- Webcomics creators often went online after being rejected by newspaper syndicates, gatekeeper conglomerates that grew increasingly conservative in the ‘80s and ‘90s. The best ones grew into beloved phenomenons, and the nascent funny T-shirt industry allowed many artists to make a living on daily cartoons throughout the 2000s.
Social media and a glut of internet merchandise have shifted the economics. Artists increasingly rely on Patreon, book sales, and other sources of revenue, while new webcomics often pop up exclusively on Instagram, foregoing the expense of a dedicated site. But in those early days, webcomics were some of the most influential pieces of the early-ish internet — vibrant and weird. They formed followings, which became communities, which became culture.
We asked those artists to tell us all about living through it.
The era of web comics was something great. I think at one time, I probably had twenty or thirty titles in my bookmarks that I would check diligently. I remember Top 100 Sites, Web Rings, and Button Sharing. Looking back, it really was quite the DIY art movement for the digital age. I didn't know I missed it until I started thinking about it.
You know, I totally agree. To me at least, the webcomic 'scene' has been reduced to Reddit bait and half a bajillion interchangeable Tumblrs. I loved that each site had their own unique look and (usually shitty) way to navigate comics. The shift makes sense; most people can't create art and write HTML/CSS. But it feels much more meaningful to have art on the internet be put in the environment made and designed by the artist, instead of on the generic platforms of social media and aggregators. Kinda feels like the difference between displaying art in someone's studio vs. Walmart. Maybe that's why I still visit SMBC Comics. I didn't know I missed it until I started thinking about it.
Yes! The websites themselves, from the layouts and art on it, to what the creators wanted to emphasize, to the almost journal like sharing of information from the creators, were pretty much artistic expressions themselves. Facebook, being a public forum, is like entering a gallery to view art. Personal websites though, were like visiting the artist's home.But it feels much more meaningful to have art on the internet be put in the environment made and designed by the artist, instead of on the generic platforms of social media and aggregators.