May 2016
5 / 67
May 2016
May 2017
carloswebcomic
May '16
2

One of the things that I love about webcomics and digital art in general, is the idea of an unrestricted canvas.
I love that I am not restricted by paper size and proportions. I make the canvas fit the art and not the other way around.
Perhaps, I am too enamoured with it, but it always surprises me to see printed media 'baggage' making its way into digital form.
There always seem to be comics with "covers" and restricting the size of their pages to fit standard page sizes.

Maybe it's because I have no interest in having my work printed, but is there a reason why printed media formats are still used in digital form?
Is it because people are still aspiring to have their work printed one day?

It must be over a decade since I stepped in a comic book shop, so I have no idea how well, or badly, printed comics are doing. Are they still a thing to aspire?

  • created

    May '16

  • last reply

    May '17
  • 66

    replies

  • 5.4k

    views

  • 26

    users

  • 92

    likes

  • 7

    links

Frequent Posters

Popular Links

4http://hazlitt.net/comics/swim-thru-fire-pt-1
3[mangá] fullmetal alchemist prototype one shot by Cecil comic's - issuu issuu.com
3https://tapastic.com/series/Johnny-Bullet
2https://tapastic.com/series/Notreally
0http://www.tapastic.com/series/freddie-freakie
show more links...

There are 66 replies with an estimated read time of 21 minutes.

shazzbaa
May '16

I don't really go to comic shops, but it's a lot easier to sell books at comic conventions than PDFs! With things like kickstarter and quality small run printers and the ability to set up your own shop and market your own work, it's not too hard to have your work printed and self-publish now; less the feeling of "aspiring to have your work printed one day" and more "planning to go get it printed at some point."

But honestly some of why I print books is just that it feels good to me to make it a physical object I can hold in my hands! Not everyone wants that or cares about that, but it's really cool to me to be able to see a stack of books I made. :>

Shanny8
May '16

Yup. Printed books are still a standard for most of the comics industry...the only good part is that independent comics are now starting to become a bigger equation. Sure Marvel & DC still have a sizeable chunk of the industry and their movies are gonna keep folks looking at their comic books, but independent books offer more than just guys and females in spandex costumes. As a consumer, I like being able to hold a book in my hands and read through it; come back months later and re-read it. as an artist and fellow comic creator, I like looking at others' work- analyzing it, and see why it is that they do certain things the way they do. I try to analyze the color/scheme so that I can become better with my coloring.

Dont get me wrong- I read digital comics as well- more along the lines of independent type stuff...and as an artist, I'm trying to become better by digital means; trying to get better at coloring through CSP and Photoshop, trying to get better at digital rendering through CSP, and even get better with my lettering. Though, my end process for it all goes back to print material- moreso to sell at conventions and shows.

I've had quite a few books printed, but it's still always a joy for me to get a new project/issue printed and in my hands...makes me feel that all the effort I put into my work is worth it.

carloswebcomic
May '16

I guess that's where you and I differ. If I were to see a stack of books that I made, I would have an overwhelming urge to burn it.

shazzbaa
May '16

Yeah, that makes sense. And you're definitely not alone; I know Der-shing Helmer has talked on twitter about how the idea of her work existing as a physical object horrifies her! I think what's cool now is that there's interest in both, there's ways to utilise both methods, and artists are able, for now at least, to choose what suits their work best!

UzukiCheverie
May '16

Short answer: Bookshelves are a lot sexier than document libraries.

Long answer: If I really like a creator's work, I will usually support them monetarily, whether it's through Patreon, buying their merch, or anything else that might help them out. I've got a little bookshelf filled with Tapastic goodies, from prints to bookmarks to printed books, even a few custom doodles from the creators themselves. I love everything I've received from my fellow creators (some of them were purchased, but there are others that weren't, like raffle prizes and supporter goodies, and even a couple gifts). There's something a lot more personal in owning a physical copy of someone's work. Next to the fact that most comic artists only sell limited runs of their books (it's easy for hundreds of thousands of people to own digital copies, but having a physical copy usually isn't as easy or common) there's just that special feeling in holding a physical copy of your own, or someone else's work.

Aside from all that, I find I work a lot better when I work to panels on a specific size page. When a canvas is "infinite", I feel like I'm not making a dent in my work, and that I've still got a lot to go, and that can be a little hard on my motivation. Along with that, despite the fact that vertical canvases are basically "unlimited", most vertical comics still look the same :I They're usually just panels scattered down a page, very few of them actually getting creative with their space.

It shouldn't matter what your canvas size is. It's all about perspective. You may consider a single 8.5 x 11 page a "restriction", but others may consider it a perfect fit, like wearing the perfect pair of slippers that snug their feet just right. It's up to the creator to come up with creative ways to panel and layout their work - no amount of vertical space will make a comic look any better or be any less restricted if the creator isn't willing to think outside the box, and this goes for print creators too. There are restrictions with vertical format as well - namely, the width size. Unless you can get creative about it or you plan on just telling your readers to rotate their phones, you can't do landscape/horizontal spreads that deserve every inch of space they need to show off an epic scene that requires a horizontal plane vs. a vertical one. We live in a "flat" world - so it makes sense that bigger shots are typically done horizontally, and that's where vertical, digital comics have their flaws.

But I think I went off topic lol

Back on the topic of printed books, even if I only ever print copies for myself, having a printed copy is my choice, and no matter what your opinion is on it, if they want to spend the money on getting books printed, that's up to them. Most people aren't going into comics expecting riches, and the ones that are printing books are ones that know they have the readership willing to buy copies. Whether their buyers are collectors, die-hard fans, or just want to throw a little money the creator's way, what the creator do is up to them.

