Do you have an artist or creator that you consider your, like, secret rival?

[Slummypond]

You know what I’m saying? Like they do the same work you do, but are also much more successful and it fuels you on so you privately and dramatically swear them as your eternal rival but they have no idea you exist lol.

I can’t be the only one​

Here’s my story:

I’ve just started my very own webcomic ( Who Killed the Dreaming Girl?)and I’m absolutely thrilled with the response I’ve gotten from it. Someone commented on every chapter and I have 2 subscribers (posted the first chapters on the 11th of December) already!! Believe me, I’m very humbled and grateful to the people who’ve taken their time to read my comic.

BUT

There’s this person.

Their comic is, and I’m gonna be really real here, the TRUE SAUCE. It’s good people. The art is awesome, and even though there’s only three chapters out, it FEELS - I don’t know - bigger? Like the story is really going places! The artists name is Jay3spin and their comic is called Aerosol.

I can’t help but feel a vicarious relationship with them - they posted their comic a week or so before I posted mine, theirs is a new series, mine is a new series, they have three chapters up, I have three chapters up, we’re both in the fantasy action genre, they are succeeding with big subscriber numbers and many views, I’m succeeding in my own way... I feel all these connections between our work...! So I’ll say it here!!

*sun streaming down**

Jay3Spin!! I declare you my webtoon rival!!!

There it’s out in the open! May we both push each other to new heights with burning passion and resolve (even though you have no idea who I am)!

Declare your secret art rivals below!!

[DualDragons]

I have a few secret art rivals that i'll keep anonymously.
However! It mostly happens that i tend to follow the work of those that i consider my rivals and i tend to make friends with.
So if any of my close friends is reading this, you might have a rival you didn't know about before

[Rhonder]

Ah yeah, I know this feeling ahaha. For a good while, @Buritsu was the person who I kind of looked at like this lol. We started our comics within a week of one another, both had started reading each other's comic, had similar content matter/genre, etc. etc. I'd be lying if I said I didn't look back and forth comparing our sub numbers and such from time to time However he's seemingly gone on hiatus according to his profile since June (as well as starting two other comics and not updated the initial one since April) so it's been a while. But I'll be awaiting their return!

Edit: their comic. I like it a lot, although it was juuuuust about to get to the "good part" prior to the hiatus

Millionscape :: Pages 1 - 4 | Tapas

[skicoak]

However he's seemingly gone on hiatus according to his profile since June (as well as starting two other comics and not updated the initial one since April) so it's been a while. But I'll be awaiting their return!

Nope...that means you win!

You need a new rival now. I don't make the rules, it's just how it works.

[Slummypond]

Bruh that’s me hahaha I keep looking back and forth between our pages comparing stuff - but at the same time I know I can only really focus on my own shit

I CAN’T HELP MYSELF

[skicoak]

This rivalry thing sounds neat...I personally don't have one, can't speak for anyone else on our team.

I guess I should scout around for a Veronica to our Betty, a Pepsi to our Coke, or a Lord Von DeMort to our Ensign Cedric Nobles.

[JRHoch]

I like to think of myself as unrivaled!

[irene_addler]

If I ever have a rival, I know that I'll be doing well, it would mean someone thinks my art is good enough to be envious hahahaha

[Rodimus13]

reads the post turns to husband who is the artist for the comic

Hey sweetie do you have a secret rival? Like a artist or creator?

Him: Ehhhh....

Me: Am I a rival?

Him: uhhh confused

Me: Am I your secret rival?

Him: ????????

Me: If I WAS your secret rival... would you tell me??

Him:... I'm feeling attacked by this line of questioning. Are you MY secret rival?

Me: I started the questions here. And you haven't answered them yet.

[skicoak]

If I ever have a rival,

Isn't Sherlock Homes YOUR rival?

[OttoGruenwald]

I've had secret Santas but not any secret rivals.

[AbelDraws]

This is such a nice concept <3 fun rivalry is always good. I guess the only person in that category for me would be my big sis? She's the one I'm the most competitive with for sure x'D

I just wish she drew more often, she's super talented but... She's lazy lmao. That's why I get so competitive, my dad always says she draws better than me and I'm like *looks at her (my) mountains of drawings * >:c. Gotta practice even more I guess x'D

Competitiveness aside, I love her and she's amazing. She has a tumblr but she almost never post art there. Here's the link with a drawing from this last inktober tho <3

minane's blog

[vothnthorvaldson]

I don't. I'm incredibly non-competitive, even for fun, I can try but it would not last.
If I come across someone similar in skills and style, I'd be more likely to want to do some kind of collaborative work.

[spadedigsbutts]

I will fight all of my close art friends in open art combat and slaughter them (lovingly).

[irene_addler]

AHEM. Yes. Yes absolutely.

[Hexigate]

It'd be pretty cool to have a friendly rivalry, but that'd require being known lol
And I'm not the kind of person to start something; someone else gotta say hello first for me to reciprocate, if you get what I mean.

[GamerPrincessXI]

I don't have a rival. Kinda wish I did. XD

[Cavechan]

When I was in high school, many moons ago, my best friend I guess would have been a rival for me. She was very innately talented at drawing and was drawing literally 24/7. I definitely admired her skills and was sort of a secret rival, though I figure she likely knew.

Whenever I showed her my drawing though, she would only ever say "Cute." And that was it. Never anything else. I think it's one of the reasons why our friendship became rocky and didn't last past graduation.

I don't think I have any currently though.

[GesuGesu]

Not particularly? I would guess my friends are the closest thing, but we're supportive of each other and I don't really feel it's a rivalry.

[DokiDokiTsuna]

Quite a few. I don't want to name names, and honestly I try not to think about these artists as individuals while I'm in the 'rivalry' mindset, because that inevitably comes with feelings of hostility and animosity. I'd rather sic the green-eyed monster on a concept than a person...

...I really envy those of you who can have healthy rivalries that inspire you to work harder and become better artists, rather than making you despondent, paranoid, and pessimistic. ^^;