Comicking Resources

I'm assuming that you already know how to draw comics. If you don't know how to draw them, give the tutorials and links at Manga Punk a look first. I also contributed to a really good comicking guide at gURL.com, if you need help with inspiration and layouts and the all around basics of making comics.

Free Fonts

Blambot
Purveyors of several levels of terrific comic fonts. There are some killer free fonts to get you started, and when you want to go up a level, their professional fonts aren't too costly either. You really must use fonts created specifically for font dialog. I learned the hard way that Comic Sans just does not cut it.

Comic Tones

Some of these are better for web comics, others are better for print. Remember, the larger the tone or the higher its dpi, the better it is for print. There are too many sites to review them individually, so here's a list:

For printed materials, I prefer to use the Computones book and disc sets from the How to Draw Manga people. They are cheap and the tones work with a variety of graphics software. Crow Princess was toned entirely with Computones. For more information about these invaluable tools, see the reviews I posted at Manga Punk for both Computones Volume 1: Basic Tone Techniques and Computones Volume 2: Humans.

Webcomic Hosts and Other Online Comic Publishing Solutions

Drunk Duck
Allows comickers to post their digital comics online sequentially and comment on each others' work. Absolutely free. I hosted Rachel the Great with them for awhile, but they let their server crash once, whiping out all of the comics hosted there. Although the site and its comic listings are bouncing back quite nicely, I never bothered to return.

Comic Genesis
Formerly Keenspace. Still offers free hosting and automation of web comics. Their other company, Keenspot, has publishing deals with some of the comics that got their start here.

If you already have a web site, you may be looking for some code you can use to help ease the ordeal of frequently uploading new comics and updating your pages. There are several free and opensource solutions like iStrip (sounds kinky!) and CUSP. Most of them require PHP support, so check with your host to make sure its available on your server. This nifty little (Java)script comic tagger lets readers stick a bookmark in your comic so they can pick up right where they left off when they come back to your site!

Webcomic Promotion: Methods and Tools

After you get your comic online, you'll need to promote it... a lot. One way is to show it to people at the communities you already belong to, like Gaia Online, Manga Punk or your favorite message boards. You should also link to your comic from your profile at places like Vampirefreaks, LiveJournal or Deviant Art.

Of course, that kind of promotion only goes so far. If you aren't very active on those sites, obviously not many people are going to notice your comic. Luckily, there are free comic directories that are more than happy to link to your comic! And you can sign up for as many as you like, because they are all free. Here are some that I use:

My particular favorite. Has great tools for letting you post updates and announcments on the site.

Buzz Comix
This listing service ranks sites based on their daily votes (incidentally, I encourage you to vote for my comic!). Has special integration with Drunk Duck (see previous section).

The Webcomic List
Originally, someone listed my comic here without my knowing at all! But, don't wait for someone to list your comic for you. Do it yourself!

Comic Printers for Self-Publishers

Eventually, you're going to get tired of only seeing your comics on a computer screen. You're going to want to take them to conventions or sell them to your friends. In that case, you'll need to start self-publishing! Some people can get away with using a photocopier at the library, but I prefer to outsource the printing and binding to professionals. So far, my best experiences have been with the Canadian SIPS Comics. Their prices for minicomics printing are really good, and their communication and printing are swift as can be. Mind you, printers are not publishers. Why? Because you pay a printer, but a publisher pays you and pays their own printer to print your comic for them. That's why when you pay a printer to print your comics it is called self-publishing. You are essentially fulfilling the financial and marketing responsibilities of a publisher. A lot of young comickers seem really confused on this. I hope I've cleared it up.

Comicking Communities

Manga Punk forever!
Manga Punk is a community I started years ago to help bring together the next generation of comickers. Features peer published book reviews, blogs, articles, forums, tones, tutorials and more. Everyone has a voice, and members are encouraged to submit their own news articles and help each other with comicking complexities.

Sequential Tart
Comics news with uniquely female perspective. The forums are an invaluable source of guidance and advice.

Places to Go... People to Stalk

Leah Hernandez is prominent woman in comis although she isn't as active in the business as she once was. Her blog is a great place to get the latest on female oriented news in the comic world.

Comics Worth Reading is comic review and news blog run by the much revered Johanna Draper Carlson.

Scott McCloud is author of Reinventing Comics and various comics and graphic novels, both online and off. Anyone dedicated to making progress in the Wide World of Web Comics needs to check out his blog and links.

Most Importantly...

People ask me, "How can I become a comicker?" You don't become a comicker. You have to be a comicker. Make comics, no matter how crappy they look or how inexperienced you feel. Write them. Draw them. Show them to everyone. Print them on photocopiers. Upload them online. Do not fear criticism or rejection. Embrace them as childhood friends. Love your fans, your critics and yourself. Do like Young MC said, "Just bust a move!"

Write this over and over on the ceiling over your bed so it's the first thing you see every morning.