Anyone else annoyed by tapas' featured series?

[smokesalty]

I don't know about any of you, but I cannot bring myself to read any of the features series. They all kind a seem...the same to me? Like the plot is usually similar and I just know I'm not going to absolutely love them.

I love fantasy, but when I look on the popular tab for these comics, there filled with featured series that are primarily isekai. I usually end up looking on the fresh page for the more popular genres, because a lot of independant creators are making amazing and unique comics while the featured series are generic and constantly marketed.

There doesn't feel like there's any passion behind them. I just can't bring myself to read them.

Idk. What are your guys' opinions?

EDIT: I now know this topic has been brought up a lot (I'm kinda new to forums so I haven't personally seen it.) PLEASE- if you're annoyed that it's being brought up again, just ignore this thread. I just want to have a discussion with people.

[BlairFujin]

I'm not really insterested in them (gave 2 premium series a try and both were starting to annoy me around the moment of hitting a paywall) but even just looking at their covers, a lot of them give me kinda a factory line vibe...
Yes, they're polished but they seem more like products than someone's passion project.

[smokesalty]

Yup. Just looking at the covers I know I'm not going to be interested in them. They don't feel like they have a soul. Like this isn't a result of someone loving their characters and stories so much that they'd turn it into a comic. It just feels very off putting.

[Jenny-Toons]

Alright, so before more replies gather up, I do want to preface that this topic...is nothing new.

We get several threads about this every year on the forums.

And it really just boils down to current trends, demographics, and the usual business. You can read a similar thread from last year, as well as my reply to it.

Just doing this as a preface, because a lot of us veterans have seen threads like these for the years we've been on the forums. And we've answered with the same answers often.

They look the same, they all have terrible background art and usually their titles are very uncreative and tells the whole story. They are also very unimaginative and basic. It's honestly sad to see these getting the most views while actual good comics are getting like one view a month. Am I the only one with this opinion?

So far, the conversation has been civil, but I do like to throw out that reminder to keep it that way. Just to cover basis I will also add to the conversation: I've been on the forums since late 2017. And I've seen this trend: Before the front page was "crowded" with Isakei and Villainess comics, it was "crowded" with BL. Before it was "crowded" with BL, it was "crowded" with Slice of Life. I just...at this point, I move on and do my own things. All I see here is a clear shift…

So letting you know now you're probably going to a couple of users popping in with links to other threads and saying "we've done this before".

[smokesalty]

Oh, I didn't know, I guess I haven't been on the forums for too long. Oh well, thanks for the warning.

[Jenny-Toons]

Anytime!

That is part of the ecosystem when users come and go

[KennethLopezJr921]

I avoid featured stuff for the same reasons you gave. They're clearly there to appeal to young teen girls who are into stuff like anime, romance, harems and all that stuff (I know that sounds cold but its kinda true). But I think thats intentional because it can be a gateway for those people dig deeper into non sponsored and much more diverse stuff. Like, someone who's craving more stuff after binging the entiry of girl dates kpop guy number 500 might venture into what Tapas really has to offer. So in that sense, having a bunch of cookie cutter featured stuff might not be that bad :).

[ciuwia]

I agree, although I may say so that I am currently writing an isekai novel because I love those so much hahahaha… but it’s true, they are not someone’s passion project, more like a money factory. I like them, nevertheless.
What I really don’t like it is how tapas prioritizes comics to novels. I know there more money in comics, but they could give novels a bit more space, I think

[Christy_Oshima]

Yeah, i agree on that. It was the main reason why it took me so long to post my work here, actually. When Tapas started accepting novels, i found it hard to believe that a platform that is based entirely on comics will actually give so much attention to novels. And here we are, about five years later, and novels are still not in the spotlight. Yes, people might prefer image to writing, but there are so many great works out there and creators who deserve much better,

Sometimes, it's just not about money but about the art it self and they need to understand that...

[nickolaidas]

Seriously, if I stumble into another story which begins with 'I've been reincarnated as the villainess/duchess/baroness/third wheel of the story ...', I'm going to go slam my head on a wall.

I mean, yeah, I get it, a lot of people apparently are into that, but it's never a good look to give the impression a website about CREATIVITY may actually be all about BANALITY. These stories aren't bad per se, some of them are actually really good, but it's the same thing over and over again.

