Why Webcomics are destined to stay where they are (Saturated Market)

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Why Webcomics are destined to stay where they are

The world of online comic strips (webcomics) is an interesting one to study. While I've been inactive in that particular community for some time, I've had my fair share of experiences. I used to read several, and even produced one for a time. And they're fascinating as a business study since every comic is in its own right an exercise in business management. Between art supplies/programs and hosting (overhead and operating costs), accomodating readers (customer service and target markets), affiliate and rival comics (competition and partners), advertising (banners and portals) and stores (e-commerce), every webcomic is a miniature business in its own right, some of which make plenty of money to support their artists.

And then there's expansion. Many comic artists are eyeing syndication of sorts; being a webcomic, while having some legitimacy in its own right, is still seen as "below" print comics. Now, that's a contentious assertion, but the important thing is, there are a lot of artists who want to take their craft to other forms of media. And the sad thing is, in my opinion: it's not gonna happen. Let's take a look at the biggest stumbling blocks facing webcomics busting out of the digital age.

Niches are not necessarily nice

Every successful comic out there owes a lot of their popularity to their ability to focus. Penny Arcade has videogames. Something Positive has cruelty. And so on. The thing is, most comics on the web are targeted to the obvious audience: nerds. And I mean that in the nicest way. You see, the people who are reading most webcomics are above average in their web-savvy, are more likely to play video games, and are (well, sometimes) highly intelligent. This is why you'll see writers like Jerry Holkins (Penny Arcade) and Jeph Jacques (Questionable Content) using massive, obtuse words that people don't actually use in conversation.

I know what you're saying. So what? Well, the problem is, the audience that reads webcomics is a very small portion of the population. And these comics are hyper-targeted. I will tell you first hand that trying to show or explain a webcomic to someone who doesn't fit the above description is difficult. I've seen my share of blank stares, let me tell you. To be fair, this is how they want it. These comics are FOR nerds and geeks. Because they're made BY nerds and geeks. It's a way to strike back, and say, "this is OURS." Geekdom is, for a large part, a collection of obscure movie/tv show/comic references. That's how geeks categorize themselves and separate their cliques from the outside world. So the fact of the matter is, these comics often follow this pattern, and therefore: nobody gets it. Megatokyo defines this, with Largo's use of "L33tsp33k". L33t was created so that nobody but hackers could read it. And to have a major character speak entirely in a language designed not to be read by the general public is a huge issue (note that as far as I know, Fred is keeping MT confined to the internet and his own published collections; this is simply being used as an example).

Uncut, Uncensored, Unsuitable

One of the greatest things about the internet is the almost entire lack of censorship and control. You can say almost whatever you want. This is another advantage that webcomics have enjoyed that in the end is keeping them from getting off the web. The fact of the matter is, while you don't have to comply with lengthy regulations for your comic, you certainly have to if you want to branch out onto tv and print. Even South Park gets edited. What's worse is, many comics almost rely entirely on this crudeness. These are usually the comics that end up going nowhere, but many of the larger ones are guilty of it from time to time. Any comic artist who wants to branch out is going to have to ask themselves: can I be just as funny if I can't swear as often or at all? If the answer is no, then the internet will likely continue to stay home to them.

Appropriate content for this blog

Webcomics are a humongously over-saturated market. There are the big ones that everyone knows, a wide range of moderate sized ones that have gigantic followings, but are still unknown outside of their niches, and then there's a near infinite number of small, terrible ones. Everyone who has the internet can post a webcomic these days. This is both terrific and terrible. The public nature of it is truly inspiring, but it does lead to an awful lot of crap posted online. Many comics are just imitations of popular ones, or even base most of their jokes ON popular comics. This means that if there were to be a giant push to get onto other forms of media, it's going to be painfully difficult to cut through the noise and get noticed. These comics are why I keep mentioning Penny Arcade; while PA doesn't NEED to move offline (and they know it), so many comics are derived from its formula, so this is more meant for them.

Keep the home fires burning

Now, the LAST thing I want anybody to think is that I'm condemning webcomics. I think it's terrific that there's an alternative for people who feel the "funnies" in the newspaper just don't cut it. Webcomics have created some great communities online, and have even effected great social change (such as Penny Arcade's "Child's Play" charity). But the fact of the matter is, many of them are looking outward and considering risking a lot to move beyond the net, and this isn't necessarily advised for most of them. Those that can do it, I tip my hat to them. But it's certainly worth thinking twice about; the internet may be home, sweet home.

Until next time,

Penny Arcade
Something Positive
Megatokyo
Questionable Content