So I’ve been “in” webcomics for about two years now, and an avid reader for four. In this time, I’ve learned that, in a medium where anyone and everyone can take an active role in a matter of minutes, you have to learn to take the good with a LOT of the bad. I’ve found several sites that talk about webcomics not in search of personal gain but for love of the medium. I count many of the must-reads as my favorites as well as some more obscure strips that could use a good review or two to get their traffic up. But what it boils down to is, I know what webcomics are, and that puts me ahead of a great sampling of the population.
It’s with this increased knowledge that I figure I’ve got a pretty good grip on the overall landscape of webcomics. But do you know that, before Monday of this week, I had NO idea what Fleen was? Really. No idea. There are several other tricks-of-the-trade that were unknown to me, tricks that I won’t reveal here so we can stay one step ahead of our it’s-new-to-me rival. Also unknown to me were The William G’s (hey, if you put “The” in front of your chosen moniker, I’m GOING to use it) thoughts on said rival site. I won’t post his exact words as my mama raised me better than that, but suffice it to say he likened the Fleener’s review methods to an act that most men would not care to be associated with.
This brings me to two conclusions about the wonderful world of webcomics:
1) Reading webcomics “news” is like trudging through an evening on The WB (or CW, as it is now known). The drama is thick, the plot is convoluted, and by the end of your time with it you really don’t care to watch anymore.
2) If we’d all stick with reporting on the successes and missteps of our fellow creators and leave the bickering to forums and conventions, then we could be more like the regular comic book types and CELEBRATE the medium, not denigrate it.
And with that brilliant segue in mind, I now turn your attention to an interview over on WizardUniverse.com. That’s right, Wizard, the first name in comic book news and rising name on the convention circuit (word is that Wizard World Chicago is the place to be when you can’t make it out to San Diego). They took the time to interview cartoonist Richard Stevens about his indie-pop-culture entrenched strip, Diesel Sweeties. The Q&A includes some interesting tidbits about why webcomics can’t seem to break through the way that comic books have and who might be to blame for this. If you love webcomics and champion the format as much as we here at DS do, you owe it to yourself to stop by and check it out.
It’s a celebration! Let’s see some enthusiasm!
That was a good interview. Hadn’t read any from R. Stevens before. Do you think that the bigger comics are doing their part to promote the smaller comics? Should they be promoting other comics more actively to try and bring more to the public’s eye?
Something I’ve been thinking about…
You know, I think I told Phil the deep dark secret of the “The” once. If he remembers, he may be kind enough to tell you.
that WAS a good interview.
Crap! I guess I missed it…
They are under no more obligation to do anything for anyone than you are.
If someone’s all fired up to become the next big thing, they have to go do it on their own, and not sit around like a princess waiting for their knight to come and wisk them off to better things.
Okay, second point:
There’s been a lot of talk here-abouts recently about the webcomics drama, but where has it been exactly? Other than Donny/Lessthankate’s pretty blatant attempts to start shit with me in the comments here, and DJ’s putting his foot in his mouth over at Comixpedia in regards to Girlamatic, there hasn’t been anything remotely approaching “Teh Drama!” in quite some time.
Honestly, I think you guys want to see some so you can all tut-tut at the particpants and show how sterling your morals are in comparison.
Just sayin’