Okay, first off, for those of you not aware, you can now post comments without signing up. I’m hoping this time the spam bots won’t plague the site. If all goes well, any reader will be able to tell us whatever they want.
Right, onto the blog. Today I wanted to talk about webcomics.com and their new subscription policy.
As some of you may or may not know, the site went up a while back as a way for Scott Kurtz and friends (Or as they call themselves, the Halfpixel crew) to share tips and techniques with other webcomic developers, as well as other people submitting articles on making strips, website maintennance and promotion.There are a couple hundred articles on the site, and it seems to be doing well.
So it was decided it would only be accessed by being paid for.
Yes, these wants people to pay $30 a year for articles other people have written, for free, which they will not be paid for. The only compensation any of us will get is that we are allowed to say that we don’t want our articles to be put on the site. We don’t get a share of the profits, we don’t get a small fee for our efforts and I personally think that’s a little wrong. Sure, I wrote six articles and there are about 200, meaning anything I get would be miniscule, plus what I wrote probably won’t be looked at much, but it’s like a magazine. The editors pay every contributor, no matter how many people read the articles and no matter how much money the magazine makes, because people are still paying for it.
And in this case, the profit margin is going to be wide. What costs do they have? The website. So they need to pay for the domain and hosting. If about four people subscribe, then they have enough. More than that? They’re making money. Where is this going? They say they’re going to be making improvements, but what are they? As far as I know, this money is just going to be used to fatten up their wallets, so it makes me a little weary.
And honestly, even if I knew what they were doing, I don’t think I would sign up. Sure, it’s only $2.50 a month, but webcomics.com hasn’t taught me much. I mean, sure, once in a while they gave me something useful, but the rest of it was about conventions, which I can’t attend, merchandise, which I can’t make a profit from until i get more readers, things I can’t afford or tips and techniques I already knew.
And then there’s the fact that, well, I only like one comic from the half pixel people. Aside from PvP, the comics just bore me and don’t really have much appeal. It’s the same reason why I haven’t bought How to Make Webcomics. How am I supposed to take advice from the guys who can’t get me to read their comic and buy their shirts?
But, Scott did link me, which I think is a fair payment, because I could always use some readers, so I’m not going to be demanding any money. I would like another link though, but I’m pretty sure I’m not going to get anything else out of this.
Anyway, you guys sign up if you want to, but I don’t think I’ll be going near webcomics.com for a while.
Until next time, take care.
~ David
If they charge $30 per subscriber and are 200, your share of that $30 is 90ยข. That’s almost a dollar. Per subscriber.
If they are having any success, built on your work, then that is nothing to sneeze at.
As for their members, I like Sheldon. To each their own and all that.