Let me just preface this by saying, if you didn’t like me before I wrote this, here’s some more ammunition.

I love talking comics, I love talking about local comics, with and to local creators. I am absolutely in love with the small Australian comics community that we’ve all fostered on Twitter in recent months, I think the level of interaction has skyrocketed and everyone is benefiting from the extra communication. I love sitting down and talking about my favourite books and talking about ‘the craft’ and dissecting and just generall oogling the work I really love.

What I don’t have a lot of love for, is chatting about “the business of webcomics” and for that matter, webcomics in general. Might seem odd considering I MAKE webcomics, and as I write this post next to me on my Cintiq is a half finished page for an upcoming update. Back when webcomics.com first launched, and even prior to that when there was a bustling forum on halfpixel.com I used to get involved with the discussion over there but I couldn’t ever deal with it for very long. Look, I’m an art snob and I make no bones about that, I like well done art – so when I’m in a discussion on a forum and the people who are discussing art and commerce and other lofty things in webcomics turn out to be (after clicking through the signature banners) hobbyists with appalling comics it makes it very hard for me to take what someone like that says with any seriousness. I’m sorry, but it does. Unless you can do what I do better than me and prove it, don’t lecture me because I’ll probably tune out.

It’s like, when you read a really great comic, and then you go and sit down to draw your own and you’re being influenced by what you just read you want to make your thing, the thing you just read. I think it’s very easy for people to see a PvP or a Penny Arcade or XKCD and think “I want that! I WANT that.” only they have no concept of how that person went from sitting their house making something for the first time to being a multi employee full time business. Webomics.com can’t teach you how to make great comics. That’s the key though, if your content is rubbish, then whats the point? I think they should be focusing on art tips, basic anatomy drawing, art and writing tutorials instead of telling people how to set up a table at a convention. Anyone can figure that out. I feel a more important thing is learn to do, what you want to do. And not get caught up in the little things. You won’t need to worry about the other things, if you can’t draw a comic to begin with.

There seems to be a thing with webcomics and that is you must constantly discuss and dissect every tiny little detail, and to me its like lordy, give me a fucking break! Why are you talking about making t shirts for your comic when it’s CRAP! It’s crap! I’ve been to your site, read it and looks like a dogs breakfast. My patience for talking about webcomics wears extremely thin about about 5 minutes. So I avoid it, for the most. I’ll talk about it with the small group of creator friends I have but even then I feel like I’m the curmudgeon most of the time. I’d rather be making comics, and reading comics, then talking about it. Because let’s face it the people in these forums and who are subscribed to the site, for the most are people who are either on the cusp of making it, or working towards making it, or people who’ll never make it…ever. (I can think of several people I know who are paying members who I believe are going to break out and it’s just a matter of time) Even reading websites like fleen.com just….dishearten me more than inspire me. I don’t really know why but it’s another site I can only view once a month for the most. It just to me, is more about patting people on the back then reporting anything. I always manage to see the same 10 people mentioned there over and over.

BUT, I digress – Brad Guigar who helms webcomics.com is most definitely paying it forward in the best way possible, with the wealth of knowledge and willingness to help out up and coming, and hobby creators is also setting an example. Maybe mentally theres something wrong with me where I can’t get past this block thats not allowing me to see webcomics.com in an entirely positive light. I’m still not sure I totally approve of the $30 subscription fee, even though I understand why it’s needed. Not living in the U.S, not making daily newspaper style strip, and not interested in chatting about the ‘craft’ of webcomics is probably why I have no interest in getting behind the paywall. I’m not sure there’d be a whole lot there I could glean. Do I think I’m better than that? Certainly not, talk to me for 5 minutes and you’ll see my self confidence about my own work is on the floor most of the time BUT for all the reasons stated above – but mostly because I truly feel that if you’re making a great comic, all that work, all that endless discussion won’t apply to you, if you make a great comic the opportunities will knock on YOUR door, you won’t have to search for, or seek out much of anything it’ll happen naturally. When it’s time to make shirts, you’ll know, when it’s time to overhaul your site, you’ll know. WHEN IT’S TIME TO PRINT A BOOK – you will know. And you’ll be spared the nitpicking, and picking apart that is the discussion of webcomics.

I do wish there was more discussion going on with local creators, theres so many more out there who aren’t active on twitter, or what have you. So I do wish that would change but I don’t think I’ll ever have the tolerence to discuss the micro-business that is webcomics.

I’m opening this up for discussion, so if you have thoughts please, comment away.