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Apr 2021

Oh god, here we go again with this. The old "these/this comic(s) doesn't deserve to be popular" chant.
It's been going on since the beginning of the internet.

Welcome to the webcomic community.
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It's totally like they find something people like and milk it to death. How many stories have I seen in the last 2 weeks about a guy trapped in a virtual reality game who needs to level up or beat the game to escape it again? Way too many. And all of them get popular, which means more clones of that one story that people liked originally, and it just ruins the whole thing. But they're not bad, just repetitive.

They're what's popular, so they're what's going on the front page. It's just the way sites that create this type of content work. Besides, what's bad and what's good is dependent on who's judging as far as art goes. There's plenty of people who like those comics anyway.

Personally, I'd rather focus on what I'm doing than how Tapas is running their business. Besides, those "bad" comics still require time and hard work. You're judging on a surface level--covers and summaries--because I know you're not paying to read the story and properly judge. The artists and writers are just like the rest of us, their hard work just paid off and they had a bit of luck (wrote the right story at the right time, or got read by the right people who spread the word about it).

Do I plan to read the premium stories? Probably not. At least, not most of them, but I'm happy for their success. And here's the thing: success isn't a finite resource so really, what is there to get mad about? How is it affecting you? Your chance at success isn't jeopardized by those comics.

It's not worth being salty over. Whatever you think of those comics, people worked hard making them. Good for those artists and writers for getting to a place where they can be paid. Their existence isn't keeping these "actually good" comics from getting views.

We'd all like to live in a world where Tapas found every deserving hidden gem and rose them to the top, but reality is harder then that. But you do yourself no favors if you blame one comics failure on the success of another.

The hate comes from the fact that those repetitive stories get so much support from the admins that good stories, good both art-wise and story-wise, have no chance on this platform.
Also, Tapas boosting only this kind of stories attract only a certain type of readers and turn other types of readers, those who would enjoy serious, well-made stories, away. That approach is harmful and degrading all around.

If you're talking about regular, non-Tapas Originals webcomics, then yes. Many of the people there are still learning.

If you're talking about Tapas Originals however, then that's what gets popular nowadays. Tapas IS a business, and their priority is profit, so they WILL greenlight webcomics that pay well. Even I'm kind of burnt out by them. Artistically they all look different but it looks like they all have the same plotlines (sometimes theyre even kind of problematic?). But honestly that's just me.

Well, I guess if people are into that stuff, whatever, you know? As long as the comic itself isn't inherently gross and problematic, then we have no right to shame people reading those comics. Read the isekai that captures your heart. I always get kind of iffy whenever someone complains about "bad comics" with very little to no constructive criticism on a comic-hosting site, especially if they're a reader-only type of person, comes across as very entitled to me.

This implies that those comics are good in their own right.

Again implying that those comics don't have their own merits. And if reader truly want to read comics outside of what commonly shown on the front page they can go and look for them. And I realize there is a struggle front page space for community creators, but that does all of a sudden negate the other avenue to find non premium comics on the site that are of different genres.

Degrading to who? Community comic creators? I doubt it if you're putting you energy into things that matter.

We can go on and on about how Tapas chooses to advertise comics on this site. There's a lot to criticize. I'm not surprised that people are bothered or frustrated or irritated with the state of affairs on Tapas. But who are you helping by making statements like these or even condoning them? Why condemn these comics and subsequently the effort of the people behind them. If you want to call them repetitive, trite, overrated, or boring, those are all fair criticisms. But to outright call them bad with nothing to justify or explain as to why you think that, while it's an opinion you can have, I don't think it's a mindset you should carry.

Is it so hard to talk about the inequities of the front page and advertising on Tapas without trying to bring down other comics (and possibly creators)? If someone made a thread insinuating community comics were "bad", "all looked the same", "had terrible background art", "were unimaginative and basic" while actual "good comics" (which would be premium comics in this example) don't need to share website space with the rest of them, would that be fair?

