Yet in a time when Indy comics are getting harder and harder to produce and get out there. Mind you that diamond is no longer really friendly to the small guys, there must still be an outlet for those of us that have  fantastic tales to tell.

Yet too often too many incredibly good webcomics fall by the wayside, because their creators cannot keep up with the pace or demands that they set up for themselves. Which is a shame. You see more webcomics are truly a labor of love.

The other problem one faces is having to weed through all the crap to find the really strong ones. With the power of the web, a story can reach a huge audience, but we forget that we are competing with many other artists trying to do the same thing. So how can you make your webcomic survive and how can you as a struggling illustrator manage to make a little income at the same time? Well let’s break it down….

1. DEADLINES AND RELIABILITY- I cannot stress this one enough. Set realistic deadlines. Bean updates once a week, every monday and then two color updates tuesday and thursday (I have embarked on the biggest project of my life coloring Bean from page 1). My readers know that there will be a new part of the story on those days, they expect it and so I must honor that. If I kept changing the days without telling people… people loose interest. IF I MISS DAYS WITHOUT AND EXPLANATION PEOPLE STOP READING! See too many comic artist start missing deadlines for what ever reason and push the updates further back. You want to upset your readers, don’t be reliable. If you want your readership to grow, update when you say you will. There are many programs out there that will let you automate this process so you can be several weeks in advance.

2. WORK WITHIN YOUR LIMITS. Honestly, if you can produce 5 colored pages a week and that’s all you had to do, then updating 5 days a week is fine. Yet most artists are pretty slammed so 5 colored pages a week can be quite overwhelming. Work within what is realistic. My main goal is to finish my tale in b/w first and then go back and color it (or find someone else to color it for me so I can do another tale). I realized I can produce several pages a week- between 8 to 10 at times in b/w, yet I cannot do this consistently. I have other obligations and I LOVE being married and I LOVE being a dad. So I must juggle a bit. So I found that making sure I update twice a week was very workable and now I have an 80 page buffer just ready to be uploaded. Which brings me to the next point.

3.CREATE A BUFFER! They(newspapers comics) say you should have 6 weeks of strips in the hopper. I am a strong believer of that. Do not try to update the same week you do that perfect page you are working on, you will only set you up for failure.

4.QUALITY OVER QUANTITY! There are no print deadlines with webcomics except the ones you make for yourself, yet keep them! So take your time, make it look good. If we can prove that there are incredibly well written and drawn stories out there, more and more will flock to find them. Yet that takes a little faith in an industry that pay artist very little. That’s why I like a twice a week update. It allows me to take time to create a good story with out feeling rushed as well as lets me cover my other freelance jobs at the same time.

Other updates though are important- I love having a separate art gallery to let my imagination go wild. It gives people something to enjoy why they wait.

5.KEEP YOUR STORY FOCUSED- I recommend to start with an ending and then work your way to that point. It’s all about direction. Epics are fine when they have a focus to get to. Side stories are fine as well but be careful that you do not loose focus. Webcomics that loose focus, loose readers. (more on story creation in another posts).

6.WHY PAY SITES DON’T WORK AND THE POWER OF THE HARD COPY (for the reader): By posting our webcomics online for free, it allows a fan base to built. People from all over the world can enjoy your stuff… and yes they get it for free, so where is the money aspect of it. If you use a site that charges admission for your work, it drives fans away and you end up making very little and risk a much smaller fan base (I have a few friends, who are very talented that ran into this trap). I say utilize the hard copy. Small print run, keep it clean and professional and sell it online and at conventions. If your fans love your story, they will love the hard copy even more.

You still need to eat and 95% webcomics are done in the evenings late at night as a labor of love. People do not realize how much time is put into a dream to make it a reality, and how many of us struggle to make ends meet and still produce an incredible story.

SO HERE IS THE REALITY CHECK! A lot of people will just read the story online. You will also notice that many people promise to buy your books, family and friends etc… but when it comes down to it those numbers are really small. Yet the person that finds your webcomic and takes the time to comment, return daily, etc will be the one that will buy the hard copy. It is the truth.  Yet you can still create income as indy… It’s just learning what options are out there.

The bean was written to be a printed story. It fits this pattern to the letter. I dedicate each book to be 152 pages of the story that is online, plus extras – maps, notes etc….. I have 3 books done and I am now in the process of finishing book 4. I make sure the cover is nice and strong and that it is something my fans would want and enjoy. It is a tribute to them, because the Bean will not always be up here.  Each book has been funded by Kickstarter- and now the coloring is being funded through patreon. These sites and are personal stores allow people to help keep our webcomic stories up and free to the masses.

