June 2024

Web comics are comics that are primarily published and distributed online, often through dedicated websites, platforms, or social media presence. Here are some differentiators between web comics and traditional comics, complete with pros and cons of both.

Online Comics

Pros:

1. Distribution isn’t a problem: When it comes to comics of the digital variety, it is possible for an artist to send his comics out to his fans almost instantly, the second he is finished crafting them. So if you’re a fan eagerly waiting for the upcoming instalment of your favourite series, if you access your comics online, you have the benefit of skipping through the delay by logistics!
2. Comparatively lower pricing: If you just want to pay for the comics and not the rent and electricity bills of your Comic Book store owner, then web comics are the option for you. Besides, discounts and bundle cutoff pricing are more frequent on online platforms than offline ones.
3. Special features : Although most of us are completely satisfied with simply reading the trajectories of our favourite characters’ lives, wouldn’t it be nice to have decision making stakes with interactive comics? Web comics generally have a vast canvas to experiment with, when compared to Traditional comics. They can vary more in format, taking advantage of the digital medium to experiment with scrolling formats, animation, interactivity, or other features not possible in print
4. Accessibility: Forgot your comic book at home? No problem. Whether you’re out on vacation, waiting in the subway to reach your destination or simply surviving a slow day at work, online comics are accessible from your very phone or computer, regardless of where you are, as long as you are connected to the internet.
5. Community Interaction: All of us have read comics that leave us mind blown, euphoric and confused at the same time. These intense emotions would mean a lot more if they can be shared with fellow fanboys, experiencing the same rush of doubts and ideas as us. Web comics often foster more direct interaction between creators and their audience through comments sections, social media, forums, or Patreon-exclusive content.

Cons

1. Internet Dependability: Although Web Comics are accessible 24/7 with most electronic devices like mobile phones, tablets, iPods etc., these electronic devices are practically useless when it comes to consuming online comics if you don’t have an active internet connection. So, if your internet connection is on hold due to delayed bill payments or lack of signal, you might not be able to find out what happens to your favourite characters. However, downloading comics when the internet connection is strong is the best solution to this problem.
2. Subscription models: While traditional comics are typically monetized through sales of physical copies, web comics often rely on alternative revenue streams, such as advertising, merchandise sales, crowdfunding, or direct support from fans through platforms like Patreon. Some web comics are subscription based or label some content as “premium,” but as a fan of a particular set of comics, do you really want to pay the premium price to access just one of your favourite comics?
3. Too much feedback : To be completely honest, the age of the internet is the worst time for an artist to be alive. There are so many opinions, suggestions and downright hate comments on the internet that incorporating all of them in the comic would replace its original form with a patchwork of details.
4. Screen fatigue: This one’s a no brainer. Since most of us already spend more than 8 hours of our days exposed to screens for work or other recreational purposes, also having to read your favourite comics on screens would be a nail on the coffin.
5. Don’t have the same resale value as traditional comics: Whether you’re paying an online platform’s subscription fees to access comics or paying per comic, since its just a file on your computer, it deteriorates in value the very second it’s purchased, unlike traditional comics.

Traditional Comics

Pros

1. Tactile experience – nostalgia: With physical comics, you can access a tactile experience that allows you to feel the paper, smell the ink, and appreciate the artwork in a much more detailed way. There is also a hint of nostalgia, reminding us of our childhood days when we’d go through our siblings’ comics on a warm summer afternoon.
2. Original artistic expression: When artists only publish their comics on offline platforms with physical copies, there is an element of authenticity to it, as the author remains uninfluenced by unsolicited opinions.
3. Collectability and Resale value : Rare or vintage comics are perceived as valuable items, potentially appreciating in value over time. So, they can be considered as investments on assets that have a great resale value.
4. Support local businesses: It is courageous of owners of local businesses to still rely on offline sales of physical copies of comics in order to run their businesses when there are currently so many other competing businesses and platforms on the market. Buying physical copies of comics can encourage these small business owners to carry on!
5. Not internet/electricity dependant: Whether you’re stranded in a desert or the Amazon forest with not a single bar of signal, as long as you have your comic books, you are good. The best part about reading comics without being dependent on electronic equipment is all the refreshing time you get away from screens!

Cons

1. Limited availability: If you come from countries like India, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka, it is highly likely that you’ve never seen a comic store in your life before. Small businesses do not hold onto comic book stock since they are considered expensive by the locals and are sold at a very slow rate. This makes it very challenging for hardcore fans to get their hands on their favourite comics in time.
2. They’re expensive: It is obvious that it takes more money to physically print a comic than to simply upload it on the internet. But here’s the thing, when you buy a comic book, you’re not just paying for the printing and paper, but are also paying for logistics and your shop owner’s revenue! If you’re counting your change often lately, physical copies are probably not for you at the moment.
3. They’re bulky: Here’s the thing about physical copies of comics: they require physical storage space! This is a huge problem for readers with limited space.
4. Physical copies are a limiting format: In today’s age of interactive comics and scrollable manga, the lack of interactive features or multimedia elements found in digital comics may be seen as a determent for some readers. For example, my spectacles wearing fellow fan cannot zoom in to the teeny tiny text in comic books, which directly eliminates traditional comics as an option for her.
5. Distribution issues: Distribution is the process with which physical comic books reach you from the author through publishers and logistics companies. Distribution networks for traditional comics can be complex and inefficient, leading to delays, errors, and inconsistencies in the availability of comics at retail locations.