Web Comics Roll call: How many of you are interested in doing them?

#56

HOW have I missed this thread?

Basically I’ve attempted to do a webcomic several times, actually. Always either get too ambitious or basically never flesh it out enough. I did, however, do a quick one month run poorly drawn, poorly written, and gaming related so think about the lowest of the low, and you have MY efforts. Well, okay, maybe Chasethehedgehog has me beat in pure suckage. Those interested can just follow the list of links below…

http://sheppyboy2000.deviantart.com/art/Angry-Stick-2-WiiFat-82996603
http://sheppyboy2000.deviantart.com/art/Angry-Stick-3-Terrible-Ts-83175538
http://sheppyboy2000.deviantart.com/art/Angry-Stick-4-Drift-Style-83468645
http://sheppyboy2000.deviantart.com/art/Angry-Stick-5-Shake-It-83666999
http://sheppyboy2000.deviantart.com/art/Angry-Stick-6-Old-Habits-83846493
http://sheppyboy2000.deviantart.com/art/Angry-Stick-7-Broken-84192920
http://sheppyboy2000.deviantart.com/art/Angry-Stick-8-Checking-Out-84337450
http://sheppyboy2000.deviantart.com/art/Angry-Stick-9-Ancient-Ways-84526588
http://sheppyboy2000.deviantart.com/art/Angry-Stick-10-Fat-Zombie-84848583
http://sheppyboy2000.deviantart.com/art/Angry-Stick-11-It-s-True-85001580

As you can tell, I was aiming more for speed on these. However, thanks to some feedback I’ve received, I am currently working on a much more focused project (low poly characters in low poly environment… essentially a game store strip). Just building up assets for it before it debuts.

As for the comic challenge, YES PLEASE. I’d say make it a 1-2 page story (set pixel size) and give people the option to keep it black and white. However, rather than dictating the strip on a page per page basis, I’d say give the challenge a three word theme. For examples

“Against the wall”
“Let’s be friends”
“Trying too hard”

Something like that. It gives a loose enough theme to allow people to embellish on it but also brings the theme together.

#57

Here is why I think we should do this:
Quote from TIME.COM

But the creations of oddball loners like Millar scribbling at drafting tables have also become the movie industry’s most reliable development tool. Thanks to the box-office success of A-list superheroes like Spider-Man and the X-Men, Hollywood’s appetite for comics-fueled material is insatiable. Titles from the darker corners of the genre, including gritty graphic novels like Wanted and Alan Moore’s watershed deconstructivist superhero tome Watchmen are getting the big-screen makeover. Stories and characters first written for an audience of a few hundred thousand geeks at most are reaching, at the box office and on DVD and cable, popcorn-chomping crowds that number in the tens of millions.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1816487,00.html

#58

The only thing about the recent Hollywood interest in Comics is due to the fact that they buy up only the superhero franchises. 300 was the exception but a very lucky one as the other flavour in Hollywood is “THE WAR IS COMING!”. Not to mention its promise of mindless murder, sex and mayhem and its no wonder it was given the green light. You ask 90% of the audience and they wouldnt even know of its comic origins - hence all the “Its not historically accurate” critisims.

So in a nutshell, we must make a Superhero comic if we were to succede in the first CGTalk comic-to-movie!:wavey:

#59

I just want the practice… and the chicks. According to James O’Barre, you get chicks. I’m a tragically single fellow who’s dating pool seems to consist entirely of Yeti and Hobbits. I’m sure I could get chicks if I drew comics, right? RIGHT?!?

Edited out of respect for the ladies.