As when search comics I am the same way, if I find a web comic that I really enjoy, I will pick up the hard cover.

7. MAKE YOUR SITE FUNCTIONAL-and use a good tracking software to see hits etc. Unique hits are more important that regular hits. A unique hit number is a more accurate representation of how many people are reading your comic. So if your website gets 500000 hits and has only 12 unique hit, that means only about 12 people and one might be your mom, are reading your comic. So focus on getting the unique hits up.

8. GETTING YOUR NAME OUT THERE- This is a weird one. Trends change all the time. You will find, even if your story is picked up for print, that you still have to push the advertising yourself. You will have to make contacts, you will have to come out of your shell and start meeting people. Start submitting your links, make deals with other webcomics you like (mind you some creators are really picky what they will showcase, for me it is quality and age appropriate material) to host one another links. Find time to promote someone else, you might be surprised to see the favor returned. This game though is always changing… Social media is changing and Facebook is not as creator friendly as it used to be.

you can link to the bean with this image

9. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE- I am a dad, I know what I want my kids to see online, so I make sure my work follows in that vein. I also know my audience loves reading fantasy and likes certain things, so I make sure I please my audience, while not loosing the integrity of my original vision. Basically do not sell your dream short for a few hits. If you keep true to your vision your audience will find you.

10. HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT? This is my biggest thing. Do not tell me how bad you want it. Show me. Put the time in to your work.  What are you willing to sacrifice to make that dream work. I love video games, I rarely play them because I would rather tell my story. Family is first, my dream is second, because my dream would be nothing if I destroyed my family in the process.  Yet I still sacrifice to make the dream happen, I love entertaining and when they go to bed, I sit up and draw. When it fails (which bean did 3 times before now) do you get back up and rework to make it work? Only you know  SO honestly how bad do you want it?

These are just 10 simple things that have made my world a reality. I have had so much fun creating this and I know if others are inspired to do the same, the world of webcomics would be as strong as print. Fans would come and that labor love would pay off.

So keep creating, keep dreaming and keep drawing.

trav

I read an article by a very distinguished comic creator that ranted about all sorts of issues on basically why they make little money on the web with their comics. I also read a response to that article that basically asked some really tough questions of that creator and their accusations and their excuses on why they thought they were getting screwed.

Now that made me think a little. Ok it made me think a lot. So I’ve decided to talk about why I choose to post my tale online and put my story out there for free, in hopes others will like it and post about it.

As the times change so much the game plan change. The internet if used right can be a powerful tool for the independent comic creators. Independents and small press these days are in a jam. Diamond is not too kind towards them and there are even fewer distribution opportunities for these independents. It is not like the late 80’s and 90’s which were the heyday for independents. The cost for production is just way to high to print 4000 books and pray to be able to sell them so you can just do issue 2. (That to me is old school print mentality).

So what do we do???? What can we do. Well many of the independents have found ways to adapt and that is by providing FREE content online. Posting our stories, in hopes that our audience grows and spreads the word. We are adapting our game in an industry that focus more on mainstream titles. We give up sales to tell our stories, yet we also know that if we keep it up sales do come… It’s a interesting dance.

So how do I approach it. Well I decided to post the whole story online. My friend Jason of remindblog.com and I have talked in length about this philosophy. We want you to keep coming back to our worlds, we want you tell your friends about our worlds and we want you to be part of our worlds. So we as a creators need to be mindful of that and the promises we make with our viewers.

The main key is follow a schedule and don’t deviate. You say you’ll update 2 or 3 days a week, well keep that schedule. If your story is important to you will keep to your schedule. I realize that many independents hold other jobs and have huge commitments, yet you can tell who gets it and who does not.  Some of us are lucky to work for big production houses and other fields in the art world, yet as the game changes and independents and small press gets pushed further to the side, you got to keep trudging. Success happens with time, not overnight, I don’t care how big your name is, if you can’t keep your commitment to your fans the web will be very unkind to you and your rep will crash down a lot faster than in the print industry. So if you cannot commit don’t play the game.

