How to make my comic more approachable?

[puddle]

Heya!! So, tricky situation: my webcomic Living With a Monster is a sequel backstory-series to an animated webshow I made last year titled nvrlyalone.

While it's absolutely beneficial to watch the animated webshow before reading the comic, I've been trying to write LWAM to also be enjoyable to those who haven't seen the webshow at all. I want it to make sense to both audiences, but also intrigue folks to check out nvrlyalone, too.

However, I think it being a sequel series could be preventing new readers from checking it out- It'd help me a ton if anyone has any feedback on how to make my comic more intriguing to those who haven't seen the webseries yet.

LIVING WITH A MONSTER | Tapas

[Bishmuth]

I started reading through your comic and honestly I see nothing inside it that would stop me from reading it as a standalone thing (which is what I'm doing)

The only thing I can really suggest is for you to add in the description 'Can be read as a standalone comic' because seeing that it was related to another piece of media would put me off reading a comic, because I would assume I'd have to know all about that first.

[puddle]

The only thing I can really suggest is for you to add in the description 'Can be read as a standalone comic'

oh my gosh I can't believe I didn't think of that. thank you so much

[Bishmuth]

Ahah that's alright

[darthmongoose]

Yeah this comic works just fine standalone! If I didn't know about the webshow from this thread I'd have just assumed it was a standalone comic.
Also this comic has really good dialogue and charming art!

[Bishmuth]

I just watched your little web show!

It was written and produced so well! I can't wait to dig into Living With A Monster I'll probably read some tonight.

[AmazementComics]

Maybe you could just add a short (and I mean short) synopsis of the characters from nvrlyalone just in case people don't look at your webseries at all. Then tell your audience that optional backstories to plot elements in the LIVING WITH A MONSTER can be found by watching the webseries. Speaking of which, that's awesome a webseries.

[puddle]

ahh oh my gosh thank you!! I pride myself on my dialogue but I worry sometimes the banter goes on too much

[puddle]

Ohmygosh thank you for checking it out!!

[puddle]

Thank you!! I'll see if I can make a short breather episode with some nvrlyalone storypoints/character info pieces! great idea!!

[Bishmuth]

Yeah, your dialogue is REALLY natural! Also if that's you acting in your webseries, you're really good at creating a 'webcam voice' sort of thing! Like if it had been on in the background and I was just listening to the voices, I probably would have thought I was listening to real non-acting voices, if you get what I mean?

It there any specific course that you did to learn how to create good dialogue or is it sort of just intuition?

[puddle]

ohhh my gosh I'm beyond flattered!! I voiced Blurk in the series, got some friends to voice Abi/Jake/Nichole -- Nichole's role was the most difficult to get recorded but my methods were recording all lines myself first as a vocal coach guide for the VAs! every line was a game of parroting and took a couple tries, but I'm lucky that any awkward takes just sound like the characters being awkward

I haven't attended any courses for writing, but I did get lucky enough to do over half of my work on LWAM (writing, planning, lining, coloring) in a grocery store cafe area durIng some weekdays-- not knowing it was across the street from a middle school. While working, the entire zone would turn into a hellhole every lunch period. I was at first worried I was writing my cast to be too verbal jab-happy -- but oohhh my gosh, these kids would have the weirdest and cruelest conversations in their friend groups right next to me while I had earbuds in. Really gave me perspective on my writing for a cast of (currently) preteens I guess what matters is remembering every character's incentive, even if their incentives aren't clear to the reader yet

[Kaylim]

Wow, I just finished watching that! I loved it. The dialog is superb. Love the story not only about the shadow, but the commentary about online engagement as well.

Editing to add that I just read the first episode of the comic. If you're intending it be standalone, why does the author's comment say ":make sure you've seen my webseries nvrlyalone (itpuddle.com/nvrlyalone) before reading further!!" ?

[puddle]

Thank you so much for checking it out!! and omg you're right! I forgot I made that note at the end of episode 1 back in october!! thank you for bringing it to my attention- I'll fix it ASAP

[puddle]

everyone has been so kind I can't thank y'all enough for even checking out my stuff, let alone saying such nice things!!

[Kaylim]

Not a problem. Reporting back on your original question:

I read episode 1 first, then watched the series, then finished the rest of the webcomic. I think they both work fine as stand alones. It's not like one has vital info the other doesn't, you've built up the world and characters equally well in each. The webseries seems more about the TubeTube fan, while the comic is very focused on Nichole, which helps them work independent of each other.

And actually, I think it's even more intriguing to read the webcomic first, then delve into the webseries (again, bc you've done such a great job establishing these characters). There would be some real suspense going from the comic, knowing Nichole is being stalked supernaturally, to the webseries, where now she has possibly disappeared!

IDK how far along in her relationship w the shadow you plan to go in the comic, but right now we have no evidence the shadow could be a friend instead of an enemy. So the ending of the webseries is still a surprise.

[puddle]

Ahhh!! You've seriously been so helpful!! Thank you immensely for taking the time and for your honesty!! I'm very excited to get to the episode where Nichole first truly interacts with the shadow!! (Soon!!) and I already have a large bulk of episodes outlined and scripted. I'm thrilled to get to work on them now!!

[Kaylim]

Yay! I'll be excited to follow along then Best of luck!