The New York Times takes a closer look at online comics in "Comics Escape a Paper Box, and Electronic Questions Pop Out." Starting with the grand visions for e-comics from Scott McCloud, the article points out places where online comics can be read and online comics awards can be won. The problem, though, the author says, lies in the readability of electronic comics, given their new medium, and the ways in which attempts to make them profitable may make them less accessible.

It's drawn and it's written, but is it still comics?

A few years ago, Scott McCloud, well known in the comic book world for his theoretically minded comic book about comics, "Understanding Comics," wrote another comic book, "Reinventing Comics," in which he argued that the future of comics is on the Web.

"Comics is a powerful idea, but an idea that's been squandered, ignored and misunderstood for generations," Mr. McCloud wrote. "No art form has lived in a smaller box than comics for the last hundred years. It's time for comics to finally grow up and find the art beneath the craft."

"It's time for comics to balance the scales, see the world and broaden its horizons," he added. It's time for comics to go digital.

Murrey

Denmark

May 2005

AUG 17, 2005 12:39 PM

Scott says: It's time for comics to go digital.

Well thats a little old news there mate cause web comix are an old idea. I know cause i been reading 'em for ages. And on a side note i started out with old school paper comix and still read thoes and that is in a rather great ammount, but still i read a ever gorwing number of the online material and i know im only aware of the the top of the iceberg, there are tons of comix out there that just wating to be read. So go on an read allready.

alpha_hazard

Fort Collins, CO

April 2004

AUG 17, 2005 01:43 PM

Murrey said:
Scott says: It's time for comics to go digital.

Well thats a little old news there mate cause web comix are an old idea. I know cause i been reading 'em for ages. And on a side note i started out with old school paper comix and still read thoes and that is in a rather great ammount, but still i read a ever gorwing number of the online material and i know im only aware of the the top of the iceberg, there are tons of comix out there that just wating to be read. So go on an read allready.

scott also hasn't updated his digital comics for several months.

Noctua

San Francisco, CA

February 2004

AUG 17, 2005 01:47 PM

Uh, I've been reading webcomics for at least 7 years now, and a few of them (User Friendly, PvP Online, Penny Arcade, MegaTokyo, Something*Positive, to name but a few) are profitable enough for the artist(s) to live off their artwork.

Hell, User Friendly Media (corporation for User Friendly) is publicly traded.

Regarding the Old Guard™, I remember the politicking that went out when User Friendly was finding its feet. At first, the big newspaper comic syndicates didn't want anything to do with Illiad. Then, when he got popular enough to support himself with UF, they got scared because *gasp* a cartoonist was making a living without a middleman!

Madness, I tell you.

robosagogo

State College, PA

September 2004

AUG 17, 2005 02:00 PM

The only print newspaper comic I enjoy reading is Boondocks.

psubond

Hanford, CA

November 2003

AUG 17, 2005 04:12 PM

remember the movie "Big" with tom hanks? that was his character's idea in the movie...and that was back in the 80s

supergp

Seattle, WA

February 2003

AUG 17, 2005 04:46 PM

Scott McCloud did one really important work (Understanding Comics), and as far as I can tell, hasn't said anything relevant since.

*coughmicropaymentscough*

(eerrrr, that's one more important thing than I've written, though. )

[Edited on Aug 17, 2005 4:57PM]

ferrofluid

Brooklyn, NY

February 2004

AUG 17, 2005 06:06 PM

understanding comics is the shiz-nite.

JusticeClown

San Francisco, CA

July 2004

AUG 17, 2005 09:27 PM

...i just want to know how this is news... besides it being old news.

MrDaft

Vancouver, BC

January 2005

AUG 17, 2005 09:36 PM

Comics are not comics unless you have the tangibility to them. Some can be read on the net...others not so much. This coming from a guy who is getting out of the business and is sick of it. I still defend the paper ones.

E-comics are a great starting point for many careers today..but other than that, nada. People need that tangibility. Best example is books. Who on here reads their new Harry Potter online? Probably no one. Why? Because there is something tangible in the paper. Something that makes it better to the senses.