The Evolution of Comic Books On Teh Internets

October 29, 1969: Teh internets launched

October 30, 2007: Zuda.com launched*

October 30, 2009: Marvel for iPhone launched on Comixology

October 29, 2012: DC Entertainment "Neural Implant" launched

October 30, 2025: Marvelopolis's "Excelsior 2.0 Brain-Download" launched, option to virtually live in one of several fantasy settings: Asgard, Wakanda, Lemuria, Atlantis, Queens

October 26, 2050: Superman's robot doubles go crazy, enslave planet

October 27, 2099: Kenshiro "Zero" Cochrane, an under-achieving but lovable rogue, gets shot in Transverse City and subsequently becomes the robot Ghost Rider. Kenshiro battles the Superman robots, liberates teh internets, and becomes the avatar of the new age. Kenshiro's nickname "Zero" was ironic, because at heart...he was really a hero.

October 29, 2031: That long-awaited pole shift happens.

October 24, 4025: The printing press invented. The first book to be mass-produced? The Holy Gylrsfarbx, of course. Then a reprint of Detective Comics #27.

October 23, 5026: The beginning of the Direct Market.

October 25, 5089: The Diuoyygfyuf ComicCon starts becoming too commerical.

October 26, 6002: The 26th reincarnation of Stan Lee develops a webcomic, tells 17th reincarnation of Elvira to "get out of paper comics."

October 30, 6005: More damn Superman robots.

October 22, 6025: Dogs and cats become people, use iPhones, enslave humanity, pee in corners of house.

October 28, 7025: Motion-comics become the dominant form of all entertainment everywhere, saves humanity, reduces dogs and cats back to their previous servile state, cleans pee out of carpets, defeats Superman robots.

October 29, 7056: Damn pole-shift.

October 30, 9009: Printing-press invented.

*Please note: between the 38 years that the Internet was invented and Zuda.com launched, there were also a number of comics of various sorts released online: funny comics, sad comics, happy comics, angry comics. But did they have a werewolf western? Nooooooo...

Tyrese Invented The Digital Comic Book

From CNN:

"There was an experience that I felt was pretty limiting as far as the comic book experience itself on paper," says Gibson, who stresses that he did not grow up reading comic books and is not a comic book veteran. "[So] I set up this technology with my team and this is the first-ever digital comic book [on iTunes] in the history of comic books."

Should we expect more people outside of comics with no/little familiarity with comics to pass over the paper format mostly/completely in favor for digital? Possibly.

The Weirdest Marvel Crossover Ever???

Read: "Guiding Light"

Yes, that Guiding Light.

To See: Scarlett Takes Manhattan @ MoCCA

There will be a free book discussion for the new release Scarlett Takes Manhattan at the Museum of Comic & Cartoon Art on Tuesday, July 21 from 7-8 PM. The graphic novel's creators, Molly Crabapple & John Leavitt, will be on hand, a documentary on "Scarlett" by Randy Gentle will be screened, and Original Sin Cider will be on hand. I can't think of a better place to be on a Tuesday night in NYC, can you?

About Scarlett Takes Manhattan:

Scarlett O'Herring is a dancer, fire-breather, courtesan, and the star of Molly Crabapple's first graphic novel from Fugu Press. Written by long-time collaborator John Leavitt, "Scarlett" follows the rise of Miss O'Herring from tragedy (her mother crushed by copulating circus elephants) through her grand entrance on the stage (accidental and sans costume) to her triumph as the fire-breathing queen of burlesque. It's a sexy, decadent romp through the slums and palaces of New York's Gilded Age.

Scarlett Takes Manhattan brings to life a character from Molly and John's long-running web comic "Backstage" from the collective Act-i-vate. As Molly says, "It has Tammany Hall and bad politics and early-lesbian culture in it. And it's very dirty."

The Museum of Comics and Cartoon Art is at 594 Broadway, Suite 401 (btwn. Houston and Prince) in NYC.

And again: that's FREE ORIGINAL SIN CIDER!!!

Webcomics That Make A Difference For Women

Comic books work great to communicate controversial topics to a large audience. Make that comic available on the web for free, and you have the power to reach a bigger audience than you might ever dreamed possible. The following three webcomics address sensitive women's issues with a great frankness and courage, and demonstrate what can be done using this medium for the cause of education & social justice.


Unmasked: The Ariella Dadon Story, by Inbal Freund-Novick and Chari Pere, tells the story of a 28-year-old woman who finally receives a get (a Jewish divorce) from her abusive and violent husband. Pere draws Ariella with a cracked "happy face" mask during her unhappy marriage and unsuccessful attempts to get away from her husband, and it is a haunting and devastating motif. "Unmasked" is offered in both English & Hebrew. As one website put it, this is an "Online Comic Breaking Chains."


