What are webcomics?

[InkAddict]

digital comic artist vs. print comic artist

Those seem adequate names. I don't like the prefixes "online" and "web", when talking about the artist, because an online or web comic is a digitized comic made available through the internet (hence "digital comic"). If tose "online" comics were sold or viewed on CD (perhaps after a download) they don't have anything to do with the web, so technically they're not "online" anymore (nor "web")

Also this leaves room for overlap, while retaining the origins:

Digital comic artists create for a digital reading experience (even if their comics are printed afterwards), while print comic artists create comics to be read in print (even if they are put online afterwards).

This makes a clear distinction between PURPOSE and eventual DISTRIBUTION.

voil?! Hope this gets across my point of view...

Any remarks/additions?

(I know I may sound weird asking for feedback everytime, but I want to write my Thesis/Paper/watchammacallit on comics in the next two years, and would like to revolutionarise the comics industry in Belgium )

[Thomas]

Wow, I really started something here huh? Well each and everyone of you have great points, but what alot of people arent thinking about with web comics is that we are truly unlimited. We have no censors, dont really have to worry about getting and keeping sponsors, we reach a global audience and can do anything we want because the technology allows it that means video can be inserted into our comics, sound, color, anything the heart can dream up and all of these things will cost relativlely the same across the board. Webcomics are great and I for one am proud to be a apart of thier birth and creation of an industry.

Thanx,
Thomas Clemmons
www.gutterflycomix.com

[Greg Stephens]

By the way, what the heck do you call people who do paper comics? Some people have been known to call themselves "cartoonists". ... Howabout "weboonist". It sounds like someone brings boons to the web. Or maybe "netoonist" or "online-oonist".

I treat 'em both (web & print) equally as far as that goes. Some are writers, some artists (art, in this case, meaning the pretty- or not- pictures) and if one does both writing and art, I like to use the term author.

[InkAddict]

Webcomics are great and I for one am proud to be a apart of thier birth and creation of an industry.

Thanx,
Thomas Clemmons

Me too

[japanimationfist]

"digital comic artist" gets my vote, although I am sure that someone will find a way to abbreviate it eventually, or come up with something quick and dirty to say the same thing. We are forever contracting, we silly English speakers.

Funny you should mention the thesis though. My girlfriend had to do a thesis piece for her online journalism course, and I convinced her that she should look at the whole print vs. online/digital debate. She got some great realadio interviews with people like Scott McCloud and Derek Kirk. You can check out her site, and the resources she compiled at:

http://journalism.ukings.ns.ca/online/d ... /index.htm

I did the doodles for her in Appleworks before I knew any better.

[gazorenzoku]

digital comic artist vs. print comic artist

Those are good names and good points. And good luck with the comics seen in your country. My little dream is to one day open up the doors to experimental comics from Europe and North America here in Japan.

In the split artist-writer system of doing comics, I always got the impression that the word "comic writer" and "comic artist" refered to different things. Of course there are arguments against the split artist-writer system, but without even arguing the point in terms of quality, the fact is that it does exist and if we are going to create words for stuff, we have to consider that there are a great number of people who think for whom the word "artist" refers to a person who can't think of a story by themselves....

For a while, just to avoid confusion, I refered to artist-writers as "comics creators" based on Scott McCloud's usage of the word. I always thought of it as a little bit nerdy, though. Then I once heard the guy who does "Eightball" refer to himself as a "catoonist" and it just clicked for me. "Cartoonist" does not make a differentiation between writing and drawing, and theoretically a writer-only or artist-only person could be a "cartoonist" too. That's why I currently like that word. (of course it can be confused with people who do animation, and people who do non-sequential political cartoons...)

That's why I suggested words like "weboonist", even though they are a bit silly. But I do agree that "digital" is better than "online". How about something like "digital cartoonist"?

Anyhow, what will most likely happen is online comic creators will probably get called whatever the nondecerning masses decide, no matter what we propose on this list. Just like the words "manga" and "anime" have been misused by the English speaking masses.

