Web Comic Gear Questions

Post by **Coyote** » 2008-05-23 01:21pm

Okay, after a long period of contemplation, I have decided to start a webcomic. It is "a long period of contemplation" because I know exactly what I'm getting into, having devoted myself once before to a running graphic-novel series in the old-school small press world years ago. It is no small feat-- if you take deadlines seriously (as I do) and of course legions of fans come to remove your balls if you get them hooked on a story and then fail to follow through.

The webcomic format, however, is the way to go-- it offers so many advantages over old-fashioned fanzines that they aren't even able to compete.

Rather than a one-a-day funny strip, I do chapters, a serialized story like a weekly or bi-monthly TV episode. It'll be based on updated, more-polished versions of the types of stuff I posted in the Art-Music forum, and the stories I wrote in the Fanfics section a couple years ago. I'm talking about my Empires universe, which will be renamed to avoid search-engine conflict with the "Age of Empires" game.

Anyhow, what I'm looking at are the following pieces of hard and software:

Wacom Intuos3 12x12
OpenCanvas 4.5
Comic Book Creator 2.0

I get this all for under $1,000.00. I've asked friends in other forums, who are experienced in this, and one swears by OpenCanvas while another recommends Adobe Illustrator. Adobe Illustrator looks good, and it's what I see Jeph Jaques using for Questionable Content (for example) but from my point of view it is a budget-busting program.

Who here has experience with webcomics, and are there any problems to be wary of with this line-up of gear? Is OpenCanvas crap? Is Illustrator really necessary?

Any advice, insight, or help is much appreciated, and my thanks in advance.

Tasoth · Post by **Tasoth** » 2008-05-23 03:52pm

OpenCanvas is actually really friggin' good. I don't know if it just my system, but I do know that the lastest release crapped out on me sometimes.

Stormin · Post by **Stormin** » 2008-05-23 04:07pm

http://www.evil-comic.com/store/HTMW/

This might be a good thing to throw in since you are already spending quite a few bucks. Take the reviews with salt but most say that the book has a lot of good ways to avoid a lot of errors many make starting up a webcomic.

Havok · Post by **Havok** » 2008-05-23 04:29pm

I have no insight into the computer side, but I'd be willing to lend a hand in whatever I could.

Post by **Coyote** » 2008-05-23 04:38pm

Stormin wrote:http://www.evil-comic.com/store/HTMW/

This might be a good thing to throw in since you are already spending quite a few bucks. Take the reviews with salt but most say that the book has a lot of good ways to avoid a lot of errors many make starting up a webcomic.

Excellent. I just threw that into my Amazon.com cart.

Post by **Coyote** » 2008-05-23 04:42pm

havokeff wrote:I have no insight into the computer side, but I'd be willing to lend a hand in whatever I could.

What did you have in mind? Are you good with adding color, texture, etc?

Covenant · Post by **Covenant** » 2008-05-23 07:06pm

Honestly, the quality of art is really of debatable importance. If you can draw well then you can attract people to your high quality art, like with Perry Bible Fellowship's occasionally lavishly drawn and colored strips. But nearly every single webcomic out there with a few notable exceptions look unbearably awful. I hate mutant Westernized Highschool Doodled Anime look.

But anyway, I wouldn't stress about the art. If you want to make comics that look like Penny Arcade, with the smooth lines and slick colors then Illustrator and the Cintiq is a good combo. But if you just wanna draw some stuff that people will look at then hell, even MS Paint works. The quality level of art you already do is far and beyond what's required to get people to read it.

But I'd advise you against trying to go for a deep storyline-based thing. It's going to require a lot of filler, and unless people get a payoff of some sort every few frames I really doubt they're going to be a stable readerbase. Plus, you're going to be mucking up a lot of good art with a lot of worthless text bubbles. I know you think people will get hooked, but I think those kinds of people are vocal minorities and generally gravitate towards those terrifying relationship-based webcomics rather than the vast sea of potential clickers who are more interested in some pretty pictures and witty dialogue without a sea of plot to wade into. Penny Arcade is and was probably the best example of a Web Comic that succeeds in targeting a demographic and delivering what they want while also being a rewarding experience for the writers.

That could be just me though. I just don't see the story-based people making the same kinds of waves as basically any other retard with a mouth full of profanities and a crayon. Not that it would need be strictly humorous, but I think just about every serious or at least attempted-to-be-legitimate form of webcomic has failed miserably to either catch attention or even deliver on the subject.

Post by **Coyote** » 2008-05-23 07:36pm

Covenant wrote:Honestly, the quality of art is really of debatable importance. If you can draw well then you can attract people to your high quality art, like with Perry Bible Fellowship's occasionally lavishly drawn and colored strips. But nearly every single webcomic out there with a few notable exceptions look unbearably awful. I hate mutant Westernized Highschool Doodled Anime look.

To be honest, I'd rate my art as "good", not "great" or "marvelous". Rather, my storytelling is what really holds it together.