The Shake Girl is an online graphic novel created by members of the 2008 Stanford University Graphic Novel Project -- a massive collaborative effort between 15 students and 2 instructors. It is inspired by the life of Tat Marina, a former karaoke performer from Cambodia who had acid thrown in her face as a teenager as the result of a love affair gone bad. "Beware of powerful men who may kill you if you refuse their advances, and beware of their wives who will kill you if you do not." The result is a moving story whose many different artists manage to capture the different seasons in the young protagonist's life.

Hathor the Cow Goddess is a funny and often poignant webcomic about motherhood and pregnancy by Heather Cushman-Dowdee. Cushman-Dowdee tackles such issues as the right to publicly breast feed, the unusually high number of c-sections being performed, and embracing natural methods of child birth and child rearing. In one strip, a doctor who is pushing for a c-section is portrayed as a scalpel; in another, the title character reads a newspaper article with the headline "Woman Refuses C-Section Is Charged With Murder." Cushman-Dowdee also has another pregnancy-related webcomic called Mama Is....

These are but three examples of how women (and, in the case of the Stanford collaborative project, women& men) have used webcomics to help each other and help better the world in which they live in.

Joey Manley Is Wrong About Webcomics

UPDATE: Paul DeBenedetto has written a rebuttal to Manley's post that is more eloquent than anything I could have written.

Joey Manley wrote a post (which I am not giving the benefit of a link) that he says "isn’t meant to start a fight" --

"But her recent post about webcomics, and how the business should (or will) evolve in the next five years, is just plain wrong."

Disclaimer: Joey Manley's main business is in webcomics -- including the running of sites that host web comic creators.

From Wikipedia:

"Joey Manley is best known as the founder and publisher of the webcomics site Modern Tales,as well as numerous other web-specific entertainment properties. These properties include the subscription webcomics sites Serializer, Girlamatic, and Graphic Smash, and the webcomics hosting service Webcomics Nation."

So if I say that I think the mainstream will (at least try) to co-opt a large portion of the webcomic market within 5 years -- which I still believe -- this is essentially saying that Mr. Manley's own business is threatened. Which, if I had to guess, he doesn't take too kindly to.

Just to clear that up.

As for me -- I can hack it either way. If the mainstream co-opts webcomics, I'll do mainstream webcomics. If webcomics remain an independent uptopia of creator-owned opportunity, I'll do that. Either works for me. And I'll probably do both regardless, just to see how things shake out. I'm not holding on to one schema or another as the end-all be-all for my life and livlihood. Only fools (or people with a lot invested in one side or another like Joey Manley) do that.

But because I know this post will provoke another of those lovely ad hominem attack posts, let me just start it out for you:

"Valerie works for Marvel! It's part of a conspiracy to destroy us, don't you understand? And her boyfriend works for Zuda! Obviously, everything she says is finely calibrated to destroy our way of life! Valerie's words are dangerous! She is working for the vast fascist conspiracy! Valerie hates webcomics! How can he keep working for Friends of Lulu when...SHE HATES WEBCOMICS!!! Did I mention that she hates webcomics??? And hates creative freedom??? And hates puppies? She actually kicks puppies when she sees them. Don't you see that nothing she says has a grain of truth in it!? It's lies! All lies, I tell you! And she's crazy...it's the rantings of a crazy person! Anybody who says that the business that I have an interest in might be threatened some time in the future -- must be crazy! That's it! That's what I will keep telling myself. Oh...oh look...that post I wrote, about how she's evil and crazy...it just...gave me all these hits! Wow! I have to do this more often. It makes me seem relevant. It gives me a degree of extra importance in this little world we've created on the Internet. Oh, and before I forget: Zuda bad! Zuda bad!"

Oh, and whoever is going to do the bullshit "hit" post -- I never said in my post that webcomics were amateur. Just in case you thought you were going to use that for your pathetic article. I never said that. If you use that, you are an asshole, because it isn't true. But there are no "rules" for Internet "journalism" either, are there? So I guess you *could* make something up.

Hey Joey, let's all compare notes in five years -- and if I'm wrong about webcomics, I'll post a picture of a sad bear.

How The Mainstream Media Gets Its Groove Back

"I get email. Some of them ask for cartoons. Like this one:

I wish to add your cartoon to a Powerpoint presentation.

OK. I write back:

Hey, that's great that you would like to use my cartoon. My fee is $20 per image, per presentation. I accept Paypal and credit cards.

Oops. That's not at all what this person had in mind:

Unfortunately I shall not use your cartoon if it means paying for it. I thought I would just try and do things by the copyright book. Thanks anyway."

