STRIPPING FOR THE FUTURE
Mar. 11th, 2009 06:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
defrogITEM: In an interview with CNN, Matt Groening reveals that his Life In Hell comic strip is being dropped by its flagship newspaper, LA Weekly, after 22 years.
Tellingly, CNN spends very little time on this, focusing more on Groening’s better-known works like The Simpsons and Futurama – which probably shows just how little people care about comic strips, compared to TV shows.
Of course, that’s not news for comic strip fans – ever since the 80s, newspapers have been shrinking comic sizes and treating them like meaningless filler (and sure, you could make a case for things like Howard Huge, but that’s not the point).
It doesn’t mean Life In Hell is finished just yet, since other alt-papers are still running it, but Groening isn’t optimistic, and isn’t sure if he wants to do it online, which usually demands more than a weekly installment.
Which in turn raises the question of whether Web comics have a future. People do read them online, and not just established comics like Doonesbury. Sinfest (which many of you know) is not only successful, but also illustrates one of the greatest advantages of online vs newspaper comics: the ability to do comics on controversial subjects. No family newspaper in their right mind would have the guts to run something like Sinfest.
In theory – according to this op-ed piece – the next logical step could be mobile devices, which are perfect for quick-read content like comic strips, and now have the functionality to download and read them easily. I don’t have an iPhone or a Kindle, but I wouldn’t mind having a RSS feed of my favorite comics (new or archived classics) for my Nokia N95 bundled into my monthly bill.
The question, as always, is whether there’s any money in it. I’m not sure how Tatsuya Ishida makes money from Sinfest, apart from web ad revenue or sales of the collected volumes. I assume he pays the rent with his work at Dark Horse Comics (which is going to run Sinfest now, apparently). Those of you with connections in the business probably have better insight into the economics.
Anyway, it’s a shame about Life In Hell. One could argue it’s past its prime, but I loved reading it in university. It’s also the source of one of my all-time favorite lines ever written in a newspaper:
Not that I agree with that second bit, mind. But it’s a great line.
Hell is for heroes,
This is dF
“I and all the other cartoonists are being dismissed because they can't afford to pay,” he says.
Tellingly, CNN spends very little time on this, focusing more on Groening’s better-known works like The Simpsons and Futurama – which probably shows just how little people care about comic strips, compared to TV shows.
Of course, that’s not news for comic strip fans – ever since the 80s, newspapers have been shrinking comic sizes and treating them like meaningless filler (and sure, you could make a case for things like Howard Huge, but that’s not the point).
It doesn’t mean Life In Hell is finished just yet, since other alt-papers are still running it, but Groening isn’t optimistic, and isn’t sure if he wants to do it online, which usually demands more than a weekly installment.
Which in turn raises the question of whether Web comics have a future. People do read them online, and not just established comics like Doonesbury. Sinfest (which many of you know) is not only successful, but also illustrates one of the greatest advantages of online vs newspaper comics: the ability to do comics on controversial subjects. No family newspaper in their right mind would have the guts to run something like Sinfest.
In theory – according to this op-ed piece – the next logical step could be mobile devices, which are perfect for quick-read content like comic strips, and now have the functionality to download and read them easily. I don’t have an iPhone or a Kindle, but I wouldn’t mind having a RSS feed of my favorite comics (new or archived classics) for my Nokia N95 bundled into my monthly bill.
The question, as always, is whether there’s any money in it. I’m not sure how Tatsuya Ishida makes money from Sinfest, apart from web ad revenue or sales of the collected volumes. I assume he pays the rent with his work at Dark Horse Comics (which is going to run Sinfest now, apparently). Those of you with connections in the business probably have better insight into the economics.
Anyway, it’s a shame about Life In Hell. One could argue it’s past its prime, but I loved reading it in university. It’s also the source of one of my all-time favorite lines ever written in a newspaper:
“Mastubation is nothing to be ashamed of. (It’s nothing to be particularly proud of, either.)”
Not that I agree with that second bit, mind. But it’s a great line.
Hell is for heroes,
This is dF
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no subject
on 2009-03-11 12:24 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2009-03-11 01:05 pm (UTC)I believe you just answered yr own question. :)
no subject
on 2009-03-11 02:02 pm (UTC)