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Each year, the President of the United States presents his "State of the
Union Address" to the Legislature and the Nation. In it, he details his
vision of both the current conditions of the country, and on the direction
it will take in the future. I am going to borrow that concept for this
column, and share with you my "State of the Art Address", "art" in this
case being the "arts" as expressed on the World Wide Web, and in
particular, the comic strip. Recent events in several Web comic strips
provided the inspiration for this column, which I will get to in a few
moments. This will be long; please bear with me.
We live in a "free market" economy, for the most part, regulated by the
"Law of Supply of Demand". Simply stated, the value of any given
commodity or service is dependent upon the ratio of those providing
said service or commodity to those requesting it. If you produce a new
product, and people want that product, you can name your price. If no
demand exists for the product, then it matters little how low the price is
or how exclusive your production is, youre not going to make any money
off it. In the art world, "Supply and Demand" rules just as surely. In all
the facets of art, the supply of artists exceeds the demand for "paid
expression" thereof. As a writer, I live with this fact determining my
chances of ever landing a lucrative "gig" that will pay me for writing.
When I was in High School many years ago, our Counseling Department
set up a program where many of us submitted our future aspirations, and
we were invited to seminars with professionals from those fields who
offered us guidance. For those of us desiring to be writers, we were
privileged to have a seminar with Richard Armour, a successful author
and poet. His advice to us was to have a profession other than writing
that would pay the bills, and to write for the love and joy of writing. If
we were fortunate enough to reach the point where writing could become
our primary career, wonderful! If not, though, we wouldnt be starving
waiting for that "big break". For 25 years, then, I have worked as an
Electronic Technician, and my writing has been for my own pleasure,
shared little outside of a small group of family and friends.
The internet has changed that for many of us in the arts, though.
Writers, graphic artists, musicians, and others have found an outlet for
expressing our artistic talents that bypasses the typical profit-driven
industries. The World Wide Web provides an international audience for
the arts without the costs of printing, recording, shipping, or traveling.
It also does an "end run" around the industry "screening process" that
determines whether you, the audience, ever gets exposed to a particular
artists work. In music, for example, an executive from the record label
decides whether a performer shows sufficient potential to take a chance
on. If for whatever reason, that executive doesnt like the performer, we
(the extended audience beyond the performers local area) never get to
decide if we like that performers music. For the graphic artist that draws
a comic strip, the industry they have to either break into or "end run"
around is the "Syndicates". Very few comic strips will end up in your
local newspaper without belonging to one of the syndication services,
and like the music executives, if the syndication executives dislike a
certain comic, or do not think it represents a sufficiently profitable
potential, well never see it in our newspaper. Those that do end up in
syndication are held to a certain standard of content, and many subjects
are "taboo".
Improved modem speeds, more cost effective storage, and better
graphics have led to a tremendous increase in the number of artists
taking their comic strips to the web, and hence, directly to the public.
We, the reading audience, have a cornucopia of comic entertainment
available at the click of a mouse, covering the spectrum from the serious
to the silly, and from the "Family Oriented" to the "Very Adult". Perhaps
the best thing we find about Web Comics is that theyre "free". That,
however, is part of the problem I wish to address today. One lesson I
learned many years ago is that, just because something costs you
nothing, does not mean it's "free". Someone, somewhere, had to pay for
it in one way or another. Our Web Comics are no exception. Behind the
Web Comic you read is an artist investing in your entertainment. Some
receive a tangible return on that investment, but many do not.
I e-mailed a "questionnaire" to approximately 25 Web Comic Artists,
covering a number of different aspects of what in involves for them to
produce their comic strips, and asking their opinions on some other
aspects. I received replies from nearly half of them, and found their
responses interesting and informative. The data herein is extrapolated
from those responses. My selection of these artists included ones that I
read on a regular basis, and ones selected at random from links, listings,
and "word of mouth" referrals. My hope was to survey a sufficiently
diverse group of artists that the resulting "picture" was a fairly realistic
cross section. Hopefully, Ive succeeded in that effort.
The comic strip that takes us a minute or two to read takes an average of
5.4 hours to produce. Depending on the complexity of the art, some
artists need as little as an hour or so to do the strip for one day, while
others needed as much as 12 16 hours. Since the overwhelming
majority of the artists do not make a living off their comic strips, this is
in addition to the hours they work at other jobs (typically 30 plus hours per
week, some as many as 50) to pay the bills. In addition to the time spent
creating the comic, they also devote a certain amount of time each week
to interfacing with the readers, primarily through e-mail and "Bulletin
Board" type forums. All of the artists that responded value reader
feedback, which means that, even if you dont get a prompt, personal
reply, your e-mail is being read. On that, Im going to add my own
comment here that valuable reader feedback is more than just sending a
note that reads "ur comic sux!!!". If you like the way a comic is done, say
so. If youre not crazy about some aspect, state that in a polite,
intelligent manner. If something about the comic is alienating a
significant portion of the readers, the artists like to know that before the
readership dwindles away without a word.