Really, this is a poor mans game to get things started. Yet as in Field of Dreams, if you build it they will come. That truly is the key, building it. The web is a community based entity. You cannot force commerce on it, commerce comes to it. As people find your comic and your worlds they pass it on. As more and more people find you, then the sales come, yet only if you have product to sell and it’s easy to navigate to. This is were stepping up your game is important. First you got to learn how to engage your fanbase. Many love to comment and if you spend a few hours a week talking back, people enjoy that. It makes you real to them. Second, learn to use the web. Make your site easy to navigate and ecommerce compatible. Figure it out, if you can’t figure it out you will be left behind as print slowly goes away. Really it’s all up to the creator on how much they are willing to put into their world and site. If your site looks like something still from 1998 and you are unapproachable well, then maybe that’s the reason traffic is low.

I fully understand, that book sales can be slow at times, especially since the story is online, but it is always growing. I find other baskets in the art world to put my eggs in also. I realize I missed the 90’s where independents and small press where king…yet I am not missing the 2010 era where in a few soon years webcomics will be the norm. I learned to adapt. You see while making an income is important, I also love to tell me story and no matter how many times I fall down, I’m going to get back up.

Is print dead, certainly not. You just have to learn to use it with the web. I still love holding printed books and reading them at my own leisure, that is why I go and buy, when available, collections of my favorite webcomics and comics.  I have found I am not alone either as people pick up my series in print form.

The other thing is I hope people, review, blog, post and talk about my artwork. As an independent, small press creator, I’ll take all the love I can get. I also find that it’s important to give love to other great creators as well. Honestly I am not so stuck on myself that it has to be all about me. There are plenty others, far better than I that need to be promoted and are in the same boat as I. Which is proving that the web is and incredibly valuable tool in marketing, sales, and promotion.

So that is why I post for FREE, that is why I comment all the time. It’s because I enjoy telling a story and enjoying engaging with those that like what I do. I get it, the world is a changing and I am willing to change with it….. are you?

trav

Shop Talk: Adding the Little Things….

I am a picky reader, especially when it comes to webcomics. In fact it takes a lot at times to keep my interest. Usually that lack of interest is based on a few things…. Lack of story, lack or strong art and then there is the lack of the little things. Lack of the little things you ask? Yup lack of the little things.  These are really enhancements to a story, that when added are not really noticed at first, but in the end can have a lasting impact on good story telling. This not just applies to comics, it applies to books, poems, and movies. Yes every know and then, one needs a little mind numbing adventure…which I am a fan of, this is all good. It satisfies me for the moment and I realize I don’t have to come back and that is still ok.

Then there are those pieces, which seem simple, but in reality they are far more complex. This is usually due to the attention to detail and this attention to detail makes it fun. So how can one apply this to their own works?

A little planning helps first.

Yup that’s right a little planning. Now you don’t have to go overboard with the planning. Too much world building can kill a story quick. That in itself becomes an excuse on why you can just seem to finish your tale.

My suggestion. Get the basic gist of the story done, than start your first act. I break “Bean” into chapters of 38 pages each. This allows me to build the story and the world at a reasonable pace and not try to have one finished before the other. In fact I focus on the characters of the story in the beginning and the setting. This allows me to focus on what is important, and that is making sure the story stays on track and stays  focused.

Once though I am happy with the script, then I start to take a look at the world and the environment. Many people know that I treat the world as a character in itself. I find this to be very helpful as I go from one location to another. Especially when I am dealing with writing and epic. I realized I would be in one spot for several hundred pages. This allowed me to localize the world and not have to worry about far off places just yet.

That’s a pitfall. Focusing on the area not relevant to your current story location. When doing a webcomic, you need to realize that things tend to move at a slower pace…so there is plenty of time to add to your world.

Yet it also allows me to really build on the current location as well. This is an awesome tradeoff for a webcomic. I can really play with style, customs, and do the proper research in putting my world together.  In fact, in the long run it will enhance your story even more.

So, like I was saying, once the script is done, I go back and take a little look on how I can enhance the world that my characters are dealing with. There is always some interaction with elements, and plant life. Yet here is an opportunity to make it so much more. Too often plants, buildings and animals are looked at as card board elements.  Sort of like an old 20’s movie with cardboard props. The world we live in though, is far different. Animals and plants constantly move in and out of the picture. They embed themselves into our lives and many times we don’t even realize it.

I took that approach with “Bean”. I might show a critter in one panel and yet not in another. This is due to the fact that they are always moving and as my characters don’t always see them, neither does the reader.

Just make sure that you do not over do it. There needs to be some balance and many times there is no need to put things in certain panels, but on establishing shots or layout shots that help create mood, it is very ok.