Also, I personally think the amnesiac protagonist is lazy writing, at least when done so in such a manner. It is a lazy way to make you see the protagonist as a victim since they have basically done nothing wrong, yet are accused by many characters of doing many wrong things (before the amnesia/reincarnation).

[AnimeKitty]

I haven't been on Tapas as long to see a lot of the current trends, but I've been on Wattpad since 2013 and the overused tropes that get popular and feel like a recycled story have always been around and happen on every platform. Honestly, these are better than the "kidnapped by One Direction" stories that were trending on Wattpad.🤣 People recreate similar stories because they just do well and have an audience that wants to read them. That's all it is.

If you don't like the featured series, just don't read them? Ignore them and find other, smaller creators work to read. That's what I do, though I haven't been as active on Tapas as I once was. Considering how difficult it is to find good series to read, I don't really bother spending much time reading on here like I used to.

[Christy_Oshima]

Certainly, you read what you like and in any case you even search deeper to find that something. As for wattpad I've given up on it. If your story is not bad boy included then you get no recognition. And this is what this thread is about, from the perspective of the creator; when all those similar stories are getting more attention from others who are a little more unique. The spotlight is supposed to bring more viewers, subscribers and maybe people who will support (and some even financially). Why lose this chance simply because your creation is different from the normal? Then again its all about marketing and in the end this type of stories sell. But art is about being yourself. So the question here is; should you sell yourself and art for the sake of recognition, or simply keep on doing what you are doing and yet never achieving your goal?

[igneriss]

I'm not really annoyed by this because I don't rely on tapas front page to find new comics to read at all. My to-read list in bookmarks is pretty long anyway and growing faster than I can read.
But this genre from tapas' featured series (so mostly isekai and going back in time) seems to be pretty popular right now, so no wonder why it's put on a display Just because I'm not interested in those stories does not mean that they are bad.
And from a creator's point of view, I guess I don't mind either. I mean, if other series are getting featured, then good for them! They also put a lot of time and effort into their stories.

[fsarbolaez]

This is a sentiment that's shared, and we occasionally have fun poking fun at it and similar things:

[image] Thank you for witnessing this cursed image. You may now bleach your eyes. What should I make a collage of next "Lady" "CEO"/"Secretary" "Prince"/"Princess" MMORPG Isekai 0voters Votes are public. Show results

I have borrowed Kakao's title generator to come up with my own super original and eye-catching story titles! Quite easy to use: The (Variant of villain, hero, or some title of nobility or top importance) (transitive verb) a/an/the (object of the sentence) Here are a bunch. (Forgive me if some of these already exist. ): The Villain Needs a Hero The Hero Wants a Villainess The Villainess Loves a Villain The Hero Loves a Heroine The Lady Dates a Tyrant The Duke Spies a Queen The Prince Chall…

Behold, my greatest creation: http://www.generatorland.com/usergenerator.aspx?id=23813 Post your results, or draw your results

[darthmongoose]

They're kind of an unavoidable part of the Kakao merger really. Tapas probably has an obligation to promote them. They bring in money and people to the site at least, which Tapas does seem to be investing in some interesting Tapas Originals and gradually bringing community titles onto premium programs.

...Parodying them does make for fun April Fools content though.

[igneriss]

Oh my this art is perfect

[redfish]

I honestly wish that they change the way the website is formatted. Like allowing filters so you only see the genres you want and not be bombarded with all the same romance stories on the front page. But I guess that messes with their advertisement obligations

[Fafnir]

Yeah. The video game theme needs to go. Im sick of magic systems basically being video game HUDs I think sword art online (and others) warped the anime world.
I do love isekai's tho. Which Is why I started writing one. With the intent of making it a real fantasy story, using traditional western story telling, with character arcs, and a plot.

Theres nothing like reading a tonne of the same junk over and over before you start thinking... i could do better than this.. haha. (remains to be seen if i can)

[Fafnir]

oh, and also. When a character is "reincarnated" into someone elses body in a fantasy world. Maybe have them deal with the fact they Basically unintentially murdered someone, took over their body, and now they're just pretendning to be so and so' brother or son or whatever? that is so f'up up. My suspension of disbelief stops there.

[sushy00]

I have the same, that's why i always browse the most recent comics, I like checking out all kinds of different comics