Shifts in the standard model
January 4, 2010 | Posted by Brigid Webcomics.com editor-in-chief Brad Guigar starts the new decade off with a bang by putting the Webcomics.com site behind a pay wall. Readers must now pay $30 per year to access the content. Needless to say, quite the discussion ensues in comments, with numerous people pointing out that most successful webcomics are free, but, as Brad points out, Webcomics.com is not entertainment, it’s a professional tool. On the one hand, it does seem like he’s swimming against the mainstream, but on the other hand, sites like Writers Market and Mediabistro have been charging for their content for years. Although I’m not thrilled about the change, myself, I understand where Brad is coming from, and as a writer who gets paid for my work, I have no problem spending money on things that will advance my career (after all, I get to take them off my taxes). However, it remains to be seen how well the Webcomics.com team’s ambitions match up with their audience. (Hat tip: Jason Thibault via Twitter.)
Robot 6 celebrated its first anniversary at the Comic Book Resources site this weekend with a boatload of excellent content, and I highly recommend that you go over there and do some serious browsing. We all collaborated on the two-part column on the most important comics of the decade (part 1, part 2), which of course included several webcomics.
New webcomic alert: Bug, by Adam Huber, a witty gag strip that updates every weekday. (Thanks to Rob at Panel Patter for the rec!)
Sean Wang asks the readers of Runners Universe if they would prefer fewer updates and a continuous story, or more frequent updates but a break between arcs. An interesting discussion ensues in comments. (Via Art Patient.)
Coyote Trax reports the results of the best of 2009 poll.
Lexie reviews the print edition of Full Frontal Nerdity at Poisoned Rationality.
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