So who is Spot gonna steal next?

Bekka · Post by **Bekka** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 2:04 am

One of the first threads that I read top to bottom when I joined Keenspace was one that Ghastly started, I think titled "success!", about advertisement campaigns on his website. I've been considering to start promoting and buying an ad space a few months from now (when I have 50 panels or so, and if I am still liking what I do) so I have been wondering this:

Even if Ghastly's site, or SL, etc. are a great place to make people notice one's comic, well, what if my comic is of a completely different genre? I mean, these people will click on it, think "omfg a fantasy game comic! aah, I have been contaminated by nerdiness!", and never check it again. Am I wrong?

Or it's enough that someone is a webcomic reader, whatever the genre, to make him a very good target for an ad, wherever the ad is placed?

Van Douchebag · Post by **Van Douchebag** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 5:47 am

Phalanx wrote:Actually, I'd be interested to see the original topic. I was cut off from the net when that happened and missed it completely.

http://forums.keenspot.com/viewtopic.php?t=65643

It's the same topic I had War post here.
By the time that "In defense of Scott Kurtz" thread rolled around I had pretty much lost any and all patience because of how Kurtzy was being dodgy in the first one. Go read it for yourselves and you'll see.

RPin · Post by **RPin** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 6:42 am

I keep wondering if comics like Sinfest or RPGWorld wouldn't be better off independent. Y'know, they keep sharing a profit that could be pretty much theirs only...

Van Douchebag · Post by **Van Douchebag** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 6:45 am

The problem is high traffic.
Bandwidth can kill anyone no matter how successful they are - just look at Newgrounds. It gets more traffic than all of Keenspot combined.

Being part of Keenspot they don't have to worry about those costs and reap the profits from it.

JPSloan · Post by **JPSloan** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 6:46 am

I think, though, that the addition of the likes of Sortelli will set a good example for 'Spot/'Space relations. You know he doesn't dump on 'Space, or really anyone at all. He's not a dumper. He's dumpless.

I got derailed somewhere.

RPin · Post by **RPin** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 6:51 am

Van Douchebag wrote:The problem is high traffic.
Bandwidth can kill anyone no matter how successful they are - just look at Newgrounds. It gets more traffic than all of Keenspot combined.

Being part of Keenspot they don't have to worry about those costs and reap the profits from it.

The accounts at Webcomics Nation will provide unlimited bandwidth. let's see who's going to want to be on 'Spot after they launch.

Van Douchebag · Post by **Van Douchebag** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 6:53 am

God, sometimes it really does show I'm from the Flash world...
What the heck is that?

RPin · Post by **RPin** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 6:57 am

http://www.webcomicsnation.com/

They are still making preparations (god knows for how long they keep saying that...

), but Joey Manley got half of the webcomic community keeping an open eye on that.

Ghastly · Post by **Ghastly** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 6:57 am

Bekka wrote: Even if Ghastly's site, or SL, etc. are a great place to make people notice one's comic, well, what if my comic is of a completely different genre? I mean, these people will click on it, think "omfg a fantasy game comic! aah, I have been contaminated by nerdiness!", and never check it again. Am I wrong?

What!? You're worried my readers won't be nerdy enough for you? You've obviously never spent any time in my forum.

"Mos Ghastly Spaceport, you'll never find a more wretched hive of geekiness and nerdity."

Once of the things I learned very quickly from following referal URLs back to the websites that link to mine is that my readers' tastes in webcomics are vast and different. I will see my strip posted on link pages alongside sweet and innocent comics like "Count Your Sheep" and alongside webcomics of authors who absolutely hate adult comics with a burning passion like "Schlock Mercinary".

Nope, my readers arn't the rumpled raincoat wearers that some people like to portray them as. They're real live, 3-dimensional people with many and varied interests, funny comics with naughty subject matter is but one of them.

Phalanx · Post by **Phalanx** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 6:57 am

Thanks for the link, I'll have a look at it. I HAET being left out whenever something big like that happens.

*grumble mutter no one mentions for almost a month either grumble*

Van Douchebag wrote:The problem is high traffic.
Bandwidth can kill anyone no matter how successful they are - just look at Newgrounds. It gets more traffic than all of Keenspot combined.

Being part of Keenspot they don't have to worry about those costs and reap the profits from it.

*cough*

Ghastly · Post by **Ghastly** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 7:06 am

Van Douchebag wrote:The problem is high traffic.
Bandwidth can kill anyone no matter how successful they are

I don't think there are any comics on Keenspot drawing more than a terabyte worth of bandwidth a month, and it's not too difficult to find your very own server with a terabyte's worth of bandwidth for $100 or less a month.