Vince

[gazorenzoku]

...but what alot of people arent thinking about with web comics is that we are truly unlimited.

There's a lot of people using the word "unlimited" in reference to online or digital comics. I think it would be good to keep in mind that introducing many new possibilities does not equal taking away all limitations. Online comics or digital comics are still very limited. They don't present 3-dimential objects, for one thing. Computer screens are only so big, and that's another limitation. Download speeds, web color limitations, difficulty of advertising....

Also, using the word "unlimited" this way makes paper comics seem very limited. I once would have said that paper comics are "unlimited" in terms of the ability of the artist, author, or whatever to create an unlimited amount of worlds, ideas, etc. on the paper. The same goes for books.

My father thinks that comics are limited by their vary nature: pictures. He says that the reader is limited to the artist's vision, and that comics will never have the depth of a book because of this limitation. That is definitely a point that can be argued against, but to people who share that opinion, this is another limitation of online comics as well.

Of course web comics are great, and they are have so much at their disposal, but they are not "unlimited". One way of thinking would be to say that both online comics and paper comics have their strengths and weaknesses, and both have attractive elements. It seems a little bit fanatic to give up one for the other, when it is possible to enjoy reading and creating in both mediums.

I understand what Thomas is saying. He is voiceing the idea that more innovations should be introduced to online comics. I agree, but I also see nothing wrong with scaning a paper comic and putting it online.

Vince

[alschroeder]

I think a lot more COULD be done with webcomics than are being done now. There are a few experimenters, but most just scan a flat comic. They don't take advantage of image/hyperlinking/html to make the story more effective. They don't take advantage of Scott's "infinite canvas" save for a few like Cat Garza and Merlin. They don't use the background web page to make the "gutters" between pages. They don't use different background colors for different storylines. (I do those last two, anyway, and I'm planning to do the first, in a storyline that will fit it. And my origin story has several different points where you can "enter" the action.)
I'm not talking experimentation for shock's sake---that's why the second storyline in mine was pretty linear, because it fit the story---but we're not taking advantage of the flexibility cross-linking can do. Rather than flashback to previous stories, you can crosslink to it, for instance.
I think we all should experiment a little more, and take advantage of the medium. Myself included.---Al

[InkAddict]

gazorenzoku wrote:

My father thinks that comics are limited by their vary nature: pictures. He says that the reader is limited to the artist's vision, and that comics will never have the depth of a book because of this limitation. That is definitely a point that can be argued against, but to people who share that opinion, this is another limitation of online comics as well.

It's a problem I've come upon often, especially when the non-comic reader who said it, was a true reader fanatic. But it is actually the most ignorant thing to say, because there are many books making a point by overdescribing their world (in all its details, even when it becomes boring), while some comic artists use images only as a way to stress some details that wouldn't come across in words. My own family tends to react this way, and it's mainly because a lot of people mix up illustrated stories and comics, and think most of the images are there to make up for the bad storytelling and/or to make a difficult story easy to read.

That's why I don't like the distinction artist/writer, and always use the word author/artist/creator to designate the guy who does both, and only occasionnally use the word writer, if there is a writer working along with the person drawing.

Here in Belgium we have a Dutch and French word (part of the country speaks Dutch, the other half speaks French) that means scenario-writer (scenarist/sc?nariste)

This word suits me well, as it ressembles the cinematographic idea of a writer, with more or less guidelines in his writing, and a director, (the "artist" or drawer or wathever), making everything visual.

I do consider the artist the real "comic artist", as he makes the writing into a comic, even if the "scenario writer" has a lot to say, and should be able to bear the title comic artist if he likes it (perhaps he considers himself more as a screenplay writer)

What I have difficulty in understanding though is the way american comicbooks tend to be such a hassle of names and people and ideas (writers/pencilers/inkers/colorists), whereas in the European comics industry, often it is the vision of one person, (two when there's a separate writer as often is the case).
(colorists are often considered craftsmen abd rarely mentioned, as lettering, by the way)

To my experience it focuses more of the creative power into the hands of the artist, and that's why more and more "author's comics" ("bandes dessin?es d'auteur" in french) are finding their way to the masses (writer, penciler and inker, sometimes even colorist and lettering in the hands of one person).