The main thing is to just take a chance. Stop and look around you before you draw a location or a room. Ask yourself how can make this a little more believable. Does is need weeds, are the bottles or trash around. If I am digging a hole does dirt and rock slide back in. Even better does my dirt have texture are there rocks and pebbles in it. Are my trees rooted to the ground and do they have variety. You gotta ask yourself this and then sketch out ways to sneak those things in there.

If you go back and look at some of the best comics you will see the artist did not just focus on characters, he focused on everything. They hid stuff, they gave their work depth. They found ways to get you to look at a page for a long time especially when they were at a lull moment in their comics.. That is a goal I have, what can I do to help keep looking for clues.

It’s honestly more than just eye candy. It’s a way to pull people into your world without having to explain everything. People become familiar with it and it allows them to pick up on things that normally would not have been there. It also frees you up from having to lay it out.

So I add stuff all the time.

And by adding stuff all the time, you never know what hidden gems might lie within the story. You might be amazed on how much you miss. In fact, I give hints all the time about things that might happen a year or so down the road.

So don’t be afraid to add the little things to your works. Your readers will appreciate it.

trav-

Here are a few webcomics that really get it about putting extra details in their works. Go look, go see what they hide and enjoy getting lost in their incredible worlds as well.

]]> https://www.beanleafpress.com/shop-talk-keeping-focused-with-an-epic-webcomic/ Tue, 05 Nov 2013 08:08:19 +0000 http://www.beanleafpress.com/?p=3401

Staying Focused

The other day,  I had a conversation with a fellow creator of mine. He was struggling with a few things that to him seemed to inhibit his ability to finish any project that he has been working on. He told me of all the many ideas that he had in head and all the great and fantastic stories that were needing to come out on paper and be expressed. Yet every time he started a project it was doomed to fail and the ever growing frustration that he felt seem to pull into that dark abyss that can consume a creator.

As we talked, I thought about this quite a bit and have found myself in similar circumstances. Not many people realize the emotional and mental struggle that creators go through. It can be quite hellish, yet there are a few things we can do to help us get our stories out there.

Bean is nearing update 350 with many more to go. To those that know me, this is a milestone. In fact as I read older posts on forums about bean from years ago, the comments towards me were uncertainty that I would even finish the tale. This was harsh to hear, yet I have learned a few things in my medium old age that have helped get my story on the right path and keep going. Some of these I have talked about before, while others are things that I have only begun to learn. So to the webcomic creators, take what you need. You might not agree with it all, yet sooner or later, you will find there is truth in what I am about to say.

1. Show me, do not tell me ” you want it bad enough.” I am a strong believer in this philosophy. People talk about things all the time, yet talk is just that, talk. If you want to accomplish something bad enough you will find a way to make things happen.

2. Pick one story and stay with it. As an artist and creator I realize that my head is full of different stories and ideas. There is nothing wrong with this, and if you just want to write short stories, you will be fine. Yet for those of you with “epics” in mind, you will find that there are times you get bored with your tale. We all do. Working solely on one project for years at a time can be quite draining. This is were the temptation to switch gears hits and start another project or tale. Then we become involved in that project and forget our original idea that we started on…. yet we also find ourselves unable to finish the new project.

Well this angers our fans. They are there for what you started and if you break away from the tale, you will lose them. You can slow down on updates, but you need to also be true to them. When you switch and switch and then switch again you will find a growing disconnect that is not always repairable.  Now if you end the story that is different, but you can’t just switch gears… well you can if you want to risk readership. The more you do it, the more control damage you have to do.

3. Staying focused. So I mentioned the realistic fact that creators lose interest in their projects. Usually this happens for a variety of reasons. Lack of instant results (big one). Mundane moment in the story. Shinny Objects… or the desire to switch for the “better” idea. Failure or perceived failure. Critical commentary from fans. Those moments of depression or feeling stuck.  All valid reasons and can really slow one down.

I once heard a great cartoonist say that the only way to be successful is to work when you don’t want to work. It can be hard to stay focused at times, it is these times that you have to push yourself the most. I believe that and some of my biggest breakthroughs have been when I pushed through my lowest funks. Is it easy? no not really. It is worth it though.

I have tons of other story ideas that I want to do. So what do I do? Well I write or sketch them down and then put them away for later. I have found that I am so involved in the Bean that I cannot stop. I am too invested in it and deep down now I have to see it through. Which brings me to my next point…

4. Stay true to your original vision. Stay true with that original thought. Had I learned that 13 years ago, Bean would not have gone through so many phases. What you see is my original vision and layout. It was a super strong impulse that once I returned it, I found out that it was the correct one. It was only when I returned to it that my story became successful and took off. So when you feel that you need to go off and do another book, take a moment and “reset” and remember what made you start your tale in the first place.

