Comics 2.0 - Some Thoughts

At some point this might turn into a manifesto; or a rant; or, God help us, a movement. But for right now, these are some random thoughts I'm having on what I'm calling--for the time being--Comics 2.0.

My thinking stems out of a workshop I recently attended: Library Camp. It was a loosely structured workshop about Library 2.0, a small movement within libraries building on the whole Web 2.0 thing.

Prior to participating in the workshop, I had always thought of Library 2.0 as being a group of buzzwords about technology and libraries: blogs, wikis, RSS, etc. But what I've come to discover is that Library 2.0 is more than that. It is about using technology as an enabling device to empower patrons in becoming participants in the library and its services.

So what is Comics 2.0? For an initial definition, I'd like to say that it is using network technology to start to break down the barriers between creators and readers. It's changing the one-way membrane that has been tradition comics production and soliciting not only feedback, but participation from readers.

Comics 2.0 encourages readers to become creators themselves. Comics have for many years had a low cost of entry; witness the large numbers of small- and self-publishers (successful and not) in each edition of Previews. But with the Interweb, the barrier to publishing becomes even lower. For that matter, so does the cost of producing a comic.

Webcomics then are an instance of Comics 2.0, especially those Webcomics with reader forums and the like.

Big publishers can play the Comics 2.0 game too. It's not about putting up a Website; DC's new 52 mini-site is not Comics 2.0. However, Marvel's wiki-like Marvel Universe encyclopedia, where readers are encouraged to create and edit entries, probably is.

Fan fiction probably works into Comics 2.0 somehow. It's always been discouraged by publishers, but why not encourage it in some way? There are plenty of C-list characters going unused, so why not invite readers to toy with them, perhaps even gathering the best together and publishing them.

Comics 2.0 does involves giving up a certain amount of control, which can be a scary thing for a creator or a publisher. But there are potential rewards too, as a readership that is more engaged is more loyal.

As I said, these are just some initial thoughts, and not terribly well-formed thoughts at that. But I'm hoping to get a conversation going here in the comics blogosphere--a rather Comics 2.0 thing, don't you think?

Enough of me carrying on--what do you think?

FCBM2 Day 12

It's day Twelve of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month!

Today's selected entry comes from Robert Loy. Robert says that his tastes are eclectic, and gives the following as his five comics:

1. The Silver Surfer ("the real Silver Surfer, the Jesus on a flying surfboard that Stan and Jack created")
2. Maison Ikkoku
3. Anything by Alan Moore
4. Concrete
5. She-Hulk

With a spread like that, you'd think I might be stumped. Think Again! I'll be sending Robert Tales of the Beanworld #5 by Larry Marder, which truly is "a most peculiar comic book experience."

And like all the selected entries, Robert will be receiving a special Dark Horse promo-priced comic, in this case The Goon 25¢ Edition by Eric Powell.

Robert's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

There's still time to send in your entry for the YACB Free Comic Book Month; details are here.

Current FCBM Statistics:
51 entries
36 free comics sent so far
19 days remaining

FCBM2 Day 11

It's day Eleven of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month!

Today's selected entry comes from Jeanne Pauline Lim. Jeanne, who says that she heard about this contest from her boyfriend, lists five comics she likes as:

1. Wonder Woman (post-Crisis)
2. Birds of Prey
3. Girls
4. PS238
5. Runaways

I'll be sending Jeanne a couple of comics that I think she'll enjoy: Amelia Rules #1 by Jimmy Gownley; and Misplaced #1 by Joshua Blaylock.

And like all the selected entries, Jeanne will be receiving a special Dark Horse promo-priced comic, in this case the Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic/Rebellion Flip Book.

Jeanne's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

There's still time to send in your entry for the YACB Free Comic Book Month; details are here.

Current FCBM Statistics:
49 entries
34 free comics sent so far
20 days remaining

YACB Bulletins

ITEM! Remember: Comic creators read blogs too...

