[Resource of the Day] – A Look At Comics On the Web
As I’ve written my business plan for Army Ant Publishing, I’ve done extensive research on the world of publishing. Here is an article I found useful:
For One Publisher, the Life of Every Comic Book Starts on the Web by Michael Marriot via The New York Times.
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Now, here’s an interesting article. Scott Rosenberg, the former founder of Malibu Comics recently bought DrunkDuck.com (a webcomics portal) because he wants to help pioneer the concept of comics on the web. Take a look:
But a crucial difference, he said, will be in how Platinum plans to use the site to create a broad mix of revenue streams, “full-circle commercialization,†for the company and its content contributors.
For example, Mr. Rosenberg said he planned aggressive marketing of the site — which already receives a million unique viewers a month, mostly drawn by word of mouth — coupled with advertising sales. While the advertising revenue would not be shared with the comic creators, artists would share in the revenue from downloadable comics for cellphones and mobile media devices like iPods, comics-related ring tones, wallpaper and items like T-shirts or plastic scale models of comic book characters.
Product creators, Mr. Rosenberg said, can expect to receive 10 percent of the adjusted gross revenue earned by sales.
At the same time, Platinum, which has the rights to thousands of comics characters, is moving to make the Web another outlet on a par with its print publications.
“We are making online our first window,†Mr. Rosenberg said. He said that beginning this week, all of Platinum’s comics, including 100 graphic novels and series in production, would be published online at DrunkDuck 2.0 before any are printed.
“We want to make a statement that it is safe to do this, that people can do this.â€
I’ve been saying for years that digital distribution is the future of comics, but that the format will have to change in order to suit the needs of computer users. I’ll be interested to see how DrunkDuck 2.0 fares a few years from now. As much as I want to believe in the medium, I’m a little skeptical about the money to be made here. For those who don’t know, Scott Rosenberg has spent a lot of time working in the entertainment industry after the success of Malibu’s licensing of Men in Black. His current company, Platinum Comics, has existed solely to create IPs and sell them off as entertainment industry vehicles.
I enjoyed Marvel Comics Publisher Dan Buckley’s comment later on in the piece:
Marvel Entertainment, the industry leader, also has digital comics on its Web site (www.marvel.com). But the Web-based comics are used to promote printed Marvel comic books, like Daredevil and Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four, said Marvel’s publisher, Dan Buckley.
“We realize what a great promotional tool the Internet is,†he said. But like other print media, “we’re all waiting†as digital technologies create challenges and opportunities, he said.
Mr. Buckley said he was not yet convinced that reading a comic book online delivered the “whole experience†of reading a printed comic book. In the meantime, Marvel Mobile sells Marvel character-based products, including downloadable ring tones, wallpaper and video games for mobile phones.
I like Dan Buckley; I’ve met him on a few occasions, and he’s a sharp guy. It’s unfortunate the reporter paraphrased him and didn’t quote what he actually said. I think what he was trying to explain is his view that there will always be an audience for printed comics because people like personal purchases. In this day of “e” everything, it’s a good idea to have a sense of perspective, though I must admit that I think traditional publishing will be replaced when a more viable digital format exists — a computer with two screens that can be comfortably read like a book and instantly access any published title available, for example. It’s not so far away; I’d guess we’ll see it within twenty years.
Anyhow, the rest of the article is here. Read it, learn from it, and enjoy it! This is an exciting time to be alive in the world of publishing!
Articles, Resource of the Day | SeanJJordan | 
January 13, 2008 11:47 pm
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