First is foremost (Saturated Market)

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First is foremost

Webcomics I remember reading something on Copyblogger that said sometimes your intended audience isn't the audience you get. And it's often best to work with your actual readers, because they clearly found something of interest there. So I think I'll give this a try with the first topic I wrote about that generated some discussion.

In the webcomics world, as I said before, there is no shortage of material. For every genre, there is a seemingly endless list of comics to read. And within every genre, there are a couple comics that stand at the top; the ones that everyone know, the ones that get linked to all the time and have readers to spare. If you look closely at many of these strips, you'll find they satisfy one, if not both, of the following criteria:

1) Superior writing, and
2) Conceptual originality

I'll be focusing on #2, since this is the most common factor in determining success and popularity, all other things being equal*. What works in business works in webcomics. The first to market with a new idea gets a great head-start, and will come to have their name be nearly synonymous with what business they're in. Penny Arcade got into the crowded Video Game comic area early, and led the way. Questionable Content, while technically just a "slice of life" style comic, gets to tout the title of Hipster Rock comic. Nothing Nice to Say was the first punk comic. Dinosaur Comics, Shortpacked, Elf Only Inn, Vampirates...the list goes on. Comics that have an idea that hasn't been done before are far more likely to reach the top of the webcomic list. This is why many comics that are modelled after popular ones never quite seem to attain the same status as their inspiration.

My point is, I offer this advice to all newcomers: be original. Nobody's going to read a copy if they can get ahold of the original.

Until next time,

* - By all things being equal, I am referring to such factors as friends in high places, past popularity on the internet, and being picked up by popular comics for a goodwill link.