@ Dave,
“Thanks for the response, Ed.”
Thanks for talking about the strip.
“Just a bit of history on this site. We started as the fan forum attached to Scott Kurtz's PvP webcomic, until he decided that administering and paying for a forum was not something he wanted to do. Because of that, most of us here are webcomic-centric as opposed to the syndicated way of things.”
I figured you guys were PvP fans, but I didn’t know the connection. Thanks.
“I think you have some very valid points, but one thing that is very noticeable is that comics are one of the first things dropped when a newspaper has to cut back.”
Yeah. It’s weird but understandable. Even though the comics page is a big draw in papers, it’s easier to drop comics (obviously) then to lay off a friend/co-worker.
“What most of us do not understand is how the syndicates can continue to pay comics and artists when their revenue stream is rapidly drying up due to the loss of readership to an online format that is free.”
Well, it’s weird. I read somewhere that some higher-up at McDonald’s said they’re not in the burger business; they’re in the real estate business. It’s kind of the same thing with comic syndication. Each space on a newspaper page is a payment the syndicate gets from that paper. By offering a variety of strips, there’s a greater chance of getting one of those spots.
So, basically if a strip stays enough papers to make a profit for the Syndicate, you’re ok. If you drop to the point where it cost more to print then they pull in from the amount of papers your in, you’re canceled (by then, in a lot of cases the artist can decide the strip isn’t worth doing if it’s not going to make them famous, or they might be able to make more money by doing something else).
So, basically most of the strips you see are turning a profit of some kind. And even if it’s not much of one, it’s more of one then if that strips spots went to other syndicates.
Does that make sense?
Plus, if one happens to become the next ‘Peanuts’ or ‘Garfield’…even better!
I think people are looking for something less dry then that, but really it’s all just numbers.
“I hope you took the thread to mean that we like you because we really do. We wish you nothing but the best”
Thanks, and even if you hate us, feel free to tell me why. I won’t learn nuffin’ other wise. I’m a regular reader and occasional poster on Comics Curmudgeon, so I can take it. J
“and feel that you won't be able to take off and meet your comic's full potential unless you go online instead of being beholden to a dying medium.”
Well, right now that medium is allowing me to keep my house while my wife finishes school.
We would like to have a bigger web presence though, so if you have any suggestions we’re open to them. We’ve come up with some ideas of our own which we hope to be introducing by the end of the month.
Must people who read us seem to like us, it’s just figuring out how to get more people to know we exist. And again…we’re open to suggestions.
“And welcome to the boards, even if this is the only thread you visit!”
Thanks!
“One more note, I love the irony that is your web site. First, the comic is very timely to the conversation...even though the site hasn't been updated in a month.”
Yeah. As I’ve said, we don’t have much freetime.
---------- Post added at 03:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:15 PM ----------
@ figmentPez,
“For me, it's not so much how she looks, it's how Norm treats her. My impression is that he thinks she's much more attractive than he is. It doesn't matter what I think of her, but how the characters in the strip treat her.”
It’s odd you say that, because most reader reaction was that Bridget was too hot for Norm which is why I started mentioning it. J It’s even listed on out tvtropes page 9which we do not maintain):
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MyCage
“I like that aspect of their relationship, as I've seen it in real life in many cases.”
I guess, but I’m tired of the double standard presented in the media so I was upset we seem to be part of it.
“For oblivious fans, such as myself, I'd make one last post to the blog so that the first entry is a link to the site you're updating.”
Excellent idea. It is odd to me that everyone seems to know about the blog and know one seems to know about the website. The website actually come up first on the seach engines I’ve checked. Weird.
“Scot Kurtz (creator of the webcomic PvP) has a very rocky relationship with the print industry... and with his fans... and women... and critics... and... well, he's not a horrible person, just an opinionated hothead.”
I’m familiar with Scott and Pvp. I don’t know if I’d call him hotheaded, but definitely sure of himself and opinionated. But, I like opinionated, so maybe that’s why the hothead things doesn’t jump out at me. To me hotheaded implys 'not well thought out' and he always seems to have a point to what he's saying whether people agree with it or not.
“I woudln't mind owning a Squishy plush myself.”
Aside from the compilation book, that is our most frequent request. Im still not sure how to go about it though. Like I said, I’m an IT guy moonlighting as a writer.
“I've started a letter to my local paper. I'm going to ask for My Cage to get put back into print.”
Thanks. Much appreciated.
