Web comics started out as merely scanned copies of their printed equivalents. While they were convenient, and certainly good for trees, they were not particularly innovative. Eventually, and perhaps inevitably considering the creativity of the people involved in comic making, web comics began to expand and explore the many possibilities of the internet, and a virtual medium. Today, they are a very different kettle of fish to their predecessors and are beginning to be recognized as an important art form. Here are a few of the differences.

Contribution and Distribution of Web Comics

The greatest difference, aside from the obvious, is the egalitarian nature of web comics. Anyone with access to the internet can read them, and most of them for free. And anyone else can publish one. Rather than having to convince a publisher, and readers that every issue has merit, any whiz with a ballpoint and a scanner can get in on the act.

It’s not likely that the whiz will make a living out of it, but that won’t stop him (or her). And potentially, they can reach an audience even greater than a professional comic strip artist. The audience will be international, and although it will still be largely male and largely in its teens to twenties, it could potentially include just about anyone.

Web Comic Communities

Another differing aspect of online comics is the community and collaborations that go along with them. Meta-sites such as onlinecomics.net and thewebcomiclist.com provide easy access to thousands of comics, categorizing them into genres that are easily navigated by a visitor's interest. They also provide an opportunity for recognition, through user voting and awards. Most web comics also include a forum and/or a blog by the creators, which can give insight into the creation of beloved characters, and provide an easy way for a reader to give feedback on the work.

The comic creators themselves are also able to collaborate with ease, and many web comics have occasional guest artists from other webcomics. This sort of cooperation with other artists and with readers could eventually lead to new ideas emerging, as well as providing simple advice and encouragement for new artists. It keeps the industry as a whole vibrant and flexible.

Artistic Innovations and Techniques in Web Comics

A virtual medium offers many different ways in which to expand upon the traditional shape of a comic strip. One way in which web comics often experiment is with interactions with their readers, such as 'choose your own path' style comics, in which the readers are asked to vote on which way the characters will act in future strips. Ctr+Alt+Del is one web comic which has experimented with this.

• Usa Today Comics

  USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for ...

• Gargoyles Comics

  Dedicated to providing up-to-date info on the Gargoyles comic book, published by SLG, and to increasing awareness of the comic in order to help improve its sales.

• Us Acres Comics

• Cheating Wife Comics

  Cheating Wives cartoons from the CartoonStock directory - the world's largest on-line collection of cartoons and comics.

• Jhonen Vasquezs Comics