Nearing my 6 month anniversary this project, I’ve reviewed 24 LOL~webcomix. A lot of different styles, genres, premises, and motivations from hobbyists to pro-hopefuls.

It didn’t start with an identity, and I didn’t care to create one. All I wanted was an outlet to show people who’s doing it right, and who’s tripping over their feet. Often, there’s little reason a successful comic is successful and an overlooked one is overlooked.

I call it resonance. And that’s when the project as a whole, the premise, art, writing, webdesign, and creators’ personality, strikes a chord with a lot of readers.

Since even the really good projects aren’t made by full-timers, it’s a challenge to pin-down the tipping point of skill and personality that kicks a project up to the next level. We could critique the big shots forever, but even that’s an exercise in frustration. There’s no magic bullet.

Lately I’ve seen a lot of abandoned projects, and hiatus aside, not ones I’ve reviewed. That’s just the way of things, I reckon. Anyone into webcomics for a chance at e-celebrity and money is in the wrong fucking business. Anyone looking to make a living off it is in the wrong fucking business. I’m not saying it’s impossible, improbable, or that the ‘market’ can’t support it, but it’s no basket to put your eggs in. Same for any artistic field from rock bands to novels to painting. Your audience is fickle. The internet is fickle. The market is fickle. You could be the best shit in the world, but there’s still a million details and preferences working against you.

A. I don’t like the website’s colors.
B. I’m already reading something like this.
A. I wrote this first! Fuck you!
B. I don’t read anything like this.
C. Your art is shit
D. Your art is too polished
E. Your art is too stiff.
F. Why is everyone slouched?
G. I liked your old art better.
H. Where is the color?
I. Don’t like monochrome.
J. Too much color @.@
K. Lead female reminds me of my bitch ex.
L. Ew furries!
M. Not furry enough.
N. I don’t like domesticated furry, only wilds.
O. I don’t understand the story.
P. The romance is too slow.
Q. Why are they fucking already? Too soon!
R. I don’t like where this is going.
S. I already know where this is going you cliché douche.
T. You’re a dick. (as a person)
U. You’re boring. (as a person)
V. You’re a guy?! Fag.
W. Girls don’t exist on the internet. You’re a liar.
X. You brushed off my near-anonymous sexual advances.
(I could literally do this for hours.)

Keep your day job. Do your shit. See what happens. Keep a light heart and continue believing in the process, even if the results are aren’t there. We all have different reasons for doing this, but as a career venture alone, it yields a harvest of frustration and disappointment, especially if you’re looking for within-two-years success.

Kids tend to think that by being realistic about your odds, you’ve quit before you’ve begun.  Bull-fucking-shit. It means that you’re keeping your feet under you, ever working to improve, and if/when you ever transition to full-time, it’s because you put the work into it. A lot of work.

No one has a million dollar talent or premise who didn’t spend years developing it. Your (not-one-is-an-actual-millionaire) webcomicker icons? The same. They had their shitty day jobs for years as they developed the skill, archives, internet presence/fanbase and mainstream appeal. Even then it was because the project resonated, which is the same as a lucky shot. The audience doesn’t owe you anything.

Then again, some of us don’t really care about going pro. This rant was for the frustrated quitters. Want to quit something? Quit whining. If this is really ‘what you do,’ then:

Keep working.