Here’s how I think it might work. My comic usually posts on Mondays if sometime during the rest of the week you post a link to http://supersilbingscomics.com on your Facebook page I’ll do the same for you. Shoot me an email at banshee(a)bansheecomics.com with your site and update schedule and I’ll compile a list of those playing along and I’ll do my best to post links to your comics throughout the week on my Facebook page http://facebook.com/supersiblings, What do you think?

Considering all the drama associated with Dark Horse Comics announcement of day and date digital I want to throw in my two cents. I would also like to refer you to this great post from comic retailer Dan Morrill aka @ComicsForge. I think his points are well taken including those made by Brian Wood. It seems to me that what they’re saying is that comic retailers and publishers need to differentiate their product so digital and print can coexist. Meaning that collected editions, collector’s items, etc are the future and weekly periodicals are the way of the past. This makes a lot of sense to me. It’s the same thing that movie studios do every time there’s a new DVD release. They give their customers a reason to buy a physical copy instead of just expecting customers not to download. In other words there’s no point in competing with digital, accept it but then differentiate to your customers why the physical product is still essential to own. As a comic customer I wrestle with this same thing, especially in a bad economy. Why would I pay $3.99 for a single issue? If I’m patient I can buy a collected edition at a cheaper per issue rate. If that’s true then why would I ever pay $3.99 for a digital copy? As a consumer both the print and digital price have soured my desire to buy anything. I mean why not just collect back issues on ebay for $.99 instead? I think DC made a bold move with the new 52. I think it’s now time for someone to make a bold move and give us a pricing structure that makes sense. This whole idea of free or low cost digital and printed collectable items has been the mainstay of webcomics from the beginning. It seems to work well for many independent artists, what remains to be seen is whether or not it can support a corporate business.

Here are some drawing tips for the 1950’s cartoonist:

“Every object in existence can be reduced either to a sphere, a cube, a cone, a cylinder - or some combination of these basic forms. If you remember this fact constantly, and approach your subject matter from this point of view, you will have no difficulty in drawing any object you can see or imagine…
From this minute on, throughout the rest of your life, look first for the basic form of every object which comes before your eyes, whether you are staring at a radio or a rhinoceros, a pomegranate or a princess. Look for the basic form, recognize it, and draw it through to the other side. If you will do this conscientiously, you will learn to draw form convincingly before you know it - and half your problem as an artist will be licked!”

–1950’s Famous Artists Cartoon Course - Lesson 12 Pg 4 & 5.

Let me start by first expressing my bias, I am a Mac addict and have been since the 1980’s. It’s no wonder that I have an affinity for the man and his legacy. I love his company’s products and use them every day. That being said there are plenty of technological advances that Apple had nothing to do with, chief among them being the internet. You also can’t just give one man credit for the success of a company either because there are countless nameless programmers, designers and engineers that have never gotten credit for their work. Steve Wozniak and Jonathan Ives are two perfect examples of men that nobody knows but Apple wouldn’t be Apple without them. This is typical though with such strong visionary types like Steve Jobs. These individuals have the magic touch and the ability to chart the course and get others to follow and make it happen. Take a look at Job’s Stanford address and tell me you’re not inspired:

What does any of this have to do with webcomics? Is there a connection between Job’s legacy and webcomics? Webcomics are published online and Apple didn’t invent the internet or html. Here’s the question though: would we have a reason or the ability to use the internet without Steve Jobs? Not only is Apple responsible for the personal computer but they’re also responsible for the first home computer with a mouse and a graphical user interface. I remember DOS. I remember the world before Windows and there was no place for webcomics there. Also, it’s because of the Macintosh that vector drawing and image manipulation became a viable digital art form. From the advent of the Macintosh right down to the iPhone sitting in my pocket Apple, lead by Steve Jobs has reformed the way we make and consume information and media. They didn’t invent the technology they just invented new ways to use it. So is Steve Jobs responsible for Webcomics? No, but he did make them possible.

What remains to be seen is how comic strips and webcomics will adapt to this new marketplace. With the majority of webcomics being site based, will new and inventive ways emerge that take advantage of this new technology? It’s true that any webcomic is always accessible through a web browser but does the multitude of apps and sites screaming for a user’s attention keep them from reading a webcomic on their mobile device? How can webcomics break through the noise? Discuss…

Here are some tips from the 1950’s on artistic observation for cartoonists:

“As a cartoonist, you must train your eye to see more than an object’s general shape and details. Your eye must penetrate to the BASIC STRUCTURAL FORMS. Your eye must see; your brain must understand. Once you know what the basic forms in an object are, it isn’t hard to draw that object. See, understand, and remember basic forms.”

–1950’s Famous Artists Cartoon Course - Lesson 11 Pg 14

Here are some panel drawings from Milton Caniff to explain how composition effects story in cartooning:

“Here are two panels Milton Caniff drew to illustrate this business of composition for cartoonists. In the first he drew the scene in detail, spelling everything out pictorially. In the second panel most of the detail was omitted, leaving just enough to get the idea across. Also, moving the camera right up behind the rifleman’s shoulder puts the reader closer to the action, and gives him that important feeling of participation. Both panels are well composed, but the second is much better for the purpose. The important thing is to add power and clarity to the story. In case your Russian is rusty, the balloon reads: (The Americans have taken the city - this way!)”

–1950’s Famous Artists Cartoon Course - Lesson 11 Pg 14

This quote holds some significance for me considering how I use black in my comic strip backgrounds. How do you use black and white in your strip? Here’s some advice from the 1940’s Cartooning Course:

“Present-day comic strips are printed so small that it pays to think twice before putting any of that grand old pen shading in your work. It’s apt to close up and look like hair – and hair doesn’t grow on chairs or doorknobs.
Always be alert for chances to simplify your work into solid whites and blacks. For an object to stand out in a composition it must contrast in value with the surrounding area. Solid black is a great eye-catcher, but over-use makes it tiresome. Clean white space is just as powerful. When you draw solid whites and blacks, keep the outlines sharp and clear-cut so that the shapes are easily recognized. Over-shading can ruin your outlines – avoid it.”

–Famous Artists Cartoon Course - Lesson 11 Pg 9

For this week’s #webcomicschat I thought I’d borrow from Bob Mayer (@Bob_Mayer) who recently published an article on his blog titled “If I Were A Newly Self-Published Author, What Steps Would I Take To Succeed?” It’s a well written article that gives great advice to anyone involved in self-publishing. Even though it’s meant for writers I think it applies to webcomic creators as well. One of the main points I take away from it is the idea of persistence. It is rare indeed that a self-publisher becomes an overnight success. It is more likely instead that success comes after long, steady persistent effort.