It also proves that comic books are really an art, as some writers could make fantastic comics with mediocre drawings (comics don't always need those witchblade style lush 3d effect splashcoloured drawings), and some artists wrote excellent stories, even if they broke some of the rules used by most writers.

That is why I consider myself a comic artist, even if I end up only writing comics: I participate in the art of creating comics in an artistically important role.

We must not forget that writing too, is an art, and to get back to your father, I believe he makes the mistake of thinking that because he loves the art of the written book, he can expand his judgment over the other arts. I, myself like book, comics, music, and the traditional arts. But even if I love and know music, and have studied it thoroughly (which I haven't), I MUST suspend my judgement when speaking about film music. It's still music (as comics still contain words) but it's another art. I must first try to appreciate the medium (film) as a whole, before I can say anything about the music.

Well, I digressed a little but hey... i guess it WILL be a difficult subject for my paper

Thanx Japanimationfist for the link

I'll keep you all updated

[gazorenzoku]

There seems to be a lot of people comparing comics to novels. My father, on one end of the spectrum, believes that comics can never live up to the literary standards set for novels. "Sandman" fans, on the other end of the spectrum, either belive that comics can live up to or are already living up to those standards.

I guess, for me, the arguement was finally settled by "From Hell" by Moore and Campell. Never have I seen a comic that was so... so... novel-ish. I can't put it into words, but if you read it you will understand.

So, I guess I have to say that, without a doubt, for better or worse, comics are capible of the warmth and depth of novels.

But who cares? I want to read comics like "Flex Mentalo" and R. Crumb stuff. Those are comics that know they are comics. They are total visual treats. The pictures are just so.... damn exciting! Through in "Madman" and the new "X-Force", or anything by Milligan and Allred, and you've got crazy stories and beautiful pictures to look at over and over again.

I humbly disagree with Yingo about comics not having to have good pictures. If the pictures aren't good, then it should be a novel or a play or a movie or something else than a comic (though, let it be noted that I don't much go for the hard angled inking that is considered "good art" in most superhero books. I like more experimental stuff).

On the other hand, if the story isn't good then the artist should just spend his/her time making paintings instead. Comics are Comics, not novels, not movies, not paintings, not plays.....

Vince

[gazorenzoku]

In response to the message from alschroeder:

I think a lot more COULD be done with webcomics than are being done now. There are a few experimenters, but most just scan a flat comic.

1) What is wrong with scaning a flat comic? More importantly, would you refuse to read something if it "just" a scaned in comic? If so, isn't that a little bit harsh? If not, why complain about it in the first place?

2) If you want to see more of a certain thing, then make it happen by doing it.

No harm ment to you, alschroeder. I have heard the arguments you proposed for quite a while now, and have developed the above two counter replies in my head over a period of time. I just chose this instant to let them out. No bad feelings, I hope.

Vince

[alschroeder]

No offense AT ALL taken. And yeah, I guess I was overstating the case. I do NOT boycott "just scanned" webcomics. Indeed, some of my favorite webcomics are things like BRUNO and SINFEST, which are just basically well-done comics that would be a credit to any medium.
Still...I just want to encourage people to experiment a little more (myself included---hey, maybe myself ESPECIALLY)---that there's a lot of stuff that could be done that isn't. An analogy: comic books never took off until they invented characters and storylines that took advantage of the more compact form, and the monthly periodicity. Most comics,, even in comic books, in the mid to late thirties were imitations of the ultra-successful Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, Dick Tracy, etc....in other words, they were trying to do newspaper comics in a periodical. People like Jack Kirby found the strengths of the medium---huge one panel pages, for instance, and others like Gardner Fox and later, to great effect, Stan Lee, the strength of the monthly or bimonthly timeline, to build suspense.
If we're going to do webcomics, we should get the most bang for our buck. And yes, I should do as I preach.
I will.
Sorry if my opinions sounded TOO opinionated---I've been that way for several decades. since I was a letterhack in the seventies who posted to DC and Marvel under the name "Al Schroeder III"...and I fear I haven't changed. That does not mean at ALL that I'm neglecting or boycotting those who do it in more traditional methods....just encouraging them to spread their artistic (and HTML) muscles a bit.
Innovators, after all, in any medium, are often better remembered than those who trod the traditional paths.---Al