ITEM! Infinite Crisis in 30 Seconds. (via Johanna)

ITEM! Jim Woodring is blogging. Prepare now for your dose of surrealist comics wonderment. (via Heidi)

ITEM! PW Comics Week reports that Jill Thompson has signed a four-GN deal with HarperCollins. Thompson is very talented IMHO--I've enjoyed just about everything of hers that I've read--but she's always been underappreciated in the direct market (despite having won an Eisner). Hopefully HP will give her the exposure she deserves.

ITEM! More FCBM2 linkage, this time from Vincent & Shane. Thanks!

ITEM! Vincent also points out that this coming Monday--the third Monday in May--is Miracle Monday. I'll have to think of a good way to celebrate...

FCBM2 Day 10

It's day Ten of the second annual YACB Free Comic Book Month!

Today's selected entry comes from Al White. Al says that he's "fairly old school" and that the comics that he keeps an interest in are:

1. Avengers
2. Iron Man
3. Teen Titans
4. Legion of Super-Heroes

Al Says that he's looking forward to reading something new, so I'm sending him Spider-Man/Human Torch #1, with and old school meets new story by Dan Slott, Ty Templeton and Nelson.

And like all the selected entries, Al will be receiving a special Dark Horse promo-priced comic, in this case The Goon 25¢ Edition by Eric Powell.

Al's comics should be in the mail soon. Enjoy!

There's still time to send in your entry for the YACB Free Comic Book Month; details are here.

Current FCBM Statistics:
49 entries
31 free comics sent so far
21 days remaining

New This Week: May 10, 2006

Based on the NCRL list for this week's comics shipping from Diamond, here are a few things to look for at the local comic shop tomorrow:


Holy Bejeezes, there's a lot of good stuff coming out this week. There are lots of things I could pick for Pick of the Week, but I'm going with Crisis on Multiple Earths vol. 4, with JLA/JSA team-ups co-starring Captain Marvel and the rest of the Earth-S heroes; The Legion of Super-Heroes (battling Mordru!); and the Earth-Prime versions of Elliot S! Maggin, Cary Bates, and Julius Schwartz. It's super-meta-fiction at its finest!


Amaze Ink have a Patty Cake & Friends collection.

Antarctic have the 8th Ninja High School Pocket Manga.

Arcana debut Koni Waves.

Avatar debut Warren Ellis's Wolfskin.

Boom! Studios have a Cthulhu Tales anthology.

Dark Horse have the 11th volume of What's Michael.

DC begin their year-long weekly path to insanity with 52 Week 1. There are also collections for The Authority: The Magnificent Kevin & Superman/Shazam: First Thunder; and new issues of Ex Machina (#20), Fables (#49), Firestorm (#25), Jonah Hex (#7), and Superman (#652). You are reading Superman & Action, right? They get my vote for most improved 1YL titles.

DR Masters have a new volume of Iron Wok Jan (vol. 18).

First Second debut their line of high-class European imports with several volumes all at once; I haven't read any of them, and they all look potentially good, but Trondheim's Alieeen looks to be the most promising.

Graphix bring out the first volume of Raina Telgemeier's Baby-Sitters Club manga-esque GN.

IDW have one-shots for Angel (Spotlight: Illyria) and Spike (Lost and Found).

Image have the second Girls collection.

Marvel have collections for Ultimate Spider-Man (vol. 15: Silver Sable) and the Morrison/Millar/Yeowell Skrull Kill Krew; plus new issues of She-Hulk 2 (#7) and Thunderbolts (#102).

Oni have the first issue of Neal Shafer & Joe Infurnari's Borrowed Time.

Viz give you another dose of Takahashi with Ranma 1/2 vol. 34.

W.W. Norton have a collection of the long out-of-print Kings in Disguise.


So look out for your wallet when you wander into your FLCS on Wednesday (and maybe they'll have some leftover FCBD books to take away soem of the sting!)

Battling Ignorance

I stumbled across this cover on the GCD: The Amazing Spider-Man Battles Ignorance. Please tell me that someone has this and can provide more info! (Scott perhaps?)



And yes, that's She-Hulk's pal Awesome Andy that Spidey is fighting on the cover!