Stuck in the middle with... you? Part 2

[GreggK]

I posted this once and no one answered. Maybe I choose the wrong topic or I'm the only one. Thought I'd give it one more try...

GreggK

So, my time here on Tapas and in the forums has been great. I've found comics I absolutely love and I've made friends and I've even gained a few subs.

However, in this webcomic biz I have found that the majority of comics are either graphic-novel-story-style comics or one-off-slice-of-life comics. And I love all of these things. The styles, the jokes, the action, the stories and the art. It's fantastic! But I feel a little left out bc while my comic is in a one-off-slice-of-life style, I'm still attempting to build a graphic-novel-story-style as well. I sub to a few like this but I think there are more of you out there... We want to be Frank Miller even though we are closer to Gary Larson...

Anybody else feel this way? We should be friends if you do so we can talk more about it. Show me yours and I'll show you mine...

[joe_galindez]

I dunno if the divide is that clear. Plenty of comics mix story arcs with slice-of-life and even gag-a-day strips. No single format is best. I prefer story comics (and I plan to make some) but I've always thought that gag-a-day comics were harder to do. You need to have a new idea for every new strip.

[Sanz]

tbh I sort of admire slice of life comics. but there are alot...because I guess people relate to them. and humans love that. I can't say it's something I can do very well. but I've also never tried I've always only written out novel like stores.

[KoreanTacos]

and humans love that.

WTF!? I don't want humans reading my slice of life comics I was hoping they were inter dimensional time wizards who were reading my comics. Series cancelled!

[GreggK]

These are all good points and, like I said, I love all the aspects of comic-joke/story-telling. But I have noticed some animosity between the slice-o-life strips creators and the graphic-novel long form creators. (People post a lot about how one is more popular than the other or how they don't like the other or how they aren't given any attention bc they aren't the other) I usually refer to my comic as a strip but they aren't one-off jokes. There is a storyline there. (Hopefully) And what happens in one strip carries on to the next. (Hopefully) That's why I feel a bit lost here bc the long form people can write you off quick as just a strip. And vice versa. Maybe someone else has noticed too?

[CartoonMomo]

I agree, I love Slice of Life comics so much that I started drawing my own on Line Webtoons - Baby Alpaca's Adventures.

[TheThoughtfulBoxful]

WTF!? I don't want humans reading my slice of life comics I was hoping they were inter dimensional time wizards who were reading my comics. Series cancelled!

DANGIT HUMANS!! D:<

LOL

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@GreggK I'm slightly confused with this discussion.
Isn't a graphic novel and a one-off comic book technically the same thing??

[PaulDevers]

I'm doing a gag-a-day strip, and I've recently spent a good bit of time (maybe too long in retrospect...) on one arc, so I feel like trying to do a grand plot isn't exclusive to one format.
I haven't noticed an animosity-sense divide between graphic novel vs. slice of life here on Tapastic, though there is a divide I believe between the popularity of the two. Slice of life tends to be what I see on the main page more often, though graphic novels tend to show up there two on a regular basis! I'd say do what you want, honestly! I think I heard it said that when you write a comic, write for yourself, not for your audience.

[Pompmaker1]

Slice of life! I really love the genre as a whole, but I lean more towards the Japanese flavor of it where they show off the peacefulness and beauty of mundane life rather than the problems and nitty gritty stuff. I don't mind graphic novels and more dramatic plots, but I figure life has enough drama in it already, and I turn to fiction to calm myself down.

[GreggK]

Yeah. But I mean one-off comic strips. Where strips are posted as opposed to a graphic novel where pages are posted as in a book form. If that makes sense...

[GreggK]

Well said. Thanks for the feedback. Your comic looks great by the way

[PaulDevers]

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the feedback and my comic! I wish you the best of luck on yours, too!