Bear Elk Probz (Vol2, Page 45)
Since my vacation I’ve been doing some soul searching about how I spend my time creatively. I feel like I have been trying pretty hard to build my online audience and gain traction with my webcomics and it’s really not happening. I may be getting wrong, or maybe my comics just don’t appeal to the average webcomic reader. Whatever the case, I need to be honest with myself. A career webcomic maker is not even what I really want to be. If I could live out my dream it would be making books, one at a time. 1-2 per year. Some comics, some chapter books, some a hybrid of the two. But I don’t honestly even really like the internet that much, so what am I doing trying to carve out a corner of it?
I talked a lot about this with my Patreon members last week. Every Friday I have a private live video session with them on our secret Facebook page. I’m thankful for this group of fans, supporters and friends. I wish everyone who was a regular reader could be part of it. Pledge $2/month and you can join in on the secret group. I’d love to have you. I consider my Patreon supporters my trusted inner circle. I run everything by them as I am working on it and the financial support is only a small part of what makes them so invaluable to me. I have an honest group rooting for me who is excited to see new stuff along the way. I love it, and I see myself working my way towards focusing on my Patreon and my books down the road.
These are mostly all thoughts right now. I would love to get your input on any of this stuff. If you are someone who chooses to come to this website and read my comics, you mean a lot to me and I want to deliver what you came for. I feel like I spend so much time just trying to figure out my audience. It saves me a lot of trouble when you guys let me know what you like the most.
Ethan
If I wasn’t over my head in debt I would join your patreon.
Been there. You have my sympathy!
I come here every Wednesday for my weekly dose of bear mayhem.
I appreciate it!
interesting, the last bear seems to have six toes. i wonder what it’ll turn out to be
are you kidding me? you don’t think you’re building an audience? you’ve gotta be one of the biggest names in the industry.. well at least the biggest in the second tier down from the top.
I don’t even know what not really liking the internet means. that’s like saying you don’t really like books. anyway I love this stuff and I hope you continue
I think that is what is discouraging. I have a “name” as far as webcomics goes, but I haven’t been able to find a way to translate that into a living. I know webcomics guys who have pulled it off with less media success. Makes me think there is something I am just not getting.
As far as not liking the internet, I mean I don’t like a huge part of my work being on it, trying to get likes, follows, etc. That’s the game of self-marketing online. It’s misery. Some people love it and are naturals at it.
Yeah.. it must be time to ask for help. I’m sure you’ve made a few friends over the years who could give you some pointers. God knows I have no idea what to do in this kind of situation.
Is this comic on top web comics?
If not it should be, and a link to vote for the comic on this page could be really helpful.
I read a bunch of web comics I never would have heard of if I hadn’t seen them on that page.
So I had a look and Bearmageddon is on there twice. One is rated PG-13 and links here, the other is rated R and links back to the Top Web Comics home page.
Haha probably both me on different days. I always sign up for those things then forget about it.
No offense, but I only come here for the bears haha. A lot of the extra stuff you put into the description doesn’t interest me, I’m really only here to see what crazy bears are mauling people each week. I completely understand when you say the social media and marketing stuff can be a headache, but I’m sorry I don’t have a good alternative for you, if you’re really trying to expand your audience. Maybe try to wedge yourself into new audiences, by advertising sparingly in a lot of different places? As for the audience ya already got, well, I ain’t leaving until the bears are gone haha
None taken. I have plenty of creators who made one thing I like but nothing else. I appreciate you showing up to read!
I’ve been following this comic from the beginning! I was hooked on Axe Cop and I followed you over to Bearmageddon when you launched the site. I don’t make alot of extra income, but a few dollars a month to keep one of my favorite comics going is a small price to pay. I will join the Pattern soon.
Thanks that’s very kind of you, I have appreciated your consistently visiting the sight and commenting often. Nice to have engaging readers like you.
I don’t know if it was your goal to always release this comic independently, but I’ve always to see Bearmageddon on the comic store shelves. I think it would be cool if you could do a few one-shot issues telling different people’s perspectives on the bear apocalypse. You might be able to draw in more readers from the comic shops and advertise the website saying something like “Find the full story here! Weekly updates!”. Or if that is not logical, it would be nice to see Volume 1 on the shelves.