5. Anchor it! I talk about this a lot. Give it an anchor an ending of sorts. It will make a huge difference in your ability to keep going. It gives you a finish, than an un-ending story cannot. Stories with no ending tend to send the creator into the realm of boredom rather quickly as well as the fans. Fans can tell if you don’t have at least some sort of direction. Even with the ending set in stone you can still have the inspiration to change and adapt the middle anyway you like.

6. stop comparing yourself so you can create your own feel and style. This is a tough one, especially since we all love to compare ourselves to other comics and artists. Yet we forget that every artist is at a different stage in the game. If your draw like everyone else than you also disappear. You have to figure out a way to stand out in the crowd, so you need to figure out your own unique feel. Learn from others, but dont copy them. Influences are very important in art and if you use them right influences will help you create a unique feel that is different from everyone else. This also takes practice, I was about 30 when I finally learned how important it was just to be and do my own thing.

7. Patience That’s tough, yet something to be learned. I understand that most webcomic creators have many many other responsibilities. Myself included. If I could do bean full-time, I would be jump at in a heart beat. Yet, I cannot, and I had to figure out how to get creative on when I work on the bean. I draw everywhere, from the doctors office to jury duty. I am constantly finding ways to make it work. I also realize that this is a long-term project, so I plan my life as best I can accordingly. With that in mind and being upfront about my needs to others, patience grows. Do I ever get frustrated, yes, but that is part of deal. My frustrations are now when I have to redo a page rather than losing interest in my works.

8. Remove Distractions- Turn off the tv or put the video game away for a bit. If you are serious about this and want to succeed, you need to turn some things off so you can create.

9. Have “outs” –An out is when you need a break. I need them many times and my outs are prints and commissions. This does two things for me. First it allows me to satisfy my need to draw something else rather than bean. I get to play in science fiction, fantasy, and realism. Second, it releases stress. My outs come at the finish of a chapter and my commissions help fund my webcomic. I am though careful to make sure my outs dont become my 2nd project. There is a fine line and if one is not careful your “out” can highjack your story.

10. you are not alone. Honestly you are not alone out there. We all struggle with staying focused. Yet it is possible. When I learned that my inspirations struggle at times with their stories, it reminds me that they are human too and as I watch them push through it, it strengthens me to do the same.

The key is to help you stay focused and though the your comic project might seem huge and overwhelming, it is still possible. In reality it all comes down to  “how bad do you want it and what are you going to do about.” Once you figure it out you will see some incredible things happen.

So Keep Creating

trav-

Shop Talk: The power of Webcomics and why stores, publishing companies, hobbyist and the old indy publishing model doesn’t get it yet.

This last year has been quite an eye opener for me. These last two years have really been a break out for indy/webcomics. Many of these creators have found how to make their stories a good income source and some cases a permanent income source. Being one of them I have found how vital it is for the print and web industries to work together. They need each other.

Creators of outstanding stories need to be paid for their efforts. Yet the distribution for independents is facing some uphill battles. Diamond is no longer friendly to them and most comic stores stock the top 4 or 5 publishers in this order Marvel/DC, Image, Dark horse, Archaia Entertainment (which i love), and then well known independents, minor independents (only about 3 to 5% on the list if that) and then well you get it. Indy’s are not high the list. Plus all the indy distributors are drying up. Does this mean that your books won’t get into a store- not always- but it is the biggest uphill battle you have to face. Plus the return on your work is low… So really what is the motivation for an indy publisher these days. Well it might surprise you.

Several indy creators have found a way to carve out a nitch in the industry. We have found a way to bring in income as well and we all for the most part have the same mind frame on how to make it work. Yet it goes against the grain and very slowly an industry that refuses to change in way of doing business is starting to take notice. Yet, I am not writing this for the industry, I am writing this for the indy’s, with hopes that you to can make your dreams of being a story creator become a reality.

So let’s talk shop.

As an artist, I need to make a living. It is what I do. There are peaks and valleys in my career. I have to constantly promote and many times listen to the negative feedback that seems to stalk artist about our goals being unrealistic. Yet it all boils down to 2 things.

First- Dont tell me how bad you want it, show me.

Second- This is a career not a hobby. For the most part webcomic-hobbyist disappear after a few years. Those that treat it like a job – stick around.

