ComicSpace

All New ComicSpace

Submitted by Max Vaehling on August 22, 2010 - 18:13

So while I was still thinking about what I should write on my last day of posting here, I noticed that ComicSpace had got itself a makeover. They've upgraded the whole system from whatever it was before to Wordpress. The transition wasn't exactly seamless; they're still working on the kinks. Some data seems to be lost, some displays weirdly. If you have a ComicSpace page, it might be a good idea to stop by and clean up your profile now. (If you're like me, you haven't done that at least since the makeover started a week ago.)

You do remember ComicSpace, right? A couple of years ago (2006), OnlineComics.net's Josh Roberts created the site, aiming for a "MySpace for comics". For a while, it seemed like the place to go if you wanted to connect to other comics people (or, more to the point, webcomics people). Personally, I lost touch with it over time, although I was very interested when Webcomics Nation's Joey Manley announced a merger of the two site families (including OnlineComics.net, Modern Tales and others) in 2007. The sites still haven't merged, although they're all part of the same company, E-Line, now. So much about the history. So what has changed?

Comics And the iPhone Apps Store

Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on September 18, 2009 - 09:07

Comicspace co-CEO Joey Manley writes a lengthy blog post about the growth of comics on the iPhone platform this year, focusing a lot on the messiness of where comics are on the iPhone apps store (apparently they're all over: music, tv, books, specialized apps, etc). I don't think Comicspace itself has done anything with the iPhone yet -- Manley's comments on what he actually thinks of the smaller screen format vs a traditional computer screen may have had something to do with that.

Comments

State of Things

Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on April 17, 2009 - 09:24

Johnanna Draper Carlson asks "When did Girlamatic die?" -- and creator Tara Tallan replies "Girlamatic isn’t quite dead… there are several comics that still update (mostly) weekly, such as Gypsy!, Faery Underground, Five Star, and also mine, Galaxion."

It does seem fairly clear though that Joey Manley (aka ComicSpace Inc) has largely given up on the original webcomics anthology model, even though four such sites remain in various stages of operation: Modern Tales, girlamatic.com, Graphic Smash and serializer.net.

Does It Really Matter What the Title of a Round-up Post Is?

Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on March 12, 2009 - 09:49

REMINDER! Eisner Nominations Due This Friday. Online creators -- you can nominate yourself. Don't be modest folks - if you've published online an outstanding body of work last year -- put in a nomination. It's an easy process to do and the judges can't pick something if it wasn't nominated.

CONVENTIONS
I guess it wouldn't be a webcomics weekend without the t-shirts.

REVIEWS
The Daily Cross Hatch reviews Derek Kirk Kim and Gene Luen Yang's collaboration, The Eternal Smile.

JUSTIFY MY HYPE
From the Strange Maps blog comes a comic called "World War II: If Maps Could Fight".

BUSINESS
Comicspace CEO (co-CEO?) Joey Manley has a post with some examples of webcomic creators splitting from more corporate publishig arrangements. A ha! He's suggesting webcomic creators may be better of without traditional arrangements in favor of D-I-Y. But wait, then he notes that other creators have left one publisher for an even bigger publisher. So maybe it's not so clear? Or maybe webcomic creators are all just "anal retentive control freaks and/or crazy egotistical jerks"... I'm picking on Joey a bit if only because he seems to be hedging on making any definite conclusions in his post, but otherwise he is asking the right kinds of questions (and the fact is there are lots of different reasons for why different creators have made different decisions on publishing arrangements in the last couple of years).

HOUSEKEEPING
Also the sponsorship space at ComixTALK is once again OPEN! If you're interested click here - your ad gets the upper left hand column space and you help to pay for ComixTALK's server bills. THANKS!

Here and There and Somewhere In Between

Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on February 4, 2009 - 10:21

I assume you're all reading up on FLEEN.com, Webcomics.com and Journalista!? Good. I'm happy to front page other efforts to link roll up ALL of the interesting FUTURE OF COMICS IS NOW type stories and then some (hint hint) but I won't be doing nearly as much of that kind of blogging myself this year.

Webcomics Booyah!

Tim Broderick responds to an email from a COMIC BOOK executive posted at Tom Spurgeon's COMICS REPORTER site. You know where my bias are, but by the end of 2009 "comics" as a business is going to be so deep into the throes of change... well really deep I guess. No new demographic is going to replace the aging males buying the soft comic "book" monthly thing and even a lot of those this year are going to have to cut back in order to, you know, eat.

Writing

What's this -- another missive from Tim Broderick this morning :) Yep, Tim has a short piece on strategy for the long-form webcomic over at Webcomics.com.

COMICSPACE

Joey Manley posted an update on Comicspace initiatives. It doesn't sound like there's a firm date anymore for the launch of the "new" comicspace.com site for creators. They are also having an open house February 5 and 6 nearby the New York Comic Convention this weekend. I have been using their new advertising network Webcomics World for a few months now -- too early for me to have any opinion on it though.