Poll: Webcomic Malarky

[InsanityManifest]

Back in high school I was a prolific artist, doodling fantasy and sci-fi characters like there was no tomorrow. Somewhere in between making out with girls in the library and making offensive anti-religious statements in theology classes I decided to take a whack at this newfangled webcomic stuff.

It did not take.

My problem was that although I felt mildly confident that I could improve my art skills to somewhere around the levels of Errant Story I didn't have confidence in my story ideas. Everything had been done to death, reanimated, and blown to bits with a shotgun.

The idea was simple: I like Sherlock Holmes, I like fantasy, why not combine the two? The idea was a team of detectives working in a fantasy setting, solving crimes and uncovering spooky magical mysteries. One would be an brilliant inquisitive but brash investigator, the other a calculatingly deadly but oddly empathic bounty hunter. I wanted to keep magic mystical so there wouldn't have been a whole lot of fireballs and lightning bolts (Think Conan/Red Sonja).

While all of my friends said the idea was neat, most objective observers kept pointing out that this has been done. Maybe not exactly in the way I envishioned but still, nothing new. My problem is that I hate the idea that I might be ripping off someone else, so if any of you guys think this is worth a shot, please give me some feedback.

(Yeah, I notice that I post a lot of ideas up here, but that's mostly because I respect the Escapist audience as having good taste...Not kissing ass BTW.)

 

[broadband]

ah i dont know what to say but if youre going to have fun writing and drawing, then do it, i would love to have skil to draw and knowledge of drawing tools but i simply dont

 

[Anarchemitis]

You don't see many original ideas nowandays. And for that specific reason, I say DO IT TO IT!

 

[GyroCaptain]

There are tropes you will use that have been used time and again, but it's very easy to rise above mediocrity by simply using them BETTER. The highlight of a bad webcomic is not dyslexic errors, or bad artistic style, although those things contribute. Instead, the bugbears of webcomics are angst, playing formulaically along with audience expectations (afraid to innovate), and having all your characters be the same. As long as you're clear of those things, you've bested the entire bottom rung already, and people will notice.

I'm toying around with the idea of starting one deliberately playing up webcomic cliches, but the trick when you do something like that it has to stand on its own. If it's not funny at all except to a comics obsessive, then I've missed the boat.

 

[Singing Gremlin]

Go for it! If you enjoy writing/drawing, and are good at it, chances are it'll be good. if not, hey, you had a crack at it and learnt something. have fun!

 

[tiredinnuendo]

Here's the thing.

Do not make a webcomic if you are interested in producing (at the same time) good art and a successful comic.

It has happened, don't get me wrong, but generally speaking, comics in general (newsprint or web variety) stopped being funny ages ago, and even the ones that are funny certainly aren't "high art" and almost all follow a very standard formula.

To put it another way, there are a bunch of absolutely terrible webcomics out there with tons of readers (Ctrl+Alt+Del, VGCats, Dominic Deegan, etc) so you can't really be worse than all that.

Good luck.

- J

 

[Erana]

The answer to all your problems:
Short stories.
Kill 'em off before they get too old.

 

[General Ma Chao]

The objective observers are right that is has been done before. EVERY good idea has been done before though. Concentrate on loads of atmosphere and interesting characters though, and you'll be fine. I wish you luck in your drawing and writing.

 

[Melty Blood]

The objective observers are right that is has been done before. EVERY good idea has been done before though. Concentrate on loads of atmosphere and interesting characters though, and you'll be fine. I wish you luck in your drawing and writing.

Not quite. Yes, everything has been thought of/done, to make it unique you put your own twist on it.

But yes, interesting characters and atmosphere.

 

[The Reverend]

Aye there isn't much in the way of original writing in the world anymore, I think jokes are now circulating the worlds writers like that mass of plastic thats going around the pacific. So you need to do something that separates your comic from the rest. A hook, if you will. Like an ethereal badger who only speaks in half words, or a daemonic sock with a stammer and a slight Oedipus complex. Use your imagination, but don't expect your comic to become the next thing since sliced bread as soon as it hits the interweb.
Hmm, Persevere you must, patience you must have.

 

[Thaliur]

I like your plan. Reminds me quite a lot of "Thud", but I like it anyway

Do it. It can't be worse than nothing at all
Actually, I'd like to read it when it's done.

 

[Spinwhiz]

There are two problems with releasing a web comic (or any type of literature/art for that matter). One, your stuff may actually just suck. I've written plenty of crappy things that should never be read much less published. But, and here is the second part, maybe it is good and the audience you are showing it to is just the wrong audience? So, if you are writing a sci-fi piece but only showing people who like horror, guess what your answer is going to be.

Regardless, there will always be a percentage of people who crap on your stuff even if it's amazing. So, if you enjoy it and you are writing for you, then do it. If you are actually trying to make something, start talking to people who are really into that genre and have them help you tweak it. Remember again though, at that point it may no longer feel like YOUR story, but a conglomerate of opinion. And everyone knows opinions are like assholes, everyone has one and they usually stink.