A couple months back, folks on TWCL banded together to bring more attention to this absolutely loverly webcomic Galaxion, by Tara Tallan! This support was not asked for, and indeed, came as quite the surprise to Tara I believe, but was quite a success while it was going! People added her banner to their footers, added her ads to their site, voted for her on TWCL, joined a Facebook group, and even BOUGHT her advertising on other sites. This altruism was quite unheard of, at least it was for me, and I’ve been a part of the webcomic community for 5 years now. I found the whole project quite uplifting, and while I’m waiting for another to start (I know, I know, “Kez, why don’t you START one? Don’t just talk about it!”), it occurs to me how much power other webcomic creators have over where an audience goes. It also occurs how LITTLE and RARELY the popular guys we all look up to bother to link a smaller comic–and when that link does indeed happen, that comic is instantly popular (Case in point: Sarah Ellerton linking The Meek, Strays, Roza, etc. And I’m not saying those comics don’t deserve it–quite the opposite really–they’re just the perfect example. The comic was already great, just undiscovered!).
You guys know I’m not here to bash anyone for not doing something. I’m here to ENCOURAGE all you webcomic creators out there to help OTHER webcomic creators, without expecting anything back. Is it so hard to add a link to a links page? To a news post? To write a sentence about a new comic you’ve discovered that you think people should read? Do you think that if you send your audience to another site, they won’t come back? ‘Cause seriously, it doesn’t work like that! :D
I ran a short survey on my site about how people first discovered The War of Winds. 59% answered “a link from another comic.” So, MORE THAN HALFthe people who took the survey came because someone linked me on another site. This cost me nothing, as opposed to the 18% who selected “from a Project Wonderful advertisement.” The other 20% came from places like TopWebComics and forums I frequent.
These numbers are important because what’s true for me is probably true for the majority of other webcomickers as well: people find your comic by a link from another comic, by a recommendation on the site of someone whose comic they enjoy, or by a blog post somewheres.
There are so many comics out there who deserve more readers than they have, just like Galaxion. We together already have the audiences, and while I doubt the cumulative effect of what was done for Galaxion will happen all too often, the numbers DO add up over time. So this is what I propose:
Add comics you read to your links page. You don’t have to get permission first (UNLESS!!!! you’re M-rated linking a G-rated site. Then get permission first please). It’s the internet. Take the initiative and DO IT. No one except you will mind if your links page has tons of links. If you have to, because you have some OCD tendencies, organize links on separate pages (for example, I have a page for link exchanges, recommended reading and resources), that’s ok. Provide links to the other link pages on every links page.
Give a polite review in your news. You don’t have a shred their work, after all, you’re linking them because you want people to GO there. Try not to say anything bad at all! Tell your readers what you like and appreciate about it. Keep the link up as long as you can!
Stumble/Digg/Redit/etc them. Don’t ask for permission. If you use those things (I personally love Stumble Upon, and it’s one of the few add-ons I have for Firefox), use them for more than just YOUR work! Ever see the movie Pay It Forward? Yeah. Like that.
Use social network sites. If you have a Live Journal or Deviant Art or Blogspot or Twitter account, post about the comics you read. Especially you people on DA who have subscriptions and tons of followers. All it takes is one journal entry!
If you want to start your own campaign like Campaign: Galaxion, follow the fine example set by lonelyfetus, who started it. JUMP IN. Just do it. You’re in charge, and people ask YOU what they can do. Don’t start a thread asking for what you can do or who you should do it for [at an ambiguous time in the future] …because everyone will give you their opinions, or tell you what you’re doing wrong, and that means nothing will get done at all. You can only have one driver in the car at a time; the car crashes otherwise. [please insert appropriate colloquialism here that I could not remember.]
We as webcomic readers/creators have the ability to send our audience where we want. Use this power for good, but above all, USE IT. The SpiderForest collective (I’m a member there) does this indirectly with our top rotating banner. Even being part of the network automatically means a member would recommend you, because you got in. If you have a collective, or are part of one, consider more cross-advertising possibilities.
