Should I or Shouldn't I?

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2003-01-26 05:33pm

Okay, I just got the newspaper's new offer. They'll give me $16 for a comic every two weeks. This tells me a few things:

1. While they may like the strip, they're either unable or unwilling to give me what I (and others) think I deserve for it. Budget cuts are a bitch.
2. That they have enough cash to pay another artist $10 to fill in another strip on that day or to buy the rights to run another comic, which is what they do sometimes.

Personally, I think bi-monthly isn't really enough exposure to justify working on it at all. If I was going to do the things so infrequently, I might as well do them for my pure enjoyment and not be so restricted when it comes to the size of the comic (three panes is nowhere near enough, and I'm getting bored of the rectangle frame), the language content and whether I can do them in color or not. I'm getting dangerously close to starting a web comic ... uh oh.

On the other hand, one strip every two weeks would make for a much higher-quality strip. I could do shading on all the characters, maybe con them into letting me use color and perhaps a larger frame size.

So, here's a poll. Should I take their offer or shouldn't I?

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2003-01-26 05:49pm

I should also like to add that they may try to censor some of what you write, though I know nothing about comics on newspapers so disregard me if you want.

salm · Post by **salm** » 2003-01-26 06:15pm

of course! go for it. you might not get paid what they are worth, but that´s the way it is in the beginning. people will read it and you´ll at least be better known if your stuff is published.

IRG CommandoJoe · Post by **IRG CommandoJoe** » 2003-01-26 10:11pm

I say go for it. If you are aiming to pursue a career in this field, this is a good way to start. You get money, recognition of your abilities, experience, and a little more weight to your qualifications when you decide to go elsewhere.

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2003-01-26 10:38pm

I'm a physics major; this is just side money. I also work another job which pays more.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2003-01-26 11:17pm

Dont worry people will be eating it up writing to the newspaper "MORE MORE MORE" they will be chanting. Then you will get more exposure for it and that means more cash MWAAHAHAHAHAHAH!

Oh and the web comic idea wouldnt be a bad one. I would read it, and I hang out with a bunch of web-comic psychos(hell some are insomniacs with nothing better to do with that extra 8 hours a day bbut read them)

Post by **Kuja** » 2003-01-26 11:30pm

I agree, you should go for it. You never know, you might be handed a pleasant surprise!

Post by **Dalton** » 2003-01-26 11:32pm

I think you're fairly talented and would like to see more of your work, but it's your call really.

Cal Wright · Post by **Cal Wright** » 2003-01-27 12:23am

1 comic every 2 weeks.

Just draw one up while on the shitter. Keep a notepad around like I do for sketches, and when an idea hits, mark it down. $16 every two weeks for one comic.

Sonnenburg · Post by **Sonnenburg** » 2003-01-27 12:45am

I think you mean bi-weekly.

Just my nickle's worth of free advice: Unless you have a reasonable expectation of selling it elsewhere within the next three months, take it. Even if you don't get much in the way of money, that it is paid makes you a professional, and that can open doors for you later on if you try to pursue this or similar work.

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2003-01-27 01:02am

Hm ... I always get confused with the prefixes. I always think that "bi" means "twice within the specified period of time."

DG_Cal_Wright: The shitter is for thinking up new comics, not drawing them.

I'm surprised to see so many people suggesting that I could potentially do this kind of stuff in the future. I didn't really think I was that talented ...

Also, I've received no fan mail about the comic from readers of the paper, so I can't imagine that it's really a huge hit; I dunno. I think a bigger frame size would help. Then again, I do get to tell people I'm a professional artist, which is more than can be said for 99% of the art majors on campus.

Alyrium: I'm not quite ready to devote the time required to keeping a web comic up to date. Unless someone wants to volunteer to be a webmaster for me while I just post the strip and occasional inane remarks, it won't happen.

In any case, there won't be a comic this week until later. My inking pen got fscked.

ArmorPierce · Post by **ArmorPierce** » 2003-01-27 01:23am

Heh, when I first read the title I thought that you were asking if you should strip for $16 twice a month, read it wrong

It seems that everyone agrees that you should do it. There finally got in that last post now I really have to go.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2003-01-27 01:29am

Yeah go for it...money may not be much but if you want to anything like this in a more furthered fashion, keeping any notice of you is a good thing.

IRG CommandoJoe · Post by **IRG CommandoJoe** » 2003-01-27 02:05am

Durandal wrote:I'm surprised to see so many people suggesting that I could potentially do this kind of stuff in the future. I didn't really think I was that talented ...