Web comics can be grouped into three tiers:
- Profitable, bringing in more than enough to cover production and operating costs
- "Self supporting", operating at neither a significant profit nor loss
- "Out of Pocket", requiring an ongoing investment from the artist into the production and operating costs.
Production costs are the materials the artist uses to produce the strip,
such as artists pencils, pens, and paper. Many of the strips are still
generated the "old fashioned" way, penciling out the strip on paper, then
inking in the "final lines", adding the dialogue text, and, depending on
the strip, shading and coloring. The finished strip is then scanned and
uploaded for our viewing. Of the artists that reported the costs of their
art supplies to produce the strip, the average cost was around $10 to $20
per month. Some artists are using art programs on their computers to
produce their strips, and while this may offer lower recurring costs,
quality art programs are not cheap.
Its easy to think in terms of "operating costs" as being nothing more
than a home computer and an ISP account, and that would be fine if you
dont mind having your web comic hosted on a "free" web page, with
limited storage and bandwidth. Archives, however, require far more
storage than youre going to receive as part of your typical home
internet account, and if your readership passes a certain amount, youre
going to need sufficient bandwidth to allow more than 2 people at a time
to view your content. Keenspot, one of the larger comic hosting pages,
reports that their bandwidth costs alone run $6000 per month. One web
comic thats currently running an independent page reported simply a
"four figure" per month hosting bill. In the "hey day" of the Dot Com
boom, advertising revenues would have likely covered such operating
costs for many web sites, but in the post "Dot Com Bomb" days,
Keenspots advertising revenues only cover about half of that. Like
television, advertising revenues are dependent upon the popularity of a
site, with the more visited sites able to generate more in advertising
revenues than those less visited. The advertisers are businesses as well,
and theyre going to want to get the most bang for their buck. An
independent web comic site, generating light traffic, is not going to be
able to attract the same kind of interest from advertisers as one like
Keenspot.
In terms of time and money, then, its easy to see that being a web
cartoonist isnt "cheap". Since only a very few manage to make a living
off their web comic, it almost begs the question of why the artists persist
in this endeavor. For most artists, this writer included, there is an almost
literal need to express our art. Coupled with that is a certain longing to
share that art with others and to know that the joy it gives us in creating
it is shared by those experiencing it. Some of the artists that responded
were happy to maintain their "conventional" jobs while doing the comic
strip as a sideline or hobby, to the point even of not wanting to make a
living off their art, lest it become just another job. At the other end of
the spectrum are those that are making a living off the strip, and are thrilled
to be able to devote themselves fully to doing what they love. In the
middle of the two extremes are those inclined towards one or the other.
Some are hoping that their strip will become sufficiently popular that
they can make a reasonable living off producing it.
Strangely, some of those in that last category are slammed by some of
their readers for desiring to do so. They are admonished that they should
be producing the strip for the joy of doing so, and that they should feel
sufficiently compensated just knowing that theyre bringing joy to
others. I find this thinking odd.
We applaud young people who devote themselves to sports, working
hard to rise above the average until they reach a "professional" level,
wherein they earn rewards that lift them and their families out of the
poverty they grew up in. Its a "Great American Success Story", and we
love those. So why do we not encourage the same kind of effort on the
part of artists? Why do we instead blast them with harsh admonitions to
"get a real job"? Worse, why do we think so little of what they do that
we resent the idea that they should be compensated for their work?
Like many of you, I get a few minutes of reading pleasure every day from
comics, both print and web. The print comics I pay for when I pay my
newspaper subscription, and to be honest, there have been times when I
only renewed the subscription because I enjoyed the funnies in the
paper each day. The suggestion of having a subscription system for web
comics to help out with the expenses of bringing them to us on a regular
basis, though, tends to be rather controversial. "Why," reason some
readers, "should I be expected to start paying for what I now get for
free?" Because, as I pointed out earlier in this column, it isnt really
free.
What is it worth to you?
One artist commented that if each of his current readers sent him $10 a
year, he could quit his job and devote himself full time to the comic. The
downside to that was that asking them to do so would likely decrease his
readership dramatically. Other artists are struggling, wondering if they
can continue to support the comics out of pocket until they can become
self-sufficient at the very least. Still other artists are adamantly against
ever soliciting funds from their readers, and instead rely on advertising
revenues and strip related merchandise, such as print compilations, t-shirts,
etc. to cover costs. Some comic sites are already trying out
subscriptions as a means of offsetting costs. Keenspot currently offers
a "Keenspot Premium", which allows subscribers to read all the
Keenspot comics and archives ad-free, offers some exclusive content,
the ability to set up a page which allows you to read multiple comics on
one page, rather than switching from page to page for each, and other
"perks". The subscriptions start at $4.95 per month, with discounts for
longer subscription terms. Currently, Keenspot reports about 600
subscribers netting around $1800 per month, which is being applied to
the bandwidth bill along with the advertising revenues. The plan is that
once subscription revenues increase to a profitable level, the profits will
be split with the artists.
