Money

            The presentations of February 8^th have demonstrated various ways that webcomic authors can make money. Here, I would like to discuss these various methods, and their implications.

            The presentation on Lunarbaboon, for example, discusses generating revenue by selling merchandise and taking donations through Patreon in return for bonus content. The revenue is used to support the production of the comic and allowed the author to quit his job and take making his comic as his main source of income. This strategy is common for content creators, and necessitates the continued relevance of the comic.

            Selling merchandise is especially effective because it allows the buyer to physically display their love for the comic. Merchandise is also useful as gifts to other readers to the comic. In both cases, buyers are happy to give money for something tangible when they may be hesitant to give money as a donation. Meanwhile, the proliferation of merchandise serves the bonus role of increasing the popularity of the comic by making it more widespread in the real world, serving as a advertiser.

            Meanwhile, this presentation on Sticky Comics demonstrates that the author’s main source of funding is corporate connections. This can serve as a win-win for the author, who gets money and increased popularity. It is also mutually beneficial, as it can increase the popularity of the webcomic’s connections as well. The catch is possible restriction of freedom of expression. Connections can pull funding for posting unfavorable content, and this may not sit well with some creators. More optimistically, creators will make connections with corporations whose interests are already aligned, resulting in the mutually beneficial relationship with the catch largely nullified.

            John’s presentation on The Last Mechanical Monster discusses income through print copies and ad revenue/subscriptions. While print copies can be a viable source of income, it relies in the success of the comic. Income through ad revenue is a reasonable option for comics, because it often takes little from the user’s experience. However, it still takes a little, and that is why some especially dedicated authors, like Allie Brosh, might refuse to take that option. Paid subscriptions are an especially risky option, because it risks accessibility and thus popularity. It is a slightly safe option when the subscription is packaged on a site with other comics, as Fies has done.