-- cartoonist Mike Lynch

We seem to be turning into a society of "free" media. Music, movies, comics, news -- we are increasingly expecting to get these things, via Internet, for free. Like webcomics. I can't picture an arrangement in which significant masses of people pay for webcomics -- unless you got the best 2% of all webcomics on one site. Other than that, I don't see people dropping money for them, unless they make donations. It's not about quality. It's just that people expect to get these things for free. We've been trained this way.

Some say that advertising revenue will make the money. I am telling you from experience within the online media industry -- unless you have a HUGELY popular site/blog/content, you will not be able to support a company on this revenue. Hell, even Facebook is having problems doing this.

Then there is the idea that loyal fans of a webcomic or site will send in enough donations to support it. I believe that can happen, but can you support your family on it? Maybe, maybe not. Still not a solution for a media company.

Then there is the selling of hard-copies and various memorabilia. And/or utilizing the intellectual property in your free webcomic to inspire ventures in other media. These are awesome things. If they happen.

But what can the various traditional media outlets out there do as an overall game plan? What can the freelance cartoonist/comic book person do? How do you make money? Real money? Game-plan sort of money? Health insurance sort of money? Raising a child sort of money? Saving for retirement sort of money? Supporting five floors of employees sort of money?

Yes, it looks like the switch is on from paper to digital. But are people willing to pay for this digital media? For the most part -- no. People are not willing to pay for it, unless you give them a damn good reason to.

Damn Good Reasons To:

1) If I was DC or Marvel (or any other media company), I'd pinpoint what the top 5% webcomics are. Offer those web cartoonists competitive exclusive distribution deals that includes a health insurance component. Then make a subscription-based site offset by sales of hard copies and merchandise.

2) Want to compete with Wikipedia with a subscription-based model? Have a damn good online encyclopedia/reference center, with the top names in academics, punditry, etc. Stress the authoritativeness of your reference site. If I was giving advice to a company like Time Warner, News Corp, Microsoft, etc on how to make this model work, this authoritative aspect would have to be stressed -- because it's the only real selling point they would have versus a free model.

3) Authoritative vs. "Amateur" is the general crux of the mainstream media companies's (and professional writers's/cartoonists's/artists's) bid for pay-based content. It is the only way. I'm not defining "amateur." I'm not saying looking at things with this dichotomy is "right." I'm just playing devil's advocate and trending this out. Look at all the media you consume online -- news, TV, comics, blogs, etc. Now, figure out how much would you actually pay for if you had to.

4) The media companies are going to push "Authoritative" vs. "Amateur" within two years. Look for an all-out assault on the authority of blogs that are not connected with one media group or another. Look for the top-of-the-top independent blogs to get bought up by media companies. Look for an all-out assault on the credibility of Wikipedia.

5) Important point: in order for this plan by mainstream media to work, it is crucial that most of the popular webcomics, blogs, sites, news sources, social networks, services, etc be absorbed into the corporation. That may all sound as scary as shit. But it's likely that it's the way things are going to go down. The fire under everybody's asses in this economy will help it along.

6) And of course there is the whole net neutrality thingie-wingie. Look for the corporations to help move this along, to their advantage. Look for cable TV-like "packages" of web content that you pay for monthly.

Within five years, I think everything I've just wrote will come to pass. I'm not saying it's right. I'm not saying it will or will not encourage creativity. I'm just saying this is likely the scenario. And if the mainstream media does not start thinking along these lines, or if they think they can survive long-term by providing nothing but free online content (when the market for paper shrinks more every day), they will collapse. And then we will be more a nation of independent contractors, mini-media moguls. Micro-payments, donations, T-shirts. Which may or may not be better.

And please don't think that when I talk about the best blogs being bought up by corporations, I think I should be on that list. I'm realistic. Believe me, if I have thought through this topic to the extent I have on this post, I have seen what my "place" is in this overall landscape. To keep the personal OS blog, sure. But I do not think this blog -- in its current form -- has the broad (excuse pun) appeal to be useful to a big media concern.

Now, the Occasional Superheroine character itself might -- and if I choose to do more with that, something good might come out of it. And I think I can transfer my blogging skills to a blog with more of a broad reach -- either by spearheading it or working behind-the-scenes.

The OS is not journalism. The OS is just a doorway to talk to you all. And that's enough.

But the idea of the mid-level to low-level blog on a certain topic that will GENERATE TONS OF AD REVENUE and so forth -- no.

The idea of a web-based concern that has lots of overhead but is generating no income but one day it will sometime in the future -- no.

Me, I'm looking into taking some solid journalism courses and brushing up on my grammar. Because in order to compete in online media within two years, that's what you're going to need.