Bandwidth is dirt cheap now and prices are falling at an ever rapid pace.

And as others have pointed out, once Webcomics Nation is up and running bandwidth won't even be an issue. Hell, Keenspace's cut of the advertising I've been selling on my site to date (two and a half months now) would already be enough to host my webcomic for an entire year on Webcomics Nation. I'm sure the other big boys, especially those whose webcomics are "burst safe" will have no problem covering their bandwidth costs if they decided to go independent.

Van Douchebag · Post by **Van Douchebag** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 7:07 am

...anyone need a commission done?

Looks good, but I really have no money to invest :\
Not anymore anyway. I could've taken cash outta my bank account for this but paying for college has taken all the money I made this summer. I have like $65 in my account from over $700.

Luckily I have a couple of dedicated commissioners.

Bekka · Post by **Bekka** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 7:10 am

Douche - Why don't you sell t-shirts? Your stuff looks like PA but most people won't know or care.

Ghastly - You converted me

When I have 50 panels I'll advertise with you

G-Lode · Post by **G-Lode** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 7:35 am

Warren! It's nice to see fellow PSU alum cropping up in the webcomic area. 1990, huh? That's a shade older then I am!

I know i'm several pages late in following the thread, but where can you check out the % for your comic?

YarpsDat · Post by **YarpsDat** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:11 am

%? Just find yourself in the guide.

JPSloan wrote:he doesn't dump on 'Space, or really anyone at all. He's not a dumper. He's dumpless.

Dumpling?

Van Douchebag · Post by **Van Douchebag** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 10:17 am

Bekka wrote:Douche - Why don't you sell t-shirts? Your stuff looks like PA but most people won't know or care.

*smack smack smack smack smack*
God damn that gets irritating being compared to PA all the god damn time. Penny Arcade does not have a monopoly on cartoons with thick black lines.

Ever watch Batman: The Animated series? Batman Beyond? Clerks: The Animated series? Samurai Jack?
Sheesh! If you were to look at that you would be able to tell that's where my influences are from.

And look at my site - I HAVE a store. It's on every page on the right.

Warren · Post by **Warren** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 11:00 am

G-Lode wrote:Warren! It's nice to see fellow PSU alum cropping up in the webcomic area. 1990, huh? That's a shade older then I am!

Well, I said I went there.... never quite managed to graduate though.

Faub · Post by **Faub** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 11:27 am

VD: They were first. They are popular. You will be compared to Penny Arcade the same way Wapsi Square and Count Your Sheep will be compared to Peanuts.

The others aren't webcomics and besides, the Batman and Samurai Jack styles are meant for animation, which is where you came from anyway. Animation styles are simplified out of necessity. Static comics are usually more detailed both in foreground and background.

When I look at comic art, I rate it against paper comics because that's where I started from. Cerebus, some of the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Hellboy, Blade of the Immortal, Lone Wolf & Cub, Strangers in Paradise, Liberty Meadows (everybody says "Jack Kirby" but I seriously can't say I know what his style looks like). I've only seen a very few webcomics that could even come close to this professional quality.

http://edgeknight.keenspace.com/ (Graphic Smash)
http://unafrontiers.keenspace.com/ (Modern Tales?)
http://morningstar.keenspace.com/
http://www.moderntales.com/series.php?n ... ew=current

This is just from an art viewpoint. They each have their failings and excepting Athena Voltaire (which I haven't read yet) none of them could really stand up to the paper comics I listed (though Hellboy tends to be a little weak on dialogue "You are no match for me!"

).

Webcomics in general are very amateurish. They will always be so because the artists are doing this as a hobby. A few, like Fred Gallagher have taken the next step and are making a living from their comics. Very few can do that. Keenspot and Modern Tales aren't going to help you do that either.

If you really want to make a living off your artwork, send your portfolio to Marvel and DC. Send your flash animations to Disney and Warner Bros. Have somebody pay you real money to make your comics and animations. You could go far.

Van Douchebag · Post by **Van Douchebag** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 11:38 am

Erik Larsen was interested in my work if I could improve some more, actually. But that's for my White Hydra style, which I consider my "crap" style.
I'm trying to improve my Americana right now.

I can do Spawn type monsters...

But I'm working on humans now

Joel Fagin · Post by **Joel Fagin** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 4:34 pm

Van Douchebag wrote:God damn that gets irritating being compared to PA all the god damn time. Penny Arcade does not have a monopoly on cartoons with thick black lines.

Not just that, I'm afraid. You use the same angular style. It does look, well, frankly, it looks like you're copying their style. Sorry, but it does.

- Joel Fagin

Comic Genesis Forums

So who is Spot gonna steal next?

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