Call it what you want, punching up or picking on the big guy, it's just kind of telling, a bit juvenile, and pretty mean. :sip: but that's just my opinion

quality > quantity
This is how it should be. Good artists and storytellers can tell longer stories in few pictures, than a shorter in more illustrations

They look very similiar and the style is not my taste but there must be a large audience who digs them otherwise they wouldn´t put them there.
I wouldn´t call them bad though, just not my taste, they look technically very well done

No one is denying this one, unfortunately, no one is asking them to tell longer stories in fewer picture, 60 panels a week is an absolute requirement they must follow. They either do it or their comic is not chosen to be premium one, it's that simple. It's a standard that the companies are obliging them to follow.

It's a sad thing. Art should be about the soul, to draw what makes you happy to express what's inside you. Now that webtoons, that were originally about creativity and the creators' expressiveness became this factory made thing. That's why I want to create something personal and timeless. Kudos to all of artists who still create from their hearts.

It's okay to be angry, and very human. When we get angry, we tend to sum things that make us feel this way as bad and only then explain them. Which is done extensively in this thread: people don't just say bad, then explain why. I agree that their explanations are very well grounded indeed.
Many people are angry at Tapas's policy of promoting a certain type of stories and at the stories themselves because the most promoted stories are indeed repetitive and poorly written. The situation is truly bad and truly unfair.
To whom is it degrading? Anyone, basically.
Making poorly written, repetitive stories the only way to earn money as an artist/writer harms everyone.
- Authors. Who knows, maybe the authors behind those stories on the front page are capable of so much more but can't earn anything from creating to their full potential.
- Readers. Many readers have no idea there is anything but those promoted stories on Tapas. Because of how the front page organized. They will never see anything else but that.
- Tapas itself. Blindly following a popular trend is a short-term solution. Trends end and then everything built upon them crumbles. Tapas has power to create trends and many people think it would be cool if they used that power to promote well-made stories. I think so as well.

I agree that to me, personally, the front page comics don't look or sound that appealing, and I would find it cool if there was a bit more diversity in how stylized they are and what stories they tell.... But they do get traffic and generate money that the rest of the site also profits from!
Having a website like tapas also costs money. There's staff etc too.

If you want community comics to be more popular, then be the change you want to see and support the ones, you personally, find worthy.
Leave comments, like, share it and recommend it to other people on other platforms, maybe give ink.

If tapas can make more money off its community content, it'll also boost it more

If those comics are what drive people to the website and keep it running then Tapas would be mad to stop promoting those. Otherwise they won’t make monkey and go the way of Smack Jeeves.

Some of the readers (who like the premium content) might go on to read and sub to smaller comics eventually too. :grin: :+1:

You sound like someone with good opinions. Would give this a quick look and tell me where it is on the scale.

@mcarrowolga All I see here are the cries of a very jealous person. It's pretty sad really... having to try and bring down others because they have too many subs. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Tapas has an audience it appeals to. That is their audience. You can make a comic that plays to their audience and have a better chance at popularity, or make what you want and do your own promotion, find your own audience and gain those subs yourself. They don't owe you anything in this regard and, again, this thread is just... really, really sad.

And then there is the real kicker of everybody wanting to make a comic, yet often they might not have the skill suited for it. I've seen plenty of comics that make my eyebrows fly off my head too, but as many have said, folks are learning. One's skill level in art sometimes needs to catch up to what is being envisioned in the head.

And then there is the matter of insisting on calling the art of these creators terrible and their titles uncreative...and even going as far as calling them unimaginative and basic. Art is extremely subjective, and considering your yourself have a comic we could also compare and talk words on that.

Lastly, this platform. Good lord the time I could spent talking about it, but as lots of folks have said Tapas gotta make money. There is a huge audience for them too, so we cannot really put a stop to it. Creators such as ourselves on this forum might not necessarily be amongst those that constantly hit numbers to get seen. Multiple updates a week, being dependant on likes and comments just to get your comic or novel out there (because I care for both)-- yeah no.

Spending time pointing out the faults- I get it. I sympathize, but you could also turn it around and uplift works that do deserve the attention they deserve.