Side Comics...Is there a right way and a wrong way?

[TheHerald]

So while working on some concept art, I was listening to a youtuber who went on a rant in regards to people creating side comics, which tell a different plot along with some of the same characters from the main story. Saying that all of the information should be within that one comic (the main story). So that made me wonder, is there ever really a time where a side comic is necessary? If so, what are some things to take into consideration before creating one?

[joannekwan]

I dunno, to me, actual side comics are like how A History of Quidditch, Tales of Beedle the Bard, etc. are to the main Harry Potter series. You don't need to read them to get the main story, but they're nice extras for fans who care enough, adding more flavor to the world you create.

My side comic isn't even really a side comic, more of an extras series where I'll showcase fan art I get or really short one page mini comics for extra laughs or inside knowledge.

[TheHerald]

So would you say that the target audience for side comics should be for the current fans only, or as another entrance for newcomers to the comic to get interested in the world you have created?

[joannekwan]

I don't see why it can't work both ways!

Perhaps the side comic is about the early life of your main character, it can work as a prequel to those who already know your main series, or it can be the first introduction for new readers and they can see your main character grow up.

Or in another case, the side comic is about a group of people living in the world set in your main story but is unrelated to the main cast. They become the stars of their own show in their own right and you've just expanded your universe, think like the Marvelverse or DCverse.

[screensaver]

It could work if theres:

1. the main comic (with all the main plot stuff)
2. a side comic with short not-canon slice-of-life adventures that don't necessarily contribute to the plot or universe, but do help with character development

[shazzbaa]

I feel like that would only be a problem if you're reading the main story and suddenly you're expected to know something that was only revealed in a side comic. Nobody wants to feel like they have to do extra reading to appreciate the story.

I think you have to think a lot about how to handle information if you do this kind of thing. If a side story reveals something interesting about a character, you gotta write the main story knowing that some of your readers have that information, and some don't. Even if it's something small like character development, it still affects the way your readers are going to see those characters. So on the one hand, you don't want to assume that all your readers know about the thing, but on the other, you don't want to make it repetitive for folks who read both if it comes up in the main story. So I think it's just something you gotta keep in mind!

but also, one guy on youtube might not reflect everyone's opinions. It might be a personal preference for him, and he might have good arguments against the idea of side comics, but others might really enjoy them.

[MidZM]

A side comic that runs hand in hand with the main comic (unless it's non-cannon or just for fun) should be done right as to not confuse people or cause them to need to read more to understand more.

My comic will have a side comic much later in the series where the characters in the main story are sent through a portal but in the next page/chapter they pop right back out of said portal and talk briefly about it and then it isn't really even brought up much or at all afterwards.
The side comic would be the adventure(s) that the characters experience during the time in the portal, making the adventures technically cannon but at the same time not causing any adverse effects on the main story since it will be updated regularly while the side comic will be updated from time to time.

[digitalvalium1]

Girl Genius did this. Foglio is notorious for leading up to a cliffhanger, then releasing 20 plus pages of some side story with new characters. I hate it. Most readers I've talked to hate it also. My wife is vehemently against any such silliness. As a creator, though, I understand getting burnt out on a project. Still, this is why one prepares a large buffer.

[ahhvecadoes]

I think the best way to go about making side comics is asking the question: Will this be knowledge or a story that absolutely needs to be known for the plot to make sense in the main story?
If it's a yes, you should probably just make a mini chapter or move some stuff around and add it to your main story. There's no sense in confusing and potentially alienating your readers.

[hushicho]

I think it depends on the creator, the story, the audience...

Burnout is a very real danger for any creator, and there's nothing wrong with giving oneself a break for some relief, to avoid that pitfall. That said, I do think it's best to keep crucial knowledge to the main series. But there's nothing wrong with adding to or enhancing things in side comics, whether or not it involves the same characters.

It's also probably worth noting that just because something may seem to be a side comic, that doesn't always mean it has nothing to do with the main story. Sometimes events happen that aren't tied in until much later. I'm not typically that much of a "long game" planner, but I've known people who were; it's worth giving the creator the benefit of the doubt.

I honestly just don't see why people can't let themselves just enjoy what's being done, really. If I'm reading something, I'm reading it because I like the voice of the creator and how they present their unique vision. Usually it only bothers me if the whole work is suffering in terms of enjoyability because of these side jaunts, which does happen, although in my experience only rarely.

[AnnaLandin]

Saying that all of the information should be within that one comic (the main story)

All information necessary to follow the plot should be in the main story, yes. Reading one comic should not require you to also read a bunch of other comics that aren't included in the main narrative - the same way watching one tv-show shouldn't require you to also watch a bunch of other tv-shows, just so you understand what's going on.

I think side-comics work best when they give you some fun/interesting extra info on characters or the world which is fun to read for fans of the story - or a nice way for a new reader to dip their toes into the storyworld - but don't contain crucial plot-elements. I have a few ideas for side-comics for Grassblades, which will provide some backstory on some secondary characters. The main comic will work perfectly fine without them; it's just a chance for me as the creator to tell more stories about characters who aren't directly in the spotlight all the time.

IMHO, side-comics should be like the extra content on a DVD; fun for those who explore it, but not strictly necessary for the people who just want to watch the movie.

[MST3KFan]

See I could see doing a side comic to the main comic IF it's focusing on characters that have no major relevance to the plot. Like in my comic, my main character runs a comic and collectible store and has a number of employees she interacts with sometimes in it.

I could do a side comic just focusing on those employees, and it would not take away from the main story at all as again, they are minor characters in the main.

If however you're making a side comic to your main that involves main characters I think then you're becoming like a lot of comic book companies have done with their comics. Like you're reading an issue of X-Men and suddenly they're having a conversation about something you're not familiar with what they're talking about happening, only to see an asterisk next to it telling you to go read ANOTHER X-book to know what they're talking about. It gets annoying IMO.

A way it could work doing a side comic to your main as others have pointed out is if the side comic is maybe non-canon stuff. Like...well, an example that isn't a comic. The web series RWBY has a side series called RWBY Chibi. It stars all the main characters, but its a chibi/cutesy version of them rather then the more series main series.

Anyway, just my thoughts here.