***Comments now closed to prevent the inevitable pissing match that I don't have the time for. If you don't agree with me, fine. I'm totally okay with us meeting up in two years -- hell, ONE year -- and compare notes. I look forward to it.

Economy Sad Bear: The Webcomic Edition

Follow The Media Is Dying on Twitter for your daily (hourly?) dose of nail-biting, Rolaids-popping paranoia.

Are webcomics a viable alternative to your recession-plagued wallet? David Gallaher provides a list of his favorites at Blog@Newsarama.

Neil Swaab describes "the end of alternative comic strips," and gives his opinions on webcomics...

"I know there are plenty of web comic artists who are able to subsist on the income they make from their website, but they aren't making money from their comics; they're making money from merchandise. Not to belittle web-only comic artists, but when their income is derived from t-shirts, it makes them salesmen first, artists second. The comics act as a tool to drive traffic to their website and then the sales of their products allow them to continue to make the comics. I know this may seem like semantics and those artists would never see it that way, but I think it's a valid issue, particularly for the reasons that not every comic artist wants to be a t-shirt salesperson."

...and then clarifies those opinions:

"My intent in bringing up the question was that there are a lot of great artists out there whose work doesn’t translate to t-shirts or easily marketable products and who don’t have an interest in merchandising to support themselves. Their work shouldn’t fail because of that and that’s what the current webcomics model thrives on."

So if Swaab is basically saying that "the current webcomics model thrives on" CafePress tees and mousepads, what is the specific objection to that? Is the objection that such a model doesn't generate sufficient cash for webcomickers, or because the arrangement is "gauche?" Is it more gauche to sell T-shirts on your site or have your comic strip supported by an alternative weekly that runs ads (with some of ads, especially towards the back of the publication, being kinda sketchy)? Or are any determinations we make regarding this highly objective and situational?

Also -- I would totally buy a Rehabilitating Mr. Wiggles mousepad.

Then there is Brandon Thomas on digital comics:

"If you are a comic book company and are not seriously considering some method of digital distribution, then in the next couple years, you’re likely going out of business. The smaller the publishing house, the more important this ultimately is."

I've been hearing rumblings about the future and viability of original graphic novels as well. Shocking, because two years ago OGNs were the bee's knees and everybody wanted a piece of them, especially the traditional book publishers. Now it's like: "I don't got a &@%$ two years for your book to come out! We might be a Chick-fil-A by the time that happens!"


...and cult-favorite webcomic Achewood goes on hiatus:

"After seven full and happy years, though, production of the strip has had to find space for itself among other projects. Book development, animation development, and most recently, the rapid relocation of my little family to another state. That's the big killer. We lived in Silicon Valley until today. Until three weeks ago, we thought we were going to live here forever. It's a complicated story involving eminent domain, the stewardship of the American financial continuum, and a poisonous dog named Nasturtium. I'll tell you about it sometime."

This prompts Strangeman to muse:

"I don't know what to think. I think an artist has the right to walk away from his art, but it's something to be avoided. That's like leaving your baby at Wal-Mart. If it's ending, I'm going to feel what I felt when Calvin & Hobbes went away. Comics are taken for granted sometimes, be they in the paper, comic book, or online. No one really want to see them go."


Do you have any tales or news for Economy Sad Bear? Or maybe something inspirational to lift our flagging spirits? Let us know!

Palette Cleansers:
Pictures of Cute Animals
Tony Robbins Quotations
Bubblewrap Popping

Invisible, Inc.'s Superhero Conspiracy

Invisible, Inc. boasts a Watchmen vibe and an edgy painterly art style in the vein of X-Force. Up-and-coming talents Brendan McGinley (Hannibal Goes To Rome) & Tomás Aira (Starcraft, Marilith) have produced a webcomic of superior quality: one that will satisfy both lovers and haters of costumed superheroes.

Read the entire first issue for free online here!


Bankshot Comics' all-new web series follows Vera Bell, a reporter with the New York Herald, as she uncovers the ultimate conspiracy; a gathering of power manipulates the world, keeping heroes from effecting real change.

In the powerful "Yellow Journalism" arc, Bell discovers supervillains no longer try to take over the world because they succeeded decades ago. She pursues the mysterious Yellow Book, which can alter memories and perceptions, in her quest to expose its owners.

Aiding Bell's search for the truth is the questionable Mr. Twist. As the reporter follows the story, Twist gathers superpowers to strike at media king and crime lord Victor Fox. Stalking all parties is the mysterious Blackbird. It all builds to one terrible revelation that will have readers gasping, unable to accept the horrible truth before them.


Invisible, Inc. #1 was a well-paced & solid read, with great art and an engaging story. Regular updates for issue #2 will begin on Monday.