If you’re a popular comic, getting 5k+ uniques a day, you would be far more loved by the webcomic community if you bothered to link the little guys. They would probably all link you back just to say thanks, even if you took down your link to them (for example, if it was just in the news).
Above all, just help each other grow. We’re all out here spending hours on a hobby that makes little to no money, and readers rarely take the initiative to FIND new comics themselves. Point the way, and they will go.
That’s it from me today. Webcomic website reviews are still coming. Those take a couple hours to write up, so I’m still looking for that time. Trying hard!
May 25th, 2009 - 9:35 pm
I want my comics to be popular just so I can plug other comics.
(I mean all the delicious feedback that comes with known-ness is nice, but being able to plug other comics I love and make a difference would be seriously sweet. XD)
May 25th, 2009 - 11:46 pm
I can think of a few other examples of such success: Octopus Pie was linked by Questionable Content, and Unshelved was linked by Penny Arcade. Both of those were game-changing moments for the respective comics.
May 26th, 2009 - 8:51 am
Well said! This is what I keep saying over and over to the people I’m trying to wrangle for the Atlanta group. I think artists (in particular) tend to labour in solitude and forget how much they can support each other. I’m not an artist, I’m a WRANGLER, so I totally get that everyone needs to TALK and make connections! Getting them out of their lairs is the challenge. :-)
Side question (you can email me about this if you’d rather): are you in Phoenix? We <3 Phoenix!! If so, you may know Daniel Davis (http://monstercommute.com) and his group Tiny Army. If you don’t know Danny, you may want to track him down and start attending TA meetings. They are doing BIG things! :-)
Think Weasel! is our webcomic, my blog is misangela.com.
Cheers!
Angela
May 26th, 2009 - 11:04 am
Hi Angela! Thanks for the comment! It is QUITE sad how often artists labor in solitude, as you say! That’s definitely one great thing that blogging and social networking have brought to the webcomic/art community though! It’s making it more clear how communication can grow a site/idea as fast, if not faster, than just raw talent!
I’m not in Phoenix, unfortunately! I’m about….errr….2000 miles northeast of there. I wonder if there’s anything like that in my area? *goes to check it out* Thanks again!
May 26th, 2009 - 11:05 am
@fluffy Octopus Pie! Good example! I’m unfamiliar with Unshelved probably because I don’t read PA. :D
May 26th, 2009 - 11:11 am
@Sen: Well, if we got 10 or so middle-popular comics, I think we could get the same result! Personally, I think big popularity isn’t worth it. You get crazy fans, or people who think it’s their mission in life to tell you everything you’re doing wrong, people screaming when you miss an update, your work is more often plagiarized, and THEN one day you find your comic on a blog like “Your Webcomic is Bad and You Should Feel Bad.” D:
But yeah, you could ALSO grant your popularity to the masses. I wish more people thought like you!
May 28th, 2009 - 11:24 pm
[...] tells us how we (as a community) could SERIOUSLY ROCK. Go read it, I’ll [...]
May 29th, 2009 - 3:02 am
Those of us who work as a team, like my wife and me, are aware that life is much more difficult for people working alone. I known Tara is also married, but I bet she’d agree that people who are more isolated really benefit from such love bombs because we were alone once too. When I re-read the comics I drew before I met my wife, they are more sad in some ways, and I didn’t have to endure famous blowhard cartoonists hurling swear words at me like I do today.
The majority of “successful” (it’s often feigned) cartoonists today are not in position by merit: they are survivors who found gimmicks that resonated with the fat college demographic. Unfortunately, they have a siege mentality, and most of the ones who are most prominent will do nothing to help you. In fact, they regard you as a force to be blocked.
Fighting them is a waste of energy. The webcomics new wave far outnumbers the grinches, and working to help each other will do far more for everyone than any other thing you can do, aside from making the best comic you possibly can.