With that being said how do I make my comic into a webcomic that generates income, builds my artistic career, and fulfills the needs of my fans.

1. Give it away for free online. What? Give it a way for free are you nuts? How does one make money when you are giving it away for free online so everyone can read it? Simple…. You are building an audience. Most indy’s don’t have audiences, except their friends and families. Honest fact.  So if no one knows your story exists, how can they buy it when it comes out in print?

The power of giving your story away for free helps you on many fronts. The first is audience growth. You jump from being just a small local story teller to an international story teller. If the work is clean, the story good, and updates consistent people keep coming back. They become attached to your world and many want you to succeed that when you do print books and create digital books they support them.

Next it gives people a reason to remember you, especially in-between issues. The longer the wait in between books the quicker people forget you exist, no matter how good the story is. Regular updates help keep people invested in what you are creating and motivates you to keep producing-

The big companies are starting to offer online- but a lot of them charge. That’s fine. I will still offer my tale for free, because I want more and more people to become familiar with my story and my art.

2. The power of community. For the most part the webcomic community is pretty open. In fact several of the successful creators are always willing to give advice. Jason Brubaker of remind has created and entire site dedicated to making webcomics and comics. The web comic is also very supportive of one another. We plug each others comics, yet this is usually by taste. DONT BE PUSHY- if someone doesn’t plug you it might be because we are also picky. I plug webcomics I read, yet I am a stickler for story and good illustrations.

Be willing to plug others as well, without expecting anything in return. It’s get’s noticed. Those that expect things find out that people avoid them.

We also all are trying to tell our own stories. Each different and unique. This creates a common bond, as we all try to be successful in our story telling. Be respectful of this the web can be rather harsh at times as people push their own agendas.

There is also many creators who have created tutorials or blogs and how to make it work. You just have to find them and read them. I already linked to a great set of resources with Jason.

Stay away from comparing. Everyone is at their own spot in the game and sometimes the biggest killer of a webcomic is the creator itself. You got to focus on your own game not someone else. Let other creators inspire you to improve yourself and then apply what you learn, but keep it your own style and creation.

3. Patience- Your audience will show up. You just have to put the time in to make it happen. Like planting a garden, the fruit of the labor does not happen overnight. It takes time. Audiences start small. Yet there are many ways to plug your work. You need to be consistent with your updates and art. Don’t disappear or be unreliable, that kills the audience quick. Sometimes it can take several years before your audience grows and you start generating income. Stick it out.

4. Print still sells- Print books will never go away. In fact the web and print work very well together. Yet you can just throw in out on a whim – you need to build up your audience. Once your audience has grown, it might be time to print. The cool thing is many indy’s no longer use stores and distributors. We build our own stores and sell from there, we are cutting out distributors and sales are direct. It gives me a chance to offer a store a bigger cut, if they want to carry it, but as the web audience grows, you find that you dont have to be in a small comic shop. Plus there are other ways to get into bigger stores.

Just be careful about jumping the gun. Establish your comic and your audience first. Build up the page count and pull from there and add tidbits here and there.

Yet you still have to print the books. Hence the power of kickstarter. The key to success with kickstarter is the importance of building an audience and having a good looking product. (ok there is more but you have to read about it in my kickstarter topic here).

5. You still have to push your comic- Once you have to comics- you head to cons. Start small. Once again we see the importance of building up an audience. People find you though, especially fans. It is quite cool when people you have never met in a city come up to you and say they have been following you for year and want to support you. Just make sure when you come back the next year you have something new for them. The killer of most small press is they are a one book press… This is solved if you are doing a web comic and can keep producing books.

Is it fool proof…. no. It’s constantly evolving and changing. We need to adapt and honestly it is those creators that can adapt that survive. Patience, and the drive to figure things out. Yet that’s what makes webcomics a possible realistic source of income. You just got to put the effort into your own work.

Is it easy… no. Will you get frustrated… yes. Will you almost quit…possibly. Yet in the end, if you are willing to put the effort in and are willing to show people that you want it bad enough – you will make it happen. Things only look better for webcomics, especially with more and more support options out there to help with getting the word out. You will might be pleasantly surprised.

There is so much more to this. I plan to go into it as well because I want to see others succeed. I believe in the webcomic/kickstarter model. I am product of it working. I think now is the time for more great stories to get out there, just be true to work and your updating schedule. Treat it like a job and in time (no destination given cause we are all different) and it will eventually become one.

