Indy Comics Writer

There’s an interesting debate going on at Digital Webbing right now. Basically, someone asked if Digital Webbing still matters. A whole lot of people responded with emphatic “yes”s. A smaller number said that the online comics community was regarded as a bit of a joke by others in the industry. You can read the thread here.

For those who don’t know, Digital Webbing is a busy online community devoted to the creation of comics. Artists, writers, inkers, letterers and editors all hang out there on the site’s online forum. Digital Webbing also publishes a few comic series. It is one of the comic sites I visit on a regular basis, though I don’t post much. It also features a “help-wanted” section, split into paying jobs and non-paying ones. In short, it’s a nice resource.

But does an online forum like this help novice comic writers get jobs? Will it help connect you to publishers seeking new writing talent? Probably not. Well, you can get rid of the “probably” in that sentence.

The sad fact is, most publishers are not looking for new writers, at least not new inexperienced comic writers. It’s the job of the writer to impress the publishers. The reason? Publishers have their pick when it comes to writers because so many people right now want to break into the field. The competition is intense. It’s great if you’re a publisher, not so great if you’re a writer.

That being said, do the forums provide any benefits to the rookie writer? Sure. Lots of them, actually.

The most important is that it connects you to a community of fellow creators. In Digital Webbing’s case, many have been published, many have worked in the industry steadily. Many others, of course, are just getting their start. These people have a lot to say, and there’s a lot you can learn from them.

The help-wanted sections are a bit hit or miss. The unpaid section is mostly filled with new writers trying desperately to find an artist to work with them for free. That gets old. There’s an interesting writers’ section where writers can post scripts for critique or merely banter about writing-related questions. There’s also a section where everyone can discuss the latest comic news.

I admit, I don’t buy Digital Webbing’s actual comics. They’re not my cup of tea. But they might be yours, so check them out. Either way, Digital Webbing is worth a visit, as are the other online comics forums out there. It can too often feel like you’re creating in a vacuum when you’re working on scripts that you’re not sure will ever see the light of day. Sometimes, it’s nice to drop by a world, even if it is a virtual one, where a whole lot of other people are feeling the same thing.

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