Archive - Mar 2008 - Story
March 13th
A Quick Look at Dawn Douglass' INKswig: Too Soon To Evaluate
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on March 13, 2008 - 14:29
Over at the Daily Cartoonist, Alan Gardener links to a post from entrepeuner Dawn Douglass who has been working on starting an online business for cartoonists (Douglass' business is called INKswig and she indicates she hopes it launches in early May).
Give me a Webcomic, ginger ale on the side. And don't be stingy, baby...
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on March 13, 2008 - 12:58
COMIXTALK
If you blog about comics (your own or others) you can now have those blog posts automatically show up here at ComixTALK too - just add the feed from your blog to your account here at ComixTALk and we'll automatically recreate your blog posts as Talk Posts here at ComixTALK (with a link back to your own blog in each post here). Click here to add a feed and click here if you need help on figuring out what is the feed for your outside blog.
As always thanks to the sponsors this week which include The Learn to Draw the Human Figure course, The World Famous Laugh Factory in Hollywood, the graphic novel Cash & Carry and the webcomic hosting service ReformedReality.com.
PODCASTANETS
A new Webcomics Weekly from the HalfPixel crew on building community around your webcomic. (Also if you've missed it the HalfPixel crews book How To Make Webcomics is now available in stores.)
Gigcast coverage of the 2008 WCCAs ceremony.
Digital Strips has a new podcast that considers whether I Can Has Cheeseburger? is a comic.
INTERVIEWS
Elanor Cooper interviews Sarah Ellerton, creator of Phoenix Requiem.
Jim Zubkavich was a guest on the Llama Report podcast recently.
NOT WEBCOMICS
Will the movie of Speed Racer score or suck? Nerd World has links to even more trailers.
Comic Foundry has some photos from the upcoming Watchmen flick.
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 BLOGS
Prompted by awards season (WCCAs, Eisners) Mr. Myth takes a look at where webcomics fit (or not) into short form and long form comics.
Nominations for Eisner Awards Due This Friday
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on March 13, 2008 - 11:55
Now that the WCCAs are done, it's time to make sure nominations for the Eisners are in on time. The deadline for submissions is this Friday, March 14, 2008.
The Eisner category of best webcomic is "open to any new, professionally produced long-form original comics work posted online in 2007. Webcomics must have a unique domain name or be part of a larger comics community to be considered. The work must be online-exclusive for a significant period prior to being collected in print form." Send the URL and any necessary access information to jackiee@mindspring.com.
And although webcomics have not yet received much consideration in other categories, they won't get considered if they're not nominated. Click here for more information on the other tentative categories and how to submit work to the panel of judges.
ALSO - the deadline for nominations for the Eagle Awards is also coming up - March 22nd. Click here to nominate a comic.
Flight Explorer Coming Out Soon
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on March 13, 2008 - 11:34
From the famous Flight anthology comes Flight Explorer which features all ages comics for kids. The Kazu Kibuishi-edited book is coming out this month.
March 11th
Tipjoy - Making Donations Easier?
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on March 11, 2008 - 15:01
I don't know what to think of this site, Tipjoy yet. From what I can tell Tipjoy apparently works as an "aggregator" of donations. If I understand it right websites can put up a "tipjar" and people can "tip" a dime just by leaving their email. No one has to actually pony up anything until the five dollar threshold is met. (Web Workers Daily is skeptical too)
Anyone using this? What do you think?
Import Your Outside Blog Posts to ComixTALK
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on March 11, 2008 - 12:10
A quick update on the new site design: work continues and I'm hopeful we'll be able to debut it for April.
I'm also carefully thinking through the various functions of the site. One of the reasons I switched ComixTalk to the Drupal software in 2006 was to open up posting to the readers. Every registered user of ComixTalk can post a Talk Post without having to go through me or any other editors.
Many readers of this site also have their own outside blogs though where they write about comics. I want to make it easier for readers to share such posts with the ComixTALK community. I've added a function to the site that let's you automatically import into ComixTalk the posts from your outside blog. If you're already blogging elsewhere and want to share those posts with the ComixTALK community you'll no longer have to recreate those posts here - our site will do it for you.
How to Find the Best Feed to Import Your Outside Blog Posts Into ComixTalk
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on March 11, 2008 - 11:28
As I find out tips on how to add different types of feeds I'll add here - please add what you know in the comments below.
WORDPRESS
March 10th
New Webcomic From Writer of Home On the Strange
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on March 10, 2008 - 19:10
My Name Is Might Have Been is a new webcomic from Catherynne Valente and Ferrett Steinmetz. Steinmetz was the writer on the webcomic Home On the Strange.
The new webcomic has just started, so this hype offered without comment.
March 8th
2008 WCCA Winners Announced
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on March 8, 2008 - 21:12
The 2008 WCCAs were announced today -- Phil and Kaja Foglio won Outstanding Comic for Girl Genius while webcomics veteran Meredith Gran won Outstanding Newcomer for her new webcomic Octopus Pie. The Foglios took three total WCCAs this year, but Tracy Butler was a big winner too taking home 4 WCCAs for her work on Lackadaisy. Click read more for the full list of winners:
Weekend Webcomic Update
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on March 8, 2008 - 21:00
BUSINESS
This has been out there on the intertubes this week - Kevin Kelly wrote an essay on 1000 True Fans, the notion being that there is a sweet spot on the long tail for the working artist to make a living - not poverty and not superstardom. Nothing earthshattering in it to most readers here, but well-written and a lengthy discussion ensues in the comments. FLEEN picked up on it with a post yesterday on venture capital for comics. Well actually Gary is just flagging the idea that print and swag costs money upfront that artists don't necessarily have to do those thing right (and in a way that will actually make real money on the back end). So we have seen some folks call for pre-orders to help gauge interest before committing the money. What about just getting someone else to float the money to the creator so there's no hurdle? Well - let's think about it some. If it was me I'd much rather invest in a Topatoco set-up; help that kind of thing expand, then give my money to a creator in the kind of scenario Gary is talking about. But it's an interesting idea to think about.
COPYTHIS
You Thought We Wouldn't Notice, a blog focused on pointing out suspiciously similar designs. FLEEN had great coverage of the recent Soap Swindle saga.
HYPE YOURSELF
I'm out of the loop - when did Digg get a Comics And Animation section?
JUSTIFY MY HYPE
Checking out Xylia -- anyone else reading this fantasy webcomic?
International History Club is neither international nor historical. Discuss.