If I ran a poll and 100% of the people told me to do something, I better damn well do it!

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2003-01-27 03:18am

I would go for it. It might open oppurtunities down the road, or at worst leave you with a set of memories you can share with grandkids a million years from now.

Cal Wright · Post by **Cal Wright** » 2003-01-27 12:37pm

Your not a true artist then. The shitter is a universal think tank for most male individuals. You read there, you think there, you draw there. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if Stephen King himself penned a few pages from some novels while on the can. We certainly know Kevin J Adnerson did.

Frank Hipper · Post by **Frank Hipper** » 2003-01-27 12:39pm

I always think that "bi" means "twice within the specified period of time."

There's more than two jokes in that.

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2003-01-27 02:16pm

I say take it. If you ever decide you'd like to make this more than just a hobby, having professional credits will be a huge help. Not to mention bragging rights, resume padding, and telling chicks at parties, "You know, I'm a professional artist."

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2003-01-27 05:10pm

DG_Cal_Wright wrote:Your not a true artist then. The shitter is a universal think tank for most male individuals. You read there, you think there, you draw there. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if Stephen King himself penned a few pages from some novels while on the can. We certainly know Kevin J Adnerson did.

I try to spend as little time in my floor's bathroom as possible. If you lived here, you'd understand why.

Kevin J. Anderson did not pen pages on the shitter. He shat on the pages.

Andrew J. · Post by **Andrew J.** » 2003-01-27 05:28pm

Do it. Higher quality strips plus more money equals a good idea. There's also the 'intangible' benefits to continuing the strip, capische?

IRG CommandoJoe · Post by **IRG CommandoJoe** » 2003-01-27 07:29pm

Andrew J. wrote:Do it. Higher quality strips plus more money equals a good idea. There's also the 'intangible' benefits to continuing the strip, capische?

I have to agree, consiglieri....no, I really have to!
(Glances nervously at hitmen staring him down.)
(The Godfather Waltz plays.)

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi · Post by **Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi** » 2003-01-27 07:50pm

I'd say you should go for it. After all, quality over quantity, right? And as said, it would make for a higher quality strip, which may become more noticeable, if combined with a bigger size.

Andrew J. · Post by **Andrew J.** » 2003-01-27 08:31pm

IRG CommandoJoe wrote:
Andrew J. wrote:Do it. Higher quality strips plus more money equals a good idea. There's also the 'intangible' benefits to continuing the strip, capische?
I have to agree, consiglieri....no, I really have to!
(Glances nervously at hitmen staring him down.)
(The Godfather Waltz plays.)

Hey, I'm not talkin' to you here, so shut the fuck up before Vinny and Guido break ya legs, punk.

IRG CommandoJoe · Post by **IRG CommandoJoe** » 2003-01-27 10:05pm

Andrew J. wrote:Hey, I'm not talkin' to you here, so shut the fuck up before Vinny and Guido break ya legs, punk.

Hey, Vinny, Guido! C'mere!
(Two giant hitmen walk over, mildly curious.)
Hey, I'll pay you three times what he's paying you if you work for me. Let's beat the shit out of 'em, boys!
(Vinny and Guido smile, crack their knuckles, and turn towards Andrew J.)
(Picks up baseball bat and walks behind them.)
Hey, gomba! We're gonna have a little word with youse...

Andrew J. · Post by **Andrew J.** » 2003-01-28 08:06am

IRG CommandoJoe wrote:
Andrew J. wrote:Hey, I'm not talkin' to you here, so shut the fuck up before Vinny and Guido break ya legs, punk.
Hey, Vinny, Guido! C'mere!
(Two giant hitmen walk over, mildly curious.)
Hey, I'll pay you three times what he's paying you if you work for me. Let's beat the shit out of 'em, boys!
(Vinny and Guido smile, crack their knuckles, and turn towards Andrew J.)
(Picks up baseball bat and walks behind them.)
Hey, gomba! We're gonna have a little word with youse...

I told them to break your legs because they didn't have any guns, but dat don't mean dat I gots no guns, dumbass.

*riddles them all with bullets*

And Durandal...I can pers'nally guarantee that dis *gestures at the carnage* won't happen to yas so long as you keeps drawin'.

Now I gotta catch a flight and hire more bodyguards. Ciao!

StarDestroyer.Net BBS

Should I or Shouldn't I?

Should I do the strip bi-monthly for $16/strip?

Should I or Shouldn't I?