While perusing the Web site of Bob Staake, a renowned artist and illustrator, several years ago, Brian Carroll stumbled upon Web comics. Carroll was 17 when he decided to start posting his own creations online.
"I began reading them and I started (a comic) for the worst reason: because other people were doing it," said the junior film major at the Rochester Institute of Technology. "That's by far one of worst reasons to do it."
Carroll said he began his well-known Web comic, "Instant Classic," after learning through trial and error what makes them good.
Phil Foglio, creator of the science fiction Web comic "Girl Genius," defined Web comics as those that are initially and primarily presented online. He said the syndicated comics that are found in newspapers and archive their work online are not usually thought of as Web comics.
"They pretty much have the same … restrictions that they have when appearing in print," Foglio said. "And the artist makes the vast majority of income through syndication."
"If (the comic) uses the Web as an archival system and it isn't the primary medium that (the artist) is using in order to expose their work, I don't think that makes it a Web comic," said Sadiyyah Mahdi, creator of the "Mosque and State" comic in The Daily Orange and a sophomore biology and geography major.
Nick Gurewitch, a former Daily Orange art director, said a common misconception among his fans is that his notable comic, "The Perry Bible Fellowship," is a Web comic.
"I'm almost reluctant to call it a Web comic. I'm not sure how much it is. It was born in print and thrives in print," Gurewitch said.
Web comics have only been recognized for about 10 years, most of them beginning in the early '90s. The popularity of the medium grew as technology advanced.
Dylan Meconis, creator of "Family Man," said she thinks it's funny when people consider her work to be a veteran among Web comics.
"Anything that started by 2000 or 2001 is a veteran Web comic," Meconis joked.
Although it is considered a growth industry, many comics have ended for a multitude of reasons, Foglio said.
"Artists aren't the most stable people in the world; they might also have day jobs or they might decide, 'The heck with freelance,'" Foglio said.
He noted that artists sometimes use their Web comics as a portfolio to "get a real job."
"I know a lot of people at Marvel Comics … (who did this)," he added.
Another advantage of Web comics is that there are many genres for them to be placed in. There's a place for almost anyone's work to be featured and anyone's interests to be discussed in comic format. With a wide range of topics, there's a bigger fan base for the medium.
People like Mahdi read Web comics because of their versatility and freedom for artistic expression.
"There weren't really many restrictions on what they could say, unlike newspaper censorship, and they provided humor through different fields such as video gaming Web comics that wouldn't be made into syndicated strips," Mahdi said.
The Growth of an Industry
Most artists agree that the Web comic community will only keep growing.
"I think it's only going to get more diversified. It is truly a medium that is open to anybody. You only have to be technically savvy enough to put the comics on the Web," Foglio said. "At the moment, there are no rules. You can have meticulously rendered oil painting or stick-figure drawings. I don't see any reason why that won't continue."
Beyond being placed online, Web comics differ from those in print because of artistic freedom. Artists can create the comics as they wish.
"A quick example is a comic strip called 'Pup.' It's drawn on a panel that would be 7 feet long. Some artists use the Web to their advantage," Meconis said.
"(There are) things that aren't normally in a comic strip … there's so much more freedom and choice to do what you want. You don't have the same restrictions as you would if your comic was in a newspaper," said R.K. Milholland, creator of "Something Positive," a comic that started out as therapy for Milholland when he was laid off in 2001. Milholland noted that while syndicated comic artists make more money from their work, Web comic artists had the freedom to try new things without always worrying if they succeeded or failed.
But some people argue that putting everything and anything on the Web could be a negative aspect of the Web comic industry.
"The pro is that you don't have an editor and there isn't censorship. The con is the same thing. A lot of people don't have the censorship to be their own editor and put whatever they want online, which doesn't always make for a good story," Carroll said.
Taking Responsibility
Overall, the challenges of putting together a Web comic include finances, time and motivation.
"If you're doing online comics, don't get into it for making money," Milholland warns. "There are only 10 or so of us that are getting money … that's out of hundreds of people. The only reason you should do it is if you have a story to tell."
Some of the artists do get a break. Milholland used his fan base to quit his job and do the comic full-time. Many of his fans were complaining that his comic wasn't updated seven days a week. Fed up with their complaints, Milholland put a PayPal donation banner on his Web site.
"I had a 40 hour a week job, and I also did the comic another 40 hours a week," Milholland explained. "I was tired of people complaining, so I put up a message saying, 'Pay my salary for a year.'"
Milholland didn't really think his readers would give him the money, but that with their help has allowed him to give his full attention to his comic.
"The thing about donations is that I'm mixed about it. I see no shame in it unless you've only done 10 comics," Carroll said.
Milholland's story notes the amount of time a comic artist can dedicate to his or her work. Many artists said balancing their busy schedules with their comics became a challenge.
"In the first year at least you have to set up a day to day schedule," Milholland said. "You shouldn't update less than three days a week. Don't miss a single update your first three months."
"People jump in before they've developed the comic," Meconis said. "Either you need to get your ducks in a row beforehand or you have to work in obscurity for awhile. It's easy, but it's not easy. It's easy to start, but not easy to succeed."
College and work in particular pose a threat for many comic artists to close their Web sites.
"The thing with online comics is the time commitment that you can give," said Dan Goldstein, a sophomore geology major. Goldstein started the comic "Lo Rez" when he was 16 and has continued updating since then. He noted the difficulty of attending college and publishing a Web comic.
"Over the summer I could produce three comics a week, and now I produce about one comic a month. All the other requirements I have take (precedence)."
Meconis said she took her senior year off from doing Web comics in order to finish her thesis. She said another reason many people end their Web comics is because they don't realize how many hours go into creating them.
"It's about being willing to sit down for seven hours on a Friday night," Meconis said.
Carroll advised aspiring Web comic artists to make sure they have developed their characters.
"If you don't know who they are, you'll never be able to write for them. I think you need a story to tell and heartfelt characters. They're not just there to tell a joke," Carroll said. "Web comics are a form of story telling, not just a comic strip."
Though Web comics are a young storytelling medium, they are rapidly growing in popularity with their visual and editorial freedom for self-expression.
Kim Storeygard, a graduate student in magazine, newspaper and online journalism, thinks the appeal of this unique art lies within its creators.
"People do Web comics for same reason people write," Storeygard said. "If you have something to say, you'll find place to say it. And if the Web gives you the place to say it, that's great."
--------------------- Though Web comics haven't been around long, there are certainly some gems on the Internet. These are mentioned in our story.
instantclassic.net: Brian Carroll's comic is saturated with cinematic commentary.
somethingpositive.net: R.K. Milholland's cynical comic revolving around techies, gamers and life in Boston.
projectkooky.com: Erika Moen and Dylan Meconis's socially political comics feature some miniseries and weekly updates.
nightgig.com/lo_rez: Dan Goldstein's low-resolution comic created with "lined paper and Sharpies."
girlgeniusonline.com: Phil and Kaja Foglio's science-fiction comic book-turned Web comic.
goraina.com: Raina Telgemeier's "Smile" and "The Baby-Sitters Club" comic books.
thepbf.com: Enter Nick Gurewitch's humorous observations and imagination.
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