I’ve always wondered the reasoning behind putting a web comic in print. The most successful web comics all have their content for free, so why put all your content in an inarguably less accessible form? Of course you could always carry a book around to more places you have internet access but I’m lazy. That makes me think it’s for a more sentimental or possibly even charitible but then I’ll assume most of you are just as selfish as myself. I just like to show everyone just how well read I am.
I’ve been told of two new books. The first is Zach Miller’s new Joe and Monkey book Totally Boned. Now there’s a title that had me looking for the inner meaning, until I remembered just how random a strip Joe and Monkey is. Totally Boned is Zach’s first book and it’s had some initial success and high quality that’s warrantted it winning the 2006 Lulu Blooker Prize.
The second book is from the drama hungry Wes Molebash. On May 10 Viper Comics is publishing the book You’ll Have That Vol. 1 and the the another volume in December. The book contains the first 100 strips plus sixteen “bonus” strips. The bonus strips tell the story of Andy and Katie’s first date. The foreword to the book was written by Jef Mallett, the syndicated cartoonist of Frazz. If you want to hurry and give Wes your monay you can pre-order through Amazon.
As a web comic creator myself, I think there is a certain pride in getting your work into print – even if you have to do it yourself.
The entire web comics scene was born mostly out of creative voices not being able to penetrate the fortress stronghold of syndication. So without their consent, they went ahead and did it themselves with the technology available to them.
Since that time, all sorts of support has sprung up to service the needs of the community. Print houses, forum groups that offer tips on publishing, marketing advice…
For someone to go from print to web is kind of statement against an industry that rarely gives opportunity to new talent.
So you\’re saying it\’s just a big \”Screw you!\” to Marvel, DC, Diamond and the rest of them?
It\’s the same reason Zoinks is so cool. It all comes down to one thing Daku. Reading comics the way God intended: On the toilet.
It\’s always nice as well to read something with carrying a huge laptop everywhere you go with saved cmic strips or connected to the internet.
Okay, webcomics are fantastic because they\’re free, but this also gives us fans a way of contributing and saying we love the work.
It\’s great that Zach got some recollection which may spring into more awards for webcomic books…
Gunnerkrigg Court was just released as a book on lulu as well.
well i don\’t have a labtop , so that\’s a reason i buy works in print. and it shows my support =D
Sock\’d has gone print. I did it because I like seeing my stuff in ink sprawled on a page.
I had to use a POD type service though because im too poor to centralize all the stuff myself (which is what I want to do)
I think it\’s just the next step in taking the middle man out of this entire enterprise.
People read comic strips and they like having print collections of those comic strips. It\’s been that way for a long time. I remember devouring the small novel-sized Peanuts books.
The problem has been that up until now, unless you were a syndicated cartoonist, you couldn\’t get a collection of your book made. Most people probably never produced more than enough strips to submit to a syndicate.
So if the demand is there, sell them. And now with places like Lulu.com and other print on demand places….it\’s affordable to do so. Then you can have it.
And it\’s a nice. It\’s nice to print a book and sell it to a fan. There\’s something electric in it. And it makes you feel proud.
When you can see a whole book worth of your work…that\’s an acomplishment. And it\’s a moment to be proud of.
I think.
\” I think it\’s just the next step in taking the middle man out of this entire enterprise.
Scott couldn\’t be more correct, here. I\’ve said it a hundred times and will keep saying every chance I get. The direct market for independent comic creators, print or web, is a corpse.
Digital publishing, P.O.D,and Digital Self-publishing is the way we should all be going.
\”Hey, you got your webcomic world in my print comic world!\”
The blueprints for the next wave are right here. Pick your path!
http://www.indyplanet.com
http://www.01comics.com
http://www.ka-blam.com
http://www.yirmumah.net/
http://www.comixpress.com/
http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/
http://www.lightspeedpress.com/
It\’s not going to happen overnight but, it\’s definately happening.
Sorry if I wandered off-topic a bit.