I like the idea of webcomics free on the net and am a daily reader of several. What I would like to do is use my marketing talents to push a select number of high quality free webcomics to the next level. To help them become more popular and/or profitable. Made more profitable not by changing their free status or charging to view their archives but with other sources of revenue so the webcomic itself can remain free. The strategy being to continue to use the free webcomic to attract, build and maintain a fan base while making a profit in other ways.
But what I wonder is how to do this ... or if this is even a realistic possibility. One of the ways I could see this happening is if a well-known and respected webcomic artist could gather together such a group of webcomic artists to pool their resources, incorporate, and hire someone like me. It wouldn't be cheap. I alone would cost $4,000 a month plus the cost of normal benefits. And there would need to be money for a marketing budget. A marketer without a marketing budget is like a racecar without gas. At minimum, the monthly marketing budget should be at least what my monthly salary is.
One of my ideas for such a group is a series of webcomic conventions around the world. Where the webcomic artists are the stars and not a sideshow. Ideally, where the entire vendor hall is only made up of booths of webcomic artists. Where their fans can come and pay homage ... as well as pay for some tie-in merchandise and compilation books.
The webcomic artists drawing their local fans to the convention and then getting to expose the fans of other webcomics to their webcomic. The convention run as a business operation like how many Star Trek conventions are. The con owned by the partnership of the webcomic artists and thus profits (from admissions tickets, concession sales, etc.) divided amongst them.But the question is: Is this just a fanciful dream or something worth exploring? Thoughts, comments, suggestions, and constructive criticism appreciated.
Also, where would be another good forum to post this idea?