[Thomas]

If you are going to do no more than scan in a print comic and post that online why do anything online at all? I mean the hassle of writing html code alone sucks and if you are really not interested in using any of the many tools the internet has to offer then why waste time writing all the code to get it online. If it is to reach a larger audience that is great, but then again you really arent doing web comics just distributing them via the web and just providing links to pdf versions of your comic would be so much easier than writing the code...Im not trying to put anyone down or say I am better than anyone with this question, but it does seem to me like writing code for a comic that is really nothing but a print comic would be futile in the whole scheme of things.

Thanx,

[Greg Stephens]

If you are going to do no more than scan in a print comic and post that online why do anything online at all? ... (snip snip)

Well, because it's cheaper than print for one thing. Also, print has its own hassles. If you intend to self-publish, then you've got to learn a lot about paper stocks and printing house rates, policies and shipping procedures, ISBN numbers, barcodes, warehouses, distribution and retailers. There's as much, if not more, hassle to creating a print comic for wide distribution than there is for wrangling some HTML.

Then there's the instant gratification factor- I can draw something and have commentary back on it within hours. Sure, the same thing happens if I create the art digitally and/or in infinite canvas format, but that's not what I do (not taking any of these arguments personally, just pointing out my own preference).

And don't discount the fact that some people just like working with computers and doing a little coding when they can- It's fun to post stuff on the web, no matter if it's a groudbreaking webcomic or simply repurposed print.

I'm not sure how you see it as "futile," and perhaps you can elaborate on that. For my own view, if it's futile to publish a print-similar-format comic on the web, then it's equally futile to publish it on paper, and then everythings futile and why bother? Life? Don't talk to me about life...

[Thomas]

Ok, yeah the word futile may have been a bit harash there. Nothing is futile, especially if you enjoy doing it. I was mostly playing the devils advocate on that post but I also believe everything I said, at least in the work I do. I mean if you print on paper a little fan zine or ashcan type book run them off and hand them out to friends and family or sell them locally youre in the comic publishing business. And if you do that same thing, but instead just scan it online in most cases you still wont reach the grand audience the internet is proported reach. You will still only reach friends family and local people that know about you because of the sheer scale and size of the internet. Unless you advertise and then thats another huge hassle in itself.

I am just saying if you are going to go from one hassle (as you mentioned there ar alot of hassles included in print i agree) to one more shouldnt you at least try out some of the new things the internet can bring to your comic. After all arent we all creators here? If so be creative and break the mold on what has been and is being done with comics on the internet.

Thanx,

[InkAddict]

I humbly disagree with Yingo about comics not having to have good pictures. If the pictures aren't good, then it should be a novel or a play or a movie or something else than a comic (though, let it be noted that I don't much go for the hard angled inking that is considered "good art" in most superhero books. I like more experimental stuff).

I meant what you meant, actually. Good pictures are of course images that have sense, and offer greater value to the story. (But some people consider everything that isn't done with care and great drawing capacities and/or 10 years of drawing-the-marvel-way-expertise unworthy of the term "good". I didn't like the drawing style of "V for Vendetta" or "watchmen" at the time, though both artists carry the story well. Schultz's drawings were shaky and repetitive, but that's what the peanuts called for!)

As to the discussion as to why so many scanned comics:

Even willing to learn web-type comic solutions, and integrating html into my comics, i do hope to make money. Not much, but still enough to live from my work with my girlfriend/future wife.

This might seem preposterous, but i think i've got something to offer, and i'm not the only one to say so:

-------I've got ideas (masses of 'em) and i collect them: i've got one huge folder full of cartoons, and when I was doing Role Playing Games I got compliments about the originality of my stories and the way they were told/played. I'm now trying to build up a visual language of my own, and a way of telling stories I'd be proud of.