Would You Pay $60 A Year For Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited?

Ok, here's the question:

Would you pay $59.88 to read over 5000+ Marvel Comics online, including the first 100 issues of Amazing Spider-Man & Fantastic Four, plus new Web-exclusive content?

This isn't an ad for them, I'm just curious if Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited is a model that would work. Especially for backlist.

Another question: would you pay a comparable price for a similar program on DC's end?

I would like the freedom of browsing backlist at my leisure without spending a lot of money or having piles of dusty comics in my house. For me, this largely becomes an issue of space to keep stuff. I don't have the space or the inclination to "archive." If there is one place where I can just read this stuff, that's great.

And as a writer, this arrangement helps me do research.

That said, I understand the appeal of the trade paperback/archive collection. But me personally, I really crave digitized comic book backlist. And I vote for more obscure stuff that might not be cost-effective for Marvel to put out in trade. In other words: more Devil Dinosaur and Rocket Raccoon.

The Night Owls Season One Finale...

...is up on Zuda.com

The Timony Brothers, who produce this fine supernatural-humor webcomic, are great people and very friendly to fans.

Why not drop by and leave them a message of congrats for one season done, and another ahead?

Girl-Wonder.org Accepting Webcomics Submissions

Girl-Wonder.org is now seeking webcomic submissions. That makes yet another site/organization who are turning to webcomics. Five or ten years ago, this might have been a printed collection or series of comics.

From the press release:

Feminist fan organisation Girl-Wonder.org, as part of its mission to support and encourage women in the comics industry, permanently opens submissions to webcomic artists.

We're looking for webcomics created by women or teams that include women, and we offer space, tech and publicity support, and a sub-forum devoted to your work on our thriving forums.

There are absolutely no restrictions on the genre, setting or sexual content of your work - we've hosted/are hosting Regency-style spy romance, slice-of-life autobiography, Wild West adventures and fairy-tale fantasy wordless comics. Your comic can be an on-going tale, or a complete story, and work previously published in other venues (in part or in whole) is welcome, providing you possess the rights to re-distribute it.

Your work need not explicitly promote feminist ideology. However, we envisage that it won't be explicitly anti-feminist or otherwise contrary to Girl-Wonder.org's aims.

If this sounds like something you (or your team) might be interested in, please email karen.healey@gmail.com for submissions guidelines!

ABOUT GIRL WONDER – Girl Wonder is a collection of websites dedicated to female characters and creators in mainstream comics. Our goals are to foster an attentive, empowered audience community and to encourage respect and high-quality character depiction within the comics industry.

Satire or Copyright Infringement? DJ Coffman Vs. Scott Kurtz

A recovering Skull shills his book with McPedro --
by DJ Coffman

Ah, the wonders of twitter.

DJ Coffman of HERO BY NIGHT fame, has a 'Will Draw Anything For $2' feature on his blog, where you can find Obama (as Captain America) fighting John McCain (as the Red Skull). You can also find characters like Skull from PVP getting skull-fucked by the Red Skull. Classy, huh?

DJ Coffman considers the whole thing parody and fair use. Something that Scott Kurtz (famous for his Star Wars and comic parodies) doesn't look too favorably on - as he noted on his twitter (listed in reverse reading order here):

pvponline Let me see if I can break it down for you guys: Skull getting eye-fucked=not like. PvP being parodied in Foxtrot with reverence=DO like. 3 minutes ago from twitterrific

pvponline @djcoffman How noble of you, DJ. You're a real gentleman. about 8 hours ago from twitterrific in reply to djcoffma

pvponline @djcoffman Scott Rosenberg has taught you well. You two so deserved each other. about 8 hours ago from twitterrific in reply to djcoffman

pvponline @djcoffman Where was the satire? Maybe if you understood these things better you would still own Hero by Night. So blow ME. about 8 hours ago from twitterrific in reply to djcoffman

pvponline @djcoffman the Han shirt is commentary and satire (i.e. fair use) DJ. What you did was infringement. my paypal is kurtz@pvponline.com. about 8 hours ago from twitterrific in reply to djcoffman

pvponline @JoshuaJericho DJ's never had a real tight grip on ownership rights. Clearly. about 8 hours ago from web in reply to JoshuaJericho

pvponline @djcoffman and P.S. Since you made 2 bucks off that, you owe me two fucking dollars. about 9 hours ago from twitterrific in reply to djcoffman

pvponline @djcoffman Hey, asshole. I officially do NOT give you permission to draw the red skull fucking my character. take that shit off your website about 9 hours ago from twitterrific in reply to djcoffman

