Form Is Function

Licensing: not just for Microsoft anymore?

Last September, Yahoo Japan announced plans to launch an online manga rental system, whereby readers could buy 80-day licenses to read volumes of manga like Astro Boy or Cyborg 009. The licenses would be 360 to 400 yen, which is about three or four dollars (or was when I was in Tokyo last summer, anyway).

It’s certainly one of the biggest commercial webcomics ventures you’ll find: big, big comics in a country that loves it some comics. Continue Reading →

Form is Function

Mother Earth speaks, in Her low, rumbling voice: What the world needs now is another Internet column about comics.

Not for the first time, the world turns its eyes to John Barber.

And it is to you, My People, that I give myself.

…

It’s taken me an inappropriately long time to realize and admit this, but… the most important thing about comics on the Internet is distribution. I realize that’s not exactly news to most of you. Continue Reading →