I track analytics pretty closely using a bunch of both rickety and solid techniques, and the Old School is losing readers. I don’t want to see them fail, I want to see them lose the cynicism, disdain and dishonesty that characterizes their professional conduct. I’d like to see them stop behaving like juvenile delinquents in adult bodies. I’d also like to see them invest some energy in their art and writing for a change, as many have gotten stale. Unfortunately, people don’t change so easily, and I would say support for other comics *has* to be accompanied by an awareness of the serious shortcomings of those who would speak for the newer, more professional crowd, but do not represent our values at all.
Thanks for mentioning Mike of Lonely Fetus and his role. He’s a neat guy, and has taught me quite a bit. Thanks, Mike.
I find your essay inspiring and will keep it close to heart.
Bengo
P.S. Unshelved is a library-life themed comic. It’s notable in that it is one of several where speaking honorariums do most of the work to make it self-supporting. Others who mine method this are PhD comics and Scott McCloud.
Just a little fun fact. Not an endorsement. :)
May 29th, 2009 - 12:24 pm
Why did I have a feeling Bengo was going to descend on here to rant about the Scott Kurtzes of the world…?
“Do you think that if you send your audience to another site, they won’t come back? ‘Cause seriously, it doesn’t work like that!”
But if you send your audience to another site, they might give their money to that site, and then it ISN’T coming back. Oh, and do you think Tim Buckley wants to risk people seeing, say, The Order of the Stick and deciding, “Hey, Ctrl+Alt+Del looks like crap compared to this! I don’t wanna read it anymore!” (Wait, I read and enjoy both strips. Never mind.)
May 29th, 2009 - 7:05 pm
bravo! I never thought about this before, but its definately true! I know a good deal of the webcomics I read now I found through links from the big famous webcomics I started off with in the first place :) The feature section of Drunkduck on their front page is another lovely place to find little gems that dont get much attention otherwise!
I already do speak up about any great webcomics Im reading when I update my own webcomic, and I will continue to do so to help others out, I never thought of it like that before!
May 29th, 2009 - 8:30 pm
@Bengo I had no idea about that with Unshelved! I had the good fortune of being able to attend a McCloud presentation once, and no wonder he can make it work that way! I’m so glad we have people like him educating the world about comics (lest we leave it to Spider-Man 4. guh!) So, yes, I personally endorse the symposium method. I think it’s a wonderful alternative to displaying ads on the site or attempting merchandise sales.
Thanks for the rest of your comments as well! Just ONCE I’d like to see one of the big guys link a little guy who ISN’T their groupie, or fan, or relative–just a link of merit. One day I’ll make a “findnewcomics.com” site, JUST for that purpose. Someone feel free to beat me to it.
May 29th, 2009 - 8:37 pm
@Morgan: None of that please! This blog is about comic encouragement and information, regardless of anyone you may disagree with OFF my site.
You bring up a good argument though, one that divides comics as a business, and comics as a hobby. Just like if I went to a Burger King I would understand the lack of MacDonald’s advertisements, when money is involved, the game changes.
The thing is, if a money-making comic directs people to a site that is NOT interested in revenue, there is no conflict. Generally, small, good, comics are in it for the art, not the money, so I’d love to see more linking out there!
The best of both worlds is a place like Topatoco, where everyone involved gets the OPPORTUNITY to sell things together, and cross advertising all around lets the audience of one know the other exists (and vice versa.) The give and take is equal, and most probably, joining together increases the revenue of everyone involved.
But back to my original reason subject in this essay, the “webcomic community” isn’t in it for the money. We should definitely be linking each other more. Thanks for commenting, and sorry if I come off a bit sharp in the beginning there. Bengo is a friend of mine!
May 29th, 2009 - 8:41 pm
@Rebecca: Thanks for commenting! I’m glad you already link comics you’re reading. We need more people like you! If you have any comic friends, prod them to do the same, eh?
May 30th, 2009 - 2:35 pm
I have a blog about webcomics dedicated to precisely this purpose: sharing good comics that I enjoy. :)