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.