Features

I want to adopt a more systematic method of describing webcomics for Comixpedia. Part of this is needed for a forthcoming library of creators for Comixpedia. My first take is to adopt a list of genres and formats so that each comic can be tagged with both.

Here’s how I would break down formats:
– Series (unlimited)
– Limited Series (published in serialized format)
– Novella (published as a complete webcomic)
– Short Story (published as a complete webcomic)

Genres could be pretty discrete or as simple as splitting up comedy and drama. But what do you think? How would you set up your ideal taxonomy for webcomics and their creators? Your comments will definitely help me with this effort. Continue Reading →

Part of the new publishing platform I’ll be rolling out for the new Comixpedia site makes it a lot easier to publish the monthly magazine. Now all contributors will have one biography attached to all stories they write for us. This makes it easier for us (no need to retype each time a new story is published) and better for the contributor (no matter when someone reads a story they see your current biography).

If you’ve contributed to Comixpedia and want to submit a new bio go ahead and email me. Also, all contributors may now have a 100 x 100 pixel image to go with their stories. If you want to submit one, include it on an email to me.

I just finished loading in all of the stories published in 2003. Click read more for a list of contributors from that year. (One of the nice new features will be the ability to easily see all of the articles each contributor has written for Comixpedia.) Continue Reading →

Groups are cool. Local groups where you can get together to talk in person are great. Groups online where you can find more targeted shared interests are great. There’s a much easier way to set up, join and use groups on the forthcoming, new Comixpedia site.

A couple of requests: If you have a local group tell me about it so I can set it up for you on the new site. If you have a request for a shared interest group post it here (other ideas for groups are welcome to).

Avatars are also cool (I’d say “rad” but I think 80’s nostalgia is already come and gone). You can use off-site avatars on the new forums but here’s another suggestion – if you want to provide an avatar for anyone on the site to use – post it here and I’ll grab it and load it. You need to have the ability to give me a license to use on the site (i.e., it’s got to be an image you have the copyright for), it should be 100 x 100 or smaller and keep the file size small. I think this could be pretty radcool if the forums and posts are filled with webcomic character avatars.

Also, I’m still going to nag folks for feedback on the forums until I get some. Continue Reading →

It’s not ready yet (but still likely to be ready before the end of this year) but I’ve been working–when I can–on building a new Comixpedia. Some of it will be big, some subtle and some of it only benefits staff (lots more efficiency behind the scenes).

The forums have been a crucial component of Comixpedia, but here’s a chance to give me some feedback.

1. Do you like the way the existing forum are organized by subject matter or would you rather see something different? For example our general webcomics discussion is split into art, writing, school, business and theory. Would folks like to have forums for genre specific discussion in addition (or instead) to these? What about serial versus long-form?

2. I’m inclined to restrict postings to registered members to cut down on increasing spam. If you’ve got alternate ideas pitch them here.

3. I’d really like to see if we can get some moderators/leaders to help keep the various forums interesting. If you have an interest in moderating a forum let me know. I don’t have a budget to pay people but we can probably give you banners or other pluggage here on the site.

4. Anything else? Continue Reading →