Too much to say?

[Warofwinds]

When is it too much description? I'm looking at my new world setting page that many people recommended I write up, and there is a damn lot of words... Basically I need a yes or no; too wordy or it's fine. There is a lot I need to say that I've skipped over in the transition from the written to the illustrated version, and I swear there's nothing superfluous, but still. Urg.

http://warofwinds.keenspace.com/world.html

And another question: if you were reading my comic, would you even check this page out?

[Jackhass]

Yeah, that is pretty long...

...you should really try to tell as much as you can through the story and art of the comic itself.

As for whether I'd check it out if I was reading your comic...probably not unless you specifically referred to it. As in "see glossary for explanation" or something like that.

[Joel Fagin]

I probably wouldn't bother and I would certainly suggest only supporting data is there, nothing central to the story. You shouldn't have to read the appendix to understand the plot.

I also don't see any point at all to a link that says "Either click on me or find the other link over there and click on that instead." I know what you're trying to do but the phrasing is odd and, really, I wouldn't bother. You don't need to explain where links are. The web is all about the users finding them for themselves.

Back on the glossary... You'd need to tweak the idea to suit yourself but one possible alternative I'll be trying is putting semi-humourous notes - technical, cultural and so on - under comics to explain background information that's, in my case, in the original stories but cannot so easily be slotted into a comic.

Alas, I don't have an online example yet, but here's an upcoming example which explains something all the characters all accept as normal in their culture but a reader may find odd, and it's that a character has no idea how to start a fire in a highrise office.

Cultural Note:

There is no valid reason why normal people should want to start a fire. The idea of sticking an addictive weed in your mouth and lighting it in order to breathe the carciogenic smoke would engender here the sorts of expressions a random 20th Century person would have if you offered them some leeches to attach to their skin.

It's a bonus joke, it's short, to the point, it's directly relevant and it's placed right under the comic. That's far more likely to be read than a glossary which would be an extra click away, more daunting and most of which is not directly relevant to the particular comic at hand.

- Joel Fagin

[Sopheia]

Well... I think it isn't very long at all. Making worlds can be fun, and, reading about someone else's creation can also be fun. But it really depends on the writer and the world. I mean, who isn't fascinated by Middle Earth? Do you have any idea how many sites there are about Middle Earth? The elven language, guides to pronounciation, maps, races, fanfiction... But don't forget, you don't need to read any of those sites in order to read Lord of the Rings. If something is vital to your comic, then it should be there, and not in a separate place.

I suppose the question is... does the background information really add something to anybody's enjoyment? If you enjoy making that page... then by all means do. If you think your readers might enjoy reading it, then it's all the better. If you hate doing it and nobody will want to read it anyway, then it will be a waste of time.

Since I have had a long fascination with creating a world (although not for my comic), I can advise you the following... it is never bad to have some background information for yourself. I have found it immensely supportive to read over ideas and descriptions, because backgrounds can inspire you in moments of writer's block. It's also good for consistency. Especially in the long run, it's great for the reader to see the same fishwife returning after ten chapters.
If you want to share that background with others, pick out the parts that are most interesting and least revealing. Things such as creation myths, certain races' weird habits, and fantasy animals can be funny to read, yet don't often spoil the plot.

Anyway, in the end it really is up to you. Good luck with it!

[That guy]

. .There's no reason NOT to have a whole world created in text before it's ever in the comic. As long as people don't NEED the text to understand what the hell's going on, then it's just a bonus bit of information.
. .Just look at how thuroughly people who like Star Wars go in and research life on the planet Hoth - - or how Lord of The Rings enthusiasts can translate elven, or Trekkies can speak Klingon. Some people will care and will read everything you wrote. That doesn't mean there aren't plenty of people who are happy just reading the comic alone.
. .In all honesty, even if you don't post it, having a world figured out for yourself out of the comic is a great way to make sure things come across consistently and with a real sense of place in the strip itself. I've done some fiction with my characters including this choose your own adventure: http://www.thatguy.i8.com/story.html - - and it's because of writing that that I figured out some aspects to my characters that hadn't yet existed.