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If web comic creators do have the endurance, then a nice, hefty piece of story is the ideal - 20-odd pages each month, just like the US comics.

Much as I'd love to, that's just impossible. I feel like the 8 pages a month is so taxing to the main artist that I've gone and got a backup artist to give him rests.

As to longer narrative arcs, they're usually followed by a more limited audience. However, I've found webcomics like that a good way to test yourself and show your work around during production. The aim of that sort of webcomic is, to me, the final compilation, where the number of readers rises exponentially, all of a sudden. People like reading complete stuff, apparently.

Here's my plan - each month, say on the 15th, I'd post 8 pages. Oftentimes the 8 pages would be a complete story, but the "longer" arcs would last no longer than three months, three parts and 24 pages. Then I'd collect the 24 pages into a printed comic format. I do realize it would be tough to publish an epic, multi-year epic and keep folks coming back while attracting new readers.

Thank you for your comments, Simud - and you, Tordel. Lots to think about.

Now my biggest concern is whether I should publish the strip in the intended B&W or color it for the web...

As it is, I think the 'Necronauts' concept is just one whose time has/had come.

And if memory serves, in that other thread on this subject didn't Emperor list three or four other variations on the theme?

I worked for Fox (Fox 56, Philadelphia) as a Master of Controls Operator (fancy title, yes) when Firefly was airing - and I don't remember it at all. At all.

I remember Tru Calling, Wonderfalls and all kinds of other aborted shows that aired during my watch, but for some reason not Firefly. In fact, I was shocked when I found out it aired on Fox.

Currently starting a BSG rewatch, and it is remarkable how much it owes directly to Firefly, from the FX in the space sequences including "flawed" camera shots, shakycam, episode framing and structure, and even sharing writers.

BSG is next on the docket after Farscape. I plan to start with the old series first, though.

1. Megabus
2. Bhuna
3. SKD

HM Kerrin

Eye partikyoularily liked it wen syberleeder spelt the same word difrently twise in won paragraff, it reelly made me chukkel 

What always makes me smile is that he can spell "Cyberleader" right. I wonder if maybe his mum wrote it out for him in big letters and he carries around the paper in his pocket and looks it over when he registers on various forums.  .

Sweet Mother of God that is soooooo cool.

If that doesn't get people in the museum, what will?!

...but then again, old folks and children maybe shouldn't take the chance...

I enjoy the odd web comic and am online infrequently so dead time isnt an issue but I think I prefer 'motion comics' and probably actively look for these more. They're easy enough to do using something like windows movie maker and when anyone says web comic they're are my first thought. Would you go for something like this LOD?

I do prefer flash comics to "regular" webcomics myself, judgefett, but I absolutely haven't the slightest how to get something like that up and running. I'm lucky enough a childhood friend of my is a website designer or I'd make it to the moon before I'd get a website in order...

It's been in my mind to get some sort of flash comic done up as an advertisement, or at least a "trailer" like the ones 2000AD puts together now and then. Again, I haven't the software or the inkling.


Thanks, Darren - you've seen snippets of what's going online!

Wow! That's great stuff, Sparkonaut! Somehow you've captured "fun" and "gritty" in the same strip...easily some of the best work in this thread. I look forward to seeing it inked.

never been a fan of Metal/Rock myself, but always thought Queen's soundtrack fitted the film perfectly.

Lost Boys is another film that works well because of a rock soundtrack - the movie simply revels in its "80's-ness". I also love the fact that although the film also has a proper score...it's synth.

Re Jikan - Samurai Jack is a cartoon, not another comic.  It's about a samurai who is thrown through time into the far future by a demon. Jack is forever pursuing the demon who flees at the end of most episodes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samurai_Jack
(I'm not in the slightest suggesting any copying. They are just extremely similar stories.)

Ah, you're right.

Just want to make sure it doesn't sound like I'm implying anyone stole anything from Samurai Jack. I didn't mean that at all.

Re Jikan - Samurai Jack is a cartoon, not another comic.  It's about a samurai who is thrown through time into the far future by a demon. Jack is forever pursuing the demon who flees at the end of most episodes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samurai_Jack
(I'm not in the slightest suggesting any copying. They are just extremely similar stories.)

Ah, you're right.

Sound advice, Brian.

My biggest concern is the "dead time" and how to present the pages (in terms of how many and how often).

My second biggest concern, which david mentioned, is attracting readers - Warren Ellis nicely offered how to keep them!

More food for thought from you. You're all over it tonight!

[so I can learn from it]

Hey Brian - no worries at all. I'd rather someone tell it like it is so I can learn from it. In that respect, I really really appreciate it. No worries.

Gads! You've pointed out probably the stupidest mistake I could have made: not letting the reader know that this is part three. You know, I had a blurb at the beginning of part 2 but for some reason didn't include it this go round. I can't for the life of me remember why, though it's now obvious I should have...these are the little things I definitely appreciate being pointed out to me. Thanks!

As far as Jikan goes, I'm not really sure what the inspiration for the character is/was. I'm just a "hired" gun; Davey, the editor, asked me to write a few 8-page stand-alone episodes between the larger story arcs which are developed by him and Mark Howard (I think that's how it works).

But yeah, I'd like to continue chatting with you privately if that's cool. Pick your brain a bit.

Hello all - I've previously asked for advice in getting a web comic up and running. Well, I've figured that out, and have a friend designing the page...

But I've got to admit I'm not a web comics fan. I don't like to read comics on a screen, even with a reader. I am trying to get past all of that and embrace this "newfangled" technology (and I'm not an eldster, just a really really backwards individual). So I've decided that my comc will have a limited print run to make me happy, while at the same time running online to, you know, be read by a potentially wider audience.

So...questions.

I've noticed most sites seem to run a page a week. Is this the norm? I was thinking 8 pages a month - is this okay? Or would there be too much "dead time" in between episodes?

What about color? For atmospheric purposes I feel the comic works best in B&W. Whilst it will certainly be B&W in printed form (for cost), should I have it colored for the web. I do recognize many folks' attitudes about B&W comics (and film, ect) so despite my preference for the B&W I do realize that I may need to compromise here...

So, if you have a moment, tell me what you like/want in a web comic, what keeps you going back to it. And to any of you who run web comics, do you have any pointers?

Thanks so much for your time.