The Hybrid Comic

[Reign]

Hi! I'm working on a webcomic called Tom and Shelldon, and I've always wanted to make it a comic strip, similar to Peanuts or Calvin and Hobbs. But I've also wanted to tell an actual story with it, that's a continuation instead of small snippets. I decided to try and make a hybrid, where there's the story, and then in between the story posts, we get the comic strip parts. I was wondering - would that become confusing, with the audience getting swapped between story and then a random snippet and then story? I'm wondering if it would make more sense if I left the Tom and Shelldon story comic to itself and made a separate series called Tom and Shelldon: A Day in the Life or something. Any thoughts? I'm hoping that getting out of my head and asking comic artists who are new and veteran will help broaden my view of what would work best.

[lartianmartian1]

I've thought about this for my comic; having shorter scenes act as interludes between the lengthier story chapters, because the scenes themselves might not actually fit(?). Though they could still enhance the world and characters, like a bonus scene or whatever.

So, yeah, I think this is a really neat idea you have! Though be careful of too much tonal whiplash if the strips are more light-hearted and the story is more serious. Then I would suggest separating the two.

[aqua03]

Funnily enough, I was planning something for DRGN as well. Where in between each main chapter there would be a short vignette or comic strip that would either be a comedic interlude or more development showing the group during their downtime.

[nathanKmcwilliams]

Interestingly enough, Calvin and Hobbes often had a story throughout the week and then the Sunday strips were a one shot strip and a new "story" would go through the next week. This was done especially during the later years of the comic.
Garfield also did some like that as well.

[Reign]

Oh! Well that's good to know! I guess my main question is: because the stories won't be after each chapter or anything, but they would just be random looks into the main character's interactions with his family, having nothing to do with the story that was being told in the actual comic. Each entry I'm looking at is about 5 pages. You don't think that would get confusing, would it?

[Reign]

Fair point. I need to make sure that things at least make sense to a degree.

[Reign]

I'm glad that we're on the same page, or a similar one. That helps me feel a little bit better.

[nathanKmcwilliams]

Hmm. I think it could work, you might want to do them separately in that case. But that all depends on how much content you are planning to add to your comic with them.

[Reign]

The whole idea of Tom and Shelldon is that Tom's father wants a manly son, but Tom isn't that. Not that he is girly in any way, but he's just not an MVP of sports and he's kind of clumsy. So Tom's goal in life is to impress his father and find his place within his family and the outside world. But eventually, he finds that it doesn't matter what other people think of him. (Still trying to figure out if that realization is the end of the story or the middle). So the actual story comics will deal with bigger situations, like Tom having to keep his superstar Dad safe from an ex-football player who wants revenge, or helping the FBI find a wanted man who has stolen Shelldon because his doomsday weapon runs on snail slime. While the comic strips are Tom's day to day attempts of impressing his father - like getting himself ready to ride a roller coaster, but he ends up going to bumper cars where all the children have gathered.

[aqua03]

No problem! I'm not sure how well it'll work out for me to do in the long run, but it won't hurt to give a shot!

[Reign]

Yeah! We could do it and then report back and figure out what works and what doesn't!

[nathanKmcwilliams]

Have you considered doing the smaller episodes as a lead in to your main story instead of separating them? I feel like they would bring a more complete understanding of your main character if they were included instead of separated.

[qwerty]

A few serialized gag comics that I remember from newspapers had some kind of loose storyline. By that I mean that there was a plot / something happening that you wouldn't understand if you hadn't been following for at least a little while - but you could still generally get the jokes even without context. Examples... "Kevin and Kell", "Stone Soup","Luann"... and maybe others idr.

[Reign]

That's a good idea. I never thought of that. I'm not putting this up to try and grab people to make them read my comic, but this is what I have so far. It's the beginning to the actual story comic. I'm just hoping the whole thing will make more sense once you see it. But it was in between bits and pieces like this that I wanted to put the strips in. But you're saying I could try just doing the comic strips right now, and then lead into it after I've done a few or so? (Correct me if I'm wrong).

Tom and Shelldon | Tapas

[nathanKmcwilliams]

Yeah Calvin and Hobbes actually had developed story arcs. Like when Calvin lost Hobbes. And when Calvin made snowmen that became self aware and were trying to "kill" him.

[aqua03]

Sounds like a plan! I'll let you know when I launch DRGN!

[nathanKmcwilliams]

Yeah that would work to build an interest in the main character. But what I was trying to suggest was using the smaller strip at the beginning of an episode and then building a larger story around it that possibly has a couple chapters attached to it.
I suppose it does depend on how much you've written and started releasing already.

[Reign]

Okay, that makes sense!

[nathanKmcwilliams]

How often are you planning on releasing?

[Reign]

Right now, it's a staggering once per month for the main story comic, and once between that release. So pretty much once every two weeks.