But can a subscription-based page actually turn a profit on Web Comic
content? "Modern Tales" is just such a page. Comics hosted on
Modern Tales are free for the daily updates, but archives are available to
subscribers only. The subscription rate is currently $2.95 per month,
which, according to Joey Manley of Modern Tales, is currently netting
about $2000 per month profit, with an increase of a few hundred dollars
each month. The lions share of this profit is divided amongst the artists,
and the subscription fees for accessing the archives tends to keep their
number of readers lower, thereby allowing them to keep their bandwidth
costs lower. A reader will likely only spend a few minutes on the current
comic page, but could spend hours on the archives. Its still a fairly new
concept in Web Comics, but the early returns suggest that subscriptions
can work for Web Comics and the artists. Perhaps not so much for the
independent page, but for "group" hosts like Keenspot and Modern
Tales, where your subscription fee buys you access to numerous
comics, the idea has merits.
Another option is "direct delivery" subscriptions, such as that offered
by Bill Holbrook for his "Kevin and Kell" comic strip. For $20 per year,
"Kevin and Kell" is delivered directly to your e-mail, rather than you
having to visit a page to read it. He currently reports about 60
subscribers to this service. For those not selecting direct delivery, "Kevin and
Kell" is still available to read on-line.
Am I suggesting that all the artists should start charging a subscription
fee for their web comics? Not at all. The point of this column isnt to tell
them how to do their business. The point of this column is to raise the
awareness of what is happening in a "cottage industry" that many of us
patronize, and to hopefully offer ideas of what we, the readers, can do to
insure that were enjoying web comics for many years to come. The
artists consensus is that web comics have a future, but how that future
plays out depends not only on them, but on us as readers.
I asked four paragraphs ago what it was worth to you to have web
comics to read. Most of the time, when were asked "Whats it worth to
you?" the first thing that crosses our mind is money. That is a valid
measure of worth, but it isnt the only one. I mentioned above that all the
artists valued reader feedback. It costs just a few moments of your time
to write a simple note telling an artist that youre enjoying his or her
work. Many consider the out of pocket investment of maintaining the
strip worthwhile if they at least know that the strip is reaching people
and making them happy. If they dont hear from anyone, or all they hear
from is the same few people over and over, they begin to wonder if the
effort is really worth it. Drop a note. It doesnt have to be something
profound and pithy. Telling them in your own few words that you enjoy
the strip means a heck of a lot more than a patronizing letter full of empty
flattery. If you have concerns about the direction the strip is going, ask
them nicely and express concerns. They may not change the way the
strip is being done, but at least theyll know what the readers are
thinking and that people are actually reading the strip.
Another thing you can do that doesnt cost you anything is clicking on
the advertisers banners. Many advertisers have gone to a "click
through" rate for determining what theyll pay for the ads, and each click,
whether you buy or not, contributes back to the web site. If the business
is seeing a decent traffic level originating from a certain web page,
theyre going to be more favorable to spending advertising dollars on
that page on a regular basis. Its just like your phone company
encouraging you to tell businesses that you saw their ad in the "Yellow
Pages". They want businesses to know where their advertising dollars
work.
If youve got a few dollars to spend, buy an item of the comic related
merchandise. Some of the proceeds from each sale go back to the artist,
and you get a nifty item from a comic you like. Many people are happy to
pay big bucks for certain logos or team emblems on merchandise, so why
not pay a bit for a coffee mug or mouse pad with one of your favorite
comic strips on it? Not only does it help the artist directly, but having
the item can advertise the strip to others around you and raise readership.
If you can afford it, why not send a few bucks to a web comic that you
read that is open for reader donations? Pick a different one each month
and drop them something. Youre enjoying their comic all year long, and
wouldnt it be nice to think that youll be able to keep enjoying it for
some time to come? If you read a number of comics on a particular
service, consider a subscription if they offer one. The entertainment
value for your dollar is better than many entertainment costs these days,
and directly or indirectly, youll be helping out the artists.
In conclusion, an economist will tell you that nothing is worth more than
what someone is willing to pay for it. This is true whether youre talking
an ingot of gold, a new car, a can of beans, or the web comic you read
everyday. We express our valuation of something with our actions. If
its worth some of your time everyday to read, isnt it worth some effort
to take one or more of the above actions I suggested to support the
comic?
I certainly think so.
I would like to thank the following artists for their contributions to this
column (in no particular order):
- Bill Holbrook, "Kevin and Kell"
- Howard Tayler, "Schlock Mercenary"
- Pete Abrams, "Sluggy Freelance"
- Mark Stanley, "Freefall"
- Jeff Darlington "General Protection Fault"
- Mark Freid, "Spellshocked"
- David Hopkins, "Jack"
- Carson Fire, "Elf Life"
- Eric Schwartz, "Sabrina Online"
- Chuck Whelon, "Pewfell Porfingles"
- Michael McKay-Fleming "Alice"
- Fred "Piro" Gallagher, "MegaTokyo"
I would also like to thank:
- Chris Crosby of Keenspot
- Joey Manley of Modern Tales
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