Anyone else want to give me permission to make a post which uses sample pages from their webcomic to promote it?
They’re basically like this and this and this. I think these kinds of posts look good aesthetically and tend to catch attention better than simpler ones, but I don’t feel it’s appropriate for me to post whole pages from someone’s comic without their permission.
For the posts, I choose a handful of comic pages (or sometimes only one or two) that I think will best entice readers to click through and read the rest of the comic. I include the comic’s summary, links to where the comic can be read, and links to places people can buy merch or support through Patreon where applicable.
I can usually find everything I need on my own so all you need to do is give me permission if you like, but I’m also happy to take input from you if you want anything different or specific in your post (or for you to make the post yourself and send it in).
Send me an ask (not anon), a PM, or reply to this post if you’d like to give me permission to make a post promoting your LGBTQ webcomic which includes sample pages from your comic.
…okay, so was anybody going to tell me that the comic is based on a novel (by the same author) that had industry giants like Andy Weir (”The Martian”) singing its praises??? And was illustrated by Vincent Proce??????
Webcomics are roughly what it says on the tin: comics, which are posted on the web! So, are they just like comics in print, except online instead?
Kind of! There are a lot of comics online which are formatted very
similarly to print comics, and the reasons for this are varied.
Sometimes it’s because the creator intends to print them later, and it
makes this process easier if the pages are already laid out
appropriately. Sometimes it’s just because that is the type of comic
they enjoy reading, and which they’re inspired by.
So they’re like webtoons?
Yes and no. Webtoon is a brand name– a very popular brand, but just as not every can of soda is a coke, not all webcomics are webtoons, although arguably all webtoons are webcomics. They are, after all, sequentially illustrated and use many narrative conventions associated with comics (speech bubbles, panels, etc), and are published online.
But that’s far from the only type of webcomic out there! In the earliest days of webcomics, formats tended to be constrained by users’ bandwidth and limited monitor sizes, so simple art and layouts were a must, as well as small file sizes. But as technology improved and more people started reading and creating webcomics, people started to experiment and play with some of the options that digital formats have to offer. (In particular, use of animation, or of interactive elements such as components of the page that appear or change when a user hovers their mouse over a part of the graphic.)
During the run of the popular webcomic Homestuck, there were a number of updates whose content consisted of full-on video games within the browser screen, which would allow readers to use keyboard commands and mouse movements to control a sprite character and interact with an environment within the browser window, including dialogue trees with other characters, events, and so on. These were mainly coded in Adobe Flash, which has since ceased to be supported, making these games difficult to archive in playable form, but similar effects can be achieved with Javascript, as the popular stick-figure strip comic XKCD has used.
What do webcomics look like?
The style and format of many early webcomics were inspired by newspaper strips, and the daily posting schedule of a webcomic is a close approximation to the way in which newspaper serials were historically published, making it an easy fit. Some of the first webcomics to become widely read utilized this format, such as Penny Arcade. Many of these strip comics are comedy-centric, with each update being a new joke; sometimes, but not always, featuring a central cast of characters. Some comics used the format to branch out into longer ongoing stories, occasionally reaching beyond the comedy genre into fantasy or drama storylines, building dedicated and passionate fan bases as they went.
As the medium became more widely known, more and more different styles and approaches began to appear. For every genre or style of physical comic or graphic novel, there are now webcomics utilizing similar storytelling approaches. Some are inspired by western comic books; by bande dessinee or other European books; photo collages (fumetti), or by manga.
Some webcomics will release a single horizontal row of 3-4 panels in an update. Some may release a full page with 6-10 panels or more, filled with painstaking detail, Some may update with animations, or a single panel at a time almost like a storyboard. And still others use the infinite canvas of the digital screen to create a vertical scroll for the reader to read, which can contain the equivalent amount of content as 2-10 ‘standard’ comic book pages.
What kind of content or themes do webcomics contain?
Hoo boy everything under the sun, huh
Because of the nature of webcomics being without the need of a traditional publisher, the content created has an enormous range in artistic freedom. Many webcomics are more intimate, passion projects that take advantage of the flexibility provided without boundaries, making it an excellent outlet for anyone to create to their heart’s content. The stories vary from a traditional comic style approach with a long running cast and story, auto-bios from the artist’s experience, gag strips, animated games, and much more!
So, ultimately:
They are what they are! Webcomics are in the name, comics published on the web. Varying in artistic quality, format, content, and style, this medium of comic has a diverse range of stories and possibilities. With a large majority free to read, webcomics are both accessible and abundant!
A special silent comic commissioned by super kickstarter backer Zachary, who
asked for this comic showing them taking comfort in a beloved toy/object
during a difficult time. It was a lovely experience to make someone
elses special comic concept for them and fitted in easily with the
stutterhug style of soft comics - thankyou again Zach!