And, of course here are DJs posts:

djcoffman in fact, maybe I'll just start a whole other comic about ways to skullfuck trolls? I've got time about 8 hours ago from mobile web

djcoffman any more dicky discussion about the drawing I took down, and I'm going to republish it. Fair warning about 8 hours ago from mobile web

djcoffman I haven't had this many laughs on a Sunday since I don't know when. 41 minutes ago from TwitterFox

djcoffman @JTShea No. He's the world's largest hypocrite. Maybe he should remember things from 1999 like this: http://tinyurl.com/57tt2a about 1 hour ago from TwitterFox in reply to JTShea

djcoffman @pvponline I try? about 8 hours ago from TwitterFox in reply to pvponline

djcoffman @pvponline Well, sorry it upset you. You should see the ones I've turned down. There are a lot of people who don't like you. about 8 hours ago from TwitterFox in reply to pvponline

djcoffman @pvponline And if you allow it to run on your forums I'm going to re-publish it on my site. Just a heads up. about 8 hours ago from TwitterFox in reply to pvponline

djcoffman @pvponline Of course ,I'm sorry that type of humor upsets you. I understand. Now drop it and move on. about 8 hours ago from TwitterFox in reply to pvponline

djcoffman @pvponline No, that was "dark satire" you twit. RedSkull, fucking skull, and he also requested any other skulls I could throw in. So blow me about 8 hours ago from TwitterFox in reply to pvponline So what do you think -- was the Skull/Red Skull cartoon Coffman drew satire and fair use, as much as any parody using copyrighted characters would be? Or is this a special case?

Vote for RED ICE

Last chance to for for Scott Brown's RED ICE on Zuda!

We have a modest goal here; currently it's in 9th place, let's try and make it at least 5th by tomorrow!

If we all work together, this can be a better world.

(goes back to watch YouTube clips of the opening to Family Ties being dubbed with the theme song to Who's The Boss)

The Future Of The Internet And You

enjoy this while you can

First off, please do not beat me over the head with the Internet equivalent of a cricket bat for bringing this topic/article up -- I don't agree with all of it, but I do think it raises some timely questions.

The writer of this post makes the point that "geeks" (techies, early-adopters, the Internet savvy, etc) have created a culture of "free" where anyone can get anything online for free. In the process, the creators get nothing, get swindled, etc:

"The “free” Internet costs Americans around $10,000, give or take depending on quality, by the time you add up the computer, the software, the monitor, the laptop, the cell phone, and a year’s worth of connection services. But “free culture” demands that we will not pay one penny for a piece of digital art.

The Internet has become the new weapon of imperialists. Today’s imperialists, also known as “The Geeks” have been very successful at securing their economic domination of the world by making non-technical talent and skills, like the ability to draw, worth nothing on the Internet (and even beyond), even when the finished product is far from worthless."

The conversation quickly turns to webcomics, the example being used African webcomics creators. The poster writes:

"There. I’ve just helped myself to African comics. It was fast and easy thanks (sincerely) to the geeks who created the technology, and also free thanks (sarcastically) to geeks who created the free movement and who continue to labor overtime on blogs, Twitter, FriendFeed and so on, to proselytize an Internet culture that will not tolerate the creation of an economic channel that could pay these creators for the use of their art here on my blog, even though I want to pay."

And this all dovetails into an issue very much on the minds of the Web 2.0 social media field in which I work -- in the future, will we have to pay for all this? Will we have to pay for a subscription to Twitter, will we have to pay for access to Internet "portals" based on Google (now Google/Yahoo), MSN, etc?

Is This The Future Of The Internet?

And will we have to pay for webcomics?

I think the day they completely crack down on the illegal downloading and stop making these social media sites and online newspapers/etc. free, the day they make you pay for Internet access the way you do for cable and make it a federal crime to download unauthorized material -- people are going to f**king riot. Literally.

And then several days after that, we are going to settle into our daily routines and pay the fees. Sure, a permanent underground of "geek" rebels will be formed, handing out flyers at public meeting places and throwing pies at Bill Gates. Perhaps the Rebellion will be far more real and serious than that. But --


The day will come when we will have to pay for all this stuff. It is coming anyway. I don't know how much we will have to pay for these Internet services, and I don't know how extensive it will be. And I'm not saying it's right. And I don't agree with all of the points made in the referenced article.

But, I read a heavy volume of industry news every day for my job, and I'm telling you -- this day is coming. I attended a function of the top media movers and shakers about three months ago (not cuz I'm awesome, but because somebody cancelled), and that was the top topic. "How do we monetize this?" This wasn't a bunch of pundits, or what have you. These were the heads of media companies.

