Comics are comics

Kneon 2013-09-13 13:27:35 UTC #1

Hello there!

So I've noticed some discussion in various parts of Tapastic about webcomics going to print, getting picked up by publishers, etc. etc.

Having worked in print comics professionally for a number of years, we're actually doing it "backwards." We had a story we wanted to tell (initially just for fun) and decided to do it as a webcomic as opposed to taking the financial risk on self-publishing a comic book series.

What's interesting is that folks in print comics often have just as many questions about webcomics as webcomickers have about the print comic industry.

In the end, it's all comics. It's just that the some distribution channels are trickier to get into and/or have more upfront costs.

So what about you, Tapastic creators? Are you looking to keep your series primarily digital? Are you interested in taking them to print? Are you doing your series because you have a story you just have to tell somehow, or are you doing them as "auditions" for paying gigs?

I've always been a firm believer in knowing where you want to go, and then plotting a course to take you there.

tehandeh 2013-09-13 14:26:18 UTC #2

yo, Kneon!

Good points here. Personally i do comics because i love to. and i like the idea of sharing these crazy stories and characters with an audience. I've only ever done i guess vanity press a'la kablam and the sort. but i couldn't say I'm truly making money off it. so it stays that the reason I do what i do is that I can't NOT create so i might as well share what i got!

Kneon 2013-09-13 14:39:09 UTC #3

"I can't NOT create!" needs to go on a t-shirt.

tehandeh 2013-09-13 15:03:54 UTC #4

haha now I gotta make me an iron on! it could be a good way to talk up comics in non comic-based social scenarios

michaelson 2013-09-13 18:50:39 UTC #5

For me, it's primarily a concern about distribution. I know if I took my stories to print then I wouldn't be able to reach the audience I want. Shipping fees, print costs and what not are all barriers for a small/unknown creator like myself (also, not knowing where to even begin with... where do I go to print, what's the best method of shipping, how do I set up a shop?).

Publishing digitally has been significantly easier in terms of distribution - just uploading the image and creating a facebook fan page, e-mailing it out and posting it on forums and what not. I also feel like the turn around time is a lot faster. I don't need to wait for printers to get the books to me nor do my "fans" (if I had any) need to wait to get the final product.

Though, I do feel that there is something incredibly rewarding about holding a physical book and interacting with it. The page turn is something that I feel digital comics have yet to fully recreate, also the fact that mobile devices can't really capture the full awe of a two-page spread.

kotaotan 2013-09-19 00:58:52 UTC #6

I will honestly put my comics where ever they can be seen, be it digital or print or both. I try not to limit myself to just one.

StarkSteve 2013-10-08 06:05:25 UTC #7

Our goal is to launch into print and on-line (Digital). Our stuff animates! We would love to launch it here animated...but this site format needs to accept the GIF format. Let's allow GIF format and see our stuff shine and show thru in all it's digital glory!

michaelson 2013-10-08 07:03:09 UTC #8

We do allow for GIF format images to be used A good example of it is: http://tapastic.com/episode/17649 (everyday dramaz!). We don't allow GIFs to be used as episode thumbnails, hope that clears up some confusion.

Achiru 2013-10-12 04:51:45 UTC #9

I intend to keep my series digital and take the popular ones to print. Like many other members have pointed out, the digital distribution has a lower upfront cost and reaches a wider audience, which is great for a story I just have to tell to whoever wants to listen. On the other hand, once I've decided I love a series, I also want a print copy, something tangible I can hold and show other people or be able to read over and over without the eye strain that comes with digital screens. It also allows me to give greater monetary credit where it's due to a creator I deem worthy of that respect.

rosieedelson 2013-10-31 12:54:08 UTC #10

Well, this may change, but my current plan is to publish a bunch of short stories online, then print them up to take to a local con, plus some prints and a few exclusive stories.

SRHiggins 2013-11-01 20:13:09 UTC #11

I'm not good enough to publish, no matter how much I want to. I mean, I'm decent enough to put it online though...I guess. That's it. I don't know. It's difficult for me to do this webcomic thing. Maybe once my story gets more in depth and a bigger audience, then I can redo pages for print. I highly doubt it will go that far though.

marulilu 2013-11-04 05:33:31 UTC #12

I'm currently volunteering as an illustrator in my university newspaper. I publish my comic through Tapastic and the newspaper. I think using both mediums was quite helpful in gaining viewership.

michaelson 2013-11-04 22:59:59 UTC #13

Nice! I used to do a bi-weekly strip for my college too!

OrbitalDeathRay 2014-03-31 20:10:12 UTC #14

I'm currently focusing on releasing my comic via digital (which you can read here if you're interested) http://tapastic.com/series/Zizzo-PI but I am definitely interested in getting it published. I've made physical copies via a printing service to sell, in the meantime.

jackdoorarts 2014-04-01 16:20:36 UTC #15

i’ve made a blurb (self-publishing site) page on top of the other sites(Facebook tumblr etc) so don’t have to stock up and just have to link fans to it. don’t know if this is a good idea though.
any thoughts?