » Fri Aug 03, 2001 9:48 am

Hmmm - someone killing off superheros. That would make a great plot! I could show that heros are just real people with their own problems and flaws. And there could be ...oh wait, someone just threw a copy of the Watchmen graphic novel at me, nevermind.

T