But I'd advise you against trying to go for a deep storyline-based thing. It's going to require a lot of filler, and unless people get a payoff of some sort every few frames I really doubt they're going to be a stable readerbase. Plus, you're going to be mucking up a lot of good art with a lot of worthless text bubbles.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I've done it before, and I know how to pace a story fairly well. I have usually been pretty good about pacing chapter breaks, proper 'cliffhanger' scenes, etc. Deep-storyline stuff may not be a hot sell, but it's what I do best-- I'm not as good at one-page shots, and the thing about webcomics these days is that one-page shots are a dime a dozen x2. I myself gravitate towards the more in-depth plotlines out there, and part of the enjoyment (for me at least) is finding something with a good, full archive I can bury myself in for a week or so as I 'catch up'.

I know you think people will get hooked, but I think those kinds of people are vocal minorities and generally gravitate towards those terrifying relationship-based webcomics rather than the vast sea of potential clickers who are more interested in some pretty pictures and witty dialogue without a sea of plot to wade into. Penny Arcade is and was probably the best example of a Web Comic that succeeds in targeting a demographic and delivering what they want while also being a rewarding experience for the writers.

That could be just me though. I just don't see the story-based people making the same kinds of waves as basically any other retard with a mouth full of profanities and a crayon. Not that it would need be strictly humorous, but I think just about every serious or at least attempted-to-be-legitimate form of webcomic has failed miserably to either catch attention or even deliver on the subject.

Well, there's my advantage, in a way-- I'm not so much worried about how much reaction I get, hell, even if five people dig it I'm good with it. I'm doing this as much for myself. I just feel compelled to write; I enjoy the activity and love to do it for it's own sake.

I do know that some adjustments will be made for audience-- when I did this old-school style, with pen & paper for a 'zine, I used to do about 12 pages a month on the average, with the occasional 14 or 16 page 'extravaganza' issue for dramatic plot-turn chapters; for a webcomic delivering a monthly chunk-block won't do, so I'll probably produce more like 5-6 pages every other week instead-- start a dependable schedule, like the 1st and the 15th of each month.

If it doesn't "take" with many readers, I'd still see it through to the end (my stories are designed with definite conclusions in mind) and probably just be less prone to roll into another story immediately afterwards. If by some chance it does turn out to be popular, I'd end it and probably fire up another one after a 1-2 month break.

Covenant · Post by **Covenant** » 2008-05-23 09:15pm

Well if you're unconcerned about readerbase, why make it a webcomic? You could do the same thing and arguably get more attention and credability by making a "serial comic" and just saying that you're going ot be posting it online as you do it, while having discussions about the genre, the evolution of your thing, and some behind-the-scenes art like concepts and character sheets. You could theoretically build up some indy art cred that way, and even sell some prints. I know you don't seem to be doing this as a moneymaking venture, but putting up the sheets as you draw them, and then reuploading them as you polish and colorize them would be interesting. You might even get contacted by someone who wants to colorize them for you, thus saving you time.

Post by **Coyote** » 2008-05-24 12:47am

Covenant wrote:Well if you're unconcerned about readerbase, why make it a webcomic? You could do the same thing and arguably get more attention and credability by making a "serial comic" and just saying that you're going ot be posting it online as you do it, while having discussions about the genre, the evolution of your thing, and some behind-the-scenes art like concepts and character sheets. You could theoretically build up some indy art cred that way, and even sell some prints. I know you don't seem to be doing this as a moneymaking venture, but putting up the sheets as you draw them, and then reuploading them as you polish and colorize them would be interesting. You might even get contacted by someone who wants to colorize them for you, thus saving you time.

I have a feeling that is pretty much how it will evolve. I have no real pre-conceived notions about the medium, I only know what I like to do and the medium is the chosen playground. I fully intend to post all the "extras" as time goes by, it's a universe I've been working on for years (my original pen & paper story was set in this 'verse).

With the amount of background info I have made over the years, and the unexplored characters, plotlines, past histories, etc, I could make a Wiki as well. I'm not going to bite off that amount unless I really know there's sufficient interest, though!

I'm devoted to my craft, but not obsessive.

[EDIT]:
Obviously, it is only partially true to say I'm 'unconcerned' about readerbase. Of course I'd love it if it became really popular, yadda yadda. But my motivations are not "I'm going to make t3h kewlzor-est webc0miks in t3h worldz", and get "rich & famous"

. I just want to make a story 'cause I dig making stories, and who comes along will hopefully be happy.

Post by **Coyote** » 2008-05-24 12:51am

Tasoth wrote:OpenCanvas is actually really friggin' good. I don't know if it just my system, but I do know that the lastest release crapped out on me sometimes.

A problem with the essentials of the program, or a hardware interface problem?

Havok · Post by **Havok** » 2008-05-24 03:27am

Coyote wrote:
havokeff wrote:I have no insight into the computer side, but I'd be willing to lend a hand in whatever I could.
What did you have in mind? Are you good with adding color, texture, etc?

Uh... yeah. I am good at drawing. On second thought, I probably wouldn't be much help.

Tasoth · Post by **Tasoth** » 2008-05-24 02:58pm

Coyote wrote: A problem with the essentials of the program, or a hardware interface problem?

Every so often, when I'd go to save it or deselect something from a menu or some other odd task I rarely used, an unexpected error would crop up and BAM! project gone. If you're good on the saving bit, might not be much of a set back, but if you're like me, everything is gone because you don't save at regular intervals.