Completing Comic

[Jrej]

When I finish a page. I just can't wait to share it with everyone.
Doing a buffer just goes against that feeling.

But I guess we all need some kind of safety net.

@infectedbloodcomics I do get feedback from my friends but as I've been traveling, they see it online like everyone else. My wife isn't that much into comics so the comment is always: "You're drawing the same guy again?!? What's up with the grumpy face."

[infectedbloodcomics]

Hahaha No! Lev is not grumpy, he's just gone through a lot (that's my guess, at least) Well, I guess I'm lucky, then, my wife likes comics and is very supportive I also have a friend who just literally drools all over Sekhmet whenever she sees her, so occasionally I send her pictures of Sekhmet via WhatsApp as I'm drawing her (blue pencil lines and all). It's always a lot of fun to get her comments, she starts typing frantically and in caps, and pours typos all over her messages out of excitement. Hilarious Actually, I'm going to open a thread about this, it'll be fun!

[kazukitakamura126]

I usually do this before I even start making the comic. This way you know what course the comic is heading and you can adjust things if needed. Also it helps relieve the stress of saying "I wonder how this story is going to end?"

As for the physical manifestation I create the chapter in rough draft that make it in the finalized version until I catch up. Then I repeat the process with the next chapter.

[mjmassey]

I'm so jealous of that buffer!

[mjmassey]

I usually have an ending in mind when I get started, as well as key points along the way to get there, but even with some pre-planning, things develop on the fly a lot as I get into the story and get to know the characters better. I'd love to have a bigger buffer and have more content done the next time I start a comic, though. When I started Vatican Assassins, I only drew the first 6 pages before I started posting haha! I've never completed a comic, but my goal for the future is to do shorter series and a few one-offs just to do something different. A long epic is tempting, but exhausting in the long run.

[eschaefges]

It's really depending on you. How fast can you create a page? How often does life throw you curveballs?

For me, the biggest thing was being able to deliver. So often 'momentum' is lost on webcomics because the artist needs to do Paying Jobs or take personal time or finish finals or has a baby or whatever. My zelda parody comic is completely written, drawn, lettered, and 90% colored - which is why i felt it was safe to start posting. i've worked on the 208 monstrosity for 4 years - during which time i've had a few kids, had months where i was too busy to draw or color anything, etc. If I had posted it as i was doing it, people would've gotten bored and left. now they can read a page a day! It doesn't work for everyone (see the totally valid comments about pressure from @Jrej and others) but it works for me so far - now people can come check out my comic every single day for 8 months!

[ghostnxs]

The main reason I thought to complete my comic before posting it would be to work on a new project while I post the old one. Occasionally, I forget to take a break when I create comics so I'll probably complete it for the most part before posting.

[joannekwan]

When I finish a page. I just can't wait to share it with everyone.Doing a buffer just goes against that feeling.

I feel the exact same! The most I could do is my one week buffer for Erie Waters.

[Jrej]

That's already a success then!
When I have a page ready, I feel like I need to relax my creative brain.
Most of the time by doing something totally different.

[sophiekaldinski]

I don´t have a huge buffer for "Strayer" at the moment, but I´m currently working on one again. It´s pretty relaxing, because you don´t have to stress yourself out over updates, even if something big comes up.
The point that you are more detached is also very good. Comparing getting input to a recent page to getting imput on an older page is very different, because you might be more into that recent page and any criticism might sting worse.

But with Webcomics, I think it´s important to start some time, so I would suggest a buffer without actually finishing the project completely. If you just focus on finishing you might become inclined to redoing pages, plotpoints and the like all over again. It´s easy to get stuck in such a loop (happened when I started working on "Strayer").

[kazukitakamura126]

Planning ahead is important but, we can't plan too far ahead other the amount of information maybe overwhelming.That's why as far as the story-boarding phase of my story I work a chapter ahead of the finalized version. For actual story I outline the major plot points, then I write down what happens in each chapter. The reason I do this so my story has a solid foundation to stand on, I had stories where the plot holes were so bad it collapsed in on itself. This is not set in stone I may change a few things once I make the finalized version.

[andychrist]

I can't imagine not working with a buffer. I'm getting better with time management but there are just so many pages that take twice as long as I think they should.

More importantly though, I need to tinker with it before I release. I usually sit on finished books for two weeks before letting the world see, and a lot of dialogue changes in that time.

[ghostnxs]

When I said complete I mean all pages drawn already, and are just posting them for viewers. So the entire comic wouldn't require a buffer because it's already done. Similar to how a graphic novel on print would be or a movie.

[kazukitakamura126]

Oh that's what you meant, I apologize for misinterpreting your questions. If that's the case I usual post a page for my comic on a weekly basis.

[andychrist]

When I said complete I mean all pages drawn already, and are just posting them for viewers. So the entire comic wouldn't require a buffer because it's already done. Similar to how a graphic novel on print would be or a movie.

I hope I didn't misunderstand. When I say "buffer," I do mean a completed book. My books run from 24-32 pages and I'm not confident to post anything until they're all finished.

[allenthomas]

I'm not sure how I feel about this. On one hand, the thrill of finishing a page or two and uploading it and getting feedback is something that I like. It also keeps me on my toes so that I don't become complacent with my art. However, there is really no reason why I could imagine that I wouldn't still get the same feeling if I already had the comic done and just uploaded it over time. I would still make a connection with subscribers it would just feel slightly different I guess.

[twjalkh]

I had like a 100 page buffer before I even started posting my comic, but instead of making new content, I just stared at my old work in horrifying bewilderment, while wanting nothing more then to redo everything.

[scythe]

I do operate with a 50+ page buffer

[AnnaLandin]

@scythe Hahahahaha! XD The benefits of drawing a LOT of pages before I started posting the first one! You guys have just started chapter three - I'm five pages into colouring chapter five.

[scythe]

Now that's patience (and smart).