I haven’t had much luck with publishers. I think they are afraid of publishing webcomics that are already free online. They want more control than that. Like I said, self publishing a book would be a ton of work. basically A highly financially risky full time job without income and a lot of overhead, at least to start. It’s anybody’s guess if I’d ever make money.
I think I need to just focus on getting the book out, which means trying a Kickstarter. Once a book is out I think there will be a lot of people who don’t read web comics who would give it a shot.
As much as I love my weekly fix of Bearmaggedon, perhaps you would be better off publishing a monthly book (20 or so pages).
Your story has a similar premise to Walking Dead, and that book’s creators have found success with an ongoing comic and tv series. Perhaps they could help you find a path to printed publishing.
I would subscribe to a monthly Bearmaggedon comic (black & white or color) for an extended story with more in depth characterization. And I would be willing to pay $4 or $5 a month for it. Of course, doing such a book would require you to produce more pages and expand the scope of the story.
In any case, I will continue to follow this series as long as you keep it going. (On the other hand, your Patreon benefits don’t entice me and I have no interest in Axe Cop.)
I think that’s what people have a hard time understanding. 22 pages a month is a full time job. That is a TON of work. So I do 4 a month because that is how much I can afford to do whether or not I make any money. Plus to publish books costs a ton of overhead and if nobody buys them I have worked a full time job without pay and spent thousands of dollars and am not in debt. It’s just not realistic without some source of funding. That’s why, if my Patreon grew, I would up my output on Bearmageddon. I could afford to then.
I am sympathetic with your plight, sio I decided to show my support through Patreon. You are a talented story teller and artist. I wish you great success in the future.
Thanks so much!
Bear Elk Asshole Jerky? No thank you!
“I only come here for the bears” said that other guy XD (homosexual jokes ensue)
But yes Ethan, whatever your decision is. Do the best for you!!!
Fuck all of us. Need to look out for #1 before you can #2. thats why you put air masks on the plane first.
Ethan, I don’t remember when or how I found Axe Cop, (maybe around the time Axe met the Moon Warriors?) but the teamwork between you and Malachi blew me away, and I love the whole comic to this day. So when I saw you were starting a solo comic, oh I was excited, and have not been disappointed by one thing since, save not having more of it. I’ve held off of contributing until now not due to you or your work, but because I didn’t want to put yet another security risk online by putting my credit card into ANY website for a regular monthly withdrawal, but that’s been naive and lazy of me, and I’m sorry for taking such great work and passion from you and giving nothing back. I’m gonna talk to my bank about Patreon (double check how their security works, y’see) and chase down the idea of paying monthly with a gift card as well. No matter what, though, while I won’t be using Facebook ever again (dislike the company that much), dammit, you’re getting my money. Thank you, Sir, for your time, and slackers, and bears.
Wow, thanks. I really appreciate it. I don’t know what you think of Paypal but my brother, who works in cyber security. says it’s strong. He trusts it and he’s one of the more cyber-paranoid people I know. I’ve never had an issue with it. Patreon uses paypal, so if you tust Paypal, you should be OK with Patreon. Thanks again.
OK, you got me. Just added you to my Patreon pledges. Now… can we get another few hundred people like me to pledge? Hey YOU out there… you reading this comment… if you’re not pledging, consider pledging. That John B. guy just did, and he hasn’t burst into flames or anything yet! Give it a shot!
Yes! Thanks John.
You have yourself a deal. Merry Monday to you!
I love your work and fondly remember meeting you and your brother in LA. I am absolutely certain that the Axe Cop Munchkin is the best version of the game. I currently lack a job though so I can’t quite make the patreon commitment yet.
Thanks so much, and no worries. I don’t expect everyone to be able to pay. I would like to work on a no money option, like helping promote to get the same benefits. But right now, with Patreon, the only way in is money. I eventually want to create a subscription service on my store that I can control more.
Still the internet, but have you considered a web serial? Ursula Vernon has written one and is dishing it out a little at a time currently, so it could give you an idea of the medium. I feel like a story that was serialized with both prose and graphic installments could be really interesting, and it might be more fulfilling, especially if you can hook up with someone more into the web part of it.
Link to Ursula’s FAQ for her web serial- http://www.redwombatstudio.com/orcus-faq/
This is interesting. I thought about doing that with the book I am working on now.