-------I know how to draw, anything, anyhow. I'm 24 years old now, and have loved drawing since I was 4. I'm getting better every year, and am now trying to get the hang of buildings and cars combined with people (I can draw cars and buildings but have difficulty matching the style to my characters). In about two years time this won't be a problem anymore.

-------I know how to export. Belgium is a small country, and the dutch a small audience. So I'm preparing to publish towards France, maybe even UK, too. I have studied for three years in French, and as you can see English isn't much of a problem either. If I can pull this off, I can sell at least 10 times as much albums, and still will be able to deliver a finished story (not having to ask for a translator will surely appeal to foreign editors; also they will know instantly what a comic of mine is worth, as they can read it right away)

On the contrary, I have some small setbacks:

*****I want to make quality, not sell out to survive, or make something I wouldn't like.

*****I want to keep on doing this and ONLY comics. I don't want to be something else and have comics as "a hobby".

*****I want to be able to maintain a decent living standard (make my kids go to a decent school, and eating what I want, instead of what I can afford)

*****I want to bring money home so my wife won't be the only one paying for everything (I know she wouldn't mind; she has a brilliant carreer in front of her, but I would mind considering myself as a parasite)

*****I want to create (it's an urge) so I won't be doing the same series for the rest of my life either.


Now if I get lucky and famous, that's fine, but as things are becoming here in Belgium (We have a Cultural Minister whose idea is to bring culture to the people... by lowering all culture and giving money to children's pop music, handing out free books by a popular writer (ONE book! THE SAME! To everyone! Instead of handing out Book coupons so everybody can at least make a trip to the book store and SEE what's available!). He's totally forgetting comics in that picture. ...forgets to talk to the authors, when he decides things ... spends less money on comics than he does on any other art (and REALLY less: to compare: on a country of 10 million people, last year he spent US$ 45,000.00 to comics as an art form. Half of it went to a comics museum, the other half went to an award no-one ever heard anything more about, and to the editors. He should have given it to some journalist as a bribe to write about comics, 'cuz it's dead quiet on TV as in the printed press. In France, they are glad to see so many talents arrive from Belgium, but they're fleeing the country.

Only mainstream comics are read, and most (dutchspeaking) Belgians know three comics, of which they read two.

These two are mainly written for children, but read by most adults, who still consider comics a children's thing you read on the toilet as a pass-time.

If this doesn't change, or if I can't get a few extra bucks from overseas by publishing on the web, I'm doomed.

[Bob Stevenson]

if I can't get a few extra bucks from overseas by publishing on the web, I'm doomed.

Good Luck. Do you have any work posted on the web? You haven't included a web address.

In response to your comments about support in Belgium, do you really want the government funding comic projects. One of the primary reasons I'm interested in creating comics on the web is that there is no editor. About ten years ago, I lost a job as a daily comic strip artist because the new editor of the paper felt one of my characters (the bald guy at www.Journeyintohistory.com) was a sexist pig which he was and is to some degree. She assumed that meant I must be a sexist pig. If one editor can make that kind of idiotic assumption, imagine what a big group of politicians and government bureaucrats is capable of. Actually, we don't have to imagine it - watch the news. I'll make my way without their help and without Marvel or DC's either.

It sounds like your best bet may be the web. Don't worry about what Belgians are reading. I wouldn't depend on the aging tree-killin' market too much either. Again, good luck.

Bob Stevenson
www.Journeyintohistory.com

[gazorenzoku]

To Yingo:

Here's my suggestion (at least, this is what I plan on doing when the mole men let me loose)

1) Make some comics that are ready to sell. Not almost ready. Ready.

2) Find lists of North American comic book stores that are willing to sell "mini comics" and self published comics. (here is one such list, complete with e-mail addresses for stores that have e-mail: http://www.thesmallpress.com/resources/ ... ilers.html )

3) Contact the stores, send them a sample of a FINISHED comic book, and ask them if they will sell your books.