How will this specifically effect webcomics creators? The cream will rise to the top. Today's hot webcomics creators will be tomorrow's mainstream darlings, pulling in far more money than they have ever dreamed. And they will either be savvy enough to maintain competitive websites, or they (more likely) will be "attached" to one large company or another. 'Cause when a lot of this pay-for-Internet-portal-access stuff comes down, when the gates begin to close, their expenses will rise to the point where they will have to have some big company back them up -- or at least create a big company of their own.

DC wasn't stupid in creating Zuda. Nor were they being "nefarious." They understood the concept that creators -- regardless of the medium -- had to get paid. They also (and this is purely conjecture) understood that the models for media distribution both in print and online are changing. We can argue about the finer points of contracts, rights, etc., all day. And I'm not suggesting independent webcomics creators need or even should go to Zuda.

But, I am saying that the free content that we enjoy now -- and the free services -- will not stay that way forever. Right now is, in many ways, a renaissance. A time to experiment. And if you depend on the Internet for your income -- whether you're a webcomicker, an Internet marketer, a blogger, an e-commerce businessperson, a writer for an online publication -- you need to trend these things out. You need to do your research, keep up with things, and learn to anticipate. You absolutely have to.

Always happy to be your little ray of sunshine

MoCCA Art Fest 2008: Webcomics

You would have to be Indiana Jones to get through the bottleneck
at the webcomic section of the convention

There was a strong webcomics presence at MoCCA Art Fest this year -- resulting in a bottleneck in the space where a number of the more well-known webcomics creators were situated. It was so crazy you literally could not get through.

The loyal fanbase and broad appeal of webcomics such as XKCD, Diesel Sweeties, Octopus Pie, and Girls With Slingshots -- all represented at the show -- cannot be overstated. Anybody who tells me that these digital comics do not present any sort of real competition to their print counterparts is full of crap. Seriously.


That said, I think it helps any webcomic creator to have some sort of print edition to sell/give away at show. Nay, it not only helps -- I think it is required. Take the case of Danielle Corsetto, sketching for charity at the Friends Of Lulu table and also selling a print collection of her webcomic Girls With Slingshots. Sales on the book -- that she had done on print-on-demand -- were brisk. The old argument has been: "they won't pay for comics they can get for free." I disagree.

But, the content has to be good, and your fanbase loyal. It's like those "pay-as-you-wish" downloads of that Radiohead album. No, I don't think it's a big moneymaker for them -- but they are still cleaning up on concerts and assorted merchandise. And some people will buy the "legit" collection regardless. Similarly, I think the money in webcomics are not to be made by those "micropayments" Scott McCloud refers to in Reinventing Comics, but in everything else that surrounds the daily or weekly online strip -- ads, merch, con appearances, print editions.


Further, if a mainstream publisher is racking its brains to find comic content with an appeal far beyond the comic book fan market, this is the way to go. One would assume that was part of the reason for Zuda's creation. Visiting their booth that was situated next to Minx & Vertigo, I wondered if they might have been better served in the webcomic section downstairs. But, then the question becomes -- is Zuda following the established webcomics model, or are they really trying to invent their own model?

Are they a "DC," or its own webcomics animal?

I would say, based on my personal observation, that the Minx/Vertigo/Zuda triumvirate is/is becoming as open, openminded, and creatively supportive as anything you could possibly find coming out of a large comics publisher. I think this is driven by the realization that the creation of truly creative content should lie with the creators. You can't just add water, heat and stir. Comics are not ramen noodles or Nestle Quik or instant oatmeal. You need innovative voices behind it, a pulse; you need to take a f**king chance.


It almost feels as if presently two DCs exist -- and the question is, which one will win out five years from now? The innovation, or the obsession with the past?

It's like McCain versus Obama. You know, I really don't dislike John McCain. In a lot of ways, I really respect the guy. But, if he becomes president and not Barack Obama, it's going to be depressing. Because, while I think McCain means well, it's going to be the same old s**t. And it can't be the same old s**t. Some people are so damn attached to the same old shit, but it's an unhealthy and unnatural attachment, and eventually it withers and rots on the vine.

Whatever the case, in five years a regularly updated webcomics feature will be a standard component of every comics publisher. If Zuda is a testing ground for new talent, the imprint itself seems to be a testing ground for the eventual future of the company.

(Oh, and for those who whine that I have a "conflict of interest" in even mentioning Zuda -- you know, I thought so too. That's why I held back from promoting them too much on the blog. And then I thought -- I'm getting slammed for even what little I do promote them. And that's when I realized: "You know f**k it. I'll promote them as much as I f**king want." Yes, I do have a vested interest in Zuda -- in making sure that it's legit, fair and treats its creators with dignity and respect. And it does. So if anybody would be in a position to know, it would be me. Zuda is biggest halo on DC's blessed corporate head. They treat their talent so well it blows my f**king mind. They've created a family environment between their creators and fans that has been absent in comics since around the time of Ask The Answer Man. I think this is a testament to Paul Levitz and his drive to legitimize graphic literature across genres. So unless you are in a position to really know what's going on...)

