Five Things We Love About Webcomics
By Izzy “Strontium” Hall
The Webcomics Travelogue loves webcomics. We’re all about helping readers discover new comics and highlighting creators with our monthly spotlight feature and free-to-join search engine. And as today, May 11th, is Webcomic Day, we want to shout out five things we adore about this art form and the community that surrounds it.
Join us in counting down our five favorite things about webcomics – and take part in the conversation with the #webcomicday hashtag!
#1: Anyone Can Make a Webcomic
Do you want to make a webcomic? You can! There’s no professional training or job title required. The tools used to make webcomics have never been more accessible, and free platforms to share comics on are in abundance. You don’t even have to be an artist to make a webcomic. Creators use anything from simple stick figures to video game sprites to tell their stories.
Because webcomics have virtually no barriers to entry, the medium draws in creatives from all walks of life, making it one of the most diverse art forms out there.
#2: Webcomic Creators Are Their Own Bosses
Webcomic creators get to play by their own rules. There’s no manager to report to, no standards and practices breathing down their necks, and no board of directors handing down mandates. Without stifling corporate oversight, webcomics flourish in novel and unexpected ways.
Here, there’s no pressure to conform to what’s trendy or on-brand. Creators are free to make their comic as niche as they want. Even creators working in popular genres have the space to play with tropes and break new ground. Being their own boss means creators can tell unique stories readers won’t find elsewhere.
#3: Webcomics Come in Every Genre
Webcomics come in every genre under the sun. Don’t believe us? Take a peek at the Travelogue’s Search page. Action! Fantasy! Romance! Sports! Slice of Life! That’s just the tip of the iceberg for the kinds of stories you’ll find in this medium.
It’s not the only kind of variety you’ll find, either. From newspaper-style black-and-white funnies, to gorgeously rendered full-color pages, to experimental formats that play with the virtual canvas, webcomic presentation styles are equally diverse.
#4: Webcomic Creators Grow Over Time
Creating a webcomic is a fantastic way to grow as an artist and storyteller. Chipping away at a long-term project over many years spurs creatives to learn, innovate, and improve. As a creator, it’s validating to see years of growth reflected in the quality of your comics.
Growth over time is evident to readers, too. It’s inspiring to watch a creator develop their craft over the lifetime of a project. In that way, webcomics deepen appreciation for the humanity behind a work of art.
#5: Webcomics Are Free To Read
From their earliest days on the Internet, webcomics have always been free to read. Not free with a subscription. Not free but with microtransactions. Free as in truly, honestly free! Online any time of day anywhere in the world free. The whole of the internet is the library of webcomics, and readers can check out webcomics to their hearts’ content.
While webcomics are free to read, there are plenty of ways to financially support the folks behind your favorite comics. Many creators have Patreons where they share exclusive art and early comic pages with patrons, as well as storefronts for physical and digital books. These are great ways to preserve the free culture of webcomics that we all enjoy.
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On this Webcomic Day, the team at the Webcomics Travelogue wants to celebrate our community of creators and readers more than ever. Let’s spread the love for this medium and the people who are part of it!
Izzy “Strontium” Hall is a cartoonist, writer and creator of Heroes of Thantopolis. Follow them on tumblr or Bluesky.