Questions from Matt

Matt, an aspiring cartoonist I have been mentoring, requested a quick Q&A with me. I thought I would post his questions and my answers here on Patreon for everyone to read in case it’s helpful at all.

Where do you think webcomics are now and where they are going?

I think the term “webcomics” has kind of gone the way of the dodo, frankly. I don’t think kids make a distinction anymore. It’s certainly no longer unique or a novelty to find content online. All content is now online.

Everything is mobile content these days. For most of the world, the terms internet/online means “phone.” And I think that’s why if you poll most young people, their idea of “webcomics” is Webtoon or Tapas or one of the mobile apps that deliver comics and manga.

It’s all social media now. I think that’s going to change soon, but I have no idea what it’s going to change into.

Average income from all sources of revenue from the beginning to now?

For who? Because it’s different for everyone. And I don’t have any real data on the income of artists whose work I’m familiar with.

Most of us are able to earn enough to make a modest living. Some with the help of a spouse or partner and their income. Some without.

A select few are able to make a ton of money. But they’re outliers. Homestuck’s popularity was lightning in a bottle and not expected by even the creator. Things like Penny-Arcade happen because people like Robert Khoo and Brian Sunter sacrifice all of their time to build a thriving business.

Most of us will do what we can to earn money from our work and our readers so we can keep going.

I’ve been doing PvP for 24 years. There are years I’ve made 80k. There were a couple of years where the company on a whole grossed over 350k. There are years where I made almost nothing and survived on my wife’s salary.

Currently, due to ads tanking, the pandemic stealing convention revenue, and my inability to work consistently due to caring for an aging parent I’m living paycheck to paycheck.

But I just sold a book series to a great publisher and I’ve regained a lot of momentum back after the pandemic and family issues robbed me of my ability to create. I still have many years of making comics ahead of me and I’ll be okay.

Be careful how you measure success. Never apologize for making money from your work and ever underestimate your worth. Your time is valuable. But if you’re making comics for the money you’re in it for the wrong reasons.

How important is a ko-fi or Patreon?

I find both to be pretty great ways for readers to support your work. They’re free to set up and painless for readers to use. I say take advantage of both platforms. I also like Gumroad a lot for selling digital content.

Possibilities of a Kurtz ran DnD podcast? Or another dnd podcast/show with Binwin.

I would say there’s a 0% chance of that happening in the next two years. I’m on the hook for at LEAST two graphic novels, each of which is 180-240 pages. Plus I need to keep PvP going at least 3 days a week. I don’t need new projects, no matter how fun they might be.

Are webcomics, as a whole, viable or is it best to explore other avenues for creative output?

Sure it’s viable. Clearly, people are still finding ways to have success with comics and comic strips online. Webtoons is popular and there are even a couple of cartoonists who used social media apps to distribute their work and grow a huge audience.

I’m a cartoonist, and I love making comics and comic strips. So I don’t really think about other creative outlets. I can’t play an instrument, I can’t paint and I can’t animate. This is the one thing I can do.

Are long-form stories or shorter, random strips more likely to catch attention?

I think both can be successful. It’s all being posted online episodically. It doesn’t matter if it’s a gag-a-day comic or long-form story arc. What’s important is consistent work, with a consistent schedule.

How important are backgrounds as a whole?

Do you mean drawing backgrounds? Yes, they’re important. They help a ton with your comic. And I’m horrible at them. But I’m getting better.

What is the current culture of webcomics?

Guh. Well, I tend to focus on the positive and not the negative. I think that currently there is a growing culture of diversity and representation in comics that’s incredibly welcome and overdue.

I love seeing manga embraced. Not just because I love manga, but because I love the culture surrounding comics in Japan. There, comics are for EVERYONE. There are action comics, sports comics, romance comics, horror comics. Comics for kids and adults. They’re sold everywhere.

I know that there is a loud minority of 40-year-old chin-beards railing against diversity in comics but just ignore them.

If your new book series goes well and you branch more into kid-lit, will you end PvP?

I have no idea. I’m a little burnt out right now. But so is everyone after two years of a pandemic. Right now I want to work on other things. I want to be free of the daily grind. But then I wonder how long it would take me to miss it if I ever stopped.

All things being equal, I would keep doing both. But all things are not equal right now. So I don’t know what’s next.

It’s certainly hard to imagine quitting PvP. But it’s also hard to imagine me drawing it for no other reason but habit. I don’t want to end up just going through the motions if it’s not enjoyable for myself or the readers.

I love these characters. I love them. I’m sure I’ll find a way to keep them in my life. Who knows what form that might take in the future.