TOKYOPOP's "Pilot Program"

From TOKYOPOP's "Pilot Program" series The Hidden

So TOKYOPOP has their own Zuda-like webcomics thingie: Pilot Program.

I didn't even realize they were hosting webcomics.

As their site specifies, Pilot Program is not a competition, but more of a "proving ground" in which comments and feedback by fans help direct editorial as to what comic should go on to a full-length run:

"Manga Pilots: You Read and Review--You Help Decide What We Publish!

TOKYOPOP is launching an exciting new stage in our manga development program--and we need your help. We want YOU to read, review and tell us which TOKYOPOP Manga Pilots should be made into full-length manga.

In this new program, promising manga creators are selected and hired by our editorial team to create a 24-to-36-page “pilot”—a short-form manga that will be used to determine whether or not a full-length manga will be created. The Manga Pilot will be published online for TOKYOPOP community members to review, rate, and discuss.

The Manga Pilot program is not a competition. It's a proving ground that will give manga creators exposure to an enormous audience and help TOKYOPOP develop the next generation of manga superstars. And we want YOU be part of this process. Your positive reviews, for example, may very well catapult a pilot into the stratosphere!"

The flash comic reader mimics real page turning & fits the entire "book" comfortably on the screen. Of course, there is a right-to-left page navigation.

This is on top of the fact that with blogs, private messages, fans, "clans," and more, TOKYOPOP is turning their site into an honest-and-for-true social network. More on that another time -- but it's something I think publishers are going to have to get more and more into.

My pick for Pilot Program?

The Hidden, by Barb Lien-Cooper and Preston Park Cooper.












You can read it, rate it, and leave feedback about it here.

Penny Arcade Uses Flamebait From Critic As Promotional Material

The creators of the webcomic Penny Arcade used flamebait from one of their harshest critics, Denis Duckfat, in the promotions for their new game on Xbox Live. This unusual promotional strategy flies in the face of contemporary wisdom -- that one should push the gushing glowing quotes, not stuff like:

"Penny Arcade sucks and is unfunny..."

Personally, I think it's brilliant. And inspirational.

Just think of it:

THE CRITICS HATE OCCASIONAL SUPERHEROINE:

"She Cries Like A Girl! Ha-Ha!"
--The Artist Formerly Known As Nelson Muntz

"I deserved that magazine article more than that untalented slag. How dare she. In fact, I am so nonplussed by that banal creature that I think I shall blog about her all the time just to emphasize how unimportant she is."
--Dick K. Philip

"Occasional Superheroine provides me with a platform with which to express my deeply repressed hatred of strong women by hiding it behind a bunch of manufactured outrage over bullshit. For that...I am strangely grateful. Thank you, Occasional Superheroine."
--Theodore "Teddy Bear" Parsley Jr.

"My growing resentment of her is slowly supplanting my previous backhanded compliments."
--Lancha Elsechester

"Nice girls don't use that word."
--Mom

New Zuda Crew

We at Casa De Superheroine are proud to endorse the following strips in this month's Zuda competition.

ACTION, OHIO










By Neil Kleid and Paul Salvi
What if the Silver age of comic book heroes was created to distract us from the real thing, from the existence of real super humans hiding in the heart of America?

HANNIBAL GOES TO ROME










By Brendan McGinley
The story of Hannibal Barca, who led elephants over the Alps to annihilate Rome, and almost succeeded! Thrill of tales of strategic genius and tactical daring. It's humorous fun for the whole family, assuming you come from a brutal warrior horde.

Go check them out as see if you don't agree!

Comic Creator Offers Up Work For "Remixing" Under Creative Commons

Hot on the heels of the Siegel Superman ruling and many Internet discussions on copyrights and public domain, comic creator Dan Goldman ("Shooting War") is offering up his online comic "KELLY" for remixing under Creative Commons:

"Applying open-source ideas to comics has always excited me… and my freakadelic “KELLY” has served as my current laboratory for pushing boundaries in all directions, so it felt natural for me to take this step with this particular project."

Under the licensing agreement, anybody can spread or "remix" Kelly -- as long as they credit the original work and don't make money off of it.

I applaud Goldman on his decision. As an artist utilizing mixed-media and "found" art (who likes to incorporate old comics in her work), this issue of "remixing" is one of particular interest to me. I may have to produce some "Kelly" pieces. :-)