#60

Has nobody discussed this with you? Ummmm…listen: This may come as…a BIG surprise to you…but…:wip:

#61

Nah, I have more problems than just my dating pool which consisted primarily from Yahoo and Craigslist personals. Basically I work in a place with not too many females and right now I’m focusing on trying to become a much better environmental artist and concept artist. So basically most of my hobbies keep me at home which means I don’t enter the dating pool too much. But I do enjoy joking about the kinds of activities I have and how they attract the ladies. Like, ummm… Dunegons & Dragons, gaming, ugh… well, I’m LEARNING guitar…

damn I’m lame…

#62

Hi there
I have recently started a webcomic. You can click on the link in my signature to find it. The art style is minimalist and the gags are quaint but I hope there is something in there to make you smile at least once. It’s a bit anti-religious at times, so if you don’t like that then it’s not for you.
Anyway, if you have time, check it out and if it tickles your fancy in any way, please consider subscribing, stumbling, digging or spreading the word in any other way. I’d really appreciate it. There is a donation button but I don’t expect people to donate until I have a hell of a lot more content.
The site is not yet finished. It really started as a php programming project. The comments section needs tidying up and I have to work on the layout. Currently I am in the process of making the images smaller, because I have a big monitor but a lot of people don’t.
If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear them.
Cheers :beer:

#63

I’m interested.

I’ve started several web-comics (see my web site www.gotgraphic.com . I’ve also published a 5-page comic in comic-book form (with 6 other artists, who each had their own 5-7 page stories). I have stacks of scribbles, sketches and comic-panel-pencils all over the place. I LOVE, THINK AND DREAM COMICS. It’s a fabulous & powerful medium.

The one thing that kills me EVERY-TIME is TIME. I’ve two jobs (not including freelance projects) and practically no life. But with every spare moment I find, I sketch, draw and plan comics.

I would like to one day make a serious attempt at syndication. From what I’ve heard you need to have a portfolio of about 30-days worth of comic panels. So I’m building up my quiver.

Lately I’ve been working on promotional ideas for my latest web-comic, FRENZIEDminds (see my sig-link too). I’ve been working on posters, business cards and T-shirts (over at my Zazzel account. I’m attempting to create something for when my comic gains popularity that there will be some sort of commodity for fans-sake.

From what I’ve seen, comic-projects fail due to lack of resources and experience. Concerning my self, I at first had no idea what level of commitment and work was involved (like Geta-Ve mentioned). I takes a LOT of work and time (and money when publishing) to create a comic. I now have a lot more experience creating comics, but lack time. I’ve also ironed out a few ideas that I think I can actually personally maintain. The idea and story are one area that are overlooked a lot when creating comics. The creator has to be able to maintain the idea/story and it has to come from within himself or the creator will never be able to maintain the comic (unless he has a writer). I’m finding out that it’s a seriously involved thing and unless the creator can flesh out what’s inside of himself then the possibility of success will either rest upon a nightmare-load-of-hard-work (which may be the case anyway) or the reliance upon a good writer. I’ve watched a lot of comic-artist-beginners (including myself) fall by the way-side out of frustration due to the work-load and not being able to expand upon an idea/story.

What can be done? I don’t know… except for maybe the concept of perseverance could help. Whenever I dump one of my comics it’s because I couldn’t figure out how to maintain the idea/story. So I figure out what happened, what went wrong and then start a new comic/idea.

I think Boone’s idea of a one page comic is a good idea. I’ve built up (penciled) several short stories that are either 6 panels (one page) or 12 panels long. I like to spoof and parady fairy tales, bible-stories and common short-stories such as Little-Red-Ridinghood.

If we could pick some sort of existing story and create a project that requires us to tell the story in a new way and in 6-12 panels it would be fun and I think more doable than a 5-page comic.

#64

I have too many projects of my own that I want/need to complete in addition to current freelance work to join in this interesting CGTalk effort at the moment… It would be something I’d like to participate in at some point in the future, though.

A few web comics that I’ve run across recently are here (a good friend of mine that also wants to do a collaborative piece sent me the first link just this morning):

http://www.sintitulocomic.com/2007/06/17/page-01/
http://www.txcomics.com/
http://www.realmofatland.com/?p=1 (several of the weekly episodes are created by various guest writers and artists)

t

#65

I’ve started a webcomic. It’s not much and I’m still building the site but let me know what you think so far. :slight_smile:

www.2-thumbsdown.com

warning: -->>uncencored swearing

#66

Rob, I dont know if this has been mentioned in this thread yet but what about an Expose for the best 12 comics made on CGTalk?

