Lorena's Epiphany

www.web.com(ics)

November 16, 2008 at 8:01 pm Leave a comment

As I delve deeper into my Graphic Novel courses, one discussion of great concern is the future of comics. The web has managed to touch on everything from books to TV to radio – so it’s really no surprise that it’s transforming the world of comics as well.

It’s become a trend for a lot of up-and-coming artists to publish their comics online. Though it’s not the most lucrative way to get in the business, it does allow for good exposure and the building of a devoted fan base. And for 25 cents an installment, you can understand why. Other artists don’t make money at all, but still do it as a way to get their work out there. There’s an annual award given to web cartoonists (Web Cartoonists Choice Awards) and it’s currently in its 8th year running. Worth noting if you’d like to submit your comics.

The reason I even began thinking about this is because I have an assignment for class on a foreign comic. I’ve been looking online for complete web comics (not just preview pages), but it’s been slim pickings. I found some in French and a few in Spanish, but will probably need to translate it panel-for-panel to understand it.

Guess it’s no surprise that other countries haven’t been so quick to adopt web comics. It could be because of the quality and reliability of the internet in different parts of the world, or maybe it just hasn’t hit big yet. Who knows.

An article in the Herald Tribune, “The Advances, and Losses, of Web Comics”, goes more in depth and lists some of the award-winners from the 2005 nominations. Scott McLoud and Gary Groth (both referenced in the article) hold very strong opinions about web comics. McLoud celebrates the web as providing an “infinite canvas” for comics, similar to those of cave paintings. Beginning leads to end, with no interruption.

Gary Groth, on the other hand, is more skeptical about the future of web comics. They verge on animation and then the fine line in between gets hazy. How much Flash can be used in a web comic before it is rendered a different medium?

From my own experience with web design, I’m actually optimistic about this hybrid comic medium. The thought of just clicking through pages of a comic, to me, feels tedious. And honestly, I’d take a printed comic any day. But I do see the benefits of having easier access to comics, especially if you are trying to keep up with a series, or simply doing some research (ahem). I’d like to dabble into web comics eventually, but I would like to first explore ways to make it more interactive than just click-click-click, next. Plus all that time staring into a screen can drive any person nuts! There’s a 150 page web comic out there and that scares me.

I’d love to read a web comic that tells you a story – on two levels. One, the obvious level of reading the strip. Two, the underlying narration told by how you read the comic. The technology and how it allows you to flow through the web comic. Picture a comic that utilizes interactivity to build on the narration and create suspense where needed. The possibilities are endless!

Here’s hoping that that’s the future of web comics. There’s nothing to be afraid of: we still read books, watch TV, listen to the radio… why should the internet effect comics any differently?

Entry filed under: Design Issues. Tags: animation, article, artists, awards, digital, exposure, Flash, future, Gary Groth, Herald Tribune, infinite canvas, internet, Scott McCloud, web, web comics.