4) Get online again and find the Kinkos copy shops nearest the comic book stores that agreed to sell your book. Send them your files via e-mail, get copies made up, pay online, and get the comics shipped to the stores.

5) Sit back and let the money roll in. Just kidding. I imagine that it would be pretty hard just to break even on this deal, but what the heck, it sure as hell would get your name out there faster than sitting on top of your work and not doing anything...

If you have a slick web site, you can definitely make sure to advertise your web site in your print comic, and then make sure you have cool stuff on your website that is not in your print comic so you can cross-advertise and generally keep people happy that you are alive.

My plan is to do all of the above from where I live in Japan (and also I will print up copies here in Japanese as well, but most Japanese stores don't sell amature stuff) until I graduate from grad school (if I can get into grad school first!), when I supposedly will have more time and money on my hands to go through the printers and Diamond.

If you don't know about distributing your self published work through Diamond, you should definitely find out. Or ask me what I know, which isn't much more than the info on the Diamond web site since I haven't been through the actual process yet. Or ask somone else.

Basically, Diamond will put your comic in their catalogue that gets sent to every comic store in North America. When you receive pre-orders from the comic stores, you know exactly how much to print. Diamond buys the comics from you at a discount, sends them to the stores, and writes you a check all within about 60 days from the time you start the pre-order process.

The main problem from what I've heard is getting retail stores to know you exist. The way I figure it, if you put out a solid stream of mini comics for a good year or two, show both fans and retailers that you are serious about making good comics, then by the time you are ready to get into the horrible net of evils that is Diamond distributors, you will have a lot better of a chance getting stores to preorder your work.

It all boils down to this: if your work is prolific and comes out when you say it is going to come out, then a substantial amount of orders through the Diamond system can set you up with anything from US $200 to $6,000 a month, and that's after paying the printing cost (not considering advertising fees, though, or paper and ink fees, etc.).

I don't know how the US dollar is compared to your currency, but translating US cash into Japanese yen is SWEET.

Well, those are just some thoughts. If you enjoy making web comics because you like web comics, then that is one thing. If you are doing them because you think you have no other outlet for making comics, then I just wanted to show you that you do have more options. I wish you the best of luck in your comics creations, whether they be on the web or in print or on the shaved and naked skin of various helpless French pedestrians you capture and beat down in a mad comics superhero rage.

Vince

[gazorenzoku]

My handle ("japanimationfist") is the name of a webcomic that has yet to leave my drawing board. I am currently looking for somewhere to put it. I applied for my own slice of Keenspace, but it seems to take quite awhile

For G-d's sake, man, get yourself a free website at Geocities or something!!! The world needs to be suffered your gutwrenching vision, and NOW. I can't wait to see this comic you speak of. With a name like Japanimationfist, it can't be wrong, even if it is.

Well, in lue of putting the work out right now like you should (if it is done, that is...), then by all means, please, let me know by e-mail when it is out.

Personally, I also have work that needs to be published, and will be made into mini-comics as per my plan given above. However, I am probably looking at another month or so until I complete the first issue. Too much time spent on this damn forum and various forms of making money to spend on food and comics!!

Good luck with your project,

Vince

[Thomas]

gazorenzoku thanx for the run down on self publishing. I am in no way against paper printing. As a matter of fact I probably would have been paper printing a long time ago if I would have had the money or the info you just provided. Of course that is not to say I wouldnt be on the web, cause I would. When I get my first ecomic done I may try printing some stories on paper, but I dunno yet. Thanx for the heads up and info tho.

[gazorenzoku]

no problem. Can't wait to see your comic, web or print or whatever it turns out being.

*One thing to remember, though: when printing out digital files (say, from Photoshop or whatever), they should be of a pretty high dpi. This means that if you are preparing art for the web at 72-75 dpi, it won't look all that great if you just print it out straight.

Sooooo, if you are working from scaned in art, just save the art you scan and scan it in at a high dpi later.