12 of the best short stories in a Ballistic book?

#67

How about a comic based on the tales of spiderpigs…drummroll…King of Lightwave :stuck_out_tongue:

#68

I think the best way to get a comic-genre rolling would be to do short term projects. Make them similar to the Daily-Sketch topics. Create ideas/topics and do 1 page stories. That way it forces people to a limited amount of work and gets them to concentrate a story/idea to it’s bare minimum (like what graphic-artists do with the visual medium). I think the stories/ideas could also be funnier that way (no fluff or Fillerbunny content). The greatest tool is the rule.

If it gets a good foot-hold then branching out to more involved projects, such as 3-5 page stories becomes a possibility (but never drop the 1-page, 6-12 panel projects). As people become more familiar, comfortable and aware of what it takes to create a comic, then on going life-long projects start happening. I’m guessing it’ll take about 3 years of 1-page-comic-challenges for people to get then hang of it (because it’s more complicated than a 1-up sketch, drawing or painting). When people figure out and are able to tell stories and expand upon & convey ideas visually as sequential-art, that’s when it becomes fun and exciting.

SO:

1: Start off with 1-page, 6-12 panel comic-sequential-art challenges, and keep that going.

2: As people get the feel for it and as they become more profecient with comic-dynamics, then open it up to 3-5 page, 18-60 panel comic-challenges.

3: Past 3-5 page comics is really a full-blown 32-48 page comic. And past that is a story-arc involving 3-5 comic-books and or a graphic novel.

I don’t think a judging system would be beneficial like what it is for the Daily-Sketch. Constructive critiques are always good (and there’s always the ubiquitous star-rating).

Don’t know how to incorporate a 1-panel gag-comic into the mix. That could be a separate challenge.

#69

If we want to stick strictly with the WEB-COMIC genre, then perhaps a short-story/idea arc that last one week (increasing to a month for super-challenges) of daily 1-4 panel comics (similar to the Daily-sketch). That way people will be focused on creating content & sequential-art rather than stressing out over creating their very own idea/story. Then as people learn the dynamics of sequential-art, there can be challenges for creating their very own ideas/stories.

???

#70

Nice work man.

And TemperaVision brings up a good point. There should be some sort of rating system. I know I’ve been startled by a few web-comics that deal with serious bed-room/bath-room/and abuse topics that I think may be a big turn-off to the majority of CG consumers. I mean if this adventure is to help aspiring artists learn the ways of sequential-art and possible syndication then we might want to stay in the realm of newsprint-standard rating system. I would think PG-13 content max or the masses would be alienated.

I don’t know…

#71

As much as I want to agree with you, the rise of Image comics, the mainstream acceptance of many of the darker mangas (Bezerk, Battle Royale), and the popularity of Sin City would definately offput potential entries if we put limits. While some limits like hentai or pornography (explicit sexual content rather than occasional breasts like Heavy Metal) should be drawn, making things strictly PG-13 is a bit limiting.

#72

OK here is an update,

I am tring to see if I can find a place were I can shepherd this idea on the forum…

(No promises)

Just keep the ideas and the comments flowing until I am ready.

-R

#73

This might be of interest:

Zero Punctuation: Webcomics
This week, Yahtzee takes apart the making of a successful gaming webcomic, or: how to make millions of gamers happy with the minimum amount of effort.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/108-Webcomics

#74

thanks for the info.

#75

I’m interested. I’ve been doing a few pages for Global Comic Jam though the site is down at the moment (I hope it wasn’t traffic from here that overloaded it as I have a page due soon). I like the idea of collaborative comics.

I have a suggestion, rather than putting a number on the pages of comics, why not make it open. Ie. Have the challenge on certain theme, but the group is free to create as much pages as they have time for/is necessary for their short story. The faster workers can be kept busy by being able to make more content and the slower workers can take their time. You’ll end up with a variety of entries ranging from 1 to many pages with different levels of polish.

I’ve been thinking of getting my own webcomic up and running. I’m currently in the writing stage which I’m finding very hard. I’m also a bit hesitant because the webcomic world seems a bit saturated already.