Business
Making money with webcomics. Seriously!
A Brief History of Syndication in the U.S.
|
The business of syndication as we know it today began in the nineteenth century when many newspapers, especially in smaller cities and towns, found it tantamount to impossible to maintain a large enough staff to do anything other than gather and report the local news. Therefore national organizations sprang up that sold national articles, columns, and anything of interest to the smaller papers. These syndicates allowed a small paper to carry high-quality national content and a highly varied selection of features, in spite of the small staffs they maintained.
Uncool Solutions: Webcomic Sponsored by Novell
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on May 5, 2004 - 13:02
It's not often a webtoonist combines webcomic-making and civilian place of employment, but Howard Tayler has pulled it off. Uncool Solutions is a nifty webcomic that runs monthly on the Novell website. It so happens that Tayler, in addition to being the creator of Schlock Mercenary, is also a product line manager for Groupwise, a Novell program.
Not only is Uncool Solutions a webcomic, it's a contest for readers to send in a solution to deal with the problem presented in the current comic strip. Granted the solution has to include at least one Novell product, but hey, they're footing the bill for the winners. The top three entries receive gift certificates from Think Geek.
Elf Life FundRaiser: Donate or the Elf Life Archives Go Bye-Bye!
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on March 28, 2004 - 20:04
Just this past Thursday Carson Fire posted a message on his website:
I need some suggestions... where do I find the art collectors? We've sold one piece from the gallery, but we have to sell even more.
If we don't start seeing a bit more activity, some more nibbles, suggestions, something, I'm afraid I'm going to have to make myself be mean, and start taking whole blocks of the Elf Life archive back offline.
Fire has been setting deadlines for sales of original Elf Life art right on through this weekend with portions of the Elf Life archives removed from public access when those deadlines are not hit. Fire is upping the ante with some hints about the next phase of Elf Life (which apparently will only happen if he hits his fundraising goals).
If I need to be this aggressive to sell art and save the series, then aggressive I shall be. I've already started mapping out "Elf Life phase 2", which will be a continuation of the series, but *after* the wedding, since the wedding has me mired in an epic with no visible means of support.
The next phase of Elf Life will be called something completely different, and will put more emphasis on the relationship between Glee and Filis, and Thea's training for battling the younger Sea Naga. It will not be a mystery about the past, as most of Elf Life has been, but a straight adventure that finds the strongest women of Elf Life on the road, doing battle with the world.
That means a more exciting, faster-paced, and dareIsayit sexier Elf Life than ever before.
Although there are no deadlines for today, Fire did updates his site with news that he is halfway to his goal.
I don't support all the free comics I read Am I a bad person
Submitted by John on March 24, 2004 - 03:34
An argument against comic ripping programs (and one I completely understand) is that the claim that they don't support comic artists. How do they do this? Because they don't show a comic artists advertisements, which is a common form of revenue for cartoonists who create free comics.
It is argued by some that people who don't support the cartoonist by viewing advertisements shouldn't be viewing the webcomic.
Paying for Webcomics: Impressions of WirePop and PV Comics by Xaviar Xerexes
If you're paying for webcomics, you need to know if it's worth your hard-earned cash. Last year, we reviewed Modern Tales and Keenspot Premium. We now take a look at the two newest kids on the webcomics block, PV Comics and WirePop.
Who is Paying for Comics on their Cell Phone?
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on February 24, 2004 - 16:07
From the Hurting comes a link to this San Mateo Times story on a company selling subscriptions to comics for your cell phone.
Putting comics on your cell is not all laughs for FunMail. FunMail pays the syndicators for the comics. The consumer pays the wireless carrier $2 a month per comic. The carrier pays FunMail three to four months down the road.
New and novel means of distributing comics is a great thing but who pays $2 a month, per comic, to read comics on their cellphone?
Warren Ellis latest column talks Bitpass... again
Submitted by Erik Melander on February 9, 2004 - 23:30
Warren Ellis latest Brainpowered column at Artbomb.net, entitled Monetising the fringe, discusses methods for online payments. The column covers both Paypal and Bitpass.
PayPal leads to BitPass, which could be the way of the future.
Mad Magazine Looking for an Editor
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on January 16, 2004 - 12:28
Cory Doctorow catches a listing for Mad Magazine:
....Experienced comedy writer required. Must be able to provide writing samples. Minimum 3-5 years related experience. Prior copyediting and proofreading experience required.
Goats Crew Speaks at NYC Cartoonist Meeting
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on January 11, 2004 - 16:24
Phillip and Jon will be appearing at the January 14th meeting of the Cartoonist Alliance in Manhattan. They'll be speaking about the economics of webcomics and the process of putting together the new printed Goats collection.
More News on Micropayments Gaining Ground
Submitted by Xaviar Xerexes on January 9, 2004 - 14:44
The NY Times has an article on several micropayment systems, including Bitpass. Turns out even Clear Channel Radio is experimenting with micropayments. 2004 may be the year that micropayments really reach a tipping point.