I have heard that printed material should be at least 300 dpi. I get best results at 600 dpi for comics. It turns out that Nate at Blambot fonts (who makes online comics and also letters paper comics professionally.... meaning he gets paid) also recomends 600. At that dpi, working in color is not an option for me because the file size gets too big and I can't even save the file! I don't think I can do much besides letter the comic at that point, meaning no greyscale shading either... But, I have found that anything lower than 600 dpi just isn't good enough...

Vince

[InkAddict]

Thanx fot the help & support

Good Luck. Do you have any work posted on the web? You haven't included a web address.

I'm actually learning Dreamweaver to know how to do what I need to do, so maybe later on, there might be something.

Meanwhile, there's a page I put on the web, made in photoshop entirely. It isn't great (cause I don't have a scanner, so they're doctored photo's and I did it in half a day, and the font sizes page size are really not feasible), but I'm rather proud of it as it's my actual first "webcomic"
http://homepage.mac.com/yingo/.Pictures/firstcomic.jpg

In response to your comments about support in Belgium, do you really want the government funding comic projects.

Well, the trouble is that the market of potential readers is soooo small, that most comic editors don't want to risk printing thousands of copies they'll never sell. (there aren't so many dutch-speaking people in the world). On the other hand, we have a rather big heritage of world-famed comic authors. Tintin, for instance, was created by a belgian artist (herg?), as were many of the popular european characters 50 years ago (perhaps it was something in the air??) But it seems no-one is interested in newer characters anymore, while the talent is here. I don't mean that the government should become a publisher, but they should encourage the Belgian public to read comics. In Belgium NO college studies comics or its cultual impact. Once there WAS an interest: in the sixties and sventies, cmics sold really well. Now, with television becoming more and more important, one of the biggest and most successful comic publishers (dupuis),has noticed that it makes more money turning comic book characters (like "c?dric", "papyrus", "spirou & fantasio") into toon characters. And they're making big bucks with it, even if the stories suck and the animation becomes mediocre.

Here's my suggestion (at least, this is what I plan on doing when the mole men let me loose)

Yes, I would like to go into self-publishing, but I'm afraid i will lose more in international calls (Belgium-US can be expensive) and still not break even. In Europe some have done it fairly easily, until the I.R.S. found out. They had to go public and pay taxes (which means they had to really make money), or pay txes on things they didn't get any money out of. I don't want to self-pulish because publishing isn't what I'd like to do. If a publisher offers me a deal in print that's fine by me, and I will still go round with my portfolio, but online-publishing gives me the freedom of choosing colour and format without worrying about the costs.



My future concerning comics:

--Publish online (and learn how to), so as to be ready when micropayment kicks in, and so I can showcase my work.
--Write a thesis on how the cultural minister is killing our cultural heritage, how artists should need a status proper to their job, and what can be done in the media to promote diversity in comic readers and comic production.
--Try with paper companies ABROAD, especially those who like NON-mainstream work.
--Get busy improving what I can do

My handle ("japanimationfist") is the name of a webcomic that has yet to leave my drawing board. I am currently looking for somewhere to put it. I applied for my own slice of Keenspace, but it seems to take quite awhile

If you are using a mac, you should try iTools and iDisk (10 Megs free!)

[Thomas]

Wow dude that comic looks great. Let me get this straight you did it all in Photoshop, no scanning or using pics at all? Either way I love the feel and look of the lines and dark areas.....it kinda gives it a sense of movement....a vibration if you will....keep up the great work man and take a gander at my stuff at www.gutterflycomix.com then email me so I can add ya to my mailing list and eventually my links list....

Take it easy,

[InkAddict]

I used photo's I got from the web, but the characters and the backgrounds are from different photo's, and i worked on that in Photoshop only (I quite like Photoshop and the way only a few people try what it's got to offer: there's some hidden treasures to be found ). I could paint like that too with my computer, but it would be rather slow (considering i haven't got a wacom drawing tablet yet )

Thanks for the compliments I'll do my best to get some more on the net soon


...checking your stuff...

WOW SHEEEEEYIT!

Nice!

and quite original (drawing/interactivity/...). Hope I get the hang of DreamWeaver soon
I LOVE it!
I'll mail you soon, thanx