Printed media is not dead yet, so don't treat it like it is.

Plus anyone can do a digital comic these days - they just need to know how to make JPG's and upload them to the Internet. Having a physical copy is not something everyone has or can have. A lot more effort is required to make a physical book, and the payoff is so worth it if you ask me (whether you're selling them or just printing them for yourself).

carloswebcomic
May '16

Well, to counter that point you can argue that anyone can have a comic printed, they just need to know the dimensions and have the money for it.

PotooGryphonFriendly Neighborhood Gryphon Rider
May '16

You also need funds with print comics. Usually it's a hefty price tag to have a comic printed from a print shop and it adds up fast. It's definitely easier to publish online where it's free to post on sites like Tapastic.

PotooGryphonFriendly Neighborhood Gryphon Rider
May '16
carloswebcomic

You also need funds with print comics. Usually it's a hefty price tag to have a comic printed from a print shop and it adds up fast. It's definitely easier to publish online where it's free to post on sites like Tapastic.

carloswebcomic
May '16

I guess that as an ongoing cost, printing is high. However, to be able to make a comic and upload to Tapastic, you do need a device such as a computer, a pen tablet, software and possibly a scanner.
At least initially, we're not talking about inconsiderable sums of money.

demthorshie
May '16

I can definitely see what you mean and I guess it's all about weighing the pros and cons of both digital and printed comic types. For me personally, the reason why I still enjoy printed comics about as much as webcomics is because it's nice to have a physical copy of your work! That and I frequent conventions a lot throughout the year with my group and we tend to sell things at our booth. I've managed to sell several copies of my older printed comic before, since some people still prefer physical comics to digital. I don't think that this alone is a reason to still print, but I get this strange sense of accomplish when I do print a comic, if that makes sense.

carloswebcomic
May '16

I think I see what you mean.
I think my approach to making comics is different to most people here (I assume).
I approach comic making as throw-away art. I have very little regard for the value of what I produce.
Don't get me wrong, I work stupidly hard at making the best comics I can, but what is important to me is not the actual work but the reaction to it.
I don't love my work and feel very little pride in the finished product, instead I take pride in its impact on the reader.

AnnaLandin
May '16

There are lots of reasons, in my case! Part of it is because I've spent my entire LIFE reading (and having been read to from) comics in print-format, and a lot of the webcomics I've read - and I've been reading webcomics for 16 years - have also been in print-format. It's simply something I'm used to.

Part of it is because I find it easier to plan my comic in page-format. A page is a unit that most of us are used to dealing with, and it's easier for me to plan and control the pacing.

And part of it is, yes, to have it printed at some point. I've already collected chapters 1-3 of Grassblades for print, and it turned out lovely. I've always loved printed books - both comics and prose - and I love having stuff in my bookshelf that I can pick up and flip through whenever I want. Maybe it's because I've always lived in a place where power-outages are frequent and the internet connection is poor, but I've always preferred books to digital mediums, because books don't require a functioning internet connection, and they never run out of batteries.

(honestly, it might also be because my grandma was a librarian, and books have been omnipresent in my life).

Then there's the fact that no matter how much work and effort I put into making a digital thing, and no matter how many people end up reading and commenting, it somehow doesn't feel as real as having a printed book in my hands. There's a heft to a printed book that is kind of lovely, and it's a tactile thing, too. Comic-pages sure are nice on a desktop monitor, but it just can't quite beat 130 gram silk paper, you know?

.
Also, when you get right down to it, if you want to sell your comic, physical versions are easier to sell. We're in that weird gap in a shifting economy where digital means of payment (via Patreon, Kickstarter, Gumroad, etc.) are available, but we've spent so long in the pirating waters and the free-stuff-for-free mentality that people are kind of reluctant to pay for digital stuff, I guess? But people have NO problem paying for a physical book. They understand that it cost you money to create, because it's physically there and they can touch it.

carloswebcomic
May '16

Mmmh... I seem to cherish the ability be chaotic and add in panels the last minute.
Mind you, when I used to do a story driven comic, consistency of dimensions did help a lot when planning ahead.

UzukiCheverie
May '16

Most of them don't. As we all know, this is not a direct money-making business and many creators just don't have the money to print their own books. It's not like they can just walk into a print store, hand the cashier $5 and walk out with a copy of their work.

carloswebcomic
May '16

Hence the good ol' photocopied comics books. Mine made me a whole $20 back in 96.

Pandastrophic
May '16

I guess for me even though it might be cool to see it printed...i value having no restrictions on canvus size more. I started working with the webtoon format for my current comic and honestly i just love it, having more space and placing panels wherever i want worked much better for me than the traditional comic/manga format. I knew going in that im not interested in ever getting it printed.

carloswebcomic
May '16

Yeah, I can see how you really take advantage of the space available with your work!Really nice!
I guess the main divider is wether people aspire to have their work printed or not and then work accordingly.

DeadAccount
May '16

Yeah, we definitely had to adapt to make our comic suitable for print. I started doing conventions a couple of years ago, and I got addicted to the whole process of printing my work and meeting fans in the real world and actually experiencing the comic culture outside of the screen - especially after spending many hours a day doing digital art both at work and at home. It just adds a whole extra dimension to the comic making experience. Having said that, page restrictions can be tough and when I'm not working on our main comic, I prefer to do strips in a vertical format : D
...Maybe we should start printing vertical comics as scrolls : D

Simon_M
May '16

It's not just to get them printed. There's a reason comics have evolved to get that form over decades. I work with regular format pages because the flow and composition of the panels is the best suited to my story... and I would say to most stories. There's something to breaking the story into two side-by-side vertical pages that makes the flow just right.