Are webcomics good for the industry- you bet they are… in fact they are breathing new life to a broken model already in place. They bring in new readers to comics and help reach audiences that normally would never know that your work exist.

So there is life for the indy’s. You can survive the comic industry and still make a dent as indy. You can still get your story out there and sell your books. You just get creative , go against the grain and not be afraid to offer your comic for free.

Keep creating-

trav

We are pushing forward with our stretch goals. I need your help as well. Please share, tell your friends. If we meet the 10000 mark I can add more pages to the book itself.

SAN DIEGO COMIC CON

Comic con starts this week – actually today and for the next 4 days I will be BOOTH E11 drawing FREE SKETCHES to anyone that wants one. Plus I will have new prints and Books 1 and 2. Come join the fun

thanks and keep creating-

trav-

Check out my new imagination cartoons. A series that deals with how important it is to live in your imagination. I will update these on off days. There is no set dates, since I am just doing these for me and my kids, but I felt that it is important to share.

To see the first one just click Living in your Imagination. As more are added you can just click the living in your imagination category to see more. The goal is to remind people that you can literally do anything you set out to do and that life is meant to be enjoyed.

Also just finished up chapter 11 and I am now starting on the artwork to chapter 12. I am really excited how things are progressing and I am looking forward to starting the kickstarter project in a few weeks. Gonna be a fun time.

Well keep creating and keep enjoying the grand adventure-

trav

So many cool things happening right now. I wish I honestly had a little more time to get even more done. The biggest news is blog post

Bean vol 3: Broken Souls & kickstarter preview…

This is exactly what it means. The 3rd book of bean has a name and will start it’s kickstarter run very very soon. I felt it was important to share what the rewards were going to be early. There are some really special ones as well, including maps to the underground and the brokenmoon.

Also I am working through several other projects. Pirate Bears, Commissions and more Bean Pages. I am feeling pretty energized.

I do hope you are enjoying the story right now… and you know- lets do some Q&A today. We’ll talk bean. Ask away and I will answer as much as I can spoiler free.

So keep creating my friends- and enjoy the grand adventure that life has to offer.

trav

One of the biggest questions I have gotten this last year is when are we going to start the kickstarter project for book 3. It’s been weighing on my mind as I finish up chapter 11 and move into chapter 12. So I decided that I  needed to reevaluate my timetable and see how I can up the date a little.

We were originally looking at Sept to start, but I realized that that needed to change. So I changed things around, to get the book started.

The Bean vol 3: Broken Souls will start it’s Kickstarter Pledge Drive July 1st- (gives me time to finish the movie-). Like all Kickstarter projects this is an all or nothing drive. You pledge what you feel comfortable with (like before) and earn the reward for the pledge. If we make our goal- the book funds if we miss it, money will not change hands.  I look at it as pre-ordering the book with added benefits.

The rewards this time are different. (I am not going to over bombard you with extra books) plus I am adding a special reward unlike before. This will make things a little more exciting.

This is list of this years rewards- You will be able to find what fits for you. As always, anyone that contributes to the book, will get their name in the back of the book, just like the other two volumes.

$5 Pledge Reward: PDF version of vol 3

$10 Pledge Reward: PDF version of vol 3 & 2

$15 Pledge Reward: PDF version of vol 1, 2, and 3

$20 Pledge Reward: signed copy of book 3

$30 Pledge Reward: signed copy of book 3 and 1 5×7 character card (signed)

$40 Pledge Reward: signed copy of book 3, 3 5×7 character cards (signed)

$50 Pledge Reward: signed copy of book 3, 3 5×7 character cards (signed) and a map of the Brokenmoon

$75 Pledge Reward: 3 signed copies of book 3 or full set of books 1,2 & 3,   3 5×7 character cards (signed) and a map of the Brokenmoon

$100 Pledge Reward: 3 signed copies of book 3 or full set of books 1,2 & 3,  Full set of  5×7 character cards (10) (signed) and a map of the Brokenmoon

$125 Pledge Reward: 3 signed copies of book 3 or full set of books 1,2 & 3,   Full set of  5×7 character cards (10) (signed) and a map of the Brokenmoon and a map of the underground.

