This is the same old news we always here but it’s presented so clearly here. Newspapers have been declining since 1987 and trends have recently shown an increase in this decline. The web on the other hand has benefit ffrom this decline with a 30% increase in ad groththis year alone and consists of 5.4% of all advertising. Eventually we will finally see the retiring of the word ‘webcomic’ as are favorite medium over takes it’s print cousin.
It’s not often that one finds an article dedicated to web comics so I was excited when I was pointed to this essay by the UF Visual Rhetoric Research Group. I was hoping for it to be a well thought out and researched document concerning the rise of web comics. What I got was an attempt to make them in to second class citizens. This paper irked me so much that I felt compelled to dissect it.
Even though the paper has a childlike layout it presents a somewhat clear thesis for the comparison of web comics Continue reading
Here’s my attempt to catch up on news which I had meant to report but found myself too stunned by the cookie monster.
Last week Nick Anderson was awarded the 2005 Cartooning Pulitzer. As much as this was a shock to everyone because he wasn’t on the ‘leaked’ list from a few weeks ago it’s not that much of a surprise. He started his career with a bang getting the Charles M. Schulz Award for best college cartoonist in the United States, Canada and Mexico. What would have really been a surprise would be if a web comic artist won. There’s some outstanding work out there going unnoticed.
Here‘s something that could never happen to a web comic. The Duluth News Tribune apologized to it’s reader for publishing a syndicated strip by Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Signe Wilkinson. The strip was apparently interpreted to be derogatory and Signe was never given a chance to explain to the paper’s readers how the strip was meant as a comment on American culture having a bad influence on Indian culture. This is another reason why publishing on the web can allow much more freedom in expression. I will admit that without being syndicated Signe’s strip may never have received such attention in the first place.
It would be just like DJ to pull an April fools on everyone with the annoucement of Club Yirmumah. All kidding aside this idea may seem at first to be like any other subscription service but this is not some member’s only service like most. DJ is still posting his strip daily and keeping his archive free for the public. This service is for the hardcore fan and costs no more then $12 a year, about the cost of a few comic books. The perks are just what you would want as a fanboy. First access to strips before they are posted, private forum, monthly giveaways of original art, and much more. Continue reading
The trend continues in the print industry of censorship. Although I am personally not the biggest fan of Scott Bateman I do admire his tenacity and willingness to say anything. Bateman submits about ten of his strips to King Features Syndicate every month but has noticed over the past few months that fewer and fewer of these have been distributed in the “The Best and the Wittiest” package distributed by King. The King’s Editor in Chief goes on to say that the parting was not due to political differences but it is hard to ignore that many of the strips not distributed have a more liberal slant to them. Continue reading
There is nothing better then being surprised by a new strip. SBC pointed me to Israel?s first nanotechnology-powered superhero comic Golem, now being posted in English on YnetNews. Here is a strip with an art style that should take you back to the beginnings of the comic industry. It is simplistic with an almost minimalist use of lines, instead focusing more on shading and good use of colors.
The writing is superb with a very intelligent combination of politics, religion and humor to make any comic artist jealous. Continue reading
In Sore Thumbs we have yet another Manga with a theme around video games. How this one steals the spotlight is by not only focusing on games but by adding topographical and social humor. This seemingly fresh strip is written by Owen Gieni and Chris Crosby and focuses around the antics of the sister and brother Cecania and Fairbanks and Cecania’s friend Harmony. These antics occur in a, wait give it a minute….
Yes, it’s a video game store called Sore Thumbs. Continue reading
I have a special dislike for pixelated comics that makes it hard for me to truly appreciate what this site has to offer. Linked from Boing Boing I found Gnomz.com. This site offers a fast and easy way to create a comic with pixelated characters, although the resolution is high enough you can’t actually see the individual pixels. With the site being free it does offer a cheap and easy way to allow those wishing to experiment and create something that is not unique.
This is an evil, evil strip by Christian Fundin and Pontus Madsen. Evil because I wanted so bad to go through the archives in a couple of days but the art style of the strip made that simply impossible. Little Gamers is made completely on a computer with any simple line and circle program. It could literally be drawn by anyone. Here in lies the genius of the whole concept. Despite the simplicity of the characters they are unique and easily recognizable with simple yet effective expressions and emotions.