$150 Pledge Reward: 3 signed copies of book 3 or full set of books 1,2 & 3,  Full set of  5×7 character cards (10) (signed) and a map of the Brokenmoon and a map of the underground + limited edition small print

$200 Pledge Reward: Full set of the series  Full set of  5×7 character cards (10) (signed) and a map of the Brokenmoon and a map of the underground + an original small inked illustration of the Bean story (6×9) my choice (see image below)

$250 Pledge Reward: Full set of the series  Full set of  5×7 character cards (10) (signed) and a map of the Brokenmoon and a map of the underground + an illustration with you as a character illustration with a bean character. (6×9 inked) your choice

$300 Pledge Reward: 10 books (you tell us how many 3, 2 or 1’s you would like)  Full set of  5×7 character cards (10) (signed) and a map of the Brokenmoon and a map of the underground +  and you get a cameo in Book 4 as an extra in the comic.

$500 Pledge Reward: 10 books (you tell us how many 3, 2 or 1’s you would like)  Full set of  5×7 character cards (10) (signed) and a map of the Brokenmoon and a map of the underground +  and you get a cameo in Book 4 as an extra in the comic. AND a custom unique inked illustration (11×14) of the world of the bean, your choice of character)  this reward will be limited-

$1000 Pledge Reward:  20 books (you tell us how many 3, 2 or 1’s you would like)  Full set of  5×7 character cards (10) (signed) and a map of the Brokenmoon and a map of the underground +  and you get a cameo in Book 4 as an extra in the comic. AND a customer unique inked illustration (11×14) of the world of the bean, your choice of character) and the cover art to either book 1, book 2 – or book 3 (your choice) this reward will be limited-

These rewards are subject to change though- but i think this is what they will be.

I really appreciate how much you have supported the Bean with the last 2 volumes. I find this to be really exciting and I am really looking forward to seeing where the Bean goes in the future. Thanks again for all your support.

Remember This Kickstarter project will not start til July 1st

When it does, please spread the love and push it along.

Thanks again and keep creating!

trav

Can you believe we are about to break the 390 mark. I am a little blown away by that. The scary thing is we have a long ways to go and I am just at the tip of the ice-berg.

Well last night we got in at about 12:30. I am a little tired. Some of you might have noticed that I hadn’t posted my normal update with the comic. After 4 days of traveling and 3 full working days at a show, I was thinking of only one thing last night and that was sleep.

So here I am now, with a quick report of the ACE comic con in New Mexico. I will give a more in-depth review later.

The show was fun. I saw a lot of neat people, some familiar faces and many new ones. Talked with some old friends and also got a few pages drawn. My wife went with me and let me tell you, she truly is an incredible lady. She ran that show and the constant shoulder rubs were fantastic. I really enjoyed working with her. We were kidless this  last weekend, which made for a unusually quiet, yet adventurous weekend. We were also mugged. I met yet another Travis Hanson, and had Stan Lee walk by us and tell us good morning. That was nice. In a nutshell, I had a good time and if they invite us back I will prob go. I will though be posting a full review later.

Other than that, I get home to a full workload before SDCC. Several Commissions and ton of Bean and Bear work. It’s gonna be a wild few months.

Well keep creating and more updates to come-

trav-

I am traveling today to the ACE show in New Mexico. If you are in Albuquerque stop on by to the Albuquerque Comic Expo. As usual if you are in the area and want a FREE sketch stop on by.

It’s been a busy week and there have been all sorts of projects old and new that I have been working on. Some are for the show, a few new commissions and two books.  I am plugging away pretty hard on Vol 3. There is just so much to tell. I am now starting chapter 12. Only 38 pages to go before we start the kickstarter project for it,

As several people know I like to do a lot of small b/w art pieces. None of them have much to do with Bean. Until now. In fact if you just scroll down you will find 6 new pieces that are dedicated to story of the Bean- before the events of our story. I really like telling a quick story with one picture. So if you want to get some close personal glimpses of the Bean and his friends of Silver Dagger, just look below. I think they will enhance the story- and maybe add a spoiler or two. Click here to enjoy the artwork.

NOW for the other big news. I finally have felt that it is time for the Teddy Bear Pirates of my print series to have their own book. Yes it is time for an adventure and these Bears are the stars.

I will start posting Bear pages in a few weeks. I am having a blast working on these pages along with the Bean. It has been a long time coming.

The main difference is the bears are a picture book and will not be a comic book. I could not handle to epic stories in comic form, but a picture book will not be a problem. It feels right.

Also the Bears will be available pre-order as a kickstarter project as well. I will post people the updates as soon as I know. Yet the only way this will work is with everyone’s help.

Well I think that this is enough excitement for one day. I sure appreciate everyone’s help and I look forward to seeing where the future goes.

Keep Creating- Trav-

prepping for ACE this weekend- I will post more in a bit- promise.
keep creating
trav